Effect of selenium nanoparticles-supplemented INRA96 extender on Turkmen stallion sperm quality and lipid peroxidation during storage at 5°C.

Oxidative damage to sperm during cooled storage is a significant issue, and selenium with antioxidant potential could be a solution. Moreover, nano-sized selenium offers more advantages compared to its ionic forms. This research aimed to assess the impact of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) supplemented in the INRA96 extender on the quality of Turkmen stallion sperm and lipid peroxidation during 72 h of cooled storage. A total of 25 ejaculates were treated using different concentrations of SeNPs, including no SeNPs (Control), 0.5 µM SeNPs (SeNPs 0.5), 1.0 µM SeNPs (SeNPs 1.0), and 1.5 µM SeNPs (SeNPs 1.5). The samples were then evaluated for sperm quality characteristics and lipid peroxidation. The results indicated a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in total and progressive motility, viability, and plasma membrane functionality after 48 h of cooled storage, along with an increase (P < 0.05) in spermatozoa abnormality and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as the cooled storage time increased. However, SeNPs demonstrated an improvement (P < 0.05) in sperm total motility after 24 h of cooled storage, progressive motility throughout the entire 72-hour period, functionality of the plasma membrane after 48 hours of cooled storage, spermatozoa abnormality after 48 h of cooled storage, and semen MDA levels throughout the cooled storage (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the enrichment of the INRA96 extender with nano-sized selenium can enhance the quality of Turkmen stallion sperm during storage at 5 °C by increasing total, progressive, and curvilinear motilities, improving plasma membrane functionality, and reducing sperm abnormalities and lipid peroxidation.

Economic evaluation of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) control practices: a systematic review.

Preventing vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) infection is a healthcare priority. However, the cost-effectiveness of VRE control interventions is unclear. The aim of this study was to synthesize evidence on economic evaluation of VRE control practices such as screening, contact precautions, patient cohorting, and others. The literature was searched from January 1985 to June 2018, and included economic evaluations of VRE control practices in hospital settings, published in English. A total of 4711 articles were screened; nine primary studies met our criteria. All studies evaluated some form of VRE screening and contact precautions, in populations ranging from single hospital wards (or select patient groups) to multiple healthcare facilities. There was significant variability in the interventions and comparisons used. Most studies (N = 7) conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis; two studies were cost-consequence studies. All economic evaluations were from the hospital perspective. Four studies found implementing enhanced VRE-specific control practices to be cost-effective/cost-saving and two studies found that discontinuing VRE-specific control practices was not cost-effective. Three studies found decreasing VRE-specific control practices to be cost-effective/cost-saving. The quality of the included studies was generally low according to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist for economic evaluations; major limitations included risks of bias in intervention effect estimates, and a lack of sensitivity analyses. Most studies show that some form of VRE screening and use of Contact Precautions is cost-effective. The low study quality and heterogeneity of interventions and comparators precludes definitive conclusions about the cost effectiveness of specific VRE control interventions. Additional high-quality economic evaluations are needed to strengthen the available evidence.

Application of the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify factors that influence hand hygiene compliance in long-term care.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare worker (HCW) hand hygiene compliance is key to patient safety; however, compliance is suboptimal. Nevertheless hand hygiene compliance is not well studied in the long-term care setting. AIM: To apply a behaviour change framework, the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), to identify modifiable facilitators and barriers for HCW hand hygiene compliance in long-term care settings. METHODS: HCW hand hygiene compliance facilitators and barriers were examined using a questionnaire for HCWs from long-term care homes in Ontario, Canada. The questionnaire was informed by the TDF, which is based on a synthesis of constructs from a number of relevant psychological theories of behaviour change. FINDINGS: Barriers identified from the questionnaire aligned with the TDF domain environmental context and resources (time pressure, workload, and environmental controls). Facilitators identified from questionnaire results aligned with the TDF domains social/professional role and identity (it is what is expected of HCWs), and beliefs about consequences (risk of transmission of micro-organisms to self or others). CONCLUSION: There are several barriers to hand hygiene compliance that persist in long-term care. A behaviour change theory-informed framework such as the TDF can be helpful to identify those barriers. This study identified several key behavioural constructs aligned with the TDF that can be targeted when developing novel hand hygiene interventions.

Preparation and characterization of nanostructured lipid carriers as drug delivery system: Influence of liquid lipid types on loading and cytotoxicity.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of liquid lipid types on different features of NLC. Four variations of liquid lipids such as coconut oil, fish oil, black seed oil and linseed oil were used, while for all variations, cetyl palmitate was used as the solid lipid. Different NLC were characterized and compared in terms of particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index (PDI), drug entrapment percentage and drug loading capacity. The results indicated that NLC containing black seed oil has the smallest size. Other features like PDI, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency were the same for all the liquid lipids. By close margins, the NLC containing black seed oil had the highest percent of drug release and antioxidant activity compared to the rest. Diffusion was the major mechanism of the drug release according to the drug release kinetic fitted by Higuchi's model. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed no strong interaction between NLC constituents. The particles showed spherical shape morphology under atomic force microscopy (AFM). According to the cell viability assay on MCF-7 cell line, the curcumin loaded NLC composed of linseed oil showed better cytotoxic activity compared to the free curcumin.

Improving the accuracy of walking piezo motors.

Many application areas require ultraprecise, stiff, and compact actuator systems with a high positioning resolution in combination with a large range as well as a high holding and pushing force. One promising solution to meet these conflicting requirements is a walking piezo motor that works with two pairs of piezo elements such that the movement is taken over by one pair, once the other pair reaches its maximum travel distance. A resolution in the pm-range can be achieved, if operating the motor within the travel range of one piezo pair. However, applying the typical walking drive signals, we measure jumps in the displacement up to 2.4 µm, when the movement is given over from one piezo pair to the other. We analyze the reason for these large jumps and propose improved drive signals. The implementation of our new drive signals reduces the jumps to less than 42 nm and makes the motor ideally suitable to operate as a coarse approach motor in an ultra-high vacuum scanning tunneling microscope. The rigidity of the motor is reflected in its high pushing force of 6.4 N.