Label-Free Detection of Virus-like Particles with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy through Analyte Localization and Polymer-Enabled Capture.

Virus detection is highly important; the last several years, since the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, have highlighted a weakness in the field: the need for highly specialized and complex methodology for sensitive virus detection, which also manifests as sacrifices in limits of detection made to achieve simple and rapid sensing. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has the potential to fill this gap, and two novel approaches to the development of a detection scheme are presented in this study. First, the physical entrapment of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and additional virus-like particles through substrate design to localize virus analytes into SERS hotspots is explored.

NanoAdventure: Development of a Text-Based Adventure Game in English, Spanish, and Chinese for Communicating about Nanotechnology and the Nanoscale.

Video games and immersive, narrative experiences are often called upon to help students understand difficult scientific concepts, such as sense of scale. However, the development of educational video games requires expertise and, frequently, a sizable budget. Here, we report on the use of an interactive text-style video game, NanoAdventure, to communicate about sense of scale and nanotechnology to the public.

Promoting and sustaining a hospital-wide, multifaceted hand hygiene program resulted in significant reduction in health care-associated infections.

Background: Hand hygiene is the single most important intervention to combat infections in any health care setting. However, adherence to hand hygiene practice remains low among health care workers.

Objectives: Our objective was to assess compliance with hand hygiene over time utilizing a multifaceted approach to hand hygiene.

Peripherally inserted central catheter bloodstream infection surveillance rates in an acute care setting in Saudi Arabia.

Background And Objective: Peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are alternatives to short-term central venous catheters and provide intravenous access in the acute hospital setting. In this study, we describe the rate of PICC-associated bloodstream infections (BSI).

Design And Setting: Prospective cohort study using data on PICC lines reviewed from January to December 2009.

Pandemic influenza A (2009 H1N1) in hospitalized patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital: epidemiology and clinical comparison with H1N1-negative patients.

Background And Objectives: The World Health Organization (WHO) declared that pandemic influenza A (H1N1) was a public health emergency of international concern in April 2009. Herein, we describe the characteristics of patients in a Saudi Arabian hospital with and without H1N1 infection.

Methods: We reviewed the records of patients admitted with influenza-like illness and compared confirmed pandemic H1N1 cases to the H1N1-negative patients admitted to the hospital.

Clostridium difficile-associated disease among patients in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) is an important healthcare-associated infection. However, there are no data from Saudi Arabia on this disease. A two-year prospective, observational study on the incidence of CDAD in a hospital in Saudi Arabia was carried out.

Promoter context determines the role of proteasome in ligand-dependent occupancy of retinoic acid responsive elements.

Retinoid acid receptors are DNA-binding proteins mediating the biological effects of ligands through transcriptional activation. It is known that the activity of the 26S proteasome is important for nuclear receptor-activated gene transcription. However, the molecular mechanism by which the 26S proteasome participates in this process is not well understood.

Decreasing ventilator-associated pneumonia in adult intensive care units using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement bundle.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) increases in-hospital mortality of ventilated patients to 46%, compared with 32% for ventilated patients who do not develop VAP. In addition, VAP prolongs time spent on the ventilator, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, and length of hospital stay.

Methods: In this study, we implemented VAP bundle to decrease the rate of VAP infection.

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of health care associated bloodstream infections at a general hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To determine the trend of health care associated blood stream infection (HA-BSI) at Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization.

Methods: This prospective survey was conducted during the year 2002-2006. Definitions of HA-BSI infections were based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention categories.

Attitudes towards influenza vaccination of multi-nationality health-care workers in Saudi Arabia.

Background: The compliance with influenza vaccination among health-care workers (HCWs) is known to be low. A multi-nationality survey to explore the reasons for such poor compliance has not been studied in depth.

Materials And Methods: An epidemiologic survey to evaluate the compliance rates with influenza vaccination and possible associated reasons for compliance.

Antimicrobial resistance rates of Enterobacter spp.: a seven-year surveillance study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the trends of antimicrobial resistance of Enterobacter spp. over time in a Saudi Arabian hospital.

Materials And Methods: This is an in vitro surveillance study of the antibiotic susceptibility pattern among Enterobacter spp.

Susceptibility pattern and epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a Saudi Arabian hospital: a 15-year study from 1989 to 2003.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and trends of drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization.

Methods: We retrospectively identified M tuberculosis isolates from January 1989 to December 2003. Antimicrobial susceptibility and clinical data were collected and analyzed.