To accelerate differentiation between Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS), this study aimed to compare six different DNA extraction methods from 2 commonly used blood culture materials, i.e. BACTEC and Bact/ALERT. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of reduced blood culture times for detection of Staphylococci directly from blood culture material. A real-time PCR duplex assay was used to compare 6 different DNA isolation protocols on two different blood culture systems. Negative blood culture material was spiked with MRSA. Bacterial DNA was isolated with: automated extractor EasyMAG (3 protocols), automated extractor MagNA Pure LC (LC Microbiology Kit MGrade), a manual kit MolYsis Plus, and a combination between MolYsis Plus and the EasyMAG. The most optimal isolation method was used to evaluate reduced bacterial culture times. Bacterial DNA isolation with the MolYsis Plus kit in combination with the specific B protocol on the EasyMAG resulted in the most sensitive detection of S.aureus, with a detection limit of 10 CFU/ml, in Bact/ALERT material, whereas using BACTEC resulted in a detection limit of 100 CFU/ml. An initial S.aureus load of 1 CFU/ml blood can be detected after 5 hours of culture in Bact/ALERT3D by combining the sensitive isolation method and the tuf LightCycler assay.
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Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a fast and reliable method for the identification of bacteria from agar media. Direct identification from positive blood cultures should decrease the time to obtaining the result. In this study, three different processing methods for the rapid direct identification of bacteria from positive blood culture bottles were compared. In total, 101 positive aerobe BacT/ALERT bottles were included in this study. Aliquots from all bottles were used for three bacterial processing methods, i.e. the commercially available Bruker's MALDI Sepsityper kit, the commercially available Molzym's MolYsis Basic5 kit and a centrifugation/washing method. In addition, the best method was used to evaluate the possibility of MALDI application after a reduced incubation time of 7 h of Staphylococcus aureus- and Escherichia coli-spiked (1,000, 100 and 10 colony-forming units [CFU]) aerobe BacT/ALERT blood cultures. Sixty-six (65%), 51 (50.5%) and 79 (78%) bottles were identified correctly at the species level when the centrifugation/washing method, MolYsis Basic 5 and Sepsityper were used, respectively. Incorrect identification was obtained in 35 (35%), 50 (49.5%) and 22 (22%) bottles, respectively. Gram-positive cocci were correctly identified in 33/52 (64%) of the cases. However, Gram-negative rods showed a correct identification in 45/47 (96%) of all bottles when the Sepsityper kit was used. Seven hours of pre-incubation of S. aureus- and E. coli-spiked aerobe BacT/ALERT blood cultures never resulted in reliable identification with MALDI-TOF MS. Sepsityper is superior for the direct identification of microorganisms from aerobe BacT/ALERT bottles. Gram-negative pathogens show better results compared to Gram-positive bacteria. Reduced incubation followed by MALDI-TOF MS did not result in faster reliable identification.
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This study empirically examines individual and organizational factors that influence expatriates’ cross-cultural adjustment and job performance. The study was a quantitative research from 117 Thai expatriates who work in Thai multinational companies (MNC) located in Indonesia. The results of the study indicated that financial perceived organizational support influence positively towards Thai expatriates’ overall cross-cultural adjustment in Indonesia. This study found that cross-cultural training influenced positively towards Thai expatriates’ adjustment. A causal relationship between the predicting variables of crosscultural adjustment and Thai expatriates’ job performance was not found. Results suggest important consequences for management strategies providing support to Thai expatriate employees increasing their adjustment in Indonesia. Keywords: Cross-Cultural Adjustment; Job
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The precarity in the cultural sector became exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lockdowns, the sources of income for cultural venues and cultural workers vanished overnight, intensifying an already challenging labour market. Particularly freelance cultural workers were hit hard. While the immediate shock of the pandemic on the cultural sector has been well documented, the effects on the sector in the aftermath of the pandemic are still to be revealed and repaired. This project tackles these issues by zooming in on the case of the performing arts scene in Groningen. This scene constitutes the part of the cultural sector that was affected the most by the lockdowns. Currently, venues and event organizers in Groningen lack qualified freelance staff as many left the industry during the pandemic. At the same time, self-employed cultural workers find it difficult to generate sufficient incomes and develop sustainable careers in the city. The municipality is eager to support the industry, including freelancers, but is unsure about how best to do so. With a consortium composed of the university, the municipality, a knowledge organisation specialised in cultural entrepreneurship, and a network for creative freelancers in the North of the Netherlands the project is well-equipped to reach its two-fold aims of investigating this current situation and coming up with suggestions for solutions. The core component of the project is an interview study with three groups of self-employed cultural freelancers: experienced production staff, experienced performers, and nascent freelancers (both production staff and performers). Based on data from this study, the project provides a multifaceted picture of the cultural ecosystem in Groningen, highlighting how this system is experienced. This establishes a solid foundation for staging discussions on working conditions in the sector, enabling the project to eventually conclude with recommendations on how to improve the situation.
