The ESX-5 System of Pathogenic Mycobacteria Is Involved In Capsule Integrity and Virulence through Its Substrate PPE10

PubMed Central

Ates, Louis S.; van der Woude, Aniek D.; Bestebroer, Jovanka; van Stempvoort, Gunny; Musters, René J. P.; Garcia-Vallejo, Juan J.; Picavet, Daisy I.; van de Weerd, Robert; Maletta, Massimiliano; Kuijl, Coenraad P.; van der Wel, Nicole N.; Bitter, Wilbert

2016-01-01

Mycobacteria produce a capsule layer, which consists of glycan-like polysaccharides and a number of specific proteins. In this study, we show that, in slow-growing mycobacteria, the type VII secretion system ESX-5 plays a major role in the integrity and stability of the capsule. We have identified PPE10 as the ESX-5 substrate responsible for this effect. Mutants in esx-5 and ppe10 both have impaired capsule integrity as well as reduced surface hydrophobicity. Electron microscopy, immunoblot and flow cytometry analyses demonstrated reduced amounts of surface localized proteins and glycolipids, and morphological differences in the capsular layer. Since capsular proteins secreted by the ESX-1 system are important virulence factors, we tested the effect of the mutations that cause capsular defects on virulence mechanisms. Both esx-5 and ppe10 mutants of Mycobacterium marinum were shown to be impaired in ESX-1-dependent hemolysis. In agreement with this, the ppe10 and esx5 mutants showed reduced recruitment of ubiquitin in early macrophage infection and intermediate attenuation in zebrafish embryos. These results provide a pivotal role for the ESX-5 secretion system and its substrate PPE10, in the capsular integrity of pathogenic mycobacteria. These findings open up new roads for research on the mycobacterial capsule and its role in virulence and immune modulation. PMID:27280885

The equation of state of n-pentane in the atomistic model TraPPE-EH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valeev, B. U.; Pisarev, V. V.

2018-01-01

In this work, we study the vapor-liquid equilibrium in n-pentane. We use the TraPPE-EH (transferable potentials for phase equilibria-explicit hydrogen) forcefield, where each hydrogen and carbon atom is considered as independent center of force. The fluid behavior was investigated with different values of density and temperature by molecular dynamics method. The n-pentane evaporation curve was calculated in the temperature range of 290 to 390 K. The densities of the coexisting phases are also calculated. The compression curve at 370 K was calculated and isothermal bulk modulus was found. The simulated properties of n-pentane are in good agreement with data from a database of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, so the TraPPE-EH model can be recommended for simulations of hydrocarbons.

Effects of Anthropometrics and Body Size Changes on the Development of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Sizing Systems in the US Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

ANTHROPOMETRICS AND BODY SIZE CHANGES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) SIZING SYSTEMS IN THE US ARMY by Hyeg Joo Choi* Todd...EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOMETRICS AND BODY SIZE CHANGES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) SIZING SYSTEMS IN THE US ARMY 5a. CONTRACT...Universities (ORAU) Maryland, 4692 Millennium Drive, Suite 101, Belcamp, MD 21017 14. ABSTRACT Understanding body size and shape information of military

Evaluating a Moving Target: Lessons Learned from Using Practical Participatory Evaluation (P-PE) in Hospital Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wharton, Tracy; Alexander, Neil

2013-01-01

This article describes lessons learned about implementing evaluations in hospital settings. In order to overcome the methodological dilemmas inherent in this environment, we used a practical participatory evaluation (P-PE) strategy to engage as many stakeholders as possible in the process of evaluating a clinical demonstration project.…

The PPE18 protein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis inhibits NF-κB/rel-mediated proinflammatory cytokine production by upregulating and phosphorylating suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 protein.

PubMed

Nair, Shiny; Pandey, Akhilesh Datt; Mukhopadhyay, Sangita

2011-05-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria are known to suppress proinflammatory cytokines like IL-12 and TNF-α for a biased Th2 response that favors a successful infection and its subsequent intracellular survival. However, the signaling pathways targeted by the bacilli to inhibit production of these cytokines are not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the PPE18 protein of M. tuberculosis inhibits LPS-induced IL-12 and TNF-α production by blocking nuclear translocation of p50, p65 NF-κB, and c-rel transcription factors. We found that PPE18 upregulates the expression as well as tyrosine phosphorylation of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), and the phosphorylated SOCS3 physically interacts with IκBα-NF-κB/rel complex, inhibiting phosphorylation of IκBα at the serine 32/36 residues by IκB kinase-β, and thereby prevents nuclear translocation of the NF-κB/rel subunits in LPS-activated macrophages. Specific knockdown of SOCS3 by small interfering RNA enhanced IκBα phosphorylation, leading to increased nuclear levels of NF-κB/rel transcription factors vis-a-vis IL-12 p40 and TNF-α production in macrophages cotreated with PPE18 and LPS. The PPE18 protein did not affect the IκB kinase-β activity. Our study describes a novel mechanism by which phosphorylated SOCS3 inhibits NF-κB activation by masking the phosphorylation site of IκBα. Also, this study highlights the possible mechanisms by which the M. tuberculosis suppresses production of proinflammatory cytokines using PPE18.

Evaluation of the acceptability of Peer Physical Examination (PPE) in medical and osteopathic students: a cross sectional survey.

PubMed

Consorti, Fabrizio; Mancuso, Rosaria; Piccolo, Annalisa; Consorti, Giacomo; Zurlo, Joseph

2013-08-22

Peer physical examination (PPE) is a method of training in medical and osteopathic curricula. The aim of this study was to compare the acceptability of PPE in two classes of medical and osteopathic students after their first experience, to obtain comparative information useful for an understanding of the different professional approaches. The leading hypothesis was that osteopathic students enter the curriculum with a more positive attitude to bodily contact.As a secondary aim, this study validated the new version of a questionnaire to assess the acceptability of PPE. A new version of a previously validated questionnaire and an instrument from the literature (the Examining Fellow Student [EFS] questionnaire) were used for a cross-sectional survey in a class of 129 3rd year medical students and in two parallel classes of 1st year osteopathic students (total of 112 students). The mean score of the new questionnaire was significantly higher for the osteopathic students than for the medical students (53.4 ± 6.3 vs. 43.4 ± 8.9; p < 0.01). The only independent variables that were significantly predictive of the score in a linear regression analysis were gender and the condition of medical or osteopathic student. The EFS mean score also showed a significant difference between the osteopathic and medical students (30.76 ± 2.9 vs. 27.85 ± 4.3; p < 0.01).Factor analysis of the new questionnaire identified three factors (appropriateness and usefulness, sexual implications and passive role) accounting for 62.8% of the variance. Criterion validity was assessed by correlation with the EFS (Pearson's r coefficient = 0.61). Reliability was expressed in terms of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which equals 0.86. These quantitative results are consistent with previous qualitative research on the process of embodiment both in medicine and osteopathy. The new questionnaire proved to be valid and reliable. The objective assessment of the acceptability of PPE is a way to determine

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart I of... - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Hazard Assessment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selection...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... conjunction with engineering controls, guards, and safe work practices and procedures. 2. Assessment and... are likely to arise under foreseeable work activity conditions and to match employee PPE to the...

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart I of... - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Hazard Assessment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selection...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... conjunction with engineering controls, guards, and safe work practices and procedures. 2. Assessment and... are likely to arise under foreseeable work activity conditions and to match employee PPE to the...

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart I of... - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Hazard Assessment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selection...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... conjunction with engineering controls, guards, and safe work practices and procedures. 2. Assessment and... are likely to arise under foreseeable work activity conditions and to match employee PPE to the...

29 CFR Appendix A to Subpart I of... - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Hazard Assessment, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Selection...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... conjunction with engineering controls, guards, and safe work practices and procedures. 2. Assessment and... are likely to arise under foreseeable work activity conditions and to match employee PPE to the...

Evaluation of the acceptability of Peer Physical Examination (PPE) in medical and osteopathic students: a cross sectional survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Peer physical examination (PPE) is a method of training in medical and osteopathic curricula. The aim of this study was to compare the acceptability of PPE in two classes of medical and osteopathic students after their first experience, to obtain comparative information useful for an understanding of the different professional approaches. The leading hypothesis was that osteopathic students enter the curriculum with a more positive attitude to bodily contact. As a secondary aim, this study validated the new version of a questionnaire to assess the acceptability of PPE. Methods A new version of a previously validated questionnaire and an instrument from the literature (the Examining Fellow Student [EFS] questionnaire) were used for a cross-sectional survey in a class of 129 3rd year medical students and in two parallel classes of 1st year osteopathic students (total of 112 students). Results The mean score of the new questionnaire was significantly higher for the osteopathic students than for the medical students (53.4 ± 6.3 vs. 43.4 ± 8.9; p < 0.01). The only independent variables that were significantly predictive of the score in a linear regression analysis were gender and the condition of medical or osteopathic student. The EFS mean score also showed a significant difference between the osteopathic and medical students (30.76 ± 2.9 vs. 27.85 ± 4.3; p < 0.01). Factor analysis of the new questionnaire identified three factors (appropriateness and usefulness, sexual implications and passive role) accounting for 62.8% of the variance. Criterion validity was assessed by correlation with the EFS (Pearson’s r coefficient = 0.61). Reliability was expressed in terms of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, which equals 0.86. Conclusions These quantitative results are consistent with previous qualitative research on the process of embodiment both in medicine and osteopathy. The new questionnaire proved to be valid and reliable. The

Cocoa Farmers’ Compliance with Safety Precautions in Spraying Agrochemicals and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Cameroon

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The inability of farmers to comply with essential precautions in the course of spraying agrochemicals remains a policy dilemma, especially in developing countries. The objectives of this paper were to assess compliance of cocoa farmers with agrochemical safety measures, analyse the factors explaining involvement of cocoa farmers in the practice of reusing agrochemical containers and wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE). Data were collected with structured questionnaires from 667 cocoa farmers from the Centre and South West regions in Cameroon. Data analyses were carried out with Probit regression and Negative Binomial regression models. The results showed that average cocoa farm sizes were 3.55 ha and 2.82 ha in South West and Centre regions, respectively, and 89.80% and 42.64% complied with manufacturers’ instructions in the use of insecticides. Eating or drinking while spraying insecticides and fungicides was reported by 4.20% and 5.10% of all farmers in the two regions, respectively. However, 37.78% and 57.57% of all farmers wore hand gloves and safety boots while spraying insecticides in the South West and Centre regions of Cameroon, respectively. In addition, 7.80% of all the farmers would wash agrochemical containers and use them at home, while 42.43% would wash and use them on their farms. Probit regression results showed that probability of reusing agrochemical containers was significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by region of residence of cocoa farmers, gender, possession of formal education and farming as primary occupation. The Negative Binomial regression results showed that the log of number PPE worn was significantly influenced (p < 0.10) by region, marital status, attainment of formal education, good health, awareness of manufacturers’ instructions, land area and contact index. It was among others concluded that efforts to train farmers on the need to be familiar with manufacturers’ instructions and use PPE would enhance their safety in

Cocoa Farmers' Compliance with Safety Precautions in Spraying Agrochemicals and Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Cameroon.

PubMed

Oyekale, Abayomi Samuel

2018-02-13

The inability of farmers to comply with essential precautions in the course of spraying agrochemicals remains a policy dilemma, especially in developing countries. The objectives of this paper were to assess compliance of cocoa farmers with agrochemical safety measures, analyse the factors explaining involvement of cocoa farmers in the practice of reusing agrochemical containers and wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE). Data were collected with structured questionnaires from 667 cocoa farmers from the Centre and South West regions in Cameroon. Data analyses were carried out with Probit regression and Negative Binomial regression models. The results showed that average cocoa farm sizes were 3.55 ha and 2.82 ha in South West and Centre regions, respectively, and 89.80% and 42.64% complied with manufacturers' instructions in the use of insecticides. Eating or drinking while spraying insecticides and fungicides was reported by 4.20% and 5.10% of all farmers in the two regions, respectively. However, 37.78% and 57.57% of all farmers wore hand gloves and safety boots while spraying insecticides in the South West and Centre regions of Cameroon, respectively. In addition, 7.80% of all the farmers would wash agrochemical containers and use them at home, while 42.43% would wash and use them on their farms. Probit regression results showed that probability of reusing agrochemical containers was significantly influenced ( p < 0.05) by region of residence of cocoa farmers, gender, possession of formal education and farming as primary occupation. The Negative Binomial regression results showed that the log of number PPE worn was significantly influenced ( p < 0.10) by region, marital status, attainment of formal education, good health, awareness of manufacturers' instructions, land area and contact index. It was among others concluded that efforts to train farmers on the need to be familiar with manufacturers' instructions and use PPE would enhance their safety in the

A 16 kb naturally occurring genomic deletion including mce and PPE genes in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates from goats with Johne's disease.

PubMed

Castellanos, Elena; Aranaz, Alicia; de Juan, Lucia; Dominguez, Lucas; Linedale, Richard; Bull, Tim J

2012-09-14

In this study we characterise the genomic and transcriptomic variability of a natural deletion strain of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) prevalent in Spanish Guadarrama goats. Using a pan-genome microarray including MAP and M. avium subspecies hominissuis 104 genomes (MAPAC) we demonstrate the genotype to be MAP Type II with a single deletion of 19 contiguous ORFs (16 kb) including a complete mammalian cell entry (mce7_1) operon and adjacent proline-glutamic acid (PE)/proline-proline-glutamic acid (PPE) genes. A deletion specific PCR test was developed and a subsequent screening identified four goat herds infected with the variant strain. Each was located in central Spain and showed epidemiological links suggestive of transmission between herds. A majority of animals infected with the variant manifested a paucibacillary form of the disease. Comparisons between virulent complete genome compliment strains isolated from multibacillary diseased goats and the MAP variant strain during entry into activated macrophages demonstrated an increased sensitivity in the variant to intracellular killing in human and ovine macrophages. As PPE and mce genes are associated with mycobacterial virulence and pathogenesis we investigated the interplay of these gene sets during cell entry using the MAPAC array. This showed significant differential transcriptome profiles compared to full genome complement MAP controls that included changes in other undeleted mce operons and PE/PPE genes, esx-like signalling operons and stress response/fatty acid metabolism pathways. This strain represents the first report of a MAP Type II genotype with significant natural genomic deletions which remains able to cause disease and is transmissible in goats. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative genomic and proteomic analyses of PE/PPE multigene family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and H37Ra reveal novel and interesting differences with implications in virulence

PubMed Central

Kohli, Sakshi; Singh, Yadvir; Sharma, Khushbu; Mittal, Aditya; Ehtesham, Nasreen Z.; Hasnain, Seyed E.

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a leading infectious disease taking one human life every 15 s globally. The two well-characterized strains H37Rv and H37Ra, derived from the same parental strain M. tuberculosis H37, show dramatically different pathogenic phenotypes. PE/PPE gene family, comprising of 176 open reading frames and present exclusively in genus Mycobacterium, accounts for ∼10% of the M. tuberculosis genome. Our comprehensive in silico analyses of PE/PPE family of H37Ra and virulent H37Rv strains revealed genetic differences between these strains in terms of several single nucleotide variations and InDels and these manifested in changes in physico-chemical properties, phosphorylation sites, and protein: protein interacting domains of the corresponding proteomes. Similar comparisons using the 13 sigma factor genes, 36 members of the mammalian cell entry family, 13 mycobacterial membrane protein large family members and 11 two-component signal transduction systems along with 5 orphaned response regulators and 2 orphaned sensor kinases failed to reveal very significant difference between H37Rv and H37Ra, reinforcing the importance of PE/PPE genes. Many of these changes between H37Rv and H37Ra can be correlated to differences in pathogenesis and virulence of the two strains. PMID:22618876

Draft genome sequence of Paraburkholderia tropica Ppe8 strain, a sugarcane endophytic diazotrophic bacterium.

PubMed

Silva, Paula Renata Alves da; Simões-Araújo, Jean Luiz; Vidal, Márcia Soares; Cruz, Leonardo Magalhães; Souza, Emanuel Maltempi de; Baldani, José Ivo

Paraburkholderia tropica (syn Burkholderia tropica) are nitrogen-fixing bacteria commonly found in sugarcane. The Paraburkholderia tropica strain Ppe8 is part of the sugarcane inoculant consortium that has a beneficial effect on yield. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this strain elucidating the mechanisms involved in its interaction mainly with Poaceae. A genome size of approximately 8.75Mb containing 7844 protein coding genes distributed in 526 subsystems was de novo assembled with ABySS and annotated by RAST. Genes related to the nitrogen fixation process, the secretion systems (I, II, III, IV, and VI), and related to a variety of metabolic traits, such as metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins, and proteins, were detected, suggesting a broad metabolic capacity and possible adaptation to plant association. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Selection of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube with Narrow Diameter Distribution by Using a PPE PPV Copolymer

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

Perry, Kelly A; Chen, Yusheng; Malkovskiy, Andrey

2012-01-01

Electronic and mechanic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are uniquely dependent on the tube's chiralities and diameters. Isolation of different type SWNTs remains one of the fundamental and challenging issues in nanotube science. Herein, we demonstrate that SWNTs can be effectively enriched to a narrow diameter range by sequential treatment of the HiPco sample with nitric acid and a {pi}-conjugated copolymer poly(phenyleneethynylene) (PPE)-co-poly(phenylenevinylene) (PPV). On the basis of Raman, fluorescence, and microscopic evidence, the nitric acid is found to selectively remove the SWNTs of small diameter. The polymer not only effectively dispersed carbon nanotubes but also exhibited a goodmore » selectivity toward a few SWNTs. The reported approach thus offers a new methodology to isolate SWNTs, which has the potential to operate in a relatively large scale.« less

Selection and evaluation of reference genes for RT-qPCR expression studies on Burkholderia tropica strain Ppe8, a sugarcane-associated diazotrophic bacterium grown with different carbon sources or sugarcane juice.

PubMed

da Silva, Paula Renata Alves; Vidal, Marcia Soares; de Paula Soares, Cleiton; Polese, Valéria; Simões-Araújo, Jean Luís; Baldani, José Ivo

2016-11-01

Among the members of the genus Burkholderia, Burkholderia tropica has the ability to fix nitrogen and promote sugarcane plant growth as well as act as a biological control agent. There is little information about how this bacterium metabolizes carbohydrates as well as those carbon sources found in the sugarcane juice that accumulates in stems during plant growth. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) can be used to evaluate changes in gene expression during bacterial growth on different carbon sources. Here we tested the expression of six reference genes, lpxC, gyrB, recA, rpoA, rpoB, and rpoD, when cells were grown with glucose, fructose, sucrose, mannitol, aconitic acid, and sugarcane juice as carbon sources. The lpxC, gyrB, and recA were selected as the most stable reference genes based on geNorm and NormFinder software analyses. Validation of these three reference genes during strain Ppe8 growth on the same carbon sources showed that genes involved in glycogen biosynthesis (glgA, glgB, glgC) and trehalose biosynthesis (treY and treZ) were highly expressed when Ppe8 was grown in aconitic acid relative to other carbon sources, while otsA expression (trehalose biosynthesis) was reduced with all carbon sources. In addition, the expression level of the ORF_6066 (gluconolactonase) gene was reduced on sugarcane juice. The results confirmed the stability of the three selected reference genes (lpxC, gyrB, and recA) during the RT-qPCR and also their robustness by evaluating the relative expression of genes involved in glycogen and trehalose biosynthesis when strain Ppe8 was grown on different carbon sources and sugarcane juice.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis PPE44 (Rv2770c) is involved in response to multiple stresses and promotes the macrophage expression of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 via the p38, ERK, and NF-κB signaling axis.

PubMed

Yu, Zhaoxiao; Zhang, Chenhui; Zhou, Mingliang; Li, Qiming; Li, Hui; Duan, Wei; Li, Xue; Feng, Yonghong; Xie, Jianping

2017-09-01

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, remains a formidable threat to global public health. The successful intracellular persistence of M. tuberculosis significantly contributes to the intractability of tuberculosis. Proline-glutamic acid (PE) and proline-proline-glutamic acid (PPE) are mycobacterial exclusive protein families that widely reported to be involved in the bacterial virulence, physiology and interaction with host. Rv2770c (PPE44), a predicted virulence factor, was up-regulated upon the infected guinea pig lungs. To investigate the role of Rv2770c, we heterologously expressed the PPE44 in the nonpathogenic fast-growing M. smegmatis strain. Subcellular location analysis demonstrated that Rv2770c is a cell wall associated protein, suggestive of a potential candidate involved in host-pathogen interaction. The Rv2770c can enhance M. smegmatis survival within macrophages and under stresses such as H 2 O 2 , SDS, diamide exposure, and low pH condition. M. smegmatis expressing Rv2770c is more virulent as testified by the increased death of macrophages and the increased expression of interlukin-6 (IL-6) and interlukin-12p40 (IL-12p40). Moreover, Rv2770c altered the secretion of IL-6 and IL-12p40 of macrophages via NF-κB, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK axis. Taken together, this study implicated that Rv2770c was a virulent factor actively engaged in the interaction with host macrophage. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Recombinant BCG prime and PPE protein boost provides potent protection against acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice.

PubMed

Yang, Enzhuo; Gu, Jin; Wang, Feifei; Wang, Honghai; Shen, Hongbo; Chen, Zheng W

2016-04-01

Since BCG, the only vaccine widely used against tuberculosis (TB) in the world, provides varied protective efficacy and may not be effective for inducing long-term cellular immunity, it is in an urgent need to develop more effective vaccines and more potent immune strategies against TB. Prime-boost is proven to be a good strategy by inducing long-term protection. In this study, we tested the protective effect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) challenge of prime-boost strategy by recombinant BCG (rBCG) expressing PPE protein Rv3425 fused with Ag85B and Rv3425. Results showed that the prime-boost strategy could significantly increase the protective efficiency against Mtb infection, characterized by reduction of bacterial load in lung and spleen, attenuation of tuberculosis lesions in lung tissues. Importantly, we found that Rv3425 boost, superior to Ag85B boost, provided better protection against Mtb infection. Further research proved that rBCG prime-Rv3425 boost could obviously increase the expansion of lymphocytes, significantly induce IL-2 production by lymphocytes upon PPD stimulation, and inhibit IL-6 production at an early stage. It implied that rBCG prime-Rv3425 boost opted to induce Th1 immune response and provided a long-term protection against TB. These results implicated that rBCG prime-Rv3425 boost is a potent and promising strategy to prevent acute Mtb infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical implications of immediate or later periportal edema in MS-CT trauma scans: surrogate parameter of intravenous fluid status and venous congestion.

PubMed

Kleber, C; Buschmann, C T

2013-06-01

Periportal edema (PPE) of the liver in multislice computed tomography (MS-CT) scans that develops immediately (primary PPE [pPPE]) or later (secondary PPE [sPPE]) is not uncommon in severe trauma patients. Although PPE may serve as a marker for blunt abdominal trauma (22-31 % of cases), distinct causes and clinical implications of PPE are unclear. We analyzed the incidence of pPPE and sPPE in 68 MS-CT scans in severe trauma patients (2007-2009). Exclusion criteria were severely burned patients and patients with preexistent liver diseases predisposing to PPE. We divided PPE+ patients into two subpopulations-either initial/primary PPE (pPPE+) or later/secondary PPE (sPPE+). Further patient data were collected and statistically analyzed. PPE+ was found in 27.9 % (n = 19). Females predominated (p = 0.01), and PPE+ patients presented with a significantly better pH at admission (p = 0.008). The total amount of volume resuscitation (1,983 ± 1,155 ml; p = 0.02) and crystalloids (1,117 ± 796 ml; p = 0.006) administered before MS-CT scans was significantly higher in PPE+, whereas the amount of administered colloids (797 ± 640 ml) showed no significant difference in both groups. PPE+ was not associated with further patient data, i.e., trauma mechanism, injury severity, prognosis-relevant factors, adverse clinical events, or mortality. pPPE+ in MS-CT may serve as a surrogate parameter for intravenous volume load and/or venous congestion, and sPPE+ may also indicate venous congestion and right heart failure after severe trauma. In severe trauma patients with pPPE+/sPPE+ in MS-CT scans, causes of PPE relating to intravenous fluid overload and/or venous congestion should be excluded or treated.

Assessment of Healthcare Worker Protocol Deviations and Self-Contamination During Personal Protective Equipment Donning and Doffing.

PubMed

Kwon, Jennie H; Burnham, Carey-Ann D; Reske, Kimberly A; Liang, Stephen Y; Hink, Tiffany; Wallace, Meghan A; Shupe, Angela; Seiler, Sondra; Cass, Candice; Fraser, Victoria J; Dubberke, Erik R

2017-09-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate healthcare worker (HCW) risk of self-contamination when donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE) using fluorescence and MS2 bacteriophage. DESIGN Prospective pilot study. SETTING Tertiary-care hospital. PARTICIPANTS A total of 36 HCWs were included in this study: 18 donned/doffed contact precaution (CP) PPE and 18 donned/doffed Ebola virus disease (EVD) PPE. INTERVENTIONS HCWs donned PPE according to standard protocols. Fluorescent liquid and MS2 bacteriophage were applied to HCWs. HCWs then doffed their PPE. After doffing, HCWs were scanned for fluorescence and swabbed for MS2. MS2 detection was performed using reverse transcriptase PCR. The donning and doffing processes were videotaped, and protocol deviations were recorded. RESULTS Overall, 27% of EVD PPE HCWs and 50% of CP PPE HCWs made ≥1 protocol deviation while donning, and 100% of EVD PPE HCWs and 67% of CP PPE HCWs made ≥1 protocol deviation while doffing (P=.02). The median number of doffing protocol deviations among EVD PPE HCWs was 4, versus 1 among CP PPE HCWs. Also, 15 EVD PPE protocol deviations were committed by doffing assistants and/or trained observers. Fluorescence was detected on 8 EVD PPE HCWs (44%) and 5 CP PPE HCWs (28%), most commonly on hands. MS2 was recovered from 2 EVD PPE HCWs (11%) and 3 CP PPE HCWs (17%). CONCLUSIONS Protocol deviations were common during both EVD and CP PPE doffing, and some deviations during EVD PPE doffing were committed by the HCW doffing assistant and/or the trained observer. Self-contamination was common. PPE donning/doffing are complex and deserve additional study. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1077-1083.

Use of protective equipment by adolescents in inline skating, skateboarding, and snowboarding.

PubMed

Kroncke, Erica L; Niedfeldt, Mark W; Young, Craig C

2008-01-01

Determine the frequency of personal protective equipment (PPE) use in adolescent inline skaters, skateboarders, and snowboarders; explore factors influencing PPE use; identify factors that would influence use; and examine the association of high-risk behaviors and PPE use. Cross-sectional survey. Central/southeast Wisconsin. Participants 13-18 years-old. None. Independent variables = age, gender, sport. None. Dependent variables = PPE use, factors influencing use, and frequency of other high-risk behaviors. The mean age of 333 participiants was 14.9 years. Adolescents wore considerably less PPE than recommended. Inline skaters wore the most; snowboarders the least. The most common reasons adolescents wore PPE were parents, peers, and rule/requirement. Younger adolescents cited parents more often than older adolescents as a factor for PPE use. Discomfort and lack of perceived need were the most common reasons for nonuse. Sustaining/witnessing an accident was the most common reason that would convince adolescents to wear PPE. Almost half of adolescents reported nothing would convince them to wear PPE. Younger adolescents wore more PPE than older adolescents. An association was seen between PPE use in all sports and bicycle helmets. An inverse relationship was found for tobacco and helmet use among skaters, as well as alcohol and helmet use in skateboarders. Adolescents underuse PPE. PPE reinforcement by parents/peers, encouraging bike helmets, manufacturing more comfortable gear, educating adolescents, and instituting PPE requirements in public areas may increase compliance. This could lead to decreased injuries. Physicians should discuss PPE with their patients/families. There may be an association between PPE use in extreme sports and decreased high-risk health behaviors.

Tailoring the structure of aligned carbon nanotube bundle by reactive polymer for strengthening its surface interaction with thermosets and the excellent properties of the hybrid thermosets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Qingbao; Yuan, Li; Zhang, Yi; Gu, Aijuan; Liang, Guozheng

2018-05-01

Aligned carbon nanotube bundles (ACNTB) with multi-level hierarchical structures were tailored by reactive polymer vinyl-terminated polyphenylene ether (PPE) for the excellent integrated property of bismaleimide-triazine (BT) resin. The PPE-tailored ACNTB (ACNTB@PPE) has increased strength for the penetration of PPE into porous ACNTB strengthening the interaction between each CNT. The strong interaction at the interface of ACNTB@PPE and BT matrix can be created owing to the reaction of the vinyl group in PPE on the surface of ACNTB and maleimide group in BT. BT with 2% ACNTB@PPE composite shows the optimal flexural strength, fracture toughness and tensile strength, which are 88%, 115% and 77% higher than those of BT, respectively. The introduction of ACNTB@PPE slightly enhances the thermal property of BT. ACNTB@PPE can significantly improve the flame retardancy of BT composites. As compared to individual ACNTB, ACNTB@PPE effectively improves the integrated property of BT composites mainly due to the chemical interaction at the interface of ACNTB@PPE and BT matrix and the increased interaction between each CNT.

Personal protective equipment and improving compliance among healthcare workers in high-risk settings.

PubMed

Honda, Hitoshi; Iwata, Kentaro

2016-08-01

Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects healthcare workers (HCWs) from infection by highly virulent pathogens via exposure to body fluids and respiratory droplets. Given the recent outbreaks of contagious infectious diseases worldwide, including Ebola virus and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome, there is urgent need for further research to determine optimal PPE use in high-risk settings. This review intends to provide a general understanding of PPE and to provide guidelines for appropriate use based on current evidence. Although previous studies have focused on the efficacy of PPE in preventing transmission of pathogens, recent studies have examined the dangers to HCWs during removal of PPE when risk of contamination is highest. Access to adequate PPE supplies is crucial to preventing transmission of pathogens, especially in resource-limited settings. Adherence to appropriate PPE use is a challenge due to inadequate education on its usage, technical difficulties, and tolerability of PPE in the workplace. Future projects aim at ameliorating this situation, including redesigning PPE which is crucial to improving the safety of HCWs. PPE remains the most important strategy for protecting HCW from potentially fatal pathogens. Further research into optimal PPE design and use to improve the safety of HCWs is urgently needed.

Chest Compression With Personal Protective Equipment During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Randomized Crossover Simulation Study.

PubMed

Chen, Jie; Lu, Kai-Zhi; Yi, Bin; Chen, Yan

2016-04-01

Following a chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear incident, prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) procedure is essential for patients who suffer cardiac arrest. But CPR when wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) before decontamination becomes a challenge for healthcare workers (HCW). Although previous studies have assessed the impact of PPE on airway management, there is little research available regarding the quality of chest compression (CC) when wearing PPE.A present randomized cross-over simulation study was designed to evaluate the effect of PPE on CC performance using mannequins.The study was set in one university medical center in the China.Forty anesthesia residents participated in this randomized cross-over study.Each participant performed 2 min of CC on a manikin with and without PPE, respectively. Participants were randomized into 2 groups that either performed CC with PPE first, followed by a trial without PPE after a 180-min rest, or vice versa.CPR recording technology was used to objectively quantify the quality of CC. Additionally, participants' physiological parameters and subjective fatigue score values were recorded.With the use of PPE, a significant decrease of the percentage of effective compressions (41.3 ± 17.1% with PPE vs 67.5 ± 15.6% without PPE, P < 0.001) and the percentage of adequate compressions (67.7 ± 18.9% with PPE vs 80.7 ± 15.5% without PPE, P < 0.001) were observed. Furthermore, the increases in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and subjective fatigue score values were more obvious with the use of PPE (all P < 0.01).We found significant deterioration of CC performance in HCW with the use of a level-C PPE, which may be a disadvantage for enhancing survival of cardiac arrest.

Awareness of occupational hazards and use of safety measures among welders: a cross-sectional study from eastern Nepal

PubMed Central

Budhathoki, Shyam Sundar; Singh, Suman Bahadur; Sagtani, Reshu Agrawal; Niraula, Surya Raj; Pokharel, Paras Kumar

2014-01-01

Objective The proper use of safety measures by welders is an important way of preventing and/or reducing a variety of health hazards that they are exposed to during welding. There is a lack of knowledge about hazards and personal protective equipments (PPEs) and the use of PPE among the welders in Nepal is limited. We designed a study to assess welders’ awareness of hazards and PPE, and the use of PPE among the welders of eastern Nepal and to find a possible correlation between awareness and use of PPE among them. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study of 300 welders selected by simple random sampling from three districts of eastern Nepal was conducted using a semistructured questionnaire. Data regarding age, education level, duration of employment, awareness of hazards, safety measures and the actual use of safety measures were recorded. Results Overall, 272 (90.7%) welders were aware of at least one hazard of welding and a similar proportion of welders were aware of at least one PPE. However, only 47.7% used one or more types of PPE. Education and duration of employment were significantly associated with the awareness of hazards and of PPE and its use. The welders who reported using PPE during welding were two times more likely to have been aware of hazards (OR=2.52, 95% CI 1.09 to 5.81) and five times more likely to have been aware of PPE compared with the welders who did not report the use of PPE (OR=5.13, 95% CI 2.34 to 11.26). Conclusions The welders using PPE were those who were aware of hazards and PPE. There is a gap between being aware of hazards and PPE (90%) and use of PPE (47%) at work. Further research is needed to identify the underlying factors leading to low utilisation of PPE despite the welders of eastern Nepal being knowledgeable of it. PMID:24889850

First-year medical students' willingness to participate in peer physical examination.

PubMed

Reid, Katharine J; Kgakololo, Meshak; Sutherland, Ruth M; Elliott, Susan L; Dodds, Agnes E

2012-01-01

There is little research on student attitudes toward participating in peer physical examination (PPE). This study explored first-year medical students' attitudes toward PPE and their willingness to participate in PPE before they had experience with PPE as part of their course. First-year medical students (n = 119) rated their willingness to participate in PPE for 15 body regions, with male or female peers, and when examining or being examined by others. Attitudes toward participating in PPE were also assessed. Low-sensitivity examinations (e.g., hands, head) in PPE were generally accepted by male and female students. Significant variation in willingness across different body regions was, however, evident for male and female students depending on the type of examination and their examination partner's gender. Students generally held positive attitudes toward participating in PPE as part of the course. Moreover, students with more positive attitudes provided higher ratings of willingness to participate in PPE for all examination types. Findings suggest high levels of willingness to participate in PPE for low-sensitivity examinations of the kind employed in university teaching contexts. Nonetheless, gender effects appear more complex than previously described, and for some regions of the body, there are subtle preferences for particular examination types, in particular performing examinations, rather than being examined.

Personal protective equipment use among students with special health care needs reporting injuries in school-sponsored vocational, career, and technical education programs in New Jersey.

PubMed

Rubenstein, Eric; Shendell, Derek; Eggert, Brain C; Marcella, Stephen W

2014-01-01

Students with special health care needs (SHCNs) and individualized education plans (IEPs) may be injured more often in vocational, career, and technical education (CTE) programs. No research to date considers personal protective equipment (PPE) use among students with SHCNs in school-based programs reporting injuries to agencies. Data from 1999 to 2011 on PPE use among injured students in CTE programs in public schools and private secondary schools for the disabled were analyzed; students with SHCNs were distinguished by IEP status within New Jersey Safe Schools surveilance data. Among students with IEPs using PPE, 36% of injuries occurred to body parts PPE was meant to protect. Likely injury types were cuts-lacerations and burns for students with IEPs using PPE and cuts-lacerations and sprains for students with IEPs not using PPE. Females with IEPs using PPE were injured less often than males across ages. Results suggested students with SHCNs with IEPs need further job-related training with increased emphasis on properly selecting and fitting PPE.

Personal protective equipment for the Ebola virus disease: A comparison of 2 training programs.

PubMed

Casalino, Enrique; Astocondor, Eugenio; Sanchez, Juan Carlos; Díaz-Santana, David Enrique; Del Aguila, Carlos; Carrillo, Juan Pablo

2015-12-01

Personal protective equipment (PPE) for preventing Ebola virus disease (EVD) includes basic PPE (B-PPE) and enhanced PPE (E-PPE). Our aim was to compare conventional training programs (CTPs) and reinforced training programs (RTPs) on the use of B-PPE and E-PPE. Four groups were created, designated CTP-B, CTP-E, RTP-B, and RTP-E. All groups received the same theoretical training, followed by 3 practical training sessions. A total of 120 students were included (30 per group). In all 4 groups, the frequency and number of total errors and critical errors decreased significantly over the course of the training sessions (P < .01). The RTP was associated with a greater reduction in the number of total errors and critical errors (P < .0001). During the third training session, we noted an error frequency of 7%-43%, a critical error frequency of 3%-40%, 0.3-1.5 total errors, and 0.1-0.8 critical errors per student. The B-PPE groups had the fewest errors and critical errors (P < .0001). Our results indicate that both training methods improved the student's proficiency, that B-PPE appears to be easier to use than E-PPE, that the RTP achieved better proficiency for both PPE types, and that a number of students are still potentially at risk for EVD contamination despite the improvements observed during the training. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Assessment of the Theoretical Underpinnings of Practical Participatory Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smits, Pernelle A.; Champagne, Francois

2008-01-01

This article is concerned with the underpinnings of practical participatory evaluation (PPE). Evaluation approaches have long been criticized because their results are often not used. It is believed that PPE addresses this drawback. The article focuses on the mechanisms underlying the links between activities and consequences in PPE. A PPE theory…

A grape polyphenol extract modulates muscle membrane fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism in high-fat--high-sucrose diet-fed rats.

PubMed

Aoun, Manar; Michel, Francoise; Fouret, Gilles; Schlernitzauer, Audrey; Ollendorff, Vincent; Wrutniak-Cabello, Chantal; Cristol, Jean-Paul; Carbonneau, Marie-Annette; Coudray, Charles; Feillet-Coudray, Christine

2011-08-01

Accumulation of muscle TAG content and modification of muscle phospholipid fatty acid pattern may have an impact on lipid metabolism, increasing the risk of developing diabetes. Some polyphenols have been reported to modulate lipid metabolism, in particular those issued from red grapes. The present study was designed to determine whether a grape polyphenol extract (PPE) modulates skeletal muscle TAG content and phospholipid fatty acid composition in high-fat-high-sucrose (HFHS) diet-fed rats. Muscle plasmalemmal and mitochondrial fatty acid transporters, GLUT4 and lipid metabolism pathways were also explored. The PPE decreased muscle TAG content in HFHS/PPE diet-fed rats compared with HFHS diet-fed rats and induced higher proportions of n-3 PUFA in phospholipids. The PPE significantly up-regulated GLUT4 mRNA expression. Gene and protein expression of muscle fatty acid transporter cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) was increased in HFHS diet-fed rats but returned to control values in HFHS/PPE diet-fed rats. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 protein expression was decreased with the PPE. Mitochondrial β-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase was increased in HFHS diet-fed rats and returned to control values with PPE supplementation. Lipogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial activity were not affected by the PPE. In conclusion, the PPE modulated membrane phospholipid fatty acid composition and decreased muscle TAG content in HFHS diet-fed rats. The PPE lowered CD36 gene and protein expression, probably decreasing fatty acid transport and lipid accumulation within skeletal muscle, and increased muscle GLUT4 expression. These effects of the PPE are in favour of a better insulin sensibility.

Does medical student willingness to practise peer physical examination translate into action?

PubMed

Chen, Julie Y; Yip, Amber L M; Lam, Cindy L K; Patil, Nivritti G

2011-01-01

Peer physical examination (PPE) is commonly used in clinical skills teaching to allow students to practice physical examination techniques on each other. Previous studies have demonstrated medical students' generally positive attitudes towards PPE, but the correlation between student attitude and actual practice of PPE has yet to be examined. To determine if a positive student attitude towards PPE leads to subsequent action. The target population were MBBS I students (2006-2007 cohort) admitted to the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong. Student attitude towards PPE and subsequent practice of PPE were assessed through self-completed written questionnaires before and after the compulsory Clinical Skills Programme (CSP). A total of 100/128 (78%) students completed both questionnaires, of which 83 (65%) could be linked to demographic data. All study participants were ethnically Chinese. A high level of willingness to conduct PPE persisted before and after the CSP for both male and female students. However, more than half of the students did not subsequently examine various non-intimate body regions of a fellow student during the CSP. Female students were more likely to exhibit attitude-behaviour inconsistency. The existing positive attitudes towards PPE need to be harnessed so that more students are encouraged to follow through and actually practise PPE, thus realizing the educational benefits of this activity. This may be done by ensuring that PPE is conducted in a safe setting while being conscientious of gender differences. Scheduled time and the use of a logbook may be useful to facilitate students practising PPE.

A strategy to improve nitrogen utilization, reduce environmental impact, and increase performance and antioxidant capacity of fattening lambs using pomegranate peel extract.

PubMed

Rajabi, M; Rouzbehan, Y; Rezaei, J

2017-01-01

Dietary natural plant secondary metabolites (PSM) extracted from a pomegranate peel (PP) byproduct have the potential to improve milk yield and the milk fatty acid profile of dairy cows. This experiment was performed to assess the influence of different dietary levels of PP extract (PPE) on feedlot performance, ruminal status, nutrient utilization, and antioxidant status in fattening Moghani lambs. Thirty-two lambs (initial BW of 22 ± 1.2 kg) were used in a completely randomized design with a 72-d period and 4 treatments: PPE0 (no extract), PPE15 (15 mL PPE/kg of diet DM), PPE30 (30 mL PPE/kg of diet DM), and PPE45 (45 mL PPE/kg of diet DM). Feed intake, lamb growth, diet digestibility, microbial nitrogen (N) synthesis (MNS), N retention, rumen parameters, and blood metabolites were determined. The addition of PPE to the diet of lambs had no effect on DMI (linear [L], = 0.96; quadratic [Q], = 0.65). In vivo digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CP, and Ash-free NDF were not affected (L, ≥ 0.28; Q, ≥ 0.26) by different levels of PPE, but it increased ADG (L, = 0.045; Q, = 0.19) and G:F (L, = 0.046; Q, = 0.20). Rumen pH, VFA concentrations, and acetate-to-propionate ratio were not affected (L, ≥ 0.14; Q, ≥ 0.23) by PPE supplementation. Dietary inclusion of PPE decreased the ruminal concentration of ammonia N (L, = 0.014; Q, = 0.67), total protozoa enumeration (L, < 0.001; Q, = 0.043), population (L, < 0.001; Q, = 0.19), urinary N excretion (L, = 0.005; Q, = 0.26), whereas MNS (L, = 0.019; Q, = 0.23) and N retention (L, < 0.001; Q, = 0.66) increased. Feeding PPE had no effect (L, ≥ 0.11; Q, ≥ 0.17) on plasma concentrations of glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, or albumin-to-globulin ratio. Blood urea N (L, = 0.021; Q, = 0.32) decreased with dietary addition of PPE, while total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the rumen fluid (L, = 0.032; Q, = 0.64) and TAC in the blood (L, = 0.041; Q, = 0.51) increased. Overall, dietary inclusion of

Exploring medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Bradley, Paul; McLachlan, John C

2004-02-01

With opportunities for dissection and examination of sick patients decreasing, the role of peer physical examination (PPE) is increasing. This study explores students' attitudes towards PPE and the relationship between attitudes and demographics. A total of 129 first-year medical students from the Peninsula Medical School completed the Examining Fellow Students (EFS) questionnaire. At least 97% of students were comfortable participating in PPE of all body parts except breast and inguinal regions. Over 20% of students were unwilling to participate in PPE of the breast and inguinal regions. Students were more comfortable with PPE within gender than across gender. Females were more likely to be uncomfortable with PPE. Further research with larger sample sizes is required to determine whether attitudes are related to age and religious faith.

"Over my dead body?": the influence of demographics on students' willingness to participate in peer physical examination.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Bradley, Paul; Collett, Tracey; McLachlan, John C

2005-11-01

This study aims to explore quantitatively and qualitatively students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE) and the influence of demographics on students' willingness to participate in PPE. A total of 296 first-year medical students from two consecutive cohorts at the Peninsula Medical School, UK completed the EFS questionnaire. Quantitative data from the questionnaire were analysed using univariate (i.e. Mann-Whitney and chi-squared tests) and multivariate statistics (i.e. stepwise multiple regression) and qualitative data were analysed using theme analysis. At least 92% of Peninsula Medical School students were willing to examine all 11 body parts (except breast and inguinal regions) of peers of same and opposite gender. Qualitative data support this by highlighting students' positive attitudes towards PPE. PPE was more acceptable within rather than across gender and students generally felt more comfortable examining their peers than being examined by peers. Qualitative data outline the range of student concerns with PPE. Significant relationships existed between students' attitudes towards PPE and various variables: gender, age and religious faith. The findings demonstrate that students may show a greater willingness to participate in PPE than previously thought. Further research is required to explore more fully the barriers to PPE.

[Analysis of use of personal protective equipment among rural-to-urban migrant workers in small and medium enterprises in Zhongshan and Shenzhen, China].

PubMed

Zeng, Zhi; Lu, Liming; Rao, Zhanhong; Han, Lu; Shi, Jingrong; Ling, Li

2014-04-01

To investigate the current supply and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among rural-to-urban migrant workers in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Zhongshan and Shenzhen, China and the influential factors for the use of PPE, and to provide a basis for better occupational health services and ensuring the health of migrant workers. Multi-stage sampling was used to select 856 migrant workers from 27 SMEs in Zhongshan and Shenzhen, and face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted in these subjects. Statistical analysis was performed by one-way analysis of variance, chi-square test, and logistic regression. Of all migrant workers, 38.67%were supplied with free PPE by the factory, and this rate varied across industries (furniture industry: 45.81%; electronic industry: 31.46%) and SMEs (medium enterprises: 42.13%; small enterprises: 39.20%; micro enterprises: 22.16%); 22.43% insisted on the use of PPE. The logistic regression analysis showed that factors associated with the use of PPE included sex, age, awareness of occupational health knowledge, and the size of enterprise. The rates of supply and use of PPE among migrant workers are low. The larger the enterprise, the better the supply of PPE. Male gender, being elder, and high occupational health knowledge score were favorable factors for the use of PPE, while small enterprise size was the unfavorable factor for the use of PPE.

Use of ultraviolet-fluorescence-based simulation in evaluation of personal protective equipment worn for first assessment and care of a patient with suspected high-consequence infectious disease.

PubMed

Hall, S; Poller, B; Bailey, C; Gregory, S; Clark, R; Roberts, P; Tunbridge, A; Poran, V; Evans, C; Crook, B

2018-06-01

Variations currently exist across the UK in the choice of personal protective equipment (PPE) used by healthcare workers when caring for patients with suspected high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). To test the protection afforded to healthcare workers by current PPE ensembles during assessment of a suspected HCID case, and to provide an evidence base to justify proposal of a unified PPE ensemble for healthcare workers across the UK. One 'basic level' (enhanced precautions) PPE ensemble and five 'suspected case' PPE ensembles were evaluated in volunteer trials using 'Violet'; an ultraviolet-fluorescence-based simulation exercise to visualize exposure/contamination events. Contamination was photographed and mapped. There were 147 post-simulation and 31 post-doffing contamination events, from a maximum of 980, when evaluating the basic level of PPE. Therefore, this PPE ensemble did not afford adequate protection, primarily due to direct contamination of exposed areas of the skin. For the five suspected case ensembles, 1584 post-simulation contamination events were recorded, from a maximum of 5110. Twelve post-doffing contamination events were also observed (face, two events; neck, one event; forearm, one event; lower legs, eight events). All suspected case PPE ensembles either had post-doffing contamination events or other significant disadvantages to their use. This identified the need to design a unified PPE ensemble and doffing procedure, incorporating the most protective PPE considered for each body area. This work has been presented to, and reviewed by, key stakeholders to decide on a proposed unified ensemble, subject to further evaluation. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidative stress and nitrosative stress are involved in different stages of proteolytic pulmonary emphysema.

PubMed

Lanzetti, Manuella; da Costa, Cristiane Aguiar; Nesi, Renata Tiscoski; Barroso, Marina Valente; Martins, Vanessa; Victoni, Tatiana; Lagente, Vincent; Pires, Karla Maria Pereira; e Silva, Patrícia Machado Rodrigues; Resende, Angela Castro; Porto, Luis Cristóvão; Benjamim, Cláudia Farias; Valença, Samuel Santos

2012-12-01

Our aim was to investigate the role of oxidative stress in elastase-induced pulmonary emphysema. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to pancreatic porcine elastase (PPE) instillation (0.05 or 0.5 U per mouse, i.t.) to induce pulmonary emphysema. Lungs were collected on days 7, 14, and 21 after PPE instillation. The control group was sham injected. Also, mice treated with 1% aminoguanidine (AMG) and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) knockout mice received 0.5 U PPE (i.t.), and lungs were analyzed 21 days after. We performed bronchoalveolar lavage, biochemical analyses of oxidative stress, and lung stereology and morphometry assays. Emphysema was observed histologically at 21 days after 0.5 U PPE treatment; tissues from these mice exhibited increased alveolar linear intercept and air-space volume density in comparison with the control group. TNF-α was elevated at 7 and 14 days after 0.5 U PPE treatment, concomitant with a reduction in the IL-10 levels at the same time points. Myeloperoxidase was elevated in all groups treated with 0.5 U PPE. Oxidative stress was observed during early stages of emphysema, with increased nitrite levels and malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity at 7 days after 0.5 U PPE treatment. Glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in all groups treated with 0.5 U PPE. The emphysema was attenuated when iNOS was inhibited using 1% AMG and in iNOS knockout mice. Furthermore, proteolytic stimulation by PPE enhanced the expression of nitrotyrosine and iNOS, whereas the PPE+AMG group showed low expression of iNOS and nitrotyrosine. PPE stimulus also induced endothelial (e) NOS expression, whereas AMG reduced eNOS. Our results suggest that the oxidative and nitrosative stress pathways are triggered by nitric oxide production via iNOS expression in pulmonary emphysema. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protective Vaccine Efficacy of the Complete Form of PPE39 Protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing/K Strain in Mice.

PubMed

Kim, Ahreum; Hur, Yun-Gyoung; Gu, Sunwha; Cho, Sang-Nae

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective efficacy of MTBK_24820, a complete form of PPE39 protein derived from a predominant Beijing/K strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in South Korea. Mice were immunized with MTKB_24820, M. bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guérin (BCG), or adjuvant prior to a high-dosed Beijing/K strain aerosol infection. After 4 and 9 weeks, bacterial loads were determined and histopathologic and immunologic features in the lungs and spleens of the M. tuberculosis -infected mice were analyzed. Putative immunogenic T-cell epitopes were examined using synthetic overlapping peptides. Successful immunization of MTBK_24820 in mice was confirmed by increased IgG responses ( P < 0.05) and recalled gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-6, and IL-17 responses ( P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) to MTBK_24820. After challenge with the Beijing/K strain, an approximately 0.5 to 1.0 log 10 reduction in CFU in lungs and fewer lung inflammation lesions were observed in MTBK_24820-immunized mice compared to those for control mice. Moreover, MTBK_24820 immunization elicited significantly higher numbers of CD4 + T cells producing protective cytokines, such as IFN-γ and IL-17, in lungs and spleens ( P < 0.01) and CD4 + multifunctional T cells producing IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and/or IL-17 ( P < 0.01) than in control mice, suggesting protection comparable to that of BCG against the hypervirulent Beijing/K strain. The dominant immunogenic T-cell epitopes that induced IFN-γ production were at the N terminus (amino acids 85 to 102 and 217 to 234). Its vaccine potential, along with protective immune responses in vivo , may be informative for vaccine development, particularly in regions where the M. tuberculosis Beijing/K-strain is frequently isolated from TB patients. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Promotion of alternative-sized personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Flynn, Michael A; Keller, Brenna; DeLaney, Sheli C

2017-12-01

With more diversity in the workforce, companies are producing PPE such as hard hats, safety glasses, coveralls, foot protection, and safety harnesses for a larger range of body shapes and sizes. However, gray literature reports suggest that barriers exist to getting alternate sized PPE from the manufacturer to the workers who need it. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which alternative-sized PPE is marketed. A web-based review of seven major manufacturers of PPE was conducted to determine: (a) whether or not they offer alternative-sized products, (b) if these products are clearly labeled, and (c) if images used to display PPE are representative of a diverse workforce. Of the seven PPE manufacturers investigated, six had at least one product that was marketed as gender and/or size alternatives however, alternative sizes were more common for larger body types. Alternative-sized products rarely included size charts, and the models used to display PPE were overwhelmingly white males of average size. Despite the growing availability of alternative-sized PPE, it can be difficult to find these products, which suggests that they are rarely promoted or labeled as alternative-sized. Our study indicates that companies should expand their product lines and more aggressively market and promote these items. Guidance on how to properly fit their products would also be extremely helpful to the end-user. Manufacturers could improve the availability of alternative-sized PPE and increase their promotion of these products on their websites and in their catalogs. Individual companies and safety professionals may assist in this process by demonstrating demand for alternative-sized PPE. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Pomegranate peel extract decreases small intestine lipid peroxidation by enhancing activities of major antioxidant enzymes.

PubMed

Al-Gubory, Kaïs H; Blachier, François; Faure, Patrice; Garrel, Catherine

2016-08-01

Pomegranate peel extract (PPE) contains several compounds with antioxidative properties. PPE added to foods may interact with endogenous antioxidants and promote health. However, little is known about the biochemical mechanisms by which PPE exerts their actions on tissues of biological systems in vivo. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of PPE on activities of antioxidant enzymes. Mice were used to investigate the effects of PPE on plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), tissue MDA content and activities of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), SOD2 and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the small intestine, liver and skeletal muscle - different tissues involved in the digestion, absorption and metabolism of dietary nutrients. Control mice were fed a standard diet, whereas treated mice were fed for 40 days with the standard diet containing 5% or 10% PPE. Mice fed the 10% PPE diet exhibited lower plasma MDA concentrations, reduced content of MDA in the small intestine and liver and higher levels of SOD1 and GPX activities in the small intestine compared to mice fed the control diet. These findings demonstrate that intake of PPE in diet attenuates small intestine lipid peroxidation and strengthens the first line of small intestine antioxidant defense by enhancing enzymatic antioxidative pathways. PPE is worthy of further study as a therapeutic approach to prevent peroxidative stress-induced gut pathogenesis. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Models of public-private engagement for health services delivery and financing in Southern Africa: a systematic review.

PubMed

Whyle, Eleanor Beth; Olivier, Jill

2016-12-01

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the private sector-including international donors, non-governmental organizations, for-profit providers and traditional healers-plays a significant role in health financing and delivery. The use of the private sector in furthering public health goals is increasingly common. By working with the private sector through public -: private engagement (PPE), states can harness private sector resources to further public health goals. PPE initiatives can take a variety of forms and understanding of these models is limited. This paper presents the results of a Campbell systematic literature review conducted to establish the types and the prevalence of PPE projects for health service delivery and financing in Southern Africa. PPE initiatives identified through the review were categorized according to a PPE typology. The review reveals that the full range of PPE models, eight distinct models, are utilized in the Southern African context. The distribution of the available evidence-including significant gaps in the literature-is discussed, and key considerations for researchers, implementers, and current and potential PPE partners are presented. It was found that the literature is disproportionately representative of PPE initiatives located in South Africa, and of those that involve for-profit partners and international donors. A significant gap in the literature identified through the study is the scarcity of information regarding the relationship between international donors and national governments. This information is key to strengthening these partnerships, improving partnership outcomes and capacitating recipient countries. The need for research that disaggregates PPE models and investigates PPE functioning in context is demonstrated. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Preproenkephalin expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of acutely underweight and recovered patients with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Weiss, Deike; Infante-Duarte, Carmen; Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Burghardt, Roland; Hamann, Isabell; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Ehrlich, Stefan

2010-08-01

The prohormone preproenkephalin (ppE) and its derived peptides are involved in leukocyte functioning as well as in the regulation of hunger and satiety. Various abnormalities of the immune and endocrine systems have been described in states of malnutrition such as anorexia nervosa (AN). We hypothesized that ppE expression in AN patients may vary depending on the state of the disorder and the extent of malnutrition. Expression of ppE mRNA was analysed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 29 underweight and 29 weight-recovered patients with AN and compared to that in 29 healthy control women. The extent of malnutrition was characterized by BMI and plasma leptin. Psychological distress and eating disorder specific-psychopathology was determined with the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and the Eating Disorders Inventory-2. ppE gene expression was similar in all 3 groups and was not related to nutritional status or eating disorder symptoms. However, a significant negative correlation was found between ppE expression and obsessive-compulsive, depressive and anxious symptoms. In addition, ppE expression was higher in smokers compared to non-smokers. Although malnutrition and hypoleptinaemia as seen in patients with AN were not related to peripheral ppE expression, we demonstrated reduced ppE expression in patients with elevated psychological distress. Similar associations have been shown in animal models of stress. It remains speculative if psychological symptoms and/or stress may augment immune abnormalities in AN patients via a pathway that is independent of nutritional status and involves ppE. (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Observational learning and workplace safety: the effects of viewing the collective behavior of multiple social models on the use of personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Olson, Ryan; Grosshuesch, Ariel; Schmidt, Sara; Gray, Mary; Wipfli, Bradley

2009-10-01

The current project evaluated the effects of the collective behavior of multiple social models on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Prior to completing a simulated baggage-screening task, participants (N=64) watched a scripted training video that included three confederate trainees. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four manipulations, where different proportions of confederates were shown putting on over-ear sound mufflers before starting the task (0, 1, 2, or 3). White noise played at 70 decibels in the test room, and PPE use was observed unobtrusively through a lab window at five time intervals. The mean intervals of PPE use generally increased as the number of positive social models increased (0=0.63, 1=0.50, 2=1.25, 3=3.06), and differences between groups were significant [chi(2) (3, N=64)=14.92, p<.01, eta(2)=0.24]. The results suggest that the aggregate prevalence of safety behavior within work groups may be an important determinant of initial PPE use by new employees. Results suggest that new hires are likely to use PPE at a rate that is proportional to the collective PPE use observed among their peers. Safety leaders should regularly measure the collective level of PPE use at job sites and encourage majority usage through appropriate interventions such as increasing the availability or quality of PPE, training, or positive reinforcement for compliance.

The influence of gender on student willingness to engage in peer physical examination: the practical implications of feminist theory of body image.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E

2007-08-01

Previous research has consistently found a relationship between students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE) and their gender. Male students are more comfortable with PPE than females and students are more comfortable with same- rather than mixed-gender PPE. Despite these findings, previous research has not discussed the gender-attitude relationship in any meaningful depth. This discussion paper examines why a relationship exists between student attitudes towards PPE and student gender using insights from feminist body image theory. According to the feminist theory of objectified body consciousness, females experience their bodies differently from males. Females may be less comfortable with PPE because they have higher levels of body shame and body surveillance than males. They may also be more likely than males to fear critical and teasing comments and sexual objectification by the opposite sex. Capitalizing on what we already know about psychoeducational and activism approaches to the prevention and change of negative body image, I recommend that body image issues are discussed as part of students' PPE and professionalism programmes. Further research is needed to examine medical students' body image alongside their attitudes towards PPE.

Quality of care and investment in property, plant, and equipment in hospitals.

PubMed

Levitt, S W

1994-02-01

This study explores the relationship between quality of care and investment in property, plant, and equipment (PPE) in hospitals. Hospitals' investment in PPE was derived from audited financial statements for the fiscal years 1984-1989. Peer Review Organization (PRO) Generic Quality Screen (GQS) reviews and confirmed failures between April 1989 and September 1990 were obtained from the Massachusetts PRO. Weighted least squares regression models used PRO GQS confirmed failure rates as the dependent variable, and investment in PPE as the key explanatory variable. Investment in PPE was standardized, summed by the hospital over the six years, and divided by the hospital's average number of beds in that period. The number of PRO reviewed cases with one or more GQS confirmed failures was divided by the total number of cases reviewed to create confirmed failure rates. Investment in PPE in Massachusetts hospitals is correlated with GQS confirmed failure rates. A financial variable, investment in PPE, predicts certain dimensions of quality of care in hospitals.

Access to properly fitting personal protective equipment for female construction workers.

PubMed

Onyebeke, Lynn C; Papazaharias, Demetrios M; Freund, Alice; Dropkin, Jonathan; McCann, Michael; Sanchez, Sadie H; Hashim, Dana; Meyer, John D; Lucchini, Roberto G; Zuckerman, Norman C

2016-11-01

Previous literature suggests that most personal protective equipment (PPE) for construction is designed for males and does not accommodate female anthropometry. We conducted a pilot study to identify whether female construction workers currently have adequate access to properly fitting PPE. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with union female carpenters, laborers, and ironworkers. Researchers coded focus group transcriptions and extracted major themes using thematic framework analysis. Participants (n = 23) had a mean of 15.1 years of construction experience (range 3-34.5 years). A majority reported fit problems for many types of PPE (gloves, harnesses, safety vests, work boots, outerwear), generally noting that the equipment provided by contractors was too large. Other emergent themes included female workers purchasing their own PPE, exposure to various safety hazards from poorly fitted PPE, and perceived indifferent safety culture. Female construction workers continue to have difficulty accessing properly fitting PPE. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:1032-1040, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Female athlete triad screening in Canadian Interuniversity Sport universities: analysis of the pre-participation evaluation form.

PubMed

Cuddington, Erin; Shin, Jason J; Frank, Rachel M

2016-03-01

Our aim was to examine inclusion of screening questions related to female athlete triad in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) pre-participation evaluation (PPE) forms. We hypothesized that the current CIS PPE forms are not comprehensive screening tools for identifying athletes at risk for the female athlete triad. All 48 English-speaking CIS universities were invited to participate in the study. Via e-mail, a copy of the PPE form was requested from team physicians and certified athletic trainers. Two reviewers evaluated the PPE forms for inclusion of the 12 items recommended by the Female Athlete Triad Coalition for primary screening for the triad. Thirty-nine of 48 CIS universities responded (81%). The majority of the universities (97%), required a PPE for incoming athletes. Only 9 universities (24%) had 6 or more of the 12 recommended screening items included in their forms, whereas 26 universities (70%) included 4 or less items. Three universities (8%) did not address any of the recommended questions. Questions related to disordered eating were often absent in the collected PPEs. In 10 universities (27%), PPE forms were completed by the athlete alone. The remaining 27 (73%) universities required the form to be completed by the athlete in conjunction with a therapist, physician, or both. PPE forms used by CIS universities have limited ability to identify athletes at risk of the triad-based on the recommendations of the Coalition. Furthermore, there is a lack of uniformity of the PPE forms within the CIS.

Perception of peer physical examination in two Australian osteopathy programs.

PubMed

Vaughan, Brett; Grace, Sandra

2016-01-01

Peer physical examination (PPE) is an efficient and practical educational approach whereby students can practise their examination skills on each other before commencing clinical practice with actual patients. Little is known about the use of PPE in osteopathy education. Students in Year 1 of the osteopathy programs at Victoria University (Melbourne, Australia) and Southern Cross University (Lismore, Australia) completed the Examining Fellow Students and the Peer Physical Examination questionnaires prior to, and at the completion of, their first 12-week teaching session. Descriptive statistics were generated for each questionnaire. The McNemar and sign tests were used to evaluate differences between each questionnaire administration. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the influence of demographics on responses to both questionnaires. Results showed that students in both programs were generally willing to examine non-sensitive areas both before and after the 12-week teaching session. Students' were less apprehensive about PPE at the end of the teaching session, and this was reinforced by results for previous exposure to PPE in other courses. Consistent with previous studies, unwillingness to participate in PPE was associated with being female, being born outside Australia, holding religious beliefs, and being older. This is the first study to explore students' perceptions of PPE in this cohort and provides a basis for further work, including evaluating longer term changes in student perception of PPE, and whether these perceptions extend to practising manual therapy techniques. This study demonstrates that perceptions about PPE reported in medicine and other disciplines, namely that unwillingness to participate in PPE is associated with being female, being born outside Australia, holding religious beliefs, and being older, also apply to osteopathy. These findings are significant for all manual therapy students who spend a substantial portion of their course

Occupational stress and strain in relation to personal protective equipment of Japanese firefighters assessed by a questionnaire.

PubMed

Son, Su-Young; Lee, Joo-Young; Tochihara, Yutaka

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to elucidate differences in actual work environments, mobility and satisfaction between firefighters wearing aluminized and non-aluminized personal protective equipment (PPE), and to suggest a proper standard test method for Japanese firefighters' PPE. A survey from two cities in Japan (City A: aluminized PPE; City B: non aluminized PPE) was undertaken. A total of 525 firefighters from City A and 757 from City B participated. Firefighters spent 22.5 min (City A) and 27.3 min (City B) on average firefighting with the full set of PPE in one incident, but the heat strain experienced among firefighters from City A was twice that of firefighters from City B (57.5% and 28.4%). Firefighters spent 65.9 min on one incident and 24.2 min for suppression of fire with the full set of PPE on average. The toughest task that caused physical strain in City A was 'stair climbing' and in City B was 'drawing up a hose filled with water'. The most restricted body region due to PPE was the knee for both groups. Evaluations revealed that the aluminized fire jacket had worse ventilation and mobility than the non-aluminized, while the non-aluminized one received with more unfavorable evaluations for water resistance and maintainability.

Risk by use of hearing protectors--expert programme supports SMEs in appropriate selection and use.

PubMed

Liedtke, M

2005-01-01

Comprehensive protection by use of PPE against the hazards at work requires more than proper selection based on the protection level needed: The PPE user directive (Council Directive 89/656/EEC, Official Journal of the European Communities L 393, 30/12/1989 p.0018 - 0028) requires an assessment of personal protective equipment itself, which has to consider the risks which may be introduced by use of PPE or use of combinations of PPE. As an example risks which may be introduced by use of hearing protectors are described. Assistance in the assessment required by PPE user directive (Council Directive 89/656/EEC, Official Journal of the European Communities L 393, 30/12/1989 p. 0018 - 0028) and in selection and use of hearing protectors with regard to this assessment is presented.

Factors influencing worker use of personal protective eyewear.

PubMed

Lombardi, David A; Verma, Santosh K; Brennan, Melanye J; Perry, Melissa J

2009-07-01

To identify and describe the array of factors that influence a workers' decision to wear personal protective eyewear (PPE) and the barriers that exist in preventing their use. A series of focus groups enrolled workers and supervisors primarily from manufacturing, construction, or service/retail industries that had potential exposure to eye injury hazards in their job tasks. Focus group sessions were facilitated to collect qualitative and quantitative data in two categories, "sought information" and "emergent themes", related to the factors influencing use of PPE. We conducted a series of 7 groups with 51 participants, 36 (71%) males and 15 (29%) females ranging in age from 19 to 64 years old, from a variety of occupations including construction (24%), production (22%), installation, repair and maintenance (14%), and healthcare (10%). Most were highly experienced in their occupation (>10 years); males (86%) and females (53%), and had received some safety training in the past (82%). The majority of workers in this study were required to wear PPE on their worksite (78%), however only 55% had a dedicated safety officer. A conceptual model that summarizes the "sought information" and "emergent themes" is presented that depicts the decision making process for the factors influencing use of PPE and consists of three primary branches; perceptions of hazards and risks, "barriers" to PPE usage, and enforcement and reinforcement. Lack of comfort/fit, and fogging and scratching of the eyewear were suggested as the most important barriers to PPE usage. Younger age and lack of safety training were other important factors affecting use of PPE. Several potentially modifiable factors identified would lead to an increase in workers' PPE use and encourage supervisors to provide ongoing positive feedback on the continuous use of PPE by workers at risk for an eye injury.

Accuracy of Diagnostic Imaging Modalities for Classifying Pediatric Eyes as Papilledema Versus Pseudopapilledema.

PubMed

Chang, Melinda Y; Velez, Federico G; Demer, Joseph L; Bonelli, Laura; Quiros, Peter A; Arnold, Anthony C; Sadun, Alfredo A; Pineles, Stacy L

2017-12-01

To identify the most accurate diagnostic imaging modality for classifying pediatric eyes as papilledema (PE) or pseudopapilledema (PPE). Prospective observational study. Nineteen children between the ages of 5 and 18 years were recruited. Five children (10 eyes) with PE, 11 children (19 eyes) with PPE owing to suspected buried optic disc drusen (ODD), and 3 children (6 eyes) with PPE owing to superficial ODD were included. All subjects underwent imaging with B-scan ultrasonography, fundus photography, autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography (FA), optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and volumetric OCT scans through the optic nerve head with standard spectral-domain (SD OCT) and enhanced depth imaging (EDI OCT) settings. Images were read by 3 masked neuro-ophthalmologists, and the final image interpretation was based on 2 of 3 reads. Image interpretations were compared with clinical diagnosis to calculate accuracy and misinterpretation rates of each imaging modality. Accuracy of each imaging technique for classifying eyes as PE or PPE, and misinterpretation rates of each imaging modality for PE and PPE. Fluorescein angiography had the highest accuracy (97%, 34 of 35 eyes, 95% confidence interval 92%-100%) for classifying an eye as PE or PPE. FA of eyes with PE showed leakage of the optic nerve, whereas eyes with suspected buried ODD demonstrated no hyperfluorescence, and eyes with superficial ODD showed nodular staining. Other modalities had substantial likelihood (30%-70%) of misinterpretation of PE as PPE. The best imaging technique for correctly classifying pediatric eyes as PPE or PE is FA. Other imaging modalities, if used in isolation, are more likely to lead to misinterpretation of PE as PPE, which could potentially result in failure to identify a life-threatening disorder causing elevated intracranial pressure and papilledema. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Quality of care and investment in property, plant, and equipment in hospitals.

PubMed Central

Levitt, S W

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVE. This study explores the relationship between quality of care and investment in property, plant, and equipment (PPE) in hospitals. DATA SOURCES. Hospitals' investment in PPE was derived from audited financial statements for the fiscal years 1984-1989. Peer Review Organization (PRO) Generic Quality Screen (GQS) reviews and confirmed failures between April 1989 and September 1990 were obtained from the Massachusetts PRO. STUDY DESIGN. Weighted least squares regression models used PRO GQS confirmed failure rates as the dependent variable, and investment in PPE as the key explanatory variable. DATA EXTRACTION. Investment in PPE was standardized, summed by the hospital over the six years, and divided by the hospital's average number of beds in that period. The number of PRO reviewed cases with one or more GQS confirmed failures was divided by the total number of cases reviewed to create confirmed failure rates. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Investment in PPE in Massachusetts hospitals is correlated with GQS confirmed failure rates. CONCLUSIONS. A financial variable, investment in PPE, predicts certain dimensions of quality of care in hospitals. PMID:8113054

Selected Musculoskeletal and Performance Characteristics of Members of a Women's Professional Football Team: Application of a Pre-participation Examination.

PubMed

Nett, Beth; Brosky, Joseph A; Velarde, Lynnuel; Pariser, David P; Boyce, David A

2010-02-01

Although it is common practice to administer pre-participation examinations (PPE) of athletes prior to training, there are no clearly established formats. Elements integral to the PPE fall within the scope of physical therapist practice, and are often categorized as a form of primary prevention for musculoskeletal disorders as defined in the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice. The purpose of this study is to describe the design and implementation of a PPE for a women's professional (gridiron) football team. The results and findings from this PPE provide one of the first musculoskeletal profiles and information about selected physical characteristics from members of a female professional football team. Players from the Kentucky Karma women's football team, a member of the National Women's Football League (NWFA), volunteered to participate in a PPE. Of twenty-five eligible team members, thirteen consented to participate. The PPE consisted of a health history questionnaire, a musculoskeletal screening, and a series of physical performance and agility tests. The players' average (± SD) age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage were 29.6 (± 5.6) yrs., 1.66 (± .05) m, 66.8 (± 12.6) kg, 24.1 (± 3.7), and 27.4 (± 6.6) %, respectively. Commonly reported injuries were similar to those reported in men's collegiate football. This is one of the first papers to report on a model PPE for a women's professional football team. Future research is needed to establish a standard PPE, recognize common injuries, and develop prevention strategies unique to women's professional football.

Methods of evaluating protective clothing relative to heat and cold stress: thermal manikin, biomedical modeling, and human testing.

PubMed

O'Brien, Catherine; Blanchard, Laurie A; Cadarette, Bruce S; Endrusick, Thomas L; Xu, Xiaojiang; Berglund, Larry G; Sawka, Michael N; Hoyt, Reed W

2011-10-01

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to clothing and equipment designed to protect individuals from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive hazards. The materials used to provide this protection may exacerbate thermal strain by limiting heat and water vapor transfer. Any new PPE must therefore be evaluated to ensure that it poses no greater thermal strain than the current standard for the same level of hazard protection. This review describes how such evaluations are typically conducted. Comprehensive evaluation of PPE begins with a biophysical assessment of materials using a guarded hot plate to determine the thermal characteristics (thermal resistance and water vapor permeability). These characteristics are then evaluated on a thermal manikin wearing the PPE, since thermal properties may change once the materials have been constructed into a garment. These data may be used in biomedical models to predict thermal strain under a variety of environmental and work conditions. When the biophysical data indicate that the evaporative resistance (ratio of permeability to insulation) is significantly better than the current standard, the PPE is evaluated through human testing in controlled laboratory conditions appropriate for the conditions under which the PPE would be used if fielded. Data from each phase of PPE evaluation are used in predictive models to determine user guidelines, such as maximal work time, work/rest cycles, and fluid intake requirements. By considering thermal stress early in the development process, health hazards related to temperature extremes can be mitigated while maintaining or improving the effectiveness of the PPE for protection from external hazards.

The impact of social and organizational factors on workers' use of personal protective equipment: a multilevel approach.

PubMed

Torp, Steffen; Grøgaard, Jens B; Moen, Bente E; Bråtveit, Magne

2005-08-01

On the basis of the job demands-control-support model by Karasek and Theorell, we investigated how social and organizational factors influence workers' use of personal protective equipment (PPE). A cross-sectional study was performed among 1420 workers in 203 motor vehicle-repair garages. Multilevel modeling was performed to account for the hierarchical structure of the data. Social and management support correlated positively with PPE use at the worker level. Low demands measured at the garage level and having a health and safety management system at the garage also correlated with active use of PPE. An interaction effect between social support and garage-level demands was observed. In addition to health information and provision of PPE, focusing on social and organizational factors seems necessary to get more workers to comply with the instructions on PPE use.

Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, University of Alabama in Birmingham

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Navia, Manuel A.

1991-01-01

Porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) crystals grown under microgravity conditions on mission STS-26 of the Space Shuttle Discovery were shown to diffract to considerably higher resolution than the best PPE crystals grown by us on the ground. We have now independently refined both the microgravity and ground-based data. Preliminary results of these refinements are summarized. These results show nearly a doubling of experimental diffraction data for this structure, exceeding 1.3 A resolution. Improved phase information derived from the refined structure of PPE based on this microgravity data has allowed us to interpret previously-uninterpretable electron density obtained from ground-based crystals of a complex of PPE with a chemically-reactive inhibitor. Intermediate stages in the enzyme-inhibitor reaction mechanism in the crystal can now be directly observed. Further refinement of PPE structures is in progress.

A complete high-quality MinION nanopore assembly of an extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing lineage strain identifies novel variation in repetitive PE/PPE gene regions.

PubMed

Bainomugisa, Arnold; Duarte, Tania; Lavu, Evelyn; Pandey, Sushil; Coulter, Chris; Marais, Ben J; Coin, Lachlan M

2018-06-15

A better understanding of the genomic changes that facilitate the emergence and spread of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains is currently required. Here, we report the use of the MinION nanopore sequencer (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) to sequence and assemble an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) isolate, which is part of a modern Beijing sub-lineage strain, prevalent in Western Province, Papua New Guinea. Using 238-fold coverage obtained from a single flow-cell, de novo assembly of nanopore reads resulted into one contiguous assembly with 99.92 % assembly accuracy. Incorporation of complementary short read sequences (Illumina) as part of consensus error correction resulted in a 4 404 064 bp genome with 99.98 % assembly accuracy. This assembly had an average nucleotide identity of 99.7 % relative to the reference genome, H37Rv. We assembled nearly all GC-rich repetitive PE/PPE family genes (166/168) and identified variants within these genes. With an estimated genotypic error rate of 5.3 % from MinION data, we demonstrated identification of variants to include the conventional drug resistance mutations, and those that contribute to the resistance phenotype (efflux pumps/transporter) and virulence. Reference-based alignment of the assembly allowed detection of deletions and insertions. MinION sequencing provided a fully annotated assembly of a transmissible XDR strain from an endemic setting and showed its utility to provide further understanding of genomic processes within Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Employer, use of personal protective equipment, and work safety climate: Latino poultry processing workers.

PubMed

Arcury, Thomas A; Grzywacz, Joseph G; Anderson, Andrea M; Mora, Dana C; Carrillo, Lourdes; Chen, Haiying; Quandt, Sara A

2013-02-01

This analysis describes the work safety climate of Latino poultry processing workers and notes differences by worker personal characteristics and employer; describes the use of common personal protective equipment (PPE) among workers; and examines the associations of work safety climate with use of common PPE. Data are from a cross-sectional study of 403 Latino poultry processing workers in western North Carolina. Work safety climate differed little by personal characteristics, but it did differ consistently by employer. Provision of PPE varied; for example, 27.2% of participants were provide with eye protection at no cost, 57.0% were provided with hand protection at no cost, and 84.7% were provided with protective clothing at no cost. PPE use varied by type. Provision of PPE at no cost was associated with lower work safety climate; this result was counter-intuitive. Consistent use of PPE was associated with higher work safety climate. Work safety climate is important for improving workplace safety for immigrant workers. Research among immigrant workers should document work safety climate for different employers and industries, and delineate how work safety climate affects safety behavior and injuries. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stockpile Model of Personal Protective Equipment in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Ju; Chiang, Po-Jung; Cheng, Yu-Hsin; Huang, Chun-Wei; Kao, Hui-Yun; Chang, Chih-Kai; Huang, Hsun-Miao; Liu, Pei-Yin; Wang, Jen-Hsin; Chih, Yi-Chien; Chou, Shu-Mei; Yang, Chin-Hui; Chen, Chang-Hsun

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has established a 3-tier personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpiling framework that could maintain a minimum stockpile for the surge demand of PPE in the early stage of a pandemic. However, PPE stockpiling efforts must contend with increasing storage fees and expiration problems. In 2011, the Taiwan CDC initiated a stockpile replacement model in order to optimize the PPE stockpiling efficiency, ensure a minimum stockpile, use the government's limited funds more effectively, and achieve the goal of sustainable management. This stockpile replacement model employs a first-in-first-out principle in which the oldest stock in the central government stockpile is regularly replaced and replenished with the same amount of new and qualified products, ensuring the availability and maintenance of the minimum stockpiles. In addition, a joint electronic procurement platform has been established for merchandising the replaced PPE to local health authorities and medical and other institutions for their routine or epidemic use. In this article, we describe the PPE stockpile model in Taiwan, including the 3-tier stockpiling framework, the operational model, the components of the replacement system, implementation outcomes, epidemic supports, and the challenges and prospects of this model.

Student attitudes to peer physical examination: a qualitative study of changes in expressed willingness to participate.

PubMed

McLachlan, J C; White, P; Donnelly, L; Patten, D

2010-01-01

A number of studies have explored student attitudes to examining each other (peer physical examination: PPE). Differences have emerged in whether students prefer to be examined by friends or strangers. Changes have been reported in how students feel about PPE if asked before or after the PPE programme commences. RESEARCH INTENTION: Since a Grounded Theory paradigm was employed, there was no formal research hypothesis: the research intention was to explore factors which might underlie changes in student willingness to undertake PPE following familiarity with the process. Students who had completed an Examining Fellow Students Questionnaire at the beginning and end of the academic year, and who had indicated a change in willingness to participate, were invited to attend focus groups. Four focus groups were convened and transcripts were analysed for common themes. Surprisingly, students downplayed the significance of changes. Also unexpectedly, dichotomous views emerged on familiarity, with some students preferring friends for examination and others preferring strangers. Staff embarrassment also emerged as a factor inhibiting student participation. The significance of reported changes in attitudes to PPE may have been exaggerated. Proposals for increasing the willingness of students to participate in PPE are developed from the emergent themes.

Don't want to show fellow students my naughty bits: medical students' anxieties about peer examination of intimate body regions at six schools across UK, Australasia and Far-East Asia.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Wearn, Andy M; Vnuk, Anna K; Bradley, Paul A

2009-10-01

Although recent quantitative research suggests that medical students are reluctant to engage in peer physical examination (PPE) of intimate body regions, we do not know why. This article explores first-year medical students' anxieties about PPE of intimate body regions at six schools. Using the Examining Fellow Students (EFS) questionnaire, we collected qualitative data from students in five countries (UK; Australia; New Zealand; Japan; Hong Kong) between 2005 and 2007. Our framework analysis of 617 (78.7%) students' qualitative comments yielded three themes: present and future benefits of PPE; possible barriers to PPE; and student stipulations for successful PPE. This article focuses on several sub-themes relating to students' anxieties about PPE of intimate body regions and their associated sexual, gender, cultural and religious concerns. By exploring students' euphemisms about intimate areas, our findings reveal further insights into the relationship between students' anxieties, gender and culture. First-year students are anxious about examining intimate body regions, so a staged approach starting with manikins is recommended. Further qualitative research is needed employing interviews to explore in depth students' anxieties about examinations of intimate body regions and how their views are shaped by interactions with peers, patients and doctors.

Parkia pendula lectin as histochemistry marker for meningothelial tumour.

PubMed

Beltrão, E I C; Medeiros, P L; Rodrigues, O G; Figueredo-Silva, J; Valença, M M; Coelho, L C B B; Carvalho, L B

2003-01-01

Lectins have been intensively used in histochemical techniques for cell surface characterization. These proteins are involved in several biological processes and their use as histochemical markers have been evaluated since they can indicate differences in cell surfaces. Parkia pendula lectin (PpeL) was evaluated as histochemical marker for meningothelial meningioma biopsies. Tissue slices were incubated with PpeL conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (PpeL-HRP) and Concanavalin A-HRP (ConA-HPR) and the binding visualized with diaminobenzidine and hydrogen peroxide. The lectin-tissue binding was inhibited with D-glucose. PpeL showed to be a useful tool for the characterization of meningothelial tumour and clinico-pathological diagnosis.

Species-specificity of equine and porcine Lawsonia intracellularis isolates in laboratory animals

PubMed Central

Sampieri, Francesca; Vannucci, Fabio A.; Allen, Andrew L.; Pusterla, Nicola; Antonopoulos, Aphroditi J.; Ball, Katherine R.; Thompson, Julie; Dowling, Patricia M.; Hamilton, Don L.; Gebhart, Connie J.

2013-01-01

Lawsonia intracellularis infection causes proliferative enteropathy (PE) in many mammalian species, with porcine and equine proliferative enteropathy (PPE and EPE) known worldwide. Hamsters are a well-published animal model for PPE infection studies in pigs. There is no laboratory animal model for EPE infection studies and it is not known whether there is species-specificity for equine or porcine isolates of L. intracellularis in animal models. The objective of this study was to determine whether it is possible to generate typical EPE lesions in hamsters after inoculation with an equine strain of L. intracellularis (EPE strain) and whether it is comparatively possible to generate PPE lesions in rabbits after inoculation with a porcine strain of L. intracellularis (PPE strain). In 2 separate trials, 4-week-old and 3-week-old weanling golden Syrian hamsters were challenged with EPE strains and compared to uninfected (both trials) and PPE-infected controls (Trial 2 only). Concurrently, 6 female New Zealand white juvenile rabbits were infected with PPE strain and observed concomitantly to 8 similar rabbits infected with EPE strain for a different experiment. Hamsters and rabbits were observed for 21 to 24 days post-infection (DPI), depending on the experiment. Neither infected species developed clinical signs. The presence of disease was assessed with diagnostic techniques classically used for pigs and horses: immune-peroxidase monolayer assay on sera; quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) detection of molecular DNA in feces; and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on intestinal tissues. Our results showed that EPE-challenged hamsters do not develop infection when compared with PPE controls (IHC, P = 0.009; qPCR, P = 0.0003). Conversely, PPE-challenged rabbits do not develop typical intestinal lesions in comparison to EPE-challenged rabbits, with serological response at 14 DPI being significantly lower (P = 0.0023). In conclusion

Physiological responses during graded treadmill exercise in chemical-resistant personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Northington, William E; Suyama, Joe; Goss, Fredric L; Randall, Colby; Gallagher, Michael; Hostler, David

2007-01-01

As the likelihood of terrorist acts increases, prehospital personnel have been forced to train in the proper use of chemical-resistant personal protective equipment (PPE). This protective ensemble has been reported to be physiologically taxing for the wearer, imposing an additional thermal load resulting in hypohydration, hyperthermia, and reduced work time. Victim extrication, the rescue-the-rescuer role of the rapid intervention team and rapid self-extrication, typically requires high-intensity work that can be maintained only for short time intervals. The additional physiological burden imparted by the level C PPE during high-intensity work is unknown. We hypothesized that the added thermal burden resulting from work in PPE would shorten work time and result in a higher core temperature during incremental treadmill exercise. In this prospective, crossover, laboratory study, EMS providers (n = 8, 5 male) completed a Bruce treadmill test on two occasions: once in a chemical-resistant coverall and air-purifying respirator (PPE) and once in shorts and t-shirt (CON). Oxygen consumption, vital signs, core and skin temperature, and perceptual measures of exertion, thermal sensation, and comfort were monitored throughout the test. Subjects achieved maximal oxygen consumption and more than 90% of age-predicted maximum heart rate in both conditions. Heart rate, skin temperature, and measures of perceived exertion, comfort, and thermal sensation increased during the treadmill exercise but did not differ between the PPE and CON conditions. Core temperature increased in both the CON and PPE conditions (0.8 +/- 0.5 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.3, p = 0.40). High-intensity work in level C PPE is primarily limited by cardiovascular capacity. The thermal burden associated with this short bout of work in PPE (approximately 10 minutes) is not different than high-intensity work in short pants and cotton t-shirt. Consideration should be given to cardiorespiratory fitness when assigning providers

Farmers' use of personal protective equipment during handling of plant protection products: Determinants of implementation.

PubMed

Damalas, Christos A; Abdollahzadeh, Gholamhossein

2016-11-15

Understanding factors affecting the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during handling of plant protection products (PPPs) is of major importance for the design of tailored interventions to minimize exposure among farmers. However, data regarding this issue are highly limited. Factors related to the use of PPE during handling of PPPs were explored in a survey of cotton farmers in northern Greece. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the farmers based on a questionnaire with structured items on the frequency of use of various personal protective devices during handling of PPPs. New evidence on patterns of PPE use and potential exposure of farmers to PPPs is provided. Most farmers (49.3%) showed potentially unsafe behaviour with respect to PPE use. Hat and boots were the most commonly used protective items during PPPs use, but most of the farmers surveyed reported low frequency of use for gloves, goggles, face mask, coveralls, and respirator. Especially the respirator was reported to be the least used PPE item amongst farmers. Farmers who perceived PPPs as harmful substances or those who had an episode of intoxication in the past reported more frequent use of several PPE items. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the variable episode of intoxication in the past exerted the strongest positive influence on PPE use, followed by the perception of PPPs being hazardous substances, upper secondary education, previous training on PPPs (i.e., spraying equipment, application parameters, risks to human health and environment, safety issues) and farm size under cultivation. Old age exerted a significant negative influence on PPE use, namely, elderly farmers tended not to use PPE. Strategies to maximize the protection of applicators of PPPs from hazardous exposures still require innovation to achieve increased effectiveness. Emphasis on lifelong training and education of farmers about hazards and risks of PPPs is crucial for changing

Female athlete triad screening in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes: is the preparticipation evaluation form effective?

PubMed

Mencias, Tara; Noon, Megan; Hoch, Anne Z

2012-03-01

To evaluate the screening practices and preparticipation evaluation (PPE) forms used to identify college athletes at risk for the female athlete triad (triad). Phone and/or e-mail survey. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I universities. All 347 NCAA Division I universities were invited to participate in a survey, with 257 participating in the survey (74%) and 287 forms collected (83%). Information about the nature of the PPE was requested from team physicians and certified athletic trainers during a phone or e-mail survey. In addition, a copy of their PPE form was requested to evaluate for inclusion of the 12 items recommended by the Female Athlete Triad Coalition for primary screening for the triad. All 257 universities (100%) required a PPE for incoming athletes; however, only 83 universities (32%) required an annual PPE for returning athletes. Screening was performed on campus at 218 universities (85%). Eleven universities (4%) were using the recently updated fourth edition PPE. Only 25 universities (9%) had 9 or more of the 12 recommended items included in their forms, whereas 127 universities (44%) included 4 or less items. Relevant items that were omitted from more than 40% of forms included losing weight to meet the image requirements of a sport; using vomiting, diuretics, and/or laxatives to lose weight; and the number of menses experienced in the past 12 months. The current PPE forms used by NCAA Division I universities may not effectively screen for the triad.

Australian medical students have fewer opportunities to do physical examination of peers of the opposite gender.

PubMed

Taylor, Silas; Shulruf, Boaz

2016-01-01

Peer physical examination (PPE), by which junior medical students learn physical examination skills before practicing on patients, is a widely implemented and accepted part of medical curricula. However, the ethical implications of PPE have been debated, since issues including student gender impact on its acceptability. Research has previously demonstrated the phenomenon of 'attitude-behavior inconsistency' showing that students' predictions about their participation in PPE differ from what they actually do in practice. This study asks whether gender and student self-ratings of outlook affect engagement in PPE. This study gathered data from students who had completed PPE with the objective of determining what factors have the greatest impact on the actual practice of PPE by students. Data were used to derive the number of opportunities students had to examine a peer, for various body parts. Respondent gender and self-ratings of outlook were recorded. Responses from 130 students were analysed: 74 female (57%) and 56 male (43%). Students have fewer opportunities to examine peers of the opposite gender; this is statistically significant for all body parts when male students examine female peers. Gender is the factor of overriding importance on whether these peer interactions actually occur, such that students have fewer opportunities to examine peers of the opposite gender, particularly male students examining female peers. Student outlook has little impact. We speculate that the more acceptable PPE is to participants, paradoxically, the more complicated these interactions become, possibly with implications for future practice.

The influence of students' gender on equity in Peer Physical Examination: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Vnuk, Anna K; Wearn, Andy; Rees, Charlotte E

2017-08-01

Peer Physical Examination (PPE) is an educational tool used globally for learning early clinical skills and anatomy. In quantitative research, there are differences in students' preferences and actual participation in PPE by gender. This novel study qualitatively explores the effect that gender has on medical students' experiences of learning physical examination through PPE. We employ an interpretative approach to uncover the PPE experiences of students from a European, graduate-entry medical school. Volunteers participated in either individual or group interviews. The data were transcribed, de-identified and analysed using thematic analysis. There was evidence of gender inequity in PPE, with students describing significant imbalances in participation. Male students adopted roles that generated significant personal discomfort and led to fewer experiences as examiners. Assumptions were made by tutors and students about gender roles: male students' ready acceptance of exposure to be examined and female students' need to be protected from particular examinations. In contrast with the first assumption, male students did feel coerced or obliged to be examined. Students described their experiences of taking action to break down the gender barrier. Importantly, students reported that tutors played a role in perpetuating inequities. These findings, whilst relating to one university, have implications for all settings where PPE is used. Educators should be vigilant about gender issues and the effect that they may have on students' participation in PPE to ensure that students are not disadvantaged in their learning.

The association between self-perceived proficiency of personal protective equipment and objective performance: An observational study during a bioterrorism simulation drill.

PubMed

Fogel, Itay; David, Osant; Balik, Chaya H; Eisenkraft, Arik; Poles, Lion; Shental, Omri; Kassirer, Michael; Brosh-Nissimov, Tal

2017-11-01

The recent Ebola virus disease outbreak emphasized the potential misuse of personal protective equipment (PPE) by health care workers (HCWs) during such an event. We aimed to compare self-perceived proficiency of PPE use and objective performance, and identify predictors of low compliance and PPE misuse. An observational study combined with subjective questionnaires were carried out during a bioterror simulation drill. Forty-two observers evaluated performance under PPE. Mistakes were recorded and graded using a structured observational format and were correlated with the subjective questionnaires and with demographic parameters. One hundred seventy-eight HCWs from community clinics and hospitals were included. The mean self-perceived proficiency was high (6.1 out of 7), mean level of comfort was moderate (4.0 out of 7), and mean objective performance was intermediate (9.5 out of 13). There was no correlation between comfort and objective performance scores. Self-perceived proficiency was in correlation with donning and continuous performance with PPE but not with doffing. Clinic personnel performed better than personnel in hospitals (40.3% vs 67.8% with 3 or more mistakes, respectively; P = .001). Demographic characteristics had no correlation with objective or self-perceived performance. Self-perceived proficiency is a poor predictor of appropriate PPE use. The results suggest poor awareness of the possibility of PPE misuse. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Personal Protective Equipment in Animal Research

PubMed Central

Villano, Jason S; Follo, Janet M; Chappell, Mark G; Jr, Morris T Collins

2017-01-01

The occupational health and safety program is an integral component of a comprehensive animal care and use program. It is important to mitigate the risk of exposures of animal care and research personnel to allergens and physical, chemical, radiologic, and biologic hazards during the conduct of various tasks. This need is especially true in infectious disease and biocontainment research. One aspect of the program is the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Commercially available PPE should be carefully evaluated based on their material composition and performance according to manufacturer data. To help institutions and end users by providing them guidance on choosing appropriate PPE, we here discuss the regulatory framework, device standards, and materials engineering for various PPE, including gloves, shoe covers, head caps, gowns, aprons, masks, hearing and eye protection devices, and respirators. Ultimately, the choice of appropriate PPE is based on the risk assessment, which should include consideration for personnel comfort, correct device fitting, and the containment level for the hazard used. PMID:28662749

Enhancement of blood-tumor barrier permeability by Sar-[D-Phe8]des-Arg9BK, a metabolically resistant bradykinin B1 agonist, in a rat C6 glioma model

PubMed Central

Cardoso, Ronie Cleverson; Lobão-Soares, Bruno; Bianchin, Marino Muxfeldt; Carlotti, Carlos Gilberto; Walz, Roger; Alvarez-Silva, Márcio; Trentin, Andréa Gonçalves; Nicolau, Mauro

2004-01-01

Background While it is well known that bradykinin B2 agonists increase plasma protein extravasation (PPE) in brain tumors, the bradykinin B1 agonists tested thus far are unable to produce this effect. Here we examine the effect of the selective B1 agonist bradykinin (BK) Sar-[D-Phe8]des-Arg9BK (SAR), a compound resistant to enzymatic degradation with prolonged activity on PPE in the blood circulation in the C6 rat glioma model. Results SAR administration significantly enhanced PPE in C6 rat brain glioma compared to saline or BK (p < 0.01). Pre-administration of the bradykinin B1 antagonist [Leu8]-des-Arg (100 nmol/Kg) blocked the SAR-induced PPE in the tumor area. Conclusions Our data suggest that the B1 receptor modulates PPE in the blood tumor barrier of C6 glioma. A possible role for the use of SAR in the chemotherapy of gliomas deserves further study. PMID:15458573

Medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination: findings from an international cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Wearn, Andy M; Vnuk, Anna K; Sato, Toshio J

2009-03-01

Although studies have begun to shed light on medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE), they have been conducted at single sites, and have generally not examined changes in medical students' attitudes over time. Employing both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, the current study examines medical students' attitudes towards PPE at schools from different geographical and cultural regions and assess changes in their attitudes over their first year of medical study. Students at six schools (Peninsula, UK; Durham, UK; Auckland, New Zealand; Flinders, Australia; Sapporo, Japan and Li Ka Shing, Hong Kong) completed the Examining Fellow Students (EFS) questionnaire near the start of their academic year (T1), and students at four schools (Peninsula, Durham, Auckland and Flinders) completed the EFS for a second time, around the end of their academic year (T2). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a high level of acceptance for PPE of non-intimate body regions amongst medical students from all schools (greater than 83%, hips, at T1 and 94.5%, hips and upper body, at T2). At T1 and T2, students' willingness to engage in PPE was associated with their gender, ethnicity, religiosity and school. Typically, students least comfortable with PPE at T1 and T2 were female, non-white, religious and studying at Auckland. Although students' attitudes towards PPE were reasonably stable over their first year of study, and after exposure to PPE, we did find some statistically significant differences in attitudes between T1 and T2. Interestingly, attitude changes were consistently predicted by gender, even when controlling for school. While male students' attitudes towards PPE were relatively stable over time, females' attitudes were changeable. In this paper, we discuss our findings in light of existing research and theory, and discuss their implications for educational practice and further research.

Performance of procalcitonin in diagnosing parapneumonic pleural effusions: A clinical study and meta-analysis.

PubMed

He, Chao; Wang, Bo; Li, Danni; Xu, Huan; Shen, Yongchun

2017-08-01

Parapneumonic pleural effusion (PPE) is a common complication of pneumonia. The accurate diagnosis of PPE remains a challenge. Recent studies suggest that procalcitonin (PCT) emerges as a potential biomarker for PPE. Our study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of PCT for PPE by a clinical study and summarize the overall diagnostic performance of PCT through a meta-analysis. Demographic and clinical data of the patients with PPE and controls were collected in our clinical study. The diagnostic performances of serum PCT (s-PCT) were analyzed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, using area under the curve (AUC) as a measure of accuracy. Literature databases were systematically searched for the studies examining the accuracy of PCT for diagnosing PPE. Data on sensitivity, specificity, positive/negative likelihood ratio (PLR/NLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) were pooled. Summary ROC curves and AUC were used to evaluate overall test performance. In our clinical study, 47 patients with PPE and 101 controls were included. The s-PCT levels were significantly increased in the setting of PPE (5.44 ± 9.82 ng/mL) compared with malignant PE (0.15 ± 0.19 ng/mL), tuberculous PE (0.18 ± 0.16 ng/mL), and transudates (0.09 ± 0.03 ng/mL) (P < .001). Using a cutoff value of 0.195 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity of s-PCT in diagnosing PPE were 0.83 and 0.80, respectively, and AUC was 0.89. In addition, 11 studies were included in our meta-analysis. Summary performance estimates for s-PCT in diagnosing PPE were as follows: sensitivity, 0.78 (95% CI: 0.71-0.84); specificity, 0.74 (95% CI: 0.69-0.78); PLR, 3.46 (95% CI: 2.09-5.74); NLR, 0.27 (95% CI: 0.14-0.54); DOR, 12.37 (95% CI: 4.34-41.17); and AUC, 0.84. The corresponding estimates for p-PCT were as follows: sensitivity, 0.62 (95% CI: 0.57-0.67); specificity, 0.71 (95% CI: 0.68-0.75); PLR 2.31 (95% CI: 1.81-2.95); NLR, 0.47 (95% CI: 0.35-0.63); DOR, 5.48 (95% CI

Antinociceptive Effect of Intrathecal Injection of Genetically Engineered Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells Expressing the Human Proenkephalin Gene in a Rat Model of Bone Cancer Pain.

PubMed

Sun, Yi; Tian, Yuke; Li, Haifeng; Zhang, Dengwen; Sun, Qiang

2017-01-01

Background . This study aimed to investigate the use of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) genetically engineered with the human proenkephalin (hPPE) gene to treat bone cancer pain (BCP) in a rat model. Methods . Primary cultured hBMSCs were passaged and modified with hPPE, and the cell suspensions (6 × 10 6 ) were then intrathecally injected into a rat model of BCP. Paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) was measured before and after BCP. The effects of hPPE gene transfer on hBMSC bioactivity were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. Results . No changes were observed in the surface phenotypes and differentiation of hBMSCs after gene transfer. The hPPE-hBMSC group showed improved PMWT values on the ipsilateral side of rats with BCP from day 12 postoperatively, and the analgesic effect was reversed by naloxone. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 β and IL-6 were ameliorated, and leucine-enkephalin (L-EK) secretion was augmented, in the hPPE-engineered hBMSC group. Conclusion . The intrathecal administration of BMSCs modified with the hPPE gene can effectively relieve pain caused by bone cancer in rats and might be a potentially therapeutic tool for cancer-related pain in humans.

Nebulized isotonic saline versus water following a laryngeal desiccation challenge in classically trained sopranos.

PubMed

Tanner, Kristine; Roy, Nelson; Merrill, Ray M; Muntz, Faye; Houtz, Daniel R; Sauder, Cara; Elstad, Mark; Wright-Costa, Julie

2010-12-01

To examine the effects of nebulized isotonic saline (IS) versus sterile water (SW) on self-perceived phonatory effort (PPE) and phonation threshold pressure (PTP) following a surface laryngeal dehydration challenge in classically trained sopranos. In a double-blind, within-subject crossover design, 34 sopranos breathed dry air (relative humidity < 1%) transorally for 15 min and then nebulized 3 mL of IS or SW, or experienced a no-treatment control condition over 3 consecutive weeks. PPE and PTP were measured every 15 min from baseline through 2 hr postdesiccation. PPE increased significantly following the laryngeal desiccation challenge in all 3 treatment conditions (p < .01). After nebulization, PPE returned to baseline for the IS condition only. For the SW and control conditions, PPE remained above baseline during the 2 hr after desiccation. No statistically significant changes in PTP following laryngeal desiccation were observed, although values for the IS condition remained below baseline for nearly 2 hr after nebulization. PPE and PTP were not significantly correlated. Following a laryngeal surface dehydration challenge, classically trained sopranos reported increased vocal effort that persisted for at least 2 hr. Compared with SW, nebulized IS showed promise as an effective way to remediate the adverse, self-perceived effects of laryngeal desiccation.

Stockpile Model of Personal Protective Equipment in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Ju; Cheng, Yu-Hsin; Huang, Chun-Wei; Kao, Hui-Yun; Chang, Chih-Kai; Huang, Hsun-Miao; Liu, Pei-Yin; Wang, Jen-Hsin; Chih, Yi-Chien; Chou, Shu-Mei; Yang, Chin-Hui; Chen, Chang-Hsun

2017-01-01

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) has established a 3-tier personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpiling framework that could maintain a minimum stockpile for the surge demand of PPE in the early stage of a pandemic. However, PPE stockpiling efforts must contend with increasing storage fees and expiration problems. In 2011, the Taiwan CDC initiated a stockpile replacement model in order to optimize the PPE stockpiling efficiency, ensure a minimum stockpile, use the government's limited funds more effectively, and achieve the goal of sustainable management. This stockpile replacement model employs a first-in-first-out principle in which the oldest stock in the central government stockpile is regularly replaced and replenished with the same amount of new and qualified products, ensuring the availability and maintenance of the minimum stockpiles. In addition, a joint electronic procurement platform has been established for merchandising the replaced PPE to local health authorities and medical and other institutions for their routine or epidemic use. In this article, we describe the PPE stockpile model in Taiwan, including the 3-tier stockpiling framework, the operational model, the components of the replacement system, implementation outcomes, epidemic supports, and the challenges and prospects of this model. PMID:28418743

Renoprotective Effect of Egyptian Cape Gooseberry Fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) against Acute Renal Injury in Rats

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Lamiaa Ali

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the renoprotective effect of Physalis peruviana L. extract (PPE) on acute renal injury in rats. Adult male rats (n = 36) were divided into six groups that were fed with basal diet throughout the experiment (33 days). The first group was normal group, the second and the third groups were administered orally with 100 and 150 mg PPE/kg body weight (BW) respectively, the fourth group was injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg BW cisplatin once on the 28th day to induced ARI, and the fifth and sixth groups were treated like the second and the third groups and were injected with cisplatin on the 28th day. Many bioactive compounds were found in PPE. PPE did not cause any changes in the second and third groups compared to normal control group. Administration of PPE prior to cisplatin injection caused significant reduction in relative kidney weight, serum creatinine, urea, blood urea nitrogen, and significant increments in body weight, feed intake, total protein, albumin, and total globulin compared to cisplatin group. Pretreatment with PPE improved kidney histology and diminished the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and enhanced other antioxidant enzymes in kidney homogenate compared to cisplatin group. PMID:24757415

Renoprotective effect of Egyptian cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) against acute renal injury in rats.

PubMed

Ahmed, Lamiaa Ali

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the renoprotective effect of Physalis peruviana L. extract (PPE) on acute renal injury in rats. Adult male rats (n = 36) were divided into six groups that were fed with basal diet throughout the experiment (33 days). The first group was normal group, the second and the third groups were administered orally with 100 and 150 mg PPE/kg body weight (BW) respectively, the fourth group was injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg BW cisplatin once on the 28th day to induced ARI, and the fifth and sixth groups were treated like the second and the third groups and were injected with cisplatin on the 28th day. Many bioactive compounds were found in PPE. PPE did not cause any changes in the second and third groups compared to normal control group. Administration of PPE prior to cisplatin injection caused significant reduction in relative kidney weight, serum creatinine, urea, blood urea nitrogen, and significant increments in body weight, feed intake, total protein, albumin, and total globulin compared to cisplatin group. Pretreatment with PPE improved kidney histology and diminished the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and enhanced other antioxidant enzymes in kidney homogenate compared to cisplatin group.

75 FR 5144 - Submission for OMB Review: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-01

... of a previously approved collection. Title of Collection: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for... of the workplace to determine if personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary and to communicate...

Peer physical examination: time to revisit?

PubMed

Outram, Suzanne; Nair, Balakrishnan R

2008-09-01

Opportunities for using inpatients for learning physical examination skills have decreased. In peer physical examination (PPE), students act as models for each other to learn skills in physical examination and other non-invasive procedures. PPE is extensively used and has high acceptability, but nevertheless poses some challenges. PPE may be less acceptable among culturally and linguistically diverse students. In the light of our findings and the published literature, best practice points are described.

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

Foust, C.B.

An incident involving chemical warfare agents requires a unique hazardous materials (HAZMAT) response. As with an HAZMAT event, federal regulations prescribe that responders must be protected from exposure to the chemical agents. But unlike other HAZMAT events, special considerations govern selection of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE includes all clothing, respirators and monitoring devices used to respond to a chemical release. PPE can differ depending on whether responders are military or civilian personnel.

Australian medical students have fewer opportunities to do physical examination of peers of the opposite gender

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose Peer physical examination (PPE), by which junior medical students learn physical examination skills before practicing on patients, is a widely implemented and accepted part of medical curricula. However, the ethical implications of PPE have been debated, since issues including student gender impact on its acceptability. Research has previously demonstrated the phenomenon of ‘attitude-behavior inconsistency’ showing that students’ predictions about their participation in PPE differ from what they actually do in practice. This study asks whether gender and student self-ratings of outlook affect engagement in PPE. Methods This study gathered data from students who had completed PPE with the objective of determining what factors have the greatest impact on the actual practice of PPE by students. Data were used to derive the number of opportunities students had to examine a peer, for various body parts. Respondent gender and self-ratings of outlook were recorded. Results Responses from 130 students were analysed: 74 female (57%) and 56 male (43%). Students have fewer opportunities to examine peers of the opposite gender; this is statistically significant for all body parts when male students examine female peers. Conclusion Gender is the factor of overriding importance on whether these peer interactions actually occur, such that students have fewer opportunities to examine peers of the opposite gender, particularly male students examining female peers. Student outlook has little impact. We speculate that the more acceptable PPE is to participants, paradoxically, the more complicated these interactions become, possibly with implications for future practice. PMID:27894184

Effects of porcine pancreatic enzymes on the pancreas of hamsters. Part 1: basic studies.

PubMed

Saruc, Murat; Nozawa, Fumiaki; Yalniz, Mehmet; Itami, Atsushi; Pour, Parviz M

2012-09-10

Porcine pancreatic enzymes (PPE) extracted from glandular stomach has been used for the treatment of pancreatic cancer patients. Unfortunately, no information is available on the in vitro and in vivo effect on the pancreas and other tissues. We used Syrian Golden hamsters, a unique pancreatic cancer model, to obtain basic information on PPE for its eventual use for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. PPE was used in different concentrations in vitro and in vivo. The stability of the enzyme in the water solution was investigated. It was given to the hamsters by gavage in concentrations of 1g/kg and 400 mg/kg for short periods and in aqueous solution for 65 days. Plasma enzyme and insulin, the size of islets and the number of the insulin cells per islet were examined. The enzyme activity of PPE was maintained in water solution for at least 24 hours. Due to its content of calcium chloride it showed a high toxicity to normal and malignant hamster pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro. PPE did not alter the plasma pancreatic enzyme levels regardless of the dose, duration and application route. On the contrary, PPE reduced their levels significantly. Remarkably, it also reduced the level of insulin, the size of the islets and the number of insulin cells in the islets significantly. The results imply that PPE does not enter the blood circulation but it appears to slow down the function of both the exocrine and endocrine pancreas.

Chromatin-associated regulation of sorbitol synthesis in flower buds of peach.

PubMed

Lloret, Alba; Martínez-Fuentes, Amparo; Agustí, Manuel; Badenes, María Luisa; Ríos, Gabino

2017-11-01

PpeS6PDH gene is postulated to mediate sorbitol synthesis in flower buds of peach concomitantly with specific chromatin modifications. Perennial plants have evolved an adaptive mechanism involving protection of meristems within specialized structures named buds in order to survive low temperatures and water deprivation during winter. A seasonal period of dormancy further improves tolerance of buds to environmental stresses through specific mechanisms poorly known at the molecular level. We have shown that peach PpeS6PDH gene is down-regulated in flower buds after dormancy release, concomitantly with changes in the methylation level at specific lysine residues of histone H3 (H3K27 and H3K4) in the chromatin around the translation start site of the gene. PpeS6PDH encodes a NADPH-dependent sorbitol-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the key enzyme for biosynthesis of sorbitol. Consistently, sorbitol accumulates in dormant buds showing higher PpeS6PDH expression. Moreover, PpeS6PDH gene expression is affected by cold and water deficit stress. Particularly, its expression is up-regulated by low temperature in buds and leaves, whereas desiccation treatment induces PpeS6PDH in buds and represses the gene in leaves. These data reveal the concurrent participation of chromatin modification mechanisms, transcriptional regulation of PpeS6PDH and sorbitol accumulation in flower buds of peach. In addition to its role as a major translocatable photosynthate in Rosaceae species, sorbitol is a widespread compatible solute and cryoprotectant, which suggests its participation in tolerance to environmental stresses in flower buds of peach.

Analysis of serum chemokine levels in patients with HIV-associated eosinophilic folliculitis.

PubMed

Yokobayashi, H; Sugaya, M; Miyagaki, T; Kai, H; Suga, H; Yamada, D; Minatani, Y; Watanabe, K; Kikuchi, Y; Tamaki, T; Sato, S

2013-02-01

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection exhibit various skin diseases. HIV-associated eosinophilic folliculitis (EF) and pruritic papular eruption (PPE) are frequently seen. To understand the mechanisms underlying HIV-associated EF and PPE. In order to know frequencies of EF and PPE among patients with HIV infection, we first collected HIV(+) patients who visited dermatology clinic in National Center for Global Health and Medicine during February 2007. We next collected 25 serum samples from HIV(+) patients with skin diseases from May 2008 to May 2010. Eight of 25 patients had EF (EF group), four had PPE (PPE group) and others had non-itchy skin problems such as condyloma acuminatum (no itch group). We first confirmed high frequencies of EF (10.7%) and PPE (5.3%) among 75 HIV(+) patients who visited our clinic during one month. We then measured serum levels of CCL11, CCL17, CCL26 and CCL27. Serum CCL17 levels in EF were significantly higher than those of PPE and no itch group. Serum CCL26 and CCL27 levels in EF were higher than those of no itch group. The number of CD4(+) cells in EF was significantly lower than that in no itch group. High serum levels of CCL17, CCL26 and CCL27, and low CD4(+) cell counts may account for the development of HIV-associated EF. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2012 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Neuroprotective Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract after Chronic Infusion with Amyloid-β Peptide in Mice

PubMed Central

Morzelle, Maressa Caldeira; Salgado, Jocelem Mastrodi; Telles, Milena; Mourelle, Danilo; Bachiega, Patricia; Buck, Hudson Sousa

2016-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic and degenerative condition that had no treatment until recently. The current therapeutic strategies reduce progression of the disease but are expensive and commonly cause side effects that are uncomfortable for treated patients. Functional foods to prevent and/or treat many conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, represent a promising field of study currently gaining attention. To this end, here we demonstrate the effects of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract (PPE) regarding spatial memory, biomarkers of neuroplasticity, oxidative stress and inflammation in a mouse model of neurodegeneration. Male C57Bl/6 mice were chronically infused for 35 days with amyloid-β peptide 1–42 (Aβ) or vehicle (control) using mini-osmotic pumps. Another group, also infused with Aβ, was treated with PPE (p.o.– βA+PPE, 800 mg/kg/day). Spatial memory was evaluated in the Barnes maze. Animals treated with PPE and in the control group exhibited a reduction in failure to find the escape box, a finding that was not observed in the Aβ group. The consumption of PPE reduced amyloid plaque density, increased the expression of neurotrophin BDNF and reduced the activity of acetylcholinesterase enzyme. A reduction in lipid peroxidation and in the concentration of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α was also observed in the PPE group. No hepatic lesions were observed in animals treated with PPE. In conclusion, administration of pomegranate peel extract has neuroprotective effects involving multiple mechanisms to prevent establishment and progression of the neurodegenerative process induced by infusion with amyloid-β peptide in mice. PMID:27829013

29 CFR 1910.9 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of PPE, because of hazards to...

29 CFR 1910.9 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of PPE, because of hazards to...

29 CFR 1917.5 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of PPE, because of hazards to...

29 CFR 1917.5 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of PPE, because of hazards to...

Comparison of forcefields for molecular dynamics simulations of hydrocarbon phase diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pisarev, V. V.; Zakharov, S. A.

2018-01-01

Molecular dynamics calculations of vapor-liquid equilibrium of methane-n-butane mixture are performed. Three force-field models are tested: the TraPPE-UA united-atom forcefield, LOPLS-AA all-atom forcefield and a fully flexible version of the TraPPE-EH all-atom forcefield. All those forcefields reproduce well the composition of liquid phase in the mixture as a function of pressure at the 300 K isotherm, while significant discrepancies from experimental data are observed in the saturated vapor compositions with OPLS-AA and TraPPE-UA forcefields. The best agreement with the experimental phase diagram is found with TraPPE-EH forcefield which accurately reproduces compositions of both liquid and vapor phase. This forcefield can be recommended for simulation of two-phase hydrocarbon systems.

Personal safety issues related to the use of pesticides in agricultural production in the Al-Batinah region of Northern Oman.

PubMed

Al Zadjali, Said; Morse, Stephen; Chenoweth, Jonathan; Deadman, Mike

2015-01-01

The level of uptake and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by farm workers in Oman is low; the conditions under which pesticides are stored are frequently below acceptable international standards. Research was undertaken to explore the drivers working against safe storage of agrochemicals and effective personal protection usage by pesticide application personnel. Results from a survey of over 200 respondents, representing workers in, and owners of, farms either within or outside a local farmer's association (FA), suggest that FA membership raises standards of behaviour both in terms of safe pesticide storage and use of PPE. Age of respondents had no apparent effect on the likelihood of PPE (gloves and masks) use. PPE use was, however, highest among respondents with more advanced educational backgrounds. Positive responses for glove and mask use, when applying pesticides, were higher for owners and workers in FA farms compared to non-FA farms. Lowest reported use of PPE was among workers in non-FA farms. Analysis of responses appears to indicate that behaviour patterns of workers in FA farms mirror that of the farm owners. This was not the case in non-FA farms. The results suggest that conformity to social norms, in this case acceptable work-environment behaviour, is a powerful driver behind raised usage levels of PPE in farms in Oman. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

'No one wants to be the face of Herpes London': a qualitative study of the challenges of engaging patients and the public in sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS services.

PubMed

Robinson, Nicola; Lorenc, Ava

2015-04-01

To explore barriers, challenges and best practice within patient and public engagement (PPE) in sexual and reproductive health and HIV (SRHH) services in London. Consultation exercise using qualitative interviews with 27 stakeholders including commissioners, managers, voluntary/community organizations (VCOs) clinicians and patients, analysed using Framework Analysis and Atlas.ti software. Participants recognized PPE's importance, echoing recent political and NHS drives, and highlighted the need for meaningful, empowering PPE, including user-designed methods, peer research and participatory approaches. Although challenging in SRHH and requiring training and support, PPE may help tackle stigma, and promote self-management and patient-centred-care, including peer education and role modelling. Expertise may come from experienced VCOs. Themes in priority order were: organizational commitment (including lack of dedicated staff, time and money); motivating patients; changing NHS philosophy; informing patients/public; using public awareness/education campaigns; overcoming stigma; working with VCOs. 'Reaching out' to engage underrepresented groups in this sensitive area was emphasized through community outreach, incentivization and linking with existing organizations. Making engagement easy and addressing issues of public value were also important. Stigma was less hindering than anticipated, except for ethnic minorities. PPE was seen to improve patient satisfaction, increase service uptake and reduce inequalities, key priorities in SRHH, and identify innovative service delivery ideas. PPE is crucial in creating a patient-led NHS and responsible society. If organizations, including the NHS, commit to implementing meaningful PPE which actively targets those at risk of poor SRHH, services can be truly patient-led and patients and communities empowered to tackle the stigma of SRHH. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nosocomial transmission of Ebola virus disease on pediatric and maternity wards: Bombali and Tonkolili, Sierra Leone, 2014.

PubMed

Dunn, Angela C; Walker, Tiffany A; Redd, John; Sugerman, David; McFadden, Jevon; Singh, Tushar; Jasperse, Joseph; Kamara, Brima Osaio; Sesay, Tom; McAuley, James; Kilmarx, Peter H

2016-03-01

In the largest Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in history, nosocomial transmission of EVD increased spread of the disease. We report on 2 instances in Sierra Leone where patients unknowingly infected with EVD were admitted to a general hospital ward (1 pediatric ward and 1 maternity ward), exposing health care workers, caregivers, and other patients to EVD. Both patients died on the general wards, and were later confirmed as being infected with EVD. We initiated contact tracing and assessed risk factors for secondary infections to guide containment recommendations. We reviewed medical records to establish the index patients' symptom onset. Health care workers, patients, and caregivers were interviewed to determine exposures and personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Contacts were monitored daily for EVD symptoms. Those who experienced EVD symptoms were isolated and tested. Eighty-two contacts were identified: 64 health care workers, 7 caregivers, 4 patients, 4 newborns, and 3 children of patients. Seven contacts became symptomatic and tested positive for EVD: 2 health care workers (1 nurse and 1 hospital cleaner), 2 caregivers, 2 newborns, and 1 patient. The infected nurse placed an intravenous catheter in the pediatric index patient with only short gloves PPE and the hospital cleaner cleaned the operating room of the maternity ward index patient wearing short gloves PPE. The maternity ward index patient's caregiver and newborn were exposed to her body fluids. The infected patient and her newborn shared the ward and latrine with the maternity ward index patient. Hospital staff members did not use adequate PPE. Caregivers were not offered PPE. Delayed recognition of EVD and inadequate PPE likely led to exposures and secondary infections. Earlier recognition of EVD and adequate PPE might have reduced direct contact with body fluids. Limiting nonhealth-care worker contact, improving access to PPE, and enhancing screening methods for pregnant women, children

PpeTAC1 promotes the horizontal growth of branches in peach trees and is a member of a functionally conserved gene family found in diverse plants species.

PubMed

Dardick, Chris; Callahan, Ann; Horn, Renate; Ruiz, Karina B; Zhebentyayeva, Tetyana; Hollender, Courtney; Whitaker, Michael; Abbott, Albert; Scorza, Ralph

2013-08-01

Trees are capable of tremendous architectural plasticity, allowing them to maximize their light exposure under highly competitive environments. One key component of tree architecture is the branch angle, yet little is known about the molecular basis for the spatial patterning of branches in trees. Here, we report the identification of a candidate gene for the br mutation in Prunus persica (peach) associated with vertically oriented growth of branches, referred to as 'pillar' or 'broomy'. Ppa010082, annotated as hypothetical protein in the peach genome sequence, was identified as a candidate gene for br using a next generation sequence-based mapping approach. Sequence similarity searches identified rice TAC1 (tiller angle control 1) as a putative ortholog, and we thus named it PpeTAC1. In monocots, TAC1 is known to lead to less compact growth by increasing the tiller angle. In Arabidopsis, an attac1 mutant showed more vertical branch growth angles, suggesting that the gene functions universally to promote the horizontal growth of branches. TAC1 genes belong to a gene family (here named IGT for a shared conserved motif) found in all plant genomes, consisting of two clades: one containing TAC1-like genes; the other containing LAZY1, which contains an EAR motif, and promotes vertical shoot growth in Oryza sativa (rice) and Arabidopsis through influencing polar auxin transport. The data suggest that IGT genes are ancient, and play conserved roles in determining shoot growth angles in plants. Understanding how IGT genes modulate branch angles will provide insights into how different architectural growth habits evolved in terrestrial plants. © 2013 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

User Perceptions of ¡Protéjase!: An Intervention Designed to Increase Protective Equipment Use Among Mexican Immigrant and Mexican American Farmworkers

PubMed Central

Montiel-Ishino, Francisco A; Smyth, Joshua M; Murphy, Dennis J; Miranda, Patricia Y; Davis, Lisa A

2016-01-01

Background Farmworkers’ exposures to pesticides are reduced when they wear personal protective equipment (PPE), and mobile health (mHealth) platforms can potentially deliver information to farmworkers to help promote PPE use. However, little is known about the feasibility of using mHealth platforms to promote farmworkers’ use of PPE. Objective The objective of the study was to describe the development and feasibility-testing of Protect Yourself! (¡Protéjase!), an intervention designed to increase PPE use. As the vast majority of farmworkers in the United States are from Mexico, we examined the intervention in a primarily Mexican-origin farmworker population. Methods ¡Protéjase was developed in several steps. First, we performed ethnographic observations to understand what prevents PPE use. Next, we developed program components that met the challenges uncovered in the ethnographic observations, seeking direct feedback from farmworkers on each component. Feasibility was assessed using surveys and focus groups. Material was provided in Spanish or English at the preference of the participant. Finally, we pilot tested each component of the intervention, including: (1) PPE that was provided to each worker for their personal use during the intervention trial, and (2) delivery of an application-based tool that promoted the use of PPE through daily individualized messaging. Results 55 farmworkers enrolled in the study, but only 41 of 55 (75%) completed the entire pilot intervention trial. Results focus on the evaluation of the intervention, and include only those who completed the entire trial. Among farmworkers who completed the entire intervention trial, all but two farmworkers were born in Mexico and were Spanish speaking. Still, all study participants self-identified as Mexican or Mexican-American. When asked what changes were needed in the intervention’s messaging or delivery to increase user satisfaction, 22 out of 41 participants (54%) felt that no changes

Zoonotic disease risk perceptions and infection control practices of Australian veterinarians: call for change in work culture.

PubMed

Dowd, Karen; Taylor, Melanie; Toribio, Jenny-Ann L M L; Hooker, Claire; Dhand, Navneet K

2013-08-01

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of zoonotic disease risk among Australian veterinarians, the infection control practices they use to protect themselves from zoonotic diseases, and the factors influencing their use of these protective practices. A questionnaire was designed and piloted prior to its administration to veterinarians at the annual Australian Veterinary Association Conference in May 2011. The questionnaire comprised 21 closed, semi-closed and open questions. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression analyses to determine significant factors for veterinarians' use of personal protective equipment (PPE). A total of 344 veterinarians completed the questionnaire of which 63.7% were women, 63.2% worked in small/companion animal practice, and 79.9% worked in private veterinary practice. Of the respondents, 44.9% reported contracting a zoonosis during their careers with 19.7% reporting a suspected case and 25.2% reporting a confirmed incidence. Around 40-60% of veterinarians perceived exposure to zoonosis likely or very likely in a variety of situations. With reference to current national industry guidelines, the reported use of PPE was less than "adequate" for most scenarios except for performing postmortems, surgery or dental procedures. No PPE was used by 60-70% of veterinarians for treating respiratory and neurological cases and by 40-50% when treating gastrointestinal and dermatological cases. Workplace conditions need improvement as 34.8% of workplaces did not have isolation units for infected animals, 21.1% did not have separate eating areas for staff, and 57.1% did not have complete PPE kits for use. Veterinarians were more likely to use PPE if they had undertaken postgraduate education, perceived that zoonosis exposure from animals and procedures was likely, consciously considered PPE use for every case they dealt with and believed that liability issues and risks encouraged use of PPE. In contrast

Polyphosphoester nanoparticles as biodegradable platform for delivery of multiple drugs and siRNA

PubMed Central

Elzeny, Hadeel; Zhang, Fuwu; Ali, Esraa N; Fathi, Heba A; Zhang, Shiyi; Li, Richen; El-Mokhtar, Mohamed A; Hamad, Mostafa A; Wooley, Karen L; Elsabahy, Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Delivery of multiple therapeutics and/or diagnostic agents to diseased tissues is challenging and necessitates the development of multifunctional platforms. Among the various strategies for design of multifunctional nanocarriers, biodegradable polyphosphoester (PPE) polymers have been recently synthesized via a rapid and simple synthetic strategy. In addition, the chemical structure of the polymer could be tuned to form nanoparticles with varying surface chemistries and charges, which have shown exceptional safety and biocompatibility as compared to several commercial agents. The purpose of this study was to exploit a mixture of PPE nanoparticles of cationic and neutral surface charges for multiple delivery of anticancer drugs (ie, sorafenib and paclitaxel) and nucleic acids (ie, siRNA). Cationic PPE polymers could efficiently complex siRNA, and the stability of the nanoparticles could be maintained in physiological solutions and upon freeze-drying and were able to deliver siRNA in vivo when injected intravenously in mice. Commercially available cationic polyethylenimine polymer had LD50 of ca. 61.7 mg/kg in mice, whereas no animal died after injection of the cationic PPE polymer at a dose of >130 mg/kg. Neutral PPE nanoparticles were able to encapsulate two hydrophobic drugs, namely, sorafenib and paclitaxel, which are commonly used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Mixing the neutral and cationic PPE nanoparticles did not result in any precipitation, and the size characteristics of both types of nanoparticles were maintained. Hence, PPE polymers might have potential for the delivery of multiple drugs and diagnostic agents to diseased tissues via simple synthesis of the individual polymers and assembly into nanoparticles that can host several drugs while being mixed in the same administration set, which is of importance for industrial and clinical development. PMID:28260861

Variations in status of preparation of personal protective equipment for preventing norovirus gastroenteritis in long-term care facilities for the elderly.

PubMed

Fujiki, Saori; Ishizaki, Tatsuro; Nakayama, Takeo

2017-12-01

Residents of long-term care facilities are highly susceptible to norovirus gastroenteritis, and each facility is concerned about the need to implement norovirus infection control. Among control measures, personal protective equipment (PPE), such as disposable gloves and masks, plays a major role in reducing infectious spread. However, the preparation status of PPE in facilities before infection outbreaks has not been reported. The aim was to clarify the implementation status of preventive measures for norovirus gastroenteritis and the cost of preparing the necessary PPE in long-term care facilities. A questionnaire survey of facilities affiliated with the Kyoto Prefecture and Osaka Prefecture branches of the Japan Association of Geriatric Health Services Facilities was conducted. The survey items were the characteristics of the facility, whether preventive measures had been implemented for norovirus gastroenteritis from October through the following March in both 2009 and 2010, and the quantities and unit prices of PPE prepared for preventive measures. Twenty-six (11.2%) of 232 surveyed facilities (as of August 2011) answered the survey. Among them, 24 (92.3%) in 2009 and 25 (96.2%) in 2010 reported having implemented preventive measures for norovirus gastroenteritis, while 21 facilities (80.8%) in 2009 and 22 facilities (84.6%) in 2010 had prepared PPE. The median total cost for preparing the PPE needed for the preventive measures was US $2601 (range US $221-9192) in 2009 and US $3904 (range US $305-6427) in 2010. Although the results need careful interpretation because of the low response rate, most of the surveyed long-term care facilities had implemented preventive measures for norovirus gastroenteritis. However, the cost of preparing the PPE needed for the preventive measures varied among the facilities. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Polyphosphoester nanoparticles as biodegradable platform for delivery of multiple drugs and siRNA.

PubMed

Elzeny, Hadeel; Zhang, Fuwu; Ali, Esraa N; Fathi, Heba A; Zhang, Shiyi; Li, Richen; El-Mokhtar, Mohamed A; Hamad, Mostafa A; Wooley, Karen L; Elsabahy, Mahmoud

2017-01-01

Delivery of multiple therapeutics and/or diagnostic agents to diseased tissues is challenging and necessitates the development of multifunctional platforms. Among the various strategies for design of multifunctional nanocarriers, biodegradable polyphosphoester (PPE) polymers have been recently synthesized via a rapid and simple synthetic strategy. In addition, the chemical structure of the polymer could be tuned to form nanoparticles with varying surface chemistries and charges, which have shown exceptional safety and biocompatibility as compared to several commercial agents. The purpose of this study was to exploit a mixture of PPE nanoparticles of cationic and neutral surface charges for multiple delivery of anticancer drugs (ie, sorafenib and paclitaxel) and nucleic acids (ie, siRNA). Cationic PPE polymers could efficiently complex siRNA, and the stability of the nanoparticles could be maintained in physiological solutions and upon freeze-drying and were able to deliver siRNA in vivo when injected intravenously in mice. Commercially available cationic polyethylenimine polymer had LD 50 of ca. 61.7 mg/kg in mice, whereas no animal died after injection of the cationic PPE polymer at a dose of >130 mg/kg. Neutral PPE nanoparticles were able to encapsulate two hydrophobic drugs, namely, sorafenib and paclitaxel, which are commonly used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Mixing the neutral and cationic PPE nanoparticles did not result in any precipitation, and the size characteristics of both types of nanoparticles were maintained. Hence, PPE polymers might have potential for the delivery of multiple drugs and diagnostic agents to diseased tissues via simple synthesis of the individual polymers and assembly into nanoparticles that can host several drugs while being mixed in the same administration set, which is of importance for industrial and clinical development.

Understanding student concerns about peer physical examination using an activity theory framework.

PubMed

Wearn, Andy M; Rees, Charlotte E; Bradley, Paul; Vnuk, Anna K

2008-12-01

Peer physical examination (PPE) has been employed for several decades as part of the formal curriculum for learning clinical skills. Most of the existing studies exploring students' attitudes towards PPE are single-site and use quantitative methods. Currently, there is a lack of theoretical underpinning to PPE as a learning method. Using an adaptation of the Examining Fellow Students questionnaire, we captured qualitative data from Year 1 medical students about their views and concerns around learning using PPE. The study was set in six schools across five countries (the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Hong Kong). Students provided free text comments that were later transcribed and analysed using framework analysis. A total of 617 students provided comments for analysis. This paper focuses on several related themes about the complexities of students' relationships within the context of PPE and their reflections on peer examination in comparison with genuine patient examination. Students drew parallels and differences between the peer examiner-examinee relationship and the doctor-patient relationship. They explained how these two types of relationship differed in nature and in terms of their levels of interaction. Our findings illuminate the interactional and complex nature of PPE, drawing out concerns and ambiguities around relationships, community and rules. We discuss our results in light of Engeström's model of activity theory (AT) and provide recommendations for educational practice and further research based on the principles of AT.

Pooling knowledge and improving safety for contracted works at a large industrial park.

PubMed

Agnello, Patrizia; Ansaldi, Silvia; Bragatto, Paolo

2015-01-01

At a large chemical park maintenance is contracted by the major companies operating the plants to many small firms. The cultural and psychological isolation of contractor workers was recognized a root cause of severe accidents in the recent years. That problem is common in chemical industry. The knowledge sharing has been assumed a good key to involve contractors and sub contractors in safety culture and contributing to injuries prevention. The selection of personal protective equipment PPE for the maintenance works has been taken as benchmark to demonstrate the adequateness of the proposed approach. To support plant operators, contractors and subcontractors in PPE discussion, a method has been developed. Its core is a knowledge-base, organized in an Ontology, as suitable for inferring decisions. By means of this tool all stakeholders have merged experience and information and find out the right PPE, to be provided, with adequate training and information package. PPE selection requires sound competencies about process and environmental hazards, including major accident, preventive and protective measures, maintenance activities. These pieces of knowledge previously fragmented among plant operators and contractors, have to be pooled, and used to find out the adequate PPE for a number of maintenance works. The PPE selection is per se important, but it is also a good chance to break the contractors' isolation and involve them in safety objectives. Thus by pooling experience and practical knowledge, the common understanding of safety issues has been strengthened.

The preparticipation physical examination for athletics: a critical review of current recommendations.

PubMed

Carek, P J; Hunter, L

2001-01-01

The preparticipation physical examination (PPE) has become the standard of care for the millions of high school students in the United States as they prepare for athletic participation. These assessments are intended to identify medical conditions that may affect safe and effective participation in organized sports. The PPE has become an integral aspect of the athletic and sports medicine system during the last three decades. Over time, the PPE has been revised, largely based upon the recommendations of large medical organizations. Several primary and secondary goals have been presented to be accomplished through the PPE. One particular goal of these assessments is to identify individuals with underlying cardiovascular disease, a significant cause of acute sudden cardiac death in high school and college athletes. While current research continues to demonstrate that the PPE has no effect on the overall morbidity and mortality rates in athletes, other objectives may be fulfilled by these examinations. In order to improve the ability of these examinations in fulfilling their primary objectives, instruments that have better results in preventing the injuries and deaths associated with athletic participation should be developed and investigate.

Preparticipation screening - the sports physical therapy perspective.

PubMed

Sanders, Barbara; Blackburn, Turner A; Boucher, Brenda

2013-04-01

The sports physical therapist (SPT) is uniquely qualified to participate in the provision of preparticipation physical examinations (PPE). The PPE is recommended prior to athletic participation and required by many jurisdictions. There is little research to support the process and components; however, a number of professional organizations have recommendations that direct the PPE process. This clinical commentary highlights the role of the sports physical therapist and current evidence related to the preparticipation physical examination process. Data sources were limited to include professional positions and peer reviewed publications from 1988 through January 2013. Preparticipation physicals should be useful, comprehensive, and cost effective for the athlete and the health care team. Additional research is indicated in many of the areas of the PPE. The SPT is a valuable member of the health care team and can be a primary facilitator of the PPE in concert with the physician, athletic trainer, athletic organization administrators, and others. Well-designed and inclusive PPEs can be provided to meet the major objectives of identification of athletes at risk. Controversy continues over the extent of the cardiac screening component as well as other sport or athlete specific components. 5.

The impact of firefighter personal protective equipment and treadmill protocol on maximal oxygen uptake.

PubMed

Lee, Joo-Young; Bakri, Ilham; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Son, Su-Young; Tochihara, Yutaka

2013-01-01

This study investigated the effects of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) on the determination of maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2max)) while using two different treadmill protocols: a progressive incline protocol (PIP) and a progressive speed protocol (PSP), with three clothing conditions (Light-light clothing; Boots-PPE with rubber boots; Shoes-PPE with running shoes). Bruce protocol with Light was performed for a reference test. Results showed there was no difference in VO(2max) between Bruce Light, PIP Light, and PSP Light. However, VO(2max) was reduced in Boots and Shoes with shortened maximal performance time (7 and 6 min reduced for PIP Boots and Shoes, respectively; 11 and 9 min reduced for PSP Boots and Shoes, respectively), whereas the increasing rate of VO(2) in Boots and Shoes during submaximal exercise was greater compared with Light. Wearing firefighter boots compared with wearing running shoes also significantly affected submaximal VO(2) but not VO(2max). These results suggest that firefighters' maximal performance determined from a typical VO(2max) test without wearing PPE may overestimate the actual performance capability of firefighters wearing PPE.

The Impact of Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment and Treadmill Protocol on Maximal Oxygen Uptake

PubMed Central

Lee, Joo-Young; Bakri, Ilham; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Son, Su-Young; Tochihara, Yutaka

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) on the determination of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) while using two different treadmill protocols: a progressive incline protocol (PIP) and a progressive speed protocol (PSP), with three clothing conditions (Light-light clothing; Boots-PPE with rubber boots; Shoes-PPE with running shoes). Bruce protocol with Light was performed for a reference test. Results showed there was no difference in VO2max between Bruce Light, PIP Light, and PSP Light. However, VO2max was reduced in Boots and Shoes with shortened maximal performance time (7 and 6 min reduced for PIP Boots and Shoes, respectively; 11 and 9 min reduced for PSP Boots and Shoes, respectively), whereas the increasing rate of VO2 in Boots and Shoes during submaximal exercise was greater compared with Light. Wearing firefighter boots compared with wearing running shoes also significantly affected submaximal VO2 but not VO2max. These results suggest that firefighters’ maximal performance determined from a typical VO2max test without wearing PPE may overestimate the actual performance capability of firefighters wearing PPE. PMID:23668854

Validation of the professional practice environment scale in nurse educators in hospitals.

PubMed

Sayers, Jan Maree; Salamonson, Yenna; DiGiacomo, Michelle; Davidson, Patricia Mary

2016-03-01

To report an assessment of the psychometric properties of the Professional Practice Environment (PPE) scale in a sample of Australian nurse educators in acute care hospitals. Although nurse educators are important in an enabling work environment, there has been no reported exploration of their satisfaction with work in acute care hospitals. The factor structure and internal consistency of the PPE scale were consistent with Erickson's eight-factor model of the items, indicating the appropriateness of the scale as an assessment tool to measure the PPE of nurse educators. The PPE scale is useful for monitoring the work environment of nurse educators in clinical practice and the environmental effects influencing their recruitment, retention and job satisfaction. This work may inform the development of integrated professional practice environments where the professional practice and workplace satisfaction of nurse educators are optimised, influencing safe, quality patient care.

Incident surveillance in New Jersey career and technical education programs, 1999 to 2008: attributes, severity, and reported use of personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Shendell, Derek G; Jhaveri, Mehul; Nowakowski, Alexandra C H; Wozniak, Maryann E; Campbell, Jennifer K; Marshall, Elizabeth G; Kelly, Sarah W

2010-09-01

Through school-sponsored career and technical education programs in New Jersey, students work part-time during or after school in paid and unpaid structured learning experiences regulated by the New Jersey Department of Education. Schools submit information on "reportable incidents," injury or illness resulting in physician treatment. Incidents including reported use of personal protective equipment (PPE) were assessed; 1,600 incident reports (1999 to 2008) were received. Attributes such as type and severity, body parts affected, and PPE use for incidents occurring at school among students grades 9 to 12 or labeled as "adults" during school hours (n = 285) were analyzed. Older teens incurred more injuries. PPE use was consistently low across age and gender. Students most frequently experienced knife injuries involving fingers and hands. Results identified potential injury determinants and training and intervention topics such as PPE, and support development of an enhanced reporting form. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.

Transcriptional regulation of cranial sensory placode development

PubMed Central

Moody, Sally A.; LaMantia, Anthony-Samuel

2015-01-01

Cranial sensory placodes derive from discrete patches of the head ectoderm, and give rise to numerous sensory structures. During gastrulation, a specialized “neural border zone” forms around the neural plate in response to interactions between the neural and non-neural ectoderm and signals from adjacent mesodermal and/or endodermal tissues. This zone subsequently gives rise to two distinct precursor populations of the peripheral nervous system: the neural crest and the pre-placodal ectoderm (PPE). The PPE is a common field from which all cranial sensory placodes arise (adenohypophyseal, olfactory, lens, trigeminal, epibranchial, otic). Members of the Six family of transcription factors are major regulators of PPE specification, in partnership with co-factor proteins such as Eya. Six gene activity also maintains tissue boundaries between the PPE, neural crest and epidermis by repressing genes that specify the fates of those adjacent ectodermally-derived domains. As the embryo acquires anterior-posterior identity, the PPE becomes transcriptionally regionalized, and it subsequently subdivides into specific placodes with distinct developmental fates in response to signaling from adjacent tissues. Each placode is characterized by a unique transcriptional program that leads to the differentiation of highly specialized cells, such as neurosecretory cells, somatic sensory receptor cells, chemosensory neurons, peripheral glia and supporting cells. In this review, we summarize the transcriptional and signaling factors that regulate key steps of placode development, influence subsequent sensory neuron specification, and discuss what is known about mutations in some of the essential PPE genes that underlie human congenital syndromes. PMID:25662264

Nurses' use of hazardous drug-handling precautions and awareness of national safety guidelines.

PubMed

Polovich, Martha; Martin, Susan

2011-11-01

To determine patterns of personal protective equipment (PPE) used by oncology nurses while handling hazardous drugs (HDs) and to assess knowledge of the 2004 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Alert and its effect on precaution use. Descriptive, correlational. The Oncology Nursing Society 31st Annual Congress in Boston, MA, in 2006. 330 nurses who prepared and/or administered chemotherapy. Nurses described HD safe-handling precaution use by self-report survey. The availability and use of biologic safety cabinets and PPE. Respondents were well educated (57% had a bachelor's degree or more), experienced (X = 19, SD = 10.2 years in nursing and X = 12, SD = 7.9 years in oncology), and certified (70%; majority OCN®). Forty-seven percent of respondents were aware of the NIOSH Alert. Thirty-five percent of all participants and 93% of nurses in private practice settings reported preparing chemotherapy. Glove use (95%-100%) was higher than that reported in earlier studies, and gown use for drug preparation (65%), drug administration (50%), and handling excretions (23%) have remained unchanged. Double-gloving was rare (11%-18%). Nurses in private practices were less likely to have chemotherapy-designated PPE available, use PPE, and use spill kits for HD spills. Nurses have adopted glove use for HD handling; however, gown use remains comparatively low. Chemotherapy-designated PPE is not always provided by employers. Nurses lack awareness of current safety guidelines. Nurses must know about the risks of HD exposure and ways to reduce exposure. Employers must provide appropriate PPE and encourage its use. Alternative methods of disseminating safety recommendations are needed.

Striatal output markers do not alter in response to circling behaviour in 6-OHDA lesioned rats produced by acute or chronic administration of the monoamine uptake inhibitor BTS 74 398.

PubMed

Lane, E L; Cheetham, S; Jenner, P

2008-01-01

The monoamine uptake inhibitor BTS 74 398 induces ipsilateral circling in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rats without induction of abnormal motor behaviours associated with L-dopa administration. We examined whether this was reflected in the expression of peptide mRNA in the direct and indirect striatal output pathways.6-OHDA lesioning of the nigrostriatal pathway increased striatal expression of PPE-A mRNA and decreased levels of PPT mRNA with PPE-B mRNA expression remaining unchanged. Acute L-dopa administration normalised PPE-A mRNA and elevated PPT mRNA while PPE-B mRNA expression remained unchanged. Acute administration of BTS 74 398 did not alter striatal peptide mRNA levels. Following chronic treatment with L-dopa, PPE-A mRNA expression in the lesioned striatum continued to be normalised and PPT mRNA was increased compared to the intact side. PPE-B mRNA expression was also markedly increased relative to the non-lesioned striatum. Chronic BTS 74 398 administration did not alter mRNA expression in the 6-OHDA lesioned striatum although small increases in PPT mRNA expression in the intact and sham lesioned striatum were observed. The failure of BTS 74 398 to induce changes in striatal neuropeptide mRNA correlated with its failure to induce abnormal motor behaviours or behavioural sensitisation but does not explain how it produces a reversal of motor deficits. An action in another area of the brain appears likely and may explain the subsequent failure of BTS 74 398 and related compounds to exert anti-parkinsonian actions in man.

Polymer blends based on epoxy resin and polyphenylene ether as a matrix material for high-performance composites

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

Venderbosch, R.W.; Nelissen, J.G.L.; Peijs, A.A.J.M.

1993-12-31

The application of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether), PPE, as a matrix material for continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites was studied. PPE is an amorphous thermoplastic exhibiting a high glass transition temperature (220 C) and outstanding mechanical properties with respect to e.g. toughness. However, due to the limited thermal stability at temperatures above T{sub g}, PPE can be regarded as an intractable polymer. Consequently, the introduction of PPE in a composite structure via a melt impregnation route is not feasible. In this investigation a solution impregnation route, using epoxy resin as a reactive solvent, was developed. During impregnation epoxy resin acts as amore » solvent which results in enhanced flow and a reduced processing temperature enabling the preparation of high quality composites, avoiding any degradation. Upon curing of the neat system, phase separation and phase inversion occurs resulting in a continuous PPE matrix filled with glassy epoxy spheres. As a result of this morphology the mechanical and thermal properties of the final material are mainly dominated by the PPE component. In composite applications, a strong influence of the polarity of the carbon fiber surface on the resulting matrix morphology was found. Upon curing, phase separation is initiated at the fiber surface resulting in an epoxy `interlayer` at the fiber surface. This phenomenon can provide a high level of interfacial adhesion. A preliminary investigation of the resulting composite materials revealed outstanding mechanical properties with respect to e.g. interlaminar toughness and strength.« less

77 FR 64531 - Notice of Availability of Guidance for Protecting Responders' Health During the First Week...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-22

... the first week of a response. Protective measures addressed in the guidance include medical countermeasures (i.e., drugs, vaccine), personal protective equipment (PPE), and other possible work practices. A...), including more specificity regarding the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, a number...

Palatability and chemical safety of apple juice fortified with pomegranate peel extract.

PubMed

Altunkaya, Arzu; Hedegaard, Rikke V; Harholt, Jesper; Brimer, Leon; Gökmen, Vural; Skibsted, Leif H

2013-10-01

Pomegranate peel extract (PPE), a by-product of the pomegranate juice industry with potential health effects, was explored for use to fortify reconstituted apple juice in the concentration range 0.5 to 2.0% (w/w). Radical scavenging and antioxidative capacities of the fortified apple juices were evaluated using (i) electron spin resonance (ESR) to quantify their ability to scavenge the stable radical Fremy's salt and (ii) the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay and compared to apple juice without fortification as control. The highest antioxidative capacity was found in the apple juice fortified with the highest percentage of pomegranate peel extract, while the optimal sensory quality was found by addition of 0.5 g PPE per 100 mL. The Artemia salina assay was used as a fast screening method for evaluating overall toxicity, and showed little toxicity with up to 1.0 g per 100 mL addition of PPE, but increasing toxicity at higher concentrations. Accordingly, it is important to balance addition of PPE, when used for enrichment of apple juice in order to obtain a healthier product, without compromising the sensorial quality or toxicological safety of the apple juice. Concentrations between 0.5 and 1.0 g PPE per 100 mL seem to be acceptable.

PREPARTICIPATION SCREENING – THE SPORTS PHYSICAL THERAPY PERSPECTIVE

PubMed Central

Blackburn, Turner A.; Boucher, Brenda

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose: The sports physical therapist (SPT) is uniquely qualified to participate in the provision of preparticipation physical examinations (PPE). The PPE is recommended prior to athletic participation and required by many jurisdictions. There is little research to support the process and components; however, a number of professional organizations have recommendations that direct the PPE process. Description of Topic and Related Evidence: This clinical commentary highlights the role of the sports physical therapist and current evidence related to the preparticipation physical examination process. Data sources were limited to include professional positions and peer reviewed publications from 1988 through January 2013. Relation to Clinical Practice: Preparticipation physicals should be useful, comprehensive, and cost effective for the athlete and the health care team. Additional research is indicated in many of the areas of the PPE. The SPT is a valuable member of the health care team and can be a primary facilitator of the PPE in concert with the physician, athletic trainer, athletic organization administrators, and others. Well‐designed and inclusive PPEs can be provided to meet the major objectives of identification of athletes at risk. Controversy continues over the extent of the cardiac screening component as well as other sport or athlete specific components. Level of Evidence: 5 PMID:23593556

Personal Protective Equipment Supply Chain: Lessons Learned from Recent Public Health Emergency Responses.

PubMed

Patel, Anita; D'Alessandro, Maryann M; Ireland, Karen J; Burel, W Greg; Wencil, Elaine B; Rasmussen, Sonja A

Personal protective equipment (PPE) that protects healthcare workers from infection is a critical component of infection control strategies in healthcare settings. During a public health emergency response, protecting healthcare workers from infectious disease is essential, given that they provide clinical care to those who fall ill, have a high risk of exposure, and need to be assured of occupational safety. Like most goods in the United States, the PPE market supply is based on demand. The US PPE supply chain has minimal ability to rapidly surge production, resulting in challenges to meeting large unexpected increases in demand that might occur during a public health emergency. Additionally, a significant proportion of the supply chain is produced off-shore and might not be available to the US market during an emergency because of export restrictions or nationalization of manufacturing facilities. Efforts to increase supplies during previous public health emergencies have been challenging. During the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic and the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic, the commercial supply chain of pharmaceutical and healthcare products quickly became critical response components. This article reviews lessons learned from these responses from a PPE supply chain and systems perspective and examines ways to improve PPE readiness for future responses.

Membrane perturbation activity of cationic phenylene ethynylene oligomers and polymers: selectivity against model bacterial and mammalian membranes.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Tang, Yanli; Zhou, Zhijun; Ji, Eunkyung; Lopez, Gabriel P; Chi, Eva Y; Schanze, Kirk S; Whitten, David G

2010-08-03

Poly(phenylene ethyneylene) (PPE)-based cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) and cationic phenylene ethynylene oligomers (OPEs) exhibit broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and their main target is believed to be the cell membrane. To understand better how these antimicrobial molecules interact with membranes, a series of PPE-based CPEs and OPEs with different side chains were studied. Large unilamellar vesicles with lipid compositions mimicking those of mammalian or bacterial membranes were used as model membranes. Among the CPEs and OPEs tested, the anionic CPE, PPE-SO(3)(2-) and the smallest cationic OPE-1 are inactive against all vesicles. Other cationic CPEs and OPEs show significant membrane perturbation ability against bacterial membrane mimics but are inactive against a mammalian cell membrane mimic with the exception of PPE-DABCO and two end-only-functionalized OPEs, which also disrupted a mammalian cell membrane mimic. The results suggest that the phospholipid composition of vesicles dominates the interaction of CPE and OPE with lipid membranes.

The impact of OSHA regulations on nursing care cost and compliance.

PubMed

Raltz, S; Kozarek, R A; Kim-Deobald, J; Pethigal, P; Moorhouse, M A

1994-01-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires health care facilities to protect employees from bloodborne pathogens. One of the mandates is to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees at no cost to the employee. In this article, the authors explore the cost and compliance of implementing the new OSHA regulations for nursing staff assisting with colonoscopies over a 6-month period. The data were collected on a total of 461 procedures. The cost of implementing PPE for the nursing staff was $2.98 per procedure. The PPE available for the nursing staff included goggles, splash-proof gown, face mask, shoe covers, and latex gloves. The total cost of implementing the new regulations for the nursing staff assisting with colonoscopies was $2,747.56 and was projected to cost approximately $50,000 yearly if implemented for all GI procedures in the institution. Staff compliance rates for the five pieces of PPE ranged from 6.5 to 97.8%.

Comparison of Thermal Manikin Modeling and Human Subjects' Response During Use of Cooling Devices Under Personal Protective Ensembles in the Heat.

PubMed

Quinn, Tyler; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Seo, Yongsuk; Coca, Aitor

2018-06-01

IntroductionPersonal protective equipment (PPE) recommended for use in West Africa during the Ebola outbreak increased risk for heat illness, and countermeasures addressing this issue would be valuable.Hypothesis/ProblemThe purpose of this study was to examine the physiological impact and heat perception of four different personal cooling devices (PCDs) under impermeable PPE during low-intensity exercise in a hot and humid environment using thermal manikin modeling and human testing. Six healthy male subjects walked on a treadmill in a hot/humid environment (32°C/92% relative humidity [RH]) at three metabolic equivalents (METs) for 60 minutes wearing PPE recommended for use in West Africa and one of four different personal cooling devices (PCDs; PCD1, PCD2, PCD3, and PCD4) or no PCD for control (CON). The same ensembles were tested with thermal manikin modeling software in the same conditions to compare the results. All PCDs seemed to reduce physiological heat stress characteristics when worn under PPE compared to CON. Both the manikin and human testing provided similar results in core temperature (Tc) and heat sensation (HS) in both magnitude and relationship. While the manikin and human data provided similar skin temperature (Tsk) characterization, Tsk estimation by the manikin seemed to be slightly over-estimated. Weight loss, as estimated by the manikin, was under-estimated compared to the human measurement. Personal cooling device use in conjunction with impermeable PPE may be advantageous in mitigating physiological and perceptual burdens of heat stress. Evaluation of PCDs worn under PPE can be done effectively via human or manikin testing; however, Tsk may be over-estimated and weight loss may be under-estimated. Thermal manikin testing of PCDs may provide fast and accurate information to persons recommending or using PCDs with PPE. QuinnT, KimJH, SeoY, CocaA. Comparison of thermal manikin modeling and human subjects' response during use of cooling devices

The Influence of Students' Gender on Equity in Peer Physical Examination: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vnuk, Anna K.; Wearn, Andy; Rees, Charlotte E.

2017-01-01

Peer Physical Examination (PPE) is an educational tool used globally for learning early clinical skills and anatomy. In quantitative research, there are differences in students' preferences and actual participation in PPE by gender. This novel study qualitatively explores the effect that gender has on medical students' experiences of learning…

Association between workplace and housing conditions and use of pesticide safety practices and personal protective equipment among North Carolina farmworkers in 2010.

PubMed

Levesque, D L; Arif, A A; Shen, J

2012-04-01

There are inconsistencies about the effects of farmworker housing and workplace conditions and use of self-protective behavior practices and personal protective equipment (PPE). To investigate the association between workplace and housing conditions and farmworker use of pesticide safety practices and PPE. This study was conducted in 4 counties in North Carolina, USA, from July to October, 2010, during the agricultural growing season. Farmworkers working in agriculture aged 18 to 62 (n = 187) were administered a structured questionnaire to collect self-reported measures on housing and workplace conditions. Use of pesticide safety and PPE were examined by asking questions about wearing gloves, wearing socks, and wearing a hat. Chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analyses. Farmworkers reporting availability of enough hot and cold water for bathing and doing laundry were 13.6 times more likely to use pesticide safety practices (adjusted OR: 13.6, 95% CI: 1.4-135.4), whereas, those who reported that soap for handwashing was always or usually available while doing agricultural work were 7.8 times more likely to use pesticide safety practices (adjusted OR: 7.8, 95% CI: 3.3-18.5). Farmworkers that reported access to water to wash their hands with while performing agricultural work were more likely to use PPE (adjusted OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-9.2). Some migrant farmworker labor camps are not supplying acceptable housing conditions such as 1 handwashing sink per 6 people (n = 10, 5.4%). Use of pesticide safety practices and PPE is greater when farmers provide decontamination supplies. Improvement of housing and workplace conditions are crucial to increase use of pesticide safety practices and PPE.

Pruritic papular eruption and eosinophilic folliculitis associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: a histopathological and immunohistochemical comparative study.

PubMed

Afonso, João Paulo Junqueira Magalhães; Tomimori, Jane; Michalany, Nilceo Schwery; Nonogaki, Suely; Porro, Adriana Maria

2012-08-01

Among the papular-pruriginous dermatoses related to human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection, two entities remain poorly differentiated leading to confusion in their diagnosis: HIV-related pruritic papular eruption (HIV-PPE or prurigo) and eosinophilic folliculitis (HIV-EF). To establish histopathological and immunohistochemical parameters to differentiate between two conditions associated with HIV infection, the pruritic papular eruption (HIV-PPE) and eosinophilic folliculitis (HIV-EF). Clinically typical HIV-PPE (18 cases) and HIV-EF (10 cases) cases were compared with each other in terms of the following topics: clinical and laboratory features (gender, age, CD4+ cell and eosinophil count), histopathological features (hematoxylin-eosin and toluidine blue staining) and immunohistochemical features (anti-CD1a, anti-CD4, anti-CD7, anti-CD8, anti-CD15, anti-CD20, anti-CD30, anti-CD68/macrophage and anti-S-100 reactions). Among the HIV-EF patients, we found an intense perivascular and diffuse inflammatory infiltration compared with those patients with HIV-PPE. The tissue mast cell count by toluidine staining was higher in the HIV-EF patients, who also presented higher expression levels of CD15 (for eosinophils), CD4 (T helper), and CD7 (pan-T lymphocytes) than the HIV-PPE patients. Only quantitative differences and not qualitative differences were found. These data indicate that HIV-related PPE and EF could possibly be differentiated by histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in addition to clinical characteristics. In fact, these two inflammatory manifestations could be within the spectrum of the same disease because only quantitative, and not qualitative, differences were found. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of Personal Protective Standards: Caring for Patients With Ebola Virus.

PubMed

Franklin, Sativa Michelle

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the variance in requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) used among healthcare workers to treat patients actively infected with the Ebola virus in West Africa. The Ebola virus is a highly contagious disease, which has killed 11020 people within the past year. In order to combat the disease and treat those with active infections, healthcare workers are required to use PPE. The guidelines for the PPE, in addition to the requirements of what should be worn, are varied between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A military unit was composed of sister services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) deployed to Monrovia, Liberia, to assist in mitigating the devastating effects of the Ebola virus. Each service member was taught PPE standards according to the WHO and were assigned to teach healthcare workers from around the world on how to manage the care of patients infected with the Ebola virus, while simultaneously taking diligent precautions to protect themselves against the deadly disease. More than 1500 healthcare workers were instructed on the latest PPE standards before they entered into the Ebola treatment units (ETUs) that were being constructed in Liberia. Cumulative death rates from the Ebola virus in Liberia increased from 2413 in October 2014 to 3686 by January 2015. The rapid decline in Ebola mortality is multifactorial. The efforts of US military medical personnel likely were a contributing factor in this rapid decline as those international health workers were afforded the latest in PPE training with strict attention to detail. US military medical personnel, in concert with other governmental agencies, created a potent force multiplier in the efforts to curb this deadly infection. The educational initiative was essential to the slowdown in the spread of the Ebola virus in Liberia. Recommendations for a detailed review of the PPE standards and variances in

Beyond Resistance: Exploring Health Managers' Propensity for Participatory Evaluation in a Developing Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smits, Pernelle A.; Champagne, Francois; Farand, Lambert

2012-01-01

The evaluation of interventions is becoming increasing common and now often seeks to involve managers in the process. Such practical participatory evaluation (PPE) aims to increase the use of evaluation results through the participation of stakeholders. This study focuses on the propensity of health managers for PPE, as measured through the…

[SOMATOTYPE, NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS].

PubMed

Valdés-Badilla, Pablo; Salvador Soler, Noemí; Godoy-Cumillaf, Andrés; Carmona-López, María Ines; Fernández, Juan José; Durán-Agüero, Samuel

2015-09-01

classical studies have compared the glycemia with the nutritional status in both children and adults; however studies that consider also somatotype are unknown. associating the somatotype and nutritional status with the glycemic level of students of Pedagogy in Physical Education (PPE). the sample included 40 subjects, divided between 13 women and 27 men. It was determined in each subject BMI, somatotype and also a fasting blood glucose sample was obtained. the somatotype in male PPE students was mesomorphic (3-2-2) with a nutritional status of overweight (25 kg/m2) and balanced mesomorphic (4-4-2) with normal weight (22 kg/m2) in women PPE students. While average fasting blood glucose was 69 mg / dl. No association between somatotype and BMI with blood sugar levels of students of PPE, however, women of PEF showed significant positive correlations between mesomorphy and the ICC (0.577) and between glycemia and height (0.650). somatotype and BMI of the students of PPE are consistent with their age and sex, but no association between somatotype and glucose was observed. Moreover, the average blood glucose levels were somewhat lower compared to normative tables, a situation that could be related to physical activity, however, requires further study to confirm it. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Application of fungal chitosan incorporated with pomegranate peel extract as edible coating for microbiological, chemical and sensorial quality enhancement of Nile tilapia fillets.

PubMed

Alsaggaf, Mohammed S; Moussa, Shaaban H; Tayel, Ahmed A

2017-06-01

Fish are generous sources for providing man with his essential nutritional requirements, but the extreme susceptibility to quality deterioration hinders their optimal usage and storage. Natural derivatives are always the perfect alternatives for food preservation. The application of fungal chitosan (Ch), from Aspergillus niger, and pomegranate peel extract (PPE), in coating films for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets preservation ‎and maintaining their microbiological, chemical and sensorial quality during cooled storage at 4°C for 30days, was investigated.‎ Fish fillet were coated with Ch (2%) and combined Ch+PPE, at PPE percentages of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0%. Fillets coating resulted in sharp decrease of the entire microbial counts during storage; the increased concentrations from PPE strengthened coating film antimicrobial activity. Additionally, fillets coating could retard the chemical spoilage parameters increasing, i.e. nitrogen volatile base (TVB-N), peroxide value (PV) and reactive substances of thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), during storage period. The sensory evaluation indicated higher preferences for the odor, texture, color and overall quality of coated samples. Fish fillets coating with Ch and Ch+PPE could be recommended for shelf life extension and maintaining the microbiological, chemical and sensorial quality through the application of safe preservatives from natural origins. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical composition of Propolis Extract ACF® and activity against herpes simplex virus.

PubMed

Bankova, V; Galabov, A S; Antonova, D; Vilhelmova, N; Di Perri, B

2014-09-25

Propolis Extract ACF(®) (PPE) is a purified extract manufactured from propolis collected in a Canadian region rich in poplar trees, and it is the active substance of a topical ointment used against herpes labialis (cold sores or fever blisters). Aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition of PPE in order to understand the plant origin and possible relations between compounds and antiviral activity, and to characterize the antiviral activity of the extract against herpes simplex virus in vitro. The analysis of the propolis extract samples was conducted by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The antiviral activity was tested against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and type 2 in MDBK cell cultures by treating the cells with PPE at the time of virus adsorption, and by incubating the virus with the extract before infection (virucidal assay). Results from the GC-MS analyses revealed a dual plant origin of PPE, with components derived from resins of two different species of poplar. The chemical composition appeared standardized between extract samples and was also reproduced in the sample of topical ointment. The antiviral studies showed that PPE had a pronounced virucidal effect against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and type 2, and also interfered with virus adsorption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Occupational safety beliefs among Latino residential roofing workers.

PubMed

Arcury, Thomas A; Summers, Phillip; Carrillo, Lourdes; Grzywacz, Joseph G; Quandt, Sara A; Mills, Thomas H

2014-06-01

This analysis describes beliefs about work safety and personal protective equipment (PPE) among Latino roofing workers, it delineates their perceptions of work environment characteristics that affect work safety and PPE use, and it describes how they experience work injuries and the consequences of these injuries. In-depth interviews were completed with 10 current and former Latino residential roofers. Interview transcripts were subjected to systematic qualitative analysis. Participants' valued productivity over safety, and this had a negative influence on their safety behavior and reduced their PPE use. They understood that roofing was hazardous. They limited use of PPE when they felt it reduced productivity and when it was uncomfortable. Work environment characteristics that affected safety included company size, the physical demands of the job, lack of training, the need for work, general life stress, and distractions at work. An injury had to result in lost work time to be considered significant. Access to health care is limited by employers not providing Workers' compensation. Future research is needed to substantiate these descriptive results and to delineate factors that are associated with safety behavior and use of PPE. Interventions, based on a lay health educator model, are needed to improve safety in this population. Safety regulations need to be evaluated and their enforcement needs to be improved. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chemical exposure reduction: Factors impacting on South African herbicide sprayers' personal protective equipment compliance and high risk work practices.

PubMed

Andrade-Rivas, Federico; Rother, Hanna-Andrea

2015-10-01

The high exposure risks of workers to herbicides in low- and middle-income countries is an important public health concern because of the potential resulting negative impacts on workers' health. This study investigated workers' personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance as a risk mitigation measure; particularly workers who apply herbicides for Working for Water (WfW) - a South African invasive alien vegetation control programme. The study aim was to understand workers' low PPE compliance by analysing their risk perceptions of herbicide use, working conditions and socio-cultural context. Research methods included ethnographic observations, informal interviews, visual media, questionnaires and a focus group. Study results indicated that low PPE compliance persists despite workers' awareness of herbicide exposure risks and as a result of the influence from workers' socio-cultural context (i.e. gender dynamics and social status), herbicide risk perceptions and working conditions (i.e. environmental and logistical). Interestingly, teams comprised of mostly women had the highest compliance rate. These findings highlighted that given the complexity of PPE compliance, especially in countries with several economic and social constraints, exposure reduction interventions should not rely solely on PPE use promotion. Instead, other control strategies requiring less worker input for effectiveness should be implemented, such as elimination and substitution of highly hazardous pesticides, and altering application methods. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conjugated polymer with carboxylate groups-Hg2 + system as a turn-on fluorescence probe for label-free detection of cysteine-containing compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Hongyu; Guan, Mingming; Liu, Jilin; Shan, Hongyan; Fei, Qiang; Huan, Yanfu; Feng, Guodong

2017-04-01

In this work, a turn on fluorescent sensor, based on Hg2 + coordination conjugated polymer, was developed to detect cysteine-containing compounds. The fluorescence of conjugated polymer (poly(2,5-bis (sodium 4-oxybutyrate) -1,4 - phenylethynylene-alt-1,4-phenyleneethynylene; PPE-OBS) would be quenched by Hg2 + because of the coordination-induced aggregation and electron transfers of PPE-OBS toward Hg2 +. When there were some cysteine-containing compounds in PPE-OBS-Hg2 + system, the fluorescence of PPE-OBS would be recovered. It indicated that the PPE-OBS-Hg2 + system could be used to detect cysteine-containing compounds. Under the optimized conditions, the experiment results showed that there were particularly linear range, high sensitivity and selectivity over other amino acids. The limit of detection (LOD) of cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH) were 0.725 μmol L- 1, 0.982 μmol L- 1 and 1.21 μmol L- 1 by using this sensor. In addition, Cys standard recovery in several green tea drink and honey samples was also demonstrated. The recovery of Cys was range from 96.3 to 105.0% and RSD was less than 3.25%. The satisfactory results demonstrated that the proposed method could be as a potential fluorescent method for determining cysteine-containing compounds in real samples.

The Nigerian Institute of Architects' Professional Practice Examination: Conceptions, Misconceptions and the Way Forward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bobadoye, Sunday A.; Afolami, Adewale J.; Olabode, Ogunmakinde; Aribisala, Emmanuel E.

2013-01-01

This study examined the link between the Nigeria Institute of Architects and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) with respect to the Professional Practice Examinations (PPE). It sought to establish why so many graduates are yet to write the PPE and to identify the perceptions about the examination and the professional…

Effects of Personal Protective Equipment Use and Good Workplace Hygiene on Symptoms of Neurotoxicity in Solvent-Exposed Vehicle Spray Painters.

PubMed

Keer, Sam; McLean, Dave; Glass, Bill; Douwes, Jeroen

2018-03-12

To assess the association between the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and good workplace hygiene and symptoms of neurotoxicity in solvent-exposed vehicle spray painters. Exposure control measures including PPE-use and workplace hygiene practices and symptoms of neurotoxicity were assessed in 267 vehicle repair spray painters. Symptoms were assessed using an adapted version of the EUROQUEST Questionnaire. Frequent respirator and glove use was inversely and significantly associated with symptoms of neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05 for trend) with the strongest protective effect found for consistent glove use (odds ratios [OR] 0.1-0.2, P < 0.01, for reporting ≥10 and ≥5 symptoms). A clear dose-response trend was also observed when combining frequency of respirator and glove use (P < 0.05 for reporting ≥5 and ≥10 symptoms), with an overall reduction in risk of 90% (OR, 0.1, P < 0.01) for those who consistently used both types of PPE. Protective effects were most pronounced for the symptom domains of psychosomatic (P < 0.05 for trend, for combined PPE use), mood (P < 0.05), and memory and concentration symptoms combined (P < 0.05), with reductions in risk of >80%. Poor hygiene workplace practices, such as solvent exposure to multiple body parts (OR 3.4, P = 0.11 for reporting ≥10 symptoms), were associated with an increased risk of symptoms. When using a general workplace hygiene score derived from a combination of PPE-use and (good) workplace practice factors an inverse and significant dose-response trend was observed for reporting ≥5 (P < 0.01) and ≥10 symptoms (P < 0.01). This study has shown that PPE-use and good workplace hygiene are associated with a strongly reduced risk of symptoms of neurotoxicity in solvent-exposed vehicle spray painters.

[Prevalence of genital anomalies in young football players].

PubMed

Mónaco, M; Verdugo, F; Bodell, M; Avendaño, E; Til, L; Drobnic, F

2015-01-01

The purpose of genital examination (GE) during the Pre-participation Physical Examination (PPE) is to identify the state of maturity, and rule out any genital pathology. To describe genital anomalies (GA) and estimate the awareness of GE in young football players. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in 280 elite football players from the results of PPE over two seasons. There was a detection rate of 5.4% GA, with varicocele being 3.2%, and of which only 13% were aware of their condition. Although this study shows a low incidence of genital abnormality in the study population, only 13% were aware of the GE prior to assessment. These findings demonstrate a low incidence of GA in this population. While GE is recommended during PPE, it is not a routine practice performed by family doctors or sports medicine specialists. This article attempts to raise awareness of the importance of GE in PPE as a preventive health strategy. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Lipopeptide biosurfactants from Paenibacillus polymyxa inhibit single and mixed species biofilms.

PubMed

Quinn, Gerry A; Maloy, Aaron P; McClean, Stephen; Carney, Brian; Slater, John W

2012-01-01

Although biofilms are recognised as important in microbial colonisation, solutions to their inhibition are predominantly based on planktonic assays. These solutions have limited efficacy against biofilms. Here, a series of biofilm-orientated tests were used to identify anti-biofilm compounds from marine micro-flora. This led to the isolation of a complex of anti-biofilm compounds from an extract of Paenibacillus polymyxa (PPE). A combination of rpHPLC and mass spectrometry identified the principle components of PPE as fusaricidin B (LI-FO4b) and polymyxin D1, with minor contributions from surfactins. This complex (PPE) reduced the biofilm biomass of Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus bovis. In contrast, ampicillin was only effective against S. aureus. PPE also inhibited a self-assembling marine biofilm (SAMB) in co-incubation assays by 99.3% ± 1.9 and disrupted established SAMB by 72.4% ± 4.4, while ampicillin showed no significant reduction. The effectiveness of this complex of lipopeptides against single and multispecies biofilms suggests a future role in biofilm prevention strategies.

Thermal Characterization, Using the Photopyroelectric Technique, of Liquids Used in the Automobile Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cervantes-Espinosa, L. M.; Castillo-Alvarado, F. de L.; Lara-Hernández, G.; Cruz-Orea, A.; Mendoza-Alvarez, J. G.; Valcárcel, J. P.; García-Quiroz, A.

2012-11-01

Thermal properties of liquids used in the automobile industry such as engine oil, antifreeze, and a liquid for windshield wipers were obtained using the photopyroelectric (PPE) technique. The inverse PPE configuration was used in order to obtain the thermal effusivity of the liquid samples. The theoretical equation for the PPE signal in this configuration, as a function of the incident light modulation frequency, was fitted to the experimental data in order to obtain the thermal effusivity of these samples. Also, the back PPE configuration was used to obtain the thermal diffusivity of these liquids; this thermal parameter was obtained by fitting the theoretical equation for this configuration, as a function of the sample thickness (called the thermal wave resonator cavity), to the experimental data. All measurements were done at room temperature. A complete thermal characterization of these liquids used in the automobile industry was achieved by the relationship between the obtained thermal diffusivities and thermal effusivities with their thermal conductivities and volumetric heat capacities. The obtained results are compared with the thermal properties of similar liquids.

Does level D personal protective equipment guard against hazardous biologic agents during cardiopulmonary resuscitation?

PubMed

Martín Rodríguez, Francisco; Fernández Pérez, Cristina; Castro Villamor, Miguel; Martín Conty, José Luis; Arnillas Gómez, Pedro; Casado Vicente, Verónica

2018-01-01

Our aim was to determine the usefulness of level D personal protective equipment (PPE) in safeguarding health care staff who perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Quasi-experimental, uncontrolled trial in 96 volunteers chosen randomly and stratified by sex, level of training, and professional category. The subjects were selected from a convenience sample of 164 nurses, physicians, and students of nursing and medicine (40 men [41.66%] and 56 women [58.33%]). The mean (SD) age was 31 (11) years. The Conconi test was used to determine heart rate (HR) at the anaerobic threshold on a cycle ergometer. That HR was then compared to each volunteer's maximum HR during performance of CPR while wearing PPE. While the volunteers were performing CPR, 46.9% of them surpassed their maximum recommendable HR recorded during the cycle ergometer test. We found that performing CPR while wearing level D PPE requires intense physical effort. Special situations should be taken into consideration when developing protocols for situations that require staff to wear PPE. Staff who must perform CPR under these conditions should be given specific training.

Personal protective equipment and risk for avian influenza (H7N3).

PubMed

Morgan, Oliver; Kuhne, Mirjam; Nair, Pat; Verlander, Neville Q; Preece, Richard; McDougal, Marianne; Zambon, Maria; Reacher, Mark

2009-01-01

An outbreak of avian influenza (H7N3) among poultry resulted in laboratory-confirmed disease in 1 of 103 exposed persons. Incomplete use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was associated with conjunctivitis and influenza-like symptoms. Rigorous use of PPE by persons managing avian influenza outbreaks may reduce exposure to potentially hazardous infected poultry materials.

Personal Protective Equipment and Risk for Avian Influenza (H7N3)

PubMed Central

Kuhne, Mirjam; Nair, Pat; Verlander, Neville Q.; Preece, Richard; McDougal, Marianne; Zambon, Maria; Reacher, Mark

2009-01-01

An outbreak of avian influenza (H7N3) among poultry resulted in laboratory-confirmed disease in 1 of 103 exposed persons. Incomplete use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was associated with conjunctivitis and influenza-like symptoms. Rigorous use of PPE by persons managing avian influenza outbreaks may reduce exposure to potentially hazardous infected poultry materials. PMID:19116052

The Effect of Perceptually Oriented Physical Education on Perceptual Motor Ability and Academic Ability of Kindergarten and First Grade Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Robert G.

The effects of a perceptually oriented physical education program (PPE) on perceptual-motor ability and academic ability were studied using kindergarten and first-grade children. The four groups of kindergarten children varied the number of periods of PPE per week which then met--0, 1, 2, and 3 times per week. The four groups of first-grade…

78 FR 57661 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of the Office of Management and Budget...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-19

... Protective Equipment (PPE) for 01/30/2013, 78 FR 6352, Docket 1218-0205 06/30/2016 General Industry (29 CFR part 1910 subpart I). No. OSHA-2013-0004. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for 12/05/2012, 77 FR.... Electrical Protective Equipment (29 CFR 01/23/2013, 78 FR 4873, Docket 1218-0190 06/30/2016 1910.137), and...

Occupational safety measures and morbidity among welders in Vellore, Southern India

PubMed Central

Alexander, Vijay; Zechariah, Pradeep; Nair, Suryanarayan Rajendran; Kattula, Deepthi

2016-01-01

Background Welders in the unorganized occupational sector in the economically developing world are exposed to respiratory, skin, eye, ear, and neurological problems exacerbated by non-usage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Objective To study the frequency of health problems and the usage of PPE among welders in unorganized welding units in Vellore, India. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 welders to determine the frequency of skin, ear, eye, and respiratory morbidity and the usage of PPE. A group of 150 non-welders were chosen for comparison. Results Significant differences in the frequency of skin burns, redness, hyper pigmentation, itching, eye injuries, and sensorineural deafness were observed among the welders and non-welders (P < 0.001). Hypertension was noted in 12.6% of the welders as compared to 0.7% among the non-welders. None of the welders used appropriate PPE. For welders, low educational attainment was associated with an increased risk of eye injury (P < 0.05, OR = 0.29). There was also a significant difference between sensorineural deafness and a welder having less than 10 years of welding work experience (P < 0.001, OR = 18.18) which could probably be accounted for by the healthy worker effect. Conclusion Welders in this sample experienced a significant skin, eye, and ear morbidity accentuated by the non-usage of PPE. All worked without formal training and were unaware of the safe working guidelines that exist, but are not implemented for the welders in India. PMID:27682579

IL-23 Is Essential for the Development of Elastase-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation and Emphysema.

PubMed

Fujii, Utako; Miyahara, Nobuaki; Taniguchi, Akihiko; Waseda, Koichi; Morichika, Daisuke; Kurimoto, Etsuko; Koga, Hikari; Kataoka, Mikio; Gelfand, Erwin W; Cua, Daniel J; Yoshimura, Akihiko; Tanimoto, Mitsune; Kanehiro, Arihiko

2016-11-01

We recently reported that IL-17A plays a critical role in the development of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE)-induced emphysema. The proliferation of T-helper type 17 (Th17) cells was induced by IL-23. To determine the contribution of IL-23 to the development of pulmonary emphysema, a mouse model of PPE-induced emphysema was used in which responses of IL-23p19-deficient (IL-23 -/- ) and wild-type (WT) mice were compared. Intratracheal instillation of PPE induced emphysematous changes in the lungs and was associated with increased levels of IL-23 in lung homogenates. Compared with WT mice, IL-23 -/- mice developed significantly lower static compliance values and markedly reduced emphysematous changes on histological analyses after PPE instillation. These changes were associated with lower levels of IL-17A and fewer Th17 cells in the lung. The neutrophilia seen in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of WT mice was attenuated in IL-23 -/- mice, and the reduction was associated with decreased levels of keratinocyte-derived cytokine and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Treatment with anti-IL-23p40 monoclonal antibody significantly attenuated PPE-induced emphysematous changes in the lungs of WT mice. These data identify the important contributions of IL-23 to the development of elastase-induced pulmonary inflammation and emphysema, mediated through an IL-23/IL-17 pathway. Targeting IL-23 in emphysema is a potential therapeutic strategy for delaying disease progression.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract in THP-1 Cells Exposed to Particulate Matter PM10.

PubMed

Park, Soojin; Seok, Jin Kyung; Kwak, Jun Yup; Suh, Hwa-Jin; Kim, Young Mi; Boo, Yong Chool

2016-01-01

Epidemiological and experimental evidence support health risks associated with the exposure to airborne particulate matter with a diameter of <10 μM (PM10). PM10 stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory mediators. Thus, we assumed that natural antioxidants might provide health benefits attenuating hazardous effects of PM10. In the present study, we examined the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on THP-1 monocytic cells exposed to PM10. PM10 induced cytotoxicity and the production of ROS. It also increased the expression and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and cell adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). PPE at 10-100 μg mL(-1) attenuated the production of ROS and the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1, and ICAM-1, but not VCAM-1, in THP-1 cells stimulated by PM10 (100 μg mL(-1)). PPE also attenuated the adhesion of PM10-stimulated THP-1 cells to EA.hy926 endothelial cells. PPE constituents, punicalagin and ellagic acid, attenuated PM10-induced monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, and punicalagin was less cytotoxic compared to ellagic acid. The present study suggests that PPE and punicalagin may be useful in alleviating inflammatory reactions due to particulate matter.

Effect of wearing personal protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus on heart rate, temperature and oxygen consumption during stepping exercise and live fire training exercises.

PubMed

Bruce-Low, S S; Cotterrell, D; Jones, G E

2007-01-15

Fire fighter breathing apparatus instructors (BAIs) must possess the ability to respond to both the extrinsic stress of a high temperature environment and the intrinsic stress from wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), repeatedly and regularly, whilst training recruits in live fire training exercises (LFTEs). There are few previous investigations on BAIs in hot environments such as LFTEs, since the main research focus has been on regular fire fighters undertaking exercises in temperate or fire conditions at a moderate to high exercise intensity. In this study, the intrinsic cardiovascular stress effects of wearing PPE + SCBA were first investigated using a step test whilst wearing gym kit (control), weighted gym kit (a rucksack weighted to the equivalent of PPE + SCBA) and full PPE + SCBA (weight plus the effects of protective clothing). The extrinsic effects of the very hot environment were investigated in BIAs in LFTEs compared to mock fire training exercises (MFTEs), where the fire was not ignited. There was an increase in heart rate due to the modest workload imposed on the BAIs through carrying out the MFTEs (25.0 (18.7)%) compared to resting. However, when exposed to fire during the LFTEs, heat storage appears to be significant as the heart rate increased by up to 39.8 (+/-20.1)% over that of the mock LFTEs at temperate conditions. Thus, being able to dissipate heat from the PPE is particularly important in reducing the cardiovascular responses for BAIs during LFTEs.

Physiological Evaluation of Personal Protective Ensembles Recommended for Use in West Africa.

PubMed

Coca, Aitor; Quinn, Tyler; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Wu, Tianzhou; Powell, Jeff; Roberge, Raymond; Shaffer, Ronald

2017-10-01

Personal protective equipment (PPE) provides health care workers with a barrier to prevent human contact with viruses like Ebola and potential transmission of the disease. However, PPE can also introduce an additional physiological burden from potentially increased heat stress. This study evaluated the human physiological and subjective responses to continuous light exercise within environmental conditions similar to those in West Africa while wearing 3 different, commonly used PPE ensembles (E1, E2, and E3). Six healthy individuals were tested in an environmental chamber (32°C, 92% relative humidity) while walking (3 METs, 2.5 mph, 0% incline) on a treadmill for 60 minutes. All subjects wore medical scrubs and PPE items. E1 also had a face shield and fluid-resistant surgical gown; E2 additionally included goggles, coverall, and separate hood; and E3 also contained a highly impermeable coverall, separate hood, and surgical mask cover over the N95 respirator. Heart rate and core temperature at the end of the exercise were significantly higher for E2 and E3 than for E1. Subjective perceptions of heat and exertion were significantly higher for E2 and E3 than for E1. Heat stress and PPE training, as well as the implementation of a work-to-rest ratio that avoids dehydration and possible heat stress issues, are recommended. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:580-586).

Evaluation of consent for peer physical examination: students reflect on their clinical skills learning experience.

PubMed

Wearn, Andy; Bhoopatkar, Harsh

2006-10-01

Early clinical skills teaching often requires students to learn through examining one another. This model should acknowledge ethical, practical and individual issues, disclosure and identification of abnormalities. Consent to peer physical examination (PPE) is usually expected rather than discussed and sought. We sought to evaluate a formal written consent process for PPE and to explore students' views of this approach. A survey tool was designed and distributed to all years 2 and 3 students in the Auckland University medical programme (2004). Results were analysed using univariate statistics and thematic analysis. The response rate was 57% (146/258). Most students had read the participant information sheet prior to signing, with 78% giving consent. They had not felt coerced and the in-course experience matched the 'promise'. Comments included: PPE gave insights into the 'patient's world', encouraged peer learning and raised some professional issues. More than 95% of students took the examination role at least once (less likely if female, P = 0.002). Some European, Maori and Pacific students never took the role; all Asian students did at least once. Students preferred PPE in groups consisting of 'friends'. The task influenced group composition by sex (P < 0.0001) but not ethnicity. Students accept and support a formal consent process. PPE participation rates are similar to predictions. The experience must match the promises made. Formal preparation alone might have produced similar student outcomes. Female students are more selective about tasks undertaken. The influence of ethnicity and the effect on future behaviour and attitudes needs further exploration.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract in THP-1 Cells Exposed to Particulate Matter PM10

PubMed Central

Park, Soojin; Seok, Jin Kyung; Kwak, Jun Yup; Suh, Hwa-Jin; Kim, Young Mi; Boo, Yong Chool

2016-01-01

Epidemiological and experimental evidence support health risks associated with the exposure to airborne particulate matter with a diameter of <10 μM (PM10). PM10 stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory mediators. Thus, we assumed that natural antioxidants might provide health benefits attenuating hazardous effects of PM10. In the present study, we examined the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on THP-1 monocytic cells exposed to PM10. PM10 induced cytotoxicity and the production of ROS. It also increased the expression and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and cell adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). PPE at 10–100 μg mL−1 attenuated the production of ROS and the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, MCP-1, and ICAM-1, but not VCAM-1, in THP-1 cells stimulated by PM10 (100 μg mL−1). PPE also attenuated the adhesion of PM10-stimulated THP-1 cells to EA.hy926 endothelial cells. PPE constituents, punicalagin and ellagic acid, attenuated PM10-induced monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, and punicalagin was less cytotoxic compared to ellagic acid. The present study suggests that PPE and punicalagin may be useful in alleviating inflammatory reactions due to particulate matter. PMID:27247608

Infection prevention and control practice for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever-A multi-center cross-sectional survey in Eurasia.

PubMed

Fletcher, Tom E; Gulzhan, Abuova; Ahmeti, Salih; Al-Abri, Seif S; Asik, Zahide; Atilla, Aynur; Beeching, Nick J; Bilek, Heval; Bozkurt, Ilkay; Christova, Iva; Duygu, Fazilet; Esen, Saban; Khanna, Arjun; Kader, Çiğdem; Mardani, Masoud; Mahmood, Faisal; Mamuchishvili, Nana; Pshenichnaya, Natalia; Sunbul, Mustafa; Yalcin, Tuğba Y; Leblebicioglu, Hakan

2017-01-01

Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a life threatening acute viral infection that presents significant risk of nosocomial transmission to healthcare workers. Evaluation of CCHF infection prevention and control (IP&C) practices in healthcare facilities that routinely manage CCHF cases in Eurasia. A cross-sectional CCHF IP&C survey was designed and distributed to CCHF centers in 10 endemic Eurasian countries in 2016. Twenty-three responses were received from centers in Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Georgia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Oman, Iran, India and Kazakhstan. All units had dedicated isolation rooms for CCHF, with cohorting of confirmed cases in 15/23 centers and cohorting of suspect and confirmed cases in 9/23 centers. There was adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) in 22/23 facilities, with 21/23 facilities reporting routine use of PPE for CCHF patients. Adequate staffing levels to provide care reported in 14/23 locations. All centers reported having a high risk CCHFV nosocomial exposure in last five years, with 5 centers reporting more than 5 exposures. Education was provided annually in most centers (13/23), with additional training requested in PPE use (11/23), PPE donning/doffing (12/23), environmental disinfection (12/23) and waste management (14/23). Staff and patient safety must be improved and healthcare associated CCHF exposure and transmission eliminated. Improvements are recommended in isolation capacity in healthcare facilities, use of PPE and maintenance of adequate staffing levels. We recommend further audit of IP&C practice at individual units in endemic areas, as part of national quality assurance programs.

Infection prevention and control practice for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever—A multi-center cross-sectional survey in Eurasia

PubMed Central

Gulzhan, Abuova; Ahmeti, Salih; Al-Abri, Seif S.; Asik, Zahide; Atilla, Aynur; Beeching, Nick J.; Bilek, Heval; Bozkurt, Ilkay; Christova, Iva; Duygu, Fazilet; Esen, Saban; Khanna, Arjun; Kader, Çiğdem; Mardani, Masoud; Mahmood, Faisal; Mamuchishvili, Nana; Pshenichnaya, Natalia; Sunbul, Mustafa; Yalcin, Tuğba Y.; Leblebicioglu, Hakan

2017-01-01

Background Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a life threatening acute viral infection that presents significant risk of nosocomial transmission to healthcare workers. Aim Evaluation of CCHF infection prevention and control (IP&C) practices in healthcare facilities that routinely manage CCHF cases in Eurasia. Methods A cross-sectional CCHF IP&C survey was designed and distributed to CCHF centers in 10 endemic Eurasian countries in 2016. Results Twenty-three responses were received from centers in Turkey, Pakistan, Russia, Georgia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Oman, Iran, India and Kazakhstan. All units had dedicated isolation rooms for CCHF, with cohorting of confirmed cases in 15/23 centers and cohorting of suspect and confirmed cases in 9/23 centers. There was adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) in 22/23 facilities, with 21/23 facilities reporting routine use of PPE for CCHF patients. Adequate staffing levels to provide care reported in 14/23 locations. All centers reported having a high risk CCHFV nosocomial exposure in last five years, with 5 centers reporting more than 5 exposures. Education was provided annually in most centers (13/23), with additional training requested in PPE use (11/23), PPE donning/doffing (12/23), environmental disinfection (12/23) and waste management (14/23). Conclusions Staff and patient safety must be improved and healthcare associated CCHF exposure and transmission eliminated. Improvements are recommended in isolation capacity in healthcare facilities, use of PPE and maintenance of adequate staffing levels. We recommend further audit of IP&C practice at individual units in endemic areas, as part of national quality assurance programs. PMID:28886039

The Seated Soldier Study: Posture and Body Shape in Vehicle Seats

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-28

vehicle interior layout Current design guidance is based on outdated anthropometry Previous studies of seated anthropometry have not included the...personal protective equipment (PPE) for seat and vehicle interior layout • Current design guidance is based on outdated anthropometry • Previous...studies of seated anthropometry have not included the effects of PPE on posture and body shape • Detailed anthropometric data needed for the design

Employing the cyclophosphate to accelerate the degradation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(amino acid) (n-HA/PAA) composite materials.

PubMed

Jing, Linjing; Chen, Li; Peng, Haitao; Ji, Mizhi; Xiong, Yi; Lv, Guoyu

2017-12-01

Owing to the good degradability and biocompatibility of polyphosphoesters (PPEs), the aim of the current study was to investigate a novel degradable composite of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(amino acid) (n-HA/PAA) with cyclophosphate (CPE) via in situ melting polymerization to improve the degradation of n-HA/PAA. The structure of each composite was characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The degradation properties were studied in terms of the weight loss and pH in a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution, while the surface morphology was examined using a scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS) after soaking the surface in simulated body fluid (SBF). The cell proliferation, cell adhesion, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity were used for the analysis of cytocompatibility. The weight loss results showed that the n-HA/PAA composite was 9.98 wt%, weighed after soaking in the PBS solution for 12 weeks, whereas the nano-hydroxyapatite/polyphosphoester-amino acid (n-HA/PPE-AA) composite was 46.94 wt%. The pH of the composites was in a suitable range between 6.64 to 7.06 and finally stabilized at 7.39. The SEM and EDS results revealed the formation of an apatite-like layer on the surface of the n-HA/PPE-AA composites after soaking in SBF for one week. The cell counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay of the cell culture in the leaching liquid of the n-HA/PPE-AA composites exhibited non-cytotoxicity and high-proliferation, and the cell adhesion showed the well spreading and normal phenotype extension of the cells on the n-HA/PPE-AA composites surface. Concurrently, the co-culture results of the composites and cells confirmed that the n-HA/PPE-AA composites exhibited a higher ALP activity. In summary, the results demonstrated that the n-HA/PPE-AA composites had a controllable degradation property, good bioactivity, and cytocompatibility.

Free energy of mixing of acetone and methanol: a computer simulation investigation.

PubMed

Idrissi, Abdenacer; Polok, Kamil; Barj, Mohammed; Marekha, Bogdan; Kiselev, Mikhail; Jedlovszky, Pál

2013-12-19

The change of the Helmholtz free energy, internal energy, and entropy accompanying the mixing of acetone and methanol is calculated in the entire composition range by the method of thermodynamic integration using three different potential model combinations of the two compounds. In the first system, both molecules are described by the OPLS, and in the second system, both molecules are described by the original TraPPE force field, whereas in the third system a modified version of the TraPPE potential is used for acetone in combination with the original TraPPE model of methanol. The results reveal that, in contrast with the acetone-water system, all of these three model combinations are able to reproduce the full miscibility of acetone and methanol, although the thermodynamic driving force of this mixing is very small. It is also seen, in accordance with the finding of former structural analyses, that the mixing of the two components is driven by the entropy term corresponding to the ideal mixing, which is large enough to overcompensate the effect of the energy increase and entropy loss due to the interaction of the unlike components in the mixtures. Among the three model combinations, the use of the original TraPPE model of methanol and modified TraPPE model of acetone turns out to be clearly the best in this respect, as it is able to reproduce the experimental free energy, internal energy, and entropy of mixing values within 0.15 kJ/mol, 0.2 kJ/mol, and 1 J/(mol K), respectively, in the entire composition range. The success of this model combination originates from the fact that the use of the modified TraPPE model of acetone instead of the original one in these mixtures improves the reproduction of the entropy of mixing, while it retains the ability of the original model of excellently reproducing the internal energy of mixing.

Data Sharing Report for the Quantification of Removable Activity in Various Surveillance and Maintenance Facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge TN

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

King, David A.

2013-12-12

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OR-EM) requested that Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), working under the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) contract, provide technical and independent waste management planning support using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. Specifically, DOE OR-EM requested that ORAU plan and implement a sampling and analysis campaign targeting potential removable radiological contamination that may be transferrable to future personal protective equipment (PPE) and contamination control materials—collectively referred to as PPE throughout the remainder of this report—used in certain URS|CH2M Oak Ridge, LLC (UCOR) Surveillance andmore » Maintenance (S&M) Project facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Routine surveys in Bldgs. 3001, 3005, 3010, 3028, 3029, 3038, 3042, 3517, 4507, and 7500 continuously generate PPE. The waste is comprised of Tyvek coveralls, gloves, booties, Herculite, and other materials used to prevent worker exposure or the spread of contamination during routine maintenance and monitoring activities. This report describes the effort to collect and quantify removable activity that may be used by the ORNL S&M Project team to develop radiation instrumentation “screening criteria.” Material potentially containing removable activity was collected on smears, including both masselin large-area wipes (LAWs) and standard paper smears, and analyzed for site-related constituents (SRCs) in an analytical laboratory. The screening criteria, if approved, may be used to expedite waste disposition of relatively clean PPE. The ultimate objectives of this effort were to: 1) determine whether screening criteria can be developed for these facilities, and 2) provide process knowledge information for future site planners. The screening criteria, if calculated, must be formally approved by Federal Facility Agreement parties prior to

Robotic Sensitive-Site Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-04

annotations. The SOA component is the backend infrastructure that receives and stores robot-generated and human-input data and serves these data to several...Architecture Server (heading level 2) The SOA server provides the backend infrastructure to receive data from robot situational awareness payloads, to archive...incapacitation or even death. The proper use of PPE is critical to avoiding exposure. However, wearing PPE limits mobility and field of vision, and

Characterizing adoption of precautionary risk management guidance for nanomaterials, an emerging occupational hazard.

PubMed

Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K; Dahm, Matthew M; Schulte, Paul A; Hodson, Laura; Geraci, Charles L

2015-01-01

Exposure to engineered nanomaterials (substances with at least one dimension of 1-100 nm) has been of increased interest, with the recent growth in production and use of nanomaterials worldwide. Various organizations have recommended methods to minimize exposure to engineered nanomaterials. The purpose of this study was to evaluate available data to examine the extent to which studied U.S. companies (which represent a small fraction of all companies using certain forms of engineered nanomaterials) follow the guidelines for reducing occupational exposures to engineered nanomaterials that have been issued by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and other organizations. Survey data, field reports, and field notes for all NIOSH nanomaterial exposure assessments conducted between 2006 and 2011 were collected and reviewed to: (1) determine the level of adoption of precautionary guidance on engineering controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), and (2) evaluate the reliability of companies' self-reported use of engineering controls and PPE. Use of PPE was observed among 89% [95% confidence interval (CI): 76%-96%] of 46 visited companies, and use of containment-based engineering controls for at least some processes was observed among 83% (95% CI: 76%-96%). In on-site evaluations, more than 90% of the 16 engineered carbonaceous nanomaterial companies that responded to an industrywide survey were observed to be using engineering controls and PPE as reported or more stringently than reported. Since PPE use was slightly more prevalent than engineering controls, better communication may be necessary to reinforce the importance of the hierarchy of controls. These findings may also be useful in conducting exposure assessment and epidemiologic research among U.S. workers handling nanomaterials.

Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disorders Among Iranian Elite Athletes.

PubMed

Salehi, Shahin; Moradi Shahpar, Farhad; Norouzi, Gholamreza; Ghazalian, Farshad; Poursaid Esfehani, Mehrshad; Abedi Yekta, Amir Hosein

2016-06-01

Athletes' health is an important issue and for promoting it, pre-participation examination (PPE) is widely performed by responsible bodies around the world. This study was to determine prevalence of cardiovascular disorders among athletes participating in the Asian games and answering the question whether the electrocardiogram (ECG) is a necessary part of pre-participation examination (PPE) for prevention of sudden cardiac death. All athletes participated at Asian games came to sports medicine federation for a PPE including a comprehensive questionnaire, physical examination and ECG. In this retrospective study all profiles of 338 athletes have been studied as well as their electrocardiograms. Multiple logistic regressions as well as Firth's bias reduction were used with R statistical software and SPSS. For predicting the changes in ECG, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve has done. Among 388 athletes, 80 (20.6%) were female and 308 (79.4%) male with mean age of 23.2 + 8 years. Nine athletes (2.3%) were smokers, 28 of them (7.2%) experienced chest pain and discomfort, 45 of them (13.3%) had palpitations and 28 (7.2%) had history of anemia. Study of their electrocardiograms showed that long Q-T interval was not seen for anyone, but evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy was seen in 12 (3.1%), inverted T wave in 6 (1.5%), and right bundle branch block in 45 (13.3%). PPE provides very important information of athletes' health. This study has shown that there was not any significant relation between current examination and electrocardiogram changes but regarding the ECG changes we recommend it as a routine part of PPE.

A preliminary path analysis of expectancy and patient-provider encounter in an open-label randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache.

PubMed

Haas, Mitchell; Aickin, Mikel; Vavrek, Darcy

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article was to present a preliminary model to identify the effects of expectancy of treatment success and the patient-provider encounter (PPE) on outcomes in an open-label randomized trial. Eighty participants with chronic cervicogenic headache (CGH) were randomized to 4 groups: 2 levels of treatment dose (8 or 16) and 2 levels of therapy from a chiropractor (spinal manipulation or light massage). Providers were instructed to have equal enthusiasm for all care. Structural equation modeling with standardized path coefficients (beta) was used in a path analysis to identify the effects of patient expectancy and the PPE on CGH pain. The model included monthly pain from baseline to 12 weeks. Expectancy and PPE were evaluated on Likert scales. The patient-provider encounter was measured as patient perception of chiropractor enthusiasm, confidence, and comfort with care. Baseline patient expectancy was balanced across groups. The PPE measures were balanced across groups and consistent over the 8-week treatment period. Treatment and baseline pain had the strongest effects on pain outcomes (|beta| = .46-.59). Expectations had little effect on pain (abs value(beta) < .15). The patient-provider encounter had a weak effect on pain (abs value(beta)= .03-.27) and on subsequent confidence in treatment success (abs value(beta)= .09 and .12). Encouraging equipoise in the PPE and balancing expectancy across treatment groups may protect against some confounding related to the absence of blinding in a randomized controlled trial of pain. In this trial, their effects were found to be small relative to the effects of treatment and baseline values. Copyright 2010 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of Self-Contamination During Removal of Personal Protective Equipment for Ebola Patient Care.

PubMed

Casanova, Lisa M; Teal, Lisa J; Sickbert-Bennett, Emily E; Anderson, Deverick J; Sexton, Daniel J; Rutala, William A; Weber, David J

2016-10-01

OBJECTIVE Ebola virus disease (EVD) places healthcare personnel (HCP) at high risk for infection during patient care, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is critical. Protocols for EVD PPE doffing have not been validated for prevention of viral self-contamination. Using surrogate viruses (non-enveloped MS2 and enveloped Φ6), we assessed self-contamination of skin and clothes when trained HCP doffed EVD PPE using a standardized protocol. METHODS A total of 15 HCP donned EVD PPE for this study. Virus was applied to PPE, and a trained monitor guided them through the doffing protocol. Of the 15 participants, 10 used alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) for glove and hand hygiene and 5 used hypochlorite for glove hygiene and ABHR for hand hygiene. Inner gloves, hands, face, and scrubs were sampled after doffing. RESULTS After doffing, MS2 virus was detected on the inner glove worn on the dominant hand for 8 of 15 participants, on the non-dominant inner glove for 6 of 15 participants, and on scrubs for 2 of 15 participants. All MS2 on inner gloves was observed when ABHR was used for glove hygiene; none was observed when hypochlorite was used. When using hypochlorite for glove hygiene, 1 participant had MS2 on hands, and 1 had MS2 on scrubs. CONCLUSIONS A structured doffing protocol using a trained monitor and ABHR protects against enveloped virus self-contamination. Non-enveloped virus (MS2) contamination was detected on inner gloves, possibly due to higher resistance to ABHR. Doffing protocols protective against all viruses need to incorporate highly effective glove and hand hygiene agents. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;1-6.

Skin sites to predict deep-body temperature while wearing firefighters' personal protective equipment during periodical changes in air temperature.

PubMed

Kim, Siyeon; Lee, Joo-Young

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate stable and valid measurement sites of skin temperatures as a non-invasive variable to predict deep-body temperature while wearing firefighters' personal protective equipment (PPE) during air temperature changes. Eight male firefighters participated in an experiment which consisted of 60-min exercise and 10-min recovery while wearing PPE without self-contained breathing apparatus (7.75 kg in total PPE mass). Air temperature was periodically fluctuated from 29.5 to 35.5 °C with an amplitude of 6 °C. Rectal temperature was chosen as a deep-body temperature, and 12 skin temperatures were recorded. The results showed that the forehead and chest were identified as the most valid sites to predict rectal temperature (R(2) = 0.826 and 0.824, respectively) in an environment with periodically fluctuated air temperatures. This study suggests that particular skin temperatures are valid as a non-invasive variable when predicting rectal temperature of an individual wearing PPE in changing ambient temperatures. Practitioner Summary: This study should offer assistance for developing a more reliable indirect indicating system of individual heat strain for firefighters in real time, which can be used practically as a precaution of firefighters' heat-related illness and utilised along with physiological monitoring.

The need for a peer physical examination policy within Australian medical schools.

PubMed

Koehler, Nicole; McMenamin, Christine

2014-05-01

Peer physical examinations (PPEs) are often used to enhance medical students' clinical examination skills. Previous research indicates that there are several issues of concern regarding PPEs suggesting that it is important to have a PPE policy in place to respond to these issues appropriately. However, it is unknown as to how many Australian medical schools actually have such a policy. The aims of the present study were to enumerate how many Australian medical schools use PPEs and have a PPE policy. Surveys were sent to all Australian medical schools. Our findings show that most Australian medical schools use PPEs, but none appear to have a thorough PPE policy. The findings of our study show that the majority of medical schools practise PPEs but do not have a policy. This in turn could lead to significant problems arising.

Papillary proliferation of the endometrium: a clinicopathologic study of 59 cases of simple and complex papillae without cytologic atypia.

PubMed

Ip, Philip P C; Irving, Julie A; McCluggage, W Glenn; Clement, Philip B; Young, Robert H

2013-02-01

Papillary proliferation of the endometrium (PPE) without cytologic atypia is uncommon and has only been studied in detail by Lehman and Hart in 2001. On histologic examination, PPE ranges from simple papillae with fibrovascular cores, often involving the surface of endometrial polyps, to complex intracystic proliferations; some consider the latter to be analogous to nonatypical complex hyperplasia. To further characterize PPE, with emphasis on the risk of and features associated with concurrent or subsequent neoplasia, the clinicopathologic features of 59 cases without cytologic atypia were studied. The cases were classified into 2 groups according to the degree of architectural complexity and extent of proliferation. Group 1 consisted of those with localized simple papillae. Simple papillae were defined as those with short, predominantly nonbranching stalks; those with occasional secondary branches and/or detached papillae were also included in this group. Localized proliferations were those with 1 or 2 foci involving the surface or the subjacent glands of polyps or nonpolypoid endometrium. Group 2 consisted of those with complex papillae and/or those with diffuse and crowded intracystic papillae. Complex papillae were those with either short or long stalks, with frequent secondary and complex branches. Diffuse proliferation was defined as presence of 3 or more foci within a specimen or involvement of >50% of the endometrial polyp by simple or complex PPE. Any coexistent or subsequent hyperplasia of conventional type (World Health Organization classification) or adenocarcinoma was recorded. The age of patients ranged from 23 to 82 years (median, 53 y); 36 (61%) were postmenopausal. The majority presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Sixteen patients (27%) were receiving hormonal preparations including 5 who were treated with a progestogen for preexisting endometrial hyperplasia or low-grade endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The histologic diagnosis of PPE was made

Factors Implicated in Safety-related Firefighter Fatalities.

PubMed

Kahn, Steven A; Palmieri, Tina L; Sen, Soman; Woods, Jason; Gunter, Oliver L

Firefighting is wrought with risk, as 80-100 firefighters (FFs) die on the job each year in the United States. Many of the fatalities have been analyzed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to determine contributing factors. The purpose of this study is to determine variables that put FFs at risk for potentially preventable workplace mortality such as use of personal protective equipment (PPE), seat belts, and appropriate training/fitness/clearance for duty. The NIOSH FF Fatality Database reports from 2009 to 2014 were analyzed. Data including age, gender, years on the job, weather, other calls on the same shift, and department type were compared between FFs who employed PPE, seat belts, or wellness/fitness and those who did not. A second group of FFs was determined by NIOSH to have inexperience, lack of training, or inappropriate clearance for duty implicated in their fatalities. Comparisons for the second group were between those whose department used training and safety-related standard operating protocols and those who did not. In 84/176 deaths, PPE/seat belts/fitness was implicated in the fatality. Lack of PPE was more likely on clear days (P = .03) but less likely on cloudy and windy days (P < .001). These FFs dying with lack of PPE had more time on the job in a single department, 18 vs 13 years (P = .03), and more time in a volunteer department, 17 vs 8 years (P < .01). Being deployed on another call during the same shift was associated with lack of PPE-34 vs 16% of those who had not been on another call (P = .005). Lack of training, experience, or medical clearance was implicated in fatalities for 100/176 FFs. FFs who worked in departments that lacked standard operating protocols for respirator fit testing, PPE, fitness testing, rapid intervention, medical clearance, safety/distress alarms, vehicle maintenance, or incident command were statistically more likely to have lack of experience/training/clearance implicated in the

Use of the preparticipation physical examination form to screen for the female athlete triad in Canadian interuniversity sport universities.

PubMed

Rumball, Jane S; Lebrun, Constance M

2005-09-01

The purpose of this study was to survey universities affiliated with Canadian Interuniversity Sport on existing screening protocols for the female athlete triad, and to identify any potential areas for improvement of this system. Surveys were faxed or e-mailed to Canadian Interuniversity Sport-affiliated universities in Canada, and preparticipation physical examination (PPE)/medical history forms from each institution were analyzed. The Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Western Ontario. In 2000, of the 48 universities, 35 responded (73.0% response rate). In 2002, 39 of 49 universities responded (79.6%). Although the majority of institutions surveyed implement a PPE form (80.0% in 2000, 87.2% in 2002), only 70.6% to 75.0% of these institutions actually conduct a follow-up when deemed necessary. However, the number of forms including a specific female section increased from 46.4% in 2000 to 61.8% in 2002. Also encouraging is the percentage of universities attempting to increase awareness of the triad disorders (33.3% in 2002 vs. 14.3% in 2000). It is interesting to note that in over half of the institutions surveyed both years, the athletic therapist or trainer is responsible for analyzing the completed PPE forms. This study has shown substantial improvement from 2000 to 2002 in the development of the PPE across Canada, even in a relatively short period of 2 years. However, this study also demonstrates the lack of uniformity within Canada of the PPE forms. There remains a need to improve the PPE form to target a section of the form specifically to female athletes, or else cases may be missed. The triad is also not found solely in sports where leanness is associated with better performance. Better efforts need to made to increase awareness of the triad and its risks among female athletes, as well as provide educational opportunities for athletic therapists, who are the first line of intervention in many cases. The key to successful prevention

Considerations for selecting personal protective equipment for hazardous materials decontamination.

PubMed

Lehmann, Jeff

2002-09-01

PPE is necessary to protect staff and to deliver rapid and efficient care to patients contaminated with HAZMAT chemicals. Planning for HAZMAT cases includes learning about the common chemicals in the area, what resources are available to care for victims, identifying a decontamination area, and providing PPE to protect employees and other patients. A customized service can be used to meet OSHA standards and reduce costs. Ongoing training will be an important part of any HAZMAT program.

Evolving S Boxes with Reduced Differential Power Analysis Susceptibiltiy

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-02

coefficient [PEB+14,PPE+14]. Note that in the 4-bit case they could simultaneously maximize both cryptanalytic and side channel prop- erties [ PEP +14]. When its... PEP +14, PMMB15]; which makes sense for criteria of similar types, or when carefully weighting an understood trade-off. Work that combined...cryptanalytic and side channel properties failed to explore the trade- off [PEB+14,PPE+14, PEP +14,PMMB15], other than to provide loose bounds [MMS13]. Instead, it

Simultaneous Photoacoustic and Photopyroelectric Detection of Trace Gas Emissions from Some Plant Parts and Their Related Essential Oils in a Combined Detection Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Taha, M. I.; Abu-Teir, M. M.; Al-Jamal, A. J.; Eideh, H.

The aim of this work was to establish the feasibility of the combined photoacoustic (PA) and photopyroelectric (PPE) detection of the vapours emitted from essential oils and their corresponding uncrushed leaves or flowers. Gas traces of jasmine (Jessamine (Jasminum)), mint (Mentha arvensis L.) and Damask rose (Rosa damascena Miller) and their essential oils were tested using a combined cell fitted with both a photopyroelectric film (PVDF) and a microphone in conjunction with a pulsed wideband infrared source (PWBS) source. Infrared PA and PPE absorbances were obtained simultaneously at room temperatures with excellent reproducibility and high signal-to-noise ratios. Significant similarities found between the PA and PPE spectra of the trace gas emissions of plant parts, i.e., flowers or leaves and their related essential oils show the good correlation of their emissions and that both effects are initiated by the same absorbing molecules.

Effect of the Salary Model on Sustainability of a Professional Practice Environment.

PubMed

Hickey, Rosa G; Buchko, Barbara L; Coe, Paula F; Woods, Anne B

2017-10-01

This replication study examined differences in RN perception of the professional practice environment (PPE) between salary- and hourly-wage compensation models over time. A previous study demonstrated that nurses in a salary-wage model had a significantly higher perception of the PPE compared with their peers receiving hourly wages. A descriptive, comparative design was used to examine the Revised Professional Practice Environment (RPPE) scale of nurses in the same units surveyed in the previous study 2 years later. Mean scores on the RPPE continued to be significantly lower for hourly-wage RNs compared with the RNs in the salary-wage model. Nurses in an hourly-wage unit have significantly lower perceptions of the clinical practice environment than their peers in a salary-wage unit, indicating that professional practice perceptions in a salary-wage unit were sustained for a 2-year period and may provide a more effective PPE.

Etiology of parapneumonic effusion and pleural empyema in children. The role of conventional and molecular microbiological tests.

PubMed

Krenke, Katarzyna; Sadowy, Ewa; Podsiadły, Edyta; Hryniewicz, Waleria; Demkow, Urszula; Kulus, Marek

2016-07-01

An increasing incidence of parapneumonic effusion and pleural empyema (PPE/PE) has been reported in recent studies. As only few data on etiology of PPE/PE in Central Europe have been reported, we undertook a study on the etiology of PPE/PE in children, using both standard culture and molecular techniques. This prospective study was conducted between June 2011 and December 2013. Consecutive children with PPE/PE complicating community acquired pneumonia, who required diagnostic/therapeutic thoracentesis were included. Blood and pleural fluid samples for microbiological cultures were collected. Molecular methods were applied to identify Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, and respiratory viruses in pleural fluid. The study group included 64 children, median age 4 (1-15). Seven of 64 (10.9%) blood cultures and 11 of 64 (17.2%) pleural fluid cultures revealed bacterial growth. The most common bacteria detected was S. pneumoniae (13 blood and pleural fluid samples from 11/64 (17.2%) children). DNA sequences of typical bacteria were found in 29/64 (45.3%) pleural fluid samples. S. pneumoniae was identified in 90% of these samples. The most common serotypes were: serotype 6B in 9/26 (36.6%), 19A in 6/26 (23%), serotype 3 in 3/26 (11.5%), 6A and 23F (both in 2/26 i.e. 7.7%) patients. Molecular methods identified atypical bacteria in 8/58 (13.8%) and respiratory viruses in 12/58 (20.7%) pleural fluid samples. S. pneumoniae, in particular serotype 6B and 19A, is the most common etiologic agent of PPE/PE in Polish children. The use of PCR significantly improves pathogen identification in pleural fluid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study protocol: a cluster randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention to improve use of personal protective equipment among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in small and medium-sized enterprises.

PubMed

Chen, Wen; Li, Tongyang; Zou, Guanyang; Li, Xudong; Shi, Leiyu; Feng, Shanshan; Shi, Jingrong; Zhou, Fangjing; Han, Siqi; Ling, Li

2016-07-16

In China, most of migrant workers work in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and are a vulnerable group for occupational health. Migrant workers are at increased risk of occupational health risks due to poor occupational health behaviours such as the low use of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, there is a lack of solid evidence regarding how to improve the use of PPE among migrant workers in SMEs. The current study will assess the effectiveness of a multi-pronged behavioural intervention designed to promote PPE utilization among migrant workers exposed to organic solvents in SMEs. This is a single blind, three-arm cluster randomized trial with 60 SMEs equally randomized to receive a top-down intervention (i.e. general health education and mHealth intervention provided by researchers) or a comprehensive intervention (which includes both top-down intervention and peer education) or a control condition (participants will not receive the intervention, but study measures will be obtained). Interventions will be conducted at the SMEs level for 6 months and all eligible migrant workers in these SMEs will be enrolled into the trial. The primary outcome is effective use of PPE during the last week. The secondary outcomes are occupational health knowledge and attitude and participation in occupational health check-up. Data will be collected and assessed at baseline; 3 months post baseline and the end of the intervention. This theory- and evidence based intervention will contribute to the limited evidence of behaviour change intervention in improving PPE utilization of migrant workers in SMEs, and provide timely evidence for the development of basic occupational health services in China and elsewhere with similar industrialization contexts. ChiCTR-IOR-15006929 . Registered on 16 August 2015.

Polar Desolvation and Position 226 of Pancreatic and Neutrophil Elastases Are Crucial to their Affinity for the Kunitz-Type Inhibitors ShPI-1 and ShPI-1/K13L.

PubMed

Hernández González, Jorge Enrique; García-Fernández, Rossana; Valiente, Pedro Alberto

2015-01-01

The Kunitz-type protease inhibitor ShPI-1 inhibits human neutrophil elastase (HNE, Ki = 2.35·10-8 M) but does not interact with the porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE); whereas its P1 site variant, ShPI-1/K13L, inhibits both HNE and PPE (Ki = 1.3·10-9 M, and Ki = 1.2·10-8 M, respectively). By employing a combination of molecular modeling tools, e.g., structural alignment, molecular dynamics simulations and Molecular Mechanics Generalized-Born/Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area free energy calculations, we showed that D226 of HNE plays a critical role in the interaction of this enzyme with ShPI-1 through the formation of a strong salt bridge and hydrogen bonds with K13 at the inhibitor's P1 site, which compensate the unfavorable polar-desolvation penalty of the latter residue. Conversely, T226 of PPE is unable to establish strong interactions with K13, thereby precluding the insertion of K13 side-chain into the S1 subsite of this enzyme. An alternative conformation of K13 site-chain placed at the entrance of the S1 subsite of PPE, similar to that observed in the crystal structure of ShPI-1 in complex with chymotrypsin (PDB: 3T62), is also unfavorable due to the lack of stabilizing pair-wise interactions. In addition, our results suggest that the higher affinity of ShPI-1/K13L for both elastases mainly arises from the lower polar-desolvation penalty of L13 compared to that of K13, and not from stronger pair-wise interactions of the former residue with those of each enzyme. These results provide insights into the PPE and HNE inhibition and may contribute to the design of more potent and/or specific inhibitors toward one of these proteases.

Incorporating health workers' perspectives into a WHO guideline on personal protective equipment developed during an Ebola virus disease outbreak.

PubMed

Den Boon, Saskia; Vallenas, Constanza; Ferri, Mauricio; Norris, Susan L

2018-01-01

Background: Ebola virus disease (EVD) health facility transmission can result in infection and death of health workers. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports countries in preparing for and responding to public health emergencies, which often require developing new guidance in short timelines with scarce evidence. The objective of this study was to understand frontline physicians' and nurses' perspectives about personal protective equipment (PPE) use during the 2014-2016 EVD outbreak in West Africa and to incorporate these findings into the development process of a WHO rapid advice guideline. Methods : We surveyed frontline physicians and nurses deployed to West Africa between March and September of 2014. Results : We developed the protocol, obtained ethics approval, delivered the survey, analysed the data and presented the findings as part of the evidence-to-decision tables at the expert panel meeting where the recommendations were formulated within eight weeks. Forty-four physicians and nurses responded to the survey. They generally felt at low or extremely low risk of virus transmission with all types of PPE used. Eye protection reduced the ability to provide care, mainly due to impaired visibility because of fogging. Heat and dehydration were a major issue for 76% of the participants using goggles and for 64% using a hood. Both gowns and coveralls were associated with significant heat stress and dehydration. Most participants (59%) were very confident that they were using PPE correctly. Conclusion : Our study demonstrated that it was possible to incorporate primary data on end-users' preferences into a rapid advice guideline for a public health emergency in difficult field conditions. Health workers perceived a balance between transmission protection and ability to care for patients effectively while wearing PPE. These findings were used by the guideline development expert panel to formulate WHO recommendations on PPE for frontline providers caring for

Comparison of spike and aerosol challenge tests for the recovery of viable influenza virus from non-woven fabrics.

PubMed

Zuo, Zhili; de Abin, Martha; Chander, Yogesh; Kuehn, Thomas H; Goyal, Sagar M; Pui, David Y H

2013-09-01

To experimentally determine the survival kinetics of influenza virus on personal protective equipment (PPE) and to evaluate the risk of virus transfer from PPE, it is important to compare the effects on virus recovery of the method used to contaminate the PPE with virus and the type of eluent used to recover it. Avian influenza virus (AIV) was applied as a liquid suspension (spike test) and as an aerosol to three types of non-woven fabrics [polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET), and polyamide (Nylon)] that are commonly used in the manufacture of PPE. This was followed by virus recovery using eight different eluents (phosphate-buffered saline, minimum essential medium, and 1.5% or 3.0% beef extract at pH 7, 8, or 9). For spike tests, no statistically significant difference was found in virus recovery using any of the eluents tested. Hydrophobic surfaces (PP and PET) yielded higher spiked virus recovery than hydrophilic Nylon. From all materials, the virus recovery was much lower in aerosol challenge tests than in spike tests. Significant differences were found in the recovery of viable AIV from non-woven fabrics between spike and aerosol challenge tests. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for realistic aerosol challenge tests rather than liquid spike tests in studies of virus survival on surfaces where airborne transmission of influenza virus may get involved. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of genome damage in subjects occupationally exposed to possible carcinogens.

PubMed

Zeljezic, Davor; Mladinic, Marin; Kopjar, Nevenka; Radulovic, Azra Hursidic

2016-09-01

In occupational exposures, populations are simultaneously exposed to a mixture of chemicals. We aimed to evaluate DNA damage due to possible carcinogen exposure (phenylhydrazine, ethylene oxide, dichloromethane, and 1,2-dichloroethane) in lymphocytes of pharmaceutical industry workers from the same production line. Population comprised 16 subjects (9 females and 7 males) who were exposed to multiple chemicals for 8 months. Genome damage was assessed using alkaline comet assay, micronucleus assay, and comet assay coupled with fluorescent in situ hybridization (comet-FISH). After 8 months of exposure, the issue of irregular use of all available personal protective equipment (PPE) came into light. To decrease the risk of exposure, strict use of PPE was enforced. After 8 months of strict PPE use, micronuclei frequency and comet assay parameters in lymphocytes of pharmaceutical workers significantly decreased compared with prior period of irregular PPE use. Comet-FISH results indicated a significant shift in distribution of signals for the TP 53 gene toward a more frequent occurrence in the comet tail. Prolonged exposure to possible carcinogens may hinder DNA repair mechanisms and affect structural integrity of TP 53 Two indicators of loss of TP 53 gene integrity have risen, namely, TP 53 fragmentation rate in lymphocytes with persistently elevated primary damage and incidence of TP 53 deletions in undamaged lymphocytes. © The Author(s) 2015.

Conjugated-polyelectrolyte-grafted cotton fibers act as "micro flypaper" for the removal and destruction of bacteria.

PubMed

Ista, Linnea K; Dascier, Dimitri; Ji, Eunkyung; Parthasarathy, Anand; Corbitt, Thomas S; Schanze, Kirk S; Whitten, David G

2011-08-01

We demonstrate herein a method for chemically modifying cotton fibers and cotton-containing fabric with a light-activated, cationic phenylene-ethynylene (PPE-DABCO) conjugated polyelectrolyte biocide. When challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus atropheaus vegetative cells from liquid suspension, light-activated PPE-DABCO effects 1.2 and 8 log, respectively, losses in viability of the exposed bacteria. These results suggest that conjugated polyelectrolytes retain their activity when grafted to fabrics, showing promise for use in settings where antimicrobial textiles are needed.

Reliability and prevalence of physical performance examination assessing mobility and balance in older persons in the US: data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PubMed

Ostchega, Y; Harris, T B; Hirsch, R; Parsons, V L; Kington, R; Katzoff, M

2000-09-01

This report provides reliability and prevalence estimates by sex, age, and race/ethnicity of an observed physical performance examination (PPE) assessing mobility and balance. The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) 1988-1994. A cross-sectional nationally representative survey. All persons aged 60 and older (n = 5,403) who performed the PPE either in the mobile examination center (MEC) or in the home during NHANES III (conducted 1988-1994). The PPE included timed chair stand, full tandem stand, and timed 8-foot walk. Timed chair stand and 8-foot timed walk were reliable measurements (Intraclass Correlations > 0.5). Women were significantly slower (P < .001) than men for both timed chair stands and timed walk. Non-Hispanic white men and women did the maneuvers in significantly less time than non-Hispanic black men and women and Mexican Americans women (P < .001). Lower extremity functions measured by timed chair stand and walk are reliable. Women at every age group were more physically limited than men.

Metabolic demands of law enforcement personal protective equipment during exercise tasks.

PubMed

DiVencenzo, Hannah R; Morgan, Amy L; Laurent, C Matt; Keylock, K Todd

2014-01-01

Many occupations require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) but the added metabolic demands are unknown for certain professions. The purpose of this study was to quantify metabolic and perceptual differences between activity with and without the PPE ensemble required for police officers. Twelve participants were asked to complete experimental and control exercise sessions consisting of three modes of exercise (walking, jogging and stepping). A significant main effect (p < 0.01) for gear was found for heart rate (beats per minute) and VO2 (L/min) between conditions. Dependent t-tests revealed significant differences for perceived effort, discomfort and session rating of perceived exertion between trials. Medium to large effect sizes for all variables with significant main effects between modes (p < 0.01, η2 = 0.51-0.96, 1-β = 0.98-1.0, d = 0.42-2.7) were observed. These findings help to increase awareness of how PPE affects metabolic demands and perception of discomfort during exercise.

Detection of capecitabine (Xeloda®) on the skin surface after oral administration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Mao-Dong; Fuss, Harald; Lademann, Jürgen; Florek, Stefan; Patzelt, Alexa; Meinke, Martina C.; Jung, Sora

2016-04-01

Palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE), or hand-foot syndrome, is a cutaneous toxicity under various chemotherapeutics contributing to the most frequent side effects in patients treated with capecitabine (Xeloda®). The pathomechanism of PPE has been unclear. Here, the topical detection of capecitabine in the skin after oral application was shown in 10 patients receiving 2500 mg/m2/day capecitabine. Sweat samples were taken prior to and one week after oral administration of capecitabine. Using high-resolution continuum source absorption spectrometry, the changes in concentrations of fluorine, which is an ingredient of capecitabine, were quantified and statistically analyzed. Here, we show an increase in fluorine concentrations from 40±10 ppb (2±0.5 pM) before capecitabine administration to 27.7±11.8 ppm (14.6±6.5 nM) after application, p<0.001. The results show the secretion of capecitabine on the skin surface after oral administration, indicating a local toxic effect as a possible pathomechanism of PPE.

Serious Injury and Fatality Investigations Involving Pneumatic Nail Guns, 1985-2012

PubMed Central

Lowe, Brian D.; Albers, James T.; Hudock, Stephen D.; Krieg, Edward F.

2016-01-01

Background This paper examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities’ responses in terms of citations and penalties. Methods The U.S. OSHA database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985 - 2012) to identify n=258 PNG accidents. Results 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the Construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). Conclusions Differences may exist between Construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. PMID:26725335

A Review of Isolation Gowns in Healthcare: Fabric and Gown Properties

PubMed Central

Kilinc, F. Selcen

2016-01-01

The threat of emerging infectious diseases including Ebola hemorrhagic fever, pandemic influenza, avian influenza, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and SARS has highlighted the need for effective personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers (HCWs), patients, and visitors. PPE is a critical component in the hierarchy of controls used to protect HCWs from infectious hazards. HCW PPE may include gowns, respirators, face masks, gloves, eye protection, face shields, and head and shoe coverings. Important research has been conducted in certain areas, such as respirators and protective masks, but studies in other areas, particularly gowns, are scarce. Gowns are identified as the second-most-used piece of PPE, following gloves, in the healthcare setting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Guideline for Isolation Precautions, isolation gowns should be worn to protect HCWs’ arms and exposed body areas during procedures and patient-care activities when anticipating contact with clothing, blood, bodily fluids, secretions and excretions. Isolation gowns currently available on the marketplace offer varying resistance to blood and other bodily fluids depending on the type of the material, its impermeability, and wear and tear. While some studies show no benefit of the routine use of isolation gowns, others demonstrate that its use is associated with a reduced infection rate. This paper reviews isolation gowns in healthcare settings, including the fabrics used, gown design and interfaces, as well as critical parameters that affect microorganism and liquid transmission through fabrics. PMID:26989351

Characterization of an anti-listerial enterocin from wheat silage based Enterococcus faecium.

PubMed

Bal, Emel Banu Buyukunal; Isevi, Taner; Bal, Mehmet Ali

2012-10-01

Two Enterococcus faecium and one E. faecalis strains isolated and identified from wheat silage were characterized based on plasmid content, hemolytic activity, antibiotic resistance patterns, bacteriocin production potential, and presence of enterocin structural genes (entA, entB, entP, entL50B). Among the isolates, only the E. faecium U7 strain exhibited bacteriocin activity against Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, and vancomycin resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE). A combination of three structural genes (entA, entB, and entP) was detected in E. faecium U7. A relationship between the presence of enterocin structural genes, and bacteriocin activity was detected in E. faecium U7; therefore partially purified enterocin (PPE) was further investigated from the isolate. Several bands of different molecular weights were expressed from PPE extracts following tricine SDS-PAGE analysis. However, the only band showing bacteriocin activity was in an approximate 4-kDa region. PPE treatment with proteinase K, lysozyme, and α -amylase caused complete loss of bacteriocin activity. PPE heat treatment at various temperatures resulted in a notable reduction in bacteriocin expression. Enterocin U7 was relatively heat stable, and presumably exhibits a glucoprotein nature with distinct inhibitory properties. Specific bacterial inhibitory activity of enterocin U7, and the producer strain absence of β -hemolysis and vancomycin susceptibility features deserves further investigation to evaluate its potential application in silage inoculation and food preservation. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hypoxia facilitates neurogenic dural plasma protein extravasation in mice: a novel animal model for migraine pathophysiology

PubMed Central

Hunfeld, Anika; Segelcke, Daniel; Bäcker, Ingo; Mecheri, Badreddine; Hemmer, Kathrin; Dlugosch, Elisabeth; Andriske, Michael; Paris, Frank; Zhu, Xinran; Lübbert, Hermann

2015-01-01

Migraine animal models generally mimic the onset of attacks and acute treatment processes. A guinea pig model used the application of meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) to trigger immediate dural plasma protein extravasation (PPE) mediated by 5-HT2B receptors. This model has predictive value for antimigraine drugs but cannot explain the delayed onset of efficacy of 5-HT2B receptor antagonists when clinically used for migraine prophylaxis. We found that mCPP failed to induce dural PPE in mice. Considering the role 5-HT2B receptors play in hypoxia-induced pulmonary vessel muscularization, we were encouraged to keep mice under hypoxic conditions and tested whether this treatment will render them susceptible to mCPP-induced dural PPE. Following four-week of hypoxia, PPE, associated with increased transendothelial transport, was induced by mCPP. The effect was blocked by sumatriptan. Chronic application of 5-HT2B receptor or nitric oxide synthase blockers during hypoxia prevented the development of susceptibility. Here we present a migraine model that distinguishes between a migraine-like state (hypoxic mice) and normal, normoxic mice and mimics processes that are related to chronic activation of 5-HT2B receptors under hypoxia. It seems striking, that chronic endogenous activation of 5-HT2B receptors is crucial for the sensitization since 5-HT2B receptor antagonists have strong, albeit delayed migraine prophylactic efficacy. PMID:26644235

Quantum theoretical study of electron solvation dynamics in ice layers on a Cu(111) surface.

PubMed

Andrianov, I; Klamroth, T; Saalfrank, P; Bovensiepen, U; Gahl, C; Wolf, M

2005-06-15

Recent experiments using time- and angle-resolved two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectroscopy at metal/polar adsorbate interfaces succeeded in time-dependent analysis of the process of electron solvation. A fully quantum mechanical, two-dimensional simulation of this process, which explicitly includes laser excitation, is presented here, confirming the origin of characteristic features, such as the experimental observation of an apparently negative dispersion. The inference of the spatial extent of the localized electron states from the angular dependence of the 2PPE spectra has been found to be non-trivial and system-dependent.

Clinical Importance of Angiogenic Cytokines, Fibrinolytic Activity and Effusion Size in Parapneumonic Effusions

PubMed Central

Chung, Chi-Li; Hsiao, Shih-Hsin; Hsiao, George; Sheu, Joen-Rong; Chen, Wei-Lin; Chang, Shi-Chuan

2013-01-01

Objective To investigate the relationship among angiogenic cytokines, fibrinolytic activity and effusion size in parapneumonic effusion (PPE) and their clinical importance. Methods From January 2008 through December 2010, 26 uncomplicated (UPPE) and 38 complicated (CPPE) PPE were studied. Based on chest ultrasonography, there were non-loculated in 30, uni-loculated in 12, and multi-loculated effusions in 22 patients. The effusion size radiological scores, and effusion vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-8, plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) and tissue type plasminogen activator (tPA) were measured on admission. Treatment outcome and pleural fibrosis, defined as radiological residual pleural thickening (RPT), were assessed at 6-month follow-up. Results The effusion size and effusion VEGF, IL-8 and PAI-1/tPA ratio were significantly higher in CPPE than in UPPE, and significantly higher in multi-loculated PPE than in non-locualted and uni-loculated PPE, respectively. VEGF (cutoff value 1975 pg/ml) and IL-8 (cutoff value 1937 pg/ml) seemed best to discriminate between UPPE and CPPE. VEGF, IL-8 and effusion size correlated positively with PAI-1/tPA ratio in both UPPE and CPPE. Moreover, the level of VEGF, but not IL-8, correlated positively with effusion size in all patients (r = 0.79, p<0.001) and in UPPE (r = 0.64, p<0.001) and CPPE (r = 0.71, p<0.001) groups. The patients with higher VEGF or greater effusion were prone to have medical treatment failure (n = 10; VEGF, odds ratio 1.01, p = 0.02; effusion size, odds ratio 1.26, p = 0.01). Additionally, ten patients with RPT had larger effusion size and higher levels of VEGF and PAI-1/tPA ratio than did those without. Conclusions In PPE, VEGF and IL-8 levels are valuable to identify CPPE, and higher VEGF level or larger effusion is associated with decreased fibrinolytic activity, development of pleural loculation and fibrosis, and higher risk of medical

Improving Ebola infection prevention and control in primary healthcare facilities in Sierra Leone: a single-group pretest post-test, mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Ratnayake, Ruwan; Ho, Lara S; Ansumana, Rashid; Brown, Hannah; Borchert, Matthias; Miller, Laura; Kratz, Thomas; McMahon, Shannon A; Sahr, Foday

2016-01-01

Accomplishing infection prevention and control (IPC) in health facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa is challenging. Owing to poor IPC, healthcare workers (HCWs) were frequently infected during Sierra Leone's Ebola epidemic. In late 2014, IPC was rapidly and nationally scaled up. We carried out workshops in sampled facilities to further improve adherence to IPC. We investigated HCW experiences and observed practice gaps, before and after the workshops. We conducted an uncontrolled, before and after, mixed-methods study in eight health facilities in Bo and Kenema Districts during December 2014 and January 2015. Quantitative methods administered to HCWs at baseline and follow-up included a survey on attitudes and self-efficacy towards IPC, and structured observations of behaviours. The intervention involved a workshop for HCWs to develop improvement plans for their facility. We analysed the changes between rounds in survey responses and behaviours. We used interviews to explore attitudes and self-efficacy throughout the study period. HCWs described IPC as 'life-saving' and personal protective equipment (PPE) as uncomfortable for providers and frightening for patients. At baseline, self-efficacy was high (median=4/strongly agree). Responses reflecting unfavourable attitudes were low for glove use (median=1/strongly disagree, IQR, 1-2) and PPE use with ill family members (median=1, IQR, 1-2), and mixed for PPE use with ill HCWs (median=2/disagree, IQR, 1-4). Observations demonstrated consistent glove reuse and poor HCW handwashing. The maintenance of distance (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16) and patient handwashing (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.25) improved to >90%. We found favourable attitudes towards IPC and gaps in practice. Risk perceptions of HCWs and tendencies to ration PPE where chronic supply chain issues normally lead to PPE stock-outs may affect practice. As Sierra Leone's Ebola Recovery Strategy aims to make all facilities IPC compliant, socio

Protective effect of Galectin-9 in murine model of lung emphysema: Involvement of neutrophil migration and MMP-9 production

PubMed Central

Horio, Yuko; Ichiyasu, Hidenori; Kojima, Keisuke; Saita, Naoki; Migiyama, Yohei; Iriki, Toyohisa; Fujii, Kazuhiko; Niki, Toshiro; Hirashima, Mitsuomi; Kohrogi, Hirotsugu

2017-01-01

Purpose Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction and pulmonary emphysema. Persistent inflammation and remodeling of the lungs and airways result in reduced lung function and a lower quality of life. Galectin (Gal)-9 plays a crucial role as an immune modulator in various diseases. However, its role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary emphysema is unknown. This study investigates whether Gal-9 is involved in pulmonary inflammation and changes in emphysema in a porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE)-induced emphysema model. Materials and methods Gal-9 was administered to mice subcutaneously once daily from 1 day before PPE instillation to day 5. During the development of emphysema, lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected. Histological and cytological findings, concentrations of chemokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the BALF, and the influence of Gal-9 treatment on neutrophils were analyzed. Results Gal-9 suppressed the pathological changes of PPE-induced emphysema. The mean linear intercept (Lm) of Gal-9-treated emphysema mice was significantly lower than that of PBS-treated emphysema mice (66.1 ± 3.3 μm vs. 118.8 ± 14.8 μm, respectively; p < 0.01). Gal-9 decreased the number of neutrophils and levels of MMP-9, MMP-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 in the BALF. The number of neutrophils in the BALF correlated significantly with MMPs levels. Interestingly, Gal-9 pretreatment in vitro inhibited the chemotactic activity of neutrophils and MMP-9 production from neutrophils. Furthermore, in Gal-9-deficient mice, PPE-induced emphysema progressed significantly compared with that in wild–type (WT) mice (108.7 ± 6.58 μm vs. 77.19 ± 6.97 μm, respectively; p < 0.01). Conclusions These results suggest that Gal-9 protects PPE-induced inflammation and emphysema by inhibiting the infiltration of neutrophils and decreasing MMPs levels. Exogenous Gal-9 could be a

Complementary and alternative medicines use among pediatric patients with epilepsy in a multiethnic community.

PubMed

Chen, Chunliang; Chong, Ying Jie; Hie, Szu Liang; Sultana, Rehena; Lee, Sze Huay Dorothy; Chan, Wei Shih Derrick; Chan, Sui Yung; Cheong, Han Hui

2016-07-01

Prior studies highlighted that patients on chronic medications who used complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) did not share this information with their healthcare providers. Furthermore, there might be potential adverse interactions between CAMs and antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. However, there are no studies that investigate the effect of religion or race on CAM use in a multiethnic community. Therefore, we aimed to investigate CAM usage among pediatric patients with epilepsy (PPE) and identify predictors of CAM usage in our multiethnic setting. This was a cross-sectional study where caregivers of recruited at an outpatient epilepsy clinic between September 2013 and July 2014 completed a self-administered survey. Those who declined participation, lacked understanding of English or Mandarin, or missed the clinic appointments were excluded. Those caring for more than one patient participated only once. Of the 195 surveys collected, 178 were used for analysis. The PPE used an average of 1.50 AEDs (range: 0-4). Forty-nine (27.5%) caregivers reported giving CAMs to their PPE. Commonly used CAMs were multivitamins (44.4%), traditional herbs (42.2%), and acupuncture (17.4%). Multivitamins were mostly given by Christian/Catholic caregivers while Buddhist caregivers mostly gave traditional herbs or acupuncture. The majority of the CAM users were Chinese. Univariate analysis showed that caregivers with secondary school (high school) education were 3.52 times more likely to use CAMs compared to those with primary school (elementary school) education. While some caregivers gave CAMs to their PPE, they had various misconceptions and did not discuss the usage with their healthcare providers. We propose that the predictors identified in this study can help to identify potential CAM users. Healthcare providers should routinely probe about the usage of CAMs by PPE, and thereafter, the suitability of CAM use could be evaluated. The caregivers will benefit from open

A cascaded model of spectral distortions due to spectral response effects and pulse pileup effects in a photon-counting x-ray detector for CT

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

Cammin, Jochen, E-mail: jcammin1@jhmi.edu, E-mail: ktaguchi@jhmi.edu; Taguchi, Katsuyuki, E-mail: jcammin1@jhmi.edu, E-mail: ktaguchi@jhmi.edu; Xu, Jennifer

Purpose: Energy discriminating, photon-counting detectors (PCDs) are an emerging technology for computed tomography (CT) with various potential benefits for clinical CT. The photon energies measured by PCDs can be distorted due to the interactions of a photon with the detector and the interaction of multiple coincident photons. These effects result in distorted recorded x-ray spectra which may lead to artifacts in reconstructed CT images and inaccuracies in tissue identification. Model-based compensation techniques have the potential to account for the distortion effects. This approach requires only a small number of parameters and is applicable to a wide range of spectra andmore » count rates, but it needs an accurate model of the spectral distortions occurring in PCDs. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of those spectral distortions and to evaluate the model using a PCD (model DXMCT-1; DxRay, Inc., Northridge, CA) and various x-ray spectra in a wide range of count rates. Methods: The authors hypothesize that the complex phenomena of spectral distortions can be modeled by: (1) separating them into count-rate independent factors that we call the spectral response effects (SRE), and count-rate dependent factors that we call the pulse pileup effects (PPE), (2) developing separate models for SRE and PPE, and (3) cascading the SRE and PPE models into a combined SRE+PPE model that describes PCD distortions at both low and high count rates. The SRE model describes the probability distribution of the recorded spectrum, with a photo peak and a continuum tail, given the incident photon energy. Model parameters were obtained from calibration measurements with three radioisotopes and then interpolated linearly for other energies. The PPE model used was developed in the authors’ previous work [K. Taguchi et al., “Modeling the performance of a photon counting x-ray detector for CT: Energy response and pulse pileup effects,” Med. Phys. 38(2), 1089–1102

A cascaded model of spectral distortions due to spectral response effects and pulse pileup effects in a photon-counting x-ray detector for CT

PubMed Central

Cammin, Jochen; Xu, Jennifer; Barber, William C.; Iwanczyk, Jan S.; Hartsough, Neal E.; Taguchi, Katsuyuki

2014-01-01

Purpose: Energy discriminating, photon-counting detectors (PCDs) are an emerging technology for computed tomography (CT) with various potential benefits for clinical CT. The photon energies measured by PCDs can be distorted due to the interactions of a photon with the detector and the interaction of multiple coincident photons. These effects result in distorted recorded x-ray spectra which may lead to artifacts in reconstructed CT images and inaccuracies in tissue identification. Model-based compensation techniques have the potential to account for the distortion effects. This approach requires only a small number of parameters and is applicable to a wide range of spectra and count rates, but it needs an accurate model of the spectral distortions occurring in PCDs. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of those spectral distortions and to evaluate the model using a PCD (model DXMCT-1; DxRay, Inc., Northridge, CA) and various x-ray spectra in a wide range of count rates. Methods: The authors hypothesize that the complex phenomena of spectral distortions can be modeled by: (1) separating them into count-rate independent factors that we call the spectral response effects (SRE), and count-rate dependent factors that we call the pulse pileup effects (PPE), (2) developing separate models for SRE and PPE, and (3) cascading the SRE and PPE models into a combined SRE+PPE model that describes PCD distortions at both low and high count rates. The SRE model describes the probability distribution of the recorded spectrum, with a photo peak and a continuum tail, given the incident photon energy. Model parameters were obtained from calibration measurements with three radioisotopes and then interpolated linearly for other energies. The PPE model used was developed in the authors’ previous work [K. Taguchi , “Modeling the performance of a photon counting x-ray detector for CT: Energy response and pulse pileup effects,” Med. Phys. 38(2), 1089–1102 (2011)]. The

Biodegradable and photocrosslinkable polyphosphoester hydrogel

PubMed Central

Li, Qiang; Wang, Jun; Shahani, Shilpa; Sun, Danny D.N.; Sharma, Blanka; Elisseeff, Jennifer H.; Leong, Kam W.

2008-01-01

A new biodegradable, photocrosslinkable and multifunctional macromer, poly(6-aminohexyl propylene phosphate) (PPE-HA)-ACRL, was synthesized by conjugation of acrylate groups to the side chains of PPE-HA. By controlling the synthetic conditions, different weight fractions of acrylate in the macromers were achieved as confirmed by 1H NMR. The hydrogels obtained from PPE-HA-ACRL through photocrosslinking were dominantly elastic. With increasing acrylate contents in the macromers, the hydrogels exhibited a lower swelling ratio and higher mechanical strength. The hydrogels with different crosslinking densities lost between 4.3% and 37.4% of their mass in 84 days when incubated in phosphate-buffered saline at 37 °C. No significant cytotoxicity of the macromers against bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells from goat (GMSC) was observed at a concentration up to 10 mg/ml. Finally, GMSCs encapsulated in the photopolymerized gel maintained their viability when cultured in osteogenic medium for three weeks. Clear mineralization in the hydrogel scaffold was revealed by Von Kossa staining. This study suggests the potential of these biodegradable and photocrosslinkable as injectable tissue engineering scaffolds. PMID:16125222

National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Preparticipation Physical Examinations and Disqualifying Conditions

PubMed Central

Conley, Kevin M.; Bolin, Delmas J.; Carek, Peter J.; Konin, Jeff G.; Neal, Timothy L.; Violette, Danielle

2014-01-01

Objective To present athletic trainers with recommendations for the content and administration of the preparticipation physical examination (PPE) as well as considerations for determining safe participation in sports and identifying disqualifying conditions. Background Preparticipation physical examinations have been used routinely for nearly 40 years. However, considerable debate exists as to their efficacy due to the lack of standardization in the process and the lack of conformity in the information that is gathered. With the continuing rise in sports participation at all levels and the growing number of reported cases of sudden death in organized athletics, the sports medicine community should consider adopting a standardized process for conducting the PPE to protect all parties. Recommendations Recommendations are provided to equip the sports medicine community with the tools necessary to conduct the PPE as effectively and efficiently as possible using available scientific evidence and best practices. In addition, the recommendations will help clinicians identify those conditions that may threaten the health and safety of participants in organized sports, may require further evaluation and intervention, or may result in potential disqualification. PMID:24499039

Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985-2012.

PubMed

Lowe, Brian D; Albers, James T; Hudock, Stephen D; Krieg, Edward F

2016-02-01

This article examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities' responses in terms of citations and penalties. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985-2012) to identify n = 258 PNG accidents. 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear to have been preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). Differences may exist between construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Performance of materials used for biological personal protective equipment against blood splash penetration.

PubMed

Shimasaki, Noriko; Shinohara, Katsuaki; Morikawa, Hideki

2017-12-07

For occupational safety, healthcare workers must select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), protective clothing, and masks as countermeasures against exposure to infectious body fluids and blood splash. It is important for healthcare workers to ensure the protective performance of each PPE against penetration of pathogens. The International Standards Organization (ISO) 22609 test evaluates the effectiveness of medical facemasks to protect against penetration of splashed synthetic blood. However, in this method, the protective performance is determined only visually, without quantification of leaked liquid volume. Therefore, in this study, we modified the ISO 22609 test method to quantify the volume of leaked liquid and obtain a more accurate assessment of the protection performance. We tested non-woven and woven materials used for masks or protective clothing, and the performance of each material was classified using this new method. We found that the quantity of leaked synthetic blood was dependent on the structural characteristics of each material. These findings will allow healthcare workers to select the most appropriate PPE for a given situation or task.

Performance of materials used for biological personal protective equipment against blood splash penetration

PubMed Central

SHIMASAKI, Noriko; SHINOHARA, Katsuaki; MORIKAWA, Hideki

2017-01-01

For occupational safety, healthcare workers must select and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), protective clothing, and masks as countermeasures against exposure to infectious body fluids and blood splash. It is important for healthcare workers to ensure the protective performance of each PPE against penetration of pathogens. The International Standards Organization (ISO) 22609 test evaluates the effectiveness of medical facemasks to protect against penetration of splashed synthetic blood. However, in this method, the protective performance is determined only visually, without quantification of leaked liquid volume. Therefore, in this study, we modified the ISO 22609 test method to quantify the volume of leaked liquid and obtain a more accurate assessment of the protection performance. We tested non-woven and woven materials used for masks or protective clothing, and the performance of each material was classified using this new method. We found that the quantity of leaked synthetic blood was dependent on the structural characteristics of each material. These findings will allow healthcare workers to select the most appropriate PPE for a given situation or task. PMID:28978815

Cryptosporidiosis outbreak at an academic animal research laboratory-Colorado, 2014.

PubMed

Hancock-Allen, Jessica; Alden, Nisha B; Cronquist, Alicia B

2017-02-01

After cryptosporidiosis was reported in three workers caring for preweaned calves at an academic research laboratory, we sought to identify cases, determine risk factors, and implement control measures. A cryptosporidiosis case was defined as diarrhea duration ≥72 hr, abdominal cramps, or vomiting in an animal research laboratory worker during July 14-July 31. A confirmed case had laboratory evidence of Cryptosporidium infection. Staff were interviewed regarding illness, potential exposures, training, and personal protective equipment (PPE) standard operating procedures (SOPs). The cryptosporidiosis attack rate (AR) was 74% (20/27); five were laboratory-confirmed. Median job training was 2 hr including respiratory-fit testing. No SOPs existed for doffing PPE. AR for workers who removed their gloves first was 84% (16/19) compared with 20% (1/5) for workers who removed gloves last (risk ratio = 4.2; P < 0.02). This outbreak highlights the importance of adequate training, enforced proper PPE procedures, and promoting a culture of safety. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:208-214, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of potential preventive effects of pomegranate flower, peel and seed oil on insulin resistance and inflammation in high-fat and high-sucrose diet-induced obesity mice model.

PubMed

Harzallah, Arij; Hammami, Mohamed; Kępczyńska, Malgorzata A; Hislop, David C; Arch, Jonathan R S; Cawthorne, Michael A; Zaibi, Mohamed S

2016-01-01

The potentially beneficial effects of pomegranate peel (PPE), flower (PFE) and seed oil (PSO) extracts, in comparison with rosiglitazone, on adiposity, lipid profile, glucose homoeostasis, as well as on the underlying inflammatory mechanisms, were examined in high-fat and high-sucrose (HF/HS) diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Body weight, body fat, energy expenditure, food and liquid intake, blood glucose, and plasma levels of insulin, lipids and cytokines were measured. After two weeks, PSO (2 ml/kg/day) and rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg/day) had not improved glucose intolerance. After 4 weeks, both treatments significantly reduced fasting blood glucose and an insulin tolerance test showed that they also improved insulin sensitivity. Treatment with PPE, PFE and PSO, reduced the plasma levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and PFE increased the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10). PPE, PFE and PSO have anti-inflammatory properties. PSO also improved insulin sensitivity.

Genomic evidence for plant-parasitic nematodes as the earliest Wolbachia hosts

PubMed Central

Brown, Amanda M. V.; Wasala, Sulochana K.; Howe, Dana K.; Peetz, Amy B.; Zasada, Inga A.; Denver, Dee R.

2016-01-01

Wolbachia, one of the most widespread endosymbionts, is a target for biological control of mosquito-borne diseases (malaria and dengue virus), and antibiotic elimination of infectious filarial nematodes. We sequenced and analyzed the genome of a new Wolbachia strain (wPpe) in the plant-parasitic nematode Pratylenchus penetrans. Phylogenomic analyses placed wPpe as the earliest diverging Wolbachia, suggesting two evolutionary invasions into nematodes. The next branches comprised strains in sap-feeding insects, suggesting Wolbachia may have first evolved as a nutritional mutualist. Genome size, protein content, %GC, and repetitive DNA allied wPpe with mutualistic Wolbachia, whereas gene repertoire analyses placed it between parasite (A, B) and mutualist (C, D, F) groups. Conservation of iron metabolism genes across Wolbachia suggests iron homeostasis as a potential factor in its success. This study enhances our understanding of this globally pandemic endosymbiont, highlighting genetic patterns associated with host changes. Combined with future work on this strain, these genomic data could help provide potential new targets for plant-parasitic nematode control. PMID:27734894

Functionalizing CNTs for Making Epoxy/CNT Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Jian; Rajagopal, Ramasubramaniam

2009-01-01

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with linear molecular side chains of polyphenylene ether (PPE) has been shown to be effective in solubilizing the CNTs in the solvent components of solutions that are cast to make epoxy/CNT composite films. (In the absence of solubilization, the CNTs tend to clump together instead of becoming dispersed in solution as needed to impart, to the films, the desired CNT properties of electrical conductivity and mechanical strength.) Because the PPE functionalizes the CNTs in a noncovalent manner, the functionalization does not damage the CNTs. The functionalization can also be exploited to improve the interactions between CNTs and epoxy matrices to enhance the properties of the resulting composite films. In addition to the CNTs, solvent, epoxy resin, epoxy hardener, and PPE, a properly formulated solution also includes a small amount of polycarbonate, which serves to fill voids that, if allowed to remain, would degrade the performance of the film. To form the film, the solution is drop-cast or spin-cast, then the solvent is allowed to evaporate.

The safety and efficacy of contact lens wear in the industrial and chemical workplace.

PubMed

Tyhurst, Keith; McNett, Ryan; Bennett, Edward

2007-11-01

The use and safety of contact lenses in the industrial and chemical workplace has often been questioned since the 1960s because of many unconfirmed reports of ocular injury resulting from contact lens wear. Because of these urban legends, contact lens wear has been banned or wearers have been required to wear additional personal protective equipment (PPE) not required of non-contact lens wearers. Literature review via Medline and Google search. Research has shown that contact lenses typically provide protective benefits that decrease the severity of ocular injury and improve worker performance. While contact lens wear contraindications do exist, in most cases, and with proper precautions, contact lens wear is still possible. Industrial and chemical companies need to establish written contact lens use policies based on current studies that have shown the safety of workplace contact lens wear when combined with the same PPE required of non-contact lens wearers. Practitioners need to discuss, with their contact lens patients, the additional responsibilities required to maintain proper lens hygiene and proper PPE in the workplace.

Persuasion to use personal protective equipment in constructing subway stations: application of social marketing.

PubMed

Shamsi, Mahmoud; Pariani, Abbas; Shams, Mohsen; Soleymani-nejad, Marzieh

2016-04-01

To study the effects of an intervention based on social marketing to persuade workers to use personal protective equipment (PPE) in constructing subway stations in Isfahan, Iran. This was a quasi-experimental study. Two stations were selected as intervention and control groups. Intervention was designed based on results of a formative research. A free package containing a safety helmet with a tailored message affixed to it, mask and gloves and an educational pamphlet was delivered to the intervention group. After 6 weeks, behaviours in the intervention and control stations were measured using an observational checklist. After the intervention, the percentage of workers who used PPE at the intervention station increased significantly. OR for helmet and mask usage was 7.009 and 2.235, respectively, in the intervention group. Social marketing can be used to persuade workers to use PPE in the workplace. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Neural correlates of RDoC reward constructs in adolescents with diverse psychiatric symptoms: A Reward Flanker Task pilot study.

PubMed

Bradley, Kailyn A L; Case, Julia A C; Freed, Rachel D; Stern, Emily R; Gabbay, Vilma

2017-07-01

There has been growing interest under the Research Domain Criteria initiative to investigate behavioral constructs and their underlying neural circuitry. Abnormalities in reward processes are salient across psychiatric conditions and may precede future psychopathology in youth. However, the neural circuitry underlying such deficits has not been well defined. Therefore, in this pilot, we studied youth with diverse psychiatric symptoms and examined the neural underpinnings of reward anticipation, attainment, and positive prediction error (PPE, unexpected reward gain). Clinically, we focused on anhedonia, known to reflect deficits in reward function. Twenty-two psychotropic medication-free youth, 16 with psychiatric symptoms, exhibiting a full range of anhedonia, were scanned during the Reward Flanker Task. Anhedonia severity was quantified using the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. Functional magnetic resonance imaging analyses were false discovery rate corrected for multiple comparisons. Anticipation activated a broad network, including the medial frontal cortex and ventral striatum, while attainment activated memory and emotion-related regions such as the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, but not the ventral striatum. PPE activated a right-dominant fronto-temporo-parietal network. Anhedonia was only correlated with activation of the right angular gyrus during anticipation and the left precuneus during PPE at an uncorrected threshold. Findings are preliminary due to the small sample size. This pilot characterized the neural circuitry underlying different aspects of reward processing in youth with diverse psychiatric symptoms. These results highlight the complexity of the neural circuitry underlying reward anticipation, attainment, and PPE. Furthermore, this study underscores the importance of RDoC research in youth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Addressing Infection Prevention and Control in the First U.S. Community Hospital to Care for Patients With Ebola Virus Disease: Context for National Recommendations and Future Strategies.

PubMed

Cummings, Kristin J; Choi, Mary J; Esswein, Eric J; de Perio, Marie A; Harney, Joshua M; Chung, Wendy M; Lakey, David L; Liddell, Allison M; Rollin, Pierre E

2016-05-10

Health care personnel (HCP) caring for patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) are at increased risk for infection with the virus. In 2014, a Texas hospital became the first U.S. community hospital to care for a patient with EVD; 2 nurses were infected while providing care. This article describes infection control measures developed to strengthen the hospital's capacity to safely diagnose and treat patients with EVD. After admission of the first patient with EVD, a multidisciplinary team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the hospital's infection preventionists to implement a system of occupational safety and health controls for direct patient care, handling of clinical specimens, and managing regulated medical waste. Existing engineering and administrative controls were strengthened. The personal protective equipment (PPE) ensemble was standardized, HCP were trained on donning and doffing PPE, and a system of trained observers supervising PPE donning and doffing was implemented. Caring for patients with EVD placed substantial demands on a community hospital. The experiences of the authors and others informed national policies for the care of patients with EVD and protection of HCP, including new guidance for PPE, a rapid system for deploying CDC staff to assist hospitals ("Ebola Response Team"), and a framework for a tiered approach to hospital preparedness. The designation of regional Ebola treatment centers and the establishment of the National Ebola Training and Education Center address the need for HCP to be prepared to safely care for patients with EVD and other high-consequence emerging infectious diseases.

Human Factors Risk Analyses of a Doffing Protocol for Ebola-Level Personal Protective Equipment: Mapping Errors to Contamination.

PubMed

Mumma, Joel M; Durso, Francis T; Ferguson, Ashley N; Gipson, Christina L; Casanova, Lisa; Erukunuakpor, Kimberly; Kraft, Colleen S; Walsh, Victoria L; Zimring, Craig; DuBose, Jennifer; Jacob, Jesse T

2018-03-05

Doffing protocols for personal protective equipment (PPE) are critical for keeping healthcare workers (HCWs) safe during care of patients with Ebola virus disease. We assessed the relationship between errors and self-contamination during doffing. Eleven HCWs experienced with doffing Ebola-level PPE participated in simulations in which HCWs donned PPE marked with surrogate viruses (ɸ6 and MS2), completed a clinical task, and were assessed for contamination after doffing. Simulations were video recorded, and a failure modes and effects analysis and fault tree analyses were performed to identify errors during doffing, quantify their risk (risk index), and predict contamination data. Fifty-one types of errors were identified, many having the potential to spread contamination. Hand hygiene and removing the powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) hood had the highest total risk indexes (111 and 70, respectively) and number of types of errors (9 and 13, respectively). ɸ6 was detected on 10% of scrubs and the fault tree predicted a 10.4% contamination rate, likely occurring when the PAPR hood inadvertently contacted scrubs during removal. MS2 was detected on 10% of hands, 20% of scrubs, and 70% of inner gloves and the predicted rates were 7.3%, 19.4%, 73.4%, respectively. Fault trees for MS2 and ɸ6 contamination suggested similar pathways. Ebola-level PPE can both protect and put HCWs at risk for self-contamination throughout the doffing process, even among experienced HCWs doffing with a trained observer. Human factors methodologies can identify error-prone steps, delineate the relationship between errors and self-contamination, and suggest remediation strategies.

A Simple Method for Differentiating Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion/Empyema from Parapneumonic Effusion Using the Split Pleura Sign and the Amount of Pleural Effusion on Thoracic CT.

PubMed

Tsujimoto, Naoki; Saraya, Takeshi; Light, Richard W; Tsukahara, Yayoi; Koide, Takashi; Kurai, Daisuke; Ishii, Haruyuki; Kimura, Hirokazu; Goto, Hajime; Takizawa, Hajime

2015-01-01

Pleural separation, the "split pleura" sign, has been reported in patients with empyema. However, the diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign for complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE)/empyema and its utility for differentiating CPPE/empyema from parapneumonic effusion (PPE) remains unclear. This differentiation is important because CPPE/empyema patients need thoracic drainage. In this regard, the aim of this study was to develop a simple method to distinguish CPPE/empyema from PPE using computed tomography (CT) focusing on the split pleura sign, fluid attenuation values (HU: Hounsfield units), and amount of fluid collection measured on thoracic CT prior to diagnostic thoracentesis. A total of 83 consecutive patients who underwent chest CT and were diagnosed with CPPE (n=18)/empyema (n=18) or PPE (n=47) based on the diagnostic thoracentesis were retrospectively analyzed. On univariate analysis, the split pleura sign (odds ratio (OR), 12.1; p<0.001), total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) (OR, 6.13; p<0.001), HU value≥10 (OR, 5.94; p=0.001), and the presence of septum (OR, 6.43; p=0.018), atelectasis (OR, 6.83; p=0.002), or air (OR, 9.90; p=0.002) in pleural fluid were significantly higher in the CPPE/empyema group than in the PPE group. On multivariate analysis, only the split pleura sign (hazard ratio (HR), 6.70; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.91-23.5; p=0.003) and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT (HR, 7.48; 95%CI, 1.76-31.8; p=0.006) were risk factors for empyema. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the presence of both split pleura sign and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT for CPPE/empyema were 79.4%, 80.9%, 75%, and 84.4%, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.801 on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. This study showed a high diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign and total amount of pleural fluid (≥30 mm) on thoracic

A Simple Method for Differentiating Complicated Parapneumonic Effusion/Empyema from Parapneumonic Effusion Using the Split Pleura Sign and the Amount of Pleural Effusion on Thoracic CT

PubMed Central

Tsujimoto, Naoki; Saraya, Takeshi; Light, Richard W.; Tsukahara, Yayoi; Koide, Takashi; Kurai, Daisuke; Ishii, Haruyuki; Kimura, Hirokazu; Goto, Hajime; Takizawa, Hajime

2015-01-01

Background Pleural separation, the “split pleura” sign, has been reported in patients with empyema. However, the diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign for complicated parapneumonic effusion (CPPE)/empyema and its utility for differentiating CPPE/empyema from parapneumonic effusion (PPE) remains unclear. This differentiation is important because CPPE/empyema patients need thoracic drainage. In this regard, the aim of this study was to develop a simple method to distinguish CPPE/empyema from PPE using computed tomography (CT) focusing on the split pleura sign, fluid attenuation values (HU: Hounsfield units), and amount of fluid collection measured on thoracic CT prior to diagnostic thoracentesis. Methods A total of 83 consecutive patients who underwent chest CT and were diagnosed with CPPE (n=18)/empyema (n=18) or PPE (n=47) based on the diagnostic thoracentesis were retrospectively analyzed. Results On univariate analysis, the split pleura sign (odds ratio (OR), 12.1; p<0.001), total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) (OR, 6.13; p<0.001), HU value≥10 (OR, 5.94; p=0.001), and the presence of septum (OR, 6.43; p=0.018), atelectasis (OR, 6.83; p=0.002), or air (OR, 9.90; p=0.002) in pleural fluid were significantly higher in the CPPE/empyema group than in the PPE group. On multivariate analysis, only the split pleura sign (hazard ratio (HR), 6.70; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.91-23.5; p=0.003) and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT (HR, 7.48; 95%CI, 1.76-31.8; p=0.006) were risk factors for empyema. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the presence of both split pleura sign and total amount of pleural effusion (≥30 mm) on thoracic CT for CPPE/empyema were 79.4%, 80.9%, 75%, and 84.4%, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.801 on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Conclusion This study showed a high diagnostic yield of the split pleura sign and total

Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Substrate Binding Mechanism in Carboxylesterase

DOE PAGES

Chen, Qi; Luan, Zheng-Jiao; Cheng, Xiaolin; ...

2015-02-25

A recombinant carboxylesterase, cloned from Pseudomonas putida and designated as rPPE, is capable of catalyzing the bioresolution of racemic 2-acetoxy-2-(2 -chlorophenyl)acetate (rac-AcO-CPA) with excellent (S)-enantioselectivity. Semi-rational design of the enzyme showed that the W187H variant could increase the activity by ~100-fold compared to the wild type (WT) enzyme. In this study, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of both apo-rPPE and rPPE in complex with (S)-AcO-CPA to gain insights into the origin of the increased catalysis in the W187H mutant. Moreover, our results show differential binding of (S)-AcO-CPA in the WT and W187H enzymes, especially the interactions of themore » substrate with the two active site residues Ser159 and His286. The replacement of Trp187 by His leads to considerable structural rearrangement in the active site of W187H. Unlike in the WT rPPE, the cap domain in the W187 mutant shows an open conformation in the simulations of both apo and substrate-bound enzymes. This open conformation exposes the catalytic triad to the solvent through a water accessible channel, which may facilitate the entry of the substrate and/or the exit of the product. Binding free energy calculations confirmed that the substrate binds more strongly in W187H than in WT. Based on these computational results, furthermore, we predicted that the mutations W187Y and D287G might also be able to increase the substrate binding, thus improve the enzyme s catalytic efficiency. Experimental binding and kinetic assays on W187Y and D287G show improved catalytic efficiency over WT, but not W187H. Contrary to our prediction, W187Y shows slightly decreased substrate binding coupled with a 100 fold increase in turn-over rate, while in D287G the substrate binding is 8 times stronger but with a slightly reduced turn-over rate. Finally, our work provides important molecular-level insights into the binding of the (S)-AcO-CPA substrate to carboxylesterase r

Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Substrate Binding Mechanism in Carboxylesterase

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

Chen, Qi; Luan, Zheng-Jiao; Cheng, Xiaolin

A recombinant carboxylesterase, cloned from Pseudomonas putida and designated as rPPE, is capable of catalyzing the bioresolution of racemic 2-acetoxy-2-(2 -chlorophenyl)acetate (rac-AcO-CPA) with excellent (S)-enantioselectivity. Semi-rational design of the enzyme showed that the W187H variant could increase the activity by ~100-fold compared to the wild type (WT) enzyme. In this study, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of both apo-rPPE and rPPE in complex with (S)-AcO-CPA to gain insights into the origin of the increased catalysis in the W187H mutant. Moreover, our results show differential binding of (S)-AcO-CPA in the WT and W187H enzymes, especially the interactions of themore » substrate with the two active site residues Ser159 and His286. The replacement of Trp187 by His leads to considerable structural rearrangement in the active site of W187H. Unlike in the WT rPPE, the cap domain in the W187 mutant shows an open conformation in the simulations of both apo and substrate-bound enzymes. This open conformation exposes the catalytic triad to the solvent through a water accessible channel, which may facilitate the entry of the substrate and/or the exit of the product. Binding free energy calculations confirmed that the substrate binds more strongly in W187H than in WT. Based on these computational results, furthermore, we predicted that the mutations W187Y and D287G might also be able to increase the substrate binding, thus improve the enzyme s catalytic efficiency. Experimental binding and kinetic assays on W187Y and D287G show improved catalytic efficiency over WT, but not W187H. Contrary to our prediction, W187Y shows slightly decreased substrate binding coupled with a 100 fold increase in turn-over rate, while in D287G the substrate binding is 8 times stronger but with a slightly reduced turn-over rate. Finally, our work provides important molecular-level insights into the binding of the (S)-AcO-CPA substrate to carboxylesterase r

Rift Valley Fever: A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practice of slaughterhouse workers and community members in Kabale District, Uganda

PubMed Central

Nyakarahuka, Luke; Purpura, Lawrence; Ervin, Elizabeth; Tumusiime, Alex; Balinandi, Stephen; Kyondo, Jackson; Mulei, Sophia; Tusiime, Patrick; Manning, Craig; Rollin, Pierre E.; Knust, Barbara; Shoemaker, Trevor

2018-01-01

Background Rift Valley Fever virus (RVF) is a zoonotic virus in the Phenuiviridae family. RVF outbreaks can cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Following the diagnosis of two RVF cases in March 2016 in southern Kabale district, Uganda, we conducted a knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) survey to identify knowledge gaps and at-risk behaviors related to RVF. Methodology/Principal findings A multidisciplinary team interviewed 657 community members, including abattoir workers, in and around Kabale District, Uganda. Most participants (90%) had knowledge of RVF and most (77%) cited radio as their primary information source. Greater proportions of farmers (68%), herdsmen (79%) and butchers (88%) thought they were at risk of contracting RVF compared to persons in other occupations (60%, p<0.01). Participants most frequently identified bleeding as a symptom of RVF. Less than half of all participants reported fever, vomiting, and diarrhea as common RVF symptoms in either humans or animals. The level of knowledge about human RVF symptoms did not vary by occupation; however more farmers and butchers (36% and 51%, respectively) had knowledge of RVF symptoms in animals compared to those in other occupations (30%, p<0.01). The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling animals varied by occupation, with 77% of butchers using some PPE and 12% of farmers using PPE. Although most butchers said that they used PPE, most used gumboots (73%) and aprons (60%) and less than 20% of butchers used gloves or eye protection when slaughtering. Conclusions Overall, knowledge, attitudes and practice regarding RVF in Kabale District Uganda could be improved through educational efforts targeting specific populations. PMID:29505579

Incompressible SPH (ISPH) with fast Poisson solver on a GPU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, Alex D.; Rogers, Benedict D.; Lind, Steven J.; Stansby, Peter K.

2018-05-01

This paper presents a fast incompressible SPH (ISPH) solver implemented to run entirely on a graphics processing unit (GPU) capable of simulating several millions of particles in three dimensions on a single GPU. The ISPH algorithm is implemented by converting the highly optimised open-source weakly-compressible SPH (WCSPH) code DualSPHysics to run ISPH on the GPU, combining it with the open-source linear algebra library ViennaCL for fast solutions of the pressure Poisson equation (PPE). Several challenges are addressed with this research: constructing a PPE matrix every timestep on the GPU for moving particles, optimising the limited GPU memory, and exploiting fast matrix solvers. The ISPH pressure projection algorithm is implemented as 4 separate stages, each with a particle sweep, including an algorithm for the population of the PPE matrix suitable for the GPU, and mixed precision storage methods. An accurate and robust ISPH boundary condition ideal for parallel processing is also established by adapting an existing WCSPH boundary condition for ISPH. A variety of validation cases are presented: an impulsively started plate, incompressible flow around a moving square in a box, and dambreaks (2-D and 3-D) which demonstrate the accuracy, flexibility, and speed of the methodology. Fragmentation of the free surface is shown to influence the performance of matrix preconditioners and therefore the PPE matrix solution time. The Jacobi preconditioner demonstrates robustness and reliability in the presence of fragmented flows. For a dambreak simulation, GPU speed ups demonstrate up to 10-18 times and 1.1-4.5 times compared to single-threaded and 16-threaded CPU run times respectively.

Surgical management for displaced pediatric proximal humeral fractures: a cost analysis.

PubMed

Shore, Benjamin J; Hedequist, Daniel J; Miller, Patricia E; Waters, Peter M; Bae, Donald S

2015-02-01

The purpose of this investigation was to determine which of the following methods of fixation, percutaneous pinning (PP) or intramedullary nailing (IMN), was more cost-effective in the treatment of displaced pediatric proximal humeral fractures (PPHF). A retrospective cohort of surgically treated PPHF over a 12-year period at a single institution was performed. A decision analysis model was constructed to compare three surgical strategies: IMN versus percutaneous pinning leaving the pins exposed (PPE) versus leaving the pins buried (PPB). Finally, sensitivity analyses were performed, assessing the cost-effectiveness of each technique when infection rates and cost of deep infections were varied. A total of 84 patients with displaced PPHF underwent surgical stabilization. A total of 35 cases were treated with IMN, 32 with PPE, and 17 with PPB. The age, sex, and preoperative fracture angulation were similar across all groups. A greater percentage of open reduction was seen in the IMN and PPB groups (p = 0.03), while a higher proportion of physeal injury was seen in the PPE group (p = 0.02). Surgical time and estimated blood loss was higher in the IMN group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.01, respectively). The decision analysis revealed that the PPE technique resulted in an average cost saving of $4,502 per patient compared to IMN and $2,066 compared to PPB. This strategy remained cost-effective even when the complication rates with exposed implants approached 55 %. Leaving pins exposed after surgical fixation of PPHF is more cost-effective than either burying pins or using intramedullary fixation.

Arc mRNA induction in striatal efferent neurons associated with response learning.

PubMed

Daberkow, D P; Riedy, M D; Kesner, R P; Keefe, K A

2007-07-01

The dorsal striatum is involved in motor-response learning, but the extent to which distinct populations of striatal efferent neurons are differentially involved in such learning is unknown. Activity-regulated, cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) protein is an effector immediate-early gene implicated in synaptic plasticity. We examined arc mRNA expression in striatopallidal vs. striatonigral efferent neurons in dorsomedial and dorsolateral striatum of rats engaged in reversal learning on a T-maze motor-response task. Male Sprague-Dawley rats learned to turn right or left for 3 days. Half of the rats then underwent reversal training. The remaining rats were yoked to rats undergoing reversal training, such that they ran the same number of trials but ran them as continued-acquisition trials. Brains were removed and processed using double-label fluorescent in situ hybridization for arc and preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA. In the reversal, but not the continued-acquisition, group there was a significant relation between the overall arc mRNA signal in dorsomedial striatum and the number of trials run, with rats reaching criterion in fewer trials having higher levels of arc mRNA expression. A similar relation was seen between the numbers of PPE(+) and PPE(-) neurons in dorsomedial striatum with cytoplasmic arc mRNA expression. Interestingly, in behaviourally activated animals significantly more PPE(-) neurons had cytoplasmic arc mRNA expression. These data suggest that Arc in both striatonigral and striatopallidal efferent neurons is involved in striatal synaptic plasticity mediating motor-response learning in the T-maze and that there is differential processing of arc mRNA in distinct subpopulations of striatal efferent neurons.

The effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) on emergency airway management.

PubMed

Wong, Evelyn; Ho, Khoy Kheng

2006-07-01

From early March 2003 to late May 2003, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was detected in Singapore. The increase in workload and new infection control procedures were thought to affect resuscitation and airway management. Our aim was to study the effects of wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) and the restriction in the number of resuscitation personnel on airway management during the SARS crisis. Data was collected prospectively through an ongoing emergency airway registry. The data was divided into three periods: (1) before PPE was instituted from 1 November 2002 to 31 March 2003; (2) during SARS (when PPE use was mandatory) from 1 April to 31 July 2003; (3) post-SARs (when PPE use was non-mandatory but encouraged) from 1 August to 31 March 2004. There was no change in patient demographics during the three periods. There were significant increases in the proportion of resuscitation cases and airway interventions during the SARS period compared to the pre-SARS period. The resident medical officer intubation rate decreased from 45.1% pre-SARS to 35.2% during SARS and 17.7% post-SARS. The complication rates were 10.5%, 9.9% and 9.4% in periods 1-3, respectively. Restriction in the number of healthcare staff attending to each patient may have influenced the department's decision to allow only the most confident or experienced personnel to manage the airway. The exposure of junior medical officers in emergency airway management during SARS and the immediate post-SARS period was decreased. This trend should be monitored further and intervention may be necessary should it continue to decline.

Four Surgical Modifications to the Classic Elastase Perfusion Aneurysm Model Enable Haemodynamic Alterations and Extended Elastase Perfusion.

PubMed

Busch, Albert; Chernogubova, Ekaterina; Jin, Hong; Meurer, Felix; Eckstein, Hans-Henning; Kim, Mia; Maegdefessel, Lars

2018-04-24

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an individual and socioeconomic burden in today's ageing society. Treatment relies on surgical exclusion of the dilated aorta by open or endovascular repair. For research purposes, animal models are necessary and the elastase induced aneurysm model closely mimics end stage human aneurysm disease. To improve the translational value of this model, four modifications to the classic elastase perfusion procedure (PPE) in relation to human aneurysm morphology were conducted. In ten week old male C57BL/6J wild type mice the PPE procedure was modified in four ways using two different techniques. Flow alteration was simulated by partial ligation of the common iliac artery or the distal aorta. Additionally, careful exploration of the abdominal aortic branches allowed PPE induction at the suprarenal and iliac level. Molecular biology, ultrasound, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate these pilot results. Two aortic outflow obstructions simulating distal aortic or iliac stenosis significantly increase murine AAA diameter (p = .046), and affect local vascular wall remodelling. Suprarenal aortic dissection allows a juxtarenal aneurysm to be induced, similar to the angiotensin II induced aneurysm model. A separate investigation for canonical activation of transforming growth factor β in the two embryonically distinct juxtarenal and infrarenal segments showed no distinct difference. Creating an aortoiliac bifurcated aneurysm completes the mimicry of human aneurysm morphology. The alteration of the classic PPE aneurysm by outflow modulation and further elastase perfusion to the juxtarenal and aortoiliac segment modifies morphology and diameter, and thus increases the translational value in future research. Copyright © 2018 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of Organ Structure and Physiology to Autotetraploidization in Early Development of Energy Willow Salix viminalis.

PubMed

Dudits, Dénes; Török, Katalin; Cseri, András; Paul, Kenny; Nagy, Anna V; Nagy, Bettina; Sass, László; Ferenc, Györgyi; Vankova, Radomira; Dobrev, Petre; Vass, Imre; Ayaydin, Ferhan

2016-03-01

The biomass productivity of the energy willow Salix viminalis as a short-rotation woody crop depends on organ structure and functions that are under the control of genome size. Colchicine treatment of axillary buds resulted in a set of autotetraploid S. viminalis var. Energo genotypes (polyploid Energo [PP-E]; 2n = 4x = 76) with variation in the green pixel-based shoot surface area. In cases where increased shoot biomass was observed, it was primarily derived from larger leaf size and wider stem diameter. Autotetraploidy slowed primary growth and increased shoot diameter (a parameter of secondary growth). The duplicated genome size enlarged bark and wood layers in twigs sampled in the field. The PP-E plants developed wider leaves with thicker midrib and enlarged palisade parenchyma cells. Autotetraploid leaves contained significantly increased amounts of active gibberellins, cytokinins, salicylic acid, and jasmonate compared with diploid individuals. Greater net photosynthetic CO2 uptake was detected in leaves of PP-E plants with increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Improved photosynthetic functions in tetraploids were also shown by more efficient electron transport rates of photosystems I and II. Autotetraploidization increased the biomass of the root system of PP-E plants relative to diploids. Sections of tetraploid roots showed thickening with enlarged cortex cells. Elevated amounts of indole acetic acid, active cytokinins, active gibberellin, and salicylic acid were detected in the root tips of these plants. The presented variation in traits of tetraploid willow genotypes provides a basis to use autopolyploidization as a chromosome engineering technique to alter the organ development of energy plants in order to improve biomass productivity. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

The proteins encoded by the Drosophila Planar Polarity Effector genes inturned, fuzzy and fritz interact physically and can re-pattern the accumulation of “upstream” Planar Cell Polarity proteins

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Yan, Jie; Lee, Haeryun; Lu, Qiuheng; Adler, Paul N.

2014-01-01

The frizzled/starry night pathway regulates planar cell polarity in a wide variety of tissues in many types of animals. It was discovered and has been most intensively studied in the Drosophila wing where it controls the formation of the array of distally pointing hairs that cover the wing. The pathway does this by restricting the activation of the cytoskeleton to the distal edge of wing cells. This results in hairs initiating at the distal edge and growing in the distal direction. All of the proteins encoded by genes in the pathway accumulate asymmetrically in wing cells. The pathway is a hierarchy with the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) genes (aka the core genes) functioning as a group upstream of the Planar Polarity Effector (PPE) genes which in turn function as a group upstream of multiple wing hairs. Upstream proteins, such as Frizzled accumulate on either the distal and/or proximal edges of wing cells. Downstream PPE proteins accumulate on the proximal edge under the instruction of the upstream proteins. A variety of types of data support this hierarchy, however, we have found that when over expressed the PPE proteins can alter both the subcellular location and level of accumulation of the upstream proteins. Thus, the epistatic relationship is context dependent. We further show that the PPE proteins interact physically and can modulate the accumulation of each other in wing cells. We also find that over expression of Frtz results in a marked delay in hair initiation suggesting that it has a separate role/activity in regulating the cytoskeleton that is not shared by other members of the group. PMID:25072625

Meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, have the capacity to recall the "what", "where", and "when" of a single past event.

PubMed

Ferkin, Michael H; Combs, Amy; delBarco-Trillo, Javier; Pierce, Andrew A; Franklin, Stan

2008-01-01

Some non-human animals may possess the ability to recall the "what", "where", and "when" of a single past event. We tested the hypothesis that male meadow voles possess the capacity to recall the "what", "where", and "when" of a single past event associated with mate selection in two experiments. Briefly, male voles were allowed to explore an apparatus that contained two chambers. One chamber contained a day-20 pregnant female (24 h prepartum). The other chamber contained a sexually mature female that was neither pregnant nor lactating (REF female). Twenty-four hour after the exposure, the males were placed in the same apparatus, which was empty and clean. At this time, the pregnant female would have entered postpartum estrus (PPE), a period of heightened sexual receptivity. Males initially chose and spent significantly more time investigating the chamber that originally housed the pregnant female (now a PPE female) than the chamber that originally housed the REF female. Male voles also explored an apparatus containing a chamber with a PPE female and one chamber containing a REF female. Twenty-four hour later, males were placed into an empty and clean apparatus. The males did not display an initial choice and they spent similar amounts of time investigating the chamber that originally housed the PPE female (now a lactating female) and the chamber that originally housed the REF female. The results of these and additional experiments suggest that male voles may have the capacity to recall the "what", "where", and "when" of a single past event, which may allow males to remember the location of females who would currently be in heightened states of sexual receptivity.

Response of Organ Structure and Physiology to Autotetraploidization in Early Development of Energy Willow Salix viminalis1

PubMed Central

Dudits, Dénes; Török, Katalin; Cseri, András; Paul, Kenny; Nagy, Bettina; Sass, László; Ferenc, Györgyi; Vankova, Radomira; Dobrev, Petre; Vass, Imre; Ayaydin, Ferhan

2016-01-01

The biomass productivity of the energy willow Salix viminalis as a short-rotation woody crop depends on organ structure and functions that are under the control of genome size. Colchicine treatment of axillary buds resulted in a set of autotetraploid S. viminalis var. Energo genotypes (polyploid Energo [PP-E]; 2n = 4x = 76) with variation in the green pixel-based shoot surface area. In cases where increased shoot biomass was observed, it was primarily derived from larger leaf size and wider stem diameter. Autotetraploidy slowed primary growth and increased shoot diameter (a parameter of secondary growth). The duplicated genome size enlarged bark and wood layers in twigs sampled in the field. The PP-E plants developed wider leaves with thicker midrib and enlarged palisade parenchyma cells. Autotetraploid leaves contained significantly increased amounts of active gibberellins, cytokinins, salicylic acid, and jasmonate compared with diploid individuals. Greater net photosynthetic CO2 uptake was detected in leaves of PP-E plants with increased chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. Improved photosynthetic functions in tetraploids were also shown by more efficient electron transport rates of photosystems I and II. Autotetraploidization increased the biomass of the root system of PP-E plants relative to diploids. Sections of tetraploid roots showed thickening with enlarged cortex cells. Elevated amounts of indole acetic acid, active cytokinins, active gibberellin, and salicylic acid were detected in the root tips of these plants. The presented variation in traits of tetraploid willow genotypes provides a basis to use autopolyploidization as a chromosome engineering technique to alter the organ development of energy plants in order to improve biomass productivity. PMID:26729798

Evaluation of direct analysis in real time for the determination of highly polar pesticides in lettuce and celery using modified Quick Polar Pesticides Extraction method.

PubMed

Lara, Francisco J; Chan, Danny; Dickinson, Michael; Lloyd, Antony S; Adams, Stuart J

2017-05-05

Direct analysis in real time (DART) was evaluated for the determination of a number of highly polar pesticides using the Quick Polar Pesticides Extraction (QuPPe) method. DART was hyphenated to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) in order to get the required selectivity that allows the determination of these compounds in complex samples such as lettuce and celery. Experimental parameters such as desorption temperature, scanning speed, and distances between the DART ion source and MS inlet were optimized. Two different mass analyzers (Orbitrap and QTOF) and two accessories for sample introduction (Dip-it ® tips and QuickStrip™ sample cards) were evaluated. An extra clean-up step using primary-secondary amine (PSA) was included in the QuPPe method to improve sensitivity. The main limitation found was in-source fragmentation, nevertheless QuPPe-DART-HRMS proved to be a fast and reliable tool with quantitative capabilities for at least seven compounds: amitrole, cyromazine, propamocarb, melamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine and 1,2,4-triazole. The limits of detection ranged from 20 to 60μg/kg. Recoveries for fortified samples ranged from 71 to 115%, with relative standard deviations <18%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformation of ionizable poly Para phenylene ethynylene in dilute solutions

DOE PAGES

Wijesinghe, Sidath; Maskey, Sabina; Perahia, Dvora; ...

2015-11-03

The conformation of dinonyl poly para phenylene ethynylenes (PPEs) with carboxylate side chains, equilibrated in solvents of different quality is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. PPEs are of interest because of their tunable electro-optical properties, chemical diversity, and functionality which are essential in wide range of applications. The polymer conformation determines the conjugation length and their assembly mode and affects electro-optical properties which are critical in their current and potential uses. The current study investigates the effect of carboxylate fraction on PPEs side chains on the conformation of chains in the dilute limit, in solvents of different quality. The dinonylmore » PPE chains are modeled atomistically, where the solvents are modeled both implicitly and explicitly. Dinonyl PPEs maintained a stretched out conformation up to a carboxylate fraction f of 0.7 in all solvents studied. The nonyl side chains are extended and oriented away from the PPE backbone in toluene and in implicit good solvent whereas in water and implicit poor solvent, the nonyl side chains are collapsed towards the PPE backbone. Thus, rotation around the aromatic ring is fast and no long range correlations are seen within the backbone.« less

Conformation of ionizable poly Para phenylene ethynylene in dilute solutions

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

Wijesinghe, Sidath; Maskey, Sabina; Perahia, Dvora

The conformation of dinonyl poly para phenylene ethynylenes (PPEs) with carboxylate side chains, equilibrated in solvents of different quality is studied using molecular dynamics simulations. PPEs are of interest because of their tunable electro-optical properties, chemical diversity, and functionality which are essential in wide range of applications. The polymer conformation determines the conjugation length and their assembly mode and affects electro-optical properties which are critical in their current and potential uses. The current study investigates the effect of carboxylate fraction on PPEs side chains on the conformation of chains in the dilute limit, in solvents of different quality. The dinonylmore » PPE chains are modeled atomistically, where the solvents are modeled both implicitly and explicitly. Dinonyl PPEs maintained a stretched out conformation up to a carboxylate fraction f of 0.7 in all solvents studied. The nonyl side chains are extended and oriented away from the PPE backbone in toluene and in implicit good solvent whereas in water and implicit poor solvent, the nonyl side chains are collapsed towards the PPE backbone. Thus, rotation around the aromatic ring is fast and no long range correlations are seen within the backbone.« less

The effect of pomegranate mouthrinse on Streptococcus mutans count and salivary pH: An in vivo study.

PubMed

Umar, Dilshad; Dilshad, Bahija; Farhan, Mohammed; Ali, Arshiya; Baroudi, Kusai

2016-01-01

Herbal mouthwashes have been considered to be a more advantageous option to their chemical counterparts, for a long-time. The use of pomegranate fruit dates from ancient times and reports of its therapeutic abilities have echoed throughout the ages. To evaluate the effect on the salivary pH and the Streptococcus mutans count in healthy subjects before and after pomegranate mouthrinse. Fifty healthy patients were randomly divided into two groups of 25 subjects each. Group A was treated with 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse; while Group B was treated with pomegranate peel extract (PPE) mouthrinse and the saliva samples were collected at three different intervals: Prerinse, after 10 min, and 60 min. The salivary pH was measured using a digital pH meter and the S. mutans count was determined by the commercial system Dentocult SM. The statistical analyses used in this study are Mann-Whitney U-test and t-test. PPE mouthrinse had an inhibitory effect on S. mutans count in adults. There was also an increase in the salivary pH after 10 min of the mouthrinse. PPE mouthrinse may be considered as a potential anticariogenic mouthrinse.

Preparticipation Evaluation for Climbing Sports.

PubMed

Campbell, Aaron D; Davis, Christopher; Paterson, Ryan; Cushing, Tracy A; Ng, Pearlly; Peterson, Charles S; Sedgwick, Peter E; McIntosh, Scott E

2015-12-01

Climbing is a popular wilderness sport among a wide variety of professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts, and many styles are performed across many environments. Potential risks confront climbers, including personal health or exacerbation of a chronic condition, in addition to climbing-specific risks or injuries. Although it is not common to perform a preparticipation evaluation (PPE) for climbing, a climber or a guide agency may request such an evaluation before participation. Formats from traditional sports PPEs can be drawn upon, but often do not directly apply. The purpose of this article was to incorporate findings from expert opinion from professional societies in wilderness medicine and in sports medicine, with findings from the literature of both climbing epidemiology and traditional sports PPEs, into a general PPE that would be sufficient for the broad sport of climbing. The emphasis is on low altitude climbing, and an overview of different climbing styles is included. Knowledge of climbing morbidity and mortality, and a standardized approach to the PPE that involves adequate history taking and counseling have the potential for achieving risk reduction and will facilitate further study on the evaluation of the efficacy of PPEs. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Preparticipation Evaluation for Climbing Sports.

PubMed

Campbell, Aaron D; Davis, Christopher; Paterson, Ryan; Cushing, Tracy A; Ng, Pearlly; Peterson, Charles S; Sedgwick, Peter E; McIntosh, Scott E

2015-09-01

Climbing is a popular wilderness sport among a wide variety of professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts, and many styles are performed across many environments. Potential risks confront climbers, including personal health or exacerbation of a chronic condition, in addition to climbing-specific risks or injuries. Although it is not common to perform a preparticipation evaluation (PPE) for climbing, a climber or a guide agency may request such an evaluation before participation. Formats from traditional sports PPEs can be drawn upon, but often do not directly apply. The purpose of this article was to incorporate findings from expert opinion from professional societies in wilderness medicine and in sports medicine, with findings from the literature of both climbing epidemiology and traditional sports PPEs, into a general PPE that would be sufficient for the broad sport of climbing. The emphasis is on low altitude climbing, and an overview of different climbing styles is included. Knowledge of climbing morbidity and mortality, and a standardized approach to the PPE that involves adequate history taking and counseling have the potential for achieving risk reduction and will facilitate further study on the evaluation of the efficacy of PPEs.

Atomistic Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Carbon Dioxide Diffusivity in n-Hexane, n-Decane, n-Hexadecane, Cyclohexane, and Squalane.

PubMed

Moultos, Othonas A; Tsimpanogiannis, Ioannis N; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z; Trusler, J P Martin; Economou, Ioannis G

2016-12-22

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to obtain the diffusion coefficients of CO 2 in n-hexane, n-decane, n-hexadecane, cyclohexane, and squalane at temperatures up to 423.15 K and pressures up to 65 MPa. Three popular models were used for the representation of hydrocarbons: the united atom TraPPE (TraPPE-UA), the all-atom OPLS, and an optimized version of OPLS, namely, L-OPLS. All models qualitatively reproduce the pressure dependence of the diffusion coefficient of CO 2 in hydrocarbons measured recently, and L-OPLS was found to be the most accurate. Specifically for n-alkanes, L-OPLS also reproduced the measured viscosities and densities much more accurately than the original OPLS and TraPPE-UA models, indicating that the optimization of the torsional potential is crucial for the accurate description of transport properties of long chain molecules. The three force fields predict different microscopic properties such as the mean square radius of gyration for the n-alkane molecules and pair correlation functions for the CO 2 -n-alkane interactions. CO 2 diffusion coefficients in all hydrocarbons studied are shown to deviate significantly from the Stokes-Einstein behavior.

A murine model of elastase- and cigarette smoke-induced emphysema.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Rubia; Olivo, Clarice Rosa; Lourenço, Juliana Dias; Riane, Alyne; Cervilha, Daniela Aparecida de Brito; Ito, Juliana Tiyaki; Martins, Milton de Arruda; Lopes, Fernanda Degobbi Tenório Quirino Dos Santos

2017-01-01

To describe a murine model of emphysema induced by a combination of exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) and instillation of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). A total of 38 C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control (one intranasal instillation of 0.9% saline solution); PPE (two intranasal instillations of PPE); CS (CS exposure for 60 days); and CS + PPE (two intranasal instillations of PPE + CS exposure for 60 days). At the end of the experimental protocol, all animals were anesthetized and tracheostomized for calculation of respiratory mechanics parameters. Subsequently, all animals were euthanized and their lungs were removed for measurement of the mean linear intercept (Lm) and determination of the numbers of cells that were immunoreactive to macrophage (MAC)-2 antigen, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-12, and glycosylated 91-kDa glycoprotein (gp91phox) in the distal lung parenchyma and peribronchial region. Although there were no differences among the four groups regarding the respiratory mechanics parameters assessed, there was an increase in the Lm in the CS + PPE group. The numbers of MAC-2-positive cells in the peribronchial region and distal lung parenchyma were higher in the CS + PPE group than in the other groups, as were the numbers of cells that were positive for MMP-12 and gp91phox, although only in the distal lung parenchyma. Our model of emphysema induced by a combination of PPE instillation and CS exposure results in a significant degree of parenchymal destruction in a shorter time frame than that employed in other models of CS-induced emphysema, reinforcing the importance of protease-antiprotease imbalance and oxidant-antioxidant imbalance in the pathogenesis of emphysema. Descrever um modelo murino de enfisema induzido por exposição a fumaça de cigarro (FC) e instilação de elastase pancreática porcina (EPP). Trinta e oito camundongos C57BL/6 foram aleatoriamente divididos em quatro grupos: controle (uma instilação intranasal

Wearing gloves in the hospital

MedlinePlus

Infection control - wearing gloves; Patient safety - wearing gloves; Personal protective equipment - wearing gloves; PPE - wearing gloves; Nosocomial infection - wearing gloves; Hospital acquired infection - wearing gloves

Association Between Previous Injury and Risk Factors for Future Injury in Preprofessional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers.

PubMed

Kenny, Sarah J; Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; Shi, Qian; Whittaker, Jackie L; Emery, Carolyn A

2017-10-20

To determine the prevalence of self-reported 1-year injury history and examine its association with preparticipation evaluation components aimed at predicting future injury risk (PPE-IP) among preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers. Cross-sectional study. Preprofessional ballet school, university contemporary dance program. Full-time preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers. Preparticipation evaluation consisted of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28, body mass index, total bone mineral density, ankle range of motion, active standing turnout, lumbopelvic control, unipedal dynamic balance, and Y-Balance test. Self-reported 1-year history of dance-related medical attention and/or time-loss injury. A total of 155 ballet [n = 90, 80 females, median age 15 years (range 11-19)] and contemporary [n = 65, 63 females, median age 20 years (range 17-30)] dancers participated. Forty-six percent (95% confidence interval (CI), 38.4-54.6) reported a 1-year injury history. Self-reported injury history was not associated with any PPE-IP, however, an influence of age and psychological coping skills on the relationship between 1-year injury history and PPE-IP was identified. Multivariable analyses revealed that prevalence of 1-year injury history did not differ by age [referent group <15 years; 15-18 years: odds ratio (OR) 0.80 (95% CI, 0.35-1.79); >18 years: OR 0.69 (95% CI, 0.30-1.56)], or level of psychological coping skills [OR 1.35 (95% CI, 0.61-2.94)]. The prevalence of self-reported 1-year injury history among preprofessional ballet and contemporary dancers is high. Although measures of PPE-IP did not differ based on injury history, it is important that age and psychological coping skills are considered in future dance injury prevention and prediction research. Level 3 evidence.

Dopaminergic activity mediates pups' over male preference of postpartum estrous rats.

PubMed

Ferreño, Marcela; Uriarte, Natalia; Zuluaga, María José; Ferreira, Annabel; Agrati, Daniella

2018-05-01

Pups have greater incentive value than males for rats during the postpartum estrus (PPE); a period when females are both maternally and sexually motivated. Mesolimbic dopaminergic system has been proposed as a general motivational circuit; however in the literature it has been more related to the control of the motivational aspects of maternal than sexual motivation of females. Therefore, we aimed to assess the effect of antagonizing dopaminergic neurotransmission of PPE females on their preference for pups over a male. To achieve this objective we tested PPE rats in a Y-maze with three-choice chambers (one containing eight pups, the other a male and the last one no stimulus) after the systemic administration of the dopaminergic antagonist haloperidol (0.0; 0.025 or 0.05 mg/kg). Furthermore, to determine if this dopaminergic antagonist differentially affects maternal and sexual motivations when pups and male are not competing, we evaluated the effect of haloperidol in the preference of females for pups vs. a non-receptive female and for a male vs. a non-receptive female. In the preference test for pups vs. male, both doses of haloperidol decreased the time that females spent in pups' chamber while increased the time that they spent in male's chamber, resulting in a lack of preference between both incentives. Besides, haloperidol reduced the effort -attempts to get access to the stimuli- made by the females to obtain the pups. Conversely, 0.05 mg/kg of haloperidol did not affect the preference for both incentives when they were confronted to a non-receptive female. Together, these results indicate that the dopaminergic activity mediates pups' preference over male during the PPE and point toward a more relevant role of this system in females' behavioral output when incentives are competing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) as an occupational hazard: 2. Use of personal protective equipment and infection control practices among raccoon rehabilitators.

PubMed

Sapp, S G H; Murray, B; Hoover, E R; Green, G T; Yabsley, M J

2018-03-30

Baylisascaris procyonis, the raccoon roundworm, is a zoonotic ascarid of importance to human and animal health. Wildlife rehabilitators who care for raccoons may be at an increased risk for exposure to the parasite, especially if proper precautions are not taken. In a wider effort to evaluate awareness regarding B. procyonis in the wildlife rehabilitation community, an online survey (38-39 questions) including questions about B. procyonis knowledge and attitudes was developed and administered to wildlife rehabilitators. To assess precautions taken among raccoon rehabilitators, participants who rehabilitated raccoons (n = 447) answered additional questions about use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control practices (ICPs). Reported use of gloves was variable, but hand hygiene was generally consistent. Masks and gowns were seldom used. Part-time or infrequent volunteers and rehabilitators located in the Central, Midwest and Southeast were significantly less likely to report consistent use of PPE. A total knowledge score from the survey was used to predict the likelihood of reporting the use of particular ICPs/PPE. Knowledge score had a highly significant but small effect on the likelihood of prophylactic use of anthelmintics, anthelmintics use for B. procyonis specifically, cleaning appropriately, and using species-dedicated housing. Risk factor analysis was performed on data from a prior serologic survey to evaluate factors associated with exposure to B. procyonis and inconsistent handwashing after contact with live raccoons and their faeces; practising rehabilitation in B. procyonis hyperendemic regions and practising rehabilitation in the western region were significant risk factors for being seropositive. These data further demonstrate that correct PPE/ICPs are critical in mitigating the risk of B. procyonis exposure among raccoon rehabilitators and among other captive species. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Hydralazine administration activates sympathetic preganglionic neurons whose activity mobilizes glucose and increases cardiovascular function.

PubMed

Parker, Lindsay M; Damanhuri, Hanafi A; Fletcher, Sophie P S; Goodchild, Ann K

2015-04-16

Hypotensive drugs have been used to identify central neurons that mediate compensatory baroreceptor reflex responses. Such drugs also increase blood glucose. Our aim was to identify the neurochemical phenotypes of sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) and adrenal chromaffin cells activated following hydralazine (HDZ; 10mg/kg) administration in rats, and utilize this and SPN target organ destination to ascribe their function as cardiovascular or glucose regulating. Blood glucose was measured and adrenal chromaffin cell activation was assessed using c-Fos immunoreactivity (-ir) and phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase, respectively. The activation and neurochemical phenotype of SPN innervating the adrenal glands and celiac ganglia were determined using the retrograde tracer cholera toxin B subunit, in combination with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Blood glucose was elevated at multiple time points following HDZ administration but little evidence of chromaffin cell activation was seen suggesting non-adrenal mechanisms contribute to the sustained hyperglycemia. 16±0.1% of T4-T11 SPN contained c-Fos and of these: 24.3±1.4% projected to adrenal glands and 29±5.5% projected to celiac ganglia with the rest innervating other targets. 62.8±1.4% of SPN innervating adrenal glands were activated and 29.9±3.3% expressed PPE mRNA whereas 53.2±8.6% of SPN innervating celiac ganglia were activated and 31.2±8.8% expressed PPE mRNA. CART-ir SPN innervating each target were also activated and did not co-express PPE mRNA. Neurochemical coding reveals that HDZ administration activates both PPE+SPN, whose activity increase glucose mobilization causing hyperglycemia, as well as CART+SPN whose activity drive vasomotor responses mediated by baroreceptor unloading to raise vascular tone and heart rate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antifungal Properties of Cationic Phenylene Ethynylenes and Their Impact on β-Glucan Exposure.

PubMed

Pappas, Harry C; Sylejmani, Rina; Graus, Matthew S; Donabedian, Patrick L; Whitten, David G; Neumann, Aaron K

2016-08-01

Candida species are the cause of many bloodstream infections through contamination of indwelling medical devices. These infections account for a 40% mortality rate, posing a significant risk to immunocompromised patients. Traditional treatments against Candida infections include amphotericin B and various azole treatments. Unfortunately, these treatments are associated with high toxicity, and resistant strains have become more prevalent. As a new frontier, light-activated phenylene ethynylenes have shown promising biocidal activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacterial pathogens, as well as the environmental yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae In this study, we monitored the viability of Candida species after treatment with a cationic conjugated polymer [poly(p-phenylene ethynylene); PPE] or oligomer ["end-only" oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene); EO-OPE] by flow cytometry in order to explore the antifungal properties of these compounds. The oligomer was found to disrupt Candida albicans yeast membrane integrity independent of light activation, while PPE is able to do so only in the presence of light, allowing for some control as to the manner in which cytotoxic effects are induced. The contrast in killing efficacy between the two compounds is likely related to their size difference and their intrinsic abilities to penetrate the fungal cell wall. Unlike EO-OPE-DABCO (where DABCO is quaternized diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane), PPE-DABCO displayed a strong propensity to associate with soluble β-glucan, which is expected to inhibit its ability to access and perturb the inner cell membrane of Candida yeast. Furthermore, treatment with PPE-DABCO unmasked Candida albicans β-glucan and increased phagocytosis by Dectin-1-expressing HEK-293 cells. In summary, cationic phenylene ethynylenes show promising biocidal activity against pathogenic Candida yeast cells while also exhibiting immunostimulatory effects. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights

Antifungal Properties of Cationic Phenylene Ethynylenes and Their Impact on β-Glucan Exposure

PubMed Central

Pappas, Harry C.; Sylejmani, Rina; Graus, Matthew S.; Donabedian, Patrick L.; Whitten, David G.

2016-01-01

Candida species are the cause of many bloodstream infections through contamination of indwelling medical devices. These infections account for a 40% mortality rate, posing a significant risk to immunocompromised patients. Traditional treatments against Candida infections include amphotericin B and various azole treatments. Unfortunately, these treatments are associated with high toxicity, and resistant strains have become more prevalent. As a new frontier, light-activated phenylene ethynylenes have shown promising biocidal activity against Gram-positive and -negative bacterial pathogens, as well as the environmental yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this study, we monitored the viability of Candida species after treatment with a cationic conjugated polymer [poly(p-phenylene ethynylene); PPE] or oligomer [“end-only” oligo(p-phenylene ethynylene); EO-OPE] by flow cytometry in order to explore the antifungal properties of these compounds. The oligomer was found to disrupt Candida albicans yeast membrane integrity independent of light activation, while PPE is able to do so only in the presence of light, allowing for some control as to the manner in which cytotoxic effects are induced. The contrast in killing efficacy between the two compounds is likely related to their size difference and their intrinsic abilities to penetrate the fungal cell wall. Unlike EO-OPE-DABCO (where DABCO is quaternized diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane), PPE-DABCO displayed a strong propensity to associate with soluble β-glucan, which is expected to inhibit its ability to access and perturb the inner cell membrane of Candida yeast. Furthermore, treatment with PPE-DABCO unmasked Candida albicans β-glucan and increased phagocytosis by Dectin-1-expressing HEK-293 cells. In summary, cationic phenylene ethynylenes show promising biocidal activity against pathogenic Candida yeast cells while also exhibiting immunostimulatory effects. PMID:27161628

Abnormal findings in peers during skills learning.

PubMed

Wearn, Andy; Nakatsuji, Miriam; Bhoopatkar, Harsh

2017-02-01

Peer physical examination (PPE), where students examine each other, is common in contemporary clinical skills learning. A range of benefits and risks have been explored in the literature. One persistent concern has been the identification and management of abnormal physical findings. Two previous studies have attempted to quantify the risk, one through the discussion of two exemplar cases and the other with a retrospective student survey. Here, we report the first prospective study of the number and type of abnormalities encountered as part of early clinical skills learning in a medical programme. We have a formal written consent process for PPE, which includes the management of abnormal findings through the completion of an event form. Our data come from cohorts undertaking years 2 and 3 of the programme between 2003 and 2014. One persistent concern (of PPE) has been the identification and management of abnormal physical findings RESULTS: Nineteen event forms were completed over this period. The incidence rates per year ranged from 0.23 to 1.05 per cent. Abnormal findings included raised blood pressure, heart murmur, abnormal bedside test values, and eye and skin conditions. The low event rate, along with a feasible process for dealing with this issue, goes some way to reassuring those with concerns. We acknowledge that some abnormalities may have been missed, and that some data may have been lost as a result of incorrect process; however, even the highest annual rate is low in absolute terms. We recommend a formal process for managing abnormalities. Ideally this would be part of an overall PPE written policy, communicated to students, enacted by tutors and approved by the local ethics committee. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assessing the effectiveness of antismoking television advertisements: do audience ratings of perceived effectiveness predict changes in quitting intentions and smoking behaviours?

PubMed

Brennan, Emily; Durkin, Sarah J; Wakefield, Melanie A; Kashima, Yoshihisa

2014-09-01

Decisions about which antismoking advertisements should be aired are often guided by audience ratings of perceived effectiveness (PE). Given that the usefulness of PE measures depends on their ability to predict the likelihood that a message will have a positive impact on outcomes such as behaviour change, in the current study we used pre-exposure, postexposure and follow-up measures to test the association between PE and subsequent changes in quitting intentions and smoking behaviours. Daily smokers (N=231; 18 years and older) completed baseline measures of quitting intentions before watching an antismoking advertisement. Immediately following exposure, intentions were measured again and PE was measured using six items that factored into two scales: ad-directed PE (ADPE) and personalised PE (PPE). A follow-up telephone survey conducted within 3 weeks of exposure measured behaviour change (reduced cigarette consumption or quit attempts). From pre-exposure to postexposure, 18% of smokers showed a positive change in their intentions. Controlling for baseline intentions, PPE independently predicted intention change (OR=2.57, p=0.004). At follow-up, 26% of smokers reported that they had changed their behaviour. PPE scores also predicted the likelihood of behaviour change (OR=1.93, p=0.009). Audience ratings of PPE, but not ADPE, were found to predict subsequent intention and behaviour change. These findings increase confidence in the use of PE measures to pretest and evaluate antismoking television advertisements, particularly when these measures tap the extent to which a smoker has been personally affected by the message. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Separable roles for Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESX-3 effectors in iron acquisition and virulence

PubMed Central

Tufariello, JoAnn M.; Chapman, Jessica R.; Kerantzas, Christopher A.; Wong, Ka-Wing; Vilchèze, Catherine; Jones, Christopher M.; Cole, Laura E.; Tinaztepe, Emir; Thompson, Victor; Fenyö, David; Niederweis, Michael; Ueberheide, Beatrix; Philips, Jennifer A.; Jacobs, William R.

2016-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) encodes five type VII secretion systems (T7SS), designated ESX-1–ESX-5, that are critical for growth and pathogenesis. The best characterized is ESX-1, which profoundly impacts host cell interactions. In contrast, the ESX-3 T7SS is implicated in metal homeostasis, but efforts to define its function have been limited by an inability to recover deletion mutants. We overcame this impediment using medium supplemented with various iron complexes to recover mutants with deletions encompassing select genes within esx-3 or the entire operon. The esx-3 mutants were defective in uptake of siderophore-bound iron and dramatically accumulated cell-associated mycobactin siderophores. Proteomic analyses of culture filtrate revealed that secretion of EsxG and EsxH was codependent and that EsxG–EsxH also facilitated secretion of several members of the proline-glutamic acid (PE) and proline-proline-glutamic acid (PPE) protein families (named for conserved PE and PPE N-terminal motifs). Substrates that depended on EsxG–EsxH for secretion included PE5, encoded within the esx-3 locus, and the evolutionarily related PE15–PPE20 encoded outside the esx-3 locus. In vivo characterization of the mutants unexpectedly showed that the ESX-3 secretion system plays both iron-dependent and -independent roles in Mtb pathogenesis. PE5–PPE4 was found to be critical for the siderophore-mediated iron-acquisition functions of ESX-3. The importance of this iron-acquisition function was dependent upon host genotype, suggesting a role for ESX-3 secretion in counteracting host defense mechanisms that restrict iron availability. Further, we demonstrate that the ESX-3 T7SS secretes certain effectors that are important for iron uptake while additional secreted effectors modulate virulence in an iron-independent fashion. PMID:26729876

Effectiveness and limitations of parameter tuning in reducing biases of top-of-atmosphere radiation and clouds in MIROC version 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogura, Tomoo; Shiogama, Hideo; Watanabe, Masahiro; Yoshimori, Masakazu; Yokohata, Tokuta; Annan, James D.; Hargreaves, Julia C.; Ushigami, Naoto; Hirota, Kazuya; Someya, Yu; Kamae, Youichi; Tatebe, Hiroaki; Kimoto, Masahide

2017-12-01

This study discusses how much of the biases in top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiation and clouds can be removed by parameter tuning in the present-day simulation of a climate model in the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) generation. We used output of a perturbed parameter ensemble (PPE) experiment conducted with an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model (AOGCM) without flux adjustment. The Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate version 5 (MIROC5) was used for the PPE experiment. Output of the PPE was compared with satellite observation data to evaluate the model biases and the parametric uncertainty of the biases with respect to TOA radiation and clouds. The results indicate that removing or changing the sign of the biases by parameter tuning alone is difficult. In particular, the cooling bias of the shortwave cloud radiative effect at low latitudes could not be removed, neither in the zonal mean nor at each latitude-longitude grid point. The bias was related to the overestimation of both cloud amount and cloud optical thickness, which could not be removed by the parameter tuning either. However, they could be alleviated by tuning parameters such as the maximum cumulus updraft velocity at the cloud base. On the other hand, the bias of the shortwave cloud radiative effect in the Arctic was sensitive to parameter tuning. It could be removed by tuning such parameters as albedo of ice and snow both in the zonal mean and at each grid point. The obtained results illustrate the benefit of PPE experiments which provide useful information regarding effectiveness and limitations of parameter tuning. Implementing a shallow convection parameterization is suggested as a potential measure to alleviate the biases in radiation and clouds.

78 FR 49524 - National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Personal Protective Technology Program and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

... Non-Respiratory Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).'' To view the notice and related materials, visit... processes, to address conformity assessment of non-respiratory personal protective equipment. Conformity...

Skin exposure: Assessing the hazard in the workplace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cummins, Kevin

1994-01-01

An outline of the Occupational Safety and Health Agency's concerns of skin exposure to hazardous chemicals is presented, followed by the corresponding slide narrations. Specifically, dermatitis and skin absorption as compared to lung absorption are addressed. Lung versus skin exposure is examined for glycol ethers and acrylamide. Examples of skin exposure include PBC's in transformers, toluene and xylene from autobody work, polynuclear aromatics (PNA's) among Coke oven workers, toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and occupational chemical exposures in an academic medical center. Permeation through gloves in the semiconductor industry is addressed as evidence for the need to assess the effectiveness of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). This leads to the revisions of the PPE standard and the Safety and Health Program standard.

Anti-corrosion and Anti-bacteria Property of Modified Pomegranate Peel Extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xue-Fan; Chang, Xiao-Feng; Cheng, Chao; Zhang, Li; Zhang, Yong-Ming; Zhang, Jie; Chen, Gang

2018-03-01

Using weight loss method, the pomegranate peel extract (PPE), that is a green corrosion inhibitors, have been studied in the corrosion inhibition of Q235A steel in 1M hydrochloric acid solution at 30°C, 45°C, 60°C, respectively. The inhibition rate of extract varies with the extraction concentration in the range of 10 ∼ 1000mg / L, up to 92.7%. Extract inhibits corrosion through adsorption mechanisms. Besides polyphenols hydroxyl and ether groups can slow down corrosion by capturing H+. Polyphenols can remove the dissolved O2, and curb oxygen reducing corrosion. PPE is antifungal active against TGB and FB, but not so active against SRB.

VISA/VRSA (Vancomycin-Intermediate/Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Patient Safety: What You Can Do to Be a Safe Patient

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Frequently Asked Questions about Surgical Site Infections

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Types of Healthcare-Associated Infections

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Norovirus in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Frequently Asked Questions about Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Diseases and Organisms in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) Data and Statistics

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Mycobacterium abscessus in Healthcare Settings

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Infection

MedlinePlus

... Personnel PPE Training Infection Control Assessment Tools Water Management Programs Map: HAI Prevention Activities Research CDC Supported Projects Prevention Epicenters (PE) Healthcare Safety Research (SHEPheRD) Environmental ...

What do firefighters desire from the next generation of personal protective equipment? Outcomes from an international survey

PubMed Central

LEE, Joo-Young; PARK, Joonhee; PARK, Huiju; COCA, Aitor; KIM, Jung-Hyun; TAYLOR, Nigel A.S.; SON, Su-Young; TOCHIHARA, Yutaka

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate smart features required for the next generation of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters in Australia, Korea, Japan, and the USA. Questionnaire responses were obtained from 167 Australian, 351 Japanese, 413 Korean, and 763 U.S. firefighters (1,611 males and 61 females). Preferences concerning smart features varied among countries, with 27% of Korean and 30% of U.S. firefighters identifying ‘a location monitoring system’ as the most important element. On the other hand, 43% of Japanese firefighters preferred ‘an automatic body cooling system’ while 21% of the Australian firefighters selected equally ‘an automatic body cooling system’ and ‘a wireless communication system’. When asked to rank these elements in descending priority, responses across these countries were very similar with the following items ranked highest: ‘a location monitoring system’, ‘an automatic body cooling system’, ‘a wireless communication system’, and ‘a vision support system’. The least preferred elements were ‘an automatic body warming system’ and ‘a voice recording system’. No preferential relationship was apparent for age, work experience, gender or anthropometric characteristics. These results have implications for the development of the next generation of PPE along with the international standardisation of the smart PPE. PMID:26027710

Test methods for estimating the efficacy of the fast-acting disinfectant peracetic acid on surfaces of personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Lemmer, K; Howaldt, S; Heinrich, R; Roder, A; Pauli, G; Dorner, B G; Pauly, D; Mielke, M; Schwebke, I; Grunow, R

2017-11-01

The work aimed at developing and evaluating practically relevant methods for testing of disinfectants on contaminated personal protective equipment (PPE). Carriers were prepared from PPE fabrics and contaminated with Bacillus subtilis spores. Peracetic acid (PAA) was applied as a suitable disinfectant. In method 1, the contaminated carrier was submerged in PAA solution; in method 2, the contaminated area was covered with PAA; and in method 3, PAA, preferentially combined with a surfactant, was dispersed as a thin layer. In each method, 0·5-1% PAA reduced the viability of spores by a factor of ≥6 log 10 within 3 min. The technique of the most realistic method 3 proved to be effective at low temperatures and also with a high organic load. Vaccinia virus and Adenovirus were inactivated with 0·05-0·1% PAA by up to ≥6 log 10 within 1 min. The cytotoxicity of ricin was considerably reduced by 2% PAA within 15 min of exposure. PAA/detergent mixture enabled to cover hydrophobic PPE surfaces with a thin and yet effective disinfectant layer. The test methods are objective tools for estimating the biocidal efficacy of disinfectants on hydrophobic flexible surfaces. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Fundamentals of the knowledge about chemical additives present in rubber gloves.

PubMed

Oliveira, Hegles Rosa de; Alchorne, Alice de Oliveira de Avelar

2011-01-01

One of the most frequent causes of allergic contact dermatitis of occupational origin are rubber additives, which are present in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The most allergenic additives of natural and synthetic gloves are thiurams, carbamates and mercapto group. To investigate the state of knowledge about the chemical additives used in the manufacture of synthetic rubber gloves. This was a qualitative research study in which professionals working in the manufacture, research, prescription and commercialization of gloves answered an open questionnaire. 30 individuals were interviewed: 4 researchers in occupational medicine, 5 occupational physicians, 2 occupational safety technicians, a rubber workers' union physician, an occupational safety engineer, a pro duction engineer of rubber gloves, 4 importers of gloves, a manufacturer of gloves, 3 businessmen who sell PPE, 3 salesclerks working in stores that sell PPE, 2 businessmen who own stores that sell products for allergic individuals, and 3 dermatologists. Knowledge of the chemical composition of rubber gloves is scant. The labeling of gloves, with the description of their chemical composition, would facilitate choosing the best type of glove for each person. This low-cost action to businesses would be a gain from the standpoint of public health, with huge repercussions for users of rubber gloves.

Direct liquefaction of plastics and coprocessing of coal with plastics

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

Huffman, G.P.; Feng, Z.; Mahajan, V.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this work were to optimize reaction conditions for the direct liquefaction of waste plastics and the coprocessing of coal with waste plastics. In previous work, the direct liquefaction of medium and high density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and a mixed plastic waste, and the coliquefaction of these plastics with coals of three different ranks was studied. The results established that a solid acid catalyst (HZSM-5 zeolite) was highly active for the liquefaction of the plastics alone, typically giving oil yields of 80-95% and total conversions of 90-100% at temperatures of 430-450 {degrees}C. In themore » coliquefaction experiments, 50:50 mixtures of plastic and coal were used with a tetralin solvent (tetralin:solid = 3:2). Using approximately 1% of the HZSM-5 catalyst and a nanoscale iron catalyst, oil yields of 50-70% and total conversion of 80-90% were typical. In the current year, further investigations were conducted of the liquefaction of PE, PPE, and a commingled waste plastic obtained from the American Plastics Council (APC), and the coprocessing of PE, PPE and the APC plastic with Black Thunder subbituminous coal. Several different catalysts were used in these studies.« less

Mis-modelling in Gravitational Wave Astronomy: The Trouble with Templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampson, Laura; Cornish, Neil; Yunes, Nicolas

2014-03-01

Waveform templates are a powerful tool for extracting and characterizing gravitational wave signals. There are, however, attendant dangers in using these highly restrictive signal priors. If strong field gravity is not accurately described by General Relativity (GR), then using GR templates may result in fundamental bias in the recovered parameters, or worse - a complete failure to detect signals. Here we study such dangers, concentrating on three distinct possibilities. First, we show that there exist modified theories compatible with all existing tests that would fail to be detected by the LIGO/Virgo network using searches based on GR templates, but which would be detected using a one parameter post-Einsteinian extension. Second, we study modified theories that produce departures from GR that do not naively fit into the simplest parameterized post-Einsteinian (ppE) scheme. We show that even the simplest ppE templates are still capable of picking up these strange signals and diagnosing a departure from GR. Third, we study how using inspiral-only ppE waveforms for signals that include merger and ringdown can lead to problems in misidentifying a GR departure. We present an easy technique that allows us to self-consistently identify the inspiral portion of the signal.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for Respiratory and Hearing Health among Midwestern Farmers.

PubMed

Cramer, Mary E; Wendl, Mary J; Sayles, Harlan; Duysen, Ellen; Achutan, Chandran

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices for hearing and respiratory health/safety among farmers in seven Midwestern states served by a federally funded Agricultural Center. Findings provided a baseline to longitudinally track the Agricultural Center's program outcomes and to design community education to improve safety and health among farmers. This was a cross-sectional study using a 30 item mailed survey to describe farmers' operations, demographics, health conditions, related information sources, and knowledge/attitude/practices for personal protective equipment (PPE) (i.e., ear plugs/muffs and dust masks/respirators). Frequencies and percentages were calculated for each item and according to responses from younger versus older farmers. The unit of study was farm operators (N = 280) randomly selected from a publicly available database of corn/soybean and hog farmers in seven Midwestern states. Findings revealed important knowledge gaps among respondents regarding (1) hazardous exposure sources; (2) long-term health consequences of noise/dust exposure; (3) proper selection/fitting of PPE. Public health nurses and primary care providers in rural communities should address specific knowledge gaps in order to enhance farmers' perceived understanding of their susceptibility to hazardous exposures. Increasing farmers' knowledge through preferred venues may help to improve PPE effectiveness. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Frequency Analysis of Failure Scenarios from Shale Gas Development.

PubMed

Abualfaraj, Noura; Gurian, Patrick L; Olson, Mira S

2018-04-29

This study identified and prioritized potential failure scenarios for natural gas drilling operations through an elicitation of people who work in the industry. A list of twelve failure scenarios of concern was developed focusing on specific events that may occur during the shale gas extraction process involving an operational failure or a violation of regulations. Participants prioritized the twelve scenarios based on their potential impact on the health and welfare of the general public, potential impact on worker safety, how well safety guidelines protect against their occurrence, and how frequently they occur. Illegal dumping of flowback water, while rated as the least frequently occurring scenario, was considered the scenario least protected by safety controls and the one of most concern to the general public. In terms of worker safety, the highest concern came from improper or inadequate use of personal protective equipment (PPE). While safety guidelines appear to be highly protective regarding PPE usage, inadequate PPE is the most directly witnessed failure scenario. Spills of flowback water due to equipment failure are of concern both with regards to the welfare of the general public and worker safety as they occur more frequently than any other scenario examined in this study.

Frequency Analysis of Failure Scenarios from Shale Gas Development

PubMed Central

Abualfaraj, Noura; Olson, Mira S.

2018-01-01

This study identified and prioritized potential failure scenarios for natural gas drilling operations through an elicitation of people who work in the industry. A list of twelve failure scenarios of concern was developed focusing on specific events that may occur during the shale gas extraction process involving an operational failure or a violation of regulations. Participants prioritized the twelve scenarios based on their potential impact on the health and welfare of the general public, potential impact on worker safety, how well safety guidelines protect against their occurrence, and how frequently they occur. Illegal dumping of flowback water, while rated as the least frequently occurring scenario, was considered the scenario least protected by safety controls and the one of most concern to the general public. In terms of worker safety, the highest concern came from improper or inadequate use of personal protective equipment (PPE). While safety guidelines appear to be highly protective regarding PPE usage, inadequate PPE is the most directly witnessed failure scenario. Spills of flowback water due to equipment failure are of concern both with regards to the welfare of the general public and worker safety as they occur more frequently than any other scenario examined in this study. PMID:29710821

Eye Care: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... and Research) Prevention and Risk Factors Diet and Nutrition ... (American Academy of Ophthalmology) Also in Spanish Selecting PPE for the Workplace (Personal Protective Equipment for the Eyes and Face) ( ...

29 CFR 1918.5 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Compliance duties owed to each employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of...

29 CFR 1915.9 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Provisions § 1915.9 Compliance duties owed to each employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators...

29 CFR 1915.9 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Provisions § 1915.9 Compliance duties owed to each employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators...

29 CFR 1918.5 - Compliance duties owed to each employee.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Compliance duties owed to each employee. (a) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators and other types of...

Inverse analysis of water profile in starch by non-contact photopyroelectric method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frandas, A.; Duvaut, T.; Paris, D.

2000-07-01

The photopyroelectric (PPE) method in a non-contact configuration was proposed to study water migration in starch sheets used for biodegradable packaging. A 1-D theoretical model was developed, allowing the study of samples having a water profile characterized by an arbitrary continuous function. An experimental setup was designed or this purpose which included the choice of excitation source, detection of signals, signal and data processing, and cells for conditioning the samples. We report here the development of an inversion procedure allowing for the determination of the parameters that influence the PPE signal. This procedure led to the optimization of experimental conditions in order to identify the parameters related to the water profile in the sample, and to monitor the dynamics of the process.

Airport Fire and Rescue Personnel Protective Clothing

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-07-13

This advisory circular (AC) identifies minimum standards for design, performance, : testing, and safety of personnel protective equipment (PPE), frequently referred : to as personnel protective clothing for airport firefighting. This AC also : assist...

Survey of awareness about hazardous chemicals of residents living near chemical plants in South Korea.

PubMed

Han, Don-Hee; Park, Min Soo

2018-02-10

With economic growth, the use of chemicals has continually increased, resulting in an increase of chemical accidents. Chemical accidents pose a life threat and can lead to many health problems among the residents living in close proximity to chemical plants. This study aimed to investigate the awareness of the residents living near chemical plants about hazardous chemicals, as well as to survey the awareness of workers who do not directly handle chemicals at chemical plants (WNHCs). To this end, a questionnaire survey was conducted among a total of 600 residents and 160 WNHCs. The questionnaire was composed of three items: awareness of chemical risk, awareness of countermeasures in chemical accidents, and imperious necessity of PPE (personal protective equipment). Statistical analysis of the data was performed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 18.0. The results show that the government needs to complement the notification system of chemical risk for residents who live close to chemical plants. The highest priority of PPE which residents want to prepare for chemical accidents was respiratory protective equipment (RPE). They responded that, if necessary to purchase PPE, they could bear a portion of the expenses (up to US $30). This study provides basic data for the development of programs and policies on chemical safety relevant for the residents living in close proximity to chemical plants in South Korea.

Real-time core body temperature estimation from heart rate for first responders wearing different levels of personal protective equipment.

PubMed

Buller, Mark J; Tharion, William J; Duhamel, Cynthia M; Yokota, Miyo

2015-01-01

First responders often wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for protection from on-the-job hazards. While PPE ensembles offer individuals protection, they limit one's ability to thermoregulate, and can place the wearer in danger of heat exhaustion and higher cardiac stress. Automatically monitoring thermal-work strain is one means to manage these risks, but measuring core body temperature (Tc) has proved problematic. An algorithm that estimates Tc from sequential measures of heart rate (HR) was compared to the observed Tc from 27 US soldiers participating in three different chemical/biological training events (45-90 min duration) while wearing PPE. Hotter participants (higher Tc) averaged (HRs) of 140 bpm and reached Tc around 39 °C. Overall the algorithm had a small bias (0.02 °C) and root mean square error (0.21 °C). Limits of agreement (LoA ± 0.48 °C) were similar to comparisons of Tc measured by oesophageal and rectal probes. The algorithm shows promise for use in real-time monitoring of encapsulated first responders. An algorithm to estimate core temperature (Tc) from non-invasive measures of HR was validated. Three independent studies (n = 27) compared the estimated Tc to the observed Tc in humans participating in chemical/ biological hazard training. The algorithm’s bias and variance to observed data were similar to that found from comparisons of oesophageal and rectal measurements.

Ear reconstruction using a porous polyethylene framework and temporoparietal fascia flap.

PubMed

Reinisch, John F; Lewin, Sheryl

2009-08-01

Ear reconstruction is a difficult procedure requiring a framework and soft tissue covering. The traditional method uses a rib cartilage framework placed beneath scalp skin. This method has been used for 50 years despite inherent problems with both harvesting rib cartilage and using scalp for coverage. The authors describe a method using a porous polyethylene (PPE) framework covered by a large temporoparietal fascia (TFP) flap raised with the underlying subgaleal fascia (SGF). The entire implant is covered by the two-layered flap, which can be raised without any scalp incision. The skin grafts applied to the covered implant lie on the SGF. The trilaminar structure of the SGF allows the skin to move independently over the implant, resisting shear forces and reducing the probability of implant exposure. Ear reconstruction using the PPE framework was performed on 786 ears over an 18-year period. Initial complications were common. With improved implant design and complete coverage of the implant with both the TPF and SGF, exposure rate dropped to 7% with a 12-year follow-up. Implant fractures decreased to less than 3%. The PPE/TPF method allows earlier ear reconstruction in children with minimal scarring and discomfort. The reconstructed ear can closely mimic the shape and projection of the natural contralateral ear in fewer stages and with a shorter learning curve. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers.

Using Perturbed Physics Ensembles and Machine Learning to Select Parameters for Reducing Regional Biases in a Global Climate Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Rupp, D. E.; Hawkins, L.; Mote, P.; McNeall, D. J.; Sarah, S.; Wallom, D.; Betts, R. A.

2017-12-01

This study investigates the potential to reduce known summer hot/dry biases over Pacific Northwest in the UK Met Office's atmospheric model (HadAM3P) by simultaneously varying multiple model parameters. The bias-reduction process is done through a series of steps: 1) Generation of perturbed physics ensemble (PPE) through the volunteer computing network weather@home; 2) Using machine learning to train "cheap" and fast statistical emulators of climate model, to rule out regions of parameter spaces that lead to model variants that do not satisfy observational constraints, where the observational constraints (e.g., top-of-atmosphere energy flux, magnitude of annual temperature cycle, summer/winter temperature and precipitation) are introduced sequentially; 3) Designing a new PPE by "pre-filtering" using the emulator results. Steps 1) through 3) are repeated until results are considered to be satisfactory (3 times in our case). The process includes a sensitivity analysis to find dominant parameters for various model output metrics, which reduces the number of parameters to be perturbed with each new PPE. Relative to observational uncertainty, we achieve regional improvements without introducing large biases in other parts of the globe. Our results illustrate the potential of using machine learning to train cheap and fast statistical emulators of climate model, in combination with PPEs in systematic model improvement.

The validity of the potential model in predicting the structural, dynamical, thermodynamic properties of the unary and binary mixture of water-alcohol: Methanol-water case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obeidat, Abdalla; Abu-Ghazleh, Hind

2018-06-01

Two intermolecular potential models of methanol (TraPPE-UA and OPLS-AA) have been used in order to examine their validity in reproducing the selected structural, dynamical, and thermodynamic properties in the unary and binary systems. These two models are combined with two water models (SPC/E and TIP4P). The temperature dependence of density, surface tension, diffusion and structural properties for the unary system has been computed over specific range of temperatures (200-300K). The very good performance of the TraPPE-UA potential model in predicting surface tension, diffusion, structure, and density of the unary system led us to examine its accuracy and performance in its aqueous solution. In the binary system the same properties were examined, using different mole fractions of methanol. The TraPPE-UA model combined with TIP4P-water shows a very good agreement with the experimental results for density and surface tension properties; whereas the OPLS-AA combined with SPCE-water shows a very agreement with experimental results regarding the diffusion coefficients. Two different approaches have been used in calculating the diffusion coefficient in the mixture, namely the Einstein equation (EE) and Green-Kubo (GK) method. Our results show the advantageous of applying GK over EE in reproducing the experimental results and in saving computer time.

Worksite safety climate, smoking, and the use of protective equipment by blue collar building workers enrolled in the MassBUILT smoking cessation trial

PubMed Central

Dutra, Lauren M; Kim, Seung-Sup; Williams, David R; Kawachi, Ichiro; Okechukwu, Cassandra A

2014-01-01

Objective In order to assess potential contributors to high injury rates and smoking prevalence among construction workers, we investigated the association of safety climate with personal protective equipment (PPE) use, and smoking behaviors. Methods Logistic regression models estimated risk ratios for PPE use and smoking using data from participants in MassBUILT smoking cessation intervention (n=1,725). Results Contractor safety climate was negatively associated with use of dust masks (RR=0.88,95%CI:0.83–0.94); respirators (RR=0.82,95%CI:0.75–0.89); general equipment (RR=0.98,95%CI:0.95–1.00); and fall protection (RR=0.94,95%CI:0.91–0.98) and positively associated with current smoking (RR=1.12,95%CI:1.01–1.25) but not smoking cessation. Coworker safety climate was negatively associated with use of dust masks (RR=0.87,95%CI:0.82–0.92); respirators (RR=0.80,95%CI:0.74–0.87); general equipment (RR=0.96,95%CI:0.94–0.98); fall (RR=0.92,95%CI:0.89–0.96) and hearing (RR=0.88,95%CI:0.83–0.93) protection but not smoking. Conclusions Worksite safety climate may be important for PPE use and smoking, but further research is needed. PMID:25285831

Analysis of area-time efficiency for an integrated focal plane architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, William H.; Wills, D. Scott

2003-05-01

Monolithic integration of photodetectors, analog-to-digital converters, digital processing, and data storage can improve the performance and efficiency of next-generation portable image products. Our approach combines these components into a single processing element, which is tiled to form a SIMD focal plane processor array with the capability to execute early image applications such as median filtering (noise removal), convolution (smoothing), and inside edge detection (segmentation). Digitizing and processing a pixel at the detection site presents new design challenges, including the allocation of silicon resources. This research investigates the area-time (A"T2) efficiency by adjusting the number of Pixels-per-Processing Element (PPE). Area calculations are based upon hardware implementations of components scaled for 250nm or 120nm technology. The total execution time is calculated from the sequential execution of each application on a generic focal plane architectural simulator. For a Quad-CIF system resolution (176×144), results show that 1 PPE provides the optimal area-time efficiency (5.7 μs2 x mm2 for 250nm, 1.7 μs2 x mm2 for 120nm) but requires a large silicon chip (2072mm2 for 250nm, 614mm2 for 120nm). Increasing the PPE to 4 or 16 can reduce silicon area by 48% and 60% respectively (120nm technology) while maintaining performance within real-time constraints.

A Calculus-Level Introductory Physics Course with an Astronomy Theme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amato, Joseph

2011-05-01

Physics from Planet Earth (PPE) is a one-semester, calculus-based introductory course in classical mechanics intended for first year students of physics, chemistry, astronomy and engineering. Most of the core topics in mechanics are included, but many of the examples and applications are drawn from astronomy, space science, and astrophysics. The laws of physics are assigned the task of exploring the heavens - the same task addressed by Newton over 300 years ago at the birth of classical mechanics. How do we know the distance to the Moon, Sun, or other galaxies? How do we know the masses of the Earth, Sun, and other planets and stars, and why do we believe in "missing” mass? As a physics course, PPE concentrates on how we know rather than what we know. Examples and applications include those of historical importance (the Earth-Moon distance, the Earth-Sun distance, Ptolemaic vs. Copernican models, weighing the Earth) as well as those of contemporary interest (Hubble's Law, rocket propulsion, spacecraft gravity boosts, the Roche limit, search for extrasolar planets, orbital mechanics, pulsars, galactic rotation curves). The course has been taught successfully at Colgate for over a decade, using materials that have been developed and refined during the past 15 years. Developers of PPE are eager to enrich the course by identifying other topics in contemporary astronomy that can be adapted for the first year physics audience.

Reflective-emissive liquid-crystal displays constructed from AIE luminogens (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Ben Zhong; Zhao, Dongyu; Qin, Anjun

2015-10-01

The chiral nematic liquid crystal (N*-LC) has plenty of prospective applications in LC display (LCD) owing to the selective reflection and circular dichroism. The molecules in the N*-LC are aligned forming a helically twisted structure and the specific wavelength of incident light is reflected by the periodically varying refractive index in the N*-LC plane without the aid of a polarizer or color filter. However, N*-LC do not emit light which restricts its application in the dark environment. Moreover, the view angle of N*-LC display device was severe limited due to the strong viewing angle dependence of the structure color of the one dimensional photonic crystal of a N*-LC. In order to overcome these weaknesses, we have synthesized a luminescent liquid crystalline compound consisting of a tetraphenylethene (TPE) core, TPE-PPE, as a luminogen with mesogenic moieties. TPE-PPE exhibits both the aggregate-induced emission (AIE) and thermotropic liquid crystalline characteristics. By dissolving a little amount of TPE-PPE into N*-LC host, a circular polarized emission was obtained on the unidirectional orientated LC cell. Utilizing the circular polarized luminescence property of the LC mixture, we fabricated a photoluminescent liquid crystal display (PL-LCD) device which can work under both dark and sunlit conditions. This approach has simplified the device design, lowered the energy consumption and increased brightness and application of the LCD.

Interaction of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in human skin.

PubMed

Schlereth, Tanja; Schukraft, Jonas; Krämer-Best, Heidrun H; Geber, Christian; Ackermann, Tatiana; Birklein, Frank

2016-10-01

Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) are neuropeptides that are simultaneously released from nociceptive C-fibers. CGRP is a potent vasodilator, inducing a long-lasting increase in superficial skin blood flow, whereas SP induces only a brief vasodilation but a significant plasma extravasation. CGRP and SP may play important roles in the pathophysiology of various pain states but little is known about their interaction. Different concentrations of SP (ranging from 10 -5 M to 10 -9 M) were applied to the volar forearm of 24 healthy subjects via dermal microdialysis. SP was applied either alone or in combination with CGRP10 -9 M and CGRP 10 -6 M. As expected, SP induced a transient increase in skin blood flow that decayed shortly after application. This transient blood flow peak was blunted with co-application of CGRP 10 -9 M and inhibited with co-application of CGRP10 -6 M. SP alone induced plasma protein extravasation (PPE). However, when CGRP10 -6 M was added, the PPE significantly increased. Our results demonstrate a complex interaction of the neuropeptides CGRP and SP. CGRP10 -6 M prevented SP-induced early vasodilation but augmented SP-induced PPE. These interactions might explain why vascular symptoms in chronic pain can differ strikingly between individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keratinocyte Growth Factor Gene Electroporation into Skeletal Muscle as a Novel Gene Therapeutic Approach for Elastase-Induced Pulmonary Emphysema in Mice.

PubMed

Tobinaga, Shuichi; Matsumoto, Keitaro; Nagayasu, Takeshi; Furukawa, Katsuro; Abo, Takafumi; Yamasaki, Naoya; Tsuchiya, Tomoshi; Miyazaki, Takuro; Koji, Takehiko

2015-06-29

Pulmonary emphysema is a progressive disease with airspace destruction and an effective therapy is needed. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) promotes pulmonary epithelial proliferation and has the potential to induce lung regeneration. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of using KGF gene therapy for treatment of a mouse emphysema model induced by porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). Eight-week-old BALB/c male mice treated with intra-tracheal PPE administration were transfected with 80 μg of a recombinant human KGF (rhKGF)-expressing FLAG-CMV14 plasmid (pKGF-FLAG gene), or with the pFLAG gene expressing plasmid as a control, into the quadriceps muscle by electroporation. In the lung, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was augmented, and surfactant protein A (SP-A) and KGF receptor (KGFR) were co-expressed in PCNA-positive cells. Moreover, endogenous KGF and KGFR gene expression increased significantly by pKGF-FLAG gene transfection. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed that the PaO2 level was not significantly reduced on day 14 after PPE instillation with pKGF-FLAG gene transfection compared to that of normal mice. These results indicated that KGF gene therapy with electroporation stimulated lung epithelial proliferation and protected depression of pulmonary function in a mouse emphysema model, suggesting a possible method of treating pulmonary emphysema.

Keratinocyte Growth Factor Gene Electroporation into Skeletal Muscle as a Novel Gene Therapeutic Approach for Elastase-Induced Pulmonary Emphysema in Mice

PubMed Central

Tobinaga, Shuichi; Matsumoto, Keitaro; Nagayasu, Takeshi; Furukawa, Katsuro; Abo, Takafumi; Yamasaki, Naoya; Tsuchiya, Tomoshi; Miyazaki, Takuro; Koji, Takehiko

2015-01-01

Pulmonary emphysema is a progressive disease with airspace destruction and an effective therapy is needed. Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) promotes pulmonary epithelial proliferation and has the potential to induce lung regeneration. The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of using KGF gene therapy for treatment of a mouse emphysema model induced by porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). Eight-week-old BALB/c male mice treated with intra-tracheal PPE administration were transfected with 80 μg of a recombinant human KGF (rhKGF)-expressing FLAG-CMV14 plasmid (pKGF-FLAG gene), or with the pFLAG gene expressing plasmid as a control, into the quadriceps muscle by electroporation. In the lung, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was augmented, and surfactant protein A (SP-A) and KGF receptor (KGFR) were co-expressed in PCNA-positive cells. Moreover, endogenous KGF and KGFR gene expression increased significantly by pKGF-FLAG gene transfection. Arterial blood gas analysis revealed that the PaO2 level was not significantly reduced on day 14 after PPE instillation with pKGF-FLAG gene transfection compared to that of normal mice. These results indicated that KGF gene therapy with electroporation stimulated lung epithelial proliferation and protected depression of pulmonary function in a mouse emphysema model, suggesting a possible method of treating pulmonary emphysema. PMID:26160987

The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians Position Statement on Pre-Participation Examinations: An Expert Consensus.

PubMed

Moreau, William J; Nabhan, Dustin C; Roecker, Christopher; Kimura, Melissa Nagare; Klein, Andrew; Guimard, Brett; Pierce, Kevin; Helma, Patrick; Nelson, Robert; Bahr, Kelly Shockley; Nelson, Laney; Williams, Perry

2015-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a position statement of best practices for the provision of a safe and high-quality pre-participation examination (PPE) and to provide recommendations on education requirements for doctors of chiropractic providing the PPE. In 2014, the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP) Board of Directors identified a need to review and update the ACBSP position statements and practice guidelines in order to be current with evolving best practices. Twelve ACBSP certificants, 10 Diplomates of the ACBSP, and 2 Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians, met in April 2015 to author a pre-participation position statement using an expert consensus process. Panel members excluded anyone with commercial conflicts of interest and included individuals with expertise in clinical sports medicine and the performance of PPEs. A literature review was performed and circulated in advance for use by the panel in addressing the topic. The position statement was written through a consensus process and accepted by the ACBSP Board of Directors in May of 2015. The ACBSP Position Statement on Pre-participation Examinations identifies the qualifications and best practices for doctors of chiropractic to perform a PPE. This position statement states that doctors of chiropractic with post graduate education and current Diplomates of the ACBSP or Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians certification have the prerequisite education and qualifying skills to perform PPEs.

The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians Position Statement on Pre-Participation Examinations: An Expert Consensus

PubMed Central

Moreau, William J.; Nabhan, Dustin C.; Roecker, Christopher; Kimura, Melissa Nagare; Klein, Andrew; Guimard, Brett; Pierce, Kevin; Helma, Patrick; Nelson, Robert; Bahr, Kelly Shockley; Nelson, Laney; Williams, Perry

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this paper is to present a position statement of best practices for the provision of a safe and high-quality pre-participation examination (PPE) and to provide recommendations on education requirements for doctors of chiropractic providing the PPE. Methods In 2014, the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP) Board of Directors identified a need to review and update the ACBSP position statements and practice guidelines in order to be current with evolving best practices. Twelve ACBSP certificants, 10 Diplomates of the ACBSP, and 2 Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians, met in April 2015 to author a pre-participation position statement using an expert consensus process. Panel members excluded anyone with commercial conflicts of interest and included individuals with expertise in clinical sports medicine and the performance of PPEs. A literature review was performed and circulated in advance for use by the panel in addressing the topic. The position statement was written through a consensus process and accepted by the ACBSP Board of Directors in May of 2015. Results The ACBSP Position Statement on Pre-participation Examinations identifies the qualifications and best practices for doctors of chiropractic to perform a PPE. Conclusion This position statement states that doctors of chiropractic with post graduate education and current Diplomates of the ACBSP or Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians certification have the prerequisite education and qualifying skills to perform PPEs. PMID:26778931

Identification of cis-acting regulatory elements in the human oxytocin gene promoter.

PubMed

Richard, S; Zingg, H H

1991-12-01

The expression of hormone-inducible genes is determined by the interaction of trans-acting factors with hormone-inducible elements and elements mediating basal and cell-specific expression. We have shown earlier that the gene encoding the hypothalamic nonapeptide oxytocin (OT) is under the control of an estrogen response element (ERE). The present study was aimed at identifying cis-acting elements mediating basal expression of the OT gene. A construct containing sequences -381 to +36 of the human OT gene was linked to a reporter gene and transiently transfected into a series of neuronal and nonneuronal cell lines. Expression of this construct was cell specific: it was highest in the neuroblastoma-derived cell line, Neuro-2a, and lowest in NIH 3T3 and JEG-3 cells. By 5' deletion analysis, we determined that a segment from -49 to +36 was capable of mediating cells-pecific promoter activity. Within this segment, we identified three proximal promoter elements (PPE-1, PPE-2, and PPE-3) that are each required for promoter activity. Most notably, mutation of a conserved purine-rich element (GAGAGA) contained within PPE-2 leads to a 10-fold decrease in promoter strength. Gel mobility shift analysis with three different double-stranded oligonucleotides demonstrated that each proximal promoter element binds distinct nuclear factors. In each case, only the homologous oligonucleotide, but neither of the oligonucleotides corresponding to adjacent elements, was able to act as a competitor. Thus, a different set of factors appears to bind independently to each element. By reinserting the homologous ERE or a heterologous glucocorticoid response element upstream of intact or altered proximal promoter segments we determined that removal or mutation of proximal promoter elements decreases basal expression, but does not abrogate the hormone responsiveness of the promoter. In conclusion, these results indicate that an important component of the transcriptional activity of the OT

Optically detected magnetic resonance studies on pi-conjugated polymers and novel carbon allotropes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Partee, Jonathan Farel

1997-12-01

The photophysics of poly(p-phenylene)-type ladder polymers (m-LPPP) and 2,5-dibutoxy poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) (DBO-PPE) films and solutions were studied by X-band photoluminescence detected magnetic resonance (PLDMR). Frequency resolved PLDMR measurements on LPPP, DBO-PPE, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), poly(p-phenylene-vinylene) (PPV), and Csb{70} are also reported and discussed. All the polymer samples exhibit three distinct features when excited at wavelengths lambda≥ 458nm: (i) A narrow PL-enhancing spin-1/2 polaron resonance, (ii) broad full- and (iii) half-field spin-1 triplet exciton powder patterns due to the Deltamsbs = 1 and Deltamsbs = 2 transitions among the triplet sublevels, respectively. The full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of the spin-1/2 resonance in LPPP decreased from film to solution. However, the FWHM of that resonance in PPE was identical at all concentrations. This spin-1/2 resonance is assigned to the magnetic resonance enhancement of the recombination of both interchain and intrachain-intersegment polaron pairs which quench singlet exciton recombination. In solid m-LPPP samples, the aggregate PL gives rise to a proportionally higher magnetic resonance effect than other parts of the PL spectrum. In DBO-PPE and m-LPPP solutions, the triplet resonance decreased with decreasing concentration. This suggests that the triplet state is an intrinsic long-lived (˜30mus) trapped state localized on a phenylene ring and stabilized by coupling to a unit of an adjacent chain. Frequency resolved measurements of the lifetime of the species affected by the resonance conditions for all the polymers are described and discussed. The lifetimes appeared to include: (i) fast (9mus ≤ tausb1 ≤ 40mus) and (ii) slow (575mus\\ ≤ tausb2≤ 1868mus) components. The lifetimes increased with increasing concentration of the polymers in toluene solutions. These results can be interpreted to provide support for the interchain/intersegment polaron model or a

Setting, Structure, and Timing of the Preparticipation Examination: The Wilderness Adventure Consultation.

PubMed

Green, Gary A

2015-09-01

Patients pursue wilderness experiences throughout the entire life cycle, and while outdoor pursuits are relatively safe, injuries do occur. Many of these adverse events can be anticipated, identified, and prevented through a wilderness preparticipation examination (PPE). To accomplish this, it is incumbent on the physician to assess the extrinsic and intrinsic factors faced by the patient and attempt to correct them to ensure an enjoyable experience in the outdoors. This article outlines the goals of the PPE along with identification of various risk factors that can influence a trip. Most injuries and rescues occur from underestimating the risks from extrinsic, environmental factors, and/or overestimating one's intrinsic skills. By matching the patient's fitness and skill level to the environment, the physician can help reduce the risk of serious injury.

The addition of pineapple flesh and pineapple peels extracts to increase the quality of used cooking oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumawardani, R.; Hasanah, N.; Sukemi

2018-04-01

In Indonesia, reuse of cooking oil is high and common. Heating process and reuse of the cooking oil causes a change in its chemical constituents and decrease its qualities. This research aimed to investigate the addition of pineapple flesh extract (PFE) and pineapple peel extract (PPE) on the increment of the quality of oxidized (used) cooking oil. The cooking oil has been used three times. Treatment was done by mixing the used cooking oil with the extract (2:1) at 50°C. Peroxide value, FFA and iodine number of treated and untreated used cooking oils were measured by using titration method. The result showed that the treatment could increase the quality of the used cooking oils. PPE was better than PFE to increase the quality of the used cooking oil.

Addition of the electrocardiogram to the preparticipation examination of college athletes.

PubMed

Le, Vy-Van; Wheeler, Matthew T; Mandic, Sandra; Dewey, Frederick; Fonda, Holly; Perez, Marco; Sungar, Gannon; Garza, Daniel; Ashley, Euan A; Matheson, Gordon; Froelicher, Victor

2010-03-01

Although the use of standardized cardiovascular (CV) system-focused history and physical examination is recommended for the preparticipation examination (PPE) of athletes, the addition of the electrocardiogram (ECG) has been controversial. Because the impact of ECG screening on college athletes has rarely been reported, we analyzed the findings of adding the ECG to the PPE of Stanford athletes. For the past 15 years, the Stanford Sports Medicine program has mandated a PPE questionnaire and physical examination by Stanford physicians for participation in intercollegiate athletics. In 2007, computerized ECGs with digital measurements were recorded on athletes and entered into a database. Although the use of standardized CV-focused history and physical examination are recommended for the PPE of athletes, the addition of the ECG has been controversial. Because the feasibility and outcomes of ECG screening on college athletes have rarely been reported, we present findings derived from the addition of the ECG to the PPE of Stanford athletes. For the past 15 years, the Stanford Sports Medicine program has mandated a PPE questionnaire and physical examination by Stanford physicians for participation in intercollegiate athletics. In 2007, computerized ECGs with digital measurements were recorded on athletes and entered into a database. Six hundred fifty-eight recordings were obtained (54% men, 10% African-American, mean age 20 years) representing 24 sports. Although 68% of the women had normal ECGs, only 38% of the men did so. Incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) (13%), right axis deviation (RAD) (10%), and atrial abnormalities (3%) were the 3 most common minor abnormalities. Sokolow-Lyon criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were found in 49%; however, only 27% had a Romhilt-Estes score of >or=4. T-wave inversion in V2 to V3 occurred in 7%, and only 5 men had abnormal Q-waves. Sixty-three athletes (10%) were judged to have distinctly abnormal ECG findings

Effects of potential models on the adsorption of ethane and ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black. Study of two-dimensional critical temperature and isosteric heat versus loading.

PubMed

Do, D D; Do, H D

2004-12-07

Adsorption of ethylene and ethane on graphitized thermal carbon black and in slit pores whose walls are composed of graphene layers is studied in detail to investigate the packing efficiency, the two-dimensional critical temperature, and the variation of the isosteric heat of adsorption with loading and temperature. Here we used a Monte Carlo simulation method with a grand canonical Monte Carlo ensemble. A number of two-center Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential models are investigated to study the impact of the choice of potential models in the description of adsorption behavior. We chose two 2C-LJ potential models in our investigation of the (i) UA-TraPPE-LJ model of Martin and Siepmann for ethane and Wick et al. for ethylene and (ii) AUA4-LJ model of Ungerer et al. for ethane and Bourasseau et al. for ethylene. These models are used to study the adsorption of ethane and ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black. It is found that the solid-fluid binary interaction parameter is a function of adsorbate and temperature, and the adsorption isotherms and heat of adsorption are well described by both the UA-TraPPE and AUA models, although the UA-TraPPE model performs slightly better. However, the local distributions predicted by these two models are slightly different. These two models are used to explore the two-dimensional condensation for the graphitized thermal carbon black, and these values are 110 K for ethylene and 120 K for ethane.

Isolation gowns in health care settings: Laboratory studies, regulations and standards, and potential barriers of gown selection and use

PubMed Central

Kilinc Balci, F. Selcen

2016-01-01

Although they play an important role in infection prevention and control, textile materials and personal protective equipment (PPE) used in health care settings are known to be one of the sources of cross-infection. Gowns are recommended to prevent transmission of infectious diseases in certain settings; however, laboratory and field studies have produced mixed results of their efficacy. PPE used in health care is regulated as either class I (low risk) or class II (intermediate risk) devices in the United States. Many organizations have published guidelines for the use of PPE, including isolation gowns, in health care settings. In addition, the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation published a guidance document on the selection of gowns and a classification standard on liquid barrier performance for both surgical and isolation gowns. However, there is currently no existing standard specific to isolation gowns that considers not only the barrier resistance but also a wide array of end user desired attributes. As a result, infection preventionists and purchasing agents face several difficulties in the selection process, and end users have limited or no information on the levels of protection provided by isolation gowns. Lack of knowledge about the performance of protective clothing used in health care became more apparent during the 2014 Ebola epidemic. This article reviews laboratory studies, regulations, guidelines and standards pertaining to isolation gowns, characterization problems, and other potential barriers of isolation gown selection and use. PMID:26391468

Complicated community acquired pneumonia in childhood: Different types, clinical course, and outcome.

PubMed

Erlichman, Ira; Breuer, Oded; Shoseyov, David; Cohen-Cymberknoh, Malena; Koplewitz, Benjamin; Averbuch, Diana; Erlichman, Matti; Picard, Elie; Kerem, Eitan

2017-02-01

The incidence of pediatric community acquired complicated pneumonia (PCACP) is increasing. Questions addressed: Are different types of PCACP one disease? How do different treatment protocols affect the outcome? Retrospective analysis of medical records of PCACP hospitalizations in the three major hospitals in Jerusalem in the years 2001-2010 for demographics, clinical presentation, management, and outcome. Of the 144 children (51% aged 1-4 years), 91% of Jewish origin; 40% had para-pneumonic effusion (PPE), 40% empyema (EMP), and 20% necrotizing pneumonia (NP). Bacterial origin was identified in 42% (empyema 79%, P = 0.009), most common S. pneumoniae (32%), group A streptococcus (9%). Patients with EMP, compared to PPE and NP, were less likely to receive prior antibiotic treatment (35% vs. 57% and 59%, respectively, P = 0.04). Mean hospitalization was longer in patients with NP followed by EMP and PPE (16.4 ± 10.6, 15.2 ± 7.9, and 12.7 ± 4.7 days, respectively), use of fibrinolysis was not associated with the outcome. All children had recovered to discharge regardless of antibiotic therapy or fibrinolysis. NP is a more severe disease with prolonged morbidity and hospitalization in spite of prior antibiotic treatment. All types had favorable outcome regardless of treatment-protocol. Complicated pneumonia has an ethnic predominance. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:247-254. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The pre-vertebrate origins of neurogenic placodes.

PubMed

Abitua, Philip Barron; Gainous, T Blair; Kaczmarczyk, Angela N; Winchell, Christopher J; Hudson, Clare; Kamata, Kaori; Nakagawa, Masashi; Tsuda, Motoyuki; Kusakabe, Takehiro G; Levine, Michael

2015-08-27

The sudden appearance of the neural crest and neurogenic placodes in early branching vertebrates has puzzled biologists for over a century. These embryonic tissues contribute to the development of the cranium and associated sensory organs, which were crucial for the evolution of the vertebrate "new head". A previous study suggests that rudimentary neural crest cells existed in ancestral chordates. However, the evolutionary origins of neurogenic placodes have remained obscure owing to a paucity of embryonic data from tunicates, the closest living relatives to those early vertebrates. Here we show that the tunicate Ciona intestinalis exhibits a proto-placodal ectoderm (PPE) that requires inhibition of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and expresses the key regulatory determinant Six1/2 and its co-factor Eya, a developmental process conserved across vertebrates. The Ciona PPE is shown to produce ciliated neurons that express genes for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a G-protein-coupled receptor for relaxin-3 (RXFP3) and a functional cyclic nucleotide-gated channel (CNGA), which suggests dual chemosensory and neurosecretory activities. These observations provide evidence that Ciona has a neurogenic proto-placode, which forms neurons that appear to be related to those derived from the olfactory placode and hypothalamic neurons of vertebrates. We discuss the possibility that the PPE-derived GnRH neurons of Ciona resemble an ancestral cell type, a progenitor to the complex neuronal circuit that integrates sensory information and neuroendocrine functions in vertebrates.

Improvements in powered air purifying respirator protection in an ABSL-3E facility

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study of and experimentation with zoonotic pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) requires risk mitigation strategies including laboratory engineering controls and safety equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE), and proper practices and techniques. Incidences of potent...

Electronic structure and photoabsorption of Ti 3+ ions in reduced anatase and rutile TiO 2

DOE PAGES

Wen, Bo; Hao, Qunqing; Yin, Wen-Jin; ...

2018-01-01

We have used two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectroscopy and first-principles density functional theory calculations to investigate the electronic structure and photoabsorption of the reduced anatase TiO 2 (101) and rutile TiO 2 (110) surfaces.

78 FR 16539 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Personal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Personal Protective Equipment for Shipyard Employment ACTION: Notice... (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Personal Protective Equipment for... employee uses the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the eyes, face, head, extremities...

Heuristic value of eclecticism in theory development: the case of Piagetian-Vygotskian dialogue about proportional reasoning.

PubMed

Falcão, Jorge Tarcísio Da Rocha; Hazin, Izabel

2012-03-01

Køppe's proposition of four layers in theoretical building are used here in the exploration of a specific case of eclectic combination, the use of Piagetian and Vygotskian general approaches to the analysis of proportional reasoning as a cognitive mathematical ability. It is proposed here that the eclectic consideration of these contributions depends on the consideration of their specificity, in the sense that they highlight different aspects of the phenomenon under scrutiny, and also on the consideration of the coherence between this eclectic convergence and premises in terms of schools of thought under which each contribution is framed. We conclude proposing in accordance to S. Køppe's proposal that eclecticism can be valuable and heuristic in theory development, but this contribution will depend largely on the effort in establishing careful relations between the four layers of theory-building.

Motion-oriented 3D analysis of body measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loercher, C.; Morlock, S.; Schenk, A.

2017-10-01

The aim of this project is to develop an ergonomically based and motion-oriented size system. New concepts are required in order to be able to deal competently with complex requirements of function-oriented workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE). Body dimensions change through movement, which are basis for motion optimized clothing development. This affects fit and ergonomic comfort. The situation has to be fundamentally researched in order to derive well-founded anthropometric body data, taking into account kinematic requirements of humans and to define functional dimensions for clothing industry. Research focus shall be on ergonomic design of workwear and PPE. There are huge differences in body forms, proportions and muscle manifestations between genders. An improved basic knowledge can be provided as a result, supporting development as well as sales of motion-oriented clothing with perfect fit for garment manufacturers.

Ethical, Legal, and Administrative Considerations for Preparticipation Evaluation for Wilderness Sports and Adventures.

PubMed

Young, Craig C; Campbell, Aaron D; Lemery, Jay; Young, David S

2015-09-01

Preparticipation evaluations (PPEs) are common in team, organized, or traditional sports but not common in wilderness sports or adventures. Regarding ethical, legal, and administrative considerations, the same principles can be used as in traditional sports. Clinicians should be trained to perform such a PPE to avoid missing essential components and to maximize the quality of the PPE. In general, participants' privacy should be observed; office-based settings may be best for professional and billing purposes, and adequate documentation of a complete evaluation, including clearance issues, should be essential components. Additional environmental and personal health issues relative to the wilderness activity should be documented, and referral for further screening should be made as deemed necessary, if unable to be performed by the primary clinician. Travel medicine principles should be incorporated, and recommendations for travel or adventure insurance should be made.

Explaining the Cyclic Voltammetry of a Poly(1,4-phenylene-ethynylene)-alt-poly(1,4-phenylene-vinylene) Copolymer upon Oxidation by using Spectroscopic Techniques.

PubMed

Enengl, Christina; Enengl, Sandra; Bouguerra, Nassima; Havlicek, Marek; Neugebauer, Helmut; Egbe, Daniel A M

2017-01-04

Poly(1,4-phenylene-ethynylene)-alt-poly(1,4-phenylene-vinylene) (PPE-PPV) copolymers have attracted quite a lot of attention in the last few years for electronic device applications owing to their enhanced fluorescence. In this work, we focus on one particular PPE-PPV copolymer with dissymmetrically substituted 1,4-phenylene-ethynylene and symmetrically substituted 1,4-phenylene-vinylene building units. Six successively performed cyclic voltammograms are presented, measured during the oxidation reactions. As the oxidation onset of the electrochemical reaction shifts to lower potentials in each cycle, this behavior is elucidated by using spectroscopic techniques ranging from UV/Vis/near-IR to mid-IR including spin-resonance techniques. Hence, these findings help to explain some of the copolymer's most advantageous properties in terms of possible oxidation products. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biological Aerosol Test Method and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Decon

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

supply to the porous tube diluter. This stops all air into the LSAT. 6. Power off the vacuum pump and the compressed air supply. 22 Distribution...Experiment from Template from the menu. 10. Scroll down the template list until you find APHL Flu Assay 04272009. 11. Highlight the test, then click

78 FR 24234 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Personal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-24

... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Personal Protective Equipment Standard for General Industry ACTION... Administration (OSHA) sponsored information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Personal Protective Equipment...: Regulations 29 CFR part 1910, subpart I requires that personal protective equipment (PPE)--including equipment...

Elastase kinetics and structural features of colorimetric and fluorescent peptides on cellulose nanocrystals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) are serine proteases with destructive proteolytic activity. Because of this activity, there is considerable interest in elastase sensors. Herein we report the synthesis, characterization, and kinetic profiles of tri- and tetrapept...

Kinetic and structural analysis of fluorescent peptides on cotton cellulose nanocrystals as elastase sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Both human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) are serine proteases that have been associated with destructive proteolytic activity when their levels are elevated in chronic diseases. Thus there is considerable interest in the development of elastase sensors. Nanocyrsta...

78 FR 24207 - Request for Information About Diethanolamine (CAS No. 111-42-2)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-24

.... engineering controls, work practices, personal protective equipment, exposure data before and after... agent in agricultural chemicals, a corrosion inhibitor and wetting agent in metalworking fluids. The...., engineering controls, work practices, PPE) being taken to minimize worker exposure to diethanolamine. (8...

Proposed Standard for a Microclimate Cooling System for Emergency Responder Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-17

shock, circuit damage, overheating, fire , or explosion. If applicable, MCS vendors shall provide a certificate of compliance, which specifically cites...2, each configuration includes underwear , a duty uniform, ballistic helmet, and, boots. Table A-2 CBP PPE Configurations Configuration Components

Comparison of united-atom potentials for the simulation of vapor-liquid equilibria and interfacial properties of long-chain n-alkanes up to n-C100.

PubMed

Müller, Erich A; Mejía, Andrés

2011-11-10

Canonical ensemble molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are reported which compute both the vapor-liquid equilibrium properties (vapor pressure and liquid and vapor densities) and the interfacial properties (density profiles, interfacial tensions, entropy and enthalpy of surface formation) of four long-chained n-alkanes: n-decane (n-C(10)), n-eicosane (n-C(20)), n-hexacontane (n-C(60)), and n-decacontane (n-C(100)). Three of the most commonly employed united-atom (UA) force fields for alkanes (SKS: Smit, B.; Karaborni, S.; Siepmann, J. I. J. Chem. Phys. 1995,102, 2126-2140; J. Chem. Phys. 1998,109, 352; NERD: Nath, S. K.; Escobedo, F. A.; de Pablo, J. J. J. Chem. Phys. 1998, 108, 9905-9911; and TraPPE: Martin M. G.; Siepmann, J. I. J. Phys. Chem. B1998, 102, 2569-2577.) are critically appraised. The computed results have been compared to the available experimental data and those fitted using the square gradient theory (SGT). In the latter approach, the Lennard-Jones chain equation of state (EoS), appropriately parametrized for long hydrocarbons, is used to model the homogeneous bulk phase Helmholtz energy. The MD results for phase equilibria of n-decane and n-eicosane exhibit sensible agreement both to the experimental data and EoS correlation for all potentials tested, with the TraPPE potential showing the lowest deviations. However, as the molecular chain increases to n-hexacontane and n-decacontane, the reliability of the UA potentials decreases, showing notorious subpredictions of both saturated liquid density and vapor pressure. Based on the recommended data and EoS results for the heaviest hydrocarbons, it is possible to attest, that in this extreme, the TraPPE potential shows the lowest liquid density deviations. The low absolute values of the vapor pressure preclude the discrimination among the three UA potentials studied. On the other hand, interfacial properties are very sensitive to the type of UA potential thus allowing a differentiation of the

Evaluation of protective ensemble thermal characteristics through sweating hot plate, sweating thermal manikin, and human tests.

PubMed

Kim, Jung-Hyun; Powell, Jeffery B; Roberge, Raymond J; Shepherd, Angie; Coca, Aitor

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive capability of fabric Total Heat Loss (THL) values on thermal stress that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ensemble wearers may encounter while performing work. A series of three tests, consisting of the Sweating Hot Plate (SHP) test on two sample fabrics and the Sweating Thermal Manikin (STM) and human performance tests on two single-layer encapsulating ensembles (fabric/ensemble A = low THL and B = high THL), was conducted to compare THL values between SHP and STM methods along with human thermophysiological responses to wearing the ensembles. In human testing, ten male subjects performed a treadmill exercise at 4.8 km and 3% incline for 60 min in two environmental conditions (mild = 22°C, 50% relative humidity (RH) and hot/humid = 35°C, 65% RH). The thermal and evaporative resistances were significantly higher on a fabric level as measured in the SHP test than on the ensemble level as measured in the STM test. Consequently the THL values were also significantly different for both fabric types (SHP vs. STM: 191.3 vs. 81.5 W/m(2) in fabric/ensemble A, and 909.3 vs. 149.9 W/m(2) in fabric/ensemble B (p < 0.001). Body temperature and heart rate response between ensembles A and B were consistently different in both environmental conditions (p < 0.001), which is attributed to significantly higher sweat evaporation in ensemble B than in A (p < 0.05), despite a greater sweat production in ensemble A (p < 0.001) in both environmental conditions. Further, elevation of microclimate temperature (p < 0.001) and humidity (p < 0.01) was significantly greater in ensemble A than in B. It was concluded that: (1) SHP test determined THL values are significantly different from the actual THL potential of the PPE ensemble tested on STM, (2) physiological benefits from wearing a more breathable PPE ensemble may not be feasible with incremental THL values (SHP test) less than approximately 150-200 W·m(2), and (3) the

Evaluation of Masticatory Stimulation Effect on the Maxillary Transversal Growth in Ectodermal Dysplasia Children.

PubMed

Sfeir, Elia; Nahass, Mona G; Mourad, Ayman

2017-01-01

Severe oligodontia is one of the most important symptoms in children with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED). The growth of the maxilla is a key consideration in restoring their mouth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transversal maxillary sutural growth, after passive masticatory stimulation, in HED children. We also thought to assess the efficiency and functional outcome of the proposed propriocep-tive passive expansion (PPE) prosthetic device. We studied 13 children (age 6-11 years) suffering from HED with severe oligodontia. Their maxilla was restored by a PPE device formed from two parts and joined by a passive slide system. Distance between the two parts was noted at the anterior and posterior regions at each control visit over an average of 23 months. We also conducted and filled a satisfaction questionnaire over the same period. We tested the hypothesis that the posterior expansion is greater than the anterior expansion (one-tailed Student's t-test with p-value <0.05). Best-fit linear and quadratic models were used to explore the relationship between age, duration of observation, and the rate of growth. The average opening of the device was 2.27 mm in the anterior region and 2.96 mm in the posterior region. The questionnaire response was positive for all children. There are no significant linear or quadratic relationships between the data at the 5% significance level. The posterior expansion is greater than the anterior expansion at the 5% significance level (p-value 0.000394). Further studies are mandatory to assess the reliability of our particular intervention and treatment modalities for these cases. The PPE device, we propose, assures function and esthetics in the long- term. It enhances stimulation by a passive way that leads to physiological growth of the palatal suture. Using this PPE device to restore the maxilla in children with HED promotes physiological growth. The passive nature of this prosthesis helps by eliminating the need for

Measurement of effective piezoelectric coefficients of PZT thin films for energy harvesting application with interdigitated electrodes.

PubMed

Chidambaram, Nachiappan; Mazzalai, Andrea; Muralt, Paul

2012-08-01

Interdigitated electrode (IDE) systems with lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films play an increasingly important role for two reasons: first, such a configuration generates higher voltages than parallel plate capacitor-type electrode (PPE) structures, and second, the application of an electric field leads to a compressive stress component in addition to the overall stress state, unlike a PPE structure, which results in tensile stress component. Because ceramics tend to crack at relatively moderate tensile stresses, this means that IDEs have a lower risk of cracking than PPEs. For these reasons, IDE systems are ideal for energy harvesting of vibration energy, and for actuators. Systematic investigations of PZT films with IDE systems have not yet been undertaken. In this work, we present results on the evaluation of the in-plane piezoelectric coefficients with IDE systems. Additionally, we also propose a simple and measurable figure of merit (FOM) to analyze and evaluate the relevant piezoelectric parameter for harvesting efficiency without the need to fabricate the energy harvesting device. Idealized effective coefficients e(IDE) and h(IDE) are derived, showing its composite nature with about one-third contribution of the transverse effect, and about two-thirds contribution of the longitudinal effect in the case of a PZT film deposited on a (100)-oriented silicon wafer with the in-plane electric field along one of the <011> Si directions. Randomly oriented 1-μm-thick PZT 53/47 film deposited by a sol-gel technique, was evaluated and yielded an effective coefficient e(IDE) of 15 C·m(-2). Our FOM is the product between effective e and h coefficient representing twice the electrical energy density stored in the piezoelectric film per unit strain deformation (both for IDE and PPE systems). Assuming homogeneous fields between the fingers, and neglecting the contribution from below the electrode fingers, the FOM for IDE structures with larger electrode gap is derived

Hendra virus in Queensland, Australia, during the winter of 2011: veterinarians on the path to better management strategies.

PubMed

Mendez, Diana; Buttner, Petra; Speare, Rick

2014-11-01

Following the emergence of Hendra virus (HeV), private veterinarians have had to adopt additional infection control strategies to manage this zoonosis. Between 1994 and 2010, seven people became infected with HeV, four fatally. All infected people were at a higher risk of exposure from contact with horses as they were either veterinary personnel, assisting veterinarians, or working in the horse industry. The management of emerging zoonoses is best approached from a One Health perspective as it benefits biosecurity as well as a public health, including the health of those most at risk, in this case private veterinarians. In 2011 we conducted a cross-sectional study of private veterinarians registered in Queensland and providing veterinary services to horses. The aim of this study was to gauge if participants had adopted recommendations for improved infection control, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the development of HeV specific management strategies during the winter of 2011. A majority of participants worked in practices that had a formal HeV management plan, mostly based on the perusal of official guidelines and an HeV field kit. The use of PPE increased as the health status of an equine patient decreased, demonstrating that many participants evaluated the risk of exposure to HeV appropriately; while others remained at risk of HeV infection by not using the appropriate PPE even when attending a sick horse. This study took place after Biosecurity Queensland had sent a comprehensive package about HeV management to all private veterinarians working in Queensland. However, those who had previous HeV experience through the management of suspected cases or had attended a HeV specific professional education programme in the previous 12 months were more likely to use PPE than those who had not. This may indicate that for private veterinarians in Queensland personal experience and face-to-face professional education sessions may be more

Evaluation of Masticatory Stimulation Effect on the Maxillary Transversal Growth in Ectodermal Dysplasia Children

PubMed Central

Nahass, Mona G; Mourad, Ayman

2017-01-01

Aims Severe oligodontia is one of the most important symptoms in children with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED). The growth of the maxilla is a key consideration in restoring their mouth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transversal maxillary sutural growth, after passive masticatory stimulation, in HED children. We also thought to assess the efficiency and functional outcome of the proposed propriocep-tive passive expansion (PPE) prosthetic device. Materials and methods We studied 13 children (age 6-11 years) suffering from HED with severe oligodontia. Their maxilla was restored by a PPE device formed from two parts and joined by a passive slide system. Distance between the two parts was noted at the anterior and posterior regions at each control visit over an average of 23 months. We also conducted and filled a satisfaction questionnaire over the same period. We tested the hypothesis that the posterior expansion is greater than the anterior expansion (one-tailed Student’s t-test with p-value <0.05). Best-fit linear and quadratic models were used to explore the relationship between age, duration of observation, and the rate of growth. Results The average opening of the device was 2.27 mm in the anterior region and 2.96 mm in the posterior region. The questionnaire response was positive for all children. There are no significant linear or quadratic relationships between the data at the 5% significance level. The posterior expansion is greater than the anterior expansion at the 5% significance level (p-value 0.000394). Limitations Further studies are mandatory to assess the reliability of our particular intervention and treatment modalities for these cases. Conclusion The PPE device, we propose, assures function and esthetics in the long- term. It enhances stimulation by a passive way that leads to physiological growth of the palatal suture. Clinical significance Using this PPE device to restore the maxilla in children with HED promotes

Diazobenzene-containing conjugated polymers as dark quenchers.

PubMed

Wu, Jiatao; Tan, Ying; Xie, Yonghua; Wu, Yi; Zhao, Rui; Jiang, Yuyang; Tan, Chunyan

2013-12-18

The synthesis and photophysical characterization of new conjugated polymers (CPs) with alternating phenylethynylene and diazobenzene (azo-PPE) units were reported, which showed broadened absorption and no measurable fluorescence. Quenching studies showed that azo-PPEs displayed high efficiency over a wide wavelength range.

75 FR 64216 - Interpretation of OSHA's Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering Controls of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-19

... CFR Parts 1910 and 1926 Interpretation of OSHA's Provisions for Feasible Administrative or Engineering... feasible administrative or engineering controls as used in the applicable sections of OSHA's General... administrative or engineering controls rather than personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce noise exposures...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots; or (ii) Ordinary clothing, skin creams, or other items... (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment... and shall ensure that each affected employee uses the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., long pants, street shoes, and normal work boots; or (ii) Ordinary clothing, skin creams, or other items... (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment... and shall ensure that each affected employee uses the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE...

78 FR 6352 - Personal Protective Equipment for General Industry; Extension of the Office of Management and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-30

...] Personal Protective Equipment for General Industry; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB... collection requirements contained in the Personal Protective Equipment Standard for General Industry (29 CFR... personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary. Where such hazards are present, employers must communicate...

29 CFR 1915.158 - Lifesaving equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.158 Lifesaving equipment. (a) Personal flotation devices. (1) PFDs (life preservers, life... Equipment Specifications. (2) Prior to each use, personal floatation devices shall be inspected for dry rot...

77 FR 72781 - Standards Improvement Project-Phase IV

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-06

... prepare and maintain written training-certification records for personal protective equipment, revised... revising the standards related to fit testing personal protective equipment, notably Sec. Sec. 1926.103 and... requirement to certify personal protective equipment (PPE) training. OSHA concluded that it could obtain the...

29 CFR 1915.158 - Lifesaving equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.158 Lifesaving equipment. (a) Personal flotation devices. (1) PFDs (life preservers, life... Equipment Specifications. (2) Prior to each use, personal floatation devices shall be inspected for dry rot...

Conjugated Polymer with Intrinsic Alkyne Units for Synergistically Enhanced Raman Imaging in Living Cells.

PubMed

Li, Shengliang; Chen, Tao; Wang, Yunxia; Liu, Libing; Lv, Fengting; Li, Zhiliang; Huang, Yanyi; Schanze, Kirk S; Wang, Shu

2017-10-16

Development of Raman-active materials with enhanced and distinctive Raman vibrations in the Raman-silent region (1800-2800 cm -1 ) is highly required for specific molecular imaging of living cells with high spatial resolution. Herein, water-soluble cationic conjugated polymers (CCPs), poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) derivatives, are explored for use as alkyne-state-dependent Raman probes for living cell imaging due to synergetic enhancement effect of alkyne vibrations in Raman-silent region compared to alkyne-containing small molecules. The enhanced alkyne signals result from the integration of alkyne groups into the rigid backbone and the delocalized π-conjugated structure. PPE-based conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) were also prepared as Raman-responsive nanomaterials for distinct imaging application. This work opens a new way into the development of conjugated polymer materials for enhanced Raman imaging. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The Possibility of Decreasing 50-Hz Electric Field Exposure near 400-kV Power Lines with Arc Flash Personal Protective Equipment

PubMed Central

Korpinen, Leena; Pirkkalainen, Herkko; Heiskanen, Timo; Pääkkönen, Rauno

2016-01-01

Various guidelines for the protection of human beings against possible adverse effects resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been published with a view towards continual improvement; therefore, decreasing exposure is an important research area. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of decreasing electric field exposure with arc flash rated personal protective equipment (PPE), which in this case was a set of coveralls, and to compare the measurement results to calculations using the helmet-mask measuring system. We collected the data under a 400-kV power line. The test person stood on isolated aluminum paper, and the current between the ground and the aluminum paper was measured. When the test subject wore the arc flash PPE, the current to the ground was only 9.5% of the current measured when wearing normal clothes, which represents a clear decrease in exposure. PMID:27669278

The Possibility of Decreasing 50-Hz Electric Field Exposure near 400-kV Power Lines with Arc Flash Personal Protective Equipment.

PubMed

Korpinen, Leena; Pirkkalainen, Herkko; Heiskanen, Timo; Pääkkönen, Rauno

2016-09-23

Various guidelines for the protection of human beings against possible adverse effects resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been published with a view towards continual improvement; therefore, decreasing exposure is an important research area. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of decreasing electric field exposure with arc flash rated personal protective equipment (PPE), which in this case was a set of coveralls, and to compare the measurement results to calculations using the helmet-mask measuring system. We collected the data under a 400-kV power line. The test person stood on isolated aluminum paper, and the current between the ground and the aluminum paper was measured. When the test subject wore the arc flash PPE, the current to the ground was only 9.5% of the current measured when wearing normal clothes, which represents a clear decrease in exposure.

Two-color field enhancement at an STM junction for spatiotemporally resolved photoemission

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

Meng, Xiang; Jin, Wencan; Yang, Hao

Here, we report measurements and numerical simulations of ultrafast laser-excited carrier flow across a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) junction. The current from a nanoscopic tungsten tip across a ~1 nm vacuum gap to a silver surface is driven by a two-color excitation scheme that uses an optical delay-modulation technique to extract the two-color signal from background contributions. The role of optical field enhancements in driving the current is investigated using density functional theory and full three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain computations. We find that simulated field-enhanced two-photon photoemission (2PPE) currents are in excellent agreement with the observed exponential decay of the two-colormore » photoexcited current with increasing tip–surface separation, as well as its optical-delay dependence. The results suggest an approach to 2PPE with simultaneous subpicosecond temporal and nanometer spatial resolution.« less

Ethical, Legal, and Administrative Considerations for Preparticipation Evaluation for Wilderness Sports and Adventures.

PubMed

Young, Craig C; Campbell, Aaron D; Lemery, Jay; Young, David S

2015-12-01

Preparticipation evaluations (PPEs) are common in team, organized, or traditional sports but not common in wilderness sports or adventures. Regarding ethical, legal, and administrative considerations, the same principles can be used as in traditional sports. Clinicians should be trained to perform such a PPE to avoid missing essential components and to maximize the quality of the PPE. In general, participants' privacy should be observed; office-based settings may be best for professional and billing purposes, and adequate documentation of a complete evaluation, including clearance issues, should be essential components. Additional environmental and personal health issues relative to the wilderness activity should be documented, and referral for further screening should be made as deemed necessary, if unable to be performed by the primary clinician. Travel medicine principles should be incorporated, and recommendations for travel or adventure insurance should be made. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Two-color field enhancement at an STM junction for spatiotemporally resolved photoemission

DOE PAGES

Meng, Xiang; Jin, Wencan; Yang, Hao; ...

2017-06-30

Here, we report measurements and numerical simulations of ultrafast laser-excited carrier flow across a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) junction. The current from a nanoscopic tungsten tip across a ~1 nm vacuum gap to a silver surface is driven by a two-color excitation scheme that uses an optical delay-modulation technique to extract the two-color signal from background contributions. The role of optical field enhancements in driving the current is investigated using density functional theory and full three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain computations. We find that simulated field-enhanced two-photon photoemission (2PPE) currents are in excellent agreement with the observed exponential decay of the two-colormore » photoexcited current with increasing tip–surface separation, as well as its optical-delay dependence. The results suggest an approach to 2PPE with simultaneous subpicosecond temporal and nanometer spatial resolution.« less

Physiological Strain in French Vineyard Workers Wearing Protective Equipment to Conduct Re-Entry Tasks in Humid Conditions.

PubMed

Grimbuhler, Sonia; Viel, Jean-François

2018-06-19

The proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) plays an important role in reducing exposure to pesticides in vineyard farming activities, including re-entry tasks. However, discomfort from clothing systems may increase the physiological burden on workers. We compared the physiological burdens of vineyard workers wearing three different types of PPE during canopy management in field humid conditions while accounting for occupational, climatic, and geographical environments. The study was conducted in the Bordeaux vineyards of southern France during June 2012. A total of 42 workers from seven vineyards consented to field observations. The following PPE garments were randomly allocated: HF Estufa polyamide (Brisa®), Tyvek® Classic Plus, and Tychem® C Standard. Participant sociodemographic characteristics were collected using a structured questionnaire. Skin temperature and heart rate were monitored continuously using portable devices. Multivariate multilevel linear regression models were performed to account for the hierarchical structure of data. No significant difference was found for mean skin temperature during work. Regardless of the cardiac strain parameter considered, the Tyvek® Classic Plus garment produced the poorest results (P ≤ 0.03). Under the very humid conditions encountered during the field study, the thinness and breathability of the Tyvek® Classic Plus garment resulted in undergarment humidity, imposing additional physiological burden on vineyard workers. These results confirm that the idea of using generic coveralls in any farming activity is unsuitable. Compromises should be created between physiological costs and protection, depending on the agricultural task performed, the crop grown, and the environmental conditions encountered.

Neurochemistry of neurons in the ventrolateral medulla activated by hypotension: Are the same neurons activated by glucoprivation?

PubMed

Parker, Lindsay M; Le, Sheng; Wearne, Travis A; Hardwick, Kate; Kumar, Natasha N; Robinson, Katherine J; McMullan, Simon; Goodchild, Ann K

2017-06-15

Previous studies have demonstrated that a range of stimuli activate neurons, including catecholaminergic neurons, in the ventrolateral medulla. Not all catecholaminergic neurons are activated and other neurochemical content is largely unknown hence whether stimulus specific populations exist is unclear. Here we determine the neurochemistry (using in situ hybridization) of catecholaminergic and noncatecholaminergic neurons which express c-Fos immunoreactivity throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the ventrolateral medulla, in Sprague Dawley rats treated with hydralazine or saline. Distinct neuronal populations containing PPCART, PPPACAP, and PPNPY mRNAs, which were largely catecholaminergic, were activated by hydralazine but not saline. Both catecholaminergic and noncatecholaminergic neurons containing preprotachykinin and prepro-enkephalin (PPE) mRNAs were also activated, with the noncatecholaminergic population located in the rostral C1 region. Few GlyT2 neurons were activated. A subset of these data was then used to compare the neuronal populations activated by 2-deoxyglucose evoked glucoprivation (Brain Structure and Function (2015) 220:117). Hydralazine activated more neurons than 2-deoxyglucose but similar numbers of catecholaminergic neurons. Commonly activated populations expressing PPNPY and PPE mRNAs were defined. These likely include PPNPY expressing catecholaminergic neurons projecting to vasopressinergic and corticotrophin releasing factor neurons in the paraventricular nucleus, which when activated result in elevated plasma vasopressin and corticosterone. Stimulus specific neurons included noncatecholaminergic neurons and a few PPE positive catecholaminergic neuron but neurochemical codes were largely unidentified. Reasons for the lack of identification of stimulus specific neurons, readily detectable using electrophysiology in anaesthetized preparations and for which neural circuits can be defined, are discussed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effect of Traditional Singing Warm-Up Versus Semioccluded Vocal Tract Exercises on the Acoustic Parameters of Singing Voice.

PubMed

Duke, Emily; Plexico, Laura W; Sandage, Mary J; Hoch, Matthew

2015-11-01

This study investigated the effect of traditional vocal warm-up versus semioccluded vocal tract exercises on the acoustic parameters of voice through three questions: does vocal warm-up condition significantly alter the singing power ratio of the singing voice? Is singing power ratio dependent upon vowel? Is perceived phonatory effort affected by warm-up condition? Hypotheses were that vocal warm-up would alter the singing power ratio, and that semioccluded vocal tract warm-up would affect the singing power ratio more than no warm-up or traditional warm-up, that singing power ratio would vary across vowel, and that perceived phonatory effort would vary with warm-up condition. This study was a within-participant repeated measures design with counterbalanced conditions. Thirteen male singers were recorded under three different conditions: no warm-up, traditional warm-up, and semioccluded vocal tract exercise warm-up. Recordings were made of these singers performing the Star Spangled Banner, and singing power ratio (SPR) was calculated from four vowels. Singers rated their perceived phonatory effort (PPE) singing the Star Spangled Banner after each warm-up condition. Warm-up condition did not significantly affect SPR. SPR was significantly different for /i/ and /e/. PPE was not significantly different between warm-up conditions. The present study did not find significant differences in SPR between warm-up conditions. SPR differences for /i/, support previous findings. PPE did not differ significantly across warm-up condition despite the expectation that traditional or semioccluded warm-up would cause a decrease. Copyright © 2015 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cathepsin B is not the processing enzyme for mouse prorenin.

PubMed

Mercure, Chantal; Lacombe, Marie-Josée; Khazaie, Khashayarsha; Reudelhuber, Timothy L

2010-05-01

Renin, an aspartyl protease that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is proteolytically activated by a second protease [referred to as the prorenin processing enzyme (PPE)] before its secretion from the juxtaglomerular cells of the kidney. Although several enzymes are capable of activating renin in vitro, the leading candidate for the PPE in the kidney is cathepsin B (CTSB) due to is colocalization with the renin precursor (prorenin) in juxtaglomerular cell granules and because of its site-selective activation of human prorenin both in vitro and in transfected tissue culture cell models. To verify the role of CTSB in prorenin processing in vivo, we tested the ability of CTSB-deficient (CTSB-/-) mice to generate active renin. CTSB-/- mice do not exhibit any overt symptoms (renal malformation, preweaning mortality) typical of an RAS deficiency and have normal levels of circulating active renin, which, like those in control animals, rise more than 15-fold in response to pharmacologic inhibition of the RAS. The mature renin enzyme detected in kidney lysates of CTSB-/- mice migrates at the same apparent molecular weight as that in control mice, and the processing to active renin is not affected by chloroquine treatment of the animals. Finally, the distribution and morphology of renin-producing cells in the kidney is normal in CTSB-/- mice. In conclusion, CTSB-deficient mice exhibit no differences compared with controls in their ability to generate active renin, and our results do not support CTSB as the PPE in mice.

Gata3 hypermethylation and Foxp3 hypomethylation are associated with sustained protection and bystander effect following epicutaneous immunotherapy in peanut-sensitized mice.

PubMed

Mondoulet, Lucie; Dioszeghy, Vincent; Busato, Florence; Plaquet, Camille; Dhelft, Véronique; Bethune, Kevin; Leclere, Laurence; Daviaud, Christian; Ligouis, Mélanie; Sampson, Hugh; Dupont, Christophe; Tost, Jörg

2018-05-19

Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) is a promising method for treating food allergies. In animal models, EPIT induces sustained unresponsiveness and prevents further sensitization mediated by Tregs. Here, we elucidate the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of EPIT, by characterizing the kinetics of DNA methylation changes in sorted cells from spleen and blood and by evaluating its persistence and bystander effect compared to oral immunotherapy (OIT). BALB/c mice orally sensitized to peanut proteins (PPE) were treated by EPIT using a PPE-patch or by PPE-OIT. Another set of peanut-sensitized mice treated by EPIT or OIT were sacrificed following a protocol of sensitization to OVA. DNA methylation was analysed during immunotherapy and 8 weeks after the end of treatment in sorted cells from spleen and blood by pyrosequencing. Humoral and cellular responses were measured during and after immunotherapy. Analyses showed a significant hypermethylation of the Gata3 promoter detectable only in Th2 cells for EPIT from the 4 th week and a significant hypomethylation of the Foxp3 promoter in CD62L + Tregs, which was sustained only for EPIT. In addition, mice treated with EPIT were protected from subsequent sensitization and maintained the epigenetic signature characteristic for EPIT. Our study demonstrates that EPIT leads to a unique and stable epigenetic signature in specific T cell compartments with down regulation of Th2 key regulators and upregulation of Treg transcription factors, likely explaining the sustainability of protection and the observed bystander effect. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Incorporating the e-HIM[R] Virtual Lab into the Health Information Administration Professional Practice Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barefield, Amanda C.; Condon, Jim; McCuen, Charlotte; Sayles, Nanette B.

2010-01-01

This article will highlight the experiences of two baccalaureate Health Information Administration (HIA) programs in the adoption of the American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA) e-HIM Virtual Laboratory (Virtual Lab) into the Professional Practice Experience (PPE). Information is provided describing the implementation of the…

29 CFR 1915.154 - Respiratory protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Respiratory protection. 1915.154 Section 1915.154 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... (PPE) § 1915.154 Respiratory protection. Respiratory protection for shipyard employment is covered by...

29 CFR 1915.154 - Respiratory protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Respiratory protection. 1915.154 Section 1915.154 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... (PPE) § 1915.154 Respiratory protection. Respiratory protection for shipyard employment is covered by...

29 CFR 1915.154 - Respiratory protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Respiratory protection. 1915.154 Section 1915.154 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... (PPE) § 1915.154 Respiratory protection. Respiratory protection for shipyard employment is covered by...

29 CFR 1915.154 - Respiratory protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Respiratory protection. 1915.154 Section 1915.154 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... (PPE) § 1915.154 Respiratory protection. Respiratory protection for shipyard employment is covered by...

29 CFR 1915.154 - Respiratory protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Respiratory protection. 1915.154 Section 1915.154 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... (PPE) § 1915.154 Respiratory protection. Respiratory protection for shipyard employment is covered by...

29 CFR 1926.20 - General safety and health provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... places of employment. (f) Compliance duties owed to each employee—(1) Personal protective equipment. Standards in this part requiring the employer to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), including..., and equipment to be made by competent persons designated by the employers. (3) The use of any...

Genomic evidence for plant-parasitic nematodes as the earliest Wolbachia hosts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wolbachia, the most widely studied endosymbiont in arthropods, is a target for biological control of mosquito-borne diseases (malaria and dengue virus), and antibiotic elimination of infectious filarial nematodes. We sequenced and analyzed the genome of a new strain (wPpe) in the plant-parasitic nem...

Using Observational Assessment to Help Identify Factors Associated with Parent Participation Engagement in Community-Based Child Mental Health Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stadnick, Nicole A.; Haine-Schlagel, Rachel; Martinez, Jonathan I.

2016-01-01

Background: Parent engagement in child mental health (MH) services has received growing attention due to its significance in intervention outcomes and evidence-based care. In particular, parent participation engagement (PPE) reflects active and responsive contributions in and between sessions. Yet, limited research has examined factors associated…

The Effects of Three Nebulized Osmotic Agents in the Dry Larynx

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, Kristine; Roy, Nelson; Merrill, Ray M.; Elstad, Mark

2007-01-01

Purpose: This investigation examined the effects of nebulized hypertonic saline, isotonic saline (IS), and sterile (hypotonic) water on phonation threshold pressure (PTP) and self-perceived phonatory effort (PPE) following a surface laryngeal dehydration challenge. Method: In a double-blind, randomized experimental trial, 60 vocally healthy women…

Analyzing the Need for Special Operations Teams Within the Fire Service

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

4. Military Special Operations Forces ....................................................7 5. Psychological Effects of Catastrophe...Security NYPD New York Police Department OSHA Occupational Safety & Health Administration PPE Personnel Protective Equipment PSA Psychological First...disregard for fire service life- safety standards within the community. Identifying and understanding the psychological implications, ethics, and

29 CFR Appendix B to Subpart I of... - General Testing Conditions and Additional Guidelines for Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Pt. 1915... Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non-Mandatory) B Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1915 Labor Regulations... Guidelines for Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non-Mandatory) 1. Personal fall arrest systems—(a) General...

29 CFR 1915.151 - Scope, application and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.151 Scope, application and definitions. (a) Scope and application. This..., shoulders, chest and pelvis with means for attaching it to other components of a personal fall arrest system...

29 CFR Appendix B to Subpart I of... - General Testing Conditions and Additional Guidelines for Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Pt. 1915... Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non-Mandatory) B Appendix B to Subpart I of Part 1915 Labor Regulations... Guidelines for Personal Fall Protection Systems (Non-Mandatory) 1. Personal fall arrest systems—(a) General...

29 CFR 1915.151 - Scope, application and definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.151 Scope, application and definitions. (a) Scope and application. This..., shoulders, chest and pelvis with means for attaching it to other components of a personal fall arrest system...

The influence of demographics and working conditions on self-reported injuries among Latino day laborers

PubMed Central

Fernández-Esquer, Maria Eugenia; Fernández-Espada, Natalie; Atkinson, John A; Montano, Cecilia F

2015-01-01

Background: The majority of day laborers in the USA are Latinos. They are engaged in high-risk occupations and suffer high occupational injury rates. Objectives: To describe on-the-job injuries reported by Latino day laborers, explore the extent that demographic and occupational factors predict injuries, and whether summative measures for total job types, job conditions, and personal protective equipment (PPE) predict injuries. Methods: A community survey was conducted with 327 participants at 15 corners in Houston, Texas. Hierarchical and multiple logistic regressions explored predictors of occupational injury odds in the last year. Results: Thirty-four percent of respondents reported an occupational injury in the previous year. Education, exposure to loud noises, cold temperatures, vibrating machinery, use of hard hats, total number of job conditions, and total PPE significantly predicted injury odds. Conclusion: Risk for injury among day laborers is not only the product of a specific hazard, but also the result of their exposure to multiple occupational hazards. PMID:25291983

Dynamics of polydots: Soft luminescent polymeric nanoparticles

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

Maskey, Sabina; Osti, Naresh C.; Grest, Gary S.

The conformation and dynamics of luminescent polymers collapsed into nanoparticles or polydots were studied using fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, providing a first insight into their internal dynamics. Controlling the conformation and dynamics of confined polymers is essential for realization of the full potential of polydots in nanomedicine and biotechnology. Specifically, the shape and internal dynamics of polydots that consist of highly rigid dialkyl p-phenylene ethynylene (PPE) are probed as a function of temperature. At room temperature, the polydots are spherical without any correlations between the aromatic rings on the PPE backbone. With increasing temperature, they expand and becomemore » slightly aspherical; however, the polymers remain confined. The coherent dynamic structure factor reveals that the internal motion of the polymer backbone is arrested, and the side chains dominate the internal dynamics of the polydots. Lastly, these new soft nanoparticles retain their overall shape and dynamics over an extended temperature range, and their conformation is tunable via their degree of expansion.« less

Dynamics of polydots: Soft luminescent polymeric nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Maskey, Sabina; Osti, Naresh C.; Grest, Gary S.; ...

2016-03-04

The conformation and dynamics of luminescent polymers collapsed into nanoparticles or polydots were studied using fully atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, providing a first insight into their internal dynamics. Controlling the conformation and dynamics of confined polymers is essential for realization of the full potential of polydots in nanomedicine and biotechnology. Specifically, the shape and internal dynamics of polydots that consist of highly rigid dialkyl p-phenylene ethynylene (PPE) are probed as a function of temperature. At room temperature, the polydots are spherical without any correlations between the aromatic rings on the PPE backbone. With increasing temperature, they expand and becomemore » slightly aspherical; however, the polymers remain confined. The coherent dynamic structure factor reveals that the internal motion of the polymer backbone is arrested, and the side chains dominate the internal dynamics of the polydots. Lastly, these new soft nanoparticles retain their overall shape and dynamics over an extended temperature range, and their conformation is tunable via their degree of expansion.« less

Permeation Resistance of Personal Protective Equipment Materials to Monomethyhydrazine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, J. M.; Williams, J. H.

1997-01-01

Permeation resistance was determined by measuring the breakthrough time and time-averaged vapor transmission rate of monomethylhydrazine (MMH) through two types of personal protective equipment (PPE). The two types of PPE evaluated were the totally encapsulating ILC Dover Chemturion Model 1212 chemical protective suit with accessories, and the FabOhio polyvinyl chloride (PVC) splash garment. Two exposure scenarios were simulated: (1) a saturated vapor exposure for 2 hours (h), and (2) a brief MMH 'splash' followed by a 2-h saturated vapor exposure. Time-averaged MMH concentrations inside the totally-encapsulating suit were calculated by summation of the area-weighted contributions made by each suit component. Results show that the totally encapsulating suit provides adequate protection at the new 10 ppb Threshold Limit Value Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA). The permeation resistance of the PVC splash garment to MMH was poorer than any of the totally encapsulating suit materials tested. Breakthrough occurred soon after initial vapor or 'splash' exposure.

A water-soluble hybrid material of single-walled carbon nanotubes with an amphiphilic poly(phenyleneethynylene): preparation, characterization, and photovoltaic properties.

PubMed

Mao, Jie; Liu, Qian; Lv, Xin; Liu, Zunfeng; Huang, Yi; Ma, Yanfeng; Chen, Yongsheng; Yin, Shougen

2007-08-01

A novel rigid linear polymer poly(phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) was synthesized and the polymer exhibits good solubility in both water and common organic solvents. The interaction at both ground and excited state between this polymer and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was studied and a water-soluble nano-scale PPE/SWNTs hybrid was fabricated, where the water solubility of SWNTs was enhanced to 1.8 mg/ml. Steady state fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetime decay measurements showed that the emissions from PPEs in this hybrid at excited state were efficiently quenched by the attachment of SWNTs, where an efficient energy transfer happened from PPEs to SWNTs as the electron acceptor. Using this hybrid as the active layer we fabricated a photovoltaic cell with the bulk heterojunction configuration, and it showed a photoresponse with an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 105 mV and a short circuit current density (Isc) of 28.7 microA/cm2 under standard AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW/cm2).

Hazard Assessment of Personal Protective Clothing for Hydrogen Peroxide Service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, Ben; McClure, Mark B.; Johnson, Harry T.

2004-01-01

Selection of personal protective equipment (PPE) for hydrogen peroxide service is an important part of the hazard assessment process. But because drip testing of chemical protective clothing for hydrogen peroxide service has not been reported for about 40 years, it is of great interest to test new protective clothing materials with new, high-concentration hydrogen peroxide following similar procedures. The suitability of PPE for hydrogen peroxide service is in part determined by observations made when hydrogen peroxide is dripped onto swatches of protective clothing material. Protective clothing material was tested as received, in soiled condition, and in grossly soiled condition. Materials were soiled by pretreating the material with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) solution then drying to promote a reaction. Materials were grossly soiled with solid KMnO4 to greatly promote reaction. Observations of results including visual changes to the hydrogen peroxide and materials, times to ignition, and self-extinguishing characteristics of the materials are reported.

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

Streza, M.; Dadarlat, D.; Strzałkowski, K.

An accurate determination of thermophysical properties such as thermal diffusivity, thermal effusivity and thermal conductivity is extremely important for characterization and quality assurance of semiconductors. Thermal diffusivity and effusivity of some binary semiconductors have been investigated. Two experimental techniques were used: a contact technique (PPE calorimetry) and a non contact technique (lock-in thermography). When working with PPE, in the back (BPPE) configuration and in the thermally thick regim of the pyroelectric sensor, we can get the thermal diffusivity of the sample by performing a scanning of the excitation frequency of radiation. Thermal effusivity is obtained in front configuration (sensor directlymore » irradiated and sample in back position) by performing a thickness scan of a coupling fluid. By using the lock-in thermography technique, the thermal diffusivity of the sample is obtained from the phase image. The results obtained by the two techniques are in good agreement. Nevertheless, for the determination of thermal diffusivity, lock-in thermography is preferred.« less

Nebulized Isotonic Saline versus Water following a Laryngeal Desiccation Challenge in Classically Trained Sopranos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanner, Kristine; Roy, Nelson; Merrill, Ray M.; Muntz, Faye; Houtz, Daniel R.; Sauder, Cara; Elstad, Mark; Wright-Costa, Julie

2010-01-01

Purpose: To examine the effects of nebulized isotonic saline (IS) versus sterile water (SW) on self-perceived phonatory effort (PPE) and phonation threshold pressure (PTP) following a surface laryngeal dehydration challenge in classically trained sopranos. Method: In a double-blind, within-subject crossover design, 34 sopranos breathed dry air…

A State-of-the-Art Review of Enhanced Personal Protection Equipment Options (Analyse de Pointe des Options en Matiere D’equipement de Protection Individuelle Accrue)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

place Sold in pairs Sizes: S/M (16") or L/ XL (19") Color: Black Humansystems® Incorporated Enhanced PPE Options Page A-32 Lower Limb...Equipment Check Anthropometry / Joint Obstruction Assessments / Range of Motion 20 m Sprint / Agility Run / 20 m Shuttle Run (Beep Test) Vehicle

Accounting Issues: An Essay Series Part IV--Property, Plant, & Equipment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laux, Judy

2007-01-01

This fourth article in a series of theoretical essays intended to supplement the introductory financial accounting course is dedicated to the topic of property, plant, and equipment (PP&E), including both the accounting treatment and its related conceptual connections. The paper also addresses the measurement dilemmas, scandalous accounting…

Evidence for Adverse Phonatory Change Following an Inhaled Combination Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Elizabeth; Sivasankar, Mahalakshmi

2010-01-01

Purpose: Voice problems are reported as a frequent side effect of inhaled combination (IC) treatments. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate whether IC treatments are detrimental to phonation. We hypothesized that IC treatment would significantly increase phonation threshold pressure (PTP) and perceived phonatory effort (PPE),…

Medical Students' Attitudes towards Peer Physical Examination: Findings from an International Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rees, Charlotte E.; Wearn, Andy M.; Vnuk, Anna K.; Sato, Toshio J.

2009-01-01

Although studies have begun to shed light on medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE), they have been conducted at single sites, and have generally not examined changes in medical students' attitudes over time. Employing both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, the current study examines medical students' attitudes…

29 CFR 1915.159 - Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). The criteria of this section apply... 29 Labor 7 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 1915.159 Section 1915...

Awareness of Occupational Hazards and Associated Factors among Automobile Repair Artisans in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal

PubMed Central

Marahatta, Sujan B.; Gautam, Sanju; Paudel, Grish; Yadav, Uday N.

2018-01-01

Background: An occupational hazard contributes to severe health problems among workers due to unhygienic conditions and lack of safety at the workplace. Economic growth and productivity can be well achieved by promoting health, safety, and improved quality workplace. Aims: To assess the knowledge of occupational hazards, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the factors associated with awareness on occupational hazards among automobile repair artisans in Kathmandu, Nepal. Settings and Design: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study with 400 automobile repair artisans from Kathmandu metropolitan city was conducted between March and September, 2015. Materials and Methods: Simple random sampling was adopted for recruiting study participants. Pre-tested, validated semi-structured questionnaire was used in line with study objectives to collect the data. Statistical Analysis: Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with the awareness of occupational hazard and PPE use. Results: Of total, 56% had awareness on occupational hazard and 44.3% of artisans were using the personal protective equipments. Being educated, having job duration ≥6 years and having pre-service training for work were significantly associated with the awareness of occupational hazards. Notably, we found that those who were aware of occupational hazard (OR = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.98–4.57) were three times more likely to use the safety measures when compared to those who were unaware. Conclusions: Awareness on occupational hazard and use of PPE is very low among automobile repair artisans in Kathmandu, Nepal. Therefore, interventions on awareness raising on areas, like provision of pre-service training, promotion of safety advocacy, and enforcement of appropriate regulations for work place. PMID:29743786

Factors associated with severe occupational injuries at mining company in Zimbabwe, 2010: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Chimamise, Chipo; Gombe, Notion Tafara; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Chadambuka, Addmore; Shambira, Gerald; Chimusoro, Anderson

2013-01-01

Injury rate among mining workers in Zimbabwe was 789/1000 workers in 2008. The proportion of severe occupational injuries increased from 18% in 2008 to 37% in 2009. We investigated factors associated with severe injuries at the mine. An unmatched 1:1 case-control study was carried out at the mine, a case was any worker who suffered severe occupational injury at the mine and was treated at the mine or district hospital from January 2008 to April 2010, a control was any worker who did not suffer occupational injury during same period. We randomly selected 156 cases and 156 controls and used interviewer administered questionnaires to collect data from participants. Majority of cases, 155(99.4%) and of controls 142(91%) were male, 127(81.4%) of cases and 48(30.8%) of controls worked underground. Majority (73.1%) of severe occupational injuries occurred during night shift. Underground temperatures reached 500C. Factors independently associated with getting severe occupational injuries included working underground (AOR=10.55; CI 5.97-18.65), having targets per shift (AOR=12.60; CI 3.46-45.84), inadequate PPE (AOR=3.65 CI 1.34-9.89) and working more than 8 hours per shift (AOR=8.65 CI 2.99-25.02). Having targets exerts pressure to perform on workers. Prolonged working periods decrease workers' attention and concentration resulting in increased risk to severe injuries as workers become exhausted, lose focus and alertness. Underground work environment had environmental hazards so managers to install adequate ventilation and provide adequate PPE. Management agreed to standardize shifts to eight hours and workers in some departments have been supplied with adequate PPE.

Prevalence of bovine brucellosis in slaughtered cattle and barriers to better protection of abattoir workers in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria.

PubMed

Ayoola, Modupe Comfort; Akinseye, Victor Oluwatoyin; Cadmus, Eniola; Awosanya, Emmanuel; Popoola, Olufemi Akinyele; Akinyemi, Oluwaseun Oladapo; Perrett, Lorraine; Taylor, Andrew; Stack, Judy; Moriyon, Ignacio; Cadmus, Simeon Idowu

2017-01-01

Brucellosis is a neglected zoonosis of public health importance. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of brucellosis among slaughtered cattle as well as challenges to the protection of abattoir workers in Nigeria. A slaughterhouse study was conducted in a major abattoir in Ibadan from March to August, 2013. To diagnose brucellosis, serum samples from 1,241 slaughtered cattle were tested using Rose-Bengal test (RBT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA); again, 57 milk samples were tested with milk ring test (MRT) and indirect ELISA (iELISA). Furthermore, a survey on the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and challenges to its use by abattoir workers was done. Data were analysed using Stata 12. Seroprevalence by RBT was 7.8%; 77.3% (75/97) of these were corroborated by cELISA. Prevalence in milk samples by MRT and indirect ELISA were 33.3% and 3.5%, respectively. Sex (OR: 2.5; 95%CI:1.3-4.5) was the factor significantly associated with Brucella seropositivity. None of the abattoir workers used standard protective overalls; while, 99.6% of the meat handlers and 84.1% of the butchers worked barefoot. Most of the workers (75.7%) wore no protective gloves. The respondents agreed that provision of free PPE and sanctions against non-users would encourage its use. Our findings indicate moderate prevalence (7.8%) of bovine brucellosis with sex of cattle being a risk factor. A notable barrier to better protection of abattoir workers against brucellosis is perceived inconvenience arising from use of gloves. Therefore, preventive and control measures against brucellosis must include education and use of PPE among abattoir workers.

A Mokken scale analysis of the peer physical examination questionnaire.

PubMed

Vaughan, Brett; Grace, Sandra

2018-01-01

Peer physical examination (PPE) is a teaching and learning strategy utilised in most health profession education programs. Perceptions of participating in PPE have been described in the literature, focusing on areas of the body students are willing, or unwilling, to examine. A small number of questionnaires exist to evaluate these perceptions, however none have described the measurement properties that may allow them to be used longitudinally. The present study undertook a Mokken scale analysis of the Peer Physical Examination Questionnaire (PPEQ) to evaluate its dimensionality and structure when used with Australian osteopathy students. Students enrolled in Year 1 of the osteopathy programs at Victoria University (Melbourne, Australia) and Southern Cross University (Lismore, Australia) were invited to complete the PPEQ prior to their first practical skills examination class. R, an open-source statistics program, was used to generate the descriptive statistics and perform a Mokken scale analysis. Mokken scale analysis is a non-parametric item response theory approach that is used to cluster items measuring a latent construct. Initial analysis suggested the PPEQ did not form a single scale. Further analysis identified three subscales: 'comfort', 'concern', and 'professionalism and education'. The properties of each subscale suggested they were unidimensional with variable internal structures. The 'comfort' subscale was the strongest of the three identified. All subscales demonstrated acceptable reliability estimation statistics (McDonald's omega > 0.75) supporting the calculation of a sum score for each subscale. The subscales identified are consistent with the literature. The 'comfort' subscale may be useful to longitudinally evaluate student perceptions of PPE. Further research is required to evaluate changes with PPE and the utility of the questionnaire with other health profession education programs.

Pinatubo Emulation in Multiple Models (POEMs): co-ordinated experiments in the ISA-MIP model intercomparison activity component of the SPARC Stratospheric Sulphur and it's Role in Climate initiative (SSiRC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Lindsay; Mann, Graham; Carslaw, Ken; Toohey, Matthew; Aquila, Valentina

2016-04-01

The World Climate Research Program's SPARC initiative has a new international activity "Stratospheric Sulphur and its Role in Climate" (SSiRC) to better understand changes in stratospheric aerosol and precursor gaseous sulphur species. One component of SSiRC involves an intercomparison "ISA-MIP" of composition-climate models that simulate the stratospheric aerosol layer interactively. Within PoEMS each modelling group will run a "perturbed physics ensemble" (PPE) of interactive stratospheric aerosol (ISA) simulations of the Pinatubo eruption, varying several uncertain parameters associated with the eruption's SO2 emissions and model processes. A powerful new technique to quantify and attribute sources of uncertainty in complex global models is described by Lee et al. (2011, ACP). The analysis uses Gaussian emulation to derive a probability density function (pdf) of predicted quantities, essentially interpolating the PPE results in multi-dimensional parameter space. Once trained on the ensemble, a Monte Carlo simulation with the fast Gaussian emulator enabling a full variance-based sensitivity analysis. The approach has already been used effectively by Carslaw et al., (2013, Nature) to quantify the uncertainty in the cloud albedo effect forcing from a 3D global aerosol-microphysics model allowing to compare the sensitivy of different predicted quantities to uncertainties in natural and anthropogenic emissions types, and structural parameters in the models. Within ISA-MIP, each group will carry out a PPE of runs, with the subsequent analysis with the emulator assessing the uncertainty in the volcanic forcings predicted by each model. In this poster presentation we will give an outline of the "PoEMS" analysis, describing the uncertain parameters to be varied and the relevance to further understanding differences identified in previous international stratospheric aerosol assessments.

Depth profiling of mechanical degradation of PV backsheets after UV exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Xiaohong; Krommenhoek, Peter J.; Lin, Chiao-Chi; Yu, Li-Chieh; Nguyen, Tinh; Watson, Stephanie S.

2015-09-01

Polymeric multilayer backsheets protect the photovoltaic modules from damage of moisture and ultraviolet (UV) while providing electrical insulation. Due to the multilayer structures, the properties of the inner layers of the backsheets, including their interfaces, during weathering are not well known. In this study, a commercial type of PPE (polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/PET/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)) backsheet films was selected as a model system for a depth profiling study of mechanical properties of a backsheet film during UV exposure. The NIST SPHERE (Simulated Photodegradation via High Energy Radiant Exposure) was used for the accelerated laboratory exposure of the materials with UV at 85°C and two relative humidities (RH) of 5 % (dry) and 60 % (humid). Cryomicrotomy was used to obtain cross-sectional PPE samples. Mechanical depth profiling of the cross-sections of aged and unaged samples was conducted by nanoindentation, and a peak-force based quantitative nanomechanical atomic force microscopy (QNM-AFM) mapping techniquewas used to investigate the microstructure and adhesion properties of the adhesive tie layers. The nanoindentation results show the stiffening of the elastic modulus in the PET outer and pigmented EVA layers. From QNM-AFM, the microstructures and adhesion properties of the adhesive layers between PET outer and core layers and between PET core and EVA inner layers are revealed and found to degrade significantly after aging under humidity environment. The results from mechanical depth profiling of the PPE backsheet are further related to the previous chemical depth profiling of the same material, providing new insights into the effects of accelerated UV and humidity on the degradation of multilayer backsheet.

5-fluorouracil Toxicity Mechanism Determination in Human Keratinocytes: in vitro Study on HaCaT Cell Line.

PubMed

Hartinger, Jan; Veselý, Pavel; Šíma, Martin; Netíková, Irena; Matoušková, Eva; Petruželka, Luboš

5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and capecitabine therapy is often accompanied by palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE) which is manifestation of 5-FU toxicity in keratinocytes. The main mechanisms of 5-FU action are thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibition which can be abrogated by thymidine and strengthened by calciumfolinate (CF) and incorporation of fluorouridinetriphosphate into RNA which can be abrogated by uridine. For proper PPE treatment 5-FU mechanism of action in keratinocytes needs to be elucidated. We used the 5-FU toxicity modulators uridine, thymidine and CF to discover the mechanism of 5-FU action in human keratinocyte cell line HaCaT. To measure the cellular viability, we used MTT test and RTCA test. CF did not augment 5-FU toxicity and 5-FU toxicity was weakened by uridine. Therefore, the primary mechanism of 5-FU toxicity in keratinocytes is 5-FU incorporation into RNA. The uridine protective effect cannot fully develop in the presence of CF. Thymidine addition to 5-FU and uridine treated cells not only prevents the toxicity-augmenting CF effect but it also prolongs the 5-FU treated cells survival in comparison to uridine only. Therefore, it can be assumed that in the presence of uridine the 5-FU toxicity mechanism is switched from RNA incorporation to TS inhibition. Although particular 5-FU toxicity mechanisms were previously described in various cell types, this is the first time when various combinations of pyrimidine nucleosides and CF were used for 5-FU toxicity mechanism elucidation in human keratinocytes. We suggest that for PPE treatment ointment containing uridine and thymidine should be further clinically tested.

Human skin in vitro permeation of bentazon and isoproturon formulations with or without protective clothing suit.

PubMed

Berthet, Aurélie; Hopf, Nancy B; Miles, Alexandra; Spring, Philipp; Charrière, Nicole; Garrigou, Alain; Baldi, Isabelle; Vernez, David

2014-01-01

Skin exposures to chemicals may lead, through percutaneous permeation, to a significant increase in systemic circulation. Skin is the primary route of entry during some occupational activities, especially in agriculture. To reduce skin exposures, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended. PPE efficiency is characterized as the time until products permeate through material (lag time, Tlag). Both skin and PPE permeations are assessed using similar in vitro methods; the diffusion cell system. Flow-through diffusion cells were used in this study to assess the permeation of two herbicides, bentazon and isoproturon, as well as four related commercial formulations (Basagran(®), Basamais(®), Arelon(®) and Matara(®)). Permeation was measured through fresh excised human skin, protective clothing suits (suits) (Microchem(®) 3000, AgriSafe Pro(®), Proshield(®) and Microgard(®) 2000 Plus Green), and a combination of skin and suits. Both herbicides, tested by itself or as an active ingredient in formulations, permeated readily through human skin and tested suits (Tlag < 2 h). High permeation coefficients were obtained regardless of formulations or tested membranes, except for Microchem(®) 3000. Short Tlag, were observed even when skin was covered with suits, except for Microchem(®) 3000. Kp values tended to decrease when suits covered the skin (except when Arelon(®) was applied to skin covered with AgriSafe Pro and Microgard(®) 2000), suggesting that Tlag alone is insufficient in characterizing suits. To better estimate human skin permeations, in vitro experiments should not only use human skin but also consider the intended use of the suit, i.e., the active ingredient concentrations and type of formulations, which significantly affect skin permeation.

Variability in Pediatric Infectious Disease Consultants' Recommendations for Management of Community-Acquired Pneumonia

PubMed Central

Hersh, Adam L.; Shapiro, Daniel J.; Newland, Jason G.; Polgreen, Philip M.; Beekmann, Susan E.; Shah, Samir S.

2011-01-01

Background Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common childhood infection. CAP complications, such as parapneumonic empyema (PPE), are increasing and are frequently caused by antibiotic-resistant organisms. No clinical guidelines currently exist for management of pediatric CAP and no published data exist about variations in antibiotic prescribing patterns. Our objectives were to describe variation in CAP clinical management for hospitalized children by pediatric infectious disease consultants and to examine associations between recommended antibiotic regimens and local antibiotic resistance levels. Methods We surveyed pediatric members of the Emerging Infections Network, which consists of 259 pediatric infectious disease physicians. Participants responded regarding their recommended empiric antibiotic regimens for hospitalized children with CAP with and without PPE and their recommendations for duration of therapy. Participants also provided information about the prevalence of penicillin non-susceptible S. pneumoniae and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in their community. Results We received 148 responses (57%). For uncomplicated CAP, respondents were divided between recommending beta-lactams alone (55%) versus beta-lactams in combination with another class (40%). For PPE, most recommended a combination of a beta-lactam plus an anti-MRSA agent, however, they were divided between clindamycin (44%) and vancomycin (57%). The relationship between reported antibiotic resistance and empiric regimen was mixed. We found no relationship between aminopenicillin use and prevalence of penicillin non-suscepetible S. pneumoniae or clindamycin use and clindamycin resistance, however, respondents were more likely to recommend an anti-MRSA agent when MRSA prevalence increased. Conclusions Substantial variability exists in recommendations for CAP management. Development of clinical guidelines via antimicrobial stewardship programs and dissemination of data about local

Multiple Magnetic Storm Study of the High-Altitude Redistribution of Equatorial Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bust, G. S.; Crowley, G.; Curtis, N.; Anderson, D.

2008-12-01

During geomagnetic storms, particularly when prompt penetration electric fields (PPE) occur, the equatorial plasma can be lifted to very high altitudes and then diffuse along magnetic field lines to higher than normal latitudes. During these cases very high plasma density (total electron content (TEC) greater than 200 TECU) can be found at these higher latitudes. Shortly after the PPE lifts the equatorial plasma to higher altitudes, at least in the US sector, phenomena known as storm-enhanced density (SED) can occur. SEDs occur in the post-noon time frame and consist of a very high density bulge that seems to occur in the southern USA and Caribbean region, followed by a narrow plume of high density plasma that flows into the high-latitude throat near local noon, and across the polar cap. An outstanding research question is: Exactly how is the high density SED plasma, particularly in the bulge related to the PPE and lifting of the equatorial plasma? Ionospheric imaging of electron density and TEC seem to show a gap in density between the poleward extent of the equatorial plasma and the equatorial extent of the SED plasma. Further, there are magnetic storm events where SEDs do not form (November 2004 as a good example). This paper will investigate the relationship between the equatorial high altitude plasma distribution during magnetic storms, and the initiation and evolution of the SED feature. We will examine eight separate storms from 2003-2006 using the ionospheric data assimilation algorithm IDA4D. In particular we will focus on time periods when LEO satellite GPS TEC data is available from CHAMP, SACC, GRACE and the COSMIC constellation (2006 and beyond). These data sets directly measure the TEC above the satellites, and therefore are good tracers of the high altitude plasma distribution. IDA4D ingests these data sets and uses them to get an improved image of the plasma density for the topside ionosphere and plasmasphere. The resulting 4D images of high

Skin exposure to aliphatic polyisocyanates in the auto body repair and refinishing industry: III. A personal exposure algorithm.

PubMed

Liu, Youcheng; Stowe, Meredith H; Bello, Dhimiter; Sparer, Judy; Gore, Rebecca J; Cullen, Mark R; Redlich, Carrie A; Woskie, Susan R

2009-01-01

Isocyanate skin exposure may play an important role in sensitization and the development of isocyanate asthma, but such exposures are frequently intermittent and difficult to assess. Exposure metrics are needed to better estimate isocyanate skin exposures. The goal of this study was to develop a semiquantitative algorithm to estimate personal skin exposures in auto body shop workers using task-based skin exposure data and daily work diaries. The relationship between skin and respiratory exposure metrics was also evaluated. The development and results of respiratory exposure metrics were previously reported. Using the task-based data obtained with a colorimetric skin exposure indicator and a daily work diary, we developed a skin exposure algorithm to estimate a skin exposure index (SEI) for each worker. This algorithm considered the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) used, the percentage of skin area covered by PPE and skin exposures without and underneath the PPE. The SEI was summed across the day (daily SEI) and survey week (weekly average SEI) for each worker, compared among the job title categories and also compared with the respiratory exposure metrics. A total of 893 person-days was calculated for 232 workers (49 painters, 118 technicians and 65 office workers) from 33 auto body shops. The median (10th-90th percentile, maximum) daily SEI was 0 (0-0, 1.0), 0 (0-1.9, 4.8) and 1.6 (0-3.5, 6.1) and weekly average SEI was 0 (0-0.0, 0.7), 0.3 (0-1.6, 4.2) and 1.9 (0.4-3.0, 3.6) for office workers, technicians and painters, respectively, which were significantly different (P < 0.0001). The median (10th-90th percentile, maximum) daily SEI was 0 (0-2.4, 6.1) and weekly average SEI was 0.2 (0-2.3, 4.2) for all workers. A relatively weak positive Spearman correlation was found between daily SEI and time-weighted average (TWA) respiratory exposure metrics (microg NCO m(-3)) (r = 0.380, n = 893, P < 0.0001) and between weekly SEI and TWA respiratory exposure

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

29 CFR 1915.152 - General requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing... section, to use PPE (exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each employee shall be trained to understand at...

40 CFR 170.240 - Personal protective equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... protective equipment (PPE) means devices and apparel that are worn to protect the body from contact with... chemical-resistant garment that covers, at a minimum, the entire body except head, hands, and feet. (4... body except head, hands, and feet. The pesticide product labeling may specify that the coveralls be...

77 FR 75169 - Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs); Information and Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-19

... control measures (e.g., engineering controls, work practices, PPE) that are being used in workplaces where... and tissues, (2) decrements in lung function and induction of inflammatory responses, and (3... and tissues when administered via gavage to Sprague-Dawley and F344 rats for 28 and 90 days [Kim et al...

Factors Surgical Team Members Perceive Influence Choices of Wearing or Not Wearing Personal Protective Equipment during Operative/Invasive Procedures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuming, Richard G.

2009-01-01

Exposure to certain bloodborne pathogens can prematurely end a person's life. Healthcare workers (HCWs), especially those who are members of surgical teams, are at increased risk of exposure to these pathogens. The proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during operative/invasive procedures reduces that risk. Despite this, some HCWs fail…

A Physical Education Program for Preschoolers of All Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maeda, Julienne K.; Randall, Lynn M.

2002-01-01

Preschool physical education (PPE) that integrates developmentally appropriate activities can benefit children of all abilities. The paper presents a multi-task activity, Trails in the Jungle, that has been used successfully by children of varying abilities. Trails in the Jungle incorporates different types of movement as well as imagination and…

76 FR 4735 - Standard on Fire Brigades; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Approval of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-26

... level of training and type of personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary for these members to perform..., including any personal information you provide, are placed in the public docket without change, and may be... review by the members enables them to use operational procedures and equipment in a safe manner to avoid...

29 CFR 1915.159 - Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 1915.159 Section 1915... Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). The criteria of this section apply to PFAS and their use. Effective January 1, 1998, body belts and non-locking snaphooks are not...

29 CFR 1915.159 - Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 1915.159 Section 1915... Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). The criteria of this section apply to PFAS and their use. Effective January 1, 1998, body belts and non-locking snaphooks are not...

29 CFR 1915.159 - Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 1915.159 Section 1915... Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). The criteria of this section apply to PFAS and their use. Effective January 1, 1998, body belts and non-locking snaphooks are not...

29 CFR 1915.159 - Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). 1915.159 Section 1915... Protective Equipment (PPE) § 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). The criteria of this section apply to PFAS and their use. Effective January 1, 1998, body belts and non-locking snaphooks are not...

Quantifying Uncertainty in Model Predictions for the Pliocene (Plio-QUMP): Initial results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, J.O.; Collins, M.; Haywood, A.M.; Dowsett, H.J.; Hunter, S.J.; Lunt, D.J.; Pickering, S.J.; Pound, M.J.

2011-01-01

Examination of the mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP; ~. 3.3 to 3.0. Ma BP) provides an excellent opportunity to test the ability of climate models to reproduce warm climate states, thereby assessing our confidence in model predictions. To do this it is necessary to relate the uncertainty in model simulations of mPWP climate to uncertainties in projections of future climate change. The uncertainties introduced by the model can be estimated through the use of a Perturbed Physics Ensemble (PPE). Developing on the UK Met Office Quantifying Uncertainty in Model Predictions (QUMP) Project, this paper presents the results from an initial investigation using the end members of a PPE in a fully coupled atmosphere-ocean model (HadCM3) running with appropriate mPWP boundary conditions. Prior work has shown that the unperturbed version of HadCM3 may underestimate mPWP sea surface temperatures at higher latitudes. Initial results indicate that neither the low sensitivity nor the high sensitivity simulations produce unequivocally improved mPWP climatology relative to the standard. Whilst the high sensitivity simulation was able to reconcile up to 6 ??C of the data/model mismatch in sea surface temperatures in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere (relative to the standard simulation), it did not produce a better prediction of global vegetation than the standard simulation. Overall the low sensitivity simulation was degraded compared to the standard and high sensitivity simulations in all aspects of the data/model comparison. The results have shown that a PPE has the potential to explore weaknesses in mPWP modelling simulations which have been identified by geological proxies, but that a 'best fit' simulation will more likely come from a full ensemble in which simulations that contain the strengths of the two end member simulations shown here are combined. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Physical Exam Risk Factors for Lower Extremity Injury in High School Athletes: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Onate, James A.; Everhart, Joshua S.; Clifton, Daniel R.; Best, Thomas M.; Borchers, James R.; Chaudhari, Ajit M.W.

2016-01-01

Objective A stated goal of the preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) is to reduce musculoskeletal injury, yet the musculoskeletal portion of the PPE is reportedly of questionable use in assessing lower extremity injury risk in high school-aged athletes. The objectives of this study are: (1) identify clinical assessment tools demonstrated to effectively determine lower extremity injury risk in a prospective setting, and (2) critically assess the methodological quality of prospective lower extremity risk assessment studies that use these tools. Data Sources A systematic search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, UptoDate, Google Scholar, Cochrane Reviews, and SportDiscus. Inclusion criteria were prospective injury risk assessment studies involving athletes primarily ages 13 to 19 that used screening methods that did not require highly specialized equipment. Methodological quality was evaluated with a modified physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale. Main Results Nine studies were included. The mean modified PEDro score was 6.0/10 (SD, 1.5). Multidirectional balance (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; CI, 1.5–6.1; P < 0.05) and physical maturation status (P < 0.05) were predictive of overall injury risk, knee hyperextension was predictive of anterior cruciate ligament injury (OR, 5.0; CI, 1.2–18.4; P < 0.05), hip external: internal rotator strength ratio of patellofemoral pain syndrome (P = 0.02), and foot posture index of ankle sprain (r = −0.339, P = 0.008). Conclusions Minimal prospective evidence supports or refutes the use of the functional musculoskeletal exam portion of the current PPE to assess lower extremity injury risk in high school athletes. Limited evidence does support inclusion of multidirectional balance assessment and physical maturation status in a musculoskeletal exam as both are generalizable risk factors for lower extremity injury. PMID:26978166

The utility of amnioinfusion in the prophylaxis of meconium-stained amniotic fluid infectious morbidity.

PubMed

Adair, C D; Weeks, J W; Johnson, G; Burlison, S; London, S; Lewis, D F

1997-01-01

To evaluate the utility of intrapartum amnioinfusion (AI) in reducing the infectious morbidity of patients with meconium-stained fluid (MSF). Previous studies have shown increased intraamniotic infection (IAI) and postpartum endometritis (PPE) rates in patients with MSF. Intraamniotic infection has been reduced with the prophylactic administration of ampicillin-sulbactam in MSF. Intraamniotic infection and PPE have been reduced with the use of AI in patients with clear fluid. No investigators have specifically examined the efficacy of AI in reducing meconium-stained, amniotic-fluid-associated infectious morbidity. A retrospective cohort study of all cases of MSF was conducted and included patients who delivered at Louisiana State University Medical Center-Shreveport during the one-year period from January to December 1996. Patients were identified from the perinatal database by the diagnosis code of MSF. The medical records were reviewed to determine the consistency of MSF and the presence or absence of infectious morbidity. Patient demographics, labor characteristics, and various risk factors for infection were sought. The main outcome measures were the occurrence of clinical IAI or PPE. Statistical analysis included two-tailed unpaired t-test, X(2), ANOVA, and Fisher exact test when appropriate. Two hundred seventy-three medical records of patients with MSF were studied. One hundred twenty nine patients received AI, and 144 did not receive AI. No significant differences in demographics, labor characteristics, or outcome variables were noted between the two groups. The incidences of IAI were 18.6% and 24.3%, P = 0.13, in the AI and non-AI groups, respectively. Postpartum endometritis occurred in 22.5% of AI patients and 21.5% of non-AI patients, P = 0.97. The use of AI confers no benefit for the reduction of infectious morbidity in patients with MSF.

Prevalence of bovine brucellosis in slaughtered cattle and barriers to better protection of abattoir workers in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ayoola, Modupe Comfort; Akinseye, Victor Oluwatoyin; Cadmus, Eniola; Awosanya, Emmanuel; Popoola, Olufemi Akinyele; Akinyemi, Oluwaseun Oladapo; Perrett, Lorraine; Taylor, Andrew; Stack, Judy; Moriyon, Ignacio; Cadmus, Simeon Idowu

2017-01-01

Introduction Brucellosis is a neglected zoonosis of public health importance. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of brucellosis among slaughtered cattle as well as challenges to the protection of abattoir workers in Nigeria. Methods A slaughterhouse study was conducted in a major abattoir in Ibadan from March to August, 2013. To diagnose brucellosis, serum samples from 1,241 slaughtered cattle were tested using Rose-Bengal test (RBT) and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA); again, 57 milk samples were tested with milk ring test (MRT) and indirect ELISA (iELISA). Furthermore, a survey on the usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and challenges to its use by abattoir workers was done. Data were analysed using Stata 12. Results Seroprevalence by RBT was 7.8%; 77.3% (75/97) of these were corroborated by cELISA. Prevalence in milk samples by MRT and indirect ELISA were 33.3% and 3.5%, respectively. Sex (OR: 2.5; 95%CI:1.3-4.5) was the factor significantly associated with Brucella seropositivity. None of the abattoir workers used standard protective overalls; while, 99.6% of the meat handlers and 84.1% of the butchers worked barefoot. Most of the workers (75.7%) wore no protective gloves. The respondents agreed that provision of free PPE and sanctions against non-users would encourage its use. Conclusion Our findings indicate moderate prevalence (7.8%) of bovine brucellosis with sex of cattle being a risk factor. A notable barrier to better protection of abattoir workers against brucellosis is perceived inconvenience arising from use of gloves. Therefore, preventive and control measures against brucellosis must include education and use of PPE among abattoir workers. PMID:29255538

Investigation of Biodiesel Through Photopyroelectric and Dielectric-Constant Measurements as a Function of Temperature: Freezing/Melting Interval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanelato, E. B.; Machado, F. A. L.; Rangel, A. B.; Guimarães, A. O.; Vargas, H.; da Silva, E. C.; Mansanares, A. M.

2015-06-01

Biodiesel is a promising option for alternative fuels since it derives from natural and renewable materials; it is biodegradable and less polluting than fossil fuels. A gradual replacement of diesel by biodiesel has been adopted by many countries, making necessary the investigation of the physical properties of biodiesel and of its mixture in diesel. Photothermal techniques, specifically the photopyroelectric technique (PPE), have proved to be suitable in the characterization of biodiesel and of its precursor oils, as well as of the biodiesel/diesel mixtures. In this paper, we investigate thermal and electrical properties of animal fat-based biodiesel as a function of temperature, aiming to characterize the freezing/melting interval and the changes in the physical properties from the solid to the liquid phase. The samples were prepared using the transesterification method, by the ethylic route. Optical transmittance experiments were carried out in order to confirm the phase transition interval. Solid and liquid phases present distinct thermal diffusivities and conductivities, as well as dielectric constants. The PPE signal amplitude is governed by the changes in the thermal diffusivity/conductivity. As a consequence, the amplitude of the signal becomes like a step function, which is smoothed and sometimes delayed by the nucleation processes during cooling. A similar behavior is found in the dielectric constant data, which is higher in the liquid phase since the molecules have a higher degree of freedom. Both methods (PPE/dielectric constant) proved to be useful in the characterization of the freezing/melting interval, as well as to establish the distinction in the physical properties of solid and liquid phases. The methodology allowed a discussion of the cloud point and the pour point of the samples in the temperature variation interval.

The Utility of Amnioinfusion in the Prophylaxis of Meconium-Stained Amniotic Fluid Infectious Morbidity

PubMed Central

Weeks, J. W.; Johnson, G.; Burlison, S.; London, S.; Lewis, D. F.

1997-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the utility of intrapartum amnioinfusion (AI) in reducing the infectious morbidity of patients with meconium-stained fluid (MSF). Previous studies have shown increased intraamniotic infection (IAI) and postpartum endometritis (PPE) rates in patients with MSF. Intraamniotic infection has been reduced with the prophylactic administration of ampicillin–sulbactam in MSF. Intraamniotic infection and PPE have been reduced with the use of AI in patients with clear fluid. No investigators have specifically examined the efficacy of AI in reducing meconium-stained, amniotic-fluid-associated infectious morbidity. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of all cases of MSF was conducted and included patients who delivered at Louisiana State University Medical Center–Shreveport during the one-year period from January to December 1996. Patients were identified from the perinatal database by the diagnosis code of MSF. The medical records were reviewed to determine the consistency of MSF and the presence or absence of infectious morbidity. Patient demographics, labor characteristics, and various risk factors for infection were sought. The main outcome measures were the occurrence of clinical IAI or PPE. Statistical analysis included two-tailed unpaired t-test, X2, ANOVA, and Fisher exact test when appropriate. Results: Two hundred seventy-three medical records of patients with MSF were studied. One hundred twenty nine patients received AI, and 144 did not receive AI. No significant differences in demographics, labor characteristics, or outcome variables were noted between the two groups. The incidences of IAI were 18.6% and 24.3%, P = 0.13, in the AI and non-AI groups, respectively. Postpartum endometritis occurred in 22.5% of AI patients and 21.5% of non-AI patients, P = 0.97. Conclusions: The use of AI confers no benefit for the reduction of infectious morbidity in patients with MSF. PMID:18476189

Physiological Evaluation of Cooling Devices in Conjunction With Personal Protective Ensembles Recommended for Use in West Africa.

PubMed

Quinn, Tyler; Kim, Jung-Hyun; Strauch, Amanda; Wu, Tianzhou; Powell, Jeffery; Roberge, Raymond; Shaffer, Ronald; Coca, Aitor

2017-10-01

Cooling devices (CDs) worn under personal protective equipment (PPE) can alleviate some of the heat stress faced by health care workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Six healthy, young individuals were tested while wearing 4 different CDs or no cooling (control) under PPE in an environmental chamber (32°C/92% relative humidity) while walking (3 METs, 2.5 mph, 0% grade) on a treadmill for 60 minutes. Exercise was preceded by a 15-minute stabilization period and a 15-minute donning period. The control condition resulted in a significantly higher rectal temperature (Tre) at the end of the exercise than did all CD conditions (CD1, P=0.004; CD2, P=0.01; CD3, P=0.000; CD4, P=0.000) with CD1 and CD2 resulting in a higher Tre than CD3 and CD4 (P<0.05). The control condition resulted in a higher heart rate (HR) at the end of exercise than did the CD3 (P=0.01) and CD4 (P=0.009) conditions, whereas the HR of the CD1 and CD2 conditions was higher than that of the CD3 and CD4 conditions (P<0.05). Weight loss in the control condition was higher than in the CD3 (P=0.003) and CD4 (P=0.01) conditions. Significant differences in subjective measurements of thermal stress were found across conditions and time. Use of CDs can be advantageous in decreasing the negative physiological and subjective responses to the heat stress encountered by health care workers wearing PPE in hot and humid environments. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:573-579).

A novel CGRP-neutralizing Spiegelmer attenuates neurogenic plasma protein extravasation

PubMed Central

Hoehlig, K; Johnson, K W; Pryazhnikov, E; Maasch, C; Clemens-Smith, A; Purschke, W G; Vauléon, S; Buchner, K; Jarosch, F; Khiroug, L; Vater, A; Klussmann, S

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) plays an important role in the pathology of migraine, and recent clinical trials suggest the inhibition of CGRP-mediated processes as a new therapeutic option in migraine. In this study, we describe the generation of NOX-L41, a CGRP-neutralizing mirror-image (l-)aptamer (Spiegelmer) and investigate its in vitro and in vivo function. Experimental Approach A CGRP-binding Spiegelmer was identified by in vitro selection. Binding studies were performed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and the inhibitory activity was determined in cell-based assays. The pharmacokinetic profile comparing i.v. and s.c. dosing was analysed in rats. Intravital two-photon microscopy was employed to follow extravasation from meningeal vessels. Finally, in vivo efficacy was tested in a model of electrically evoked meningeal plasma protein extravasation (PPE) in rats. Key Results We identified NOX-L41, a novel CGRP-neutralizing Spiegelmer. SPR studies showed that NOX-L41 binds to human and rat/mouse CGRP with sub-nanomolar affinities and is highly selective against related peptides such as amylin. In vitro, NOX-L41 effectively inhibited CGRP-induced cAMP formation in SK-N-MC cells. In rats, NOX-L41 had a plasma half-life of 8 h. Pharmacodynamic studies showed that NOX-L41 extravasates from blood vessels in the dura mater and inhibits neurogenic meningeal PPE for at least 18 h after single dosing. Conclusions and Implications This is the first description of the CGRP-neutralizing Spiegelmer NOX-L41. Preclinical studies confirmed a role for CGRP in neurogenic PPE and provided proof-of-concept for the potential use of this new drug candidate for the treatment or prevention of migraine. PMID:25659966

Anti-migraine effect of Areca Catechu L. nut extract in bradykinin-induced plasma protein extravasation and vocalization in rats.

PubMed

Bhandare, Amol M; Vyawahare, Neeraj S; Kshirsagar, Ajay D

2015-08-02

Areca catechu Linn. (Arecaceae) nut is a popular folk remedy for the treatment of migraine in Kerala and Tamil Nadu states of India. This study was designed to investigate the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of A. catechu L. nut (ANE) treatment on migraine pain in rat models to strengthen its use as an anti-migraine therapy. Bradykinin (0.1 μmol/kg) injection in to left femoral vein of rat produced PPE which was measured with luminescence spectrometer. Vocalizations were produced in rats with 10 μg of bradykinin infusion into common carotid artery. Phonogram was recorded before, during and for 5min after bradykinin injection and sumatriptan was used as a standard anti-migraine drug. In both models, the ANE was orally administered at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg, 60 min before bradykinin infusion. The PPE was reduced in both ANE treated groups of rats. The percent fluorescein was significantly increased in positive control group (97.00±1.7%; p<0.0001) compared to negative control (63.87±1.2%). With ANE treatments (250 and 500 mg/kg) PPE was significantly decreased to 88.88±1.4% (p<0.01) and 83.55±0.1% (p<0.0001) compared to positive control group, respectively. On the other hand in the model of vocalization, with 250 and 500 mg/kg ANE treatment, vocalization was significantly reduced to 33.33% and 16.66%, respectively, compared to saline treated rats. The reduction in vocalization is comparable to the reference drug sumatriptan. The findings provide the strong evidence for anti-migraine potential of ANE in rat models of migraine. In summary, therapeutic intervention with ANE treatment could be a promising strategy for prevention of migraine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence for -Gz Adaptation Observed with Wearable Biosensors During High Performance Jet Flight.

PubMed

Rice, G Merrill; Snider, Dallas; Moore, Jeffrey L; Lavan, J Timothy; Folga, Rich; VanBrunt, Thomas B

2016-12-01

Few studies have evaluated physiological responses to high acceleration forces during actual flight and to our knowledge no normative data has been acquired by technologies such as wearable biosensors during high performance jet aircraft operations. In-flight physiological data from an FDA cleared portable triaxial accelerometer and bio-sensor were observed from five active duty F-18 pilots of the Naval Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels). Of the five pilots, three were formation pilots who flew lower G profiles and two were solo pilots who flew higher G profiles. Physiological parameters monitored were heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, caloric expenditure, and duration of exposure to levels of acceleration. Evaluated were 25 practice demonstration flights; 9 flights were excluded secondary to incomplete or inaccurate physiological data. We observed no significant bradycardia during a total of 189 maneuvers which met inclusion criteria for push-pull events (PPE) or isolated -Gz exposures. Further analysis of 73 PPE revealed an overall significant rise in HR following the PPE, where mean heart rate was 106 (95% CI, 100:112) at the beginning of the push and 129 (95% CI, 123:135) following the pull. A majority of the flights monitored provided reliable physiological data. Initial data suggests, contrary to currently held aeromedical doctrine, maneuvers such as the "push-pull" do not evoke vasovagal based bradycardic responses in aerobatic pilots. Possible explanations for these findings are sympathetic nervous system activation through adaptation and/or sustained isometric resistance from control inputs, both of which are areas of future research for our team.Rice GM, Snider D, Moore JL, Lavan JT, Folga R, VanBrunt TB. Evidence for -Gz adaptation observed with wearable biosensors during high performance jet flight. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(12):996-1003.

Low proportion of high school senior athletes receiving recommended immunizations.

PubMed

Karpinos, Ashley Rowatt; Rizzone, Katherine H; Cribbs, Sarah P; Roumie, Christianne L

2014-05-01

The preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) often serves as the only preventive health care visit for athletes, but immunization status is not uniformly addressed in such visits. Thus, athletes may not be receiving recommended immunizations. Our aim was to determine the proportion of high school senior athletes who received all recommended immunizations. Our hypothesis was that females would be less likely than males to receive all recommended immunizations given suboptimal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake. We conducted a cross-sectional survey evaluation of the immunization status of high school senior athletes in Davidson County, TN. The primary composite outcome was receipt of recommended immunizations for tetanus, meningococcal, and seasonal influenza. For females, the primary outcome also included completion of the HPV series. A total of 162 participants, 104 males and 58 females, were included. More males than females received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 3.5%; P = 0.02). When HPV immunization was excluded from the composite outcome, there was no difference in the proportion of males and females who received all recommended immunizations (15.4% vs 15.5%; P = 0.98). The odds of receiving all recommended immunizations was 0.14 (95% CI, 0.03-0.72) for females compared with males when adjusted for covariates. Athletes seen at retail-based clinics for their PPE were less likely to receive all recommended immunizations compared with athletes seen in primary care (OR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.69). Only 1 in 6 high school senior athletes received the recommended tetanus, meningococcal, and influenza immunizations. A lower proportion of females, only 1 in 28, received all recommended immunizations due to the HPV series. Policy changes requiring a review of immunizations at the PPE would benefit many high school athletes.

Prevalence and injury patterns among electronic waste workers in the informal sector in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ohajinwa, Chimere May; van Bodegom, Peter M; Vijver, Martina G; Olumide, Adesola O; Osibanjo, Oladele; Peijnenburg, Willie J G M

2018-06-01

Despite the large volume of e-waste recycled informally, the prevalence of work-related injuries among e-waste workers is unknown. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence, patterns and factors associated with occupational injuries among e-waste workers in the informal sector in Nigeria. This cross-sectional study adopted a multistage sampling method to select 279 respondents from three cities (Ibadan, Lagos and Aba) in Nigeria. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on sociodemographics, work practices and injury occurrences from the respondents in 2015. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and standard logistic regression. We found high injury prevalence of 38% and 68% in 1-2 weeks and 6 months preceding the study, respectively. The most common injuries were cuts (59%). Injuries were mainly caused by sharp objects (77%). The majority (82%) of the injuries occurred on the hands/fingers. Despite the high occurrence of injury, only 18% of the workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and 51% of those that use PPE got at least an injury in 1-2 weeks and 88% got at least an injury in 6 months preceding the study. The factors associated with injury in 1-2 weeks were job designation and the geographical location, while the factors associated with injury in 6 months were job designation, geographical location and age. There is a high prevalence of injury and low use of PPE among the e-waste workers in Nigeria. Occupational injury can be reduced through health education and safety promotion programmes for e-waste workers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Mismodeling in gravitational-wave astronomy: The trouble with templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sampson, Laura; Cornish, Neil; Yunes, Nicolás

2014-03-01

Waveform templates are a powerful tool for extracting and characterizing gravitational wave signals, acting as highly restrictive priors on the signal morphologies that allow us to extract weak events buried deep in the instrumental noise. The templates map the waveform shapes to physical parameters, thus allowing us to produce posterior probability distributions for these parameters. However, there are attendant dangers in using highly restrictive signal priors. If strong field gravity is not accurately described by general relativity (GR), then using GR templates may result in fundamental bias in the recovered parameters, or even worse, a complete failure to detect signals. Here we study such dangers, concentrating on three distinct possibilities. First, we show that there exist modified theories compatible with all existing observations that would fail to be detected by the LIGO/Virgo network using searches based on GR templates, but which would be detected using a one parameter post-Einsteinian extension. Second, we study modified theories that produce departures from GR that turn on suddenly at a critical frequency, producing waveforms that do not directly fit into the simplest parametrized post-Einsteinian (ppE) scheme. We show that even the simplest ppE templates are still capable of picking up these strange signals and diagnosing a departure from GR. Third, we study whether using inspiral-only ppE waveforms for signals that include merger and ringdown can lead to problems in misidentifying a GR departure. We present a simple technique that allows us to self-consistently identify the inspiral portion of the signal, and thus remove these potential biases, allowing GR tests to be performed on higher mass signals that merge within the detector band. We close by studying a parametrized waveform model that may allow us to test GR using the full inspiral-merger-ringdown signal.

Beyond hand hygiene: a qualitative study of the everyday work of preventing cross-contamination on hospital wards.

PubMed

Hor, Su-Yin; Hooker, Claire; Iedema, Rick; Wyer, Mary; Gilbert, Gwendolyn L; Jorm, Christine; O'Sullivan, Matthew Vincent Neil

2017-07-01

Hospital-acquired infections are the most common adverse event for inpatients worldwide. Efforts to prevent microbial cross-contamination currently focus on hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), with variable success. Better understanding is needed of infection prevention and control (IPC) in routine clinical practice. We report on an interventionist video-reflexive ethnography study that explored how healthcare workers performed IPC in three wards in two hospitals in New South Wales, Australia: an intensive care unit and two general surgical wards. We conducted 46 semistructured interviews, 24 weeks of fieldwork (observation and videoing) and 22 reflexive sessions with a total of 177 participants (medical, nursing, allied health, clerical and cleaning staff, and medical and nursing students). We performed a postintervention analysis, using a modified grounded theory approach, to account for the range of IPC practices identified by participants. We found that healthcare workers' routine IPC work goes beyond hand hygiene and PPE. It also involves, for instance, the distribution of team members during rounds, the choreography of performing aseptic procedures and moving 'from clean to dirty' when examining patients. We account for these practices as the logistical work of moving bodies and objects across boundaries, especially from contaminated to clean/vulnerable spaces, while restricting the movement of micro-organisms through cleaning, applying barriers and buffers, and trajectory planning. Attention to the logistics of moving people and objects around healthcare spaces, especially into vulnerable areas, allows for a more comprehensive approach to IPC through better contextualisation of hand hygiene and PPE protocols, better identification of transmission risks, and the design and promotion of a wider range of preventive strategies and solutions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted

Factors associated with severe occupational injuries at mining company in Zimbabwe, 2010: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Chimamise, Chipo; Gombe, Notion Tafara; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Chadambuka, Addmore; Shambira, Gerald; Chimusoro, Anderson

2013-01-01

Introduction Injury rate among mining workers in Zimbabwe was 789/1000 workers in 2008. The proportion of severe occupational injuries increased from 18% in 2008 to 37% in 2009. We investigated factors associated with severe injuries at the mine. Methods An unmatched 1:1 case-control study was carried out at the mine, a case was any worker who suffered severe occupational injury at the mine and was treated at the mine or district hospital from January 2008 to April 2010, a control was any worker who did not suffer occupational injury during same period. We randomly selected 156 cases and 156 controls and used interviewer administered questionnaires to collect data from participants. Results Majority of cases, 155(99.4%) and of controls 142(91%) were male, 127(81.4%) of cases and 48(30.8%) of controls worked underground. Majority (73.1%) of severe occupational injuries occurred during night shift. Underground temperatures reached 500C. Factors independently associated with getting severe occupational injuries included working underground (AOR = 10.55; CI 5.97-18.65), having targets per shift (AOR = 12.60; CI 3.46-45.84), inadequate PPE (AOR= 3.65 CI 1.34-9.89) and working more than 8 hours per shift (AOR = 8.65 CI 2.99-25.02). Conclusion Having targets exerts pressure to perform on workers. Prolonged working periods decrease workers’ attention and concentration resulting in increased risk to severe injuries as workers become exhausted, lose focus and alertness. Underground work environment had environmental hazards so managers to install adequate ventilation and provide adequate PPE. Management agreed to standardize shifts to eight hours and workers in some departments have been supplied with adequate PPE. PMID:23504270

User's guide to the Parallel Processing Extension of the Prognosis Model

Treesearch

Nicholas L. Crookston; Albert R. Stage

1991-01-01

The Parallel Processing Extension (PPE) of the Prognosis Model was designed to analyze responses of numerous stands to coordinated management and pest impacts that operate at the landscape level of forests. Vegetation-related resource supply analysis can be readily performed for a thousand or more sample stands for projections 400 years into the future. Capabilities...

Lubricant Evaluation and Performance 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-02-01

Damasco 1 1 used the four- ball test to study PPE using MI0 tool steel balls. Figure 105 reveals a reduction of wear after reaching a critical temperature... Damasco , F., "High-Temperature Fluid Lubrication," ASLE Trans., 7, pp. 211-217 (1964). 12. Wills, J.G., Lubrication Fundamentals, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New

The chain of cross-contamination: link-by-link.

PubMed

Schwartz, Jeanne

2002-01-01

Conscious efforts must be made to break the chain of cross-contamination--link-by-link. Pay attention to detail Avoid being careless Avoid touching objects while wearing soiled gloves Frequently wash hands (15-second hand washing) to remove pathogens--before and after gloving, and before handling food or drink Wear all PPE, and change accordingly.

Overview of the Development and Mission Application of the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Tofil, Todd; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard R.; Picha, Frank; Jackson, Jerry; Allen, May

2017-01-01

NASA remains committed to the development and demonstration of a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency. NASA is continuing to develop the 14 kilowatt Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS), which has recently completed an Early Integrated System Test and System Preliminary Design Review. NASA continues to pursue Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) Technology Demonstration Mission partners and mature high-power SEP mission concepts. The recent announcement of the development of a Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) as the first element of an evolvable human architecture to Mars has replaced the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission as the most probable first application of the AEPS Hall thruster system. This high-power SEP capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned-exploration architecture. This paper presents the status of the combined NASA and Aerojet AEPS development activities and updated mission concept for implementation of the AEPS hardware as part of the ion propulsion system for a PPE.

Clinical characterization of 2D pressure field in human left ventricles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borja, Maria; Rossini, Lorenzo; Martinez-Legazpi, Pablo; Benito, Yolanda; Alhama, Marta; Yotti, Raquel; Perez Del Villar, Candelas; Gonzalez-Mansilla, Ana; Barrio, Alicia; Fernandez-Aviles, Francisco; Bermejo, Javier; Khan, Andrew; Del Alamo, Juan Carlos

2014-11-01

The evaluation of left ventricle (LV) function in the clinical setting remains a challenge. Pressure gradient is a reliable and reproducible indicator of the LV function. We obtain 2D relative pressure field in the LV using in-vivo measurements obtained by processing Doppler-echocardiography images of healthy and dilated hearts. Exploiting mass conservation, we solve the Poisson pressure equation (PPE) dropping the time derivatives and viscous terms. The flow acceleration appears only in the boundary conditions, making our method weakly sensible to the time resolution of in-vivo acquisitions. To ensure continuity with respect to the discrete operator and grid used, a potential flow correction is applied beforehand, which gives another Poisson equation. The new incompressible velocity field ensures that the compatibility equation for the PPE is satisfied. Both Poisson equations are efficiently solved on a Cartesian grid using a multi-grid method and immersed boundary for the LV wall. The whole process is computationally inexpensive and could play a diagnostic role in the clinical assessment of LV function.

Computational wave dynamics for innovative design of coastal structures

PubMed Central

GOTOH, Hitoshi; OKAYASU, Akio

2017-01-01

For innovative designs of coastal structures, Numerical Wave Flumes (NWFs), which are solvers of Navier-Stokes equation for free-surface flows, are key tools. In this article, various methods and techniques for NWFs are overviewed. In the former half, key techniques of NWFs, namely the interface capturing (MAC, VOF, C-CUP) and significance of NWFs in comparison with the conventional wave models are described. In the latter part of this article, recent improvements of the particle method are shown as one of cores of NWFs. Methods for attenuating unphysical pressure fluctuation and improving accuracy, such as CMPS method for momentum conservation, Higher-order Source of Poisson Pressure Equation (PPE), Higher-order Laplacian, Error-Compensating Source in PPE, and Gradient Correction for ensuring Taylor-series consistency, are reviewed briefly. Finally, the latest new frontier of the accurate particle method, including Dynamic Stabilization for providing minimum-required artificial repulsive force to improve stability of computation, and Space Potential Particle for describing the exact free-surface boundary condition, is described. PMID:29021506

Knowledge Representation Of CT Scans Of The Head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, Laurens V.; Burke, M. W.; Rada, Roy

1984-06-01

We have been investigating diagnostic knowledge models which assist in the automatic classification of medical images by combining information extracted from each image with knowledge specific to that class of images. In a more general sense we are trying to integrate verbal and pictorial descriptions of disease via representations of knowledge, study automatic hypothesis generation as related to clinical medicine, evolve new mathematical image measures while integrating them into the total diagnostic process, and investigate ways to augment the knowledge of the physician. Specifically, we have constructed an artificial intelligence knowledge model using the technique of a production system blending pictorial and verbal knowledge about the respective CT scan and patient history. It is an attempt to tie together different sources of knowledge representation, picture feature extraction and hypothesis generation. Our knowledge reasoning and representation system (KRRS) works with data at the conscious reasoning level of the practicing physician while at the visual perceptional level we are building another production system, the picture parameter extractor (PPE). This paper describes KRRS and its relationship to PPE.

Overview of the Development of the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel; Tofil, Todd; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James; Snyder, John Steven; Hofer, Richard; Picha, Frank; Schmidt, George

2017-01-01

NASA is committed to the demonstration and application of high-power solar electric propulsion to meet its future mission needs. It is continuing to develop the 14 kW Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) under a project that recently completed an Early Integrated System Test (EIST) and System Preliminary Design Review (PDR). In addition, NASA is pursuing external partnerships in order to demonstrate Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technology and the advantages of high-power electric propulsion-based spacecraft. The recent announcement of a Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) as the first major piece of an evolvable human architecture to Mars has replaced the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) as the most likely first application of the AEPS Hall thruster system. This high-power SEP capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been recognized as a critical part of a new, affordable human exploration architecture for missions beyond-low-Earth-orbit. This paper presents the status of AEPS development activities, and describes how AEPS hardware will be integrated into the PPE ion propulsion system.

Overview of the Development and Mission Application of the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Tofil, Todd A.; Santiago, Walter; Kamhawi, Hani; Polk, James E.; Snyder, John S.; Hofer, Richard R.; Picha, Frank Q.; Jackson, Jerry; Allen, May

2018-01-01

NASA remains committed to the development and demonstration of a high-power solar electric propulsion capability for the Agency. NASA is continuing to develop the 14 kW Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS), which has recently completed an Early Integrated System Test and System Preliminary Design Review. NASA continues to pursue Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) Technology Demonstration Mission partners and mature high-power SEP mission concepts. The recent announcement of the development of a Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) as the first element of an evolvable human architecture to Mars has replaced the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) as the most probable first application of the AEPS Hall thruster system. This high-power SEP capability, or an extensible derivative of it, has been identified as a critical part of an affordable, beyond-low-Earth-orbit, manned exploration architecture. This paper presents the status of the combined NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne AEPS development activities and updated mission concept for implementation of the AEPS hardware as part of the ion propulsion system for a PPE.

Occupational Pesticide Exposures and Respiratory Health

PubMed Central

Ye, Ming; Beach, Jeremy; Martin, Jonathan W.; Senthilselvan, Ambikaipakan

2013-01-01

Pesticides have been widely used to control pest and pest-related diseases in agriculture, fishery, forestry and the food industry. In this review, we identify a number of respiratory symptoms and diseases that have been associated with occupational pesticide exposures. Impaired lung function has also been observed among people occupationally exposed to pesticides. There was strong evidence for an association between occupational pesticide exposure and asthma, especially in agricultural occupations. In addition, we found suggestive evidence for a link between occupational pesticide exposure and chronic bronchitis or COPD. There was inconclusive evidence for the association between occupational pesticide exposure and lung cancer. Better control of pesticide uses and enforcement of safety behaviors, such as using personal protection equipment (PPE) in the workplace, are critical for reducing the risk of developing pesticide-related symptoms and diseases. Educational training programs focusing on basic safety precautions and proper uses of personal protection equipment (PPE) are possible interventions that could be used to control the respiratory diseases associated with pesticide exposure in occupational setting. PMID:24287863

Good laboratory practices guarantee biosafety in the Sierra Leone-China friendship biosafety laboratory.

PubMed

Wang, Qin; Zhou, Wei-Min; Zhang, Yong; Wang, Huan-Yu; Du, Hai-Jun; Nie, Kai; Song, Jing-Dong; Xiao, Kang; Lei, Wen-Wen; Guo, Jian-Qiang; Wei, He-Jiang; Cai, Kun; Wang, Yan-Hai; Wu, Jiang; Kamara, Gerard; Kamara, Idrissa; Wei, Qiang; Liang, Mi-Fang; Wu, Gui-Zhen; Dong, Xiao-Ping

2016-06-23

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa between 2014 and 2015 was the largest EDV epidemic since the identification of Ebola virus (EBOV) in 1976, and the countries most strongly affected were Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia. The Sierra Leone-China Friendship Biological Safety Laboratory (SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab), a fixed Biosafety Level 3 laboratory in the capital city of Sierra Leone, was established by the Chinese government and has been active in EBOV detection since 11 March 2015. Complete management and program documents were created for the SLE-CHN Biosafety Lab, and it was divided into four zones (the green, yellow, brown, and red zones) based on the risk assessment. Different types of safe and appropriate personnel protection equipment (PPE) are used in different zones of the laboratory, and it fully meets the Biosafety Level 3 laboratory standards of the World Health Organization. Good preparedness, comprehensive risk assessment and operation documents, appropriate PPE, effective monitoring and intensive training, together with well-designed and reasonable laboratory sectioning are essential for guaranteeing biosafety.

Optimization of pulsed ultrasound-assisted technique for extraction of phenolics from pomegranate peel of Malas variety: Punicalagin and hydroxybenzoic acids.

PubMed

Kazemi, Milad; Karim, Roselina; Mirhosseini, Hamed; Abdul Hamid, Azizah

2016-09-01

Pomegranate peel is a rich source of phenolic compounds (such as punicalagin and hydroxybenzoic acids). However, the content of such bioactive compounds in the peel extract can be affected by extraction type and condition. It was hypothesized that the optimization of a pulsed ultrasound-assisted extraction (PUAE) technique could result in the pomegranate peel extract with higher yield and antioxidant activity. The main goal was to optimize PUAE condition resulting in the highest yield and antioxidant activity as well as the highest contents of punicalagin and hydroxybenzoic acids. The operation at the intensity level of 105W/cm(2) and duty cycle of 50% for a short time (10min) had a high efficiency for extraction of phenolics from pomegranate peel. The application of such short extraction can save the energy and cost of the production. Punicalagin and ellagic acid were the most predominant phenolic compounds quantified in the pomegranate peel extract (PPE) from Malas variety. PPE contained a minor content of gallic acid. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wet and wild: results from a pilot study assessing injuries among recreational water users in Western Australia.

PubMed

Pikora, T J; Braham, R; Hill, C; Mills, C

2011-06-01

To identify, describe and compare injuries among three water sport activities: kite surfing (KS), personal watercraft (PWC) and towed water sports (TWS). The study was a cross sectional, online survey. The setting was on Perth, Western Australia's popular beaches and riverbanks. Main outcome measures were number of injuries and level of severity; level of exposure and protection measures. Overall, 43% reported at least one injury in the past 12 months, a rate of 22.3 injuries per 100 h. Kite surfers were more likely to report an injury than PWC or TWS. One-half of injuries occurred while on the water. Most injuries were caused by landing awkwardly (56%) and/or trying new tricks (41%). Despite 90% of respondents having used at least one personal protective equipment (PPE) item, half (49%) reported always using a personal floatation device. This study provided information on KS, PWC and TWS injuries as well as a range of safety behaviours. It is recommended that these results form the basis of further research to reduce injury rates and encourage the use of PPE items.

TCAP Scores and per Pupil Expenditures: Statewide Changes before and after Tennessee's First to the Top Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cantrell, Martha Ely

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the changes in Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) scores and the changes in Per Pupil Expenditures (PPE) after the enactment of "First to the Top Act of 2010" and the receipt of $501,000,000 in federal Race to the Top (RTTT) grant monies. Half of that…

A Technology Solution Strengthens Comprehensive Environmental Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-23

General Navigation  Chemical Approval Example  NEPA Coordination Example  Safety PPE Example  Summary Marine Corps Support Facility...coordination, completion and documentation through automated workflows of various business processes  Chemical Approval  NEPA Coordination  Safety ...Completion Diagram Government Employee/M CMC MCMC Chemical Manager MCMC HS&E Specialist IMO Chemical Safety Specialist IMO Chemical Environmental

Advanced Ultra-Violet (UV) Aircraft Fire Detection System. Volume 3. Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for System Check-Out

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

linsutaled * ifr rnif OC used nstead of ins resistors). 76 _ - Thil positions are as follows. 76 .APPENDIX A-2 3.2 PAper Loading TI’a6414ý-;jies lphnumeic ji...34i I I S.... . . I. ..... . .... •..................... ..- 4 . . o .. o . . .... . 149 :. ; , e~Vh -rom PPE ~t~ilk A-9 e" OSE S ~1: el/THIGH Is

Incorporating landscape fuel treatment modeling into the Forest Vegetation Simulator

Treesearch

Robert C. Seli; Alan A. Ager; Nicholas L. Crookston; Mark A. Finney; Berni Bahro; James K. Agee; Charles W. McHugh

2008-01-01

A simulation system was developed to explore how fuel treatments placed in random and optimal spatial patterns affect the growth and behavior of large fires when implemented at different rates over the course of five decades. The system consists of several command line programs linked together: (1) FVS with the Parallel Processor (PPE) and Fire and Fuels (FFE)...

Comparative Genomics and Proteomic Analysis of Four Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium Species and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex: Occurrence of Shared Immunogenic Proteins.

PubMed

Gcebe, Nomakorinte; Michel, Anita; Gey van Pittius, Nicolaas C; Rutten, Victor

2016-01-01

The Esx and PE/PPE families of proteins are among the most immunodominant mycobacterial antigens and have thus been the focus of research to develop vaccines and immunological tests for diagnosis of bovine and human tuberculosis, mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively. In non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), multiple copies of genes encoding homologous proteins have mainly been identified in pathogenic Mycobacterium species phylogenically related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis. Only ancestral copies of these genes have been identified in nonpathogenic NTM species like Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium sp. KMS, Mycobacterium sp. MCS, and Mycobacterium sp. JLS. In this study we elucidated the genomes of four nonpathogenic NTM species, viz Mycobacterium komanii sp. nov., Mycobacterium malmesburii sp. nov., Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum, and Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841. These genomes were investigated for genes encoding for the Esx and PE/PPE (situated in the esx cluster) family of proteins as well as adjacent genes situated in the ESX-1 to ESX-5 regions. To identify proteins actually expressed, comparative proteomic analyses of purified protein derivatives from three of the NTM as well as Mycobacterium kansasii ATCC 12478 and the commercially available purified protein derivatives from Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium was performed. The genomic analysis revealed the occurrence in each of the four NTM, orthologs of the genes encoding for the Esx family, the PE and PPE family proteins in M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. The identification of genes of the ESX-1, ESX-3, and ESX-4 region including esxA, esxB, ppe68, pe5, and pe35 adds to earlier reports of these genes in nonpathogenic NTM like M. smegmatis, Mycobacterium sp. JLS and Mycobacterium KMS. This report is also the first to identify esxN gene situated within the ESX-5 locus in M. nonchromogenicum. Our proteomics analysis

Rapid Quantification of Energy Absorption and Dissipation Metrics for PPE Padding Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-22

dampers ,   i.e.,  Hooke’s  Law  springs  and   viscous ...absorbing/dissipating materials. Input forces caused by blast pressures, determined from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and simulation...simple  lumped-­‐ parameter  elements   –  spring,  k  (energy  storage)   –  damper ,  b  (energy  dissipa/on   Rapid

Synthesis of Conjugated Polymers Containing cis-Phenylenevinylenes by Titanium Mediated Reductions

PubMed Central

Moslin, Ryan M.; Espino, Christine G.; Swager, Timothy M.

2009-01-01

The utility of Sato's titanium-mediated reduction of alkynes towards the synthesis of all cis-poly(phenylenevinylene)s (PPVs) is demonstrated by the syn-selective reduction of a variety of model diynes as well as a tetrayne. This technique was then applied to the reduction of a poly(phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) to provide the corresponding all-cis PPV polymer. PMID:20827441

New Safety Policy Reduces Injuries by One-Fourth | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Terri Bray, Dave Heimbrook, Craig Reynolds, and Robert Wiltrout, Guest Writers Whether in a research laboratory or an operations environment, past performance is frequently reviewed to plan for future improvements. Such was the case last year when management recognized the need to change the policy on the minimum set of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn in the

An Implementation in Pascal: Translation of Prolog into Pascal.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

for i:=1 to px do begin ifr (proc .i..relativity=O) then continue; if proc .. ) .ptype=6) hen continue;if (proc (...abegin<>O) then continue; passname...forj:=reitorn do if (j0) then continue; if (par (.>) ppe <>1) then continue; if (par .. .namie<>par(.i.).name) parle nO ype:par C.’ ntype; par Inblnd

An Analysis of U.S. Army Health Hazard Assessments During the Acquisition of Military Materiel

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-03

protective equipment (PPE) (Milz, Conrad, & Soule , 2003). Engineering controls can eliminate hazards through system design, substitution of hazardous...Milz, Conrad, & Soule , 2003). Engineering control measures can serve to 7 minimize hazards where they cannot be eliminated, with preference for...during the materiel acquisitions process, and (c) will evaluate a sample of the database for accuracy by comparing the data entries to original reports

Innovative Defense Acquisition Concept Deployer Equipment Bundle (DEB)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

time for industrial base ramp-up. The Deployer Equipment Bundle (DEB) concept would outfit early deploying brigade combat teams (BCTs) to the next...major contingency with the most modern, lifesaving equipment available, providing sufficient buffer stock to enable the industrial base to ramp up to...full capacity. This concept procures organizational clothing and individual protective equipment (OCIE) and personal protective equipment (PPE) for

Light and dark-activated biocidal activity of conjugated polyelectrolytes.

PubMed

Ji, Eunkyung; Corbitt, Thomas S; Parthasarathy, Anand; Schanze, Kirk S; Whitten, David G

2011-08-01

This Spotlight on Applications provides an overview of a research program that has focused on the development and mechanistic study of cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) that function as light- and dark-active biocidal agents. Investigation has centered on poly-(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) type conjugated polymers that are functionalized with cationic quaternary ammonium solubilizing groups. These polymers are found to interact strongly with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and upon illumination with near-UV and visible light act to rapidly kill the bacteria. Mechanistic studies suggest that the cationic PPE-type polymers efficiently sensitize singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)), and this cytotoxic agent is responsible for initiating the sequence of events that lead to light-activated bacterial killing. Specific CPEs also exhibit dark-active antimicrobial activity, and this is believed to arise due to interactions between the cationic/lipophilic polymers and the negatively charged outer membrane characteristic of Gram-negative bacteria. Specific results are shown where a cationic CPE with a degree of polymerization of 49 exhibits pronounced light-activated killing of E. coli when present in the cell suspension at a concentration of 1 μg mL(-1).

Actual ratios of triacylglycerol positional isomers and enantiomers comprising saturated fatty acids and highly unsaturated fatty acids in fishes and marine mammals.

PubMed

Nagai, Toshiharu; Matsumoto, Yumiko; Jiang, Yanying; Ishikawa, Keiko; Wakatabe, Tokuhisa; Mizobe, Hoyo; Yoshinaga, Kazuaki; Kojima, Koichi; Kuroda, Ikuma; Saito, Tadao; Beppu, Fumiaki; Gotoh, Naohiro

2013-01-01

It has been previously shown that the positional isomers of triacylglycerol (TAG) containing palmitic acid (P) and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) such as DHA (D) and EPA (E) vary between fishes and marine mammals. However, it has not yet been understood why in marine mammals HUFAs are located only at the α position when two palmitic acid chains combine, and not in fishes. In order to gain further understanding of the biosynthetic pathways involved in the formation of these asymmetric TAGs, we investigated whether the HUFA in the TAG of marine mammals exists predominantly at the sn-1 or sn-3 position. We examined the TAG positional isomers and enantiomers in marine organisms in detail. As a result, while PDP and PEP were not detected, sn-PPD and sn-PPE were found in abundance in marine mammals. For fishes, on the other hand, PDP, PEP, sn-PPD, and sn-PPE were all identified. In the case of TAGs that contain two HUFAs and one palmitic acid, marine mammals were rich in DPD and EPE whereas fishes were rich in sn-PDD and sn-PEE.

Artificial Optical Radiation photobiological hazards in arc welding.

PubMed

Gourzoulidis, G A; Achtipis, A; Topalis, F V; Kazasidis, M E; Pantelis, D; Markoulis, A; Kappas, C; Bourousis, C A

2016-08-01

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) is associated with crucial social, economic, cultural and technical issues. A highly specialized OHS sector deals with the photobiological hazards from artificial optical radiation (AOR), which is divided into visible light, UV and IR emitted during various activities and which is legally covered by European Directive 2006/25/EC. Among the enormous amount of sources emitting AOR, the most important non-coherent ones to consider for health effects to the whole optical range, are arcs created during metal welding. This survey presents the effort to assess the complicated exposure limits of the Directive in the controlled environment of a welding laboratory. Sensors covering the UV and blue light range were set to measure typical welding procedures reproduced in the laboratory. Initial results, apart from apparently justifying the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) due to even subsecond overexposures measured, also set the basis to evaluate PPE's properties and support an integrated risk assessment of the complex welding environment. These results can also improve workers' and employer's information and training about radiation hazards, which is a crucial OHS demand. Copyright © 2016 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photopyroelectric spectroscopic studies of ZnO-MnO(2)-Co(3)O(4)-V(2)O(5) ceramics.

PubMed

Rizwan, Zahid; Zakaria, Azmi; Ghazali, Mohd Sabri Mohd

2011-01-01

Photopyroelectric (PPE) spectroscopy is a nondestructive tool that is used to study the optical properties of the ceramics (ZnO + 0.4MnO(2) + 0.4Co(3)O(4) + xV(2)O(5)), x = 0-1 mol%. Wavelength of incident light, modulated at 10 Hz, was in the range of 300-800 nm. PPE spectrum with reference to the doping level and sintering temperature is discussed. Optical energy band-gap (E(g)) was 2.11 eV for 0.3 mol% V(2)O(5) at a sintering temperature of 1025 °C as determined from the plot (ρhυ)(2)versushυ. With a further increase in V(2)O(5), the value of E(g) was found to be 2.59 eV. Steepness factor 'σ(A)' and 'σ(B)', which characterize the slope of exponential optical absorption, is discussed with reference to the variation of E(g). XRD, SEM and EDAX are also used for characterization of the ceramic. For this ceramic, the maximum relative density and grain size was observed to be 91.8% and 9.5 μm, respectively.

Photopyroelectric Spectroscopic Studies of ZnO-MnO2-Co3O4-V2O5 Ceramics

PubMed Central

Rizwan, Zahid; Zakaria, Azmi; Ghazali, Mohd Sabri Mohd

2011-01-01

Photopyroelectric (PPE) spectroscopy is a nondestructive tool that is used to study the optical properties of the ceramics (ZnO + 0.4MnO2 + 0.4Co3O4 + xV2O5), x = 0–1 mol%. Wavelength of incident light, modulated at 10 Hz, was in the range of 300–800 nm. PPE spectrum with reference to the doping level and sintering temperature is discussed. Optical energy band-gap (Eg) was 2.11 eV for 0.3 mol% V2O5 at a sintering temperature of 1025 °C as determined from the plot (ρhυ)2 versus hυ. With a further increase in V2O5, the value of Eg was found to be 2.59 eV. Steepness factor ‘σA’ and ‘σB’, which characterize the slope of exponential optical absorption, is discussed with reference to the variation of Eg. XRD, SEM and EDAX are also used for characterization of the ceramic. For this ceramic, the maximum relative density and grain size was observed to be 91.8% and 9.5 μm, respectively. PMID:21673911

Efficient design based on perturbed parameter ensembles to identify plausible and diverse variants of a model for climate change projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karmalkar, A.; Sexton, D.; Murphy, J.

2017-12-01

We present exploratory work towards developing an efficient strategy to select variants of a state-of-the-art but expensive climate model suitable for climate projection studies. The strategy combines information from a set of idealized perturbed parameter ensemble (PPE) and CMIP5 multi-model ensemble (MME) experiments, and uses two criteria as basis to select model variants for a PPE suitable for future projections: a) acceptable model performance at two different timescales, and b) maintaining diversity in model response to climate change. We demonstrate that there is a strong relationship between model errors at weather and climate timescales for a variety of key variables. This relationship is used to filter out parts of parameter space that do not give credible simulations of historical climate, while minimizing the impact on ranges in forcings and feedbacks that drive model responses to climate change. We use statistical emulation to explore the parameter space thoroughly, and demonstrate that about 90% can be filtered out without affecting diversity in global-scale climate change responses. This leads to identification of plausible parts of parameter space from which model variants can be selected for projection studies.

A Comparative Analysis of the Resources Required for Test and Evaluation on Army-Led Weapon System Programs, Based Upon Program Size and Acquisition Management Complexity

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Program Manager PMO Program Manager Office POM Program Objective Memorandum PPE Personal Protective Equipment PPT Production Prove...test • Technical feasibility test • Engineering development test • Production prove-out test ( PPT ) • Software qualification test 22 • Live fire...improvement BIDS (P3I) system is equipped with a detection suite to include high volume samplers, a fluorescent particle counter/sizer, a flow

Glove Testing for Performance Against Flying Glass Shards

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

superior dexterity to those with leather palms could still provide protection from flying shards of glass. 15. SUBJECT TERMS PPE...test glove was subject to significant scorching. It was decided that a woven Kevlar® fiber glove with a leather layer, covering both the palm and... leather -palmed gloves were considered too bulky for use by personnel with small hands, greatly decreasing dexterity. The wearer could not

Activation of p70S6 Kinase-1 in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Is Essential to Lung Tissue Repair.

PubMed

Takeda, Katsuyuki; Ning, Fangkun; Domenico, Joanne; Okamoto, Masakazu; Ashino, Shigeru; Kim, Sang-Ha; Jeong, Yi Yeong; Shiraishi, Yoshiki; Terada, Naohiro; Sutherland, Everett Rand; Gelfand, Erwin W

2018-05-05

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to promote lung tissue regeneration in animal models of emphysema. However, the reparative effects of the combination of the two and the role of p70S6 kinase-1 (p70S6k1) activation in the repair process have not been defined. Twenty-one days after intratracheal instillation of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE), MSC and/or 10 days of ATRA treatment was initiated. Thirty-two days later, static lung compliance (Cst), mean linear intercepts (MLIs), and alveolar surface area (S) were measured. After PPE, mice demonstrated increased values of Cst and MLI, and decreased S values. Both ATRA and MSC transfer were individually effective in improving these outcomes while the combination of ATRA and MSCs was even more effective. The combination of p70S6k1 -/- MSCs transfer followed by ATRA demonstrated only modest effects, and rapamycin treatment of recipients with wild-type (WT) MSCs and ATRA failed to show any effect. However, transfer of p70S6k1 over-expressing-MSCs together with ATRA resulted in further improvements over those seen following WT MSCs together with ATRA. ATRA activated p70S6k1 in MSCs in vitro, which was completely inhibited by rapamycin. Tracking of transferred MSCs following ATRA revealed enhanced accumulation and extended survival of MSCs in recipient lungs following PPE but not vehicle instillation. These data suggest that in MSCs, p70S6k1 activation plays a critical role in ATRA-enhanced lung tissue repair, mediated in part by prolonged survival of transferred MSCs. p70S6k1-activated MSCs may represent a novel therapeutic approach to reverse the lung damage seen in emphysema. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2018. © 2018 The Authors Stem Cells Translational Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AlphaMed Press.

Practicality of performing medical procedures in chemical protective ensembles.

PubMed

Garner, Alan; Laurence, Helen; Lee, Anna

2004-04-01

To determine whether certain life saving medical procedures can be successfully performed while wearing different levels of personal protective equipment (PPE), and whether these procedures can be performed in a clinically useful time frame. We assessed the capability of eight medical personnel to perform airway maintenance and antidote administration procedures on manikins, in all four described levels of PPE. The levels are: Level A--a fully encapsulated chemically resistant suit; Level B--a chemically resistant suit, gloves and boots with a full-faced positive pressure supplied air respirator; Level C--a chemically resistant splash suit, boots and gloves with an air-purifying positive or negative pressure respirator; Level D--a work uniform. Time in seconds to inflate the lungs of the manikin with bag-valve-mask, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) and endotracheal tube (ETT) were determined, as was the time to secure LMAs and ETTs with either tape or linen ties. Time to insert a cannula in a manikin was also determined. There was a significant difference in time taken to perform procedures in differing levels of personal protective equipment (F21,72 = 1.75, P = 0.04). Significant differences were found in: time to lung inflation using an endotracheal tube (A vs. C mean difference and standard error 75.6 +/- 23.9 s, P = 0.03; A vs. D mean difference and standard error 78.6 +/- 23.9 s, P = 0.03); time to insert a cannula (A vs. D mean difference and standard error 63.6 +/- 11.1 s, P < 0.001; C vs. D mean difference and standard error 40.0 +/- 11.1 s, P = 0.01). A significantly greater time to complete procedures was documented in Level A PPE (fully encapsulated suits) compared with Levels C and D. There was however, no significant difference in times between Level B and Level C. The common practice of equipping hospital and medical staff with only Level C protection should be re-evaluated.

Effects of Occupational Health and Safety on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors of Workers Employed in a Private Company in Turkey.

PubMed

Ulutasdemir, Nilgun; Kilic, Meryem; Zeki, Özge; Begendi, Fatma

2015-01-01

It has been suggested that inappropriate working conditions and unsafe environments at construction sites, longer working hours, and inadequate workplaces adversely affect the health behaviors of workers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices on healthy lifestyle behaviors of workers employed at a construction site of a private company in Gaziantep, Turkey. The sampling size of this descriptive study consisted of 400 employees working at the construction site between December 2014 and January 2015. In all, 341 employees still working or participating in the study during the period of this questionnaire study were included in the sampling. Data from the survey were derived from responses to questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, OHS applications, health state, and working conditions, as well as to the questions in on the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale (HLBS), under direct surveillance. Male workers with a mean age of 30.61 ± 8.68 years constituted the study population. Of the workers, 41.9% had a primary school education. The majority received professional and OHS training (65.7% and 79.2%, respectively). Although 83.9% reported using personal protective equipment (PPE), only 2.1% said they had experienced an occupational accident. Total mean score of HLBS scale was 116.91 ± 25.62 points. Workers who had positive thoughts about their jobs demonstrated healthy lifestyle behaviors (P = .0001). A positive direct correlation was detected between the training the workers received and the use of PPE (P = .0001). In all, 38.1% of the workers reported experiencing work stress at the time of the study. Mean HLBS scores of those experiencing work stress were lower than the scores for workers not experiencing stress (P < .05). Receiving OHS and professional training and using of PPE favorably affect healthy lifestyle behaviors. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

The Short-term Protective Effects of ‘Non-PPE’ Gloves Used by Greenhouse Workers

PubMed Central

Roff, Martin

2015-01-01

Task-based worker exposure assessments are used in regulatory product approval for pesticides. Some agricultural workers may be exposed to pesticide residues predominantly via transfer to the hands during plant tending or crop harvesting. They may use thin ‘splash-resistant single-use’ (SRSU) gloves or cotton gloves as good industry practice, for example, to protect a delicate crop from bruising, rather than specifically for chemical protection. These ‘non-personal protective equipment (PPE)’ gloves may or may not have been tested for chemical resistance, but can nevertheless give limited protection from chemicals. This paper reports experiments to assess the protection factors (PFs) of ‘non-PPE’ gloves against chemicals, to better inform the regulatory exposure assessments. One type of lightweight cotton and three types of 0.1 mm SRSU gloves 25cm long (latex, nitrile, and vinyl) that might be used as ‘non-PPE’ gloves and one type of 0.4 mm PPE nitrile gauntlet 33cm long were worn by 36 volunteers in greenhouses at four nurseries, handling plants sprayed with transferable but non-permeating strontium acetate in four consecutive 1-h sessions, including one session in which no gloves were worn. Dislodgeable foliar residues were measured by rinsing leaves in bags. Each subject carried out their task such as weeding or trimming, for their four sessions on their set of plants. Handwashes followed each session, and the washings were sampled and analysed for strontium. Unprotected hand contamination was taken to be the within-subject ‘challenge’ in the absence of gloves. It ranged from 166 to 4091 µg equivalent of strontium acetate on the hands and increased with increasing foliar residues. Geometric mean PFs were 60 (95% CI 38–87, n = 22) for PPE gauntlets, 32 (25–41, n = 65) for SRSU gloves and 5.3 (3.5–8, n = 21) for lightweight cotton. The PFs offered by the waterproof gloves (gauntlets and SRSU) increased with challenge, but for the

Comparative Genomics and Proteomic Analysis of Four Non-tuberculous Mycobacterium Species and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex: Occurrence of Shared Immunogenic Proteins

PubMed Central

Gcebe, Nomakorinte; Michel, Anita; Gey van Pittius, Nicolaas C.; Rutten, Victor

2016-01-01

The Esx and PE/PPE families of proteins are among the most immunodominant mycobacterial antigens and have thus been the focus of research to develop vaccines and immunological tests for diagnosis of bovine and human tuberculosis, mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively. In non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), multiple copies of genes encoding homologous proteins have mainly been identified in pathogenic Mycobacterium species phylogenically related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis. Only ancestral copies of these genes have been identified in nonpathogenic NTM species like Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium sp. KMS, Mycobacterium sp. MCS, and Mycobacterium sp. JLS. In this study we elucidated the genomes of four nonpathogenic NTM species, viz Mycobacterium komanii sp. nov., Mycobacterium malmesburii sp. nov., Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum, and Mycobacterium fortuitum ATCC 6841. These genomes were investigated for genes encoding for the Esx and PE/PPE (situated in the esx cluster) family of proteins as well as adjacent genes situated in the ESX-1 to ESX-5 regions. To identify proteins actually expressed, comparative proteomic analyses of purified protein derivatives from three of the NTM as well as Mycobacterium kansasii ATCC 12478 and the commercially available purified protein derivatives from Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium was performed. The genomic analysis revealed the occurrence in each of the four NTM, orthologs of the genes encoding for the Esx family, the PE and PPE family proteins in M. bovis and M. tuberculosis. The identification of genes of the ESX-1, ESX-3, and ESX-4 region including esxA, esxB, ppe68, pe5, and pe35 adds to earlier reports of these genes in nonpathogenic NTM like M. smegmatis, Mycobacterium sp. JLS and Mycobacterium KMS. This report is also the first to identify esxN gene situated within the ESX-5 locus in M. nonchromogenicum. Our proteomics analysis

Work Plan and Field Sampling Plan Site Investigations Fort Devens, Massachusetts

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-01

Plan PPE Personal Protective Equipment PPM Parts Per Million PRI Potomac Research , Inc. PSI Pounds Per Square Inch PVC Polyvinyl Chloride QAPjP Quality...Aquifers with Completely or Partially Penetrating Wells, Water Resources Research , 12: 423-428. Brackley, Richard A. and B. P. Hansen, 1977, Water...of a Finite Diameter Well to an Instantaneous Charge of Water, Water Resources Research , 3: 263-269. Directorate of Engineering and Housing (DEH

Personal Protective Equipment In Animal Research - Back To The Basics (A review paper)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-02

injury or impairment from physical contact .8 OSHA requires that many categories of PPE meet or be equivalent to standards developed by the American...for the design and construction of protective apparel are based on the anticipated location and degree of liquid contact during expected use. In...particular, critical zones of surgical and isolation gowns are identified as those where direct contact with blood, body fluids, and/or other potentially

An Analysis of U.S. Army Health Hazard Assessments During the Acquisition of Military Materiel

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-03

GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S...administrative controls and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (Milz, Conrad, & Soule , 2003). Engineering controls can eliminate hazards through...facilitate hazard free designs or conditions (Milz, Conrad, & Soule , 2003). Engineering control measures can serve to 7 minimize hazards where they

Treatment of complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion and pleural parapneumonic empyema.

PubMed

Rodríguez Suárez, Pedro; Freixinet Gilart, Jorge; Hernández Pérez, José María; Hussein Serhal, Mohamed; López Artalejo, Antonio

2012-07-01

We performed this observational prospective study to evaluate the results of the application of a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion (CPPE) and pleural parapneumonic empyema (PPE). From 2001 to 2007, 210 patients with CPPE and PPE were confirmed through thoracocentesis and treated with pleural drainage tubes (PD), fibrinolytic treatment or surgical intervention (videothoracoscopy and posterolateral thoracotomy). Patients were divided into 3 groups: I (PD); II (PD and fibrinolytic treatment); IIIa (surgery after PD and fibrinolysis), and IIIb (direct surgery). The statistical study was done by variance analysis (ANOVA), χ2 and Fisher exact test. The presence of alcohol or drug consumption, smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were strongly associated with a great necessity for surgical treatment. The IIIa group was associated with increased drainage time, length of stay and complications. No mortality was observed. The selective use of PD and intrapleural fibrinolysis makes surgery unnecessary in more than 75% of cases. The selective use of PD and fibrinolysis avoids surgery in more than 75% of cases. However, patients who require surgery have more complications, longer hospital stay, and more days on PD and they are more likely to require admittance to the Intensive Care Unit.

A centrifuge simulated push-pull manoeuvre with subsequent reduced +Gz tolerance.

PubMed

Xu, Yan; Li, Bao-Hui; Zhang, Li-Hui; Jin, Zhao; Wei, Xiao-Yang; Wang, Hong; Wu, San-Yuan; Wang, Hai-Xia; Wang, Quan; Yan, Gui-Ding; Deng, Lue; Geng, Xi-Chen

2012-07-01

The push-pull effect (PPE) has been recognized as a deleterious contributor to fatal flight accidents. The purpose of the study was to establish a push-pull manoeuvre (PPM) simulation with a tri-axes centrifuge, studying the effect of this PPM on the +Gz tolerance, and to make this simulation suitable for pilot centrifuge training. The PPM was realized through pre-programmed acceleration profiles consisting of -1 Gz for 5 s followed by a +Gz plateau for 10 s. Relaxed +Gz tolerance recordings were obtained from 20 healthy male fighter aircraft pilots and 6 healthy male volunteers through exposure to pre-programmed profiles with and without previous -1 Gz exposure. A statistically significant decrease in +Gz tolerance was seen in all subjects after -1 Gz for 5 s exposure, 0.87 ± 0.13 G in the volunteer group and 0.95 ± 0.25 G in the pilot group. The ear opacity pulse as a +Gz tolerance endpoint criterion was sometimes found to be unreliable during the PPM experiments. The simulated PPM in this study elicited a PPE, which was obvious from the significant reduction in +Gz tolerance. The PPM profile appears useful to be included in centrifuge training.

Ebola in the Netherlands, 2014-2015: costs of preparedness and response.

PubMed

Suijkerbuijk, Anita W M; Swaan, Corien M; Mangen, Marie-Josee J; Polder, Johan J; Timen, Aura; Ruijs, Wilhelmina L M

2017-11-17

The recent epidemic of Ebola virus disease (EVD) resulted in countries worldwide to prepare for the possibility of having an EVD patient. In this study, we estimate the costs of Ebola preparedness and response borne by the Dutch health system. An activity-based costing method was used, in which the cost of staff time spent in preparedness and response activities was calculated based on a time-recording system and interviews with key professionals at the healthcare organizations involved. In addition, the organizations provided cost information on patient days of hospitalization, laboratory tests, personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the additional cleaning and disinfection required. The estimated total costs averaged €12.6 million, ranging from €6.7 to €22.5 million. The main cost drivers were PPE expenditures and preparedness activities of personnel, especially those associated with ambulance services and hospitals. There were 13 possible cases clinically evaluated and one confirmed case admitted to hospital. The estimated total cost of EVD preparedness and response in the Netherlands was substantial. Future costs might be reduced and efficiency increased by designating one ambulance service for transportation and fewer hospitals for the assessment of possible patients with a highly infectious disease of high consequences.

Database for Safety-Oriented Tracking of Chemicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stump, Jacob; Carr, Sandra; Plumlee, Debrah; Slater, Andy; Samson, Thomas M.; Holowaty, Toby L.; Skeete, Darren; Haenz, Mary Alice; Hershman, Scot; Raviprakash, Pushpa

2010-01-01

SafetyChem is a computer program that maintains a relational database for tracking chemicals and associated hazards at Johnson Space Center (JSC) by use of a Web-based graphical user interface. The SafetyChem database is accessible to authorized users via a JSC intranet. All new chemicals pass through a safety office, where information on hazards, required personal protective equipment (PPE), fire-protection warnings, and target organ effects (TOEs) is extracted from material safety data sheets (MSDSs) and recorded in the database. The database facilitates real-time management of inventory with attention to such issues as stability, shelf life, reduction of waste through transfer of unused chemicals to laboratories that need them, quantification of chemical wastes, and identification of chemicals for which disposal is required. Upon searching the database for a chemical, the user receives information on physical properties of the chemical, hazard warnings, required PPE, a link to the MSDS, and references to the applicable International Standards Organization (ISO) 9000 standard work instructions and the applicable job hazard analysis. Also, to reduce the labor hours needed to comply with reporting requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the data can be directly exported into the JSC hazardous- materials database.

Control measures following a case of imported Lassa fever from Togo, North Rhine Westphalia, Germany, 2016.

PubMed

Lehmann, Clara; Kochanek, Matthias; Abdulla, Diana; Becker, Stephan; Böll, Boris; Bunte, Anne; Cadar, Daniel; Dormann, Arno; Eickmann, Markus; Emmerich, Petra; Feldt, Torsten; Frank, Christina; Fries, Jochen; Gabriel, Martin; Goetsch, Udo; Gottschalk, René; Günther, Stephan; Hallek, Michael; Häussinger, Dieter; Herzog, Christian; Jensen, Björn; Kolibay, Felix; Krakau, Michael; Langebartels, Georg; Rieger, Toni; Schaade, Lars; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Schömig, Edgar; Schüttfort, Gundolf; Shimabukuro-Vornhagen, Alexander; von Bergwelt-Baildon, Michael; Wieland, Ulrike; Wiesmüller, Gerhard; Wolf, Timo; Fätkenheuer, Gerd

2017-09-01

In a patient transferred from Togo to Cologne, Germany, Lassa fever was diagnosed 12 days post mortem. Sixty-two contacts in Cologne were categorised according to the level of exposure, and gradual infection control measures were applied. No clinical signs of Lassa virus infection or Lassa specific antibodies were observed in the 62 contacts. Thirty-three individuals had direct contact to blood, other body fluids or tissue of the patients. Notably, with standard precautions, no transmission occurred between the index patient and healthcare workers. However, one secondary infection occurred in an undertaker exposed to the corpse in Rhineland-Palatinate, who was treated on the isolation unit at the University Hospital of Frankfurt. After German authorities raised an alert regarding the imported Lassa fever case, an American healthcare worker who had cared for the index patient in Togo, and who presented with diarrhoea, vomiting and fever, was placed in isolation and medevacked to the United States. The event and the transmission of Lassa virus infection outside of Africa underlines the need for early diagnosis and use of adequate personal protection equipment (PPE), when highly contagious infections cannot be excluded. It also demonstrates that larger outbreaks can be prevented by infection control measures, including standard PPE.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Underground Coal Miners

PubMed Central

Liu, Li; Wang, Lie; Chen, Jie

2014-01-01

Although underground coal miners are quite susceptible to depressive symptoms due to a highly risky and stressful working environment, few studies have focused on this issue. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore its associated factors in this population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a coal-mining population in northeast China. A set of self-administered questionnaires was distributed to 2500 underground coal miners (1,936 effective respondents). Depressive symptoms, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), overcommitment (OC), perceived physical environment (PPE), work-family conflict (WFC), and some demographic and working characteristics were measured anonymously. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 62.8%, and the mean level was 20.00 (9.99). Hierarchical linear regression showed that marital status, education, monthly income, and weekly working time were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. A high level of depressive symptoms was significantly associated with high ERI, PPE, WFC, and OC. Accordingly, most Chinese underground coal miners probably have depressive symptoms that are mainly predicted by some occupational psychosocial factors. Efforts should be made to develop strategies to reduce ERI and OC, improve physical working environment, and care for workers' family well-being, thereby mitigating the risk of depression among Chinese underground coal miners. PMID:24707503

Prevalence and associated factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese underground coal miners.

PubMed

Liu, Li; Wang, Lie; Chen, Jie

2014-01-01

Although underground coal miners are quite susceptible to depressive symptoms due to a highly risky and stressful working environment, few studies have focused on this issue. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and to explore its associated factors in this population. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a coal-mining population in northeast China. A set of self-administered questionnaires was distributed to 2500 underground coal miners (1,936 effective respondents). Depressive symptoms, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), overcommitment (OC), perceived physical environment (PPE), work-family conflict (WFC), and some demographic and working characteristics were measured anonymously. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 62.8%, and the mean level was 20.00 (9.99). Hierarchical linear regression showed that marital status, education, monthly income, and weekly working time were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. A high level of depressive symptoms was significantly associated with high ERI, PPE, WFC, and OC. Accordingly, most Chinese underground coal miners probably have depressive symptoms that are mainly predicted by some occupational psychosocial factors. Efforts should be made to develop strategies to reduce ERI and OC, improve physical working environment, and care for workers' family well-being, thereby mitigating the risk of depression among Chinese underground coal miners.

Treatment of complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion and pleural parapneumonic empyema

PubMed Central

Suárez, Pedro Rodríguez; Gilart, Jorge Freixinet; Pérez, José María Hernández; Serhal, Mohamed Hussein; Artalejo, Antonio López

2012-01-01

Summary Background We performed this observational prospective study to evaluate the results of the application of a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for complicated parapneumonic pleural effusion (CPPE) and pleural parapneumonic empyema (PPE). Material/Methods From 2001 to 2007, 210 patients with CPPE and PPE were confirmed through thoracocentesis and treated with pleural drainage tubes (PD), fibrinolytic treatment or surgical intervention (videothoracoscopy and posterolateral thoracotomy). Patients were divided into 3 groups: I (PD); II (PD and fibrinolytic treatment); IIIa (surgery after PD and fibrinolysis), and IIIb (direct surgery). The statistical study was done by variance analysis (ANOVA), χ 2 and Fisher exact test. Results The presence of alcohol or drug consumption, smoking and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were strongly associated with a great necessity for surgical treatment. The IIIa group was associated with increased drainage time, length of stay and complications. No mortality was observed. The selective use of PD and intrapleural fibrinolysis makes surgery unnecessary in more than 75% of cases. Conclusions The selective use of PD and fibrinolysis avoids surgery in more than 75% of cases. However, patients who require surgery have more complications, longer hospital stay, and more days on PD and they are more likely to require admittance to the Intensive Care Unit. PMID:22739734

Fast determination of four polar contaminants in soy nutraceutical products by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Domingos Alves, Renata; Romero-González, Roberto; López-Ruiz, Rosalía; Jiménez-Medina, M L; Garrido Frenich, Antonia

2016-11-01

An analytical method based on a modified QuPPe (quick polar pesticide) extraction procedure coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was evaluated for the determination of four polar compounds (chlorate, fosetyl-Al, maleic hydrazide, and perchlorate) in nutraceutical products obtained from soy. Experimental conditions including extraction such as solvent, acidification, time, and clean-up sorbents were varied. Acidified acetonitrile (1 % formic acid, v/v) was used as extraction solvent instead of methanol (conventional QuPPe), which provides a doughy mixture which cannot be injected into the LC. Clean-up or derivatization steps were avoided. For analysis, several stationary phases were evaluated and Hypercarb (porous graphitic carbon) provided the best results. The optimized method was validated and recoveries ranged between 46 and 119 %, and correction factors can be used for quantification purposes bearing in mind that inter-day precision was equal to or lower than 17 %. Limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 4 to 100 μg kg -1 . Soy-based nutraceutical products were analyzed and chlorate was detected in five samples at concentrations between 63 and 1642 μg kg -1 . Graphical Abstract Analysis of polar compounds in soy-based nutraceutical products.

Heat stress management program improving worker health and operational effectiveness: a case study.

PubMed

Huss, Rosalyn G; Skelton, Scott B; Alvis, Kimberly L; Shane, Leigh A

2013-03-01

Heat stress monitoring is a vital component of an effective health and safety program when employees work in exceptionally warm environments. Workers at hazardous waste sites often wear personal protective equipment (PPE), which increases the body heat stress load. No specific Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations address heat stress; however, OSHA does provide several guidance documents to assist employers in addressing this serious workplace health hazard. This article describes a heat stress and surveillance plan implemented at a hazardous waste site as part of the overall health and safety program. The PPE requirement for work at this site, coupled with extreme environmental temperatures, made heat stress a significant concern. Occupational health nurses and industrial hygienists developed a monitoring program for heat stress designed to prevent the occurrence of significant heat-related illness in site workers. The program included worker education on the signs of heat-related illness and continuous physiologic monitoring to detect early signs of heat-related health problems. Biological monitoring data were collected before workers entered the exclusion zone and on exiting the zone following decontamination. Sixty-six site workers were monitored throughout site remediation. More than 1,700 biological monitoring data points were recorded. Outcomes included improved worker health and safety, and increased operational effectiveness. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Possible causes of data model discrepancy in the temperature history of the last Millennium.

PubMed

Neukom, Raphael; Schurer, Andrew P; Steiger, Nathan J; Hegerl, Gabriele C

2018-05-15

Model simulations and proxy-based reconstructions are the main tools for quantifying pre-instrumental climate variations. For some metrics such as Northern Hemisphere mean temperatures, there is remarkable agreement between models and reconstructions. For other diagnostics, such as the regional response to volcanic eruptions, or hemispheric temperature differences, substantial disagreements between data and models have been reported. Here, we assess the potential sources of these discrepancies by comparing 1000-year hemispheric temperature reconstructions based on real-world paleoclimate proxies with climate-model-based pseudoproxies. These pseudoproxy experiments (PPE) indicate that noise inherent in proxy records and the unequal spatial distribution of proxy data are the key factors in explaining the data-model differences. For example, lower inter-hemispheric correlations in reconstructions can be fully accounted for by these factors in the PPE. Noise and data sampling also partly explain the reduced amplitude of the response to external forcing in reconstructions compared to models. For other metrics, such as inter-hemispheric differences, some, although reduced, discrepancy remains. Our results suggest that improving proxy data quality and spatial coverage is the key factor to increase the quality of future climate reconstructions, while the total number of proxy records and reconstruction methodology play a smaller role.

Evaluating the Theoretic Adequacy and Applied Potential of Computational Models of the Spacing Effect.

PubMed

Walsh, Matthew M; Gluck, Kevin A; Gunzelmann, Glenn; Jastrzembski, Tiffany; Krusmark, Michael

2018-06-01

The spacing effect is among the most widely replicated empirical phenomena in the learning sciences, and its relevance to education and training is readily apparent. Yet successful applications of spacing effect research to education and training is rare. Computational modeling can provide the crucial link between a century of accumulated experimental data on the spacing effect and the emerging interest in using that research to enable adaptive instruction. In this paper, we review relevant literature and identify 10 criteria for rigorously evaluating computational models of the spacing effect. Five relate to evaluating the theoretic adequacy of a model, and five relate to evaluating its application potential. We use these criteria to evaluate a novel computational model of the spacing effect called the Predictive Performance Equation (PPE). Predictive Performance Equation combines elements of earlier models of learning and memory including the General Performance Equation, Adaptive Control of Thought-Rational, and the New Theory of Disuse, giving rise to a novel computational account of the spacing effect that performs favorably across the complete sets of theoretic and applied criteria. We implemented two other previously published computational models of the spacing effect and compare them to PPE using the theoretic and applied criteria as guides. Copyright © 2018 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Environmental and Risk Factors of Leptospirosis: A Spatial Analysis in Semarang City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur Fajriyah, Silviana; Udiyono, Ari; Saraswati, Lintang Dian

2017-02-01

Leptospirosis is zoonotic potentially epidemic with clinical manifestations from mild to severe and can cause death. The incidence of leptospirosis in Indonesia tends to increase by the year. The case fatality rate in Semarang was greater than the national’s (9.38%). The purpose of this study was to describe the environmental risk factors of leptospirosis in Semarang spatially. The study design was descriptive observational with cross sectional approach. The population and samples in this study were confirmed leptospirosis in Semarang from January 2014 until May 2015, 88 respondents in 61 villages of 15 sub-districts in Semarang. The variables were environmental conditions, the presence of rats, wastewater disposal, waste disposal facilities, the presence of pets, the presence of rivers, flood’s profile, tidal inundation profile, vegetation, contact with rats, and Protected Personal Equipment/PPE utilization. Based on the spatial analysis, variables that found in the big half area of Semarang are environmental conditions, the presence of rats, wastewater disposal, waste disposal facilities, contact with rats, and PPE utilization. The presence of pets at risk, the presence of rivers, flood’s profile, inundation profile, and vegetation were found only in small half of Semarang area. People are expected to maintain their personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the transmission.

Hospitals prepare plans, drill staff to ensure that potential Ebola patients are identified, isolated, and managed safely.

PubMed

2014-12-01

Hospitals around the country have stepped up their efforts to train staff and implement procedures to ensure the safe identification and management of any patients with signs of Ebola virus disease (EVD). Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, held an "Ebola preparedness exercise" to give staff an opportunity to walk through the hospital's protocol for handling a simulated patient with EVD. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Medical Center has held similar exercises, and is now holding twice-weekly meetings of its leadership team to make sure that all new developments in the Ebola outbreak are communicated. UCLA Medical Center has prepared PPE kits based on the practices developed at Emory University Hospital, which has thus far had the most experience in this country in caring for patients with EVD. The UCLA Health System has adjusted its medical record system so that a red flag is placed on the electronic medical record [EMR] of any patient who has recently traveled to a high-risk area. UAB Medical Center has incorporated what had been a paper-and-pencil screening tool for EVD into its electronic medical record. Training on PPE as well as EVD screening is being provided to first-responders and 911 call center dispatchers in the UAB system.

Measuring the effects of structural turnout suits on firefighter range of motion and comfort.

PubMed

Ciesielska-Wróbel, Izabela; DenHartog, Emiel; Barker, Roger

2017-07-01

Range of motion (ROM) can be restricted by wearing stiff and bulky clothing. This is particularly true of firefighter suits that are constructed using fabric layers to provide thermal protection from fire. This study developed an evaluation technique to quantify the loss of mobility associated with wearing firefighters' protective suits that were deliberately selected to represent similar ergonomic design features. The ROM of 10 firefighters was measured using electro-goniometers attached to their bodies while they wore uniforms and a reference outfit, and performed specific movements. The most restrictive uniform is the Bulky suit that contained additional layers of materials in sleeves and on the knees. The Traditional Suit was more ROM restrictive than Ergonomic. The subjective evaluation of suits supported the objective assessments provided by the electro-goniometers. A 3-D body scanning technique was employed to establish a correlation between the bulkiness of firefighter outfits and subject ROM. Practitioner Summary: This study presents a methodology for measurements of range of motion (ROM) in firefighters wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Even small differences in designs of PPE may impact firefighters' ROM, which can be detected by electro-goniometers providing measurements if they are attached along the joint to measure limb angular movement.

Eye dose to staff involved in interventional and procedural fluoroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McLean, D.; Hadaya, D.; Tse, J.

2016-03-01

In 2011 the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the occupational eye dose limit from 150 to 20 mSv/yr [1]. While international jurisdictions are in a process of adopting these substantial changes, medical physicists at the clinical level have been advising medical colleagues on specific situations based on dose measurements. Commissioned and calibrated TLDs mounted in commercially available holders designed to simulate the measurement of Hp(3), were applied to staff involved in x-ray procedures for a one month period. During this period clinical procedure data was concurrently collected and subject to audit. The use or not of eye personal protective equipment (PPE) was noted for all staff. Audits were conducted in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory, the interventional angiography rooms and the procedural room where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures are performed. Significant levels of occupational dose were recorded in the cardiac and interventional procedures, with maximum reading exceeding the new limit for some interventional radiologists. No significant eye doses were measured for staff performing ERCP procedures. One outcome of the studies was increased use of eye PPE for operators of interventional equipment with increased availability also to nursing staff, when standing in close proximity to the patient during procedures.

Demonstration/Validation of the TC-60 Controlled Detonation Chamber, Porton Down, UK: Final Demonstration Test Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

Joint At the exit of the expansion tank, a polymeric composition of ethylene-propylene- diene terpolymer ( EPDM ) rubber was used to mate the flange of...The final connection of the detonator was cumbersome for an operator wearing thick butyl rubber gloves. The detonator wire connection was made to a...operators were required to wear PPE, including rubber gloves. The decision was made to transfer the PLC components to outside the VCS. In Phase I, the

Test Methodologies for Personal Protective Equipment Against Anti-Personnel Mine Blast (Methodologies d’essais pour le materiel de protection prsonnel contre le souffle produit par les mines antipersonnel)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-03-01

probabilistic by design. Finally, as the fragments disperse, fragment density decreases, and the probability of a fragment strike drops rapidly. Given the...Any PPE subjected to such testing needs to be exposed repeatedly to several mines in order to obtain a sufficient number of strikes . This will allow...velocity of each fragment, and the location of fragment strikes cannot be controlled precisely. This means that the same test must be repeated a

Photoluminescence and solid state properties of rigid pi- conjugated polymers with applications to LED: Alkyl- substituted p-phenyleneethynylene polymers and triblock copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen-Yao

A series of substituted poly(p-phenyleneethynylene)s, PPE, were synthesized by alkyne metathesis. The substituents dibutyl (a), dioctyl (b), ditetradecyl (c), di-2-ethylhexyl (d) and di-2-cyclohexylethyl; (e)were placed on the 2,5 positions of the phenyl rings. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that the main chains of each polymer were arranged in regular, layered arrays. Liquid crystalline structures were observed by polarized optical microscopy in PPE 4b, 4c and 4d. The temperatures of isotropization of the liquid crystalline structures coincided with the disordering temperatures determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The UV absorption spectra showed a gradual blue shift of the λmax for all these polymers, suggesting a decrease in the electronic delocalization along the chain as the size and geometry of the side group changed. The photoluminescence spectra in dilute toluene solutions are consistent with vibronic coupling and emission from localized excited states. The emission spectra of thin films show characteristics typical of excimer or aggregate formation in the solid state. Lastly, an improved method of molecular weight determination by end group analysis was devised. Molecular organization and orientation in thin films (~100 nm) of a triblock copolymer, PPEPEG, was studied. The morphology of the thin film can be visualized as consisting of PMMA as the major phase in which domains of vertically oriented triblock copolymers are dispersed with PEG groups facing the air-film interface. The molecular and supramolecular structure of a series of well-defined fully conjugated poly(2,5- diakyl-p-phenyleneethynylene)s, PPE, in toluene has been studied in the sol state and in the gel state by surface tension and photoluminescence measurements. Poly (2,6[4- phenyl quinoline]), I, and poly (2,6[p-phenylene] 4- phenyl quinoline), II, were synthesized by the self- condensation of 5-acetyl-2-aminobezophenone and 4-amino- 4 '-acetyl-3-benzoyl biphenyl

Farmers' knowledge, practices and injuries associated with pesticide exposure in rural farming villages in Tanzania.

PubMed

Lekei, Elikana E; Ngowi, Aiwerasia V; London, Leslie

2014-04-23

Pesticides in Tanzania are extensively used for pest control in agriculture. Their usage and unsafe handling practices may potentially result in high farmer exposures and adverse health effects.The aim of this study was to describe farmers' pesticide exposure profile, knowledge about pesticide hazards, experience of previous poisoning, hazardous practices that may lead to Acute Pesticide Poisoning (APP) and the extent to which APP is reported. The study involved 121 head- of-household respondents from Arumeru district in Arusha region. Data collection involved administration of a standardised questionnaire to farmers and documentation of storage practices. Unsafe pesticide handling practices were assessed through observation of pesticide storage, conditions of personal protective equipment (PPE) and through self-reports of pesticide disposal and equipment calibration. Past lifetime pesticide poisoning was reported by 93% of farmers. The agents reported as responsible for poisoning were Organophosphates (42%) and WHO Class II agents (77.6%).Storage of pesticides in the home was reported by 79% of farmers. Respondents with higher education levels were significantly less likely to store pesticides in their home (PRR High/Low = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.1-0.7) and more likely to practice calibration of spray equipment (PRR High/Low = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.03-1.4). However, knowledge of routes of exposure was not associated with safety practices particularly for disposal, equipment wash area, storage and use of PPE . The majority of farmers experiencing APP in the past (79%) did not attend hospital and of the 23 farmers who did so in the preceding year, records could be traced for only 22% of these cases. The study found a high potential for pesticide exposure in the selected community in rural Tanzania, a high frequency of self-reported APP and poor recording in hospital records. Farmers' knowledge levels appeared to be unrelated to their risk. Rather than simply focusing on knowledge

Determinants of Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibition Among Agricultural Pesticide Handlers in Washington State: An Update

PubMed Central

Krenz, Jennifer E.; Hofmann, Jonathan N.; Smith, Theresa R.; Cunningham, Rad N.; Fenske, Richard A.; Simpson, Christopher D.; Keifer, Matthew

2015-01-01

Objectives: Organophosphate (OP) and N-methyl-carbamate (CB) insecticides are used widely in agriculture to manage insect pests of economic importance. Agricultural workers are more likely to suffer exposure because of the widespread use of OP/CBs in agriculture, and pesticide-related illnesses among handlers may be more severe when compared to other farm workers. The goal of this study was to identify occupational and personal characteristics associated with butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition in participants recruited from the Washington State Cholinesterase Monitoring Program from 2006 to 2011. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study among agricultural pesticide handlers in Washington State during the OP/CB spray season (March–July) over a 6-year period (2006–2011). Linear mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate BuChE inhibition in relation to self-reported occupational and personal characteristics. Results: Relative to pre-season baseline levels, the mean decrease in BuChE activity during the OP/CB spray season over all years of the study period was 3.77% (P < 0.001). Greater BuChE inhibition was observed among handlers who reported using multiple OP/CBs (β = −2.70, P = 0.045), mixed or loaded OP/CBs (β = −3.97, P = 0.002), did not store personal protective equipment (PPE) in a locker at work (β = −3.4, P = 0.014), or did not wear chemical-resistant boots (β = −16.6, P < 0.001). Discussion and Conclusions: The Washington State Cholinesterase Monitoring Program has provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate potential sources of OP/CB exposure among agricultural pesticide handlers. Several previously reported associations were confirmed in the current analysis, which included a larger number of pesticide handlers enrolled over a longer time period. The use of multiple OP/CBs and mixing/loading activities were significant risk factors, and the use of chemical-resistant boots and lockers for PPE storage were protective factors

Determinants of butyrylcholinesterase inhibition among agricultural pesticide handlers in Washington State: an update.

PubMed

Krenz, Jennifer E; Hofmann, Jonathan N; Smith, Theresa R; Cunningham, Rad N; Fenske, Richard A; Simpson, Christopher D; Keifer, Matthew

2015-01-01

Organophosphate (OP) and N-methyl-carbamate (CB) insecticides are used widely in agriculture to manage insect pests of economic importance. Agricultural workers are more likely to suffer exposure because of the widespread use of OP/CBs in agriculture, and pesticide-related illnesses among handlers may be more severe when compared to other farm workers. The goal of this study was to identify occupational and personal characteristics associated with butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition in participants recruited from the Washington State Cholinesterase Monitoring Program from 2006 to 2011. We conducted a longitudinal study among agricultural pesticide handlers in Washington State during the OP/CB spray season (March-July) over a 6-year period (2006-2011). Linear mixed effects regression models were used to evaluate BuChE inhibition in relation to self-reported occupational and personal characteristics. Relative to pre-season baseline levels, the mean decrease in BuChE activity during the OP/CB spray season over all years of the study period was 3.77% (P < 0.001). Greater BuChE inhibition was observed among handlers who reported using multiple OP/CBs (β = -2.70, P = 0.045), mixed or loaded OP/CBs (β = -3.97, P = 0.002), did not store personal protective equipment (PPE) in a locker at work (β = -3.4, P = 0.014), or did not wear chemical-resistant boots (β = -16.6, P < 0.001). The Washington State Cholinesterase Monitoring Program has provided a valuable opportunity to evaluate potential sources of OP/CB exposure among agricultural pesticide handlers. Several previously reported associations were confirmed in the current analysis, which included a larger number of pesticide handlers enrolled over a longer time period. The use of multiple OP/CBs and mixing/loading activities were significant risk factors, and the use of chemical-resistant boots and lockers for PPE storage were protective factors. Our findings point toward logical interventions to reduce exposure

On interfacial properties of tetrahydrofuran: Atomistic and coarse-grained models from molecular dynamics simulation

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

Garrido, J. M.; Algaba, J.; Blas, F. J., E-mail: felipe@uhu.es

2016-04-14

We have determined the interfacial properties of tetrahydrofuran (THF) from direct simulation of the vapor-liquid interface. The molecules are modeled using six different molecular models, three of them based on the united-atom approach and the other three based on a coarse-grained (CG) approach. In the first case, THF is modeled using the transferable parameters potential functions approach proposed by Chandrasekhar and Jorgensen [J. Chem. Phys. 77, 5073 (1982)] and a new parametrization of the TraPPE force fields for cyclic alkanes and ethers [S. J. Keasler et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 115, 11234 (2012)]. In both cases, dispersive and coulombicmore » intermolecular interactions are explicitly taken into account. In the second case, THF is modeled as a single sphere, a diatomic molecule, and a ring formed from three Mie monomers according to the SAFT-γ Mie top-down approach [V. Papaioannou et al., J. Chem. Phys. 140, 054107 (2014)]. Simulations were performed in the molecular dynamics canonical ensemble and the vapor-liquid surface tension is evaluated from the normal and tangential components of the pressure tensor along the simulation box. In addition to the surface tension, we have also obtained density profiles, coexistence densities, critical temperature, density, and pressure, and interfacial thickness as functions of temperature, paying special attention to the comparison between the estimations obtained from different models and literature experimental data. The simulation results obtained from the three CG models as described by the SAFT-γ Mie approach are able to predict accurately the vapor-liquid phase envelope of THF, in excellent agreement with estimations obtained from TraPPE model and experimental data in the whole range of coexistence. However, Chandrasekhar and Jorgensen model presents significant deviations from experimental results. We also compare the predictions for surface tension as obtained from simulation results for all the models with

Farmers' knowledge, practices and injuries associated with pesticide exposure in rural farming villages in Tanzania

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pesticides in Tanzania are extensively used for pest control in agriculture. Their usage and unsafe handling practices may potentially result in high farmer exposures and adverse health effects. The aim of this study was to describe farmers’ pesticide exposure profile, knowledge about pesticide hazards, experience of previous poisoning, hazardous practices that may lead to Acute Pesticide Poisoning (APP) and the extent to which APP is reported. Methods The study involved 121 head- of-household respondents from Arumeru district in Arusha region. Data collection involved administration of a standardised questionnaire to farmers and documentation of storage practices. Unsafe pesticide handling practices were assessed through observation of pesticide storage, conditions of personal protective equipment (PPE) and through self-reports of pesticide disposal and equipment calibration. Results Past lifetime pesticide poisoning was reported by 93% of farmers. The agents reported as responsible for poisoning were Organophosphates (42%) and WHO Class II agents (77.6%). Storage of pesticides in the home was reported by 79% of farmers. Respondents with higher education levels were significantly less likely to store pesticides in their home (PRR High/Low = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.1-0.7) and more likely to practice calibration of spray equipment (PRR High/Low = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.03-1.4). However, knowledge of routes of exposure was not associated with safety practices particularly for disposal, equipment wash area, storage and use of PPE . The majority of farmers experiencing APP in the past (79%) did not attend hospital and of the 23 farmers who did so in the preceding year, records could be traced for only 22% of these cases. Conclusions The study found a high potential for pesticide exposure in the selected community in rural Tanzania, a high frequency of self-reported APP and poor recording in hospital records. Farmers’ knowledge levels appeared to be unrelated to their

Contamination of firefighter personal protective equipment and skin and the effectiveness of decontamination procedures.

PubMed

Fent, Kenneth W; Alexander, Barbara; Roberts, Jennifer; Robertson, Shirley; Toennis, Christine; Sammons, Deborah; Bertke, Stephen; Kerber, Steve; Smith, Denise; Horn, Gavin

2017-10-01

Firefighters' skin may be exposed to chemicals via permeation/penetration of combustion byproducts through or around personal protective equipment (PPE) or from the cross-transfer of contaminants on PPE to the skin. Additionally, volatile contaminants can evaporate from PPE following a response and be inhaled by firefighters. Using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as respective markers for non-volatile and volatile substances, we investigated the contamination of firefighters' turnout gear and skin following controlled residential fire responses. Participants were grouped into three crews of twelve firefighters. Each crew was deployed to a fire scenario (one per day, four total) and then paired up to complete six fireground job assignments. Wipe sampling of the exterior of the turnout gear was conducted pre- and post-fire. Wipe samples were also collected from a subset of the gear after field decontamination. VOCs off-gassing from gear were also measured pre-fire, post-fire, and post-decon. Wipe sampling of the firefighters' hands and neck was conducted pre- and post-fire. Additional wipes were collected after cleaning neck skin. PAH levels on turnout gear increased after each response and were greatest for gear worn by firefighters assigned to fire attack and to search and rescue activities. Field decontamination using dish soap, water, and scrubbing was able to reduce PAH contamination on turnout jackets by a median of 85%. Off-gassing VOC levels increased post-fire and then decreased 17-36 min later regardless of whether field decontamination was performed. Median post-fire PAH levels on the neck were near or below the limit of detection (< 24 micrograms per square meter [µg/m 2 ]) for all positions. For firefighters assigned to attack, search, and outside ventilation, the 75 th percentile values on the neck were 152, 71.7, and 39.3 µg/m 2 , respectively. Firefighters assigned to attack and search had higher post

Synthetic Cannabinoid and Mitragynine Exposure of Law Enforcement Agents During the Raid of an Illegal Laboratory - Nevada, 2014.

PubMed

Tapp, Loren; Ramsey, Jessica G; Wen, Anita; Gerona, Roy

2017-12-01

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), commonly known by the street name "Spice," are designer drugs of abuse that mimic the psychoactive effects of marijuana. Intentional SC use has resulted in multiple toxicities (1,2), but little is known about occupational SC exposure. After a federal agency's law enforcement personnel in Nevada reported irritability and feeling "high" after raiding illegal SC laboratories and processing seized SCs, a request for a health hazard evaluation was made by the agency to CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 2014 to evaluate agents' occupational SC exposures. After making the request for a health hazard evaluation, federal agents conducted a raid of an illegal SC laboratory, with assistance from local law enforcement and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) personnel and with NIOSH investigators observing from a distance. After the raid, agents collected and processed material evidence. NIOSH investigators tested agents' urine for SC levels before and after the raid and measured SCs in the air and on surfaces after the raid. DEA determined that AB-PINACA (an SC compound) and mitragynine (a plant material with opium-like effects, also known as "kratom") were present in the illegal laboratory. AB-PINACA, its metabolites, and mitragynine were not detected in agents' urine before the raid; however, one or more of these substances was found in the urine of six of nine agents after the raid and processing of the SC evidence. AB-PINACA was detected in one surface wipe sample from the SC laboratory; none was detected in the air in the laboratory or in the offices of the law enforcement agency where the materials were processed after the raid. No policies were in place regarding work practices and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during raids and evidence processing. To protect agents from SC exposures, NIOSH recommended that the agency require agents to wear a minimum level of PPE (e.g., protective gloves

New Safety Policy Reduces Injuries by One-Fourth | Poster

Cancer.gov

By Terri Bray, Dave Heimbrook, Craig Reynolds, and Robert Wiltrout, Guest Writers Whether in a research laboratory or an operations environment, past performance is frequently reviewed to plan for future improvements. Such was the case last year when management recognized the need to change the policy on the minimum set of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn in the laboratories to reduce both the number and consequence of injuries at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR).

Social Security: More Must Be Done to Credit Earnings to Individuals’ Accounts.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

recorded by SSA.. In at 1985 study to examine the usefulness of data ifRs furnished (indicating that ss:% mnay not have received certl am employers...8217 ’, ’.’ ," "." ".- . " " . , ",- " - " ’" -’" - ’ - ." . - .’ , .’ ,’- ’- , - ,’ ’- ’. . - " ’.N-’ \\ ppe ndix IV MS Response to GAO Inquiry of June 11, 1986 COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE Washrigton DC 20224 NOV? 5 9 Mr

Helicopter Visual Segment Approach Lighting System (HALS) Test Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

this Pegl 23. Ne. a# Palo$ 22. Ptuco Unclassified Unclassified 316 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-721 Reproduction of e9Isted Ppe authorized TABLE OF CONTENTS...Subject Pilot Range Rate/Vertical Position Plots lii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page I Basic Heliport IFR Lighting System 4 2 Heliport Approach...Instrument Flight Rules ( IFR ) Heliport Lighting System and a centerline HALS. The Basic IFR Approach Light System is presented in figure 1. It consists of

Multi-Core Programming Design Patterns: Stream Processing Algorithms for Dynamic Scene Perceptions

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

processor developed by IBM and other companies , incorpo- rates the verb—POWER5— processor as the Power Processor Element (PPE), one of the early general...deliver an power efficient single-precision peak performance of more than 256 GFlops. Substantially more raw power became available later, when nVIDIA ...algorithms, including IBM’s Cell/B.E., GPUs from NVidia and AMD and many-core CPUs from Intel.27 The vast growth of digital video content has been a

Sugar-Coated PPE's, Novel Nanomaterial's and Sensing Modules for Disease and Bioterrorism Related Threats

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

Bunz, Uwe

2003-11-21

The detection and sensing of biological warfare agents (ricin, anthrax toxin), of disease agents (cholera, botulinum, and tetnus toxins, influenza virus, etc.) and of biologically active species important for national security and disease control.

Comparing posteroanterior with lateral and anteroposterior chest radiography in the initial detection of parapneumonic effusions.

PubMed

Moffett, Bryan K; Panchabhai, Tanmay S; Nakamatsu, Raul; Arnold, Forest W; Peyrani, Paula; Wiemken, Timothy; Guardiola, Juan; Ramirez, Julio A

2016-12-01

It is unclear whether anteroposterior (AP) or posteroanterior with lateral (PA/Lat) chest radiographs are superior in the early detection of clinically relevant parapneumonic effusions (CR-PPEs). The objective of this study was to identify which technique is preferred for detection of PPEs using chest computed tomography (CCT) as a reference standard. A secondary analysis of a pneumonia database was conducted to identify patients who received a CCT within 24 hours of presentation and also received AP or PA/Lat chest radiographs within 24 hours of CCT. Sensitivity and specificity were then calculated by comparing the radiographic diagnosis of PPEs of both types of radiographs compared with CCT by using the existing attending radiologist interpretation. Clinical relevance of effusions was determined by CCT effusion measurement of >2.5 cm or presence of loculation. There was a statistically significant difference between the sensitivity of AP (67.3%) and PA/Lat (83.9%) chest radiography for the initial detection of CR-PPE. Of 16 CR-PPEs initially missed by AP radiography, 7 either required drainage initially or developed empyema within 30 days, whereas no complicated PPE or empyema was found in those missed by PA/Lat radiography. PA/Lat chest radiography should be the initial imaging of choice in pneumonia patients for detection of PPEs because it appears to be statistically superior to AP chest radiography. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Electrocortical Analysis of Patients with Intercostobrachial Pain Treated with TENS after Breast Cancer Surgery

PubMed Central

Silva, Julio Guilherme; Santana, Camila Gonçalves; Inocêncio, Kelly Rosane; Orsini, Marco; Machado, Sergio; Bergmann, Anke

2014-01-01

[Purpose] Among the physical therapeutic procedures to decrease pain, there is transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS). There is no consensus about its efficacy for oncological patients, especially for post-mastectomy pain and eletrocortical changes in somatosensory areas. The aim of this study was to analyze acute electrocortical changes after TENS treatment of patients with intercostobrachial post mastectomy pain. [Subjects] Eighteen patients were divided into acupuncture (A) and burst (B) group. [Methods] In this pre and post-intervention study each group was measured for EEG analysis in absulte power in alpha band (8–14 Hz). Outcomes variables were the alpha waveband in the sensorymotor cortex and pain pre-and-post TENS intervention. Data were analyzed using ANOVA to compare times (rest, 10 and 15 min), group and electrodes. Pain was analyzed using percentual pain evaluation (PPE) in both groups. [Results] Outcomes indicate main effects of time and electrodes because of slow (8–10 Hz) and fast alpha (10–12 Hz) wavebands decreased. PPE reduced 88.4% in A and 66.3% in G. [Conclusion] TENS promoted electrical modification in the parietal region and a decrease in pain. Future studies should investigate other wave must be proposed for other bands and use different methods of EEG analysis to elucidate the actual mechanisms behind the efficacy of TENS treatment. PMID:24707082

Electrocortical Analysis of Patients with Intercostobrachial Pain Treated with TENS after Breast Cancer Surgery.

PubMed

Silva, Julio Guilherme; Santana, Camila Gonçalves; Inocêncio, Kelly Rosane; Orsini, Marco; Machado, Sergio; Bergmann, Anke

2014-03-01

[Purpose] Among the physical therapeutic procedures to decrease pain, there is transcutaneous electrical neural stimulation (TENS). There is no consensus about its efficacy for oncological patients, especially for post-mastectomy pain and eletrocortical changes in somatosensory areas. The aim of this study was to analyze acute electrocortical changes after TENS treatment of patients with intercostobrachial post mastectomy pain. [Subjects] Eighteen patients were divided into acupuncture (A) and burst (B) group. [Methods] In this pre and post-intervention study each group was measured for EEG analysis in absulte power in alpha band (8-14 Hz). Outcomes variables were the alpha waveband in the sensorymotor cortex and pain pre-and-post TENS intervention. Data were analyzed using ANOVA to compare times (rest, 10 and 15 min), group and electrodes. Pain was analyzed using percentual pain evaluation (PPE) in both groups. [Results] Outcomes indicate main effects of time and electrodes because of slow (8-10 Hz) and fast alpha (10-12 Hz) wavebands decreased. PPE reduced 88.4% in A and 66.3% in G. [Conclusion] TENS promoted electrical modification in the parietal region and a decrease in pain. Future studies should investigate other wave must be proposed for other bands and use different methods of EEG analysis to elucidate the actual mechanisms behind the efficacy of TENS treatment.

Photosynthetic Picoeukaryotes in the Land-Fast Ice of the White Sea, Russia.

PubMed

Belevich, T A; Ilyash, L V; Milyutina, I A; Logacheva, M D; Goryunov, D V; Troitsky, A V

2018-04-01

The White Sea is a unique marine environment combining features of temperate and Arctic seas. The composition and abundance of photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPEs) were investigated in the land-fast ice of the White Sea, Russia, in March 2013 and 2014. High-throughput tag sequencing (Illumina MiSeq system) of the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene was used to reveal the diversity of PPE ice community. The integrated PPE abundance varied from 11 × 10 6 cells/m 2 to 364 × 10 6 cells/m 2 ; the integrated biomass ranged from 0.02 to 0.26 mg С/m 2 . The composition of sea-ice PPEs was represented by 16 algae genera belonging to eight classes and three super-groups. Chlorophyta, especially Mamiellophyceae, dominated among ice PPEs. The detailed analysis revealed the latent diversity of Micromonas and Mantоniella. Micromonas clade E2 revealed in the subarctic White Sea ice indicates that the area of distribution of this species is wider than previously thought. We suppose there exists a new Micromonas clade F. Micromonas clade C and Minutocellulus polymorphus were first discovered in the ice and extend the modern concept of sympagic communities' diversity generally and highlights the importance of further targeting subarctic sea ice for microbial study.

A Unique Mutation in a MYB Gene Cosegregates with the Nectarine Phenotype in Peach

PubMed Central

Dondini, Luca; Pacheco, Igor; Dettori, Maria Teresa; Gazza, Laura; Scalabrin, Simone; Strozzi, Francesco; Tartarini, Stefano; Bassi, Daniele; Verde, Ignazio; Rossini, Laura

2014-01-01

Nectarines play a key role in peach industry; the fuzzless skin has implications for consumer acceptance. The peach/nectarine (G/g) trait was described as monogenic and previously mapped on chromosome 5. Here, the position of the G locus was delimited within a 1.1 cM interval (635 kb) based on linkage analysis of an F2 progeny from the cross ‘Contender’ (C, peach) x ‘Ambra’ (A, nectarine). Careful inspection of the genes annotated in the corresponding genomic sequence (Peach v1.0), coupled with variant discovery, led to the identification of MYB gene PpeMYB25 as a candidate for trichome formation on fruit skin. Analysis of genomic re-sequencing data from five peach/nectarine accessions pointed to the insertion of a LTR retroelement in exon 3 of the PpeMYB25 gene as the cause of the recessive glabrous phenotype. A functional marker (indelG) developed on the LTR insertion cosegregated with the trait in the CxA F2 progeny and was validated on a broad panel of genotypes, including all known putative donors of the nectarine trait. This marker was shown to efficiently discriminate between peach and nectarine plants, indicating that a unique mutational event gave rise to the nectarine trait and providing a useful diagnostic tool for early seedling selection in peach breeding programs. PMID:24595269

Acute Chemical Incidents With Injured First Responders, 2002-2012.

PubMed

Melnikova, Natalia; Wu, Jennifer; Yang, Alice; Orr, Maureen

2018-04-01

IntroductionFirst responders, including firefighters, police officers, emergency medical services, and company emergency response team members, have dangerous jobs that can bring them in contact with hazardous chemicals among other dangers. Limited information is available on responder injuries that occur during hazardous chemical incidents. We analyzed 2002-2012 data on acute chemical incidents with injured responders from 2 Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry chemical incident surveillance programs. To learn more about such injuries, we performed descriptive analysis and looked for trends. The percentage of responders among all injured people in chemical incidents has not changed over the years. Firefighters were the most frequently injured group of responders, followed by police officers. Respiratory system problems were the most often reported injury, and the respiratory irritants, ammonia, methamphetamine-related chemicals, and carbon monoxide were the chemicals more often associated with injuries. Most of the incidents with responder injuries were caused by human error or equipment failure. Firefighters wore personal protective equipment (PPE) most frequently and police officers did so rarely. Police officers' injuries were mostly associated with exposure to ammonia and methamphetamine-related chemicals. Most responders did not receive basic awareness-level hazardous material training. All responders should have at least basic awareness-level hazardous material training to recognize and avoid exposure. Research on improving firefighter PPE should continue. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:211-221).

Chromium Exposure and Hygienic Behaviors in Printing Workers in Southern Thailand

PubMed Central

Decharat, Somsiri

2015-01-01

Objectives. The main objective of this study was to assess the chromium exposure levels in printing workers. The study evaluated the airborne, serum, and urinary chromium levels and determines any correlation between level of chromium in specimen and airborne chromium levels. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 75 exposed and 75 matched nonexposed subjects. Air breathing zone was measured by furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Serum and urine samples were collected to determine chromium levels by graphite furnaces atomic absorption spectrometer chromium analyzer. Results and Discussion. The printing workers' urinary chromium levels (6.86 ± 1.93 μg/g creatinine) and serum chromium levels (1.24 ± 1.13 μg/L) were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). Work position, duration of work, personal protective equipment (PPE), and personal hygiene were significantly associated with urinary chromium level and serum chromium levels (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). This study found a correlation between airborne chromium levels and urinary chromium levels (r = 0.247, p = 0.032). A multiple regression model was constructed. Significant predictors of urinary and serum chromium levels were shown in this study. Conclusion. Improvements in working conditions, occupational health training, and PPE use are recommended to reduce chromium exposure. PMID:26448746

Phagotrophy by the picoeukaryotic green alga Micromonas: implications for Arctic Oceans.

PubMed

McKie-Krisberg, Zaid M; Sanders, Robert W

2014-10-01

Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPE) are recognized as major primary producers and contributors to phytoplankton biomass in oceanic and coastal environments. Molecular surveys indicate a large phylogenetic diversity in the picoeukaryotes, with members of the Prymnesiophyceae and Chrysophyseae tending to be more common in open ocean waters and Prasinophyceae dominating coastal and Arctic waters. In addition to their role as primary producers, PPE have been identified in several studies as mixotrophic and major predators of prokaryotes. Mixotrophy, the combination of photosynthesis and phagotrophy in a single organism, is well established for most photosynthetic lineages. However, green algae, including prasinophytes, were widely considered as a purely photosynthetic group. The prasinophyte Micromonas is perhaps the most common picoeukaryote in coastal and Arctic waters and is one of the relatively few cultured representatives of the picoeukaryotes available for physiological investigations. In this study, we demonstrate phagotrophy by a strain of Micromonas (CCMP2099) isolated from Arctic waters and show that environmental factors (light and nutrient concentration) affect ingestion rates in this mixotroph. In addition, we show size-selective feeding with a preference for smaller particles, and determine P vs I (photosynthesis vs irradiance) responses in different nutrient conditions. If other strains have mixotrophic abilities similar to Micromonas CCMP2099, the widespread distribution and frequently high abundances of Micromonas suggest that these green algae may have significant impact on prokaryote populations in several oceanic regimes.

Predicting hydration Gibbs energies of alkyl-aromatics using molecular simulation: a comparison of current force fields and the development of a new parameter set for accurate solvation data.

PubMed

Garrido, Nuno M; Jorge, Miguel; Queimada, António J; Gomes, José R B; Economou, Ioannis G; Macedo, Eugénia A

2011-10-14

The Gibbs energy of hydration is an important quantity to understand the molecular behavior in aqueous systems at constant temperature and pressure. In this work we review the performance of some popular force fields, namely TraPPE, OPLS-AA and Gromos, in reproducing the experimental Gibbs energies of hydration of several alkyl-aromatic compounds--benzene, mono-, di- and tri-substituted alkylbenzenes--using molecular simulation techniques. In the second part of the paper, we report a new model that is able to improve such hydration energy predictions, based on Lennard Jones parameters from the recent TraPPE-EH force field and atomic partial charges obtained from natural population analysis of density functional theory calculations. We apply a scaling factor determined by fitting the experimental hydration energy of only two solutes, and then present a simple rule to generate atomic partial charges for different substituted alkyl-aromatics. This rule has the added advantages of eliminating the unnecessary assumption of fixed charge on every substituted carbon atom and providing a simple guideline for extrapolating the charge assignment to any multi-substituted alkyl-aromatic molecule. The point charges derived here yield excellent predictions of experimental Gibbs energies of hydration, with an overall absolute average deviation of less than 0.6 kJ mol(-1). This new parameter set can also give good predictive performance for other thermodynamic properties and liquid structural information.

GHS additivity formula: A true replacement method for acute systemic toxicity testing of agrochemical formulations.

PubMed

Corvaro, M; Gehen, S; Andrews, K; Chatfield, R; Arasti, C; Mehta, J

2016-12-01

Acute systemic (oral, dermal, inhalation) toxicity testing of agrochemical formulations (end-use products) is mainly needed for Classification and Labelling (C&L) and definition of personal protection equipment (PPE). A retrospective analysis of 225 formulations with available in vivo data showed that: A) LD 50 /LC 50 values were above limit doses in <20.2% via oral route but only in <1% and <2.4% of cases via dermal and inhalation route, respectively; B) for each formulation the acute oral toxicity is always equal or greater than the Acute Toxicity Estimate (ATE) via the other two routes; C) the GHS (Global Harmonised System) computational method based on ATE, currently of limited acceptance, has very high accuracy and specificity for prediction of agrochemical mixture toxicity according to the internationally established classification thresholds. By integrating this evidence, an exposure- and data-based waiving strategy is proposed to determine classification and adequate PPE and to ensure only triggered animal testing is used. Safety characterisation above 2000 mg/kg body weight or 1.0 mg/L air should not be recommended, based on the agrochemical exposure scenarios. The global implementation of these tools would allow a remarkable reduction (up to 95%) in in vivo testing, often inducing lethality and/or severe toxicity, for agrochemical formulations. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Recoveries raw data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Dataset shows the calculation of reported decontamination efficacies from the raw data (i.e., measured amount of chemical recovered from test coupons and positive controls) to actual decontamination efficacy for all chemicals and decontaminantsThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Oudejans , L., J. O'Kelly, A. Evans, B. Barbara Wyrzykowska-Ceradini, A. Toauati, D. Tabor , and E. Snyder. Efficacy of decontaminant solutions for remediation on TICs on PPE materials. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 1-5, (2016).

Development and Adaptation of A Control System for Optimization of Single and Multiple Operation Machining

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-06-01

015C 0151 015*: 0152 0154 0155 015* 0157 015C 015S OUC 2010 2011 2012 2006 2^li «14 2ol5 2016 2017 C c c lul3 2018 2019 20*1...AHN: AMXPE-MT Rock Island Arsenal Rock Island, IL 61201 2 Director USAMC Intern Training Center AHN: AMXMC-ITC-PPE Red River Army Depot Texarkana ...River Army Depot ATTN: AMXRR-KM Texarkana , TX 75501 1 Commander Sacramento Army Depot ATTN: AMXSA-MME-LB Sacramento, CA 95813 1 Commander

Farmers Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices and Health Problems Associated with Pesticide Use in Rural Irrigation Villages, Southwest Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Gesesew, Hailay Abrha; Woldemichael, Kifle; Massa, Desalegn; Mwanri, Lillian

2016-01-01

Background In Ethiopia, pesticides are widely used for a variety of purposes. The occurrence of contamination and poisoning for farmers is highly reported due to unsafe handling practices and their usage. We assessed knowledge, attitudes and experiences of previous pesticide exposure, and related health problems among farmers who use irrigation in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. Methods A community based cross-sectional study was conducted among farmers living in the zone. Respondents were 796 irrigation farmers from 20 kebeles (lowest administration unit) in Jimma Zone. Data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire via face-to-face interviews. Both descriptive and inferential statistics analysis were performed. A binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with attitudes of farmers towards the safe use of pesticides at P value of ≤ 0.05 in the final model. Results Among the participants, 54.4% (95%CI, 50.7–58%) knew at least one pesticide control method and 53.7% had positive attitudes towards safe use of pesticide. The mean score of attitudes was found to be 3.9(±0.4). Knowledge including each of the following: the names of the pesticides (AOR, 0.41; 95%CI, 0.25–0.67), methods of pest control and the use of gloves during pesticide exposure (AOR, 1.52; 95%CI, 1.07–2.16) was found to be independent predictor of the farmers’ attitudes about safe use of pesticides. Past exposure of pesticide was reported by 89.6% of farmers. Participants reported ingestion (88.9%) and inhalation (90.4%) as possible mechanisms of pesticide exposure. Nearly 42% of farmers had never used any personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves against pesticide exposure. Farmers reported several health complications, which were perceived as complications of pesticide exposure, including: headache, nausea and vomiting, skin rash and irritation and abdominal pain. Conclusions The study exposed the existence of high probability of