Investigating microbial ecology at solid-air interfaces

Despite the ubiquity of biofilms in many environments, most microbiological study has focussed on their existence under aqueous conditions. The ecology of bacteria at solid-air interfaces is a significant concern in clinical settings, where prevention of nosocomial infection is a priority. Although multi-species communities are predominant in the environment, most laboratory research regarding bacterial survival at solid-air interfaces has focussed on pure culture survival. Therefore, the focus of this thesis was to determine whether community interactions affect the survival of bacteria after drying on exposed surfaces. It was determined that exogenous pathogens can exhibit enhanced survival after drying in the presence of members of the indoor bacterial flora. The enhanced survival of desiccation-sensitive species in communities is likely dependent on the density of cells on the surface and is thought to involve direct or close contact between community members, allowing poor-survivors to benefit from the desiccation-tolerance mechanisms of others. This project represents an exploratory study into bacterial ecology at solid-air interfaces within indoor environments.

Investigating microbial ecology at solid-air interfaces

Despite the ubiquity of biofilms in many environments, most microbiological study has focussed on their existence under aqueous conditions. The ecology of bacteria at solid-air interfaces is a significant concern in clinical settings, where prevention of nosocomial infection is a priority. Although multi-species communities are predominant in the environment, most laboratory research regarding bacterial survival at solid-air interfaces has focussed on pure culture survival. Therefore, the focus of this thesis was to determine whether community interactions affect the survival of bacteria after drying on exposed surfaces. It was determined that exogenous pathogens can exhibit enhanced survival after drying in the presence of members of the indoor bacterial flora. The enhanced survival of desiccation-sensitive species in communities is likely dependent on the density of cells on the surface and is thought to involve direct or close contact between community members, allowing poor-survivors to benefit from the desiccation-tolerance mechanisms of others. This project represents an exploratory study into bacterial ecology at solid-air interfaces within indoor environments.

Escalation and de-escalation of the radiology response to COVID-19 in a tertiary hospital in South London: The King’s College Hospital experience

The pandemic of COVID-19 presented an enormous challenge to the medical world in terms of diagnosis, treatment and health-care management as well as service organisation and provision. This novel virus and its spread affected every aspect of modern medical practice, ranging from investigating transmission of this new pathogen, antigen testing of symptomatic patients, imaging, assessing different treatment regimens and the production of a new vaccine. Imaging played a crucial role in the diagnosis of COVID-19-related lung disease, with plain radiography and CT being the main diagnostic modalities, with ultrasound a useful bedside imaging tool. The accurate and early diagnosis of the disease was not the only issue faced by Radiology Departments across the world; prevention of nosocomial infection, creating capacity with elective imaging suspension, management and protection of the workforce being few of the numerous challenges. The purpose of this manuscript is to present the steps that the Radiology Department of a large urban tertiary facility with a local vulnerable population, undertook to adapt the imaging service and structure, both initially escalating and then de-escalating a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A step-by-step management strategy, effective and sustained staff deployment, imaging management are presented and discussed, to provide a guide for managing a major incident in a radiology department.

The Influence of Knowledge, Attitudes and Work Motivation on Nurse Performance through Caring in Prevention of Nosocomial Infection in the Inpatient Room of the Makassar City Hospital

This research was conducted to analyze the influence of Knowledge, Attitudes and Work Motivation on Nurse Caring and the performance of nurses in the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections in the Inpatient Room of Makassar City Hospital, to analyze the effect of caring nurses on nurse performance, to analyze the influence of Knowledge, Attitudes and Work Motivation through Caring the performance of nurses in the Prevention of Nosocomial Infections in the Inpatient Room of the Makassar City Hospital. This study used a quantitative approach using primary data through a questionnaire of 200 respondents. The study was conducted in July 2019. Data were analyzed using the SEM AMOS program. The results of this study indicate that: Nurses' knowledge has a negative and significant effect on nurse caring, Nurses' attitudes have a positive and significant effect on nurse caring, Nurses' work motivation has a positive and insignificant effect on nurse caring, Nurses' knowledge has a positive and significant effect on nurse performance, Nurses' attitudes It has a negative and insignificant effect on the performance of nurses, the work motivation of nurses has a negative and significant effect on the performance of nurses, Caring of nurses has a positive and significant effect on the performance of nurses, knowledge of nurses has a negative and significant effect on performance through caring, Nurses' attitudes have a significant effect on the performance of nurses through caring. The work motivation of nurses has no significant effect on the performance of nurses through caring.

Experience in Prevention and Control Work of Anti-COVID-19 in People's Hospital of Tongchuan City in China

Objective: To explore the prevention and control strategies and effects of COVID-19 in People's Hospital of Tongchuan so as to provide evidence for prevention and control of COVID-19 in Tongchuan. Methods: The measures taken by People's Hospital of Tongchuan from the aspects of sound organization, new coronavirus knowledge training, prevention of nosocomial infection, establishment of elite medical team, scientific and precise treatment and internet application as well as medical treatment were reviewed. Results: Between 23 January 2020 and 15 April 2020, the hospital had received a total of 6 patients with confirmed COVID-19, among which 3 patients have been discharged. More than 31,000 persons were given pre-examination triage, 2,605 persons were treated for fever at clinics, 596 persons were under isolation and observation, and 184 persons had nucleic acid test, so as to achieve the requirements of no missed diagnosis, no death and no infection goal, which were prioritized by the national, provincial and municipal health inspection teams. Conclusion: The effective prevention and control strategies against COVID-19 in People’s Hospital of Tongchuan have significantly achieved the "three zeros" goal namely zero infection, zero transmission and zero death. People's Hospital of Tongchuan, founded in 1949, is a comprehensive level-III first-class hospital. It has two hospitals located in the north and the south, with 1,700 beds and 2,044 employees. It is the first designated hospital for treatment of COVID-19 [1] in the province.