Sample records for accidentes laborales atendidos

  1. Accidentes laborales asociados al desánimo de médicos SERUMS para laborar en el primer nivel de atención de Lima, Perú

    PubMed Central

    Mejia, Christian R.; Valladares-Garrido, Mario J.; Romero, Brian M.; Valladares-Garrido, Danai; Linares-Reyes, Edgardo

    2018-01-01

    Introducción la retención laboral es un tema de suma importancia, porque se requiere de profesionales en el primer nivel de atención (PNA). El objetivo fue determinar si los accidentes laborales se asociaron al desánimo de los médicos para trabajar en el PNA de Lima, Perú. Métodos estudio transversal analítico de datos secundarios de una base de datos generada de una encuesta a médicos que realizaron su Servicio Rural y Urbano-Marginal en Salud (SERUMS). Se incluyó solo a los médicos que manifestaron al inicio del SERUMS que podían trabajar en el PNA de Lima. Se definió como cambio de intención de trabajo en el PNA a los que finalizando el SERUMS refirieron que ya no deseaban laborar en Lima. Esto se asoció según si tuvieron un accidente laboral y se ajustó por otras variables. Resultados de los 124 médicos el 63% fueron hombres (78). La mediana de edad fue de 26 años (rango intercuartílico: 25-27 años). Después de su SERUMS, el 12% (15) manifestó que cambió su interés y que deseaba trabajar en la capital. En el análisis multivariado, haber tenido un accidente laboral disminuyó la frecuencia del cambio de intención de trabajo en el PNA (RPa: 0.28, IC 95%: 0.14-0.54, p < 0,001), ajustado por ocho variables. Conclusiones en un estudio previo los accidentes laborales disminuyeron la frecuencia de trabajar en provincias, pero nuestro estudio dice lo contrario, posiblemente por la percepción de que un trabajo en la capital del país permite estar más cerca de los servicios para ser atendido en caso de cualquier emergencia. PMID:29190859

  2. Social evaluation of intentional, truly accidental, and negligently accidental helpers and harmers by 10-month-old infants.

    PubMed

    Woo, Brandon M; Steckler, Conor M; Le, Doan T; Hamlin, J Kiley

    2017-11-01

    Whereas adults largely base their evaluations of others' actions on others' intentions, a host of research in developmental psychology suggests that younger children privilege outcome over intention, leading them to condemn accidental harm. To date, this question has been examined only with children capable of language production. In the current studies, we utilized a non-linguistic puppet show paradigm to examine the evaluation of intentional and accidental acts of helping or harming in 10-month-old infants. In Experiment 1 (n=64), infants preferred intentional over accidental helpers but accidental over intentional harmers, suggestive that by this age infants incorporate information about others' intentions into their social evaluations. In Experiment 2 (n=64), infants did not distinguish "negligently" accidental from intentional helpers or harmers, suggestive that infants may find negligent accidents somewhat intentional. In Experiment 3 (n=64), we found that infants preferred truly accidental over negligently accidental harmers, but did not reliably distinguish negligently accidental from truly accidental helpers, consistent with past work with adults and children suggestive that humans are particularly sensitive to negligently accidental harm. Together, these results imply that infants engage in intention-based social evaluation of those who help and harm accidentally, so long as those accidents do not stem from negligence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Composite accidental axions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Redi, Michele; Sato, Ryosuke

    2016-05-01

    We present several models where the QCD axion arises accidentally. Confining gauge theories can generate axion candidates whose properties are uniquely determined by the quantum numbers of the new fermions under the Standard Model. The Peccei-Quinn symmetry can emerge accidentally if the gauge theory is chiral. We generalise previous constructions in a unified framework. In some cases these models can be understood as the deconstruction of 5-dimensional gauge theories where the Peccei-Quinn symmetry is protected by locality but more general constructions are possible.

  4. Epidemiology of accidental radiation exposures.

    PubMed Central

    Cardis, E

    1996-01-01

    Much of the information on the health effects of radiation exposure available to date comes from long-term studies of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Accidental exposures, such as those resulting from the Chernobyl and Kyshtym accidents, have as yet provided little information concerning health effects of ionizing radiation. This paper will present the current state of our knowledge concerning radiation effects, review major large-scale accidental radiation exposures, and discuss information that could be obtained from studies of accidental exposures and the types of studies that are needed. PMID:8781398

  5. 5 CFR 870.206 - Accidental death and dismemberment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Accidental death and dismemberment. 870....206 Accidental death and dismemberment. (a) (1) Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is an automatic part of Basic and Option A insurance for employees. (2) There is no accidental death and...

  6. 5 CFR 870.206 - Accidental death and dismemberment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Accidental death and dismemberment. 870....206 Accidental death and dismemberment. (a)(1) Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is an automatic part of Basic and Option A insurance for employees. (2) There is no accidental death and...

  7. 5 CFR 870.206 - Accidental death and dismemberment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Accidental death and dismemberment. 870....206 Accidental death and dismemberment. (a)(1) Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is an automatic part of Basic and Option A insurance for employees. (2) There is no accidental death and...

  8. 5 CFR 870.206 - Accidental death and dismemberment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Accidental death and dismemberment. 870....206 Accidental death and dismemberment. (a)(1) Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is an automatic part of Basic and Option A insurance for employees. (2) There is no accidental death and...

  9. 5 CFR 870.206 - Accidental death and dismemberment.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Accidental death and dismemberment. 870....206 Accidental death and dismemberment. (a)(1) Accidental death and dismemberment coverage is an automatic part of Basic and Option A insurance for employees. (2) There is no accidental death and...

  10. [Accidental hanging during auto-erotic practices].

    PubMed

    Vieira, D N; da Silva, A G

    1989-01-01

    An unusual case of accidental hanging during autoerotic practices in a 25-year-old male student is described and the autoerotic asphyxia syndrome briefly discussed. The authors stressed the importance of a correct diagnostic of accidental death in these cases.

  11. [THREE CASES OF ACCIDENTAL AUTO-INJECTION OF ADRENALINE].

    PubMed

    Yanagida, Noriyuki; Iikura, Katsuhito; Ogura, Kiyotake; Wang, Ling-jen; Asaumi, Tomoyuki; Sato, Sakura; Ebisawa, Motohiro

    2015-12-01

    Reports on accidental auto-injection of adrenaline are few. We encountered three cases of accidental injection of adrenaline. In this study, we have examined and reported the clinical courses and symptoms of our cases. CASE 1 involved a female physician in her 50s who had attended an explanatory meeting on auto-injection of adrenaline. She mistook EpiPen® to be the EpiPen trainer and accidentally injected herself with 0.3 mg EpiPen®. Her systolic/diastolic pressure peaked at 7 min to reach 144/78 mmHg and decreased to 120/77 mmHg at 14 min. Except for palpitation after 7 min, the only subjective symptom was local pain at the injection site. CASE 2 was noted in a 6-year-old boy. He accidentally pierced his right forefinger with 0.15 mg EpiPen®, and after 20 min, his right forefinger was swollen. The swelling improved 80 min after the accidental injection. CASE 3 was noted in a 4-year-old girl. She accidentally injected herself with 0.15 mg EpiPen®. Her systolic/diastolic pressure peaked at 23 min to reach 123/70 mmHg and decreased to 96/86 mmHg at 28 min. Severe adverse effects of accidental auto-injection of adrenaline were not observed in these three cases. Our findings suggest that while handling adrenaline auto-injectors, we should keep in mind the possibility of accidental injection.

  12. The characterization and evaluation of accidental explosions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Strehlow, R. A.; Baker, W. E.

    1975-01-01

    Accidental explosions are discussed from a number of viewpoints. First, all accidental explosions, intentional explosions and natural explosions are characterized by type. Second, the nature of the blast wave produced by an ideal (point source or HE) explosion is discussed to form a basis for describing how other explosion processes yield deviations from ideal blast wave behavior. The current status blast damage mechanism evaluation is also discussed. Third, the current status of our understanding of each different category of accidental explosions is discussed in some detail.

  13. 21 CFR 1002.20 - Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences... SERVICES (CONTINUED) RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH RECORDS AND REPORTS Manufacturers' Reports on Accidental Radiation Occurrences § 1002.20 Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences. (a) Manufacturers of electronic products...

  14. 21 CFR 1002.20 - Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences... SERVICES (CONTINUED) RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH RECORDS AND REPORTS Manufacturers' Reports on Accidental Radiation Occurrences § 1002.20 Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences. (a) Manufacturers of electronic products...

  15. 21 CFR 1002.20 - Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences... SERVICES (CONTINUED) RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH RECORDS AND REPORTS Manufacturers' Reports on Accidental Radiation Occurrences § 1002.20 Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences. (a) Manufacturers of electronic products...

  16. EPIDEMIOLOGY OF ACCIDENTAL POISONING

    PubMed Central

    Bissell, D. M.; McInnes, Robert S.

    1960-01-01

    In San Jose, California, studies of cases of accidental poisoning showed that the greatest hazard was to children 1 through 3 years of age. Drugs accounted for half the cases, household products for another third, and insecticides and rodenticides and others for the remainder. Most often poison material was within easy reach of the children. An analysis of families in which an accident occurred indicated that accidental poisoning might happen to any family. Since there was little after-effect of poisoning in cases in which treatment was obtained promptly, education directed toward getting prompt treatment seems most advisable. Community agencies interested in poison control need to focus their attention on parents of pre-school children. PMID:13801023

  17. Accidental death in autoerotic maneuvers.

    PubMed

    Focardi, Martina; Gualco, Barbara; Norelli, GianAristide

    2008-03-01

    The authors from the Florence Forensic Department present a case that demonstrates the paradigms attached to accidental deaths while performing autoerotic maneuvers. The incidents of such practices are underestimated and are only the tip of the iceberg since they do not represent the cases that are never reported due to successful practice. After analyzing the statistic data, the authors describe the case and discuss about the element that prove the accidental nature of the death and the importance of the correct application of forensic methodology at the scene and in the mortuary.

  18. About Assessment Criteria of Driver's Accidental Abilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lobanova, Yuliya I.; Glushko, Kirill V.

    2016-01-01

    The article points at the importance of studying the human factor as a cause of accidents of drivers, especially in loosely structured traffic situations. The description of the experiment on the measurement of driver's accidental abilities is given. Under accidental ability is meant the capability to ensure the security of driving as a behavior…

  19. Accidental awareness during general anaesthesia - a narrative review.

    PubMed

    Tasbihgou, S R; Vogels, M F; Absalom, A R

    2018-01-01

    Unintended accidental awareness during general anaesthesia represents failure of successful anaesthesia, and so has been the subject of numerous studies during the past decades. As return to consciousness is both difficult to describe and identify, the reported incidence rates vary widely. Similarly, a wide range of techniques have been employed to identify cases of accidental awareness. Studies which have used the isolated forearm technique to identify responsiveness to command during intended anaesthesia have shown remarkably high incidences of awareness. For example, the ConsCIOUS-1 study showed an incidence of responsiveness around the time of laryngoscopy of 1:25. On the other hand, the 5th Royal College of Anaesthetists National Audit Project, which reported the largest ever cohort of patients who had experienced accidental awareness, used a system to identify patients who spontaneously self-reported accidental awareness. In this latter study, the incidence of accidental awareness was 1:19,600. In the recently published SNAP-1 observational study, in which structured postoperative interviews were performed, the incidence was 1:800. In almost all reported cases of intra-operative responsiveness, there was no subsequent explicit recall of intra-operative events. To date, there is no evidence that this occurrence has any psychological consequences. Among patients who experience accidental awareness and can later remember details of their experience, the consequences are better known. In particular, when awareness occurs in a patient who has been given neuromuscular blocking agents, it may result in serious sequelae such as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and a permanent aversion to surgery and anaesthesia, and is feared by patients and anaesthetists. In this article, the published literature on the incidence, consequences and management of accidental awareness under general anaesthesia with subsequent recall will be reviewed. © 2017 The Association

  20. Scaling and Multifractality in Road Accidental Distances

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qiu, Tian; Wan, Chi; Zou, Xiang-Xiang; Wang, Xiao-Fan

    Accidental distance dynamics is investigated, based on the road accidental data of the Great Britain. The distance distribution of all the districts as an ensemble presents a power law tail, which is different from that of the individual district. A universal distribution is found for different districts, by rescaling the distribution functions of individual districts, which can be well fitted by the Weibull distribution. The male and female drivers behave similarly in the distance distribution. The multifractal characteristic is further studied for the individual district and all the districts as an ensemble, and different behaviors are also revealed between them. The accidental distances of the individual district show a weak multifractality, whereas of all the districts present a strong multifractality when taking them as an ensemble.

  1. Course Management Systems for Learning: Beyond Accidental Pedagogy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McGee, Patricia; Carmean, Colleen; Jafari, Ali

    2005-01-01

    "Course Management Systems for Learning: Beyond Accidental Pedagogy" is a comprehensive overview of standards, practices and possibilities of course management systems in higher education. "Course Management Systems for Learning: Beyond Accidental Pedagogy" focuses on what the current knowledge is (in best practices, research, standards and…

  2. The Accidental Transgressor: Morally Relevant Theory of Mind

    PubMed Central

    Killen, Melanie; Mulvey, Kelly Lynn; Richardson, Cameron; Jampol, Noah

    2014-01-01

    To test young children’s false belief theory of mind in a morally relevant context, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, children (N = 162) at 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 years of age were administered 3 tasks: prototypic moral transgression task, false belief theory of mind task (ToM), and an “accidental transgressor” task, which measured a morally relevant false belief theory of mind (MoToM). Children who did not pass false belief ToM were more likely to attribute negative intentions to an accidental transgressor than children who passed false belief ToM, and to use moral reasons when blaming the accidental transgressor. In Experiment 2, children (N = 46) who did not pass false belief ToM viewed it as more acceptable to punish the accidental transgressor than did participants who passed false belief ToM. Findings are discussed in light of research on the emergence of moral judgment and theory of mind. PMID:21377148

  3. Accidental poisoning with "Chinese chalk".

    PubMed

    Martínez-Navarrete, Juan; Loria-Castellanos, Jorge; Nava-Ocampo, Alejandro A

    2008-04-01

    We present a 1.5-year old, 11 kg, female infant with a history of bronchial hyper-responsiveness who accidentally ingested half of a "Chinese chalk". A day later, the infant showed vomiting, cough, fever, drowsiness, and irritability and her clinical conditions progressively worsened. She was admitted to the emergency department with cough, respiratory distress, and hepatomegaly. It has been reported that the chalk may contain deltamethrin and cypermethrin. The patient was successfully treated with supportive therapy. This report identifies "Chinese chalk" as a potential source of accidental poisoning in children and should be considered as part of the differential diagnoses in the emergency rooms since poisoning with these compounds may be misdiagnosed as organophosphate poisoning due to the presentation of similar symptoms.

  4. Accidental Nuclear War: The Growing Peril. Part I [and] Part II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newcombe, Alan, Ed.

    1984-01-01

    Two volumes designed to increase awareness of accidental nuclear war dangers are presented. The first of 5 sections in volume I proposes that although accidental war is preventable, the current arms race and secrecy about accidents and false alarms increase the possibility of an accidental war. Section 2 posits that decreased decision-making time…

  5. Advancement Is Seldom Accidental.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Frantzreb, Arthur C.

    1981-01-01

    Success in college goals and programs for institutional advancement is seldom accidental: success in philanthropic support is seen as 90 percent planning and 10 percent implementation. Trustee membership, long-range plans, the motivational case, experienced staff, adequate budgets, prospect research, supportive communication all meld into a plan…

  6. Degos disease: a new simulator of non-accidental injury.

    PubMed

    Moss, Celia; Wassmer, Evangeline; Debelle, Geoff; Hackett, Scott; Goodyear, Helen; Malcomson, Roger; Ryder, Clive; Sgouros, Spyros; Shahidullah, Hossain

    2009-08-01

    Recent high-profile cases have made paediatricians very aware of the serious implications of either missing or wrongly diagnosing non-accidental injury. Subdural fluid collections in non-mobile infants usually represent haemorrhage caused by non-accidental injury. We report a 6-month-old male who presented to the Accident and Emergency Department of Birmingham Heartlands Hospital with bilateral subdural fluid collections and skin ulcers resembling cigarette burns. Non-accidental injury was considered to be the most likely diagnosis. However, while under observation in hospital, the child's neurological condition deteriorated with progressive cerebral infarctions, and serial photographs of the skin lesions showed failure to heal. The revised diagnosis, confirmed histologically, was Degos disease, an extremely rare and often fatal occlusive vasculopathy. The child was treated palliatively and died 8 weeks after presentation. This report informs doctors of a new simulator of non-accidental injury to be considered in infants with otherwise unexplained subdural fluid collections.

  7. Hazards of Improper Dispensary: Literature Review and Report of an Accidental Chloroform Injection.

    PubMed

    Verma, Prashant; Tordik, Patricia; Nosrat, Ali

    2018-06-01

    Several clear, transparent solutions are used in endodontics. Inappropriate dispensing methods can lead to accidental injection or accidental irrigation. These accidents can cause permanent tissue damage including damage to the bone, periodontium, nerves, and vasculature. This article reports on the consequences of an accidental chloroform injection. Nonsurgical retreatment of tooth #8 was planned as part of a restorative treatment plan in a 69-year-old woman. The dentist accidentally injected chloroform instead of local anesthesia because chloroform was loaded into the anesthetic syringe. The patient experienced severe pain and swelling and soft tissue necrosis and suffered permanent sensory and motor nerve damage. A review of the literature was performed on accidents caused by improper dispensary, namely accidental injections and accidental irrigations. The data were extracted and summarized. Sodium hypochlorite, chlorhexidine, formalin, formocresol, 1:1000 adrenaline, benzalkonium chloride, and lighter fuel were accidentally injected as an intraoral nerve block or as infiltration injections. Bone and soft tissue necrosis, tooth loss, and sensory nerve damage (anesthesia and paresthesia) were the most common consequences reported. Such disastrous events can be prevented by appropriate labeling and separate dispensing methods for each solution. There is a need for disseminating information on toxicity and biocompatibility of materials/solutions used in endodontics. The authors recommend training dental students and endodontic residents on immediate and long-term therapeutic management of patients when an accidental injection or accidental irrigation occurs. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Mistakes in diagnosing non-accidental injury: 10 years' experience

    PubMed Central

    Wheeler, David M; Hobbs, Christopher J

    1988-01-01

    Fifty children who were referred to the child abuse team in Leeds over the 10 years 1976-86 with suspected non-accidental injury were found to have conditions which mimicked non-accidental injury. These included impetigo (nine children) and blue spots (five children). Five children who presented with multiple bruising had haemostatic disorders. Eight children had disorders of the bone. Five children had been previously abused physically. Four showed evidence of neglect. One had evidence of non-accidental injury as well as the condition mimicking abuse. It is emphasised that when child abuse is suspected a sensitive and thorough assessment should be carried out by a paediatrician who is experienced in this. ImagesFIG 1 PMID:3133026

  9. Doctor Ward's Accidental Terrarium.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hershey, David R.

    1996-01-01

    Presents the story of the accidental invention of the Wardian case, or terrarium, by Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward. Advocates the use of this story in teaching precollege biology as an illustration of how a chance event can lead to a major scientific advancement and as an example of the common occurrence of multiple discovery in botany. Contains 34…

  10. Are pre-hospital deaths from accidental injury preventable?

    PubMed Central

    Hussain, L. M.; Redmond, A. D.

    1994-01-01

    OBJECTIVE--To determine what proportion of pre-hospital deaths from accidental injury--deaths at the scene of the accident and those that occur before the person has reached hospital--are preventable. DESIGN--Retrospective study of all deaths from accidental injury that occurred between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 1990 and were reported to the coroner. SETTING--North Staffordshire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Injury severity score, probability of survival (probit analysis), and airway obstruction. RESULTS--There were 152 pre-hospital deaths from accidental injury (110 males and 42 females). In the same period there were 257 deaths in hospital from accidental injury (136 males and 121 females). The average age at death was 41.9 years for those who died before reaching hospital, and their average injury severity score was 29.3. In contrast, those who died in hospital were older and equally likely to be males or females. Important neurological injury occurred in 113 pre-hospital deaths, and evidence of airway obstruction in 59. Eighty six pre-hospital deaths were due to road traffic accidents, and 37 of these were occupants in cars. On the basis of the injury severity score and age, death was found to have been inevitable or highly likely in 92 cases. In the remaining 60 cases death had not been inevitable and airway obstruction was present in up to 51 patients with injuries that they might have survived. CONCLUSION--Death was potentially preventable in at least 39% of those who died from accidental injury before they reached hospital. Training in first aid should be available more widely, and particularly to motorists as many pre-hospital deaths that could be prevented are due to road accidents. PMID:8173428

  11. Accidental introductions are an important source of invasive plants in the continental United States.

    PubMed

    Lehan, Nora E; Murphy, Julia R; Thorburn, Lukas P; Bradley, Bethany A

    2013-07-01

    Preventing new plant invasions is critical for reducing large-scale ecological change. Most studies have focused on the deliberate introduction of nonnatives via the ornamental plant trade. However, accidental introduction may be an important source of nonnative, invasive plants. Using Web and literature searches, we compiled pathways of introduction to the United States for 1112 nonnative plants identified as invasive in the continental United States. We assessed how the proportion of accidentally and deliberately introduced invasive plants varies over time and space and by growth habit across the lower 48 states. Deliberate introductions of ornamentals are the primary source of invasive plants in the United States, but accidental introductions through seed contaminants are an important secondary source. Invasive forbs and grasses are the most likely to have arrived accidentally through seed contaminants, while almost all nonnative, invasive trees were introduced deliberately. Nonnative plants invading eastern states primarily arrived deliberately as ornamentals, while a high proportion of invasive plants in western states arrived accidentally as seed contaminants. Accidental introductions may be increasing in importance through time. Before 1850, 10 of 89 (11%) of invasive plants arrived accidentally. After 1900, 20 of 65 (31%) arrived accidentally. Recently enacted screening protocols and weed risk assessments aim to reduce the number of potentially invasive species arriving to the United States via deliberate introduction pathways. Increasing proportions of accidentally introduced invasive plants, particularly associated with contaminated seed imports across the western states, suggest that accidental introduction pathways also need to be considered in future regulatory decisions.

  12. Imitation of Intentional and Accidental Actions by Children with Autism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    D'Entremont, Barbara; Yazbek, Aimee

    2007-01-01

    To determine whether children with autism (CWA) would selectively imitate intentional, as opposed to accidental actions, an experimenter demonstrated either an "intentional" and an "accidental" action or two "intentional" actions on the same toy [Carpenter, Akhtar, & Tomasello ("1998a") "Infant Behavior and Development, 21," 315-330]. CWA tended…

  13. Experiences of Causing an Accidental Death: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rassool, Sara B.; Nel, Pieter W.

    2012-01-01

    Accidentally killing or feeling responsible for another person's death constitutes an event that is different from many typical traumatic stressors in that the responsibility for causing the trauma is located in the person themselves, rather than another person or persons. Research exploring the perspective of those who have accidentally caused a…

  14. Accidental degeneracies in nonlinear quantum deformed systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aleixo, A. N. F.; Balantekin, A. B.

    2011-09-01

    We construct a multi-parameter nonlinear deformed algebra for quantum confined systems that includes many other deformed models as particular cases. We demonstrate that such systems exhibit the property of accidental pairwise energy level degeneracies. We also study, as a special case of our multi-parameter deformation formalism, the extension of the Tamm-Dancoff cutoff deformed oscillator and the occurrence of accidental pairwise degeneracy in the energy levels of the deformed system. As an application, we discuss the case of a trigonometric Rosen-Morse potential, which is successfully used in models for quantum confined systems, ranging from electrons in quantum dots to quarks in hadrons.

  15. Individual housing-based socioeconomic status predicts risk of accidental falls among adults.

    PubMed

    Ryu, Euijung; Juhn, Young J; Wheeler, Philip H; Hathcock, Matthew A; Wi, Chung-Il; Olson, Janet E; Cerhan, James R; Takahashi, Paul Y

    2017-07-01

    Accidental falls are a major public health concern among people of all ages. Little is known about whether an individual-level housing-based socioeconomic status measure is associated with the risk of accidental falls. Among 12,286 Mayo Clinic Biobank participants residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, subjects who experienced accidental falls between the biobank enrollment and September 2014 were identified using ICD-9 codes evaluated at emergency departments. HOUSES (HOUsing-based Index of SocioEconomic Status), a socioeconomic status measure based on individual housing features, was also calculated. Cox regression models were utilized to assess the association of the HOUSES (in quartiles) with accidental fall risk. Seven hundred eleven (5.8%) participants had at least one emergency room visit due to an accidental fall during the study period. Subjects with higher HOUSES were less likely to experience falls in a dose-response manner (hazard ratio: 0.58; 95% confidence interval: 0.44-0.76 for comparing the highest to the lowest quartile). In addition, the HOUSES was positively associated with better health behaviors, social support, and functional status. The HOUSES is inversely associated with accidental fall risk requiring emergency care in a dose-response manner. The HOUSES may capture falls-related risk factors through housing features and socioeconomic status-related psychosocial factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Procedures, placement, and risks of further abuse after Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation

    PubMed Central

    Davis, P; McClure, R; Rolfe, K; Chessman, N; Pearson, S; Sibert, J; Meadow, R

    1998-01-01

    OBJECTIVES—To investigate outcome, management, and prevention in Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation.
DESIGN—Ascertainment through British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and questionnaires to responding paediatricians.
SETTING—The UK and Republic of Ireland, September 1992 to August 1994.
SUBJECTS—Children under 14 years diagnosed with the above.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES—Placement and child protection measures for victims and siblings; morbidity and reabuse rates for victims; abuse of siblings; prosecution of perpetrators.
RESULTS—Outcome data for 119 with median follow up of 24 months (range 12 to 44 months). No previously diagnosed factitious disease was found to have been caused by genuine disease. Forty six children were allowed home without conditions at follow up. Children who had suffered from suffocation, non-accidental poisoning, direct harm, and those under 5 years were less likely to go home.
 Twenty seven (24%) children still had symptoms or signs as a result of the abuse at follow up; 108/120 were originally on a child protection register and 35/111 at follow up. Twenty nine per cent (34/118) of the perpetrators had been prosecuted and most convicted; 17% of the milder cases of Munchausen syndrome by proxy allowed home were reabused. Evidence in siblings suggests that in 50% of families with a suffocated child and 40% with non-accidental poisoning there would be further abuse, some fatal.
CONCLUSIONS—This type of abuse is severe with high mortality, morbidity, family disruption, reabuse, and harm to siblings. A very cautious approach for child protection with reintroduction to home only if circumstances are especially favourable is advised. Paediatric follow up by an expert in child protection should also occur.

 PMID:9613350

  17. Accidental fetal lacerations during cesarean delivery: experience in an Italian level III university hospital.

    PubMed

    Dessole, Salvatore; Cosmi, Erich; Balata, Antonio; Uras, Luisa; Caserta, Donatella; Capobianco, Giampiero; Ambrosini, Guido

    2004-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, type, location, and risk factors of accidental fetal lacerations during cesarean delivery. Total deliveries, cesarean deliveries, and neonatal records for documented accidental fetal lacerations were reviewed retrospectively in our level III university hospital. The gestational age, the presenting part of the fetus, the cesarean delivery indication, the type of incision, and the surgeon who performed the procedure were recorded. Cesarean deliveries were divided into scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency procedures. Fetal lacerations were divided into mild, moderate, and severe. Neonatal follow-up examinations regarding laceration sequelae were available for 6 months. Of 14926 deliveries, 3108 women were delivered by cesarean birth (20.82%). Neonatal records documented 97 accidental fetal lacerations. Of these accidental lacerations, 94 were mild; 2 were moderate, and 1 was severe. The overall rate of accidental fetal laceration per cesarean delivery was 3.12%; the accidental laceration rate in the cohort of fetuses was 2.46%. The crude odds ratios were 0.34 for scheduled procedures, 0.57 for unscheduled procedures, and 1.7 for emergency procedures. The risk for fetal accidental lacerations was higher in fetuses who underwent emergency cesarean birth and lower for unscheduled and scheduled cesarean births (P < .001). Fetal accidental laceration may occur during cesarean delivery; the incidence is significantly higher during emergency cesarean delivery compared with elective procedures. The patient should be counseled about the occurrence of fetal laceration during cesarean delivery to avoid litigation.

  18. Hemodialysis as a treatment of severe accidental hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Caluwé, Rogier; Vanholder, Raymond; Dhondt, Annemieke

    2010-03-01

    We describe a case of severe accidental hypothermia (core body temperature 23.2 degrees C) successfully treated with hemodialysis in a diabetic patient with preexisting renal insufficiency. Consensus exists about cardiopulmonary bypass as the treatment of choice in cases of severe accidental hypothermia with cardiac arrest. Prospective randomized controlled trials comparing the different rewarming modalities for hemodynamically stable patients with hypothermia, however, are lacking. In our opinion, the choice of a rewarming technique should be patient tailored, knowing that hemodialysis is an efficient, minimally invasive, and readily available technique with the advantage of providing electrolyte support.

  19. A descriptive study of accidental skeletal injuries and non-accidental skeletal injuries of child maltreatment.

    PubMed

    Ghanem, Maha A H; Moustafa, Tarek A; Megahed, Haidy M; Salama, Naglaa; Ghitani, Sara A

    2018-02-01

    Lack of awareness and recognition of child maltreatment is the major reason behind underreporting. All victims often interact with the health care system for routine or emergency care. In several research works, non-accidental fractures are the second most common injury in maltreated children and it is represented up to one-third of cases. To determine the incidence of different types of accidental and non-accidental skeletal injuries among children, estimate the severity of injuries according to the modified injury severity score and to determine the degree of fractures either closed or opened (Gustiloe-Anderson open fracture classification). Moreover, identifying fractures resulting from child abuse and neglect. This aimed for early recognition of non-accidental nature of fractures in child maltreatment that can prevent further morbidity and mortality. A descriptive study was carried out on all children (109) with skeletal injuries who were admitted to both Main Alexandria and El-Hadara Orthopedic and Traumatology University Hospitals during six months. History, physical examination and investigations were done for the patients. A detailed questionnaire was taken to diagnose child abuse and neglect. Gustiloe-Anderson open fracture classification was used to estimate the degree of open fractures. Out of 109 children, twelve cases (11%) were categorized as child maltreatment. One case was physical abuse, eight cases (7.3%) were child neglect and three cases (2.8%) were labour exploitation. Road traffic accidents (RTA) was the commonest cause of skeletal injuries followed by falling from height. Regarding falls, they included 4 cases of stair falls in neglected children and another four cases of falling from height (balcony/window). The remaining 36 cases of falls were accidental. The skeletal injuries were in the form of fractures in 99 cases, dislocation in two cases, both fracture and/or dislocation in three cases, and bone deformity from brachial plexus injury

  20. 21 CFR 369.9 - General warnings re accidental ingestion by children.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false General warnings re accidental ingestion by... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE INTERPRETATIVE STATEMENTS RE WARNINGS ON DRUGS AND DEVICES FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER SALE Definitions and Interpretations § 369.9 General warnings re accidental ingestion...

  1. 21 CFR 369.9 - General warnings re accidental ingestion by children.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false General warnings re accidental ingestion by... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE INTERPRETATIVE STATEMENTS RE WARNINGS ON DRUGS AND DEVICES FOR OVER-THE-COUNTER SALE Definitions and Interpretations § 369.9 General warnings re accidental ingestion...

  2. Night work, long work weeks, and risk of accidental injuries. A register-based study.

    PubMed

    Larsen, Ann D; Hannerz, Harald; Møller, Simone V; Dyreborg, Johnny; Bonde, Jens Peter; Hansen, Johnni; Kolstad, Henrik A; Hansen, Åse Marie; Garde, Anne Helene

    2017-11-01

    Objectives The aims of this study were to (i) investigate the association between night work or long work weeks and the risk of accidental injuries and (ii) test if the association is affected by age, sex or socioeconomic status. Methods The study population was drawn from the Danish version of the European Labour Force Survey from 1999-2013. The current study was based on 150 438 participants (53% men and 47% women). Data on accidental injuries were obtained at individual level from national health registers. We included all 20-59-year-old employees working ≥32 hours a week at the time of the interview. We used Poisson regression to estimate the relative rates (RR) of accidental injuries as a function of night work or long work weeks (>40 hours per week) adjusted for year of interview, sex, age, socioeconomic status (SES), industry, and weekly working hours or night work. Age, sex and SES were included as two-way interactions. Results We observed 23 495 cases of accidental injuries based on 273 700 person years at risk. Exposure to night work was statistically significantly associated with accidental injuries (RR 1.11, 99% CI 1.06-1.17) compared to participants with no recent night work. No associations were found between long work weeks (>40 hours) and accidental injuries. Conclusion We found a modest increased risk of accidental injuries when reporting night work. No associations between long work weeks and risk of accidental injuries were observed. Age, sex and SES showed no trends when included as two-way interactions.

  3. The big chill: accidental hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Davis, Robert Allan

    2012-01-01

    A potential cause of such emergent issues as cardiac arrhythmias, hypotension, and fluid and electrolyte shifts, accidental hypothermia can be deadly, is common among trauma patients, and is often difficult to recognize. The author discusses predisposing conditions, the classic presentation, and the effects on normal thermoregulatory processes; explains how to conduct a systems assessment of the hypothermic patient; and describes crucial management strategies.

  4. Accidental Falls Among Geriatric Patients: Can More Be Prevented?

    PubMed Central

    Johnson, Edwin T.

    1985-01-01

    The potential for accidental falls among geriatric patients is of mounting concern. Two hundred forty-one accidental falls over a 12-month period at the VA Medical Center were analyzed retrospectively and the literature reviewed in order to highlight factors that have bearing on the incidence and severity of falls. If a patient's potential for falling could be identified through a grading system based on these premonitory features, preventive measures might be more clearly focused where needed to reduce this frequent hazard in our hospital population. PMID:4046062

  5. Epidemiology of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation.

    PubMed Central

    McClure, R J; Davis, P M; Meadow, S R; Sibert, J R

    1996-01-01

    A two year prospective study was performed to determine the epidemiology of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, non-accidental poisoning, and non-accidental suffocation in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Cases were notified to the British Paediatric Association Surveillance Unit from September 1992 to August 1994 if a formal case conference had been held for the first time during that period to discuss any of the above conditions. A total of 128 cases were identified: 55 suffered Munchausen syndrome by proxy alone, 15 poisoning, and 15 suffocation; 43 suffered more than one type of abuse. The majority of children were aged under 5 years, the median age being 20 months. On 85% of occasions the perpetrator was the child's mother. In 42% of families with more than one child, a sibling had previously suffered some form of abuse. Eighty five per cent of notifying paediatricians considered the probability of their diagnosis as virtually certain before a case conference was convened. The commonest drugs used to poison were anticonvulsants; opiates were the second commonest. Sixty eight children suffered severe illness of whom eight died. The combined annual incidence of these conditions in children aged under 16 years is at least 0.5/100,000, and for children aged under 1, at least 2.8/100,000. PMID:8813872

  6. Effects of accidental hypothermia on posttraumatic complications and outcome in multiple trauma patients.

    PubMed

    Mommsen, P; Andruszkow, H; Frömke, C; Zeckey, C; Wagner, U; van Griensven, M; Frink, M; Krettek, C; Hildebrand, F

    2013-01-01

    Accidental hypothermia seems to predispose multiple trauma patients to the development of posttraumatic complications, such as Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS), and increased mortality. However, the role of accidental hypothermia as an independent prognostic factor is controversially discussed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the incidence of accidental hypothermia in multiple trauma patients and its effects on the development of posttraumatic complications and mortality. Inclusion criteria for patients in this retrospective study (2005-2009) were an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥16, age ≥16 years, admission to our Level I trauma centre within 6h after the accident. Accidental hypothermia was defined as body temperature less than 35°C measured within 2 h after admission, but always before first surgical procedure in the operation theatre. The association between accidental hypothermia and the development of posttraumatic complications as well as mortality was investigated. Statistical analysis was performed with χ(2)-test, Student's t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression. Statistical significance was considered at p<0.05. 310 multiple trauma patients were enrolled in the present study. Patients' mean age was 41.9 (SD 17.5) years, the mean injury severity score was 29.7 (SD 10.2). The overall incidence of accidental hypothermia was 36.8%. The overall incidence of posttraumatic complications was 77.4% (SIRS), 42.9% (sepsis) and 7.4% (MODS), respectively. No association was shown between accidental hypothermia and the development of posttraumatic complications. Overall, 8.7% died during the posttraumatic course. Despite an increased mortality rate in hypothermic patients, hypothermia failed to be an independent risk factor for mortality in multivariate analysis. Accidental hypothermia is very common in multiply injured patients. However, it could be assumed that the increase of

  7. Dental pain as a risk factor for accidental acetaminophen overdose: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Vogel, Jody; Heard, Kennon J; Carlson, Catherine; Lange, Chad; Mitchell, Garrett

    2011-11-01

    Patients frequent take acetaminophen to treat dental pain. One previous study found a high rate of overuse of nonprescription analgesics in an emergency dental clinic. The purpose of this study is to determine if patients with dental pain are more likely to be treated for accidental acetaminophen poisoning than patients with other types of pain. We conducted a case-control study at 2 urban hospitals. Cases were identified by chart review of patients who required treatment for accidental acetaminophen poisoning. Controls were self-reported acetaminophen users taking therapeutic doses identified during a survey of emergency department patients. For our primary analysis, the reason for taking acetaminophen was categorized as dental pain or not dental pain. Our primary outcome was the odds ratio of accidental overdose to therapeutic users after adjustment for age, sex, alcoholism, and use of combination products using logistic regression. We identified 73 cases of accidental acetaminophen poisoning and 201 therapeutic users. Fourteen accidental overdose patients and 4 therapeutic users reported using acetaminophen for dental pain. The adjusted odds ratio for accidental overdose due to dental pain compared with other reasons for use was 12.8 (95% confidence interval, 4.2-47.6). We found that patients with dental pain are at increased risk to accidentally overdose on acetaminophen compared with patients taking acetaminophen for other reasons. Emergency physicians should carefully question patients with dental pain about overuse of analgesics. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Involving Parents in Indicated Early Intervention for Childhood PTSD Following Accidental Injury

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cobham, Vanessa E.; March, Sonja; De Young, Alexandra; Leeson, Fiona; Nixon, Reginald; McDermott, Brett; Kenardy, Justin

    2012-01-01

    Accidental injuries represent the most common type of traumatic event to which a youth is likely to be exposed. While the majority of youth who experience an accidental injury will recover spontaneously, a significant proportion will go on to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). And yet, there is little published treatment outcome…

  9. The accidental mentor: Australian rural nurses developing supportive relationships in the workplace.

    PubMed

    Mills, J E; Francis, K; Bonner, A

    2007-01-01

    Like the fictional 'Accidental Tourist', an author who does not plan to write about travel, the accidental mentor is an experienced rural nurse who does not plan to be a mentor, and yet assumes that role with new or novice rural nurses as a result of them encountering a critical incident. Accidental mentoring is a short-term relationship that provides support for the new or novice nurse in managing the incident, while maintaining their level of confidence. This article describes the findings from a constructivist grounded theory study that examined Australian rural nurses' experiences of mentoring, including evidence for a new concept of mentoring - accidental mentoring. Constructivist grounded theory is a research methodology that focuses on issues of importance for participants around an area of common interest - in this case Australian rural nurse mentoring. In this study, seven participants were interviewed, generating nine transcripts. These were analysed using a process of concurrent data generation and analysis. In addition, the literature regarding rural nurse workforce and mentoring was incorporated as a source of data, using collective frame analysis. Rural nurses live their work, which predisposes them to developing supportive relationships with new or novice rural nurses. Supportive relationships range from preceptoring, to accidental mentoring, mentoring and deep friendship, depending on the level of trust and engagement that is established between the partners and the amount of time they spend together. Accidental mentoring is a short-term relationship that is prompted by experienced rural nurses observing a new or novice rural nurse experiencing a critical incident. Findings are presented that illustrate a new concept of accidental mentoring not present in the current literature around nurse mentoring. A series of recommendations are included that suggest strategies for improved rural nurse retention as an outcome of recognising and developing such

  10. [Accidental hypothermia].

    PubMed

    Soteras Martínez, Iñigo; Subirats Bayego, Enric; Reisten, Oliver

    2011-07-09

    Accidental hypothermia is an infrequent and under-diagnosed pathology, which causes fatalities every year. Its management requires thermometers to measure core temperature. An esophageal probe may be used in a hospital situation, although in moderate hypothermia victims epitympanic measurement is sufficient. Initial management involves advance life support and body rewarming. Vigorous movements can trigger arrhythmia which does not use to respond to medication or defibrillation until the body reaches 30°C. External, passive rewarming is the method of choice for mild hypothermia and a supplementary method for moderate or severe hypothermia. Active external rewarming is indicated for moderate or severe hypothermia or mild hypothermia that has not responded to passive rewarming. Active internal rewarming is indicated for hemodynamically stable patients suffering moderate or severe hypothermia. Patients with severe hypothermia, cardiac arrest or with a potassium level below 12 mmol/l may require cardiopulmonary bypass treatment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  11. Measuring the visual salience of alignments by their non-accidentalness.

    PubMed

    Blusseau, S; Carboni, A; Maiche, A; Morel, J M; Grompone von Gioi, R

    2016-09-01

    Quantitative approaches are part of the understanding of contour integration and the Gestalt law of good continuation. The present study introduces a new quantitative approach based on the a contrario theory, which formalizes the non-accidentalness principle for good continuation. This model yields an ideal observer algorithm, able to detect non-accidental alignments in Gabor patterns. More precisely, this parameterless algorithm associates with each candidate percept a measure, the Number of False Alarms (NFA), quantifying its degree of masking. To evaluate the approach, we compared this ideal observer with the human attentive performance on three experiments of straight contours detection in arrays of Gabor patches. The experiments showed a strong correlation between the detectability of the target stimuli and their degree of non-accidentalness, as measured by our model. What is more, the algorithm's detection curves were very similar to the ones of human subjects. This fact seems to validate our proposed measurement method as a convenient way to predict the visibility of alignments. This framework could be generalized to other Gestalts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Accidental Head Injury: A Real Life Experience.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blakely, Jim

    1988-01-01

    The adult victim of accidental head injury as a result of an automobile accident recounts his experiences as a brain injured adult with such problems as poor balance, poor speech, spasticity, and lack of fine motor movement. He emphasizes his determination to get on with his life. (DB)

  13. Paediatric femur fractures at the emergency department: accidental or not?

    PubMed Central

    Vrolijk-Bosschaart, Thekla F; Bakx, Roel; Van Rijn, Rick R.

    2016-01-01

    Only a small proportion of all paediatric fractures is caused by child abuse or neglect, especially in highly prevalent long bone fractures. It can be difficult to differentiate abusive fractures from non-abusive fractures. This article focuses on femoral fractures in young children. Based on three cases, this article presents a forensic evidence-based approach to differentiate between accidental and non-accidental causes of femoral fractures. We describe three cases of young children who were presented to the emergency department because of a suspected femur fracture. Although in all cases, the fracture had a similar location and appearance, the clinical history and developmental stage of the child led to three different conclusions. In the first two cases, an accidental mechanism was a plausible conclusion, although in the second case, neglect of parental supervision was the cause for concern. In the third case, a non-accidental injury was diagnosed and appropriate legal prosecution followed. Any doctor treating children should always be aware of the possibility of child abuse and neglect in children with injuries, especially in young and non-mobile children presenting with an unknown trauma mechanism. If a suspicion of child abuse or neglect arises, a thorough diagnostic work-up should be performed, including a full skeletal survey according to the guidelines of the Royal College of Radiologists and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. In order to make a good assessment, the radiologist reviewing the skeletal survey needs access to all relevant clinical and social information. PMID:26642309

  14. Risk assessment for stonecutting enterprises Accidental risks in the course of petroleum production and stone extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aleksandrova, A. J.; Timofeeva, S. S.

    2018-01-01

    The paper is devoted to the assessment of accidental risks occurring at the works engaged in stone extracting and petroleum production. Two basic kinds of accidents common for stone extracting and petroleum production have been chosen to be discussed in the part under consideration. The most dangerous accidental situation characteristic for a stone milling line is an unsanctioned explosion, UE, of blasting agents used for the development of stone deposits. The analysis of a risk occurrence in certain accidental situations is to be carried out. With reference to petroleum extraction, a combustibles and lubricants (C & L) explosion is the most dangerous of characteristic accidental situations. To reveal the most probable causes of accidental situations to be realized, a graph of cause and effect relations has been constructed for each of the accidental situations most probable causes to real situation of an accident. Disasters of a natural origin are the most probable causes of unsanctioned explosions at the deposits of stone raw materials. Technology related natural disasters are the most probable causes of unsanctioned explosions to be realized at multiple well platforms engaged in petroleum production.

  15. Accidental poisoning with detomidine and butorphanol.

    PubMed

    Hannah, N

    2010-09-01

    This is a case report concerning a veterinarian who spilled detomidine and butorphanol on dermatitic hands while sedating a horse. This resulted in acute poisoning from which the patient spontaneously recovered with supportive management. Veterinarians often suffer from occupational dermatitis and handle strong sedatives with no gloves while working around unpredictable animals. Thus, this group is at risk of accidental self-poisoning from this method.

  16. Accidental hypothermia in a healthy quadriplegic patient.

    PubMed

    Altus, P; Hickman, J W; Nord, H J

    1985-03-01

    An otherwise healthy 28-year-old quadriplegic patient was admitted to the hospital with a core temperature of 76 degrees F secondary to accidental hypothermia. Her neurologic disability was detrimental to thermoregulation by decreasing her ability to shiver actively and to vasoconstrict. The relationship between shivering and thermoregulation is discussed.

  17. Accidental introductions of natural enemies: causes and implications

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Accidental introductions of natural enemies, including parasitoid and predatory groups, may exceed species introduced intentionally. Several factors favor this: a general surge in international trade; lack of surveillance for species that are not associated with live plants or animals; inability to ...

  18. [Impact of heat waves on non-accidental deaths in Jinan, China].

    PubMed

    Zhang, J; Liu, S Q; Zhou, L; Gong, S P; Liu, Y L; Zhang, Y; Zhang, J

    2016-02-20

    To assess the impact of heat waves on non-accidental deaths, and to investigate the influencing factors for deaths caused by heat waves in Jinan, China. Daily death data and meteorological data for summer days with or without heat waves in Jinan from 2012 to 2014 were collected, and a cross-over analysis was conducted to evaluate the influence of heat waves on non-accidental deaths and deaths caused by other reasons. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the influencing factors for deaths caused by heat waves. The risks of non-accidental deaths and deaths caused by circulation system diseases during the days with heat waves were 1.82 times(95% CI: 1.47~2.36) and 1.53 times(95% CI: 1.14~2.07) those during the days without heat waves. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that old age(≥75 years)(OR=1.184, 95% CI: 1.068~1.313), low educational level(OR=1.187, 95% CI: 1.064~1.324), and deaths outside hospital(OR=1.105, 95% CI: 1.009~1.210) were associated with the high risk of deaths during the days with heat waves. Heat waves significantly increase the risk of non-accidental deaths and deaths caused by circulation system diseases in Jinan, and the deaths during the days with heat waves are related to age, educational level, and place of death.

  19. An alternative approach for computing seismic response with accidental eccentricity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fan, Xuanhua; Yin, Jiacong; Sun, Shuli; Chen, Pu

    2014-09-01

    Accidental eccentricity is a non-standard assumption for seismic design of tall buildings. Taking it into consideration requires reanalysis of seismic resistance, which requires either time consuming computation of natural vibration of eccentric structures or finding a static displacement solution by applying an approximated equivalent torsional moment for each eccentric case. This study proposes an alternative modal response spectrum analysis (MRSA) approach to calculate seismic responses with accidental eccentricity. The proposed approach, called the Rayleigh Ritz Projection-MRSA (RRP-MRSA), is developed based on MRSA and two strategies: (a) a RRP method to obtain a fast calculation of approximate modes of eccentric structures; and (b) an approach to assemble mass matrices of eccentric structures. The efficiency of RRP-MRSA is tested via engineering examples and compared with the standard MRSA (ST-MRSA) and one approximate method, i.e., the equivalent torsional moment hybrid MRSA (ETM-MRSA). Numerical results show that RRP-MRSA not only achieves almost the same precision as ST-MRSA, and is much better than ETM-MRSA, but is also more economical. Thus, RRP-MRSA can be in place of current accidental eccentricity computations in seismic design.

  20. Experience with intubated patients does not affect the accidental extubation rate in pediatric intensive care units and intensive care nurseries.

    PubMed

    Frank, B S; Lewis, R J

    1997-06-01

    Accidental extubation is a potentially serious event for pediatric or neonatal patients with respiratory failure, especially in clinical settings in which personnel capable of performing reintubation may not be readily available. Thus the rate of accidental extubation in small intensive care units that operate without 24-hour in-house physician availability may be an important quality assurance indicator. The objective of this study were to determine the accidental extubation rate at a single small pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and compare it with published reports. This study was carried out in a six-bed PICU at Washoe Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, with a relatively low level of patient acuity, as measured by PRISM score and the frequency of intubation, and without 24-hour in-house physician availability. All intubated patients admitted during the 5-year period from January 1, 1989 to December 31, 1993 were included. The primary outcome measure was the occurrence of accidental extubation. We observed only two accidental extubations in 1,749 intubated-patient-days (IPD) (0.114 accidental extubations/100 IPD [95% confidence interval 0.014-0.413 accidental extubations/ 100 IPD]). This rate of accidental extubation was compared with data in published reports from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and PICUs, which ranged from 0.14 accidental extubations/100 IPD to 4.36 accidental extubations/100 IPD. The dependence of the observed accidental extubation rate on unit size and institutional experience with intubated patients, as measured by the average number of intubated patients, was examined. We found no evidence that the accidental extubation rate is higher in smaller units or units with less institutional experience. Low rates can be achieved in small units with low acuity.

  1. Accidental Kähler moduli inflation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maharana, Anshuman; Rummel, Markus; Sumitomo, Yoske

    2015-09-01

    We study a model of accidental inflation in type IIB string theory where inflation occurs near the inflection point of a small Kähler modulus. A racetrack structure helps to alleviate the known concern that string-loop corrections may spoil Kähler Moduli Inflation unless having a significant suppression via the string coupling or a special brane setup. Also, the hierarchy of gauge group ranks required for the separation between moduli stabilization and inflationary dynamics is relaxed. The relaxation becomes more significant when we use the recently proposed D-term generated racetrack model.

  2. Patterns of accidental deaths in Kuwait: a retrospective descriptive study from 2003-2009.

    PubMed

    Al-Kandary, Nadia; Al-Waheeb, Salah

    2015-03-28

    Accidents are a preventable cause of death. Unfortunately it accounts for a large number of deaths in many societies. In Kuwait, road traffic accidents (RTA) is the leading cause of death in young people. The study investigated the patterns of accidental deaths in Kuwait, one of the Gulf States which incorporates a wide variety of multi-ethnic communities. The study was retrospective from 2003-2009. Data of forensic cases were collected from the general department of criminal evidence (GDCE) in the ministry of interior (MOI).We attempted to find out causes of accidental death and the prevelance of each cause. Furthermore, the relationship of demographic factors (eg. Age, sex, marital status and nationality) with each cause of accidental death in Kuwait were studied. The material of this study constituted a total of 4886 reported accidental deaths referred for Medico-legal examination. Road traffic accidents was by far the most prevalent cause of death (64.6%) followed by fall from height (13.1%). Poisoning and mine explosions were amongst the least common causes. The government of Kuwait needs to take strong measures to promote safety in the workplace and households by educational campaigns.

  3. Osborn waves in severe accidental hypothermia secondary to prolonged immobilization and malnutrition.

    PubMed

    Rotondi, Francesco; Manganelli, Fiore; Candelmo, Fiore; Marino, Luciano; Di Lorenzo, Emilio; Alfano, Ferdinando; Stanco, Giovanni; Rosato, Giuseppe

    2010-07-01

    We report the case of a 77-year-old man, in whom accidental hypothermia was secondary to prolonged immobilization and malnutrition. The electrocardiogram showed typical Osborn waves, which disappeared with the rewarming of the patient. The diagnosis of hypothermia is easy in patients with a history of prolonged exposure to a cold environment but accidental hypothermia may also occur as a consequence of prolonged immobilization and malnutrition. ECG analysis is very important for a correct and fast diagnosis.

  4. 49 CFR 192.751 - Prevention of accidental ignition.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Prevention of accidental ignition. 192.751 Section 192.751 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CONTINUED) PIPELINE SAFETY TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY PIPELINE:...

  5. Suicide and accidental deaths in children and adolescents in England and Wales, 2001-2010.

    PubMed

    Windfuhr, Kirsten; While, David; Hunt, Isabelle M; Shaw, Jenny; Appleby, Louis; Kapur, Nav

    2013-12-01

    To investigate the impact of narrative verdicts on suicide statistics among 10-19-year-olds; to identify the number and rate of suicide and accidental deaths, particularly in 10-14-year-olds. National cohort study. England and Wales. Mid-year population estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) were used to calculate rates per 100,000 population for suicide (undetermined and suicide verdicts) and accidental deaths (poisoning, hanging) for those aged 10-14 and 15-19. Trends in rates over time (2001-2010) were investigated using Poisson regression. Interaction tests were carried out to determine differences in trends between the two time periods (2001-2005 and 2006-2010). There were 1523 suicides (2.25/100,000). Suicide rates were highest in those aged 15-19 years (4.04/100,000) and in males (3.14/100,000). Between 2001 and 2010, rates significantly decreased among those aged 15-19 years (incidence rate-ratio (IRR): 0.95; 95% CI 0.93 to 0.97), with no change in rates of accidental deaths (IRR: 1.01, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.07). However, there was a significant interaction between the two time periods for accidental poisonings (2001-2005: IRR: 0.79 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.91); 2006-2010: IRR: 1.01 (95% CI 0.89 to 1.15), interaction p=0.012) and accidental hangings (2001-2005: IRR: 0.93 (95% CI 0.76 to 1.14); 2006-2010: IRR: 1.25 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.49), interaction=0.01) Undetermined deaths significantly decreased among females aged 15-19 yeras (IRR: 0.93; 95% CI 0.88 to 0.98). There were no significant trends among 10-14-year-olds. Rates of suicide are higher among older adolescents and males. There was a significant fall in suicide rates in males aged 15-19 years that was not accounted for by changes in rates of accidental death. The absence of a significant trend in suicide or accidental deaths in those aged 10-14 years may have been the result of small numbers. However, monitoring should continue to identify longitudinal trends in all young people.

  6. Prevention of accidental exposure in radiotherapy: the risk matrix approach.

    PubMed

    Vilaragut, J J; Duménigo, C; Delgado, J M; Morales, J; McDonnell, J D; Ferro, R; Ortiz López, P; Ramírez, M L; Pérez Mulas, A; Papadopulos, S; Gonçalves, M; López Morones, R; Sánchez Cayuela, C; Cascajo Castresana, A; Somoano, F; Álvarez, C; Guillén, A; Rodríguez, M; Pereira, P P; Nader, A

    2013-02-01

    Knowledge and lessons from past accidental exposures in radiotherapy are very helpful in finding safety provisions to prevent recurrence. Disseminating lessons is necessary but not sufficient. There may be additional latent risks for other accidental exposures, which have not been reported or have not occurred, but are possible and may occur in the future if not identified, analyzed, and prevented by safety provisions. Proactive methods are available for anticipating and quantifying risk from potential event sequences. In this work, proactive methods, successfully used in industry, have been adapted and used in radiotherapy. Risk matrix is a tool that can be used in individual hospitals to classify event sequences in levels of risk. As with any anticipative method, the risk matrix involves a systematic search for potential risks; that is, any situation that can cause an accidental exposure. The method contributes new insights: The application of the risk matrix approach has identified that another group of less catastrophic but still severe single-patient events may have a higher probability, resulting in higher risk. The use of the risk matrix approach for safety assessment in individual hospitals would provide an opportunity for self-evaluation and managing the safety measures that are most suitable to the hospital's own conditions.

  7. Accidental Chlorine Gas Intoxication: Evaluation of 39 Patients

    PubMed Central

    Sever, Mustafa; Mordeniz, Cengiz; Sever, Fidan; Dokur, Mehmet

    2009-01-01

    Background Chlorine is a known pulmonary irritant gas that may cause acute damage in the respiratory system. In this paper, the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of 39 accidentally exposed patients to chlorine gas are reported and different emergency treatment modalities are also discussed. Methods Two emergency departments applications were retrospectively analyzed for evaluation of accidental chlorine gas exposure for year 2007. Patients were classified into 3 groups according to severity of clinical and laboratory findings based on the literature and duration of land of stay in the emergency department. The first group was slightly exposed (discharged within 6 hours), second group moderately exposed (treated and observed for 24 hours), and third group was severely exposed (hospitalized). Most of the patients were initially treated with a combination of humidified oxygen, corticosteroids, and bronchodilators. Results The average age was 17.03 ± 16.01 years (95% CI). Seven (17.9%) of them were female and 29 (74.4%) were children. Twenty-four patients (61.5%) were included in the first, nine (23.1%) were in second and six (15.4%) were in the third group. The presenting symptoms were cough, nausea, and vomiting and conjunctiva hyperemia for the first group, first groups symptoms plus dyspnea for the second group. Second groups symptoms plus palpitation, weakness and chest tightness were for the third group. Cough and dyspnea were seen in 64.1% and 30.8% of the patients respectively. No patients died. Conclusions The authors recommend that non symptomatic or slightly exposed patients do not need any specific treatment or symptomatic treatment is sufficient. Keywords Accidental; Chlorine exposure; Chlorine gas; Chlorine intoxication; Emergency department PMID:22481989

  8. Accidental poisoning with autumn crocus.

    PubMed

    Gabrscek, Lucija; Lesnicar, Gorazd; Krivec, Bojan; Voga, Gorazd; Sibanc, Branko; Blatnik, Janja; Jagodic, Boris

    2004-01-01

    We describe a case of a 43-yr-old female with severe multiorgan injury after accidental poisoning with Colchicum autumnale, which was mistaken for wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Both plants grow on damp meadows and can be confused in the spring when both plants have leaves but no blossoms. The autumn crocus contains colchicine, which inhibits cellular division. Treatment consisted of supportive care, antibiotic therapy, and granulocyte-directed growth factor. The patient was discharged from the hospital after three weeks. Three years after recovery from the acute poisoning, the patient continued to complain of muscle weakness and intermittent episodes of hair loss.

  9. Duration of time on shift before accidental blood or body fluid exposure for housestaff, nurses, and technicians.

    PubMed

    Green-McKenzie, Judith; Shofer, Frances S

    2007-01-01

    Shift work has been found to be associated with an increased rate of errors and accidents among healthcare workers (HCWs), but the effect of shift work on accidental blood and body fluid exposure sustained by HCWs has not been well characterized. To determine the duration of time on shift before accidental blood and body fluid exposure in housestaff, nurses, and technicians and the proportion of housestaff who sustain a blood and body fluid exposure after 12 hours on duty. This retrospective, descriptive study was conducted during a 24-month period at a large urban teaching hospital. Participants were HCWs who sustained an accidental blood and body fluid exposure. Housestaff were on duty significantly longer than both nursing staff (P=.02) and technicians (P<.0001) before accidental blood and body fluid exposure. Half of the blood and body fluid exposures sustained by housestaff occurred after being on duty 8 hours or more, and 24% were sustained after being on duty 12 hours or more. Of all HCWs, 3% reported an accidental blood and body fluid exposure, with specific rates of 7.9% among nurses, 9.4% among housestaff, and 3% among phlebotomists. Housestaff were significantly more likely to have longer duration of time on shift before blood and body fluid exposure than were the other groups. Almost one-quarter of accidental blood and body fluid exposures to housestaff were incurred after they had been on duty for 12 hours or more. Housestaff sustained a higher rate of accidental blood and body fluid exposures than did nursing staff and technicians.

  10. A prospective cohort study of non-fatal accidental overdose among street youth: the link with suicidal ideation.

    PubMed

    Richer, Isabelle; Bertrand, Karine; Vandermeerschen, Jill; Roy, Elise

    2013-07-01

    Drug overdose and suicide are the two leading causes of death among street youth. The literature discusses the two faces of drug overdose: accidental act and suicide attempt. Some authors have stated that accidental overdoses may be a hidden expression of suicidal ideation. This study longitudinally examined the relationship between recent suicidal ideations and non-fatal accidental drug overdoses among street youth. Between July 2001 and December 2005, 858 street youth (14-23 years old) were recruited for a prospective cohort study. Youth were eligible if, in the previous year, they had been without a place to sleep more than once or had used the services of street youth agencies on a regular basis (≥3). Participants completed baseline questionnaires and follow-up interviews were carried out every 6 months. Mixed-effect logistic regression models were conducted. Apart from suicidal ideation and accidental drug overdose, variables considered in the model were age, sex, problematic alcohol use, homelessness, injection drug use and polydrug use (≥3 drugs). Accidental drug overdose was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio 1.88; 95% confidence interval 1.23-2.54). Homelessness, injection drug use and polydrug use were also significant in the final model. Results show that, during follow up, suicidal ideation independently increased risks of accidental overdose. They also underscore the need for interventions beyond educational prevention. Primary care practitioners should investigate suicidal ideations and behaviours of street youth in treatment for accidental overdose. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

  11. Non-accidental salt poisoning.

    PubMed Central

    Meadow, R

    1993-01-01

    The clinical features of 12 children who incurred non-accidental salt poisoning are reported. The children usually presented to hospital in the first six months of life with unexplained hypernatraemia and associated illness. Most of the children suffered repetitive poisoning before detection. The perpetrator was believed to the mother for 10 children, the father for one, and either parent for one. Four children had serum sodium concentrations above 200 mmol/l. Seven children had incurred other fabricated illness, drug ingestion, physical abuse, or failure to thrive/neglect. Two children died; the other 10 remained healthy in alternative care. Features are described that should lead to earlier detection of salt poisoning; the importance of checking urine sodium excretion, whenever hypernatraemia occurs, is stressed. PMID:8503665

  12. Self-reported Hearing Difficulty and Risk of Accidental Injury in US Adults, 2007 to 2015.

    PubMed

    Lin, Harrison W; Mahboubi, Hossein; Bhattacharyya, Neil

    2018-03-22

    Accidental injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Hearing problems may be associated with an increased risk for such injuries. To investigate associations between hearing difficulty and risk of accidental injuries among US adults. Cross-sectional analysis of responses of a nationally representative sample of 232.2 million individuals 18 years or older who participated in the National Health Interview Survey from 2007 to 2015 and responded to the questions related to the hearing and injury modules. The main outcome variable was accidental injury in the preceding 3 months. Hearing status was self-reported as "excellent," "good," "a little trouble," "moderate trouble," "a lot of trouble," and "deaf." Prevalence of accidental injuries was analyzed based on demographic characteristics and hearing status. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for injuries adjusted for demographics were calculated for degrees of hearing difficulty. A secondary outcome was association of hearing status with type of injury and was classified as driving related, work related, or leisure/sport related. Of 232.2 million US adults, 120.2 million (51.7%) were female, and 116.3 million (50.1%) considered their hearing to be less than excellent. Accidental injuries occurred in 2.8% of survey respondents. In comparison with normal-hearing adults (those with self-rated excellent or good hearing), the odds of accidental injury were higher in those with a little trouble hearing (4.1%; OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.5-1.8), moderate trouble hearing (4.2%; OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.4-1.9), and a lot of trouble hearing (4.8%; OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.6-2.3). Work- and leisure-related injuries were more prevalent among those with self-perceived hearing difficulty. Multivariate analysis, adjusted for age and sex, revealed leisure-related injuries was most consistently associated with various degrees of hearing difficulty. Odds ratios were 1.2 (95% CI, 1.0-1.4) in those with a little trouble hearing

  13. Insomnia medication use and the probability of an accidental event in an older adult population

    PubMed Central

    Avidan, Alon Y; Palmer, Liisa A; Doan, Justin F; Baran, Robert W

    2010-01-01

    Objective: This study examined the risk of accidental events in older adults prescribed a sedating antidepressant, long-acting benzodiazepine, short-acting benzodiazepine, and nonbenzodiazepine, relative to a reference group (selective melatonin receptor agonist). Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of older adults (≥65 years) with newly initiated pharmacological treatment of insomnia. Data were collected from the Thomson MarketScan® Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits databases (January 1, 2000, through June 30, 2006). Probit models were used to evaluate the probability of an accidental event. Results: Data were analyzed for 445,329 patients. Patients taking a long-acting benzodiazepine (1.21 odds ratio [OR]), short-acting benzodiazepine (1.16 OR), or nonbenzodiazepine (1.12 OR) had a significantly higher probability of experiencing an accidental event during the first month following treatment initiation compared with patients taking the reference medication (P < 0.05 for all). A significantly higher probability of experiencing an accidental event was also observed during the 3-month period following the initiation of treatment (1.62 long-acting benzodiazepine, 1.60 short-acting benzodiazepine, 1.48 nonbenzodiazepine, and 1.56 sedating antidepressant; P < 0.05). Conclusions: Older adults taking an SAD or any of the benzodiazepine receptor agonists appear to have a greater risk of an accidental event compared with a reference group taking an MR. PMID:21701634

  14. The Association between Dust Storms and Daily Non-Accidental Mortality in the United States, 1993-2005.

    PubMed

    Crooks, James Lewis; Cascio, Wayne E; Percy, Madelyn S; Reyes, Jeanette; Neas, Lucas M; Hilborn, Elizabeth D

    2016-11-01

    The impact of dust storms on human health has been studied in the context of Asian, Saharan, Arabian, and Australian storms, but there has been no recent population-level epidemiological research on the dust storms in North America. The relevance of dust storms to public health is likely to increase as extreme weather events are predicted to become more frequent with anticipated changes in climate through the 21st century. We examined the association between dust storms and county-level non-accidental mortality in the United States from 1993 through 2005. Dust storm incidence data, including date and approximate location, are taken from the U.S. National Weather Service storm database. County-level mortality data for the years 1993-2005 were acquired from the National Center for Health Statistics. Distributed lag conditional logistic regression models under a time-stratified case-crossover design were used to study the relationship between dust storms and daily mortality counts over the whole United States and in Arizona and California specifically. End points included total non-accidental mortality and three mortality subgroups (cardiovascular, respiratory, and other non-accidental). We estimated that for the United States as a whole, total non-accidental mortality increased by 7.4% (95% CI: 1.6, 13.5; p = 0.011) and 6.7% (95% CI: 1.1, 12.6; p = 0.018) at 2- and 3-day lags, respectively, and by an average of 2.7% (95% CI: 0.4, 5.1; p = 0.023) over lags 0-5 compared with referent days. Significant associations with non-accidental mortality were estimated for California (lag 2 and 0-5 day) and Arizona (lag 3), for cardiovascular mortality in the United States (lag 2) and Arizona (lag 3), and for other non-accidental mortality in California (lags 1-3 and 0-5). Dust storms are associated with increases in lagged non-accidental and cardiovascular mortality. Citation: Crooks JL, Cascio WE, Percy MS, Reyes J, Neas LM, Hilborn ED. 2016. The association between dust storms

  15. 21 CFR 1002.20 - Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... the Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, all accidental radiation occurrences... grounds include, but are not necessarily limited to, professional, scientific, or medical facts or... occurred. (b) Such reports shall be addressed to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, ATTN...

  16. 21 CFR 1002.20 - Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... the Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, all accidental radiation occurrences... grounds include, but are not necessarily limited to, professional, scientific, or medical facts or... occurred. (b) Such reports shall be addressed to Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and...

  17. Determinants of suicide and accidental or violent death in the Australian HIV Observational Database.

    PubMed

    McManus, Hamish; Petoumenos, Kathy; Franic, Teo; Kelly, Mark D; Watson, Jo; O'Connor, Catherine C; Jeanes, Mark; Hoy, Jennifer; Cooper, David A; Law, Matthew G

    2014-01-01

    Rates of suicide and accidental or violent death remain high in HIV-positive populations despite significantly improved prognosis since the introduction of cART. We conducted a nested case-control study of suicide and accidental or violent death in the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) between January 1999 and March 2012. For each case, 2 controls were matched by clinic, age, sex, mode of exposure and HIV-positive date to adjust for potential confounding by these covariates. Risk of suicide and accidental or violent death was estimated using conditional logistic regression. We included 27 cases (17 suicide and 10 violent/accidental death) and 54 controls. All cases were men who have sex with men (MSM) or MSM/ injecting drug use (IDU) mode of exposure. Increased risk was associated with unemployment (Odds Ratio (OR) 5.86, 95% CI: 1.69-20.37), living alone (OR 3.26, 95% CI: 1.06-10.07), suicidal ideation (OR 6.55, 95% CI: 1.70-25.21), and >2 psychiatric/cognitive risk factors (OR 4.99, 95% CI: 1.17-30.65). CD4 cell count of >500 cells/µL (OR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.07-0.87) and HIV-positive date ≥1990 (1990-1999 (OR 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.89), post-2000 (OR 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.84)) were associated with decreased risk. CD4 cell count ≥500 cells/µL remained a significant predictor of reduced risk (OR 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03-0.70) in a multivariate model adjusted for employment status, accommodation status and HIV-positive date. After adjustment for psychosocial factors, the immunological status of HIV-positive patients contributed to the risk of suicide and accidental or violent death. The number of psychiatric/cognitive diagnoses contributed to the level of risk but many psychosocial factors were not individually significant. These findings indicate a complex interplay of factors associated with risk of suicide and accidental or violent death.

  18. Cervical spine injuries in young children: pattern and outcomes in accidental versus inflicted trauma.

    PubMed

    Baerg, Joanne; Thirumoorthi, Arul; Hazboun, Rajaie; Vannix, Rosemary; Krafft, Paul; Zouros, Alexander

    2017-11-01

    The aim of the study was to compare the cervical spine (c-spine) pattern of injury and outcomes in children below 3 y with a head injury from confirmed inflicted versus accidental trauma. After Institutional Review Board approval, data were prospectively collected between July 2011 and January 2016. Inclusion criteria were age below 3 y, a loss of consciousness, and any one of the following initial head computed tomography (CT) findings (subdural hematoma, intraventricular, intraparenchymal, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or cerebral edema). A protocol of brain and neck magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography was instituted. Brain and neck imaging results, clinical variables, and outcomes were recorded. Data were compared by t-test for continuous and Fisher exact test for categorical variables. 73 children were identified, 52 (71%) with inflicted and 21 (29%) with accidental trauma. The median age was 11 mo; (range: 1-35 mo). Ten (14%) had c-spine injuries, 7/52 (13%) inflicted, and 3/21 (14%) accidental. The mechanism was shaking for all inflicted and motor vehicle accident or pedestrian struck for accidental c-spine injuries. The inflicted group were significantly younger (P = 0.03), had higher Injury Severity Scores (P = 0.02), subdural hematomas (P = 0.03), fractures (P = 0.03), retinal hemorrhages (P = 0.02), brain infarcts (P = 0.01), and required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P = 0.01). Seven with inflicted trauma died from brain injury (9.5%), one had atlanto-occipital dissociation. Six mortalities (86%) had no c-spine injury. Six with inflicted c-spine injuries survived with neurologic impairment, whereas three with accidental survived without disability, including one atlanto-occipital dissociation. Compared to accidental trauma, young children with inflicted c-spine injuries have more multisystem trauma, long-term disability from brain injury, and an injury pattern consistent with shaking. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc

  19. Accidental Peccei-Quinn Symmetry Protected to Arbitrary Order

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Di Luzio, Luca; Nardi, Enrico; Ubaldi, Lorenzo

    2017-07-01

    A S U (N )L×S U (N )R gauge theory for a scalar multiplet Y transforming in the bifundamental representation (N ,N ¯) preserves, for N >4 , an accidental U (1 ) symmetry first broken at operator dimension N . A vacuum expectation value for Y can break the symmetry to Hs=S U (N )L+R or to Hh=S U (N -1 )L×S U (N -1 )R×U (1 )L +R . In the first case the accidental U (1 ) gets also broken, yielding a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson with mass suppression controlled by N . In the second case a global U (1 ) remains unbroken. The strong C P problem is solved by coupling Y to new fermions carrying color. The first case allows for a Peccei-Quinn solution with U (1 )PQ protected by the gauge symmetry up to order N . In the second case U (1 ) can get broken by condensates of the new strong dynamics, resulting in a composite axion. By coupling Y to fermions carrying only weak isospin, models for axionlike particles can be constructed.

  20. Accidental Beam Losses and Protection in the LHC

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, R.; Working Group On Machine Protection

    2005-06-01

    At top energy (proton momentum 7 TeV/c) with nominal beam parameters, each of the two LHC proton beams has a stored energy of 350 MJ threatening to damage accelerator equipment in case of accidental beam loss. It is essential that the beams are properly extracted onto the dump blocks in case of failure since these are the only elements that can withstand full beam impact. Although the energy stored in the beams at injection (450 GeV/c) is about 15 times smaller compared to top energy, the beams must still be properly extracted in case of large accidental beam losses. Failures must be detected at a sufficiently early stage and initiate a beam dump. Quenches and power converter failures will be detected by monitoring the correct functioning of the hardware systems. In addition, safe operation throughout the cycle requires the use of beam loss monitors, collimators and absorbers. Ideas of detection of fast beam current decay, monitoring of fast beam position changes and monitoring of fast magnet current changes are discussed, to provide the required redundancy for machine protection.

  1. Accidental hanging by a T-shirt collar in a man with morphine intoxication: an unusual case.

    PubMed

    Kodikara, Sarathchandra; Alagiyawanna, Ramesh

    2011-09-01

    Accidental hanging is rare across all age groups, and it is even rarer in the adult population except in autoerotic asphyxia. Few cases have been reported in the literature, which describe unusual patterns of accidental hanging. This article focuses on an unusual pattern of accidental hanging of a 25-year-old man, who was in a state of morphine-induced central nervous system depression and found dead in a sitting position with the collar of his T-shirt hanging off a jutting-out root of a tree. The hanged collar acted as a ligature compressing the neck.

  2. The Accidental Transgressor: Morally-Relevant Theory of Mind

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Killen, Melanie; Mulvey, Kelly Lynn; Richardson, Cameron; Jampol, Noah; Woodward, Amanda

    2011-01-01

    To test young children's false belief theory of mind in a morally relevant context, two experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, children (N=162) at 3.5, 5.5, and 7.5 years of age were administered three tasks: prototypic moral transgression task, false belief theory of mind task (ToM), and an "accidental transgressor" task, which measured a…

  3. Positive income shocks and accidental deaths among Cherokee Indians: a natural experiment

    PubMed Central

    Bruckner, Tim A; Brown, Ryan A; Margerison-Zilko, Claire

    2011-01-01

    Background Several studies in low-income populations report the somewhat counterintuitive finding that positive income gains adversely affect adult health. The literature posits that receipt of a large portion of annual income increases, in the short term, risk-taking behaviour and/or the consumption of health-damaging goods. This work implies the hypothesis that persons with an unexpected gain in income will exhibit an elevated risk of accidental death—the fifth leading cause of death in the USA. We test this hypothesis directly by capitalizing on a natural experiment in which Cherokee Indians in rural North Carolina received discrete lump sum payments from a new casino. Methods We applied Poisson regression to the monthly count of accidental deaths among Cherokee Indians over 204 months spanning 1990–2006. We controlled for temporal patterns in accidental deaths (e.g. seasonality and trend) as well as changes in population size. Results As hypothesized, the risk of accidental death rises above expected levels during months of the large casino payments (relative risk = 2.62; 95% confidence interval = 1.54–4.47). Exploratory analyses of ethnographic interviews and behavioural surveys support that increased vehicular travel and consumption of health-damaging goods may account for the rise in accident proneness. Conclusions Although long-term income gains may improve health in this population, our findings indicate that acute responses to large income gains, in the short term, increase risk-taking and accident proneness. We encourage further investigation of natural experiments to identify causal economic antecedents of population health. PMID:21527447

  4. The Impacts of Air Temperature on Accidental Casualties in Beijing, China.

    PubMed

    Ma, Pan; Wang, Shigong; Fan, Xingang; Li, Tanshi

    2016-11-02

    Emergency room (ER) visits for accidental casualties, according to the International Classification of Deceases 10th Revision Chapters 19 and 20, include injury, poisoning, and external causes (IPEC). Annual distribution of 187,008 ER visits that took place between 2009 and 2011 in Beijing, China displayed regularity rather than random characteristics. The annual cycle from the Fourier series fitting of the number of ER visits was found to explain 63.2% of its total variance. In this study, the possible effect and regulation of meteorological conditions on these ER visits are investigated through the use of correlation analysis, as well as statistical modeling by using the Distributed Lag Non-linear Model and Generalized Additive Model. Correlation analysis indicated that meteorological variables that positively correlated with temperature have a positive relationship with the number of ER visits, and vice versa. The temperature metrics of maximum, minimum, and mean temperatures were found to have similar overall impacts, including both the direct impact on human mental/physical conditions and indirect impact on human behavior. The lag analysis indicated that the overall impacts of temperatures higher than the 50th percentile on ER visits occur immediately, whereas low temperatures show protective effects in the first few days. Accidental casualties happen more frequently on warm days when the mean temperature is higher than 14 °C than on cold days. Mean temperatures of around 26 °C result in the greatest possibility of ER visits for accidental casualties. In addition, males were found to face a higher risk of accidental casualties than females at high temperatures. Therefore, the IPEC-classified ER visits are not pure accidents; instead, they are associated closely with meteorological conditions, especially temperature.

  5. The Association between Dust Storms and Daily Non-Accidental Mortality in the United States, 1993–2005

    PubMed Central

    Crooks, James Lewis; Cascio, Wayne E.; Percy, Madelyn S.; Reyes, Jeanette; Neas, Lucas M.; Hilborn, Elizabeth D.

    2016-01-01

    Background: The impact of dust storms on human health has been studied in the context of Asian, Saharan, Arabian, and Australian storms, but there has been no recent population-level epidemiological research on the dust storms in North America. The relevance of dust storms to public health is likely to increase as extreme weather events are predicted to become more frequent with anticipated changes in climate through the 21st century. Objectives: We examined the association between dust storms and county-level non-accidental mortality in the United States from 1993 through 2005. Methods: Dust storm incidence data, including date and approximate location, are taken from the U.S. National Weather Service storm database. County-level mortality data for the years 1993–2005 were acquired from the National Center for Health Statistics. Distributed lag conditional logistic regression models under a time-stratified case-crossover design were used to study the relationship between dust storms and daily mortality counts over the whole United States and in Arizona and California specifically. End points included total non-accidental mortality and three mortality subgroups (cardiovascular, respiratory, and other non-accidental). Results: We estimated that for the United States as a whole, total non-accidental mortality increased by 7.4% (95% CI: 1.6, 13.5; p = 0.011) and 6.7% (95% CI: 1.1, 12.6; p = 0.018) at 2- and 3-day lags, respectively, and by an average of 2.7% (95% CI: 0.4, 5.1; p = 0.023) over lags 0–5 compared with referent days. Significant associations with non-accidental mortality were estimated for California (lag 2 and 0–5 day) and Arizona (lag 3), for cardiovascular mortality in the United States (lag 2) and Arizona (lag 3), and for other non-accidental mortality in California (lags 1–3 and 0–5). Conclusions: Dust storms are associated with increases in lagged non-accidental and cardiovascular mortality. Citation: Crooks JL, Cascio WE, Percy MS, Reyes

  6. Determinants of Suicide and Accidental or Violent Death in the Australian HIV Observational Database

    PubMed Central

    McManus, Hamish; Petoumenos, Kathy; Franic, Teo; Kelly, Mark D.; Watson, Jo; O’Connor, Catherine C.; Jeanes, Mark; Hoy, Jennifer; Cooper, David A.; Law, Matthew G.

    2014-01-01

    Background Rates of suicide and accidental or violent death remain high in HIV-positive populations despite significantly improved prognosis since the introduction of cART. Methods We conducted a nested case-control study of suicide and accidental or violent death in the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) between January 1999 and March 2012. For each case, 2 controls were matched by clinic, age, sex, mode of exposure and HIV-positive date to adjust for potential confounding by these covariates. Risk of suicide and accidental or violent death was estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results We included 27 cases (17 suicide and 10 violent/accidental death) and 54 controls. All cases were men who have sex with men (MSM) or MSM/ injecting drug use (IDU) mode of exposure. Increased risk was associated with unemployment (Odds Ratio (OR) 5.86, 95% CI: 1.69–20.37), living alone (OR 3.26, 95% CI: 1.06–10.07), suicidal ideation (OR 6.55, 95% CI: 1.70–25.21), and >2 psychiatric/cognitive risk factors (OR 4.99, 95% CI: 1.17–30.65). CD4 cell count of >500 cells/µL (OR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.07–0.87) and HIV-positive date ≥1990 (1990–1999 (OR 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11–0.89), post-2000 (OR 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01–0.84)) were associated with decreased risk. CD4 cell count ≥500 cells/µL remained a significant predictor of reduced risk (OR 0.15, 95% CI: 0.03–0.70) in a multivariate model adjusted for employment status, accommodation status and HIV-positive date. Conclusions After adjustment for psychosocial factors, the immunological status of HIV-positive patients contributed to the risk of suicide and accidental or violent death. The number of psychiatric/cognitive diagnoses contributed to the level of risk but many psychosocial factors were not individually significant. These findings indicate a complex interplay of factors associated with risk of suicide and accidental or violent death. PMID:24586519

  7. Incidence and characteristics of accidental falls in hospitalizations

    PubMed Central

    Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi; Imagama, Shiro; Inagaki, Yuko; Suzuki, Yusuke; Ando, Kei; Nishida, Yoshihiro; Nagao, Yoshimasa; Ishiguro, Naoki

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Aging of the patient population has led to increased occurrence of accidental falls in acute care settings. The aim of this study is to survey the annual occurrence of falls in a university hospital, and to examine procedures to prevent fall. A total of 49,059 inpatients were admitted to our hospital from April 2015 to March 2016. A fall assessment scale was developed to estimate the risk of fall at admission. Data on falls were obtained from the hospital incident reporting system. There were fall-related incidents in 826 patients (1.7%). Most falls occurred in hospital rooms (67%). Adverse events occurred in 101 patients who fell (12%) and were significantly more frequent in patients aged ≥80 years old and in those wearing slippers. The incidence of falls was also significantly higher in patients in the highest risk group. These results support the validity of the risk assessment scale for predicting accidental falls in an acute treatment setting. The findings also clarify the demographic and environmental factors and consequences associated with fall. These results of the study could provide important information for designing effective interventions to prevent fall in elderly patients. PMID:28878434

  8. Metastatic angiosarcoma of the spleen after accidental radiation exposure: a case report.

    PubMed

    Geffen, D B; Zirkin, H J; Mermershtain, W; Cohen, Y; Ariad, S

    1998-04-01

    Angiosarcoma is a rare malignant tumor arising from endothelial cells of blood vessels or lymphatic channels. Therapeutic irradiation, thoriumdioxide administration, pyothorax, and polyvinyl chloride exposure have been shown to be predisposing factors for developing angiosarcoma. Accidental radiation exposure has not been associated with angiosarcoma. We present an unusual case of angiosarcoma of the spleen, with metastases to bone, liver, breast, and bone marrow, in a woman who lived near the Chernobyl nuclear facility in the former Soviet Union at the time of the reactor accident in 1986. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of metastatic angiosarcoma after accidental radiation exposure.

  9. Young and juvenile chimpanzees' (Pan troglodytes) reactions to intentional versus accidental and inadvertent actions.

    PubMed

    Povinelli, D J; Perilloux, H K; Reaux, J E; Bierschwale, D T

    1998-02-01

    Chimpanzees were tested for their ability to discriminate between accidental/inadvertent and intentional actions with equivalent adverse consequences. Subjects were first trained to `point' to human trainers in order to receive food rewards. In Experiment 1, six 5-year-old subjects were alternately presented with two unfamiliar human actors. In condition 1, each actor either started to hand a cup of juice to the trainer but then pulled it back and intentionally poured it onto the floor, or accidentally spilled it while handing it to the trainer. In condition 2, the actors either accidentally spilled it as above, or aggressively threw the juice onto the floor. The subjects were then presented with both actors and were allowed to choose between them. In Experiment 2, seven 6-7-year-old chimpanzees were confronted with unfamiliar actors who either (a) intentionally withheld and consumed food intended for the subjects, (b) attempted to hand the intended food to the subjects but were victimized by a third party who consumed the food, or (c) always succeeded in delivering the food to the subjects. In general, the subjects showed little evidence of using the accidental/inadvertent versus intentional distinction in their choices between the actors, although they did display some evidence of favoring the actor involved in the most passive role in both conditions in Experiment 1.

  10. Food allergy: practical approach on education and accidental exposure prevention.

    PubMed

    Pádua, I; Moreira, A; Moreira, P; Barros, R

    2016-09-01

    Food allergies are a growing problem and currently the primary treatment of food allergy is avoidance of culprit foods. However, given the lack of information and education and also the ubiquitous nature of allergens, accidental exposures to food allergens are not uncommon. The fear of potential fatal reactions and the need of a proper avoidance leads in most of the cases to the limitation of leisure and social activities. This review aims to be a practical approach on education and accidental exposure prevention regarding activities like shopping, eating out, and travelling. The recommendations are focused especially on proper reading of food labels and the management of the disease, namely in restaurants and airplanes, concerning cross-contact and communication with other stakeholders. The implementation of effective tools is essential to manage food allergy outside home, avoid serious allergic reactions and minimize the disease's impact on individuals' quality of life.

  11. A tree branch instead of a ligature: an unusual accidental hanging.

    PubMed

    Vadysinghe, Amal Nishantha; Sivasubramanium, Murugupillai; Jayasooriya, Rankothge Pemasiri

    2017-12-01

    A unique case of accidental hanging due to compression of the neck of an adult by the branches of a coffee tree is reported. The decedent was a 42-year-old male who was found dead in a semi prone position on a slope. His neck was lodged in a wedge formed by two branches of a coffee tree, with his legs angled downwards on the slope. Autopsy revealed two friction abrasions located horizontally on either side of the front of the neck, just above the larynx. The findings were compatible with compression of the neck by the branches of the tree, with the body weight of the decedent contributing to compression. Subsequent complete autopsy examination confirmed the cause of death as hanging. Following an inquest the death was ruled to be accidental.

  12. PREVENTION REFERENCE MANUAL: CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES, VOL. 2. POST-RELEASE MITIGATION MEASURES FOR CONTROLLING ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF AIR TOXICS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The volume discusses prevention and protection measures for controlling accidental releases of air toxics. The probability of accidental releases depends on the extent to which deviations (in magnitude and duration) in the process can be tolerated before a loss of chemical contai...

  13. 19 CFR 158.27 - Accidental fire or other casualty.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... Casualty, Loss, or Theft While in Customs Custody § 158.27 Accidental fire or other casualty. In the case... submitted: (a) A declaration of the master of the vessel, the conductor or driver of the vehicle, the... merchandise was on board the vessel or vehicle, in the warehouse, or otherwise in his charge, as the case may...

  14. The 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: summary of main findings and risk factors.

    PubMed

    Pandit, J J; Andrade, J; Bogod, D G; Hitchman, J M; Jonker, W R; Lucas, N; Mackay, J H; Nimmo, A F; O'Connor, K; O'Sullivan, E P; Paul, R G; Palmer, J H MacG; Plaat, F; Radcliffe, J J; Sury, M R J; Torevell, H E; Wang, M; Hainsworth, J; Cook, T M

    2014-10-01

    We present the main findings of the 5th National Audit Project on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia. Incidences were estimated using reports of accidental awareness as the numerator, and a parallel national anaesthetic activity survey to provide denominator data. The incidence of certain/probable and possible accidental awareness cases was ~1:19 600 anaesthetics (95% CI 1:16 700-23 450). However, there was considerable variation across subtypes of techniques or subspecialties. The incidence with neuromuscular blockade was ~1:8200 (1:7030-9700), and without it was ~1:135 900 (1:78 600-299 000). The cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia reported to 5th National Audit Project were overwhelmingly cases of unintended awareness during neuromuscular blockade. The incidence of accidental awareness during caesarean section was ~1:670 (1:380-1300). Two thirds (82, 66%) of cases of accidental awareness experiences arose in the dynamic phases of anaesthesia, namely induction of and emergence from anaesthesia. During induction of anaesthesia, contributory factors included: use of thiopental; rapid sequence induction; obesity; difficult airway management; neuromuscular blockade; and interruptions of anaesthetic delivery during movement from anaesthetic room to theatre. During emergence from anaesthesia, residual paralysis was perceived by patients as accidental awareness, and commonly related to a failure to ensure full return of motor capacity. One third (43, 33%) of accidental awareness events arose during the maintenance phase of anaesthesia, most due to problems at induction or towards the end of anaesthesia. Factors increasing the risk of accidental awareness included: female sex; age (younger adults, but not children); obesity; anaesthetist seniority (junior trainees); previous awareness; out-of-hours operating; emergencies; type of surgery (obstetric, cardiac, thoracic); and use of neuromuscular blockade. The following factors were

  15. Suicide and accidental death in Australia's rural farming communities: a review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Alison J; Maple, Myfanwy J; McKay, Kathy; Brumby, Susan A

    2014-01-01

    Australia's farmers constitute a heterogeneous group within the rural population. This literature review incorporates four broad areas: an understanding of farming communities, families and individuals and the contexts in which they live and work; an exploration of the challenges to morbidity and mortality that these communities face; a description of the patterns of suicide and accidental death in farming communities; and an outline of what is missing from the current body of research. Recommendations will be made on how these gaps may be addressed. In developing this comprehensive literature review, a snowballing and saturation approach was adopted. Initial search terms included suicid*, farm*, accident*, fatal*, death, sudden death, rural OR remote, Australia and NOT Australia. Databases searched included SCOPUS, PubMed, Proquest and SafetyLit; research from 1995 onwards was examined for relevance. Earlier seminal texts were also included. Reference lists of retrieved articles were searched and citations explored for further relevant research material. The primary focus was on Australian peer-reviewed research with supplementary grey literature. International material was used as examples. The literature variously describes farmers as members of both rural farming communities and farming families, and as individuals within an occupational classification. Within each of these classifications, there is evidence of the cumulative impact of a multiplicity of social, geographical and psychological factors relating to work, living and social arrangements that impact the health and wellbeing of Australia's farmers and their families, particularly accidental death and suicide. Research consistently demonstrates traumatic death to be at a greater rate than in the general Australian population, with reductions found more recently in some modes of farming-related accidental death. Patterns of accidental death and suicide are commonly linked to the changing shape of

  16. 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: summary of main findings and risk factors.

    PubMed

    Pandit, J J; Andrade, J; Bogod, D G; Hitchman, J M; Jonker, W R; Lucas, N; Mackay, J H; Nimmo, A F; O'Connor, K; O'Sullivan, E P; Paul, R G; Palmer, J H M G; Plaat, F; Radcliffe, J J; Sury, M R J; Torevell, H E; Wang, M; Hainsworth, J; Cook, T M

    2014-10-01

    We present the main findings of the 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (AAGA). Incidences were estimated using reports of accidental awareness as the numerator, and a parallel national anaesthetic activity survey to provide denominator data. The incidence of certain/probable and possible accidental awareness cases was ~1:19,600 anaesthetics (95% confidence interval 1:16,700-23,450). However, there was considerable variation across subtypes of techniques or subspecialities. The incidence with neuromuscular block (NMB) was ~1:8200 (1:7030-9700), and without, it was ~1:135,900 (1:78,600-299,000). The cases of AAGA reported to NAP5 were overwhelmingly cases of unintended awareness during NMB. The incidence of accidental awareness during Caesarean section was ~1:670 (1:380-1300). Two-thirds (82, 66%) of cases of accidental awareness experiences arose in the dynamic phases of anaesthesia, namely induction of and emergence from anaesthesia. During induction of anaesthesia, contributory factors included: use of thiopental, rapid sequence induction, obesity, difficult airway management, NMB, and interruptions of anaesthetic delivery during movement from anaesthetic room to theatre. During emergence from anaesthesia, residual paralysis was perceived by patients as accidental awareness, and commonly related to a failure to ensure full return of motor capacity. One-third (43, 33%) of accidental awareness events arose during the maintenance phase of anaesthesia, mostly due to problems at induction or towards the end of anaesthesia. Factors increasing the risk of accidental awareness included: female sex, age (younger adults, but not children), obesity, anaesthetist seniority (junior trainees), previous awareness, out-of-hours operating, emergencies, type of surgery (obstetric, cardiac, thoracic), and use of NMB. The following factors were not risk factors for accidental awareness: ASA physical status, race, and use or omission

  17. Accidental falls in hospitalized children: an analysis of the vulnerabilities linked to the presence of caregivers.

    PubMed

    Bagnasco, A; Sobrero, M; Sperlinga, L; Tibaldi, L; Sasso, L

    2010-06-01

    This study stemmed from the data gathered by a research conducted by the coordinator of the Department of Healthcare Services and a group of nurses involved in a research on accidental falls in hospitalized children at the "G. Gaslini" Children's Hospital and Scientific Research Institute in Genoa, Italy. The first retrospective study evaluated the accidental falls in hospitalized children referred to the three-year period 2003-2006, while the second perspective study, referred to the trimester March-May 2007, found that the main cause of falls in children was parent's distraction. The method adopted in the first phase of our study was a proactive risk analysis (The Basics of Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis), identified in the first place by the VA National Centre for Patient Safety and applied to the "Child and parent hospital admission process". This proactive risk analysis has proven to be very effective in preventing the risk of accidental falls in hospitalized children through effective communication and educational interventions. The second phase of our study consisted of two Focus Groups for accidental traumatic events. The analysis of the results of the study showed how effective communication is instrumental, not only to have a better awareness of the children and their parents during their stay in hospital, but also to implement educational sessions on prevention to reduce the risk of accidental traumatic events. The present study contributes to improve safety and the quality of care by motivating nurses to keep their attention high on falls in hospitalized children, by monitoring and the development of new risk assessment tools.

  18. Accidental fatal lung injury by compressed air: a case report.

    PubMed

    Rayamane, Anand Parashuram; Pradeepkumar, M V

    2015-03-01

    Compressed air is being used extensively as a source of energy at industries and in daily life. A variety of fatal injuries are caused by improper and ignorant use of compressed air equipments. Many types of injuries due to compressed air are reported in the literature such as colorectal injury, orbital injury, surgical emphysema, and so on. Most of these injuries are accidental in nature. It is documented that 40 pounds per square inch pressure causes fatal injuries to the ear, eyes, lungs, stomach, and intestine. Openings of body are vulnerable to injuries by compressed air. Death due to compressed air injuries is rarely reported. Many cases are treated successfully by conservative or surgical management. Extensive survey of literature revealed no reports of fatal injury to the upper respiratory tract and lungs caused by compressed air. Here, we are reporting a fatal event of accidental death after insertion of compressed air pipe into the mouth. The postmortem findings are corroborated with the history and discussed in detail.

  19. Accidental degeneracy in photonic bands and topological phase transitions in two-dimensional core-shell dielectric photonic crystals.

    PubMed

    Xu, Lin; Wang, Hai-Xiao; Xu, Ya-Dong; Chen, Huan-Yang; Jiang, Jian-Hua

    2016-08-08

    A simple core-shell two-dimensional photonic crystal is studied where the triangular lattice symmetry and the C6 point group symmetry give rich physics in accidental touching points of photonic bands. We systematically evaluate different types of accidental nodal points at the Brillouin zone center for transverse-magnetic harmonic modes when the geometry and permittivity of the core-shell material are continuously tuned. The accidental nodal points can have different dispersions and topological properties (i.e., Berry phases). These accidental nodal points can be the critical states lying between a topological phase and a normal phase of the photonic crystal. They are thus very important for the study of topological photonic states. We show that, without breaking time-reversal symmetry, by tuning the geometry of the core-shell material, a phase transition into the photonic quantum spin Hall insulator can be achieved. Here the "spin" is defined as the orbital angular momentum of a photon. We study the topological phase transition as well as the properties of the edge and bulk states and their application potentials in optics.

  20. Accidental dural puncture, postdural puncture headache, intrathecal catheters, and epidural blood patch: revisiting the old nemesis.

    PubMed

    Kaddoum, Roland; Motlani, Faisal; Kaddoum, Romeo N; Srirajakalidindi, Arvi; Gupta, Deepak; Soskin, Vitaly

    2014-08-01

    One of the controversial management options for accidental dural puncture in pregnant patients is the conversion of labor epidural analgesia to continuous spinal analgesia by threading the epidural catheter intrathecally. No clear consensus exists on how to best prevent severe headache from occurring after accidental dural puncture. To investigate whether the intrathecal placement of an epidural catheter following accidental dural puncture impacts the incidence of postdural puncture headache (PDPH) and the subsequent need for an epidural blood patch in parturients. A retrospective chart review of accidental dural puncture was performed at Hutzel Women's Hospital in Detroit, MI, USA for the years 2002-2010. Documented cases of accidental dural punctures (N = 238) were distributed into two groups based on their management: an intrathecal catheter (ITC) group in which the epidural catheter was inserted intrathecally and a non-intrathecal catheter (non-ITC) group that received the epidural catheter inserted at different levels of lumbar interspaces. The incidence of PDPH as well as the necessity for epidural blood patch was analyzed using two-tailed Fisher's exact test. In the non-ITC group, 99 (54 %) parturients developed PDPH in comparison to 20 (37 %) in the ITC [odds ratio (OR), 1.98; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.06-3.69; P = 0.03]. Fifty-seven (31 %) of 182 patients in the non-ITC group required an epidural blood patch (EBP) (data for 2 patients of 184 were missing). In contrast, 7 (13 %) of parturients in the ITC group required an EBP. The incidence of EBP was calculated in parturients who actually developed headache to be 57 of 99 (57 %) in the non-ITC group versus 7 of 20 (35 %) in the ITC group (OR, 2.52; 95 % CI, 0.92-6.68; P = 0.07). The insertion of an intrathecal catheter following accidental dural puncture decreases the incidence of PDPH but not the need for epidural blood patch in parturients.

  1. Factors perceived as being related to accidental falls by persons with multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Nilsagård, Ylva; Denison, Eva; Gunnarsson, Lars-Gunnar; Boström, Katrin

    2009-01-01

    This study explores and describes factors that persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) perceive as being related to accidental falls. A qualitative content analysis with primarily deductive approach was conducted using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Twelve persons with MS, and identified as fallers, were interviewed. Factors perceived to cause accidental falls that had not previously been targeted in MS populations in relation to falls were identified as divided attention, reduced muscular endurance, fatigue and heat sensitivity. Previously reported risk factors such as changed gait pattern, limited walking ability, impaired proprioception, vision and spasticity were supported. Activities involving walking, recreation and leisure, maintaining and changing body position, lifting or carrying, taking care of the home, washing the body, moving around, preparing meals and housekeeping were limited and considered to be risk activities. Supportive persons and assistive device reduced falls, and unsuitable physical environments and climate conditions induced falls. Several preventative strategies were described as partially compensating for the impairments, limitations and restrictions. Investigating accidental falls using the perspective of the patient gave important information about variables not earlier targeted in MS research.

  2. Accidental Outcomes Guide Punishment in a “Trembling Hand” Game

    PubMed Central

    Cushman, Fiery; Dreber, Anna; Wang, Ying; Costa, Jay

    2009-01-01

    How do people respond to others' accidental behaviors? Reward and punishment for an accident might depend on the actor's intentions, or instead on the unintended outcomes she brings about. Yet, existing paradigms in experimental economics do not include the possibility of accidental monetary allocations. We explore the balance of outcomes and intentions in a two-player economic game where monetary allocations are made with a “trembling hand”: that is, intentions and outcomes are sometimes mismatched. Player 1 allocates $10 between herself and Player 2 by rolling one of three dice. One die has a high probability of a selfish outcome, another has a high probability of a fair outcome, and the third has a high probability of a generous outcome. Based on Player 1's choice of die, Player 2 can infer her intentions. However, any of the three die can yield any of the three possible outcomes. Player 2 is given the opportunity to respond to Player 1's allocation by adding to or subtracting from Player 1's payoff. We find that Player 2's responses are influenced substantially by the accidental outcome of Player 1's roll of the die. Comparison to control conditions suggests that in contexts where the allocation is at least partially under the control of Player 1, Player 2 will punish Player 1 accountable for unintentional negative outcomes. In addition, Player 2's responses are influenced by Player 1's intention. However, Player 2 tends to modulate his responses substantially more for selfish intentions than for generous intentions. This novel economic game provides new insight into the psychological mechanisms underlying social preferences for fairness and retribution. PMID:19707578

  3. Extrapyramidal symptoms following accidental ingestion of risperidone in a child.

    PubMed

    Cheslik, T A; Erramouspe, J

    1996-04-01

    To describe the development of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) precipitated by an accidental overdose of risperidone in a 3.5-year-old boy. The boy presented to the emergency department with bilateral upward eye gaze, jerky movements of his extremities, and motor restlessness following an accidental ingestion of a single 4-mg risperidone tablet. Decontamination with NaCl 0.9% lavage and activated charcoal with sorbitol was performed. His symptoms responded immediately to intravenous diphenhydramine (on 3 different occasions) during his first 9.5 hours of hospitalization. He experienced no additional EPS, and was discharged home approximately 33 hours following initial presentation. At home, he received three oral doses of diphenhydramine in the 24 hours following hospital discharge because of hand tremor, total body shivering, and eye wandering. These signs resolved without further complications. Although the incidence of EPS associated with therapeutic risperidone use is low, its occurrence following overdose is less clearly defined. This represents the first published case, to our knowledge, of risperidone overdose in a child and highlights the potential for dystonic reactions at low doses in this population. Seven intentional overdoses of risperidone in adults (aged 21-68 y) have been reported in the literature and are reviewed. Amounts ingested ranged from 5 to 270 mg. All adult patients appeared to have a relatively benign course. Reported symptoms included drowsiness, slurred speech, altered levels of consciousness, hypertension, tachycardia, electrocardiogram abnormalities, atypical motor behavior, tremors, and other EPS (not specified). Accidental ingestion of low doses of risperidone can cause EPS in children that may respond well to an anticholinergic agent. Overdose management includes gastrointestinal lavage, activated charcoal with cathartic, cardiovascular monitoring, and supportive therapy.

  4. A case of an accidental exposure to a veterinary insecticide product formulation.

    PubMed

    Sidhu, K S; Collisi, M B

    1989-02-01

    A veterinary technician while opening a package was accidentally exposed to a commercial canned product formulation containing insecticides and solvents. The patient was twice briefly treated and released as an outpatient from 2 different hospitals on the first and second day after the exposure. However, on the fourth day, as some of the symptoms (headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, difficult breathing) persisted, the patient was admitted to another hospital. The patient was treated for exposure to organophosphates and solvents and was released after 13 days. The patient developed diabetes insipidus, a condition which lasted for approximately 1 year. The cause of the temporary development of diabetes insipidus is not understood. There is a need to prevent and minimize such accidental exposures in future.

  5. Parental cannabis abuse and accidental intoxications in children: prevention by detecting neglectful situations and at-risk families.

    PubMed

    Pélissier, Fanny; Claudet, Isabelle; Pélissier-Alicot, Anne-Laure; Franchitto, Nicolas

    2014-12-01

    Cannabis intoxication in toddlers is rare and mostly accidental. Our objectives were to focus on the characteristics and management of children under the age of 6 years who were admitted to our emergency department with cannabis poisoning reported as accidental by parents, and to point out the need to consider accidental cannabis ingestions as an indicator of neglect. The medical records of children hospitalized for cannabis poisoning in a pediatric emergency department from January 2007 to November 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Data collected included age, sex, drug ingested, source of drug, intentional versus accidental ingestion, pediatric intensive care unit or hospital admission, treatment and length of hospital stay, toxicology results, and rate of child protectives services referral. Twelve toddlers (4 boys and 8 girls; mean age, 16.6 months) were included. All had ingested cannabis. Their parents reported the ingestion. Seven children experienced drowsiness or hypotonia. Three children were given activated charcoal. Blood screening for cannabinoids, performed in 2 cases, was negative in both, and urine samples were positive in 7 children (70%). All children had favorable outcomes after being hospitalized from 2 to 48 hours. Nine children were referred to social services for further assessment before discharge. Cannabis intoxication in children should be reported to child protection services with the aim of prevention, to detect situations of neglect and at-risk families. Legal action against the parents may be considered. Accidental intoxication and caring parents should be no exception to this rule.

  6. Hazard assessment of substances produced from the accidental heating of chemical compounds.

    PubMed

    Lunghi, A; Gigante, L; Cardillo, P; Stefanoni, V; Pulga, G; Rota, R

    2004-12-10

    Accidental events concerning process industries can affect not only the staff working in, but also the environment and people living next to the factory. For this reason a regulation is imposed by the European Community to prevent accidents that could represent a risk for the population and the environment. In particular, Directive 96/82/CE, the so-called 'Seveso II directive', requests a risk analysis involving also the hazardous materials generated in accidental events. Therefore, it is necessary to develop simple and economic procedure to foresee the hazardous materials that can be produced in the case of major accidents, among which the accidental heating of a chemical due to a fire or a runaway reaction is one of the most frequent. The procedure proposed in this work is based on evolved gas analysis methodology that consists in coupling two instruments: a thermogravimetric analyzer or a flash pyrolyzer, that are employed to simulate accident conditions, and a FTIR spectrometer that can be used to detect the evolved gas composition. More than 40 materials have been examined in various accident scenarios and the obtained data have been statistically analyzed in order to identify meaningful correlations between the presence of a chemical group in the molecule of a chemical and the presence of a given hazardous species in the fume produced.

  7. [The accidental detection of apical periodontitis].

    PubMed

    Wesselink, P R

    2011-04-01

    Accidental detection of an asymptomatic apical periodontitis raises the question whether this lesion should be treated or not. Arguments favouring treatment are that the inflammation may cause pain in the future, may enlarge or may negatively affect the host's resistance. Reasons for not treating may be that treatment weakens the tooth, may cause iatrogenic damage and that treatment is expensive and burdensome for the patient and does not lead in all cases to complete healing. Scientific evidence supporting either choice, whether treating the lesion or not, is lacking. In making such decisions, therefore, personal judgments by the patient and the dentist concerning the impact on the quality of life of the patient play an important role.

  8. Accidental mechanical asphyxia of children in Germany between 2000 and 2008.

    PubMed

    Meyer, F S; Trübner, K; Schöpfer, J; Zimmer, G; Schmidt, E; Püschel, K; Vennemann, M; Bajanowski, T; Althaus, L; Bach, P; Banaschak, S; Cordes, O; Dettmeyer, S R; Dressler, J; Gahr, B; Grellner, W; Héroux, V; Mützel, E; Tatschner, T; Zack, F; Zedler, B

    2012-09-01

    Accidents constitute one of the greatest risks to children, yet there are few medical reports that discuss the subject of accidental asphyxia. However, a systematic analysis of all documented cases in Germany over the years 2000-2008 has now been conducted, aiming at identifying patterns of accidental asphyxia, deducing findings, defining avoidance measures and recommending ways of increasing product safety and taking possible precautions. The analysis is based on a detailed retrospective analysis of all 91 relevant autopsy reports from 24 different German forensic institutes. A variety of demographic and morphological data was systematically collected and analysed. In 84 of the 91 cases, the sex of the victim was reported, resulting in a total of 57 boys (68 %) and 27 girls (32 %). The age spread ranged between 1 day and 14 years, with an average of 5.9 years. Most accidents occurred in the first year of life (20 %) or between the ages of 1 and 2 years (13 %). In 46 % of cases, the cause of death was strangulation, with the majority occurring in the home environment. In 31 % of all cases, the cause of death was positional asphyxia, the majority resulting from chest compression. In 23 % of cases, the cause of death was aspiration, mainly of foreign bodies. Today, accidental asphyxiation is a rare cause of death in children in Germany. Nevertheless, the majority of cases could have been avoided. Future incidence can be reduced by implementing two major precautions: increasing product safety and educating parents of potentially fatal risks. Specific recommendations relate to children's beds, toys and food.

  9. [Cardiac arrest due to accidental hypothermia and prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation].

    PubMed

    Kot, P; Botella, J

    2010-11-01

    In cardiac arrest produced by accidental hypothermia, cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be prolonged until normal body temperature is achieved. There are different rewarming methods. In theory, the more invasive ones are elective in patients with cardiac arrest because of their higher rewarming speed. However, it has not been proven that these methods are better than the non-invasive ones. We present a case report of a patient with cardiac arrest due to accidental hypothermia who was treated without interruption for three hours with heart massage. This is the longest successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation known up-to-date in Spain. In order to rewarm the body, a combination of non-invasive methods was used: active external rewarming with convective warm air, gastric and bladder lavage with warm saline solution and intravenous warm saline infusion. This case shows that it is possible to treat hypothermic cardiac arrest successfully through these rewarming methods, which are both easy to apply and feasible in any hospital. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.

  10. A case of pediatric age anticholinergic intoxication due to accidental Datura stramonium ingestion admitting with visual hallucination.

    PubMed

    Şanlıdağ, Burçin; Derinöz, Okşan; Yıldız, Nagehan

    2014-01-01

    Datura stramonium (DS) is a hallucinogenic plant that can produce anticholinergic toxicity because of its significant concentrations of toxic alkaloids, such as atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. DS grows in both rural and urban areas in Turkey. Clinical findings of toxicity are similar to those of atropine toxicity. DS abuse is common among adolescents because of its hallucinatory effects. However, accidental DS poisoning from contaminated food is very rare. Accidental poisonings are commonly seen among children. Children are more prone to the toxic effects of atropine; ingestion of even a small amount can cause serious central nervous system symptoms. Treatment is supportive; antidote treatment is given rarely. An eight-year-old male with accidental DS poisoning who presented to the Pediatric Emergency Department with aggression, agitation, delirium, and visual hallucinations is reported.

  11. Runge-Lenz vector, accidental SU(2) symmetry, and unusual multiplets for motion on a cone

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Al-Hashimi, M.H.; Wiese, U.-J.

    2008-01-15

    We consider a particle moving on a cone and bound to its tip by 1/r or harmonic oscillator potentials. When the deficit angle of the cone divided by 2{pi} is a rational number, all bound classical orbits are closed. Correspondingly, the quantum system has accidental degeneracies in the discrete energy spectrum. An accidental SU(2) symmetry is generated by the rotations around the tip of the cone as well as by a Runge-Lenz vector. Remarkably, some of the corresponding multiplets have fractional 'spin' and unusual degeneracies.

  12. Accidental poisoning with Veratrum album mistaken for wild garlic (Allium ursinum).

    PubMed

    Gilotta, Irene; Brvar, Miran

    2010-11-01

    Veratrum album (white or false hellebore) is a poisonous plant containing steroidal alkaloids that cause nausea, vomiting, headache, visual disturbances, paresthesia, dizziness, bradycardia, atrioventricular block, hypotension, and syncope. It is regularly mistaken for Gentiana lutea (yellow gentian). We report accidental poisoning with V. album mistaken for Allium ursinum (wild garlic), a wild plant used in soups and salads in Central Europe. Four adults (24-45 years) accidentally ingested V. album mistaken for A. ursinum in self-prepared salads and soups. Within 15-30 min of ingestion they developed nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. At the same time dizziness, tingling, dimmed and jumping vision, transient blindness, and confusion appeared. On arrival at the ED, all patients had sinus bradycardia and hypotension. Following treatment the patients were discharged well 24-48 h after ingestion. In patients presenting with gastrointestinal, neurological, and cardiovascular symptoms a history of wild plant ingestion suggests possible poisoning with V. album mistaken for wild garlic.

  13. Photonic crystal surface-emitting lasers enabled by an accidental Dirac point

    DOEpatents

    Chua, Song Liang; Lu, Ling; Soljacic, Marin

    2014-12-02

    A photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) includes a gain medium electromagnetically coupled to a photonic crystal whose energy band structure exhibits a Dirac cone of linear dispersion at the center of the photonic crystal's Brillouin zone. This Dirac cone's vertex is called a Dirac point; because it is at the Brillouin zone center, it is called an accidental Dirac point. Tuning the photonic crystal's band structure (e.g., by changing the photonic crystal's dimensions or refractive index) to exhibit an accidental Dirac point increases the photonic crystal's mode spacing by orders of magnitudes and reduces or eliminates the photonic crystal's distributed in-plane feedback. Thus, the photonic crystal can act as a resonator that supports single-mode output from the PCSEL over a larger area than is possible with conventional PCSELs, which have quadratic band edge dispersion. Because output power generally scales with output area, this increase in output area results in higher possible output powers.

  14. Bittering agents in the prevention of accidental poisoning: children's reactions to denatonium benzoate (Bitrex).

    PubMed Central

    Sibert, J R; Frude, N

    1991-01-01

    The responses of young children to Denatonium Benzoate (Bitrex) were observed, in order to assess the potential of this bittering agent in the prevention of accidental poisoning. Thirty-three children aged 17-36 months were offered orange juice containing Bitrex (in a concentration of 10 parts per million). Of the 30 children who took some of this juice, only seven were willing to take more than 10 gm. A variety of negative verbal and non-verbal responses were noted. It is suggested that the highly unpalatable nature of Bitrex makes this compound a useful additive that could well prevent accidental poisoning from household products of mild to moderate toxicity. PMID:1854387

  15. Apoptosis and accidental cell death in cultured human keratinocytes after thermal injury.

    PubMed

    Matylevitch, N P; Schuschereba, S T; Mata, J R; Gilligan, G R; Lawlor, D F; Goodwin, C W; Bowman, P D

    1998-08-01

    The respective roles of apoptosis and accidental cell death after thermal injury were evaluated in normal human epidermal keratinocytes. By coupling the LIVE/DEAD fluorescence viability assay with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and ultrastructural morphology, these two processes could be distinguished. Cells were grown on glass coverslips with a microgrid pattern so that the results of several staining procedures performed sequentially could be visualized in the same cells after heating at temperatures of up to 72 degrees C for 1 second. After exposure to temperatures of 58 to 59 degrees C, cells died predominantly by apoptosis; viable cells became TUNEL positive, indicating degradation of DNA. After exposure to temperatures of 60 to 66 degrees C, both TUNEL-positive viable cells and TUNEL-positive nonviable cells were observed, indicating that apoptosis and accidental cell death were occurring simultaneously. Cells died almost immediately after exposure to temperatures above 72 degrees C, presumably from heat fixation. The fluorescent mitochondrial probe MitoTracker Orange indicated that cells undergoing apoptosis became TUNEL positive before loss of mitochondrial function. Nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and gel electrophoresis occurred after exposure to temperatures of 58 to 59 degrees C. The characteristic morphological findings of cells undergoing apoptosis, by transmission electron microscopy, included cellular shrinkage, cytoplasmic budding, and relatively intact mitochondria. Depending on temperature and time of exposure, normal human epidermal keratinocytes may die by apoptosis, accidental cell death, or heat fixation.

  16. PREVENTION REFERENCE MANUAL: CHEMICAL SPECIFIC. VOLUME 2. CONTROL OF ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF CHLORINE (SCAQMD) (SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT)

    EPA Science Inventory

    The manual discusses reducing the risk associated with an accidental release of chlorine. It identifies some of the potential causes of accidental releases that apply to the processes that use chlorine. It also identifies examples of potential causes, as well as measures that may...

  17. Accidental poisoning with deadly nightshade berries: a case report.

    PubMed

    Trabattoni, G; Visintini, D; Terzano, G M; Lechi, A

    1984-12-01

    A case of acute accidental poisoning with deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) berries is reported. The patient was an elderly but healthy man who soon recovered. On the one hand, the clinical picture looked similar to that of delirium tremens; on the other, there were myoclonic jerks and signs of extrapyramidal involvement to suggest the onset of subacute dementia. The electroencephalogram findings confirmed those already reported during experimentally induced intoxication after ingestion of atropine in man.

  18. Preventing Accidental Ignition of Upper-Stage Rocket Motors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hickman, John; Morgan, Herbert; Cooper, Michael; Murbach, Marcus

    2005-01-01

    A report presents a proposal to reduce the risk of accidental ignition of certain upper-stage rocket motors or other high energy hazardous systems. At present, mechanically in-line initiators are used for initiation of many rocket motors and/or other high-energy hazardous systems. Electrical shorts and/or mechanical barriers, which are the basic safety devices in such systems, are typically removed as part of final arming or pad preparations while personnel are present. At this time, static discharge, test equipment malfunction, or incorrect arming techniques can cause premature firing. The proposal calls for a modular out-of-line ignition system incorporating detonating-cord elements, identified as the donor and the acceptor, separated by an air gap. In the safe configuration, the gap would be sealed with two shields, which would prevent an accidental firing of the donor from igniting the system. The shields would be removed to enable normal firing, in which shrapnel generated by the donor would reliably ignite the acceptor to continue the ordnance train. The acceptor would then ignite a through bulkhead initiator (or other similar device), which would ignite the motor or high-energy system. One shield would be remotely operated and would be moved to the armed position when a launch was imminent or conversely returned to the safe position if the launch were postponed. In the event of failure of the remotely operated shield, the other shield could be inserted manually to safe the system.

  19. Accidental hypothermia in Poland – estimation of prevalence, diagnostic methods and treatment.

    PubMed

    Kosiński, Sylweriusz; Darocha, Tomasz; Gałązkowski, Robert; Drwiła, Rafał

    2015-02-06

    The incidence of hypothermia is difficult to evaluate, and the data concerning the morbidity and mortality rates do not seem to fully represent the problem. The aim of the study was to estimate the actual prevalence of accidental hypothermia in Poland, as well as the methods of diagnosis and management procedures used in emergency rooms (ERs). A specially designed questionnaire, consisting of 14 questions, was mailed to all the 223 emergency rooms (ER) in Poland. The questions concerned the incidence, methods of diagnosis and risk factors, as well as the rewarming methods used and available measurement instruments. The analysis involved data from 42 ERs providing emergency healthcare for the population of 5,305,000. The prevalence of accidental hypothermia may have been 5.05 cases per 100.000 residents per year. Among the 268 cases listed 25% were diagnosed with codes T68, T69 or X31, and in 75% hypothermia was neither included nor assigned a code in the final diagnosis. The most frequent cause of hypothermia was exposure to cold air alongside ethanol abuse (68%). Peripheral temperature was measured in 57%, core temperature measurement was taken in 29% of the patients. Peripheral temperature was measured most often at the axilla, while core temperature measurement was predominantly taken rectally. Mild hypothermia was diagnosed in 75.5% of the patients, moderate (32-28°C) in 16.5%, while severe hypothermia (less than 28°C) in 8% of the cases. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was carried out in 7.5% of the patients. The treatment involved mainly warmed intravenous fluids (83.5%) and active external rewarming measures (70%). In no case was extracorporeal rewarming put to use. The actual incidence of accidental hypothermia in Polish emergency departments may exceed up to four times the official data. Core temperature is taken only in one third of the patients, the treatment of hypothermic patients is rarely conducted in intensive care wards and extracorporeal rewarming

  20. Accidental displacement of a high-speed handpiece bur during mandibular third molar surgery: a case report.

    PubMed

    Yalcin, Serhat; Aktas, Irem; Emes, Yusuf; Atalay, Belir

    2008-03-01

    Removal of third molars is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in oral and maxillofacial surgery. This procedure may result in a number of major and minor complications. Accidental displacement of impacted third molars is a complication that occasionally occurs during these operations, but accidental displacement of a high-speed handpiece bur has never been reported in literature before. The aim of this article is to present a rare and previously unreported case of a foreign body in the submandibular space and to review the possible complications seen after third molar surgery.

  1. Review of intentionally self-inflicted, accidental and iatrogetic foreign objects in the genitourinary tract.

    PubMed

    Rieder, Jocelyn; Brusky, John; Tran, Viet; Stern, Karen; Aboseif, Sherif

    2010-01-01

    Retrospective evaluation of a series of patients presenting with genitourinary foreign objects. From 1997 to 2007, 11 men and 2 women were treated for a variety of foreign objects in the genitourinary tract. Medical records were reviewed for presentation, diagnosis, mental status, drug dependency, treatment, and follow-up. 13 patients were seen for removal of the foreign objects or for treatment of the sequela. These objects were intentionally self-inflicted, accidentally introduced or iatrogenic in nature. Intentional objects included: safety pins, screwdriver, marbles, pen cap, pencils, straw, cocaine, stiff metal wire and part of a pizza mixer. Accidental objects included: magnets, female catheter, urinary incontinence devices and part of a Foley catheter. The iatrogenic object was a reservoir from an inflatable penile implant. Smaller noninjurious objects were retrieved cystoscopically or at the bedside; larger objects or objects associated with trauma to the urethra needed open and reconstructive operations. Generally thought to be self-inflicted for personal gratification, the source of genitourinary objects can also be accidental or iatrogenic. The most traumatic injuries are purposely self-inflicted and found in patients who remove the objects themselves. These patients are at higher risk of permanent urethral damage needing complex surgical treatment and follow-up. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  2. Apoptosis and Accidental Cell Death in Cultured Human Keratinocytes after Thermal Injury

    PubMed Central

    Matylevitch, Natalia P.; Schuschereba, Steven T.; Mata, Jennifer R.; Gilligan, George R.; Lawlor, David F.; Goodwin, Cleon W.; Bowman, Phillip D.

    1998-01-01

    The respective roles of apoptosis and accidental cell death after thermal injury were evaluated in normal human epidermal keratinocytes. By coupling the LIVE/DEAD fluorescence viability assay with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and ultrastructural morphology, these two processes could be distinguished. Cells were grown on glass coverslips with a microgrid pattern so that the results of several staining procedures performed sequentially could be visualized in the same cells after heating at temperatures of up to 72°C for 1 second. After exposure to temperatures of 58 to 59°C, cells died predominantly by apoptosis; viable cells became TUNEL positive, indicating degradation of DNA. After exposure to temperatures of 60 to 66°C, both TUNEL-positive viable cells and TUNEL-positive nonviable cells were observed, indicating that apoptosis and accidental cell death were occurring simultaneously. Cells died almost immediately after exposure to temperatures above 72°C, presumably from heat fixation. The fluorescent mitochondrial probe MitoTracker Orange indicated that cells undergoing apoptosis became TUNEL positive before loss of mitochondrial function. Nucleosomal fragmentation of DNA analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and gel electrophoresis occurred after exposure to temperatures of 58 to 59°C. The characteristic morphological findings of cells undergoing apoptosis, by transmission electron microscopy, included cellular shrinkage, cytoplasmic budding, and relatively intact mitochondria. Depending on temperature and time of exposure, normal human epidermal keratinocytes may die by apoptosis, accidental cell death, or heat fixation. PMID:9708816

  3. Accidental strangulation in children by the automatic closing of a car window.

    PubMed

    Serena, Kailene; Piva, Jefferson Pedro; Andreolio, Cinara; Carvalho, Paulo Roberto Antonacci; Rocha, Tais Sica da

    2018-03-01

    Among the main causes of death in our country are car accidents, drowning and accidental burns. Strangulation is a potentially fatal injury and an important cause of homicide and suicide among adults and adolescents. In children, its occurrence is usually accidental. However, in recent years, several cases of accidental strangulation in children around the world have been reported. A 2-year-old male patient was strangled in a car window. The patient was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 and presented with progressive worsening of respiratory dysfunction and torpor. The patient also presented acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute pulmonary edema and shock. He was managed with protective mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs and antibiotic therapy. He was discharged from the intensive care unit without neurological or pulmonary sequelae. After 12 days of hospitalization, he was discharged from the hospital, and his state was very good. The incidence of automobile window strangulation is rare but of high morbidity and mortality due to the resulting choking mechanism. Fortunately, newer cars have devices that stop the automatic closing of the windows if resistance is encountered. However, considering the severity of complications strangulated patients experience, the intensive neuro-ventilatory and hemodynamic management of the pathologies involved is important to reduce morbidity and mortality, as is the need to implement new campaigns for the education of parents and caregivers of children, aiming to avoid easily preventable accidents and to optimize safety mechanisms in cars with electric windows.

  4. Accidental contamination of a German town's drinking water with sodium hydroxide.

    PubMed

    Lendowski, Luba; Färber, Harald; Holy, Andreas; Darius, Anke; Ehrich, Bernd; Wippermann, Christine; Küfner, Bernd; Exner, Martin

    2015-05-01

    Case report of a very serious drinking water incident putting up to 50,000 inhabitants of a town near Bonn in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at risk. A concentrated solution of highly alkaline water by sodium hydroxide was accidentally washed into the town's drinking water at a pumping station and increased the pH-value of the water to 12. Residents who came into contact with the contaminated water immediately had a toxic reaction. The incident was detected by complaints from customers and after that was stopped within several hours. The pipes were flushed and the customers were warned not to use the water till the all clear. After this immediate management there was an investigation and the cause of the incident was detected as an accidental release of accumulated sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution. The lack of a network alarm system and the automatic cut-off mechanisms as deficiencies in the design of the station were rectified by the water company immediately after the incident. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  5. Accidental Bolt Gun Injury to Femur - A Case Report.

    PubMed

    Kattimani, Ravi Prasad; Shetty, Sanath; Mirza, Humayun

    2016-01-01

    Bolt gun or slaughterer's guns are used in meat industry for "humane killing" of animals. Injuries caused by bolt gun are rare, reported exclusively from central European countries. We report a case of 28 year old male, who accidentally shot himself with a bolt gun to his right thigh. A 28 years old male presented to our Accident and Emergency department after accidental injury to his right thigh with bolt gun. He had an entry wound measuring 2 cm in length and 1 cm in breadth over anterior aspect of lower one third of thigh at lower and sustained Grade II compound fracture of right femur shaft at distal one third. The wound was treated with multiple debridements, negative pressure wound therapy and intravenous antibiotics based on culture and sensitivity. Bolt gun or slaughterer's guns are weapons used in meat industry for slaughtering animals. Wounds inflicted by bolt guns have specific morphological feature, distinctive from wounds made by other kinds of hand firearms. Most of the time wound will be infected at presentation. Lesions caused by these weapons are likely to have a more serious character than is to be expected from the size of the entrance wound. The mainstay of treatment is liberal wound exploration, multiple debridement's and intra venous antibiotics based on culture reports to treat infection and prevent morbidity.

  6. A case of accidental fatal aluminum phosphide poisoning involving humans and dogs.

    PubMed

    Behera, Chittaranjan; Krishna, Karthik; Bhardwaj, Daya Nand; Rautji, Ravi; Kumar, Arvind

    2015-05-01

    Aluminum phosphide is one of the commonest poisons encountered in agricultural areas, and manner of death in the victims is often suicidal and rarely homicidal or accidental. This paper presents an unusual case, where two humans (owner and housemaid) and eight dogs were found dead in the morning hours inside a room of a house, used as shelter for stray dogs. There was allegation by the son of the owner that his father had been killed. Crime scene visit by forensic pathologists helped to collect vital evidence. Autopsies of both the human victims and the dogs were conducted. Toxicological analysis of viscera, vomitus, leftover food, and chemical container at the crime scene tested positive for aluminum phosphide. The cause of death in both humans and dogs was aluminum phosphide poisoning. Investigation by police and the forensic approach to the case helped in ascertaining the manner of death, which was accidental. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

  7. Difficulties in funding of VA-ECMO therapy for patients with severe accidental hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Kosiński, Sylweriusz; Darocha, Tomasz; Jarosz, Anna; Czerw, Aleksandra; Podsiadło, Paweł; Sanak, Tomasz; Gałązkowski, Robert; Piątek, Jacek; Konstanty-Kalandyk, Janusz; Ziętkiewicz, Mirosław; Kusza, Krzysztof; Krzych, Łukasz J; Drwiła, Rafał

    2017-01-01

    Severe accidental hypothermia is defined as a core temperature below 28 Celsius degrees. Within the last years, the issue of accidental hypothermia and accompanying cardiac arrest has been broadly discussed and European Resuscitation Council (ERC) Guidelines underline the importance of Extracorporeal Rewarming (ECR) in treatment of severely hypothermic victims. The study aimed to evaluate the actual costs of ECR with VA-ECMO and of further management in the Intensive Care Unit of patients admitted to the Severe Accidental Hypothermia Centre in Cracow, Poland. We carried out the economic analysis of 31 hypothermic adults in stage III-IV (Swiss Staging) treated with VA ECMO. Twenty-nine individuals were further managed in the Intensive Care Unit. The actual treatment costs were evaluated based on current medication, equipment, and dressing pricing. The costs incurred by the John Paul II Hospital were then collated with the National Health Service (NHS) funding, assessed based on current financial contract. In most of the cases, the actual treatment cost was greater than the funding received by around 10000 PLN per patient. The positive financial balance was achieved in only 4 (14%) individuals; other 25 cases (86%) showed a financial loss. Performed analysis clearly shows that hospitals undertaking ECR may experience financial loss due to implementation of effective treatment recommended by international guidelines. Thanks to new NHS funding policy since January 2017 such loss can be avoided, what shall encourage hospitals to perform this expensive, yet effective method of treatment.

  8. Accidental Strangulation Due to Entrapment of Saree in Crop Thrasher Machine in an Elderly Women Working at Agricultural Field.

    PubMed

    Parchake, Manoj Bhausaheb; Kumre, Vikas; Kachare, Rajesh V

    2016-09-01

    Strangulation is generally considered as homicidal death and in accidental strangulation circumstantial evidence alone can point toward the accidental nature of incidence. In present case, a 71-year-old woman, wearing a saree (garment worn by traditional women in India) working in agricultural field, got entangled in the crop thrasher machine and got strangled. Immediately, she was taken to the nearest hospital, where she survived for 6 to 8 hours and then died. The autopsy reveals cross ribbon-shaped ligature mark on neck and anterior chest along with 1 puncture wound at the right lateral aspect of the neck. A lack of proper precaution and safety measures at agricultural field are other contributing factors. Accidental strangulation by saree is extremely rare, hence, this case is presented for its rarity and pattern of injury.

  9. Circumstances of Accidental Poisoning in Childhood

    PubMed Central

    Jackson, R. H.; Walker, J. H.; Wynne, N. A.

    1968-01-01

    Of 377 children with accidental poisoning, the commonest ages were 1, 2, and 3. The most important contributory factor was that the poison was kept in an inappropriate place. Most containers were closed, but the children found them easy to open. In some cases the container itself was unsuitable for the contents. The frequency of poisoning in childhood might be reduced in six main ways: (1) a reduction in the quantity of drugs kept in the home; (2) the provision of drug cupboards; (3) the provision of containers that are difficult for children to open, or individually foil-wrapping tablets; (4) making tablets less attractive to children; (5) clear identification of potential poisons; and (6) increasing parental awareness of the circumstances under which poisoning occurs. A plea is made for further sociomedical research into the prevention of poisoning. PMID:5682329

  10. Relationship between fine particulate matter, weather condition and daily non-accidental mortality in Shanghai, China: A Bayesian approach.

    PubMed

    Fang, Xin; Fang, Bo; Wang, Chunfang; Xia, Tian; Bottai, Matteo; Fang, Fang; Cao, Yang

    2017-01-01

    There are concerns that the reported association of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with mortality might be a mixture of PM2.5 and weather conditions. We evaluated the effects of extreme weather conditions and weather types on mortality as well as their interactions with PM2.5 concentrations in a time series study. Daily non-accidental deaths, individual demographic information, daily average PM2.5 concentrations and meteorological data between 2012 and 2014 were obtained from Shanghai, China. Days with extreme weather conditions were identified. Six synoptic weather types (SWTs) were generated. The generalized additive model was set up to link the mortality with PM2.5 and weather conditions. Parameter estimation was based on Bayesian methods using both the Jeffreys' prior and an informative normal prior in a sensitivity analysis. We estimate the percent increase in non-accidental mortality per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration and constructed corresponding 95% credible interval (CrI). In total, 336,379 non-accidental deaths occurred during the study period. Average daily deaths were 307. The results indicated that per 10 μg/m3 increase in daily average PM2.5 concentration alone corresponded to 0.26-0.35% increase in daily non-accidental mortality in Shanghai. Statistically significant positive associations between PM2.5 and mortality were found for favorable SWTs when considering the interaction between PM2.5 and SWTs. The greatest effect was found in hot dry SWT (percent increase = 1.28, 95% CrI: 0.72, 1.83), followed by warm humid SWT (percent increase = 0.64, 95% CrI: 0.15, 1.13). The effect of PM2.5 on non-accidental mortality differed under specific extreme weather conditions and SWTs. Environmental policies and actions should take into account the interrelationship between the two hazardous exposures.

  11. Relationship between fine particulate matter, weather condition and daily non-accidental mortality in Shanghai, China: A Bayesian approach

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Chunfang; Xia, Tian; Bottai, Matteo; Fang, Fang; Cao, Yang

    2017-01-01

    There are concerns that the reported association of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with mortality might be a mixture of PM2.5 and weather conditions. We evaluated the effects of extreme weather conditions and weather types on mortality as well as their interactions with PM2.5 concentrations in a time series study. Daily non-accidental deaths, individual demographic information, daily average PM2.5 concentrations and meteorological data between 2012 and 2014 were obtained from Shanghai, China. Days with extreme weather conditions were identified. Six synoptic weather types (SWTs) were generated. The generalized additive model was set up to link the mortality with PM2.5 and weather conditions. Parameter estimation was based on Bayesian methods using both the Jeffreys’ prior and an informative normal prior in a sensitivity analysis. We estimate the percent increase in non-accidental mortality per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration and constructed corresponding 95% credible interval (CrI). In total, 336,379 non-accidental deaths occurred during the study period. Average daily deaths were 307. The results indicated that per 10 μg/m3 increase in daily average PM2.5 concentration alone corresponded to 0.26–0.35% increase in daily non-accidental mortality in Shanghai. Statistically significant positive associations between PM2.5 and mortality were found for favorable SWTs when considering the interaction between PM2.5 and SWTs. The greatest effect was found in hot dry SWT (percent increase = 1.28, 95% CrI: 0.72, 1.83), followed by warm humid SWT (percent increase = 0.64, 95% CrI: 0.15, 1.13). The effect of PM2.5 on non-accidental mortality differed under specific extreme weather conditions and SWTs. Environmental policies and actions should take into account the interrelationship between the two hazardous exposures. PMID:29121092

  12. Accidental acute alcohol intoxication in infants: review and case report.

    PubMed

    Minera, Gabriella; Robinson, Evan

    2014-11-01

    Acute alcohol intoxication in children younger than 18 months old is both rarely documented and rarely fatal. Previous case reports suggest hypoglycemia and faster than normal rates of alcohol elimination found in children with acute alcohol intoxication compared with adults, but data are lacking. A 2-month-old infant presented with a decreased mental status after accidental ingestion of alcohol. He was diagnosed with acute alcohol intoxication, with a blood alcohol level of 330 mg/dL and was hyperglycemic (167 mg/dL). Alcohol elimination rate was calculated to be 21.6 mg/dL/h, similar to that in adults. To our knowledge, this case is the second youngest documented patient with accidental alcohol intoxication via ingestion in the United States. We present a rare case report of acute alcohol intoxication in an infant and a review of the literature. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although rare in the literature, poison control data suggests that alcohol poisoning in very young children is not rare. Emergency physicians should be prepared for the management of infants with alcohol poisoning. This case report and review brings attention to this subject and briefly discusses ethanol metabolism in infants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Accidental sodium hypochlorite-induced skin injury during endodontic treatment.

    PubMed

    Serper, Ahmet; Ozbek, Murat; Calt, Semra

    2004-03-01

    A case of accidental skin injury caused by leakage of sodium hypochlorite solution from the rubber dam during root canal preparation is reported. After placement of a rubber dam and initiation of root canal treatment, the patient complained of a burning sensation with sodium hypochlorite irrigation. The complaints were ignored by the practitioner, and a skin rash developed on and around the patient's chin, followed by scab formation. The patient required medical treatment with topical Hamamelis virginiana extract for 2 weeks, with full recovery.

  14. ACCIDENTAL DUPLICATION: MR Imaging Findings in Children with Spasmus Nutans.

    PubMed

    Bowen, Meredith; Peragallo, Jason; Kralik, Stephen F; Poretti, Andrea; Huisman, Thierry A G M; Soares, Bruno P

    2017-06-03

    The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2017.03.001. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Infant homicide and accidental death in the United States, 1940-2005: ethics and epidemiological classification.

    PubMed

    Riggs, Jack E; Hobbs, Gerald R

    2011-07-01

    Potential ethical issues can arise during the process of epidemiological classification. For example, unnatural infant deaths are classified as accidental deaths or homicides. Societal sensitivity to the physical abuse and neglect of children has increased over recent decades. This enhanced sensitivity could impact reported infant homicide rates. Infant homicide and accident mortality rates in boys and girls in the USA from 1940 to 2005 were analysed. In 1940, infant accident mortality rates were over 20 times greater than infant homicide rates in both boys and girls. After about 1980, when the ratio of infant accident mortality rates to infant homicide rates decreased to less than five, and the sum of infant accident and homicide rates became relatively constant, further decreases in infant accident mortality rates were associated with increases in reported infant homicide rates. These findings suggest that the dramatic decline of accidental infant mortality and recent increased societal sensitivity to child abuse may be related to the increased infant homicide rates observed in the USA since 1980 rather than an actual increase in societal violence directed against infants. Ethical consequences of epidemiological classification, involving the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, are suggested by observed patterns in infant accidental deaths and homicides in the USA from 1940 to 2005.

  16. Analysis of hospital admissions due to accidental non-fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning in England, between 2001 and 2010

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Rebecca E.; Close, Rebecca; McCann, Lucy J.; Crabbe, Helen; Garwood, Kevin; Hansell, Anna L.; Leonardi, Giovanni

    2016-01-01

    Background Accidental non-fire-related (ANFR) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a cause of fatalities and hospital admissions. This is the first study that describes the characteristics of ANFR CO hospital admissions in England. Methods Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) inpatient data for England between 2001 and 2010 were used. ANFR CO poisoning admissions were defined as any mention of ICD-10 code T58: toxic effect of CO and X47: accidental poisoning by gases or vapours, excluding ICD-10 codes potentially related to fires (X00-X09, T20-T32 and Y26). Results There were 2463 ANFR CO admissions over the 10-year period (annual rate: 0.49/100 000); these comprised just under half (48.7%) of all non-fire-related (accidental and non-accidental) CO admissions. There was seasonal variability, with more admissions in colder winter months. Higher admission rates were observed in the north of England. Just over half (53%) of ANFR admissions were male, and the highest rates of ANFR admissions were in those aged >80 years. Conclusion The burden of ANFR CO poisoning is preventable. The results of this study suggest an appreciable burden of CO and highlight differences that may aid targeting of public health interventions. PMID:25755248

  17. Accidental sulfur mustard exposure: A case report.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Annette; Steinritz, Dirk; Rudolf, Klaus-Dieter; Thiermann, Horst; Striepling, Enno

    2018-09-01

    The clinical progression following a sulfur mustard-induced skin exposure is well documented in the literature. Upon skin contact and a characteristic latency period, sulfur mustard (SM) causes erythema, blister formation and ulceration, which is associated with wound healing disorders that may require surgical treatment. Here, we present a case report of accidental exposure to SM in a laboratory setting which required surgical treatment of the skin. The case was illustrated at close intervals over a period of two years and underlines that exposure to SM has to be taken into account when typical clinical symptoms occur. Moreover skin grafts appear to be effective in SM-induced non healing skin ulcerations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. The accidental (acoustical) tourist

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Kirk, Wayne

    2002-11-01

    The acoustical phenomenon observed at an ancient temple in the Great Ball Court at Chichen Itza was described as ''little short of amazing--an ancient whispering gallery'' by Silvanus G. Morley, leader of the Carnegie Institute's archaeological team that excavated and restored these structures in the 1920s. Since then, many others have experienced the extraordinary acoustics at Chichen Itza and other Maya sites. Despite these reports, archaeologists and acousticians have until recently shown little interest in understanding these phenomena. After experiencing Chichen Itza's remarkable acoustics as a tourist in 1994, the author commenced collecting and disseminating information about acoustical phenomena there and at other Mayan sites, hoping to stimulate interest among archaeologists and acousticians. Were these designs accidental or intentional? If intentional, how was the knowledge obtained? How were acoustical features used? This paper highlights the author's collection of anecdotal reports of mysterious Mayan acoustics (http://http://www.ianlawton.com/pa1.htm<\\/A>), recommended reading for scientists and engineers who wish to pursue this fascinating study. Also recounted are some of the reactions of archaeologists-ranging from curious, helpful, and insightful to humorous and appalling--to outsiders' efforts to bring serious scientific attention to the new field of acoustical archaeology.

  19. Accidental overdose of insufflated colchicine.

    PubMed

    Baldwin, L R; Talbert, R L; Samples, R

    1990-01-01

    An accidental overdose of colchicine by nasal insufflation occurred when the colchicine was mistaken for methamphetamine. Colchicine insufflation is not believed to be a common practice among drug abusers; however, its physical appearance was similar enough to methamphetamine for it to be mistaken for that drug of abuse. In this case a 29-year-old White man presented to the emergency room 3 days after he 'snorted' approximately 200mg of colchicine powder. The colchicine was used as a 'root stimulator' in gardening by the patient's brother and stored in the same cabinet as the methamphetamine. Within 24 hours of exposure the patient began experiencing gastrointestinal distress and myalgia, which eventually prompted him to seek medical attention. The clinical course included hypocalcaemia (69 mg/L--day 5), hypophosphataemia (10 mg/L--day 5) and thrombocytopenia (19 X 10(3)/mm3 - day 8), all of which are consistent with colchicine toxicity. The patient improved with supportive care and electrolyte replacement, and was discharged after an 8-day hospitalisation.

  20. PREVENTION REFERENCE MANUAL: CHEMICAL SPECIFIC, VOLUME 14: CONTROL OF ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF PHOSGENE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report, discussing phosgene, is one of a series addressing the prevention of accidental releases of toxic chemicals. Phosgene, a highly reactive and corrosive liquid that boils at room temperature has an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (lDLH) conctntration of 2 ppm, ...

  1. Self-reported incidence of accidental exposures to patients' blood and body fluids by resident doctors in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Olubuyide, I O; Olawuyi, F

    1995-08-01

    An anonymous survey of 149 resident doctors was conducted to estimate the extent of accidental exposures to blood and body fluids of patients over a one-year period. There was a total of 1142 exposures. Ninety-three percent of respondents reported one or more exposure incident(s). Analysis of events and procedures leading to accidental exposures revealed that recapping needles was involved in 17%, suturing accounted for 14%, setting up intravenous lines 11%, cuts with scalpel 9% and phlebotomy 9%. Surgical residents had a threefold greater risk of exposure compared with medicine residents. No trend was found for accidental exposures by level of residency training. Seventy-four percent of the residents used universal precautions 50% or less of the time. Only half of the doctors could recall formal instruction on correct course of action after exposure and 5% of them had as undergraduates hepatitis B vaccine prior to the commencement of venepuncture duties. All but one of the residents' exposures were not reported to the Staff Medical Services Department. The doctor who reported was neither tested for hepatitis B virus or human immunodeficiency virus nor was he properly treated. Only 5 (4.6%) of the contaminating patients were evaluated serologically for their status of these viruses. These data emphasize the need for increased efforts toward improved early and continuing education, prevention and correct management of accidental exposures to blood or body fluids of patients by resident doctors in Nigeria. No recent study exists that exclusively addresses this problem in doctors in tropical Africa.

  2. Legal update. Definition of accident--accidental death and dismemberment--alcohol-related automobile collision--foreseeability of death as result of driving while intoxicated.

    PubMed

    2011-01-01

    LaAsmar v. Phelps Dodge Corp. Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment & Dependent Life Ins. Plan, 605 F3d 789, 2010 WL 1794437(10th Cir. 2010). A death caused by an alcohol-related automobile collision qualifies as an "accident" that would require payment of accidental death and dismemberment plan benefits.

  3. Statistical discrimination of footwear: a method for the comparison of accidentals on shoe outsoles inspired by facial recognition techniques.

    PubMed

    Petraco, Nicholas D K; Gambino, Carol; Kubic, Thomas A; Olivio, Dayhana; Petraco, Nicholas

    2010-01-01

    In the field of forensic footwear examination, it is a widely held belief that patterns of accidental marks found on footwear and footwear impressions possess a high degree of "uniqueness." This belief, however, has not been thoroughly studied in a numerical way using controlled experiments. As a result, this form of valuable physical evidence has been the subject of admissibility challenges. In this study, we apply statistical techniques used in facial pattern recognition, to a minimal set of information gleaned from accidental patterns. That is, in order to maximize the amount of potential similarity between patterns, we only use the coordinate locations of accidental marks (on the top portion of a footwear impression) to characterize the entire pattern. This allows us to numerically gauge how similar two patterns are to one another in a worst-case scenario, i.e., in the absence of a tremendous amount of information normally available to the footwear examiner such as accidental mark size and shape. The patterns were recorded from the top portion of the shoe soles (i.e., not the heel) of five shoe pairs. All shoes were the same make and model and all were worn by the same person for a period of 30 days. We found that in 20-30 dimensional principal component (PC) space (99.5% variance retained), patterns from the same shoe, even at different points in time, tended to cluster closer to each other than patterns from different shoes. Correct shoe identification rates using maximum likelihood linear classification analysis and the hold-one-out procedure ranged from 81% to 100%. Although low in variance, three-dimensional PC plots were made and generally corroborated the findings in the much higher dimensional PC-space. This study is intended to be a starting point for future research to build statistical models on the formation and evolution of accidental patterns.

  4. The Scotch Broom gall mite: Accidental introduction to classical biological control agent?

    Treesearch

    J. Andreas; T. Wax; E. Coombs; J. Gaskin; G. Markin; S. Sing

    2013-01-01

    The gall mite, Aceria genistae (Nal.) Castagnoli s.l., an accidentally introduced natural enemy of Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link), was first discovered in the Portland OR and Tacoma WA region in 2005. It has since been reported from southern British Columbia to southern Oregon. Observationally, the mite appears to reduce Scotch broom seed production and at...

  5. Analysis of hospital admissions due to accidental non-fire-related carbon monoxide poisoning in England, between 2001 and 2010.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Rebecca E; Close, Rebecca; McCann, Lucy J; Crabbe, Helen; Garwood, Kevin; Hansell, Anna L; Leonardi, Giovanni

    2016-03-01

    Accidental non-fire-related (ANFR) carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is a cause of fatalities and hospital admissions. This is the first study that describes the characteristics of ANFR CO hospital admissions in England. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) inpatient data for England between 2001 and 2010 were used. ANFR CO poisoning admissions were defined as any mention of ICD-10 code T58: toxic effect of CO and X47: accidental poisoning by gases or vapours, excluding ICD-10 codes potentially related to fires (X00-X09, T20-T32 and Y26). There were 2463 ANFR CO admissions over the 10-year period (annual rate: 0.49/100 000); these comprised just under half (48.7%) of all non-fire-related (accidental and non-accidental) CO admissions. There was seasonal variability, with more admissions in colder winter months. Higher admission rates were observed in the north of England. Just over half (53%) of ANFR admissions were male, and the highest rates of ANFR admissions were in those aged >80 years. The burden of ANFR CO poisoning is preventable. The results of this study suggest an appreciable burden of CO and highlight differences that may aid targeting of public health interventions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health.

  6. Fact Sheet: Clean Air Act Section 112(r): Accidental Release Prevention / Risk Management Plan Rule

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA is required to publish regulations and guidance for chemical accident prevention at facilities that pose the greatest risk of harm from accidental releases of regulated flammable and toxic substances above threshold quantities.

  7. Wilderness Medical Society practice guidelines for the out-of-hospital evaluation and treatment of accidental hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Zafren, Ken; Giesbrecht, Gordon G; Danzl, Daniel F; Brugger, Hermann; Sagalyn, Emily B; Walpoth, Beat; Weiss, Eric A; Auerbach, Paul S; McIntosh, Scott E; Némethy, Mária; McDevitt, Marion; Dow, Jennifer; Schoene, Robert B; Rodway, George W; Hackett, Peter H; Bennett, Brad L; Grissom, Colin K

    2014-12-01

    To provide guidance to clinicians, the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS) convened an expert panel to develop evidence-based guidelines for the out-of-hospital evaluation and treatment of victims of accidental hypothermia. The guidelines present the main diagnostic and therapeutic modalities and provide recommendations for the management of hypothermic patients. The panel graded the recommendations based on the quality of supporting evidence and the balance between benefits and risks/burdens according the criteria published by the American College of Chest Physicians. The guidelines also provide suggested general approaches to the evaluation and treatment of accidental hypothermia that incorporate specific recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Accidental cut-throat injuries from the broken windshield of an auto rickshaw: Two unusual cases.

    PubMed

    Swain, Rajanikanta; Dhaka, Shivani; Sharma, Munish; Bakshi, Mantaran Singh; Murty, O P; Sikary, Asit Kumar

    2018-01-01

    Accidental cut-throat injuries are extremely rare and usually involve a sharp-edged weapon. In this paper, two cases of a cut-throat wound to two auto-rickshaw drivers are presented where the broken windshield of the auto-rickshaws was responsible for the wounds. In both the cases, fatal incised wounds were present over the neck, cutting the soft tissue along with the major vessels. The death occurred due to exsanguination caused by neck-vessel injury in one case and trachea along with neck-vessel injury in the second case. Although the wounds on the neck initially suggested homicide, they were found to have occurred accidentally as a result of a road traffic accident involving a head-on collision of auto rickshaws. The injuries were inflicted by the shattered glass of the windshield.

  9. Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium

    DOEpatents

    Galloway, T.R.

    1980-04-01

    An improvement is described in a tritium control system based on a catalytic oxidation reactor wherein accidental releases of tritium into room air are controlled by flooding the catalytic oxidation reactor with hydrogen when the tritium concentration in the room air exceeds a specified limit. The sudden flooding with hydrogen heats the catalyst to a high temperature within seconds, thereby greatly increasing the catalytic oxidation rate of tritium to tritiated water vapor. Thus, the catalyst is heated only when needed. In addition to the heating effect, the hydrogen flow also swamps the tritium and further reduces the tritium release. 1 fig.

  10. Method and apparatus for controlling accidental releases of tritium

    DOEpatents

    Galloway, Terry R. [Berkeley, CA

    1980-04-01

    An improvement in a tritium control system based on a catalytic oxidation reactor wherein accidental releases of tritium into room air are controlled by flooding the catalytic oxidation reactor with hydrogen when the tritium concentration in the room air exceeds a specified limit. The sudden flooding with hydrogen heats the catalyst to a high temperature within seconds, thereby greatly increasing the catalytic oxidation rate of tritium to tritiated water vapor. Thus, the catalyst is heated only when needed. In addition to the heating effect, the hydrogen flow also swamps the tritium and further reduces the tritium release.

  11. Accidental strangulation of a mentally retarded patient by a clothing collar: a case report.

    PubMed

    Hitosugi, Masahito; Yokoyama, Tomoko; Kido, Masahito; Kawato, Hitoshi; Matsushima, Kazumi; Nagai, Toshiaki; Tokudome, Shogo

    2006-07-01

    A 40-year-old mentally retarded woman died of accidental strangulation in a nursing home. She was found in a kneeling position with her hands on her knees and the collar of her clothing compressing the front and sides of the neck. Before the accident, a nurse had dressed the patient in one-piece overall-style pyjamas put on back to front so that she could not remove the garment herself. The post-mortem findings and reconstruction of the scene of death suggested that the patient had been strangled by the collar of her backward-facing clothing while in a kneeling position. Because patients with psychiatric illnesses may have a limited ability to recognize or communicate symptoms of physical danger, they must be closely monitored by knowledgeable medical and nursing staff. This case highlights the importance of preventing the accidental deaths of mentally retarded patients in nursing homes.

  12. Accidental ingestion of BiTine ring and a note on inefficient ring separation forceps.

    PubMed

    Baghele, Om Nemichand; Baghele, Mangala Om

    2011-01-01

    Accidental ingestion of medium-to-large instruments is relatively uncommon during dental treatment but can be potentially dangerous. A case of BiTine ring ingestion is presented with a note on inefficient ring separation forceps. A 28-year-old male patient accidentally ingested the BiTine ring (2 cm diameter, 0.5 cm outward projections) while it was being applied to a distoproximal cavity in tooth # 19. The ring placement forceps were excessively flexible; bending of the beaks towards the ring combined with a poor no-slippage mechanism led to sudden disengagement of the ring and accelerated movement towards the pharynx. We followed the patient with bulk forming agents and radiographs. Fortunately the ring passed out without any complications. Checking equipment and methods is as important as taking precautions against any preventable medical emergency. It is the responsibility of the clinician to check, verify and then use any instrument/equipment.

  13. The role of environmental accidental risk assessment in the process of granting development consent.

    PubMed

    Kontic, Branko; Gerbec, Marko

    2009-11-01

    Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of development before they are granted development consent. The procedure requires the developer to compile an environmental impact report (EIR) describing the likely significant effects of the project on the environment. A regulatory requirement in Slovenia is that an accidental risk assessment for a new installation should be a part of an EIR. The article shows how risk assessment (RA) related to accidental release of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) or a polyvalent alcohol mixture from a new planned unit of a chemical factory in the Alpine region of Slovenia was performed in the framework of an EIA for the purpose of obtaining a construction permit. Two accidental scenarios were considered: (a) a spill of 20 m(3) of MDI or polyvalent alcohol mixture into the river Soca (the river runs close to the chemical factory) and (b) a fire in the warehouse storing the raw material, where emission of toxic gases HCN, NO(x), and CO is expected during combustion of MDI. One of the most important results of this case is the agreement among the developer, the competent authority, and a consultant in the field of EIA and RA to positively conclude the licensing process despite the absence of formal (regulatory) limit values for risk. It has been approved that transparent, reasonably uncertain, and semi-quantitative environmental risk assessment is an inevitable component of an EIA, and an essential factor in informed, licensing-related decision making.

  14. [Accidental injection of sodium hypochlorite in inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia].

    PubMed

    Hongyan, Li; Jian, Xu; Baorong, Zhang; Yue, Jia; Minhua, Liu; Yilang, Luo; Jing, Zhao

    2016-12-01

    Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) has been widely used in clinical practice as one of the most efficient root canal irrigants. Its properties include broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and ability to dissolve necrotic tissues. However, when used improperly, NaClO can cause a series of adverse reactions, such as mucosal inflammation, irritation, or injury. This paper presents a case of accidental injection of NaClO in inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia.

  15. PREVENTION REFERENCE MANUAL: CHEMICAL SPECIFIC, VOLUME 13: CONTROL OF ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF METHYL ISOCYANATE

    EPA Science Inventory

    This is one of a series of manuals addressing accidental releases of toxic chemicals. Methyl isocyanite (MIC) has an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) concentration of 20 ppm, making it a substantially acute toxic hazard. Reducing the risk associated with an acciden...

  16. 10 CFR 72.74 - Reports of accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... nuclear material. 72.74 Section 72.74 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR... accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material. (a) Each licensee shall notify the NRC Operations...

  17. 10 CFR 72.74 - Reports of accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... nuclear material. 72.74 Section 72.74 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR... accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material. (a) Each licensee shall notify the NRC Operations...

  18. 10 CFR 72.74 - Reports of accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... nuclear material. 72.74 Section 72.74 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR... accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material. (a) Each licensee shall notify the NRC Operations...

  19. 10 CFR 72.74 - Reports of accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... nuclear material. 72.74 Section 72.74 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR... accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material. (a) Each licensee shall notify the NRC Operations...

  20. 10 CFR 72.74 - Reports of accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... nuclear material. 72.74 Section 72.74 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE INDEPENDENT STORAGE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE, AND REACTOR... accidental criticality or loss of special nuclear material. (a) Each licensee shall notify the NRC Operations...

  1. No clinically relevant effects in children after accidental ingestion of Panaeolina foenisecii (lawn mower's mushroom).

    PubMed

    Schenk-Jaeger, Katharina M; Hofer-Lentner, Katharina E; Plenert, Bettina; Eckart, Dagmar; Haberl, Bettina; Schulze, Gabriele; Borchert-Avalone, Janine; Stedtler, Uwe; Pfab, Rudolph

    2017-03-01

    Panaeolina foenisecii is one of the most common and widely distributed lawn mushrooms in Europe and North America, and frequently involved in accidental mushroom ingestion, mainly in children. Nevertheless, there is contradictory information regarding the toxicity profile of P. foenisecii in the literature. Objective of the study was to assess clinical effects with particular attention on psychoactive properties of P. foenisecii in case of accidental oral exposure. This observational case series is based on prospectively collected data on mushroom poisoning using a structured data collection form, and it was performed in seven poisons centres in Germany and Switzerland. Inclusion criteria were accidental ingestion of at least one cap of P. foenisecii identified by a mycologist, and a follow up of at least 4 hours. Nineteen cases met all inclusion criteria, and only children were involved with a mean age of 3 years. They ingested 1-2 mushrooms in 14 cases and 3-5 mushrooms in five cases. Three patients received a single dose of activated charcoal. Sixteen out of 19 cases did not develop any symptoms, 2/19 complained of minor abdominal discomfort. One child was temporarily mildly hyperactive, and this was the only patient observed in a hospital for 12 hours. None of the children showed signs of hallucinations. This multicentre study demonstrates that the typically small amounts of P. foenisecii ingested by children probably do not lead to clinically significant symptoms.

  2. Accidental poisoning in childhood: five year urban population study with 15 year analysis of fatality.

    PubMed Central

    Pearn, J; Nixon, J; Ansford, A; Corcoran, A

    1984-01-01

    Patterns of accidental poisoning in children are changing dramatically. A five year population study (1977-81) was undertaken in urban children from Brisbane (population 1 000 000). A total of 2098 children were poisoned during this period with only one fatality, which represents a dramatic reduction in mortality. Over the past 15 years (1968-82) 13 children have died from accidental poisoning from this population, and two were murdered with drugs. A study of secular trends has indicated that peak incidence occurred in 1979, and the rate has been falling progressively since. The current age corrected rate of poisoning is 393 per 100 000 children per year (0-5 year olds). The rank order of poisons, drugs, and chemicals causing hospital admission and death is: petroleum distillates 13%; antihistamines 9%; benzodiazepines 9%; bleach and detergents 7%; and aspirin 6%. The ratio of fatalities to ingestions requiring hospital admission was calculated to give an index of a practical danger of noxious agents to which children are currently exposed and the rank order is: cardiotoxic drugs, one fatality to 25 ingestions; tricyclic antidepressants, one to 44; sympathomimetic drugs, one to 54; caustic soda, one to 68; aspirin, one fatality to 350 ingestions. Accidental poisoning of children leading to death has been reduced because patterns of drug prescriptions have changed, packaging of dangerous drugs has been made safer, and substances such as kerosene have been coloured blue. PMID:6140065

  3. Accidental Discovery of Information on the User-Defined Social Web: A Mixed-Method Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lu, Chi-Jung

    2012-01-01

    Frequently interacting with other people or working in an information-rich environment can foster the "accidental discovery of information" (ADI) (Erdelez, 2000; McCay-Peet & Toms, 2010). With the increasing adoption of social web technologies, online user-participation communities and user-generated content have provided users the…

  4. PREVENTION REFERENCE MANUAL: CHEMICAL SPECIFIC. VOL. 15: CONTROL OF ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF SULFUR TRIOXIDE

    EPA Science Inventory

    The report, discussing sulfur trioxide (SO3), is one of a series addressing the prevention of accidental releases of toxic chemicals. SO3, a clear oily liquid or solid at typical ambient conditions, has an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) concentration of 20 ppm, w...

  5. SUMMARY OF ACCIDENTAL RELEASES OF RADIOACTIVITY DETECTED OFF THE NEVADA TEST SITE, 1963-1986

    EPA Science Inventory

    Of the more than 450 underground nuclear explosives tests conducted at the Nevada Test Site from August 1963 (signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty) through the end of 1986, only 23 accidentally released radioactivity that was detectable beyond the boundary of the NTS. Of these ...

  6. Creatin-kinase elevation after accidental ingestion of almotriptan in an 18-month-old girl.

    PubMed

    Castagno, E; Lupica, M; Viola, S; Savino, F; Miniero, R

    2014-02-01

    Few studies have been published to demonstrate tolerability and efficacy of almotriptan in adolescents and children with migraine, particularly in the first years of life, though preliminary results are favorable. We report the case of an 18-month-old infant with elevation of serum levels of creatin-kinase after the accidental ingestion of almotriptan. A previously healthy 18-month-old girl (weight: 13 kg) was admitted to our Department four hours after the accidental ingestion of 6.25 mg of almotriptan (0.48 mg/kg), without any specific symptom. The performed investigations showed high serum levels of creatin-kinase (CK) (527 IU/L; normal values: 24-170 IU/L). Transaminase, creatinine, aldolase, myoglobin and troponin T serum levels were normal. The electrocardiogram proved negative. Initial management consisted of parenteral rehydration with saline solution. CK levels lowered significantly at 12 hours (455 IU/L) and at 65 hours (188 IU/L) after the ingestion. No symptoms were observed before discharge and on follow-up.

  7. The 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: patient experiences, human factors, sedation, consent and medicolegal issues.

    PubMed

    Cook, T M; Andrade, J; Bogod, D G; Hitchman, J M; Jonker, W R; Lucas, N; Mackay, J H; Nimmo, A F; O'Connor, K; O'Sullivan, E P; Paul, R G; Palmer, J H MacG; Plaat, F; Radcliffe, J J; Sury, M R J; Torevell, H E; Wang, M; Hainsworth, J; Pandit, J J

    2014-10-01

    The 5th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland into accidental awareness during general anaesthesia yielded data related to psychological aspects from the patient, and the anaesthetist, perspectives; patients' experiences ranged from isolated auditory or tactile sensations to complete awareness. A striking finding was that 75% of experiences were for < 5 min, yet 51% of patients (95% CI 43-60%) experienced distress and 41% (95% CI 33-50%) suffered longer-term adverse effect. Distress and longer-term harm occurred across the full range of experiences but were particularly likely when the patient experienced paralysis (with or without pain). The patient's interpretation of what is happening at the time of the awareness seemed central to later impact; explanation and reassurance during suspected accidental awareness during general anaesthesia or at the time of report seemed beneficial. Quality of care before the event was judged good in 26%, poor in 39% and mixed in 31%. Three quarters of cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (75%) were judged preventable. In 12% of cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia, care was judged good and the episode not preventable. The contributory and human factors in the genesis of the majority of cases of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia included medication, patient and education/training. The findings have implications for national guidance, institutional organisation and individual practice. The incidence of 'accidental awareness' during sedation (~1:15 000) was similar to that during general anaesthesia (~1:19 000). The project raises significant issues about information giving and consent for both sedation and anaesthesia. We propose a novel approach to describing sedation from the patient's perspective which could be used in communication and consent. Eight (6%) of the patients had resorted

  8. Successful Thrombolysis and Spasmolysis of Acute Leg Ischemia after Accidental Intra-arterial Injection of Dissolved Flunitrazepam Tablets

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Radeleff, B., E-mail: Boris_radeleff@med.uni-heidelberg.de; Stampfl, U.; Sommer, C.-M.

    2011-10-15

    A 37-year-old man with known intravenous drug abuse presented in the surgical ambulatory care unit with acute leg ischemia after accidental intra-arterial injection of dissolved flunitrazepam tablets into the right femoral artery. A combination of anticoagulation, vasodilatation, and local selective and superselective thrombolysis with urokinase was performed to salvage the leg. As a result of the severe ischemia-induced pain, the patient had to be monitored over the complete therapy period on the intensive care unit with permanent administration of intravenous fluid and analgetics. We describe the presenting symptoms and the interventional technique, and we discuss the recent literature regarding themore » management of accidental intra-arterial injection of dissolved flunitrazepam tablets.« less

  9. Clinical perspectives on osteogenesis imperfecta versus non-accidental injury.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Elaine Maria

    2015-12-01

    Although non-accidental injuries (NAI) are more common in cases of unexplained fractures than rare disorders such as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), ruling out OI and other medical causes of fracture is always indicated. The majority of OI patients can be diagnosed with the help of family history, physical examination, and radiographic findings. In particular, there are a few radiological findings which are seen more commonly in NAI than in OI which may help guide clinician considerations regarding the probability of either of these diagnoses. At the same time, molecular testing still merits careful consideration in cases with unexplained fractures without obvious additional signs of abuse. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Effect of a multi-level education intervention model on knowledge and attitudes of accidental injuries in rural children in Zunyi, Southwest China.

    PubMed

    Cao, Bo-Ling; Shi, Xiu-Quan; Qi, Yong-Hong; Hui, Ya; Yang, Hua-Jun; Shi, Shang-Peng; Luo, Li-Rong; Zhang, Hong; Wang, Xin; Yang, Ying-Ping

    2015-04-08

    To explore the effect of a school-family-individual (SFI) multi-level education intervention model on knowledge and attitudes about accidental injuries among school-aged children to improve injury prevention strategies and reduce the incidence of pediatric injuries. The random sample of rural school-aged children were recruited by using a multistage, stratified, cluster sampling method in Zunyi, Southwest China from 2012 to 2014, and 2342 children were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Then children answered a baseline survey to collect knowledge and attitude scores (KAS) of accidental injuries. In the intervention group, children, their parents/guardians and the school received a SFI multi-level education intervention, which included a children's injury-prevention poster at schools, an open letter about security instruction for parents/guardians and multiple-media health education (Microsoft PowerPoint lectures, videos, handbooks, etc.) to children. Children in the control group were given only handbook education. After 16 months, children answered a follow-up survey to collect data on accidental injury types and accidental injury-related KAS for comparing the intervention and control groups and baseline and follow-up data. The distribution of gender was not significantly different while age was different between the baseline and follow-up survey. At baseline, the mean KAS was lower for the intervention than control group (15.37 ± 3.40 and 18.35 ± 5.01; p < 0.001). At follow-up, the mean KAS was higher for the intervention than control group (21.16 ± 3.05 and 20.02 ± 3.40; p < 0.001). The increase in KAS in the intervention and control groups was significant (p < 0.001; KAS: 5.79 vs. 1.67) and suggested that children's injury-related KAS improved in the intervention group. Moreover, the KAS between the groups differed for most subtypes of incidental injuries (based on International Classification of Diseases 10, ICD-10) (p < 0.05). Before

  11. [Study on occupational safety climate in different types of enterprises and its relationship with occupational accidental injury].

    PubMed

    Liu, Xinxia; Huang, Guoxian; Wang, Shuyu; Guo, Zhiping; Zhou, Yuchao; Chen, Weiqing

    2014-04-01

    To evaluate the occupational safety climate in different types of enterprises and its relationship with occupational accidental injury. A cross-sectional survey based on self-report questionnaires was performed among 3311 front-line workers from 54 medium and small-sized manufacturing enterprises of different types in Zhongshan, China to investigate the socio-demographic characteristics, safety climate experience in workplace, and incidence of occupational accidental injury in the past year. Analysis of the data revealed that employees in different types of companies perceived different levels of safety climate, according to the scores on four subscales; the European and American enterprises had significantly better safety climate than the Hong Kong and Chinese private enterprises (P < 0.01). The self-reported rates of occupational injury were 3.38%, 4.76%, and 6.72%, respectively, for European and American, Hong Kong, and Chinese private enterprises (χ(2) = 6.78, P < 0.05). After control of such factors as age, sex, income, education level, and marriage, the logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of occupational accidental injury in the European and American enterprises was significantly lower than that in the Chinese private enterprises (OR = 0.57, 95%CI = 0.35-0.91). The type of enterprise influences the occupational safety climate and incidence of occupational injury among workers.

  12. Youth versus adult "weightlifting" injuries presenting to United States emergency rooms: accidental versus nonaccidental injury mechanisms.

    PubMed

    Myer, Gregory D; Quatman, Carmen E; Khoury, Jane; Wall, Eric J; Hewett, Timothy E

    2009-10-01

    Resistance training has previously been purported to be unsafe and ineffective in children. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate resistance training-related injuries presenting to U.S. emergency rooms by age, type, and mechanism of injury. We hypothesized that older athletes would sustain greater percentages of joint sprains and muscle strains, whereas younger athletes would sustain a greater percentage of accidental injuries that would result in an increased percentage of fractures in youths. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried from 2002 to 2005 using the CPSC code for "Weightlifting." Subjects between the ages of 8 and 30 were grouped by age categories 8 to 13 (elementary/middle school age), 14 to 18 (high school), 19 to 22 (college), and 23 to 30 (adult). Injuries were classified as "accidental" if caused by dropped weight or improper equipment use. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare accidental injuries between age groups. The sample consisted of 4,111 patients. Accidental injuries decreased (p < 0.05) with age: 8 to 13 > 14 to 18 > 19 to 22 years = 23 to 30 years. Conversely, sprain/strain injuries increased in each successive age group (p < 0.05). Evaluation of only the nonaccidental injuries (n = 2,565) showed that the oldest categories (19-22 and 23-30 yr) demonstrated a greater percentage of sprains and strains relative to younger age categories (p < 0.001). Two thirds of the injuries sustained in the 8 to 13 group were to the hand and foot and were most often related to "dropping" and "pinching" in the injury descriptions, and there was an increased percentage of fractures in the 8 to 13 group relative to all other groups (p < 0.001). The study findings indicate that children have lower risk of resistance training-related joint sprains and muscle strains than adults. The majority of youth resistance training injuries are the result of accidents that are

  13. 78 FR 6149 - Final Interim Staff Guidance Assessing the Radiological Consequences of Accidental Releases of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-29

    ... Accidental Releases of Radioactive Materials From Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for... Radioactive Materials from Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for Combined License Applications... Radioactive Materials from Liquid Waste Tanks in Ground and Surface Waters for Combined License Applications...

  14. Reporting a sudden death due to accidental gasoline inhalation.

    PubMed

    Martínez, María Antonia; Ballesteros, Salomé; Alcaraz, Rafael

    2012-02-10

    The investigation of uncertain fatalities requires accurate determination of the cause of death, with assessment of all factors that may have contributed to it. Gasoline is a complex and highly variable mixture of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons that can lead to cardiac arrhythmias due to sensitization of the myocardium to catecholamines or acts as a simple asphyxiant if the vapors displace sufficient oxygen from the breathing atmosphere. This work describes a sudden occupational fatality involving gasoline. The importance of this petroleum distillate detection and its quantitative toxicological significance is discussed using a validated analytical method. A 51 year-old Caucasian healthy man without significant medical history was supervising the repairs of the telephone lines in a manhole near to a gas station. He died suddenly after inhaling gasoline vapors from an accidental leak. Extensive blistering and peeling of skin were observed on the skin of the face, neck, anterior chest, upper and lower extremities, and back. The internal examination showed a strong odor of gasoline, specially detected in the respiratory tract. The toxicological screening and quantitation of gasoline was performed by means of gas chromatography with flame ionization detector and confirmation was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Disposition of gasoline in different tissues was as follows: heart blood, 35.7 mg/L; urine, not detected; vitreous humor, 1.9 mg/L; liver, 194.7 mg/kg; lung, 147.6 mg/kg; and gastric content, 116,6 mg/L (2.7 mg total). Based upon the toxicological data along with the autopsy findings, the cause of death was determined to be gasoline poisoning and the manner of death was accidental. We would like to alert on the importance of testing for gasoline, and in general for volatile hydrocarbons, in work-related sudden deaths involving inhalation of hydrocarbon vapors and/or exhaust fumes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights

  15. Racial Differences in Accidental and Violent Deaths Among U.S. Navy Personnel

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-10-01

    for accidental injuries than whites; i O bjective The objective of this study was to examine the death rates of black and white enlisted personnel...pre-servIce soclo- cultural factors may play a role in accounting for the high death rates among older black .males. It is suggested, however, that...all deaths of personnel diagnosed as having injuries due to accidents, poisonings and violence (ICDA-8 codes 800.0 -. 999.9). Death rates were

  16. Brugada syndrome unmasked by accidental inhalation of gasoline vapors.

    PubMed

    Kranjcec, Darko; Bergovec, Mijo; Rougier, Jean-Sébastien; Raguz, Miroslav; Pavlovic, Sonja; Jespersen, Thomas; Castella, Vincent; Keller, Dagmar I; Abriel, Hugues

    2007-10-01

    Loss-of-function mutations in the gene SCN5A can cause Brugada syndrome (BrS), which is an inherited form of idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. We report the case of a 46-year-old patient, with no previous medical history, who had ventricular fibrillation after accidental inhalation of gasoline vapors. His electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a typical type-1 BrS pattern that persisted after the acute event. Genetic investigations allowed the identification of a novel SCN5A mutation leading to a frame-shift and early termination of the channel protein. Biochemical and cellular electrophysiology experiments confirmed the loss-of-function of the mutant allele. The patient was implanted with a cardioverter/defibrillator.

  17. Accidental low velocity atypical missile injury to the head.

    PubMed

    Chattopadhyay, Saurabh

    2008-12-01

    Missile injuries on the head are mostly due to firearms. Atypical missiles may be encountered in case of shrapnel of bomb explosions but rarely because of stones. The present case is a rare case where a stone propelled by the pressure from the rear wheel of a speeding truck on the highway, struck the head of a 7-year-old girl resulting in fatality. Reconstruction of the incident on the basis of history and postmortem findings throws some light on the mechanism. The case is unique as it is the first reported case of an accidental missile injury to the head resulting in fatality without any direct human involvement for propulsion of the projectile.

  18. Spontaneous hematologic recovery from bone marrow aplasia after accidental tenfold overdosage with radiophosphorus

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gmuer, J.; Bischof, B.; Coninx, S.

    1983-04-01

    Two patients with polycythemia vera received intravenously an accidental tenfold overdosage of radiophosphorus therapy (60 and 50 mCi 32P, respectively). In both patients, the occurrence of hemorrhagic complications 3 wk after the 32P medication led to detection of the error and referral to our hospital. Upon admission they showed an agranulocytosis, severe thrombocytopenia, and bone marrow aplasia. In both cases, spontaneous recovery of the hematopoiesis was observed from day 40 posttreatment onward. In one patient, a slow but ultimately complete normalization of blood counts and marrow morphology took place, whereas in the other, a mild thrombocytopenia persists. Nearly 5 yrmore » after the accidental overdosage, both patients are clinically well. Symptoms of polycythemia vera have not reappeared up to now. Attempts were made to evaluate the radiation dose absorbed by the bone marrow. In the first patient, the daily 32P excretion was determined from day 22 to day 60, whereas in the other patient a whole body count was performed on day 78 after administration. From these results, an approximate cumulative bone marrow dose of 10 Sv (1000 rem) could be calculated.« less

  19. Non-Accidental Head Injury in New Zealand: The Outcome of Referral to Statutory Authorities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Patrick; MacCormick, Judith; Strange, Rebecca

    2009-01-01

    Objectives: To describe the outcome of referral to the statutory authorities for infants under 2 years with non-accidental head injury (NAHI), and to establish whether the authorities held sufficient information to develop a risk profile for these cases. Methods: Retrospective review of cases admitted to hospital in Auckland, New Zealand from 1988…

  20. Accidental Turbulent Discharge Rate Estimation from Videos

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ibarra, Eric; Shaffer, Franklin; Savaş, Ömer

    2015-11-01

    A technique to estimate the volumetric discharge rate in accidental oil releases using high speed video streams is described. The essence of the method is similar to PIV processing, however the cross correlation is carried out on the visible features of the efflux, which are usually turbulent, opaque and immiscible. The key step in the process is to perform a pixelwise time filtering on the video stream, in which the parameters are commensurate with the scales of the large eddies. The velocity field extracted from the shell of visible features is then used to construct an approximate velocity profile within the discharge. The technique has been tested on laboratory experiments using both water and oil jets at Re ~105 . The technique is accurate to 20%, which is sufficient for initial responders to deploy adequate resources for containment. The software package requires minimal user input and is intended for deployment on an ROV in the field. Supported by DOI via NETL.

  1. Marine oil spill risk mapping for accidental pollution and its application in a coastal city.

    PubMed

    Lan, Dongdong; Liang, Bin; Bao, Chenguang; Ma, Minghui; Xu, Yan; Yu, Chunyan

    2015-07-15

    Accidental marine oil spill pollution can result in severe environmental, ecological, economic and other consequences. This paper discussed the model of Marine Oil Spill Risk Mapping (MOSRM), which was constructed as follows: (1) proposing a marine oil spill risk system based on the typical marine oil spill pollution accidents and prevailing risk theories; (2) identifying suitable indexes that are supported by quantitative sub-indexes; (3) constructing the risk measuring models according to the actual interactions between the factors in the risk system; and (4) assessing marine oil spill risk on coastal city scale with GIS to map the overall risk. The case study of accidental marine oil spill pollution in the coastal area of Dalian, China was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model. The coastal areas of Dalian were divided into three zones with risk degrees of high, medium, and low. And detailed countermeasures were proposed for specific risk zones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. PM₁₀ exposure and non-accidental mortality in Asian populations: a meta-analysis of time-series and case-crossover studies.

    PubMed

    Park, Hye Yin; Bae, Sanghyuk; Hong, Yun-Chul

    2013-01-01

    We investigated the association between particulate matter less than 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM₁₀) exposure and non-accidental mortality in Asian populations by meta-analysis, using both time-series and case-crossover analysis. Among the 819 published studies searched from PubMed and EMBASE using key words related to PM₁₀ exposure and non-accidental mortality in Asian countries, 8 time-series and 4 case-crossover studies were selected for meta-analysis after exclusion by selection criteria. We obtained the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of non-accidental mortality per 10 µg/m³ increase of daily PM₁₀ from each study. We used Q statistics to test the heterogeneity of the results among the different studies and evaluated for publication bias using Begg funnel plot and Egger test. Testing for heterogeneity showed significance (p<0.001); thus, we applied a random-effects model. RR (95% CI) per 10 µg/m³ increase of daily PM₁₀ for both the time-series and case-crossover studies combined, time-series studies relative risk only, and case-crossover studies only, were 1.0047 (1.0033 to 1.0062), 1.0057 (1.0029 to 1.0086), and 1.0027 (1.0010 to 1.0043), respectively. The non-significant Egger test suggested that this analysis was not likely to have a publication bias. We found a significant positive association between PM₁₀ exposure and non-accidental mortality among Asian populations. Continued investigations are encouraged to contribute to the health impact assessment and public health management of air pollution in Asian countries.

  3. An atypical case of successful resuscitation of an accidental profound hypothermia patient, occurring in a temperate climate.

    PubMed

    Coleman, E; Doddakula, K; Meeke, R; Marshall, C; Jahangir, S; Hinchion, J

    2010-03-01

    Cases of accidental profound hypothermia occur most frequently in cold, northern climates. We describe an atypical case, occurring in a temperate climate, where a hypothermic cardiac-arrested patient was successfully resuscitated using extracorporeal circulation (ECC).

  4. Accidental introduction into Italy and establishment of Aprostocetus fukutai (Hym.: Eulophidae) in citrus longhorned beetle infestations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Citrus longhorned beetle, Anoplophora chinensis (CLB), was accidentally introduced from Asia into 11 European countries, putting at risk a wide range of broadleaf trees. It was eradicated in 9 countries, but Italy still has residual populations. The gregarious egg parasitoid Aprostocetus fukutai, wh...

  5. Accidental versus operational oil spills from shipping in the Baltic Sea: risk governance and management strategies.

    PubMed

    Hassler, Björn

    2011-03-01

    Marine governance of oil transportation is complex. Due to difficulties in effectively monitoring procedures on vessels en voyage, incentives to save costs by not following established regulations on issues such as cleaning of tanks, crew size, and safe navigation may be substantial. The issue of problem structure is placed in focus, that is, to what degree the specific characteristics and complexity of intentional versus accidental oil spill risks affect institutional responses. It is shown that whereas the risk of accidental oil spills primarily has been met by technical requirements on the vessels in combination with Port State control, attempts have been made to curb intentional pollution by for example increased surveillance and smart governance mechanisms such as the No-Special-Fee system. It is suggested that environmental safety could be improved by increased use of smart governance mechanisms tightly adapted to key actors' incentives to alter behavior in preferable directions.

  6. Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia caused by accidental kerosene ingestion in an elderly patient with dementia: a case report.

    PubMed

    Gotanda, Hiroshi; Kameyama, Yumi; Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro; Ishii, Masaki; Hanaoka, Yoko; Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Ogawa, Sumito; Iijima, Katsuya; Akishita, Masahiro; Ouchi, Yasuyoshi

    2013-01-01

    Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia is an uncommon condition caused by aspiration of oil-based substances, occurring mainly in children. Here, we report the case of an 83-year-old patient with Alzheimer's disease who presented with coughing and hypoxia. The diagnosis of acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia caused by accidental kerosene ingestion was made on the basis of the patient's clinical history, and typical radiological and cytological findings. The patient's cognitive impairment and an unsafe environment, in which the patient's 91-year-old husband stored kerosene in an old shochu bottle, were responsible for the accidental ingestion. Acute exogenous lipoid pneumonia should be considered in the differential diagnosis for acute respiratory disorders in the rapidly aging population. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

  7. Posttraumatic growth within the first three months after accidental injury in China: the role of self-disclosure, cognitive processing, and psychosocial resources.

    PubMed

    Dong, Chaoqun; Gong, Shumei; Jiang, Liping; Deng, Guanghui; Liu, Xiaohong

    2015-01-01

    The primary goals of this study, were to identify the posttraumatic growth (PTG) level of accidentally injured Chinese patients shortly after an accident occurred and to determine whether cognitive processing, self-disclosure, and psychosocial resources predicted PTG. A total of 232 patients were recruited from two public hospitals in Shanghai within the first three months of an accidental injury. Patients completed self-report questionnaires to assess severity of injury, cognitive processing, self-disclosure, psychosocial resources, and PTG. Patients reported a mid-low level of PTG (M = 50.38, SD = 18.12) in the short length of time post-injury. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that subjective accident severity, deliberate rumination, perceived social support, and attitude towards disclosure were strong predictors of PTG. A moderating role of self-disclosure between intrusive rumination and PTG was identified. These findings support an interaction effect of rumination and self-disclosure on PTG and have implications for early intervention of accidentally injured patients.

  8. 76 FR 58566 - Proposed Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0104] Proposed Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident... for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident, VA Form 21- 4176. OMB Control Number...

  9. The importance of surgeon involvement in the evaluation of non-accidental trauma patients.

    PubMed

    Larimer, Emily L; Fallon, Sara C; Westfall, Jaimee; Frost, Mary; Wesson, David E; Naik-Mathuria, Bindi J

    2013-06-01

    Non-Accidental Trauma (NAT) is a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality, causing 50% of trauma-related deaths at our institution. Our purpose was to evaluate the necessity of primary surgical evaluation and admission to the trauma service for children presenting with NAT. We reviewed all NAT patients from 2007-2011. Injury types, demographic data, and hospitalization information were collected. Comparisons to accidental trauma (AT) patients were made using Wilcoxon rank sum and Student's t tests. We identified 267 NAT patients presenting with 473 acute injuries. Injuries in NAT patients were more severe than in AT patients, and Injury Severity Scores, ICU admission rates, and mortality were all significantly (p<0.001) higher. The majority suffered from polytrauma. Multiple areas of injury were seen in patients with closed head injuries (72%), extremity fractures (51%), rib fractures (82%), and abdominal/thoracic trauma (80%). Despite these complex injury patterns, only 56% received surgical consults, resulting in potential delays in diagnosis, as 24% of abdominal CT scans were obtained >12 hours after hospitalization. Given the high incidence of polytrauma in NAT patients, prompt surgical evaluation is necessary to determine the scope of injury. Admission to the trauma service and a thorough tertiary survey should be considered for all patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Patterns and trends in accidental poisoning death rates in the US, 1979-2014.

    PubMed

    Buchanich, Jeanine M; Balmert, Lauren C; Pringle, Janice L; Williams, Karl E; Burke, Donald S; Marsh, Gary M

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine US accidental poisoning death rates by demographic and geographic factors from 1979 to 2014, including High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. Crude and age-adjusted death rates were formed for age group, race, sex, and county for accidental poisonings (ICD 9th revision: E850-E869; ICD 10th revision: X40-X49) from 1979 to 2014 using the Mortality and Population Data System housed at the University of Pittsburgh. Rate ratios were calculated comparing rates from 2014 to 1979, overall, by sex, age group, race, and county. Joinpoint regression detected changes in trends and calculated the average annual percentage change (AAPC) as a summary measure of trend. Drug poisoning mortality rates have risen an average of 6% per year since 1979. Increases are occurring in all ages 15+, and in all race-sex groups. HIDTA counties with the highest mortality rates were in Appalachia and New Mexico. Many of the HIDTA border counties had lower rates of mortality. The drug poisoning mortality epidemic is continuing to grow. While HIDTA resources are appropriately targeted at many areas in the US most affected, rates are also rapidly rising in some non-HIDTA areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Non-accidental carbon monoxide poisoning from burning charcoal in attempted combined homicide-suicide.

    PubMed

    Lee, A C W; Ou, Y; Lam, S Y; So, K T; Kam, C W

    2002-10-01

    To describe an emerging form of serious child abuse in combined homicide-suicide in Hong Kong. This is a retrospective hospital chart review in a regional hospital in Hong Kong from January to December 2000. Eight children, with a mean age of 7.8 years (range 0.5-11 years), from four families were admitted to hospital because of non-accidental exposure to carbon monoxide when their parents attempted suicide by burning charcoal. A 7-year-old boy died on arrival. His 5.6-year-old sister and another 6-month-old boy had cerebral hypoxia on admission. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was used in both cases, with rapid improvement, although there were persistent neurological deficits in the girl. The other children in the present study were asymptomatic and none had delayed neurological sequelae. Concomitant use of sedatives was also detected in three of the surviving patients. Non-accidental poisoning with carbon monoxide appears to be a new means of child abuse with potentially serious consequences. Concomitant intoxication with psychotropic drugs is common in such cases. The reason for parents killing their own children under such circumstances was unclear, but a desire to exact revenge on an estranged partner was suggested.

  12. Non-accidental properties, metric invariance, and encoding by neurons in a model of ventral stream visual object recognition, VisNet.

    PubMed

    Rolls, Edmund T; Mills, W Patrick C

    2018-05-01

    When objects transform into different views, some properties are maintained, such as whether the edges are convex or concave, and these non-accidental properties are likely to be important in view-invariant object recognition. The metric properties, such as the degree of curvature, may change with different views, and are less likely to be useful in object recognition. It is shown that in a model of invariant visual object recognition in the ventral visual stream, VisNet, non-accidental properties are encoded much more than metric properties by neurons. Moreover, it is shown how with the temporal trace rule training in VisNet, non-accidental properties of objects become encoded by neurons, and how metric properties are treated invariantly. We also show how VisNet can generalize between different objects if they have the same non-accidental property, because the metric properties are likely to overlap. VisNet is a 4-layer unsupervised model of visual object recognition trained by competitive learning that utilizes a temporal trace learning rule to implement the learning of invariance using views that occur close together in time. A second crucial property of this model of object recognition is, when neurons in the level corresponding to the inferior temporal visual cortex respond selectively to objects, whether neurons in the intermediate layers can respond to combinations of features that may be parts of two or more objects. In an investigation using the four sides of a square presented in every possible combination, it was shown that even though different layer 4 neurons are tuned to encode each feature or feature combination orthogonally, neurons in the intermediate layers can respond to features or feature combinations present is several objects. This property is an important part of the way in which high capacity can be achieved in the four-layer ventral visual cortical pathway. These findings concerning non-accidental properties and the use of neurons in

  13. 76 FR 73021 - Agency Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0104] Agency Information Collection (Report of Accidental Injury in Support of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident... of Claim for Compensation or Pension/Statement of Witness to Accident, VA Form 21- 4176. OMB Control...

  14. Massive cisplatin overdose by accidental substitution for carboplatin. Toxicity and management.

    PubMed

    Chu, G; Mantin, R; Shen, Y M; Baskett, G; Sussman, H

    1993-12-15

    Unlike the related drug carboplatin, cisplatin is highly nephrotoxic and must be given with vigorous intravenous hydration at a much lower dose. As the result of an accidental substitution of cisplatin for carboplatin, a 68-year-old woman received a massive overdose of cisplatin without intravenous hydration. Laboratory documentation included measurements of platinum concentrations by atomic absorption spectroscopy and of xeroderma pigmentosum group E (XPE) binding factor, a protein that is involved in the recognition step of DNA repair. Toxicities included severe emesis, myelosuppression, renal failure, and deafness, which are well known. Other toxicities were seizures, hallucinations, loss of vision, and hepatic toxicity, which were unusual and may have been caused by the magnitude of the overdose. As late as day 19, there was a continued cellular response from cisplatin, as evidenced by decreased levels of XPE binding factor in extracts from the patient's peripheral blood lymphocytes. Plasmapheresis was effective in lowering the platinum concentration from greater than 2900 ng/ml to 200 ng/ml and appeared to be of clinical benefit. Even after the onset of renal failure, hydration to increase urine volume resulted in increased urinary excretion of platinum. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was used to ameliorate myelosuppression. The patient received a transplanted kidney from her monozygotic twin sister and survived with no clinically significant deficit except for deafness. No previous reports exist of survival after such a high dose of cisplatin without intravenous hydration. In the future, patients may benefit from similar management and heightened awareness of the possibility of accidental substitution.

  15. Accidental deep field bias in CMB T and SNe z correlation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Friday, Tracey; Clowes, Roger G.; Raghunathan, Srinivasan; Williger, Gerard M.

    2018-05-01

    Evidence presented by Yershov, Orlov and Raikov apparently showed that the WMAP/Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) pixel-temperatures (T) at supernovae (SNe) locations tend to increase with increasing redshift (z). They suggest this correlation could be caused by the Integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect and/or by some unrelated foreground emission. Here, we assess this correlation independently using Planck 2015 SMICA R2.01 data and, following Yershov et al., a sample of 2783 SNe from the Sternberg Astronomical Institute. Our analysis supports the prima facie existence of the correlation but attributes it to a composite selection bias (high CMB T × high SNe z) caused by the accidental alignment of seven deep survey fields with CMB hotspots. These seven fields contain 9.2 per cent of the SNe sample (256 SNe). Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient indicates the correlation present in the whole sample (ρs = 0.5, p-value =6.7 × 10-9) is insignificant for a sub-sample of the seven fields together (ρs = 0.2, p-value =0.2) and entirely absent for the remainder of the SNe (ρs = 0.1, p-value =0.6). We demonstrate the temperature and redshift biases of these seven deep fields, and estimate the likelihood of their falling on CMB hotspots by chance is at least ˜ 6.8 per cent (approximately 1 in 15). We show that a sample of 7880 SNe from the Open Supernova Catalogue exhibits the same effect and we conclude that the correlation is an accidental but not unlikely selection bias.

  16. Risk factors for unnatural death: Fatal accidental intoxication, undetermined intent and suicide: Register follow-up in a criminal justice population with substance use problems.

    PubMed

    Olsson, Martin O; Bradvik, Louise; Öjehagen, Agneta; Hakansson, Anders

    2016-05-01

    Risk factors for suicide and fatal accidental intoxication are extensively studied, while risk factors for intoxications/injuries of undetermined intent are less well known. The latter have shown an overlap with suicides, but also with fatal accidental intoxications. The objective was to analyze potential differences and similarities in the patterns of risk factors for accidental intoxications, injuries/intoxications with undetermined intent, and suicides, respectively. A follow-up register study was conducted, using data from ASI interviews with clients in the criminal justice system in Sweden (n=6744), followed in the National Causes of Death Register. A set of risk factors from the ASI interview were tested in bivariate analysis with the respective cause of death, yielding significant risk factors further analyzed in three Cox regression models. In Cox regression analyses, death from fatal accidental intoxication was associated with male gender (HR 4.09), use of heroin (HR 2.86), and use of cannabis (HR 1.94), and death from intoxication/injury of undetermined intent was associated with use of heroin (HR 3.48), binge drinking of alcohol (HR 2.46) and previous psychiatric hospitalization (HR 2.41), while negatively associated with depression (HR 0.33). Death from suicide was associated with previous suicide attempts (HR 2.78) and use of sedatives (HR 2.17). In this population of criminal justice clients with reported substance use problems, fatal injuries/intoxications with undetermined intent - like fatal accidental intoxications - appear to be associated with substance use variables, and cannot readily be assumed to represent the same background factors as suicide. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  17. Accidental degeneracy in k-space, geometrical phase, and the perturbation of π by spin-orbit interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, Philip B.; Pickett, Warren E.

    2018-06-01

    Since closed lines of accidental electronic degeneracies were demonstrated to be possible, even frequent, by Herring in 1937, no further developments arose for eight decades. The earliest report of such a nodal loop in a real material - aluminum - is recounted and elaborated on. Nodal loop semimetals have become a focus of recent activity, with emphasis on other issues. Band degeneracies are, after all, the origin of topological phases in crystalline materials. Spin-orbit interaction lifts accidental band degeneracies, with the resulting spectrum being provided here. The geometric phase γ(C) = ± π for circuits C surrounding a line of such degeneracy cannot survive completely unchanged. The change depends on how the spin is fixed during adiabatic evolution. For spin fixed along the internal spin-orbit field, γ(C) decreases to zero as the circuit collapses around the line of lifted degeneracy. For spin fixed along a perpendicular axis, the conical intersection persists and γ(C) = ± π is unchanged.

  18. A probabilistic model for accidental cargo oil outflow from product tankers in a ship-ship collision.

    PubMed

    Goerlandt, Floris; Montewka, Jakub

    2014-02-15

    In risk assessment of maritime transportation, estimation of accidental oil outflow from tankers is important for assessing environmental impacts. However, there typically is limited data concerning the specific structural design and tank arrangement of ships operating in a given area. Moreover, there is uncertainty about the accident scenarios potentially emerging from ship encounters. This paper proposes a Bayesian network (BN) model for reasoning under uncertainty for the assessment of accidental cargo oil outflow in a ship-ship collision where a product tanker is struck. The BN combines a model linking impact scenarios to damage extent with a model for estimating the tank layouts based on limited information regarding the ship. The methodology for constructing the model is presented and output for two accident scenarios is shown. The discussion elaborates on the issue of model validation, both in terms of the BN and in light of the adopted uncertainty/bias-based risk perspective. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  19. Accidental Predissociation: A Special Case of Photo-Induced Isotope Fractionation Effect and Possible Occurrence in Nature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakraborty, S.; Thiemens, M. H.

    2009-12-01

    Photo-Induced Isotope Fractionation Effects (PHIFE) are known to produce isotopic frac-tionation in some photo-dissociating molecules (1-2). The PHIFE formalism is based on the Born-Oppenheimer approximation and the Reflection Principle. The isotopic fractionation arises principally from the spectral shift induced by the small difference in zero point energy between isotopologues and the contraction of the wave function due to isotopic substitution, consequently, the associated isotopic fractionations depends on the reduced mass of the isotopically substi-tuted species. The PHIFE formalism is only applicable to the molecules which undergo direct photo-dissociation that possess continuous absorption spectra. Simple molecules (N2, O2, CO) however do not follow a direct dissociation pathway and dissociate through an indirect process termed predissociation, which occurs when the molecule is excited to a quasi-bound state energetically above the dissociation continuum. The PHIFE formalism is not applicable when the absorption spectra are discrete. The assumption that the lightest isotopologues are preferentially predissociated is only valid for restricted predissociation cases. There is a special case of predissociation known as ‘accidental predissociation’ (3), which takes place through an intermediate bound state in two steps (i) leakage to an intermediate bound state (coupled through spin orbit interaction) and, (ii) predissociation to a third quasi-bound state from the intermediate state. Line broadening at an accidental predissociation is a function of the magnitude of coupling matrix elements and the linewidths are strongly influenced by isotopic substitution (4). An anomalous isotopic effect in accidental predissociation was spectroscopically observed in CO (5), N2 (4) and BeH (6). We measured the isotopic fractionation for the first time in two accidental predissociating states of CO through VUV photodissociation using the 9.0.2 beamline at ALS (7-8). In

  20. Accidental hydroxychloroquine overdose resulting in neurotoxic vestibulopathy.

    PubMed

    Chansky, Peter B; Werth, Victoria P

    2017-04-12

    Hydroxychloroquine is an oral antimalarial medication commonly used off-label for a variety of rheumatological conditions, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome and dermatomyositis. We present a case of a 64-year-old woman who presented with acute onset headache, bilateral tinnitus, and left-sided facial numbness and tingling in the setting of accidentally overdosing on hydroxychloroquine. By the next morning, the patient began to experience worsening in the tingling sensation and it eventually spread to her left arm, thigh and distal extremities. The patient also complained of new onset blurring of her peripheral vision and feeling 'off balance.' Despite a complete neurological and ophthalmological work-up with unremarkable imaging and blood work, the patient has had no improvement in her tinnitus, left-sided paresthesias, visual disturbance or ataxia. This is a unique case of hydroxychloroquine overdose resulting in permanent neurotoxic vestibulopathy. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  1. Non-accidental health impacts of wildfire smoke.

    PubMed

    Youssouf, Hassani; Liousse, Catherine; Roblou, Laurent; Assamoi, Eric-Michel; Salonen, Raimo O; Maesano, Cara; Banerjee, Soutrik; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

    2014-11-14

    Wildfires take a heavy toll on human health worldwide. Climate change may increase the risk of wildfire frequency. Therefore, in view of adapted preventive actions, there is an urgent need to further understand the health effects and public awareness of wildfires. We conducted a systematic review of non-accidental health impacts of wildfire and incorporated lessons learned from recent experiences. Based on the literature, various studies have established the relationship between one of the major components of wildfire, particulate matter (particles with diameter less than 10 µm (PM10) and less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5)) and cardiorespiratory symptoms in terms of Emergency Rooms visits and hospital admissions. Associations between wildfire emissions and various subclinical effects have also been established. However, few relationships between wildfire emissions and mortality have been observed. Certain segments of the population may be particularly vulnerable to smoke-related health risks. Among them, people with pre-existing cardiopulmonary conditions, the elderly, smokers and, for professional reasons, firefighters. Potential action mechanisms have been highlighted. Overall, more research is needed to better understand health impact of wildfire exposure.

  2. Accidental hijab pin ingestion in Muslim women: an emerging endoscopic emergency?

    PubMed

    Goh, Jason; Patel, Neeral; Boulton, Ralph

    2014-01-03

    Ingested foreign body is an infrequent indication for emergency endoscopy in the adult gastroenterology practice. We describe the clinical features and endoscopic management of the first four cases of accidental ingestion of hijab pins by Muslim women in our unit, all presenting within a 12-month period. The pins were all successfully retrieved without any complications. In this report, we review published guidelines and the current literature, as well as discussing the approach (conservative vs proactive endoscopic retrieval) and timing of endoscopic treatment. The Muslim community may need to be alerted to the potential health hazard of hijab pins.

  3. Accidental hijab pin ingestion in Muslim women: an emerging endoscopic emergency?

    PubMed Central

    Goh, Jason; Patel, Neeral; Boulton, Ralph

    2014-01-01

    Ingested foreign body is an infrequent indication for emergency endoscopy in the adult gastroenterology practice. We describe the clinical features and endoscopic management of the first four cases of accidental ingestion of hijab pins by Muslim women in our unit, all presenting within a 12-month period. The pins were all successfully retrieved without any complications. In this report, we review published guidelines and the current literature, as well as discussing the approach (conservative vs proactive endoscopic retrieval) and timing of endoscopic treatment. The Muslim community may need to be alerted to the potential health hazard of hijab pins. PMID:24390968

  4. Course and outcome of accidental sodium hydroxide ocular injury.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Namrata; Singh, Digvijay; Sobti, Amit; Agarwal, Prakashchand; Velpandian, Thirumurthy; Titiyal, Jeewan S; Ghose, Supriyo

    2012-10-01

    To evaluate the course and outcome of patients with accidental ocular alkali burns. Prospective, interventional case series. Study of a cohort of 16 patients (31 eyes) who sustained concomitant accidental sodium hydroxide ocular burns and received appropriate treatment at a tertiary care eye hospital in India. The patients were followed up for 1 year, and parameters including best-corrected visual acuity, epithelial defect area, conjunctival and limbal involvement, and injury-related complications were evaluated. Severe sodium hydroxide exposure of a mean duration of 12 ± 2.5 minutes and delay in specialist eye care caused moderate to severe injury (grade II, 19% [n = 6]; grade III, 19% [n = 6]; grade IV, 10% [n = 3]; and grade VI, 52% [n = 16]). Median best-corrected visual acuity at presentation was 1.0 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) units (range, 0.3 to 1.9 logMAR units), and at 1 year, it was 1.0 logMAR units (range, 0 to 1.9 logMAR units; P = .121). The median initial epithelial defect was 100 mm(2) (range, 18 to 121 mm(2)), which healed in all eyes by 3.5 months. Initial median limbal involvement was 12 clock hours (range, 3 to 12 clock hours), resulting in a residual limbal stem cell deficiency of 6 clock hours (range, 0 to 12 clock hours) at 1 year. Most common complications were glaucoma and cataract. Corneal ulcers developed in 2 eyes, and keratolimbal graft was performed in 1 patient. Grade VI injuries had significantly worse outcome than the lower-grade injuries. The course and outcome of ocular alkali burns depends on effective first aid (including a thorough eyewash), age, initial grade of injury, response to treatment, prevention of secondary infection, and control of glaucoma. Despite appropriate treatment, these eyes responded poorly and carried a guarded visual prognosis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. 36 CFR 1230.16 - How does NARA handle allegations of unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION RECORDS MANAGEMENT UNLAWFUL OR ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL, DEFACING, ALTERATION, OR DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS § 1230.16 How does NARA... receiving any credible information that records are at risk of actual, impending, or threatened damage...

  6. 36 CFR 1230.16 - How does NARA handle allegations of unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION RECORDS MANAGEMENT UNLAWFUL OR ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL, DEFACING, ALTERATION, OR DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS § 1230.16 How does NARA... receiving any credible information that records are at risk of actual, impending, or threatened damage...

  7. 36 CFR 1230.16 - How does NARA handle allegations of unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION RECORDS MANAGEMENT UNLAWFUL OR ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL, DEFACING, ALTERATION, OR DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS § 1230.16 How does NARA... receiving any credible information that records are at risk of actual, impending, or threatened damage...

  8. Distinguishing intentional from accidental actions in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and human children (Homo sapiens).

    PubMed

    Call, J; Tomasello, M

    1998-06-01

    This study investigates the understanding of others' intentions in 2- and 3-year-old children, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus). During training, subjects learned to use a discriminative cue to select a baited box. During testing, the experimenter placed a marker on top of the baited box to inform the subject of the reward's location. However, the experimenter also accidentally dropped the marker on top of an unbaited box, so that during any given trial the experimenter marked 2 boxes, 1 intentionally and 1 accidentally. All 3 species preferentially selected the box the experimenter had marked intentionally (especially during the initial trials), with 3-year-old children presenting the most robust results. These findings suggest that subjects understood something about the experimenter's intentions. The authors speculate that understanding of others' intentions may precede the understanding of others' beliefs both at the ontogenetic and phylogenetic levels.

  9. Fatal occupational injuries in the Malaysian construction sector–causes and accidental agents

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ayob, A.; Shaari, A. A.; Zaki, M. F. M.; Munaaim, M. A. C.

    2018-04-01

    The construction sector is associated with various accidents and fatal injuries. These occupational accidents are caused by numerous factors, such as lack of supervision; lack of adherence to safe work technique; failure to wear personal protective equipment; and failure to comply with the safe use of tools, vehicles, and machines. Using 2013–2016 secondary data from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health and Social Security Organization, this study conducted a descriptive exploration survey to identify common fatal occupational injuries associated with the Malaysian construction sector, as well as their causes and accidental agents. Results indicated that construction, followed by manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, logging, and fishery, are the riskiest job sectors in Malaysia. The highest incidences of occupational casualties were reported in Sarawak, Johor, and Selangor. These states accounted for approximately 13.33% to 18.18% of all cases of fatal occupational accidents. In these states, the lack of safety and health regulations and poor execution of risk management increased the risk of occupational accidents. Falls from heights accounted for 46.28% of fatal occupational injuries. Furthermore, being crushed by objects, materials, or vehicles accounted for 9.09% to 17.36% of fatal occupational injuries. Substandard work environment and transportation and lifting equipment, such as scaffolds, are primary accidental agents. Results of this study could enhance the knowledge and awareness of construction workers and management of job-related injuries to decrease the incidence of fatal occupational accidents.

  10. Accidental incision of the fetus at caesarian section.

    PubMed

    Okaro, J M; Anya, S E

    2004-01-01

    Caesarian section is the most common major surgical procedure among women of reproductive age. It is thought to be safer for the baby than the mother. However, the baby is at risk of laceration injury. Retrospective review of clinical records of women who were delivered by caesarian section during a seven-year period from January 1, 1991 to December 31, 1997. Fetal laceration injury was documented in 0.55% of live caesarian section births. Accidental incision of the fetus was associated with emergency caesarian section, ruptured membranes and relative inexperience of the operating surgeon. Documentation of injury was poor and there was no evidence that parents were counselled. Laceration of the fetus is an occasional complication of caesarian section. Proper documentation and counselling of parents are required especially as there are potential medicolegal implications. Careful attention to the technique of uterine entry at caesarian section should reduce the risk of injury to the fetus.

  11. Quenching tank: Accidental drowning in hot quenching oil.

    PubMed

    Mugadlimath, Anand B; Sane, Mandar Ramchandra; Zine, Kailash U; Hiremath, Rekha M

    2017-06-01

    We describe an unusual case of drowning in fluid other than water in an industrial setting. A 26-year-old man was working in an industry which performs surface treatment of mechanical steel parts with quenching oil. He fell into the quenching oil (which was hot due to immersion of red hot metal parts), and as he was working alone in the particular section, there was a fatal outcome. A medico-legal autopsy was performed. The causes of death were found to be multiple, with the association of drowning, extensive superficial burns and asphyxia due to laryngeal oedema. To our knowledge, it is the first report of drowning in hot quenching oil, and only nine previous observations of drowning in industrial environments have been reported in the international literature. Even though rare, these kinds of accidental deaths can be prevented in dangerous industries with proper precautions and strict adherence to standard operating procedures.

  12. Accidental exposure to HCV antibody-positive blood in hospital and pre-emptive one-shot interferon alpha-2b treatment.

    PubMed

    Nukaya, Haruhiko; Ohno, Tomoyoshi; Sakakibara, Kenji; Kato, Atunaga; Hasegawa, Izumi; Matunaga, Seijiro; Endo, Masayuki; Tanaka, Yoshito; Hirashima, Noboru; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Orito, Etsuro; Joh, Takashi; Mizokami, Masashi

    2007-03-01

    Infection with hepatitis viruses following blood exposure accidents, such as needle stick injuries, is a serious issue for medical staff. In particular, although accidental exposure to hepatitis C virus (HCV) occurs frequently, postexposure prophylactic measures have not been established yet. In this study we investigate the efficacy of recombinant alpha-2b interferon (IFN) as a single, 10 MU intramuscular injection for preventing transmission. 264 incidents of accidental blood to HCV antibody-positive blood, occurring between 1993 and 2003 in the Social Insurance Chukyo Hospital, were surveyed. Accident reports, which described in detail the circumstances and the presence or absence of infectious disease in the blood, and accidental exposure to HCV antibody-positive blood was investigated. Pre-emptive IFN treatment was given in 115 out of 157 cases occurring between 1993 and 1998. One case developed acute HCV. Phylogenetic analysis provided evidence that the accident caused the infection and the patient was cured by immediate IFN therapy. Between 1999 and 2003, the exposed were in principle followed-up without IFN treatment; IFN treatment was only given when requested. As a result, IFN was given in 14 of 107 cases. During this period, no transmission was observed. Taken together, the benefits of pre-emptive IFN treatment were considered unremarkable and a follow-up without treatment, or immediate IFN therapy after confirmation of the onset, was recommended.

  13. [Analysis of accidental deaths in mountain tourism and sport according to statistics from the Republic of Kabardino-Balkariia].

    PubMed

    Mechukaev, A M; Mechukaev, A A

    2006-01-01

    Lethal cases in mountain tourism and sports in the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria were studied for 1978-1995. A total of 152 accidental deaths were analysed. Most of the victims were males under 30 years of age. The greatest number of the accidents took place on Monday, in July and August. Many amateur visitors from abroad were among the victims. The main cause of death in the mountains of Kabardino-Balkaria for the 18 years studied was multitrauma of the body (69.7%). Hypothermia and obturation asphyxia with snow and compression asphyxia due to snowbreak account for 11.8 and 13.2% deaths, respectively; lightning killed 4%. Combination of high mountain hypoxia with exacerbated chronic somatic disease or hypothermia caused death in 1% victims. The authors propose how to improve forensic-medical expert examination of accidental death and safety in the mountains.

  14. Modeling of occupational exposure to accidentally released manufactured nanomaterials in a production facility and calculation of internal doses by inhalation

    PubMed Central

    Vaquero-Moralejo, Celina; Jaén, María; Lopez De Ipiña Peña, Jesús; Neofytou, Panagiotis

    2016-01-01

    Background Occupational exposure to manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) and its potential health impacts are of scientific and practical interest, as previous epidemiological studies associate exposure to nanoparticles with health effects, including increased morbidity of the respiratory and the circulatory system. Objectives To estimate the occupational exposure and effective internal doses in a real production facility of TiO2 MNMs during hypothetical scenarios of accidental release. Methods Commercial software for geometry and mesh generation, as well as fluid flow and particle dispersion calculation, were used to estimate occupational exposure to MNMs. The results were introduced to in-house software to calculate internal doses in the human respiratory tract by inhalation. Results Depending on the accidental scenario, different areas of the production facility were affected by the released MNMs, with a higher dose exposure among individuals closer to the particles source. Conclusions Granted that the study of the accidental release of particles can only be performed by chance, this numerical approach provides valuable information regarding occupational exposure and contributes to better protection of personnel. The methodology can be used to identify occupational settings where the exposure to MNMs would be high during accidents, providing insight to health and safety officials. PMID:27670588

  15. Salade malade: malignant ventricular arrhythmias due to an accidental intoxication with Aconitum napellus.

    PubMed

    Weijters, B J; Verbunt, R J A M; Hoogsteen, J; Visser, R F

    2008-01-01

    Intoxication with Aconitum napellus is rare in our regions. Aconite alkaloids can cause ventricular arrhythmia by a prolonged activation of sodium channels. Because the margin of safety is low between the analgesic and toxic dose, intoxication is not rare when Aconite is used in herbal medicine. We present a case in which a 39-year-old male was accidentally intoxicated with Aconite. Even though no antidote or adequate therapy is available he was successfully resuscitated. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:96-9.).

  16. Review of oil and HNS accidental spills in Europe: identifying major environmental monitoring gaps and drawing priorities.

    PubMed

    Neuparth, T; Moreira, S M; Santos, M M; Reis-Henriques, M A

    2012-06-01

    The European Atlantic area has been the scene of a number of extensive shipping incidents with immediate and potential long-term impacts to marine ecosystems. The occurrence of accidental spills at sea requires an effective response that must include a well executed monitoring programme to assess the environmental contamination and damage of the affected marine habitats. Despite a number of conventions and protocols developed by international and national authorities that focused on the preparedness and response to oil and HNS spills, much remains to be done, particularly in relation to the effectiveness of the environmental monitoring programmes implemented after oil and HNS spills. Hence, the present study reviews the status of the environmental monitoring programmes established following the major spill incidents over the last years in European waters, aiming at identifying the key monitoring gaps and drawing priorities for an effective environmental monitoring of accidental spills. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Chronic or accidental exposure of oysters to norovirus: is there any difference in contamination?

    PubMed

    Ventrone, Iole; Schaeffer, Julien; Ollivier, Joanna; Parnaudeau, Sylvain; Pepe, Tiziana; Le Pendu, Jacques; Le Guyader, Françoise S

    2013-03-01

    Bivalve molluscan shellfish such as oysters may be contaminated by human pathogens. Currently, the primary pathogens associated with shellfish-related outbreaks are noroviruses. This study was conducted to improve understanding of oyster bioaccumulation when oysters were exposed to daily contamination or one accidental contamination event, i.e., different modes of contamination. Oysters were contaminated with two representative strains of norovirus (GI.1 and GII.3) and then analyzed with real-time reverse transcription PCR. Exposure to a repeated virus dose for 9 days (mimicking a growing area subjected to frequent sewage contamination) led to an additive accumulation that was not significantly different from that obtained when the same total dose of virus was added all at once (as may happen after accidental sewage discharge). Similarly, bioaccumulation tests performed with mixed strains revealed additive accumulation of both viruses. Depuration may not be efficient for eliminating viruses; therefore, to prevent contaminated shellfish from being put onto the market, continuous sanitary monitoring must be considered. All climatic events or sewage failures occurring in production areas must be recorded, because repeated low-dose exposure or abrupt events may lead to similar levels of accumulation. This study contributes to an understanding of norovirus accumulation in oysters and provides suggestions for risk management strategies.

  18. Drug use and accidental falls in an intermediate care facility.

    PubMed

    Sobel, K G; McCart, G M

    1983-01-01

    The relationship between nonenvironment-caused falls and drug use was evaluated in an intermediate care facility over a 14-month period. The medical problems and selected drug use of 45 patients who had fallen were retrospectively compared with those of a matched control population of 30 patients who had not fallen during this same period. Antihypertensives, diuretics, tranquilizers, sedative/hypnotics, antidepressants, and antianginal agents were reviewed for all patients. The use of diuretics, specifically furosemide, and sedative/hypnotics was significantly greater in the population who had fallen. Observations of dizziness, confusion, insomnia, and ataxia were recorded more frequently in that group, as well. Closer monitoring of medications, especially in specific drug classes, may help prevent accidental falls in this type of institution.

  19. Dispersion modeling of accidental releases of toxic gases - Comparison of the models and their utility for the fire brigades.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stenzel, S.; Baumann-Stanzer, K.

    2009-04-01

    Dispersion modeling of accidental releases of toxic gases - Comparison of the models and their utility for the fire brigades. Sirma Stenzel, Kathrin Baumann-Stanzer In the case of accidental release of hazardous gases in the atmosphere, the emergency responders need a reliable and fast tool to assess the possible consequences and apply the optimal countermeasures. For hazard prediction and simulation of the hazard zones a number of air dispersion models are available. The most model packages (commercial or free of charge) include a chemical database, an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and automated graphical output for display the results, they are easy to use and can operate fast and effective during stress situations. The models are designed especially for analyzing different accidental toxic release scenarios ("worst-case scenarios"), preparing emergency response plans and optimal countermeasures as well as for real-time risk assessment and management. There are also possibilities for model direct coupling to automatic meteorological stations, in order to avoid uncertainties in the model output due to insufficient or incorrect meteorological data. Another key problem in coping with accidental toxic release is the relative width spectrum of regulations and values, like IDLH, ERPG, AEGL, MAK etc. and the different criteria for their application. Since the particulate emergency responders and organizations require for their purposes unequal regulations and values, it is quite difficult to predict the individual hazard areas. There are a quite number of research studies and investigations coping with the problem, anyway the end decision is up to the authorities. The research project RETOMOD (reference scenarios calculations for toxic gas releases - model systems and their utility for the fire brigade) was conducted by the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) in cooperation with the Vienna fire brigade, OMV Refining & Marketing GmbH and

  20. Non-Accidental Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke

    PubMed Central

    Youssouf, Hassani; Liousse, Catherine; Roblou, Laurent; Assamoi, Eric-Michel; Salonen, Raimo O.; Maesano, Cara; Banerjee, Soutrik; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

    2014-01-01

    Wildfires take a heavy toll on human health worldwide. Climate change may increase the risk of wildfire frequency. Therefore, in view of adapted preventive actions, there is an urgent need to further understand the health effects and public awareness of wildfires. We conducted a systematic review of non-accidental health impacts of wildfire and incorporated lessons learned from recent experiences. Based on the literature, various studies have established the relationship between one of the major components of wildfire, particulate matter (particles with diameter less than 10 µm (PM10) and less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5)) and cardiorespiratory symptoms in terms of Emergency Rooms visits and hospital admissions. Associations between wildfire emissions and various subclinical effects have also been established. However, few relationships between wildfire emissions and mortality have been observed. Certain segments of the population may be particularly vulnerable to smoke-related health risks. Among them, people with pre-existing cardiopulmonary conditions, the elderly, smokers and, for professional reasons, firefighters. Potential action mechanisms have been highlighted. Overall, more research is needed to better understand health impact of wildfire exposure. PMID:25405597

  1. National Poison Prevention Week – EPA Urges Public to Keep All Pesticides in Original Containers to Prevent Accidental Poisoning

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Poison Control Centers have reported cases of accidental poisonings from ingestion of chemicals stored in soda and juice bottles and cans, coffee cups, baby bottles and various other beverage containers. Keep pesticides in their original containers.

  2. Structures to Resist the Effects of Accidental Explosions. Volume 5. Structural Steel Design

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-05-01

    STRUCTURES TO RESIST THE EFFECTS OF ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSIONS VOLUME V - STRUCTURAL STEEL DESIGN ] DAVID KOSSOVER NORVAL DOBBS AMMANN ft WHITNEY 96...STEEL DESIGN S. TYPE OF REPORT A PERIOO COVERED Special Publication Jan 85 - Apr 87 «. PERFORMING one. REPORT NUMICH 7. AuTNORf*,» David ...Connections Cold formed panels I>a«e ae»4gn Fia^meuL ymit-i^tatfln I 2a ABSTRACT rCmm^mmm —. ~< w «» «CM» m III.IIIBI mud twrnrntty »T

  3. Salade malade: malignant ventricular arrhythmias due to an accidental intoxication with Aconitum napellus

    PubMed Central

    Weijters, B.J.; Verbunt, R.J.A.M.; Hoogsteen, J.; Visser, R.F.

    2008-01-01

    Intoxication with Aconitum napellus is rare in our regions. Aconite alkaloids can cause ventricular arrhythmia by a prolonged activation of sodium channels. Because the margin of safety is low between the analgesic and toxic dose, intoxication is not rare when Aconite is used in herbal medicine. We present a case in which a 39-year-old male was accidentally intoxicated with Aconite. Even though no antidote or adequate therapy is available he was successfully resuscitated. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:96-9.) PMID:18345331

  4. Youth Versus Adult “Weightlifting” Injuries Presenting to United States Emergency Rooms: Accidental Versus Nonaccidental Injury Mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Myer, Gregory D.; Quatman, Carmen E.; Khoury, Jane; Wall, Eric J.; Hewett, Timothy E.

    2014-01-01

    Myer, GD, Quatman, CE, Khoury, J, Wall, EJ, and Hewett, TE. Youth versus adult “weightlifting” injuries presenting to united states emergency rooms: accidental versus nonaccidental injury mechanisms. J Strength Cond Res 23(7): 2054–2060, 2009—Resistance training has previously been purported to be unsafe and ineffective in children. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate resistance training-related injuries presenting to U.S. emergency rooms by age, type, and mechanism of injury. We hypothesized that older athletes would sustain greater percentages of joint sprains and muscle strains, whereas younger athletes would sustain a greater percentage of accidental injuries that would result in an increased percentage of fractures in youths. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried from 2002 to 2005 using the CPSC code for “Weightlifting.” Subjects between the ages of 8 and 30 were grouped by age categories 8 to 13 (elementary/middle school age), 14 to 18 (high school), 19 to 22 (college), and 23 to 30 (adult). Injuries were classified as “accidental” if caused by dropped weight or improper equipment use. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare accidental injuries between age groups. The sample consisted of 4, 111 patients. Accidental injuries decreased (p < 0.05) with age: 8 to 13 > 14 to 18 > 19 to 22 years = 23 to 30 years. Conversely, sprain/strain injuries increased in each successive age group (p < 0.05). Evaluation of only the nonaccidental injuries (n = 2, 565) showed that the oldest categories (19–22 and 23–30 yr) demonstrated a greater percentage of sprains and strains relative to younger age categories (p < 0.001). Two thirds of the injuries sustained in the 8 to 13 group were to the hand and foot and were most often related to “dropping” and “pinching” in the injury descriptions, and there was an increased percentage of fractures in the 8 to 13

  5. Elimination kinetics of metals after an accidental exposure to welding fumes.

    PubMed

    Schaller, Karl H; Csanady, György; Filser, Johannes; Jüngert, Barbara; Drexler, Hans

    2007-07-01

    We had the opportunity to study the kinetics of metals in blood and urine samples of a flame-sprayer exposed to high accident-prone workplace exposure. We measured over 1 year, the nickel, aluminium, and chromium concentrations in blood and urine specimens after exposure. On this basis, we evaluated the corresponding half-lives. Blood and urine sampling were carried out five times after accidental exposure over a period of 1 year. The metals were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and Zeeman compensation with reliable methods. Either a mono-exponential or a bi-exponential function was fitted to the concentration-time courses of selected metals using weighted least squares non-linear regression analysis. The amount excreted in urine was calculated integrating the urinary decay curve and multiplying with the daily creatinine excretion. The first examination was carried out 15 days after exposure. The mean aluminium concentration in plasma was 8.2 microg/l and in urine, 58.4 microg/g creatinine. The mean nickel concentration in blood was 59.6 microg/l and the excretion in urine 700 microg/g creatinine. The mean chromium level in blood was 1.4 microg/l in urine, 7.4 microg/g creatinine. For the three elements, the metal concentrations in blood and urine exceeded the reference values at least in the initial phase. For nickel, the German biological threshold limit values (EKA) were exceeded. Aluminium showed a mono-exponential decay, whereas the elimination of chromium and nickel was biphasic in biological fluids of the accidentally exposed welder. The half-lives were as follows: for aluminium 140 days (urine) and 160 days (plasma); for chromium 40 and 730 days (urine); for nickel 25 and 610 days (urine) as well as 30 and 240 days (blood). The renal clearance of aluminium and nickel was about 2 l/h estimated for the last monitoring day.

  6. A natural little hierarchy for RS from accidental SUSY

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gherghetta, Tony; von Harling, Benedict; Setzer, Nicholas

    2011-07-01

    We use supersymmetry to address the little hierarchy problem in Randall-Sundrum models by naturally generating a hierarchy between the IR scale and the electroweak scale. Supersymmetry is broken on the UV brane which triggers the stabilization of the warped extra dimension at an IR scale of order 10 TeV. The Higgs and top quark live near the IR brane whereas light fermion generations are localized towards the UV brane. Supersymmetry breaking causes the first two sparticle generations to decouple, thereby avoiding the supersymmetric flavour and CP problems, while an accidental R-symmetry protects the gaugino mass. The resulting low-energy sparticle spectrum consists of stops, gauginos and Higgsinos which are sufficient to stabilize the little hierarchy between the IR scale and the electroweak scale. Finally, the supersymmetric little hierarchy problem is ameliorated by introducing a singlet Higgs field on the IR brane.

  7. [Cutaneous radiation syndrome after accidental skin exposure to ionizing radiation].

    PubMed

    Peter, R U

    2013-12-01

    Accidental exposure of the human skin to single doses of ionizing radiation greater than 3 Gy results in a distinct clinical picture, which is characterized by a transient and faint erythema after a few hours, then followed by severe erythema, blistering and necrosis. Depending on severity of damage, the latter generally occurs 10-30 days after exposure, but in severe cases may appear within 48 hrs. Between three and 24 months after exposure, epidermal atrophy combined with progressive dermal and subcutaneous fibrosis is the predominant clinical feature. Even years and decades after exposure, atrophy of epidermis, sweat and sebaceous glands; telangiectases; and dermal and subcutaneous fibrosis may be found and even continue to progress. For this distinct pattern of deterministic effects following cutaneous accidental radiation exposure the term "cutaneous radiation syndrome (CRS)" was coined in 1993 and has been accepted by all international authorities including IAEA and WHO since 2000. In contrast to the classical concept that inhibition of epidermal stem cell proliferation accounts for the clinical symptomatology, research of the last three decades has demonstrated the additional crucial role of inflammatory processes in the etiology of both acute and chronic sequelae of the CRS. Therefore, therapeutic approaches should include topical and systemic anti-inflammatory measures at the earliest conceivable point, and should be maintained throughout the acute and subacute stages, as this reduces the need for surgical intervention, once necrosis has occurred. If surgical intervention is planned, it should be executed with a conservative approach; no safety margins are needed. Antifibrotic measures in the chronic stage should address the chronic inflammatory nature of this process, in which over-expression TGF beta-1 may be a target for therapeutic intervention. Life-long follow-up often is required for management of delayed effects and for early detection of secondary

  8. Risk Factors for new accidental falls in elderly patients at traumatology ambulatory center.

    PubMed

    Porto Gautério, Daiane; Zortea, Bruna; Costa Santos, Silvana Sidney; da Silva Tarouco, Bárbara; Lopes, Manoel José; João Fonseca, Cesar

    2015-01-01

    To identify the risks factors for new accidental falls in elderly patients attended in the Traumatology Ambulatory of a University hospital in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Quantitative study of the type of multiple cases. Performed at the traumatology ambulatory, amongst fifteen elders that attended the inclusion criteria: age of sixty or more; patient at the traumatology ambulatory because of a fall motivated by accident, oriented and in conditions of answer an interview of data collectors. The data collection was made between April and June, 2013, with the Elderly Nursing Core Set scale (Lopes & Fonseca). The data analysis was made by a descriptive structure, which helped identify the existence of relation patterns among the cases. The risk factors for new accidental falls identified with larger incidence amongst the elders studied were: impaired balance (15/15), age above 65 (11/15), use of antihypertensive drugs (9/15), absence of non-slip material at home environment (7/15), in seven cases; rugs scattered at the floor of the house (6/15). The combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that include the environmental risks is considered a much more relevant cause to occur the new falls. The minimization of the home dangers, allied to the control of the elder intrinsic factors, may reduce the risks of causes. In that sense, is necessary that the nursing team make available more attention to the elderly assisted at the ambulatories, mainly those with sequelae due to fall accidents.

  9. Reducing the loss of vaccines from accidental freezing in the cold chain: the experience of continuous temperature monitoring in Tunisia.

    PubMed

    Lloyd, John; Lydon, Patrick; Ouhichi, Ramzi; Zaffran, Michel

    2015-02-11

    Accidental freezing of vaccines is a growing threat and a real risk for national immunization programs when the potency of many vaccines can be compromised if these are exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the cold chain. In Tunisia, this issue is compounded by using sub-standard domestic cold chain equipment instead of equipping the program with medical refrigerators designed specifically for storing vaccines and temperature sensitive pharmaceuticals. Against this backdrop, this paper presents the findings of a demonstration project conducted in Tunisia in 2012 that tested the impact of introducing several freeze prevention solutions to mitigate the risk of accidental freezing of vaccines. The main finding is that, despite the continued use of underperforming domestic refrigerators, continuous temperature monitoring using new technologies combined with other technological interventions significantly reduced the prevalence of accidental exposure to freezing temperatures. These improvements were noticed for cold chain storage at regional, district and health center levels, and during the transport legs that were part of the demonstration conducted in the regions of Kasserine in the South-Eastern part of Tunisia. Subsequent to introducing these freeze prevention solutions, the incidence of freeze alarms was reduced and the percent of time the temperatures dropped below the 2 °C recommended threshold. The incidence of freeze alarms at health center level was reduced by 40%. Lastly, the solutions implemented reduced risk of freezing during transport from 13.8% to 1.7%. Although the solution implemented is not optimal in the longer term because domestic refrigerators are used extensively in district stores and health centers, the risk of accidental freezing is significantly reduced by introducing the practice of continuous temperature monitoring as a standard. The management of the cold chain equipment was strengthened as a result which helps protect the potency of

  10. 36 CFR § 1230.16 - How does NARA handle allegations of unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...§ 1230.16 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION RECORDS MANAGEMENT UNLAWFUL OR ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL, DEFACING, ALTERATION, OR DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS § 1230.16 How does... receiving any credible information that records are at risk of actual, impending, or threatened damage...

  11. [A rare case of infant poisoning due to accidental administration of 1,2,3-triketohydrinden hydrate (ninhydrin)].

    PubMed

    Polak, Piotr; Sołtyszewski, Ireneusz; Niemcunowicz-Janica, Anna; Siwińska-Ziółkowska, Agnieszka; Widecka-Deptuch, Emilia; Lukasik, Marcin; Janica, Jerzy

    2007-01-01

    The paper presents a case of medical malpractice during the test for phenylketonuria. The authors analyzed all documents collected in the course of the investigation of infant poisoning due to accidental administration of ninhydrin. The medical assessment was based on an extensive review of the case history, as well as on spectroscopy (FT-IR), chromatography and chemical analysis findings that allowed for confirming the presence of the toxic substance in the evidence material collected during the initial investigation. The obtained results confirmed the presence of ninhydrin in the tea cup and in the teaspoon, which were used to prepare the diagnostic medium. No ninhydrin was found in other investigated materials. The employment of routine research methods, including GC-MS, FT-IR and UV-VIS, allowed for detection and identification of the pure chemical form of ninhydrin, as well as its color complex with amino acids. The detailed case analysis, as well as the variability of extensive evidence material collected during the investigation allowed for determining the identity of persons responsible for accidental administration of the poisoning substance to the infant.

  12. Accidental non-commercial aircraft fatalities: the 7-year Metro-Dade County experience from 1977-1983.

    PubMed

    Copeland, A R

    1986-05-01

    A study of accidental non-commercial aircraft fatalities was performed on the case files of the Office of the Medical Examiner of Metropolitan Dade County in Miami, FL, U.S.A., between the years 1977 through 1983. A total of 57 cases were collected and analyzed as to the age of the victim, the race and sex of the victim, the cause of death, the blood alcohol content at autopsy, the drugs detected at autopsy, the type of aircraft, the occupant role, the risk factor responsible for the crash, the time of the fatality, and the nature of usage of the aircraft. Essentially, these 57 cases comprised 1.2% of the non-vehicular accidental fatalities during the period. The age of distribution is relatively evenly distributed from age 16 to 65 years with white males predominating. Multiple injuries were the most common cause of death although conflagration injuries (e.g., smoke inhalation, burns) were frequent. The victims were sober and free of drugs in the majority of cases. Most fatalities occurred in a single engine plane with the victim, the pilot, flying for private reasons in the afternoon or evening hours. The most common identifiable risk factor was human error (e.g., judgement), rather than mechanical or plane failure.

  13. Accidental pharmacological poisonings in young children: population-based study in three settings.

    PubMed

    Bell, Jane C; Bentley, Jason P; Downie, Catriona; Cairns, Rose; Buckley, Nicholas A; Katelaris, Annette; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Nassar, Natasha

    2018-01-15

    Pharmacological poisonings in young children are avoidable. Previous studies report calls to poisons centres, presentations to emergency departments (ED) or hospital admissions. There are limited data assessing concurrent management of poisonings across all three settings. We aimed to describe accidental pharmacological poisonings in young children across our Poisons Information Centre (PIC), EDs and hospitals. A population-based study in New South Wales, Australia, of PIC calls, ED presentations and hospital admissions for accidental pharmacological poisoning in children aged <5 years, 2007-2013. We examined trends, medicines responsible and subsequent management. Medicines were coded using ICD10-AM diagnosis codes (T36-50). Over 2007-2013, pharmacological poisonings accounted for 67,816 PIC calls, 7739 ED presentations and 2082 admissions. Rates (per 10,000 children) of PIC calls declined from 220 to 178; ED presentations were stable (∼22-24), with a decrease in emergency cases offset by an increase in semi- or non-urgent presentations; hospital admissions declined (8-5). Most PIC calls related to "non-opioid analgesics" (25%), and "topical agents" (18%). Nearly every day, one child aged <5 years was admitted to hospital for poisoning. "Benzodiazepines", "other and unspecified antidepressants", "uncategorised antihypertensives", and "4-aminophenol derivatives" accounted for over one-third of all admissions. Most PIC calls (90%) were advised to stay home, 6% referred to hospital. One-quarter of ED presentations resulted in admission. Poisonings reported to PIC and hospitals declined, however, non-urgent ED presentations increased. Strategies to reduce therapeutic errors and access to medicines, and education campaigns to improve Poisons Centre call rates to prevent unnecessary ED presentations are needed.

  14. Accidental intrathecal injection of magnesium sulfate for cesarean section

    PubMed Central

    Gilani, Mehryar Taghavi; Zirak, Nahid; Razavi, Majid

    2014-01-01

    Magnesium sulfate is used frequently in the operation room and risks of wrong injection should be considered. A woman with history of pseudocholinesterase enzyme deficiency in the previous surgery was referred for cesarean operation. Magnesium sulfate of 700 mg (3.5 ml of 20% solution) was accidentally administered in the subarachnoid space. First, the patient had warm sensation and cutaneous anesthesia, but due to deep tissue pain, general anesthesia was induced by thiopental and atracurium. After the surgery, muscle relaxation and lethargy remained. At 8-10 h later, muscle strength improved and train of four (TOF) reached over 0.85, and then the endotracheal tube was removed. The patient was evaluated during the hospital stay and on the anesthesia clinic. No neurological symptoms, headache or backache were reported. Due to availability of magnesium sulfate, we should be careful for inadvertent intravenous, spinal and epidural injection; therefore before injection must be double checked. PMID:25422620

  15. Accidental intrathecal injection of magnesium sulfate for cesarean section.

    PubMed

    Gilani, Mehryar Taghavi; Zirak, Nahid; Razavi, Majid

    2014-10-01

    Magnesium sulfate is used frequently in the operation room and risks of wrong injection should be considered. A woman with history of pseudocholinesterase enzyme deficiency in the previous surgery was referred for cesarean operation. Magnesium sulfate of 700 mg (3.5 ml of 20% solution) was accidentally administered in the subarachnoid space. First, the patient had warm sensation and cutaneous anesthesia, but due to deep tissue pain, general anesthesia was induced by thiopental and atracurium. After the surgery, muscle relaxation and lethargy remained. At 8-10 h later, muscle strength improved and train of four (TOF) reached over 0.85, and then the endotracheal tube was removed. The patient was evaluated during the hospital stay and on the anesthesia clinic. No neurological symptoms, headache or backache were reported. Due to availability of magnesium sulfate, we should be careful for inadvertent intravenous, spinal and epidural injection; therefore before injection must be double checked.

  16. Accidental deaths caused by electricity in Sweden, 1975-2000.

    PubMed

    Lindström, Richard; Bylund, Per-Olof; Eriksson, Anders

    2006-11-01

    This study analyzes accidental fatalities caused by electricity--at work and during leisure time--to evaluate risk factors, the role of alcohol, and to identify possible preventive strategies. In Sweden, data on fatalities by electrocution from 1975 through 2000 were collected from the National Cause-of-Death Register. Additional cases were found in the archives of The Swedish National Electrical Safety Board. Suicides and deaths by lightning were excluded. Two hundred and eighty-five deaths were found, including occupational (n=132), leisure time (n=151), and unknown (n=2). Most deaths were caused by aerial power lines, and the most common place for an electrical injury was a railway area or residential property. Postmortem blood from 20% (n=47) of the tested cases was found positive for alcohol, and these persons were killed mainly during leisure time. During the study period, the overall incidence of electricity-related fatalities has decreased, in spite of increased use of electricity. This indicates that safety improvements have been successful.

  17. An accidental case of aconite poisoning due to Kampo herbal medicine ingestion.

    PubMed

    Ono, Takiyoshi; Hayashida, Makiko; Uekusa, Kyoko; Lai, Cui Fan; Hayakawa, Hideyuki; Nihira, Makoto; Ohno, Youkichi

    2009-05-01

    An accidental case of aconite intoxication occurred after a patient took a therapeutic dose of Kampo herbal medicine containing Aconiti tuber, Uzu but had used the wrong decoction procedure. The poisoning was likely caused by an increased level of Aconitum alkaloids in the decoction; the patient developed aconite intoxication due to incomplete decoction. Aconitum alkaloid levels in the leftover solution which the patient had drunk and in the decoction extracted from 3g Uzu were determined. It was found that decoction makes the medicine safer to drink. Older individuals, especially those with dementia, have a higher risk of aconite poisoning because they sometimes do not boil the medicine appropriately.

  18. Crisis Management of Accidental Extubation in a Prone-Positioned Patient with Klippel-Feil Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Spond, Matthew; Burns, Tyler; Rosenbaum, Thea; Lienhart, Kristen

    2016-06-15

    We present the case of an accidental extubation in a prone-positioned patient with a challenging airway because of Klippel-Feil syndrome and previous cervical spine fusions. The surgical procedure was well underway when this occurred, which added substantially to the difficulties produced by this event. We herein highlight the corrective steps we took in our case. We also recommend the need for a comprehensive preoperative briefing with all operating room personnel together with an action plan for how to prevent this particular scenario.

  19. Surgical treatment and optical coherence tomographic evaluation for accidental laser-induced full-thickness macular holes.

    PubMed

    Qi, Y; Wang, Y; You, Q; Tsai, F; Liu, W

    2017-07-01

    PurposeTo report OCT appearance and surgical outcomes of full-thickness macular holes (MHs) accidentally caused by laser devices.Patients and methodsThis retrospective case series included 11 eyes of 11 patients with laser-induced MHs treated by pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, and gas or silicone oil tamponade. Evaluations included a full ophthalmic examination, macular spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and fundus photography. Main outcome measures is MH closure and final visual acuity; the secondary outcome was the changes of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptor layer evaluated by sequential post-operative SD-OCT images.ResultsFive patients were accidentally injured by a yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser and six patients by handheld laser. MH diameters ranged from 272 to 815 μm (mean, 505.5±163.0 μm) preoperatively. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved from a mean of 0.90 logMAR (range, counting finger-8/20) preoperatively to a mean of 0.34 logMAR (range, a counting finger-20/20) postoperatively (P=0.001, t=4.521). Seven of 11 patients (63.6%) achieved a BCVA better than 10/20. Ten patients had a subfoveal hyperreflectivity and four patients had a focal choroidal depression subfoveal preoperatively. At the last follow-up, all 11 eyes demonstrated the following: closure of the macular hole, variable degrees of disruption of external limiting membrane (ELM) and outer photoreceptor ellipsoid and interdigitation bands. In 10 eyes, the disruption was in the form of focal defects in the outer retina. After surgery, the subfoveal hyperreflectivity and focal choroidal depression remained.ConclusionAccidental laser-induced full-thickness macular holes can be successfully closed with surgery. Inadvertent retinal injury from laser devices, especially handheld laser injury has occurred with increasing frequency in recent years. However, there is a paucity of data regarding these types of injuries

  20. A singular case of asphyxia by choking on a handkerchief: accidental event or suicide to "shut-up" spirits.

    PubMed

    De Donno, A; Marrone, M; Santoro, V; Ostuni, A; Cassano, A; Grattagliano, I; Introna, F

    2017-01-01

    Choking in adults can prove fatal, despite resuscitation attempts. The manner of death can be natural, homicide or accident. When a death is due to choking, one must consider what conditions contributed to or predisposed the person to choking (eg. alcohol, drugs and physical and mental impairments). Homicidal deaths by choking are relatively uncommon, being more frequently accidental. The diagnosis of death by choking is made at autopsy when the airway is found occluded. If the individual had an occluded airway and the object or food was removed during resuscitation, the only way to make the diagnosis would be on the history. Here, we present a case of asphyxia (accidental or suicidal) by choking on a handkerchief in a patient with a long history of schizophrenia. The woman had attempted a previous suicide driven by evil spirits coming from inside her body, especially from the head and throat; in order to "shut-up" the spirit, she was trying to suffocate it with her hands or by a belt from her pants.

  1. [Study of the accidental thymus involution during the formation of hierarchic communities by a novel physical method for recording the social stress].

    PubMed

    Kulikov, A V; Arkhipova, L V; Kulikov, D A; Smirnova, G N; Kulikova, P A

    2013-01-01

    A novel method for recording the aggressive behavior in newly formed hierarchic communities has been developed. A temporal and age-related dynamics of the accidental thymus involution in mammals has been studied.

  2. Background for protective action recommendations: accidental radioactive contamination of food and animal feeds. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shleien, B.; Schmidt, G.D.; Chiacchierini, R.P.

    This report provides background material for the development of FDA's Protective Action Recommendations: Accidental Radioactive Contamination of Food and Animal Feeds. The rationale, dosimetric and agricultural transport models for the Protective Action Guides are presented, along with information on dietary intake. In addition, the document contains a discussion of field methods of analysis of radionuclides deposited on the ground or contained in milk and herbage. Various protective actions are described and evaluated, and a cost-effectiveness analysis for the recommendations performed.

  3. Acute health effects after accidental exposure to styrene from drinking water in Spain

    PubMed Central

    Arnedo-Pena, Alberto; Bellido-Blasco, Juan; Villamarin-Vazquez, Jose-Luis; Aranda-Mares, Jose-Luis; Font-Cardona, Nuria; Gobba, Fabriziomaria; Kogevinas, Manolis

    2003-01-01

    Objectives We studied subjective health symptoms in a population accidentally exposed to high styrene concentrations in drinking tap water. The contamination occurred during the reparation of a water tank. Methods Residents of 27 apartments in two buildings using the contaminated water were contacted. A questionnaire on subjective symptoms was administered to 84 out of 93 persons living in the apartments at the time of the accident. Styrene concentration was measured in samples of water collected two days after the accident. The means of exposure associated with appearance of symptoms were examined through case-control analyses. Results Styrene in water reached concentrations up to 900 μg/L. Symptoms were reported by 46 persons (attack rate 55 %). The most frequent symptoms were irritation of the throat (26%), nose (19%), eyes (18%) and the skin (14%). General gastrointestinal symptoms were observed with 11% reporting abdominal pain and 7% diarrhea. The factors most strongly associated with symptoms were drinking tap water (OR = 7.8, 95% CI 1.3–48), exposure to vapors from the basement (OR = 10.4, 2.3–47) and eating foods prepared with tap water (OR = 8.6, 1.9–40). All residents in the ground floor reported symptoms. Conclusions This accidental contamination led to very high styrene concentrations in water and was related to a high prevalence of subjective symptoms of the eyes, respiratory tract and skin. Similar exposures have been described in workers but not in subjects exposed at their residence. Various gastrointestinal symptoms were also observed in this population probably due to a local irritative effect. PMID:12777181

  4. Routine administration of antibiotics to patients suffering accidental gallbladder perforation during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not necessary.

    PubMed

    Guzmán-Valdivia, Gilberto

    2008-12-01

    Accidental rupture of the gallbladder is an event which occurs in up to 20% of laparoscopic cholecystectomies, mainly in those where dissection is difficult, or during extraction when the gallbladder is withdrawn directly through the laparoscope port. It has been commonly assumed that contamination by bile in the abdominal cavity could be a cause of infection and lead to the formation of a residual abscess or even to surgical wound infection. It is common practice, therefore, for the surgeon to prescribe the application of an antibiotic at the moment when gallbladder perforation occurs. To compare 2 groups of similar patients, to determine whether administration of antibiotics, started during surgery, is actually useful in reducing the risk of residual abscess or infection in the surgical wound. The study considered a total of 166 patients who had suffered accidental perforation of the gallbladder during elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This total was divided at random into 2 groups: group A (80 patients) who received a dose of 1 g of Cefotaxime at the moment of gallbladder rupture, followed by 2 more doses at intervals of 8 hours in the immediate postoperative period; and group B (86 patients) who did not receive any antibiotic treatment at all. The dependent variables observed were surgical wound infection and residual abscess: and the control variables were age, sex, length of operation time, intercurrent illnesses, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Two patients (2.5%) in group A developed a surgical wound infection, against 3 cases (3.4%) in group B, the result having no statistical significance. No patients developed residual abscess. In a multivariant analysis, the following were identified as independent factors significantly associated with the onset of surgical wound infection (P<0.001): diabetes mellitus, being over 60 years of age, operation time lasting longer than 70 minutes, and ASA 3. Routine application of an

  5. Urban "accidental" wetlands mediate water quality and heat exposure for homeless populations in a desert city

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palta, M.

    2015-12-01

    In urban settings where humans interact in complex ways with ecosystems, there may be hidden or unanticipated benefits (services) or harm (disservices) conferred by the built environment. We examined interactions of a highly vulnerable population, the homeless, with urban waterways and wetlands in the desert city of Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Climate change models project increases in heat, droughts, and extreme floods for the southwestern U.S. These projected changes pose a number of problems for sustainability and quality of future water supply, and the ability of human populations to mitigate heat stress and avoid fatalities. Urban wetlands that are created "accidentally" (by water pooling in abandoned areas of the landscape) have many structural (e.g., soils and hydrology) and functional (e.g., high denitrification) elements that mimic natural, unaltered aquatic systems. Accidental wetland systems in the dry bed of the Salt River, fed by storm and waste water from urban Phoenix, are located within economically depressed sections of the city, and show the potential for pollutant and heat mitigation. We used a mixed-method socio-ecological approach to examine wetland ecosystem functions and the ways in which homeless populations utilize Salt River wetlands for ecosystem services. Interviews and trash surveys indicated that homeless people are accessing and utilizing the wetlands as a source of running water, for sanitary and heat mitigation services, and for recreation and habitation. Environmental monitoring demonstrated that the wetlands can provide a reliable source of running water, nutrient and pathogen removal, heat mitigation, and privacy, but they may also pose a health risk to individuals coming in contact with the water through drinking or bathing. Whether wetlands provided a net benefit vs. harm varied according to site, season, and particular service, and several tradeoffs were identified. For example, heat is highest during the summer storm season

  6. Assessment of the Incentives Created by Public Disclosure of Off-Site Consequence Analysis Information for Reduction in the Risk of Accidental Releases

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The off-site consequence analysis (OCA) evaluates the potential for worst-case and alternative accidental release scenarios to harm the public and environment around the facility. Public disclosure would likely reduce the number/severity of incidents.

  7. ACCIDENTAL DUPLICATION: Investigation of the effect of hemoglobin F and A levels on development of retinopathy of prematurity.

    PubMed

    Erdöl, Hidayet; Hacioglu, Dilek; Kola, Mehmet; Türk, Adem; Aslan, Yakup

    2017-06-03

    The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaapos.2017.03.006. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal. Copyright © 2017.

  8. Dispersion modeling of accidental releases of toxic gases - utility for the fire brigades.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stenzel, S.; Baumann-Stanzer, K.

    2009-09-01

    Several air dispersion models are available for prediction and simulation of the hazard areas associated with accidental releases of toxic gases. The most model packages (commercial or free of charge) include a chemical database, an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and automated graphical output for effective presentation of results. The models are designed especially for analyzing different accidental toxic release scenarios ("worst-case scenarios”), preparing emergency response plans and optimal countermeasures as well as for real-time risk assessment and management. The research project RETOMOD (reference scenarios calculations for toxic gas releases - model systems and their utility for the fire brigade) was conducted by the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) in cooperation with the Viennese fire brigade, OMV Refining & Marketing GmbH and Synex Ries & Greßlehner GmbH. RETOMOD was funded by the KIRAS safety research program of the Austrian Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (www.kiras.at). The main tasks of this project were 1. Sensitivity study and optimization of the meteorological input for modeling of the hazard areas (human exposure) during the accidental toxic releases. 2. Comparison of several model packages (based on reference scenarios) in order to estimate the utility for the fire brigades. For the purpose of our study the following models were tested and compared: ALOHA (Areal Location of Hazardous atmosphere, EPA), MEMPLEX (Keudel av-Technik GmbH), Trace (Safer System), Breeze (Trinity Consulting), SAM (Engineering office Lohmeyer). A set of reference scenarios for Chlorine, Ammoniac, Butane and Petrol were proceed, with the models above, in order to predict and estimate the human exposure during the event. Furthermore, the application of the observation-based analysis and forecasting system INCA, developed in the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) in case of toxic release was

  9. Accidental Carbon Monoxide Poisoning While Driving: A Case Report With Review of the Literature.

    PubMed

    Fisher-Hubbard, Amanda O; Appleford, Colin; Kesha, Kilak; Schmidt, Carl J; Gupta, Avneesh

    2018-05-16

    Carbon monoxide (CO) is the cause of a significant percentage of fatal poisonings in many countries. It is known that fatalities resulting from CO poisoning are underreported and/or misclassified. Carbon monoxide exposure while driving can occur due to faulty exhaust systems, defective ventilation systems, emission from other vehicles, and even cigarette smoking. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman who was involved in a low-speed motor vehicle collision and was found unresponsive in her vehicle due to CO poisoning. A review of the literature revealed rare vehicle-related accidental CO poisonings.

  10. Necrotizing fasciitis due to Streptococcus mitis caused by accidental human bite.

    PubMed

    Bastug, Aliye; Kislak, Sumeyye; Mutlu, Nevzat Mehmet; Akcaboy, Zeynep Nur; Koksal, Asude; Sertcelik, Ahmet; Ünlü, Ramazan Erkin; Akinci, Esragul; Bodur, Hurrem

    2016-01-31

    Human bite wounds are more prone to infection than animal bites, which may cause necrotizing soft tissue infections such as myositis, fasciitis. Both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms may be responsible, including Streptococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Peptostreptococcus spp. Necrotizing fasciitis is characterized by serious tissue destruction and systemic toxicity with high morbidity and mortality. We report a patient with Streptococcus mitis associated necrotizing fasciitis on the upper extremity resulting from an accidental human bite, which caused nearly fatal infection. Prophylactic antibiotic treatment should be given after a human bite to prevent infection. If the infection signs and symptoms develop, rapid diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic and surgical therapy should be administered immediately. Streptococcus mitis is a viridans streptococcus, usually known as a relatively benign oral streptococcus. To our knowledge, this is the first necrotizing fasciitis case due to Streptococcus mitis after human bite.

  11. Children's Intrinsic Motivation to Provide Help Themselves After Accidentally Harming Others.

    PubMed

    Hepach, Robert; Vaish, Amrisha; Tomasello, Michael

    2017-07-01

    Little is known about the flexibility of children's prosocial motivation. Here, 2- and 3-year-old children's (n = 128) internal arousal, as measured via changes in pupil dilation, was increased after they accidentally harmed a victim but were unable to repair the harm. If they were able to repair (or if they themselves did not cause the harm and the help was provided by someone else) their arousal subsided. This suggests that children are especially motivated to help those whom they have harmed, perhaps out of a sense of guilt and a desire to reconcile with them. Young children care not only about the well-being of others but also about the relationship they have with those who depend on their help. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

  12. In-depth analysis of accidental oil spills from tankers in the context of global spill trends from all sources.

    PubMed

    Burgherr, Peter

    2007-02-09

    This study gives a global overview of accidental oil spills from all sources (> or =700t) for the period 1970-2004, followed by a detailed examination of trends in accidental tanker spills. The present analysis of the number and volume of tanker spills includes temporal and spatial spill trends, aspects of spill size distribution as well as trends of key factors (i.e., flag state, hull type, tanker age, accident cause and sensitivity of location). Results show that the total number and volume of tanker spills have significantly decreased since the 1970s, which is in contrast to increases in maritime transport of oil and to popular perceptions following recent catastrophic events. However, many spills still occur in ecologically sensitive locations because the major maritime transport routes often cross the boundaries of the Large Marine Ecosystems, but the substantially lower total spill volume is an important contribution to potentially reduce overall ecosystem impacts. In summary, the improvements achieved in the past decades have been the result of a set of initiatives and regulations implemented by governments, international organizations and the shipping industry.

  13. Abusive head trauma and accidental head injury: a 20-year comparative study of referrals to a hospital child protection team

    PubMed Central

    John, Simon; Vincent, Andrea L; Reed, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Aim To describe children referred for suspected abusive head trauma (AHT) to a hospital child protection team in Auckland, New Zealand. Methods Comparative review of demographics, histories, injuries, investigations and diagnostic outcomes for referrals under 15 years old from 1991 to 2010. Results Records were available for 345 children. Referrals increased markedly (88 in the first decade, 257 in the second), but the diagnostic ratio was stable: AHT 60%, accidental or natural 29% and uncertain cause 11%. The probability of AHT was similar regardless of socio-economic status or ethnicity. In children under 2 years old with accidental head injuries (75/255, 29%) or AHT (180/255, 71%), characteristics of particular interest for AHT included no history of trauma (88/98, 90%), no evidence of impact to the head (84/93, 90%), complex skull fractures with intracranial injury (22/28, 79%), subdural haemorrhage (160/179, 89%) and hypoxic ischaemic injury (38/39, 97%). In children over 2 years old, these characteristics did not differ significantly between children with accidental head injuries (21/47, 45%) and AHT (26/47, 55%). The mortality of AHT was higher in children over 2 years old (10/26, 38%) than under 2 years (19/180, 11%). Conclusions The striking increase in referrals for AHT probably represents increasing incidence. The decision to refer a hospitalised child with a head injury for assessment for possible AHT should not be influenced by socio-economic status or ethnicity. Children over 2 years old hospitalised for AHT are usually injured by mechanisms involving impact and should be considered at high risk of death. PMID:26130384

  14. Probability Analysis for Accidental Impact on Mars by the Micro-Spacecraft Procyon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Funase, Ryu; Yano, Hajime; Kawakatsu, Yasuhiro; Ozaki, Naoya; Nakajima, Shintaro; Shimizu, Yukio

    This paper analyzes the impact probability on Mars for the 50kg-class micro-spacecraft PROCYON (PRoximate Object Close flYby with Optical Navigation) in 50 years after its launch. PROCYON, which is mainly developed by the University of Tokyo and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has two missions: the first is the technology demonstration of a micro-spacecraft bus system for deep space exploration and the second is proximity operation by Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) as the closest flyby distance from a target asteroid is aimed around 30 kilometer. The spacecraft is scheduled to be launched together with Japan’s second asteroid sample return spacecraft "Hayabusa-2" at the end of 2014. Initially PROCYON will be inserted into an Earth resonant trajectory that allows the spacecraft to cruise back to the Earth by solar electric propulsion leveraging. The Earth gravity assist, which is scheduled at the end of 2015, will enable the spacecraft to expand a number of candidate NEAs for flyby operations. At the time of the writing, its candidate NEAs include "2000 DP107", "2010 LJ14" and "2002 AJ29". A miniature ion thruster is mounted on the spacecraft to provide 300muN of thrust with specific impulse of 1200 seconds for deep space maneuver before Earth gravity assist. Considering a small amount of its fuel (about 2 kg of Xenon propellant), PROCYON has no possibility to impact directly on Mars without Earth gravity assist. However, if PROCYON successfully obtains large enough delta-V by the Earth gravity assist at the end of 2015, a possibility of accidental impact on Mars cannot be neglected in order to comply the COSPAR planetary protection requirements for forward contamination. In this paper, we calculate the possibility of accidental impact on Mars after the Earth gravity assist. As the result we conclude that the possibility of Mars impact is negligible within 50 years after its launch.

  15. Follow-Up Skeletal Surveys for Suspected Non-Accidental Trauma: Can a More Limited Survey Be Performed without Compromising Diagnostic Information?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sonik, Arvind; Stein-Wexler, Rebecca; Rogers, Kristen K.; Coulter, Kevin P.; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: Follow-up skeletal surveys have been shown to improve the rate of fracture detection in suspected cases of non-accidental trauma (NAT). As these studies are performed in a particularly radiosensitive population, it is important to evaluate if all of the (approximately 20) radiographs obtained at repeat skeletal survey are clinically…

  16. Accidental symmetries and massless quarks in the economical 3-3-1 model

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Montero, J. C.; Sánchez–Vega, B. L.

    In the framework of a 3-3-1 model with a minimal scalar sector, known as the economical 3-3-1 model, we study its capabilities of generating realistic quark masses. After a detailed study of the symmetries of the model, before and after the spontaneous symmetry breaking, we find a remaining axial symmetry that prevents some quarks from gaining mass at all orders in perturbation theory. Since this accidental symmetry is anomalous, we also consider briefly the possibility of generating their masses for nonperturbative effects. However, we find that nonperturbative effects are not enough to generate the measured masses for the three masslessmore » quarks. Hence, these results imply that the economical 3-3-1 model is not a realistic description of the electroweak interaction.« less

  17. Control of accidental releases of hydrogen selenide in vented storage cabinets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fthenakis, V. M.; Moskowitz, P. D.; Sproull, R. D.

    1988-07-01

    Highly toxic hydrogen selenide and hydrogen sulfide gases are used in the production of copper-indium-diselenide photovoltaic cells by reactive sputtering. In the event of an accident, these gases may be released to the atmosphere and pose hazards to public and occupational safety and health. This paper outlines an approach for designing systems for the control of these releases given the uncertainty in release conditions and lack of data on the chemical systems involved. Accidental releases of these gases in storage cabinets can be controlled by either a venturi and packed-bed scrubber and carbon adsorption bed, or containment scrubbing equipment followed by carbon adsorption. These systems can effectively reduce toxic gas emissions to levels needed to protect public health. The costs of these controls (˜0.012/Wp) are samll in comparison with current (˜6/Wp) and projected (˜I/Wp) production costs.

  18. Accidental and potentially life-threatening finding: pulsatile mass of the hypopharynx.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Joana Maria Soares; Coimbra, Edite; Almeida, António Faria; Condé, Artur

    2018-04-18

    Anatomical variations of the cervical part of the internal carotid artery (ICA) are not rare in the general population. They are usually asymptomatic and more common in the elderly. We report the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian woman who was referred to our department due to chronic cough. We performed a flexible nasofibrolaryngoscopy that demonstrated the presence of a pulsatile mass in the hypopharynx. After performing a cervical contrast-enhanced CT, the mass turned out to be an aberrant variation of the cervical part of the ICA. This case is intended to alert otolaryngologists, anaesthesiologists, radiologists and surgeons for this accidental finding and the possible consequences for the patient if not diagnosed and properly oriented. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  19. Accidental injections of dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex) into the crystalline lens.

    PubMed

    Coca-Robinot, Javier; Casco-Silva, Bruno; Armadá-Maresca, Felix; García-Martínez, Jesús

    2014-01-01

    To describe the side effects and management after inadvertent injection of a dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) into the crystalline lens. Two case reports. Two patients with macular edema due to unilateral retinal vein occlusion were scheduled for an intravitreal injection of Ozurdex. During the procedure, the implant was accidentally injected into the crystalline lens. Both patients developed cataracts during the course of several weeks and in both there was an intraocular pressure (IOP) increase, which required treatment with topical hypotensives. Macular edema improved only slightly. Cataract surgery with uneventful removal of the implant was performed 3 (case 1) and 6 months (case 2) after the injection. After inadvertent injection of Ozurdex into the crystalline lens, cataract surgery with removal of the implant should be performed as soon as possible in order to avoid IOP increase and so that the underlying condition may be treated adequately.

  20. Mitigation of lung injury after accidental exposure to radiation.

    PubMed

    Mahmood, J; Jelveh, S; Calveley, V; Zaidi, A; Doctrow, S R; Hill, R P

    2011-12-01

    There is a serious need to develop effective mitigators against accidental radiation exposures. In radiation accidents, many people may receive nonuniform whole-body or partial-body irradiation. The lung is one of the more radiosensitive organs, demonstrating pneumonitis and fibrosis that are believed to develop at least partially because of radiation-induced chronic inflammation. Here we addressed the crucial questions of how damage to the lung can be mitigated and whether the response is affected by irradiation to the rest of the body. We examined the widely used dietary supplement genistein given at two dietary levels (750 or 3750 mg/kg) to Fischer rats irradiated with 12 Gy to the lung or 8 Gy to the lung + 4 Gy to the whole body excluding the head and tail (whole torso). We found that genistein had promising mitigating effects on oxidative damage, pneumonitis and fibrosis even at late times (36 weeks) when drug treatment was initiated 1 week after irradiation and stopped at 28 weeks postirradiation. The higher dose of genistein showed no greater beneficial effect. Combined lung and whole-torso irradiation caused more lung-related severe morbidity resulting in euthanasia of the animals than lung irradiation alone.

  1. Accidental and experimentally induced 5-fluorouracil toxicity in dogs.

    PubMed

    Sayre, Rebecca S; Barr, James W; Bailey, E Murl

    2012-10-01

    To summarize the literature involving 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) toxicosis in dogs. 5-Fluorouracil's mechanism of action revolves around the metabolism of 5-FU into fluorouridine triphosphate which then interferes with RNA synthesis and function as well as the inhibition of thymidylate synthase which ultimately impairs DNA stability. Toxicity of 5-FU is the most pronounced on rapidly dividing cells. Toxicity manifests itself mainly in the neurologic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, or hematopoietic systems. History of accidental exposure to 5-FU-containing products. Therapy for 5-FU toxicosis involves typical decontamination procedures and symptomatic therapy for the subsequent toxicity. Seizure control and treatment of the severe gastrointestinal signs that follow are the primary goals in the acute setting. As the disease progresses, management of the sequelae to bone marrow suppression and pulmonary complications are essential. The prognosis for dogs with ingestion of 5-FU is dependent on the amount consumed, with severe intoxication carrying a poor prognosis. Toxic doses can be as little as 5 mg/kg, and doses ≥40 mg/kg are reported to be uniformly fatal. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2012.

  2. Lead excretion in milk of accidentally exposed dairy cattle.

    PubMed

    Bischoff, Karyn; Higgins, William; Thompson, Belinda; Ebel, Joseph G

    2014-01-01

    Lead (Pb) exposure in dairy cattle is associated with economic losses due to mortality and treatment costs, but with production animals there is also risk to the human food chain. The first objective of this study was to quantify the Pb concentration in milk from Pb-exposed cattle. The second objective was to correlate blood and milk Pb concentrations from individual cows. The third objective was long-term monitoring to determine the duration of milk contamination after exposure ceased. A dairy herd of more than 100 cows was accidentally exposed to Pb-contaminated feed. Milk and blood were collected for Pb analysis. Serial collection of milk samples continued for 2.5 years. The initial concentration of Pb in bulk tank milk was 0.0999 mg l⁻¹. The highest milk Pb concentration from an individual cow was 0.4657 mg l⁻¹ and the highest blood Pb concentration was 1.216 mg l⁻¹. One milk sample collected at the end of the study (day 922) contained 0.0117 mg Pb l⁻¹ of Pb. The calculated relationship between milk (y) and blood (x) Pb concentration was ln(y) = 3.4(x) - 2.21 (R² = 0.98).

  3. Non-accidental trauma in pediatric patients: a review of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment

    PubMed Central

    Adamo, Matthew A.

    2014-01-01

    Non-accidental trauma (NAT) is a leading cause of childhood traumatic injury and death in the United States. It is estimated that 1,400 children died from maltreatment in the United States in 2002 and abusive head trauma (AHT) accounted for 80% of these deaths. This review examines the epidemiology and risk factors for NAT as well as the general presentation and required medical work up of abused children. In addition, potential algorithms for recognizing cases of abuse are reviewed as well as outcomes in children with NAT and potential neurosurgical interventions which may be required. Finally, the evidence for seizure prophylaxis in this population is addressed. PMID:26835337

  4. A national survey (NAP5-Ireland baseline) to estimate an annual incidence of accidental awareness during general anaesthesia in Ireland.

    PubMed

    Jonker, W R; Hanumanthiah, D; O'Sullivan, E P; Cook, T M; Pandit, J J

    2014-09-01

    As part of the 5th National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland concerning accidental awareness during general anaesthesia, we issued a questionnaire to every consultant anaesthetist in each of 46 public hospitals in Ireland, represented by 41 local co-ordinators. The survey ascertained the number of new cases of accidental awareness becoming known to them for patients under their care or supervision for a calendar year, as well as their career experience. Consultants from all hospitals responded, with an individual response rate of 87% (299 anaesthetists). There were eight new cases of accidental awareness that became known to consultants in 2011; an estimated incidence of 1:23 366. Two out of the eight cases (25%) occurred at or after induction of anaesthesia, but before surgery; four cases (50%) occurred during surgery; and two cases (25%) occurred after surgery was complete, but before full emergence. Four cases were associated with pain or distress (50%), one after an experience at induction and three after experiences during surgery. There were no formal complaints or legal actions that arose in 2011 related to awareness. Depth of anaesthesia monitoring was reported to be available in 33 (80%) departments, and was used by 184 consultants (62%), 18 (6%) routinely. None of the 46 hospitals had a policy to prevent or manage awareness. Similar to the results of a larger survey in the UK, the disparity between the incidence of awareness as known to anaesthetists and that reported in trials warrants explanation. Compared with UK practice, there appears to be greater use of depth of anaesthesia monitoring in Ireland, although this is still infrequent. © 2014 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

  5. Gap structure in Fe-based superconductors with accidental nodes: The role of hybridization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinojosa, Alberto; Chubukov, Andrey V.

    2015-06-01

    We study the effects of hybridization between the two electron pockets in Fe-based superconductors with s -wave gap with accidental nodes. We argue that hybridization reconstructs the Fermi surfaces and also induces an additional interpocket pairing component. We analyze how these two effects modify the gap structure by tracing the position of the nodal points of the energy dispersions in the superconducting state. We find three possible outcomes. In the first, the nodes simply shift their positions in the Brillouin zone; in the second, the nodes merge and disappear, in which case the gap function has either equal or opposite signs on the electron pockets; in the third, a new set of nodal points emerges, doubling the original number of nodes.

  6. Estimating accidental pollutant releases in the built environment from turbulent concentration signals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ben Salem, N.; Salizzoni, P.; Soulhac, L.

    2017-01-01

    We present an inverse atmospheric model to estimate the mass flow rate of an impulsive source of pollutant, whose position is known, from concentration signals registered at receptors placed downwind of the source. The originality of this study is twofold. Firstly, the inversion is performed using high-frequency fluctuating, i.e. turbulent, concentration signals. Secondly, the inverse algorithm is applied to a dispersion process within a dense urban canopy, at the district scale, and a street network model, SIRANERISK, is adopted. The model, which is tested against wind tunnel experiments, simulates the dispersion of short-duration releases of pollutant in different typologies of idealised urban geometries. Results allow us to discuss the reliability of the inverse model as an operational tool for crisis management and the risk assessments related to the accidental release of toxic and flammable substances.

  7. [Radioecological situation in the impact zone of the accidental underground nuclear explosion "Kraton-3" in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)].

    PubMed

    Sobakin, P I; Gerasimov, Ya R; Chevychelov, A P; Perk, A A; Goryachenkova, T A; Novikov, A P

    2014-01-01

    The paper reports on the results of a ground walking gamma- and gamma-spectrometric survey made in the impact zone of the accidental underground nuclear explosion "Kraton-3". Patterns of migration, 137Cs, 90Sr and Pu distribution in the soil-vegetable cover of the northern taiga on permafrost are considered. Radioeco- logical situation within the territory surveyed is noted as unfavorable.

  8. Problems associated with the use of immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) values for estimating the hazard of accidental chemical releases.

    PubMed

    Alexeeff, G V; Lipsett, M J; Kizer, K W

    1989-11-01

    The possibility of accidental industrial chemical releases has generated considerable recent attention. One area requiring research for emergency planning is the development of safe exposure concentrations for the public in the event of an inadvertent release. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a list of extremely hazardous substances and suggested that the toxicity ranking for 92 hazardous materials could be based on the "immediately dangerous to life or health" (IDLH) values developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Eighty-four compounds with IDLH values for which published toxicologic data were available were reviewed to assess the appropriateness of applying such values to accidental release situations. When compared with 30-min animal median lethal concentrations (LC50s), 18 of the IDLHs reviewed were in the same range as lethal levels for animals. For 45 compounds the IDLH values were comparable to concentrations producing severe toxic effects (specifically, unconsciousness, incapacitation, or intolerable irritation). Where available, emergency planning guidelines for the military were compared to IDLHs, and in all 31 cases, the IDLHs exceeded the military exposure guidelines. Twenty compounds also were found to pose a potential cancer risk according to common regulatory guidelines, even under the assumption of a single, 30-min exposure at the IDLH concentration. In addition, the high degree of variability (four orders of magnitude) in the relationship of IDLH values to outcomes of lethality or severe toxicity suggests that the use of IDLH values as emergency planning guidelines for accidental releases is questionable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  9. Accidental ovarian autograft after a laparoscopic surgery: case report.

    PubMed

    Marconi, G; Quintana, R; Rueda-Leverone, N G; Vighi, S

    1997-08-01

    To report an autograft of ovarian tissue in the incision of the surgical trocar during laparoscopic surgery and to assess the potentiality of grafting of ovarian parenchyma in nonpelvic tissue in humans. A case report. Instituto de Fertilidad y Ginecología de Buenos Aires (IFER), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Infertile patient undergoing surgery due to an endometriotic cyst of the left ovary. Laparoscopic cystectomy. Accidental retention of a portion of the capsule and adjacent ovarian tissue of the endometrioma in SC cellular tissue. Months after surgery, a SC tumor was formed under the surgical incision. It was subsequently excised. Observation of tumor growth during menstrual cycles and ovulation induction; anatomopathologic study of the tissue after its extirpation. The tumor grew spontaneously in the periovulatory period and during treatments of ovulation induction. The anatomopathologic report of the tumor, removed 15 months after the first surgery, revealed functioning ovarian tissue with vessels of neoformation. This is the first description of autografted ovarian tissue in humans. We describe that the ovary can maintain its ovulatory function even in the absence of its pedicel. Also, we suggest that extirpation of surgical material through the incision of the trocar is not recommended, as the possibility of "sowing" or of autografts may occur.

  10. [Accidental injection sodium hypochlorite during endodontic therapy. Better understand to better manage].

    PubMed

    Ben Rejeb, H; Douki, N

    2015-09-01

    The high frequency of iatrogenic incidents during endodontic treatment is a source of stress for the practitioner. These incidents may occur during the different steps of a root canal treatment. During irrigation, extrusion of sodium hypochlorite beyond the apex is a rare but impressive accident. Sodium hypochlorite, is the most common irrigant used in modern endodontics, but when it comes in contact with the periapical tissue, it can cause complications ranging from mild discomfort to serious tissue damage such as the hematoma and hemato-emphysema. The aims of this article are to discuss through the presentation of two clinical cases: Etiological and predisposing factors; Signs guiding to suspicion of accidental injection of sodium hypochlorite. In this work, we focused on clinical keys that help the practitioner in better understanding this accident in order to prevent it or to manage it well when it occurs.

  11. Communication: Effect of accidental mode degeneracy on Raman intensity in 2D materials: Hybrid functional study of bilayer phosphorene

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sun, Yi-Yang; Zhang, Shengbai

    2016-07-14

    Bulk black phosphorus has two optical phonon modes labeled as A{sub g}{sup 2} and B{sub 2u}, respectively, that are nearly degenerate in frequency. However, density functional theory calculations using local or semi-local functionals cannot reproduce this degeneracy. Here, we propose a hybrid functional approach aided by van der Waals (vdW) force fields, which can accurately describe the lattice dynamic and electronic properties of both bulk and few-layer black phosphorus (phosphorene). Using this approach we show that in bilayer phosphorene, the two Raman modes derived from the B{sub 2u} and A{sub g}{sup 2} modes could exhibit strong resonance as a resultmore » of the accidental degeneracy so that both modes could be observed in Raman experiment. Without the mode degeneracy, however, the Raman intensity of the B{sub 2u}-derived mode would be too weak to be observed. We further show that the accidental degeneracy is correlated to the applied strain, which enables Raman spectroscopy to be a powerful tool for characterizing built-in strains in 2D materials, e.g., due to the interaction with substrates, which has emerged as an important issue in vdW epitaxy.« less

  12. [Occupational health in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. OSALAN-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales].

    PubMed

    Martínez Castillo, A; Achutegui Basagoiti, G

    1996-01-01

    O.S.A.L.A.N.-Instituto Vasco de Seguridad y Salud Laborales is an autonomous administrative body depending on the Basque Government, ascribed to the Dept. of Justice, Economy, Work and Social Security, which is in charge of managing the general occupational health policies in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. Its objectives are: To promote an ongoing improvement in safety and occupational health for all the workers in the Basque Autonomous Region, through the management of programmes in matters affecting safety, hygiene, the environment and occupational health. To co-ordinate and concentrate the different activities related to occupational health, unifying and giving coherence to the functions which were previously the jurisdiction of different departments. Making companies aware of national and E.U. regulations, taking the measures that are set out by the European Directives and the Prevention of Occupational Hazards Act and the rest of the employment regulations, establishing the training and information channels required for promoting and applying these in the companies. It acts: from an overall perspective as regards the prevention of occupational hazards, thanks to co-ordination with all the disciplines involved, applying a multi-disciplinary treatment to the study of each and every one of the occupational hazard factors, which is aimed at the prevention of risks at their source. Providing companies with the ideal means for managing the safety and health of their workers. Promoting the implementation of systems which guarantee an ongoing improvement in occupational safety and health in the companies of the Basque Autonomous Region. Providing the technical and research support that makes it possible to tackle prevention efficiently. The provision established in the Creation Act (O.S.A.L.A.N.) should also be mentioned, as regards its application in public administration and the field of social economy, which was later endorsed and ratified through

  13. Mild Myopic Astigmatism Corrected by Accidental Flap Complication: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Fahed, Daoud C; Fahed, Charbel D

    2009-01-01

    A 35-year-old female presented for laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Her preoperative eye exam was normal, with a preop refraction of OD −2.50 D Sph +1.25 D Cyl ×175 and OS −2.75 D Sph +1.50 D Cyl ×165 (cycloplegic and manifest), with 20/20 BCVA OU. The central pachymetry reading was 553 μm in the right eye. Preoperative topography was normal. At the start of the pendular microkeratome path, some resistance was felt, but the microkeratome continued along its path. Upon inspection of the flap, there was a central rectangle of intact epithelium with two mirror-image flaps on both sides. The flap was repositioned and LASIK was discontinued. The cornea healed with two faint thin linear vertical parallel scars at the edge of the pupil. Postoperative inspection of the blade revealed central blunting. One month postoperatively, the uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/20. Manifest and cycloplegic refractions were plano. This is an interesting case of accidental flap complication resulting in the correction of mild myopic astigmatism. PMID:20404996

  14. The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary QI activity for accidental fall prevention: Staff compliance is critical

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Accidental falls among inpatients are a substantial cause of hospital injury. A number of successful experimental studies on fall prevention have shown the importance and efficacy of multifactorial intervention, though success rates vary. However, the importance of staff compliance with these effective, but often time-consuming, multifactorial interventions has not been fully investigated in a routine clinical setting. The purpose of this observational study was to describe the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI) activity for accidental fall prevention, with particular focus on staff compliance in a non-experimental clinical setting. Methods This observational study was conducted from July 2004 through December 2010 at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. The QI activity for in-patient falls prevention consisted of: 1) the fall risk assessment tool, 2) an intervention protocol to prevent in-patient falls, 3) specific environmental safety interventions, 4) staff education, and 5) multidisciplinary healthcare staff compliance monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Results The overall fall rate was 2.13 falls per 1000 patient days (350/164331) in 2004 versus 1.53 falls per 1000 patient days (263/172325) in 2010, representing a significant decrease (p = 0.039). In the first 6 months, compliance with use of the falling risk assessment tool at admission was 91.5% in 2007 (3998/4368), increasing to 97.6% in 2010 (10564/10828). The staff compliance rate of implementing an appropriate intervention plan was 85.9% in 2007, increasing to 95.3% in 2010. Conclusion In our study we observed a substantial decrease in patient fall rates and an increase of staff compliance with a newly implemented falls prevention program. A systematized QI approach that closely involves, encourages, and educates healthcare staff at multiple levels is effective. PMID:22788785

  15. Laboratory-Acquired Parasitic Infections from Accidental Exposures

    PubMed Central

    Herwaldt, Barbara L.

    2001-01-01

    Parasitic diseases are receiving increasing attention in developed countries in part because of their importance in travelers, immigrants, and immunocompromised persons. The main purpose of this review is to educate laboratorians, the primary readership, and health care workers, the secondary readership, about the potential hazards of handling specimens that contain viable parasites and about the diseases that can result. This is accomplished partly through discussion of the occupationally acquired cases of parasitic infections that have been reported, focusing for each case on the type of accident that resulted in infection, the length of the incubation period, the clinical manifestations that developed, and the means by which infection was detected. The article focuses on the cases of infection with the protozoa that cause leishmaniasis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis), and African trypanosomiasis. Data about 164 such cases are discussed, as are data about cases caused by intestinal protozoa and by helminths. Of the 105 case-patients infected with blood and tissue protozoa who either recalled an accident or for whom the likely route of transmission could be presumed, 47 (44.8%) had percutaneous exposure via a contaminated needle or other sharp object. Some accidents were directly linked to poor laboratory practices (e.g., recapping a needle or working barehanded). To decrease the likelihood of accidental exposures, persons who could be exposed to pathogenic parasites must be thoroughly instructed in safety precautions before they begin to work and through ongoing training programs. Protocols should be provided for handling specimens that could contain viable organisms, using protective clothing and equipment, dealing with spills of infectious organisms, and responding to accidents. Special care should be exercised when using needles and other sharp objects. PMID:11585780

  16. Parents Accidentally Substitute Similar Sounding Sibling Names More Often than Dissimilar Names

    PubMed Central

    Griffin, Zenzi M.; Wangerman, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    When parents select similar sounding names for their children, do they set themselves up for more speech errors in the future? Questionnaire data from 334 respondents suggest that they do. Respondents whose names shared initial or final sounds with a sibling’s reported that their parents accidentally called them by the sibling’s name more often than those without such name overlap. Having a sibling of the same gender, similar appearance, or similar age was also associated with more frequent name substitutions. Almost all other name substitutions by parents involved other family members and over 5% of respondents reported a parent substituting the name of a pet, which suggests a strong role for social and situational cues in retrieving personal names for direct address. To the extent that retrieval cues are shared with other people or animals, other names become available and may substitute for the intended name, particularly when names sound similar. PMID:24391955

  17. Probability of survival during accidental immersion in cold water.

    PubMed

    Wissler, Eugene H

    2003-01-01

    Estimating the probability of survival during accidental immersion in cold water presents formidable challenges for both theoreticians and empirics. A number of theoretical models have been developed assuming that death occurs when the central body temperature, computed using a mathematical model, falls to a certain level. This paper describes a different theoretical approach to estimating the probability of survival. The human thermal model developed by Wissler is used to compute the central temperature during immersion in cold water. Simultaneously, a survival probability function is computed by solving a differential equation that defines how the probability of survival decreases with increasing time. The survival equation assumes that the probability of occurrence of a fatal event increases as the victim's central temperature decreases. Generally accepted views of the medical consequences of hypothermia and published reports of various accidents provide information useful for defining a "fatality function" that increases exponentially with decreasing central temperature. The particular function suggested in this paper yields a relationship between immersion time for 10% probability of survival and water temperature that agrees very well with Molnar's empirical observations based on World War II data. The method presented in this paper circumvents a serious difficulty with most previous models--that one's ability to survive immersion in cold water is determined almost exclusively by the ability to maintain a high level of shivering metabolism.

  18. The incidence and significance of accidental hypothermia in major trauma--a prospective observational study.

    PubMed

    Ireland, Sharyn; Endacott, Ruth; Cameron, Peter; Fitzgerald, Mark; Paul, Eldho

    2011-03-01

    Serious sequelae have been associated with injured patients who are hypothermic (<35°C) including coagulopathy, acidosis, decreased myocardial contractility and risk of mortality. Establish the incidence of accidental hypothermia in major trauma patients and identify causative factors. Prospective identification and subsequent review of 732 medical records of major trauma patients presenting to an Adult Major Trauma Centre was undertaken between January and December 2008. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression. Significant and clinically relevant variables from univariate analysis were entered into multivariate models to evaluate determinants for hypothermia and for death. Goodness of fit was determined with the use of the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic. Overall mortality was 9.15%. The incidence of hypothermia was 13.25%. The mortality of patients with hypothermia was 29.9% with a threefold independent risk of death: OR (CI 95%) 3.44 (1.48-7.99), P = 0.04. Independent determinants for hypothermia were pre-hospital intubation: OR (CI 95%) 5.18 (2.77-9.71), P < 0.001, Injury Severity Score (ISS): 1.04 (1.01-1.06), P = 0.01, Arrival Systolic Blood Pressure (ASBP) < 100 mm Hg: 3.04 (1.24-7.44), P = 0.02, and winter time: 1.84 (1.06-3.21), P = 0.03. Of the 87 hypothermic patients who had repeat temperatures recorded in the Emergency Department, 77 (88.51%) patients had a temperature greater than the recorded arrival temperature. There was no change in recorded temperature for four (4.60%) patients, whereas six (6.90%) patients were colder at Emergency Department discharge. Seriously injured patients with accidental hypothermia have a higher mortality independent of measured risk factors. For patients with multiple injuries a coordinated effort by paramedics, nurses and doctors is required to focus efforts toward early resolution of hypothermia aiming to achieve a temperature >35 °C. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All

  19. Towards the operational estimation of a radiological plume using data assimilation after a radiological accidental atmospheric release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winiarek, Victor; Vira, Julius; Bocquet, Marc; Sofiev, Mikhail; Saunier, Olivier

    2011-06-01

    In the event of an accidental atmospheric release of radionuclides from a nuclear power plant, accurate real-time forecasting of the activity concentrations of radionuclides is required by the decision makers for the preparation of adequate countermeasures. The accuracy of the forecast plume is highly dependent on the source term estimation. On several academic test cases, including real data, inverse modelling and data assimilation techniques were proven to help in the assessment of the source term. In this paper, a semi-automatic method is proposed for the sequential reconstruction of the plume, by implementing a sequential data assimilation algorithm based on inverse modelling, with a care to develop realistic methods for operational risk agencies. The performance of the assimilation scheme has been assessed through the intercomparison between French and Finnish frameworks. Two dispersion models have been used: Polair3D and Silam developed in two different research centres. Different release locations, as well as different meteorological situations are tested. The existing and newly planned surveillance networks are used and realistically large multiplicative observational errors are assumed. The inverse modelling scheme accounts for strong error bias encountered with such errors. The efficiency of the data assimilation system is tested via statistical indicators. For France and Finland, the average performance of the data assimilation system is strong. However there are outlying situations where the inversion fails because of a too poor observability. In addition, in the case where the power plant responsible for the accidental release is not known, robust statistical tools are developed and tested to discriminate candidate release sites.

  20. [Central cervical cord syndrome: a case report on rehabilitation, with special references to accidental falls in the elderly].

    PubMed

    Ina, G; Eto, F; Furuichi, T; Suzuki, H; Shibuya, K

    1995-03-01

    An 81-year-old man with Parkinson's disease was admitted to our hospital with impaired function of all extremities. Four weeks before his symptoms developed, he had tripped on the steps, fallen and bruised his jaw. Following this episode he experienced a few more falls inside his house. On examination his greatest weakness was in the hands and wrists. He was hyper-reflexic in all extremities and had bilateral Babinski's sign. He could not walk and needed physical assistance in most of his daily living activities. X-ray films of the cervical spine showed significant degenerative changes. The magnetic resonance images suggested central cervical cord damage at the level of the C6 vertebral body. After three months' rehabilitation treatment, he became able to walk with a cane and became independent in all the basic activities of daily living except for bathing. He never regained skillful function of his hands despite later levodopa treatment of Parkinson's disease. His clinical features were consistent with the central cervical cord syndrome, described by Schnneider and co-workers in 1954. This syndrome may occur as a result of hyperextension neck injury, occasionally associated with an accidental fall in the elderly with cervical spondylosis. Thirteen patients with cervical spinal cord injury above 65 of age were admitted to our department from 1983 to 1993. Six of them presented with the central cervical cord syndrome, and all patients had a history of accidental injuries related to falling.

  1. International Olympic Committee consensus statement: harassment and abuse (non-accidental violence) in sport.

    PubMed

    Mountjoy, Margo; Brackenridge, Celia; Arrington, Malia; Blauwet, Cheri; Carska-Sheppard, Andrea; Fasting, Kari; Kirby, Sandra; Leahy, Trisha; Marks, Saul; Martin, Kathy; Starr, Katherine; Tiivas, Anne; Budgett, Richard

    2016-09-01

    Despite the well-recognised benefits of sport, there are also negative influences on athlete health, well-being and integrity caused by non-accidental violence through harassment and abuse. All athletes have a right to engage in 'safe sport', defined as an athletic environment that is respectful, equitable and free from all forms of non-accidental violence to athletes. Yet, these issues represent a blind spot for many sport organisations through fear of reputational damage, ignorance, silence or collusion. This consensus statement extends the 2007 IOC Consensus Statement on Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Sport, presenting additional evidence of several other types of harassment and abuse-psychological, physical and neglect. All ages and types of athletes are susceptible to these problems but science confirms that elite, disabled, child and lesbian/gay/bisexual/trans-sexual (LGBT) athletes are at highest risk, that psychological abuse is at the core of all other forms and that athletes can also be perpetrators. Harassment and abuse arise from prejudices expressed through power differences. Perpetrators use a range of interpersonal mechanisms including contact, non-contact/verbal, cyber-based, negligence, bullying and hazing. Attention is paid to the particular risks facing child athletes, athletes with a disability and LGBT athletes. Impacts on the individual athlete and the organisation are discussed. Sport stakeholders are encouraged to consider the wider social parameters of these issues, including cultures of secrecy and deference that too often facilitate abuse, rather than focusing simply on psychopathological causes. The promotion of safe sport is an urgent task and part of the broader international imperative for good governance in sport. A systematic multiagency approach to prevention is most effective, involving athletes, entourage members, sport managers, medical and therapeutic practitioners, educators and criminal justice agencies. Structural and

  2. The pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset of death through accidental hypothermia and the presentation of "The little match girl" case.

    PubMed

    Jeican, Ionuţ Isaia

    2014-01-01

    Hypothermia and death caused by hypothermia may be found in a number of fiction works, mainly in novels. In the well-known story "The Little Match Girl" by Hans Christian Andersen, one can notice that the descriptions of the phenomena occurring before the girl's death are in fact a literary presentation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset of death through accidental hypothermia. This essay presents the medical aspects of the story written by Andersen.

  3. Chronic Mycobacterium infection of first dorsal web space after accidental Bacilli Calmette-Guérin injection in a health worker: case report.

    PubMed

    Vigler, Mordechai; Mulett, Hanan; Hausman, Michael R

    2008-11-01

    We present a case of inoculation of the first dorsal web space by a nurse practitioner who accidentally stuck herself while preparing Bacilli Calmette-Guérin vaccine for treatment of bladder tumor. We report the evolution and management of this resistant chronic Mycobacterium infection that ultimately required use of a vacuum wound management system followed by a microvascular free tissue transfer.

  4. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt with accidental diagnosis of persistence of the left superior vena cava.

    PubMed

    Petridis, Ioannis; Miraglia, Roberto; Marrone, Gianluca; Gruttadauria, Salvatore; Luca, Angelo; Vizzini, Giovanni Battista; Gridelli, Bruno

    2010-03-07

    Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is considered a valid therapeutic option for the treatment of portal hypertension and its complications. The guidelines for this procedure have already been established on the basis of the normal vascular anatomy and of various technical radiological aspects. In some few rare cases, diagnosis of a congenital vascular anomaly can be made accidentally by interventional radiologists, making the procedure of the TIPSS placement extremely difficult or in some cases technically impossible. This report describes a rare vascular malformation characterized by the absence of the right superior vena cava and persistence of the left superior vena cava in a patient with a diagnosis of advanced liver cirrhosis who needed a TIPSS placement in order to control refractory ascites.

  5. Dose Calculation For Accidental Release Of Radioactive Cloud Passing Over Jeddah

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alharbi, N. D.; Mayhoub, A. B.

    2011-12-01

    For the evaluation of doses after the reactor accident, in particular for the inhalation dose, a thorough knowledge of the concentration of the various radionuclide in air during the passage of the plume is required. In this paper we present an application of the Gaussian Plume Model (GPM) to calculate the atmospheric dispersion and airborne radionuclide concentration resulting from radioactive cloud over the city of Jeddah (KSA). The radioactive cloud is assumed to be emitted from a reactor of 10 MW power in postulated accidental release. Committed effective doses (CEDs) to the public at different distance from the source to the receptor are calculated. The calculations were based on meteorological condition and data of the Jeddah site. These data are: pasquill atmospheric stability is the class B and the wind speed is 2.4m/s at 10m height in the N direction. The residence time of some radionuclides considered in this study were calculated. The results indicate that, the values of doses first increase with distance, reach a maximum value and then gradually decrease. The total dose received by human is estimated by using the estimated values of residence time of each radioactive pollutant at different distances.

  6. Investigation of thermoluminescence properties of mobile phone screen displays as dosimeters for accidental dosimetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mrozik, Anna; Marczewska, B.; Bilski, P.; Kłosowski, M.

    2014-11-01

    The rapid assessment of the radiation dose after unexpected exposure is a task of accidental dosimetry. In case of a radiological accident glasses originating from mobile phone screens, placed usually near the human body, could be used as emergency thermoluminescent (TL) personal dosimeters. The time between irradiation and TL readout is crucial and therefore preparation of the mobile phone screens and their readout conditions should be optimized. The influence of the samples etching, bleaching and selection of the optical filters based on measurement of the emission spectrum of irradiated glass samples during heating for different types of mobile phones were the subjects of our investigation. Obtained results showed that glasses extracted from different brands of mobile phones have different dosimetric properties but all of them give a luminescent signal which can be used to calculate the dose.

  7. Modelling accidental hypothermia effects on a human body under different pathophysiological conditions.

    PubMed

    Coccarelli, Alberto; Boileau, Etienne; Parthimos, Dimitris; Nithiarasu, Perumal

    2017-12-01

    Accidental exposure to cold water environment is one of the most challenging situations in which hypothermia occurs. In the present work, we aim to characterise the energy balance of a human body subjected to such extreme environmental conditions. This study is carried out using a recently developed computational model and by setting boundary conditions needed to simulate the effect of cold surrounding environment. A major finding is the capacity of the body core regions to maintain their temperature high for a substantial amount of time, even under the most extreme environmental conditions. We also considered two disease states that highlight the spectrum of possible pathologies implicated in thermal regulation of the human body. These states are (i) cardiomyopathy, which affects the operating capacity of the heart, and (ii) malnutrition, which directly impairs the body's ability to regulate heat exchange with the environment. We have found that cardiomyopathy has little influence on the thermal balance of the human body, whereas malnutrition has a profound negative effect on the thermal balance and leads to dramatic reduction in core temperature.

  8. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, Sleepiness and Accidental Risk in 36140 Regularly Registered Highway Drivers

    PubMed Central

    Philip, Pierre; Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Lagarde, Emmanuel; Taillard, Jacques; Canel, Annick; Sagaspe, Patricia; Bioulac, Stéphanie

    2015-01-01

    Background Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder that increases accidental risk. Recent studies show that some patients with ADHD can also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness but there are no data assessing the role of sleepiness in road safety in patients with ADHD. We conducted an epidemiological study to explore sleep complaints, inattention and driving risks among automobile drivers. Methods and Findings From August to September 2014, 491186 regular highway users were invited to participate in an Internet survey on driving habits. 36140 drivers answered a questionnaire exploring driving risks, sleep complaints, sleepiness at the wheel, ADHD symptoms (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) and distraction at the wheel. 1.7% of all drivers reported inattention-related driving accidents and 0.3% sleep-related driving accidents in the previous year. 1543 drivers (4.3%) reported ADHD symptoms and were more likely to report accidents than drivers without ADHD symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.24, [1.03–1.51], p < .021). 14.2% of drivers with ADHD symptoms reported severe excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale >15) versus 3.2% of drivers without ADHD symptoms and 20.5% reported severe sleepiness at the wheel versus 7.3%. Drivers with ADHD symptoms reported significantly more sleep-related (adjusted OR = 1.4, [1.21–1.60], p < .0001) and inattention-related (adjusted OR = 1.9, [1.71–2.14], p<0001) near misses than drivers without ADHD symptoms. The fraction of near-misses attributable to severe sleepiness at the wheel was 4.24% for drivers without ADHD symptoms versus 10,35% for drivers with ADHD symptoms. Conclusion Our study shows that drivers with ADHD symptoms have more accidents and a higher level of sleepiness at the wheel than drivers without ADHD symptoms. Drivers with ADHD symptoms report more sleep-related and inattention-related near misses, thus confirming the clinical importance of exploring both

  9. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, Sleepiness and Accidental Risk in 36140 Regularly Registered Highway Drivers.

    PubMed

    Philip, Pierre; Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Lagarde, Emmanuel; Taillard, Jacques; Canel, Annick; Sagaspe, Patricia; Bioulac, Stéphanie

    2015-01-01

    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a frequent neurodevelopmental disorder that increases accidental risk. Recent studies show that some patients with ADHD can also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness but there are no data assessing the role of sleepiness in road safety in patients with ADHD. We conducted an epidemiological study to explore sleep complaints, inattention and driving risks among automobile drivers. From August to September 2014, 491186 regular highway users were invited to participate in an Internet survey on driving habits. 36140 drivers answered a questionnaire exploring driving risks, sleep complaints, sleepiness at the wheel, ADHD symptoms (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) and distraction at the wheel. 1.7% of all drivers reported inattention-related driving accidents and 0.3% sleep-related driving accidents in the previous year. 1543 drivers (4.3%) reported ADHD symptoms and were more likely to report accidents than drivers without ADHD symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.24, [1.03-1.51], p < .021). 14.2% of drivers with ADHD symptoms reported severe excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale >15) versus 3.2% of drivers without ADHD symptoms and 20.5% reported severe sleepiness at the wheel versus 7.3%. Drivers with ADHD symptoms reported significantly more sleep-related (adjusted OR = 1.4, [1.21-1.60], p < .0001) and inattention-related (adjusted OR = 1.9, [1.71-2.14], p<0001) near misses than drivers without ADHD symptoms. The fraction of near-misses attributable to severe sleepiness at the wheel was 4.24% for drivers without ADHD symptoms versus 10,35% for drivers with ADHD symptoms. Our study shows that drivers with ADHD symptoms have more accidents and a higher level of sleepiness at the wheel than drivers without ADHD symptoms. Drivers with ADHD symptoms report more sleep-related and inattention-related near misses, thus confirming the clinical importance of exploring both attentional deficits and sleepiness at the wheel

  10. The political economy of rationing health care in England and the US: the 'accidental logics' of political settlements.

    PubMed

    Bevan, Gwyn; Brown, Lawrence D

    2014-07-01

    This article considers how the 'accidental logics' of political settlements for the English National Health Service (NHS) and the Medicare and Medicaid programmes in the United States have resulted in different institutional arrangements and different implicit social contracts for rationing, which we define to be the denial of health care that is beneficial but is deemed to be too costly. This article argues that rationing is designed into the English NHS and designed out of US Medicare; and compares rationing for the elderly in the United States and in England for acute care, care at the end of life, and chronic care.

  11. Fallout: The experiences of a medical team in the care of a Marshallese population accidentally exposed to fallout radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Conard, R.A.

    1991-12-31

    This report presents an historical account of the experiences of the Brookhaven Medical team in the examination and treatment of the Marshallese people following their accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. This is the first time that a population has been heavily exposed to radioactive fallout, and even though this was a tragic mishap, the medical findings have provided valuable information for other accidents involving fallout such as the recent reactor accident at Chernobyl. Particularly important has been the unexpected importance of radioactive iodine in the fallout in producing thyroid abnormalities.

  12. Fallout: The experiences of a medical team in the care of a Marshallese population accidentally exposed to fallout radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Conard, R.A.

    1991-01-01

    This report presents an historical account of the experiences of the Brookhaven Medical team in the examination and treatment of the Marshallese people following their accidental exposure to radioactive fallout in 1954. This is the first time that a population has been heavily exposed to radioactive fallout, and even though this was a tragic mishap, the medical findings have provided valuable information for other accidents involving fallout such as the recent reactor accident at Chernobyl. Particularly important has been the unexpected importance of radioactive iodine in the fallout in producing thyroid abnormalities.

  13. [Gonococcal vulvovaginitis in prepubertal girls: sexual abuse or accidental transmission?].

    PubMed

    Daval-Cote, M; Liberas, S; Tristan, A; Vandenesch, F; Gillet, Y

    2013-01-01

    Vulvovaginitis is the most frequent gynecologic pathology among prepubertal females. An infectious cause is found in 30% of cases and is highly associated with the presence of vaginal discharge upon examination. Neisseria gonorrhoeae may be one of the causative agents. Since N. gonorrhoeae is a common sexually transmitted disease, sexual abuse should be considered in the pediatric setting. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl with N. gonorrhoeae vulvovaginitis. Her previous history, multiple interviews with the patient and her parents, and clinical examination showed no evidence or signs of sexual abuse. Both parents presented gonorrhea, urethritis for the father and vaginitis for the mother. The discrepancy between pediatric evaluation and the presence of a bacterium associated with sexually transmitted disease led us to consider other means of contamination. Previous studies have shown that other routes of transmission are possible but are often neglected. Hence, contamination can be transmitted by the hands or mostly through passive means (towels, rectal thermometer, etc.). Many epidemics have been noted in group settings with young girls with no evidence of sexual transmission. Therefore, we concluded that this patient's infection was likely an accidental transmission within her family. The acknowledgement of these transmission routes is very important in order to avoid misguided suspicion of sexual abuse and the possible traumatic family and psychosocial consequences. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier SAS.

  14. Individual dose due to radioactivity accidental release from fusion reactor.

    PubMed

    Nie, Baojie; Ni, Muyi; Wei, Shiping

    2017-04-05

    As an important index shaping the design of fusion safety system, evaluation of public radiation consequences have risen as a hot topic on the way to develop fusion energy. In this work, the comprehensive public early dose was evaluated due to unit gram tritium (HT/HTO), activated dust, activated corrosion products (ACPs) and activated gases accidental release from ITER like fusion reactor. Meanwhile, considering that we cannot completely eliminate the occurrence likelihood of multi-failure of vacuum vessel and tokamak building, we conservatively evaluated the public radiation consequences and environment restoration after the worst hypothetical accident preliminarily. The comparison results show early dose of different unit radioactivity release under different conditions. After further performing the radiation consequences, we find it possible that the hypothetical accident for ITER like fusion reactor would result in a level 6 accident according to INES, not appear level 7 like Chernobyl or Fukushima accidents. And from the point of environment restoration, we need at least 69 years for case 1 (1kg HTO and 1000kg dust release) and 34-52years for case 2 (1kg HTO and 10kg-100kg dust release) to wait the contaminated zone drop below the general public safety limit (1mSv per year) before it is suitable for human habitation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Sleep deprivation and accidental fall risk in children.

    PubMed

    Boto, Leonor Reis; Crispim, João Núncio; de Melo, Isabel Saraiva; Juvandes, Carla; Rodrigues, Teresa; Azeredo, Paula; Ferreira, Rosário

    2012-01-01

    To look for an association between sleep deprivation and risk of accidental falls (AF) in children. A questionnaire was applied to two groups of children aged 1-14 years, encompassing children observed in an emergency room for AF (G1) and children attending health care visits (HV) (G2). Collected data included demographic characteristics, medical history, previous week's sleep pattern (PWSP), sleep duration and sleep pattern in the preceding 24 h, mechanism of fall, and injury severity. acute or chronic disease or exposure to drugs interfering with sleep. Statistical analyses included Fisher's exact test, Pearson Chi-square, Fisher-Freeman-Halton test, T and Mann-Whitney tests for independent samples, and multivariate logistic regression (α=5%). We obtained 1756 questionnaires in G1 and 277 in G2. Of those, 834 in G1 and 267 in G2 were analyzed. We found an increased risk of AF in boys (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.2-2.4). After controlling for age, gender, summer holidays, parental education and profession, lack of naps and PWSP were associated with increased risk (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.3-3.3 and OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.2-6.1). In 3-5 year-old children there was an association between AF and a shorter than usual sleep duration in the previous 24 h (p=0.02). To our knowledge, our study is the largest so far to assess the association between sleep deprivation and childhood injury. It evidences a protective effect of naps in children. Sleep duration of less than 8 h increases risk of AF. Pre-schoolers may be particularly susceptible to sleep deprivation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Development of emergency response tools for accidental radiological contamination of French coastal areas.

    PubMed

    Duffa, Céline; Bailly du Bois, Pascal; Caillaud, Matthieu; Charmasson, Sabine; Couvez, Céline; Didier, Damien; Dumas, Franck; Fievet, Bruno; Morillon, Mehdi; Renaud, Philippe; Thébault, Hervé

    2016-01-01

    The Fukushima nuclear accident resulted in the largest ever accidental release of artificial radionuclides in coastal waters. This accident has shown the importance of marine assessment capabilities for emergency response and the need to develop tools for adequately predicting the evolution and potential impact of radioactive releases to the marine environment. The French Institute for Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) equips its emergency response centre with operational tools to assist experts and decision makers in the event of accidental atmospheric releases and contamination of the terrestrial environment. The on-going project aims to develop tools for the management of marine contamination events in French coastal areas. This should allow us to evaluate and anticipate post-accident conditions, including potential contamination sites, contamination levels and potential consequences. In order to achieve this goal, two complementary tools are developed: site-specific marine data sheets and a dedicated simulation tool (STERNE, Simulation du Transport et du transfert d'Eléments Radioactifs dans l'environNEment marin). Marine data sheets are used to summarize the marine environment characteristics of the various sites considered, and to identify vulnerable areas requiring implementation of population protection measures, such as aquaculture areas, beaches or industrial water intakes, as well as areas of major ecological interest. Local climatological data (dominant sea currents as a function of meteorological or tidal conditions) serving as the basis for an initial environmental sampling strategy is provided whenever possible, along with a list of possible local contacts for operational management purposes. The STERNE simulation tool is designed to predict radionuclide dispersion and contamination in seawater and marine species by incorporating spatio-temporal data. 3D hydrodynamic forecasts are used as input data. Direct discharge points or

  17. The pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset of death through accidental hypothermia and the presentation of “The little match girl” case

    PubMed Central

    JEICAN, IONUŢ ISAIA

    2014-01-01

    Hypothermia and death caused by hypothermia may be found in a number of fiction works, mainly in novels. In the well-known story “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen, one can notice that the descriptions of the phenomena occurring before the girl’s death are in fact a literary presentation of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the onset of death through accidental hypothermia. This essay presents the medical aspects of the story written by Andersen. PMID:26527999

  18. Survival After Accidental Extrahepatic Distribution of Y90 Microspheres to the Mesentery During a Radioembolization Procedure

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sabet, Amir; Ahmadzadehfar, Hojjat; Schaefer, Nico

    2012-08-15

    We present the acute management and outcome of a patient after an accidental mesenteric distribution of Y90 microspheres during radioembolization (RE). This report describes and highlights: (1) the incidence of a significant reflux during a RE session while injecting into a replaced right hepatic artery from the superior mesenteric artery, (2) the appearance of diffuse mesenteric Y90 distribution in bremsstrahlung-imaging, (3) the management protocol with the radiation protection agent amifostine, (4) the development of typical adverse effects in the expected time window, and (5) survival of the patient without long-term sequelae. This report should sensitize physicians to this particular problemmore » and may help to avoid as well as manage similar radioembolization incidences.« less

  19. Evolution of N-species Kimura/voter models towards criticality, a surrogate for general models of accidental pathogens

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghaffari, Peyman; Stollenwerk, Nico

    2012-09-01

    In models for accidental pathogens, with the paradigmatic epidemiological system of bacterial meningitis, there was evolution towards states exhibiting critical fluctuations with power law behaviour observed [1]. This is a model with many possibly pathogenic strains essentially evolving independently to low pathogenicity. A first and previous study had shown that in the limit of vanishing pathogenicity there are critical fluctuations with power law distributions observed, already when only two strains interact [2]. This earlier version of a two strain model was very recently reinvestigated [3] and named as Stollenwerk-Jansen model (SJ). Muñoz et al. demonstrated that this two-strain model for accidental pathogens is in the universality class of the so-called voter model. Though this model clearly shows criticality, its control parameter, the pathogenicity, is not self-tuning towards criticality. However, the multi-strain version mentioned above [1] is well evolving towards criticality, as well as a spatially explicit version of this, shown in [4] p. 155. These models of multi-strain type including explicitly mutations of the pathogenicity can be called SJ-models of type II [5]. Since the original epidemiological model is of SIRYX-type, the evolution to zero pathogenicity is slow and perturbed by large population noise. In the present article we now show on the basis of the notion of the voter-model universality classes the evolution of n-voter models with mutaion towards criticality, now much less perturbed by population noise, hence demonstrating a clear mechanism of self-organized criticality in the sense of [6, 7]. The present results have wide implications for many diseases in which a large proportion of infections is asymptomatic, meaning that the system has already evolved towards an average low pathogenicity. This holds not only for the original paradigmatic case of bacterial meningitis, but was reecently also suggested for example for dengue fever (DENFREE

  20. Non-accidental Trauma Injury Patterns and Outcomes: A Single Institutional Experience.

    PubMed

    Ward, Austin; Iocono, Joseph A; Brown, Samuel; Ashley, Phillip; Draus, John M

    2015-09-01

    Non-accidental trauma (NAT) victims account for a significant percentage of our pediatric trauma population. We sought to better understand the injury patterns and outcomes of NAT victims who were treated at our level I pediatric trauma center. Trauma registry data were used to identify NAT victims between January 2008 and December 2012. Demographic data, injury severity, hospital course, and outcomes were evaluated. One hundred and eighty-eight cases of suspected NAT were identified. Children were mostly male and white. The median age was 1.1 years; the median Injury Severity Score was 9. Traumatic brain injuries, lower extremity fractures, and skull fractures were the most common injuries. Twenty-seven per cent required medical procedures; most were performed by orthopedic surgery. Twenty-four per cent required admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. The median length of stay was two days. The mortality rate was 9.6 per cent. We generated a hot spot map of our catchment area and identified areas of our state where NAT occurs at increased rates. NAT victims sustain significant morbidity and mortality. Due to the severity of injuries, pediatric trauma surgeons should be involved in the evaluation and management of these children. Much work is needed to prevent the death and disability incurred by victims of child abuse.

  1. The study of etiological and demographic characteristics of acute household accidental poisoning in children - a consecutive case series study from Pakistan

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background To determine the agents of poisoning and demographic distribution of children brought to Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) with a history of accidental poison intake and to examine the factors associated with it. Methods This hospital based descriptive study of first 100 patients from both sexes who presented to Pediatric department, CHK from 1st January 2006 till 31st December 2008 with exposure to a known poisonous agent and fulfilling other inclusion criteria were included in the study. Data regarding their demographic profile and potential risk factors was collected on a well structured proforma, cases were followed until discharge or expiry. Data was analyzed using frequencies, proportions, group means, median and standard deviations. Results The male to female ratio in our study was 1.2:1, with kerosene (50%) being the most common household agent followed by medicines (38%), insecticides (7%) and bathroom cleaners (5%). Factors such as mother's education level, number of siblings and storage place of poison correlated significantly with the cases of accidental poisoning. Most of the children (70%) presented within 3 hours of ingestion. Dyspnea was the most common symptom observed. The mortality rate in our study was 3%. Conclusions Children belonging to age group 2-3 years are the most susceptible both in terms of morbidity and mortality. Preventive strategies need to be adopted at a national level to spread awareness among parents. PMID:20438635

  2. Poisons Implicated In Homicidal, Suicidal And Accidental Cases In North-West Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Jan, Adil; Khan, Muhammad Jaffar; Humayun Khan, Muhammad Tariq; Masood Khan, Muhammad Tariq; Fatima, Sadia

    2016-01-01

    Pakistan has one of the highest prevalence of poisoning in the world. However, limited data exist on the frequency of poisons implicated in homicidal, suicidal, and accidental cases in North-West Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). This retrospective study of 353 cases and biological specimens of poisoning received at the department of Forensic medicine and toxicology, Khyber Medical College Peshawar from 13 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Frequency of poisoning was assessed by testing each specimen for 17 different poisons. Of all the specimens, 250 (70.8%) specimens tested positive and the rest didn't show any indication of poisoning (n=103, 29.2%). The most frequent poisons detected were benzodiazepines (total n=75), organophosphates (total n=58), phencyclidine (total n=30) and morphine (total n=23). Gender had a significant association with benzodiazepines (p=0.011), tricyclic antidepressants (p=0.001), and organophosphates (p<0.001). Organophosphates were the most common cause of poisoning in females while benzodiazepines were the most common cause of poisoning in males. Poisoning by benzodiazepines, organophosphates and phencyclidine are the most common causes of intoxication in population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Source of poisoning varies with gender for organophosphates, benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants.

  3. A screening tool to prioritize public health risk associated with accidental or deliberate release of chemicals into the atmosphere

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    The Chemical Events Working Group of the Global Health Security Initiative has developed a flexible screening tool for chemicals that present a risk when accidentally or deliberately released into the atmosphere. The tool is generic, semi-quantitative, independent of site, situation and scenario, encompasses all chemical hazards (toxicity, flammability and reactivity), and can be easily and quickly implemented by non-subject matter experts using freely available, authoritative information. Public health practitioners and planners can use the screening tool to assist them in directing their activities in each of the five stages of the disaster management cycle. PMID:23517410

  4. Firearms and accidental deaths: Evidence from the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting.

    PubMed

    Levine, Phillip B; McKnight, Robin

    2017-12-08

    Exposure to firearms increased substantially after the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and 6 adults were killed. Gun sales spiked by 3 million, on the basis of the increase in the number of background checks for firearm purchases. Google searches for buying and cleaning guns increased. We used Vital Statistics mortality data to examine whether a spike in accidental firearm deaths occurred at the same time as the greater exposure to firearms. We also assessed whether the increase in these deaths was larger in those states where the spike in gun sales per capita was larger. We find that an additional 60 deaths overall, including 20 children, resulted from unintentional shootings in the immediate aftermath of Sandy Hook. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  5. The effectiveness of stationary automobiles as shelters in accidental releases of toxic materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Engelmann, Rudolf J.; Pendergrass, William R.; White, J. Randy; Hall, Mark E.

    The protection offered occupants of stationary automobiles against airborne gases and respirable particles, such as might result from an accidental release, was measured and found to be substantial. For the four autos tested with the air conditioning (AC) system on and in recirculate position, the equilibrium ratios of inside/outside concentrations ( I/ O) for 2-μm diameter particles were less than 0.2, and some ratios were as small as 0.014. With both the AC compressor and the system fan off, the I/ O for five autos ranged from 0.04 to 0.18. These low ratios are primarily a result of deposition within the autos. However, three of the five autos had substantially higher I/ O ratios when the AC fan was on than when off, indicating that for some autos the AC caused significant added intake of outside air. Air exchange rates for the five stationary autos were on the order of 0.5h -1 with AC off, and 2.5 h -1 with AC on.

  6. Urban Early Adolescent Narratives on Sexuality: Accidental and Intentional Influences of Family, Peers, and the Media.

    PubMed

    Charmaraman, Linda; McKamey, Corinne

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, we examine the ways that early adolescents talked, interacted, and made references to events in their individual and collective lives during photography-based focus groups about sexuality and relationships. Twenty-three participants (10 boys and 13 girls) were recruited from three urban schools participating in a comprehensive sex education impact evaluation in the Northeast. We analyzed conversational narratives that were elicited in a group process while sharing photos of important people, contexts, and situations, showcasing participants' exploration of sexuality and relationships. Our analysis revealed four main themes: (a) direct and indirect family communication about sexuality, (b) accidental and intentional Internet usage, (c) shared and contested peer knowledge, and (d) school as a direct and indirect learning context. Implications and future directions for practice, research, and policy are explored.

  7. Urban Early Adolescent Narratives on Sexuality: Accidental and Intentional Influences of Family, Peers, and the Media

    PubMed Central

    McKamey, Corinne

    2012-01-01

    In this paper, we examine the ways that early adolescents talked, interacted, and made references to events in their individual and collective lives during photography-based focus groups about sexuality and relationships. Twenty-three participants (10 boys and 13 girls) were recruited from three urban schools participating in a comprehensive sex education impact evaluation in the Northeast. We analyzed conversational narratives that were elicited in a group process while sharing photos of important people, contexts, and situations, showcasing participants’ exploration of sexuality and relationships. Our analysis revealed four main themes: (a) direct and indirect family communication about sexuality, (b) accidental and intentional Internet usage, (c) shared and contested peer knowledge, and (d) school as a direct and indirect learning context. Implications and future directions for practice, research, and policy are explored. PMID:22983141

  8. Persistent Seroconversion after Accidental Eye Exposure to Calcifying Nanoparticles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ciftcioglu, Neva; Aho, Katja M.; McKay, David S.; Kajander, E. Olavi

    2007-01-01

    Biosafety of nanomaterials has attracted much attention recently. We report here a case where accidental human eye exposure to biogenic nanosized calcium phosphate in the form of calcifying nanoparticles (CNP) raised a strong IgG immune response against proteins carried by CNP. The antibody titer has persisted over ten years at the high level. The IgG was detected by ELISA using CNPs propagated in media containing bovine and human serum as antigen. The exposure incident occurred to a woman scientist (WS) at a research laboratory in Finland at 1993. CNP, also termed "nanobacteria", is a unique self-replicating agent that has not been fully characterized and no data on biohazards were available at that time. Before the accident, her serum samples were negative for both CNP antigen and anti-CNP antibody using specific ELISA tests (Nanobac Oy, Kuopio, Finland). The accident occurred while WS was harvesting CNP cultures. Due to a high pressure in pipetting, CNP pellet splashed into her right eye. Both eyes were immediately washed with water and saline. The following days there was irritation and redness in the right eye. These symptoms disappeared within two weeks without any treatment. Three months after the accident, blood and urine samples of WS were tested for CNP cultures (2), CNP-specific ELISA tests, and blood cell counts. Blood cell counts were normal, CNP antigen and culture tests were negative. A high IgG anti-CNP antibody titer was detected (see Figure). The antibodies of this person have been used thereafter as positive control and standard in ELISA manufacturing (Nano-Sero IgG ELISA, Nanobac Oy, Kuopio, Finland).

  9. Report of accidental CS ingestion among seven patients in central Israel and review of the current literature.

    PubMed

    Solomon, I; Kochba, I; Eizenkraft, E; Maharshak, N

    2003-10-01

    A report of seven people who accidentally drank a juice contaminated with CS (o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) is given. Due to its mucosal irritating properties, CS (also known as "tear gas") is commonly used by policemen and soldiers in riot control. However, only a few reports of its ingestion by humans exist. Ingestion of CS may cause immediate irritation of the oral mucosa and gastrointestinal symptoms later on. Damage of internal organs, which has been shown in animals but only rarely in humans, is probably related to the dose ingested. The extensive use of CS gas merits recognition of the signs and symptoms of its exposure in order to reduce anxiety in both patients and medical staff and to facilitate fast and efficient management.

  10. Accidental needle sticks, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and the fallacy of public policy.

    PubMed

    Wolf, Bruce L; Marks, Albert; Fahrenholz, John M

    2006-07-01

    Current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines mandate the use of safety needles when allergy injections are given. Safety needles for intradermal testing remain optional. Whether safety needles reduce the number of accidental needle sticks (ANSs) in the outpatient setting has yet to be proven. To determine the rate of ANSs with new (safety) needles vs old needles used in allergy immunotherapy and intradermal testing. Allergy practices from 22 states were surveyed by e-mail. Seventy practices (28%) responded to the survey. Twice as many ANSs occurred in practices giving immunotherapy when using new needles vs old needles (P < .01). The rate of ANSs was roughly the same for intradermal testing with new needles vs old needles. These findings further question whether OSHA's guidelines for safety needle use in outpatient practice need revision and if allergy practices might be excluded from the requirement to use safety needles.

  11. Validation of an instrument to assess barriers to care-seeking for accidental bowel leakage in women: the BCABL questionnaire

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Heidi Wendell; Wise, Meg E.; Westenberg, Danielle; Schmuhl, Nicholas B.; Brezoczky, Kelly Lewis; Rogers, Rebecca G.; Constantine, Melissa L.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction and hypothesis Fewer than 30% of women with accidental bowel leakage (ABL) seek care, despite the existence of effective, minimally invasive therapies. We developed and validated a condition-specific instrument to assess barriers to care-seeking for ABL in women. Methods Adult women with ABL completed an electronic survey about condition severity, patient activation, previous care-seeking, and demographics. The Barriers to Care-seeking for Accidental Bowel Leakage (BCABL) instrument contained 42 potential items completed at baseline and again 2 weeks later. Paired t tests evaluated test–retest reliability. Factor analysis evaluated factor structure and guided item retention. Cronbach’s alpha evaluated internal consistency. Within and across factor item means generated a summary BCABL score used to evaluate scale validity with six external criterion measures. Results Among 1,677 click-throughs, 736 (44%) entered the survey; 95% of eligible female respondents (427 out of 458) provided complete data. Fifty-three percent of respondents had previously sought care for their ABL; median age was 62 years (range 27–89); mean Vaizey score was 12.8 (SD = 5.0), indicating moderate to severe ABL. Test–retest reliability was excellent for all items. Factor extraction via oblique rotation resulted in the final structure of 16 items in six domains, within which internal consistency was high. All six external criterion measures correlated significantly with BCABL score. Conclusions The BCABL questionnaire, with 16 items mapping to six domains, has excellent criterion validity and test–retest reliability when administered electronically in women with ABL. The BCABL can be used to identify care-seeking barriers for ABL in different populations, inform targeted interventions, and measure their effectiveness. PMID:28236039

  12. Implications of non-accidental trauma on resource utilization and outcomes.

    PubMed

    Litz, Cristen N; Amankwah, Ernest K; Danielson, Paul D; Chandler, Nicole M

    2018-06-01

    The purpose was to compare the resource utilization and outcomes between patients with suspected (SUSP) and confirmed (CONF) non-accidental trauma (NAT). The institutional trauma registry was reviewed for patients aged 0-18 years presenting from 2007 to 2012 with a diagnosis of suspicion for NAT. Patients with suspected and confirmed NAT were compared. There were 281 patients included. CONF presented with a higher heart rate (142 ± 27 vs 128 ± 23 bpm, p < 0.01), lower systolic blood pressure (100 ± 18 vs 105 ± 16 mm Hg, p = 0.03), and higher Injury Severity Score (15 ± 11 vs 9 ± 5, p < 0.01). SUSP received fewer consultations (1.6 ± 0.7 vs 2.4 ± 1.1, 95% CI - 0.58 to - 0.09, p < 0.01) and had a shorter length of stay (1.6 ± 1.3 vs 7.8 ± 9.8 days, 95% CI - 4.58 to - 0.72, p < 0.01). SUSP were more often discharged home (OR 94.22, 95% CI: 21.26-417.476, p < 0.01). CONF had a higher mortality rate (8.2 vs 0%, p < 0.01). Patients with confirmed NAT present with more severe injuries and require more hospital resources compared to patients in whom NAT is suspected and ruled out.

  13. Dirac cones induced by accidental degeneracy in photonic crystals and zero-refractive-index materials.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xueqin; Lai, Yun; Hang, Zhi Hong; Zheng, Huihuo; Chan, C T

    2011-05-29

    A zero-refractive-index metamaterial is one in which waves do not experience any spatial phase change, and such a peculiar material has many interesting wave-manipulating properties. These materials can in principle be realized using man-made composites comprising metallic resonators or chiral inclusions, but metallic components have losses that compromise functionality at high frequencies. It would be highly desirable if we could achieve a zero refractive index using dielectrics alone. Here, we show that by employing accidental degeneracy, dielectric photonic crystals can be designed and fabricated that exhibit Dirac cone dispersion at the centre of the Brillouin zone at a finite frequency. In addition to many interesting properties intrinsic to a Dirac cone dispersion, we can use effective medium theory to relate the photonic crystal to a material with effectively zero permittivity and permeability. We then numerically and experimentally demonstrate in the microwave regime that such dielectric photonic crystals with reasonable dielectric constants manipulate waves as if they had near-zero refractive indices at and near the Dirac point frequency.

  14. "Float first and kick for your life": Psychophysiological basis for safety behaviour on accidental short-term cold water immersion.

    PubMed

    Barwood, Martin J; Burrows, Holly; Cessford, Jess; Goodall, Stuart

    2016-02-01

    Accidental cold-water immersion (CWI) evokes the life threatening cold shock response (CSR) which increases the risk of drowning. Consequently, the safety behaviour selected is critical in determining survival; the present advice is to 'float first' and remain stationary (i.e. rest). We examined whether leg only exercise (i.e., treading water; 'CWI-Kick') immediately on CWI could reduce the symptoms of the CSR, offset the reduction in cerebral blood flow that is known to occur and reduce the CSR's symptoms of breathlessness. We also examined whether perceptual responses instinctive to accidental CWI were exacerbated by this alternative behaviour. We contrasted CWI-Kick to a 'CWI-Rest' condition and a thermoneutral control (35°C); 'TN-Rest'. Seventeen participants were tested (9 males, 8 females). All immersions were standardised; water temperature in cold conditions (i.e., 12°C) was matched ±/0.5°C within participant. Middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv) and cardiorespiratory responses were measured along with thermal perception (sensation and comfort) and dyspnoea. Data were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA (alpha level of 0.05). MCAv was significantly reduced in CWI-Rest (-6 (9)%; 1st minute of immersion) but was offset by leg only exercise immediately on cold water entry; CWI-Kick MCAv was never different to TN-Rest (-3 (16)% cf. 5 (4)%). All CWI cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses were different to TN-Rest but were not exacerbated by leg only exercise. Treading water may aid survival by offsetting the reduction in brain blood flow velocity without changing the instinctive behavioural response (i.e. perceptions). "Float first - and kick for your life" would be a suitable amendment to the water safety advice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. ICRP publication 112. A report of preventing accidental exposures from new external beam radiation therapy technologies.

    PubMed

    Ortiz López, P; Cosset, J M; Dunscombe, P; Holmberg, O; Rosenwald, J C; Pinillos Ashton, L; Vilaragut Llanes, J J; Vatnitsky, S

    2009-08-01

    Disseminating the knowledge and lessons learned from accidental exposures is crucial in preventing re-occurrence. This is particularly important in radiation therapy; the only application of radiation in which very high radiation doses are deliberately given to patients to achieve cure or palliation of disease. Lessons from accidental exposures are, therefore, an invaluable resource for revealing vulnerable aspects of the practice of radiotherapy, and for providing guidance for the prevention of future occurrences. These lessons have successfully been applied to avoid catastrophic events with conventional technologies and techniques. Recommendations, for example, include the independent verification of beam calibration and independent calculation of the treatment times and monitor units for external beam radiotherapy, and the monitoring of patients and their clothes immediately after brachytherapy. New technologies are meant to bring substantial improvement to radiation therapy. However, this is often achieved with a considerable increase in complexity, which in turn brings opportunities for new types of human error and problems with equipment. Dissemination of information on these errors or mistakes as soon as it becomes available is crucial in radiation therapy with new technologies. In addition, information on circumstances that almost resulted in serious consequences (near-misses) is also important, as the same type of events may occur elsewhere. Sharing information about near-misses is thus a complementary important aspect of prevention. Lessons from retrospective information are provided in Sections 2 and 4 of this report. Disseminating lessons learned for serious incidents is necessary but not sufficient when dealing with new technologies. It is of utmost importance to be proactive and continually strive to answer questions such as 'What else can go wrong', 'How likely is it?' and 'What kind of cost-effective choices do I have for prevention?'. These

  16. Effects of diurnal variations in temperature on non-accidental mortality among the elderly population of Montreal, Québec, 1984-2007.

    PubMed

    Vutcovici, Maria; Goldberg, Mark S; Valois, Marie-France

    2014-07-01

    The association between ambient temperature and mortality has been studied extensively. Recent data suggest an independent role of diurnal temperature variations in increasing daily mortality. Elderly adults-a growing subgroup of the population in developed countries-may be more susceptible to the effects of temperature variations. The aim of this study was to determine whether variations in diurnal temperature were associated with daily non-accidental mortality among residents of Montreal, Québec, who were 65 years of age and over during the period between 1984 and 2007. We used distributed lag non-linear Poisson models constrained over a 30-day lag period, adjusted for temporal trends, mean daily temperature, and mean daily concentrations of nitrogen dioxide and ozone to estimate changes in daily mortality with diurnal temperature. We found, over the 30 day lag period, a cumulative increase in daily mortality of 5.12% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02-10.49%] for a change from 5.9 °C to 11.1 °C (25th to 75th percentiles) in diurnal temperature, and a 11.27% (95%CI: 2.08-21.29%) increase in mortality associated with an increase of diurnal temperature from 11.1 to 17.5 °C (75th to 99th percentiles). The results were relatively robust to adjustment for daily mean temperature. We found that, in Montreal, diurnal variations in temperature are associated with a small increase in non-accidental mortality among the elderly population. More studies are needed in different geographical locations to confirm this effect.

  17. Effect of wet-cold weather transportation conditions on thermoregulation and the development of accidental hypothermia in pullets under tropical conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minka, Ndazo S.; Ayo, Joseph O.

    2016-03-01

    The present study examines onboard thermal microclimatic conditions and thermoregulation of pullets exposed to accidental hypothermia during wet-cold weather transportation conditions, and the effect of rewarming on colonic temperature (CT) of the birds immediately after transportation. A total of 2200 pullets were transportation for 5 h in two separate vehicles during the nighttime. The last 3 h of the transportation period was characterized by heavy rainfall. During the precipitation period, each vehicle was covered one fourth way from the top-roof with a tarpaulin. The onboard thermal conditions inside the vehicles during transportation, which comprised ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded, while humidity ratio and specific enthalpy were calculated. The CT of the birds was recorded before and after transportation. During transportation, onboard thermal heterogeneity was observed inside the vehicles with higher ( p < 0.05) values in the front and center, and lower values recorded at the air inlets at the sides and rear planes. The CT values recorded in birds at the front and center planes were between 42.2 and 42.5 °C, indicative of mild hypothermia; while lower CT values between 28 and 38 °C were recorded at the sides and rear planes, indicative of mild to severe hypothermia. Several hours of gradual rewarming returned the CT to normal range. The result, for the first time, demonstrated the occurrence of accidental hypothermia in transported pullets under tropical conditions and a successful rewarming outcome. In conclusion, transportation of pullets during wet weather at onboard temperature of 18-20 °C induced hypothermia on birds located at the air inlets, which recovered fully after several hours of gradual rewarming.

  18. Management of accidental exposure to HIV: the COREVIH 2011 activity report.

    PubMed

    Rouveix, E; Bouvet, E; Vernat, F; Chansombat, M; Hamet, G; Pellissier, G

    2014-03-01

    Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) relies on procedures allowing quick access to treatment in case of accidental exposure to viral risk (AEV). Occupational blood exposure (OBE) affects mainly caregivers; these accidents are monitored and assessed by the inter-regional center for nosocomial infections (C-CLIN), occupational physicians, and infection control units. They are classified apart from sexual exposure for which there is currently no monitoring. Data was extracted from the COREVIH (steering committee for the prevention of HIV infection) 2011 activity reports (AR), available online. Data collection was performed using a standardized grid. Twenty-four out of 28 AR were available online. Nine thousand nine hundred and twenty AEV were reported, 44% of OBE, and 56% of sexual and other exposures. PEP was prescribed in 8% of OBE and in 77% of sexual exposures. The type of PEP was documented in 52% of the cases. Follow-up was poorly documented. AR provide an incomplete and heterogeneous review of exposure management without any standardized data collection. The difficulties encountered in data collection and monitoring are due to differences in care centers (complex patient circuits, multiple actors) and lack of common dedicated software. Sexual exposures account for 50% of AEV and most are treated; but they are incompletely reported and consequently not analyzed at the regional or national level. A typical AR collection grid is being studied in 2 COREVIH, with the objective to improve collection and obtain useful national data. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparison of whole-body post mortem 3D CT and autopsy evaluation in accidental blunt force traumatic death using the abbreviated injury scale classification.

    PubMed

    Daly, Barry; Abboud, Samir; Ali, Zabiullah; Sliker, Clint; Fowler, David

    2013-02-10

    Although 3D CT imaging data are available on survivors of accidental blunt trauma, little similar data has been collected and classified on major injuries in victims of fatal injuries. This study compared the sensitivity of post mortem computed tomography (PMCT) with that of conventional autopsy for major trauma findings classified according to the trauma Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). Whole-body 3D PMCT imaging data and full autopsy findings were analyzed on 21 victims of accidental blunt force trauma death. All major injuries were classified on the AIS scale with ratings from 3 (serious) to 6 (unsurvivable). Agreement between sensitivity of autopsy and PMCT for major injuries was determined. A total of 195 major injuries were detected (mean per fatality, 9.3; range, 1-14). Skeletal injuries by AIS grade included 37 grade 3, 45 grade 4, 12 grade 5, and 2 grade 6 major findings. Soft tissue injuries included 10 grade 3, 68 grade 4, 16 grade 5, and 5 grade 6 major findings. Of these, PMCT detected 165 (88 skeletal, 77 soft tissue), and autopsy detected 127 (59 skeletal, 68 soft tissue). PMCT agreed with autopsy in 86% and 76% of skeletal and soft tissue injuries, respectively. PMCT detected an additional 37 skeletal and 31 soft tissue injuries that were not identified at autopsy. Autopsy detected 8 skeletal and 22 soft tissue injuries that were not detected by PMCT. PMCT was more sensitive for skeletal (P=0.05) and head and neck region injury (P=0.043) detection. PMCT showed a trend for greater sensitivity than autopsy, but this did not reach statistical significance (P=0.083). 3D PMCT detected significantly more skeletal injuries than autopsy and a similar number of soft tissue injuries to autopsy and promises to be a sensitive tool for detection and classification of skeletal injuries in fatal blunt force accidental trauma. Use of the AIS scale allows standardized categorization and quantification of injuries that contribute to death in such cases and allows more

  20. Quantification of nerve agent VX-butyrylcholinesterase adduct biomarker from an accidental exposure.

    PubMed

    Solano, Maria I; Thomas, Jerry D; Taylor, James T; McGuire, Jeffrey M; Jakubowski, Edward M; Thomson, Sandra A; Maggio, Vincent L; Holland, Kerry E; Smith, J Richard; Capacio, Benedict; Woolfitt, Adrian R; Ashley, David L; Barr, John R

    2008-01-01

    The lack of data in the open literature on human exposure to the nerve agent O-ethyl-S-(2-diisopropylaminoethyl) methylphosphonothioate (VX) gives a special relevance to the data presented in this study in which we report the quantification of VX-butyrylcholinesterase adduct from a relatively low-level accidental human exposure. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry using the fluoride ion regeneration method for the quantification of multiple nerve agents including VX. Six human plasma samples from the same individual were collected after the patient had been treated once with oxime immediately after exhibiting signs of exposure. Detection limits of approximately 5.5 pg/mL plasma were achieved for the G-analogue of VX (G-VX). Levels of the G-VX ranged from 81.4 pg/mL on the first day after the exposure to 6.9 pg/mL in the sample taken 27 days after the exposure. Based on the reported concentration of human butyrylcholinesterase in plasma of approximately 80 nM, it can be calculated that inhibition levels of >or= 0.05% of BuChE can be accurately quantified. These data further indicate that the fluoride ion regeneration method is a potentially powerful tool that can be used to assess low-level exposure to VX.

  1. Death by hanging while watching violent pornographic videos on the Internet - suicide or accidental autoerotic death?

    PubMed

    Vennemann, B; Pollak, S

    2006-03-01

    In deaths by hanging, it may sometimes be difficult to differentiate between autoerotic accident and suicide. Our report deals with a 30-year-old man who was found hanged in the living room of his flat. The deceased was wearing headphones connected to a PC. Within the deceased's view was a computer screen showing the last picture of a video file downloaded from the Internet with the head of an unclothed, allegedly hanged female. The deceased's left hand was inside his trousers in the genital region. The autopsy did not only show findings typical for hanging, but also advanced sarcoidosis, which was known to the victim. Although this basic illness could have been a possible motive for suicide, the circumstances in the presented case pointed more in the direction of an accidental autoerotic death. As far as we know, this is the first description of a death during autoerotic activity in which sexual stimulation was achieved by watching a video file downloaded from the Internet.

  2. Accidental spills at sea--risk, impact, mitigation and the need for co-ordinated post-incident monitoring.

    PubMed

    Kirby, Mark F; Law, Robin J

    2010-06-01

    A fully integrated and effective response to an oil or chemical spill at sea must include a well planned and executed post-incident assessment of environmental contamination and damage. While salvage, rescue and clean-up operations are generally well considered, including reviews and exercises, the expertise, resources, networks and logistical planning required to achieve prompt and effective post-spill impact assessment and monitoring are not generally well established. The arrangement and co-ordination of post-incident monitoring and impact assessment need to consider sampling design, biological effects, chemical analysis and collection/interpretation of expert local knowledge. This paper discusses the risks, impacts and mitigation options associated with accidental spills and considers the importance of pre-considered impact assessment and monitoring programmes in the wider response cycle. The PREMIAM (Pollution Response in Emergencies: Marine Impact Assessment and Monitoring; www.premiam.org) project is considered as an example of an improved approach to the planning, co-ordination and conduct of post-incident monitoring.

  3. An integrated decision model for the application of airborne sensors for improved response to accidental and terrorist chemical vapor releases

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kapitan, Loginn

    This research created a new model which provides an integrated approach to planning the effective selection and employment of airborne sensor systems in response to accidental or intentional chemical vapor releases. The approach taken was to use systems engineering and decision analysis methods to construct a model architecture which produced a modular structure for integrating both new and existing components into a logical procedure to assess the application of airborne sensor systems to address chemical vapor hazards. The resulting integrated process model includes an internal aggregation model which allowed differentiation among alternative airborne sensor systems. Both models were developed and validated by experts and demonstrated using appropriate hazardous chemical release scenarios. The resultant prototype integrated process model or system fills a current gap in capability allowing improved planning, training and exercise for HAZMAT teams and first responders when considering the selection and employment of airborne sensor systems. Through the research process, insights into the current response structure and how current airborne capability may be most effectively used were generated. Furthermore, the resultant prototype system is tailorable for local, state, and federal application, and can potentially be modified to help evaluate investments in new airborne sensor technology and systems. Better planning, training and preparedness exercising holds the prospect for the effective application of airborne assets for improved response to large scale chemical release incidents. Improved response will result in fewer casualties and lives lost, reduced economic impact, and increased protection of critical infrastructure when faced with accidental and intentional terrorist release of hazardous industrial chemicals. With the prospect of more airborne sensor systems becoming available, this prototype system integrates existing and new tools into an effective

  4. Effect of wet-cold weather transportation conditions on thermoregulation and the development of accidental hypothermia in pullets under tropical conditions.

    PubMed

    Minka, Ndazo S; Ayo, Joseph O

    2016-03-01

    The present study examines onboard thermal microclimatic conditions and thermoregulation of pullets exposed to accidental hypothermia during wet-cold weather transportation conditions, and the effect of rewarming on colonic temperature (CT) of the birds immediately after transportation. A total of 2200 pullets were transportation for 5 h in two separate vehicles during the nighttime. The last 3 h of the transportation period was characterized by heavy rainfall. During the precipitation period, each vehicle was covered one fourth way from the top-roof with a tarpaulin. The onboard thermal conditions inside the vehicles during transportation, which comprised ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded, while humidity ratio and specific enthalpy were calculated. The CT of the birds was recorded before and after transportation. During transportation, onboard thermal heterogeneity was observed inside the vehicles with higher (p < 0.05) values in the front and center, and lower values recorded at the air inlets at the sides and rear planes. The CT values recorded in birds at the front and center planes were between 42.2 and 42.5 °C, indicative of mild hypothermia; while lower CT values between 28 and 38 °C were recorded at the sides and rear planes, indicative of mild to severe hypothermia. Several hours of gradual rewarming returned the CT to normal range. The result, for the first time, demonstrated the occurrence of accidental hypothermia in transported pullets under tropical conditions and a successful rewarming outcome. In conclusion, transportation of pullets during wet weather at onboard temperature of 18-20 °C induced hypothermia on birds located at the air inlets, which recovered fully after several hours of gradual rewarming.

  5. Evidence Theory Based Uncertainty Quantification in Radiological Risk due to Accidental Release of Radioactivity from a Nuclear Power Plant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ingale, S. V.; Datta, D.

    2010-10-01

    Consequence of the accidental release of radioactivity from a nuclear power plant is assessed in terms of exposure or dose to the members of the public. Assessment of risk is routed through this dose computation. Dose computation basically depends on the basic dose assessment model and exposure pathways. One of the exposure pathways is the ingestion of contaminated food. The aim of the present paper is to compute the uncertainty associated with the risk to the members of the public due to the ingestion of contaminated food. The governing parameters of the ingestion dose assessment model being imprecise, we have approached evidence theory to compute the bound of the risk. The uncertainty is addressed by the belief and plausibility fuzzy measures.

  6. Barriers to seeking care for accidental bowel leakage: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Brown, Heidi Wendell; Rogers, Rebecca G; Wise, Meg E

    2017-04-01

    Fewer than 50 % of women with urinary incontinence (UI) and 30 % of women with accidental bowel leakage (ABL) seek care. We sought to describe barriers to care seeking for ABL to inform development of an instrument to measure these barriers. We recruited women with ABL with varied prior care-seeking experiences to participate in focus groups and cognitive interviews so we could understand factors that may have prevented or delayed care seeking. Focus groups continued until thematic saturation was reached using conventional content analysis. Final themes were established and characterized by comparing within and across the focus groups and with previously described UI and ABL care-seeking barriers. Cognitive interviews were confirmatory. Thirty-nine women (aged 46-85) participated in six focus groups and ten cognitive interviews; 89 % were white, 8 % African American, and 3 % Latina. We identified 12 barriers to seeking care for ABL: (1) Lack of knowledge about the condition; (2) Lack of knowledge about treatment; (3) Fear of testing/treatment; (4) Normative thinking; (5) Avoidance/denial; (6) Life impact; (7) Embarrassment/shame; (8) Self-blame; (9) Stigma; (10) Isolation; (11) Provider barriers; (12) Access limitations. These 12 barriers encompassed three overarching themes: the internalized self in relation to ABL; perceptions about ABL and its treatments; and interaction with the healthcare system. ABL care-seeking barriers are similar to those described for UI, with the notable addition of lack of knowledge that ABL is a medical condition experienced by others. Interventions to promote access to effective treatments for ABL should include information about prevalence and treatability.

  7. Suicide verdicts as opposed to accidental deaths in substance-related fatalities (UK, 2001-2007).

    PubMed

    Vento, Alessandro E; Schifano, Fabrizio; Corkery, John M; Pompili, Maurizio; Innamorati, Marco; Girardi, Paolo; Ghodse, Hamid

    2011-07-01

    Substance-related deaths account for a great number of suicides. To investigate levels and characteristics of suicide verdicts, as opposed to accidental deaths, in substance misusers. Psychological autopsy study of cases from the UK National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths (np-SAD) during the period 2001-2007. Between January 2001 and December 2007, 2108 suicides were reported to the np-SAD. Typical suicide victims were White and older than 50 (respectively 95% and 41% of cases). Medications, especially antidepressants (44%), were prescribed to 87% of victims. Significantly fewer suicide victims than controls presented positive blood toxicological results for illicit drugs (namely: cocaine, heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy-type drugs, cannabis, and GHB/GBL) and alcohol. Suicide prevention programmes should devote specific attention to deaths among substance misusers who are at high risk of fatal intentional self-harm. Specific characteristics distinguish those at risk; caregivers should be better educated as to what these factors are. Limitations of the current study included lack of provision of comprehensive information relating to the victims' psychosocial variables. Furthermore, no differentiation between different classes of antidepressants in terms of involvement in suicide was here provided. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Barriers to seeking care for accidental bowel leakage: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    Rogers, Rebecca G.; Wise, Meg E.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction and hypothesis Fewer than 50 % of women with urinary incontinence (UI) and 30 % of women with accidental bowel leakage (ABL) seek care. We sought to describe barriers to care seeking for ABL to inform development of an instrument to measure these barriers. Methods We recruited women with ABL with varied prior care-seeking experiences to participate in focus groups and cognitive interviews so we could understand factors that may have prevented or delayed care seeking. Focus groups continued until thematic saturation was reached using conventional content analysis. Final themes were established and characterized by comparing within and across the focus groups and with previously described UI and ABL care-seeking barriers. Cognitive interviews were confirmatory. Results Thirty-nine women (aged 46–85) participated in six focus groups and ten cognitive interviews; 89 % were white, 8 % African American, and 3 % Latina. We identified 12 barriers to seeking care for ABL: (1) Lack of knowledge about the condition; (2) Lack of knowledge about treatment; (3) Fear of testing/treatment; (4) Normative thinking; (5) Avoidance/ denial; (6) Life impact; (7) Embarrassment/shame; (8) Self-blame; (9) Stigma; (10) Isolation; (11) Provider barriers; (12) Access limitations. These 12 barriers encompassed three overarching themes: the internalized self in relation to ABL; perceptions about ABL and its treatments; and interaction with the healthcare system. Conclusions ABL care-seeking barriers are similar to those described for UI, with the notable addition of lack of knowledge that ABL is a medical condition experienced by others. Interventions to promote access to effective treatments for ABL should include information about prevalence and treatability. PMID:27844123

  9. Socio-professional handicap and accidental risk in patients with hypersomnias of central origin.

    PubMed

    Bayon, Virginie; Léger, Damien; Philip, Pierre

    2009-12-01

    Narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia profoundly affect quality of life, education and work. Young patients are very handicapped by unexpected sleep episodes during lessons. Professionals frequently complain about sleepiness at work. Motor discomfort (i.e., cataplectic attacks) surprisingly is less handicapping in narcoleptics than sleepiness but only a few studies clearly assess the problem. Quality of life is also largely impaired in its physical and emotional dimensions. Sleepiness is the major factor explaining a decrease of quality of life and unexpectedly cataplectic attacks have little impact on patients. Another potential problem for these patients is the risk of accidents at work or when driving. Narcoleptic and hypersomniac patients have a higher risk of accidents than apneic or insomniac subjects. But, confounding factors such as duration of driving, number of cataplectic attacks or even objective level of alertness are not always entered in the analytic models mainly because of small samples of patients. Unlike in apneic patients, the effect of treatment on accidental risk has not been studied in narcoleptics or in hypersomniacs. Epidemiological data are needed to improve knowledge concerning these areas. Clinical trials assessing the impact of treatment on driving and work are also urgently needed. Finally, medical treatment does not seem to be completely efficient and physicians should pay more attention to the education, work, life and social environment of their patients.

  10. Capitalizing on deliberate, accidental, and GM-driven environmental change caused by crop modification.

    PubMed

    Knox, Oliver G G; Walker, Robin L; Booth, Elaine J; Hall, Clare; Crossan, Angus N; Gupta, Vadakattu V S R

    2012-01-01

    The transgenic traits associated with the majority of commercial genetically modified crops are focused on improving herbicide and insecticide management practices. The use of the transgenic technology in these crops and the associated chemistry has been the basis of studies that provide evidence for occasional improvement in environmental benefits due to the use of less residual herbicides, more targeted pesticides, and reduced field traffic. This is nicely exemplified through studies using Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) assessments. Whilst EIQ evaluations may sometimes illustrate environmental benefits they have their limitations. EIQ evaluations are not a surrogate for Environmental Risk Assessments and may not reflect real environmental interactions between crops and the environment. Addressing the impact cultivated plants have on the environment generally attracts little public attention and research funding, but the introduction of GM has facilitated an expansion of research to address potential environmental concerns from government, NGOs, industry, consumers, and growers. In this commentary, some evidence from our own research and several key papers that highlight EIQ assessments of the impact crops are having on the environment are presented. This information may be useful as an education tool on the potential benefits of GM and conventional farming. In addition, other deliberate, accidental, and GM-driven benefits derived from the examination of GM cropping systems is briefly discussed.

  11. Game theory of pre-emptive vaccination before bioterrorism or accidental release of smallpox.

    PubMed

    Molina, Chai; Earn, David J D

    2015-06-06

    Smallpox was eradicated in the 1970s, but new outbreaks could be seeded by bioterrorism or accidental release. Substantial vaccine-induced morbidity and mortality make pre-emptive mass vaccination controversial, and if vaccination is voluntary, then there is a conflict between self- and group interests. This conflict can be framed as a tragedy of the commons, in which herd immunity plays the role of the commons, and free-riding (i.e. not vaccinating pre-emptively) is analogous to exploiting the commons. This game has been analysed previously for a particular post-outbreak vaccination scenario. We consider several post-outbreak vaccination scenarios and compare the expected increase in mortality that results from voluntary versus imposed vaccination. Below a threshold level of post-outbreak vaccination effort, expected mortality is independent of the level of response effort. A lag between an outbreak starting and a response being initiated increases the post-outbreak vaccination effort necessary to reduce mortality. For some post-outbreak vaccination scenarios, even modest response lags make it impractical to reduce mortality by increasing post-outbreak vaccination effort. In such situations, if decreasing the response lag is impossible, the only practical way to reduce mortality is to make the vaccine safer (greater post-outbreak vaccination effort leads only to fewer people vaccinating pre-emptively). © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  12. Accidental aspiration in a patient with Parkinson's disease during implant-supported prosthesis construction: a case report.

    PubMed

    Deliberador, Tatiana Miranda; Marengo, Gláucia; Scaratti, Rodrigo; Giovanini, Allan Fernando; Zielak, João César; Baratto Filho, Flares

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on a case history of an elderly patient with Parkinson's disease (PD) who sought treatment at a private dental office. His chief complaint was "difficulty in eating due to an illfitting prosthesis." Laboratory tests and oral radiographs were made. The surgical placement of an implant was done and, subsequently, an implant-supported prosthesis was fitted for the patient. During the impression for the construction of the implant-supported prosthesis, the patient accidentally aspirated the implant screwdriver. The object was found in the lower right lobe of the bronchus, and its removal was necessary in a hospital using bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. Patients with PD are considered at risk of aspirating and/or ingesting dental instruments. Short treatment periods are recommended, preferably during the morning, when the medication prescribed for PD is most effective. When treating patients who have a risk for aspirating and ingesting small objects, it is important to treat them in a more vertical position, and small-sized objects should be secured with dental floss to aid retrieval. © 2011 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Accidental drug deaths in Fulton County, Georgia, 2002: characteristics, case management and certification issues.

    PubMed

    Graham, Jason K; Hanzlick, Randy

    2008-09-01

    Historically, the duty of the medical examiner in assigning cause and manner of death in drug-related death cases has been fraught with controversial challenges. The lack of standardization in certifying drug-related deaths may involve differences among practicing forensic pathologists in their approach to such cases. The central objectives of the present study include characterization of current drug death patterns and the variability among medical examiners with respect to autopsy performance and death certification practices in one county medical examiner's office. Death certificates, scene information/investigative reports, autopsy reports, and toxicological laboratory results for each of the 100 cases of drug-related death occurring in 2002 in Fulton County, Georgia were reviewed. Comparison of overall autopsy rates and autopsy rates in drug-related death cases for each medical examiner individually and for the group collectively was performed. In examining cocaine-related deaths (most common), statistical analysis was performed for comparison of drug concentrations (cocaine and benzoylecgonine) between deaths certified as cocaine toxicity (poisoning) versus cocaine-complicating disease or causing an adverse event such as cerebral hemorrhage. Causes of accidental drug deaths included cocaine 40%, mixed drug intoxication 37%, opioids 10%, ethanol 7%, and prescription medication (nonopioid) 5%. Overall total autopsy rates in 2002 for each of the 6 independent medical examiners ranged from 51% to 69% (mean 64%), whereas autopsy rates in drug-related death ranged from 55% to 91% (mean 81%). In review of the subset of 40 cocaine-related deaths, 25% were certified as cocaine toxicity (poisoning), with the remaining 75% certified as cocaine-complicating disease or causing and adverse event. Autopsy rates in cocaine-related deaths were as follows: cocaine toxicity 80%, cocaine-complicating disease 77.3%, and cocaine causing adverse event 62.5%. Thirty-eight percent of

  14. Accidental hypothermia: rewarming treatments, complications and outcomes from one university medical centre.

    PubMed

    van der Ploeg, Gert-Jan; Goslings, J Carel; Walpoth, Beat H; Bierens, Joost J L M

    2010-11-01

    Accidental hypothermia (AH) is a complex and life threatening condition. Knowledge about epidemiology, rewarming treatments, complications and outcome is limited. This study was initiated to obtain data on causes, rewarming treatments and complications. A retrospective cohort study of all patients with a body temperature ≤ 35°C admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of the VU university medical centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, between January 1, 2000 and August 31, 2008. A predefined set of epidemiological and clinical data was retrieved. Eighty-four patients were included (median age: 47 years). Categories of hypothermia included immersion (18), submersion (29) and exposure to cold (37); concomitant factors were intoxication (26), trauma (40) and homelessness (7). Temperature at admission in the ED was 31.6 ± 2.6°C (mean ± SD), lowest temperature 24.2°C. Fourteen different rewarming treatments were used resulting in a wide range of rewarming speeds. Seventy-nine complications occurred: pulmonary, renal and neurological complications in 20, 17 and 10 patients respectively. Seventeen patients had 2 or more late complications. Twenty-four patients (28.6%) died: 10 during rewarming and 14 after rewarming was completed. Prognosis was poor in older and colder patients and after indoor exposure and submersion. AH is a rare diagnosis in an inhomogeneous population, treated with a large variety of rewarming techniques. Most complications and death occurred late, after rewarming was completed. Because individual teams gain little clinical experiences, we suggest multiple centre data collection as a first step towards an evidence-based standard of care. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Diagnostic Error of a Patient with Combined Inherited Factor VII and Factor X Deficiency due to Accidental Ingestion of a Diphacinone Rodenticide.

    PubMed

    Li, Min; Jin, Yanhui; Wang, Mingshan; Xie, Yaosheng; Ding, Hongxiang

    2016-11-01

    To explore the characteristics of laboratory examination and confirm the diagnosis of a patient with combined inherited FVII and FX deficiency after he ingested diphacinone rodenticide accidentally. The coagulant parameter screening tests and coagulation factor activities were tested many times in the patient due to accidental ingestion of a diphacinone rodenticide. After the patient was treated for more than one year, gene analysis of correlated coagulation factors was analyzed in the patient and other family members by DNA direct sequencing. 106 persons were selected as controls from routine health examinations. After the patient was admitted to hospital, routine coagulation screening tests revealed the prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and low levels of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors (FII, FVII, FIX, FX) activity, which was 102.4 seconds, 88.5 seconds, 7%, 3%, 8%, and 2%, respectively. During more than one year of treatment, the value of PT and APTT still showed significantly prolonged activity and FVII and FX activity levels were about 5%. While FII and FIX activity levels were in the normal range after 12 weeks of treatment. Two homozygous mutations, g.11267C>T of F7 gene resulting in the substitution Arg277Cys and g.28139G>T of F10 gene leading to the substitution Val384Phe, were identified in the patient. The patient's parents and sister was heterozygous for Arg277Cys and Val384Phe mutations. FVII and FX antigen levels in the patient were 7% and 30%, respectively. There were many similarities in the characteristics of laboratory examination between combined inherited FVII and FX deficiency and acquired vitamin K deficiency. The best way to identify them was gene analysis.

  16. Can we prevent accidental injury to adolescents? A systematic review of the evidence.

    PubMed Central

    Munro, J.; Coleman, P.; Nicholl, J.; Harper, R.; Kent, G.; Wild, D.

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: As part of the Department of Health strategy The Health of the Nation, a systematic review of published and unpublished literature relating to the effectiveness of interventions in reducing accidental injury in the population aged 15-24 years was carried out. METHODS: The literature was reviewed under the standard setting headings of road, work, home, and sports and leisure, and graded for quality of evidence and strength of recommendation using a scale published in the UK national epidemiologically based needs assessment programme. RESULTS: The most effective measures appear to be legislative and regulatory controls in road, sport, and workplace settings. Environmental engineering measures on the road and in sports have relatively low implementation costs and result in fewer injuries at all ages. There is little evidence that purely educational measures reduced injuries in the short term. Community based approaches may be effective in all age groups, and incentives to encourage safer behaviour hold promise but require further evaluation. The potential of multifactorial approaches seems greater than narrowly based linear approaches. CONCLUSIONS: Few interventions to reduce injury in adolescents have been rigorously evaluated using good quality randomised controlled trials, and where such evidence is available, fewer have been shown to be definitely worthwhile. Many studies relied on surrogate measures rather than actual injury rates, and substantial issues relating to the efficacy or implementation of preventive measures in adolescent and young adult populations remain unresolved. PMID:9346041

  17. The role of hazardousness and regulatory practice in the accidental release of chemicals at U.S. industrial facilities.

    PubMed

    Elliott, Michael R; Keindorfer, Paul R; Lowe, Robert A

    2003-10-01

    This article presents the results of an analysis of the accident history data reported under section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act Amendments. These data provide a fairly complete record of the consequences of reportable accidental releases occurring during the time frame 1995-1999 in the U.S. chemical industry and covering 77 toxic and 63 flammable substances subject to the provisions of section 112(r). As such, these results are of fundamental interest to the affected communities, regulators, and insurers, as well as to owners and managers in the chemical industry. The results show the statistical associations between accident frequency and severity and a number of characteristics of reporting facilities, including their size, the hazardousness of the processes and chemicals inventoried, and the regulatory programs (in addition to section 112(r)) to which these facilities are subject. The results are interpreted in light of economic drivers of protective activity and regulatory priorities for monitoring and enforcement.

  18. Characteristics and triage of a maritime disaster: an accidental passenger ship collision in Korea.

    PubMed

    Ryu, Ji Ho; Yeom, Seok Ran; Jeong, Jin Woo; Kim, Yong In; Cho, Suck Ju

    2010-06-01

    The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of and responses to a maritime disaster, by reviewing the events surrounding the accidental collision of a high-speed passenger ship in South Korea. Of the 215 boarded passengers on a high-speed passenger ship sailing from Fukuoka to Busan, we retrospectively examined information of 114 victims of the ship's collision with a whale on 12 April 2007. We referenced reports from the on-site disaster medical assistance team members; recorded notifications to the Busan 1339 Emergency Medical Information Centre, from the scene of the accident and data from the ship's insurer. The 114 victims were transported to 20 different hospitals. Many patients were transported to nearby local hospitals from the scene of the accident; other patients were transported to more distant hospitals. Eighty-five patients were transported to hospitals through mobile emergency support units, whereas the other patients were transported directly by fire officers from the 119 Fire Officer Centre. One patient died in the transport. In conclusion, our national emergency medical service and disaster response system each suffer from many problems - especially a lack of cooperation among related departments and insufficient communication therein. The onboard planning and practice of a disaster plan is required, and a reliable information system between the scene of a maritime disaster and our emergency medical service system should be developed.

  19. Challenges and promises for nurse education curriculum development in Kosovo: results of an "accidental ethnography".

    PubMed

    Goepp, Julius G; Johnson, Tiesha D; Maddow, Charles L

    2008-05-01

    Kosovo's infrastructure was devastated by armed conflict through the 1990s; in 1999 a visiting inter-disciplinary team described healthcare services as being in "disarray". Several collaborative programs were initiated to enhance delivery of emergency medical (EM) services. Our inter-disciplinary team traveled to Kosovo in 2004 to evaluate EM physician education and training. A brief renewed outbreak of hostilities created a mass casualty incident. An "accidental ethnography" focused on nurse education was conducted by team members during and after the event. Results indicated low levels of professionalization of nurses as indicated by expressions of professional self-identity and self-esteem, autonomy, and submission to patriarchal attitudes. Undergraduate nurse education is restricted to a diploma program and one foreign training project, one graduate degree program exists abroad, and no national board examination exists. Nurses' social location is described as marginalized and disenfranchised, and retention of nurses is a persistent problem. Based on these observations we outline an inter-professional curriculum development program to foster professionalization of Kosovar nurses through a synthesis of participatory action research with elements of grounded theory and standard curriculum development methodologies. The collaborative, emancipatory, and empowering nature of PAR is described in the context of professionalizing nurse education programs.

  20. Deliberate and Accidental Gas-Phase Alkali Doping of Chalcogenide Semiconductors: Cu(In,Ga)Se2

    PubMed Central

    Colombara, Diego; Berner, Ulrich; Ciccioli, Andrea; Malaquias, João C.; Bertram, Tobias; Crossay, Alexandre; Schöneich, Michael; Meadows, Helene J.; Regesch, David; Delsante, Simona; Gigli, Guido; Valle, Nathalie; Guillot, Jérome; El Adib, Brahime; Grysan, Patrick; Dale, Phillip J.

    2017-01-01

    Alkali metal doping is essential to achieve highly efficient energy conversion in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) solar cells. Doping is normally achieved through solid state reactions, but recent observations of gas-phase alkali transport in the kesterite sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4) system (re)open the way to a novel gas-phase doping strategy. However, the current understanding of gas-phase alkali transport is very limited. This work (i) shows that CIGSe device efficiency can be improved from 2% to 8% by gas-phase sodium incorporation alone, (ii) identifies the most likely routes for gas-phase alkali transport based on mass spectrometric studies, (iii) provides thermochemical computations to rationalize the observations and (iv) critically discusses the subject literature with the aim to better understand the chemical basis of the phenomenon. These results suggest that accidental alkali metal doping occurs all the time, that a controlled vapor pressure of alkali metal could be applied during growth to dope the semiconductor, and that it may have to be accounted for during the currently used solid state doping routes. It is concluded that alkali gas-phase transport occurs through a plurality of routes and cannot be attributed to one single source. PMID:28233864

  1. Deliberate and Accidental Gas-Phase Alkali Doping of Chalcogenide Semiconductors: Cu(In,Ga)Se2.

    PubMed

    Colombara, Diego; Berner, Ulrich; Ciccioli, Andrea; Malaquias, João C; Bertram, Tobias; Crossay, Alexandre; Schöneich, Michael; Meadows, Helene J; Regesch, David; Delsante, Simona; Gigli, Guido; Valle, Nathalie; Guillot, Jérome; El Adib, Brahime; Grysan, Patrick; Dale, Phillip J

    2017-02-24

    Alkali metal doping is essential to achieve highly efficient energy conversion in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGSe) solar cells. Doping is normally achieved through solid state reactions, but recent observations of gas-phase alkali transport in the kesterite sulfide (Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 ) system (re)open the way to a novel gas-phase doping strategy. However, the current understanding of gas-phase alkali transport is very limited. This work (i) shows that CIGSe device efficiency can be improved from 2% to 8% by gas-phase sodium incorporation alone, (ii) identifies the most likely routes for gas-phase alkali transport based on mass spectrometric studies, (iii) provides thermochemical computations to rationalize the observations and (iv) critically discusses the subject literature with the aim to better understand the chemical basis of the phenomenon. These results suggest that accidental alkali metal doping occurs all the time, that a controlled vapor pressure of alkali metal could be applied during growth to dope the semiconductor, and that it may have to be accounted for during the currently used solid state doping routes. It is concluded that alkali gas-phase transport occurs through a plurality of routes and cannot be attributed to one single source.

  2. Features of the Asynchronous Correlation between the China Coal Price Index and Coal Mining Accidental Deaths.

    PubMed

    Huang, Yuecheng; Cheng, Wuyi; Luo, Sida; Luo, Yun; Ma, Chengchen; He, Tailin

    2016-01-01

    The features of the asynchronous correlation between accident indices and the factors that influence accidents can provide an effective reference for warnings of coal mining accidents. However, what are the features of this correlation? To answer this question, data from the China coal price index and the number of deaths from coal mining accidents were selected as the sample data. The fluctuation modes of the asynchronous correlation between the two data sets were defined according to the asynchronous correlation coefficients, symbolization, and sliding windows. We then built several directed and weighted network models, within which the fluctuation modes and the transformations between modes were represented by nodes and edges. Then, the features of the asynchronous correlation between these two variables could be studied from a perspective of network topology. We found that the correlation between the price index and the accidental deaths was asynchronous and fluctuating. Certain aspects, such as the key fluctuation modes, the subgroups characteristics, the transmission medium, the periodicity and transmission path length in the network, were analyzed by using complex network theory, analytical methods and spectral analysis method. These results provide a scientific reference for generating warnings for coal mining accidents based on economic indices.

  3. OGLE-2017-BLG-0373Lb: A Jovian Mass-Ratio Planet Exposes A New Accidental Microlensing Degeneracy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Skowron, J.; Ryu, Y.-H.; Hwang, K.-H.; Udalski, A.; Mrǎłz, P.; Kozłowski, S.; Soszyński, I.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Szymański, P. K.; Poleski, R.; Ulaczyk, K.; Pawlak, M.; Rybicki, K.; Iwanek, P.; Albrow, M. D.; Chung, S.-J.; Gould, A.; Han, C.; Jung, Y. K.; Shin, I.-G.; Shvartzvald, Y.; Yee, J. C.; Zang, W.; Zhu, W.; Cha, S.-M.; Kim, D.-J.; Kim, H.-W.; Kim, S.-L.; Lee, C.-U.; Lee, D.-J.; Lee, Y.; Park, B.-G.; Pogge, R. W.

    2018-03-01

    We report the discovery of microlensing planet OGLE-2017-BLG-0373Lb. We show that while the planet-host system has an unambiguous microlens topology, there are two geometries within this topology that fit the data equally well, which leads to a factor 2.5 difference in planet-host mass ratio, i.e., q=1.5×10-3 vs. q=0.6×10-3. We show that this is an "accidental degeneracy" in the sense that it is due to a gap in the data. We dub it "the caustic-chirality degeneracy". We trace the mathematical origins of this degeneracy, which should enable similar degenerate solutions to be easily located in the future. A Bayesian estimate, based on a Galactic model, yields a host mass M=0.25+0.30-0.15 M⊙ at a distance DL=5.9+1.3-1.95 kpc. The lens-source relative proper motion is relatively fast, μ=9 mas/yr, which implies that the host mass and distance can be determined by high-resolution imaging after about 10 years. The same observations could in principle resolve the discrete degeneracy in q, but this will be more challenging.

  4. Epidemiological Characteristics and Overall Burden of Accidental Injuries in Navarra, Spain: Epidemiology of Injuries in Children.

    PubMed

    Ferraz-Torres, Marta; Belzunegui-Otano, Tomás; Martínez-García, Oscar; Iriarte-Cerdán, Laura; Salgado-Reguero, Esther

    2016-01-01

    Injuries caused by accidents or violent situations in pediatric patients are a serious social problem where prevention plays a key role. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological situation of pediatric injuries in Spain. A prospective study of pediatric patients receiving care in the Emergency Service of the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra due to for reasons of accidental injury was conducted. The study covered a period of 1 year and assessed a total of 16 variables. There were a total of 8,876 patients, of whom 56.4% were males. Traumatic injuries such as fractures and craniocerebral trauma were identified as the most frequent injuries, occurring as a result of injuries mainly in the home. In females, there was a decrease in the incidence of injuries related to age. There was a greater incidence at the end of the day, during the weekend, and in the months of March to October. The epidemiological profile of pediatric patients who met with accidents in Navarra, Spain, is described. The knowledge of the main areas and factors related to injuries allows us to improve preventive measures, which would contribute to better control in this region of Spain.

  5. Are prehospital deaths from trauma and accidental injury preventable? A direct historical comparison to assess what has changed in two decades.

    PubMed

    Oliver, G J; Walter, D P; Redmond, A D

    2017-05-01

    In 1994, Hussain and Redmond revealed that up to 39% of prehospital deaths from accidental injury might have been preventable had basic first aid care been given. Since then there have been significant advances in trauma systems and care. The exclusion of prehospital deaths from the analysis of trauma registries, giv en the high rate of those, is a major limitation in prehospital research on preventable death. We have repeated the 1994 study to identify any changes over the years and potential developments to improve patient outcomes. We examined the full Coroner's inquest files for prehospital deaths from trauma and accidental injury over a three-year period in Cheshire. Injuries were scored using the Abbreviated-Injury-Scale (AIS-1990) and Injury Severity Score (ISS), and probability of survival estimated using Bull's probits to match the original protocol. One hundred and thirty-four deaths met our inclusion criteria; 79% were male, average age at death was 53.6 years. Sixty-two were found dead (FD), fifty-eight died at scene (DAS) and fourteen were dead on arrival at hospital (DOA). The predominant mechanism of injury was fall (39%). The median ISS was 29 with 58 deaths (43%) having probability of survival of >50%. Post-mortem evidence of head injury was present in 102 (76%) deaths. A bystander was on scene or present immediately after injury in 45% of cases and prior to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in 96%. In 93% of cases a bystander made the call for assistance, in those DAS or DOA, bystander intervention of any kind was 43%. The number of potentially preventable prehospital deaths remains high and unchanged. First aid intervention of any kind is infrequent. There is a potentially missed window of opportunity for bystander intervention prior to the arrival of the ambulance service, with simple first-aid manoeuvres to open the airway, preventing hypoxic brain injury and cardiac arrest. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All

  6. The effect of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug on two important predictors for accidental falls: postural balance and manual reaction time. A randomized, controlled pilot study.

    PubMed

    Hegeman, Judith; Nienhuis, Bart; van den Bemt, Bart; Weerdesteyn, Vivian; van Limbeek, Jacques; Duysens, Jacques

    2011-04-01

    Accidental falls in older individuals are a major health and research topic. Increased reaction time and impaired postural balance have been determined as reliable predictors for those at risk of falling and are important functions of the central nervous system (CNS). An essential risk factor for falls is medication exposure. Amongst the medications related to accidental falls are the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). About 1-10% of all users experience CNS side effects. These side effects, such as dizziness, headaches, drowsiness, mood alteration, and confusion, seem to be more common during treatment with indomethacin. Hence, it is possible that maintenance of (static) postural balance and swift reactions to stimuli are affected by exposure to NSAIDs, indomethacin in particular, consequently putting older individuals at a greater risk for accidental falls. The present study investigated the effect of a high indomethacin dose in healthy middle-aged individuals on two important predictors of falls: postural balance and reaction time. Twenty-two healthy middle-aged individuals (59.5 ± 4.7 years) participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial. Three measurements were conducted with a week interval each. A measurement consisted of postural balance as a single task and while concurrently performing a secondary cognitive task and reaction time tasks. For the first measurement indomethacin 75 mg (slow-release) or a visually identical placebo was randomly assigned. In total, five capsules were taken orally in the 2.5 days preceding assessment. The second measurement was without intervention, for the final one the first placebo group got indomethacin and vice versa. Repeated measures GLM revealed no significant differences between indomethacin, placebo, and baseline in any of the balance tasks. No differences in postural balance were found between the single and dual task conditions, or on the performance of the dual task

  7. Treatment of portal venous gas embolism with hyperbaric oxygen after accidental ingestion of hydrogen peroxide: a case report and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Papafragkou, Sotirios; Gasparyan, Anna; Batista, Richard; Scott, Paul

    2012-07-01

    It is well known that hydrogen peroxide ingestion can cause gas embolism. To report a case illustrating that the definitive, most effective treatment for gas embolism is hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We present a case of a woman who presented to the Emergency Department with acute abdominal pain after an accidental ingestion of concentrated hydrogen peroxide. Complete recovery from her symptoms occurred quickly with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is a case report of the successful use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat portal venous gas embolism caused by hydrogen peroxide ingestion. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be considered for the treatment of symptomatic hydrogen peroxide ingestion. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Daily, weekly and annual patterns in children's accidental sport injuries.

    PubMed

    Reinberg, Alain; Reinberg, Olivier; Mechkouri, Mohamed; Touitou, Yvan; Smolensky, Michael H

    2018-05-01

    Details of serious injuries to children ≤16 yrs. of age that necessitated urgent surgical intervention by the Department of Pediatric Surgery of the University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland were recorded into a database registry. Some 15 110 entries listed the precise time of injury, and 3114 (20.6%) of these resulted from participating in sport-associated activities. Time-of-day, day-of-week and month-of-year differences in the total number of children's accidental sport injuries (CASI) were validated. Time-of-day patterns were substantiated for "All Sports", for both boys and girls 5-16 yrs. of age, with more boys than girls experiencing incidents at almost every clock hour. Moreover, they were substantiated for this age group for each of the six different considered individual and team CASI categories - Physical Exercises at School; Bicycle Riding; Roller Skating and Skateboarding; Snow Skiing, Sledding, and Tobogganing; Soccer; and Basketball - for which sample sizes were sufficiently large (n > 230) to perform statistical assessment by ANOVA, t-test and/or cosinor analyses. CASI happened primarily between 06:00 and 17:00 h and rarely evening or overnight. Features - specific clock-time and number of peaks and troughs - of the CASI daily curve pattern of the individual six sport categories differed somewhat; nonetheless, excess or greatest number of CASI typically happened between 12:00 and 14:00 h, even when summertime and other scheduled school and family vacation periods were taken into account. Time-of-day and day-of-week patterns in the boy/girl sex ratio were also validated, with midday and Friday/Saturday peaks, respectively. We hypothesize the prominent 24 h patterns of CASI of 5-16 yr. olds, in particular, are representative of a combination of several determinants. These include exogenous periodic and cyclic environmental and sociocultural phenomena, genetic sex-related traits, plus endogenous circadian cognitive and physiologic rhythms

  9. Design of a monitoring network over France in case of a radiological accidental release

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abida, Rachid; Bocquet, Marc; Vercauteren, Nikki; Isnard, Olivier

    The Institute of Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (France) is planning the set-up of an automatic nuclear aerosol monitoring network over the French territory. Each of the stations will be able to automatically sample the air aerosol content and provide activity concentration measurements on several radionuclides. This should help monitor the French and neighbouring countries nuclear power plants set. It would help evaluate the impact of a radiological incident occurring at one of these nuclear facilities. This paper is devoted to the spatial design of such a network. Here, any potential network is judged on its ability to extrapolate activity concentrations measured on the network stations over the whole domain. The performance of a network is quantitatively assessed through a cost function that measures the discrepancy between the extrapolation and the true concentration fields. These true fields are obtained through the computation of a database of dispersion accidents over one year of meteorology and originating from 20 French nuclear sites. A close to optimal network is then looked for using a simulated annealing optimisation. The results emphasise the importance of the cost function in the design of a network aimed at monitoring an accidental dispersion. Several choices of norm used in the cost function are studied and give way to different designs. The influence of the number of stations is discussed. A comparison with a purely geometric approach which does not involve simulations with a chemistry-transport model is performed.

  10. New tracers identify hydraulic fracturing fluids and accidental releases from oil and gas operations.

    PubMed

    Warner, N R; Darrah, T H; Jackson, R B; Millot, R; Kloppmann, W; Vengosh, A

    2014-11-04

    Identifying the geochemical fingerprints of fluids that return to the surface after high volume hydraulic fracturing of unconventional oil and gas reservoirs has important applications for assessing hydrocarbon resource recovery, environmental impacts, and wastewater treatment and disposal. Here, we report for the first time, novel diagnostic elemental and isotopic signatures (B/Cl, Li/Cl, δ11B, and δ7Li) useful for characterizing hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids (HFFF) and distinguishing sources of HFFF in the environment. Data from 39 HFFFs and produced water samples show that B/Cl (>0.001), Li/Cl (>0.002), δ11B (25-31‰) and δ7Li (6-10‰) compositions of HFFF from the Marcellus and Fayetteville black shale formations were distinct in most cases from produced waters sampled from conventional oil and gas wells. We posit that boron isotope geochemistry can be used to quantify small fractions (∼0.1%) of HFFF in contaminated fresh water and likely be applied universally to trace HFFF in other basins. The novel environmental application of this diagnostic isotopic tool is validated by examining the composition of effluent discharge from an oil and gas brine treatment facility in Pennsylvania and an accidental spill site in West Virginia. We hypothesize that the boron and lithium are mobilized from exchangeable sites on clay minerals in the shale formations during the hydraulic fracturing process, resulting in the relative enrichment of boron and lithium in HFFF.

  11. Accidental Release of Chlorine from a Storage Facility and an On-Site Emergency Mock Drill: A Case Study

    PubMed Central

    Soman, Ambalathumpara Raman; Sundararaj, Gopalswamy

    2015-01-01

    In the current industrial scenario there is a serious need for formulating strategies to handle hazardous substances in the safest way. Manufacture, storage, and use of hazardous substances pose a serious risk to industry, people, and the environment. Accidental release of toxic chemicals can lead to emergencies. An emergency response plan (ERP) is inevitable to minimize the adverse effects of such releases. The on-site emergency plan is an integral component of any process safety and risk management system. This paper deals with an on-site emergency response plan for a chlorine manufacturing industry. It was developed on the basis of a previous study on chlorine release and a full scale mock drill has been conducted for testing the plan. Results indicated that properly trained personnel can effectively handle each level of incidents occurring in the process plant. As an extensive guideline to the district level government authorities for off-site emergency planning, risk zone has also been estimated with reference to a chlorine exposure threshold of 3 ppm. PMID:26171416

  12. [Hypertensive crisis and anticholinergic toxidrome secondary to accidental consumption of datura stramonium in two children].

    PubMed

    Batouche, D D; Benatta, N-F; Tabeliouna, K; Boudjahfa, S; Touhami, Y; Hakkoum, S

    2018-05-11

    To identify a hypertensive clinical form of atropine or anticholinergic toxidrome secondary to accidental consumption of Datura seeds. We report two cases of Datura intoxication in two children who presented marked anticholinergic syndrome whose diagnosis was made by the anamnesis and the clinic. Patient 1: A 5-year-old boy, returns home agitated with balance disorders. He was admitted to pediatric resuscitation unit. His Glasgow score was 11/15. The child made inconsistent remarks. The neurological examination revealed mydriasis. Hemodynamically, the blood pressure was 145/91mmHg, the heart rate was 145 bpm. The rest of the examination noted a temperature of 37.5°, a bladder globe. Standard biological tests were normal. ECG found sinus tachycardia. Urine analysis revealed a positive alkaloid reaction with the presence of atropine. The evolution was favorable after 48hours. Patient 2: 45-month-old boy admitted to a state of severe agitation of toxic origin. The clinical examination showed a central and peripheral anticholinergic symptomatology with severe hallucinations, severe hypertension, and a heart rate at 190 bpm. The rest of the examination found erythema in the thorax and upper limbs, bilateral mydriasis. The toxicological report confirmed the presence of alkaloids. The evolution was favorable. Hypertension crisis and other anticholinergic clinical signs of Datura stramonium intoxication achieve favorable outcomes in children. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Features of the Asynchronous Correlation between the China Coal Price Index and Coal Mining Accidental Deaths

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Yuecheng; Cheng, Wuyi; Luo, Sida; Luo, Yun; Ma, Chengchen; He, Tailin

    2016-01-01

    The features of the asynchronous correlation between accident indices and the factors that influence accidents can provide an effective reference for warnings of coal mining accidents. However, what are the features of this correlation? To answer this question, data from the China coal price index and the number of deaths from coal mining accidents were selected as the sample data. The fluctuation modes of the asynchronous correlation between the two data sets were defined according to the asynchronous correlation coefficients, symbolization, and sliding windows. We then built several directed and weighted network models, within which the fluctuation modes and the transformations between modes were represented by nodes and edges. Then, the features of the asynchronous correlation between these two variables could be studied from a perspective of network topology. We found that the correlation between the price index and the accidental deaths was asynchronous and fluctuating. Certain aspects, such as the key fluctuation modes, the subgroups characteristics, the transmission medium, the periodicity and transmission path length in the network, were analyzed by using complex network theory, analytical methods and spectral analysis method. These results provide a scientific reference for generating warnings for coal mining accidents based on economic indices. PMID:27902748

  14. A seven-year review of accidental kerosene poisoning in children at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

    PubMed

    Belonwu, R O; Adeleke, S I

    2008-01-01

    Accidental ingestion of kerosene is a potential source of morbidity and mortality in children. The objectives of the study are to determine to magnitude of the problem and proffer feasible solutions to reduce the frequency of occurrence. The medical records of all cases of kerosene poisoning admitted into Paediatric Medical Ward and Emergency Paediatric Unit were identified and relevant data extracted and analysed. Kerosene poisoning constituted 55 (1.2%) of cases of all paediatric admissions within the period (Jan 1999 Dec 2005). The study showed that children 4 months to 8 years were affected with peak age of 18 months. Thirty-four (61.8%) of the cases were aged below 2 years which conforms to findings in earlier studies in Nigeria. Main clinical feature was cough with difficulty in breathing in 52 (94.5%) of cases. Others features noted were central nervous system involvement (14.5%), vomiting (20%), and fever 16 (29.1%). There were 3 deaths giving the mortality of 5.5%. The study has revealed that kerosene poisoning is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Government policies that will enhance the standard of living of people and education of parents/care givers are the identified imperatives for reduction of the problem.

  15. A curious autopsy case of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in a motor vehicle.

    PubMed

    Kumazawa, T; Watanabe-Suzuki, K; Seno, H; Ishii, A; Suzuki, O

    2000-10-01

    A 26-year-old man was found dead in his car. All doors and windows were locked inside. The ignition key was in the "on" position; but the engine was not running and the fuel tank was empty. His post-mortem lividity was cherry-pink, and marked congestion was observed in the lungs and brain macroscopically. Massive intracardiac blood containing a small amount of cruor was found in the heart. In histological examination of the heart, partial disarrangement or necrosis was found in the myocardium. The liver cells showed derangement and degenerative changes, with focal lymphocyte infiltration in the portal regions, although they were not severe. The chemical tests showed that the blood concentration of carboxyhemoglobin was 46.6%. Stimulants were also detected from his blood and urine; the concentrations of methamphetamine and amphetamine were 3.25 and 0.84 microg/ml, respectively, for his cardiac blood. Therefore, it seemed reasonable to judge that the cause of his death was carbon monoxide poisoning; the cardiomyopathy and the presence of stimulants in blood might facilitate his death. Upon careful investigation of his car, it was disclosed that exhaust gas, leaked from small holes of the exhaust pipe due to rust-through, invaded the interior through four holes on the floor of the car during parking with the engine being on for the purpose of air-conditioning of the interior. It is very common to commit suicide by introducing exhaust gas into an interior of a closed motor car, but the present accidental case of carbon monoxide poisoning in a car seems rare and worthwhile reporting.

  16. Acute effects of nitrogen dioxide after accidental release.

    PubMed

    Bauer, U; Berg, D; Kohn, M A; Meriwether, R A; Nickle, R A

    1998-01-01

    Following an accidental release of nitrogen dioxide from a railroad tank car containing nitrous tetroxide, the authors undertook a study of the health effects of the release, measuring the association between acute low level exposure and pulmonary symptoms. The authors reviewed the records of three emergency departments, surveyed 80 emergency department patients, 552 community residents, 21 chemical plant workers, and 29 emergency workers, and conducted a case-control study. Pulmonary case status was defined as having an objective pulmonary finding noted on the emergency department record, reporting that the onset of symptoms was subsequent to the release, and being within the city limits at the time of the release. Self-reported case status was defined as reporting one or more symptoms consistent with exposure to nitrogen dioxide in the week after the release and having been within the city limits at the time of the release. Control subjects were survey respondents who reported no symptoms in the week after the release and had been within the city limits at the time of the release. Chemical exposure was characterized by proximity to, direction from, and being outdoors within one hour after the release. Duration of potential exposure was not measured. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for symptoms by exposure level, adjusted for age, sex, smoking, and preexisting pulmonary conditions. Local emergency department visits increased fivefold in the week after the release. The most common complaints recorded in a systematic sample of 528 visits in the first 30 hours after the release were headache (31%), burning eyes (30%), and sore throat (24%). Objective pulmonary findings were recorded for 41 (5%) patients in the week before and 165 (4%) in the week after the release. The odds of being a pulmonary case increased by 40% for each quarter-mile increment in proximity to the release (odds ratio [OR] 1.4; 95% confidence

  17. Historical Doses from Tritiated Water and Tritiated Hydrogen Gas Released to the Atmosphere from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Part 5. Accidental Releases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Peterson, S

    2007-08-15

    Over the course of fifty-three years, LLNL had six acute releases of tritiated hydrogen gas (HT) and one acute release of tritiated water vapor (HTO) that were too large relative to the annual releases to be included as part of the annual releases from normal operations detailed in Parts 3 and 4 of the Tritium Dose Reconstruction (TDR). Sandia National Laboratories/California (SNL/CA) had one such release of HT and one of HTO. Doses to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) for these accidents have been modeled using an equation derived from the time-dependent tritium model, UFOTRI, and parameter values based onmore » expert judgment. All of these acute releases are described in this report. Doses that could not have been exceeded from the large HT releases of 1965 and 1970 were calculated to be 43 {micro}Sv (4.3 mrem) and 120 {micro}Sv (12 mrem) to an adult, respectively. Two published sets of dose predictions for the accidental HT release in 1970 are compared with the dose predictions of this TDR. The highest predicted dose was for an acute release of HTO in 1954. For this release, the dose that could not have been exceeded was estimated to have been 2 mSv (200 mrem), although, because of the high uncertainty about the predictions, the likely dose may have been as low as 360 {micro}Sv (36 mrem) or less. The estimated maximum exposures from the accidental releases were such that no adverse health effects would be expected. Appendix A lists all accidents and large routine puff releases that have occurred at LLNL and SNL/CA between 1953 and 2005. Appendix B describes the processes unique to tritium that must be modeled after an acute release, some of the time-dependent tritium models being used today, and the results of tests of these models.« less

  18. On the corrosion behavior of zircaloy-4 in spent fuel pools under accidental conditions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lavigne, O.; Shoji, T.; Sakaguchi, K.

    2012-07-01

    After zircaloy cladding tubes have been subjected to irradiation in the reactor core, they are stored temporarily in spent fuel pools. In case of an accident, the integrity of the pool may be affected and the composition of the coolant may change drastically. This was the case in Fukushima Daiichi in March 2011. Successive incidents have led to an increase in the pH of the coolant and to chloride contamination. Moreover, water radiolysis may occur owing to the remnant radioactivity of the spent fuel. In this study, we propose to evaluate the corrosion behavior of oxidized Zr-4 (in autoclave at 288 °C for 32 days) in function of the pH and the presence of chloride and radical forms. The generation of radicals is achieved by the sonolysis of the solution. It appears that the increase in pH and the presence of radicals lead to an increase in current densities. However, the current densities remain quite low (depending on the conditions, between 1 and 10 μA cm-2). The critical parameter is the presence of chloride ions. The chloride ions widely decrease the passive range of the oxidized samples (the pitting potential is measured around +0.6 V (vs. SCE)). Moreover, if the oxide layer is scratched or damaged (which is likely under accidental conditions), the pitting potential of the oxidized sample reaches the pitting potential of the non-oxidized sample (around +0.16 V (vs. SCE)), leaving a shorter stable passive range for the Zr-4 cladding tubes.

  19. Weathering of primary minerals and mobility of major elements in soils affected by an accidental spill of pyrite tailing.

    PubMed

    Martín, Francisco; Diez, María; García, Inés; Simón, Mariano; Dorronsoro, Carlos; Iriarte, Angel; Aguilar, José

    2007-05-25

    In the present work, soil profiles were sampled 40 days and three years after an accidental pyrite tailing spill from the Aznalcóllar mine (S Spain) in order to figure out the effects of the acidic solution draining from the tailing. The composition of the acidic solution, the mineralogy, and the total and soluble content of the major elements were analysed at varying depths. The results show a weathering process of carbonates and of primary silicates. Calcium released is leached or reacts with the sulphate ions to form gypsum. Magnesium, aluminium and potassium tend to leach from the uppermost millimetres of the soil, accumulating where the pH>/=5.0; also the iron, probably forming more or less complex hydroxysulphates, precipitate in the upper 5 cm. The strong releasing of soluble salts increases the electrical conductivity, while the soluble potassium tends to decrease in the uppermost part of the soil due to the neoformation of jarosite. Iron is soluble only where the pH

  20. NAPL migration and ecotoxicity of conventional and renewable fuels in accidental spill scenarios.

    PubMed

    Malk, Vuokko; Barreto Tejera, Eduardo; Simpanen, Suvi; Dahl, Mari; Mäkelä, Riikka; Häkkinen, Jani; Kiiski, Anna; Penttinen, Olli-Pekka

    2014-01-01

    Fuels derived from non-petroleum renewable resources have raised interest due to their potential in replacing petroleum-based fuels, but information on their fate and effects in the terrestrial and aquatic environments in accidental spill scenario is limited. In this study, migration of four fuels (conventional diesel, conventional gasoline, renewable diesel NExBTL, and ethanol-blended gasoline RE85 containing maximum 85% ethanol) as non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL) in soil was demonstrated in a laboratory-scale experiment. Ecotoxicity data was produced for the same fuels. There was no significant difference in migration of conventional and renewable diesel, but gasoline migrated 1.5 times deeper and 7-9 times faster in sand than diesel. RE85 spread horizontally wider but not as deep (p < 0.05) as conventional gasoline. Conventional gasoline was the most toxic (lethal concentration [LC50] 20 mg/kg total hydrocarbon content [THC]) among the studied fuels in soil toxicity test with earthworm Eisenia fetida followed by ethanol-blended gasoline (LC50 1,643 mg/kg THC) and conventional diesel (LC50 2,432 mg/kg THC), although gasoline evaporated fast from soil. For comparison, the toxicity of the water-accommodated fractions (WAF) of the fuels was tested with water flea Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri, also demonstrating groundwater toxicity. The WAF of conventional gasoline and RE85 showed almost similar toxicity to both the aquatic test species. EC50 values of 1:10 (by volume) WAF were 9.9 %WAF (gasoline) and 9.3 %WAF (RE85) to D. magna and 9.3 %WAF (gasoline) and 12.3 %WAF (RE85) to V. fischeri. Low solubility decreased toxicity potential of conventional diesel in aquatic environment, but direct physical effects of oil phase pose a threat to organisms in nature. Renewable diesel NExBTL did not show clear toxicity to any test species.

  1. Assessment of methodologies for analysis of the dungeness B accidental aircraft crash risk.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    LaChance, Jeffrey L.; Hansen, Clifford W.

    2010-09-01

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has requested Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) to review the aircraft crash methodology for nuclear facilities that are being used in the United Kingdom (UK). The scope of the work included a review of one method utilized in the UK for assessing the potential for accidental airplane crashes into nuclear facilities (Task 1) and a comparison of the UK methodology against similar International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), United States (US) Department of Energy (DOE), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) methods (Task 2). Based on the conclusions from Tasks 1 and 2, an additionalmore » Task 3 would provide an assessment of a site-specific crash frequency for the Dungeness B facility using one of the other methodologies. This report documents the results of Task 2. The comparison of the different methods was performed for the three primary contributors to aircraft crash risk at the Dungeness B site: airfield related crashes, crashes below airways, and background crashes. The methods and data specified in each methodology were compared for each of these risk contributors, differences in the methodologies were identified, and the importance of these differences was qualitatively and quantitatively assessed. The bases for each of the methods and the data used were considered in this assessment process. A comparison of the treatment of the consequences of the aircraft crashes was not included in this assessment because the frequency of crashes into critical structures is currently low based on the existing Dungeness B assessment. Although the comparison found substantial differences between the UK and the three alternative methodologies (IAEA, NRC, and DOE) this assessment concludes that use of any of these alternative methodologies would not change the conclusions reached for the Dungeness B site. Performance of Task 3 is thus not recommended.« less

  2. The relationship between infratentorial lesions, balance deficit and accidental falls in multiple sclerosis.

    PubMed

    Prosperini, Luca; Kouleridou, Anna; Petsas, Nikolaos; Leonardi, Laura; Tona, Francesca; Pantano, Patrizia; Pozzilli, Carlo

    2011-05-15

    The role of static posturography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying patients at high risk of falls was investigated. Relationships between static posturography measures and MRI metrics were also investigated. A total of 31 ambulatory MS patients (EDSS ranging from 2.0 to 5.0) with a predominant balance disorder were recruited. Each patient underwent a static posturography with a monoaxial platform and a conventional 1.5 T brain MRI scan. Measurements of T1-hypointense and T2-hyperintense lesion volumes (LVs), focusing on lesions selectively located at infratentorial levels, were performed by two operators unaware of clinical data. The self-reported number of falls in the previous 6 months was considered as the main outcome measure. Fourteen (45%) patients reported 1 or more falls over the past 6 months. When compared to non-faller patients, they had a higher EDSS score, poorer static standing balance, and greater brainstem and middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) T2-LVs. A strength correlation between brainstem T2-LV and impaired static standing balance in an open eye condition was also found. In the multivariate analysis, the variables more strictly associated with recurrent falls were greater T2-LV at the MCP (beta: 6.2; p=0.01) and brainstem (beta: 5.8; p=0.001) levels, and a wider displacement of the body center of pressure in the closed eye condition (beta: 0.02; p=0.03). Our data suggests that the damage of specific infratentorial areas negatively affect the static standing balance and may predispose MS patients to accidental falls. These findings might contribute in selecting patients requiring a proper rehabilitation intervention program. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Accidental Water Pollution Risk Analysis of Mine Tailings Ponds in Guanting Reservoir Watershed, Zhangjiakou City, China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Renzhi; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Zhijiao; Borthwick, Alistair; Zhang, Ke

    2015-12-02

    Over the past half century, a surprising number of major pollution incidents occurred due to tailings dam failures. Most previous studies of such incidents comprised forensic analyses of environmental impacts after a tailings dam failure, with few considering the combined pollution risk before incidents occur at a watershed-scale. We therefore propose Watershed-scale Tailings-pond Pollution Risk Analysis (WTPRA), designed for multiple mine tailings ponds, stemming from previous watershed-scale accidental pollution risk assessments. Transferred and combined risk is embedded using risk rankings of multiple routes of the "source-pathway-target" in the WTPRA. The previous approach is modified using multi-criteria analysis, dam failure models, and instantaneous water quality models, which are modified for application to multiple tailings ponds. The study area covers the basin of Gutanting Reservoir (the largest backup drinking water source for Beijing) in Zhangjiakou City, where many mine tailings ponds are located. The resultant map shows that risk is higher downstream of Gutanting Reservoir and in its two tributary basins (i.e., Qingshui River and Longyang River). Conversely, risk is lower in the midstream and upstream reaches. The analysis also indicates that the most hazardous mine tailings ponds are located in Chongli and Xuanhua, and that Guanting Reservoir is the most vulnerable receptor. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are performed to validate the robustness of the WTPRA method.

  4. Accidental Water Pollution Risk Analysis of Mine Tailings Ponds in Guanting Reservoir Watershed, Zhangjiakou City, China

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Renzhi; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Zhijiao; Borthwick, Alistair; Zhang, Ke

    2015-01-01

    Over the past half century, a surprising number of major pollution incidents occurred due to tailings dam failures. Most previous studies of such incidents comprised forensic analyses of environmental impacts after a tailings dam failure, with few considering the combined pollution risk before incidents occur at a watershed-scale. We therefore propose Watershed-scale Tailings-pond Pollution Risk Analysis (WTPRA), designed for multiple mine tailings ponds, stemming from previous watershed-scale accidental pollution risk assessments. Transferred and combined risk is embedded using risk rankings of multiple routes of the “source-pathway-target” in the WTPRA. The previous approach is modified using multi-criteria analysis, dam failure models, and instantaneous water quality models, which are modified for application to multiple tailings ponds. The study area covers the basin of Gutanting Reservoir (the largest backup drinking water source for Beijing) in Zhangjiakou City, where many mine tailings ponds are located. The resultant map shows that risk is higher downstream of Gutanting Reservoir and in its two tributary basins (i.e., Qingshui River and Longyang River). Conversely, risk is lower in the midstream and upstream reaches. The analysis also indicates that the most hazardous mine tailings ponds are located in Chongli and Xuanhua, and that Guanting Reservoir is the most vulnerable receptor. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are performed to validate the robustness of the WTPRA method. PMID:26633450

  5. Severe Nuclear Accident Program (SNAP) - a real time model for accidental releases

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Saltbones, J.; Foss, A.; Bartnicki, J.

    1996-12-31

    The model: Several Nuclear Accident Program (SNAP) has been developed at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (DNMI) in Oslo to provide decision makers and Government officials with real-time tool for simulating large accidental releases of radioactivity from nuclear power plants or other sources. SNAP is developed in the Lagrangian framework in which atmospheric transport of radioactive pollutants is simulated by emitting a large number of particles from the source. The main advantage of the Lagrangian approach is a possibility of precise parameterization of advection processes, especially close to the source. SNAP can be used to predict the transport and deposition ofmore » a radioactive cloud in e future (up to 48 hours, in the present version) or to analyze the behavior of the cloud in the past. It is also possible to run the model in the mixed mode (partly analysis and partly forecast). In the routine run we assume unit (1 g s{sup -1}) emission in each of three classes. This assumption is very convenient for the main user of the model output in case of emergency: Norwegian Radiation Protection Agency. Due to linearity of the model equations, user can test different emission scenarios as a post processing task by assigning different weights to concentration and deposition fields corresponding to each of three emission classes. SNAP is fully operational and can be run by the meteorologist on duty at any time. The output from SNAP has two forms: First on the maps of Europe, or selected parts of Europe, individual particles are shown during the simulation period. Second, immediately after the simulation, concentration/deposition fields can be shown every three hours of the simulation period as isoline maps for each emission class. In addition, concentration and deposition maps, as well as some meteorological data, are stored on a public accessible disk for further processing by the model users.« less

  6. A 5-Year Audit of Accidental Dural Punctures, Postdural Puncture Headaches, and Failed Regional Anesthetics at a Tertiary-Care Medical Center

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Sukhdip; Chaudry, Shagufta Y.; Phelps, Amy L.; Vallejo, Manuel C

    2009-01-01

    Obstetric anesthesia-related complications occur as a result of labor epidural or spinal placement. The purpose of this continuous quality-improvement audit was to review the occurrence of accidental dural punctures (ADPs), postdural puncture headaches (PDPHs), and failed regional anesthetics at an academic tertiary-care medical center over a 5-year period. Obstetric anesthesia complications contained in three databases consisting of ADPs, PDPHs, and failed regional anesthetics were matched to a perinatal database, with no complications serving as controls. Of the 40,894 consecutive parturients, there were 765 documented complications. Complication rates were 0.73% (95% CI: 0.65–0.82) for ADP, 0.49% (95% CI: 0.43–0.56) for PDPH, and 0.65% (95% CI: 0.57–0.73) for failed regional anesthetic. When compared to the no complication group, factors associated with obstetric anesthesia complications included increased weight and BMI (p < 0.01), epidural block (p < 0.01), and vaginal delivery (p< 0.01). PMID:19649510

  7. 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) on accidental awareness during general anaesthesia: patient experiences, human factors, sedation, consent, and medicolegal issues.

    PubMed

    Cook, T M; Andrade, J; Bogod, D G; Hitchman, J M; Jonker, W R; Lucas, N; Mackay, J H; Nimmo, A F; O'Connor, K; O'Sullivan, E P; Paul, R G; Palmer, J H M G; Plaat, F; Radcliffe, J J; Sury, M R J; Torevell, H E; Wang, M; Hainsworth, J; Pandit, J J

    2014-10-01

    The 5th National Audit Project (NAP5) of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland into accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (AAGA) yielded data related to psychological aspects from the patient, and the anaesthetist, perspectives; patients' experiences ranged from isolated auditory or tactile sensations to complete awareness. A striking finding was that 75% of experiences were for <5 min, yet 51% of patients [95% confidence interval (CI) 43-60%] experienced distress and 41% (95% CI 33-50%) suffered longer term adverse effect. Distress and longer term harm occurred across the full range of experiences but were particularly likely when the patient experienced paralysis (with or without pain). The patient's interpretation of what is happening at the time of the awareness seemed central to later impact; explanation and reassurance during suspected AAGA or at the time of report seemed beneficial. Quality of care before the event was judged good in 26%, poor in 39%, and mixed in 31%. Three-quarters of cases of AAGA (75%) were judged preventable. In 12%, AAGA care was judged good and the episode not preventable. The contributory and human factors in the genesis of the majority of cases of AAGA included medication, patient, and education/training. The findings have implications for national guidance, institutional organization, and individual practice. The incidence of 'accidental awareness' during sedation (~1:15,000) was similar to that during general anaesthesia (~1:19,000). The project raises significant issues about information giving and consent for both sedation and anaesthesia. We propose a novel approach to describing sedation from the patient's perspective which could be used in communication and consent. Eight (6%) of the patients had resorted to legal action (12, 11%, to formal complaint) at the time of reporting. NAP5 methodology provides a standardized template that might usefully inform

  8. Pathogen and nutrient pulsing and attenuation in "accidental" urban wetland networks along the Salt River in Phoenix, AZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Palta, M. M.; Grimm, N. B.

    2013-12-01

    through the wetlands, indicating high attenuation capability even during storms. Attenuation of nutrients during baseflow appeared to be a function of microbial processing, while during stormflow, when water retention time in the wetlands was reduced, attenuation was likely explained by other factors, such as sediment adsorption. Potential tradeoffs emerged between removal of NO3- (highest under low dissolved oxygen) and E. coli (highest under high dissolved oxygen) during baseflow. Climate change models project increases in severe droughts and extreme precipitation events for the southwestern United States, which can lead to more sewage leakages and increases in contaminated runoff from impervious surfaces in urban areas. Wetlands are constructed or restored to mitigate microbial contamination of wastewater. Our research indicates that even "accidental" urban wetlands can serve to reduce downstream transport of nutrients and pathogens in storm and wastewater. However, wetland restoration or design targeting increased water retention time may increase the capability of accidental wetlands in this urban desert river channel to remove nutrients and pathogens from stormwater.

  9. [Association between limited joint mobility syndrome and risk of accidental falls in diabetic patients].

    PubMed

    López-Martín, I; Benito Ortiz, L; Rodríguez-Borlado, B; Cano Langreo, M; García-Martínez, F J; Martín Rodríguez, M F

    2015-03-01

    Limited joint mobility syndrome (LJMS) appears exclusively in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. It is characterized by a limited range of digital motion, with involvement of small joints of the hands. It initially affects the proximal interphalangeal joints, followed by wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, and axial skeleton. The diagnosis can be made by the simple "prayer sign" test. The objective was to study the prevalence of diabetic patients with LJMS, and to evaluate the association between LJMS and metabolic control, and the risk of accidental falls. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the San Fernando II Health Centre, Madrid (suburbs). The sample consisted of 184 patients with a diagnosis of diabetes of over 5 years from November to March, 2013. The prayer sign was used to define which patients had LJMS. Fall risk was determined using the Timed Up & Go test. A total of 99 patients (53.8%) (95% CI 46.6 to 61) had a positive prayer sign. No statistically significant relationship was found with HbA1c, but there was an association with the Timed Up & Go test (P<.001) (95% CI 1.173 to 1.611). The patients with LJMS had a moderate risk of falls compared with those without LJMS, which was of low risk. The prevalence of LJMS is high. This is the first study that shows a relationship between LJMS and the risk of falls in diabetic patients. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  10. Accidental injury of the inferior alveolar nerve due to the extrusion of calcium hydroxide in endodontic treatment: a case report

    PubMed Central

    2016-01-01

    During clinical endodontic treatment, we often find radiopaque filling material beyond the root apex. Accidental extrusion of calcium hydroxide could cause the injury of inferior alveolar nerve, such as paresthesia or continuous inflammatory response. This case report presents the extrusion of calcium hydroxide and treatment procedures including surgical intervention. A 48 yr old female patient experienced Calcipex II extrusion in to the inferior alveolar canal on left mandibular area during endodontic treatment. After completion of endodontic treatment on left mandibular first molar, surgical intervention was planned under general anesthesia. After cortical bone osteotomy and debridement, neuroma resection and neurorrhaphy was performed, and prognosis was observed. But no improvement in sensory nerve was seen following surgical intervention after 20 mon. A clinician should be aware of extrusion of intracanal medicaments and the possibility of damage on inferior alveolar canal. Injectable type of calcium hydroxide should be applied with care for preventing nerve injury. The alternative delivery method such as lentulo spiral was suggested on the posterior mandibular molar. PMID:26877992

  11. Accidental or intentional exposure to potentially toxic medications, natural toxins and chemicals during pregnancy: analysis of data from Tox Info Suisse.

    PubMed

    Vogel, Tabea; Lüde, Saskia; Baumgartner, Rahel; Rauber-Lüthy, Christine; Simões-Wüst, Ana Paula

    2018-05-16

    Affected women and health professionals are still often unsure about how to react to exposures to potentially harmful agents during pregnancy. We wanted to find out which agents worry both pregnant women and professionals, under what circumstances the exposures take place, how they are currently dealt with and how serious they are. Making use of the archives of Tox Info Suisse, the foundation that provides poisons information in Switzerland both for members of the general public and for healthcare professionals, we set up an analysis of exposures to possibly harmful agents during pregnancy. Queries during pregnancy between 1995 and 2015 were analysed. Demographic information, exposure and agent characteristics as well as - in a subgroup of cases - the corresponding treatments were considered in the present descriptive, retrospective analysis. Over the 21-year period, 2871 exposures during pregnancy were identified. The majority of the calls were made by members of the general public (2035, 70.9%; most often by the affected women themselves), followed by physicians (733, 25.5%). General public queries were mostly due to exposures connected with household chemicals (675/2035, 33.2%); those of physicians were most often due to medications (415/733, 56.6%). The majority of agent exposures occurred accidentally at home, at work, outdoors or at various other places (2297/2871, 80.0%). Less frequently, the exposures were intentional and had a suicidal, abusive, criminal or other character (471/2871, 16.4%). Of the 2871 calls, 905 cases with symptoms were recorded. Of the 1268 symptoms, 820 were mild (64.7%), 144 moderate (11.3%), 24 severe (1.9%, including 12 abortions) and 280 were not further specified (22.1%). In 1867 cases (65%), a total of 2331 measures were recommended by Tox Info Suisse, 1961 thereof to be carried out immediately. The two most common immediate measures were exposure interruption (412/1961, 21.0%) and forwarding to another institution (345/1961, 17

  12. Effects of an accidental dry-season fire on the reproductive phenology of two Neotropical savanna shrubs.

    PubMed

    Dodonov, P; Zanelli, C B; Silva-Matos, D M

    2017-10-30

    Fire is a recurrent disturbance in savanna vegetation and savanna species are adapted to it. Even so, fire may affect various aspects of plant ecology, including phenology. We studied the effects of a spatially heterogeneous fire on the reproductive phenology of two dominant woody plant species, Miconia albicans (Melastomataceae) and Schefflera vinosa (Araliaceae), in a savanna area in South-eastern Brazil. The study site was partially burnt by a dry-season accidental fire in August 2006, and we monitored the phenolology of 30 burnt and 30 unburnt individuals of each species between September 2007 and September 2008. We used restricted randomizations to assess phenological differences between the burnt and unburnt individuals. Fire had negative effects on the phenology of M. albicans, with a smaller production of reproductive structures in general and of floral buds, total fruits, and ripe fruits in burnt plants. All unburnt but only 16% of the burnt M. albicans plants produced ripe fruits during the study. Fire effects on S. vinosa were smaller, but there was a greater production of floral buds and fruits (but not ripe fruits) by burnt plants; approximately 90% of the individuals of S. vinosa produced ripe fruits during the study, regardless of having been burnt or not. The differences between the two species may be related to S. vinosa's faster growth and absence from the seed bank at the study site, whereas M. albicans grows more slowly and is dominant in the seed bank.

  13. Probabilistic safety analysis for urgent situations following the accidental release of a pollutant in the atmosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Armand, P.; Brocheton, F.; Poulet, D.; Vendel, F.; Dubourg, V.; Yalamas, T.

    2014-10-01

    This paper is an original contribution to uncertainty quantification in atmospheric transport & dispersion (AT&D) at the local scale (1-10 km). It is proposed to account for the imprecise knowledge of the meteorological and release conditions in the case of an accidental hazardous atmospheric emission. The aim is to produce probabilistic risk maps instead of a deterministic toxic load map in order to help the stakeholders making their decisions. Due to the urge attached to such situations, the proposed methodology is able to produce such maps in a limited amount of time. It resorts to a Lagrangian particle dispersion model (LPDM) using wind fields interpolated from a pre-established database that collects the results from a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. This enables a decoupling of the CFD simulations from the dispersion analysis, thus a considerable saving of computational time. In order to make the Monte-Carlo-sampling-based estimation of the probability field even faster, it is also proposed to recourse to the use of a vector Gaussian process surrogate model together with high performance computing (HPC) resources. The Gaussian process (GP) surrogate modelling technique is coupled with a probabilistic principal component analysis (PCA) for reducing the number of GP predictors to fit, store and predict. The design of experiments (DOE) from which the surrogate model is built, is run over a cluster of PCs for making the total production time as short as possible. The use of GP predictors is validated by comparing the results produced by this technique with those obtained by crude Monte Carlo sampling.

  14. Safety and efficacy of intravenous administration for tranexamic acid-induced emesis in dogs with accidental ingestion of foreign substances.

    PubMed

    Orito, Kensuke; Kawarai-Shimamura, Asako; Ogawa, Atsushi; Nakamura, Atsushi

    2017-12-22

    A prospective observational study was performed in canine clinical medicine to evaluate the emetic action and adverse effects of tranexamic acid. Veterinarians treated 137 dogs with a single dose of tranexamic acid (50 mg/kg, IV) after accidental ingestion of foreign substances. If needed, a second (median, 50 mg/kg; range, 20-50 mg/kg, IV) or third dose (median, 50 mg/kg; range, 25-50 mg/kg, IV) was administered. Tranexamic acid induced emesis in 116 of 137 (84.7%) dogs. Median time to onset of emesis was 116.5 sec (range, 26-370 sec), median duration of emesis was 151.5 sec (range, 30-780 sec), and median number of emesis episodes was 2 (range, 1-8). Second and third administrations of tranexamic acid induced emesis in 64.7 and 66.7% of dogs, respectively. In total, IV administration of tranexamic acid successfully induced emesis in 129 of 137 (94.2%) dogs. Adverse effects included a tonic-clonic convulsion and hemostatic disorder in two different dogs, both of which recovered after receiving medical care. Tranexamic acid induced emesis in most dogs following a single-dose. When a single dose was not sufficient, an additional dosage effectively induced emesis. Overall, adverse effects were considered low and self-limiting.

  15. Probabilistic margin evaluation on accidental transients for the ASTRID reactor project

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marquès, Michel

    2014-06-01

    ASTRID is a technological demonstrator of Sodium cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) under development. The conceptual design studies are being conducted in accordance with the Generation IV reactor objectives, particularly in terms of improving safety. For the hypothetical events, belonging to the accidental category "severe accident prevention situations" having a very low frequency of occurrence, the safety demonstration is no more based on a deterministic demonstration with conservative assumptions on models and parameters but on a "Best-Estimate Plus Uncertainty" (BEPU) approach. This BEPU approach ispresented in this paper for an Unprotected Loss-of-Flow (ULOF) event. The Best-Estimate (BE) analysis of this ULOFt ransient is performed with the CATHARE2 code, which is the French reference system code for SFR applications. The objective of the BEPU analysis is twofold: first evaluate the safety margin to sodium boiling in taking into account the uncertainties on the input parameters of the CATHARE2 code (twenty-two uncertain input parameters have been identified, which can be classified into five groups: reactor power, accident management, pumps characteristics, reactivity coefficients, thermal parameters and head losses); secondly quantify the contribution of each input uncertainty to the overall uncertainty of the safety margins, in order to refocusing R&D efforts on the most influential factors. This paper focuses on the methodological aspects of the evaluation of the safety margin. At least for the preliminary phase of the project (conceptual design), a probabilistic criterion has been fixed in the context of this BEPU analysis; this criterion is the value of the margin to sodium boiling, which has a probability 95% to be exceeded, obtained with a confidence level of 95% (i.e. the M5,95percentile of the margin distribution). This paper presents two methods used to assess this percentile: the Wilks method and the Bootstrap method ; the effectiveness of the two methods

  16. Day-night pattern in accidental exposures to blood-borne pathogens among medical students and residents.

    PubMed

    Parks, D K; Yetman, R J; McNeese, M C; Burau, K; Smolensky, M H

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the occurrence of accidental blood-borne pathogen exposure incidents in medical students and residents in training varies during the 24 h. A retrospective review of reported exposures was conducted in a large urban teaching institution--the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston--between November 1993 and July 1998. Professional level (year of student or level of resident), time of exposure, means/route of exposure (needle stick, laceration, or splash), and type of medical service were recorded. Analysis of the clock time of the 745 reported blood-borne pathogen exposures showed they occurred more frequently during the day than night. Over the nearly 5-year span, 531 incidents took place between 06:00 and 17:59 in comparison to only 214 between 18:00 and 05:59. To account for the day-night difference in medical student and resident hospital staffing, the data were reexpressed as exposure rates, that is, in terms of the number of events per hour per 1000 medical students and residents. Based on the total number of reported exposures over the almost 5-year span of data collection, the average rate was 40 accidents per hour per 1000 doctors in training during the 12 h daytime span (6:00-17:59). It was 50% greater at night (18:00-05:59), with 60 incidents per hour per 1000 doctors in training. The day-night difference in rate of exposures was statistically significant (p < .04). The relative risk ratio for residents and students when working during the day shift compared to working the night shift was 0.67. This means that doctors in training are at a 1.50 higher risk of sustaining a blood-borne pathogen exposure when working nights than when working days.

  17. Moving Beyond Accidental Leadership: A Graduate Medical Education Leadership Curriculum Needs Assessment.

    PubMed

    Hartzell, Joshua D; Yu, Clifton E; Cohee, Brian M; Nelson, Michael R; Wilson, Ramey L

    2017-07-01

    Despite calls for greater physician leadership, few medical schools, and graduate medical education programs provide explicit training on the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be an effective physician leader. Rather, most leaders develop through what has been labeled "accidental leadership." A survey was conducted at Walter Reed to define the current status of leadership development and determine what learners and faculty perceived as key components of a leadership curriculum. A branching survey was developed for residents and faculty to assess the perceived need for a graduate medical education leadership curriculum. The questionnaire was designed using survey best practices and established validity through subject matter expert reviews and cognitive interviewing. The survey instrument assessed the presence of a current leadership curriculum being conducted by each department, the perceived need for a leadership curriculum for physician leaders, the topics that needed to be included, and the format and timing of the curriculum. Administered using an online/web-based survey format, all 2,041 house staff and educators at Walter Reed were invited to participate in the survey. Descriptive statistics were conducted using SPSS (version 22). The survey response rate was 20.6% (421/2,041). Only 17% (63/266) of respondents stated that their program had a formal leadership curriculum. Trainees ranked their current leadership abilities as slightly better than moderately effective (3.22 on a 5-point effectiveness scale). Trainee and faculty availability were ranked as the most likely barrier to implementation. Topics considered significantly important (on a 5-point effectiveness scale) were conflict resolution (4.1), how to motivate a subordinate (4.0), and how to implement change (4.0). Respondents ranked the following strategies highest in perceived effectiveness on a 5-point scale (with 3 representing moderate effectiveness): leadership case studies (3.3) and

  18. Accidental entrapment of an endo-bronchial blocker tip by a surgical stapler during selective ventilation for lung lobectomy in a dog.

    PubMed

    Levionnois, Olivier L; Bergadano, Alessandra; Schatzmann, Urs

    2006-01-01

    To describe the use of an endobronchial blocker (EBB) and to perform selective ventilation during pulmonary lobe resection via thoracotomy in a dog and report its accidental stapling in the resection site. Clinical case report. One female dog with a suspected abscess or neoplasia of the right caudal pulmonary lobe. One-lung ventilation was performed using a wire-guided EBB to seal the contaminated parenchyma and facilitate surgical access. The affected lung parenchyma was resected and the resection site was closed with staples. Lobar resection was performed successfully, but the loop of the EBB guide wire was inadvertently entrapped in the staple line of the lobectomy. Staples were removed to release the wire loop, and the resulting air leak caused loss of ventilation control until the parenchyma was re-sealed. We recommend removing the wire guide associate with the EBB after successful lung separation to avoid accidents that could have life-threatening consequences if not recognized. One-lung ventilation is useful to isolate healthy parenchyma from diseased parenchyma during lobectomy. Anesthesiologists and surgeons need to be aware of the potential complications associated with use of EBB.

  19. Female Adolescent Presenting With Abdominal Pain: Accidental Wire Bristle Ingestion Leading to Colonic Perforation.

    PubMed

    Di Guglielmo, Matthew; Savage, Jillian; Gould, Sharon; Murphy, Stephen

    2017-05-01

    Abdominal pain in female adolescents is a common presentation to both the emergency department and the outpatient pediatric clinic. The broad differential diagnosis for abdominal pain requires a high index of suspicion to make an accurate diagnosis of foreign body ingestion as the etiology. Foreign body ingestion occurs in all age groups, but sequelae of gastrointestinal tract perforation in children are rare. Treatment for perforation requires consultation of the pediatric general surgeon. Clinicians should take care to not overlook subtle imaging findings or dietary/exposure history, even in the context of a patient with known history of abdominal pain. We report the accidental ingestion of a wire bristle from a grill cleaning brush by a female adolescent. The patient, previously treated and seen for constipation and irritable bowel syndrome in the outpatient gastroenterology clinic, was referred to the emergency department after identification of a foreign body on abdominal radiography. Emergency department physicians discovered the history of grilling and consumption of grilled food, facilitating diagnosis of a wire bristle as the foreign body. The metallic foreign body had migrated to the colon, where it perforated and lodged into the abdominal wall, causing acute, focal symptoms. Observation in the hospital with pain control and infection management allowed for elective laparoscopy. The surgical team removed the object with minimal morbidity and avoided laparotomy. Reports of unintended ingestion of wire bristles have been increasingly reported in the literature; however, most focus on injury to the upper airway or upper digestive tract and subsequent endoscopic or laryngoscopic removal. Most reports detail injury in adult patients, pediatric case reports with digestive tract injury are uncommon, and foreign body removal after lower digestive tract injury in children from a wire bristle has not been reported. We caution pediatric emergency medicine and

  20. Accidental death due to complete autoerotic asphyxia associated with transvestic fetishism and anal self-stimulation - case report.

    PubMed

    Atanasijević, Tatjana; Jovanović, Aleksandar A; Nikolić, Slobodan; Popović, Vesna; Jasović-Gasić, Miroslava

    2009-06-01

    A case is reported of a 36-year-old male, found dead in his locked room, lying on a bed, dressed in his mother's clothes, with a plastic bag over his head, hands tied and with a barrel wooden cork in his rectum. Two pornographic magazines were found on a chair near the bed, so that the deceased could see them well. Asphyxia was controlled with a complex apparatus which consisted of two elastic luggage rack straps, the first surrounding his waist, perineum, and buttocks, and the second the back of his body, and neck. According to the psychological autopsy based on a structured interview (SCID-I, SCID-II) with his father, the deceased was single, unemployed and with a part college education. He had grown up in a poor family with a reserved father and dominant mother, and was indicative of fulfilling DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence, paraphilia involving hypoxyphilia with transvestic fetishism and anal masturbation and a borderline personality disorder. There was no evidence of previous psychiatric treatment. The Circumstances subscale of Beck's Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS-CS) pointed at the lack of final acts (thoughts or plans) in anticipation of death, and absence of a suicide note or overt communication of suicidal intent before death. Integration of the crime scene data with those of the forensic medicine and psychological autopsy enabled identification of the event as an accidental death, caused by neck strangulation, suffocation by a plastic bag, and vagal stimulation due to a foreign body in the rectum.

  1. Safety and efficacy of intravenous administration for tranexamic acid-induced emesis in dogs with accidental ingestion of foreign substances

    PubMed Central

    ORITO, Kensuke; KAWARAI-SHIMAMURA, Asako; OGAWA, Atsushi; NAKAMURA, Atsushi

    2017-01-01

    A prospective observational study was performed in canine clinical medicine to evaluate the emetic action and adverse effects of tranexamic acid. Veterinarians treated 137 dogs with a single dose of tranexamic acid (50 mg/kg, IV) after accidental ingestion of foreign substances. If needed, a second (median, 50 mg/kg; range, 20–50 mg/kg, IV) or third dose (median, 50 mg/kg; range, 25–50 mg/kg, IV) was administered. Tranexamic acid induced emesis in 116 of 137 (84.7%) dogs. Median time to onset of emesis was 116.5 sec (range, 26–370 sec), median duration of emesis was 151.5 sec (range, 30–780 sec), and median number of emesis episodes was 2 (range, 1–8). Second and third administrations of tranexamic acid induced emesis in 64.7 and 66.7% of dogs, respectively. In total, IV administration of tranexamic acid successfully induced emesis in 129 of 137 (94.2%) dogs. Adverse effects included a tonic-clonic convulsion and hemostatic disorder in two different dogs, both of which recovered after receiving medical care. Tranexamic acid induced emesis in most dogs following a single-dose. When a single dose was not sufficient, an additional dosage effectively induced emesis. Overall, adverse effects were considered low and self-limiting. PMID:29093310

  2. Use of natural radionuclides to determine the time range of the accidental melting of an orphan radioactive source in a steel recycling plant.

    PubMed

    Cantaluppi, Chiara; Ceccotto, Federica; Cianchi, Aldo

    2012-02-01

    In the rare event that an orphan radioactive source is melted in an Electric Arc Furnace steel recycling plant, the radionuclides present are partitioned in the different products, by-products and waste. As a consequence of an unforeseen melting of a radiocesium source, cesium radioisotopes can be found in the dust, together with many natural radionuclides from the decay of radon and thoron, which are present in the atmosphere, picked up from the off-gas evacuation system and associated with the dust of the air filtration system ("baghouse"). In this work we verified that the activity concentration of ²¹²Pb in this dust is essentially constant in a specific factory so that it is possible to use it to date back to the time of the accidental melting of the orphan radioactive source. The main features of this method are described below, together with the application to a particular case in which this method was used for dating the moment in which the dust was contaminated with ¹³⁷Cs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Use of specific immunoglobulins and vaccines for the management of accidental needlestick injury in the child: a practical review in the anti-vaccination movement era.

    PubMed

    Sollai, Sara; Iacopelli, Jessica; Giovannini, Mattia; Prato, Manuela; Galli, Luisa; de Martino, Maurizio; Chiappini, Elena

    2016-10-01

    Accidental needle injury is a common but still discussed problem. We discuss possible options to optimize the management of injured children in light of the available literature findings. The risk of viral infection is low. However, blood investigations are mandatory, as well as appropriate counselling. Anti-HBV immunoglobulins are recommended in all unvaccinated subjects exposed to a HBsAg-positive source; however, there is no agreement regarding their administration in unvaccinated children. Use of anti-tetanus immunoglobulins in unvaccinated child with minor and clean wound is well defined; however, wound type classification in the event of needlestick injury may be difficult and subjective. There is no agreement on the routine use of antiretroviral prophylaxis. From a practical point of view, several unsolved issues have emerged regarding the management of the children with needlestick injury, which appear particularly relevant in the anti-vaccination movement era. International guidelines should be encouraged at this regard.

  4. Nitrous oxide-based versus nitrous oxide-free general anaesthesia and accidental awareness during general anaesthesia in surgical patients.

    PubMed

    Hounsome, Juliet; Nicholson, Amanda; Greenhalgh, Janette; Cook, Tim M; Smith, Andrew F; Lewis, Sharon R

    2016-08-10

    Accidental awareness during general anaesthesia (AAGA) is when a patient unintentionally becomes conscious during a procedure performed with general anaesthesia and subsequently has explicit recall of this event. Incidence estimates for AAGA vary, with the most common estimate being one to two cases per 1000 general anaesthetics. Evidence linking nitrous oxide use and an increased risk of AAGA has come from observational studies data but the literature is contradictory, with some studies finding a protective effect of nitrous oxide. To assess the effect of general anaesthesia including nitrous oxide on the risk of AAGA in patients aged five years and over. We searched the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and trial registers ((www.clinicaltrials.gov), the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (www.who.int/ictrp/network/en/) and Current Controlled Trials (www.isrctn.com/)) for eligible studies on December 9 2015. In addition, we conducted forward and backward citation searching using key identified papers. We considered all randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including quasi-randomized studies and cluster-randomized studies, of participants aged five years or older receiving general anaesthesia for any type of surgery.We included trials in which participants receiving general anaesthesia that included nitrous oxide for maintenance at a concentration of at least 30% were compared with participants receiving no nitrous oxide during general anaesthesia. The intervention group must have received nitrous oxide in conjunction with an additional anaesthetic. We excluded studies where the depth of anaesthesia differed between the study arms. For inclusion in the review, studies needed to state in their methods that they planned to assess AAGA. We defined this as when a patient becomes conscious during a procedure performed with general anaesthesia and subsequently has explicit recall of this event

  5. Cellular automata-based forecasting of the impact of accidental fire and toxic dispersion in process industries.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, Chinmoy; Abbasi, S A

    2006-09-01

    The strategies to prevent accidents from occurring in a process industry, or to minimize the harm if an accident does take place, always revolve around forecasting the likely accidents and their impacts. Based on the likely frequency and severity of the accidents, resources are committed towards preventing the accidents. Nearly all techniques of ranking hazardous units, be it the hazard and operability studies, fault tree analysis, hazard indice, etc.--qualitative as well as quantitative--depend essentially on the assessment of the likely frequency and the likely harm accidents in different units may cause. This fact makes it exceedingly important that the forecasting the accidents and their likely impact is done as accurately as possible. In the present study we introduce a new approach to accident forecasting based on the discrete modeling paradigm of cellular automata. In this treatment an accident is modeled as a self-evolving phenomena, the impact of which is strongly influenced by the size, nature, and position of the environmental components which lie in the vicinity of the accident site. The outward propagation of the mass, energy and momentum from the accident epicenter is modeled as a fast diffusion process occurring in discrete space-time coordinates. The quantum of energy and material that would flow into each discrete space element (cell) due to the accidental release is evaluated and the degree of vulnerability posed to the receptors if present in the cell is measured at the end of each time element. This approach is able to effectively take into account the modifications in the flux of energy and material which occur as a result of the heterogeneous environment prevailing between the accident epicenter and the receptor. Consequently, more realistic accident scenarios are generated than possible with the prevailing techniques. The efficacy of the approach has been illustrated with case studies.

  6. Medical documentation, bioanalytical evidence of an accidental human exposure to sulfur mustard and general therapy recommendations.

    PubMed

    Steinritz, Dirk; Striepling, Enno; Rudolf, Klaus-Dieter; Schröder-Kraft, Claudia; Püschel, Klaus; Hullard-Pulstinger, Andreas; Koller, Marianne; Thiermann, Horst; Gandor, Felix; Gawlik, Michael; John, Harald

    2016-02-26

    Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent (CWA) that was first used in World War I and in several military conflicts afterwards. The threat by SM is still present even today due to remaining stockpiles, old and abandoned remainders all over the world as well as to its ease of synthesis. CWA are banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) interdicting their development, production, transport, stockpiling and use and are subjected to controlled destruction. The present case report describes an accidental exposure of three workers that occurred during the destruction of SM. All exposed workers presented a characteristic SM-related clinical picture that started about 4h after exposure with erythema and feeling of tension of the skin at the upper part of the body. Later on, superficial blister and a burning phenomenon of the affected skin areas developed. Similar symptoms occurred in all three patients differing severity. One patient presented sustained skin affections at the gluteal region while another patient came up with affections of the axilla and genital region. Fortunately, full recovery was observed on day 56 after exposure except some little pigmentation changes that were evident even on day 154 in two of the patients. SM-exposure was verified for all three patients using bioanalytical GC MS and LC MS/MS based methods applied to urine and plasma. Urinary biotransformation products of the β-lyase pathway were detected until 5 days after poisoning whereas albumin-SM adducts could be found until day 29 underlining the beneficial role of adduct detection for post-exposure verification. In addition, we provide general recommendations for management and therapy in case of SM poisoning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Risk assessment, risk management and risk-based monitoring following a reported accidental release of poliovirus in Belgium, September to November 2014.

    PubMed

    Duizer, Erwin; Rutjes, Saskia; de Roda Husman, Ana Maria; Schijven, Jack

    2016-01-01

    On 6 September 2014, the accidental release of 10(13) infectious wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) particles by a vaccine production plant in Belgium was reported. WPV3 was released into the sewage system and discharged directly to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequently into rivers that flowed to the Western Scheldt and the North Sea. No poliovirus was detected in samples from the WWTP, surface waters, mussels or sewage from the Netherlands. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) showed that the infection risks resulting from swimming in Belgium waters were above 50% for several days and that the infection risk by consuming shellfish harvested in the eastern part of the Western Scheldt warranted a shellfish cooking advice. We conclude that the reported release of WPV3 has neither resulted in detectable levels of poliovirus in any of the samples nor in poliovirus circulation in the Netherlands. This QMRA showed that relevant data on water flows were not readily available and that prior assumptions on dilution factors were overestimated. A QMRA should have been performed by all vaccine production facilities before starting up large-scale culture of WPV to be able to implement effective interventions when an accident happens.

  8. Optimisation of the digital radiographic imaging of suspected non-accidental injury

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Offiah, Amaka

    Aim: To optimise the digital (radiographic) imaging of children presenting with suspected non-accidental injury (NAI). Objectives: (i) To evaluate existing radiographic quality criteria, and to develop a more suitable system if these are found to be inapplicable to skeletal surveys obtained in suspected NAI. (ii) To document differences in image quality between conventional film-screen and the recently installed Fuji5000R computed radiography (CR) system at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, (iii) To document the extent of variability in the standard of skeletal surveys obtained in the UK for suspected NAI. (iv) To determine those radiographic parameters which yield the highest diagnostic accuracy, while still maintaining acceptable radiation dose to the child, (v) To determine how varying degrees of edge-enhancement affect diagnostic accuracy. (vi) To establish the accuracy of soft compared to hard copy interpretation of images in suspected NAI. Materials and Methods: (i) and (ii) Retrospective analysis of 286 paediatric lateral spine radiographs by two observers based on the Commission of European Communities (CEC) quality criteria, (iii) Review of the skeletal surveys of 50 consecutive infants referred from hospitals throughout the United Kingdom (UK) with suspected NAI. (iv) Phantom studies. Leeds TO. 10 and TO. 16 test objects were used to compare the relationship between film density, exposure parameters and visualisation of object details, (iv) Clinical study. Anteroposterior and lateral post mortem skull radiographs of six consecutive infants were obtained at various exposures. Six observers independently scored the images based on visualisation of five criteria, (v) and (vi) A study of diagnostic accuracy in which six observers independently interpreted 50 radiographs from printed copies (with varying degrees of edge-enhancement) and from a monitor. Results: The CEC criteria are useful for optimisation of imaging parameters and allow the detection

  9. Instantaneous death due to transorbital reverse penetration of a screw in an accidental fall: unusual autopsy case report and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Gioia, Sara; Bacci, Mauro; Lancia, Massimo; Carlini, Luigi; Suadoni, Fabio

    2014-03-01

    We present a peculiar autopsy case of a transorbital penetrating head injury, in a male worker, after an accidental fall onto a screw not completely stuck into a wooden board. A 13-cm screw entered the cranium 9.5 cm deep, penetrating with the flat end, a condition defined in literature as "reverse penetration." The death was instantaneous and caused by a neurogenic shock due to injuries to the brain stem and the right cerebellar hemisphere. These injuries, enabled by the length of the screw, are generally described in literature as due to nontransorbital penetrations, frequently associated with posterior entry and a large intracranial injury. The ocular globe has been, furthermore, perfectly preserved thanks to its mobility in the orbit. Even the dynamic of the incident is peculiar because of the stationary nature of the penetrating object, which the victim actively fell on by accident. To the best of our knowledge, the matter is therefore a very peculiar mortal case of transorbital intracranial penetration, whose verified injuries and dynamics are absolutely atypical. The case is now under discussion, and a review of pertinent literature is performed.

  10. Unraveling the association between SSRI use and falls: an experimental study of risk factors for accidental falls in long-term paroxetine users.

    PubMed

    Hegeman, Judith; van den Bemt, Bart; Weerdesteyn, Vivian; Nienhuis, Bart; van Limbeek, Jacques; Duysens, Jacques

    2011-01-01

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely used to treat depression and are also associated with an increased falls risk. However, the biological mechanism underlying accidental falls with SSRI intake has yet to be elucidated. The present experimental study was designed to investigate whether obstacle avoidance skills in long-term (>90 days), senior paroxetine users (61 ± 5.8 years) are affected during gait, simple and challenging postural balance tasks, as well as during manual reaction time tasks. The performance of the paroxetine users was compared with healthy group-matched controls (60 ± 4.8 years). The results demonstrated impaired postural balance in the paroxetine users, especially during one-legged stance or under various dual-task conditions. Although the deficit in one-legged stance could indicate vestibular involvement, this was deemed unlikely because performance of standing on compliant surface with closed eyes remained unaffected. Paroxetine use also failed to affect manual reaction times or obstacle avoidance performance. It is suggested that paroxetine affects attentional capacities particularly in conjunction with balance control. Compared with healthy seniors, long-term senior users of paroxetine seem to be at an increased risk of falling due to impairments in balance control, especially when attention has to be divided between 2 concurrent activities.

  11. Accidental Art

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2004-01-01

    [figure removed for brevity, see original site] Figure 1 (Click on image for larger view)

    This image, acquired by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's panoramic camera on the 53rd martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission, struck science and engineering teams as not only scientifically interesting but remarkably beautiful. The large, shadowed rock in the foreground is nicknamed 'Sandia' for a mountain range in New Mexico. An imposing rock, 'Sandia' is about 33 centimeters high (1 foot) and about 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) long.

    Figure 1 above is a lightened version of the more artistic image above.

    The combination of the rover's high-resolution cameras with software tools used by scientists allows the minute details on martian targets to be visualized. When lightened, this image reveals much about the pictured rocks, which the science team believes are ejected material, or ejecta, from the nearby crater called 'Bonneville.' Scientists believe 'Sandia' is a basaltic rock that landed on its side after being ejected from the crater. The vertical lines on the side of the rock facing the camera are known by geologists as 'flow banding' and typically run horizontally, indicating that 'Sandia' is on its side. What look like small holes on the two visible sides of the rock are called vesicles; they were probably once gas bubbles within the lava.

    The lighting not only makes for an artistic image, it helps scientists get a virtual three-dimensional feel for target rocks. Observations taken at different times of day, as shadows move and surface texture details on target rocks are revealed, are entered into modeling software that turns a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional research tool.

    Many smaller rocks can be seen in the background of the image. Some rocks are completely exposed, while others are only peeking out of the surface. Scientists believe that two processes might be at work here: accretion, which occurs when winds deposit material that slowly buries many of the rocks; and deflation, which occurs when surface material is removed by wind, exposing more and more of the rocks.

  12. Accidental Hypothermia,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-03-03

    on risk factors.329,538,539,303,93 Safe experimental investigations of hypothermia in hurman volunteers terminate cooling at 350C. This precludes...clinical experiments and surgically induced hypothermia. 423 a195 ,19 3 13 ,202 ,543 ,19 7 ,84 ,175 ,227 ,10 1,443 yward measured his own esophageal...the periphery and core. L9 For example, hypothermic patients experience major afterdrops when frostbitten extremities are thawed prematurely

  13. Assessment of preventive measures for accidental blood exposure in operating theaters: a survey of 20 hospitals in Northern France.

    PubMed

    Tarantola, Arnaud; Golliot, Franck; L'Heriteau, François; Lebascle, Karin; Ha, Catherine; Farret, Danièle; Bignon, Sylvie; Smaïl, Amar; Doutrellot-Philippon, Catherine; Astagneau, Pascal; Bouvet, Elisabeth

    2006-08-01

    Accidental exposures to blood of body fluids (ABE) expose health care workers (HCW) to the risk of occupational infection. Our aim was to assess the prevention equipment available in the operating theater (OT) with reference to guidelines or recommendations and its use by the staff in that OT on that day and past history of ABE. Correspondents of the Centre de Coordination de la Lutte contre les Infections Nosocomiales (CCLIN) Paris-Nord ABE Surveillance Taskforce carried out an observational multicenter survey in 20 volunteer French hospitals. In total, 260 operating staff (including 151 surgeons) were investigated. Forty-nine of the 260 (18.8%) staff said they double-gloved for all patients and procedures, changing gloves hourly. Blunt-tipped suture needles were available in 49.1% of OT; 42 of 76 (55.3%) of the surgeons in these OT said they never used them. Overall, 60% and 64% of surgeons had never self-tested for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), respectively. Fifty-five surgeons said they had sustained a total of 96 needlestick injuries during the month preceding the survey. Ten of these surgeons had notified of 1 needlestick injury each to the occupational health department of their hospital (notification rate, 10.4%). The occurrence of needlestick injury remained high in operating personnel in France in 2000. Although hospitals may improve access to protective devices, operating staff mindful of safety in the OT should increase their use of available devices, their knowledge of their own serostatus, and their ABE notification rate to guide well-targeted prevention efforts.

  14. Correlates and Predictors of New Mothers' Responses to Postpartum Thoughts of Accidental and Intentional Harm and Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms.

    PubMed

    Fairbrother, Nichole; Thordarson, Dana S; Challacombe, Fiona L; Sakaluk, John K

    2018-07-01

    Unwanted, intrusive thoughts of infant-related harm are a normal, albeit distressing experience for most new mothers. The occurrence of these thoughts can represent a risk factor for the development of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). As the early postpartum period represents a time of increased risk for OCD development, the transition to parenthood provides a unique opportunity to better understand OCD development. The purpose of this study was to assess components of cognitive behavioural conceptualizations of postpartum OCD in relation to new mothers' thoughts of infant-related harm. English-speaking pregnant women (n = 100) participated. Questionnaires were completed at approximately 36 weeks of gestation, and at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. An interview to assess postpartum harm thoughts was administered at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum. Questionnaires assessed OC symptoms, OC-related beliefs, fatigue, sleep difficulties and negative mood. Prenatal OC-related beliefs predicted postpartum OC symptoms, as well as harm thought characteristics and behavioural responses to harm thoughts. The severity of behavioural responses to early postpartum harm thoughts did not predict later postpartum OC symptoms, but did predict frequency and time occupation of accidental harm thoughts, and interference in parenting by intentional harm thoughts. Strong relationships between OC symptoms and harm thought characteristics, and concurrent sleep difficulties, negative mood and fatigue were also found. Findings provide support for cognitive behavioural conceptualizations of postpartum OCD and emphasize the importance of maternal sleep, fatigue and negative mood in the relationship between OC-related beliefs and maternal cognitive and behavioural responses to postpartum harm thoughts.

  15. Transient paraplegia due to accidental intrathecal bupivacaine infiltration following pre-emptive analgesia in a patient with missed sacral dural ectasia.

    PubMed

    Kanna, P Rishimugesh; Sekar, Chelliah; Shetty, Ajoy Prasad; Rajasekaran, Shanmughanathan

    2010-11-15

    A case report with review of the literature. To highlight the need for careful magnetic resonance imaging evaluation for the presence of incidental lumbosacral dural anomalies before attempting caudal epidural interventions. Pre-emptive analgesia through the caudal epidural route provides good postoperative pain relief in spine surgeries. Several precautions have been advised in the literature. Presence of sacral-dural ectasia should be considered a relative contraindication for this procedure. A 50-year old woman underwent posterior instrumented spinal fusion for L4-L5 spondylolisthesis under general anesthesia. She received single shot caudal epidural analgesia at the start of the procedure. After complete emergence from anesthesia, she had complete motor and sensory loss below the T12 spinal level, which reversed to normal neurology in 6 hours. Retrospective evaluation of the patient's magnetic resonance imaging showed an ectatic, low lying lumbosacral dural sac which had been overlooked in the initial evaluation. The drugs given by the caudal route have been accidentally administered into the thecal sac causing a brief period of neurologic deficit. This unexpected complication has been reported only in the pediatric literature before. It is important to look for the presence of lumbosacral dural anomalies before planning caudal epidural injections in adults also. Sacral dural ectasia and other lumbosacral anomalies must be recognized as contraindications for caudal epidural pre-emptive analgesia for spine surgery. Other modes of postoperative pain relief should be tried in these patients.

  16. A case study of pollutants transported from HPCL (vishakhapatnam) accidental fire through synergy of flexpart model and ground-based instruments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wankhede, Tushar

    Tushar Wankhede*, Harish Gadhavi, Amit K. Pandit National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Gadanki-517112, Chittoor, A.P. *tushar1771@gmail.com, Mobile: +91-8297152481 A fire at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in Vishakhapatnam (17.70 ˚N, 83.24˚E) resulted from a gas leak in the salt water cooling tower system. This led to the release of various pollutants like hydrocarbons, black carbon, carbon mono-oxide and carbon dioxide etc(other gases) in just 44 min of fire in system a very huge amount of particles were emitted. The transport of these pollutants has been studied through FLEXPART which is a Lagrangian particle dispersion model having wide range of applications in atmospheric transport modeling. FLEXPART simulation of this accidental fire shows the direction and sensitivity of dispersed pollutants from its source. It was observed that the pollutants reached Gadanki, a rural site located at 13.45 ˚N, 79.18 ˚E in Southern-India. The concentration of pollutant obtained from FLEXPART output we are comparing with ground based instruments data collected at the observation site (Indian Climate Observatory Network-ICON, NARL Gadanki). This case-study provides significant information about the life-time of dispersed pollutants and their long-range transport pattern under the influence of small weather variability en-route from source to receptor. The detailed work of FLEXPART for the Long range transport of the particles will be presented later on in conference.

  17. Behavior of accidentally released radiocesium in soil-water environment: Looking at Fukushima from a Chernobyl perspective.

    PubMed

    Konoplev, A; Golosov, V; Laptev, G; Nanba, K; Onda, Y; Takase, T; Wakiyama, Y; Yoshimura, K

    2016-01-01

    Quantitative characteristics of dissolved and particulate radiocesium wash-off from contaminated watersheds after the FDNPP accident are calculated based on published monitoring data. Comparative analysis is provided for radiocesium wash-off parameters and distribution coefficients, Kd, between suspended matter and water in rivers and surface runoff on Fukushima and Chernobyl contaminated areas for the first years after the accidents. It was found that radiocesium distribution coefficient in Fukushima rivers is essentially higher (1-2 orders of magnitude) than corresponding values for rivers and surface runoff within the Chernobyl zone. This can be associated with two factors: first, the high fraction of clays in the predominant soils and sediments of the Fukushima area and accordingly a higher value of the radiocesium Interception Potential, RIP, in general, and secondly the presence of water insoluble glassy particles containing radiocesium in the accidental fallout at Fukushima. It was found also that normalized dissolved wash-off coefficients for Fukushima catchments are 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than corresponding values for the Chernobyl zone. Normalized particulate wash-off coefficients are comparable for Fukushima and Chernobyl. Results of the investigation of radiocesium's ((134)Cs and (137)Cs) vertical distribution in soils of the close-in area of the Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP - Okuma town and floodplain of the Niida river are presented. The radiocesium migration in undisturbed forest and grassland soils at Fukushima contaminated area has been shown to be faster as compared to the Chernobyl 30-km zone during the first three years after the accidents. This may be associated with higher annual precipitation (by about 2.5 times) in Fukushima as compared to the Chernobyl zone, as well as the differences in the soil characteristics and temperature regime throughout a year. Investigation and analysis of Fukushima's radiocesium distribution in soils of Niida

  18. Case Report: Laparoscopic Approach for Orchiopexy in a 26-Year-Old Man with Accidentally Discovered Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome and Bilateral Undescended Testis.

    PubMed

    Noureldin, Mohamed Essam; Tawfik, Ahmed Mohamed; Shaker, Hassan S

    2018-01-01

    Background: Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is not a common form of disorder of sex development in which Müllerian duct derivatives (fallopian tubes, uterus, and the proximal vagina) are present in an otherwise normally differentiated 46 XY male. In most of cases, the challenge comes in the procedure of orchiopexy. Case Presentation: We report a case of a 26-year-old man with PMDS. It was accidentally discovered when the patient presented to our outpatient clinic concerning about his empty scrotum as a premarital check. Diagnostic laparoscopy discovered Mullerian remnants in the form of uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes with two attached testes to the fallopian tubes. Staged laparoscopic orchiopexy was done. We discuss the presentation, the management of this case in the literature, and our intervention. Conclusion: PMDS is not a common condition. Several concerns present in the management of these cases. Malignant transformation of the testis is the main risk facing those patients. Few literature studies discussed the risk of changing of these remnants into malignant tissue. Thus discussion with the patient, tissue histopathology, expert opinions, and literature review are the main clues in management of such cases.

  19. Cost-benefit evaluation of a preventive intervention on the biological risk in health: the accidental puncture during the administration of insulin in the University Hospital "Federico II" of Naples.

    PubMed

    Montella, E; Schiavone, D; Apicella, L; Di Silverio, P; Gaudiosi, M; Ambrosone, E; Moscaritolo, E; Triassi, M

    2014-01-01

    The occupational exposure to biological risk is a frequent event that affects millions of workers in the health sector. Operators are exposed to accidental contact with blood and other potentially infectious biological materials with a frequency higher than that observed in the population (occupational exposure). The pathogens most frequently implicated are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV) viruses. The World Health Organization estimates that each year more than 3 million health workers hurt themselves with an object/edge definitely contaminated with at least one HIV (about 170,000 exposures), hepatitis B (approximately 2,000,000 exposures) and hepatitis C (approximately 900,000 exposures). In Italy approximately 100,000 percutaneous exposures/year are estimated to take place. The needlestick injuries in health care workers are, in large part, preventable by adopting measures such as the use of instrumental needlesticks Prevention Devices - NPDs. The adoption of the NPDs is extremely effective in reducing occupational exposure to biological risk (from 63 % to 100 % reduction). The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the adoption of NPDs for insulin therapy is costeffective in terms of prevention of accidents by Biohazard, compared to administration of insulin with traditional methods (syringe + vial). The estimation is carried out both in the light of current legislation (European Directive 2010/32 and 81/08 Italian Law) and epidemiological data and cost of accidents (according to frequency) and alternative interventions. The evaluation of cost-effectiveness included the construction of an economic model that would allow the weighting of the costs of accidents that can occur following the administration of insulin therapy with traditional methods. The economic model was developed taking into account the international literature on the phenomenon of "accidental puncture" and allowed the financial quantification of

  20. A management system for accidental water pollution risk in a harbour: The Barcelona case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grifoll, Manel; Jordà, Gabriel; Espino, Manuel; Romo, Javier; García-Sotillo, Marcos

    2011-10-01

    Water quality degradation in harbour domains can have an important negative impact from an economic, touristic and environmental point of view. In that sense, water quality management is becoming a main concern for harbour managers. In this paper, we present the research behind the initiative started in Spanish harbours to control water quality degradation due to accidental pollution. This management system is already operationally running in the Barcelona harbour (NW Mediterranean Sea). The system is based on a recent published risk assessment, which takes into account not only the different activities in the harbour and their inherent risk of accident but also the physical behaviour of harbour waters. In this methodology, a key element is to get hydrodynamic forecasts. Thus, the system is composed of a hierarchy of nested hydrodynamic models covering from the basin scale to the harbour scale and a module that computes the different parameters needed for risk assessment. Special emphasis is made on describing the steps followed for system implementation because such implementation is far from a mere technical problem. The first step is to identify the main forcing factors for the harbour hydrodynamics from both field data and numerical experiments, which has never been done before for the Barcelona harbour. Wind and shelf currents are suggested as the main forcing factors for the harbour circulation. The second step is to identify the requirements that a numerical model must fulfil in order to properly solve the Barcelona harbour's hydrodynamics. A high resolution (< 50 m) three dimensional model able to prognostically calculate temperature and salinity evolution; full air-sea coupling is needed as well. The third step is to investigate the best operational strategy. We have found that small errors in the initial density profiles are acceptable for surface current forecasts but not for deep circulation. A cold start must be avoided and a 72 h spin-up is

  1. Fall-related self-efficacy, not balance and mobility performance, is related to accidental falls in chronic stroke survivors with low bone mineral density

    PubMed Central

    Pang, Marco Y.C.; Eng, Janice J.

    2011-01-01

    Introduction Chronic stroke survivors with low bone mineral density (BMD) are particularly prone to fragility fractures. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of balance, mobility and falls in this sub-group of stroke patients. Methods Thirty nine chronic stroke survivors with low hip BMD (T-score <-1.0) were studied. Each subject was evaluated for: balance, mobility, leg muscle strength, spasticity, and falls-related self-efficacy. Any falls in the past 12 months were also recorded. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the determinants of balance and mobility performance whereas logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of falls. Results Multiple regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for basic demographics, falls-related self-efficacy remained independently associated with balance/mobility performance (R2=0.494, P<0.001). Logistic regression showed that falls-related self-efficacy, but not balance and mobility performance, was a significant determinant of falls (odds ratio: 0.18, P=0.04). Conclusions Falls-related self-efficacy, but not mobility and balance performance, was the most important determinant of accidental falls. This psychological factor should not be overlooked in the prevention of fragility fractures among chronic stroke survivors with low hip BMD. PMID:18097709

  2. Accidental poisoning in childhood: a multicentre survey. 2. The role of packaging in accidents involving medications.

    PubMed

    Wiseman, H M; Guest, K; Murray, V S; Volans, G N

    1987-07-01

    To assess the effectiveness of child-resistant closures (CRCs) and unit dose packaging in preventing childhood poisoning with medications, a survey by 14 hospitals of accidental suspected poisoning in children under 5-years-old, was compared with a survey of a representative sample of households with children under 5 living in the catchment areas of the hospitals. Nine hundred and thirty-eight medications thought to have been ingested by 877 children were compared with 5827 medications found in households with children. The relationship between availability of packs or medications in the home and their involvement in accidents was quantified by means of an Accident Association Index (AAI). A low AAI indicated that the involvement of a pack or medication was less than expected from availability and therefore safe. A high AAI indicated that involvement was greater than expected and therefore unsafe. Medications involved in suspected poisoning were most frequently packed in containers without CRCs (63%) or transparent blisters (20%); both had high AAIs. CRCs, strips, sachets and opaque blisters had low AAIs. Analgesics, expectorants and gastrointestinal medications, had low AAIs, while oral contraceptives, hypnotics, sedative/tranquillizers, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anti-emetics, and anti-infectives had high AAIs. Prescription medications were more frequently involved in accidents than over-the-counter (OTC) medications and had a higher AAI. Comparison of the AAIs of different kinds of medication in each of their various pack types showed that safe packaging reduced the risk from medications which had a high average AAI. Only 40% of medications were in their normal storage place at the time of the accident. Medicine and bathroom cabinets, and kitchen cupboards and drawers were the safest places to store medications. Handbags, fridges, and shelves or ledges in the bathroom were the most unsafe places. No pack had a low AAI when stored on open shelves

  3. Source, dispersion and combustion modelling of an accidental release of hydrogen in an urban environment.

    PubMed

    Venetsanos, A G; Huld, T; Adams, P; Bartzis, J G

    2003-12-12

    Hydrogen is likely to be the most important future energy carrier, for many stationary and mobile applications, with the potential to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions especially if renewable primary energy sources are used to produce the hydrogen. A safe transition to the use of hydrogen by members of the general public requires that the safety issues associated with hydrogen applications have to be investigated and fully understood. In order to assess the risks associated with hydrogen applications, its behaviour in realistic accident scenarios has to be predicted, allowing mitigating measures to be developed where necessary. A key factor in this process is predicting the release, dispersion and combustion of hydrogen in appropriate scenarios. This paper illustrates an application of CFD methods to the simulation of an actual hydrogen explosion. The explosion occurred on 3 March 1983 in a built up area of central Stockholm, Sweden, after the accidental release of approximately 13.5 kg of hydrogen from a rack of 18 interconnected 50 l industrial pressure vessels (200 bar working pressure) being transported by a delivery truck. Modelling of the source term, dispersion and combustion were undertaken separately using three different numerical tools, due to the differences in physics and scales between the different phenomena. Results from the dispersion calculations together with the official accident report were used to identify a possible ignition source and estimate the time at which ignition could have occurred. Ignition was estimated to occur 10s after the start of the release, coinciding with the time at which the maximum flammable hydrogen mass and cloud volume were found to occur (4.5 kg and 600 m(3), respectively). The subsequent simulation of the combustion adopts initial conditions for mean flow and turbulence from the dispersion simulations, and calculates the development of a fireball. This provides physical values, e.g. maximum

  4. Non-anastomotic strictures after transplanting a liver graft with an accidentally ligated and unflushed common bile duct: A case report.

    PubMed

    Meurisse, Nicolas; Pirenne, Jacques; Monbaliu, Diethard

    2017-01-01

    Non-anastomotic biliary strictures (NAS) represent a major cause of morbidity, graft loss, and mortality after liver transplantation (LTx). NAS can result from an ischemic/immune-mediated injury, or from the cytotoxic effect that bile salts have on the biliary mucosa under hypothermic conditions. For this reason it is crucial to flush the bile duct at the time of procurement. We report a case of an imported liver with an accidentally ligated and subsequently completely unflushed common bile duct. The recipient was a 60 year-old man suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma and post-alcoholic cirrhosis. Post-operative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged after 18days. Within 2 months post-transplantation, a rapidly evolving cholestasis was diagnosed. Endoscopic-retrograde-cholangio-pancreaticography revealed diffuse NAS. Due to the rapid clinical and biochemical deterioration there was no other option than re-transplantation. Suboptimally flushed bile ducts are often encountered and represent a risk factor for NAS after LTx. This unique case represented an extreme form where the biliary tree was not flushed at all. The dilemma of this unforeseen situation raised the question to transplant or discard this liver for transplantation? Given the organ shortage, the pressure to use less-than-ideal organs, the otherwise normal aspect of the liver and our incapacity to predict with certainty the development (or not) of NAS, we accepted this liver for transplantation. This case illustrates a contrario the importance of flushing the bile duct and risk of extensive dissection of the hepatic hilum at the time of procurement. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  5. Mortality and risk of cardiac complications among immediate survivors of accidental electric shock: a Danish nationwide cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Hansen, Steen Møller; Riahi, Sam; Hjortshøj, Søren; Mortensen, Rikke; Køber, Lars; Søgaard, Peter; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

    2017-01-01

    Objective Exposure to electric shock has been associated with an increased risk of developing delayed cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac diseases. We examined whether electric shock patients have an increased risk of developing cardiac disease, cardiac arrhythmias or death compared with the general Danish population. Design Matched cohort study. Setting A nationwide study in Denmark from 1994 to 2011. Participants We identified 11 462 Danish patients who visited an emergency ward or were admitted to a hospital due to electric shock from 1994 to 2011. Each patient was matched for age and sex with five random controls from the Danish population. Main outcome measures Mortality, cardiac procedures and cardiac diseases following electric shock. Results A total of 7390 electric shock patients were seen at an emergency ward and 4072 electric shock patients were admitted to a hospital. The median patient age was 28.6 years (Q1–Q3, 21.3–37.7) for the emergency ward patients and 26.4 years (Q1–Q3, 18.3–37.4) for admitted patients. In both groups, most patients were male (74.0% and 76.8%). Few of the electric shock patients had a record of cardiovascular disease at baseline (364/11 462, 3.2%). The 5-year cumulative incidence of death was 0.47% (95% CI 0.29% to 0.65%) for emergency ward patients and 1.04% (95% CI 0.71% to 1.37%) for admitted patients. No difference in 5-year survival was observed compared with matched controls (emergency ward, p=0.10; admitted patients, p=0.80). Fewer than four patients received a pacemaker within 30 days. Conclusions This nationwide study did not demonstrate an increase in mortality among patients seen at hospitals after accidental electric shock compared with a background population. Cardiac procedures and diseases following electric shock were very rare. We suggest that nearly all patients can be discharged safely from the emergency room after electric shock without further observation. PMID:28851780

  6. Fall-related self-efficacy, not balance and mobility performance, is related to accidental falls in chronic stroke survivors with low bone mineral density.

    PubMed

    Pang, M Y C; Eng, J J

    2008-07-01

    Chronic stroke survivors with low hip bone density are particularly prone to fractures. This study shows that fear of falling is independently associated with falls in this population. Thus, fear of falling should not be overlooked in the prevention of fragility fractures in these patients. Chronic stroke survivors with low bone mineral density (BMD) are particularly prone to fragility fractures. The purpose of this study was to identify the determinants of balance, mobility and falls in this sub-group of stroke patients. Thirty-nine chronic stroke survivors with low hip BMD (T-score <-1.0) were studied. Each subject was evaluated for the following: balance, mobility, leg muscle strength, spasticity, and fall-related self-efficacy. Any falls in the past 12 months were also recorded. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the determinants of balance and mobility performance, whereas logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of falls. Multiple regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for basic demographics, fall-related self-efficacy remained independently associated with balance/mobility performance (R2 = 0.494, P < 0.001). Logistic regression showed that fall-related self-efficacy, but not balance and mobility performance, was a significant determinant of falls (odds ratio: 0.18, P = 0.04). Fall-related self-efficacy, but not mobility and balance performance, was the most important determinant of accidental falls. This psychological factor should not be overlooked in the prevention of fragility fractures among chronic stroke survivors with low hip BMD.

  7. Accidental Bowel Leakage

    MedlinePlus

    ... Women with a bowel control problem may leak gas or liquid or solid stool. Other symptoms may include the ... which can lead to leakage of solid or liquid stool (feces) or gas. Anoscopy: An exam of the anus using an ...

  8. Percutaneous Management of Accidentally Retained Foreign Bodies During Image-Guided Non-vascular Procedures: Novel Technique Using a Large-Bore Biopsy System

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cazzato, Roberto Luigi, E-mail: gigicazzato@hotmail.it; Garnon, Julien, E-mail: juleiengarnon@gmail.com; Ramamurthy, Nitin, E-mail: nitin-ramamurthy@hotmail.com

    ObjectiveTo describe a novel percutaneous image-guided technique using a large-bore biopsy system to retrieve foreign bodies (FBs) accidentally retained during non-vascular interventional procedures.Materials and MethodsBetween May 2013 and October 2015, five patients underwent percutaneous retrieval of five iatrogenic FBs, including a biopsy needle tip in the femoral head following osteoblastoma biopsy and radiofrequency ablation (RFA); a co-axial needle shaft within a giant desmoid tumour following cryoablation; and three post-vertebroplasty cement tails within paraspinal muscles. All FBs were retrieved immediately following original procedures under local or general anaesthesia, using combined computed tomography (CT) and fluoroscopic guidance. The basic technique involved positioningmore » a 6G trocar sleeve around the FB long axis and co-axially advancing an 8G biopsy needle to retrieve the FB within the biopsy core. Retrospective chart review facilitated analysis of procedures, FBs, technical success, and complications.ResultsMean FB size was 23 mm (range 8–74 mm). Four FBs were located within 10 mm of non-vascular significant anatomic structures. The basic technique was successful in 3 cases; 2 cases required technical modifications including using a stiff guide-wire to facilitate retrieval in the case of the post-cryoablation FB; and using the central mandrin of the 6G trocar to push a cement tract back into an augmented vertebra when initial retrieval failed. Overall technical success (FB retrieval or removal to non-hazardous location) was 100 %, with no complications.ConclusionPercutaneous image-guided retrieval of iatrogenic FBs using a large-bore biopsy system is a feasible, safe, effective, and versatile technique, with potential advantages over existing methods.« less

  9. Empirical development of ground acceleration, velocity, and displacement for accidental explosions at J5 or the proposed large altitude rocket cell at Arnold Engineering Development Center

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Davis, B.C.

    This study is an assessment of the ground shock which may be generated in the event of an accidental explosion at J5 or the Proposed Large Altitude Rocket Cell (LARC) at the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). The assessment is accomplished by reviewing existing empirical relationships for predicting ground motion from ground shock. These relationships are compared with data for surface explosions at sites with similar geology and with yields similar to expected conditions at AEDC. Empirical relationships are developed from these data and a judgment made whether to use existing empirical relationships or the relationships developed in this study.more » An existing relationship (Lipner et al.) is used to predict velocity; the empirical relationships developed in the course of this study are used to predict acceleration and displacement. The ground motions are presented in table form and as contour plots. Included also is a discussion of damage criteria from blast and earthquake studies. This report recommends using velocity rather than acceleration as an indicator of structural blast damage. It is recommended that v = 2 ips (v = .167 fps) be used as the damage threshold value (no major damage for v less than or equal to 2 ips). 13 references, 25 figures, 6 tables.« less

  10. [Acute accidental poisoning in children: aspects of their epidemiology, aetiology, and outcome at the Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Hospital in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)].

    PubMed

    Kouéta, Fla; Dao, Lassina; Yé, Diarra; Fayama, Zéinabou; Sawadogo, Alphonse

    2009-01-01

    Accidents are a daily concern in the paediatric ward because of their frequency, diversity and severity. Acute accidental poisoning (AAP) accounts for an important portion of these. To help improvement management of AAP, we conducted a retrospective study covering a period of 2 years from January 2005 to December 2006 at Charles de Gaulle Paediatric University Hospital in Ouagadougou. Of 9390 admissions during the study period, 123 children, or 1.3%, were admitted for poisoning. A cumulative average of 11 were admitted monthly, with a peak of 16 patients in April 2005 and 2006, together. AAP was most common among children aged 1 to 4 years. Their mean age was 3 years and ranged from 6 days to 12 years. Boys outnumbered girls, with a sex ratio of 1.2. Mothers of more than half (61%) of the children poisoned worked in the home. Household products accounted for 44.7% of AAPs, followed by drug (22.7%) and food (22%) poisoning. Kerosene and other petroleum products topped the list of household products, with 54.5%. Tranquilizers (46.4%) and dairy products (37%) dominated the drug and food poisoning categories. Immediate outcome was fatal in 3% of cases, and three quarters of these deaths occurred during drug poisoning of children aged 1 to 4 years. The mean hospital stay was 2 days, and ranged from 0 to 9 days. Health officials, the media, and community outreach must all help to increase awareness about the dangers of poisoning and of preventive measures.

  11. A Pilot Study in Cameroon to Understand Safe Uses of Pesticides in Agriculture, Risk Factors for Farmers’ Exposure and Management of Accidental Cases

    PubMed Central

    Pouokam, Guy Bertrand; Lemnyuy Album, William; Ndikontar, Alice S.; SIDATT, Mohamed El Hady

    2017-01-01

    Chemical pesticides are widely used in Cameroon for agricultural production. In 2015, more than 600 pesticide products were approved for use in various foodstuffs. Much misuse of these chemicals by farmers has been documented in rural and urban settings. This pilot study aims to contribute to the improvement of the health of the population and the environmental preservation by identifying pesticide-poisoning cases, the most incriminated products and critical risk factors of exposure. Questionnaires were administered to pesticide vendors, farmers and health personnel, and observations made on farmers’ practices at their work places. From July to September 2016, 24 villages from five sites, representing the most important agricultural production areas of the five agro-ecological zones of Cameroon, were visited. In total, 519 people were interviewed: 412 farmers, 69 pesticide vendors and 38 health personnel. A total of 180 pesticide formulations out of 610 registered in 2015 were said to be used by farmers. In the 38 health centers visited, 56 cases of pesticide poisonings and intoxications were reported between 2011 and 2016. Paraquat-, glyphosate-, cypermethrin- and metalaxyl-formulated pesticides were the most incriminated. In total, 78% of poisoning cases were accidental, 12% suicide attempts, 4% criminal. Entry of pesticide products from neighboring countries needs to be better regulated, and the quality of pesticides sold on the market should be monitored periodically. Empty pesticide containers should be recuperated from smallholder farmers. Authorities should set up a harmonized pesticide-poisoning management procedure, and create a toxico-vigilance system for surveillance cases and preventive actions. PMID:29104250

  12. Mortality and risk of cardiac complications among immediate survivors of accidental electric shock: a Danish nationwide cohort study.

    PubMed

    Hansen, Steen Møller; Riahi, Sam; Hjortshøj, Søren; Mortensen, Rikke; Køber, Lars; Søgaard, Peter; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

    2017-08-28

    Exposure to electric shock has been associated with an increased risk of developing delayed cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac diseases. We examined whether electric shock patients have an increased risk of developing cardiac disease, cardiac arrhythmias or death compared with the general Danish population. Matched cohort study. A nationwide study in Denmark from 1994 to 2011. We identified 11 462 Danish patients who visited an emergency ward or were admitted to a hospital due to electric shock from 1994 to 2011. Each patient was matched for age and sex with five random controls from the Danish population. Mortality, cardiac procedures and cardiac diseases following electric shock. A total of 7390 electric shock patients were seen at an emergency ward and 4072 electric shock patients were admitted to a hospital. The median patient age was 28.6 years (Q1-Q3, 21.3-37.7) for the emergency ward patients and 26.4 years (Q1-Q3, 18.3-37.4) for admitted patients. In both groups, most patients were male (74.0% and 76.8%). Few of the electric shock patients had a record of cardiovascular disease at baseline (364/11 462, 3.2%). The 5-year cumulative incidence of death was 0.47% (95% CI 0.29% to 0.65%) for emergency ward patients and 1.04% (95% CI 0.71% to 1.37%) for admitted patients. No difference in 5-year survival was observed compared with matched controls (emergency ward, p=0.10; admitted patients, p=0.80). Fewer than four patients received a pacemaker within 30 days. This nationwide study did not demonstrate an increase in mortality among patients seen at hospitals after accidental electric shock compared with a background population. Cardiac procedures and diseases following electric shock were very rare. We suggest that nearly all patients can be discharged safely from the emergency room after electric shock without further observation. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial

  13. Habituation of the cold shock response is inhibited by repeated anxiety: Implications for safety behaviour on accidental cold water immersions.

    PubMed

    Barwood, Martin J; Corbett, Jo; Tipton, Mike; Wagstaff, Christopher; Massey, Heather

    2017-05-15

    Accidental cold-water immersion (CWI) triggers the life-threatening cold shock response (CSR) which is a precursor to sudden death on immersion. One practical means of reducing the CSR is to induce an habituation by undergoing repeated short CWIs. Habituation of the CSR is known to be partially reversed by the concomitant experience of acute anxiety, raising the possibility that repeated anxiety could prevent CSR habituation; we tested this hypothesis. Sixteen participants (12 male, 4 female) completed seven, seven-minute immersions in to cold water (15°C). Immersion one acted as a control (CON1). During immersions two to five, which would ordinarily induce an habituation, anxiety levels were repeatedly increased (CWI-ANX rep ) by deception and a demanding mathematical task. Immersions six and seven were counter-balanced with another high anxiety condition (CWI-ANX rep ) or a further control (CON2). Anxiety (20cm visual analogue scale) and cardiorespiratory responses (cardiac frequency [f c ], respiratory frequency [f R ], tidal volume [V T ], minute ventilation [V̇ E ]) were measured. Comparisons were made between experimental immersions (CON1, final CWI-ANX rep , CON2), across habituation immersions and with data from a previous study. Anxiety levels were sustained at a similar level throughout the experimental and habituation immersions (mean [SD] CON1: 7.0 [4.0] cm; CON2: 5.8 [5.2] cm cf CWI-ANX rep : 7.3 [5.5] cm; p>0.05). This culminated in failure of the CSR to habituate even when anxiety levels were not manipulated (i.e. CON2). These data were different (p<0.05) to previous studies where anxiety levels were allowed to fall across habituation immersions and the CSR consequently habituated. Repeated anxiety prevented CSR habituation. A protective strategy that includes inducing habituation for those at risk should include techniques to lower anxiety associated with the immersion event or habituation may not be beneficial in the emergency scenario. Copyright

  14. 76 FR 74655 - Damage Tolerance and Fatigue Evaluation of Composite Rotorcraft Structures

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-01

    ... and discrete flaws, and impact or other accidental damage (including the discrete source of the... discrete manufacturing defects or accidental damage, is avoided throughout the operational life or... and discrete flaws, and impact or other accidental damage (including the discrete source of the...

  15. "Eureka, Eureka!" Discoveries in Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agarwal, Pankaj

    2011-01-01

    Accidental discoveries have been of significant value in the progress of science. Although accidental discoveries are more common in pharmacology and chemistry, other branches of science have also benefited from such discoveries. While most discoveries are the result of persistent research, famous accidental discoveries provide a fascinating…

  16. Cobertura de los sistemas de pensiones y factores asociados al acceso a una pensión de jubilación en México

    PubMed Central

    Murillo-López, Sandra; Venegas-Martínez, Francisco

    2016-01-01

    Resumen Objetivos: obtener estimaciones de indicadores de cobertura de las pensiones por jubilación o retiro para la población mexicana de 65 y más años, y evaluar el impacto que tienen los sistemas de pensiones en las transiciones al retiro de los adultos en edades medias y avanzadas en México. Para ello se utilizan datos microeconómicos provenientes de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Envejecimiento. Mediante análisis econométrico se identifican los factores sociodemográficos, económicos, laborales e institucionales que están asociados al acceso a una pensión de jubilación, o bien, a la dependencia de otras fuentes de ingresos. Se encontró que, en México, las transiciones al retiro del mercado de trabajo en las etapas avanzadas del ciclo de vida son limitadas debido a las características eminentemente contributivas de los esquemas de pensiones, los cuales favorecen a la población con trayectorias laborales formales y más estables asociadas a: características de género, oportunidades educativas y posibilidades de inserción en el mercado laboral. PMID:27524936

  17. History of accidental hypothermia.

    PubMed

    Guly, Henry

    2011-01-01

    Death from exposure to cold has been recognised for thousands of years but hypothermia as a clinical condition was not generally recognised until the mid-20th century and then only in extreme conditions such as immersion in cold water or snow. In the UK, hypothermia in less extreme conditions was not generally recognised until the 1960s. Recognition of hypothermia required the temperature to be measured and this did not become a clinical tool until the late 1800s and it was not used routinely until the early 1900s. Although John Hunter and James Curry did some physiological experiments in the 1700s, detailed physiological experiments were not done until the early 20th century and the use of therapeutic hypothermia for malignancy and in anaesthesia in the 1930s and 1940s provided more impetus for investigating the physiology of hypothermia in humans and familiarising the medical profession with measuring core temperatures. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Mexico: The Accidental Narco?

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-06-30

    9 Gonzales, Maria de la Luz (2009-03-25). "Suman 10 mil 475 ejecuciones en esta administracion : PGR" (in Spanish). El Universal. http...the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio Coronel was killed in 2010. The leader of La Familia, Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, could not escape the reach of Mexican...cartel, La Familia, had proposed truces with the government and promised a reduction in violence if the government focuses more on targeting its

  19. History of accidental hypothermia☆

    PubMed Central

    Guly, Henry

    2011-01-01

    Death from exposure to cold has been recognised for thousands of years but hypothermia as a clinical condition was not generally recognised until the mid-20th century and then only in extreme conditions such as immersion in cold water or snow. In the UK, hypothermia in less extreme conditions was not generally recognised until the 1960s. Recognition of hypothermia required the temperature to be measured and this did not become a clinical tool until the late 1800s and it was not used routinely until the early 1900s. Although John Hunter and James Curry did some physiological experiments in the 1700s, detailed physiological experiments were not done until the early 20th century and the use of therapeutic hypothermia for malignancy and in anaesthesia in the 1930s and 1940s provided more impetus for investigating the physiology of hypothermia in humans and familiarising the medical profession with measuring core temperatures. PMID:21036455

  20. The Accidental Systems Librarian.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, Rachel Singer

    This book offers advice and information to help librarians manage and interact with computer technology in their institutions. Chapters 1 and 2 provide a background in systems librarianship, outlining the skills that may be needed and defining the specialty. Chapters 3 and 4 show how traditional library skills such as the organization of knowledge…

  1. Fatal cases of acute suicidal sodium and accidental zinc fluorosilicate poisoning. Review of acute intoxications due to fluoride compounds.

    PubMed

    Lech, Teresa

    2011-03-20

    Fluoride, of all inorganic substances, is among the least likely to be identified by a routine toxicological analysis. Acute poisonings with salts of hydrofluoric or fluorosilicic acid, however, although relatively uncommon, may occur. Some fluorosilicates, salts of fluorosilicic acid (e.g. Al, Zn, Pb, Mg) are used as stone consolidants, others (e.g. sodium fluorosilicate)--in the production of enamel and milk glass, or as insecticide. In this paper, two fatal cases of poisonings are presented: a suicide involving sodium fluorosilicate of a 39-year-old male who died in his flat, without hospitalization, and an accidental ingestion of zinc fluorosilicate solution (probably due to mistaking it for mineral water) by a 38-year-old male at his workplace (building), who died about 3h after ingestion of the liquid, in spite of intensive care at hospitals. Post-mortem samples were examined by the use of the spectrophotometric method with lanthanum nitrate and alizarin complexone for fluorine (after isolation of fluoride compounds by the microdiffusion method) and using a flame atomic absorption spectrometry method for zinc (after mineralization of biological material by sulfuric and nitric acids). In the first case, the results were: blood--130 μg F/ml, stomach--1150 μg F/g, small intestine content --19.6 μg F/g, kidney--56.0 μg F/g, and urine--1940 μg F/ml. In the second case, the contents of fluorine and zinc in blood and internal organs were the following: blood--6.03 μg F/ml, 23.8 μg Zn/ml; brain--1.39 μg F/g, 7.54 μg Zn/g; stomach--152 μg Zn/g; stomach content--293 μg F/g, 84.4 μg Zn/g; small intestine--37.5 μg Zn/g; small intestine content--63.4 μg F/g, 19.6 μg Zn/g; liver--9.49 μg F/g, 81.0 μg Zn/g; kidney--29.6 μg F/g, 39.2 μg Zn/g; and exceeded the normal levels of these elements in biological material many times. In addition, in stomach and liver large amounts of silica were detected. In the paper, a review of acute intoxications with various

  2. The impact of the World Trade Center attack on FDNY firefighter retirement, disabilities, and pension benefits.

    PubMed

    Niles, J K; Webber, M P; Gustave, J; Zeig-Owens, R; Lee, R; Glass, L; Weiden, M D; Kelly, K J; Prezant, D J

    2011-09-01

    Our goal was to examine the effect of the World Trade Center (WTC) attack and subsequent New York City Fire Department (FDNY) rescue/recovery activities on firefighter retirements. We also analyzed the financial impact associated with the increased number and proportion of service-connected "accidental" disability retirements on the FDNY pension system. A total of 7,763 firefighters retired between 9/11/1994 and 9/10/2008. We compared the total number of retirements and the number and proportion of accidental disability retirements 7 years before and 7 years after the WTC attack. We categorized WTC-related accidental disability retirements by medical cause and worked with the New York City Office of the Actuary to approximate the financial impact by cause. In the 7 years before 9/11 there were 3,261 retirements, 48% (1,571) of which were accidental disability retirements. In the 7 years after 9/11, there were 4,502 retirements, 66% (2,970) were accidental disability retirements, of which 47% (1,402) were associated with WTC-related injuries or illnesses. After 9/11, the increase in accidental disability retirements was, for the most part, due to respiratory-related illnesses. Additional increases were attributed to psychological-related illnesses and musculoskeletal injuries incurred at the WTC site. Pension benefits associated with WTC-related accidental disability retirements have produced an increased financial burden of over $826 million on the FDNY pension system. The WTC attacks affected the health of the FDNY workforce resulting in more post-9/11 retirements than expected, and a larger proportion of these retirees with accidental disability pensions. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  3. Parental Perceptions of Hospital Care in Children with Accidental or Alleged Non-Accidental Trauma

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ince, Elif E.; Rubin, David; Christian, Cindy W.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To determine whether a suspicion or diagnosis of child abuse during hospitalization influences parental perceptions of hospital care in families of children admitted with traumatic injuries. Method: Parents of children younger than 6 years of age admitted with traumatic injuries to a large urban children's hospital were recruited to…

  4. Accidental intoxication with Veratrum album.

    PubMed

    Grobosch, T; Binscheck, T; Martens, F; Lampe, D

    2008-01-01

    A 49-year-old man consumed two glasses (approximately 2 x 20 mL) of a beverage containing yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea). Shortly after ingestion, he developed nausea, vomiting, and oral paraesthesia. On admission to the hospital he suffered from severe bradycardia (35 beats/min) and hypotension (50/30 mm Hg), and he was treated with activated charcoal, antiemetics (metoclopramide, ondansetron), atropine, and intravenous electrolytic solution. The initial suspicion of Veratrum poisoning could be confirmed by identifying protoveratrines A (ProA) and protoveratrine B (ProB) in a sample from the beverage as well as in the patients serum by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS). The yellow-colored beverage contained 25% ethanol (by headspace gas chromatography), 20.4 mg/L ProA, and 13.7 mg/L ProB. The serum concentration of ProA was 1162 ng/L and ProB was 402 ng/L. Veratridine, cevadine, and jervine were not detected, neither in the beverage nor in the serum sample. The lower limits of quantitation for all compounds is 10 microg/L (S/N > 10, beverage) and 100 ng/L (S/N > 10, serum). After treatment, the patient completely recovered from the symptoms within 24 h and was discharged from the hospital. The analytical method described was developed for the simultaneous identification and quantitation of five Veratrum alkaloids. The method is based on a liquid-liquid extraction followed by LC-MS-MS analysis. The time needed for analysis was 6 min.

  5. Accidental fires in clinical laboratories.

    PubMed

    Hoeltge, G A; Miller, A; Klein, B R; Hamlin, W B

    1993-12-01

    The National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, Mass, estimates that 169 fires have occurred annually in health care, medical, and chemical laboratories. On the average, there are 13 civilian injuries and $1.5 million per year in direct property damage. Most fires in which the cause or ignition source can be identified originate in malfunctioning electrical equipment (41.6%) or in the facility's electrical distribution system (14.7%). The prevalence of fire safety deficiencies was measured in the College of American Pathologists Laboratory Accreditation Program. Of the 1732 inspected laboratories, 5.5% lacked records of electrical receptacle polarity and ground checks in the preceding year. Of these inspected laboratories, 4.7% had no or incomplete documentation of electrical safety checks on laboratory instruments. There was no evidence of quarterly fire exit drills in 9% of the laboratories. Deficiencies were also found in precautionary labeling (6.8%), in periodic review of safe work practices (4.2%), in the use of safety cans (3.7%), and in venting of flammable liquid storage areas (2.8%). Fire preparedness would be improved if all clinical laboratories had smoke detectors and automatic fire-extinguishing systems. In-service training courses in fire safety should be targeted to the needs of specific service areas.

  6. Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roberts, Royston M.

    1989-06-01

    Many of the things discovered by accident are important in our everyday lives: Teflon, Velcro, nylon, x-rays, penicillin, safety glass, sugar substitutes, and polyethylene and other plastics. And we owe a debt to accident for some of our deepest scientific knowledge, including Newton's theory of gravitation, the Big Bang theory of Creation, and the discovery of DNA. Even the Rosetta Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the ruins of Pompeii came to light through chance. This book tells the fascinating stories of these and other discoveries and reveals how the inquisitive human mind turns accident into discovery. Written for the layman, yet scientifically accurate, this illuminating collection of anecdotes portrays invention and discovery as quintessentially human acts, due in part to curiosity, perserverance, and luck.

  7. Coroners' records of accidental deaths.

    PubMed Central

    Levene, S

    1991-01-01

    This study set out to provide a description of the children involved in fatal accidents and to ascertain which deaths might have been prevented and by what means. The records from a convenience sample of four coroners (jurisdictions of Inner North London, Birmingham, Bedfordshire, and Ipswich) of inquests opened in 1984-8 on children aged under 15 killed in accidents were reviewed for information on the deceased, the accident, and the injuries sustained. Altogether 225 records (150 boys, 75 girls) were examined. Accidents to pedestrians were the commonest cause of death (81 cases), and road safety engineering measures were the most likely means by which most fatalities might have been prevented. The records frequently omitted information on social circumstances, family structure, ethnic group, or the use of safety equipment. Cooperative coroners can contribute to child safety as their records are rich in information about accidents. This could be made available to parties interested in accident prevention, including community paediatricians. PMID:1953011

  8. [Accidental falls in the elderly].

    PubMed

    Heinimann, Niklas B; Kressig, Reto W

    2014-06-18

    Falls in the elderly are common with consecutive high mortality and morbidity. Recent consecutive data focus on identification and therapy of intrinsic risk factors. Sarcopenia, imbalance and gait disorders represent the major risk factors. Sarcopenia is caused by a disequilibrium of protein synthesis and breakdown, probably in consequence of age-related changes in protein metabolism. Protein supplements in combination with strength training shows the best benefit. Disorders in balance and gait are caused by age-related or pathologic changes in a complex regulation system of gait. The individual fall risk correlates with the gait variability and even increases with bad dual task performance. Activities with high requirements of attention and body awareness are the most effective prevention for falls in the elderly (-50%).

  9. Pancreatic injury: accidental or nonaccidental.

    PubMed

    Waseem, Muhammad; Perales, Orlando

    2008-10-01

    The diagnosis of abuse in a child with occult abdominal injuries is difficult. Not many patients with nonaccidental trauma present with a clear history of the injury. The absence of a reliable history in patients with nonaccidental trauma makes determination of an exact mechanism difficult. In most cases, patients present to the emergency department with inaccurate or misleading histories; some give no history of trauma, which may delay recognition of serious abdominal injuries. In addition, the child may have other injuries, such as neurologic or musculoskeletal, which divert attention from occult abdominal injuries. Pancreatic and duodenal injuries are considered specific for abuse. We report a child with pancreatic injury without an appropriate history of trauma, determined to be caused by nonaccidental trauma.

  10. Accidental contamination during hydrocarbon exploitation and the rapid transfer of heavy-mineral fines through an overlying highly karstified aquifer (Paradiso Spring, SE Sicily)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggieri, Rosario; Forti, Paolo; Antoci, Maria Lucia; De Waele, Jo

    2017-03-01

    areas, where natural springs provide domestic water supplies, should be controlled effectively to prevent such disasters occurring. This pollution incident is also a useful example of how such "accidental" tracer tests can identify rapid karstic flowpaths over long distances.

  11. Electrical Fatalities in Northern Ireland

    PubMed Central

    Lucas, James

    2009-01-01

    A review of autopsy reports in cases of electrocution in Northern Ireland revealed that there were 50 accidental electrocutions and 9 suicidal electrocutions over a 22 year period (1982 – 2003). No cases of homicidal electrocution were detected in this jurisdiction. Analysis of the cohort of accidental electrocutions showed that there was a clear skew towards young and middle-aged male adults with deaths occurring more frequently in the summer months. Almost 60% of individuals were engaged in occupational tasks when they were accidentally electrocuted. High and low voltage-related deaths occurred with similar frequency and electrical appliances were found to be responsible for approximately one third of accidental electrocutions. The potential hazards of electricity must continue to be stressed in public safety campaigns if these relatively uncommon but tragic deaths are to be prevented. PMID:19252729

  12. 40 CFR 418.11 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... AND STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Phosphate Subcategory § 418.11... any water including precipitation runoff which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into... by means of: (1) Precipitation runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the...

  13. 75 FR 8412 - Office of New Reactors: Interim Staff Guidance on Assessing Ground Water Flow and Transport of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-24

    ... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0047] Office of New Reactors: Interim Staff Guidance on Assessing Ground Water Flow and Transport of Accidental Radionuclide Releases; Solicitation of Public... ground water flow and transport of accidental radionuclide releases necessary to demonstrate compliance...

  14. 40 CFR 418.11 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Phosphate Subcategory § 418.11 Specialized... including precipitation runoff which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) Precipitation runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment and...

  15. 40 CFR 418.11 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Phosphate Subcategory § 418.11 Specialized... including precipitation runoff which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) Precipitation runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment and...

  16. 40 CFR 418.11 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... STANDARDS FERTILIZER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Phosphate Subcategory § 418.11 Specialized... including precipitation runoff which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) Precipitation runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment and...

  17. 40 CFR 415.241 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... product shall mean ammonium chloride. (c) The term process wastewater means any water which, during... wastewater shall mean any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment...

  18. 40 CFR 415.441 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... material, intermediate product, finished product, by-product, or waste product. The term “process... any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, by-product or waste product by means of (1) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment...

  19. Resolution of electroconvulsive therapy refractory major depressive disorder with unintentional hypoglycemic seizure: a case report.

    PubMed

    Rosenblat, Joshua D; Devarajan, Sivakumaran

    2013-09-01

    We report a 74-year-old white woman with type 1 diabetes and major depressive disorder refractory to multiple medications who received 15 electroconvulsive therapy treatments with minimal improvement. After an accidental hypoglycemic seizure, the patient's symptoms completely resolved. In conclusion, the present case reveals an instance where electroconvulsive therapy-induced seizures appeared to be minimally effective, whereas a single accidental hypoglycemia-induced seizure was incredibly effective for the resolutions of depressive symptoms. Although this case presents a single efficacious use of accidental insulin coma therapy, the applicability is limited because of the known risks of insulin coma therapy.

  20. [Systematization and hygienic standardization of environmental factors on the basis of common graphic models].

    PubMed

    Galkin, A A

    2012-01-01

    On the basis of graphic models of the human response to environmental factors, two main types of complex quantitative influence as well as interrelation between determined effects at the level of an individual, and stochastic effects on population were revealed. Two main kinds of factors have been suggested to be distinguished. They are essential factors and accidental factors. The essential factors are common for environment. The accidental factors are foreign for environment. The above two kinds are different in approaches of hygienic standardization Accidental factors need a dot-like approach, whereas a two-level range approach is suitable for the essential factors.

  1. Prediction of adherence to a gluten-free diet using protection motivation theory among adults with coeliac disease.

    PubMed

    Dowd, A J; Jung, M E; Chen, M Y; Beauchamp, M R

    2016-06-01

    Coeliac disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that requires strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. However, strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is difficult, with findings from a recent review suggesting that up to 42% of individuals with coeliac disease do not eat a strict gluten-free diet. The present study aimed to examine psychosocial predictors of adherence (purposeful and accidental) to a gluten-free diet among adults with coeliac disease over a 1-month period. In this longitudinal study, 212 North American adults with coeliac disease completed online questionnaires at two time points, baseline and 1 month later. The results revealed that intentions partially mediated the effects of symptom severity, self-regulatory efficacy, planning and knowledge on purposeful gluten consumption. Intentions did not mediate the effects of severity, response cost, self-regulatory efficacy, planning and knowledge for accidental gluten consumption but, interestingly, self-regulatory efficacy directly predicted fewer accidental incidents of gluten-consumption. These findings delineate the differential psychological processes in understanding accidental and purposeful gluten consumption among adults with coeliac disease and emphasise the importance of bolstering self-regulatory efficacy beliefs to prevent accidental and purposeful consumption of gluten. © 2015 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  2. 40 CFR 415.631 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term process wastewater means any water which, during manufacturing... wastewater shall mean any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment...

  3. 40 CFR 415.601 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term process wastewater means any water which, during manufacturing... wastewater shall mean any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment...

  4. 40 CFR 415.311 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... apply to this subpart. (b) The term process wastewater means any water which, during manufacturing or... mean any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with any raw... runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment, which are...

  5. 40 CFR 415.551 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term process wastewater means any water which, during manufacturing... wastewater shall mean any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment...

  6. Handbook of Common Poisonings in Children.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Food and Drug Administration (DHEW), Washington, DC.

    This handbook for physicians, emergency room personnel and pharmacists lists the manufacturer, description, toxicity, symptoms and findings, treatment, and references for 73 poison substances considered by the Subcommittee on Accidental Poisoning of the American Academy of Pediatrics to be most significant in terms of accidental poisoning of…

  7. 40 CFR 418.11 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... including precipitation runoff which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into incidental contact with...) Precipitation runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment and... shall mean the maximum 24-hour precipitation event with a probable recurrence interval of once in 10...

  8. 42 CFR 102.52 - Documentation a vaccinia contact must submit to be deemed eligible by the Secretary.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Form; (b) Documentation identifying the individual who was the source of the accidental vaccinia inoculation. This documentation must demonstrate that the source of the vaccinia was an individual described... requirement that the person sustained a covered injury) or an individual who was accidentally inoculated by an...

  9. 42 CFR 102.52 - Documentation a vaccinia contact must submit to be deemed eligible by the Secretary.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Form; (b) Documentation identifying the individual who was the source of the accidental vaccinia inoculation. This documentation must demonstrate that the source of the vaccinia was an individual described... requirement that the person sustained a covered injury) or an individual who was accidentally inoculated by an...

  10. 42 CFR 102.52 - Documentation a vaccinia contact must submit to be deemed eligible by the Secretary.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... Form; (b) Documentation identifying the individual who was the source of the accidental vaccinia inoculation. This documentation must demonstrate that the source of the vaccinia was an individual described... requirement that the person sustained a covered injury) or an individual who was accidentally inoculated by an...

  11. 42 CFR 102.52 - Documentation a vaccinia contact must submit to be deemed eligible by the Secretary.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... Form; (b) Documentation identifying the individual who was the source of the accidental vaccinia inoculation. This documentation must demonstrate that the source of the vaccinia was an individual described... requirement that the person sustained a covered injury) or an individual who was accidentally inoculated by an...

  12. 40 CFR 415.431 - Specialized definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., intermediate product, finished product, by-product, or waste product. The term “process wastewater” does not... material, intermediate product, finished product, by-product or waste product by means of (1) rainfall runoff; (2) accidental spills; (3) accidental leaks caused by the failure of process equipment, which are...

  13. 26 CFR 1.807-1 - Mortality and morbidity tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... insurance (active life reserves); accidental death benefits 1959 Accidental Death Benefits Table. 3... tables of period 2 disablement rates and the 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability Study... reserves) The 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability study of the Society of Actuaries. 5...

  14. 26 CFR 1.807-1 - Mortality and morbidity tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... insurance (active life reserves); accidental death benefits 1959 Accidental Death Benefits Table. 3... tables of period 2 disablement rates and the 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability Study... reserves) The 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability study of the Society of Actuaries. 5...

  15. 26 CFR 1.807-1 - Mortality and morbidity tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... insurance (active life reserves); accidental death benefits 1959 Accidental Death Benefits Table. 3... tables of period 2 disablement rates and the 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability Study... reserves) The 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability study of the Society of Actuaries. 5...

  16. 26 CFR 1.807-1 - Mortality and morbidity tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... insurance (active life reserves); accidental death benefits 1959 Accidental Death Benefits Table. 3... tables of period 2 disablement rates and the 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability Study... reserves) The 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability study of the Society of Actuaries. 5...

  17. Seabird and waterbird bycatch in fishing gear: next steps in dealing with a problem

    Treesearch

    Albert M. Manville II

    2005-01-01

    Seabirds, a variety of related waterfowl species, and some wading birds and shorebirds (hereafter, “waterbirds”) are accidentally captured, entangled, injured or killed in active or derelict fishing gear. Accidentally or intentionally lost or discarded gear can also continue to “ghost fish,” often until the gear sinks or washes...

  18. 26 CFR 1.807-1 - Mortality and morbidity tables.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... life reserves); accidental death benefits 1959 Accidental Death Benefits Table. 3. Permanent and paid... of period 2 disablement rates and the 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability Study of...) The 1930 to 1950 termination rates of the 1952 Disability study of the Society of Actuaries. 5. Group...

  19. 76 FR 3307 - Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With the United Nations Recommendations, International...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-19

    ... Compatibility Group S indicates that hazardous effects from accidental functioning are limited to the extent the... package is capable of containing any hazardous effects in the event of an accidental functioning of its... demonstrate that any hazardous effects are confined within a package. In the ANPRM, we invited commenters to...

  20. Brain Basics: Preventing Stroke

    MedlinePlus

    ... of death or disability from stroke. With good control, the risk of stroke in most age groups can be kept below that for accidental injury ... of death or disability from stroke. With good control, the risk of stroke in most age groups can be kept below that for accidental injury ...

  1. Predicting posttraumatic stress disorder in children and parents following accidental child injury: evaluation of the Screening Tool for Early Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (STEPP).

    PubMed

    van Meijel, Els P M; Gigengack, Maj R; Verlinden, Eva; Opmeer, Brent C; Heij, Hugo A; Goslings, J Carel; Bloemers, Frank W; Luitse, Jan S K; Boer, Frits; Grootenhuis, Martha A; Lindauer, Ramón J L

    2015-05-12

    Children and their parents are at risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following injury due to pediatric accidental trauma. Screening could help predict those at greatest risk and provide an opportunity for monitoring so that early intervention may be provided. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Screening Tool for Early Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (STEPP) in a mixed-trauma sample in a non-English speaking country (the Netherlands). Children aged 8-18 and one of their parents were recruited in two academic level I trauma centers. The STEPP was assessed in 161 children (mean age 13.9 years) and 156 parents within one week of the accident. Three months later, clinical diagnoses and symptoms of PTSD were assessed in 147 children and 135 parents. We used the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV - Child and Parent version, the Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses were performed to estimate the Areas Under the Curve as a measure of performance and to determine the optimal cut-off score in our sample. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. The aim was to maximize both sensitivity and negative predictive values. PTSD was diagnosed in 12% of the children; 10% of their parents scored above the cut-off point for PTSD. At the originally recommended cut-off scores (4 for children, 3 for parents), the sensitivity in our sample was 41% for children and 54% for parents. Negative predictive values were 92% for both groups. Adjusting the cut-off scores to 2 improved sensitivity to 82% for children and 92% for parents, with negative predictive values of 92% and 96%, respectively. With adjusted cut-off scores, the STEPP performed well: 82% of the children and 92% of the parents with a subsequent positive diagnosis were identified correctly. Special attention in the screening procedure is required because of a

  2. Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling of 137Cs generated from Nuclear Spent Fuel under Hypothetic Accidental Condition in the BNPP Area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Jongkuk; Lee, Kwan-Hee; Yook, Daesik; Kim, Sung Il; Lee, Byung Soo

    2016-04-01

    This study presents the results of atmosphere dispersion modeling using CALPUFF code that are based on computational simulation to evaluate the environmental characteristics of the Barakah nuclear power plant (BNPP) in west area of UAE. According to meteorological data analysis (2012~2013), the winds from the north(7.68%) and west(9.05%) including NNW(41.63%), NW(28.55%), and WNW(6.31%) winds accounted for more than 90% of the wind directions. East(0.2%) and south(0.6%) direction wind, including ESE(0.31%), SE(0.38%), and SSE(0.38%) were rarely distributed during the simulation period. Seasonal effects were not showed. However, a discrepancy in the tendency between daytime and night-time was observed. Approximately 87% of the wind speed was distributed below 5.4m/s (17%, 47% and 23% between the speeds of 0.5-1.8m/s 1.8-3.3m/s and 3.3-5.4m/s, respectively) during the annual period. Seasonal wind speed distribution results presented very similar pattern of annual distribution. Wind speed distribution of day and night, on the other hand, had a discrepancy with annual modeling results than seasonal distribution in some sections. The results for high wind speed (more than 10.8m/s) showed that this wind blew from the west. This high wind speed is known locally as the 'Shamal', which occurs rarely, lasting one or two days with the strongest winds experienced in association with gust fronts and thunderstorms. Six variations of cesium-137 (137Cs) dispersion test were simulated under hypothetic severe accidental condition. The 137Cs dispersion was strongly influenced by the direction and speed of the main wind. From the test cases, east-south area of the BNPP site was mainly influenced by 137Cs dispersion. A virtual receptor was set and calculated for observation of the 137Cs movement and accumulation. Surface roughness tests were performed for the analysis of topographic conditions. According to the surface condition, there are various surface roughness length. Four types

  3. Single stab injuries.

    PubMed

    Burke, Michael P; Baber, Yeliena; Cheung, Zoe; Fitzgerald, Mark

    2018-05-01

    Determining the manner of death in cases involving multiple stab injuries from a knife is generally straightforward. The medico-legal investigation of a stabbing death caused by a single stab injury from a knife comprises a smaller but potentially more problematic subset of forensic cases. We reviewed our institute's experience with single stab injuries and endeavored to identify features identified at the post-mortem examination which may aid in the differentiation between cases of homicide, suicide and accidental death. The single stab injury was to the left chest in the majority of deaths from homicide and from suicide. Clothing was nearly always involved in cases of homicide, but was also seen in cases of suicide. The knife was found in situ in 9 of the 11 cases of suicide involving a chest injury, but was not seen in any of the cases of homicide. There were no cases of an accidental single stab death from a knife in our records. Clinical data on accidental stab injuries was sought via a search of the medical records of a major tertiary referral hospital. A single non-fatal case of an accidental single stab injury from a knife was identified after the conclusion of our study period. Accidental stab injuries from a knife causing injury or death are rare.

  4. 49 CFR 1105.7 - Environmental reports.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... the extent available) on derailments, accidents and spills; contingency plans to deal with accidental... and hazardous spills; the contingency plans to deal with accidental spills; and the likelihood of an..., county, and subdivision, including a plan view, at a scale not to exceed 1:24,000 (71/2 minute U.S.G.S...

  5. Ground Shock Effects from Accidental Explosions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1976-11-01

    1,200 P0 A = V P cp 8 Horizontal Dh = Dv tannin " 1 (cp/U)] Vh = Vv tan [sin" 1 (cp/U)] \\ - \\ tanfainŕ (cp/U)] For tan sin (c /U...explosive are not included in the present analysis . This effect will limit the credibility of the direct- induced ground shock predictions, but if the... analysis . Dr. D. R. Richmond of Lovelace Foundation provided data on human shock tolerances. 26 REFERENCES 1. "Structures to Resist the Effects of

  6. Accidental inflation from Kähler uplifting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ben-Dayan, Ido; Jing, Shenglin; Westphal, Alexander; Wieck, Clemens

    2014-03-01

    We analyze the possibility of realizing inflation with a subsequent dS vacuum in the Käahler uplifting scenario. The inclusion of several quantum corrections to the 4d effective action evades previous no-go theorems and allows for construction of simple and successful models of string inflation. The predictions of several benchmark models are in accord with current observations, i.e., a red spectral index, negligible non-gaussianity, and spectral distortions similar to the simplest models of inflation. A particularly interesting subclass of models are ``left-rolling" ones, where the overall volume of the compactified dimensions shrinks during inflation. We call this phenomenon ``inflation by deflation" (IBD), where deflation refers to the internal manifold. This subclass has the appealing features of being insensitive to initial conditions, avoiding the overshooting problem, and allowing for observable running α ~ 0.012 and enhanced tensor-to-scalar ratio r ~ 10-5. The latter results differ significantly from many string inflation models.

  7. Accidental inflation from Kähler uplifting

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ben-Dayan, Ido; Westphal, Alexander; Wieck, Clemens

    2014-03-01

    We analyze the possibility of realizing inflation with a subsequent dS vacuum in the Käahler uplifting scenario. The inclusion of several quantum corrections to the 4d effective action evades previous no-go theorems and allows for construction of simple and successful models of string inflation. The predictions of several benchmark models are in accord with current observations, i.e., a red spectral index, negligible non-gaussianity, and spectral distortions similar to the simplest models of inflation. A particularly interesting subclass of models are ''left-rolling'' ones, where the overall volume of the compactified dimensions shrinks during inflation. We call this phenomenon ''inflation by deflation''more » (IBD), where deflation refers to the internal manifold. This subclass has the appealing features of being insensitive to initial conditions, avoiding the overshooting problem, and allowing for observable running α ∼ 0.012 and enhanced tensor-to-scalar ratio r ∼ 10{sup −5}. The latter results differ significantly from many string inflation models.« less

  8. Accidental neutron dosimetry with human hair

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ekendahl, Daniela; Bečková, Věra; Zdychová, Vlasta; Bulánek, Boris; Prouza, Zdeněk; Štefánik, Milan

    2014-11-01

    Human hair contains sulfur, which can be activated by fast neutrons. The 32S(n,p)32P reaction with a threshold of 2.5 MeV was used for fast neutron dose estimation. It is a very important parameter for individual dose reconstruction with regards to the heterogeneity of the neutron transfer to the human body. Samples of human hair were irradiated in a radial channel of a training reactor VR-1. 32P activity in hair was measured both, directly by means of a proportional counter, and as ash dispersed in a liquid scintillator. Based on neutron spectrum estimation, a relationship between the neutron dose and induced activity was derived. The experiment verified the practical feasibility of this dosimetry method in cases of criticality accidents or malevolent acts with nuclear materials.

  9. Accidental mydriasis from blue nightshade "lipstick".

    PubMed

    Rubinfeld, R S; Currie, J N

    1987-03-01

    A 7-year-old girl presented with bilaterally dilated pupils, nausea, and vomiting 2 days after head trauma. Pilocarpine pupil testing led to the correct diagnosis of pharmacologic pupillary dilation from an unexpected and unusual source of plant poisoning, Solanum dulcamara (blue nightshade). In patients with internal ophthalmoplegia, awareness of the possibility of pharmacologic mydriasis and correct use of topical pilocarpine testing can preclude the necessity for neuroradiologic and invasive diagnostic studies, even in cases with atypical or complex presentations.

  10. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pirhonen, P.

    Life-cycle assessment is usually based on regular discharges that occur at a more or less constant rate. Nevertheless, the more factors that are taken into account in the LCA the better picture it gives on the environmental aspects of a product. In this study an approach to incorporate accidental releases into a products` life-cycle assessment was developed. In this approach accidental releases are divided into two categories. The first category consists of those unplanned releases which occur with a predicted level and frequency. Due to the high frequency and small release size at a time, these accidental releases can bemore » compared to continuous emissions. Their global impacts are studied in this approach. Accidental releases of the second category are sudden, unplanned releases caused by exceptional situations, e.g. technical failure, action error or disturbances in process conditions. These releases have a singular character and local impacts are typical of them. As far as the accidental releases of the second category are concerned, the approach introduced in this study results in a risk value for every stage of a life-cycle, the sum of which is a risk value for the whole life-cycle. Risk value is based on occurrence frequencies of incidents and potential environmental damage caused by releases. Risk value illustrates the level of potential damage caused by accidental releases related to the system under study and is meant to be used for comparison of these levels of two different products. It can also be used to compare the risk levels of different stages of the life-cycle. An approach was illustrated using petrol as an example product. The whole life-cycle of petrol from crude oil production to the consumption of petrol was studied.« less

  11. 30 CFR 56.14211 - Blocking equipment in a raised position.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... raised position. (a) Persons shall not work on top of, under, or work from mobile equipment in a raised... accidentally. (b) Persons shall not work on top of, under, or work from a raised component of mobile equipment... prevent accidental lowering when persons are working on or around mobile equipment and are exposed to the...

  12. Electrocution attributed to supernatural forces in the Niger delta region of Nigeria: a report of three cases.

    PubMed

    Seleye-Fubara, D; Etebu, E N

    2005-01-01

    Accidental deaths from electrocution in this environment are sometimes related to charm and witchcraft caused by one's enemies. The aim of this article is to highlight the problems of beliefs and accidental electrocution. We report three cases of accidental electrocution which was believed to be associated with traditional beliefs of witchcraft and charm. Autopsy findings in two cases showed characteristic electric burns (the joule burn which is the area of entry) without obvious organ changes. The third case revealed no burn but investigation of the scene of incidence and other sources of information are consistent with a diagnosis of electrocution. Post mortem examination can assist to dispel misconception and unnecessary belief on cause of death in our community.

  13. Nonnatural deaths of adolescents and teenagers: Fulton County, Georgia, 1985-2004.

    PubMed

    Heninger, Michael; Hanzlick, Randy

    2008-09-01

    Childhood deaths are carefully scrutinized by many different government agencies, fatality review panels, researchers, and other groups. Many such deaths, especially those that involve external causes such as injury and poisoning, are amenable to prevention. Characterizing the causes and circumstances of nonnatural childhood deaths may provide information that is useful for development of prevention strategies and programs. This is a retrospective review of all nonnatural deaths investigated and certified by the Fulton County Medical Examiner involving persons 10 to 19 years of age during the years 1985-2004, inclusive. Cases were identified by searching electronic death investigation files maintained during the study period. Demographic and circumstantial information were tabulated for homicides, suicides, motor-vehicle fatalities, and other accidental deaths, and crude death rates were calculated for each 5-year period during the study. During the 20 year period there were 961 nonnatural deaths among persons 10 to 19 years of age. Most deaths were due to homicide (48%) followed by motor-vehicle fatalities (30%), suicide (12%), and nontraffic accidental fatalities (10%). Black males had the highest death rates among the homicide, suicide, and nontraffic accidental deaths, although the rates for each of these were lower in the most recent 5 year period than the first 5-year period. The number of deaths increased in each category as age increased, and this observation was most marked for homicides and least marked for nontraffic accidental deaths. Firearms were involved in 88% of homicides and 61% of suicides. Most nontraffic accidental deaths were due to water-related accidents, followed by drug and/or alcohol toxicity, fire-related injuries, and accidental firearms injuries. Homicide accounts for almost half of all deaths among persons 10 to 19 years of age. Black males are at particularly high risk for nonnatural death in comparison with other race/sex groups

  14. Estimation of errors in the inverse modeling of accidental release of atmospheric pollutant: Application to the reconstruction of the cesium-137 and iodine-131 source terms from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Winiarek, Victor; Bocquet, Marc; Saunier, Olivier; Mathieu, Anne

    2012-03-01

    A major difficulty when inverting the source term of an atmospheric tracer dispersion problem is the estimation of the prior errors: those of the atmospheric transport model, those ascribed to the representativity of the measurements, those that are instrumental, and those attached to the prior knowledge on the variables one seeks to retrieve. In the case of an accidental release of pollutant, the reconstructed source is sensitive to these assumptions. This sensitivity makes the quality of the retrieval dependent on the methods used to model and estimate the prior errors of the inverse modeling scheme. We propose to use an estimation method for the errors' amplitude based on the maximum likelihood principle. Under semi-Gaussian assumptions, it takes into account, without approximation, the positivity assumption on the source. We apply the method to the estimation of the Fukushima Daiichi source term using activity concentrations in the air. The results are compared to an L-curve estimation technique and to Desroziers's scheme. The total reconstructed activities significantly depend on the chosen method. Because of the poor observability of the Fukushima Daiichi emissions, these methods provide lower bounds for cesium-137 and iodine-131 reconstructed activities. These lower bound estimates, 1.2 × 1016 Bq for cesium-137, with an estimated standard deviation range of 15%-20%, and 1.9 - 3.8 × 1017 Bq for iodine-131, with an estimated standard deviation range of 5%-10%, are of the same order of magnitude as those provided by the Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and about 5 to 10 times less than the Chernobyl atmospheric releases.

  15. Physiological Equivalent Temperature Index and mortality in Tabriz (The northwest of Iran).

    PubMed

    Sharafkhani, Rahim; Khanjani, Narges; Bakhtiari, Bahram; Jahani, Yunes; Sadegh Tabrizi, Jafar

    2018-01-01

    There are few epidemiological studies about climate change and the effect of temperature variation on health using human thermal indices such as the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) Index in Iran. This study was conducted in Tabriz, the northwest of Iran and Distributed Lag Non-linear Models (DLNM) combined with quasi-Poisson regression models were used to assess the impacts of PET on mortality by using the DLNM Package in R Software. The effect of air pollutants, time trend, day of the week and holidays were controlled as confounders. There was a significant relation between high (30°C, 27°C) and low (-0.8°C, -9.2°C and -14.2°C) PET and total (non-accidental) mortality; and a significant increase in respiratory and cardiovascular deaths in high PET values. Heat stress increased Cumulative Relative Risk (CRR) for total (non-accidental), respiratory and cardiovascular mortality significantly (CRR Non Accidental Death, PET=30°C, lag 0-30 =1.67, 95%CI: 1.31-2.13; CRR Respiratory Death, PET=30°C, lag 0-13 =1.88, 95%CI: 1.30-2.72; CRR Cardiovascular Death, PET=30°C, lag0-30 =1.67 95%CI: 1.16-2.40). Heat stress increases the risk of total (non-accidental), respiratory mortality, but cold stress decreases the risk of total (non-accidental) mortality in Tabriz which is one of the cold cities of Iran. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Radio Frequency Radiation of Millimeter Wave Length: An Evaluation of Potential Occupational Safety Issues Relating to Surface Heating

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2000-02-01

    aging process or are associated with several disease processes. They are also thought to result from excessive heating that accompanies microwave...ulcers, heart disease and cancer. Conversely, the possibility exists that hazards might be associated with accidental overexposure to MMWs. This...risks that might be associated with accidental overexposure to MMWs. Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting

  17. Suicide and fatal drug overdose in child sexual abuse victims: a historical cohort study.

    PubMed

    Cutajar, Margaret C; Mullen, Paul E; Ogloff, James R P; Thomas, Stuart D; Wells, David L; Spataro, Josie

    2010-02-15

    To determine the rate and risk of suicide and accidental fatal drug overdose (ie, overdose deemed not to have been suicide) in individuals who had been medically ascertained as having been sexually abused during childhood. A historical cohort linkage study of suicide and accidental drug-induced death among victims of child sexual abuse (CSA). Forensic medical records of 2759 victims of CSA who were assessed between 1964 and 1995 were obtained from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and linked with coronial data representing a follow-up period of up to 44 years. Rates of suicide and accidental fatal drug overdose recorded in coronial databases between 1991 and 2008, and rates of psychiatric disorders and substance use recorded in public mental health databases. Twenty-one cases of fatal self-harm were recorded. Relative risks for suicide and accidental fatal overdose among CSA victims, compared with age-limited national data for the general population, were 18.09 (95% CI, 10.96-29.85; population-attributable risk, 0.37%), and 49.22 (95% CI, 36.11-67.09; population-attributable risk, 0.01%) respectively. Relative risks were higher for female victims. Similar to the general population, CSA victims who died as a result of self-harm were predominantly aged in their 30s at time of death. Most had contact with the public mental health system and half were recorded as being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Our data highlight that CSA victims are at increased risk of suicide and accidental fatal drug overdose. CSA is a risk factor that mediates suicide and fatal overdose.

  18. Traumatismo craneoencefálico leve

    PubMed Central

    Ortega Zufiría, José Manuel; Prieto, Noemí Lomillos; Cuba, Bernardino Choque; Degenhardt, Martin Tamarit; Núñez, Pedro Poveda; López Serrano, María Remedios; López Raigada, Azahara Belén

    2018-01-01

    Resumen Introducción y objetivo: El TCE leve representa un problema sanitario de enorme interés debido a que un número significativo de enfermos con trauma leve desarrollará complicaciones potencialmente mortales. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido describir una serie amplia de pacientes adultos, mayores de 14 años, que sufren TCE leve, atendidos en el Hospital Universitario de Getafe, entre los años 2010 y 2015 (n = 2480), estudiar el perfil epidemiológico y analizar el diagnóstico y el tratamiento efectuados, así como establecer los principales factores pronósticos que influyen en el resultado final. Método: Se ha realizado un estudio retrospectivo, de revisión de historias clínicas, analizando los resultados con estudio estadístico bivariable y multivariable. Resultados: El TCE leve es más frecuente en varones, y el mecanismo causante más común en nuestro medio es el accidente de tráfico. Se propone un modelo de clasificación de pacientes según grupos de riesgo, que los subdivide en riesgo bajo, intermedio o alto, que se correlaciona bien con la probabilidad de desarrollar complicación intracraneal, y, consecuentemente, con el resultado final. Se discute la indicación de la radiografía simple de cráneo y de la Tomografía Computarizada (TC), así como del ingreso hospitalario para observación neurológica. Conclusiones: En este estudio, la presencia de focalidad neurológica en la exploración clínica, la edad, las alteraciones de la coagulación y la existencia de fractura en la radiografía simple se relacionan con mayor posibilidad de desarrollar lesiones traumáticas intracraneales y con peor pronóstico final. La escala de Glasgow para el Coma es deficitaria en la determinación del resultado final del paciente que sufre TCE, porque no considera variables tales como la amnesia o la pérdida de conocimiento, muy frecuentes en el traumatismo craneoencefálico leve. PMID:29430327

  19. Environmental Symposium Held in Crystal City, Virginia on May 5-6, 1992

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-05-01

    addition, the Act creat a new program designed to prevent sudden, accidental releases of extremely hazardo substances . Generally, the Act sets forth a... prevent of sudden, The owner or operator of any facility handling an extremely hazardous substance will also be required to prepare and implement a risk...management plan to detect and prevent or minimize the potential for an accidental release of extremely hazardous substances . EPA may require that such

  20. Retractable pin dual in-line package test clip

    DOEpatents

    Bandzuch, Gregory S.; Kosslow, William J.

    1996-01-01

    This invention is a Dual In-Line Package (DIP) test clip for use when troubleshooting circuits containing DIP integrated circuits. This test clip is a significant improvement over existing DIP test clips in that it has retractable pins which will permit troubleshooting without risk of accidentally shorting adjacent pins together when moving probes to different pins on energized circuits or when the probe is accidentally bumped while taking measurements.

  1. Multifractal properties of solar filaments and sunspots numbers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wu, Nan; Li, Qi-Xiu; Zou, Peng

    2015-07-01

    We analyze multifractal properties of low (LLSFNs; < 50 °), high (HLSFNs; ⩾ 50 °), full-disk (FDSFNs; 0 ° ˜ 90 °) solar filament numbers (SFNs) and international sunspot numbers (ISNs) by estimating characteristic parameters (α0, Δα , spectrum skewness) of f (α) singularity spectrum. We find that the SFNs and ISNs have multifractal nature. The obtained α0 and Δα indicate that long-term behaviour of the solar filaments is more complex than that of the sunspots and the high-latitude filaments is the most complex in long-term behaviour. The spectrum skewnesses manifest that the ISNs display well symmetrical distribution in singularity strengths, whereas the SFNs are dominated by low singularity strengths, which means that the long-term behaviour of sunspots has homogenous structures and the filaments display averagely small fluctuations in amplitude. To detect the origin of their multifractality, we decompose the raw data of ISNs and SFNs: smoothed data represent ˜11-year cyclic activities and detrended data represent accidental activities. We also calculate their f (α) spectra, respectively. We find that the ˜11-year cyclic activities of filaments and sunspots tend to be a monofractal and display a bit predominance of low singularity strengths. Their accidental activities have the most complex behaviour than the raw and smoothed data. The accidental activities are dominated by high singularity strengths showing averagely large fluctuations in amplitude. Furthermore, multifractal properties from α0 and Δα of the accidental activities have the same features as that of raw data. We think that the ˜11-year periodic activity determines global fluctuations, while the accidental activities rule local complexity.

  2. Injury Deaths among People with Epilepsy in Rural Bangladesh

    PubMed Central

    Mateen, Farrah J.; Shinohara, Russell T.; Alam, Nurul; Black, Robert E.; Streatfield, Peter K.

    2012-01-01

    Background Accidental death in people with epilepsy (PWE) has been described in high income settings where the relative risk of death is known to be higher than in the standard population. Population-based studies of injury deaths among PWE in developing countries are uncommon. Methods A population-based verbal autopsy study in Matlab, Bangladesh, performed at a health and demographic surveillance system site (mean population 223,886 in 142 villages), was used to assess the possible causes of all deaths. All cases of accidental injury (2005–2008) were evaluated and compared between people with and without a diagnosis of epilepsy. Results There were 12 accidental deaths among PWE (8 female, age range 12–58 years old) out of a total of 316 deaths due to accidental injuries (3.8% of all injury deaths). Causes of mortality were drowning (n=10) and burns (n=2). The proportion of deaths due to drowning among PWE was significantly higher than that of the standard population (83% (10/12) vs. 7% (21/304), relative risk 12.6 (95% CI, 7.7–20.7, p<0.0001)). Mortality due to injury in PWE occurred at a younger age compared to people without epilepsy (mean difference 20.7 years (95% CI 6.7, 34.3), p<0.004). Conclusions There is a high proportion of accidental deaths due to drowning in PWE in Bangladesh compared to the standard population. Given the risk of seasonal flooding and low level of formal education, programs targeting water safety for PWE at all ages should be emphasized, appropriate for level of ability. PMID:22341966

  3. Some critical methodological issues in secondary analysis of world health organization data on elderly suicide rates.

    PubMed

    Shah, Ajit

    2009-07-01

    Suicides may be misclassified as accidental deaths in countries with strict legal definitions of suicide, with cultural and religious factors leading to poor registration of suicide and stigma attached to suicide. The concordance between four different definitions of suicides was evaluated by examining the relationship between pure suicide and accidental death rates, gender differences, age-associated trends and potential distil risk and protective factors by conducting secondary analysis of the latest World Health Organisation data on elderly death rates. The four definitions of suicide were: (i) one-year pure suicides rates; one-year combined suicide rates (pure suicide rates combined with accidental death rates); (iii) five-year average pure suicide rates; and (iv) five-year average combined suicides rates (pure suicides rates combined with accidental death rates). The predicted negative correlation between pure suicide and accidental death rates was not observed. Gender differences were similar for all four definitions of suicide. There was a highly significant concordance for the findings of age-associated trends between one-year pure and combined suicide rates, one-year and five-year average pure suicide rates, and five-year average pure and combined suicide rates. There was poor concordance between pure and combined suicide rates for both one-year and five-year average data for the 14 potential distil risk and protective factors, but this concordance between one-year and five-year average pure suicide rates was highly significant. The use of one-year pure suicide rates in cross-national ecological studies examining gender differences, age-associated trends and potential distil risk and protective factors is likely to be practical, pragmatic and resource-efficient.

  4. Psychological variables potentially implicated in opioid-related mortality as observed in clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Passik, Steven D; Lowery, Amy

    2011-06-01

    Opioid-related deaths in the United States have become a public health problem, with accidental and unintended overdoses being especially troubling. Screening for psychological risk factors is an important first step in safeguarding against nonadherence practices and identifying patients who may be vulnerable to the risks associated with opioid therapy. Validated screening instruments can aid in this attempt as a complementary tool to clinicians' assessments. A structured screening is imperative as part of an assessment, as clinician judgment is not the most reliable method of identifying nonadherence. As a complement to formal screening, we present for discussion and possible future study certain psychological variables observed during years of clinical practice that may be linked to medication nonadherence and accidental overdose. These variables include catastrophizing, fear, impulsivity, attention deficit disorders, existential distress, and certain personality disorders. In our experience, chronic pain patients with dual diagnoses may become "chemical copers" as a way of coping with their negative emotion. For these patients, times of stress could lead to accidental overdose. Behavioral, cognitive-behavioral (acceptance and commitment, dialectical behavior), existential (meaning-centered, dignity), and psychotropic therapies have been effective in treating these high-risk comorbidities, while managing expectations of pain relief appears key to preventing accidental overdose. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Unexplained Falls Are Frequent in Patients with Fall-Related Injury Admitted to Orthopaedic Wards: The UFO Study (Unexplained Falls in Older Patients).

    PubMed

    Chiara, Mussi; Gianluigi, Galizia; Pasquale, Abete; Alessandro, Morrione; Alice, Maraviglia; Gabriele, Noro; Paolo, Cavagnaro; Loredana, Ghirelli; Giovanni, Tava; Franco, Rengo; Giulio, Masotti; Gianfranco, Salvioli; Niccolò, Marchionni; Andrea, Ungar

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the incidence of unexplained falls in elderly patients affected by fall-related fractures admitted to orthopaedic wards, we recruited 246 consecutive patients older than 65 (mean age 82 ± 7 years, range 65-101). Falls were defined "accidental" (fall explained by a definite accidental cause), "medical" (fall caused directly by a specific medical disease), "dementia-related" (fall in patients affected by moderate-severe dementia), and "unexplained" (nonaccidental falls, not related to a clear medical or drug-induced cause or with no apparent cause). According to the anamnestic features of the event, older patients had a lower tendency to remember the fall. Patients with accidental fall remember more often the event. Unexplained falls were frequent in both groups of age. Accidental falls were more frequent in younger patients, while dementia-related falls were more common in the older ones. Patients with unexplained falls showed a higher number of depressive symptoms. In a multivariate analysis a higher GDS and syncopal spells were independent predictors of unexplained falls. In conclusion, more than one third of all falls in patients hospitalized in orthopaedic wards were unexplained, particularly in patients with depressive symptoms and syncopal spells. The identification of fall causes must be evaluated in older patients with a fall-related injury.

  6. Epidemiology of injuries in Belgium: contribution of hospital data for surveillance.

    PubMed

    Senterre, Christelle; Levêque, Alain; Di Pierdomenico, Lionel; Dramaix-Wilmet, Michèle; Pirson, Magali

    2014-01-01

    Investigating injuries in terms of occurrences and patient and hospital stay characteristics. 17370 stays, with at least one E code, were investigated based on data from 13 Belgian hospitals. Pearson's chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess the variations between distributions of the investigated factors according to the injury's types. Major injuries were accidental falls, transport injuries, and self-inflicted injuries. There were more men in the transport injuries group and the accidental falls group was older. For the transport injuries, there were more arrivals with the support of a mobile intensive care unit and/or a paramedic intervention team and a general practitioner was more implicated for the accidental falls. In three-quarters of cases, it was a primary diagnostic related to injury and poisoning which was made. The median length of stay was nearly equal to one week and for accidental falls, this value is three times higher. The median cost, from the social security point of view, for all injuries was equal to € 1377 and there was a higher median cost within the falls group. This study based on hospitals data provides important information both on factors associated with and on hospital costs generated by injuries.

  7. Psychological Variables Potentially Implicated in Opioid-Related Mortality as Observed in Clinical Practice

    PubMed Central

    Passik, Steven D.; Lowery, Amy

    2014-01-01

    Opioid-related deaths in the United States have become a public health problem, with accidental and unintended overdoses being especially troubling. Screening for psychological risk factors is an important first step in safeguarding against nonadherence practices and identifying patients who may be vulnerable to the risks associated with opioid therapy. Validated screening instruments can aid in this attempt as a complementary tool to clinicians’ assessments. A structured screening is imperative as part of an assessment, as clinician judgment is not the most reliable method of identifying nonadherence. As a complement to formal screening, we present for discussion and possible future study certain psychological variables observed during years of clinical practice that may be linked to medication nonadherence and accidental overdose. These variables include catastrophizing, fear, impulsivity, attention deficit disorders, existential distress, and certain personality disorders. In our experience, chronic pain patients with dual diagnoses may become “chemical copers” as a way of coping with their negative emotion. For these patients, times of stress could lead to accidental overdose. Behavioral, cognitive-behavioral (acceptance and commitment, dialectical behavior), existential (meaning-centered, dignity), and psychotropic therapies have been effective in treating these high-risk comorbidities, while managing expectations of pain relief appears key to preventing accidental overdose. PMID:21668755

  8. Damage Control: Leveraging Crisis Communications for Operational Effect

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-10-31

    inside the structure.22 6    Figure 2. Monte Cassino Abbey – After Allied Attack (reprinted from http://digitallibrary.smu.edu/cul/gir/ ww2 /mcsc...Power Journal XIV, no. 4 (Fall 2000): 17. 29 Embassy of the United States Beijing, China , “State Department Report on Accidental Bombing of...Embassy of the United States Beijing, China , “State Department Report on Accidental Bombing of Chinese Embassy,” U.S

  9. Computing and Higher Education: An Accidental Revolution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gillespie, Robert G.; Dicaro, Deborah A.

    As the applications of computing have expanded, the issues of computing and higher education have enlarged to include questions about the nature of information transfer on campus and the role of higher education in an information society. A broad view of the national issues and opportunities of computing in higher education is presented. A panel…

  10. Accidental intra-arterial injection of fluorescein dye.

    PubMed

    Bovino, J A; Marcus, D F

    1984-12-01

    During fluorescein angiography, sodium fluorescein dye intended for intravenous use was inadvertently injected into an artery in the antecubital fossa. An immediate and dramatic orange discoloration of the skin distal to the injection combined with intense burning pain of the right forearm and hand were noted. The patient was treated with ice packs and analgesics. The fluorescein angiogram showed a delayed arm to eye circulation time, but was of normal quality. There were no long-term complications.

  11. Arctic Cold Weather Medicine and Accidental Hypothermia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-03-01

    due to the rotor wash or behind air craft with prop wash causing vary high wind chill factors freezing exposed skin in seconds. The windchill 0hart in...references 7-9. 3. Snow blindness The ultraviolet rays of the sun, even on a cloudy day, reflect off the snow and can burn the outer layer of the eye...the cornea. Symptoms may not appear for 2 to 12 hours after exposure. Common symptoms are a burning or gritty sensation, excessive tearing, and eye

  12. Vascular ring complicates accidental button battery ingestion.

    PubMed

    Mercer, Ronald W; Schwartz, Matthew C; Stephany, Joshua; Donnelly, Lane F; Franciosi, James P; Epelman, Monica

    2015-01-01

    Button battery ingestion can lead to dangerous complications, including vasculoesophageal fistula formation. The presence of a vascular ring may complicate battery ingestion if the battery lodges at the level of the ring and its important vascular structures. We report a 4-year-old boy with trisomy 21 who was diagnosed with a vascular ring at the time of button battery ingestion and died 9 days after presentation due to massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding from esophageal erosion and vasculoesophageal fistula formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Singlet scalar top partners from accidental supersymmetry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Hsin-Chia; Li, Lingfeng; Salvioni, Ennio; Verhaaren, Christopher B.

    2018-05-01

    We present a model wherein the Higgs mass is protected from the quadratic one-loop top quark corrections by scalar particles that are complete singlets under the Standard Model (SM) gauge group. While bearing some similarity to Folded Supersymmetry, the construction is purely four dimensional and enjoys more parametric freedom, allowing electroweak symmetry breaking to occur easily. The cancelation of the top loop quadratic divergence is ensured by a Z 3 symmetry that relates the SM top sector and two hidden top sectors, each charged under its own hidden color group. In addition to the singlet scalars, the hidden sectors contain electroweak-charged supermultiplets below the TeV scale, which provide the main access to this model at colliders. The phenomenology presents both differences and similarities with respect to other realizations of neutral naturalness. Generally, the glueballs of hidden color have longer decay lengths. The production of hidden sector particles results in quirk or squirk bound states, which later annihilate. We survey the possible signatures and corresponding experimental constraints.

  14. Susceptibility Index of Explosives to Accidental Initiation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-10-01

    89 - ,I ~ .I•i / 2"•/ ’ / ". -] " •I I I - I -. . 27 TNB S f.: 90 90 90 _ - •0 .... ., .. . - 28 PBXN -5 S.I.: 106 106 75 74 75 91- I -- ItI / -d...S. 1. 1390 139 84 62 73 106 Al - -. - - - - I- - i - -A 39 PBXW-109 S,. .: 156* 156 86 66 76 89* 107 40 PBXN - 106 S.l.: 111w 97* 104 88 78 03 149* 107... PBXN -105 50/26/17/7 AP/AL/BINDER/RDX PBXN - 106 75/25 RDX/BINDER PENTOLITE 50/50 PETN/TNT PICRATOL 52/48 EXPLOSIVE D/TNT TRITONAL 80/20 TNT/AL 9007 90

  15. Fragment and Debris Hazards from Accidental Explosions

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-07-13

    region boundr’ a - fragment weight m - number of fragments with weight PAq . are determined using 9. the ever- age weight of fragments voeithing more than...34 Nineteenth Explosives Safety Seminar, Los Ang. es, CA, Sep 1980. Merz, Hans A., "The Effects of Explosions in Slightly Buried Concrete Structures

  16. Ten Tips to Prevent an Accidental Overdose

    MedlinePlus

    ... Devices Radiation-Emitting Products Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products For Consumers Home For Consumers ... in Children's Meds More in Consumer Updates Animal & Veterinary Children's Health Cosmetics Dietary Supplements Drugs Food Medical ...

  17. Field Management of Accidental Hypothermia during Diving

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-01-01

    diving operations. 4 3. Diving after tending for prolonged periods leading to hypothermia before diving. 4. Dry suit undergarments that are wet due to...dives, reducing insulation of the undergarment, and then remaining at rest for prolonged decompressiofi stops. 6. Inadequate thermal insulation: wet ...suit instead of dry suit, undergarment selection too thin, too compressible or of poor insulation when wet (63-64), inadequate thermal insulation of the

  18. TUBERCULOSIS COMO ENFERMEDAD OCUPACIONAL

    PubMed Central

    Mendoza-Ticona, Alberto

    2014-01-01

    Existe evidencia suficiente para declarar a la tuberculosis como enfermedad ocupacional en diversos profesionales especialmente entre los trabajadores de salud. En el Perú están normados y reglamentados los derechos laborales inherentes a la tuberculosis como enfermedad ocupacional, como la cobertura por discapacidad temporal o permanente. Sin embargo, estos derechos aún no han sido suficientemente socializados. En este trabajo se presenta información sobre el riesgo de adquirir tuberculosis en el lugar de trabajo, se revisan las evidencias para declarar a la tuberculosis como enfermedad ocupacional en trabajadores de salud y se presenta la legislación peruana vigente al respecto. PMID:22858771

  19. Administration of the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968, Public Law 90-602, April 1, 1987 (1986 annual report). Report for January-December 1986

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Not Available

    This report provides a summary of the operations of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health in carrying out that responsibility for calendar year 1986. Manufactureres of electronic products are required by 21 CFR 1002.20 to report accidental radiation occurrences to the CDRH. The Center no longer maintains a Radiation Incidents Registry, since accidental radiation occurrences are reported through the Device Experience Network (DEN) and through the requirements of the Medical Device Reporting (MDR) regulations.

  20. Surgical Repair of an Impalement Genital Injury from an Inline Skating Accident in a 7-Year-Old Prepubertal Girl: A Case Report.

    PubMed

    Csorba, Roland; Engel, Joerg B; Wieg, Christian

    2017-02-01

    In girls who present with vaginal trauma, sexual abuse is often the primary diagnosis. The differential diagnosis must include patterns and the mechanism of injury that differentiate accidental injuries from inflicted trauma. A 7-year-old prepubertal girl presented to the emergency department with genital bleeding after a serious accidental impaling injury from inline skating. After rapid abduction of the legs and a fall onto the blade of an inline skate this child incurred an impaling genital injury consistent with an accidental mechanism. The dramatic genital injuries when repaired healed with almost imperceptible residual evidence of previous trauma. To our knowledge, this case report represents the first in the medical literature of an impaling vaginal trauma from an inline skate and describes its clinical and surgical management. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.