Background: In healthcare facilities, hand hygiene is important for infection control. The WHO recommends monitoring the consumption of alcohol-based handrub (ABHR) and direct observation of hand hygiene practices to ensure compliance with hand hygiene practices. Monitoring of ABHR is widely used, but direct observation is not widely performed, particularly in small facilities and non–acute-care facilities. We evaluated the effects of direct observation of hand hygiene practices and monitoring of ABHR consumption, with feedback to staff, on ABHR consumption and hand hygiene compliance. Methods: We conducted a prospective intervention study over a 4-year period. Monitoring of ABHR consumption and direct observation of hand hygiene practices, with periodic feedback to staff, was implemented in 17 facilities of varying types: 5 large-scale acute-care facilities, 6 middle-to-small-scale acute-care facilities, and 6 non–acute-care facilities. Statistics for ABHR consumption were calculated before and after the implementation of direct observation of hand hygiene practices, and the change in ABHR consumption was calculated. The paired t test was used to assess the statistical significance of changes. A generalized linear mixed model analysis was performed to assess factors associated with ABHR consumption. Results: The total observation time was 1,225 months (625 months before direct observation, 600 months after direct observation), and the average observation time per facility was 36.0 months (± 27.5). All facilities implemented ABHR consumption monitoring within 1 month of starting the study. However, the mean time required to implement direct observation of hand hygiene practices was 24.7 (±19.1) months. There was a significant increase in ABHR consumption in large and middle-to-small-scale acute-care facilities (P < .0001) after implementing the direct observation. However, there was not a significant increase for ABHR consumption in non–acute-care facilities (P = .14). Multivariable regression analysis showed that the hospital ward type, duration of ABHR consumption monitoring, and duration of direct observation of hand hygiene practices were independently associated with ABHR consumption. Conclusions: ABHR consumption increased in all facilities that implemented direct observation, but the change was not statistically significant in non–acute-care facilities. The generalized linear mixed model analysis showed significant associations between ABHR consumption and hospital ward type and time to monitoring of ABHR consumption and direct observation of hand hygiene practices. Direct observation of hand hygiene practices should be implemented more widely. The effect of intervention intensity should be evaluated in future studies.

Disclosures: None

The surface coating of a gas reaction electrode with layered double hydroxides (LDHs) featuring various electrode catalyst activities was prepared via electrodeposition and the subsequent crystal growth of LDHs. LDH formation was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements after subsequent crystal growth on respective electrodeposited precursor films in Ni-Fe and Zn-Al LDH systems. However, the crystal growth of LDHs in Ni-Mn and Cu-Mn systems was observed on the Mg-Al LDH-electrodeposited films. LDH films were also deposited on the surface of a carbon paper electrode with a rugged surface via electrodeposition and subsequent crystal growth. Using the prepared LDH-coated carbon paper electrodes, the electrode catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was examined. For Ni-Mn, Ni-Al and Ni-Fe LDH-coated carbon paper electrodes, the threshold voltages of the ORR decreased. Hence, the LDHs electrodeposited on a gas reaction electrode have high electrochemical catalytic activity for the ORR.

Electronic structures of single crystal pentacene are of great interest for the elucidation of charge carrier transport in organic semiconductor materials. Experimental observation of valence band dispersion was recently achieved on single crystal samples of pentacene; however, its intrinsic properties are still unresolved because past experiments were performed on specimens with surface oxides formed by exposure to the ambient atmosphere. In this work, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and angle-resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (ARUPS) were conducted on single-crystal pentacene samples prepared without ambient exposure. The XPS results confirmed the reduction of the abundance of oxide impurities on the present samples. The ARUPS measurements clearly resolved the valence band structures of the single-crystal pentacene in four symmetry directions of the surface Brillouin zone, indicating anisotropy of at least a factor of 2.4 for the intermolecular transfer integral and hole effective mass at the valence band maximum.

Indentation deformation of glass under a sharp diamond indenter causes cracking during and after a loading–unloading cycle. To get a deeper insight into the indentation cracking in glass, it is critical to understand the elastic and inelastic deformation behavior of glass under the indenter. In this study, in situ observations during Vickers indentations are carried out for silica, soda-lime, and lead–silicate glasses. It is found that the true contact area during indentation is different from the area estimated from the contact depth and the indenter geometry, and that the ridges of a Vickers indenter affect the contact shape during indentation. The contact region of silicate glasses under a Vickers indenter is not a regular square but a concave square. This results in edge cracking during indentation. It is concluded that the contact shape and the deformation mechanism of glass under the indenter are closely related to its cracking behaviors.

A novel wireless sensor network system with compatibility of microwave power transmission (MPT) using a Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifier has been fabricated and tested. The sensor node operates using electrical power supplied by the MPT system. Time- and frequency-division operations are proposed for the compatibility. Under the frequency-division operation, receiving signal strength indicator of −85 dBm and packet error rate of <1% were measured when the available DC power of a rectifier with 160 mW output power. Under 120-min measurement, sustainable power balance between radio-frequency–DC conversion and power consumption in stable operation of the sensor node was achieved.

Alumina matrix solidification is a hot isostatic pressing (HIP) technique used to immobilize radioactive iodine (129I) in the form of silver iodide. In the present study, an alumina matrix solidification sample with a porosity of 12.9% was obtained by performing HIP at 175 MPa and 1200°C for 3 hours on a simulated spent silver-sorbent saturated with stable iodine. Material Characterization Centre-1 (MCC-1) leaching tests for the simulated waste form were performed using hydrosulfide (HS-) as a reductant at concentrations ranging from 3 × 10-7 M to 3 × 10-3 M and at pH values ranging from 8.0 to 12.5. Leached iodine concentrations were below the detection limit for ICP-MS measurements at HS- concentrations of 3 × 10-7 M and 3 × 10-5 M. This result was due to the stability of AgI. At an HS- concentration of 3 × 10-3 M, iodine leaching rapidly increased within 10 days. The maximum iodine concentration in the solution was 4.33 × 10-3 M, which corresponds to 85% dissolution of the initial iodine. This value was measured after 552 days under an HS- concentration of 3 × 10-3 M at pH 11. An analysis of specimen cross-sections suggested the following reaction: 2AgI + HS- = Ag2S + 2I- + H+. The pH affected matrix aluminum dissolution but did not significantly affect the iodine leaching behavior. Furthermore, the normalized mass loss of iodine was larger than that of aluminum by a factor greater than 104, which is due to the large porosity and the dissolution of interior AgI of the solid.

We have developed the pressure annealing technique for fabricating low work function metal pattern on plastic substrate. In general, the difficulty to print conductive low work function metal patterns is caused by the insulating metal oxide layer covering on metal particles included in metal paste. The pressure annealing technique can destruct the metal oxide layer and can form conductive layer on printed metal pattern. Further, we have confirmed that a binary solid solution is easily formed on metal patterns including two kinds of metal particles by using the pressure annealing technique. Changing the composition ratio of the binary metal paste led to the work function control of the pressure-annealed metal patterns. Formation of the binary solid solution was confirmed by using XRD spectra, and work function values were measured by using photoelectron emission spectra. In the case of the binary metal paste of Cu and Zn, we have succeeded in controlling work function from 3.8 eV to 5.0 eV. Since the Cu-Zn paste is composed of relatively low price metals, this would be applicable to large-scale flexible electronic devices.

We have already reported that low-temperature (about 170 °C) preparation technique of silicon dioxide (SiO2) dielectric thin film that has high resistivity and extremely smooth surface by the photo oxidation process. In this paper, we have developed a low-damage preparation technique to fabricate a SiO2 thin film by the photo-assisted low temperature oxidation process in order to apply this process to the flexible electronics using for convenient plastic films. We have reported that the SiO2 dielectric thin film with a high insulation performance can be prepared by the low temperature processing below 100°C by improving the pre-processing of the photo oxidation of thin film.

Hardness of glass is known to be related to the resistance to permanent deformation. However, the mechanism of permanent deformation of glass under a sharp diamond indenter is not clear yet. One of the deformation modes of oxide glass at room temperature is permanent densification. In this study, the indentation-induced densification of soda-lime glass under diamond indenters was evaluated from the volume recovery of indentation imprint by thermal annealing. The volume change of the indentation imprint by annealing corresponds to the densified volume under the indenter. Using some kinds of diamond indenters, which have different inclined face angles, the ratios of densified volume to the total “lost” volume under the indenters were determined. With an increase in the inclined face angle, the densification contribution decreased and the shear-flow contribution increased. This indenter-shape dependence of densification in glass is discussed in terms of the stress dependence of the deformation mechanisms in glass.

It is mostly important to develop the fabrication technology of the dielectric thin film with high insulation performance and surface flatness by large-area printing process. We have developed a technique to fabricate a silicon dioxide (SiO2) dielectric thin film by the low temperature solution process. The thin film prepared by about 170°C showed excellent dielectric performance with high resistivity in the order of 10 to the 16 Ωcm and surface flatness with the same degree of thermal oxidized SiO2 thin film on the silicon wafer (RMS=0.15nm). In addition, it is showed that the production of thick film of SiO2 with high dielectric performance and surface flatness is possible by applying over-coating technique. These indicate that this SiO2 production technique is greatly useful for the large-area printed electronics technology.

A print technique of an electrode on a plastic substrate is one of the most important techniques for developing a printed large area device. Especially, preparation of a metal electrode with low work function by printing is very important to develop printed active devices such as diode and transistors. Work function values of electrodes strongly affect device properties (1,2), because the work function difference between a semiconductor and an electrode is related to charge injection from the electrode to the semiconductor. Recently, many solution-processable n-type semiconductors have been developed (3), because these are required to fabricate printable EL devices, printable CMOS devices, and so on. Low-work function metals are necessary to inject electrons to n-type semiconductor. In spite of this fact, very few printable low-work function metal inks have been developed, because low-work function metals are easily oxidized during print process owing to high temperature annealing treatment and their conductivities are lost.

In this study, we have examined to develop a new annealing technique on a printed electrode to reduce the process temperature during metal printing. We have newly developed a mechanical sintering technique in which mechanical forces is applied on a printed metal pattern. Control of the direction balance of applied mechanical force was effective to reduce resistivity of the printed metal without any destruction of plastic substrate. Furthermore, distribution control of metal particle in the metal ink was also effective to reduce resistivity. By using this technique, we have succeeded in the preparation of an aluminum, zinc, copper and tin electrode on a plastic substrate. On the other hand, we have tried to prepare a metal alloy ink to control the work function of printed electrode. Metal alloy ink was composed of two kinds of metal particles. Work function of the electrode was controlled by changing composition of these metal contents in an alloy ink. By applying our developed mechanical sintering technique on the printed alloy pattern, printed electrode with various work functions from 3.5eV to 5eV could be prepared on a plastic substrate. These printed alloys were effective to improve the performance of printed diode and transistors.

Various flexible electronic devices have been intensively studied and developed in this decade. Most of consumers expect to obtain these flexible electronic devices in the next decade. The spread of flexible electronic devices depends on the process costs and material costs. Today prices of materials and energy sources are continuously increasing. Therefore, using of expensive materials and wasteful processes for fabricating electronic devices should be reconsidered. Printing techniques, a representative solution process, are inexpensive and very effective for mass production of electronic devices. We have developed a low-temperature process for fabricating flexible printed patterns of metals and semiconductors by using relatively inexpensive commercial pastes. A characteristic of our process is to utilize mechanical energies for sintering particles contained in pastes. In our process, the precise three-dimensional pressure control brings about the improvement of electrical properties in the printed patterns, the preservation of pattern accuracy and the mechanical durability of the printed patterns. In our experiment, we have already fabricated very low resistivity metal patterns (about 6×10−6Ω·cm) at ca.120°C without using any kinds of nano-particle paste, and also fabricated metal oxide semiconductor patterns.

Printable devices have been attracting considerable interest because of their application to flexible large-area devices in low cost printable electronics. In order to fabricate such devices, it is necessary to discover a passivation film and develop an efficient process for its preparation. We have previously reported that silicone oxide film is obtained with high density by UV irradiation to silazane compound film at low temperature [1]. The silicon oxide film has electric resistivity more than 10−15 Ωcm and electric strength more than 7 MV/cm. In order to apply the film to passivation layer in printable device, in this paper, preparation of nano-composite film with silicon oxide and clay mineral was investigated.

The photo FET having a photosensitive insulator layer showed excellent photo-switching properties upon illuminating the gate dielectric layer, because the gate capacitor was rapidly charged up by providing a large amount of photo-generated charges in the dielectric layer to the gate capacitor. In this study, we have tried to give a memory function to the photo FET. Further, we have tried to fabricate flexible photo FETs by using only solution processes in order to utilize the photo FET as flexible photo sensor and photo memory devices. As a result, we have succeeded in observing the memory effect of the photo FET and the photo-switching behavior of the flexible photo FETs

A polymer field-effect transistor (FET) was fabricated with poly(3-hexylthophene) as an active layer and poly(methyl-methacrylate) gate dielectric modified with poly(vinyl alcohol). The influences of air atmosphere on the FET property were investigated. Under the air atmosphere, FET properties such as modulation of drain current by gate bias, leakage current and threshold voltage shift were strongly influenced by humidity. An influence was investigated by temperature dependence of FET properties. It cleared the relationship between the FET property and intrinsic mobile ion in the gate dielectric. The influence of humidity on the FET property can be prevented by insertion of a clay mineral layer, which clogs motion of ion transport in gate dielectric layer.

Block copolymer lithography is a promising method for fabricating periodical nano patterns less than 20nm by self-assembly and can be applicable for fabricating patterned magnetic media with recording density over 1Tbit/inch2. We found a simple technique to control the orientation of cylindrical microdomains in thin films. Only by mixing polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymers with the constituent homopolymer (PS or PMMA), we could align the cylindrical microdomains perpendicular to the film surface. The added homopolymer induces conformational entropic relaxation of the block chains in microdomain space and stabilizes perpendicular orientation of hexagonally packed cylindrical microdomains. Thus formed perpendicular cylinders can be readily aligned in a regular array with a grating substrate.