Explore the vast range of titles available.

The Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) clone is notorious for extraintestinal infections, fluoroquinolone resistance, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production, attributable to a CTX-M-15-encoding mobile element. Here, we applied pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome sequencing to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the ST131 clone. PFGE-based cluster analyses suggested that both fluoroquinolone resistance and ESBL production had been acquired by multiple ST131 sublineages through independent genetic events. In contrast, the more robust whole-genome-sequence-based phylogenomic analysis revealed that fluoroquinolone resistance was confined almost entirely to a single, rapidly expanding ST131 subclone, designated H30-R. Strikingly, 91% of the CTX-M-15-producing isolates also belonged to a single, well-defined clade nested within H30-R, which was named H30-Rx due to its more extensive resistance. Despite its tight clonal relationship with H30Rx, the CTX-M-15 mobile element was inserted variably in plasmid and chromosomal locations within the H30-Rx genome. Screening of a large collection of recent clinical E. coli isolates both confirmed the global clonal expansion of H30-Rx and revealed its disproportionate association with sepsis (relative risk, 7.5; P < 0.001). Together, these results suggest that the high prevalence of CTX-M-15 production among ST131 isolates is due primarily to the expansion of a single, highly virulent subclone, H30-Rx. We applied an advanced genomic approach to study the recent evolutionary history of one of the most important Escherichia coli strains in circulation today. This strain, called sequence type 131 (ST131), causes multidrug-resistant bladder, kidney, and bloodstream infections around the world. The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance in E. coli is making these infections more difficult to treat and is leading to increased mortality. Past studies suggested that many different ST131 strains gained resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins independently. In contrast, our research indicates that most extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant ST131 strains belong to a single highly pathogenic subclone, called H30-Rx. The clonal nature of H30-Rx may provide opportunities for vaccine or transmission prevention-based control strategies, which could gain importance as H30-Rx and other extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli subclones become resistant to our best antibiotics.

Background. Fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli are increasingly prevalent. Their clonal origins— potentially critical for control efforts—remain undefined. Methods. Antimicrobial resistance profiles and fine clonal structure were determined for 236 diverse-source historical (1967—2009) E. coli isolates representing sequence type ST131 and 853 recent (2010—2011) consecutive E. coli isolates from 5 clinical laboratories in Seattle, Washington, and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Clonal structure was resolved based on fimH sequence (fimbrial adhesin gene: H subclone assignments), multilocus sequence typing, gyrA and parC sequence (fluoroquinolone resistance-determining loci), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Results. Of the recent fluoroquinolone-resistant clinical isolates, 52% represented a single ST131 subclonal lineage, H30, which expanded abruptly after 2000. This subclone had a unique and conserved gyrA/parC allele combination, supporting its tight clonality. Unlike other ST131 subclones, H30 was significantly associated with fluoroquinolone resistance and was the most prevalent subclone among current E. coli clinical isolates, overall (10.4%) and within every resistance category (11%—52%). Conclusions. Most current fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli clinical isolates, and the largest share of multidrug-resistant isolates, represent a highly clonal subgroup that likely originated from a single rapidly expanded and disseminated ST131 strain. Focused attention to this strain will be required to control the fluoroquinolone and multi-drug-resistant E. coli epidemic.

The Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) clone is notorious for extraintestinal infections, fluoroquinolone resistance, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production, attributable to a CTX-M-15-encoding mobile element. Here, we applied pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome sequencing to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the ST131 clone. PFGE-based cluster analyses suggested that both fluoroquinolone resistance and ESBL production had been acquired by multiple ST131 sublineages through independent genetic events. In contrast, the more robust whole-genome-sequence-based phylogenomic analysis revealed that fluoroquinolone resistance was confined almost entirely to a single, rapidly expanding ST131 subclone, designated H 30-R. Strikingly, 91% of the CTX-M-15-producing isolates also belonged to a single, well-defined clade nested within H 30-R, which was named H 30-Rx due to its more extensive resistance. Despite its tight clonal relationship with H 30Rx, the CTX-M-15 mobile element was inserted variably in plasmid and chromosomal locations within the H 30-Rx genome. Screening of a large collection of recent clinical E. coli isolates both confirmed the global clonal expansion of H 30-Rx and revealed its disproportionate association with sepsis (relative risk, 7.5; P < 0.001). Together, these results suggest that the high prevalence of CTX-M-15 production among ST131 isolates is due primarily to the expansion of a single, highly virulent subclone, H 30-Rx. IMPORTANCE We applied an advanced genomic approach to study the recent evolutionary history of one of the most important Escherichia coli strains in circulation today. This strain, called sequence type 131 (ST131), causes multidrug-resistant bladder, kidney, and bloodstream infections around the world. The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance in E. coli is making these infections more difficult to treat and is leading to increased mortality. Past studies suggested that many different ST131 strains gained resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins independently. In contrast, our research indicates that most extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant ST131 strains belong to a single highly pathogenic subclone, called H 30-Rx. The clonal nature of H 30-Rx may provide opportunities for vaccine or transmission prevention-based control strategies, which could gain importance as H 30-Rx and other extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli subclones become resistant to our best antibiotics. We applied an advanced genomic approach to study the recent evolutionary history of one of the most important Escherichia coli strains in circulation today. This strain, called sequence type 131 (ST131), causes multidrug-resistant bladder, kidney, and bloodstream infections around the world. The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance in E. coli is making these infections more difficult to treat and is leading to increased mortality. Past studies suggested that many different ST131 strains gained resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins independently. In contrast, our research indicates that most extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant ST131 strains belong to a single highly pathogenic subclone, called H 30-Rx. The clonal nature of H 30-Rx may provide opportunities for vaccine or transmission prevention-based control strategies, which could gain importance as H 30-Rx and other extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli subclones become resistant to our best antibiotics.

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) clone is notorious for extraintestinal infections, fluoroquinolone resistance, and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) production, attributable to a CTX-M-15-encoding mobile element. Here, we applied pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome sequencing to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the ST131 clone. PFGE-based cluster analyses suggested that both fluoroquinolone resistance and ESBL production had been acquired by multiple ST131 sublineages through independent genetic events. In contrast, the more robust whole-genome-sequence-based phylogenomic analysis revealed that fluoroquinolone resistance was confined almost entirely to a single, rapidly expanding ST131 subclone, designated H30-R. Strikingly, 91% of the CTX-M-15-producing isolates also belonged to a single, well-defined clade nested within H30-R, which was named H30-Rx due to its more extensive resistance. Despite its tight clonal relationship with H30Rx, the CTX-M-15 mobile element was inserted variably in plasmid and chromosomal locations within the H30-Rx genome. Screening of a large collection of recent clinical E. coli isolates both confirmed the global clonal expansion of H30-Rx and revealed its disproportionate association with sepsis (relative risk, 7.5; P < 0.001). Together, these results suggest that the high prevalence of CTX-M-15 production among ST131 isolates is due primarily to the expansion of a single, highly virulent subclone, H30-Rx. IMPORTANCE We applied an advanced genomic approach to study the recent evolutionary history of one of the most important Escherichia coli strains in circulation today. This strain, called sequence type 131 (ST131), causes multidrug-resistant bladder, kidney, and bloodstream infections around the world. The rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance in E. coli is making these infections more difficult to treat and is leading to increased mortality. Past studies suggested that many different ST131 strains gained resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins independently. In contrast, our research indicates that most extended-spectrum-cephalosporin-resistant ST131 strains belong to a single highly pathogenic subclone, called H30-Rx. The clonal nature of H30-Rx may provide opportunities for vaccine or transmission prevention-based control strategies, which could gain importance as H30-Rx and other extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli subclones become resistant to our best antibiotics.

Online classified advertising sites like Craigslist and its many Internet clones have produced new competition to a world traditionally dominated by newspapers. While some newspapers have benefited from the online trend -- Borrell reports some have more than doubled their online ads from 2001 to 2004 -- players like Craigslist have successfully grabbed business. In Miami alone, Craigslist reports 200,000 unduplicated visitors and 13 million page views in April, up from 92,000 unique visitors and 2.6 million page views in April 2004. One new advertiser in April was Hollywood motel owner Karin Valentine, who started to list her rooms and a rental home on the site after reading about it in The Devil Wears Prada. Craigslist has a grass-roots feel, with free-flowing forums, lists of local events, humorous \"best-of-Craigslist\" bulletin board and off-color personals. Its founder, Craig Newmark, ran the site in his spare time with other volunteers until its traffic overwhelmed them. Fees charged to employers in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York now provide Craigslist its income.

Local-business search engines are claiming a growing presence on the Internet, including similar services by engines like Google and Yahoo! As with A9.com, the others provide information like addresses, locator street maps, and the ability to add business reviews or comments. A9 came up with a process for shooting consecutive photos. A fleet of sport utility vehicles drove up and down streets of each metro area with roof-mounted digital cameras automatically snapping shots, [Barnaby Dorfman] said. Similarly, Google and Yahoo! local listings keep expanding features. Yahoo! earlier this month started allowing businesses to add free pages of information to their listings (http:// listings.local.yahoo.com [http://listings.local.yahoo.com]). Days before, http://local.google.com [http://local.google.com] added satellite views of searched streets.

While the home or business-end user can find it simple to use VoIP -- configuring where to have a phone ring, for instance, with a few clicks on a Web page -- a complete business overhaul is often complex, JupiterResearch analyst Joe Laszlo said. Matrimonial attorney Herman H. Tarnow lives in Naples and practices law in New York City. He uses the telephone like a cellphone but avoids roaming charges by using VoIP. During last summer's hurricane onslaught, the U.S. Iberia Airlines headquarters in Miami evacuated for several days, had local service provider DSLi set up VoIP lines within a day, and rerouted thousands of U.S. customer calls to Madrid.

Feb. 25--You've encountered spam. You've probably heard of spim, too -- spam over Internet messaging. Now, look out for spit. That's spam over Internet telephone calls, one of the security concerns providers and customers of 'Net-based telephone service are discussing this week at the national Internet Telephony Conference & Expo in Miami. The attacks are likely to come from the same spammers and hackers responsible for assaulting Internet emailing, messaging and surfing, but the effects may be worse. It is tough, if not impossible, to find a VoIP expert at the convention who doesn't believe that Internet calls will become the standard. Even the military is using VoIP in Iraq to brief widely dispersed combat platoons.

The Microsoft readers work easily. First, you register up to four prints by clicking with a mouse on each of the four fingers on a picture of your hands. After choosing each, you press that fingertip on the reader. Then, the first time you're confronted with any Windows user screen, website or other secure page, you enter a user name and password into the fingerprint software, not on the page. For every request then on, just touch the fingerprint scanner. Microsoft makes three fingerprint readers, with prices ranging from about $42 to $85, according to online-shopping comparison sites. One reader is a stand-alone pad the size of a miniature mouse and works for either left- or right-handed people. Another reader is embedded in a fancy keyboard. And the third, the size of a mouse, is in a receiver for a wireless mouse. For more information, go to www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/ productlist.aspx?fprintyes. One problem with the Microsoft reader is that you lose access to your passwords and user names if it breaks. Also, if you buy a keyboard with an embedded reader and you then need a new keyboard, you'll need a new reader. The best solution is to buy the stand- alone reader. Finally, you must use Internet Explorer as your Web browser in order for the fingerprint reader to replace online passwords and user names.

The guide, which comes in a magazine format for $10, rates more than 250 individual products in categories ranging from digital cameras to MP3 players, printers to PDAs. It includes many of the most popular categories of digital gifts. And of course, the book works just as well when selecting that something special for yourself. The guide not only ranks specific desktop and laptop computers but also advises consumers on Internet access, weeding out spam and protecting your computer from security and privacy threats. The guide assesses four anti-virus programs by testing them against real viruses and judges the best to be Norton and McAfee software. If you buy a cordless phone, for instance, the book will help you decide if you want such features as multiple handsets, speakerphone capability, an LCD screen for functions like caller ID and a personal phone directory, built-in answerers and mailboxes to separate out messages for different family member, and autotalk, which allows users to simply pick up the ringing handset and talk.