Efficacy of alcohol-based hand sanitizers against human norovirus using RNase-RT-qPCR with validation by human intestinal enteroid replication

Successful human norovirus (HuNoV) cultivation in stem cell‐derived human intestinal enteroids (HIE) was recently reported. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti‐HuNoV efficacy of two alcohol‐based commercial hand sanitizers and 60% ethanol by suspension assay using RNase‐RT‐qPCR, with subsequent validation of efficacy by HuNoV cultivation using the HIE model. In suspension, when evaluated by RNase‐RT‐qPCR, 60% ethanol resulted in less than one log₁₀ reduction in HuNoV genome equivalent copies (GEC) regardless of contact time (30 or 60s) or soil load. The two commercial products outperformed 60% ethanol regardless of contact time or soil load, providing 2·2–3·2 log₁₀ HuNoV GEC reductions by suspension assay. Product B could not be validated in the HIE model due to cytotoxicity. Following a 60s exposure, viral replication in the HIE model increased 1·9 ± 0·2 log₁₀ HuNoV GEC for the neutralization (positive) control and increased 0·9 ± 0·2 log₁₀ HuNoV GEC in challenged HIE after treatment with 60% ethanol. No HuNoV replication in HIE was observed after a 60 s exposure to Product A.

Electronic recognition of hand hygiene technique and duration

We captured 3-dimensional accelerometry data from the wrists of 116 healthcare professionals as they performed hand hygiene (HH). We then used these data to train a k-nearest-neighbors classifier to recognize specific aspects of HH technique (ie, fingertip scrub) and measure the duration of HH events.

Spectroscopic and Photophysical Properties of the Soluble Cn Molecules, n = 60, 70, 76/78, 84

A report is given on molecular carbon research in Los Angeles, starting with review of the molecular precursor approach to carbon materials.1 Regarding larger molecules, mixtures of carbon molecules, Cn, are extracted2 in 25–40 percent yield from graphite evaporated under helium. Gram quantities of the mixture are then separated into pure fractions – C60, C70, C76/C78, C84, and higher (n > 88),3,4 and characterized by mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, and 13CNMR spectroscopy. Examination of the spectroscopic and photophysical5 properties of the molecules, with particular focus on C60 in solution, reveals: (i) the first transitions appear at high energy, are electronically forbidden (in C60, the homo-lumo hu - t1u transitions), and exhibit resolved vibronic structure; (ii) the spectra sharpen in cryogenic media, allowing vibronic assignment; and (iii) relaxation occurs with near-unity quantum yield to a long-lived triplet, which also transfers energy efficiently to acceptors including O2.