Background: Occupational stress, and the unfavorable consequences associated with it, is something frequently experienced by nurses. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study comparing ...occupational stress experienced in public and private hospitals was conducted in Iran during 2017 and involved 203 critical care nurses. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire and was analyzed using an independent sample t-test. Results: The overall mean (SD) score of occupational stress experienced by critical care nurses in public hospitals was greater than that experienced in private hospitals; 3.65 (0.77) vs. 3.18 (0.94). This difference was statistically significant (t = 3.77, p < 0.001). Among the five dimensions of occupational stress, the highest mean (SD) scores in both public and private hospitals related to organizational policies, the respective scored was 3.66 (0.94) and 3.34 (1.18). Conclusions: Hospital managers, especially those in public hospitals, should review existing organizational policies and improve the workplace environment in order to decrease occupational stress.
Bacterial infection of the wound could potentially cause serious complications and an enormous medical and financial cost to the rapid emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Nanomaterials are an ...emerging technology, that has been researched as possible antimicrobial nanomaterials for the inhibition of wound infection and enhancement of wound healing. Graphene is 2-dimensional (2D) sheet of sp2 carbon atoms in a honeycomb structure. It has superior properties, strength, conductivity, antimicrobial, and molecular carrier abilities. Graphene and its derivatives, Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced GO (rGO), have antibacterial activity and could damage bacterial morphology and lead to the leakage of intracellular substances. Besides, for wound infection management, Graphene-platforms could be functionalized by different antibacterial agents such as metal-nanoparticles, natural compounds, and antibiotics. The Graphene structure can absorb near-infrared wavelengths, allowing it to be used as antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. Therefore, Graphene-based material could be used to inhibit pathogens that cause serious skin infections and destroy their biofilm community, which is one of the biggest challenges in treating wound infection. Due to its agglomerated structure, GO hydrogel could entrap and stack the bacteria; thus, it prevents their initial attachment and biofilm formation. The sharp edges of GO could destroy the extracellular polymeric substance surrounding the biofilm and ruin the biofilm biomass structure. As well as, Chitosan and different natural and synthetic polymers such as collagen and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) also have attracted a great deal of attention for use with GO as wound dressing material. To this end, multi-functional polymers based on Graphene and blends of synthetic and natural polymers can be considered valid non-antibiotic compounds useful against wound infection and improvement of wound healing. Finally, the global wound care market size was valued at USD 20.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2022 to 2027 (USD 27.2 billion). This will encourage academic as well as pharmaceutical and medical device industries to investigate any new materials such as graphene and its derivatives for the treatment of wound healing.
Purpose
The purpose of this study to investigate acetaminophen (ACT) degradation efficiencies by using ozone/persulfate oxidation process in a batch reactor. In addition, the effects of various ...parameters on the ACT removal efficiency toward pathway inference of ACT degradation were investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The experiments were in the 2 L glass vessels. Ozone gas with flow rate at 70 L.h−1 was produced by ozone generator. After the adjustment of the pH, various dosages of persulfate (1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 mmol.L−1) were then added to the 500 mL ACT-containing solution with 150 mg.L−1 of concentration. Afterward, ozone gas was diffused in glass vessels. The solution after reaction flowed into the storage tank for the detection. The investigated parameters included pH and the amount of ozone and persulfate addition. For comparison of the ACT degradation efficiency, ozone/persulfate, ozone and persulfate oxidation in reactor was carried out. The ACT concentration using a HPLC system equipped with 2998 PDA detector was determined at an absorbance of 242 nm.
Findings
ACT degradation percentage by using ozone or persulfate in the process were at 63.7% and 22.3%, respectively, whereas O3/persulfate oxidation process achieved degradation percentage at 91.4% in 30 min. Degradation efficiency of ACT was affected by different parameter like pH and addition of ozone or persulfate, and highest degradation obtained when pH and concentrations of persulfate and ozone was 10 and 3 mmol.L−1 and 60 mg.L−1, respectively. O3, OH• and SO4− were evidenced to be the radicals for degradation of ACT through direct and indirect oxidation. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometer analysis showed intermediates including N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) formamide, hydroquinone, benzoic acid, 4-methylbenzene-1,2-diol, 4-aminophenol.
Practical implications
This study provided a simple and effective way for degradation of activated ACT as emerging contaminants from aqueous solution. This way was conducted to protect environment from one of the most important and abundant pharmaceutical and personal care product in aquatic environments.
Originality/value
There are two main innovations. One is that the novel process is performed successfully for pharmaceutical degradation. The other is that the optimized conditions are obtained. In addition, the effects of various parameters on the ACT removal efficiency toward pathway inference of ACT degradation were investigated.
Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) uropathogenic bacteria have increased in number in recent years and the development of new treatment options for the corresponding infections has become a major challenge ...in the field of medicine. In this respect, recent studies have proposed bacteriophage (phage) therapy as a potential alternative against MDR Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) because the resistance mechanism of phages differs from that of antibiotics and few side effects have been reported for them. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis are the most common uropathogenic bacteria against which phage therapy has been used. Phages, in addition to lysing bacterial pathogens, can prevent the formation of biofilms. Besides, by inducing or producing polysaccharide depolymerase, phages can easily penetrate into deeper layers of the biofilm and degrade it. Notably, phage therapy has shown good results in inhibiting multiple-species biofilm and this may be an efficient weapon against catheter-associated UTI. However, the narrow range of hosts limits the use of phage therapy. Therefore, the use of phage cocktail and combination therapy can form a highly attractive strategy. However, despite the positive use of these treatments, various studies have reported phage-resistant strains, indicating that phage-host interactions are more complicated and need further research. Furthermore, these investigations are limited and further clinical trials are required to make this treatment widely available for human use. This review highlights phage therapy in the context of treating UTIs and the specific considerations for this application.
The high occurrence and mortality rates related to candidiasis emphasize the urgent need to introduce new therapeutic approaches to treat this infection. Eugenol, the main phenolic component of
Clove
...and
Cinnamomum
essential oil, has been used to inhibit growth and different virulence factors of
Candida
, including strains with decreased susceptibility to antifungals, particularly fluconazole. The results showed that this compound could bind to
Candida
membrane and decrease ergosterol biosynthesis, consequently leading to cell wall and membrane damage. Additionally, eugenol not only reduced germ tube formation, which reduces nutrient absorption from host tissues, but it also increased the levels of lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species, which induces oxidative stress and causes high permeability in the fungal cell membrane. Eugenol inhibited
Candida
cells’ adhesion capacity; additionally, this compound inhibited the formation of biofilms and eliminated established
Candida
biofilms on a variety of surfaces. Furthermore, by disrupting fungal cell integrity, eugenol could boost the entry of the antifungal drugs into the
Candida
cell, improving treatment efficacy. Therefore, eugenol could be used in the clinical management of various presentations of candidiasis, especially mucocutaneous presentations such as oral and vulvovaginal infections. However, further investigations, including
in vivo
and animal studies, toxicology studies and clinical trials, as well as molecular analysis, are needed to improve formulations and develop novel antifungal agents based on eugenol.
Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most important bacterial pathogens that causes infection with a high mortality rate due to resistance to different antibiotics. This ...bacterium prompts extensive tissue damage with varying factors of virulence, and its biofilm production causes chronic and antibiotic-resistant infections. Therefore, due to the non-applicability of antibiotics for the destruction of P. aeruginosa biofilm, alternative approaches have been considered by researchers, and phage therapy is one of these new therapeutic solutions. Bacteriophages can be used to eradicate P. aeruginosa biofilm by destroying the extracellular matrix, increasing the permeability of antibiotics into the inner layer of biofilm, and inhibiting its formation by stopping the quorum-sensing activity. Furthermore, the combined use of bacteriophages and other compounds with anti-biofilm properties such as nanoparticles, enzymes, and natural products can be of more interest because they invade the biofilm by various mechanisms and can be more effective than the one used alone. On the other hand, the use of bacteriophages for biofilm destruction has some limitations such as limited host range, high-density biofilm, sub-populate phage resistance in biofilm, and inhibition of phage infection via quorum sensing in biofilm. Therefore, in this review, we specifically discuss the use of phage therapy for inhibition of P. aeruginosa biofilm in clinical and in vitro studies to identify different aspects of this treatment for broader use.
Abstract The Increase in infections caused by resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa poses a formidable challenge to global healthcare systems. P. aeruginosa is capable of causing severe human ...infections across diverse anatomical sites, presenting considerable therapeutic obstacles due to its heightened drug resistance. Niosomal drug delivery systems offer enhanced pharmaceutical potential for loaded contents due to their desirable properties, mainly providing a controlled-release profile. This study aimed to formulate an optimized niosomal drug delivery system incorporating stearylamine (SA) to augment the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities of quercetin (QCT) against both standard and clinical strains of P. aeruginosa . QCT-loaded niosome (QCT-niosome) and QCT-loaded SA- niosome (QCT-SA- niosome) were synthesized by the thin-film hydration technique, and their physicochemical characteristics were evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), zeta potential measurement, entrapment efficacy (EE%), and in vitro release profile. The anti- P. aeruginosa activity of synthesized niosomes was assessed using minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MICs/MBCs) and compared with free QCT. Additionally, the minimum biofilm inhibitory and eradication concentrations (MBICs/MBECs) were carried out to analyze the ability of QCT-niosome and QCT-SA-niosome against P. aeruginosa biofilms. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assay was conducted on the L929 mouse fibroblasts cell line to evaluate the biocompatibility of the formulated niosomes. FE-SEM analysis revealed that both synthesized niosomal formulations exhibited spherical morphology with different sizes (57.4 nm for QCT-niosome and 178.9 nm for QCT-SA-niosome). The EE% for cationic and standard niosomal formulations was reported at 75.9% and 59.6%, respectively. Both formulations showed an in vitro sustained-release profile, and QCT-SA-niosome exhibited greater stability during a 4-month storage time compared to QCT-niosome. Microbial experiments indicated that both prepared formulations had higher anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activities than free QCT. Also, the QCT-SA-niosome exhibited greater reductions in MIC, MBC, MBIC, and MBEC values compared to the QCT-niosome at equivalent concentrations. This study supports the potential of QCT-niosome and QCT-SA-niosome as effective agents against P. aeruginosa infections, manifesting significant anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm efficacy alongside biocompatibility with L929 cell lines. Furthermore, our results suggest that optimized QCT-niosome with cationic lipids could efficiently target P. aeruginosa cells with negligible cytotoxic effect.
Purpose
This study aims to activated carbon prepared from pistachio waste by using phosphoric acid as chemical activator agent. Activated carbon adsorbents were prepared from pistachio waste by using ...phosphoric acid as chemical activator agent.
Design/methodology/approach
The optimum conditions for the highest adsorption performance were determined by central composite design (CCD). The adsorbent was used for the adsorption of dye reactive black 5 (RB5), and the parameters affecting the adsorption were discussed like pH, initial concentration, contact time and adsorbent dosage. The adsorbent synthesized has been characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The kinetic models including pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied to investigate the kinetic and isotherms parameters.
Findings
When the dye concentration is 10 mg/L, RB5 dye removal rates reach 87.5 per cent. Moreover, the adsorption process of RB5 follows the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Freundlich adsorption isotherm.
Practical implications
This study provided a simple and effective way to prepare activated carbon adsorbents from pistachio wastes. This way was conductive to protect environmental from a huge amount of agricultural waste produced and subsequent application for removal of pollutants from aqueous solutions.
Originality/value
The activated carbon adsorbents are prepared via chemical activation, which is prepared with pistachio wastes. There are two main innovations: one is that the novel adsorbents are prepared successfully by waste and the other is that the optimized conditions are designed by CCD.
In the present study, the ACF-TiO
2
catalyst was synthesised and used as a catalyst for the destruction of toxic cyanide in both synthetic and real industrial wastewaters. The ACF-TiO
2
catalyst was ...found to be micro-porous with the BET surface area of 163 m
2
/g. The effect of different operational parameters such as catalyst concentration, cyanide concentration, operation time, and ozone concentration were target parameters in the present study. The findings show that 500 mg/L of catalyst is the optimum value for the photocatalytical process to completely oxidise 25 mg/L of cyanide within 10 min. While it was found that 300 mg/L of catalyst in the presence of 200 mg/h ozone is enough to remove 25 mg/L cyanide within operation time of 24 min. Degradation of the cyanide in both investigated processes follow the pseudo-first-order kinetic and the reaction rate constant is almost 2 times higher in the photocatalytical process compared with catalytic ozonation process. Furthermore, the quenching tests using salicylic acid demonstrated the hydroxyl radical generation in the investigated process. Generation of highly oxidising hydroxyl radical makes the photocatalytical process a promising process for the transformation of noxious cyanide to much less toxic compounds (ammonia and nitrate). Accordingly, it can be concluded that ACF-TiO
2
could be a catalyst for degradation and detoxification of cyanide.
In the study, the raw jujube shells of Zizyphus lotus (RJS) and the chemically modified adsorbent with sulphuric acid H
2
SO
4
(SAMJS) were tested as promising adsorbents for removing methylene blue ...(MB) dye from aqueous solution. After the adsorption, the influence of operating parameters like different eluents,eluent volume andconcentration, contact time, and temperature on MB desorption from the MB-loaded raw jujube shells (MB-RJS) andthe modified adsorbent (MB-SAMJS) was studied. Desorption equilibrium efficiencies of MB form MB-RJS and MB-SAMJS were 92.88 % and 96.94 % at 50 min and 24 °C, respectively. Kinetic data were obtained very well with a second-order model. The calculated thermodynamic suggests that the MB desorption from MB-RJS and MB-SAMJS is spontaneous and endothermic. The regeneration and desorption studies demonstrated the reusability of RJS and SAMJS for four adsorption-desorption cycles with approximately 73.12 % and 84.08 % of MB removalusing 0.5 M HNO
3
, respectively.
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