•A fungal biofilter/photoreactor was evaluated in terms of hexane and spore removal.•Biofilter supported elimination capacities of ≈35gm−3h−1 and CO2 yields of ≈75%.•The photocatalytic process ...slightly boosted the hexane abatement performance.•Biofilter emitted fungal spores at concentrations of 2.4×103–9.0×104CFUm−3.•Photo-assisted post-treatments resulted in spore deactivation efficiencies of 98%.
The performance of a fungal perlite-based biofilter coupled to a post-treatment photoreactor was evaluated over 234 days in terms of n-hexane removal, emission and deactivation of fungal spores. The biofilter and photoreactor were operated at gas residence times of 1.20 and 0.14min, respectively, and a hexane loading rate of 115±5gm−3h−1. Steady n-hexane elimination capacities of 30–40gm−3h−1 were achieved, concomitantly with pollutant mineralization efficiencies of 60–90%. No significant influence of biofilter irrigation frequency or irrigation nitrogen concentration on hexane abatement was recorded. Photolysis did not support an efficient hexane post-treatment likely due to the short EBRT applied in the photoreactor, while overall hexane removal and mineralization enhancements of 25% were recorded when the irradiated photoreactor was packed with ZnO-impregnated perlite. However, a rapid catalyst deactivation was observed, which required a periodic reactivation every 48h. Biofilter irrigation every 3 days supported fungal spore emissions at concentrations ranging from 2.4×103 to 9.0×104CFUm−3. Finally, spore deactivation efficiencies of ≈98% were recorded for the photolytic and photocatalytic post-treatment processes. This study confirmed the potential of photo-assisted post-treatment processes to mitigate the emission of hazardous fungal spores and boost the abatement performance of biotechnologies.
We show that the middle-range exchange-correlation hybrid of Henderson, Izmaylov, Scuseria and Savin (HISS) performs extremely well for elemental and binary semiconductors with narrow or visible ...spectrum band gaps, as well as some wider gap or more ionic systems used in devices. The lattice parameters are superior to those predicted by the screened hybrid functional of Heyd, Scuseria and Ernzerhof (HSE), and provide a significant improvement over the geometries predicted by typical semilocal functionals, yielding results competitive with PBEsol, which was specially tuned for solids. HISS also yields band gaps superior to those produced by functionals developed specifically for the solid state. Timings indicate that HISS is more computationally efficient than HSE, implying that the high quality lattice constants coupled with improved optical band gap predictions render HISS a useful adjunct to HSE in the modeling of geometry-sensitive semiconductors.
Aim. To examine the association between nurses’ reports of unmet nursing care needs and their reports of patients’ receipt of the wrong medication or dose, nosocomial infections and patient falls ...with injury in hospitals.
Background. Because nursing activities are often difficult to measure, and data are typically not collected by health care organisations, there are few studies that have addressed the association between nursing activities and patient outcomes.
Design. Secondary analysis of cross‐sectional data collected in 1999 from 10,184 staff nurses and 168 acute care hospitals in the US.
Methods. Multivariate linear regression models estimated the effect of unmet nursing care needs on adverse events given the influence of patient factors and the care environment.
Results. The proportion of necessary nursing care left undone ranged from 26% for preparing patients and families for discharge to as high as 74% for developing or updating nursing care plans. A majority of nurses reported that patients received the wrong medication or dose, acquired nosocomial infections, or had a fall with injury infrequently. However, nurses who reported that these adverse events occurred frequently varied considerably i.e. medication errors (15%), patient falls with injury (20%), nosocomial infection (31%). After adjusting for patient factors and the care environment, there remained a significant association between unmet nursing care needs and each adverse event.
Conclusion. The findings suggest that attention to optimising patient care delivery could result in a reduction in the occurrence of adverse events in hospitals.
Relevance to clinical practice. The occurrence of adverse events may be mitigated when nurses complete care activities that require them to spend time with their patients. Hospitals should engage staff nurses in the creation of policies that influence human resources management to enhance their awareness of the care environment and patient care delivery.
Purpose The purpose of this systematic review was to assess risk of bias in existing prognostic models of hospital-induced delirium for medical-surgical units. Methods APA PsycInfo, CINAHL, MEDLINE, ...and Web of Science Core Collection were searched on July 8, 2022, to identify original studies which developed and validated prognostic models of hospital-induced delirium for adult patients who were hospitalized in medical-surgical units. The Checklist for Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies was used for data extraction. The Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to assess risk of bias. Risk of bias was assessed across four domains: participants, predictors, outcome, and analysis. Results Thirteen studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, including ten model development and validation studies and three model validation only studies. The methods in all of the studies were rated to be at high overall risk of bias. The methods of statistical analysis were the greatest source of bias. External validity of models in the included studies was tested at low levels of transportability. Conclusions Our findings highlight the ongoing scientific challenge of developing a valid prognostic model of hospital-induced delirium for medical-surgical units to tailor preventive interventions to patients who are at high risk of this iatrogenic condition. With limited knowledge about generalizable prognosis of hospital-induced delirium in medical-surgical units, existing prognostic models should be used with caution when creating clinical practice policies. Future research protocols must include robust study designs which take into account the perspectives of clinicians to identify and validate risk factors of hospital-induced delirium for accurate and generalizable prognosis in medical-surgical units.
Alterations in glutamatergic transmission onto developing GABAergic systems, in particular onto parvalbumin-positive (Pv(+)) fast-spiking interneurons, have been proposed as underlying causes of ...several neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism. Excitatory glutamatergic transmission, through ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors, is necessary for the correct postnatal development of the Pv(+) GABAergic network. We generated mutant mice in which the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) was specifically ablated from Pv(+) interneurons postnatally, and investigated the consequences of such a manipulation at the cellular, network and systems levels. Deletion of mGluR5 from Pv(+) interneurons resulted in reduced numbers of Pv(+) neurons and decreased inhibitory currents, as well as alterations in event-related potentials and brain oscillatory activity. These cellular and sensory changes translated into domain-specific memory deficits and increased compulsive-like behaviors, abnormal sensorimotor gating and altered responsiveness to stimulant agents. Our findings suggest a fundamental role for mGluR5 in the development of Pv(+) neurons and show that alterations in this system can produce broad-spectrum alterations in brain network activity and behavior that are relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders.
The Classic Maya (c. 250 to 900 CE) in the tropical southern lowlands of Central America dealt with water scarcity during annual dry seasons and periods of climate instability via sophisticated urban ...reservoir systems they relied on for over a thousand years. Surface water is limited because typically rain percolates through the karstic terrain. I posit that Maya reservoirs functioned as do constructed wetlands (CWs) at present. Still-water systems like CWs and Maya reservoirs can become stagnant and nonpotable due to the build-up of nutrients that promote algal growth. Stagnant waters also serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread endemic diseases. CWs keep water clean via certain aquatic plants since all plants uptake nutrients (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus) and decomposing plant matter supports microbial biofilms that break down nutrients. CWs also support diverse zooplankton that prey on pathogens and bacteria that assist to denitrify water. CWs do not require the use of chemicals or fossil fuels and after the initial labor-intensive output become self-cleaning and self-sufficient with some maintenance. I posit that the Maya used a diverse array of aquatic plants and other biota to keep water clean in the same manner as do CWs, which I demonstrate using evidence from excavations and settlement maps, sediment cores and current wetlands, and the iconographic and hieroglyphic records. The next step is to combine what we know about ancient Maya reservoirs in conjunction with what is currently known about CWs to better address future water needs.
In Mexico, the prevalence of Salmonella enterica in low-water-activity foods and its link to outbreaks are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological profile and the ...prevalence of S. enterica in several low-water-activity foods, including peanuts, pecans, raisins, sun-dried tomatoes, and chocolate sprinkles, purchased in retail establishments in Querétaro, Mexico. Seventy samples of each food item sold in bulk were purchased. Aerobic plate count, molds, yeasts, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were quantified in 10-g samples. The prevalence of S. enterica in 25-g samples was determined. From positive samples, S. enterica isolates (60) were characterized based on their antimicrobial susceptibility to 14 antibiotics, the presence-absence of 13 virulence genes, and serotype. The concentration of aerobic plate count, molds, yeasts, total coliforms, and E. coli ranged from 3.1 to 5.2 log CFU g-1, from 2.0 to 2.4 log CFU g-1, from 2.0 to 3.0 log CFU g-1, from 0.6 to 1.1 log most probable number (MPN) g-1, and from 0.5 to 0.9 log MPN g-1, respectively. S. aureus was not detected in any sample (<10 CFU g-1). The prevalence of S. enterica in chocolate sprinkles, raisins, peanuts, pecans, and sun-dried tomatoes was 26, 29, 31, 40, and 52%, respectively. Most isolates (68.3%) were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Chromosome-associated virulence genes were found in all isolates, and only one strain had sopE, and 98.3% of the isolates were grouped in the same virulotype. Among the isolates, the most frequent serotype was Tennessee (51 of 60). According to the characteristics evaluated, we grouped the isolates into 24 clusters. The elevated prevalence of S. enterica highlights the role of low-water-activity food items sold in bulk at markets as potential vehicles for pathogen transmission. Regardless of the low variability among S. enterica isolates, their characterization could be helpful to elucidate which strains are circulating in these foods for improving epidemiological surveillance.
Diet and exercise have a profound impact on brain function. In particular, natural nutrients found in plants may influence neuronal survival and plasticity. Here, we tested whether consumption of a ...plant-derived flavanol, (-)epicatechin, enhances cognition in sedentary or wheel-running female C57BL/6 mice. Retention of spatial memory in the water maze was enhanced by ingestion of (-)epicatechin, especially in combination with exercise. Improved spatial memory was associated with increased angiogenesis and neuronal spine density, but not newborn cell survival, in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Moreover, microarray analysis showed upregulation of genes associated with learning and downregulation of markers of neurodegeneration in the hippocampus. Together, our data show that ingestion of a single flavanol improves spatial memory retention in adult mammals.
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► The systems ZnO/Po, ZnO2/Pe and TiO2/Pe showed the same performance in batch tests. ► The reaction pathway was deduced based on the intermediates in the batch process. ► ZnO ...catalyst was more effective for hexane degradation. ► The maximal EC of hexane in the continuous system was 0.9g/mreactor3min. ► Photolysis process had a high contribution in the photooxidation of hexane.
The decomposition of gas-phase hexane in air streams by immobilized nanoparticles of TiO2 and ZnO onto Perlite and Poraver® granules was studied. Photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted in batch and plug flow continuous photoreactors at a UV irradiation of 254nm. The TiO2 and ZnO samples had similar hexane degradation rates and conversion percentages in batch tests. Photolysis contributed to 58% of the photodegradation phenomena. The hexane batch degradation velocities that normalized to impregnated support mass were similar for both semiconductors. When normalized to ABET of the impregnated support, ZnO allowed a higher hexane degradation velocity than TiO2. Maximal mineralization of hexane in batch tests was 98% and 57% for TiO2 and ZnO sytems, respectively.
The production of by-products was identified at minute 30 and a pathway of hexane degradation was suggested, mainly ketones and secondary alcohols being identify.
For continuous experiments, the TiO2 catalyst supported onto Perlite showed degradation velocities at least 74% greater than for the ZnO. However, in terms of the ABET normalized velocities; the ZnO impregnated onto Poraver® resulted in a better performance than that obtained with TiO2 and ZnO onto Perlite. The impregnated catalyst had favorable conversion rates, but the CO2 produced was undetectable. Overall, the use of TiO2 and ZnO for the degradation of high loads of hexane vapors exhibits good degradation rates in a relatively short time, as well as a high production of by-products.
Title. Variations in nursing care quality across hospitals.
Aims. The aim of the study was to describe Registered Nurses’ reports of unmet nursing care needs and examine the variation of nursing ...care quality across hospitals.
Background. Large proportions of Registered Nurses have reported leaving necessary care activities undone because they lacked the time to complete the activities. Nursing care left undone can be expected to adversely affect the quality of care. However, little is known about the degree of variation in the quality of nursing care across hospitals.
Methods. In 2008, a secondary analysis of a 1999 survey of Registered Nurses (n = 10,184) was conducted using descriptive and comparative statistics. Data were derived from inpatient staff nurses working in acute care hospital settings (n = 168). A hospital‐level measure (i.e. unmet nursing care needs) of the quality of nursing care was developed from care needs left undone among all nurses.
Results. Across hospitals there was a wide range in the proportion of Registered Nurses who reported leaving each nursing care need undone. They reported leaving two of seven necessary nursing care activities undone during their last shift. After controlling for nurses’ demographic information, we found statistically significant variations in the quality of nursing care across hospitals.
Conclusion. Differences in nursing care quality across hospitals appear to be closely associated with variations in the quality of care environments. Understanding the determinants of unmet nursing care needs can support policy decisions on systems and human resources management to enhance nurses’ awareness of their care practices and the care environment.
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