A national survey of skin health in nursing personnel.

BACKGROUND: Hand dermatitis is a well-established occupational risk in nursing staff. AIMS: To explore skin health in nursing staff and to develop resources and recommendations to promote good skincare at work. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: We analysed data from 1,545 surveys. Forty-six percent reported 'poor' skin health and the majority (93%) experienced at least one skin problem over the previous 12 months, with only 22% seeking help from their employer. Only 2% took time off work due to skin problems, with many expressing concerns that taking sick leave would be viewed negatively by others. Over half (53%) had reduced or stopped using antibacterial rubs and soap, and 18% had reduced the use of gloves. Most respondents used hand cream and over half used products they had purchased themselves. Only 42% received skin health care information from employers, with fewer (26%) receiving training on how to identify early signs of skin disease. Only 16% had access to skin surveillance in line with regulatory requirements. Only 26% of respondents were aware of the support offered by their professional nursing association. Suggestions for improving skin health included increasing publicity concerning the importance of skin health in healthcare settings, improving access to hand creams, better quality products, enhanced education and training and more involvement from Occupational Health (OH). CONCLUSIONS: Results confirm that poor skin health remains a persistent problem for nurses. Employers could do more to promote skin health and nurses need to be made more aware of the support and guidance offered by professional bodies.

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography stability indicating assay and content uniformity determination for a cholesterol-lowering drug product.

This study describes a specific, linear, precise, accurate and sensitive method for the determination of a developmental cholesterol-lowering drug formulated in capsules. The method can also determine two known hydrolytic degradants of the drug. Samples are dissolved in acetonitrile-phosphate buffer pH 4.5, diluted with water and assayed by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) in a buffer containing 0.1 M borate-0.025 M SDS at 30 degrees C with an applied voltage of 25 kV. Detection is by UV absorbance at 200 nm. The method was cross validated by comparison with a gradient elution HPLC method. The MEKC method gave at least equivalent precision, accuracy and sensitivity to HPLC but was superior in the resolution of the known impurities and gave a considerably shorter analysis time. The method has been accepted as part of a regulatory submission to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Assessment of the impact of naphthalene contamination on mangrove fauna using behavioral bioassays.

Pollution of the marine and estuarine environments by petroleum hydrocarbons is a world wide phenomenon (Connell and Miller 1980) and whilst large scale crude oil spills are the most obvious source of pollution, since the 1970's the impact of chronic, low level hydrocarbon input from sources such as oil refineries has been recognised as having long term ecological consequences, even when there may be no visible evidence of acute effects (Connell and Miller 1980). Mangroves are perhaps the dominant and most important intertidal habitat along subtropical and tropical coastlines and estuaries and as such are located in areas of high risk of acute or chronic petroleum hydrocarbon pollution. Further, once contamination occurs, high levels of hydrocarbons may be expected to remain in mangrove sediments as conditions are not favorable for hydrocarbon depletion by sediment transport or degradation by aerobic bacteria. Much research has focused on determining the acute toxicity of the water soluble fraction of crude or fuel oil to aquatic fauna but relatively little attention has been given to individual hydrocarbons. The medium to low boiling point aromatics such as naphthalene and its alkyl derivatives are the most toxic petroleum fraction to marine organisms (Anderson et al. 1974; Moore and Dwyer 1974) and they are known to provoke behavioral responses in marine animals at sublethal concentrations (Hargrave and Newcomb 1973; Linden 1977; Nagarajah et al. 1985). The goal of this investigation was to investigate the effects of a single aromatic petroleum hydrocarbon, naphthalene, in a subtropical mangrove environment, through the use of behavioral bioassays. The test organism chosen was the intertidal gastropod Ophicardelus quoyi, which is abundant in mangroves throughout eastern Australia.

Concentrations and spatial distribution of trace metals in mangrove sediments from the Brisbane River, Australia.

Fifty surface sediment samples were collected from 12 transects through a mangrove woodland near the mouth of the Brisbane River, Australia. Samples were analyzed for 10 trace metals; measured concentrations (microg g(-1)) were: Cu 3.1-34.1; Pb 7.7-84.7; Zn 40.8-144.0; Ag nd-2.8; Cr 7.6-116.8; V 16.4-57.9; Mo 7.6-82.6; Ni 2.4-57.6; As nd-13.0; and Cd nd-2.0. Coefficients of variation ranged from 22-153%. Sediments were moderately contaminated, with Mo being enriched by up to thirty times background levels. Spatial variation was considerable, and canonical trend analysis showed concentrations of all metals but Ag and Cr tended to increase downshore, suggesting tidal deposition was important in determining metal concentrations. Silver and Cr concentrations appeared to be a consequence of contamination from landward point sources. An investigation of different random sampling intensities showed the spatial variation required that many samples be taken for a satisfactory assessment of metal burdens. Even so, mean values were not a good indication of the possible environmental effects of the metal contamination. Since metal concentrations increase downshore in inter-tidal environments, a more appropriate sampling strategy would be to take a downshore series of samples normal to the shoreline.

[Attitude of psychiatrists to electrotherapy]. / Typologie des psychiatres face à la sismothérapie.

Psychiatrists practising in South-Eastern regions of France answered a questionnaire whose objective was to evaluate the technical conditions of the use of electroconvulsivotherapy (ECT), and to ascertain the way in which this therapy affected the lives of the patients (ECT is currently experiencing a revival in neuropsychiatric literature). Among the 400 psychiatrists who gave a complete response to the questionnaire, 22 per cent stated that they use ECT to treat inpatients. The authors try to define a typology of ECT users and non-users. The technical and scientific pragmatism of users contrasts with the highest moral reasons of non-users, although the latter do not form an homogeneous group. Factorial analysis methods were used to describe these populations with the most accuracy. The statistical analysis shows 4 sub-groups of psychiatrists: ECT users (22%); those who will never treat their patients with ECT because of ethical considerations (16%); those who will only use ECT for very serious inpatients but do not as yet have any ECT equipment at their disposal (58%); and the persons uncommitted about the use of ECT (4%).

Deposition of manganese in a drinking water distribution system.

The deposition of manganese in a water distribution system with manganese-related "dirty water" problems was studied over a 1-year period. Four monitoring laboratories with Robbins biofilm sampling devices fitted to the water mains were used to correlate the relationship among manganese deposition, the level of manganese in the water, and the chlorination conditions. Manganese deposition occurred by both chemical and microbial processes. Chemical deposition occurred when Mn(II) not removed during water treatment penetrated the filters and entered the distribution system, where it was oxidized by chlorine and chlorine dioxide used for disinfection. Microbial deposition occurred in areas with insufficient chlorination to control the growth of manganese-depositing biofilm. At 0.05 mg of Mn(II) per liter, the chemical deposition rate was much greater than microbial deposition. Significant deposition occurred at 0.03 mg of manganese per liter, and dirty water complaints were not eliminated until manganese levels were continuously less than 0.02 mg/liter and chlorination levels were greater than 0.2 mg/liter. A guideline level of 0.01 mg of manganese per liter is recommended.