How long do nosocomial pathogens persist on inanimate surfaces? A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Inanimate surfaces have often been described as the source for outbreaks of nosocomial infections. The aim of this review is to summarize data on the persistence of different nosocomial pathogens on inanimate surfaces. METHODS: The literature was systematically reviewed in MedLine without language restrictions. In addition, cited articles in a report were assessed and standard textbooks on the topic were reviewed. All reports with experimental evidence on the duration of persistence of a nosocomial pathogen on any type of surface were included. RESULTS: Most gram-positive bacteria, such as Enterococcus spp. (including VRE), Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), or Streptococcus pyogenes, survive for months on dry surfaces. Many gram-negative species, such as Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, or Shigella spp., can also survive for months. A few others, such as Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus vulgaris, or Vibrio cholerae, however, persist only for days. Mycobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium difficile, can also survive for months on surfaces. Candida albicans as the most important nosocomial fungal pathogen can survive up to 4 months on surfaces. Persistence of other yeasts, such as Torulopsis glabrata, was described to be similar (5 months) or shorter (Candida parapsilosis, 14 days). Most viruses from the respiratory tract, such as corona, coxsackie, influenza, SARS or rhino virus, can persist on surfaces for a few days. Viruses from the gastrointestinal tract, such as astrovirus, HAV, polio- or rota virus, persist for approximately 2 months. Blood-borne viruses, such as HBV or HIV, can persist for more than one week. Herpes viruses, such as CMV or HSV type 1 and 2, have been shown to persist from only a few hours up to 7 days. CONCLUSION: The most common nosocomial pathogens may well survive or persist on surfaces for months and can thereby be a continuous source of transmission if no regular preventive surface disinfection is performed

Salvation Through Storytelling: Examining Storytelling in Modern Children’s Literature

Storytelling traditions from all corners of the globe are active experiences that involve both teller and listener. We tell stories to keep history alive, to impart lessons, to awake cathartic emotions, and to be simply entertained. Storytelling, therefore, is an act of self-preservation. Not only do we keep our ancestors in our memory, but as we see with the famous tale of Shahrazad (or Scheherazade), we also tell stories to save ourselves and those we love within our families and community. The characters in modern twentieth and twenty-first century children’s literature further this tradition of salvation through storytelling by using stories to save their own lives or those of others, or even that of the reader. The texts examined are The Capture by Kathryn Lasky, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin, Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie, and Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher. By showing young readers how valuable the storytelling experience is, we keep it alive and reaffirm that this it is vital to our spiritual and physical survival. Through Shahrazad’s ongoing tradition, we can find salvation through storytelling

Relationships Between Students' Course Grades and Value-Added Scores

Value-added assessment holds the promise of separating the effects of teachers and schools from non-educational factors in order to show large differences in effectiveness among teachers; however, the course grade is still widely used and is one of the most entrenched traditions in American education. The overarching question for this study: Is there a relationship between summative internal student assessment within the classroom (course grades) and external assessment through standardized testing (value-added scores)? Educators hope to see a strong, positive relationship between classroom assessment of learning and standardized test performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between course grades in both mathematics and English/Language Arts and value-added scores derived from standardized test scores from eighth and 10th grade students in one Midwestern school district during the 20082009 school year. A non-experimental, correlational research design was used in this quantitative study to determine if and to what degree, a relationship existed between the variables of value-added residual scores and course grades. Overall, all correlations were positive but weak and no real patterns were found in the overall results or among or between the quintiles. The strongest correlation in this study was in Quintile 1 for the eighth Grade OAT Reading (rs = 0.379) and the second was Quintile 5 of 10th Grade Reading (rs = 0.378). The weakest correlation in this study was Quintile 1 for 10th Grade OGT Reading ( rs = 0.047). The correlations from this study showed a positive (but weak) relationship compared to the strong, positive relationship from other studies by Darling-Hammond (2007), Dittmar (2005), and Johnson (2001), which examined the correlation of internal and external assessments, though not value-added. The lack of patterns in the results and weak correlations could have been impacted by the delimitations such as value-added methodology itself, the ability to generalize the results, and the scope of the study. This suggests the need for further studies. Recommendations for future studies could include: school districts replicating this study, correlating course grades and value-added scores by specific teachers, and further examining how different subgroups would perform in a similar study