bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of Rings on the Efficacy of Hand Sanitization and Residual Bacterial Contamination
Authors: Wongworawat Montri D. , Jones Sidney G. 
Published: February 2007

Background.Previous studies, conducted before widespread use of scrubless, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, demonstrated increased residual bacterial counts after hand hygiene on hands with jewelry.Objective.To compare the impact of finger rings on the effectiveness of scrubless and water-aided alcohol-based hand sanitization methods with that of povidone-iodine scrub.Design.Randomized, controlled study.Setting.University hospital.Participants.Sixty volunteer subjects from a pool of perioperative staff and medical students.Intervention.After recruitment, participants wore a ring on one hand and no ring on the other hand. They were randomly assigned to perform hand hygiene with a povidone-iodine scrub, an alcohol wash, or a waterless alcohol-chlorhexidine lotion (n = 20 subjects per method). After subjects completed hand hygiene, gloves were placed on their hands by means of sterile methods, and a “glove juice” technique was used to obtain samples for culture. The number of colony-forming units in each culture was counted, and the data were compared.Results.There was no significant difference in the number of bacteria between hands with and hands without rings for the groups that used alcohol wash or alcohol-chlorhexidine lotion. However, for the povidone-iodine group, the number of bacteria on hands with rings was greater than the number on hands without rings (P < .05). The hands of participants who used waterless alcohol-chlorhexidine had the lowest bacterial count, regardless of the presence of rings (P < .01).Conclusions.The presence of rings does not negatively impact the effectiveness of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Use of waterless alcohol-chlorhexidine lotion resulted in the lowest bacterial count.
Population Kinetics of the Skin Flora on Gloved Hands Following Surgical Hand Disinfection With 3 Propanol-Based Hand Rubs: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind Trial
Authors: Rotter Manfred L. , Kampf Günter , Suchomel Miranda , Kundi Michael 
Published: February 2007

Objective.To study the bacterial population kinetics on gloved hands following hand treatment with 3 optically indistinguishable, alcohol-based surgical hand rubs, with and without supplements to delay bacterial regrowth.Design.Prospective, randomized, double-blind, balanced quasi-Greco-Latin square design.Setting.Microbiology laboratory of the Medical University Vienna, Austria.Participants.Twenty-four healthy adult volunteers without skin lesions.Surgical Hand Rubs.The following hand rubs, all stained blue, were applied to the hands for 3 minutes: 1-propanol 60% vol/vol (A); 2-propanol 70% m/m plus chlorhexidine gluconate 0.5% wt/wt (B); 2-propanol 45% wt/wt plus 1-propanol 30% wt/wt plus mecetronium etilsulfate 0.2% wt/wt (C). As a reference formulation (R), 1-propanol 60% vol/vol, unstained, was applied for the same amount of time.Method.In 8 once-weekly tests, 24 subjects randomly assigned to use the 4 hand rubs in groups of 6 persons each performed hand hygiene according to the method described in European Norm 12791. Every subject used one preparation at a time, the antimicrobial effect of which was evaluated at 2 sampling times. After week 8, each volunteer had tested every preparation at every preset sampling time. All preparations were tested in parallel.Results.The mean pretreatment counts of viable bacteria (in colony-forming units per milliliter) in fluid samples were not significantly different between week 1 and week 8, nor between the right and left hands (analysis of variance [ANOVA], P > .1). Immediately after applying the formulation (t0), bactericidal effects of the blinded formulations A and C were equivalent to that of the reference formulation R, whereas the effect of B was questionable. The population kinetics of the flora on the hands proceeded from large and fast initial reductions of the skin flora by 2.7 log units (A), 3.1 log units (B), 3.3 log units (reference formulation), and 3.5 log units (C), to slow regrowth. However, even after 6 hours wearing gloves viable bacterial counts remained significantly (P < .01) below the baseline values (by 0.9 log [reference formulation], 1.1 log [A and B], and 1.5 log [C]). The slowest regrowth 1 and 3 hours after application (∆ from t0, 0.1 log and 0.7 log respectively) was seen with formulation C, and the slowest regrowth after 6 hours was seen with formulation B (∆ from t0, 1.6 log). These differences did, however, not reach statistical significance.Conclusions.With respect to the rapid and dramatic antibacterial action of suitable alcohols at high concentrations and with appropriate neutralizers, the contribution of supplements to the delay of bacterial regrowth on gloved hands appears rather minor, if a product only exerts an immediate effect equivalent to that of the reference disinfection procedure described in EN 12791.
Incidence and Outcomes of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Japanese Intensive Care Units: The Japanese Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System
Authors: Suka Machi , Yoshida Katsumi , Uno Hideo , Takezawa Jun 
Published: February 2007

Objectives.To determine the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) among intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Japan and to assess the impact of VAP on patient outcomes, including mortality, length of stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation.Design.Multicenter cohort study.Setting.Twenty-eight ICUs in multidisciplinary Japanese hospitals with more than 200 beds.Patients.A total of 21,909 patients 16 years or older who were admitted to an ICU between June 2002 and June 2004, stayed in the ICU for 24 to 1,000 hours, and were not transferred to another ICU.Results.The overall infection rates for nosocomial pneumonia and VAP were 6.5 cases per 1,000 patient-days and 12.6 cases per 1,000 ventilator-days, respectively. The standardized mortality rates for the patients with VAP was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.6): 1.1 (95% CI, 0.9-1.4) for the cases due to drug-susceptible pathogens and 1.5 (95% CI, 1.1-1.9) for the cases due to drug-resistant pathogens. After adjusting for Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, the mean length of stay for the patients with VAP caused by drug-susceptible pathogens (15.2 days [95% CI, 14.6-15.8]) and by drug-resistant pathogens (17.8 days [95% CI, 17.0-18.6]) was significantly longer than that in the patients without nosocomial infection (6.8 days [95% CI, 6.7-6.9]). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation in the patients with VAP caused by drug-susceptible pathogens (12.0 days [95% CI, 11.5-12.5]) and drug-resistant pathogens (14.1 days [95% CI, 13.5-14.8]) was significantly longer than that in the patients without nosocomial infection (4.7 days [95% CI, 4.6-4:8]).Conclusion.The incidence of VAP is substantial among ICU patients in Japan. The potential impact of VAP on patient outcomes emphasizes the importance of preventive measures against VAP, especially for VAP caused by drug-resistant pathogens.
Comparison of Mortality Risk Associated With Bacteremia Due to Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Shurland Simone , Zhan Min , Bradham Douglas D. , Roghmann Mary-Claire 
Published: February 2007

Objective.To quantify the clinical impact of methicillin-resistance in Staphylococcus aureus causing infection complicated by bacteremia in adult patients, while controlling for the severity of patients' underlying illnesses.Design.Retrospective cohort study from October 1, 1995, through December 31, 2003.Patients and Setting.A total of 438 patients with S. aureus infection complicated by bacteremia from a single Veterans Affairs healthcare system.Results.We found that 193 (44%) of the 438 patients had methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection and 114 (26%) died of causes attributable to S. aureus infection within 90 days after the infection was identified. Patients with MRSA infection had a higher mortality risk, compared with patients with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infections (relative risk, 1.7 [95% confidence interval, 1.3-2.4]; P < .01), except for patients with pneumonia (relative risk, 0.7 [95% confidence interval, 0.4-1.3]). Patients with MRSA infections were significantly older (P < .01), had more underlying diseases (P = .02), and were more likely to have severe sepsis in response to their infection (P < .01) compared with patients with MSSA bacteremia. Patients who died within 90 days after S. aureus infection was identified were significantly older (P < .01) and more likely to have severe sepsis (P < .01) and pneumonia (P = .01), compared with patients who survived. After adjusting for age as a confounder, comorbidities, and pneumonia as an effect modifier, S. aureus infection-related mortality remained significantly higher in patients with MRSA infection than in those with MSSA infection, among those without pneumonia (hazard ratio, 1.8 [95% confidence interval, 1.2-3.0]); P < .01.Conclusions.The results of this study suggest that patients with MRSA infections other than pneumonia have a higher mortality risk than patients with MSSA infections other than pneumonia, independent of the severity of patients' underlying illnesses.
Attributable Mortality of Nosocomial Acinetobacter Bacteremia
Authors: Grupper Mordechai , Sprecher Hanna , Mashiach Tania , Finkelstein Renato 
Published: February 2007

Objective.To determine the attributable mortality and outcome of nosocomial Acinetobacter bacteremia.Design.Matched, retrospective cohort study.Setting.Large, university-based, tertiary care center.Patients.Of 219 patients with nosocomial Acinetobacter bacteremia identified by prospective surveillance during a 3-year period, 52 met the criteria for the study and were matched to a control patient by age, sex, primary and secondary diagnosis, operative procedures, and date of admission.Results.A 100% success rate was achieved in the proportion of case patients and control patients matched for the compared criteria, except for major operative procedures (88%) and the presence of an important secondary underlying disease (54.5%). Twenty-nine (55.7%) of the case patients died, compared with 10 (19.2%) of the control patients (P < .001). The attributable mortality was 36.5% (95% CI, 27%-46%) and the risk ratio for death was 2.9 (95% CI, 1.58-5.32). In a multivariate survival analysis, older age, mechanical ventilation, renal failure, and Acinetobacter bacteremia (hazard ratio [HR], 4.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.97-9.87; P < .001) were found to be independent predictors of mortality. There was a trend for a longer median duration of hospitalization among case patients, compared with control patients (11.5 vs. 6.5 days; P = .06). Three isolates were resistant to all but 1 antibiotic tested (colistin), and 45 isolates (86.5%) were resistant to 4 or more different antibiotic classes.Conclusions.When adjusted for risk-exposure time and severity of disease at admission, nosocomial Acinetobacter bacteremia is associated with mortality in excess of that caused by the underlying diseases alone.
Revision of author abstracts: how it is carried out by LISA editors
Authors: Montesi Michela , Mackenzie Owen John 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe literature on abstracts recommends the revision of author supplied abstracts before their inclusion in database collections. However, little guidance is given on how to carry out such revision, and few studies exist on this topic. The purpose of this research paper is to first survey 187 bibliographic databases to ascertain how many did revise abstracts, and then study the practical amendments made by one of these, i.e. LISA (Library and Information Science Abstracts).Design/methodology/approachDatabase policies were established by e‐mail or through alternative sources, with 136 databases out of 187 exhaustively documented. Differences between 100 author‐supplied abstracts and the corresponding 100 LISA amended abstracts were classified into sentence‐level and beyond sentence‐level categories, and then as additions, deletions and rephrasing of text.FindingsRevision of author abstracts was carried out by 66 databases, but in just 32 cases did it imply more than spelling, shortening of length and formula representation. In LISA, amendments were often non‐systematic and inconsistent, but still pointed to significant aspects which were discussed.Originality/valueAmendments made by LISA editors are important in multi‐ and inter‐disciplinary research, since they tend to clarify certain aspects such as terminology, and suggest that abstracts should not always be considered as substitutes for the original document. From this point‐of‐view, the revision of abstracts can be considered as an important factor in enhancing a database's quality.
Information literacy amongst UK SMEs: an information policy gap
Authors: De Saulles Martin 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore information literacy amongst small‐ and medium‐sized businesses (SMEs) in the UK and the USA and argue that information policy in the UK has not given sufficient attention to helping these companies navigate the ever‐increasing volumes of information accessible over the internet.Design/methodology/approachA combination of primary and secondary data have been used. The primary data consists of a survey of UK SMEs, which explored how these companies use the internet as a research tool. The results of the survey are compared to similar surveys carried out in the USA. Several significant UK policy documents are examined to find out how government policy in this area has addressed the issue of information literacy amongst SMEs.FindingsIt is shown that UK SMEs wasted over £3.7 billion in 2005 in terms of time wasted through inefficient use of the internet as a research tool.Practical implicationsIt is argued that while government policies in this area have put resources into encouraging SMEs to adopt broadband and engage in e‐commerce, they have not sufficiently addressed the issue of information literacy.Originality/valueLittle research has been carried out into how SMEs use the internet as a research tool and this is the first time that a financial cost figure has been applied to inefficient searching by these organisations.
Developing a scaleable information architecture for an enterprise‐wide consolidated information management platform
Authors: van der Walt P.W. , du Toit A.S.A. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis article aims to address the concept of information architecture as a way of visualising and describing the various information assets and the interaction of these assets within an enterprise.Design/methodology/approachThe establishment of the information architecture is illustrated through a case study within a large conglomeration of companies requiring scaleable information architecture in order to address its information requirements. Executives who are considered influential in the overall management of the group were interviewed.FindingsThe requirements expressed during the interview process, as well as observations made during meetings and general discussions with the various role‐players within the enterprise, gave the project team the necessary confirmation of the information requirements of the enterprise.Research limitations/implicationsAs there is no direct integration between the underlying systems and networks, this had to be taken into consideration for the design of the information architecture.Originality/valueThe information architecture established in the enterprise forms the basis of support in delivering future information requirements for the enterprise.
ICTs and learning disability: multidisciplinary perspectives on Project @pple
Authors: Williams Peter , Bunning Karen , Kennedy Helen 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis paper aims to present a critical discussion of theoretical concepts that drive the main contributions of the academic partners, by highlighting the contrasting perspectives and identifying areas of commonality.Design/methodology/approachThe paper follows a contextualised approach to debating the issues of access and participation for people with ID in learning environments. Each discipline considers the user of ICT within a social context but draws on the theoretical domains and published literature associated with its own area.FindingsResonances are to be found across the academic disciplines in terms of an ecological or holistic view of the person with ID as a user of a learning environment. This is what binds the multi‐disciplinary perspective together.Originality/valueThis paper is a rare attempt to integrate three distinct academic disciplines to provide a coherent picture of the theoretical perspectives underpinning research by the authors into the development and use of an ICT system for people with learning difficulties.
Iran aerospace industries' KM approach based on a comparative study: a benchmarking on successful practices
Authors: Jafari Mostafa , Akhavan Peyman , Fesharaki Mehdi N. , Fathian Mohammad 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe main objective of this paper is to develop a knowledge management (KM)approach in Iran aerospace industries based on the findings through the analysis of successful practices in KM area.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative case study technique has been used in this paper for data collection and analysis. For that, “grounded theory” research approach has been selected by which the collected data from successful organizations in KM adoption are categorized and analyzed. The extracted concepts were deployed in Iran aerospace industries to present a KM approach through benchmarking.FindingsThe overall results from the case studies analysis were positive, thus reflecting the appropriateness for benchmarking. The extracted concepts clarify how to develop KM approach in an organization. This approach has been applied in a large case study in Iran and is supported by practical implementation in Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), one of the most important high‐tech industries in Iran.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a helpful roadmap for practitioners in implementing KM through out the organizations and especially in large‐scale ones. This helps to ensure that the essential issues are covered during design and implementation phase. For academics, it provides a common language for them to deploy a KM approach in the organizations.Originality/valueThis study is probably the first to provide a benchmarked integrated KM approach based on the critical success factors extracted by analysis in a multi case study research. This study further opens up new lines of research and highlights implications for KM efforts through benchmarking. It gives valuable information and guidelines which hopefully will help the leaders to deploy KM in their organizations.
Biofilms associated with the final stages of Baker's compressed yeast production
Authors: O'Brien S.S. , Lindsay D. , von Holy A. 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess equipment surfaces associated with the production of Baker's compressed yeast for microbial biofilms.Design/methodology/approachYeast and bacteria (aerobic plate counts – APC, Enterococcus, E. coli and coliforms) attached to five processing equipment surfaces in a yeast processing factory were enumerated after dislodging from stainless steel squares (“mock” surfaces), or swabbing, after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of yeast of production. Attached populations were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).FindingsA similar increasing trend in attached bacterial counts on all equipment surfaces was observed over 28 days using both “mock” surface and swabbing techniques. However, bacterial and viable yeast counts obtained using “mock” surfaces were significantly higher (P<0.05) by ca. 1 to 2.5 log CFU/cm2 compared to corresponding counts obtained by swabbing. Overall E. coli and coliform counts were below the lower detection limit (0.7 log CFU/cm2), Enterococcus counts ranged from 2.30 log CFU/cm2 to 4.69 CFU/cm2, and APC ranged from 2.17 CFU/cm2 to 4.89 CFU/cm2. Highest attached bacterial counts were consistently recorded on the hopper and extruder. SEM of “mock” surfaces confirmed the accumulation of yeast cells and attachment of rod and coccoid‐shaped bacterial cells. Predominant surface‐associated bacterial populations were Enterococcaceae (70%), Lactobacillus (20%) and Gram‐negative rods (10%).Originality/valueBiofilms on stainless steel yeast processing equipment surfaces may act as potential sources of during production spoilage contamination of Baker's compressed yeast.
Ultrasonic cleaning applications in dairies
Authors: Salo Satu , Wirtanen Gun 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThe purpose of these studies was to investigate the cleaning and hygiene of plastic cheese moulds and plastic transportation crates and to assess the suitability of ultrasonication for cleaning these dairy devices on a pilot scale and to optimise these cleaning procedures.Design/methodology/approachThe contamination load in the various process lines was monitored by use of chemical methods, i.e. EDTA titration and COD measurement for organic residues and various microbiological techniques for microbial contaminants. Ultrasonication cleaning procedures for cheese moulds were planned among parameters applicable to the process environment. The Taguchi method design of experiments was also used for the cleaning of milk transportation crates.FindingsUltrasonication was found to be a suitable cleaning method for both cheese moulds and transportation crates. Acceptable cleaning results were achieved using short cleaning procedures with a temperature under 60°C. Various types of cleaning agents can be used together with ultrasonication and the plastic materials in the utensils tolerated ultrasonication. The quality and the efficacy of the cleaning liquid used in the ultrasonic bath in the dairy plant were rapidly diluted due to the accumulation of organic soil. To ensure the effectiveness of cleaning, the quality of cleaning liquid should be measured frequently and threshold limits for changing the cleaning liquid should be set. The COD measurement proved to be practical for monitoring the organic load of the cleaning liquid and traditional culturing, as well as commercial culturing applications, e.g. Petrifilm™ AC and DryCult® TPC can easily be used for monitoring the level of microbial contamination.Research limitations/implicationsNo major limitations, apart from the required investments, were found for applying the ultrasonication in the cleaning of dairy devices, e.g. plastic cheese moulds and plastic milk transportation crates.Originality/valueThe work is of value in highlighting the potential use for ultrasonication in improving the cleaning procedure of returnable milk transportation crates made of plastic.
Functional and symbolic attributes of product selection
Authors: Wood Lisa 
Published: February 2007

PurposeThis paper seeks to identify the functional and symbolic attributes of product and brand selection that are of importance to 18‐24 consumers across food and toiletries products.Design/methodology/approachThe investigation used both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The initial quantitative study (268 respondents) aimed to identify in order of importance (using ANOVA) the variables that drive purchase behaviour across the four product categories of soap, coffee, breakfast cereal and toothpaste.FindingsThe study identified the key importance of sensory (e.g. taste, scent) attributes in the selection of the specific products studied. These sensory attributes may define the brand positioning of the products.Practical implicationsThis paper has implications for new product development.Originality/valueIdentifies the functional and symbolic attributes of product and brand selection that are of importance to 18‐24 consumers across food and toiletries products.