Hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers in a tertiary care academic health care organization

Background: Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) are a major cause of high morbidity, disability, mortality and rising costs for health systems. Preventing the HAI risk by planning and implementing effective preventive strategies is important to safeguard patient health. Handwashing is one of the fundamental measures for preventing transmission of hospital-acquired infections.Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the surgical ICU from January to February 2018 to evaluate the presence of adhesion to the different aspects of HH. Inclusion criteria included all nurses and allied healthcare workers of surgical ICU while all other HCWs were excluded. Two observers collected all HH data. During this analysis, 3000 HH opportunities were observed. HH compliance was tested for all 5 moments as per WHO guidelines. Data thus collected were entered into a computer-based spreadsheet for analysis using SPSS statistical software (version 20) (IBM Corp., NY, USA).Results: Overall hand hygiene compliance observed as per WHO Guidelines was 79.8%. Nurses had an adherence rate of 77.8%; allied staff adherence was 81.8%. Nurses’ compliance after touching patient surroundings was lowest at 60.7%. 96% staff was aware of the facts like diseases prevented by hand washing, ideal duration of HH, reduction of health care associated infections.Conclusions: Overall, the involved ICUs showed low levels of adherence to best hygiene practices with overall compliance of 79.2%. This suggests the need to implement immediate strategies for infection control in the ICUs. A multidisciplinary intervention could be effective in preventing and control the HAI risk

AMINO ACID PROFILING IN EDIBLE SHOOTS OF SOME BAMBOO SPECIES BY USING RP-UHPLC AND THEIR THERAPEUTICAL ASPECTS

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the amino acid profiles of edible shoots of five species of bamboos growing in various geographical regions of India. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative estimation of free amino acids was done by Reverse Phase-Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-UHPLC). Separation of amino acids was carried out using Zorbax eclipse plus C18 Reverse Phase (1.8 μm), 50 mm × 2.1 mm column on quaternary UHPLC system using modified gradient elution. Derivatization was done by using auto-sampler Agilent’s 1290 infinity. Data assortment and processing were accomplished by using Open Lab Chromatography Data System EZchrome edition, version A.04.06 (Agilent technologies, USA). Results: In the study, 19 free amino acids were identified, eight essential, five conditionally essential, and six non-essential amino acids (EAA). The principal amino acids were tyrosine (29.41–74.64 μg/mg d.w.) and asparagine (12.81–111.04 μg/mg d.w.). The amount of EAAs ranged from 0.46 to 21.11 μg/mg d.w. For the 1st time, taurine and ornithine are reported in bamboo shoots. The analysis exhibited significant variation (p<0.05) in free amino acids content among the five studied species. Of the five species, Phyllostachys mannii was best compared to the other species in amino acid content. Conclusion: Results showed superior amino acid composition of bamboo shoots that can be utilized to improve nutritional value of functional foods. Amino acids have various health and therapeutic properties can contribute to the basis for further expansion of these bamboos and imminent potential in applications of food and pharmaceuticals

Hippo signaling mediates proliferation, invasiveness, and metastatic potential of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Recent work has identified dysfunctional Hippo signaling to be involved in maintenance and progression of various human cancers, although data on clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) have been limited. Here, we provide evidence implicating aberrant Hippo signaling in ccRCC proliferation, invasiveness, and metastatic potential. Nuclear overexpression of the Hippo target Yes-associated protein (YAP) was found in a subset of patients with ccRCC. Immunostaining was particularly prominent at the tumor margins and highlighted neoplastic cells invading the tumor-adjacent stroma. Short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of YAP significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and anchorage-independent growth of ccRCC cells in soft agar and led to significantly reduced murine xenograft growth. Microarray analysis of YAP knockdown versus mock-transduced ccRCC cells revealed down-regulation of endothelin 1, endothelin 2, cysteine-rich, angiogenic inducer, 61 (CYR61), and c-Myc in ccRCC cells as well as up-regulation of the cell adhesion molecule cadherin 6. Signaling pathway impact analysis revealed activation of the p53 signaling and cell cycle pathways as well as inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling on YAP down-regulation. Our data suggest CYR61 and c-Myc as well as signaling through the endothelin axis as bona fide downstream effectors of YAP and establish aberrant Hippo signaling as a potential therapeutic target in ccRCC

Tribo-Fatigue Studies On Synthetic Auto-Gear Oil Formulations

The influence of polyol esters, with and with out commercial gear oil additives, on rolling fatigue lives of EN31 steel balls was studied in a rolling contact fatigue tester. The fatigue lives obtained thus were compared with those obtained with Reference gear oil. The study reveals that commercial gear oil additives are synergistic with polyol esters in improving fatigue lives of EN31 steel balls

Effect of low frequency ultrasonic assisted extraction on the quality of seed oils of Indian origin

The study gives an insight into the effect of low frequency ultrasonic enhancement of solvent extraction on the quality of non-edible oils (Jatropha and Pongarnia as model seed varieties) in comparison to conventional methods or extraction i.e. direct reflux or soxhler extraction using hexane. A series of experiments have been carried out to study the effect of variables; solute to solvent ratio (I :2.5-1: 10) and reaction time (30s-60 min) on the yield of oil.The quality of oil extracted by different methods have been assessed by determining the acid value of oil by ASTMD-974i04 method. a measurement of triglyceride and Fattyacid degradation. by the presence of phorbol esters injatropha curcas and phenolic compounds in Pongamia oil analyzed using HPL.C.Underoptimized conditious solute to solvent ratio or 1:10 (w.v), 3 rnin extraction time yields ·95't pure' oil h,lVing' I~ FFAin Jatropha curcas and 30 s extraction time in Pongamia seed yields oil with less than 21 FFAin comparison to conventional method of extraction in 16 h

SYNTHETIC POLYOL ESTERS: POTENTIAL BASE STOCKS FOR THEIR USE IN DEVELOPMENT OF ECO-FRIENDL Y CUTTING OILS

Today's metal working lubricants referred to cutting or grinding fluids are for different from those considered to be the ultimate in performance only few years ago. As nowadays advancement of technology and awareness has led to find eco-friendly and better performance products for use. Synthetic esters are used as environment~lIy acceptable fluids in high performance lubricants as having a very good low temperature behavior, high thermo oxidative stability of some types, very high VI, good anti-wear and low evaporation properties. In recent past, esters have been used successfully in lubrication and are the preferred base stocks in many severe applications. As synthetic polyol esters have excellent cooling properties, low viscosity and they present no rancidity problem. Keeping this in view polyol esters from polyol (Cs) and mono carboxyl acids (C8-C9) were synthesized and characterized for their physico-chemical and lubricity properties. Some of the polyol esters were found to be suitable base stocks for neat cutting oil. The paper highlights the results of the studies

Tribo-Fatigue Studies On Synthetic Auto-Gear Oil Formulations

The influence of polyol esters with and with out commercial gear oil additives, on the rolling fatigue lives of the EN31 steel balls was studied on a rolling four ball fatigue tester. The fatigue lives obtained thus were compared with those obtained with Reference gear oil. The study reveals that commercial gear oils are synergistic with Polyol esters in improving fatigue lives of the EN31 steel balls