No abstract

Compliance with recommended infection control practices in East Asia has not been clearly documented. To investigate changes in compliance with recommended infection control practices over a eleven-year period and to identify affecting factors, two nationwide cross-sectional surveys of dentists in Taiwan were conducted in 1999 and 2010. An anonymous questionnaire that assessed characteristics of dentists and practices of recommended infection control guidelines was mailed. Results showed that all infection control practices surveyed had improved in 2010. Factors affecting compliance with wearing basic protective barriers in 2010 were being female (odds ratio [OR]=3.631, p<0.001), aged forty-one to ifty years (OR=3.991, p<0.05), treating twentyone to thirty patients per day (OR=2.690, p<0.05), and having information sources from seminars and conferences (OR=2.659, p<0.05). Although infection control practices have improved over time, there is still much room to increase rates of wearing a head cap, protective eyewear, and a face mask and disinfecting impression materials. Providing correct information about disinfection and sterilization processes through the Internet might be effective in improving compliance.Hsin-Chung Cheng is Dean,

This work aims to remove virus bioaerosol by using carbon nanotube corona discharge plasma technology. The λ virus bioaerosols are generated using a Collison nebulizer, as the challenged bioaerosols. Exactly how various factors, including the flow rate (30, 60, and 90 lpm) and the operating voltages (-1.5, -3.0, -4.5, -6.0, and -7.5 kV), affect the bioaerosol reduction characteristics is also evaluated. Experimental results indicate that the corona discharge while using the carbon nanotube electrodes obviously decreases the threshold voltage of plasma. The removal efficiencies of λ virus bioaerosols by using the carbon nanotube corona discharge system at discharge voltages of -1.5, -3.0, -4.5, -6.0, and -7.5 kV are 53%, 60%, 68%, 89%, and 91%, respectively. Additionally, the corona discharge system that incorporates use of the carbon nanotube electrodes performs far superior to that incorporates the use of the stainless steel electrodes in terms of bioaerosol removal efficiency.