Comparative evaluation of FUNGITEST and broth microdilution methods for antifungal drug susceptibility testing of Candida species and Cryptococcus neoformans

The FUNGITEST method (Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, Paris, France) is a microplate-based procedure for the breakpoint testing of six antifungal agents (amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, and miconazole). We compared the FUNGITEST method with a broth microdilution test, performed according to National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards document M27-A guidelines, for determining the in vitro susceptibilities of 180 isolates of Candida spp. (50 C. albicans, 50 C. glabrata, 10 C. kefyr, 20 C. krusei, 10 C. lusitaniae, 20 C. parapsilosis, and 20 C. tropicalis isolates) and 20 isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Overall, there was 100% agreement between the methods for amphotericin B, 95% agreement for flucytosine, 84% agreement for miconazole, 83% agreement for itraconazole, 77% agreement for ketoconazole, and 76% agreement for fluconazole. The overall agreement between the methods exceeded 80% for all species tested with the exception of C. glabrata (71% agreement). The poorest agreement between the results for individual agents was seen with C. glabrata (38% for fluconazole, 44% for ketoconazole, and 56% for itraconazole) and C. tropicalis (50% for miconazole). The FUNGITEST method misclassified as susceptible 2 of 12 (16.6%) fluconazole-resistant isolates, 2 of 10 (20%) itraconazole-resistant isolates, and 4 of 8 (50%) ketoconazole-resistant isolates of several Candida spp. Further development of the FUNGITEST procedure will be required before it can be recommended as an alternative method for the susceptibility testing of Candida spp. or C. neoformans.     

Lessons learned from programmers' experiences with one‐way constraints

One‐way constraints have been incorporated in many graphical user interface toolkits because they are simple to learn, easy to write, and can express many types of useful graphical relationships. This paper is an evaluative paper that examines users' experience with one‐way constraints in two user interface development toolkits, Garnet and Amulet, over a 15‐year time span. The lessons gained from this examination can help guide the design of future constraint systems. The most important lessons are that (1) constraints should be allowed to contain arbitrary code that is written in the underlying toolkit language and does not require any annotations, such as parameter declarations, (2) constraints are difficult to debug and better debugging tools are needed, and (3) programmers will readily use one‐way constraints to specify the graphical layout of an application, but must be carefully and time‐consumingly trained to use them for other purposes. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mathematical model of a drum and ring horizontal strip casting process

A mathematical formulation has been developed to represent the heat transfer and the solidification process in a drum and ring type horizontal strip casting machine. This system involves a ring shaped trough, containing a molten metal pool into which a drum is partially immersed. Both the ring and the drum are made to rotate and their surfaces are cooled with water sprays; as a result, solidified shells are formed on both the internal surface of the ring and on the outer surface of the drum. These two shells are welded together to form the strip. In the formulation equations were developed to represent the temperature profiles in the system and the build-up of the solidified shells as a function of position. The principal usefulness of the analysis is to provide guidance regarding the interrelationships between the key process variables, such as the depth of the metal pool, the system geometry, the angular velocities, and heat transfer coefficients. One may also define the safe limits of operation, in terms of these parameters.     

A Study on the mathematical modeling of turbulent recirculating flows in gas-stirred ladles

Computed results are presented describing the velocity field and the map of the turbulent kinetic energy in a water model of an argon-stirred ladle. The theoretical predictions agree well with the measurements, when an experimentally determined void fraction distribution is used in computing the body force driving the flow. The agreement is somewhat less satisfactory, particularly regarding the maps of the turbulent kinetic energy, when the no-slip or the drift flux models are used to predict the void fraction of the gas.     

Electromagnetic and fluid flow phenomena in a mercury model system of the electromagnetic casting of aluminum

A mathematical formulation has been developed to represent the electromagnetic force field and the velocity field in the melt for the electromagnetic casting of aluminum. The theoretical predictions based on fundamental considerations are compared with experimental measurements obtained on a physical model system. The measurements and predictions were found to be in good agreement, regarding both the velocity fields and the electromagnetic force fields. The principal conclusion emerging from this work is of critical importance in achieving the dual objective, that is providing a restraining force, while minimizing the melt velocity perpendicular to the free surface. The mathematical formulation presented in the paper provides the theoretical framework for quantitatively defining these conditions in terms of the coil and the shield parameters. J.L. Meyer, formerly with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology N. EL-KADDAH, formerly with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT     

The role of transient convection in the melting and solidification in arc weldpools

A mathematical formulation has been developed to describe the transient growth and collapse of axisymmetric weldpools in spot welding operations. In the statement of the problem allowance is made for both conductive and convective heat transfer. In describing convection, the driving forces included buoyancy, electromagnetic forces, and surface tension forces. In most cases it was found that convection played a major role in affecting the weldpool shape, and that this convection was often dominated by surface tension forces. The model also allowed us to represent the transient collapse of weldpools upon the cessation of the heat and current supply. It was found that the melt velocity was reduced as the weldpool shrank. Most of the solidification took place from a circulating weldpool. By calculating both the growth rate and the relevant temperature gradients, it was possible to estimate the dendrite arm spacing which was found to be of the order of tens of microns. Formerly Research Associate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology     

Fluid flow phenomena in the electromagnetic stirring of continuous casting systems,part 1: the behaviour of a cylindrically shaped laboratory scale installation

A model is developed to calculate the flow field produced by electromagnetic stirring generated by a rotating magnetic field. This study has considerable importance due to its applicability to continuous casting systems. Three cases are considered, the first, in which steady continuous stirring is studied, and the numerical results are found to agree well with the experimental observations by other workers. In the second case, alternating stirring is examined, and the critical role of switching frequencies is discussed. Finally, a preliminary allowance is made for free surface deformation for the continuous stirring situation. The effective viscosity is deduced from the transport equations for K, the turbulence kinetic energy, and for ?, the rate of viscous dissipation. The transport equation for K is modified to account for turbulence enhancement due to electromagnetic effects.     

A note on simultaneous unsteady state diffusion and heat conduction in the absence of the Soret Effect

Simultaneous unsteady state diffusion and heat conduction in the absence of the Soret Effect are discussed. Under these conditions the problem reduces to diffusion with a variable diffusion coefficient which is produced by the non-uniformity of the temperature field.

It is shown that the variability of temperature is unlikely to be important for most solids and liquids, however in the case of gases it may have a significant effect on both the flux and the concentration profile.     

Heat and metal transfer in gas metal arc welding using argon and helium

This article describes a theoretical investigation on the arc parameters and metal transfer in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) of mild steel using argon and helium shielding gases. Major differences in the predicted arc parameters were determined to be due to large differences in thermophysical properties. Various findings from the study include that an arc cannot be struck in a pure helium atmosphere without the assistance of metal vapor, that a strong electromagnetic cathode force affects the fluid flow and heat transfer in the helium arc, providing a possible explanation for the experimentally observed globular transfer mode and that the tapering of the electrode in an argon arc is caused by electron condensation on the side of the electrode. Formerly Graduate Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology     

Efficacy of nizatidine, clarithromycin and bismuth subcitrate therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in duodenal ulcer patients--a preliminary report

A component of human synovial fluid (SF) has been separated by micropreparative capillary electrophoresis. The problems associated with application of this technique to a raw body fluid are discussed. Desalting of SF by passage through a capillary formed from polyacrylamide gel is examined and shown to cause loss of hyaluronan polymer as well as low-molecular-mass components of the fluid.