Evolution of Electrosprayed Particles at a Static Air-Water Interface on Multiple Time Scales.

Improving toy hygiene in pediatric hospital settings through maternal education: A randomized controlled study.

Evaluation of risks of oil contamination in endangered seabirds in Algoa Bay, South Africa, linked to ship-to-ship bunkering and anthropogenic maritime activities.

The preparation of cytotoxic drugs requires high quality levels to limit biocontamination and chemocontamination risks. While standardised measures exist for biocontamination, this is not the case for chemocontamination. Despite precautions, chemocontamination can occur at many stages. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of decontamination solutions following intentional contamination on stainless steel surfaces inside a biosafety cabinet using antineoplastic drugs. Three sessions were conducted to assess the effectiveness of four decontamination solutions (Surfa'Safe, Septalkan, ethanol 70% and Versol water) on areas contaminated with antineoplastic drugs. Ten areas were tested: one negative and one positive control area and eight contaminated areas followed by decontamination: four 'wet' (decontaminated immediately) and four 'dry' areas (decontaminated after 1 hour). The effectiveness of decontamination (Effq) and the impact of drying time were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests. Negative controls showed very low levels of contamination. Septalkan and Surfa'Safe, both quaternary ammonium-based solutions, were the most effective for decontamination (Effq >95%), with greater effectiveness in the 'wet' protocol than in the 'dry' protocol (Surfa'Safe: 95.3% vs 97.3%; Septalkan: 95.3% vs 98%). Despite a lower value, decontamination was not statistically significant between the two methods of decontamination (immediate and after drying; p=0.125). Quaternary ammonium-based solutions appear to be the best options for limiting chemocontamination. Despite the similar effectiveness of Septalkan and Surfa'Safe, the latter seems to be a more efficient option for routine use of an appropriate cleaning solution.

Protective barrier containment to prevent C. difficile in endoscopy rooms: A prospective, hospital-based intervention study.

MEYER project: Towards a national protocol for in vivo measurement of 131I in the thyroid of exposed populations in emergencies.

Abstract Surface contamination not only influences but in some cases even dominates the measured properties of two-dimensional materials. Although different cleaning methods are often used for contamination removal, commonly used spectroscopic cleanliness assessment methods can leave the level of achieved cleanliness ambiguous. Despite two decades of research on 2D materials, the true cleanliness of the used samples is often left open to interpretation. In this work, free-standing monolayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride are annealed at different temperatures in a custom-built ultra-high vacuum heating chamber, connected to a scanning transmission electron microscope via a vacuum transfer line, enabling atomically resolved cleanliness characterization as a function of annealing temperature, while eliminating the introduction of airborne contamination during sample transport. While annealing at 200 °C already reduces contamination significantly, it is not until 400 °C or higher, where over 90% of the free-standing monolayer areas are atomically
clean. At this point, further contamination removal is mainly limited by defects in the material and metal contamination introduced during the sample transfer or growth. The achieved large, atomically clean areas can then be used for further nanoscale engineering steps or device processing, facilitating interaction with the material rather than contamination.

This paper presents a cover lens concept for camera modules based on surface acoustic waves (SAW) to mitigate the degradation of physical AI optical sensor field-of-view performance caused by surface contamination. The proposed approach utilizes a single-phase unidirectional transducer (SPUDT) that intentionally breaks left–right symmetry through a geometrically asymmetric electrode array to generate SAW, thereby removing droplet contamination. First, the acoustic streaming induced inside a single sessile droplet by the SAW was visualized, and the dynamic behavior of the droplet upon SAW actuation was observed using a high-speed camera. The internal flow developed into a recirculating vortex structure with directional deflection relative to the SAW propagation direction, indicating a symmetry-broken streaming pattern rather than a purely symmetric circulation. Upon the application of the SAW, the droplet was confirmed to move a total of 7.2 mm along the SAW propagation direction, accompanied by interfacial deformation and oscillation. Next, an analysis of transport trajectories for five sessile droplets dispensed at different y-coordinates (y1–y5) revealed that all droplets were transported along the x-axis regardless of their initial positions. Furthermore, the analysis of transport velocity as a function of droplet viscosity (1 cP and 10 cP) and volume (2 μL, 4 μL, and 6 μL) demonstrated that the transport velocity gradually increased with driving voltage but decreased as viscosity increased under identical actuation conditions. Finally, the proposed cover lens was applied to an automotive front camera module to verify its effectiveness in improving object recognition performance by removing surface contamination. Based on its simple structure and driving principle, the proposed technology is deemed to be expandable as a surface contamination cleaning technology for various physical AI perception systems, including intelligent security cameras and drone camera lenses.

ABSTRACT Agricultural production worldwide relies extensively on pesticides, but their widespread use poses significant contamination risks to surface and groundwater resources. While many studies have investigated pesticide contamination in surface and groundwater, research focusing on thermal waters is limited. These waters, sourced from deep underground reservoirs, are generally considered relatively pure due to their isolation from surface pollutants. The present study analysed 44 samples (two per source) from 22 locations across nine geothermal zones in Kütahya, Türkiye, providing analytical replication. These samples underwent comprehensive screening for pesticides to establish a preliminary understanding of potential contamination and to facilitate the assessment of associated risks. A validated analytical technique was developed to quantify 140 pesticides, each with distinct chemical characteristics, in thermal water samples. This method utilises liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) after a solid-phase extraction (SPE) process. Comprehensive screening of 140 target pesticides revealed that hexaconazole (HEX) was present in 68.2% of the sampling sites, while fipronil (FP) was detected in 36.4%. Screening-level ERA indicated potential ecological hazards, particularly to non-target organisms. As the first systematic survey of pesticides in Türkiye’s thermal waters, our findings highlight overlooked exposure pathways and warrant closer scrutiny given the toxicological profiles and bioaccumulation potential of HEX and FP.

This study investigates the effects of Ar+ sputtering on an ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmImPF6) with the use of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). XPS analysis showed spectral changes in the C 1s and O 1s peaks, with surface contaminants nearly disappearing after Ar+ sputtering. Complementary 1H NMR spectroscopy indicated no bulk structural modification. These results suggest that impurities undergo preferential removal during sputtering by both desorption into the vacuum and segregation of nonvolatile species into the bulk, behavior that reflects the inherent fluidity of ionic liquids. This behavior differs from that of solid samples, where impurities are more restricted in mobility. This study contributes to the methodology for surface characterization of ionic liquids under vacuum conditions, with implications for research in materials science and electrochemistry.

Organophosphate (OP)-based nerve agents (NAs) pose serious risks to human life, demanding materials that facilitate rapid decontamination and reliable detection with selectivity. Ce-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered as promising candidates due to their high reactivity. However, their intrinsic yellow color misleads detection of NAs such as paraoxon, which releases yellow p-nitrophenol. Here, we report a bioinspired 2D metal-organic layer (MOL) construct, Ce-BTB-MOL, a phosphotriesterase nanozyme with abundant binding sites that not only facilitate rapid degradation of paraoxon (t1/2 = 6min), but quick detection by a smart mechanism. This nanozyme seamlessly arrests product with its binding to Ce clusters and triggering wavelength transition that overcomes color confusion, enabling quick and confident detection within 13 s on paper strips. Mechanistic studies reveal that p-nitrophenol binding to Ce clusters induces ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT), producing an intense orange-brown signal. Based on the wavelength transition response, this nanozyme also showcases selective discrimination of structurally similar OPs, a challenge for conventional systems. Ce-BTB-MOL achieves real-time, affordable, portable, easy, and rapid sensing without the requirement of sophisticated equipment, with a detection limit as low as 1.24µg, quantifiable by smartphone RGB analysis. Importantly, the nanozyme demonstrates high selectivity against several interferents, allowing precise surface contamination analysis.

The spectroscopy of carbon is very important in surface analysis of solids, because its content indicates the grade of surface contamination. Adventitious carbon from air ambient is practically present on any solid material and the C 1s photoelectron spectrum is often used as a reference for the scale calibration of binding energy. Moreover, during the last two decades, new 2D carbon materials have been developed and intensively investigated: graphene, fullerenes, nanotubes and nanowalls, quantum dots, etc. Also, the growing applications of amorphous carbon (a-C), e.g. diamond-like carbon (DLC), carbon quantum dots (CQDs), etc., require the characterization of these materials.This short overview is dedicated to the analysis of new carbon-based materials by widely used surface-sensitive techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The combination of XPS and AES techniques permits one to investigate the electron hybridization in carbon materials, i.e. to determine the ratio of sp2/sp3 configurations, which defines their main mechanical, electrical and optical properties. In addition, it was demonstrated that the same experimental approach could be successfully used for the investigation of bulk composite materials containing 2D carbon, e.g. graphene or nanotubes.

Although proper donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical for infection prevention, detailed characterization of problems encountered during these processes in real-world settings during large-scale infectious disease outbreaks remains insufficient. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and distribution of interception problems in the process of donning and doffing process in a large cabin hospital during the 2022 COVID-19 pandemic in Shanghai. A prospective, real-world study was designed to collect and analyze data on irregularities observed during personal protective equipment (PPE) donning procedures in cabin hospital operations. The proportion of problems encountered during donning PPE was 5.29% (246/4,652), while during doffing PPE, it was 8.44% (382/4,525) (P < 0.001). The primary problem during donning PPE was related to problems with protective clothing, followed by problems with respirators. There was no significant difference in problem distribution among different posts (P = 0.459). The problems related to protective clothing mainly focused on loose fitting around the head and neck, making them prone to exposure during donning (56.25%, 99/176) and contamination of the inner surface of protective clothing during doffing (46.43%, 91/196). Respirator-related problems included failure of the seal test during donning PPE (61.54%, 24/39) and shifting or loosening of the respirator during PPE doffing (73.68%, 14/19). These findings identify critical gaps in PPE procedures and highlight the need for targeted training to address these issues, thereby reducing the risk of infection among healthcare personnel in mobile cabin hospitals.

The current work examines the impact of isopropanol (IPA) on the electrochemical characteristics of nickel foam and Pd-modified Ni foam electrodes in a 0.1 M NaOH medium, with respect to the kinetics of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over the temperature range of 20–40 °C. Comparative HER/IPA examinations are presented for a highly catalytic polycrystalline Pt electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and cathodic Tafel polarization experiments were carried out in this work, where the IPA concentrations ranged from 1.0 × 10−5 to 1.0 × 10−3 M. The introduction of small amounts of isopropyl alcohol into the working electrolyte noticeably facilitated the catalytic efficiency of the hydrogen evolution reaction on the surface of Ni foam electrodes. This is most likely related to the fact that IPA molecules undergo partial electrooxidation to acetone (qualitatively confirmed by GC-MS analysis) during initial CV cycling, which is believed to significantly diminish the surface tension phenomenon during the HER, thus promoting hydrogen bubble separation from the electrode surface. It should also be noted that acetone will continuously be produced at the Pt anode, making it essential to consider further migration of (CH3)2CO molecules to the working cell compartment. Most importantly, isopropanol was found not to undergo significant surface electrosorption on the nickel foam-based catalysts, which could otherwise significantly inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction On the contrary, the presence of IPA in the electrolyte solution seems to have a detrimental effect on the kinetics of both the HER and the UPDH (underpotential deposition of H) processes on the surface of the polycrystalline Pt electrode, which is a superior electrochemical catalyst for HER, but highly susceptible to surface contamination.

Abstract The mechanical and morphological characteristics of Ananas comosus (pineapple leaf fiber, PLF) and Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane bagasse fiber, SBF), both obtained from post-harvest agricultural waste, were investigated in order to ascertain the optimal alkali treatment conditions for high-performance bio-composite reinforcement. Tensile testing, SEM-EDS, FTIR, and XRD studies were used to assess untreated and NaOH-treated fibers (4.9–6.2%) using ASTM C1557-20 single-fiber testing techniques. Alkali treatment enhanced surface roughness, decreased fiber diameter, and eliminated surface contaminants. Diameter reduction is very concentration-dependent, with the most noticeable effects at 6% for PLF and 5.0–5.4% for SBF, according to Dunn's post hoc analysis. For PLF and SBF, the ideal tensile strength was attained at 5.7% and 5.8% NaOH, respectively. Improved crystallinity and the elimination of non-cellulosic components were verified by structural and chemical analyses. This study's novel contribution is the identification of a narrow window of optimal NaOH concentration using fine 0.1% increments, which captures subtle morphological and mechanical transitions not previously reported. It also establishes a direct correlation between controlled surface modification and tensile performance for both fibers. These results show that carefully controlled alkali treatment can greatly enhance PLF’s and SBF's reinforcing potential, offering a refined processing approach for upcoming bio-composite applications. This work contributes to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through the valorisation of agricultural waste fibres, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) by enabling mechanically reliable bio-reinforcements, and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by supporting renewable alternatives to synthetic fibres.

ESKAPE bacteria, namely Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp., are leading causes of hospital-acquired infections and a major therapeutic challenge due to multidrug resistance. Hospital surfaces and medical devices are critical reservoirs for the transmission of these pathogens to patients. Standard methods for detecting microorganisms in the hospital environment are culture-based, so they cannot identify bacteria in the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. VBNC bacteria remain metabolically active and potentially infectious, but they fail to grow in conventional, nutrient-rich culture media. Reversion from the VBNC to the cultivable state is termed resuscitation. To assess whether ESKAPE species enter the VBNC state upon desiccation on abiotic materials commonly utilized in clinical facilities and can be resuscitated, bacterial cells were desiccated for 1 week on glass, different plastics, cotton, and titanium surfaces, then resuscitated in a carbon-free buffer. After desiccation, all ESKAPE pathogens exhibited reduced cultivability, with species- and surface-dependent variability. Gram-positive ESKAPE species did not regain cultivability after resuscitation. Conversely, Gram-negative species reverted to the cultivable state, indicating a transition to the VBNC state in response to desiccation. Compared to the standard methodology for biocontamination control (EN 17141:2020), the resuscitation step prior to culture yielded a significantly greater recovery of Gram-negative ESKAPE bacteria in the VBNC state from both experimentally contaminated samples and environmental surfaces. These findings pose the need for environmental monitoring approaches capable of detecting VBNC pathogens on abiotic hospital surfaces.IMPORTANCEAccurate detection of microbial contamination in the hospital environment is fundamental for preventing nosocomial infections. Current protocols for environmental surveillance, however, rely almost exclusively on culture-based methods, which overlook bacteria in the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. This study demonstrates that clinically relevant Gram-negative ESKAPE pathogens can persist on hospital surfaces in the VBNC state, thereby evading conventional approaches for environmental control, resulting in substantial underestimation of the bacterial burden. We further show that a simple resuscitation step restores the cultivability of VBNC cells, improving their recovery rate, ultimately resulting in much greater sensitivity compared with conventional biocontamination control methods. These findings reveal a critical limitation of current environmental surveillance approaches and highlight the importance of integrating VBNC detection into monitoring protocols for achieving a more accurate assessment of surface contamination to strengthen infection prevention strategies.

Objective: To assess the impact of a structured IPC training program on reducing surface contamination and the frequency of HAIs. The findings aim to support effective infection control strategies and improved outcomes in healthcare settings. Methodology: Retrospective interpreted time series (ITS) analysis of monthly environmental cultures from six critical areas of Tertiary care teaching hospital (June 2022 to Dec 2023) was conducted. Surface culture reports and HAI records were analyzed before and after IPC training implementation. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests assessed the changes in surface contamination and HAI rates. Results: Among 619 environmental samples from six critical areas, 32 (5.1%) showed microbial growth. Positive cultures rates declined significantly across study period from 11.9% to 3.1% and 1.7% following IPC program implementation (df = 2, p &lt; 0.001). ICUs had highest contamination, predominantly Gram-positive cocci, including coagulase-negative Staphylococci. Hospital-acquired infections decreased in critical areas, with a significant shift after IPC implementation ( df = 3, p = 0.019). Conclusion: There is a significant impact of implementation of infection prevention and control policies followed by regular and structured training sessions of healthcare professionals on surface bacterial contamination of critical areas and hospital associated infections in a tertiary care hospital.

Abstract Purpose This study evaluated UVC-induced fluorescence imaging as an alternative to ATP bioluminescence testing for detecting meat residues on food-contact surfaces. Objectives included assessing classification accuracy, correlation with ATP RLUs, key predictors, and model robustness. Methods and Results Fluorescence imaging at 275 nm and ATP assays produced 957 images, from which 23 intensity, texture, and edge features were extracted. A TabNetClassifier trained with cross-validation and SMOTETomek resampling achieved a Matthews correlation coefficient and Cohen’s Kappa of 0.77. GEE analysis showed no significant effect of resolution, gain, or exposure on sensitivity or specificity, with borderline impact for wood surfaces (p = 0.08). Texture features, especially Local Binary Patterns, were most predictive. Conclusion Fluorescence imaging with machine learning is a reliable alternative to ATP testing, offering consistent performance and minimal parameter sensitivity. Future work should refine calibration for specific surfaces and address practical deployment issues, including environmental variability, UVC safety, and integration with automated systems.

Rare earth element abundances and gadolinium contamination in tap water worldwide.

In-hospital environmental surface and air contamination by monkeypox virus clade Ib in Germany.