Surveillance study of bacterial contamination of the parent's cell phone in the NICU and the effectiveness of an anti-microbial gel in reducing transmission to the hands.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the bacterial contamination rate of the parent's cell phone and the effectiveness of anti-microbial gel in reducing transmission of bacteria from cell phone to hands. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of cultures from the cell phone and hands before and after applying anti-microbial gel (n=50). RESULTS: All cell phones demonstrated bacterial contamination. Ninety percent had the same bacteria on the cell phone and their cleaned hands. Twenty two percent had no growth on their hands after applying anti-microbial gel after they had the same bacteria on the cell phone and hands. Ninety-two percent of parents were aware that cell phones carried bacteria, but only 38% cleaned their cell phones at least weekly. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial contamination of cell phones may serve as vectors for nosocomial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit. Bacteria transmitted from cell phone to hands may not be eliminated using anti-microbial gel. Development of hand hygiene and cell phone cleaning guidelines are needed regarding bedside cell phone use.

Interdependence of Cultivar and Environment on Fiber Composition in Wheat Bran.

Starch and cellulose are among the best known renewable reinforcing components. Scientists are continuously looking for various renewable sources such as flax, hemp, jute, and corn hulls with polymer matrixes to form composite materials and make structural biocomposites a reality. Wheat is a major cereal grain in the US and the world. During wheat milling, a large amount of wheat bran, a by-product, is disposed off as waste. The high percentage of water-insoluble fiber in wheat bran could be advantageous for reinforcing industrial material. However, the utilization of cellulosic fibers derived from wheat byproduct has not been explored in processing of biocomposites. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize wheat bran fiber compositions including dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose (Cell), hemicellulose (Hemi), calcium (Ca), fat, starch, and acid detergent lignin (ADL); identify the interrelationship between the fiber composition traits and the influence of the environment and genotype on these traits. The experiment included six diverse and popular hard red spring wheat (HRSW) cultivars commonly grown in spring wheat region of the Northern Plains of USA. The experiment was installed in three different environments in the Dakotas States, USA. Results from this study showed that the DM, ash, Ca, Cell, starch, and ADL contents were influenced mainly by environments. However, CP along with fat, ash and Ca contents were influenced by genotypes in addition to environment. All bran components were influenced by the genotype × environment (G × E) interactions. We observed significant negative correlation of Cell with CP and ADL which make wheat bran a suitable reinforcing industrial material. However surface treatment of bran fiber would make it even more efficient. These preliminary results indicate the potential use of wheat bran components as biocomposite, but further studies to elucidate more these finding are warranted.

Interdependence of Genotype and Growing Site on Seed Mineral Compositions in Common Bean.

Essential minerals are considered as key determinants of optimum health and nutritive quality of common bean seed. This study aimed to identify genetically stable essential minerals in common bean. Eleven diverse common bean genotypes were grown in three distinct growing environments and 17 essential minerals were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy. Genetic control of mineral composition in common bean seed was demonstrated by large (p<0.01) genotypic differences in Ca and Sr contents and moderate genotypic difference was observed in Fe content. Significant influence of genotype and environments (G×E) interaction was observed in the content of all minerals. The ratios between genetic and environmental variances and between genetic and G×E variances indicated the greater influence and stability of genetic factor on the concentration of Ca and Sr in common bean seed. Significant positive correlations among important minerals such as Zn with S, P, Fe and Na and Cu with K, Mg, Ni, P were identified. The stability of genetic effects on Ca and Sr concentration in common bean has been identified in this study. Calcium is one of the most important minerals which regulates many cellular processes and has important structural roles in living organisms. Further studies to characterize Ca physiology in common bean may identify genetic or biochemical markers to expedite breeding common bean with enhanced Ca concentration.

Treatment of severe diarrhoeal dehydration in hospital and home by oral fluids.

This paper reports on 1330 infants, from birth to 24 months old, suffering from diarrhoea and moderate to severe dehydration who were hospitalized in Tehran University Hospital over a period of 11 months. Fifteen per cent of them had signs of shock and 36% had marasmus. All patients were treated orally in two phases: rehydration therapy and maintenance therapy. For rehydration, an isotonic fluid (sodium 80 mmol l-1, potassium 20 mmol l-1) was administered at a rate of 40 ml kg-1 h-1 until all signs of dehydration disappeared. Following complete hydration, the patients were discharged and maintenance therapy was performed at home, by mothers, administering Maintenance Solution (sodium 40 mmol l-1, potassium 30 mmol l-1) ad libitum. Intravenous fluids were not used, even in severe dehydration. The efficacy and safety of this regimen were confirmed by rapid and successful rehydration in 99.7% of the patients and correction of a wide variety of electrolyte abnormalities present on admission, though some relapsed. The study suggests that this protocol could be employed in varied types and severities of dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities, and could also be used in both well nourished infants and in those with severe marasmus. It also demonstrates that mothers can serve as effective health workers and can perform successful maintenance therapy. Nine per cent of treated children required readmission to hospital within 24 h of discharge and a further 8% were hospitalized elsewhere with recurrent symptoms.

Oral versus intravenous rehydration therapy in severe gastroenteritis.

A controlled, randomised trial comparing the results of oral rehydration therapy with those of intravenous fluid treatment in 470 children with severe gastroenteritis was undertaken. The oral rehydration therapy was divided into two phases--a rehydration phase that used high sodium isotonic fluid at 40 ml/kg per hour and a maintenance phase using low sodium isotonic fluid (sodium 40, potassium 30, bicarbonate 25, chloride 45, and dextrose 130 mmol/l). The results indicate that oral rehydration treatment, used according to this protocol, is successful in treating severe diarrhoea and dehydration, and has considerable advantages over intravenous fluid therapy in reducing complications associated with the treatment of hypernatraemia, in promoting rapid correction of hypokalaemia and acidosis, in decreasing the duration of diarrhoea, and in promoting a greater weight gain at hospital discharge.

Oral rehydration therapy of severe diarrheal dehydration.

In 1980, 104 infants with seven to 15 percent dehydration due to severe diarrhea and vomiting were hospitalized in Tehran and treated in two separate phases, deficit therapy and maintenance therapy, using two isotonic oral solutions. For deficit therapy, solution A (sodium 80, potassium 20 mmol/l) was administered at a rate of 40 ml/kg per hour until all signs of dehydration disappeared. For maintenance therapy, solution B (sodium 40, potassium 30 mmol/l) was given sip by sip at a rate of about 250 ml/kg per 24 hours until diarrhea stopped. Intravenous fluids were not used, even in severe dehydration and shock. The efficacy and safety of this regimen were confirmed by rapid and successful rehydration and correction of electrolyte abnormalities present on admission.