Hand hygiene behavior change: a review and pilot study of an automated hand hygiene reminder system implementation in a public hospital.

Objective: To review and study implementation of an automated hand hygiene reminder system (AHHRS).

Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, before-after quality improvement pilot study conducted over 6 months.

Setting: Medical-surgical unit (MSU) and medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a public hospital in New York City.

High energy vibrational excitations of nitromethane in liquid water.

The pathways and timescales of vibrational energy flow in nitromethane are investigated in both gas and condensed phases using classical molecular mechanics, with a particular focus on relaxation in liquid water. We monitor the flow of excess energy deposited in vibrational modes of nitromethane into the surrounding solvent. A marked energy flux anisotropy is found when nitromethane is immersed in liquid water, with a preferential flow to those water molecules in contact to the nitro group.

Size-Pore-Dependent Methanol Sequestration from Water-Methanol Mixtures by an Embedded Graphene Slit.

The separation of liquid mixture components is relevant to many applications-ranging from water purification to biofuel production-and is a growing concern related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as "Clean water and Sanitation" and "Affordable and clean energy". One promising technique is using graphene slit-pores as filters, or sponges, because the confinement potentially affects the properties of the mixture components in different ways, favoring their separation. However, no systematic study has shown how the size of a pore changes the thermodynamics of the surrounding mixture.

Unveiling the Rolling to Kayak Transition in Propelling Nanorods with Cargo Trapping and Pumping.

Magnetic nanorods driven by rotating fields in water can be rapidly steered along any direction while generating strong and localized hydrodynamic flow fields. Here we show that, when raising the frequency of the rotating field, these nanopropellers undergo a dynamic transition from a rolling to a kayak-like motion due to the increase in viscous drag and acquire a finite inclination angle with respect to the plane perpendicular to the bottom surface. We explain these experimental observations with a theoretical model which considers the nanorod as a pair of ferromagnetic particles hydrodynamically interacting with a close stationary surface.

Friction Induces Anisotropic Propulsion in Sliding Magnetic Microtriangles.

In viscous fluids, motile microentities such as bacteria or artificial swimmers often display different transport modes than macroscopic ones. A current challenge in the field aims at using friction asymmetry to steer the motion of microscopic particles. Here we show that lithographically shaped magnetic microtriangles undergo a series of complex transport modes when driven by a precessing magnetic field, including a surfing-like drift close to the bottom plane.

Modeling and Simulation of Lipid Membranes.

Cell membranes separate the interior of cells and the exterior environment, providing protection, controlling the passage of substances, and governing the interaction with other biomolecules and signalling processes [...

A broad perspective to particle-laden fluid interfaces systems: from chemically homogeneous particles to active colloids.

Particles adsorbed to fluid interfaces are ubiquitous in industry, nature or life. The wide range of properties arising from the assembly of particles at fluid interface has stimulated an intense research activity on shed light to the most fundamental physico-chemical aspects of these systems. These include the mechanisms driving the equilibration of the interfacial layers, trapping energy, specific inter-particle interactions and the response of the particle-laden interface to mechanical perturbations and flows.

Rotating Micro-Spheres for adsorption monitoring at a fluid interface.

Hypothesis: A broad range of phenomena, such as emulsification and emulsion stability, foam formation or liquid evaporation, are closely related to the dynamics of adsorbing colloidal particles. Elucidation of the mechanisms implied is key to a correct design of many different types of materials.

Experiments: Microspheres forced to rotate near a fluid interface exhibit a roto-translational hydrodynamic mechanism that is hindered by capillary torques as soon as the particles protrude the interface.

Corrigendum to "Energy efficiency in software: A case study on sustainability in personal health records" [J. Clean. Prod. 282 (2021) 124262].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.

Peer tutoring of computer programming increases exploratory behavior in children.

There is growing interest in teaching computer science and programming skills in schools. Here we investigated the efficacy of peer tutoring, which is known to be a useful educational resource in other domains but never before has been examined in such a core aspect of applied logical thinking in children. We compared (a) how children (N = 42, age range = 7 years 1 month to 8 years 4 months) learn computer programming from an adult versus learning from a peer and (b) the effect of teaching a peer versus simply revising what has been learned.

Nanoconfined Fluids: Uniqueness of Water Compared to Other Liquids.

Nanoconfinement can drastically change the behavior of liquids, puzzling us with counterintuitive properties. It is relevant in applications, including decontamination and crystallization control. However, it still lacks a systematic analysis for fluids with different bulk properties.

Structure and dynamics of nanoconfined water and aqueous solutions.

This review is devoted to discussing recent progress on the structure, thermodynamic, reactivity, and dynamics of water and aqueous systems confined within different types of nanopores, synthetic and biological. Currently, this is a branch of water science that has attracted enormous attention of researchers from different fields interested to extend the understanding of the anomalous properties of bulk water to the nanoscopic domain. From a fundamental perspective, the interactions of water and solutes with a confining surface dramatically modify the liquid's structure and, consequently, both its thermodynamical and dynamical behaviors, breaking the validity of the classical thermodynamic and phenomenological description of the transport properties of aqueous systems.

Dysfunction in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a Potential Target for Personalised Medicine.

In recent years, numerous pathways were explored in the pathogenesis of COPD in the quest for new potential therapeutic targets for more personalised medical care. In this context, the study of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) began to gain importance, especially since the advent of the new CFTR modulators which had the potential to correct this protein's dysfunction in COPD. The CFTR is an ion transporter that regulates the hydration and viscosity of mucous secretions in the airway.

Learning-by-Teaching Approach Improves Dengue Knowledge in Children and Parents.

There is narrow evidence on which strategies are most effective for disseminating information on dengue prevention. This is particularly relevant because social habits have a great prevention capacity for dengue. We investigated how effective are children as health educators, and how much they learn as they teach.

Aggregation of discoidal particles due to depletion interaction.

Depletion interactions between colloids of discoidal shape can induce their self-assembly into columnar aggregates. This is an effect of entropic origin with important implications in a range of colloidal systems, particularly in the clustering of erythrocytes that determine the rheological properties of blood. Here, we investigate the equilibrium state reached by discoidal colloids in a solution of smaller depletant particles.

Static and Dynamic Self-Assembly of Pearl-Like-Chains of Magnetic Colloids Confined at Fluid Interfaces.

Magnetic colloids adsorbed at a fluid interface are unique model systems to understand self-assembly in confined environments, both in equilibrium and out of equilibrium, with important potential applications. In this work the pearl-chain-like self-assembled structures of superparamagnetic colloids confined to a fluid-fluid interface under static and time-dependent actuations are investigated. On the one hand, it is found that the structures generated by static fields transform as the tilt angle of the field with the interface is increased, from 2D crystals to separated pearl-chains in a process that occurs through a controllable and reversible zip-like thermally activated mechanism.

Redefining the concept of hydration water near soft interfaces.

Water determines the properties of biological systems. Therefore, understanding the nature of the mutual interaction between water and biosystems is of primary importance for a proper assessment of any biological activity, e.g.

Self-Assembly of Microscopic Rods Due to Depletion Interaction.

In this article, using numerical simulations we investigate the self-assembly of rod-like particles in suspension due to depletion forces which naturally emerge due to the presence of smaller spherical depletant particles. We characterize the type of clusters that are formed and the evolution of aggregation departing from a random initial configuration. We show that eventually the system reaches a thermodynamic equilibrium state in which the aggregates break and reform dynamically.

Impact of phosphate dosing on the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems: Fieldwork studies in chlorinated networks.

Phosphate is routinely dosed to ensure regulatory compliance for lead in drinking water distribution systems. Little is known about the impact of the phosphate dose on the microbial ecology in these systems and in particular the endemic biofilms. Disturbance of the biofilms and embedded material in distribution can cause regulatory failures for turbidity and metals.

Energy efficiency in software: A case study on sustainability in personal health records.

A personal health record is an eHealth technology in which users can observe their progress over time for a given condition. A research gap was identified in the literature concerning the study of the amount of energy that these systems need for their operation, and the energy efficiency that may be attained depending on their design. After the selection of five representative personal health records, a total of 20 tasks commonly done, and based on previous work, were performed with regard to two proposed scenarios, namely patient use and health personnel usage.

Propulsion and energetics of a minimal magnetic microswimmer.

In this manuscript we describe the realization of a minimal hybrid microswimmer, composed of a ferromagnetic nanorod and a paramagnetic microsphere. The unbounded pair is propelled in water upon application of a swinging magnetic field that induces a periodic relative movement of the two composing elements, where the nanorod rotates and slides on the surface of the paramagnetic sphere. When taken together, the processes of rotation and sliding describe a finite area in the parameter space, which increases with the frequency of the applied field.

Self-thermophoresis at the nanoscale using light induced solvation dynamics.

Downsizing microswimmers to the nanoscale, and using light as an externally controlled fuel, are two important goals within the field of active matter. Here we demonstrate using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations that solvation relaxation, the solvent dynamics induced after visible light electronic excitation of a fluorophore, can be used to propel nanoparticles immersed in polar solvents. We show that fullerenes functionalized with fluorophore molecules in liquid water exhibit substantial enhanced mobility under external excitation, with a propulsion speed proportional to the power dissipated into the system.

Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics: useful for athletes and active individuals? A systematic review.

The purpose of this review was to synthesise available knowledge on the main health effects associated with the use of probiotics, prebiotics and/or synbiotics in athletes and active individuals, including their effects on the immune system, oxidative stress, the gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms, as well as other possible clinical outcomes. A systematic and comprehensive search in electronic databases, including Web of Science (WOS, Scielo), PubMed-MEDLINE, Biblioteca virtual de la Salud (LILACS, IBECS), EBSCO (Academic Search Complete CINAHL; SPORTDiscus) and Cochrane Library, focused on generic articles about probiotics, prebiotics and/or synbiotics and their functionality and effects on human health. The search process was completed using the keywords: 'probiotics', 'prebiotics', 'synbiotics', 'athletes' and 'health'.

Microbial diversity, ecological networks and functional traits associated to materials used in drinking water distribution systems.

Drinking water distribution systems host complex microbial communities as biofilms that interact continuously with delivered water. Understanding the diversity, behavioural and functional characteristics will be a requisite for developing future monitoring strategies and protection against water-borne health risks. To improve understanding, this study investigates mobilisation and accumulation behaviour, microbial community structure and functional variations of biofilms developing on different pipe materials from within an operational network.

Controlled disassembly of colloidal aggregates confined at fluid interfaces using magnetic dipolar interactions.

Hypothesis: Field induced assembling/disassembling of paramagnetic colloids is strongly influenced by the configuration of the applied field, the surface chemistry of the particles, the nearby presence of an external boundary or the particle density. The trapping of the particles at fluid-fluid interface is expected to promote different assembling/disassembling routes together with new approaches for controlled manipulation of self-assembled structures and the fabrication of new functional patterned surfaces.

Experiments: We study the reversible disassembly itineraries that emerge in linear aggregates of micrometer-sized magnetic particles adsorbed onto a fluid interface when the applied field is abruptly tilted out of the confining surface: the unzipping of chains laterally aggregated, the partial fragmentation of the chains, the gradual separation of the monomers and the abrupt colloidal explosion.