644 Comparing the Use of Skin Clips and Tissue Adhesive in Wound Management After Renal Transplantation

Introduction Wound closure and dressing choice is a decision largely impacted by factors including surgeon preference and unit standard. This service improvement project aimed to assess the difference between skin clips, the current unit standard, and a tissue adhesive (Liquiband) after renal transplantation. Method Data was collected retrospectively from July 2020 onwards. Outcome measures included the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI), cost, and nursing preference. Forty transplanted patients were selected, comprising the first twenty patients with skin clips and the first twenty patients with tissue adhesive. Medical notes and GP records were reviewed for any documented SSI or antibiotic prescription within six weeks of transplantation. A cost analysis was performed. Additionally, an online survey was distributed to nursing staff using Likert scales in response to a series of statements about wound care. Results There were no documented SSIs in either group, and no patients commenced antibiotics for a wound infection. On average, there was a 45% cost saving when using tissue adhesive compared to skin clips and additional wound dressings. 100% of nurses strongly agreed or agreed that wound care was easier with tissue adhesive, and 93% agreed that considerably more time is spent on wound care for patients with skin clips. Conclusions These results suggest that tissue adhesive offers comparable incidence of SSIs compared with skin clips. Furthermore, tissue adhesive is cheaper, more time-efficient, and preferred by nursing staff in post-operative wound care.

Total aerobic and Coliform counts from Oreochromis niloticus obtained from selected farms in Ibadan

The environment where fishes are caught often determines their microbial flora, many of which are potential spoilers and not necessarily pathogenic to fishes but are implicated as cause(s) of serious foodborne illnesses and toxin-infections in humans, hence, their presence above permissible levels portends food-safety threats. This study showed the microbial load in Oreochromis niloticus obtained from selected farms in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 156 samples consisting of gills, intestines and skins were collected from 52 O. niloticus obtained from Egbeda-(A), Ido-(B), Ibadan-north east-(C) and Ibadan north-west-(D) Local Government Areas of Ibadan for Microbial Load {Total Aerobic Count-(TAC) and Total Coliform Count-(TCC)} enumeration. TAC and TCC were performed using standard methods, and calculated in mean Log Colony Forming Unit ± Standard Deviation (logCFu ± SD). Data were analysed with ANOVA. Overall mean logCFu ± SD TAC and TCC from gills, intestine and skin for the 156 samples were 8.65 ± 0.28 and 6.82 ± 0.20, respectively. Mean TAC 8.64 ± 0.28, 8.69 ± 0.28and 8.62 ± 0.3 and mean TCC 8.69 ± 0.22, 8.66 ± 0.23 and 8.73 ± 0.22 were obtained for gills, intestine and, skin respectively, with p>0.05. Means TAC 8.63 ± 0.36, 8.70 ± 0.20, 8.68 ± 0.33 and 8.56 ± 0.14 and TCC 8.56 ± 0.25, 8.86±0.16, 8.65 ± 0.18and 8.69 ± 0.16 were observed for locations A, B, C, and D respectively with p<0.05 for TAC and p˂0.05. Mean microbial load counts obtained in this study was higher than permissible count of 7 logCFu/mL by International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICMSF) for fresh fish, thus, portending public health threats. Keywords: Oreochromis niloticus, Aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriacea and Coliforms

Actual Precipitation Index (API) for Drought Classification

The Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) is a widely used statistical technique for the characterization of droughts. It is based on a probabilistic standardization procedure, which converts a Gamma-type probability distribution function (PDF) into a normal (Gaussian) standard series with zero mean and unit standard deviation. Drought classification based on SPI indicates dry and wet spell characteristics, provided that the hydro-meteorological records abide by normal (Gaussian) PDF only, otherwise the results will be biased. Therefore, in this paper, the actual precipitation index (API) method is presented, which provides drought classification and information regardless of the underlying PDFs. The main purpose of this paper is to explain the main differences between SPI and API and to prove that the use of API is the more reliable solution for classification of droughts into five categories described as “Normal dry”, “Slightly dry”, “Medium dry”, “Very dry” and “Extremely dry”. The application of the methodology is presented for two sets of precipitation data; one with exponential PDF monthly precipitation records from Istanbul City, Turkey and one for New Jersey, USA with almost normal (Gaussian) PDF based on annual precipitation records. The comparisons indicate that API is applicable regardless of the underlying PDF of the hydro-meteorology data. It produces real drought classification from the original data without recourse to standard normal PDF conversion.

Adaptation of the Connected Speech Test: Rerecording and Passage Equivalency

Purpose The original Connected Speech Test (CST; Cox et al., 1987) is a well-regarded and often utilized speech perception test. The aim of this study was to develop a new version of the CST using a neutral North American accent and to assess the use of this updated CST on participants with normal hearing. Method A female English speaker was recruited to read the original CST passages, which were recorded as the new CST stimuli. A study was designed to assess the newly recorded CST passages' equivalence and conduct normalization. The study included 19 Western University students (11 females and eight males) with normal hearing and with English as a first language. Results Raw scores for the 48 tested passages were converted to rationalized arcsine units, and average passage scores more than 1 rationalized arcsine unit standard deviation from the mean were excluded. The internal reliability of the 32 remaining passages was assessed, and the two-way random effects intraclass correlation was .944. Conclusion The aim of our study was to create new CST stimuli with a more general North American accent in order to minimize accent effects on the speech perception scores. The study resulted in 32 passages of equivalent difficulty for listeners with normal hearing.

Epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of food poisoning in an officers’ mess

Background: Foodborne infection is a major cause of illness and death worldwide, having long term effects on children’s growth; and considerable illness, heavily affecting healthcare systems. To investigate an outbreak of food poisoning which occurred in an officers’ mess.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the setting of an officers’ mess in an army unit. Standard statistical methods such as calculation of percentage and Chi square were utilized for analysis.Results: It was observed that seven (63.6364%) cases were amongst officers, 3 (27.2727%) cases were among ladies and 1 (9.0909%) case was amongst ORs. 100% cases occurred within 9 to 20 hours of consuming the food.Conclusions: A small scale outbreak of food poisoning occurred in an officers’ mess in a military establishment. Clinically the most likely causative organism was suspected to be Salmonella typhimurium. No microbiological confirmation could be carried out as no food sample was available for the same.

Climate-Quality Calibration for Low Earth-Orbit Microwave Radiometry

Improvements in radiometric calibration are needed to achieve the desired accuracy and stability of satellite-based microwave-radiometer observations intended for the production of climate data records. Linearity, stability and traceability of measurements to an SI-unit standard should be emphasized. We suggest radiometer design approaches to achieve these objectives in a microwave calibration-reference instrument. Multi-year stability would be verified by comparison to radio-occultation measurements. Data from such an instrument could be used for climate studies and also to transfer its calibration to weather-satellite instruments. With the suitable selection of an orbit, a climatology of the diurnal variation in the measured parameters could be compiled, which would reduce uncertainties in climate trends inferred from earlier microwave radiometers over past decades.

Finger Gesture Vocalizer

A Gesture Vocalizer is a small scale or a large scale system that provides a way for dumb and mute people to communicate easily. The research paper defines a technique, Finger Gesture Vocalizer which includes sensors attached to the gloves above the fingers of the person who wants to communicate. The sensors are arranged in such a way on the gloves, that they can capture the movements of the fingers and based on the change in resistance of the sensors, it can be identified what the person wants to say. The message is displayed on the LCD and is also converted to audio using the APR33A3 audio processing unit. Standard sign languages such as that of American Sign Language which is used by dumb and mute people to communicate can be employed while wearing these gloves.

Safety climate, safety climate strength, and length of stay in the NICU

Background Safety climate is an important marker of patient safety attitudes within health care units, but the significance of intra-unit variation of safety climate perceptions (safety climate strength) is poorly understood. This study sought to examine the standard safety climate measure (percent positive response (PPR)) and safety climate strength in relation to length of stay (LOS) of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants within California neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Methods Observational study of safety climate from 2073 health care providers in 44 NICUs. Consistent perceptions among a NICU’s respondents, i.e., safety climate strength, was determined via intra-unit standard deviation of safety climate scores. The relation between safety climate PPR, safety climate strength, and LOS among VLBW (< 1500 g) infants was evaluated using log-linear regression. Secondary outcomes were infections, chronic lung disease, and mortality. Results NICUs had safety climate PPRs of 66 ± 12%, intra-unit standard deviations 11 (strongest) to 23 (weakest), and median LOS 60 days. NICUs with stronger climates had LOS 4 days shorter than those with weaker climates. In interaction modeling, NICUs with weak climates and low PPR had the longest LOS, NICUs with strong climates and low PPR had the shortest LOS, and NICUs with high PPR (both strong and weak) had intermediate LOS. Stronger climates were associated with lower odds of infections, but not with other secondary outcomes. Conclusions Safety climate strength is independently associated with LOS and moderates the association between PPR and LOS among VLBW infants. Strength and PPR together provided better prediction than PPR alone, capturing variance in outcomes missed by PPR. Evaluations of NICU safety climate consider both positivity (PPR) and consistency of responses (strength) across individuals.