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A survey of Malaysian Critical Intensive Care Unit nurses' awareness of patients' transition experiences (PE) and transitional care practice (TCP)

Ludin SM, Parker S, Arbon P

Intensive Crit Care Nurs, 2014 Aug;30(4):196-203.
PMID: 24534582 DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2013.12.006

Preparation of critically ill patients throughout their transition experiences in Critical Intensive Care Units (CICU) and following discharge can impact upon their recovery. However, there is little research addressing critical care nurses' awareness of patients' transition experiences.
Patients' transition in the intensive care units: concept analysis

Ludin SM, Arbon P, Parker S

Intensive Crit Care Nurs, 2013 Aug;29(4):187-92.
PMID: 23727138 DOI: 10.1016/j.iccn.2013.02.001

Adequate preparation of critically ill patients throughout their transition experience within and following discharge from the Intensive Care Unit is an important element of the nursing care process during critical illness. However, little is known about nurses' perspectives of, and engagement in, caring for critically ill patients during their transition experiences.
Fulltext Effect of Food-Simulating Liquids on the Leachability of Plasticizers from Dental Tissue Conditioners

Wan Ali WNS, Parker S, Patel M

Eur J Dent, 2024 Jul;18(3):883-890.
PMID: 38331042 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1777046

OBJECTIVE: Tissue conditioners are composed of poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) powder and plasticizer/ethanol mix liquid. Butyl phthalyl butyl glycolate (BPBG) plasticizer is commonly used in tissue conditioners, but the main concern with phthalate plasticizer is its leachability and biocompatibility, especially the estrogenic activity and cytotoxicity of phthalate. Therefore, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) plasticizer has been introduced and formulated as plasticizer in tissue conditioner; however its leachability characteristics are still unknown. Furthermore, the effect of foodsimulating liquids toward leachability of BPBG and ATBC plasticizers has not been documented. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of food-simulating liquids on the leachability of plasticizers and hardness of two experimental tissue conditioners containing BPBG and ATBC plasticizers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten experimental materials were prepared using PEMA polymer powder with 95% plasticizer (BPBG and ATBC) and 5% ethanol by volume, using powder to liquid ratio of 1.67:1, and the thickness was controlled at 3 mm. Shore A hardness value was measured after immersion in distilled water, artificial saliva, 25% ethanol/water mix, 3% citric acid, and coconut oil at 37°C. Measurements were taken at 2 hours and 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, and 84 days. Six readings were taken for each sample and hardness change was calculated and statistically analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
RESULTS: Increase in hardness value was noted for both plasticizers over time with the highest increase was when immersed in coconut oil. Shore A hardness value was significantly higher in ATBC after 84 days of immersion in all food-simulating liquids. The increase in hardness is due to plasticizer/ethanol leaching; however, as ethanol content was the same (5%), the hardness change is attributed to the leaching of plasticizers.
CONCLUSION: Leaching of both plasticizers was highest in coconut oil indicating that tissue conditioners may have a shorter intraoral lifetime in patients eating high-fat diet.
The 808 nm and 980 nm infrared laser irradiation affects spore germination and stored calcium homeostasis: A comparative study using delivery hand-pieces with standard (Gaussian) or flat-top profile

Ferrando S, Agas D, Mirata S, Signore A, De Angelis N, Ravera S, et al.

J. Photochem. Photobiol. B, Biol., 2019 Oct;199:111627.
PMID: 31536925 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2019.111627

Photobiomodulation relies on the transfer of energy from incident photons to a cell photoacceptor. For many years the concept of photobiomodulation and its outcome has been based upon a belief that the sole receptor within the cell was the mitochondrion. Recently, it has become apparent that there are other photoacceptors operating in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Alternative photoacceptors would appear to be water and mechanisms regulating calcium homeostasis, despite a direct effect of laser photonic energy on intracellular calcium concentration outwith mitochondrial activity or influence, have not been clearly demonstrated. Therefore, to increase the knowledge of intracellular‑calcium and laser photon interaction, as well as to demonstrate differences in irradiation profiles with modern hand-pieces, we tested and compared the photobiomodulatory effect of 808 nm and 980 nm diode laser light by low- and higher-energy (60s, 100 mW/cm2, 100 mW/cm2, 500 mW/cm2, 1000 mW/cm2, 1500 mW/cm2, 2000 mW/cm2) irradiated with a "standard" (Gaussian fluence distribution) hand-piece or with a "flat-top" (uniform fluence) hand-piece. For this purpose, we used the eukaryote unicellular-model Dictyostelium discoideum. The 808 nm and 980 nm infrared laser light, at the energy tested directly affect the stored Ca2+ homeostasis, independent of the mitochondrial respiratory chain activities. From an organism perspective, the effect on Ca2+-dependent signal transduction as the regulator of spore germination in Dictyostelium, demonstrates how a cell can respond quickly to the correct laser photonic stimulus through a different cellular pathway than the known light-chromophore(mitochondria) interaction. Additionally, both hand-piece designs tested were able to photobiomodulate the D. discoideum cell; however, the hand-piece with a flat-top profile, through uniform fluence levels allows more effective and reproducible effects.