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BACKGROUND: Safety signs are very important communication tools for accident prevention, fire safety, health hazard information, and emergency evacuation. However, they are helpful only when properly designed and understood by employees. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to assess the awareness of health and safety signs amongst health care workers including doctors, dentists and paramedics in different health care sectors across Pakistan. METHODS: Data was collected via Google forms circulated through WhatsApp social media to predetermined groups of health care professionals to assess their understanding of safety signs across different health sectors. The survey included questions pertaining to awareness of 19 different health and safety signs complied with International Organization for Standardization 1710 and the Safety Signs and Signal Regulations 1996 chosen randomly. RESULTS: A total of 987 people participated in our study and were asked to comprehend the meaning of nineteen health and safety signs. The mean comprehension score for 19 signs was 42.2%. The mean score for warning signs was the lowest and fire safety signs was highest. The lowest comprehension scores were for oxygen cylinder sign (W029) 7.5% and highest for first aid sign (E003) 75.9%. Only two signs, that are first aid (E003) and mandatory gloves (M009) had acceptable comprehensive score of 75.9% and 73.7% respectively as per ISO 7010 i.e. >67%. Statistically significant differences were found only for trip hazard sign (W007) with respect to education and for risks of bomb explosion (W002), ionising radiation (W009), evacuation assembly point (E007), location of automated external heart defibrillator (E010) and mandatory gloves (M009) with work experience. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we conclude that there is dire need of special and frequent training to better recognize the safety signs amongst health care employees since these kinds of interventions promote early detection of hazards and their associated risks. Thus, we propose that health care safety sign training must be included in every health care profession curriculum.
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Background: Soft denture lining materials act as a cushion between the denture base and tissues. Alongside having many advantages, its main problem is candida growth due to its rubbery and porous texture. Many interventions have been performed to halt the growth of candida within soft lining materials such as the use of antifungal therapy and strict oral and denture hygiene but there are consequences such as recurrence, drug resistance, and toxicity related to these interventions. Since natural agents such as aloe vera and chitosan have been proven to have antibacterial and antifungal properties with minimum adverse effects, this study aimed to study the effectiveness of chitosan and aloe vera powders incorporated within denture soft lining materials against candida adherence. Methodology. A total of 60 soft-lining material samples were prepared that were equally divided into three groups, viz., group 1 (chitosan incorporation), group 2 (aloe vera incorporation), and group 3 (control). Candida was obtained from the microbiology lab to form a candidal suspension, diluted in 0.9% NaCl to match the McFarland standard bacteriologic solution. Samples were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours in test tubes containing 100 mL of the candidal suspension and 9.9 mL of the previously prepared Sabouraud dextrose agar. Crystal violet stain was used to stain the adhering cells by fixing them with methanol 80%. For each sample, the adhering candida cells were counted on three standard fields by using an inverted light microscope, and the mean of those fields was recorded. Results: The mean value for samples containing aloe vera was 41.15, while the mean values for samples containing chitosan and the control group were 16.05 and 79.1, respectively. Of all the three groups, aloe vera powder had a significant efficacy against candida growth as compared to the chitosan and control groups (P value = 0.001). Conclusion: Both herbal agents were effective against candida growth. In comparison, aloe vera was more effective against candida growth compared to chitosan.
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The objective of our study is to evaluate quality and thermo oxidative stability of soybean, palm olein, and canola oils and their blends. The binary blends of SO:POO and CO:POO were formulated in a ratio of 75:25 and ternary blend were prepared by blending CO:POO:SO in a ratio of 35:30:35. To monitor the thermal stability, pure oils and their blends were subjected to heating at 180°C for 4 hours. Heating process led to a substantial increase in free fatty acid (FFA), peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV), and saponification value (SV), while iodine value (IV) and oxidative stability index (OSI) were decreased. The principal component analysis (PCA) was also performed. The data indicated that three significant principal components have eigenvalue Ë 1, which collectively constitute 98.8% of the total variance. PC1 contributed mainly with a total value of 50.1%, followed by PC2 (36.2%) and PC3 (12.5%). Results of the present study revealed that the binary and ternary blends exhibited greater oxidative stability than the pure oils. But, the ternary blend CO:POO:SO in a ratio of (35:30:35) was found to be better on the basis of stability and health point of view than other blends. Overall, our study demonstrated the utility of chemometric approaches for evaluating the quality and stability of vegetable oils and their blends, which can be helpful in the selection and optimization of oil blends for food applications.
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Brassica napus , Glycine max , Quimiometria , Óleos de Plantas , Estresse OxidativoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (S Typhi) is a major public health problem in low-income and middle-income countries. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness and impact of the typhoid conjugate vaccine Typbar-TCV against S Typhi among children in an outbreak setting of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) S Typhi in Pakistan. METHODS: This cohort study was done from Feb 21, 2018, to Dec 31, 2019. A census survey of all households located in the Qasimabad and Latifabad subdistricts of Hyderabad, Pakistan, was done at baseline, and 174â005 households were registered in the census. The Typbar-TCV immunisation campaign was initiated at temporary vaccination centres and 207â000 children aged 6 months to 10 years were vaccinated from Feb 21, 2018, to Dec 31, 2018. Social mobilisers informed parents about the vaccination process. Vaccination records were maintained electronically and linked with the household census surveys. Active surveillance for suspected and blood-culture-confirmed S Typhi was established in hospitals, clinics, and laboratories to assess the following outcomes: cases of suspected typhoid fever, culture-confirmed S Typhi, and antimicrobial resistance. An age-stratified cohort of 1100 vaccinated children was randomly selected from the vaccination registry, tested for Vi-IgG antibodies (data not reported), and followed up fortnightly (via telephone calls or household visits) until Dec 31, 2019, for ascertainment of outcomes during the study period. 20â847 vaccinated and unvaccinated children were randomly selected from the census registry as a quality control cohort and followed up from Oct 1 to Dec 31, 2019, for ascertainment of outcomes. Vaccine effectiveness against suspected, culture-confirmed, and XDR S Typhi was calculated. FINDINGS: 23â407 children from the census registry and surveillance system were included in the vaccine effectiveness analysis. 13â436 (57·4%) children were vaccinated, 12â214 (52·2%) were male, and 10â168 (43·4%) were aged 6-59 months. 5378 (23·0%) of 23â407 children had suspected S Typhi, among whom 775 (14·4%) had culture-confirmed S Typhi and 361 (68·6%) of 526 had XDR S Typhi. Vaccine effectiveness was 55% (95% CI 52-57) against suspected S Typhi (regardless of culture confirmation), 95% (93-96) against culture-confirmed S Typhi, and 97% (95-98) against XDR S Typhi. INTERPRETATION: Typbar-TCV is effective in protecting children against S Typhi infection in an outbreak setting, and was able, with moderate deployment, to curtail a major XDR S Typhi outbreak in a densely populated setting. The vaccine shows efficacy against S Typhi irrespective of antimicrobial resistance. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Surtos de Doenças/prevenção & controle , Farmacorresistência Bacteriana , Salmonella enterica/genética , Febre Tifoide/prevenção & controle , Vacinas Tíficas-Paratíficas/imunologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Programas de Imunização , Lactente , Masculino , Paquistão/epidemiologia , Salmonella enterica/efeitos dos fármacos , Salmonella enterica/isolamento & purificação , Sorogrupo , Febre Tifoide/epidemiologia , Febre Tifoide/microbiologia , Vacinas Conjugadas/imunologiaRESUMO
Pakistan is facing the world's largest outbreak of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Typhoid. Vaccination campaign for children aged 6 months to 10 years old with Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (Typbar-TCV®) was conducted in high-risk areas of Hyderabad during 2018. About 207,000 children were vaccinated. Here we report the adverse events following immunization (AEFI) during the campaign. The campaign was carried out using outreach and fixed centre strategy. Community mobilizers visited each household to perform line listing and mobilize parents with age-eligible children. Children were observed for 30 min post-vaccination. Two-pronged strategy was used for ascertainment of AEFI. A 24/7 hotline number was provided to all parents/caretakers (n = 199,861) to report AEFI during 14 days following immunization. An age-stratified (n = 7139 children) were actively followed at days 7 and 14 for the ascertainment of AEFI. All AEFI were examined by three trained medical officers. A structured questionnaire using Brighton collaboration criteria with level 3 diagnostic certainty was used for the recording of AEFI. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel Office 365. Overall, 499 AEFI (433 in the subset actively followed and 66 self-reported through hotline) were observed. The rate of AEFI was significantly higher among very young children (age group 6 to 12 months) as compared to 2 to 3 years old children (0.54% vs. 0.33% respectively; p-value < 0.001). Fever was the most common AEFI self-reported through the hotline (38/199,861 = 0.02%) and among the subset followed actively for 14 days (206/7139 = 2.89%). Fever was followed by local reactogenicity 10/199,861(0.01%), and 134/7139 (1.88%) through self-reported hotline and active follow-up, respectively. No serious AEFI was observed. Administration of a single dose of Typbar-TCV among children aged 6 months to 10 years old during an outbreak setting of Hyderabad Pakistan was safe.
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Febre Tifoide , Vacinas Tíficas-Paratíficas , Sistemas de Notificação de Reações Adversas a Medicamentos , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Surtos de Doenças , Humanos , Imunização , Lactente , Paquistão , Febre Tifoide/epidemiologia , Febre Tifoide/prevenção & controle , Vacinas Tíficas-Paratíficas/efeitos adversos , Vacinação/efeitos adversos , Vacinas ConjugadasRESUMO
A new simple, selective, and economical preconcentration method was developed for the determination of Cd, Pb, and Ni in poultry antibiotics and supplements. The proposed preconcentration procedure is based on SPE using 8-hydroxyquinoline and Amberlite IRC-50 resin as complex and adsorbent, respectively. The determination was carried out by microsample injection system (MIS) flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Several analytical parameters were examined, including pH, type of resin, amount of resin, type of eluent, eluent volume, flow rate, sample volume, and interference of diverse ions. Under optimum experimental conditions, LODs and LOQs were 0.017 and 0.055, 0.016 and 0.53, and 0.074 and 0.248 µg/L for Cd, Pb, and Ni, respectively, with RSDs < 2.50%. The accuracy of SPE-MIS-FAAS was successfully tested by the standard addition method, with obtained recoveries >99%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of Cd, Pb, and Ni in poultry supplement and antibiotic samples.