The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, Salmonella contamination along the smallholder pig value chain in northern Vietnam. Repeat cross-sectional (for farm and pork shops) and longitudinal (for slaughterhouses) studies were carried out in Hung Yen and Nghe An provinces in four sampling periods over a year (April 2014 to February 2015). In total, 72 pig farms and 217 pork shops were visited during the period, and 13 slaughterhouses were visited four times. Information on management and hygiene practices was collected using checklists and questionnaires, and risk factor analyses at the farm, slaughterhouse, and pork shop levels were performed using generalized mixed-effects models with the significant levels 10%. Salmonella prevalence was 36.1%, 38.9%, and 44.7% on pig pen floors, pig carcasses in slaughterhouses, and cut pork in pork shops, respectively. The risk factor for Salmonella prevalence on pig pen floors were having a pig pen next to a household (p = 0.06) and free access to the farm by visitors (p = 0.06). Our slaughterhouse model found a single risk factor for carcass contamination: slaughter area close to lairage without hygienic measures (p = 0.03). For pork shops, presence of flies or insects on pork at shop (p = 0.02) and use of a cloth at pork shop (p = 0.02) were risk factors. The Salmonella prevalence on pig carcass and cut pork was significantly lower in winter compared to that in other seasons. Our study results highlighted the need of improving farm hygiene at farm level, and pork hygiene practices to avoid cross-contamination at the slaughterhouse and market levels, to reduce the risk of salmonellosis through pork consumption in northern Vietnam.

Recently, catnip, Nepeta cataria L. (Lamiaceae), essential oil has been formulated and marketed as an alternative repellent for protection against biting arthropods by several vendors. We isolated the major active components of catnip oil, E,Z- and Z,E-nepetalactone, and quantitatively measured their antibiting efficacy compared with the repellents N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) and chiral (1S,2'S)-2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (SS220) against the yellowfever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (L.), by using an in vitro assay and human volunteers at 24 nmol compound/cm2 (cloth or skin). Of all compounds tested in an in vitro assay, SS220 ranked as the most effective, whereas catnip oil and the nepetalactone compounds did not differ significantly from each other or from deet. However, in human volunteer bioassays, neither E,Z and Z,E-nepetalactone nor racemic nepetalactone deterred mosquito biting as effectively as SS220 or deet. All compounds differed significantly from the control. We conclude that catnip oil and nepetalactone isomers are significantly less effective than deet or SS220 in deterring the biting of Ae. aegypti.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a laboratory model to compare the effectiveness of detergent-based disinfection procedures for reducing cross-contamination risks during handling of contaminated chicken.

RESULTS

During handling of chickens, artificially contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis PT4, the organism was widely spread to hands, cloths, and hand- and food-contact surfaces. Hygiene procedures were assessed on the basis of their ability to reduce the number of recoverable salmonellas to <1 CFU. Although detergent-based cleaning using a typical bowl-wash routine without rinsing produced some risk reduction (from 100 to 61.4% of contaminated surfaces), it was insufficient to consistently restore surfaces to a hygienic state. By combining detergent-based cleaning with a rinsing step or with hypochlorite at 500 ppm (of available chlorine) some further reduction in microbial risk was achieved, but was not considered satisfactory for food hygiene purposes. By contrast the risk reduction produced by hypochlorite at 5000 ppm was highly significant and was sufficient to reduce the number of contaminated surfaces to 2.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

A key step in achieving a hygienic state through detergent-based cleaning is rinsing but even this will not produce a 'hygienic' result for difficult surfaces such as the chopping board or the dishcloth. Disinfectant compounds should be considered in order to reduce the potential for foodborne cross infection within the home environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Although tests are available to determine the performance of disinfectants, there are no quantitative procedures available to compare the risk reduction achieved by disinfection with that produced by detergent-based procedures. This study describes a reproducible laboratory method which can be used to differentiate the effectiveness of different hygiene procedures for reducing cross-contamination risks during food handling.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of surgical site infections in total knee arthroplasty patients using a preadmission cutaneous skin preparation protocol compared with a cohort of patients undergoing standard in-hospital perioperative preparation only. Records between 2007 and 2010 were reviewed to identify deep incisional and periprosthetic infections among patients using the chlorhexidine protocol (478 patients) and patients who did not use the protocol (1,735 patients). Patients using the chlorhexidine cloths were given two packets of six chlorhexidine gluconate-impregnated cloths, with instructions for use, the evening before and morning of surgery. A statistically lower incidence of surgical site infection was found in patients using the chlorhexidine cloths (0.6%) compared with patients undergoing in-hospital perioperative skin preparation only (2.2%). On the basis of the results of this study, a preadmission chlorhexidine protocol seems to be an effective method to prevent surgical site infections in total knee arthroplasty procedures.

Manual search for totally occluded objects was investigated in 10-, 12- and 14-month-old infants. Infants responded to two types of total hiding in different ways, supporting the inference that object permanence is not a once-and-for-all attainment. Occlusion of an object by movement of a screen over it was solved at an earlier age than occlusion in which an object was carried under the screen. This dissociation was not explained by motivation, motor skill or means-ends coordination, because for both tasks the same object was hidden in the same place under the same screen and required the same uncovering response. This dissociation generalized across an experimentally manipulated change in recovery means-infants removed cloths while seated at a table in Expt 1 and were required to crawl through 3-D space to displace semi-rigid pillows in Expt 2. Further analysis revealed that emotional response varied as a function of hiding, suggesting an affective correlate of infant cognition. There are four empirical findings to account for: developmental change, task dissociation, generalization of the effects across recovery means, and emotional reactions. An identity-development theory is proposed explaining these findings in terms of infants' understanding of object identity and the developmental relationship between object identity and object permanence. Object identity is seen as a necessary precursor to the development of object permanence.

BACKGROUND

To determine if air medical interhospital transport of patients with spinal injuries is done with techniques that minimize ischemic skin damage.

METHODS

A formal telephone survey instrument was given to all U.S. flight services accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS).

RESULTS

Thirty-seven active services were listed by CAMTS; the author's service was excluded from the survey. One service did only scene responses; one was unreachable by phone; four were unwilling to complete the form, leaving 30 services for evaluation. Twenty-nine services used metal, plywood, or plastic "spine" boards for immobilization during interhospital transport. Eight services padded boards with blankets or cloth for patients immobilized for "extended periods." Eighteen services routinely reimmobilized all major trauma patients even if cleared by the sending physician, and four others reimmobilized patients not "cleared" by a radiologist. No service moved patients with known spinal injuries to softer, more conforming devices before transport. Only three services followed patients for complications throughout hospitalization. Two services reported cases of skin breakdown thought to be a result of prolonged immobilization.

CONCLUSIONS

Air medical services often transport patients several hours after injury. Patients, particularly those unable to move because of their injuries, medication, or paralysis, are at risk for ischemic necroses of their skin. Decubitus ulcers are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and preventing ulcers requires a very soft, conforming surface. Despite these facts, the highly select services surveyed continue to use hard, slippery boards designed for extrication at trauma scenes to immobilize patients for transport.

Majocchi's granuloma is a condition with chronic erythematous and indurated plaques that is a result of the rupture of a dermatophyte-infected infundibulum as a result of trauma. It is frequently seen on the anterior aspect of the legs of women. Herein, we present a case of Majocchi's granuloma of face, a site rarely involved, in an immunocompetent patient. Diagnosis was confirmed by histological and mycological examination. Histological examination revealed hyphae and arthrospores in the hair follicles and in the dermis with a diffuse dermal infiltrate consisting of lymphoplasmacytic cells, and focal collections of epithelioid cells, neutrophils and mild interstitial edema. Mycological examination confirmed the presence of fungus, Trichophyton rubrum, and the diagnosis of Majocchi's granuloma of the face was made. No concrete predisposing factor was found to be associated with the occurrence of the lesions on the face. However, the history of prolonged veiling of the face by a cloth by the patient, perhaps contributing to the occurrence of lesions on face, is a point of dubious significance.

Knowledge of the effective irradiation dose is a prerequisite to predicting the efficacy of phototherapy. To gain this information, the field of irradiation of a phototherapy lamp was measured in an incubator. It became apparent that the radiant power is extremely heterogeneously distributed in the incubator. By decreasing the distance from the lamps, the radiant power is increased, with the heterogeneity of irradiation growing considerably at the same time. Lining the incubator with reflecting cloth results in a greater homogeneity of the field of irradiance and an increase in radiant power. Moreover, the lining causes a doubling of the indirect reflected radiance. The findings presented here are discussed in view of their importance for doses in phototherapy. It can be concluded that to increase the efficacy of phototherapy, lining the incubator with reflecting cloths is a more effective measure than moving the patient closer to the lamp.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) contamination rate of white coats (WC) and surgical scrubs (SS) worn by personnel at the Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre (OVCHSC) and to identify risk factors associated with clothing contamination.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Personnel including clinical faculty, house officers, technicians, and veterinary students working at the OVCHSC.

METHODS

Electrostatic cloths were used to sample WC and SS of hospital personnel. Samples were tested for MRSA and MRSP and isolates were typed. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and data was evaluated for risk factors.

RESULTS

Of 114 specimens, MRS were isolated from 20 (17.5%), MRSA from 4 (3.5%), and MRSP from 16 (14.0%). Technicians were 9.5× (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 1.2-∞, P = .03) more likely than students to have clothing contaminated with MRSA. No risk factors were identified for MRSP or for overall MRS contamination.

CONCLUSIONS

Standard hospital clothing was found to have a high prevalence of MRS contamination in a veterinary teaching hospital and could be a source of hospital-acquired infections.

In this study, two novel electrode materials were tested to enhance bacterial adhesion and increase power production in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Polypyrrole (PPy), a nontoxic conductive polymer, was coated on the plain carbon cloth electrodes to bridge with the biopolymers on bacterial cell membranes and to improve the power production. The PPy-coated electrodes increased the initial power from 20 mW/m(2) to 160 mW/m(2) in the first 4-day period. But there was no clear difference between two PPy coating thicknesses (5-cycle coating and 50-cycle coating) in terms of the bacterial adhesion and power production. Granular activated carbon (GAC), a commonly used bacterial support material with high surface area, exhibited a good bacterial adhesion and high power output. GAC-SCMFCs (single chamber MFCs) generated 5 W/m(3) and maintained the peak power for 6 days. Compared with plain carbon cloth electrodes, GAC-SCMFCs had lower internal resistances and higher power generations. However, GAC-SCMFCs had lower columbic efficiency and energy conversion efficiency than the conventional two chamber MFCs.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the barrier function, comfort, and protection afforded by nine types of surgical gowns during use and to identify factors that may influence their effectiveness.

METHODS

Prospective randomised study.

METHODS

Teaching hospital, Greece.

METHODS

4 Types of disposable single layer gowns, 1 reusable cloth gown, and 4 types of disposable reinforced gowns used during 250 major operations by the surgeon and first assistant (total n = 500).

METHODS

Direct observation by specially trained nurse and questionnaire to surgeons.

METHODS

Contamination of the outside of the gown, blood strike through, safety, and comfort.

RESULTS

Half of all gowns became contaminated on the outside. The mean total rate of strike through was 90% in reusable gowns (528/586 areas contaminated), 11% in disposable single layer gowns (95/855 areas contaminated), and 3% in disposable reinforced gowns (42/1407 areas contaminated). There were differences in strike through among the disposable gowns depending on the material and design, the reinforced gowns consistently showing less strike through than the single layer ones. The areas most vulnerable to strike through were the cuff, forearm, thigh, chest, and abdomen. From 80% to 99% of surgeons felt comfortable and protected wearing disposable gowns, but only 0 to 4% of surgeons felt comfortable and safe with reusable gowns.

CONCLUSIONS

Reusable cloth gowns have a high strike through rate and were rejected by most surgeons. Reinforced disposable gowns provided better protection. The highest strike through was at the cuffs, forearms, and thighs, and this requires new designs for surgical gowns.

The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the rate of bacterial isolation from the abdomen of women having obstetric ultrasonography, (2) the rate of bacterial transmission to the transducer head, and (3) the eradication rate after routine wiping of the transducer head. A total of 191 obstetric patients participated in this study. At the start of each day, the transducer head and the coupling gel were cultured. Aerobic cultures were obtained from each patient's periumbilical and suprapubic areas before the transabdominal scan and from the transducer head before and after wiping off the gel with a dry cloth. Daily transducer head and gel cultures were negative. Of the abdominal skin cultures, 175 (92%) were positive; 35 (18%) were positive for serious organisms, and 140 (74%) were positive for organisms of low virulence. Sixty percent of the transducer head cultures from women with abdominal skin pathogens were positive before the gel was wiped off. None of the cultures from the transducer head were positive after removal of the gel. We conclude that many women carry potentially virulent pathogens on the abdominal skin and that transmission of these organisms to the transducer head commonly occurs. Physical removal of the gel from the transducer head effectively eradicates these microorganisms, minimizing patient-to-patient transmission.

OBJECTIVE

Endovascular repairs of the aortic arch aneurysms require correct placement and an appropriate landing zone for fixation, which are not present in the majority of cases.

METHODS

We report a less invasive approach in 4 patients presenting an aortic arch aneurysm. We performed a hybrid procedure that is a combination of different techniques: a mid-sternotomy is performed, followed by transposition of the supra-aortic vessels, and neck reshaping with a proximal banding of the aortic arch. In particular, we banded the aorta to facilitate and optimize the endovascular fixation of the graft, reducing postoperative type-1 endoleaks.

RESULTS

The four procedures were uneventful with 1-day intensive care unit recovery. The postoperative and the 1-year follow-up CT scan did not reveal any endoleaks.

CONCLUSIONS

Hybrid technique, combined with banding of proximal aortic arch and endovascular grafting are an alternative technique to the conventional open aortic repair. A polyester cloth banding of the ascending and proximal aortic arch allow the neck reshaping of the aorta optimizing the fixation of the endovascular stent graft.

BACKGROUND

Clean hands play an important role in preventing infectious disease transmission. The physical quality of any toilet and handwashing facilities is an important determinant of whether and how it is used, especially for school children.

METHODS

This study assessed the physical quality of toilet and handwashing facilities used by 9 year olds at 68 primary schools in three cities in the South Island of New Zealand. The facilities were assessed for availability, functionality and provision of hand basins, hygiene products and drying facilities.

RESULTS

Nineteen schools (28%) followed the New Zealand Ministry of Education Code of Practice for toilet and bathroom facilities in schools, by providing warm water, liquid soap at every basin and functioning hand drying facilities. A further 25 schools (37%) would have met the standards except they provided only cold water (21 schools) or the cloth roller towels were unusable (4 schools). The other 24 schools' toilet facilities were deficient in some way, including one with no soap and six that provided no drying facilities. School socioeconomic position and toilet facility quality were not related.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that a significant number of New Zealand children do not currently have access to high quality hygiene facilities at school.

A new system has been developed for obtaining electrographic potential through thin underwear inserted between the measuring electrodes and the skin of a neonate or an infant when lying supine. The system is based on capacitive coupling involving the electrode, the underwear, and the skin. Validation of the system revealed the following: (1) the signal detected using the system displayed a periodic waveform synchronized with the simultaneously recorded ECG, even when thin underwear was inserted between the electrode and the skin, (2) the gain of the system when the cloth was inserted decreased as the frequency increased. The present system appears promising for application to bedding as a non-invasive and awareness-free method for ECG monitoring of neonates or infants. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of its practical use, because the high-frequency component of the signal was depressed in comparison with the reference ECG.

OBJECTIVE

The polynitramines, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), are important military explosives and regulated toxic hazardous compounds. Production, testing and use of the compounds has resulted in numerous acres of contaminated soils and groundwater near many munitions facilities. Economical and efficient methods for treatment of wastewater and cleanup of soils or groundwater containing RDX and HMX are needed. This study focuses on the photocatalytic treatment of RDX wastewater with nano-sized titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2) under simulated sunlight, whose intensity and wavelength are similar to that of the real sunlight in Xi'an at noon. The objective is to determine the potential for RDX destruction with nano-TiO2 in aqueous solution.

METHODS

An activated carbon fiber (ACF) cloth-loaded with nano-TiO2 was put into the RDX containing solution, and the concentration of RDX was measured (by HPLC-UV) at regular time intervals under simulated sunlight.

RESULTS

The RDX degradation percentage of the photocatalytic process is higher than that of Fenton oxidation before 80 min, equivalent after 80 min, and it reaches 95% or above after 120 min. The nano-TiO2 catalyst can be used repeatedly.

CONCLUSIONS

The photocatalytic degradation kinetics of RDX under simulated sunlight can be described by a first-order reaction kinetics equation. The possible degradation mechanism of RDX was presented and the degradation performance was compared with that of biological method.

CONCLUSIONS

It was demonstrated that the degradation of RDX wastewater is very effective with nano-TiO2 as the photocatalytic catalyst under simulated sunlight. The efficiency of the nano-TiO2 catalyst for RDX degradation under simulated sunlight is nearly identical to that of Fenton oxidation.

CONCLUSIONS

To date, a number of catalysts show poor absorption and utilization of sunlight, and still need ultraviolet light irradiation during wastewater degradation. The nano-TiO2 used in the described experiments features very good degradation of RDX under simulated sunlight, and the manufacturing costs are rather low (around 10 Euro/m2). Moreover, the degradation efficiency is higher compared to that of the biological method. This method exhibits great potential for practical applications owing to its easiness and low cost. If it can be applied extensively, the efficiency of wastewater treatment will be enhanced greatly.

The bioanode is the defining feature of microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology and often limits its performance. In the current work, we report the engineering of a novel hierarchically porous architecture as an efficient bioanode, consisting of biocompatible chitosan and vacuum-stripped graphene (CHI/VSG). With the hierarchical pores and unique VSG, an optimized bioanode delivered a remarkable maximum power density of 1530 mW m(-2) in a mediator-less MFC, 78 times higher than a carbon cloth anode.

Whole-kernel corn was treated with 10 mg ivermectin per 0.45 kg corn and fed at rate of approximately .45 kg/deer per day to white-tailed deer confined in the treatment pasture, whereas deer in an adjacent control pasture received a similar ration of untreated corn. Treatments were dispensed from February through September of 1992 and 1993, and free-living populations of lone star ticks. Amblyomma americanum (L.), were monitored in both pastures using dry-ice traps to quantify nymphs and adults and flip-cloths to assay the relative abundance of larval masses. Control values that were calculated for all ticks collected in both pastures during 1993 showed 83.4% fewer adults, 92.4% fewer nymphs and 100.0% fewer larval masses in the treatment versus control pasture. Serum ivermectin concentrations in treated deer averaged 21.7 and 28.3 ppb during 1992 and 1993, respectively. These values compared favorably with the goal concentration of 30.0 ppb which was anticipated under ideal conditions. This study demonstrates that a freely consumed, systemically active acaricidal bait ingested by white-tailed deer under nearly wild conditions can significantly reduce the abundance of all stages of free-living long star ticks.

This study investigated students' knowledge of, beliefs, attitude to and practices during menstruation. Data was collected from a sample of 200 students from Ile-Ife using the multi-stage sampling technique. Only 5% of respondents could correctly define menstruation. Materials used to manage menstruation include sanitary pad, pieces of cloths, toilet rolls, cotton wool, tampon and shoulder pad foam. Practices vary on menstruating and non-menstruating days with 11(39.3%) of the 28 practices classified as healthy, 6(21.43%) as potentially harmful and 11(39.3%) as uncertain. Three (21.43%) of the listed 14 beliefs and taboos are potentially health-promoting, 5(35.71%) are potentially not health-promoting while 6(42.86%) are potentially harmless. Menstruation is associated with restrictions in diet and social interaction with 8%, 20.5% and 5% seeing menstruation as abnormal, dirty and a disease respectively. Findings from this study would be helpful in planning educational programmes to correct misinformation and promote healthy practices among women during menstruation.