Even though the central government issues strict regulation policies, it is the local governments’ discretion to adjust and enforce compliance.

The passage of contentious Telangana bill in the Lok Sabha may not have much impact on investment sentiment in realty sector across Hyderabad, as the city has already been planned to serve as a joint capital for next 10 years, according to property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle. “The Bill is being viewed with mixed feelings by various stakeholders, but it is still too early to gauge its impacts on the real estate industry. That said, it is likely to end the political uncertainty that Hyderabad has been facing for the past few years. “The outcomes are still unclear, but Brand Hyderabad is not likely to be overly affected as it […]

MUMBAI: US private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co has made its entry in the country’s real estate sector by finalising investments of Rs 750 crore in two property projects. KKR has struck a structured debt transaction for Rs 400 crore for the Bhartiya Group’s integrated township project in Bangalore, two people with direct knowledge of the transactions said. It also agreed to provide a Rs 350 crore structured loan to the Wadhwa Group’s luxury home project in west central Mumbai, they said. The group will use the money to repay other lenders of the project, where the cost of apartments ranges from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 10 […]

Investment in the real estate sector in January-March, 2014, has more than doubled to $800 from the previous quarter of only $317 million, mainly driven by corporate land sales. Around $597 million was invested in the sector a year ago. More platform deals and equity stake acquisitions can be expected. “Although India is not yet a significant player in the regional real estate investment market, going forward, we expect the entry of real estate investment trusts (REITs) to provide alternative funding channels to the sector and trigger strong growth in its investment volumes,” said Anshuman Magazine, chairman and managing director, CBRE South Asia. For the quarter ended March 2014, nearly […]

Investors withdrew record amounts of money from bond and equity funds in March while money market funds showed record inflows, as the prospect of a massive economic downturn due to coronavirus...

The United States Oil Fund LP, the largest oil-focused exchange-traded product (ETP) in the country, is moving to spread out its investments in oil futures in response to extreme market turbulence,...

The Silicon Valley venture capital firm known for its early backing of companies such as Uber Technologies Inc is raising a new fund, but without one of its most prominent general partners, a source...

NFL greats Tom Brady and Anquan Boldin were among dozens of prominent players and coaches who called on Friday for a federal investigation into the death of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man who was shot while running in Georgia.

Title: VA Clinic Investigating Unsanitary Treatment Room
Category: Health News
Created: 5/1/2018 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/1/2018 12:00:00 AM

North Carolina is developing a unique and innovative infrastructure to support integrated physical, behavioral, and social health care. Efforts by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, Cone Health, Atrium Health, and the One Charlotte Health Alliance advance our understanding of how to best operationalize the design and payment of integrated services. Best practices such as the collaborative care and primary care behavioral health models reduce inefficiencies and disparities by bringing together teams of primary care and behavioral health care providers.

Rohini Singh and Timothy A. Linksvayer

Wolbachia is a widespread group of maternally-transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria that often manipulates the reproductive strategy and life history of its hosts to favor its own transmission. Wolbachia mediated phenotypic effects are well characterized in solitary hosts, but effects in social hosts are unclear. The invasive pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis, shows natural variation in Wolbachia infection between colonies and can be readily bred under laboratory conditions. We previously showed that Wolbachia-infected pharaoh ant colonies had more queen-biased sex ratios than uninfected colonies, which is expected to favor the spread of maternally-transmitted Wolbachia. Here, we further characterize the effects of Wolbachia on the short- and longer-term reproductive and life history traits of pharaoh ant colonies. First, we characterized the reproductive differences between naturally infected and uninfected colonies at three discrete time points and found that infected colonies had higher reproductive investment (i.e. infected colonies produced more new queens), particularly when existing colony queens were three months old. Next, we compared the long-term growth and reproduction dynamics of infected and uninfected colonies across their whole life cycle. Infected colonies had increased colony-level growth and early colony reproduction, resulting in a shorter colony life cycle, when compared to uninfected colonies.

South Africa is a mineral-rich country with a diverse geology and a long history of mining. The rich history of mining activities includes the extraction of coal from the Ecca Group Sediments of the Karoo Supergroup (250 Ma), gold and uranium from the Witwatersrand Supergroup (2900 Ma), as well as platinum, uranium, tin and lead from the layered Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) (2150 Ma). The extraction of gold, copper, tin, lead and rare earth minerals also took place in the Archean rocks of Swazium age (3500–3000 Ma). The historical mining records have either not been accurately recorded or have been lost over time. This has resulted in significant geohazard risk during infrastructure development, especially in and around historical mining towns, such as Johannesburg and Ermelo. These geohazard risks require careful appraisal and quantification prior to any infrastructure design or construction.

This case study aims to set out the development aspects of the Multi-Faceted Geophysical Modelling Systems approach, which was used by the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL) during an investigation of undermined ground for the historical coal-mining town of Ermelo in South Africa. The N11/N2 ring road was planned to go around Ermelo to ensure mobility between major routes, whilst still maintaining town access.

The systems approach used a combination of airborne geophysics (Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic System (VTEM^TM) and magnetics), generally used in mining exploration, land-based and borehole geophysics, borehole water testing, and ground-truthing. The approach was continuous and iterative, building on the data at hand and reducing unnecessary investigations while eliminating the possibility of anomalies being missed, as in the case of conventional discrete drilling. The investigation ensured that 100% of the route was comprehensively investigated with a high confidence in the geological and geophysical data, and concomitant mitigation of infrastructure risk.

The Multi-Faceted Geophysical Modelling Systems approach was successfully used to identify a previously unknown 1 x 1 m mining stope cavity at 90 m depth and a 3 x 5 m access tunnel at 24 m depth in a timely and cost-effective manner. Seven reverse-circulation percussion boreholes confirmed the structural integrity of these underground cavities, as well as the structural geology along the centreline. Based on the great success achieved in identifying shallow anomalies, this Multi-Faceted Geophysical Modelling Systems approach is now being considered for field trails on the dolomitic formations and the Wild Coast greenfields road project where there are large historical slumps and many fault lines.

Thematic collection: This article is part of the Ground-related risk to transportation infrastructure collection available at https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/Ground-related-risk-to-transportation-infrastructure

Klebsiella species are problematic pathogens in neonatal units and may cause outbreaks, for which the sources of transmission may be challenging to elucidate. We describe the use of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to investigate environmental sources of transmission during an outbreak of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella michiganensis colonizing neonates. Ceftriaxone-resistant Klebsiella spp. isolated from neonates (or their mothers) and the hospital environment were included. Short-read sequencing (Illumina) and long-read sequencing (MinION; Oxford Nanopore Technologies) were used to confirm species taxonomy, to identify antimicrobial resistance genes, and to determine phylogenetic relationships using single-nucleotide polymorphism profiling. A total of 21 organisms (10 patient-derived isolates and 11 environmental isolates) were sequenced. Standard laboratory methods identified the outbreak strain as an ESBL-producing Klebsiella oxytoca, but taxonomic assignment from WGS data suggested closer identity to Klebsiella michiganensis. Strains isolated from multiple detergent-dispensing bottles were either identical or closely related by single-nucleotide polymorphism comparison. Detergent bottles contaminated by K. michiganensis had been used for washing milk expression equipment. No new cases were identified once the detergent bottles were removed. Environmental reservoirs may be an important source in outbreaks of multidrug-resistant organisms. WGS, in conjunction with traditional epidemiological investigation, can be instrumental in revealing routes of transmission and guiding infection control responses.

The IR Biotyper is a new automated typing system based on Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy that gives results within 4 h. We aimed (i) to use the IR Biotyper to retrospectively analyze an outbreak of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) in a neonatal intensive care unit and to compare results to BOX-PCR and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) results as the gold standard and (ii) to assess how the cutoff values used to define clusters affect the discriminatory power of the IR Biotyper. The sample consisted of 18 isolates from 14 patients. Specimens were analyzed in the IR Biotyper using the default analysis settings, and spectra were analyzed using OPUS 7.5 software. The software contains a feature that automatically proposes a cutoff value to define clusters; the cutoff value defines up to which distance the spectra are considered to be in the same cluster. Based on FT-IR, the outbreak represented 1 dominant clone, 1 secondary clone, and several unrelated clones. FT-IR results, using the cutoff value generated by the accompanying software after 4 replicates, were concordant with WGS for all but 1 isolate. BOX-PCR was underdiscriminatory compared to the other two methods. Using the cutoff value generated after 12 replicates, the results of FT-IR and WGS were completely concordant. The IR Biotyper can achieve the same typeability and discriminatory power as genome-based methods. However, to attain this high performance requires either previous, strain-dependent knowledge about the optimal technical parameters to be used or validation by a second method.

Glass is the favorite material for parenteral packaging because of its physico-chemical properties. Type I borosilicate glass is worldwide use at this scope, but it may have some issues related to breakage, corrosion and delamination that might compromise the drug quality, safety and efficacy. These issues can be mitigated and avoided starting from the appropriate selection of the most suitable raw material at the early stage of the glass container design. In this study, Type I borosilicate glass vials manufactured using two glass tubes having different chemical compositions, were studied and compared in terms of their resistance to corrosion. Testing design was applied with the aim to select the best practice approach comparing different storage simulation conditions: ageing treatment through autoclaving and stability testing (real-time and accelerated). Clear differences were found between the different glass types in terms of hydrolytic and corrosion resistance that highlighted the relation between chemical composition and glass chemical durability. Non-negligible differences were also observed using different storage conditions.

OBJECTIVE

Hispanics/Latinos are the largest ethnic/racial group in the U.S., have the highest prevalence of diabetes, and are at increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders. Currently, little is known about the relationship between diabetes and cognitive decline and disorders among diverse Hispanics/Latinos. The purpose of this study is to clarify these relationships in diverse middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos.

Bacterial persisters are phenotypic variants that temporarily demonstrate an extraordinary tolerance toward antibiotics. Persisters have been linked to the recalcitrance of biofilm-related infections; hence, a complete understanding of their physiology can lead to improvement of therapeutic strategies for such infections. Mechanisms pertaining to persister formation are thought to be associated with stress response pathways triggered by intra- or extracellular stress factors. Unfortunately, studies demonstrating the effects of osmolyte- and/or pH-induced stresses on bacterial persistence are largely missing. To fill this knowledge gap within the field, we studied the effects of various osmolytes and pH conditions on Escherichia coli persistence with the use of phenotype microarrays and antibiotic tolerance assays. Although we found that a number of chemicals and pH environments, including urea, sodium nitrite, and acidic pH, significantly reduced persister formation in E. coli compared to no-osmolyte/no-buffer controls, this reduction in persister levels was less pronounced in late-stationary-phase cultures. Our results further demonstrated a positive correlation between cell growth and persister formation, which challenges the general notion in the field that slow-growing cultures have more persister cells than fast-growing cultures.

Animal models of bacterial infection have been widely used to explore the in vivo activity of antibacterial drugs. These data are often submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to support human use in an investigational new drug application (IND). To better understand the range and scientific use of animal models in regulatory submissions, a database was created surveying recent pneumonia models submitted as part of IND application packages. The IND studies were compared to animal models of bacterial pneumonia published in the scientific literature over the same period of time. In this review, we analyze the key experimental design elements, such as animal species, immune status, pathogens selected, and route of administration, and study endpoints.

The trade war between the United States and China has turned real estate investors' interest to Southeast Asian countries, in which the Vietnamese industrial market emerges as a bright spot in the region.

The constantly increasing number of new real estate projects which have been implemented in the Mekong Delta region has led to the rising land price and strong fluctuation in the local property market.

According to Batdongsan.com.vn’s real estate market report for the third quarter (Q3) of 2019, besides the attraction of traditional markets, resort real estate segment is witnessing the rise of emerging markets. Notably, Hanoi investors overwhelmed in term of the number of searches for resort real estate on the website.

Premier industry experts also share an overview of the first quarter of the year, as well as brief market forecasts.

With a budget of 1 billion VND, the best way for investors to get high-return and low-risk investment in Ho Chi Minh property market in 2015 is choosing one of three segments below: project land, apartment or townhouse in suburbs.

If you don’t have a big budget to invest in largest cities, think about buying properties in regional towns with many advantages. However, it’s important to look for the right location to pour your money.

Buy-to-let is enjoying a bit of renaissance: more mortgages available, higher rental yields and high demand. But have you considered the investment risks?

Along with the recovery of market, property investment also rebounds with new trends. Here are three new trends of property investment that become more and more popular in 2015.

Choosing good location, prestigious investor, reasonable price; considering legal issues and focusing on infrastructure are the secrets for investors to gain high profit from investing in land.

The upsurge of land price leads to a real estate bubble, pushing up production costs, creating a virtual tendency and gradually increasing bad debt.

Many investors have shifted their money into real estate for lease or short-term deposit in banks as the liquidity of land lot segment has declined sharply.

One of the most notable changes introduced by Vietnam’s new 2014 property law and its regulations is the revision of the right for overseas Vietnamese, foreign individuals and organizations to own residential houses.

Signs of deceleration of the real estate market have appeared quite clearly in many segments since the beginning of this year, according to Tran Khanh Quang, General Director of Viet An Hoa Real Estate Company.

Regardless of age, all first-time real estate investors are prone to making the same mistakes. Here are some dos and don’ts for new investors.

Tran Khanh Quang, Chairman of the Association for Real Estate Cafe, revealed some secrets of minimizing risks, optimizing profits in real estate investment.

One of the best ways to invest your money and build wealth can be buying property. Many new investors often feel overwhelmed before entering property investment. Here are 4 helpful tips to protect your money poured in property.

Land price "fevers" help many investors make a lot of money. However, many people still wonder whether they should invest in land at this time or not? According to experts, investing in land is quite safe, but in order to get profit, you should be alert and follow the basic rules.