........................................................................................................................2 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................3 THE NATIONAL MAIZE ECONOMY.............................................................................4 GUATEMALA’S AGRICULTURE AND MAIN MAIZE PRODUC...

Introduction: Mobile phones and computers are a reservoir of growth and transmission of microorganisms. This study aimed to evaluate the microbial contamination of computers and mobile phones used by students of an academic dental school, compared to the students of a non-medical school. Methods: Sampling was performed on 44 computers and 45 mobile phones in a dental school (test) and a non-med...

was standardized before no. 1 and between the two no. 10 samples. The time required when the Auto Dilutor was used was: 3 mm to assemble equipment, 2.5 mm to label flasks, 9 mn to dilute standard and samples, and 8 mm to take readings. The on-line system only took 8 mm to run the standards and samples, saving 14.5 mm for the 10 duplicated determinations. No flasks are needed when an on-line dil...

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a rod-shaped, gram-negative bacillus normally found in the lower gastrointestinal tract and is part of the normal intestinal flora. In hospital settings, E. coli most commonly causes urinary tract infections. Respiratory tract infections due to E. coli are uncommon, though there have been several published reports that chronicle E. coli pneumonia in the pediatric i...

In the clinical/microbiological laboratory there are currently several ways of separating specific cells from a fluid suspension. Conventionally cells can be separated based on size, density, electrical charge, light-scattering properties, and antigenic surface properties. Separating cells using these parameters can require complex technologies and specialist equipment which may damage sensitiv...

Historically, the relationship between the ventilator circuit and pulmonary infection was accepted as fact, without any scientific evidence. Hence the term, "ventilator"-associated pneumonia. Recent evidence, however, has demonstrated that the major sources of pneumonia in the ventilated patient are colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, with subsequent aspiration around the endotracheal t...

With a view to evaluating a small-scale water disinfection system based on production and application of oxidizing gases, the level of equivalent residual chlorine and the degree of contamination by fecal and total coliform bacteria was assessed at various points in the drinking water system of a Mexico City hospital before and after installation of the disinfection equipment. Tests done in May...

The dairy farmer has the responsibility of producing milk under clean and hygienic conditions, employing appropriate techniques to clean and disinfect the milking equipment and the milking parlour. The ability of raw milk to retain its quality under storage, and the safety of the product for the consumer, can both be directly related to the bacterial content of the milk. In most countries, bact...

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and related substances have been listed in Annex B of the Stockholm Convention. The implementation requires inventories of use, stockpiles, and environmental contamination including contaminated sites and measures for (risk) reduction and phase out. In most countries monitoring capacity is not available and therefore other approaches for assessment of contami...

Methods Following a standardized physical exam using sterile gloves and a sterile stethoscope, bacterial contamination of the following regions were assessed using contact plates: stethoscope diaphragm, stethoscope tube, fingertips, thenar region, hypothenar region and back of physician’s dominant hand. Total aerobic colony count (ACC) were determined on digital photographs using a counting tool.