Use Of Aprons Research Articles

Food Hygienic Practices and Safety Measures among Street Food Vendors in Zanzibar Urban District

The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional survey study was to assess the hygiene and safety precautions implemented by street food vendors in the Urban district of Zanzibar. The study involved 265 food vendors with immobile food vending sites. An organized researcher-executed questionnaire developed based on World Health Organization essential requirement for the safety of street-vended foods was used in data collection and complemented with observation. Data on environmental hygiene of the surveyed vending sites indicated that <50% of the sites had both washbasin and soap in place and only 50.2% and 42.6% vending sites had waste bin and/or refuse sites respectively. Adherence to safe food handling practices were reflected in adequate protection of food from flies and dust (40.8%), cold storage of food (28.3%), saving food hot or reheating before sale (35.1%), dishing out food with spoon/ladle (53%) and food covering (57.4%). Hygienic and sanitary practices among food vendors demonstrated the following levels of adherence: washing hands with soap after toilet use (always 33.2%, sometimes 46.8%), washing hands with soap prior to preparing food (always 63%, sometimes 34%), keeping clean fingernail (98.5%), protection of hair (33.6%) and use of apron (29%). The results indicate poor environmental sanitation and waste handling practices, moderate adherence to food handling practices, safety measures and hygiene. Based on the results it is suggested that food safety and hygiene training should be a prior condition for starting a food-vending venture and be complemented with regular monitoring.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use among emergency eye care professionals in the UK during the COVID19 pandemic.

EEC staff were provided with rapidly changing personal PPE guidance by Public Health England (PHE) with specific subspecialty advice from the British Emergency Eye Care Society (BEECS) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) UK during the COVID19 pandemic. BEECS undertook a baseline survey of its members after the initial response from the RCOphth 16/3/20 mirroring Public Health England (PHE) advice and a follow- up survey after the guidance was updated on 9/4/20. A combined total of 84 responses were received. Improvements after RCOphth changes between the two surveys from hospital respondents showed increases in temperature screening (13%), scrub use (34%), use of aprons (31%), masks (4%), eye protection (35%), gloves (25%) and slit lamp guard (1%). Our findings demonstrate a positive and significant adaptation of PPE in response to change in guidance published by PHE, RCOphth and BEECS between 16/3/20 and 11/4/20. The COVID19 pandemic has rapidly taken over the normal activity of Ophthalmic departments creating unprecedented challenges. Following initial confusion and vulnerability expressed by EEC professionals to PPE guidance, most Trusts appear to have adapted and are doing similar things. The response has been swift and effective as a result of good team work and early advice from BEECS and the RCOphth. On the whole, management teams are listening.

Adesão ao uso dos equipamentos de proteção individual pela equipe de enfermagem no ambiente hospitalar

Objetivo: Analisar a adesão da equipe de enfermagem à utilização dos equipamentos de proteção individual. Especificamente objetivou-se descrever acidentes de trabalho que podem vim ocorrer ao não uso de Equipamentos de Segurança Individual (EPIs), verificar a existência de programa de capacitação e treinamento com objetivo de conscientização e melhores condições de trabalho ao profissional, e avaliar o conhecimento dos profissionais ao uso de equipamento de Proteção Individual. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo de campo, do tipo observacional, descritivo-exploratório com abordagem quantitativa dos dados, realizada no Hospital Geral Gentil Filho, na cidade de Caxias, Maranhão. Resultados: Os profissionais realizam a lavagem antes e após cada procedimento realizado no setor, todos os participantes da pesquisa (100%) afirmaram fazerem uso de luvas de procedimentos, mascara, capote, e removerem as luvas logo após o contato com o paciente, somente no quesito uso de avental em procedimentos com respingos contendo materiais biológicos, que houve participantes que relataram não fazerem uso, todavia foi a porcentagem mínima de 20%. Cerca de 20% dos participantes da pesquisa não fazem uso de EPI’s para prepararem medicação. Conclusão: É importante o uso de equipamentos para prevenção de agravos a saúde dos profissionais de enfermagem, uma vez que estes estão expostos ao risco eminente de contaminações no setor de serviço.

É dia de fazer feira na Universidade: análise do perfil do consumidor da Polifeira

Este artigo tem como objetivo avaliar o perfil do consumidor da feira livre denominada Polifeira do Agricultor que ocorre no âmbito da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM). A pesquisa de caráter exploratório-descritivo foi pautada em análises estatísticas com resultados quantitativos, advindos de 105 questionários estruturados aplicados com os consumidores da feira, em outubro de 2017. Como resultado observou-se, quanto ao perfil dos consumidores um número significativo de jovens (31%), público que comumente não frequenta feiras livres. As respostas quanto à satisfação média dos consumidores, independentemente do tipo de vínculo com a UFSM, não apresentaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas em relação às características de infraestrutura da feira. Em relação à satisfação dos consumidores, a partir de quinze quesitos avaliados verificou-se que a feira corresponde às expectativas dos consumidores. O maior grau de satisfação se dá pela localização, atendimento, frescor dos produtos e confiança. O menor grau de satisfação foi atribuído à baixa variedade de produtos, seguida da restrita disponibilidade de lixeiras. Quanto à relação entre o hábito alimentar e o grau de satisfação dos consumidores verificou-se que não há diferença estatisticamente significativa entre a satisfação média dos consumidores onívoros, vegetarianos e veganos. Apenas a avaliação da utilização de touca e avental mostrou-se estatisticamente diferente entre os tipos.

Hybrid simulated annealing and reduced variable neighbourhood search for an aircraft scheduling and parking problem

Aircraft stands and runways at airports are critical airport resources for aircraft scheduling and parking. Making use of limited apron and runway resources to improve airport efficiency is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we study a realistic Aircraft Scheduling and Parking Problem (ASPP) with the goal of simultaneously determining the takeoff and landing time of each aircraft with consideration for wake vortex effect constraints and parking positions in the limited parking apron at a target airport. The objective of the ASPP is to minimise the total service time for aircraft. We developed a mixed-integer linear programme formulation for the ASPP. A novel improved bottom-left/right strategy is applied to construct solutions and a Hybrid Simulated Annealing and Reduced Variable Neighborhood Search (HSARVNS) is proposed to identify near-optimal solutions. Numerical experiments on randomly generated ASPP instances and on a large set of benchmarks for a reduced version of the ASPP (i.e. the classical Two-Dimensional Strip-Packing Problem (2D-SPP)) demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach. For the ASPP, HSARVNS can find optimal solutions for small instances in a fraction of a second and can find high-quality solutions for instances with up to 250 aircraft within a reasonable timeframe. For the 2D-SPP, the HSARVNS can find optimal solutions for 32 of 38 tested benchmarks within 90 s on average.

Impact of alcohol-based hand sanitizers, antibiotic consumption, and other measures on detection rates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in rural Japanese hospitals.

There are limited data available on the relationship between multidrug-resistant bacteria and infection control activities in small to medium-sized hospitals. Therefore, we collected data on the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHSs), personal protective equipment, antibiotics, and the levels of detectable bacteria between April 2014 and March 2015 in 11 Japanese hospitals. Average total antibiotic consumption was 100 defined daily doses per 1000 patient-days (PD), and average use of ABHSs, masks, plastic aprons, and gloves was 5L per 1000 PD, and 1, 2, and 26 pieces per 1 PD, respectively. Average numbers of isolated (isolation rate) Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria, and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRP) were 107 (8% of total bacterial tests performed), 51 (4%), and 4 (0.3%), respectively. Multivariate analyses of ABHS and tazobactam/piperacillin consumption showed a significant negative association with the MRSA isolation rate (adjusted R2=0.87). These findings suggest that hand hygiene is more important than antibiotic consumption in small to medium-sized hospitals.

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Infection Control and Standard Precautions among Healthcare Workers of Rural Nepal

Introduction: A healthcare associated infection (HCAI) during patient care is an emerging challenge to healthcare service delivery. Transmission of most of these HCAIs can be prevented through application of standard precautions which are a set of infection control practices followed during patient care, whether or not they appear infectious or symptomatic.Objective: This study aims to assess the existing knowledge and attitude on infection control and standard precautions among healthcare personnel working in peripheral healthcare settings of Nepal.Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study and included nine different health facilities in Makwanpur district. Knowledge and attitude regarding infection control and standard precautions were assessed with the help of a self-administered questionnaire on a pre-determined scale. The results are presented as frequency distribution table and valid proportions.Results: In the study, 91.9% of the HCWs agreed that HCAI is caused by micro-organisms that can be transmitted between patients while 51.5% of them disagreed that HCAI can be caused by micro-organisms carried on the hands of healthcare workers. Majority (98.6%) of the HCWs believed that the use of gloves, mask and apron reduces the risk of HCAI whereas 13.5% of HCWs disagreed that gloves should be changed between the examination of different patients. Although 97% of the HCWs agreed that hand should be washed before and after examining the patient, 17.6% of them informed that they do not always wash their hands before and after examining a patient.Conclusion: Irrespective of limited availability of infection control guidelines, it was found that the knowledge on HCAI control was good and majority of the respondents showed favorable attitude towards infection control and standard precautions. BJHS 2018;3(2)6: 453-457.

A Study on the Use of Radiation-Protective Apron among Interventionists in Radiology.

Objective:Radiation-protective aprons are commonly used by interventionists to protect against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation. Choice of appropriate aprons with respect to lead equivalence and weight is necessary for effective protection and reduced physical strain. This study evaluates the knowledge and practice of using radiation-protective aprons by interventionists.Materials and Methods:Ninety-one interventional radiologists who attended an annual interventional conference were provided with a questionnaire which included age, years of experience, area of expertise, type and weight of apron used, and physical strain caused due to the use of apron.Results:About 14.3% of the interventionists practiced in an angiographic suite for less than an hour a day, 45% for 2–4 h, 21% for 4–6 h, 10% for 6–10 h, and the rest above 10 h/day. About 68% of the interventionists wore 0.5 mm lead-equivalent (Pbeq) aprons; 15.4% with 0.25 mm Pbeq; about 5.5% with 0.35 mm Pbeq aprons, and the remaining were not aware of the lead equivalence. About 47% reported that they had body aches due to wearing single-sided aprons. Interventionists working more than 10 h/day wearing single-sided lead apron predominantly complained of shoulder pain and back pain.Conclusion:A large fraction of interventionists reported that they had physical strain. It is suggestive for interventionists to wear correct fit and light-weight aprons with appropriate lead equivalence.

Activity Aprons for Inpatients Requiring Individual Nursing Assignment Care: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

Activity aprons are commercially available products used to occupy patients with dementia at home or in long-term care facilities. We hypothesized that inpatient use of activity aprons could potentially reduce or eliminate behaviors that result in self-harm, increased nursing supervision, and restraint use in an inpatient hospital setting. A single-center prospective randomized controlled pilot study was performed from July 2015 to November 2016 comparing activity apron plus standard care versus standard care alone. Consecutively enrolled patients were randomized by stratified randomization using age (cutoff: 80 years) and preexisting diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment. Primary outcomes were safety and feasibility of apron use. Secondary outcomes included duration of hospitalization postrandomization and individual nursing assignment (IA), time in restraints, nonphysical restraints use, falls, apron-related complications, dismissal destination, and 30-day hospital readmission. Thirty patients were enrolled, with 13 randomized to apron and 17 randomized to the control group. There was no statistically significant reduction in mean length of hospital stay (15.8 vs 21.5 day; P = .40), duration of IA compared to non-apron control group (6.4 vs 9.1, respectively; P = .39), or antipsychotic medication use (61.5% vs 70.6% in control group; P = .60). No complications secondary to apron use were seen. Activity aprons are a safe addition to the standard of care when managing encephalopathic patients in the inpatient setting. These aprons may have a role as part of a comprehensive complement of interventions to address delirium and encephalopathy in hospitalized patients.

A study on personal protective equipment use among health care providers, Tamil Nadu

Background: Personal protective equipment (PPE) limits the health care workers contact with all secretions or biological products. This study was planned to find gaps between use of PPE among the health care providers (HCPs). The objective of the study was to evaluate appropriate use of PPE among health care providers in tertiary centres Tamil Nadu.Methods: A cross sectional study was done during November 2014 to October 2015 in two tertiary health care institutions. All health care providers (Doctors, nurses and technicians) who had more than one year experience and gave informed consent were included. Data collected by pretested structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS 20v and summarized by descriptive statistics. Proportion and Chi-square was calculated at 5% α.Results: HCPs included in the study were 1060. Among them, there were 412(38.9%) doctors, 550 (51.9%) nurses and 98 (9.2%) technicians. Among 862 HCPs who work outside the operation theatre (OT) and ICU, appropriate uses of PPE were only 156 (18.1%). It was high among doctors 109 (31.5%) followed by nurses 39 (9.3%) and technicians 8 (8.2%) which was statistically significant p=0.0001. HCPs working in OT and ICU were 423 and 183 respectively. Among HCPs working in OT, appropriate use of gloves, mask, apron, gown and hair cover was 100%. But the use of goggles and shoe cover was very low. The reasons for inappropriate use of PPE was non availability 562 (78%) followed by not aware of the importance 77 (11%).Conclusions: The study showed inappropriate use and lack of adequate knowledge on infection control practices emphasizing that periodic re-training is needed.

Patients Preference for Doctor Attire in an Outpatient Department of a Government Hospital in New Delhi, India

Objective: To assess patients preference for preselected doctor attire in outpatient department (OPD) setting of a government hospital. Materials and Methods: An anonymous, predesigned, pretested, semistructured interview schedule was administered to adult (>18 years) ambulatory coherent patients. The brief questionnaire captured selected sociodemographic details of patients, department visited, and use of aprons (white coat) by attending doctor observed and desired practice. To the item—“Was your attending doctor in OPD wearing apron (white coat)?”, the possible response was yes/no. For the item—“Would you like to see your attending doctor wearing apron (white coat)?”, again the possible answer was yes/no. When a patient responded to this item as “no,” we further explored their reason for the same. The patients were shown four colored pictures each for male and female doctor in different dress. They were probed regarding their preference that they would like to see their attending doctor to be wearing. These attires were labeled as 1 = cool casual, 2 = casual, 3 = professional informal, and 4 = professional formal. Result: The mean age of 547 patients was 35.34 (±12.81) years; 322 (58.9%) were males. Out of 547 patients, nearly 395 (72.2%) wanted (desired) to see their attending doctor to be wearing apron; however, only 256 (46.8%) reported that attending doctors were actually wearing the apron in the outpatient department. Only 152 (27.7%) patients responded that it does not matter to them whether attending doctor was wearing white coat (apron) or not. Majority of patients preferred male doctor to be wearing professional formal (42.3%) and professional informal (40.9%) attire, whereas for female doctor, also majority preferred professional formal (38.7%) and professional informal (37.5%), respectively. Casuals were the least preferred attire. Conclusion: It is reiterated that majority of patients in our OPD setting preferred formal attire of attending doctor with apron, a clear and loud message for future physician in training.

Health Care Workers’ Use and Cleaning of X-Ray Aprons and Thyroid Shields

We evaluated the use and cleaning of x-ray aprons and thyroid shields by surveying rural hospital system health care workers who wear x-ray aprons and thyroid shields. One hundred fifty-five of the 173 respondents were RNs (89.6%), and 94 respondents were from inpatient or outpatient surgical settings (54.3%). One hundred thirty-five respondents (78.0%) reported soiled x-ray aprons or thyroid shields, and 52 (30.1%) reported shield odors. Eighty-three participants (48.0%) indicated they never spot cleaned. Standard department cleaning never occurred for 37 x-ray aprons or thyroid shields (21.4%); and 114 x-ray aprons or thyroid shields (65.9%) contacted a patient or patient item 1 to 10 times per shift. Twenty-six participants (15%) specified there were policies and procedures for cleaning x-ray aprons and thyroid shields. Use of evidence-based cleaning guidelines and manufacturer’s requirements for effective spot and standard cleaning of the protective aprons and thyroid shields are warranted.

Vertebrate Use of Gopher Tortoise Burrows and Aprons

Abstract Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows are used by more than 60 vertebrate species, but the frequency with which species use burrows and the extent to which other vertebrates use the mound of sand at the burrow entrance, called the burrow apron, has not been quantitatively assessed. Between 2 June and 9 October 2014, we monitored active and inactive adult Gopher Tortoise burrows with motion-triggered trail cameras to identify and enumerate vertebrate burrow visitors. We recorded 12,238 video clips during 2299 trap nights, of which 10,151 (83%) contained a Gopher Tortoise and 1732 (14%) contained other vertebrate species. We reduced multiple videos of a single burrow visitation to 1 observation, resulting in 929 observations of 14 vertebrate species (not including the Gopher Tortoise) using tortoise burrows and 34 species on burrow aprons. Mammals were the most commonly recorded taxa (54%), followed by birds (32%), amphibians (9%), and reptiles (5%). Active burrows were visited more frequen...

Processamento artesanal de sururu (Mytella guyanensis) pelas marisqueiras da RESEX Baía do Iguape: avaliação da qualidade antes e após intervenção educativa

This study aimed to verify the hygienic behaviour of marisqueiras (female shellfish catchers) from the Marine Extractive Reserve (RESEX) at Bay of Iguape (Bahia) when processing sururu, before and after educational activities regarding Good Manufacturing Practices. This is a study focused on intervention with an educative nature, which was developed in three stages: in stage I, a microbiological analysis was carried out with sururu samples, and marisqueiras’ routine was monitored; in stage II, an educative action was performed considering Good Manufacturing Practices; and in stage III, an evaluation with a replication of stage I methodology was performed. Inadequacies were observed in sururu processing, such as: inadequate installations, utensils in a precarious state, incorrect cleaning of equipment and utensils, presence of vectors, use of cloths in the cooking, and use of improper water for handling. After the educational activity, there was a reduction in the microbial concentration of marisqueiras’ hands, of the utensils, and of the microbial count of sururu. An improvement in the quality of the utensils and in the use of hair protector during sururu processing was also observed. However, it was not observed the use of uniforms or aprons, and the use of cloth in pre-cooking was preserved. It is concluded that there was a slight change in the hygienic behaviour of marisqueiras, and continuity of technical capacitation is advised.

EFEK STOKASTIK RADIASI SINAR-X DENTAL PADA IBU HAMIL DAN JANIN

Background: Dental radiographic examination is one of the most frequent radiological examinations carried out. X-rays in dental radiography is a short­wave electromagnetic rays that cause ionization reaction to any biological material in its path. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of stochastic effects in general as well as to pregnant women and fetuses in particular.Discussion: Ionizing radiation, such as X-ray radiation, is potentially teratogenic. Safe dose has not been well defined, although there has been approved dosing limits. Gestational age most vulnerable is the end of week 2 to A weeks post-conception. If the much needed radiographs of a woman who is pregnant, then the X-ray exposure will be directed mostly to the head and neck area.Conc/usion: Therefore, the application of the principle of ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) as well as good protection, including instrument control, protection of the room, the cumulative exposure dose control, and the use of apron throughout the process, is noteworthy. Such protection, especially for pregnant women and fetuses.

Historical Patterns in the Types of Procedures Performed and Radiation Safety Practices Used in Nuclear Medicine From 1945-2009.

The authors evaluated historical patterns in the types of procedures performed in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine and the associated radiation safety practices used from 1945-2009 in a sample of U.S. radiologic technologists. In 2013-2014, 4,406 participants from the U.S. Radiologic Technologists (USRT) Study who previously reported working with medical radionuclides completed a detailed survey inquiring about the performance of 23 diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclide procedures and the use of radiation safety practices when performing radionuclide procedure-related tasks during five time periods: 1945-1964, 1965-1979, 1980-1989, 1990-1999, and 2000-2009. An overall increase in the proportion of technologists who performed specific diagnostic or therapeutic procedures was observed across the five time periods. Between 1945-1964 and 2000-2009, the median frequency of diagnostic procedures performed substantially increased (from 5 wk to 30 wk), attributable mainly to an increasing frequency of cardiac and non-brain PET scans, while the median frequency of therapeutic procedures performed modestly decreased (from 4 mo to 3 mo). Also a notable increase was observed in the use of most radiation safety practices from 1945-1964 to 2000-2009 (e.g., use of lead-shielded vials during diagnostic radiopharmaceutical preparation increased from 56 to 96%), although lead apron use dramatically decreased (e.g., during diagnostic imaging procedures, from 81 to 7%). These data describe historical practices in nuclear medicine and can be used to support studies of health risks for nuclear medicine technologists.

OPTIMISATION OF SCATTER RADIATION TO STAFF DURING CT-FLUOROSCOPY: MONTE CARLO STUDIES.

Studies have shown that there is high radiation exposure to medical staff during computed tomography fluoroscopy (CTF)-guided procedures. This study aims to investigate staff dose reduction techniques considering the CTF gantry positioning in the room and room dimensions in addition to the conventional use of thyroid collars, aprons and eye goggles. A Toshiba Aquilion One 640 slice CT scanner and CTF room were modelled using SimpleGeo. Standing and supine adult mesh phantoms were used to represent the staff and patient. The models were spatially put together on one platform using VOXEL2MCNP. Based on this, MCNPX input files were generated for the studies. CTF gantry and staff positions, and CTF room size were varied for different scenarios. Effective, eye lens and thyroid dose to staff were estimated for each scenario. Additional means of possible dose reduction with respect to positioning of the CTF device and room layout are discussed.

Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Laying Hens.

Simple SummaryCommercial free-range production has become a significant sector of the fresh egg market due to legislation banning conventional cages and consumer preference for products perceived as welfare friendly, as access to outdoor range can lead to welfare benefits such as greater freedom of movement and enhanced behavioural opportunities. This study investigated dispersal patterns, feather condition and activity of laying hens in three distinct zones of the range area; the apron area near shed; enriched zone 10–50 m from shed; and outer range beyond 50 m, in six flocks of laying hens under commercial free-range conditions varying in size between 4000 and 24,000 hens. Each flock was visited for four days to record number of hens in each zone, their behaviour, feather condition and nearest neighbour distances (NND), as well as record temperature and relative humidity during the visit. Temperature and relative humidity varied across the study period in line with seasonal variations and influenced the use of range with fewer hens out of shed as temperature fell or relative humidity rose. On average, 12.5% of the hens were observed on the range and most of these hens were recorded in the apron zone as hen density decreased rapidly with increasing distance from the shed. Larger flocks appeared to have a lower proportion of hens on range. The hens used the range more in the early morning followed by a progressive decrease through to early afternoon. The NND was greatest in the outer range and decreased towards the shed. Feather condition was generally good and hens observed in the outer range had the best overall feather condition. Standing, pecking, walking and foraging were the most commonly recorded behaviours and of these, standing occurred most in the apron whereas walking and foraging behaviours were recorded most in the outer range. This study supported the findings of previous studies that reported few hens in the range and greater use of areas closer to the shed in free-range flocks. This study suggests that hens in the outer range engaged more in walking and foraging activities and showed signs of better welfare than those closer to the shed. In this study, the range use and behaviour of laying hens in commercial free-range flocks was explored. Six flocks were each visited on four separate days and data collected from their outdoor area (divided into zones based on distance from shed and available resources). These were: apron (0–10 m from shed normally without cover or other enrichments); enriched belt (10–50 m from shed where resources such as manmade cover, saplings and dust baths were provided); and outer range (beyond 50 m from shed with no cover and mainly grass pasture). Data collection consisted of counting the number of hens in each zone and recording behaviour, feather condition and nearest neighbour distance (NND) of 20 birds per zone on each visit day. In addition, we used techniques derived from ecological surveys to establish four transects perpendicular to the shed, running through the apron, enriched belt and outer range. Number of hens in each 10 m × 10 m quadrat was recorded four times per day as was the temperature and relative humidity of the outer range. On average, 12.5% of hens were found outside. Of these, 5.4% were found in the apron; 4.3% in the enriched zone; and 2.8% were in the outer range. This pattern was supported by data from quadrats, where the density of hens sharply dropped with increasing distance from shed. Consequently, NND was greatest in the outer range, least in the apron and intermediate in the enriched belt. Hens sampled in outer range and enriched belts had better feather condition than those from the apron. Standing, ground pecking, walking and foraging were the most commonly recorded activities with standing and pecking most likely to occur in the apron, and walking and foraging more common in the outer range. Use of the outer range declined with lower temperatures and increasing relative humidity, though use of apron and enriched belt was not affected by variation in these measures. These data support previous findings that outer range areas tend to be under-utilized in commercial free-range flocks and suggest positive relationships between range use, feather condition and increased behavioural opportunities and decline in the use of range in cold and/or damp conditions.

Wearing White Aprons at Work Place-a Metacognition from Medico-legal Point of View

Wearing a white apron during duty hours is a debatable issue. Whether white apron is considered uniform like uniform code of armed forces and Constitution demands its mandatory use or is it a violation of fundamental right of a physician? The effects of white aprons on patients’ feelings and on their perceptions about the doctor has been studied extensively by different scholars but few articles point towards the conflicts of opinions and lack of clarity in this subject. The question regarding use of white aprons in commercials is also a subject of debate. Thus this article is an attempt on the part of the authors to review the literature and search for a rational view.

Common errors on panoramic radiograph: A time to reflect and review and not to sweep them under the carpet!

Introduction: There are a multitude of factors that may lead to a reduction of the diagnostic quality of panoramic radiographs. Errors in taking radiographs increase patient's radiation exposure, and also waste time and money. Inspecting the frequency and mechanism of producing errors will result in less retakes. Therefore, the aim of the study is to identify the most common positioning and technical errors in the panoramic radiographs taken in department of oral Medicine and Radiology of our institute. Materials and Methods: 2000 panoramic radiographs were photographed and reviewed under identical conditions, on a computer screen. Radiographs were evaluated by oral and maxillofacial radiologist, and frequency of errors was recorded. Results: Out of 2000 Panoramic radiographs there were 220 radiographs (11%) which were error free and 1780 radiographs (89%) with errors. The most common error observed in this sample was failure to place the tongue on the palate (48.7%) followed by chin tipped too low or too high (21.1%). Dark room errors accounted for 2.7% radiographs due to the processing errors resulting as dark and light radiographs as well scratches on them. The least frequent errors observed were the presence of radio-opaque artifacts caused by failure to remove metallic accessories, prostheses and the use of the lead apron during exposure and processing error (2.4%). Few radiographs had more than one error. Conclusion: Frequency of errors seen on panoramic radiographs are relatively high, thus training the operators, discussing the technical errors in case of occurrence are highly essential to maximize the quality of panoramic radiographs. Also clinicians need to be able to recognize the cause of the various film faults so that appropriate corrective action can be taken.