BACKGROUND Direct sputum smear microscopy for tuberculosis (TB) lacks sensitivity for the detection of acid fast bacilli. Sputum pretreatment procedures may enhance sensitivity. We did a pilot study to compare the diagnostic accuracy and incremental yield of two short-duration (<1 hour) sputum pretreatment procedures to optimize direct smears among patients with suspected TB at a referral hospi...

Bleach solutions containing the active ingredient hypochlorite (OCl-) serve as powerful biological disinfectants but are highly caustic and present a significant compatibility issue when applied to contaminated equipment or terrain. A neutral, bicarbonate-buffered aqueous solution of Oxone (2K2HSO5.KHSO4.K2SO4) and sodium chloride that rapidly generates hypochlorite and hypochlorous acid (HOCl)...

THE SURHUSING possibility that the widening of the human pupil in the dark accurately reflects regeneration of rhodopsin in the retinal rods was first suggested by the experiments of ALPERN and CAMPBELL (1962a). They found that recovery of the pupil size in the dark after a full rhodopsin bleach was very slow. After an initial transient widening and narrowing in the first minute, the pupil retu...

BACKGROUND In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) had eight sets of conflicting recommendations for decontaminating medical equipment. We conducted a systematic review of observational studies to assist WHO in reconciling the various guidelines. This paper summarises the methods developed and illustrates the results for three procedures--alcohol, bleach and povidone iodine. METHODS We d...

Acute and chronic effects of exposure to chlorine and chloramines can result in the irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, often leading to airway edema resulting in respiratory difficulties, burning in the throat, eyes and nose. Ingestion of bleach or bleach-containing products often results in adverse gastrointestinal effects. Data captured by the three centers comprising the Florida Po...

Pyrolysis of chlorinated phenolics and thiolignin was investigated to elucidate the principle step occurring during combustion of organic material in bleach plant effluent. Chlorinated phenolics found in bleach plant effluent. such as chlorophenols, chloroguaiacols, chlorovanillins and chlorosyringaldehydes, were completely decomposed at 700 to 900°C with alkali and oxygen. Organically bound ch...

BACKGROUND Among other measures, handwashing and targeted disinfection are important in preventing and controlling norovirus outbreaks. Presently, there are a limited number of disinfectants effective against norovirus. There is a need to develop alternatives to bleach that are effective against norovirus, and, in particular, fast-acting disinfectants are desired. The aim of this study was to d...

We introduced home drinking water disinfection and handwashing with soap in Karachi squatter settlements to evaluate their effect on diarrhea. In April 2000, 150 households received soap, 76 received dilute bleach and a water storage vessel, and 76 were enrolled as controls. In 2000, among households wealthy enough to own a refrigerator, children in households that received bleach and a vessel ...

Bleach at the roots of mitotic progression Lim et al. show how hydrogen peroxide at the centrosome spurs cells to advance through mitosis. Cdk1 and regulatory proteins such as cyclin B1, Plk1, and Aurora A cooperate to initiate mitosis. To exit mitosis, cells destroy the regulatory proteins, an effect triggered by the APC/C when it is bound to its coactivator Cdh1. Cdk1 adds phosphates to Cdh1 ...

Salt provides 2 life-essential elements: sodium and chlorine. Chloride, the ionic form of chlorine, derived exclusively from dietary absorption and constituting the most abundant anion in the human body, plays critical roles in many vital physiologic functions, from fluid retention and secretion to osmotic maintenance and pH balance. However, an often overlooked role of chloride is its function...