Description of PICU Unplanned Readmission.

Objectives: ICU readmission within 48 hours of discharge is associated with increased mortality. The objectives of this study were to describe the frequency of, factors associated with, and outcomes associated with unplanned PICU readmission.

Design: A retrospective case-control study was performed.

Determination of quasi-Fermi levels across illuminated organic donor/acceptor heterojunctions by Kelvin probe force microscopy.

Using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM), we have measured the electrochemical potentials across indium tin oxide/organic and donor/acceptor heterojunctions in the dark and under illumination with white light. We have found that the photovoltage generated across these heterojunctions is strongly correlated with the difference between the respective HOMO and LUMO levels of the donor and acceptor and also very closely approximates measured open-circuit voltages in completed solar cells. These results imply that KFM tracks the Fermi level positions within the donor and acceptor layers under photoexcitation.

An outbreak of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium in an acute care pediatric hospital: Lessons from environmental screening and a case-control study.

Background: The present study describes a vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) outbreak investigation and a case-control study to identify risk factors for VRE acquisition in a tertiary care pediatric hospital.

Objective: To report an outbreak investigation and a case-control study to identify risk factors for VRE colonization or infection in hospitalized children.

Methods: Screening for VRE cases was performed by culture or polymerase chain reaction.