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Dispensing System (dispensing + system)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

New technologies for chemical genetics

JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue S37 2001
Leslie A. Walling
Abstract Chemical genetics, in which small molecules are used in lieu of mutations to study biological processes, requires large and diverse chemical libraries to specifically perturb different biological pathways. Here we describe a suite of technologies that enable chemical libraries prepared by split-pool solid phase synthesis to be screened in a diverse range of chemical genetic assays. Compounds are synthesized on 500 micron high-capacity polystyrene beads, and arrayed into individual wells of 384-well plates using a hand-held bead arrayer. Compounds are cleaved from synthesis beads using a chemically-resistant ceramic dispensing system, producing individual stock solutions of single compounds. Nanoliter volumes of these solutions are then transferred into assay plates using an array of stainless steel pins mounted on a robotic arm. We have designed reusable 1536- and 6144-well assay plates made of silicone rubber that can be cast in the laboratory and filled by hand. This integrated technology platform enables hundreds of biological assays to be performed from the product of a single synthesis bead, enabling the results of different chemical genetic experiments to be directly compared. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppl. 37: 7,12, 2001. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Three-Dimensional Polycaprolactone Hierarchical Scaffolds Supplemented with Natural Biomaterials to Enhance Mesenchymal Stem Cell Proliferation

MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 19 2009
Hyeon Yoon
Abstract A hybrid technology that combines a three-dimensional (3-D) dispensing system with an electrospinning process was used to produce a hierarchical 3-D scaffold consisting of micro-sized polycaprolactone (PCL) strands and micro/nano-sized fibres. The micro/nanofibre biocomposites electrospun with PCL/small intestine submucosa (SIS) and PCL/Silk fibroin were layered between melt-plotted micro-strands. The scaffold containing SIS exhibited a stronger hydrophilic property than other scaffolds due to the various hydrophilic components in SIS. The 3-D hierarchical scaffold having biocomposites exhibited an incredibly enhanced initial cell attachment and proliferation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells relative to the normally designed 3-D scaffold. [source]

Impact of Wearable Alcohol Gel Dispensers on Hand Hygiene in an Emergency Department

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 4 2008
Janet P. Haas RN
Abstract Objectives:, Compliance with hand hygiene (HH) by health care workers is widely recognized as the most effective way to decrease transmission of infection among patients. However, compliance remains poor, averaging about 40%. A potential barrier to compliance is convenience and accessibility of sinks or alcohol hand sanitizer dispensers. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of a personal alcohol gel dispensing system, compared with the traditional wall-mounted alcohol gel dispenser and sinks in an urban hospital's emergency department (ED). Methods:, This was a quasi-experimental trial of a personal wearable alcohol hand sanitizer dispenser. Observations of ED staff HH were performed in the month before intervention and during three intervention phases over a 2.5-month period. Results:, A total of 757 HH opportunities were observed: 112 before and 432 after patient contact, 72 after contact with the patient's environment, 24 before invasive procedures, and 117 after body fluid contact. HH compliance improved during the first intervention period, but improvement was not sustained. There was no significant improvement in HH from baseline to the final intervention period. The wearable alcohol gel dispenser was used for 9% of HH episodes. Conclusions:, Availability of a wearable dispenser was not associated with a significant improvement in use of alcohol products for HH. These results support other studies in which only transient success was reported with a single intervention; greater success in sustaining increased HH compliance has been reported with use of multimodal approaches in which increased availability of products may be a part of the intervention. [source]

Strategies to reduce medication errors with reference to older adults

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 1 2006
Brent Hodgkinson BSc (Hons) MSc GradCertPH GradCertEcon(Health)
Abstract Background, In Australia, around 59% of the general population uses prescription medication with this number increasing to about 86% in those aged 65 and over and 83% of the population over 85 using two or more medications simultaneously. A recent report suggests that between 2% and 3% of all hospital admissions in Australia may be medication related with older Australians at higher risk because of higher levels of medicine intake and increased likelihood of being admitted to hospital. The most common medication errors encountered in hospitals in Australia are prescription/medication ordering errors, dispensing, administration and medication recording errors. Contributing factors to these errors have largely not been reported in the hospital environment. In the community, inappropriate drugs, prescribing errors, administration errors, and inappropriate dose errors are most common. Objectives, To present the best available evidence for strategies to prevent or reduce the incidence of medication errors associated with the prescribing, dispensing and administration of medicines in the older persons in the acute, subacute and residential care settings, with specific attention to persons aged 65 years and over. Search strategy, Bibliographic databases PubMed, Embase, Current contents, The Cochrane Library and others were searched from 1986 to present along with existing health technology websites. The reference lists of included studies and reviews were searched for any additional literature. Selection criteria, Systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials and other research methods such as non-randomised controlled trials, longitudinal studies, cohort or case,control studies, or descriptive studies that evaluate strategies to identify and manage medication incidents. Those people who are involved in the prescribing, dispensing or administering of medication to the older persons (aged 65 years and older) in the acute, subacute or residential care settings were included. Where these studies were limited, evidence available on the general patient population was used. Data collection and analysis, Study design and quality were tabulated and relative risks, odds ratios, mean differences and associated 95% confidence intervals were calculated from individual comparative studies containing count data where possible. All other data were presented in a narrative summary. Results, Strategies that have some evidence for reducing medication incidents are: ,,computerised physician ordering entry systems combined with clinical decision support systems; ,,individual medication supply systems when compared with other dispensing systems such as ward stock approaches; ,,use of clinical pharmacists in the inpatient setting; ,,checking of medication orders by two nurses before dispensing medication; ,,a Medication Administration Review and Safety committee; and ,,providing bedside glucose monitors and educating nurses on importance of timely insulin administration. In general, the evidence for the effectiveness of intervention strategies to reduce the incidence of medication errors is weak and high-quality controlled trials are needed in all areas of medication prescription and delivery. [source]