BACKGROUND Universal precautions have been recommended to limit occupational exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other infectious agents, but whether these recommendations have been incorporated into routine practice has not been demonstrated. METHODS Using a one-group, before-after design, we assessed the knowledge and attitudes concerning universal precautions and the lev...

High-throughput crystallography has reached a level of automation where complete computer-assisted robotic crystallization pipelines are capable of cocktail preparation, crystallization plate setup, and inspection and interpretation of results. While mounting of crystal pins, data collection and structure solution are highly automated, crystal harvesting and cryocooling remain formidable challe...

OBJECTIVE To analyze the influence of psychosocial and organizational factors relating to adherence to standard precautions for preventing exposure to biological material in hospitals. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 270 medical and nursing professionals at a university hospital in the municipality of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2002. After selection by means of sim...

Lin H. Chen, MD, FACP,∗† Caroline Zeind, PharmD, RPh,‡ Sheila Mackell, MD,§ Trisha LaPointe, PharmD, BCPS,‡ Margot Mutsch, PhD, MPH,‖ and Mary E. Wilson, MD, FACP, FIDSA∗†¶ ∗Mount Auburn Hospital, Cambridge, MA, USA; †Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; ‡Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA, USA; §Mountain View Pediatrics, Flagstaff, AZ, USA; ‖Division of Commu...

This research tests the intuition that parties to a contract approach each other differently before the contract is formed than they do once it is finalized. We argue that one of the most important determinants of self-protective behavior is whether the promisee considers herself to be in negotiations or already in an ongoing contract relationship. That shift affects precaution-taking even when...

the burden of exposure to blood-borne pathogens (such as hepatitis b and c viruses) is considerable for health care workers. hepatitis virus transmission requires a non-immune host, an infectious source, and skin or mucous membrane injury. these three aspects are the main fields for preventional interventions. we reviewed major recent studies on this topic to identify precautions health care wo...

Contact precautions are complex behavioral interventions. To better understand barriers to compliance, we conducted a prospective study that compared the time burden for health care workers caring for contact precautions patients versus other patients. We found that nurses spent significantly more time in the rooms of contact precautions patients. There was no significant change in physician ti...

Strabismus, more commonly known across-eyed or wall-eyed, is a vision condition in which a person cannot align both eyes simultaneously under normal conditions. One or both of the eyes may turn in, out, up or down. An eye turn may be constant (when the eye turns all of the time) or intermittent (turning only some of the time). Strabismus typically involves a lack of coordination between the ext...

interest in a simple idea for regulation of risk: In cases of doubt, follow the Precautionary Principle.1 Avoid steps that will create a risk of harm. Until safety is established, be cautious; do not require unambiguous evidence. In a catchphrase: better safe than sorry. In ordinary life, pleas of this kind seem quite sensible, indeed a part of ordinary human rationality. It can be hazardous to...