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Complete removal of contamination from robotic surgical instruments may be unattainable, study shows

It is virtually impossible to remove all contamination from robotic surgical instruments, even after multiple cleanings, according to a study published today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

1 Nov 2016

Self-healing slippery surface coatings for medical devices could help thwart infection

Implanted medical devices like catheters, surgical mesh and dialysis systems are ideal surfaces on which bacteria can colonize and form hard-to-kill sheets called biofilms.

1 Nov 2016

Nano-biointeraction and nanopathology

Nanoparticles enter the organism in a number of ways. In most cases through inhalation and ingestion. When inhaled, the majority of them are expelled with the next breath. When ingested, most of them are gotten rid of through feces.

31 Oct 2016

Bad bugs spread from ICU patients to nurses' scrubs, research shows

Bad bugs readily spread from patients in the intensive care unit to nurses' scrubs and the room, according to research being presented at IDWeek 2016. The sleeves and pockets of the scrubs and the bed railing were the most likely to be contaminated.

27 Oct 2016

ETS provides key tips to be healthy during autumn and winter

Proper hand drying after hand washing is a key step in keeping healthy, particularly during the autumn & winter months when coughs and colds abound.

27 Oct 2016

Iron fortification can reduce blood lead levels, study shows

Lead is a toxic heavy metal that was added to petrol for use in cars until as recently as 25 years ago. It is particularly harmful to the developing brains of infants, children and teenagers, and the damage it does is irreversible.

26 Oct 2016

Reducing contamination rates in urine samples: an interview with Prof. Frank Chinegwundoh MBE

Contamination is thought to be a significant problem. Depending on which study you look at, the rates of urine contamination can be 17% or upwards. The standard method of midstream urine collection is for the healthcare professional...

26 Oct 2016

Antimicrobial copper touch surfaces may help fight global threat of antibiotic resistance

A key presentation at the Infection Control show within the Patient First conference on 22 November will look at a simple engineering solution to help fight the global threat of antibiotic resistance: antimicrobial copper touch surfaces.

21 Oct 2016

New bio-photonic device aims to take drug hypersensitivity detection into new era

Over 2.5 million people in Europe and more than 5.4 million Americans suffer from hypersensitivity to Beta Lactam Antibiotics (BLCs), the most commonly prescribed drugs that contain the penicillin family, with up to 10 percent of people reporting an allergy.

20 Oct 2016

Computer-based tools may help clarify potential health risks from food contaminants

When feeds are contaminated with potentially health-damaging substances, such as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS)/per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC) from the environment, these substances can be transfered into foods such as meat, milk and eggs.

19 Oct 2016

FAAM 2016: Experts discuss advancements in diagnosis, management of food allergies and anaphylaxis

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has announced today the inauguration of its 4th Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Meeting (FAAM), hosting over 1,200 international researchers, clinicians and allied health professionals in Rome from 13–15 October 2016.

14 Oct 2016

ETS underscores importance of proper hand drying alongside washing for maintaining optimal hygiene

Global Handwashing Day on 15th October will promote the importance of handwashing with soap for long-term health.

13 Oct 2016

Purdue researchers engineer bacteriophage for detecting specific E. coli in food products

Scientists looking for traces of E. coli O157:H7 contamination in foods soon could have a new detection method on their hands - turning off the lights to see if the bacteria glow in the dark.

13 Oct 2016

Novel nanosensor could quickly detect sickness-causing bacteria in food or water

It seems like almost every week another food product is being recalled because of contamination.

7 Oct 2016

Study finds blood thinning drugs derived from cattle and pigs have equivalent anti-clotting properties

As demand for the widely used blood thinning drug heparin continues to grow, experts worry of possible shortages of the essential medication.

6 Oct 2016

Household dust exposes people to potentially harmful chemicals, study finds

Household dust exposes people to a wide range of toxic chemicals from everyday products, according to a study led by researchers at Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.

3 Oct 2016

New qEV single size exclusion chromatography columns launched by Izon Sciences for analytical scale exosome isolation

Izon Science announces the release and immediate availability of its new analytical-scale exosome isolation column, the qEVsingle

From Izon Science 30 Sep 2016

Aflatoxin exposure can weaken airways' defenses opening door for severe respiratory diseases

Toxins from mold found growing on nuts or corn can weaken the airways' self-clearing mechanisms and immunity, opening the door for respiratory diseases and exacerbating existing ones, suggests a study in Nature Scientific Reports published this month from otolaryngology researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

27 Sep 2016

Synthego introduces CRISPRevolution synthetic sgRNA kit for fast, high-throughput gene editing

Synthego, a leading provider of genome engineering solutions, today announces the world’s first synthetic single guide RNA (sgRNA) CRISPR genome editing kit.

24 Sep 2016

Researchers develop new analytical capabilities to identify chemical forms of mercury in human hair

Mercury is a potent neurotoxin present in our daily lives and our body can accumulate it over the years. Food consumption, such as fish and rice, is the most common source of mercury exposure.

23 Sep 2016