Purpose: To confirm a core competency scale for Hong Kong infection control nurses at the advanced nursing practice level from the core competency items proposed in a previous phase of this study. This would serve as the foundation of competency assurance in Hong Kong hospitals.
Design: A cross-sectional survey design was used.
We have shown from both simulations and experiments that zwitterion functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be used to construct highly efficient desalination membranes. Our simulations predicted that zwitterion functional groups at the ends of CNTs allow a high flux of water, while rejecting essentially all ions. We have synthesized zwitterion functionalized CNT/polyamide nanocomposite membranes with varying loadings of CNTs and assessed these membranes for water desalination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLiterature review and the Delphi approach were used to draft the core competency items of hospital infection control nurses in Hong Kong. Content validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the proposed core competency were ensured. The result serves as the foundation of developing training and assessment tools for infection control nurses in Hong Kong.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) of 316 Bordetella pertussis isolates collected over 40 years from Australia and 3 other continents identified 66 MLVA types (MTs), including 6 predominant MTs. Typing of genes encoding acellular vaccine antigens showed changes that may be vaccine driven in 2 MTs prevalent in Australia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReal Time-PCR (RT-PCR) and high resolution melt (HRM) analyses were used for rapid typing of genes encoding components of the pertussis acellular vaccine, namely prn, ptxA, fhaB, fim2 and fim3. The length polymorphisms in prn were detected by RT-PCR followed by HRM; single nucleotide polymorphisms in prn and other genes were detected by hairpin primer RT-PCR. These rapid methods are suitable for large-scale studies of vaccine-driven evolution of Bordetella pertussis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims And Objectives: This paper attempts to address the global concern of the possible pandemic of influenza and avian influenza. In doing this, some unfounded beliefs related to influenza vaccines and antiviral treatment and prophylaxis are explored. This study also describes the essential measures for getting prepared.
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