5,008 research outputs found
Toxicity of Metals Released from Implanted Medical Devices
No full textImplanted metallic medical devices release many of the same metals (e.g., aluminum, nickel, cobalt, chromium) that individuals are exposed to from environmental or occupational sources. At sufficiently high doses, these metals can produce adverse effects either at the site of implantation, at target tissues distant to the implant site, or both. As a result, it is necessary to assess the potential local and systemic toxicity of metal ions and metallic wear debris that may be released from implanted medical devices. Adverse health effects associated with metal release from implanted neurological, cardiovascular, and orthopedic devices are explored in this chapter. In this chapter, we also examine the unique issues that should be addressed when estimating the risk posed by exposure of patients to metals released from implanted metallic device, notably, the need to account for the form (particulate vs. ionic) and valence of the compound released from the device, the ability to estimate the dose of the compound released from the device using biomonitoring data, the need to account for local effects at the implant site as well as systemic effects at target organs distant to the implant. The need for new approaches to assess the toxicity of novel metallic alloys and biodegradable metallic materials is also explored
The Declaration of Brescia on Prevention of the Neurotoxicity of Metals Brescia, Italia, 17-18 JUNE 2006.
No full textAdvisory committee process and program design : low carbon fuel standards
No full textFinal Report -- Appendix A. Summary of Advisory Committee Input -- Appendix B. Lifecycle Analysis -- Appendix C. Infrastructure Cost Assumptions Memorandum -- Appendix D. Economic Analysis -- Appendix E. Comparable Economic Studies in Other States -- Appendix F. Compliance Scenario Documentation -- Appendix G. Indirect Land Use Change Comparative Analysis -- Appendix H. Fuels Assessment Discussion Paper -- Appendix I. Oregon Biomass Assessment -- Appendix J. Credit and Deficit Calculations -- Appendix K. Review of Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Use Considerations.principal authors: Sue Langston, David Collier, Cory Ann Wind, Dave Nordberg, Carrie Ann Capp, Wendy Simons.Title from PDF cover (viewed on April 20, 2020)."11-AQ-004."This archived document is maintained by the State Library of Oregon as part of the Oregon Documents Depository Program. It is for informational purposes and may not be suitable for legal purposes.Includes bibliographical references.Mode of access: Internet from the Oregon Government Publications Collection.Text in English
Rhodium
No full textRhodium (Rh), a rare metal belonging to the platinum group elements, occurs naturally at low concentrations in the Earth’s crust. It is widely used in the glass, chemical, and electronic industries, but its principal application is as an active catalyst material in automobile converters to reduce noxious gas emis- sions to a less harmful form. As a result of its use in catalytic converters, automotive emissions of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides have been greatly reduced. However, while catalytic converters have improved general air quality, they have also become a primary anthropogenic source of Rh in the environment. In fact, a clear link has been established between the increasing use of automobile catalysts and more elevated environmental Rh concen- trations. Several studies have demonstrated that Rh is emitted in small quantities as a result of chemical, physical, and thermal stresses on the converters due to mechanical abrasion and high temperatures. Rh contamination, which begins in airborne particulate matter, roadside dust, soil, sludge, and water, subse- quently leads through diverse pathways to the bio- accumulation of this element in living organisms. In exposed subjects, Rh salts have been associated with immunological disorders such as asthma and contact dermatitis.
The limited data regarding Rh toxicity and its effects, the general belief that environmental Rh levels are too low to pose a serious threat to human health, and the idea that Rh is only released in its metallic, relatively inert form in biological reactions have prevented an
adequate assessment of the risk related to environmen- tal exposure to this metal. Recently, however, reported increases in environmental levels and more informa- tion on Rh concentrations in the finest fractions of particulate matter have stimulated considerable inter- est and debate concerning the potential impact of this metal on human health. Moreover, the findings of a number of innovative studies that demonstrate the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of Rh on cellular sys- tems and the induction of immunological alterations in animal models have provided the impetus for further investigation into the effects of Rh on human health and for a reassessment of the risk derived from expo- sure to the metal
The Concept of an ATLAS Architecture
No full textThe collective effort required to develop, build, and run the ATLAS detector has been structured as a 'collaboration', a distributed problem-solving network characteristic of Big Science, itself a relatively recent kind of enterprise involving big budgets, big staffs, big machines, and numerous laboratories. While ATLAS is an archetypical example of this type of enterprise in high-energy physics (HEP), similar endeavours can be found in basic physics, astronomy, and the life sciences. This chapter presents research that investigates the development and construction of the complex technological system that makes up the ATLAS detector
Modifiers of patients' emergency department care-seeking behavior
No full textBackground: Inflow of patients to the emergency departments (ED) is increasing in many parts of the world, including Sweden. At the same time the number of EDs are decreasing. In addition to this, ED inflow is volatile. To some degree this volatility is explicable with variations over the hour of the day, day of the week and season, but a considerable portion of the ED inflow is yet to be explained in order to be able to predict the coming load on EDs.Aim: The overall aim of this thesis is to explore different factors modifying ED inflow.Methods: In four studies, different possible modifiers of ED inflow and modifiers of the patients’ decision to seek ED care was explored. In Study I, laypersons ability to triage trauma cases was investigated in a prospective survey study. In Study II – IV, retrospective observational studies were conducted. Studies II and III explored the impact of online health information seeking and the effect of news media reporting on ED inflow, respectively. In study II, a forecasting model was constructed, including website visits as explanatory variable, Study IV assessed the impact of callers’ sociodemographic background on advice from a telephone advice service (TAS) and compliance to those advices.Results: For Study I, 69 persons participated in the study, who in total triaged 52 % of the cases correctly. There was an over-triage (i.e. case triaged as more serious than it was) in 12.5 % and under-triage in 6.3 % of the cases. In Study II, correlation between a population’s number of visits to a regional website for health information and physical ED inflow was found. The forecasting model in Study II exhibited Mean Absolute Percentage Error of 4.8 %. In Study III, it was shown that news media reporting negativity, expressed as a numeric index, significantly correlated to and partially explained ED inflow. In Study IV, findings were that both the advices given to a caller by the TAS and the caller’s odds of complying to the advice were affected by sociodemographic factors, but that the compliance was also affected by the advice issued.Conclusions: This thesis shows that ED care-seeking behavior is modified by online health information, news media reporting, advices from the TAS and by the individual’s own sociodemographic background. This knowledge can be used to better understand ED care-seeking behavior and to construct better forecasting models of ED inflow.List of scientific papersI. NORDBERG M, Castrén M, Lindström V. Primary Trauma Triage Performed by Bystanders: An Observation Study. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 2016, 31(4), 353-7. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049023X1600039X II. Ekström A, Kurland L, Farrokhnia N, Castrén M, NORDBERG M. Forecasting emergency department visits using internet data. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2015, 65(4), 436-442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.10.008 III. NORDBERG M, Eriksson O, Ekström A, Castrén M, Lindström V. News Media sentiment and Emergency Department attendance. [Manuscript]IV. NORDBERG M, Erså Z, Kurland L, Lindström V. Calls to the Swedish Telephone Advice Service - outcome and compliance. [Manuscript]</p
Various aspects of treatment in cardiac arrest prior to hospital arrival
No full textBackground and aims: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major public health issue, affecting almost 300,000 victims per year in Europe, who have an overall survival rate of about 10 per cent. In general, the current Emergency Medical Services (EMS) do not have the capacity to act quickly and effectively enough in regard to this vast group of patients. The objectives of the current work were: to study the importance of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from a national perspective; to determine the safety, feasibility and efficacy of trans-nasal evaporative cooling initiated during CPR; to investigate the effects of dual dispatch of fire-fighters and EMS on short- and long-term survival; to explore regional differences in response times and survival rates in relation to dual dispatch of fire-fighters and EMS in cases of OHCA.Methods and results: Study I. Observational study of 34,125 patients. From 1992 to 2005, bystander CPR significantly increased, especially when performed by laypersons, in witnessed (40% to 55%, pConclusions: Bystander CPR, especially when performed by laypersons, increased in Sweden between 1992 and 2005 and is associated with increased VF and survival rates. Intra-arrest trans-nasal cooling in cases of OHCA is safe and feasible and it shortened the time interval required to cool patients. Implementation of a dual dispatch system (fire-fighters and EMS) in cases of OHCA was associated with increased 30-day- and 3-year survival. Shortened response times were seen in sparsely as well as in highly populated regions. The lowest impact of a dual dispatch system on survival was seen in rural areas.List of scientific papersI. Nordberg P, Hollenberg J, Herlitz J, Rosenqvist M, Svensson L. Aspects on the increase in bystander CPR in Sweden and its association with outcome. Resuscitation. 2009; 80:329–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resuscitation.2008.11.013 II. Castrén M, Nordberg P, Svensson L, Taccone F, Vincent JL, Desruelles D, Eichwede F, Mols P, Schwab T, Vergnion M, Storm C, Pesenti A, Pachl J, Guérisse F, Elste T, Roessler M, Fritz H, Durnez P, Busch HJ, Inderbitzen B, Barbut D. Intraarrest transnasal evaporative cooling: a randomized, prehospital, multicenter study (PRINCE: Pre-ROSC Intra-Nasal Cooling Effectiveness). Circulation. 2010; 122:729–36. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.931691 III. Nordberg P, Hollenberg J, Rosenqvist M, Herlitz J, Jonsson M, Järnbert-Petterson H, Forsberg S, Dahlqvist T, Ringh M, Svensson L. The implementation of a dual dispatch system in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with improved shortand long-term survival. [Submitted]IV. Nordberg P, Jonsson M, Forsberg S, Ringh M, Fredman D, Riva G, Hasselqvist-Ax I, Hollenberg J. The survival benefit of dual dispatch of EMS and Fire-fighters in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest may differ depending on population density. [Submitted]</p
Iridium
No full textIridium (Ir) belongs to the platinum group elements and is one of the rarest elements in the Earth’s crust. Since Ir is a hard metal with good resistance to corro- sion, it is widely used in the electronic, chemical, and automotive industries. In the latter sector, Ir is pres- ent as an impurity or is found in alloys together with platinum, palladium, and rhodium in automobile cata- lytic converters. These devices are continuously sub- jected to physical and chemical stress that leads to Ir release in airborne particulate matter and a consequent increase in metal levels in the general environment.
Current data relating to environmental Ir concen- trations in air, soil, roadside dust, water, and foods indicate quite low levels that are not thought to pose a serious threat to human health. However, the increase in general exposure levels and the widespread indus- trial use of this metal have raised concern in the sci- entific community regarding potential adverse health effects for the general and occupationally exposed populations.
Limited knowledge of the toxicological mechanisms of Ir in different physical and biological systems pre- vents researchers from making a correct evaluation of the risks derived from exposure to this metal and also from reaching definite conclusions regarding the potential adverse effects of low-“dose,” long-term exposures.
Recently, the in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic poten- tial of Ir, mediated by oxidative stress reactions and the induction of direct DNA damage, was demonstrated in rat fibroblasts. Interestingly, in vivo results showed that oral Ir exposure in rats induced nephrotoxic effects, as
indicated by increased levels in a series of urinary pro- teins and an immunological imbalance with a skew toward a T helper 2 (Th2) cytokine pattern. Hypersen- sitivity and allergic reactions were described in occu- pationally and nonoccupationally exposed subjects with symptoms including rhinorrhea, asthma, contact dermatitis, and urticaria, indicating the sensitizing potential of Ir, albeit at a relatively low level.
Overall, little is known of the toxicological charac- teristics of Ir and further research is needed to define its potentially hazardous properties and their princi- pal toxicological mechanisms so that an appropriate evaluation and management of Ir risk can be made with regard to the general and occupationally exposed populations
Comparison of Disciplined and Non-disciplined Women Residents Marquette University 1967-68
No full textThis study is concerned with the characteristics and traits of disciplined women residents at Marquette University, 1967-68, Criteria of comparison were selected to determine if student offenders either differ from or are similar to non-offenders.
Academic achievement, academic ability, personality and self-concept, university and demographic traits were the areas of comparison of the resident student offenders and non-offenders. The non-offenders were randomly selected from the women residence hall population.
The data was both descriptively and statistically analyzed for results. All statistical computations were done through the Computing Center. Data were collected from the records of the Office of the Dean of Women, the Registrar, and the Counseling Center.
The writer is sincerely appreciative of the advice and assistance of Dr. Robert B. Nordberg, director of the doctoral program in Counseling, and chairman of this dissertation.
The advice and assistance of the writer\u27s committee members, Dr. John M. Ivanoff and Dr. Mary Alice Cannon, are also appreciated specifically in the planning and structuring of the study.
The staffs of the Computing Center and Counseling Center are thanked for their respective areas of statistical computation and test scores results. In addition, Miss M. Constance Keough, Mr. Leonard D. Fromm, and Mr. Donald D. Gruber of the Dean of Students staff are thanked for their constance counsel and assistance.
The staff and residents of Heraty Hall are sincerely thanked for their cooperation and encouragement.
The Counseling Center staff and the Dean of Students staff of the College of Santa Fe are thanked for their assistance in the final stages of writing and assembling of this dissertation. In particular, Miss Mary Alice Baca is thanked for her clerical work and assistance with these final stages. Sister Ellen Cain, Sister Madeline Donahue and Brother Abel deValcourt are thanked for grammatical and statistical assistance in the final copy
Formal and informal care in an urban and a rural elderly population : who? when? what?
No full textThis thesis explored informal and formal care in relation to physical and mental functioning in an urban and a rural setting in Sweden. Three different study populations were used: eight cohabiting couples where one of the spouses was the primary caregiver for a partner with dementia; an urban and a rural elderly population (75+ years) participating in the Kungsholmen Project in central Stockholm; or the Kungsholmen-Nordanstig Project in the county of Hälsingland. Both projects are longitudinal, population-based studies on aging and dementia, using the same standardized protocols in both areas.Study I. A qualitative approach, following spouses who were primary caregivers for a demented partner, was chosen to describe types and patterns of caring activities. The findings demonstrate the intricacy and multidimensionality of the caregiving situation, as well as the varied time-consuming caring activities and tasks performed by informal carers. Spouses found the caregiving role rewarding in terms of experiencing nearness and a feeling of togetherness.Study II. In a rural elderly population, the amount of informal in-home care was much greater than formal in-home care, and also greater among demented than nondemented persons. We found an association between the severity of cognitive decline and the amount (hours per day) of informal care, while this pattern was weaker regarding formal care.Study III. A study of all institutionalized elderly inhabitants in a rural community showed that having dementia increased the amount of total care time (hours per day). The presence of dementia added more than nine hours, while each loss of one ADL function added 2.9 hours. The estimated cost for institutional ADL-care increased with more than 85% for people being dependent in 5-6 ADL activities, compared to persons with no functional dependency, and with 30% for persons with dementia compared to the non-demented.Study IV. We found geographical differences in two elderly populations living at home. The rural elderly residents were almost three times more likely to receive informal care. Living alone was strongly associated with receiving formal care in both areas, but it was the women with high education in the urban area who received more formal care. There were no area differences in physical functioning, whereas rural elderly were more cognitively impaired.Summary. Elderly cohabiting caregivers were engaged in demanding timeconsuming care, from supervision to heavy physical responsibility. The amount of informal in-home care was much greater than in-home formal care. Our findings indicate that informal care substitutes rather than compliments formal care. There was a variation in time use of care in institutional settings due to differences in ADL dependency, but also whether dementia was present or not. These variations have implications for cost of institutional care. The rural elderly population received significantly more informal care, and was more cognitively impaired.List of scientific papersI. Jansson W, Nordberg G, Grafström M (2001). Patterns of elderly spousal caregiving in dementia care: an observational study. J Adv Nurs. 34(6): 804-12 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11422551II. Nordberg G, von Strauss E, Kåreholt I, Johansson L, Wimo A (2005). The amount of informal and formal care among non-demented and demented elderly persons-results from a Swedish population-based study. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 20(9): 862-71 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16116583III. Nordberg G, Wimo A, Jönsson L, Kåreholt I, Sjölund BM, Lagergren M, von Strauss E (2007). Time use and costs of institutionalised elderly persons with or without dementia: results from the Nordanstig cohort in the Kungsholmen Project--a population based study in Sweden. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 22(7): 639-48 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17225239IV. Nordberg G, Sjölund BM, Wimo A, von Strauss E (2007). Home care in relation to physical and mental functioning: comparison of an urban and rural elderly population. [Submitted]</p
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