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Background & Objective: Capparis spinosa is a plant belonging to the genus Capari which is important for medicinal purposes. It is also known as a multipurpose plant in Persian medicine. In this study, we searched for natural active ingredients in mouthwash for immunocompromised patients and examined the antifungal plus antibacterial properties of the hydroalcoholic extract of the root of the Capparis plant against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) PTCC 1683 and Candida albicans (C. albicans) ATCC-10231 was investigated. Materials & Methods: Ethanol extracts of plant roots were extracted by the percolation method. The diameter of the growth inhibition zone of C. albicans and S. mutans extracts was measured using the well plate method. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated for bacterial and fungal strains. In addition, the minimum sterilization concentration (MBC) and minimum sterilization concentration (MFC) of the extract were investigated using the broth microdilution method. The results were compared with an antibacterial and antifungal drug of 0.2% chlorhexidine nystatin. Results: The results for both pathogens revealed that the diameter of the growth inhibition zone increased with elevation of the extract concentration. The MIC and MBC of S. mutans extract were 62.5 and 62.5 mg/ml, compared to 0.39 and 0.39 mg/ml for chlorhexidine. The MIC and MFC of the plant against the fungus C. albicans were 7.812 and 31.25 mg/ml, compared to 0.25 and 1.25 μg/ml for nystatin. Conclusion: The ethanol extract of the Caparis plant had an antifungal effect on C. albicans and an antibacterial effect on S. mutans. However, the inhibitory and lethal effects against bacterial and fungal strains were lower than those of nystatin and chlorhexidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Proper toothbrush care and maintenance play an important role in oral health. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice of medical and dental students regarding the maintenance and disinfection of toothbrushes. Method: This cross‐sectional descriptive study examined 824 medical and dental students of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Data were collected using a researcher‐made questionnaire and analysed using chi‐square test and independent t‐test. The level of statistical significance was considered to be <0.05. Results: Nearly 63.7% of the students had a good level of knowledge regarding toothbrush maintenance, 62.2% had a positive attitude toward toothbrush care, and 53.7% had a good practice. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were significantly higher in dental, clinical, and female students as compared to medical, preclinical, and male students, respectively. Based on the results, about 54.3% of the students kept their toothbrushes outside the bathroom; 68% kept them vertically with the bristles upright; and 54% kept them in a separate container. Also, 50.6% of the students believed that toothbrush disinfection was necessary, while 31.9% believed that only certain groups of people needed toothbrush disinfection. Conclusion: This study indicated the moderate level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical and dental students in maintaining and disinfecting their toothbrushes. The students' oral health habits were also at a moderate level; therefore, further improvements seem essential. To achieve this goal, educational intervention programs need to be developed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of surface transmission in hospitals with high density of COVID- 19 patients is unneglectable. The aim of this study is to determine the extent of surface contamination in coronavirus central hospital of Ilam province in western Iran. In this experimental study, 205 samples were taken from environmental surfaces in hospital. SARS-CoV-2 RNA detected by Real-time RT-PCR. 121 out of 205 (50.02%) samples were positive. The most contaminated objects were toilet sites (5/5,100% ICU; 5/5, 100% isolation wards). High surface contamination with SARS-CoV-2 proposes the surface as a potential route of transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Hospital-acquired infections are considered a major health concern worldwide because of the increasing morbidity and mortality rate. Hence, selecting the most efficient disinfectants in a clinic is crucial. This study evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of seven mostly used disinfectants against clinically isolated Escherichia coli. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC) of Aniosyme DD1 0.5%, Steranios 2%, Aniospray 29 and Surfanios 0.5% at Hazrat Valiasr hospital and PROSEPT® Floor 0.75%, PROSEPT® Instru 0.05% and PROSEPT® Med used at Ayatollah Mousavi hospital were determined both in the presence and absence of bovine serum albumin (BSA) using microbroth dilution assay. Results: The results indicate that PROSEPT® Med had the lowest MIC and MBC values, followed by Aniospray 29 and PROSEPT® Instro, and the presence of BSA reduced antibacterial activities of disinfectants. Conclusion: The disinfectants applied at Ayatollah Mousavi hospital generally had higher antibacterial activities. Due to the importance of nosocomial pathogens at healthcare centers, selecting the most potent, fast-acting, and efficient disinfectants to prevent hospital-acquired infections is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims The role of the family in the health of the child is very vital because a major part of a child’s development. The present study investigates the health behaviors and related factors in mothers of hospitalized children in Kashan, Iran. Materials & Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 216 mothers of children hospitalized in children’s wards of two teaching hospitals in Kashan from November 2019 to March 2021. Meanwhile, sampling was done through continuous sampling. The first author (a nurse in the children’s wards) indirectly observed the mothers’ health-related behaviors toward their children and then immediately recorded them using a checklist. Data were then analyzed in SPSS software (v. 26) using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test, one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, and linear regression analysis. Results The mean age of mothers of hospitalized children was 29.27±5.60 years. Based on the results, the following items had the highest compliance scores: “use of fresh and safe drinking water for the child” (97.5%), “washing hands with soap and water in case of clear hand contamination” (95.6%), “Changing the child’s clothes and bedding as soon as they become contaminated with diarrhea, vomit, blood, and other contaminants” (90.7%), and “Washing hands after changing the child’s diaper” (87.3%). On the other hand, some other items, including “washing hands before changing the child’s diaper” (8%), “covering the mobile phone with a plastic to avoid contamination” (8.8%), and “washing hands with soap and water after touching the surrounding surfaces” (15.8%), had the lowest compliance scores. Conclusion The results indicated that mothers failed to comply with behaviors such as washing their children’s hands regularly and washing their own hands before breastfeeding. It is necessary to teach and inform them regarding the observation of behaviors related to the child’s health upon entering the hospital to ensure their child’s safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cleaning is one of the most important steps in preparing surgical instruments for reuse. Thorough cleaning can ensure more effective sterilization, protect treatment teams and patients from transmissible infections, and extend the life of surgical instruments. This study was conducted to compare the manual, automated, and ultrasonic methods of cleaning surgical instruments. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, three types of surgical instruments, namely curved hemostats, suction tips, and Metzenbaum scissors, (n=90) from among 20 surgical sets were randomly selected and assigned to three cleaning groups viz manual, automated, and ultrasonic. After the instruments were cleaned, surface protein and blood residue swab tests were conducted and the results were recorded on a data-registration form. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 and descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: According to the research results, in manually cleaned instruments group, 8 (26.7%) tested positive for blood and 10 (33.3%) tested positive for protein. Of the 30 automatically cleaned instruments, 6 (20%) tested positive for blood and 7 (23.3%) tested positive for protein and of the 30 ultrasonically cleaned instruments, 1 (3.3%) tested positive for blood and protein. The chi-square test showed a statistically significant difference between the three methods of cleaning residual blood and protein from the surgical instruments (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results revealed that according to the research results, of the three cleaning methods, ultrasonic cleaning was by far the most effective in removing blood and protein residues from the surgical instruments. Hence, we suggest that ultrasonic cleaning can be routinely utilized as an efficient cleaning method in medical centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial effect of Deconex Surface, a common disinfectant, and Zataria multiflora essence on microbial load of Emergency ambulance equipment in Iran. The samples were selected from all the ambulances through convenience sampling. Before the intervention, the cultures were obtained from the contact surfaces and the surfaces were then disinfected with Deconex and Zataria multiflora. Then, repeated cultures were obtained from the same surfaces. Next, the samples were immediately sent to a microbiology lab. The obtained data were entered into SPSS 2016 and analyzed using statistical tests. Results showed that disinfecting effect of Zataria multiflora is better than Deconex in eliminating certain bacterial species such as Staphylococcus and Bacillus. So Zataria multiflora essence can be used as a surface and hospital equipment disinfectant along with other disinfectant compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Knowing about accurate customer expectations is the most important step in defining and delivering high-quality services. This study aimed to evaluate the preferences of patients referring to two hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran. Method: Discrete choice experiment (DCE) method used to elicit preferences of 328 patients who were admitted in two hospitals of Kermanshah city in the west of Iran. Literature review and experts opinion were used to identify a candidate list of attributes related to the quality of cares in hospitals. The final study attributes were quality of physician care, quality of nursing care, waiting time for admission, cleaning of wards and toilets, and behavior of staff. Experimental design applied to extract choice sets of hospitals. The data was analyzed by a conditional logit regression. Results: The regression results showed the most important predictors of hospital selection by respondents was the good quality of physician care (aOR: 3.18, 95% CI 2.61, 3.87), followed by friendly behavior of staffs (aOR: 2.03, 95% CI 1.81, 2.27), cleanness of wards and toilet (aOR: 1.61, 95% CI 1.40, 1.85), and finally quality of nursing cares (aOR: 1.13, 95% CI 0.89, 1.44). However, increasing waiting time made disutility in the study participants (aOR: 0.69, 95% CI 0.60, 0.80). Conclusions: Our study finding emphasized some potential opportunity of quality augmentation in hospital sector by paying attention to different quality attributes including quality of physician, friendly behavior of staffs, cleanness of hospital environment and finally quality of nursing cares. Considering patients preferences in decision making process could lead to substantial satisfaction improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urinary tract infections are responsible for 45% of hospital-acquired infections, of which the urinary catheter is responsible for 80% of hospital-acquired urinary infections. Objectives: Due to the importance of the issue and its relationship with the application of correct principles of catheterization in accordance with existing standards in preventing infection, we decided to investigate the observance degree of sterile principles of catheterization in medical wards. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, two researchers in different medical wards of selected hospitals of Abadan University of Medical Sciences evaluated the procedure based on a researcher-made checklist. The data was analyzed by Pearson correlation using SPSS-21 software. Results: In this study, 150 people were included as the participants. The results of the study indicated better performance in women and people with a history of less than 5 years, and the best performance belonged to the age group of 20-29 years. Besides, based on the position, students and nursing experts achieved the best performance, and the group of Practical Nurse and physicians showed the weakest performance. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate lack of knowledge or inattention to the observance of standards and their importance among health staff. This especially holds true in people with working experience and older ages, practical nurses and physicians, and those who neglected continuous training and followed the procedures incorrectly. The working principles are mostly performed on a routine basis with the least amount of time and accuracy. Therefore, more attention should be devoted to this issue through workshops and educational forums as well as interaction with centers of evidence-based care that use their life experiences with regard to existing facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim:The new coronavirus - 2 is known to be a major threat to public health around the world. Common ways of transmitting the virus include direct transmission (sneezing, coughing and inhaling infected droplets and aerosols) and contact transmission (oral mucosa, nose and conjunctiva). When dental services are provided, large amounts of aerosols are produced during working with equipment. Iran was one of the main centers for the spread of the disease at the beginning of the epidemic, so this study evaluates the extent and severity of COVID-19 in the pre- and post-quarantine period. Material and Methods: The study was conducted through an online questionnaire, in which 1,100 member of dental association volunteered to participate in the study. Results: Since past 3 months, 74 (28.1%) reported Covid-19 symptoms, while totally, 18(2.2%) had definite infection. Ceramists had the highest incidence (50%) and dental students had the lowest incidence (19.3%) of symptoms. Among dental treatment staff, definitive rate of COVID-19 was higher in ceramists and dental students compare to dentists and dental specialists. In this study, 11.8% of the participants knew one of the members of the medical staff who died of COVID-19. The mean age of definite patients was 35.24 ± 12.24 yarrs old. Conclusions: The low rate of definitive infection of dental treatment staff in this study shows that disinfection of the environment and sterilization and use of protective devices can normally be effective and useful in preventing the spread of disease and infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the presence of oocyst of Cryptosporidium sp., and egg of soil-transmitted helminths in market vegetables in the north of Iran. Background: Fecal-oral transmission via consumption of contaminated food is the main route of transmission of intestinal parasites. Concerning the high risk of contamination of vegetable with intestinal parasites, raw consumption of crops can enhance the chance of transmission of intestinal parasites. Methods: In this study, we collected 34 pre-washed vegetable samples including spinach, mint, parsley, oregano, chives, savory, radish, coriander, basil and tarragon from local markets in Tonekabon City, North of Iran. All vegetable samples were washed using sterile PBS. Parasitological examinations, including direct examination and staining with Lugol's iodine and modified Ziehl--Neelsen were performed on the pellet resulted from the washing process. Results: The findings showed that 14/34 (41.17%) of collected samples were contaminated with at least one parasite. Eggs of Toxocara sp., Ascaris sp., Fasciola sp., Toxoascaris leonine, Trichuris sp. and Enterobius together with free-living larvae, amoeba cyst, cyst of Entamoeba coli and oocyst of Cryptosporidium sp., were observed among the positive samples. Furthermore, statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant correlation between parasitic contamination of vegetables and seasonal changes. Conclusion: This study signifies that some parasites due to their resistant cell wall usually remain in an environment with the harsh condition and thus, consumption of raw vegetables increases the risk of transmission of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) has proved an efficient and reliable approach for wound healing. We explain the use of maggots with a stepwise procedure for conducting MDT in a patient with severe and large electrical wounds. Method: We captured the flies of Lucilia sericata from the natural environment, Alborz, Iran, and reared them in netted cages. The eggs obtained from the flies were disinfected with chloramine, and then were incubated on culture medium. Results: The young larvae, in open ended pouches, were applied to the wound of a 29-year-old man who suffered from extensive fourth degree electrical burns. The patient's wounds were fully debrided, while adequate granulation tissue grew on the wounds in just 16 days of treatment. MDT prepared the wound bed to receive skin autograft, successfully, without any interaction, allergy, or inflammation. Conclusion: Our case study indicated that MDT can be a suitable pre-grafting measure for electrical wounds. Implementing the stated procedures in the present study can help health professionals to employ MDT for similar cases. Declaration of interest: The authors have no conflict of interest to declare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Bacterial contamination of platelet concentrates (PCs) is a longstanding problem in transfusion medicine. The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency of bacterial contamination in the platelet concentrates of Tehran Blood Center by culture-based method. Materials and Methods In this cross sectional study, totally 1500 platelet concentrates were randomly selected and assayed by standard aerobic and anaerobic bacterial culture methods. The PCs were collected at different time points during storage. One milliliter of each platelet concentrate was inoculated in 10 milliliter fluid Thioglycollate. The presence of bacteria was subsequently monitored. Any positive culture was further evaluated by subculture in the blood agar in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Results Of the 1500 PCs analyzed, one was found contaminated by gram negative bacteria. By further investigation it was confirmed that the responsible organism pertained to the pseudomonas spp. It was isolated on day 4 of incubation. No evidence of infection in donor was found by reviewing the donor questionnaire. Conclusions Based on the findings of the current study, the contamination rate of PCs has reduced dramatically; however, the isolationof the Pseudomonas spp. is suggestive of environmental contamination. The previous studies have shown that improved donor screening, better skin disinfection, and removal of initial aliquot of donors' blood play an important role in controlling the bacterial contamination rate.These findings suggest that more attention should be paid to optimizing new methods for disinfection techniques and sterilization procedures for preparation premises and storage equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The internal unit and ICU of hospitals are a suitable environment for growing of bacteria such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using disinfectants on bacterial remove in Isfahan City, Iran, hospitals. Instrument & Methods: This descriptive study was performed in Isfahan City, Iran, hospitals in 2015. 200 samples were taken from random locations of the hospitals. Sampling was carried out at the end of the business day and before disinfecting the surfaces with sterile cotton swabs moistened by sterile saline. After identification of bacteria, the numbers of bacterial colonies were counted before disinfection in 1ml (CFU/ml). Findings: The highest isolates were detected from emergency unit before disinfection included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Enterobacter spp. 255 cases of bacteria were found at 27 positive samples. The most common isolated bacteria after disinfection were Staphylococcus epidermidis (76 cases), E. coli (42 cases) and Micrococcus luteus (39 cases). Conclusion: The disinfecting process of Isfahan Hospitals is effective in removing bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iodine-containing disinfectants are widely used for skin preparation before caesarean section. Current evidence suggests that maternal exposure to these disinfectants results in thyroid dysfunction in the newborns, but its extent is not known.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explain the quality of the effect of these disinfectants on the thyroid function of newborns.Methods: This cohort study was performed on all the healthy mothers with a term pregnancy who underwent caesarean section in the obstetrics emergency department of an educational hospital affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences from December 2013 to December 2014. We divided this 12-month period into two consecutive 6 months. Povidone-iodine 10% (PVP-I) and chlorhexidine gluconate 4% (CHX) were used in the first and second 6 months, respectively, for skin preparation before caesarean section and also for umbilical cord disinfection. Cord blood thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) were assayed by the ELISA method.Results: We included 326 cases in this study, 153 in the PVP-I group and 173 in the CHX group. The incidence of cord blood TSH ≥ 10 mIU/L and T4 ≤ 7.3 µg/dL was significantly higher in the PVP-I than the CHX group. Cord blood TSH concentration showed a significant positive correlation with cord blood T4 concentration in the CHX group. Through selection of cases with cord blood T4 < 13 µg/dL, we found a negative correlation between cord blood TSH and T4 concentration in the PVP-I group.Conclusions: It seems that PVP-I has the potential to cause false-positive screening-test results and increase recall rates, which should be evaluated in further studies.Trial Registration Number: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) number IRCT201204289568N1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of the Problem: Impression materials are concerned as a significant source of cross-contamination because of exposure to blood and saliva. Purpose: Considering the importance of infection control in the dental environments, this study is performed to investigate the dimensional changes of two condensation silicone impression materials, Speedex and Irasil, after immersion in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite. Materials and Method: In this in-vitro study, two condensation silicone impression materials, Speedex and Irasil, were used on a prefabricated metal model having two dies, one with and the other without undercut. Each impression material was used to prepare 30 impressions; half of each group was immersed in 0.5% sodium hypochlorite for 20 min. The casts were prepared and a profile projector was used to measure the casts in terms of height and diameter of the die without undercut, distance between the two dies, die diameter below the undercut, and the height of the die above the undercut. The results were statistically analyzed using Student t-test. Results: In Speedex group, an increase was detected in the height of die without undercut and the height of the die above the undercut, but other dimensions have decreased. No significant change was observed in dimensions of Speedex group except for the distance between the two dies and die height above the undercut. In Irasil group, the height of the die without undercut, the distance between the two dies and the height of the die above the undercut have increased; while decrease was observed in other dimensions. Compared with the original sample, no significant difference was observed in dimensions except for the height of the die above the undercut. Conclusion: These changes for Speedex group include changes in distance between the two dies and the height above the undercut which can impede proper placement of prosthesis, particularly fixed partial dentures in which the accuracy of the distance between the two dies are of utmost importance. In Irasil group, the height of above the undercut was altered and this negative effect is highlighted in registering the reduced single tooth with an undercut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dental students use extracted human teeth to learn practical and technical skills before they enter the clinical environment. In the present research, knowledge, performance, and attitudes toward sterilization/disinfection methods of extracted human teeth were evaluated in a selected group of Iranian dental students. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study the subjects consisted of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year dental students. Data were collected by questionnaires and analyzed by Fisher's exact test and Chi-squared test using SPSS 11.5. Results: In this study, 100 dental students participated. The average knowledge score was 15.9 ± 4.8. Based on the opinion of 81 students sodium hypochlorite was selected as suitable material for sterilization and 78 students believed that oven sterilization is a good way for the purpose. The average performance score was 4.1 ± 0.8, with 3.9 ± 1.7 and 4.3 ± 1.1 for males and females, respectively, with no significant differences between the two sexes. The maximum and minimum attitude scores were 60 and 25, with an average score of 53.1 ± 5.2. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that knowledge, performance and attitude of dental students in relation to sterilization/disinfection methods of extracted human teeth were good. However, weaknesses were observed in relation to teaching and materials suitable for sterilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Infection control is an important part of dental treatments. One of the infection transmission pathways is through dental impressions. Instructing dentists in infection control and effective educational programs decrease the odds of infection transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dentists about disinfection of dental impressions. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study 93 general dentists were randomly selected in Ahvaz in 2010. To collect data, a questionnaire which included demographic data and 15 questions about knowledge and 14 questions about attitude was prepared. The questions on knowledge and attitude were scored and each correct question on knowledge received one positive score. In addition, questions on attitude were scored between 1 and 5. Finally, data were analyzed by t-test and chi-squared test (α = 0.05). Results: The mean and standard deviation of general knowledge of dentists was 6.1 ± 0.2; 66 subjects (% 70.96) had poor knowledge, with the mean and standard deviation of 4.65 ± 0.1; 21 % subjects (% 22.58) had medium level of knowledge, with the mean and standard deviation of % 9.3 ± 0.2; and only 6 subjects (% 6.45) had a good knowledge level, with the mean and standard % deviation of 12.3 ± 0.2. The overall mean and stand ard deviation of attitude of dentists was 63 ± 8; 86 subjects (% 92.5) had medium attitude, with the mean and standard deviation of 61 ± 6; and 7 % subjects (% 7.5) had good attitude, with the mean and standard deviation of 85 ± 5. % Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the majority of dentists in Ahwaz have good attitude toward disinfection and the related equipment but they have poor knowledge about the use of disinfecting agents, necessitating continuous educational programs in this respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Nosocomial infections cause death, increase costs and the patient's length of stay in hospital. Proper use of disinfectants and anti-septics have an important role in reducing infections. The aim of this study was the evaluation of efficacy of Epimax S and Epimax SC disinfectants in intensive care units (ICU) of Urmia Imam Khomeini Hospital. Materials & Methods: In Thiscross-sectional study, 672 samples were collected from different surfaces and medical equipments of intensive care units before and after disinfections. Cultured samples were identified using differentiation and biochemical standard methods. The results were analyzed using SPSS and Excel softwares. Result: Culture results of samples prior to disinfection of surfaces and equipment, showed that Contamination of the samples to different bacterial strains in intensive care units including 40% Staphylococcus saprophyticus, 29.2% Staphylococcus aureus, 18.17% Klebsiella, 6.17% E. coli, 4.34%, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and 2.17% Proteus. Laboratory studies showed that all the strains present in the samples are destroyed after disinfection by Epimax S with a concentration of 3% and contact time of 30 minutes, while Klebsiella was able to grow after disinfection with a concentration of 2% Epimax SC (recommended maximum concentration by manufacturer) and contact time of 30 minutes. Conclusion: There are Significant difference between Epimax S and Epimax SC in control of hospital infection. According to the results, Epimax S of 3% with contact time of 30 minutes is recommended for prevention of nosocomial infections, especially in the intensive care unit, compared to Epimax SC . It is Recommended that proper selection of disinfectants and disinfection procedures, elimination of environmental reservoirs of infection and the patients talent and experience at risk for nosocomial infections should be evaluated for the prevention and control of hospital infections. Environmental health principles continuing education of hospital staff should be one of the operational programs of hospital infection control committee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This split-mouth double-masked randomized controlled clinical study evaluated the effectiveness of photoactivated disinfection ( PAD) using light-emitting diode ( LED) as an adjunct in the management of patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis. Materials and Methods Sixteen patients affected by moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were enrolled. After scaling and root planing (SRP), each quadrant was assigned to one of the following groups: LED group (625-635 nm, maximum power density: 2000 mW/cm2), photosensitizer group (tolouidine blue O, 0.1 mg/ml), PAD group (photosensitizer and LED) and control group (no adjunctive treatment). The adjunctive treatments were repeated after 7 and 14 days. The clinical parameters of bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 months after SRP. Results At 1 and 3 months, all groups showed significant improvements with regard to all clinical parameters compared to baseline (all p: <0.001). There were no significant differences among groups in terms of changes of clinical parameters in any time interval (all p > 0.05). Conclusion The application of PAD using LED with the current setting did not have additional effects on clinical parameters in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis compared with SRP alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sterilization techniques could affect the characteristics of orthodontic wires. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of steam and dry heat sterilization techniques on load-deflection behavior of five types of β-titanium alloy wires. Materials and Methods: The samples consisted of 30 straight lengths of five types of β-titanium alloy wires: Titanium Molybdenum Alloy (TMA) Low Friction (TMAL), TMA Low Friction Colored (HONE), Resolve (RES), BetaForce (BETA), and BETA CNA (CNA). Thirty wire segments were divided into three groups of 10. Group 1 was the control group and the group 2 samples were sterilized by dry heat in an oven (60 minutes at 160°C) and group 3 by steam in an autoclave (15 minutes at 121 °C). Then all the wire samples underwent a three-point bending test in a testing machine to evaluate load-deflection properties. Data was analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and Scheffé's test (α= 0.05). Results: The results showed that dry heat sterilization significantly increased force levels during both loading and unloading of CNA, BETA and RES and during loading of HONE (P < 0.05). Steam sterilization significantly increased force levels during both loading and unloading of BETA and during unloading of HONE (P < 0.05), with no effects on the load-deflection characteristics of TMAL, CNA and RES (P > 0.05). Conclusion: It appears dry heat sterilization increases stiffness of RES, BETA, CNA and HONE but autoclave sterilization did not have any effect on load-deflection characteristics of most of the β-titanium wires tested, indicating that clinicians who want to provide maximum safety for their patients can autoclave TMAL, RES and CNA before applying them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]