• Title/Summary/Keyword: Cross-Contamination

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Numerical study of effect of membrane properties on long-cycle performance of vanadium redox flow batteries

  • Wei, Zi;Siddique, N.A.;Liu, Dong;Sakri, Shambhavi;Liu, Fuqiang
    • Advances in Energy Research
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    • v.4 no.4
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    • pp.285-297
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    • 2016
  • Fundamental understanding of vanadium ion transport and the detrimental effects of cross-contamination on vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) performance is critical for developing low-cost, robust, and highly selective proton-conducting membranes for VRFBs. The objective of this work is to examine the effect of conductivity and diffusivity, two key membrane parameters, on long-cycle performance of a VRFB at different operating conditions using a transient 2D multi-component model. This single-channel model combines the transport of vanadium ions, chemical reactions between permeated ions, and electrochemical reactions. It has been discovered that membrane selecting criterion for long cycles depends critically on current density and operating voltage range of the cell. The conducted simulation work is also designed to study the synergistic effects of the membrane properties on dynamics of VRFBs as well as to provide general guidelines for future membrane material development.

Phage typing of Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Poultry Meat in Spain

  • Rosa Capita;Astorga, Maite-Alvarez;Calleja, Carlos-Alonso;Benito Moreno
    • Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.39 no.3
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    • pp.219-225
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    • 2001
  • Phage typing is currently used for typing of Staphylococcus aureus strains beyond the species level in epidemiological studies. A total of 168 Staphylococcus aureus isolates from chicken meat and chicken by-products were phage-typed using the international bacteriophage set for typing Staphylococcus aureus of human origin. One hundred and forty-eight (88.79%) strains were phage-typeable (at least one phage produced 20 or more plaques of lysis). Lysis by phages of group Ⅲ was the mast frequent with 99 (58.93%) sensitive strains. This fact coincides with results of other authors. Twenty-nine different phage patterns were observed and three (95, 75/84 and 6/1030/W57) were most common. One hundred and thirty-two (89.19% of typeable strains) skewed these or indistinguishable (only one phage reaction difference) patterns. Twenty-six out of seventy chicken samples (37.14%) harboured more than one phage type of Staphylococcus aureus. This fact emphasizes the convenience of subtyping several Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the same sample in epidemiological studies. 80% of sausages and hamburgers contained the same Staphylococcus aureus phage types, which wore not found in any of the other food types. This fact suggests a cross contamination during the processing of these foods. Phages 6, 75, 84, 1030 and W57 skewed the greatest activity. None of the Staphylococcus aureus strains were sensitive to phages 47, 81 and 94.

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Evaluation of Microbiological Hazards of Baking Utensils and Environment of Bakeries (일부 베이커리업체의 조리용기.기구 및 작업환경에 대한 미생물적 위해분석)

  • 김은미;김현숙
    • Culinary science and hospitality research
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    • v.7 no.3
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    • pp.85-98
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    • 2001
  • This study was performed to describe the overall sanitation of baking utensils and equipments, employees, and environment in 9 bakeries. Microbiological tests on employees, utensils and equipments, were done according to standard procedure and included total plate count, coliforms, fungi and Staphylococcus aureus.. Microbiological testing is a value in determining hazards for developing a HACCP plan but were not detected throat and employee's hands before use. Staphylococcus aureus was detected nasal cavity and employees's hands after use. Employee's apron after use was detected fungi and coliform and was risk factor of cross-contamination to bread or cookies et al. Generally hygienic conditions of pan, kitchen board, knife, brush, and wooden scoop were worse than those of other baking utensils such as tray, bread tweezers, dusting brush and dish cloth. And refrigerator, freezer and fermentation chamber were detected fungi and coliforms. Total plate count of heating table, working table, distribution table, washbowl and refrigerator was increased in 2nd period. Temperature of refrigerator was 10.43$^{\circ}C$ and strict temperature control of refrigerations needs. Therefore, baking utensils and equipments were reguraly need to sterilize and clean. Additionary, it need to practice the effective sanitation education and training program for the bakery managers and employees.

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Monitoring of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Nasal Swabs Obtained from Dental Clinic Healthcare Providers and Medical Environment Nurses

  • Han, Seung-Ho;Song, In-Sook;Kim, Jong-Koan;Park, Jum-Gi;Park, Jang-Hwan;Lee, Myeong-Jae;Kim, Shin-Moo;Kim, Kang-Ju
    • International Journal of Oral Biology
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    • v.35 no.1
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    • pp.7-12
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    • 2010
  • The aims of this study were to investigate the nosocomial infection route of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and explore preventative methods for this pathogen that involve blocking its dispersion. We cultured MRSA from nasal cavity swabs collected between June and July 2008 that we obtained from eight dental healthcare providers, 32 nurses and the sputum specimens of two patients from our hospital. In addition, we used VITEK 2 equipment to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to isolate MRSA colonies. The incidence of these bacteria on the nasal swabs was 25.0% from dental clinic healthcare providers, 13.6% from the internal medicine ward nurses and 30.0% from intensive care unit nurses. Moreover, MRSA was detectable in sputum specimens of ward patients. The antimicrobial agents resistance and partial PFGE types of MRSA showed a similar pattern. We suggest from these analyses that nasal cavity infection by MRSA could occur by cross contamination between healthcare providers and patients which underscores the importance of stringent MRSA management practices.

Debates on the isolation distances to segregate fields with GM crops from fields with non-GM crops for the establishment of their coexistence (GM과 non-GM 작물의 공존제도의 정착을 위한 포장의 격리거리에 관한 고찰)

  • Lee, Shin-Woo
    • Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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    • v.36 no.3
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    • pp.261-267
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    • 2009
  • The coexistence policy of GM and non-GM crops is still on the debates in EU since “the recommendation on guidelines for the development of national strategies and best practices to ensure the coexistence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming” has been reported in 2003. The major issues are maximum tolerance level of GMO admixture and minimum isolation distances of GM fields with others including conventional, organic and seeds production. Majority of member states in EU proposed that the tolerance level of GMO admixture must be more strictly controlled, in particular in the fields for organic crops and seeds production. To this end, it was proposed that minimum isolation distances to segregate GM crops from fields with organic crops and seeds production need to be further extended than those of conventional crops since cross pollination with other crops adjacent GM fields is known as the most prevalent source for GMO contamination. In these circumstances, it is strongly suggested that the current legislations need to be revised including the minimum isolation distances of fields for each species before field cultivation for a commercial GM crop is approved for the first time in South Korea.

Feasibility of simultaneous measurement of cytosolic calcium and hydrogen peroxide in vascular smooth muscle cells

  • Chang, Kyung-Hwa;Park, Jung-Min;Lee, Moo-Yeol
    • BMB Reports
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    • v.46 no.12
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    • pp.600-605
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    • 2013
  • Interplay between calcium ions ($Ca^{2+}$) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) delicately controls diverse pathophysiological functions of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, details of the $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS signaling network have been hindered by the absence of a method for dual measurement of $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS. Here, a real-time monitoring system for $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS was established using a genetically encoded hydrogen peroxide indicator, HyPer, and a ratiometric $Ca^{2+}$ indicator, fura-2. For the simultaneous detection of fura-2 and HyPer signals, 540 nm emission filter and 500 nm~ dichroic beamsplitter were combined with conventional exciters. The wide excitation spectrum of HyPer resulted in marginal cross-contamination with fura-2 signal. However, physiological $Ca^{2+}$ transient and hydrogen peroxide were practically measurable in HyPer-expressing, fura-2-loaded VSMCs. Indeed, distinct $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS signals could be successfully detected in serotonin-stimulated VSMCs. The system established in this study is applicable to studies of crosstalk between $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS.

Screening of spherical phosphors by electrophoretic deposition for full-color field emission display application

  • Kwon, Seung-Ho;Cho, sung-Hee;Yoo, Jae-Soo;Lee, Jong-Duk
    • Journal of Korean Vacuum Science & Technology
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    • v.3 no.1
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    • pp.79-84
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    • 1999
  • the photolithographic patterning on an indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass and the electro-phoretic deposition were combined for preparing the screen of the full-color field emission display(FED). the patterns with a pixel of 400$\mu\textrm{m}$ on the ITO-glass were made by etching the ITO with well-prepared etchant consisting of HCL, H2O, and HNO3. Electrophoretic method was carried out in order to deposit each spherical red (R), green(G), and blue (B) phosphor on the patterned ITO-glass. The process parameters such as bias voltage, salt concentration, and deposition time were optimized to achieve clear boundaries. It was found that the etching process of ITO combined with electrophoretic method was cost-effective, provided distinct pattern, and even reduced process steps compared with conventional processes. The application of reverse bias to the dormant electrodes while depositing the phosphors on the stripe pattern was found to be very critical for preventing the cross-contamination of each phosphor in a pixel.

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Study on High Speed Laser Cutting of Rigid Flexible Printed Circuit Board by using UV Laser with Nano-second Pulse Width (자외선 나노초 펄스 레이저를 이용한 경연성(Rigid Flexible) 인쇄전자회로기판(Printed Circuit Board) 고속 절단에 관한 연구)

  • Bae, Han-Sung;Park, Hee-Chun;Ryu, Kwang-Hyun;Nam, Gi-Jung
    • Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.20-24
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    • 2010
  • High speed cutting processes of rigid flexible printed circuit board by making use of high power UV laser with nano-second pulse width have been proposed and investigated experimentally. Also robust laser cutting system has been designed and developed in order to obtain a good cutting quality of rigid and flexible PCB with multi-layers (2-6 layers). Power controller module developed for ourselves is adapted to control the laser output power in the range less than 1%. The systems show the good performance of cutting speed, cutting width and cutting accuracy, respectively. Especially we have confirmed that the short circuit problem due to the carbonized contamination occurred in cross section of multi-layers by thermal effect of high power laser has been improved largely by using multi-pass cutting process with low power and high speed.

Prevalence in Food Safety Behaviors of Pregnant Women and Their Associated Factors

  • Cha, Myeong-Hwa
    • Journal of Community Nutrition
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    • v.7 no.3
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    • pp.141-148
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    • 2005
  • Food handling practices playa key role in the prevalence of food-borne illness. Despite the fact that pregnant women are high risk groups for food-borne disease, little is known about their actual food handling practices at home. The objective of this study was to investigate behaviors regarding food-related hygienic practices of pregnant women. The questionnaire included questions in five major areas : personal hygiene ; adequate cooking ; avoiding cross contamination ; keeping food at safe temperatures ; and avoiding food from unsafe sources. Analysis of 488 questionnaires showed the respondents were unaware of the importance of safe food handling practices. Especially, pregnant women in our study should be encouraged to be careful about either risk of adequate cooking $(2.08\pm0.66)$ and keeping foods at safe temperatures $(2.69\pm0.63)$. Residency and number of children were consistent independent predictors of food handling behaviors. Previous food safety education also was found to have significant effect on food handling practices. TV news and newspapers were considered the most usable sources of food safety information by respondents. The behaviors identified in this study represent ones of particular importance for high-risk populations, like pregnant women. These population characteristics identified in this study could be incorporated in development of food safety educational programs for pregnant women being vulnerable on food-borne illness. Our results could have implications for the design of effective food safety educational efforts. This study indicates the need for continued and improved food safety education and for enforcing systematic food safety education for pregnant women.

Pattern of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Dental and Medical Environments

  • Han, Seung-Ho;Song, In-Sook;Lee, Myeong-Jae;Jeong, Seung-Il;Kim, Shin-Moo;Kim, Kang-Ju
    • International Journal of Oral Biology
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    • v.35 no.4
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    • pp.185-190
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    • 2010
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most prevalent pathogens in hospitals. To investigate cross contamination by this bacterium in both dental and medical settings, the pathogens that cause acute pyogenic infection and one of the major microbes responsible for nosocomial infection were isolated from health care providers, nurses and patients. We used VITEK II to measure drug sensitivity, and we further performed biochemical testing, coagulase serotype testing and pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for isolated MRSA colonies. The isolation rate of Staphylococcus aureus from nasal swabs was 75.0% from dental health care providers and 18.8% from the medical health care providers. A total of 10 MRSA strains were isolated from 40 health care providers and 2 patients and the prevalent coagulase serotype from patients and health care providers was VII. The antimicrobial drug resistance and partial PFGE types of the isolated MRSA strains showed a similar pattern. These results suggest that MRSA may be one of the principal causes of nosocomial infection in dental and medical hospitals.