Antibacterial effect of PEO coating with silver on AA7075.

In this work, plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings were produced on AA7075 using alkaline solution containing silicates compounds and silver micrometric particles in order to give to the coating an antimicrobial effect. In the optic of circular economy, silver chloride derived from the acid pre-treatment of electronic scraps was used as raw material and successively silver powders were synthesized from silver chloride solution using glucose syrup as reducing agent. The coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), potentiodynamic polarization test and antimicrobial tests. The results evidenced that the obtained coatings were homogenous and give to the samples higher corrosion resistance than untreated alloy. The silver particles, found both inside and outside of the pores that characterize the PEO layer, produced an efficacious antimicrobial effect both against E. coli and S. aureus.

[Geriatric information in the hospital discharge reports of patients over 65 years of age admitted to an Internal Medicine Department]. / Información geriátrica en los informes de alta hospitalaria del servicio de Medicina Interna en pacientes mayores de 65 años.

CONTEXT: The hospital discharge report (HDR) is a document that serves as a link between the hospital clinician and the primary care team. Our objective has been to evaluate the level of geriatric information in the HDR developed in the Internal Medicine Department of an tertiary care university hospital. Besides, the possible changes along the last 5 years were also evaluated. METHODS: HDRs of 1,000 patients over 65 years (500 in 1996 and 500 in 2001) and cared in the Bellvitge University Hospital were evaluated. Data relative to social, functional (qualitative and quantitative), and cognitive (qualitative and quantitative) assessment were collected. RESULTS: In 269 patients (27%) there was some kind of geriatric information in the HDRs. In the 2001 HDRs a significant increase in the percentage of social, qualitative functional and qualitative cognitive information was observed compared to 1996 HDRs. There were no significant differences upon comparing the subgroup of 269 patients with geriatric data in their HDRs with the subgroup of 731 remaining patients. CONCLUSIONS: The level of geriatric information in the HDRs is low. Care of elderly patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Department requires an additional evaluation on the part of all the professionals involved in their assistance, carrying out a global assessment that let a better knowledge of the patient. These evaluations should be part of the HDR.