Field comparison of a roof bolter dry dust collection system with an original designed wet collection system for dust control.

Dust collectors for roof bolting machines generally use a dry box to collect the roof bolting material. Recently, an underground mining operation converted a dry box dust collector to a wet box dust collector with a unique exception from MSHA for testing purposes. Water is routed to the roof bolter from the main water line of the continuous miner. The wet box utilizes a water spray to wet the incoming material. Testing was conducted comparing the two different collector types. Respirable dust concentrations surrounding the roof bolter with the different collection boxes were similar. The main difference in respirable dust concentrations occurred when cleaning the dust boxes. The average respirable dust concentration during cleaning of the wet box was 0.475 mg/m3, and during the cleaning of the dry box, the average respirable dust concentration was 1.188 mg/m3, a 60% reduction in respirable dust concentration. The quartz content of the roof material was high, ranging from 28.9 to 52.7% during this study. The results from this study indicate that using the wet box as a collector reduced exposure to respirable dust up to 60% when cleaning the collector boxes.

Teriparatide treatment exerts differential effects on the central and peripheral skeleton: results from the MOAT study.

The central and peripheral skeleton was characterised using imaging techniques during 104 weeks of teriparatide treatment. Teriparatide exerts differential effects on the central and the peripheral skeleton. Overall, we did not observe a change in total body bone mineral. Our conclusions are constrained by the study limitations. INTRODUCTION: Teriparatide stimulates bone formation and resorption and therefore can cause bone gain and loss. We simultaneously characterised the central and peripheral skeleton using imaging techniques to better understand the mechanism of action of teriparatide. METHODS: Postmenopausal, osteoporotic women (n = 20, 65.4 ± 5.5 years) were recruited into a 104-week study of teriparatide. Imaging techniques included DXA, quantitative computed tomography (QCT), and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). RESULTS: Total lumbar spine areal bone mineral content (aBMC) (+ 11.2%), total lumbar spine areal bone mineral density (aBMD) (+ 8.1%), subregional thoracic spine aBMD (+ 7.5%), lumbar spine aBMC (+ 23.5%), lumbar spine aBMD (+ 11.9%), pelvis aBMC (+ 9.3%), and pelvis aBMD (+ 4.3%) increased. However, skull aBMC (- 5.0%), arms aBMC (- 5.1%), legs aBMC (- 2.9%), and legs aBMD (- 2.5%) decreased. Overall, we did not observe a change in total body bone mineral. Increases in L1-L3 volumetric BMD (vBMD) (+ 28.5%) occurred but there was no change in total proximal femur vBMD. Radius and tibia cortical vBMD (- 3.3 and - 3.4%) and tissue mineral density (- 3.2 and - 3.8%) decreased and there was an increase in porosity (+ 21.2 and + 10.3%). Tibia, but not radius, trabecular inhomogeneity (+ 3.2%), and failure load (+ 0.2%) increased, but cortical thickness (- 3.1%), area (- 2.9%), and pore volume (- 1.6%) decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Teriparatide exerts differential effects on the central and the peripheral skeleton. Central trabecular vBMD (L1-L3) is improved, but there is a concomitant decrease in peripheral cortical vBMD and an increase in porosity. Overall, we did not observe a change in total body bone mineral. We acknowledge that our conclusions may be speculative and are constrained by the technical limitations of the imaging techniques used, the lack of a control group, and the small sample size studied.

Nonlinear Generation of Electromagnetic Waves through Induced Scattering by Thermal Plasma.

We demonstrate the conversion of electrostatic pump waves into electromagnetic waves through nonlinear induced scattering by thermal particles in a laboratory plasma. Electrostatic waves in the whistler branch are launched that propagate near the resonance cone. When the amplitude exceeds a threshold ~5 × 10(-6) times the background magnetic field, wave power is scattered below the pump frequency with wave normal angles (~59°), where the scattered wavelength reaches the limits of the plasma column. The scattered wave has a perpendicular wavelength that is an order of magnitude larger than the pump wave and longer than the electron skin depth. The amplitude threshold, scattered frequency spectrum, and scattered wave normal angles are in good agreement with theory. The results may affect the analysis and interpretation of space observations and lead to a comprehensive understanding of the nature of the Earth's plasma environment.

Separation of kafirins on surface porous reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography columns.

Surface porous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns were investigated for the separation of kafirins, storage proteins of grain sorghum. Kafirins were successfully separated using C3, C8, and C18 surface porous stationary phases in less than 17 min. Separations using a monolithic C18 stationary phase were also developed and were slightly faster than those achieved on the surface porous C18 stationary phase. However, the resolution was higher on the latter column. Using an ammonium hydroxide/acetonitrile mobile phase, separations were performed on a novel, alkaline stable surface porous C18 stationary phase. The resolution at alkaline pH was not as high, however, as with the traditional acidic acetonitrile mobile phases. In comparison to fully porous stationary phases, the surface porous phases provided higher resolution with much lower separation times (17 versus 40 min). Total peak areas were correlated to total protein content of sorghum (r(2) = 0.96; n = 10), and a method to measure in vitro pepsin digestibility using reversed-phase (RP)-HPLC peak areas showed good correlation to the traditional nitrogen combustion method (r(2) = 0.82; n = 20). Thus, the surface porous stationary phases could be used not only for more rapid separations but also to provide simultaneous information on total protein content and digestibility.

An interim report of health needs assessment of asylum seekers in Sunderland and North Tyneside.

A health needs assessment questionnaire was developed and administered to 397 asylum seekers, 291 males and 106 females, in Sunderland and North Tyneside in the North East of England. The data from the questionnaires were analysed using SPSS Version 10. Individuals retained a copy of their own questionnaire to be used as a hand held record. There was much heterogeneity of country of origin, culture, religion and previous employment and language backgrounds within the sample. A range of health needs was identified which has implications for healthcare provision. Vaccination rates were low as was screening for tuberculosis and cervical cancer. Many asylum seekers identified symptoms related to mental health and requested help in this area. Access to dental treatment was an area of high priority for many respondents.

Time-resolved ion flux measurements in pulsed, electron-beam-generated plasmas.

Time-resolved ion flux and energy distributions were measured at an electrode located adjacent to pulsed, electron-beam-generated plasmas in argon and oxygen. Temporal variations in the incident Ar+, O+, and O(2)+ energy and flux were correlated to changes in the electron temperature and plasma density. The decay time of the oxygen plasma is found to be shorter than that of the argon plasma, which is understood by considering the different loss mechanisms of each ion species.

Evidence for Trivelpiece-Gould modes in a helicon discharge.

The high ionization efficiency of helicon discharges has been attributed to Landau damping and mode coupling to Trivelpiece-Gould (TG) modes. Though theory predicts the importance of TG modes, they have rarely been seen. Here they were detected directly by measuring their radiofrequency current with a J-dot probe, thus supporting the contention that TG modes play a role in these enigmatic plasma sources.

Low-impact falls: demands on a system of trauma management, prediction of outcome, and influence of comorbidities.

BACKGROUND: Falls from a low height are an extremely common source of injury, the severity of which is often underestimated. As a result, low fall patients are usually not transferred to Level I trauma centers. There are surprisingly few systematic data relating to the demands made on systems of trauma care by patients with low falls. This study addresses this issue using information from a comprehensive national trauma database. The performance of TRISS methodology, and the factors associated with prolonged hospital stay, in low fall patients is also examined. METHODS: The study included 31,419 patients. Patients with low falls (< 2 m) were compared with those suffering high falls (> or = 2 m), motor vehicle crashes, assault, sports injuries, and a group with unclassified injuries. Probability of survival was estimated using TRISS, and its performance in different types of injury was assessed using measures of discrimination and calibration. The influence of coexistent medical conditions on mortality and length of stay was investigated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Low falls accounted for 45.5% of all admissions, and 43.9% of the total bed days. The low fall group was older (mean age, 61.6 years), and predominantly female (62.5%) in contrast to the other groups (both p < 0.001). There were fewer severely injured patients than in all of the other groups except sports injuries. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for TRISS applied to low falls (0.874) was less than that for high falls (0.969), motor vehicle crashes (0.973), assaults (0.960), sports (1.000), and unclassified injuries (0.965). Also, the calibration of the TRISS model was poor for patients with low falls. A logistic regression model derived from a training set of 5,000 patients gave slightly improved discrimination and markedly improved calibration when compared with TRISS. Although there was a strong relationship between the number of coexistent medical conditions and the risk of dying after a low fall, including data on comorbidities in a predictive model did not improve performance. Prolonged stay (defined as greater than the 90th centile, 23 days) was more likely in women (p < 0.005), or with advanced age (p < 0.001) or low initial calculated probability of survival (p < 0.001). Cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases and diabetes were associated with longer hospital stay (all p < 0.001). A logistic regression model using TRISS variables and comorbidity data gave poor prediction of prolonged stay. There was considerable variation in the length of stay between institutions. CONCLUSION: Patients with low falls make considerable demands on a system of trauma care. TRISS methodology performs less well in this group than with other types of injury. Chronic medical conditions are associated with increased mortality and more prolonged stay after a low fall. Between-institutional variation in length of stay was considerable and this, along with the poor performance of predictive models derived from routinely collected clinical data, make it unlikely that length of stay could be used as a measure of institutional performance. More robust audit measures for patients with low falls are required.

Factors affecting the use of dietetic services by patients with diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: Dietary counselling is vital for patients with diabetes, yet many do not access professional advice. This study investigated the use of dietetic services by patients with diabetes within Sunderland Health District. METHODS: Diabetic patients were identified from the laboratory module of the Hospital Information System (HIS). Eight thousand five hundred and ninety-seven patients were identified, and cross referenced to dietetic records, producing a comprehensive database for analysis. RESULTS: Only 58.8% of the sample had dietetic records. Those with records were more likely to be: older (63.8 vs. 61.7 years, P < 0.01); male (52.6% vs. 46.8%, P < 0.05); accessing hospital diabetes services (P < 0.001); to have lipids and renal function checked (both P < 0.001); and to have poor blood glucose control (HbA(1c) > 7.5% to 58.7% vs. 29.9%, P < 0.001). Frequent attenders were most likely to be women, those with poor control, and those with shorter duration of diabetes (P < 0.001). In a logistic regression model, duration of diabetes, insulin treatment, obesity and hyperlipidaemia were the main determinants of increased use. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that many patients with diabetes do not make use of professional dietetic services, and has highlighted some of the routinely documented characteristics that are associated with use of dietetic services. There appears to be scope to improve uptake of dietetic services by patients with diabetes, and to investigate further individual factors that affect access and attendance.

Does childhood health affect chronic morbidity in later life?

Our analysis examines whether childhood health has long-term and enduring consequences for chronic morbidity. As a part of this analysis, we address two methodological issues of concern in the literature. Is adult height a surrogate for childhood health experiences in modeling chronic disease in later life? And, are the effects of adult socioeconomic status on chronic disease overestimated when childhood health is not accounted for? The analysis is based on a topical module to the third wave of the Health and Retirement Study, a representative survey of Americans aged 55-65 in 1996. Our results support the hypothesis that poor childhood health increases morbidity in later life. This association was found for cancer, lung disease, cardiovascular conditions, and arthritis/rheumatism. The associations were highly persistent in the face of statistical controls for both adult and childhood socioeconomic status. No support was found for using adult height as a proxy for the effects of childhood health experiences. Further, the effects of adult socioeconomic status were not overestimated when childhood health was excluded from the explanatory models. Our results point to the importance of an integrated health care policy based on the premise of maximizing health over the entire life cycle.

Cancer and pregnancy: a health care dilemma.

When cancer occurs during pregnancy, a conflict exists between the family's hopes and dreams for the future and the reality of the diagnosis of a potentially terminal illness. The nurse has a pivotal role in the assessment and management of the pregnant oncologic patient's physical and emotional health. The perinatal nurse must assure that the care experienced by the family balances the reality of a potentially life-threatening illness with the joy that accompanies the birth of a baby.

Pharmacist's perceptions of nurse prescribing of emergency contraception.

Proposed strategies to reduce the rate of unplanned pregnancy in the UK include widening access to hormonal emergency contraception (HEC) through nurse prescribing and over-the-counter sales by pharmacists. This article reports on the perceptions of pharmacists regarding the appropriateness of nurse prescribing of HEC drawn from a survey of pharmacists' attitudes towards HEC deregulation. A 10% sample (n = 3999) of all members of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain was surveyed and a response rate of 38.6% (1543 respondents) achieved. Pharmacists were asked whether or not nurses should prescribe HEC and in what capacity. In respect of the statement that: 'Nurses should not be allowed to prescribe post-coital contraception', 42% of respondents agreed while 31.6% disagreed. This indicates that pharmacists do not have a consensus view regarding nurse prescribing of HEC. Arrangements for pharmacists prescribing under protocol received the support of 60.2% of respondents, whereas 41% expressed support for nurse prescribing under protocol. There was also relatively little support for 'specifically trained' nurses prescribing HEC. The findings are considered in relation to the development of a coherent and accessible provision of HEC and the wider implications for interprofessional relationships concerning prescribing.

Pharmacists' concerns and perceived benefits from the deregulation of hormonal emergency contraception (HEC).

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain pharmacists' views, assess willingness for involvement and delineate individual perceived competence in the supply of deregulated hormonal emergency contraception (HEC). DESIGN: Cross-sectional postal questionnaire utilising closed, open and Likert-scale questions. SUBJECTS: Three thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine registered pharmacists abstracted from the mailing list of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. RESULTS: In total 1543 (38.6%) questionnaires were returned and analysed. Overall 1165 (75.5%) of pharmacists stated their willingness to be involved in the deregulated supply of HEC. However, pharmacists identified the need for specific training before effective deregulation should take place. Overall, 616 (39.9%) of respondents felt individually competent to supply deregulated HEC with a positive association between perceived competence and willingness to supply deregulated HEC (p < 0.05). Pharmacists perceive the major benefits of deregulation to be a reduced unwanted pregnancy rate and a subsequent reduced abortion rate. They perceive that deregulation would allow quicker and less restricted access to HEC by clients, facilitating an increased overall supply of HEC. Pharmacists express a number of concerns, tempering their collective desire to see HEC deregulation. The majority of these concerns related to safeguarding clients and the possible adverse public health effects associated with the possible reduced use of barrier methods of contraception. CONCLUSIONS: Most pharmacists would be willing to supply HEC if it were deregulated to 'pharmacy only' from 'prescription only' medicine status. Although concerns were raised, these were mainly related to safety issues, with few pharmacists identifying moral and ethical barriers to deregulation. For effective deregulation to occur issues of professional competence need to be addressed.

Menopause: life event or medical disease?

Women throughout the world experience menopause, but it is often difficult to determine what it means and how it is perceived by women. A dilemma exists as to whether menopause should be medicalized or treated as a normal life event. The effects of this decision on the woman and the role of the advanced practice nurse in assisting the woman through this time of change are presented.

Dermatoglyphics in Darier's disease.

Palmar and fingerprints were taken from 70 patients with Darier's disease and 409 normal controls. The dermatoglyphic characteristics of each group were determined and comparisons were made between them. Dermatoglyphic abnormalities were found; some confirmed previous findings and some were novel, but they are too small in degree and frequency to be of use diagnostically.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Musculoskeletal problems account for the majority of initial complaints attended to by primary care physicians. It is likely that a child who eventually has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed will initially be evaluated by a family physician or a pediatrician. Primary care physicians will play an increasingly important role in management of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, as the availability of specialists in many communities is limited, and access to them may be further limited by managed care initiatives. This article offers a brief review of the definition and classification of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and introduces a diagnostic algorithm to provide a simplified approach toward evaluating children with arthritis. Treatment and outcomes are summarized in text and graphic formats.

On the design of looped orthodontic retainer wires.

Removable Hawley orthodontic retainers have long been prescribed by clinicians following completion of active therapy. Only minor changes have occurred in the design of the retainer over the past 40 years. Structural, in-service failures of this appliance are typically: 1) permanent (inelastic) deformation of the as-prepared labial bow from masticatory action that induces unwanted force transmitted by the appliance to the dentition; or 2) accumulated material damage from removal and replacement of the retainer that eventually results in fracture of the labial bow. This paper reports the results of a series of experimental studies; the overall objective was the optimization of the appliance design, focusing on the labial bow. Wire size, material, temper, canine-loop height, markings for bend placements, heat-treatment of the prepared bow, and two procedures for removing and replacing the appliance were investigated. The collective outcomes suggest a combination of design-parameter values to help maximize the life of the labial bow of the retainer.

TECHSCORE: a program for tabulating the results of multiple choice questions and correcting multiple choice examinations.

TECHSCORE is a computer program which tabulates the responses to multiple choice questions, calculates the percentage of each response and displays this information in tabular form. The program also provides a means for correcting and grading multiple choice examinations. We have used this program successfully in our department for tabulating the results of supervisor evaluations and also for correcting student examinations. This program is useful for those situations in which the use of main frame data processing equipment would not be deemed cost effective.