Cleaning Procedure Research Articles

Preoperational cleaning processes interfere with microbial ecology and presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. on food conveyor belts of a poultry slaughterhouse in Brazil

This study aimed to evaluate the preoperational cleaning process of a poultry slaughterhouse regarding microbial ecology, microorganisms indicators of hygienic-sanitary conditions, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. Three hundred and twenty samples were collected from the surfaces of meat cut conveyor belts before (n = 160) and after (n = 160) the preoperational cleaning process to count mesophilic aerobes, Enterobacteriaceae, and Pseudomonas spp., in addition to the detection of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp., and identification of microbial ecology by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The hygiene process reduced the counts of all the indicator microorganisms (87% a 91%) and eliminated Salmonella spp. Despite this significant decrease, L. monocytogenes persisted on some of the conveyor belts. Microorganisms associated with obtaining and handling meat cuts, including Aneurinibacillus, Anoxybacillus, Enterococcus, and Pseudomonas, were used to characterize the microbial ecology before cleaning. A disturbance in microbial ecology was identified post-cleaning, in which microorganisms with greater adaptation and tolerance to industrial conditions, such as Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Aeromonas, were more prevalent. Our results revealed that the cleaning and sanitization procedures were effective in reducing the levels of indicator microorganisms and Salmonella spp. The applied hygiene process also shaped the composition of the existing microbial ecology.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Commercial Disinfectants against African Swine Fever Virus.

African swine fever (ASF) is an economically important disease due to high morbidity and mortality rates and the ability to affect all ages and breeds of pigs. Biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the causative agent, African swine fever virus (ASFV), include prescriptive cleaning and disinfection procedures. The aim of this study was to establish the biocidal effects of twenty-four commercially available disinfectants including oxidizing agents, acids, aldehydes, formic acids, phenol, and mixed-class chemistries against ASFV. The products were prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions and a suspension assay was performed with ASFV strain, BA71V using Vero cells (African green monkey cells) to test efficacy in reducing ASFV infection of cells. Generally, disinfectants containing formic acid and phenolic compounds, as well as oxidizing agents reduced viral titers of ASFV by over 4 log10 at temperatures ranging from 4 °C to 20 °C. Hydrogen peroxide, aldehyde, and quaternary ammonium compounds containing disinfectants were cytotoxic, limiting the detection of viral infectivity reductions to less than 4 log10. These preliminary results can be used to target research on disinfectants which contain active ingredients with known efficacy against ASFV under conditions recommended for the country where their use will be applied.

Synthesis and Characterization of New Functionalized 1,2,3-Triazole-Based Acetaminophen Derivatives via Click Chemistry from Expired Commercial Acetaminophen Tablets

We hereby describe an efficient method for the preparation of a series of new 1-substituted 1,2,3-triazole-based acetaminophen derivatives through a clean, good-yielding, simple, and expeditious procedure based on the O-propargylation reaction of the acetaminophen (APAP) obtained from expired commercial tablets and the CuBr(PPh3)3-catalyzed Huisgen reaction between O-propargylated APAP and diverse organoazides prepared from commercially available anilines as available starting reagents. An interesting nitric oxide-releasing 1,2,3-triazole hybrid of APAP was also obtained easily using the developed method. The structures of the designed hybrid compounds, which are expected to be pharmacologically active, were characterized by FT-IR, 1H-, and 13C-NMR and are reported for the first time. According to the in-silico ADMET prediction studies performed in this work and literature analysis, these hybrids are interesting models in search of new pharmacological nontoxic agents endowed with anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties.

Evaluation of the Dynamic Tube Method for Measuring Ammonia Emissions after Liquid Manure Application

Easy and inexpensive methods for measuring ammonia emissions in multi-plot field trials allow the comparison of several treatments with liquid manure application. One approach that might be suitable under these conditions is the dynamic tube method (DTM). Applying the DTM, a mobile chamber system is placed on the soil surface, and the air volume within is exchanged at a constant rate for approx. 90 s. with an automated pump. This procedure is assumed to achieve an equilibrium ammonia concentration within the system. Subsequently, a measurement is performed using an ammonia-sensitive detector tube. Ammonia fluxes are calculated based on an empirical model that also takes into account the background ammonia concentration measured on unfertilized control plots. Between measurements on different plots, the chamber system is flushed with ambient air and cleaned with paper towels to minimize contamination with ammonia. The aim of this study was to determine important prerequisites and boundary conditions for the application of the DTM. We conducted a laboratory experiment to test if the ammonia concentration remains stable while performing a measurement. Furthermore, we investigated the cleaning procedure and the effect of potential ammonia carryover on cumulated emissions under field conditions following liquid manure application. The laboratory experiment indicated that the premeasurement phase to ensure a constant ammonia concentration is not sufficient. The concentration only stabilized after performing more than 100 pump strokes, with 20 pump strokes (lasting approximately 90 s) being the recommendation. However, the duration of performing a measurement can vary substantially, and linear conversion accounts for those differences, so a stable concentration is mandatory. Further experiments showed that the cleaning procedure is not sufficient under field conditions. Thirty minutes after performing measurements on high emitting plots, which resulted in an ammonia concentration of approx. 10 ppm in the chamber, we detected a residual concentration of 2 ppm. This contamination may affect measurements on plots with liquid manure application as well as on untreated control plots. In a field experiment with trailing hose application of liquid manure, we subsequently demonstrated that the calculation of cumulative ammonia emissions can vary by a factor of three, depending on the degree of chamber system contamination when measuring control plots. When the ammonia background values were determined by an uncontaminated chamber system that was used to measure only control plots, cumulative ammonia emissions were approximately 9 kg NH3-N ha−1. However, when ammonia background values were determined using the contaminated chamber system that was also used to measure on plots with liquid manure application, the calculation of cumulative ammonia losses indicated approximately 3 kg NH3-N ha−1. Based on these results, it can be concluded that a new empirical DTM calibration is needed for multi-plot field experiments with high-emitting treatments.

Retrospective evaluation of surgical site infection after open splenectomies with and without perioperative prophylactic antibiotic coverage.

Perioperative prophylactic antibiotics (PPA) are widely used in veterinary medicine to prevent surgical site infections (SSI). Current guidelines advocate the use in clean procedures only if surgeries exceed 90 minutes, or in patients with an ASA score ≥3. Procedure specific recommendations are currently lacking. The following study aimed to analyze the protective effect of PPA in dogs undergoing open splenectomy. The electronic database of our institution was searched for dogs that underwent splenectomy between 10/2017 and 01/2023. Data collection included age at presentation, breed, weight, reason for splenectomy, diagnosis, ASA class, PPA regime, surgery time, anesthesia time, lowest blood oxygen concentration during anesthesia, lowest body temperature, and lowest blood pressure during surgery as well as duration of hospitalization. Dogs were included if a follow-up of 30 days after surgery was available, or if death occurred within this timeframe. A total of 112 dogs were included. Of these, 46 dogs received PPA, and 66 did not. Most dogs were classified ASA 3 or higher (PPA 87%, non-PPA 80.3%). One SSI (1.5% SSI rate) occurred in the non-PPA group (overall SSI rate 0.9%). Due to the low SSI rate, statistical analysis of risk factors for SSI development was not possible. The described infection rate of 1.5% without PPA indicates, that splenectomy does not qualify as high-risk surgery for SSI, even in patients with ASA class 3 or higher. As splenectomies are frequently performed, the findings of the current study could have a major impact on the overall antimicrobial burden in routine veterinary practice.

GaiaData Release 3

Context.RR Lyrae stars are excellent tracers of the oldest stars (ages ≳ 9–10 Gyr) and standard candles for measuring the distance to stellar systems that are mainly composed of an old stellar population. TheGaiaThird Data Release (DR3) publishes a catalogue of full-sky RR Lyrae stars observed during the initial 34 months of science operations. They were processed through the Specific Object Study (SOS) pipeline, which was developed to validate and characterise Cepheids and RR Lyrae stars (SOS Cep&RRL) observed byGaia.Aims.The main steps of the SOS Cep&RRL pipeline are described in the documentation and papers accompanying previousGaiadata releases. For DR3, the pipeline was modified in its process: in addition to theGaiamultiband (G,GBP,GRP) time-series photometry, the epoch radial velocities measured for RR Lyrae and Cepheids with the Radial Velocity Spectrometer (RVS) on boardGaiawere also processed through the pipeline.Methods.The SOS Cep&RRL validation of DR3 candidate RR Lyrae stars relies on diagnostics tools that include the period versusG-amplitude diagram and the period versusϕ21andϕ31parameters of theGlight-curve Fourier decomposition, as defined by a reference sample of bona fide RR Lyrae stars known in the literature (that we named Gold Sample). Great care was devoted to building a large and pure Gold Sample comprising more than 200 000 RR Lyrae stars. The SOS processing led to an initial catalogue of 271779 RR Lyrae stars that are listed in thevari_rrlyraetable of the DR3 archive. A thorough cleaning procedure was then performed to produce a final catalogue of SOS-confirmed DR3 RR Lyrae stars by dropping sources that clearly are contaminants or have an uncertain classification.Results.Multiband time-series photometry and characterisation are published inGaiaDR3 for a clean, validated sample of 270 905 RR Lyrae stars (174 947 fundamental-mode, 93 952 first-overtone, and 2006 double-mode RR Lyrae) that were confirmed and fully characterised by the SOS Cep&RRL pipeline. They are distributed throughout the sky, including variables in 95 globular clusters and 25 Milky Way (MW) companions (the Magellanic Clouds, seven dwarf spheroidal galaxies, and 16 ultra-faint dwarf satellites of the MW). RVS time-series radial velocities are also published for 1096 RR Lyrae and 799 Cepheids of different types (classical, anomalous, and type II Cepheids). Of the 270 905 DR3 RR Lyrae stars, 200 294 are already known in the literature (Gold Sample) and 70 611 are new discoveries byGaia, to the best of our knowledge. An estimate of the interstellar absorption is published for 142 660 fundamental-mode RR Lyrae stars from a relation based on theG-band amplitude, the (G−GRP) colour and the pulsation period. Metallicities derived from the Fourier parameters of the light curves are also released for 133 559 RR Lyrae stars.Conclusions.The finalGaiaDR3 catalogue of confirmed RR Lyrae stars almost doubles the DR2 RR Lyrae catalogue. An increase in statistical significance, a better characterisation of the RR Lyrae pulsational and astrophysical parameters, and the improved astrometry published withGaiaEDR3 make the SOS Cep&RRL DR3 sample the largest, most homogeneous, and parameter-richest catalogue of all-sky RR Lyrae stars published so far in the magnitude range from ⟨G⟩=7.64 mag (the magnitude of RR Lyr itsef, the class prototype) to ⟨G⟩=21.14 mag (the faintest RR Lyrae in the catalogue).

Multilayered Microcoils for Microactuators and Characterization of Their Operational Limits in Body-Like Environments

Multilayered microcoils are of great importance for the development of advanced electromagnetic microactuators and especially important to develop high-sensitivity microsensors and magnetic field neural stimulators for medical applications. A clean room-free procedure for manufacturing multilayered micrometric coils is presented in this article. The production of miniaturized multilayered coils from tens to hundreds of micrometres long is demonstrated. The microcoils have outer diameters ranging between 150 and 300 μm, arrangements of up to five consecutive layers, and an average fill factor of 85%. This means three times smaller diameters than the smallest diameter ever achieved by winding techniques while keeping a high fill factor and a large number of layers. Such small and highly performant microcoils have never been demonstrated neither by winding processes nor epitaxial growth techniques. These microcoils were tested inside different human body-like environments. Maximum current density versus temperature was measured in air, fat tissue, muscle tissue, and simulated body fluid at 36 °C. A maximum current density of 3600 A/m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> has been measured before coil failure. Experiments demonstrated that current densities of up to 610 A/m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> can safely be supplied to coils without risk of harm to internal tissues. These counterintuitive values are orders of magnitude larger than typical current densities used in macroscale actuators windings.

Staphylococcus aureus in the Processing Environment of Cured Meat Products.

The presence of Staphylococcus aureus in six dry-cured meat-processing facilities was investigated. S. aureus was detected in 3.8% of surfaces from five facilities. The occurrence was clearly higher during processing (4.8%) than after cleaning and disinfection (1.4%). Thirty-eight isolates were typified by PFGE and MLST. Eleven sequence types (STs) were defined by MLST. ST30 (32%) and ST12 (24%) were the most abundant. Enterotoxin genes were detected in 53% of isolates. The enterotoxin A gene (sea) was present in all ST30 isolates, seb in one ST1 isolate, and sec in two ST45 isolates. Sixteen isolates harbored the enterotoxin gene cluster (egc) with four variations in the sequence. The toxic shock syndrome toxin gene (tst) was detected in 82% of isolates. Regarding antimicrobial resistance, twelve strains were susceptible to all the antibiotics tested (31.6%). However, 15.8% were resistant to three or more antimicrobials and, therefore, multidrug-resistant. Our results showed that in general, efficient cleaning and disinfection procedures were applied. Nonetheless, the presence of S. aureus with virulence determinants and resistance to antimicrobials, particularly multidrug-resistant MRSA ST398 strains, might represent a potential health hazard for consumers.

The distribution of marginal excess cement of implant-supported vented and non-vented zirconia crowns with and without cleaning procedures.

To investigate the distribution of marginal excess cement in vented and non-vented crowns and evaluate the effect of clinical cleaning procedures on the reduction of excess cement. Forty models with implant analogs in the position of the right maxillary first molar were divided into four groups (n=10/group, vented/non-vented crowns with or without cleaning procedures). The abutment finish lines were placed 1mm below the artificial gingiva buccally, mesially, and distally and at the gingival level palatally. A standardized amount (20mg) of resin cement was applied in a thin layer to the intaglio surface of zirconia vented and non-vented crowns. The excess cement was removed by a dental explorer in groups with cleaning procedures. The distribution (area and depth) of the marginal excess cement was measured at each quadrant (buccal, mesial, palatal, and distal) for all study samples. The data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (ɑ=0.05). The area and depth values of the excess cement in each quadrant in the vented group were significantly smaller than that in the non-vented group, both with and without cleaning (p<0.001). Cleaning procedures significantly reduced the area of excess cement in both vented and non-vented groups (all, p<0.001 except for p<0.05 at the buccal aspect of the vented group). The depth of excess cement in the vented group was significantly decreased with cleaning in the buccal quadrant compared with that without cleaning (p<0.01). However, the depth of excess cement of the non-vented group was significantly increased with cleaning in all quadrants compared with that without cleaning (all, p<0.001 except for p<0.05 at the distal aspect). Crown venting significantly reduced the area and depth of the marginal excess cement in vitro. Cleaning procedure with a dental explorer significantly reduced the area of marginal excess cement in vitro; however, the excess cement can be pushed deeper in the non-vented group.

Oxygen as obturation biomaterial in endodontic treatment: development of novel membranous dental restoration system

Complexities in obturation and difficulties in disinfection are the major problems that make endodontic treatment very time-consuming. A new perspective is needed to reduce the working time as well as to answer these two problems. Until now, none of the established obturation techniques for root canal filling can guarantee a perfect seal. Solid substances cannot be manipulated easily to fill the tiny branches of the root canal system hermetically. At the same time, anaerobes and facultative anaerobes, especially Enterococcus faecalis, are very dominant in endodontic infections discussion. As shown in many studies, it is extremely difficult to perfectly disinfect Enterococcus faecalis even by using some irrigating solutions with strong antibacterial properties. Under anaerobic conditions, the invasion efficiency of facultative anaerobes is increased. In case irrigation and disinfection cannot totally eliminate anaerobes and facultative anaerobes, a new strategy is also needed to deal with the bacteria that still survive in the root canal. Oxygen can fill the root canal system with ease, eliminate anaerobes, and prevent facultative anaerobes from being pathogenic. Therefore, using oxygen as obturation biomaterial after proper cleaning and shaping procedures is expected to solve the two major endodontic problems. The aim of this article was to discuss a new possible concept of dental restoration system that uses an oxygen-permeable membrane to decrease the time required in endodontic treatment. The membrane is placed at the orifice of a duct created to connect the entire root canal system with free air outside the restoration. The function of the membrane is more or less similar to the mask used during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it enables the oxygen to circulate while preventing any fluid, debris, and microorganisms from passing. We hypothesize that the oxygen circulating in the root canal system will also act as an antimicrobial agent that is constantly renewed.

The efficacy of mouthwashes on oral microorganisms and gingivitis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundMouthwashes were convenient adjuncts to mechanical cleaning procedures. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mouthwashes on oral microorganisms and gingivitis in orthodontic patients.MethodsBy April 16, 2022, multiple databases and grey literature were searched based on the PICOS strategy. Randomized controlled trials in orthodontic patients evaluating the efficacy of mouthwashes with at least one microbial parameter and/or plaque- and/or gingival inflammation-related index were included. Relevant data were extracted, and the risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane's tool. Individual mean and standard deviation of the outcomes in mouthwashes and placebos/blank controls were pooled to estimate the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Sensitivity analysis, and certainty of evidence were evaluated.ResultsOf 1684 articles, 32 studies satisfied the eligibility criteria, and nine were included for meta-analysis. Missing outcome data was the primary source of bias. Compared to blank controls, the short-term application of fluoride mouthwashes significantly reduced the colony counts of Mutans streptococci (MS), while the long-term application may not be effective. Compared to placebos or blank controls, Chlorhexidine mouthwashes significantly reduced the colony counts of multiple microorganisms in the short-term. Compared to placebos or blank controls, herbal mouthwashes showed the inhibitory effect of MS in the short-term, with some results lacking statistical significance. After meta-analysis, significant lower plaque- and gingival inflammation-related indexes were observed in the Chlorhexidine mouthwashes groups [Gingival Index: WMD = -0.45, 95%CI = -0.70 to -0.20 (placebos as control); WMD = -0.54, 95%CI = -0.96 to -0.13 (blank controls); Plaque Index: WMD = -0.70, 95%CI = -1.12 to -0.27 (blank controls)]. Significant lower gingival inflammation-related indexes were observed in the herbal mouthwashes groups [Gingival Index: WMD = -0.20, 95%CI = -0.32 to -0.09 (blank controls)].ConclusionsThe short-term application of fluoride mouthwashes may reduce the colony counts of cariogenic bacteria, but the long-term effect is not evident. Chlorhexidine may reduce the colony counts of multiple microorganisms in the short-term. Short-term application Chlorhexidine and herbal mouthwashes may effectively reduce plaque- and gingival inflammation-related indexes. However, the risk of bias, inconsistency, and imprecision in the included studies may reduce the certainty of the evidence.

Maxillary Canine with Rare Root Canal Morphology

Understanding root canal morphology is the main prerequisite for the clinician to carry out root canal therapy. The intricate structure of the root canals always creates challenges for the clinician during the cleaning and shaping procedure. Diversities in the canal morphology has to be thoroughly evaluated and studied using radiographs and also by the utilization of additional diagnostic aids before initiating the treatment procedure. This paper describes the management of maxillary canine with Vertucci type II canal configuration, a rare morphological occurrence.

GloveCare: a pilot study in preparation for a cluster crossover randomized controlled trial of non-sterile glove-based care in preventing late-onset infection in the NICU

BackgroundLate-onset infections (LOI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Gloving after hand hygiene may be a pragmatic approach to prevent infections that arise when healthcare workers’ hands transmit pathogens to neonates.ObjectiveTo determine the feasibility of conducting a multicenter, open-labeled randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine whether a protocol that requires healthcare workers (HCWs) in a level 3 NICU to wear non-sterile gloves plus hand hygiene reduces the occurrence of a late-onset infection, compared to hand hygiene alone.MethodsIn this single-center pilot study, we recruited neonates admitted to the McMaster Children’s Hospital NICU from June 2017 to May 2018. The NICU was randomized to begin with the standard (control) arm for 6 months (June 2017 to Dec 2017), followed by the gloving (GloveCare) arm for 6 months (Jan 2018 to July 2018), with a 2-week washout period in-between to educate healthcare workers about gloving. We measured numerous feasibility outcomes including enrollment, event rate, and compliance with hand hygiene (Moment 1: before patient contact, Moment 2: before clean procedure, Moment 3: after body fluid contact, Moment 4: after patient contact) and gloving compliance.ResultsWe enrolled 750 neonates (390 Standard care, 360 GloveCare) and achieved 100% enrollment. We found higher hand hygiene compliance during the standard care arm compared to the GloveCare for all four moments of hand hygiene (Moment 1: 87% vs 79%, OR=1.86 (1.34, 2.59); Moment 2: OR=1.73 (1.00, 3.01); Moment 3: OR=1.11 (0.62, 1.98); Moment 4: OR=1.65 (1.27, 2.14)). We developed and validated a method to calculate glove compliance, which ranged from 48 to 85%, and was highest for moment 3 (doffing after a procedure or body fluid exposure risk). No adverse events were documented for patients or staff.DiscussionReduction in hand hygiene compliance in the GloveCare arm presents a pragmatic challenge in ascertaining the effectiveness of gloving to prevent LOI. Most LOIs were non-sterile-site infections, which is considered a less patient-important or clinically relevant outcome compared to sterile-site LOI. Ensuring efficient collection and validation of hand hygiene and gloving data is imperative.ConclusionThe pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of this intervention though modifications to improve hand hygiene compliance during GloveCare will be important prior to a multicenter cluster RCT to assess the efficacy of non-sterile glove-based care in preventing LOI in the NICU.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, NCT03078335

Multi-Analytical Investigation on a Renaissance Polychrome Earthenware Attributed to Giovanni Antonio Amadeo

This research aimed to characterise pigments used to decorate a polychrome earthenware bas-relief of the 15th century entitled “Madonna with Child, Saint Catherine of Siena, and a Carthusian Prior”, attributed to Giovanni Antonio Amadeo (Pavia, 1447–Milan, 1522) and owned by the Sforzesco Castle Museum of Milan. The artwork underwent a cleaning procedure whose aims were the removal of the dark coating that obscured its surface and restoration work that could bring back its original features. Before the cleaning, six microsamples were collected and analysed using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDXS), and Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy in ATR mode (ATR-FTIR), providing the restorers with decisive information on the materials underlying the coating. After the cleaning, the terracotta appeared vibrantly coloured, mainly with bright red, blue, green, black, and white tones. Then, some in situ, non-destructive, spectroscopic measurements were performed by a portable Raman spectrometer on some of the areas that could not otherwise have been sampled. The analyses revealed the presence of natural pigments, including lead white, azurite, yellow ochre, carbon black, calcite, cinnabar, and gypsum. For Madonna’s mantle, cobalt and Prussian blue were employed. Furthermore, the presence of barium sulphate was widely evidenced on the bas-relief. Albeit cobalt blue is of synthetic origin, its presence is compatible with the 15th-century palette, whereas Prussian blue and barium sulphate could be imputed to a previous restoration. Finally, the use of true gold for the background of the earthenware attests to the artwork’s importance and value.

Letter: Contactless Ultrasonic Cavitation for the Prevention of Shunt Obstruction in Hydrocephalus: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article by Gomez-Gonzalez et al1 regarding a proof of concept concerning contactless ultrasonic cavitation that “has the potential to be used routinely as a noninvasive, preventative cleaning procedure to reduce the likelihood of obstruction-related events in patients with hydrocephalus treated with an implanted shunt.” The authors presented an elegant and novel approach to treatment of shunt obstruction, an all too common issue with which neurosurgeons must deal. Frustratingly, the neurosurgical community has moved forward with many technological improvements, while making limited progress in our biological management of hydrocephalus. Those of us who commonly treat patients with shunts know the failure rate is higher than we would like. However, in many cases, we have no better options. Neurosurgery has historically tried many minimally invasive techniques to reduce the morbidity of shunt revision. As the authors pointed out, there was a flurry of interest in these techniques because endoscopes became small enough to fit down the ventricular catheter and still allow good visualization. When the percutaneous endoscopic recanalization of the catheter (PERC) procedure was first published, there was international interest in the technique.2 We are not aware of any teams using similar techniques on a regular basis anymore. Personal experience with the PERC technique (Dr Trumble was second author on the article) confirmed it was a safe method for proximal shunt revision. However, the location of the obstruction was not consistently at the distal end (along the intraventricular holes) but sometimes along the lumen of the intracranial portion of the catheter. Endoscopic visualization allowed confirmation of location of obstruction, removal, and visualization of cerebrospinal fluid flow after recanalization. Placement of the instrumentation through the Rickham reservoir also allowed manometric confirmation of resumption of cerebrospinal fluid flow after the PERC procedure. We commend Gomez-Gonzalez et al for their novel approach to a common neurosurgical issue and look forward to clinical application of future techniques to improve the treatment of patients with hydrocephalus.

Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Potential of Thymus vulgaris and Cymbopogon flexuosus Essential Oils against Pure and Mixed Cultures of Foodborne Bacteria.

The spread of pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms through the food chain still faces major mitigation challenges, despite modern advances. Although multiple cleaning and disinfection procedures are available for microbial load reduction in food-related settings, microbes can still remain on surfaces, equipment, or machinery, especially if they have the ability to form biofilms. The present study assessed the biofilm-forming properties of pure and mixed cultures of foodborne and spoilage bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Aeromonas hydrophila, Brochothrix thermosphacta), using polystyrene and stainless steel contact surfaces. Subsequently, the antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of Thymus vulgaris and Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oils-EOs-were evaluated against these bacteria. Moreover, in silico prediction of the absorption and toxicity values of the EOs' major constituents was also performed, perceiving the putative application in food-related settings. Overall, biofilm formation was observed for all microbes under study, at different temperatures and both contact surfaces. In polystyrene, at 25 °C, when comparing pure with mixed cultures, the combination Listeria-Aeromonas achieved the highest biofilm biomass. Moreover, at 4 °C, increased biofilm formation was detected in stainless steel. Regarding thyme, this EO showed promising antimicrobial features (especially against A. hydrophila, with a MIC of 0.60 µg/µL) and antibiofilm abilities (MBEC of 110.79 µg/µL against L. monocytogenes, a major concern in food settings). As for lemongrass EO, the highest antimicrobial activity, with a MIC of 0.49 µg/µL, was also observed against L. monocytogenes. Overall, despite promising results, the in situ effectiveness of these essential oils, alone or in combination with other antimicrobial compounds, should be further explored.

Incorporating quartz crystal microbalance with chronoamperometry to enhance manganese detection stability in drinking water

Mn was previously considered a mere esthetic issue in drinking water; however, excessive Mn exposure has been linked to negative effects on children's neurological development. Current conventional laboratory techniques are constrained in their ability to provide real-time measurement of Mn release events, due to expensive bench-sized instrumentation and lengthy turn-around times. Herein, we developed and investigated the working principle and application of a portable and rapid electrochemical method to detect Mn2+ in drinking water. The method employs quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) integrated with chronoamperometry (CA) to measure charge transfer and weight change during Mn2+ oxidation. The deposition of MnO2 is characterized by electrochemical methods, SEM, EDS and QCM. The CA-QCM calibration curves were determined in Milli-Q water and a real drinking water sample with a detection limit of 12.9 µM in drinking water sample. Additionally, an effective cleaning procedure was developed to regenerate the sensor after use. The CA-QCM technique demonstrated higher reproducibility and interference resistance than other conventional electrochemical methods in the presence of common drinking water components, as well as an excellent recovery rate (101.7%) in a real drinking water sample.

COMPARISION OF OUTCOME BETWEEN SKIN CLOSURES WITH ADHESIVE GLUE 2-OCTYLCYANOACRYLATE AND SUTURE MATERIAL IN CLEAN ELECTIVE SURGERIES

Introduction: Surgical wound closure aims to move close the skin aps for good cosmetic outcome and to favour rapid healing with low risk of complications. Present study aimed to Compare skin closures with adhesive glue 2-octylcyanoacrylate and suture material in clean elective surgeries. Material &amp; Method: This comparative observational study was conducted among the patients undergoing clean elective surgical procedure in the department of General Surgery AVMC medical college and hospital. Skin closure was done with suturing or with 2- octylcyanoacrlate adhesive glue under same antibiotic coverage for same duration. Ethics committee clearance was obtained, and informed consent was taken from the study participant. Patient not agreeing for 2-octylocyanoacrylate skin closure, mucocutaneous junctional wound or not willing to be part of study were excluded from the study. Both group of patients were compared using pain, Asepsis score and Modied Hollander Cosmesis scale. The collected data were analysed using SPSS v21 operating on windows 10, with p-value of &lt;0.05 considered statistically signicant. Result: In present study total of 120 patients included with 60 in each group. The mean age of patients was 39.41±12.63yrs. Among them 53 were female and 67 were male patients. On assessment of the pain score was signicantly less(p=0.03) using 2-octylcyanoacrlate adhesive glue (0.18±0.39) than suture (0.37±0.55).Asepsis score was signicantly less(p=0.01) using 2-octylcyanoacrlate adhesive glue(11.28±4.23) than suture(16.28±4.23).Modied Hollander cosmesis scale was signicantly higher(p=0.01) using 2-octylcyanoacrlate adhesive glue(4.33±0.68) than suture(4.07±0.76). At various interval the Adhesive glue group showed superior result compared to the skin suture group which was statistically signicant. (p&lt;0.05) Conclusion: Adhesive glue group found to have better tolerance towards the pain in post-operative period compared to the suture. Also, there was better Asepsis score in adhesive glue group and also better Modied Hollander Cosmesis scale score and overall Cosmetic outcome among the patients of adhesive glue compared to skin suture.

Sustained Improvement of Appropriateness in Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis with the Application of Quality Control Circle.

Quality control circle (QCC) has acquired success in many fields in healthcare industry as a process management tool, whereas its efficacy in surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) remains unknown. This study aimed to implement QCC interventions to improve the appropriateness of SAP. A QCC activity team was established to grasp the current situation of SAP in clean surgery procedure, set target, formulate corresponding countermeasures and implement and review them in stages. The plan-do-check-act (PDCA) method was cyclically applied. The appropriateness of antibiotic prophylaxis before (January to December 2020) and after (January to December 2021) the implementation of QCC activities were evaluated based on relevant international and Chinese SAP guidelines. The overall SAP appropriateness was significantly improved from 68.72% before QCC to 93.7% post QCC implementation (P<0.01). A significant improvement (P<0.05) was also determined for each category: selection (from 78.82% to 96.06%), duration (from 90.15% to 96.46%), indication (from 94.09% to 97.64%), timing of first dose (from 96.55% to 99.21%), antimicrobial usage (from 96.8% to 99.41%), re-dosing of antimicrobial (from 96.55% to 99.21%). Implementation of a QCC program can optimize the use of antibiotics and improve the appropriateness of SAP and is of practical importance to their standardization.

Synthetic Microbial Surrogates Consisting of Lipid Nanoparticles Encapsulating DNA for the Validation of Surface Disinfection Procedures.

Effective cleaning and disinfection procedures are an integral part of good manufacturing practice and in maintaining hygiene standards in health-care facilities. In this study, a method to validate such cleaning and disinfection procedures of surfaces was established employing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) encapsulating DNA. It was possible to determine and distinguish between the physical cleaning effect (dilution) and the chemical cleaning effect (disintegration) on the LNPs during the cleaning and disinfection procedure (wiping). After treatment with 70 v % ethanol as a disinfectant and SDS solution as a cleaning agent, LNPs showed log10 reductions of 4.5 and 4.0, respectively. These values are similar to the log10 reductions exhibited by common bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens. Therefore, LNPs pose as useful tools for cleaning validation with advantages over the already existing tools and enable a separate detection of dilution and chemical disinfectant action.