Microorganism Contamination Research Articles

Effect of cold plasma on different polyphenol compounds: A review

AbstractThermal processing has been predominantly used in the food industry to improve food safety and shelf life. However, heat treatment induces detrimental effects like cooked flavor, texture change, and alteration in sensory attributes. These disadvantages encouraged the food industry to adopt non‐thermal food processing technologies. Cold plasma is a promising non‐thermal food processing method that uses charged, highly reactive gaseous molecules and species to inactivate contaminating microorganisms present in foods. Thus, it has attracted the attention of scientists globally. This review gives the reader an overview of cold plasma technology fundamentals and the detailed mechanism of interaction of reactive plasma species with the polyphenol compounds (simple phenolic acid, individual phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanin) present in food. The impact of cold plasma on polyphenol compounds mainly depends on the food matrix and plasma process parameters, viz. voltage, feed gas, and treatment time. Among various polyphenols, flavonoids are degraded faster because of their high ability to scavenge plasma‐generated free radicals. The reactive species cause oxidative degradation, double bond cleavage of polyphenol compounds, and aid in the extraction of phenolic compounds. The cold plasma technology has both positive and negative impacts on polyphenol concentration.

BruSIC: a novel selective medium for the primary isolation of Brucella in veterinary samples.

Brucellosis, a re-emerging zoonotic infection, threatens animal welfare and public health with serious economic consequences. A definitive diagnosis requires Brucella isolation by culturing field specimens in specific media. This study aimed to (i) assess the effectivity of recommended Farrell's médium (FM) and CITA medium (CM) for the isolation of four Brucella melitensis strains (16M, Rev1, and the 16MΔwzm and Rev1Δwzm in-frame deletion mutants) with variable susceptibility to polymyxins; (ii) develop a Brucella selective medium (BSM) suitable for these strains; (iii) test BSM, FM, and CM with other Brucella species; and (iv) develop an improved selective culture medium (BruSIC) for all brucellae, including B. abortus bv1. The four B. melitensis strains were strongly inhibited in FM and (except Rev1) CM. Since Rev1Δwzm's CM inhibition was due to a synergistic effect of colistin and vancomycin, we formulated BSM with half the concentrations of both antibiotics, achieving a similar growth of B. melitensis to blood agar base (BAB) and an inhibition of contaminant microorganisms comparable to CM; CM performance was surpassed by BSM for the primary isolation of B. melitensis when tested in 1,789 real sheep samples. For other brucellae, BSM and CM were more inhibitory than FM for B. abortus bv1 when using plates immediately after preparation but not after ≥4 weeks of storage. To address this, we developed the improved solid medium BruSIC by replacing the calf serum in BSM with activated charcoal. BruSIC yielded faster colony growth than BSM and CM and similar CFU numbers than BAB (including for B. ovis in BAB-Serum) and inhibited accompanying microorganisms in sheep and cow samples as effectively as BSM. IMPORTANCE Farrell's medium (FM) and CITA medium (CM), recommended for Brucella isolation in animal samples, are inhibitory for certain strains. A reformulated Brucella selective medium (BSM), containing half the CM vancomycin and colistin concentrations, improved the isolation of B. melitensis, but not Brucella abortus bv1. A novel Brucella selective culture medium (BruSIC), in which calf serum is replaced by activated charcoal, retains the selectivity and improves the productivity of BSM and CM. BruSIC allows the growth of all brucellae faster than in CM or BSM, and at CFU number equivalent to BAB supplemented by calf serum, including B. abortus bv1 and the serum-dependent Brucella ovis. Due to its performance and reduced cost, BruSIC represents an added-value alternative to the existing selective culture media for these bacteria.

Chestnut Lily Beverage (CLB) Processing Using Ultrasound-Assisted Nisin: Microbiota Inactivation and Product Quality.

We evaluated the effects of ultrasound (US) and ultrasound combined with nisin (NUS) treatments on the properties of chestnut lily beverages (CLB) using conventional thermal pasteurisation (TP) as a control. After CLB samples were treated with US and NUS for 20, 40, or 60 min, the polyphenol oxidase activity (PPO), microbial inactivation effect, colour, pH value, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity of the CLB were observed. It was found that the inactivation rate of PPO in CLB after NUS treatment was higher than that in the US, indicating that NUS treatment aggravated PPO inactivation. Treatment time was important in the inactivation of microorganisms by US and NUS; NUS had a lethal synergistic lethal effect on microorganisms in CLB and when compared with US, NUS reduced changes in the CLB colour value. Notably, the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of the US- and NUS-treated CLB significantly increased relative to the TP group. These results that suggest NUS has a potential application value in the development of CLB because it reduces the risk of microorganism contamination and helps improve the quality of CLB. This study provides technical support and a theoretical basis for the improved production of CLB.

Ensiling Improved the Colonization and Degradation Ability of Irpex lacteus in Wheat Straw.

To develop a non-thermal method to replace steam autoclaving for white-rot fungi fermentation, Irpex lacteus spawn was inoculated in wheat straw (WSI) or ensiled WS (WSI) at varying ratios of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%, and incubated at 28 °C for 28 days to determine the effects of the ensiling and inoculation ratio on the colonization and degradation ability of Irpex lacteus in wheat straw (WS). The results demonstrate that ensiling effectively inhibited the growth of aerobic bacteria and molds, as well as other harmful microorganisms in WS, which created a favorable condition for the growth of I. lacteus. After the treatment of I. lacteus, the pH of EWSI decreased to below 5, while that of WSI, except for the feedstocks of WSI-50%, was around 7, indicating that I. lacteus colonized well in the ensiled WS because the substrates dominated by I. lacteus are generally acidic. Correspondingly, except for the molds in WSI-50% samples, the counts of other microorganisms in WSI, such as aerobic bacteria and molds, were significantly higher than those in EWSI (p < 0.05), indicating that contaminant microorganisms had a competitive advantage in non-ensiled substrates. Incubation with I. lacteus did not significantly affect the cellulose content of all samples. However, the NDS content of EWSI was significantly higher than that of WSI (p < 0.05), and the hemicellulose and lignin contents were significantly lower than the latter (p < 0.05), except for the NDS and hemicellulose contents of WSI-50% samples. Correlation analysis revealed a stronger negative correlation between NDS content and the contents of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin in EWSI, which could be caused by the destruction of lignin and hemicellulose and the conversion from structural carbohydrates to fungal polysaccharides or other compounds in NDS form. Even for WSI-50% samples, the sugar yield of WS treated with I. lacteus improved with an increasing inoculation ratio, but the ratio was not higher than that of the raw material. However, the sugar yield of EWSI increased by 51–80%, primarily owing to the degradation of lignin and hemicellulose. Above all, ensiling improves the colonization ability of I. lacteus in WS, which promotes the degradation of lignin and hemicellulose and the enzymic hydrolysis of cellulose, so combining ensiling and I. lacteus fermentation has promising potential in the pretreatment of WS.

Semiautomated disinfection of ophthalmic contact lenses.

The ophthalmic lenses that come in contact with the eyes pose a high risk for the transmission of bacterial and viral infections in eye clinics. Disinfecting these lenses does not happen stringently in a busy practice. We describe a novel method of disinfecting ophthalmic contact lenses using a semiautomated lens disinfector equipment, semiautomated lens disinfector. The equipment has motors to pump in and pump out water and disinfecting solution into a reservoir bath. The used ophthalmic lenses will be placed in a tray that partially dips into the bath for disinfection. Microbiology tests that were done to check the quality of the disinfection cycle showed good outcomes. Disinfection of ophthalmic contact lenses with the new equipment appeared to effectively eliminate contaminant microorganisms. This equipment can be used in busy ophthalmic clinics to alleviate the chances of cross-infection.

Extraction of malic acid from Dillenia indica in organic solvents and its antimicrobial activity

ABSTRACT Extraction of malic acid from natural sources is an important way to challenge the isolation of bioactive compounds. Our current research conducted a suitable extraction process for malic acid from Dillenia indica using different solvents. The time-dependent extraction of malic acid was determined using a number of solvents like methanol, ethanol, acetone, propanol, dichloromethane, chloroform, benzene, and toluene. The better extraction affinity for malic acid was observed in methanol, which have shown that the extraction rate increases with increase in concentration of solvent. Here, we have evaluated the rate of the extraction process in terms of several parameters such as concentration, solvent hydrophobicity, water-solubility, the effect of electron donor and acceptor index, polarizability, and diffusion constant. The diffusion constant was also increased in case of methanol. The extracted compound has shown significant antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 78.34 μg/ml. The antibacterial activity of malic acid was determined in orange juice to reduce the contamination of pathogenic microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity is optimized at 0.6% of malic acid in the case of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antifungal activity of extracted plant species exhibits greater efficiency towards alcoholic solvent.

Photocatalytic Biocidal Coatings Featuring Zr6Ti4-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks.

The world is currently suffering socially, economically, and politically from the recent pandemic outbreak due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and those in hospitals, schools, and elderly nursing homes face enhanced threats. Healthcare textiles, such as masks and medical staff gowns, are susceptible to contamination of various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can potentially address these challenges due to their tunable reactivity and ability to be incorporated as porous coatings on textile materials. Here, we report how incorporating titanium into the zirconium-pyrene-based MOF NU-1000, denoted as NU-1012, generates a highly reactive biocidal photocatalyst. This MOF features a rare ligand migration phenomenon, and both the Ti/Zr center and the pyrene linker act synergistically as dual active centers and widen the absorption band for this material, which results in enhanced reactive oxygen species generation upon visible light irradiation. Additionally, we found that the ligand migration process is generally applicable to other csq topology Zr-MOFs. Importantly, NU-1012 can be easily incorporated onto cotton textile cloths as a coating, and the resulting composite material demonstrates fast and potent biocidal activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus epidermidis), and T7 bacteriophage virus with up to a 7-log(99.99999%) reduction within 1 h under simulated daylight.

Synergistic Removal of Nutrient Pollutants and Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Products (PPCPs) from Contaminated Groundwater: Macro- and Microelements and Microorganisms

The synergistic removal performance of nutrient pollutants and pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) from contaminated groundwater, and the biogeochemical interactions of macro- and microelements–contaminants–microorganisms were further studied. The electrolysis-zeolite/basalt system proved to achieve better synergistic removal performance than all other purification systems considered, reaching average removal efficiencies of 85.8% for nutrient pollutants and 74.7% for PPCPs. Electrolysis not only enhanced the abundance and distribution of MOB and DNB, but also promoted the production of microelements Fe3+ (0.1 ± 0.1 mg/L) and Zn2+ (0.3 ± 0.3 mg/L). Macroelements Ca2+ and Mg2+ increased by 27.8 ± 2.7 and 16.5 ± 9.6 mg/L, respectively, which significantly stimulated the activities of function microbials. Microelements Fe3+ exchanged from zeolite, Mn2+ from basalt, and Cu2+ from groundwater itself were crucial for enzyme activity. Meanwhile, Mn2+ was co-regulated by oxidation–reduction processes and ion-exchange strength. Thus, the electrolysis-zeolite/basalt system is a promising technology for synergistic nutrient pollutant and PPCP removal from contaminated groundwater, especially in dispersive water supplied in the countryside of China.

Contaminantes microbianos en cervezas artesanales embotelladas de la Patagonia andina argentina

The brewing activity in Andean Patagonia plays a very important role in the region's economy, being microbial contamination one of the main problems in terms of quality. The presence of contaminant bacteria and wild yeasts in beer generate microbiological, physical and chemical changes that impact on its sensory attributes. However, few breweries establish criteria and policies to guarantee the quality of their products in a microbiological sense. The purpose of this work was to study for the first time the incidence of microbial contaminants in bottled craft beers from Andean Patagonia, identify the main microorganisms involved and establish relationships between contamination and the physicochemical variables of beer. We analyzed 75 beers from 37 breweries from 12 different Patagonian cities. Our results showed that 69.3% of the analyzed beer exhibited contaminant microorganism growth. Bacteria Levilactobacillus brevis and wild yeasts of Saccharomyces were the main microorganisms responsible for these contaminations. In addition, we found that microbial contamination had an impact on beer sensory profile and also that pH was correlated with the presence of lactic acid bacteria in beer, being an indicator of contamination for these bacteria. In conclusion, we observed that 8 out of 10 breweries studied showed contamination problems, highlighting the need to design prevention and control strategies in microbreweries.

Infections and Smartphone Use in Nursing Practice: A Systematic Review.

AIM:Nurses use their smartphones during the work shift. The objective of this review is to investigate the presence of bacteria on mobile phones and the procedures to disinfect or decontaminate the smartphone and decrease the infection rate.Method:This systematic review was carried out through a search on the main scientific databases by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The research was conducted by considering articles published in the last ten years.Results:Of 502 initial articles, 489 were excluded and 12 articles were considered relevant. Twelve articles were included in the review. The analysis of the studies showed a high contamination of pathogenic microorganisms on the device’s surfaces, most of which appear to be antibiotic resistant. The use of smartphones during clinical practice increases the risk of contracting nosocomial infections. The presence of bacteria on mobile phones and their use favors the cross-transmission of microorganisms.Conclusıon:Onset prevention is a primary goal for the entire multidisciplinary team. There are no protocols concerning smartphones disinfection during clinical practice, but their implementation would reduce the incidence by improving nursing care.

Another lesson from unmapped reads: in-depth analysis of RNA-Seq reads from various horse tissues.

In recent years, a vast amount of sequencing data has been generated and large improvements have been made to reference genome sequences. Despite these advances, significant portions of reads still do not map to reference genomes and these reads have been considered as junk or artificial sequences. Recent studies have shown that these reads can be useful, e.g., for refining reference genomes or detecting contaminating microorganisms present in the analyzed biological samples. A special case of this is RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) reads that come from tissue transcriptomes. Unmapped reads from RNA-Seq have received much less attention than those from whole-genome sequencing. In particular, in the horse, an analysis of unmapped RNA reads has not been performed yet. Thus, in this study, we analyzed the unmapped reads originating from the RNA-Seq performed through the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) project in the horse, using eight different tissues from two mares. We demonstrated that unmapped reads from RNA-Seq could be easily assembled into transcripts relating to many important genes present in the sequences of other mammals. Large portions of these transcripts did not have coding potential and, thus, can be considered as non-coding RNA. Moreover, reads that were not mapped to the reference genome but aligned to the entries in NCBI database of horse proteins were enriched for biological processes that largely correspond to the functions of organ from which RNA was isolated and thus are presumably true transcripts of genes associated with cell metabolism in those tissues. In addition, a portion of reads aligned to the common pathogenic or neutral microbiota, of which the most common was Brucella spp. These data suggest that unmapped reads can be an important target for in-depth analysis that may substantially enrich results of initial RNA-Seq experiments for various tissues and organs.

Development of Multiplex-PCR Method to Detect Three Bacterial Species in Food and their Use in Food Inspection

Food contains several microorganisms that may cause illnesses and food poisoning in humans. Small numbers of microorganism contamination could result in rapid spoilage of food. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA estimates that 76 million people are affected by foodborne illnesses each year in the USA. Salmonella infections alone account for one billion dollars yearly in direct and indirect medical costs and more than 5,000 deaths. In Sudan, diarrhoeal disease was reported as the second major disease during the years from 2003 to 2007 (Annual health statistical report of the Federal Ministry of Health, Sudan). We aimed to develop a rapid molecular procedure for the detection of Escherichia coli, Shigella dysentery, and salmonella Typhiin food so as to minimize the public health hazard of food contamination. We used the Multiplex PCR method as rapid methods were tested for identification of Enterobacteriaceae species Escherichia coli as an indicator organism for food contamination and two strains of Enterobacteriaceae that causes food borne illness (namely Shigella dysentery and salmonella Typhi). The Multiplex PCR was performed to detect E. coli using Mdh primer pair, Salmonella Typhi using IpaB primer pair, and Shigella dysentery using IpaH1 primer pair. The sensitivity to detect E. coli, Salmonella Typhi, and Shigella dysentery in contaminated food in the concentration of the infective and the over infective doses were 100%, 96.3%, and 88.9% respectively for the three bacteria strains. There was no significant difference in the detection of the bacteria after incubation for 8 hours, 24 hours, or even without incubation period. There were no differences in the result of the samples that were contaminated artificially in laboratory and those obtained from the market. The Multiplex PCR method for identification of E. coli, Salmonella Typhi and Shigella dysentery was developed as a model for detection and risk assessment of the three bacteria in one program, and it is suitable for routine analysis.

Exploring the Dynamic of Bacterial Communities in Manila Clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) During Refrigerated Storage.

Microorganism contamination is one of the most important factors affecting the spoilage and food safety of Manila clams. This study aimed to gain insights into bacterial composition and the dynamic change of bacterial communities on retailed Manila clam during refrigerated storage within the edible period. High-throughput sequencing was conducted to monitor the bacterial population with the prolongation of storage time of Day 0, Day 1, and Day 3. Result demonstrated that phyla of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, and Chloroflexi composed the majority of bacterial communities during the whole observation process. Furthermore, the increase of Proteobacteria showed a positive correlation with the storage time, whereas Acidobacteriota and Chloroflexi continued to decline in storage. For genus annotation, none of genus obtained dominant population in storage. From Day 0 to Day 1, the genera of Streptomyces, Bradyrhizobium, and Mycobacterium significantly increased; meanwhile, 12 genera significantly decreased. Compared with samples at Day 0, a total of 15 genera significantly decreased with the reduced proportion ranging from 0.50 to 4.40% at Day 3. At the end of the storage, the genus Crossiella became the most redundant population. Both the richness and diversity decreased at the start of storage at Day 1, and then slightly increased at Day 3 was observed. Based on the result in this study, strategy targeting the increased bacteria could be tested to improve the consumption quality and safety of refrigerated clam.

Molecular approaches improving our understanding of Brettanomyces physiology.

Brettanomyces species, and particularly B. bruxellensis as the most studied representative, are strongly linked to industrial fermentation processes. This association is considered either positive or undesirable depending on the industry. While in some brewing applications and in kombucha production Brettanomyces yeasts contribute to the flavour and aroma profile of these beverages, in winemaking and bioethanol production Brettanomyces is considered a spoilage or contaminant microorganism. Nevertheless, understanding Brettanomyces biology and metabolism in detail will benefit all industries. This review discusses recent molecular biology tools including genomics, transcriptomics, and genetic engineering techniques that can improve our understanding of Brettanomyces physiology and how these approaches can be used to make the industrial potential of this species a reality.

Morphological, UV blocking, and antimicrobial features of multifunctional cotton fibers coated with ZnO/Cu via sonochemistry

Multifunctional textiles have been quoted as a technologically and economically viable alternative to prevent the contamination and proliferation of microorganisms, increasing biomedical devices' safety by combining different properties with antimicrobial activities. The present work applied ultrasound waves to coat cotton fibers with ZnO and copper nanoparticles, using citric acid as an eco-friendly reductant/binder agent with different concentrations. We evaluated the cellulose morphology change caused by the surface treatment and the modification impact on different properties of cotton fibers using X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Fourier-Transform Raman Spectroscopy (FT-Raman), colorimetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), agar diffusion tests, and uniaxial tensile tests. The surface functionalization caused significant changes in the properties of the cotton fibers, including the relative proportions of cellulose Iβ and II, present in the cotton fibers, as demonstrated by the Rietveld refinement using X-ray diffractogram data. The multifunctional fibers are effective against Escherichia coli under photoirradiation, indicating that ROS generation is the most responsible mechanism for the bactericidal properties of the fibers. The sonochemical treatment present here is suitable for developing fabrics with multiple functional capacities, such as antimicrobial properties and UV blocking, using renewable sources.

Autologous Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Combined with Gelatin Sponge for Repair Intervertebral Disc Defect after Discectomy: A Preclinical Study in a Goat Model.

The defect of intervertebral disc (IVD) after discectomy may impair tissue healing and predispose patients to subsequent IVD degeneration, which is thought to be an important cause of recurrence. Cell-based approaches for the treatment of IVD degeneration have shown promise in preclinical studies. However, most of these therapies have not been approved for clinical use due to the risks of abnormal differentiation and microorganism contamination of the culture-expanded cells. Selective cell retention (SCR) technology is non-cultivation technique, which can avoid those preambles in cell expansion. In this study, we used a commercially available BONE GROWTH PROMOTER device (BGP, FUWOSI, Chongqing, China) to concentrate mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) from bone marrow aspirate (BMA) through SCR technology. A small incision was made on the L2/3, L3/4 and L4/5 discs of goats and part of nucleus pulposus (NP) was removed to construct IVD defect model. The L2/3 disc was subjected to discectomy only (DO group), the L3/4 disc was implanted with enriched BMA-matrix (CE group), and the L4/5 disc was implanted cultured autologous bone marrow MSCs matrix (CC group). And the intact L1/2 disc served as a non-injured control (NC group). The animals were followed up for 24 weeks after operation. Spine imaging was analysis performed at 4 and 24 weeks. Histology, immunohistochemistry, gene expression and biomechanical analysis were performed to investigate the IVD morphology, content and mechanical properties at 24 weeks. The CE and CC groups showed a significantly smaller reduction in the disc height and T2-weighted signal intensity, and a better spinal segmental stability than DO group. Histological analysis demonstrated that CE and CC groups maintained a relatively well-preserved structure compared to the DO group. Furthermore, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that aggrecan and type II collagen were up-regulated in CE and CC groups compared to DO group. The strategy of MSCs enrichment combined with gelatin sponge by SCR technology provides a rapid, simple, and effective method for cell concentration and cell-carrier combination. This reparative strategy can be used in clinical treatment of IVD defect after discectomy. NCT03002207.

Modeling Contaminant Microbes in Rivers During Both Baseflow and Stormflow.

Rivers transport contaminant microorganisms (including fecal indicator bacteria and human pathogens) long distances downstream of diffuse and point sources, posing a human health risk. We present a mobile‐immobile model that incorporates transport as well as immobilization and remobilization of contaminant microbes and other fine particles during baseflow and stormflow. During baseflow conditions, hyporheic exchange flow causes particles to accumulate in streambed sediments. Remobilization of stored particles from streambed sediments occurs slowly during baseflow via hyporheic exchange flow, while remobilization is vastly increased during stormflow. Model predictions are compared to observations over a range of artificial and natural flood events in the dairy contaminated Topehaehae Stream, New Zealand. The model outputs closely matched timing and magnitude of E. coli and turbidity observations through multiple high‐flow events. By accounting for both state‐of‐flow and hyporheic exchange processes, the model provides a valuable framework for predicting particle and contaminant microbe behavior in streams.

Comparative Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Conventional vs Disposable Dental Unit Waterline in Limiting the Contamination of Microorganisms in the Waterline System

Context: Cross infection from contaminated dental instruments is a matter of great concern. On sudden stoppage of an air-rotor, the airflow is cut off creating negative pressure in the unit leading to suck-back of saliva from the patient’s mouth. Aims: To detect the presence of microorganisms in the waterline of air rotor units with time. The effect of using disposable waterline on the microbial load was also investigated. Methods and Material: The study was conducted on randomly selected patients having age range of 20 to 30 years, with indication for single or multiple units fixed partial denture fabrication in the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry. In Group A, the existing waterline system after treatment on each patient was examined for determining the influence of time over the degree of microbial contamination. In Group B, the air-rotor handpiece-coupling joint was attached with sterilised disposable plastic tubelines instead of existing tubeline. Water samples collected from air rotor units and watercan of both Group A and B before and during use for 15,30 &amp; 45 minutes were subjected to microbiological study. Statistical analysis used: Chi-square test was used to assess the effect of time on the microbial load from the data obtained. Results: After 45 minutes of use, 50% of the samples in group A were positively related to microbial contamination and the result obtained from Group B were negative. Conclusions: Air-rotor with existing tube line after 45 minutes of use is significantly responsible for the contamination. Air-rotor with disposable tube line on the contrary could be used without risk of contamination on the next patient even after 45 minutes. Keywords: Air rotor handpiece, Source of bacterial infection, Biofilm, Disinfection.

Composite Polyelectrolyte Photothermal Hydrogel with Anti-biofouling and Antibacterial Properties for the Real-World Application of Solar Steam Generation.

Solar steam generation provides a promising and low-cost solution for freshwater production in energy scarcity areas. However, in real-world applications, evaporators are easily affected by microorganism contamination in source water, causing surface corrosion, structural damage, or even invalidation. Developing anti-biofouling and antibacterial evaporators is significant for long-term stable freshwater production. Herein, a composite polyelectrolyte photothermal hydrogel consisting of sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA), [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride (METAC), and polypyrrole (PPy) with anti-biofouling and antibacterial properties is developed. Crediting sufficient ammonium groups and zwitterionic segments, the optimized polyelectrolyte hydrogel exhibits an ∼90% antibacterial ratio against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and effectively controls biological contamination. Under 1.0 kW m-2 solar irradiation, a rapid water evaporation rate of ∼1.690 kg m-2 h-1 and a high solar-to-evaporation efficiency of ∼95.94% are achieved with the photothermal hydrogel. We show that a lab-made setup integrated with the hydrogel can realize ∼0.455 kg m-2 h-1 freshwater production from seawater under natural sunlight. Moreover, the hydrogel exhibits excellent durability with a stable evaporation rate of ∼1.617 kg m-2 h-1 in real seawater for over 6 weeks, making it fullhearted in the real-world application of solar steam generation.

Clinical Uniform Management and Contact Nursing Care to Children Under the Age of 3

Introduction Nurses' clinical uniforms and scrubs may become a vehicle for the transmission and contamination of pathogenic microorganisms. This study aims to identify the relationship between nursing care, in which there is contact between the clinical uniforms or scrubs, and patients up to 3 years old, the way nurses manage their uniforms, and the microorganisms present. Method A quantitative, descriptive–correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 24 pediatric nurses, who filled out demographic surveys and from whom microbiological collections of their clinical uniforms were obtained. In this study, clinical uniforms refer to uniforms, specialized clothing, scrubs, laboratory coats, or whatever is worn by the pediatric nurse who is providing hands-on patient care. Results Factors contributing to contamination of clinical clothing (e.g., therapeutic procedures, holding, feeding, hygiene care) were analyzed. The methods for reusing and/or sanitizing the uniforms were studied. The nurses' uniforms had the following microorganisms found: Staphylococcus aureus (58.3%), Bacilli group (41.7%), and Streptococcus bacteria (41.7%), with a higher percentage of microorganisms in the abdomen and left thorax regions. A statistically significant relationship was found between contact during nursing care for the infant and the risk of microbiological contamination in the modified kangaroo method (clothed nurse holding infant to chest) and holding for comfort, transport, or restraint. Discussion Proper management of clinical clothing requires special care in its handling by pediatric nurses and the need to standardize practices and adapt behaviors to minimize the risk of contamination. The use of disposable personal protection equipment and the daily changing of uniforms and scrubs are recommended. Institutions should ensure proper management of uniforms.