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Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the oral hygiene awareness, knowledge, and practice attitude of employees, working in different departments of a hospital in Amritsar, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 203 volunteer participants between the ages of 23 and 56 years, both males and females, who were divided into four groups: doctors, nurses, support medical staff, and support nonmedical staff. Subjects were administered self-administered questionnaire addressing demographics, knowledge, and attitude and practice behavior of participants. The data were collected, segregated, and analyzed. Results: The knowledge score of physicians was adequate, but their attitude and behavior scores were substantially low. Overall performance of the other three groups - nurses, support medical staff, and support nonmedical staff in terms of knowledge, attitude, and behavior sections was not satisfactory. Survey revealed that only 26.2% of subjects brushed twice daily. About 17% reported use of dental floss and 18.7% used either mouthwash or tongue cleaner as adjuncts. Conclusion: The inadequate knowledge about oral health and hygiene of hospital employees as well as their callous attitudes toward these areas suggest a pressing need for the implementation of continuous dental education. The efficacy of dental health education can be increased only if health programs are tailored to directly impinge on attitudes of targeted population. Interprofessional education programs for healthcare staff can create learning environment where health workers from various fields can interact and learn how to prepare them for seamless teamwork in collaboration for coordinated patient care. Hence, a proactive approach is required to create awareness about oral health and hygiene.

The numbers indicating the permissible limits of concentration of the different metal ion consumptions and exposure levels on the environment are as important as their consumption for healthy existence of living systems. Overpassing these consumption and exposure limits can be unsafe for the living systems and environment. In this perspective, we developed a colorimetric probe for detection of Co2+ ion in the nearly aqueous medium which performed a color change in the solution containing cobalt from light yellow to yellowish red due to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) upon addition of synthesized probe. The optical response and absorption spectral changes of the Co2+ ion on the coumarin-based probe were observed under different pH conditions and the neutral pH was found to be suited best which implies its applicability under physiological conditions. The probe displayed an excellent capability to detect the Co2+ ions in real samples of water collected from different sources. The analytical and stoichiometric calculations were evaluated using the Benesi-Hildebrand curve and Job’s plot which revealed micromolar sensitivity and 1:1 metal-receptor binding respectively. The experimental FTIR results of ligand and its complex with cobalt were also corroborated with the Density Functional Theory (DFT) results.

An azaindole based schiff base AzIm was synthesized that serve as a luminescent turn “off” switch for the detection of Fe3+ ions. The photoluminescence intensity of AzIm was quenched significantly in the presence of 30 μM Fe3+ ions. The sensing response of the probe was tested at different ranges of pH and at different cation concentrations between 2 and 25 μM. Analytical characteristics were evaluated using standard Benesi-Hildebrand equation and the system displayed micromolar sensitivity for these ions. The specific diminished emission signal upon Fe3+ binding was interpreted in terms of the enhanced photoelectron transfer from azaindole group, which induces very fast and efficient non-radiative decay of the excited states of the sensor. In addition, practical utilization of luminescent AzIm was further supported by significant ion selective stability against the presence of extraneous charged species that makes this system compatible for quantitative analysis of environmental samples.

A simple salicylaldehyde derived Schiff base N, N′- bis (p-chloro salicylidene)-1, 2- ethylenediamine (L) was synthesized and characterized. The receptor demonstrates simultaneous dual channel chromogenic and fluorogenic signaling towards HSO3− and Zn2+ in mixed aqueous media. Solvatochromism was employed systematically for modulating its optoelectronic properties. The probe was successfully assessed to monitor HSO3− detection via UV–vis spectroscopy. DFT calculations and 1H NMR spectroscopy further support the results based on shifting of equilibrium. Moreover, the sensor showed large fluorescence enhancement with blue-shift of 48 nm after addition of Zn2+. The probe exhibits high selectivity over other competitive ions with high detection limit of 6.54×10−5 M and 3.21×10−6 M for HSO3− and Zn2+, respectively. Importantly, this is one of the rare reports in which Schiff base was utilized for the fabrication of chromogenic or fluorogenic sensor using solvent effect for multianalyte detection.

In light of efficient and facile recognition of ionic species under physiological conditions, coating of a semiconducting nanoparticle surface with functional ligands is emerging as a competent technique. In this work, a new ZnO nanoparticle based probe L has been synthesized and developed as a dual optical chemosensor. Here, successful linkage of Schiff base molecules SB on nanoparticles surface enables modification of its functionality and photophysical signalling abilities for detecting toxic analytes. The fabrication of coated nanoparticles has been well confirmed using IR, CHNS, TEM, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Among all the ions investigated, probe L shows high fluorometric selectivity for Al3+ and S2− ions with a red shift of 55 nm. The interactions also cause the color change of solution from white to bright yellow. The key finding of the present study is that the nanodosimeter exhibits high selectivity over other competitive ions with a detection limit of 3 and 170 nM for Al3+ and S2−, respectively.