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Rice University senior engineering students are using the sun to power an autoclave that sterilizes medical instruments and help solve a long-standing health issue for developing countries.

One of the most critical roles of the infection preventionist is instructing healthcare workers about the proper principles and practices relating to infection prevention and control -- especially as an increasing number of healthcare institutions and accreditation agencies are examining more closely the competencies of healthcare professionals. Experts Marguerite M. Jackson, RN, MS and Patricia Lynch, RN, BSN, in a 1986 paper in AJIC, asserted that although infection control practitioners are expected to be capable and effective educators, few individuals have had formal training in preparing, presenting and evaluating education programs for healthcare personnel from different disciplines, educational backgrounds and comprehension levels.

Bacterial infections really stink. And that could be the key to a fast diagnosis. Researchers have demonstrated a quick, simple method to identify infectious bacteria by smell using a low-cost array of printed pigments as a chemical sensor. Led by University of Illinois chemistry professor Ken Suslick, the team published its results in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.