Characterization of process air emissions in automotive production plants

During manufacturing, particles produced from industrial processes become airborne. These airborne emissions represent a challenge from an industrial hygiene and environmental standpoint. A study was undertaken to characterize the particles associated with a variety of manufacturing processes found in the auto industry. Air particulates were collected in five automotive plants covering ten manufacturing processes in the areas of casting, machining, heat treatment and assembly. Collection procedures provided information on air concentration, size distribution, and chemical composition of the airborne particulate matter for each process and insight into the physical and chemical processes that created those particles.     

Psychometric properties of the Norwegian version of the Care Process Self-Evaluation Tool

The Care Process Self-Evaluation Tool (CPSET) assesses key characteristics of well-organised care processes in hospitals from an interprofessional team perspective. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of the CPSET in terms of factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, and reliability in Norwegian language and context. After a pilot test, the Norwegian version of the questionnaire was administered as a web form to 501 health professionals in public general hospitals and mental health specialist services; 301 completed forms (response rate 60%) were returned, and 268 (54%) forms representing 27 care processes (19 from somatic care and 8 from mental healthcare) were included in the valid sample. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the original five-factor structure. All model fit indices, including the standardised root mean square residual (SRMR), which is independent of the χ²-test, met the criteria for an acceptable model fit. Internal consistencies within sub-scales as measured by Cronbach’s alpha were high (range 0.83–0.94). As expected, some redundancy between factors existed (in particular among the PO (Patient-focused organisation), COR (Coordination of the care process), COM (Communication with patient and family), and PO (Follow-up of the care process) factors). In conclusion, the Norwegian CPSET scale showed acceptable psychometric properties in terms of convergent validity and reliability, and fit indices from the CFA confirmed the original factor structure. Based on these findings, we recommend the Norwegian version of the CPSET for use in the assessment of interprofessional teamwork in care processes in specialist healthcare.     

Stimulated infrared thermography applied to differentiate scar tissue from peri-scar tissue: a preliminary study

Every human injury leads to a scar formation. The healing process leads to the formation of new tissue: the scar, which is different from the original tissue. This process is influenced by mechanical strength and the local vasculature is modified. The purpose of this study is to show that there are various temperatures between the scar and the peri-scar area associated with the healing process that can be estimated using the thermal infrared camera. In the study, 12 scars were stimulated by cold. Several changes of temperature were observed between scar and peri-scar area for 10?min. Scars appeared significantly colder with a Wilcoxon test (p?=?0.01). Results showed that stimulated infrared thermography can be used to monitor the temperature difference between the scar and peri-scar tissue.     

Civic Engagement in California Cannabis Policy Development

ABSTRACT

During the regulatory drafting process, California considered allowing police officers to become licensed owners of cannabis businesses, an action that would have codified a conflict of interest (COI), allowing police to exert influence in two market strata, enforcement and licensure. Up until then, no state specifically excepted law enforcement from COI prohibitions, making California’s proposed medical cannabis regulation unique. We performed two 50-state surveys and examined 298 public comments submitted to the Bureau of Cannabis Control during the initial medical cannabis rulemaking process in June 2017. After public comments, the Bureau withdrew this provision. However, that the exception was even considered is cause for concern in this new area of policy development. The progression from proposed medical cannabis rules to emergency rule adoption and now, into proposed final regulations, highlights the value of civic engagement with the rulemaking process. Jurisdictions should adopt bright-line COI rules within their cannabis codes that limit the relationships that law enforcement may have with the private cannabis markets.     

Models of the radiation-induced bystander effect

Abstract

Purpose: To implement quantitative models of the Radiation-Induced Bystander Effects (RIBE) based on cellular excitation at a rate proportional to the concentration of signal molecules (called signals here) released by irradiated cells. Clonogenic cell survival and transformation frequency as a function of rescue time and dose were considered.

Materials and methods: Our first stochastic model was based on the hypothesis that chemical signals are released into the extracellular medium by irradiated cells. These signals act on unirradiated cells switching them from the healthy to the dead state at rate R(t). We extended this model including a non-lethal transformed state in order to describe clonogenic cell survival and transformation frequency as a function of the number of alpha particles.

Results: The first stochastic model was applied to an experiment on human keratinocyte (HaCat) cells yielding the half-life of at least one signal among the ensemble of possible candidates to trigger cell death in this cell culture. The second model yielded good fits to the data on clonogenic cell survival and transformation frequency in microbeam experiments with mouse embryo (C3H10T_1/2) cells (Sawant et al. 2001a, 2001b).

Conclusions: The fit of the first stochastic model to HaCat cell survival yielded a half-life of the order of minutes for possible signal candidates. This model also furnished the variance of the fraction of surviving cells.     

Construct failure after open reduction and plate fixation of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures

IntroductionWorldwide, implants mostly used for fixation of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures (DMCF) are the easily to bend reconstruction plate and the stiffer small fragment locking compression plate. Construct failure rates after plate fixation of DMCF are reported around 5 percent. Possible risk factors for construct failure are implant type and fracture type. However, little is known about the influence of fracture fixation method on construct failure. The aim of this study was to assess construct failure in plate fixation of DMCF and to identify possible risk factors.MethodsAll consecutive patients treated in a level 1 trauma centre with open reduction and fixation of DMCF using a 3.5-mm reconstruction plate or 3.5-mm small fragment locking compression plate between 2007 and 2015 were evaluated. Potential risk factors for construct failure were analysed using univariate analysis.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty-nine patients were analysed. Fifty DMCF (19%) were fixated with a reconstruction plate and 209 (81%) with a small fragment locking compression plate. Construct failure was seen in 18 patients (6.9%), including 5 broken plates and 13 with screw loosening. Eight percent of all reconstruction plates broke in contrast to 0.5 percent of all small fragment locking compression plates (p = 0.001). All broken implants were used as a bridging plate. Loosening of screws was seen in older patients and when the plate was fixated with less than three bicortical screws on one side of the fracture (p = 0.002).ConclusionsOverall construct failure after open reduction and plate fixation of DMCF occurred in 6.9 percent. Risk factors for plate breakage were the use of a reconstruction plate and a bridging method for fracture fixation. Risk factors for screw loosening were an increasing patient age and plate fixation with less than three bicortical screws on one side of the fracture.RecommendationsBased on the results of this study our recommendation is to use a small fragment locking compression plate for open reduction and internal fixation of DMCF. The surgeon should always strive to fixate the plate on both sides of the fracture with at least three bicortical screws.     

A hybrid diagnosis model for determining the types of the liver disease

The symptoms of liver diseases are not apparent in the initial stage, and the condition is usually quite serious when the symptoms are obvious enough. Most studies on liver disease diagnosis focus mainly on identifying the presence of liver disease in a patient. Not many diagnosis models have been developed to move beyond the detection of liver disease. The study accordingly aims to construct an intelligent liver diagnosis model which integrates artificial neural networks, analytic hierarchy process, and case-based reasoning methods to examine if patients suffer from liver disease and to determine the types of the liver disease.