WorldWideScience

Sample records for safety information immune

  1. Immunization Information System and Informatics to Promote Immunizations: Perspective From Minnesota Immunization Information Connection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muscoplat, Miriam Halstead; Rajamani, Sripriya

    2017-01-01

    The vision for management of immunization information is availability of real-time consolidated data and services for all ages, to clinical, public health, and other stakeholders. This is being executed through Immunization Information Systems (IISs), which are population-based and confidential computerized systems present in most US states and territories. Immunization Information Systems offer many functionalities, such as immunization assessment reports, client follow-up, reminder/recall feature, vaccine management tools, state-supplied vaccine ordering, comprehensive immunization history, clinical decision support/vaccine forecasting and recommendations, data processing, and data exchange. This perspective article will present various informatics tools in an IIS, in the context of the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection.

  2. Parents' opinions and sources of information on immunization in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata Anna Salwa

    2017-07-01

    Conclusions. Despite their doubts about their effectiveness and safety, parents expressed their positive opinion about the use of immunization in children. Increase physician activation as they are the primary source of health information for parents.

  3. National Network for Immunization Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . © Copyright National Network for Immunization Information. The information contained in the National Network for Immunization Information Web site should not be ...

  4. Information security as part of the nuclear safety culture

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sitnica, A., E-mail: demetrkj@westinghouse.com [Westinghouse Electric Co., 1000 Westinghouse Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (United States)

    2016-09-15

    No industry, organization, individual or even the government is immune to the information security risks which are associated with nuclear power. It can no longer be ignored, delayed or treated as unimportant. Nuclear safety is paramount to our industry, and cyber security must be woven into the fabric of our safety culture in order to succeed. Achieving this in an environment which has remained relatively unchanged and conservative prior to digitalisation demands a shift in behavior and culture. (Author)

  5. Information security as part of the nuclear safety culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sitnica, A.

    2016-09-01

    No industry, organization, individual or even the government is immune to the information security risks which are associated with nuclear power. It can no longer be ignored, delayed or treated as unimportant. Nuclear safety is paramount to our industry, and cyber security must be woven into the fabric of our safety culture in order to succeed. Achieving this in an environment which has remained relatively unchanged and conservative prior to digitalisation demands a shift in behavior and culture. (Author)

  6. Immunization safety review: influenza vaccines and neurological complications

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Stratton, Kathleen R

    ..., unlike other vaccines. The Immunization Safety Review committee reviewed the data on influenza vaccine and neurological conditions and concluded that the evidence favored rejection of a causal relationship...

  7. Vaccine quality and safety: Scrutinizing the reported 3-fold increase in adverse effects following immunization (Aefi) in India

    OpenAIRE

    Patil, Rajan R

    2013-01-01

    Background: There has been major controversy over vaccine safety in India following newspaper reports citing right to information (RTI) disclosure that there have been increasing vaccine related deaths following immunization in children in the recent years.

  8. Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal - Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Stratton, Kathleen; Gable, Alicia; McCormick, Marie C

    2001-01-01

    In this report, the Immunization Safety Review committee examines the hypothesis of whether or not the use of vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal can cause neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs...

  9. Protective immunity and safety of a genetically modified influenza virus vaccine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Polidoro Alves Barbosa

    Full Text Available Recombinant influenza viruses are promising viral platforms to be used as antigen delivery vectors. To this aim, one of the most promising approaches consists of generating recombinant viruses harboring partially truncated neuraminidase (NA segments. To date, all studies have pointed to safety and usefulness of this viral platform. However, some aspects of the inflammatory and immune responses triggered by those recombinant viruses and their safety to immunocompromised hosts remained to be elucidated. In the present study, we generated a recombinant influenza virus harboring a truncated NA segment (vNA-Δ and evaluated the innate and inflammatory responses and the safety of this recombinant virus in wild type or knock-out (KO mice with impaired innate (Myd88 -/- or acquired (RAG -/- immune responses. Infection using truncated neuraminidase influenza virus was harmless regarding lung and systemic inflammatory response in wild type mice and was highly attenuated in KO mice. We also demonstrated that vNA-Δ infection does not induce unbalanced cytokine production that strongly contributes to lung damage in infected mice. In addition, the recombinant influenza virus was able to trigger both local and systemic virus-specific humoral and CD8+ T cellular immune responses which protected immunized mice against the challenge with a lethal dose of homologous A/PR8/34 influenza virus. Taken together, our findings suggest and reinforce the safety of using NA deleted influenza viruses as antigen delivery vectors against human or veterinary pathogens.

  10. [Evaluation of safety of haemophilus influenza type b(Hib) conjugate vaccine in postmarketing based on the immunization information management system].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhiguo; Ma, Fubao; Zhang, Jinlin; Yu, Jing; Kang, Guodong; Gao, Jun

    2015-06-01

    To analyze the occurrence feature of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) of Hib conjugate vaccine (HibCV) and to evaluate the safety of HibCV in postmarketing. 2008-2013 HibCV AEFI data were collected through national AEFI information management system, which were downloaded in March 18, 2014.The demographic information and inoculation quantity of HibCV were from Immunization information management system in Jiangsu province. The incidence rate and 95% CI value of AEFI, common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction following immunization of HibCV were calculated. The differences in the incidence rate of common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction among sex, months of age, and number of injections were compared by means of (χ² tests. A total of 6.16 million doses of vaccine were administered in Jiangsu province during 2008-2013, and 4 718 vaccinees reported having adverse event, for a rate of 76.60/100 000 (95% CI: 74.42/100 000-78.79/100 000). The incidence rate of common vaccine reaction and rare vaccine reaction was 71.10/100 000 (95% CI: 68.99/100 000-73.20/100 000) and 5.16/100 000 (95% CI: 4.60/100 000-5.73/100 000), respectively. The main symptoms of common vaccine reactions were fever, swelling, indurations and gastrointestinal reactions. The incidence rates of them were 40.54/100 000, 35.09/100 000, 12.94/100 000 and 0.36/100 000 in turn. The main symptoms of rare vaccine reactions were anaphylactic rashes and angioedema, the incidence rates of which were 4.77/100 000 and 0.15/100 000 respectively. 91.39% (4 002/4 379) of common vaccine reactions and 88.36% (281/318) of rare vaccine reactions happened within 1 d after vaccination. Anaphylactic shock (3 cases) and laryngeal edema (1 case) all happened within 1 d after vaccination. The incidence rate of common vaccine reactions among boys (79.72/100 000, 2 641/3 313 071) was higher than that of girls (61.07/100 000, 1 738/2 846 001) (χ² = 74.92, P < 0.001). The incidence rate of common

  11. Animal Product Safety Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Home Animal & Veterinary Safety & Health Product Safety Information Product Safety Information Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More ... to report adverse experiences with veterinary drugs. Additional Product Information Questions and Answers: Evanger’s Dog and Cat ...

  12. Surveillance of adverse effects following vaccination and safety of immunization programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waldman, Eliseu Alves; Luhm, Karin Regina; Monteiro, Sandra Aparecida Moreira Gomes; Freitas, Fabiana Ramos Martin de

    2011-02-01

    The aim of the review was to analyze conceptual and operational aspects of systems for surveillance of adverse events following immunization. Articles available in electronic format were included, published between 1985 and 2009, selected from the PubMed/Medline databases using the key words "adverse events following vaccine surveillance", "post-marketing surveillance", "safety vaccine" and "Phase IV clinical trials". Articles focusing on specific adverse events were excluded. The major aspects underlying the Public Health importance of adverse events following vaccination, the instruments aimed at ensuring vaccine safety, and the purpose, attributes, types, data interpretation issues, limitations, and further challenges in adverse events following immunization were describe, as well as strategies to improve sensitivity. The review was concluded by discussing the challenges to be faced in coming years with respect to ensuring the safety and reliability of vaccination programs.

  13. Validation of the French national health insurance information system as a tool in vaccine safety assessment: application to febrile convulsions after pediatric measles/mumps/rubella immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanf, Matthieu; Quantin, Catherine; Farrington, Paddy; Benzenine, Eric; Hocine, N Mounia; Velten, Michel; Tubert-Bitter, Pascale; Escolano, Sylvie

    2013-12-02

    In the French national health insurance information system (SNIIR-AM), routine records of health claimed reimbursements are linked to hospital admissions for the whole French population. The main focus of this work is the usability of this system for vaccine safety assessment programme. Self-controlled case series analyses were performed using an exhaustive SNIIR-AM extraction of French children aged less than 3 years, to investigate the relationship between MMR immunization and children hospitalizations for febrile convulsions, a well-documented rare adverse event, over 2009-2010. The results suggest a significant increase of febrile convulsions during the 6-11 days period following any MMR immunization (IRR=1.49, 95% CI=1.22, 1.83; p=0.0001) and no increase 15-35 days post any MMR immunization (IRR=1.03, 95% CI=0.89, 1.18; p=0.72). These results are in accordance with other results obtained from large epidemiologic studies, which suggest the usability of the SNIIR-AM as a relevant database to study the occurrence of adverse events associated with immunization. For future use, results associated with risk of convulsion during the day of vaccination should nevertheless be considered with particular caution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal - Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Stratton, Kathleen; Gable, Alicia; McCormick, Marie C

    2001-01-01

    ..., and Marie C.McCormick, Editors Immunization Safety Review Committee Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS Washington, D.C. Copyrightoriginal retained, the be not from cannot book, paper original however, for version formatting, authoritative the typesetting-specific created from the as publ...

  15. Safety campaigns. TIS Launches New Safety Information Campaign

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    Need to start a new installation and worried about safety aspects? Or are you newly responsible for safety matters in a CERN building? Perhaps you're simply interested in how to make the working environment safer for yourself and your colleagues. Whatever the case, a new information campaign launched by TIS this week can help. The most visible aspects of the new campaign will be posters distributed around the Laboratory treating a different subject each month. The Web site - http://safety.cern.ch/ - which provides all safety related information. But these are not the only aspects of the new campaign. Members of the TIS/GS group, whose contact details can be found on the safety web site, are available to give information and advice on a one-to-one basis at any time. The campaign's launch has been timed to coincide with European Safety Week, organized by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and the subject treated in the first posters is safety inspection. This particular topic only concerns thos...

  16. Safety Information System Guide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bullock, M.G.

    1977-03-01

    This Guide provides guidelines for the design and evaluation of a working safety information system. For the relatively few safety professionals who have already adopted computer-based programs, this Guide may aid them in the evaluation of their present system. To those who intend to develop an information system, it will, hopefully, inspire new thinking and encourage steps towards systems safety management. For the line manager who is working where the action is, this Guide may provide insight on the importance of accident facts as a tool for moving ideas up the communication ladder where they will be heard and acted upon; where what he has to say will influence beneficial changes among those who plan and control his operations. In the design of a safety information system, it is suggested that the safety manager make friends with a computer expert or someone on the management team who has some feeling for, and understanding of, the art of information storage and retrieval as a new and better means for communication

  17. Flu Vaccine Safety Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Influenza Types Seasonal Avian Swine Variant Pandemic Other Flu Vaccine Safety Information Questions & Answers Language: English (US) ... safety of flu vaccines monitored? Egg Allergy Are flu vaccines safe? Flu vaccines have good safety record. ...

  18. The Commodity Form of Safety Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Finkelstein

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The production of safety information is deemed a vital resource to protect human lives at the work site. The injury rate, lost days, incapacity rate, and fatality rate, are key indicators to prop up labour risk awareness and identify job hazards. However, safety information gets highly distorted because it does not only measure risk but serves as a means of exchange. It determines the amount of money to be swapped between Workers’ Compensation Boards and their client corporations. Moreover, as a depository of exchange value, safety information tends to exert pressure over social reality rather than just being a passive reflection of it. This paper discloses the commodity form of safety information. Based on a political economy of information framework, it identifies, describes, and analyses the safety information commodity in its active role of organizing safety and labour health.

  19. Weakened Immune Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Issues Health Issues Health Issues Conditions Injuries & Emergencies Vaccine Preventable Diseases ... Children > Safety & Prevention > Immunizations > Weakened Immune Systems Safety & Prevention ...

  20. Country Immunization Information System Assessments - Kenya, 2015 and Ghana, 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Colleen; Clarke, Kristie E N; Grevendonk, Jan; Dolan, Samantha B; Ahmed, Hussein Osman; Kamau, Peter; Ademba, Peter Aswani; Osadebe, Lynda; Bonsu, George; Opare, Joseph; Diamenu, Stanley; Amenuvegbe, Gregory; Quaye, Pamela; Osei-Sarpong, Fred; Abotsi, Francis; Ankrah, Joseph Dwomor; MacNeil, Adam

    2017-11-10

    The collection, analysis, and use of data to measure and improve immunization program performance are priorities for the World Health Organization (WHO), global partners, and national immunization programs (NIPs). High quality data are essential for evidence-based decision-making to support successful NIPs. Consistent recording and reporting practices, optimal access to and use of health information systems, and rigorous interpretation and use of data for decision-making are characteristics of high-quality immunization information systems. In 2015 and 2016, immunization information system assessments (IISAs) were conducted in Kenya and Ghana using a new WHO and CDC assessment methodology designed to identify root causes of immunization data quality problems and facilitate development of plans for improvement. Data quality challenges common to both countries included low confidence in facility-level target population data (Kenya = 50%, Ghana = 53%) and poor data concordance between child registers and facility tally sheets (Kenya = 0%, Ghana = 3%). In Kenya, systemic challenges included limited supportive supervision and lack of resources to access electronic reporting systems; in Ghana, challenges included a poorly defined subdistrict administrative level. Data quality improvement plans (DQIPs) based on assessment findings are being implemented in both countries. IISAs can help countries identify and address root causes of poor immunization data to provide a stronger evidence base for future investments in immunization programs.

  1. Direct and Electronic Health Record Access to the Clinical Decision Support for Immunizations in the Minnesota Immunization Information System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajamani, Sripriya; Bieringer, Aaron; Wallerius, Stephanie; Jensen, Daniel; Winden, Tamara; Muscoplat, Miriam Halstead

    2016-01-01

    Immunization information systems (IIS) are population-based and confidential computerized systems maintained by public health agencies containing individual data on immunizations from participating health care providers. IIS hold comprehensive vaccination histories given across providers and over time. An important aspect to IIS is the clinical decision support for immunizations (CDSi), consisting of vaccine forecasting algorithms to determine needed immunizations. The study objective was to analyze the CDSi presentation by IIS in Minnesota (Minnesota Immunization Information Connection [MIIC]) through direct access by IIS interface and by access through electronic health records (EHRs) to outline similarities and differences. The immunization data presented were similar across the three systems examined, but with varying ability to integrate data across MIIC and EHR, which impacts immunization data reconciliation. Study findings will lead to better understanding of immunization data display, clinical decision support, and user functionalities with the ultimate goal of promoting IIS CDSi to improve vaccination rates.

  2. Questions regarding the safety and duration of immunity following live yellow fever vaccination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amanna, Ian J; Slifka, Mark K

    2016-12-01

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies have concluded that yellow fever booster vaccination is unnecessary since a single dose of vaccine confers lifelong immunity. Areas covered: We reviewed the clinical studies cited by health authorities in their investigation of both the safety profile and duration of immunity for the YFV-17D vaccine and examined the position that booster vaccination is no longer needed. We found that antiviral immunity may be lost in 1-in-3 to 1-in-5 individuals within 5 to 10 years after a single vaccination and that children may be at greater risk for primary vaccine failure. The safety profile of YFV-17D was compared to other licensed vaccines including oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the rotavirus vaccine, RotaShield, which have subsequently been withdrawn from the US and world market, respectively. Expert commentary: Based on these results and recent epidemiological data on vaccine failures (particularly evident at >10 years after vaccination), we believe that current recommendations to no longer administer YFV-17D booster vaccination be carefully re-evaluated, and that further development of safer vaccine approaches should be considered.

  3. Questions regarding the safety and duration of immunity following live yellow fever vaccination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amanna, Ian J.; Slifka, Mark K.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies have concluded that yellow fever booster vaccination is unnecessary since a single dose of vaccine confers lifelong immunity. Areas Covered We reviewed the clinical studies cited by health authorities in their investigation of both the safety profile and duration of immunity for the YFV-17D vaccine and examined the position that booster vaccination is no longer needed. We found that antiviral immunity may be lost in 1-in-3 to 1-in-5 individuals within 5 to 10 years after a single vaccination and that children may be at greater risk for primary vaccine failure. The safety profile of YFV-17D was compared to other licensed vaccines including oral polio vaccine (OPV) and the rotavirus vaccine, RotaShield, which have subsequently been withdrawn from the US and world market, respectively. Expert Commentary Based on these results and recent epidemiological data on vaccine failures (particularly evident at >10 years after vaccination), we believe that current recommendations to no longer administer YFV-17D booster vaccination be carefully re-evaluated, and that further development of safer vaccine approaches should be considered. PMID:27267203

  4. Improving vaccine registries through mobile technologies: a vision for mobile enhanced Immunization information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Kumanan; Atkinson, Katherine M; Deeks, Shelley L; Crowcroft, Natasha S

    2016-01-01

    Immunization registries or information systems are critical to improving the quality and evaluating the ongoing success of immunization programs. However, the completeness of these systems is challenged by a myriad of factors including the fragmentation of vaccine administration, increasing mobility of individuals, new vaccine development, use of multiple products, and increasingly frequent changes in recommendations. Mobile technologies could offer a solution, which mitigates some of these challenges. Engaging individuals to have more control of their own immunization information using their mobile devices could improve the timeliness and accuracy of data in central immunization information systems. Other opportunities presented by mobile technologies that could be exploited to improve immunization information systems include mobile reporting of adverse events following immunization, the capacity to scan 2D barcodes, and enabling bidirectional communication between individuals and public health officials. Challenges to utilizing mobile solutions include ensuring privacy of data, access, and equity concerns, obtaining consent and ensuring adoption of technology at sufficiently high rates. By empowering individuals with their own health information, mobile technologies can also serve as a mechanism to transfer immunization information as individuals cross local, regional, and national borders. Ultimately, mobile enhanced immunization information systems can help realize the goal of the individual, the healthcare provider, and public health officials always having access to the same immunization information. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  5. Immunizations for Preterm Babies

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Issues Health Issues Health Issues Conditions Injuries & Emergencies Vaccine Preventable Diseases ... Children > Safety & Prevention > Immunizations > Immunizations For Preterm Babies Safety & ...

  6. Immunizations: Active vs. Passive

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Issues Health Issues Health Issues Conditions Injuries & Emergencies Vaccine Preventable Diseases ... Children > Safety & Prevention > Immunizations > Immunizations: Active vs. Passive Safety & ...

  7. INFORMATION CULTURE AND INFORMATION SAFETY OF SCHOOLCHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. G. Belyakova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of interaction between schoolchildren and possible informational risks transmitted on the Internet. Considering the lack of external filters on the way of harmful information streams, it is actually necessary to develop information culture of schoolchildren, their abilities to sensibly and critically interpret the information on the Internet, and choice of adequate behaviour models surfing the Web. The aim of the present research is to analyze the state of informational safety of schoolchildren while using the Internet; gaining an understanding of the role of external restrictions and opportunities of intrapersonal filtration of the harmful Internet content depending on children age. Methodology and research methods. The methodology of the research is based on modern methods aimed to consider the problem of personal socialization in modern information society. Thus, the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF questionnaire let the authors define the level of awareness of recipients on the problem under consideration. Results and scientific novelty. The theoretical analysis helped the authors predict the correlation of basic methods in order to guarantee personal safety of schoolchildren taking into account the process of maturity as well as the decrease of external filters that may stop harmful content. Empirical part of the research has enabled to reveal decrease in external control of staying of a child in network in the process of growing up against the background of restrictive attitudes prevalence among teachers and parents. Therefore, the research supposed to improve information culture of schoolchildren from the earliest ages encouraging them to sensibly and correctly interpret the information on the Internet. Practical significance. The practical recommendations to parents and teachers in order to improve informational personal safety of schoolchildren are proposed. The relevancy

  8. Immunization Information Systems: A Decade of Progress in Law and Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Daniel W.; Lowery, N. Elaine; Brand, Bill; Gold, Rebecca; Horlick, Gail

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on a study of laws, regulations, and policies governing Immunization Information Systems (IIS, also known as “immunization registries”) in states and selected urban areas of the United States. The study included a search of relevant statutes, administrative codes and published attorney general opinions/findings, an online questionnaire completed by immunization program managers and/or their staff, and follow-up telephone interviews. The legal/regulatory framework for IIS has changed considerably since 2000, largely in ways that improve IIS’ ability to perform their public health functions while continuing to maintain strict confidentiality and privacy controls. Nevertheless, the exchange of immunization data and other health information between care providers and public health and between entities in different jurisdictions remains difficult due in part to ongoing regulatory diversity. To continue to be leaders in health information exchange and facilitate immunization of children and adults, IIS will need to address the challenges presented by the interplay of federal and state legislation, regulations, and policies and continue to move toward standardized data collection and sharing necessary for interoperable systems. PMID:24402434

  9. 40 CFR 68.65 - Process safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (CONTINUED) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Program 3 Prevention Program § 68.65 Process safety... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Process safety information. 68.65... compilation of written process safety information before conducting any process hazard analysis required by...

  10. Analysis and design on airport safety information management system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Lin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Airport safety information management system is the foundation of implementing safety operation, risk control, safety performance monitor, and safety management decision for the airport. The paper puts forward the architecture of airport safety information management system based on B/S model, focuses on safety information processing flow, designs the functional modules and proposes the supporting conditions for system operation. The system construction is helpful to perfecting the long effect mechanism driven by safety information, continually increasing airport safety management level and control proficiency.

  11. A Service Oriented Architecture Approach to Achieve Interoperability between Immunization Information Systems in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, Masoud; Ahmadi, Maryam; Dixon, Brian E

    2014-01-01

    Clinical decision support (CDS) systems can support vaccine forecasting and immunization reminders; however, immunization decision-making requires data from fragmented, independent systems. Interoperability and accurate data exchange between immunization information systems (IIS) is an essential factor to utilize Immunization CDS systems. Service oriented architecture (SOA) and Health Level 7 (HL7) are dominant standards for web-based exchange of clinical information. We implemented a system based on SOA and HL7 v3 to support immunization CDS in Iran. We evaluated system performance by exchanging 1500 immunization records for roughly 400 infants between two IISs. System turnaround time is less than a minute for synchronous operation calls and the retrieved immunization history of infants were always identical in different systems. CDS generated reports were accordant to immunization guidelines and the calculations for next visit times were accurate. Interoperability is rare or nonexistent between IIS. Since inter-state data exchange is rare in United States, this approach could be a good prototype to achieve interoperability of immunization information.

  12. Effective vaccine safety systems in all countries: a challenge for more equitable access to immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amarasinghe, Ananda; Black, Steve; Bonhoeffer, Jan; Carvalho, Sandra M Deotti; Dodoo, Alexander; Eskola, Juhani; Larson, Heidi; Shin, Sunheang; Olsson, Sten; Balakrishnan, Madhava Ram; Bellah, Ahmed; Lambach, Philipp; Maure, Christine; Wood, David; Zuber, Patrick; Akanmori, Bartholomew; Bravo, Pamela; Pombo, María; Langar, Houda; Pfeifer, Dina; Guichard, Stéphane; Diorditsa, Sergey; Hossain, Md Shafiqul; Sato, Yoshikuni

    2013-04-18

    Serious vaccine-associated adverse events are rare. To further minimize their occurrence and to provide adequate care to those affected, careful monitoring of immunization programs and case management is required. Unfounded vaccine safety concerns have the potential of seriously derailing effective immunization activities. To address these issues, vaccine pharmacovigilance systems have been developed in many industrialized countries. As new vaccine products become available to prevent new diseases in various parts of the world, the demand for effective pharmacovigilance systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is increasing. To help establish such systems in all countries, WHO developed the Global Vaccine Safety Blueprint in 2011. This strategic plan is based on an in-depth analysis of the vaccine safety landscape that involved many stakeholders. This analysis reviewed existing systems and international vaccine safety activities and assessed the financial resources required to operate them. The Blueprint sets three main strategic goals to optimize the safety of vaccines through effective use of pharmacovigilance principles and methods: to ensure minimal vaccine safety capacity in all countries; to provide enhanced capacity for specific circumstances; and to establish a global support network to assist national authorities with capacity building and crisis management. In early 2012, the Global Vaccine Safety Initiative (GVSI) was launched to bring together and explore synergies among on-going vaccine safety activities. The Global Vaccine Action Plan has identified the Blueprint as its vaccine safety strategy. There is an enormous opportunity to raise awareness for vaccine safety in LMIC and to garner support from a large number of stakeholders for the GVSI between now and 2020. Synergies and resource mobilization opportunities presented by the Decade of Vaccines can enhance monitoring and response to vaccine safety issues, thereby leading to more equitable

  13. Feasibilty of in utero DNA vaccination following naked gene transfer into pig fetal muscle: transgene expression, immunity and safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rinaldi, Monica; Signori, Emanuela; Rosati, Paolo; Cannelli, Giorgio; Parrella, Paola; Iannace, Enrico; Monego, Giovanni; Ciafrè, Silvia Anna; Farace, Maria Giulia; Iurescia, Sandra; Fioretti, Daniela; Rasi, Guido; Fazio, Vito Michele

    2006-05-22

    The high toll of death among first-week infants is due to infections occurring at the end of pregnancy, during birth or by breastfeeding. This problem significantly concerns industrialized countries also. To prevent the typical "first-week infections", a vaccine would be protective as early as at the birth. In utero DNA immunization has demonstrated the effectiveness in inducing specific immunity in newborns. We have already published results of a 2-year follow-up showing long-term safety, protective antibody titers at birth and long-term immune memory, following intramuscular in utero anti-HBV DNA immunization in 90-days pig fetuses. We have now analyzed further parameters of short-term safety. Two different reporter genes were injected in the thigh muscles of 90-days fetuses. At 8 days following DNA injection, we found high-level of transgenes expression in all injected fetuses. A step gradient of expression from the area of injection was observed with both reporter genes. CMV promoter/enhancer produced higher levels of expression compared to SV40 promoter/enhancer. Moreover, no evidence of local or systemic flogistic alterations or fetal malformations, mortality or haemorrhage following intramuscular injection were observed. A single anti-HBV s-antigen DNA immunization in 90-days fetuses supported protective antibody levels in all immunized newborns, lasting at least up to 4 months after birth. Our report further sustains safety and efficacy of intramuscular in utero naked gene transfer and immunization. This approach may support therapeutic or prophylactic procedure in many early life-threatening pathologic conditions.

  14. Toward introduction of risk informed safety regulation. Nuclear Safety Commission taskforce's interim report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-01-01

    Nuclear Safety Commission's taskforce on 'Introduction of Safety Regulation Utilizing Risk Information' completed the interim report on its future subjects and directions in December 2005. Although current safety regulatory activities have been based on deterministic approach, this report shows the risk informed approach is expected to be very useful for making nuclear safety regulation and assurance activities reasonable and also for appropriate allocation of regulatory resources. For introduction of risk informed regulation, it also recommends pileups of experiences with gradual introduction and trial of the risk informed approach, improvement of plant maintenance rules and regulatory requirements utilizing risk information, and establishment of framework to assure quality of risk evaluation. (T. Tanaka)

  15. 49 CFR 211.61 - Informal safety inquiries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... information on selected topics relating to railroad safety. A notice of each such inquiry will be published in... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Informal safety inquiries. 211.61 Section 211.61..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RULES OF PRACTICE Miscellaneous Safety-Related Proceedings and Inquiries § 211...

  16. Parental concern about vaccine safety in Canadian children partially immunized at age 2: a multivariable model including system level factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacDonald, Shannon E; Schopflocher, Donald P; Vaudry, Wendy

    2014-01-01

    Children who begin but do not fully complete the recommended series of childhood vaccines by 2 y of age are a much larger group than those who receive no vaccines. While parents who refuse all vaccines typically express concern about vaccine safety, it is critical to determine what influences parents of 'partially' immunized children. This case-control study examined whether parental concern about vaccine safety was responsible for partial immunization, and whether other personal or system-level factors played an important role. A random sample of parents of partially and completely immunized 2 y old children were selected from a Canadian regional immunization registry and completed a postal survey assessing various personal and system-level factors. Unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and adjusted ORs (aOR) were calculated with logistic regression. While vaccine safety concern was associated with partial immunization (OR 7.338, 95% CI 4.138-13.012), other variables were more strongly associated and reduced the strength of the relationship between concern and partial immunization in multivariable analysis (aOR 2.829, 95% CI 1.151-6.957). Other important factors included perceived disease susceptibility and severity (aOR 4.629, 95% CI 2.017-10.625), residential mobility (aOR 3.908, 95% CI 2.075-7.358), daycare use (aOR 0.310, 95% CI 0.144-0.671), number of needles administered at each visit (aOR 7.734, 95% CI 2.598-23.025) and access to a regular physician (aOR 0.219, 95% CI 0.057-0.846). While concern about vaccine safety may be addressed through educational strategies, this study suggests that additional program and policy-level strategies may positively impact immunization uptake.

  17. Safety Case Development as an Information Modelling Problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Robert

    This paper considers the benefits from applying information modelling as the basis for creating an electronically-based safety case. It highlights the current difficulties of developing and managing large document-based safety cases for complex systems such as those found in Air Traffic Control systems. After a review of current tools and related literature on this subject, the paper proceeds to examine the many relationships between entities that can exist within a large safety case. The paper considers the benefits to both safety case writers and readers from the future development of an ideal safety case tool that is able to exploit these information models. The paper also introduces the idea that the safety case has formal relationships between entities that directly support the safety case argument using a methodology such as GSN, and informal relationships that provide links to direct and backing evidence and to supporting information.

  18. Discussion about risk-informed regulations on the nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu Yeyi

    2008-01-01

    The article introduces the background and status quo of regulations on the nuclear safety in China, and points out the inadequacies existing with the current regulations. The author explains the risk-informed safety management concerning its development, status quo, and achievements made, in an attempt to make out the trend of improving regulations on the nuclear safety through risk-informed methods. Combining the U.S. development program of establishing risk-informed regulations on the nuclear safety, the author narrates principles and features of the new regulations system, and provides suggestions for the promotion of risk-informed safety management and establishment of risk-informed regulations on the nuclear safety. (author)

  19. State Traffic Safety Information

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Transportation — The State Traffic Safety Information (STSI) portal is part of the larger Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Encyclopedia. STSI provides state-by-state traffic...

  20. International exchange of safety and licensing information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lafleur, J.D. Jr.; Hauber, R.D.; Chenier, D.M.

    1977-01-01

    A network of formal and informal bilateral arrangements for the exchange of nuclear safety information is being established by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For developing countries such arrangements can provide ready access to the extensive, fully documented safety analyses and safety research results that USNRC has accumulated. USNRC has been receiving foreign visitors at a rate of about 500 per year, largely for discussions of safety and licensing questions related to light water reactors. Exchanges also are taking place on the safety of advanced reactors. A special interest of the USNRC is in providing for reciprocal communication, at the earliest possible time, of important problems, decisions and other actions on nuclear safety matters. For example, it is essential that a newly discovered problem in a nuclear reactor be brought immediately to the attention of other governments that are responsible for the safety of similar reactors. Definite progress has been made in the USA in defining categories of information that USNRC can receive in confidence from foreign countries, and can protect from disclosure under the US Freedom of Information Act. Certain exchanges have taken place on this basis. Experience in the establishment and operation of USNRC's bilateral exchange arrangements is summarized. A typical exchange with the regulatory authority of a country building its first power reactor is described. (author)

  1. International exchange of safety and licensing information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lafleur, J.D. Jr.; Hauber, R.D.; Chenier, D.M.

    1977-01-01

    A network of formal and informal bilateral arrangements for the exchange of nuclear safety information is being established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For developing countries, such arrangements can provide ready access to the extensive, fully documented safety analyses and safety research results that NRC has accumulated. NRC has been receiving foreign visitors at a rate of about 500 per year, largely for discussions of safety and licensing questions related to light water reactors. Exchanges also are taking place on the safety of advanced reactors. A special interest of the NRC is in providing for reciprocal communicaion, at the earliest possible time, of important problems, decisions and other actions on nuclear safety matters. For example, it is essential that a newly-discovered problem in a nuclear reactor be brought immediately to the attention of other governments which are responsible for the safety of similar reactors. Definite progress has been made in the U.S. Freedom of Information Act. Certain exchanges have taken place on this basis. Experience in the establishment and operation of NRC's bilateral exchange arrangements is summarized. A typical exchange with the regulatory authority of country building its first power reactor is described

  2. Safety of vaccines used for routine immunization of U.S. children: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maglione, Margaret A; Das, Lopamudra; Raaen, Laura; Smith, Alexandria; Chari, Ramya; Newberry, Sydne; Shanman, Roberta; Perry, Tanja; Goetz, Matthew Bidwell; Gidengil, Courtney

    2014-08-01

    Concerns about vaccine safety have led some parents to decline recommended vaccination of their children, leading to the resurgence of diseases. Reassurance of vaccine safety remains critical for population health. This study systematically reviewed the literature on the safety of routine vaccines recommended for children in the United States. Data sources included PubMed, Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices statements, package inserts, existing reviews, manufacturer information packets, and the 2011 Institute of Medicine consensus report on vaccine safety. We augmented the Institute of Medicine report with more recent studies and increased the scope to include more vaccines. Only studies that used active surveillance and had a control mechanism were included. Formulations not used in the United States were excluded. Adverse events and patient and vaccine characteristics were abstracted. Adverse event collection and reporting was evaluated by using the McHarm scale. We were unable to pool results. Strength of evidence was rated as high, moderate, low, or insufficient. Of 20 478 titles identified, 67 were included. Strength of evidence was high for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and febrile seizures; the varicella vaccine was associated with complications in immunodeficient individuals. There is strong evidence that MMR vaccine is not associated with autism. There is moderate evidence that rotavirus vaccines are associated with intussusception. Limitations of the study include that the majority of studies did not investigate or identify risk factors for AEs; and the severity of AEs was inconsistently reported. We found evidence that some vaccines are associated with serious AEs; however, these events are extremely rare and must be weighed against the protective benefits that vaccines provide. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  3. The impact of health information technology on patient safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasser K. Alotaibi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Since the original Institute of Medicine (IOM report was published there has been an accelerated development and adoption of health information technology with varying degrees of evidence about the impact of health information technology on patient safety. This article is intended to review the current available scientific evidence on the impact of different health information technologies on improving patient safety outcomes. We conclude that health information technology improves patient’s safety by reducing medication errors, reducing adverse drug reactions, and improving compliance to practice guidelines. There should be no doubt that health information technology is an important tool for improving healthcare quality and safety. Healthcare organizations need to be selective in which technology to invest in, as literature shows that some technologies have limited evidence in improving patient safety outcomes.

  4. The impact of health information technology on patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alotaibi, Yasser K; Federico, Frank

    2017-12-01

    Since the original Institute of Medicine (IOM) report was published there has been an accelerated development and adoption of health information technology with varying degrees of evidence about the impact of health information technology on patient safety.  This article is intended to review the current available scientific evidence on the impact of different health information technologies on improving patient safety outcomes. We conclude that health information technology improves patient's safety by reducing medication errors, reducing adverse drug reactions, and improving compliance to practice guidelines. There should be no doubt that health information technology is an important tool for improving healthcare quality and safety. Healthcare organizations need to be selective in which technology to invest in, as literature shows that some technologies have limited evidence in improving patient safety outcomes.

  5. 40 CFR 68.48 - Safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ...) CHEMICAL ACCIDENT PREVENTION PROVISIONS Program 2 Prevention Program § 68.48 Safety information. (a) The... regulated substances, processes, and equipment: (1) Material Safety Data Sheets that meet the requirements...) Equipment specifications; and (5) Codes and standards used to design, build, and operate the process. (b...

  6. Mass-media information campaigns about road safety. [previously known as: Public information about road safety.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    2009-01-01

    In the Netherlands, public information is often used as an instrument to improve road safety. The purpose of each public information campaign is a voluntary and lasting change in traffic behaviour. This requires road users to have sufficient knowledge about a problem and to adapt their behaviour.

  7. Patient safety goals for the proposed Federal Health Information Technology Safety Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sittig, Dean F; Classen, David C; Singh, Hardeep

    2015-03-01

    The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology is expected to oversee creation of a Health Information Technology (HIT) Safety Center. While its functions are still being defined, the center is envisioned as a public-private entity focusing on promotion of HIT related patient safety. We propose that the HIT Safety Center leverages its unique position to work with key administrative and policy stakeholders, healthcare organizations (HCOs), and HIT vendors to achieve four goals: (1) facilitate creation of a nationwide 'post-marketing' surveillance system to monitor HIT related safety events; (2) develop methods and governance structures to support investigation of major HIT related safety events; (3) create the infrastructure and methods needed to carry out random assessments of HIT related safety in complex HCOs; and (4) advocate for HIT safety with government and private entities. The convening ability of a federally supported HIT Safety Center could be critically important to our transformation to a safe and effective HIT enabled healthcare system. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Aviation Safety Hotline Information System -

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Transportation — The Aviation Safety Hotline Information System (ASHIS) collects, stores, and retrieves reports submitted by pilots, mechanics, cabin crew, passengers, or the public...

  9. Effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine in treating acquired immune deficiency syndrome: 2004-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhi-Bin; Yang, Ji-Ping; Xu, Li-Ran

    2015-12-23

    Substantial progress has been made in China in using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Our objective was to review the latest developments in TCM treatment of AIDS in China between 2004 and 2014. We reviewed the content of original articles investigating the efficacy and safety of TCM for treating AIDS published in Chinese and English language journals. Relevant references from 2004 to 2014 were found using PubMed and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database. We found that TCM has been widely used for treating AIDS and its complications in China. The number of TCM studies has increased, which indicates efficacy and safety. Measures of efficacy in the reviewed articles included the alleviation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related signs and symptoms, improvements in quality of life, improvements in long-term survival, counteraction of the adverse side effects of antiviral drugs, promotion of immune reconstitution, and improvement of laboratory results. In sum, the literature indicates that TCM is safe. TCM plays an important role in the treatment of AIDS. Some studies have attempted to measure the efficacy and safety of TCM for treating AIDS, but more evidence is needed. Therefore, more research on this topic is required in the future.

  10. A Network Diffusion Model of Food Safety Scare Behavior considering Information Transparency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tingqiang Chen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This study constructs the network diffusion model of food safety scare behavior under the effect of information transparency and examines the network topology and evolution characteristics of food safety scare behavior in a numerical simulation. The main conclusions of this study are as follows. (1 Under the effect of information transparency, the network degree distribution of food safety scare behavior diffusion demonstrates the decreasing characteristics of diminishing margins. (2 Food safety scare behavior diffusion increases with the information dissemination rate and consumer concern about food safety incidents and shows the characteristics of monotone increasing. And with the increasing of the government food safety supervision information transparency and media food safety supervision information transparency, the whole is declining characteristic of diminishing marginal. In addition, the extinction of food safety scare behavior cannot be achieved gradually given a single regulation of government food safety supervision information transparency and media food safety supervision information transparency. (3 The interaction effects between improving government food safety supervision information transparency or media food safety supervision information transparency and declining consumer concerns about food safety incidents or information transmission rate can engender the suppression of food safety scare behavior diffusion.

  11. 78 FR 46588 - Solicitation of Written Comments on the Global Immunizations Working Group's Draft Report and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-01

    ... NVAC was also asked to make recommendations on how to best communicate this information to decision... a series of teleconferences and electronic communications, the NVAC Global Immunizations working... Vaccine Safety Monitoring and Post-Marketing Surveillance 4. Building Global Immunization Research and...

  12. Improving plant state information for better operational safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girard, C.; Olivier, E.; Grimaldi, X.

    1994-01-01

    Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) safety is strongly dependent on components' reliability and particularly on plant state information reliability. This information, used by the plant operators in order to produce appropriate actions, have to be of a high degree of confidence, especially in accidental conditions where safety is threatened. In this perspective, FRAMATOME, EDF and CEA have started a joint research program to prospect different solutions aiming at a better reliability for critical information needed to safety operate the plant. This paper gives the main results of this program and describes the developments that have been made in order to assess reliability of different information systems used in a Nuclear Power Plant. (Author)

  13. Innovative Strategies Designed to Improve Adult Pneumococcal Immunizations in Safety Net Patient-Centered Medical Homes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Nina J; Sklaroff, Laura Myerchin; Gross-Schulman, Sandra; Hoang, Khathy; Tran, Helen; Campa, David; Scheib, Geoffrey; Guterman, Jeffrey J

    2016-08-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is a principal cause of serious illness, including bacteremia, meningitis, and pneumonia, worldwide. Pneumococcal immunization is proven to reduce morbidity and mortality in high-risk adult and elderly populations. Current pneumococcal vaccination practices are suboptimal in part because of recommendation complexity, the high cost of provider-driven immunization interventions, and outreach methods that are not patient-centric. These barriers are amplified within the safety net. This paper identifies efforts by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services to increase pneumococcal immunization rates for adult indigent patient populations. A 4-part approach will be used to increase vaccination rates: (1) protocol driven care, (2) staff education, (3) electronic identification of eligible patients, and (4) automated patient outreach and scheduling. The proposed analytics plan and potential for scalability are described. (Population Health Management 2016;19:240-247).

  14. 77 FR 15453 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-15

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... information collection titled, ``Gas Pipeline Safety Program Certification and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline... collection request that PHMSA will be submitting to OMB for renewal titled, ``Gas Pipeline Safety Program...

  15. Development of the Advanced Nuclear Safety Information Management (ANSIM) System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sohn, Jae Min; Ko, Young Cheol; Song, Tai Gil [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-05-15

    Korea has become a technically independent nuclear country and has grown into an exporter of nuclear technologies. Thus, nuclear facilities are increasing in significance at KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute), and it is time to address the nuclear safety. The importance of nuclear safety cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, a management system is needed urgently to manage the safety of nuclear facilities and to enhance the efficiency of nuclear information. We have established ISP (Information Strategy Planning) for the Integrated Information System of nuclear facility and safety management. The purpose of this paper is to develop a management system for nuclear safety. Therefore, we developed the Advanced Nuclear Safety Information Management system (hereinafter referred to as the 'ANSIM system'). The ANSIM system has been designed and implemented to computerize nuclear safety information for standardization, integration, and sharing in real-time. Figure 1 shows the main home page of the ANSIM system. In this paper, we describe the design requirements, contents, configurations, and utilizations of the ANSIM system

  16. Think over nuclear safety. ''Information asymmetry'' and ''comminicative action''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Atsuyuki

    2006-01-01

    Nuclear safety should be fully understood not only technically but also socially. In order to think over nuclear safety socially, four different concepts were recommended to refer, which were ''procedural rationality'', information asymmetry'', ''certainty effect'' and ''communicative action'' proposed by three economists and a philosopher respectively. Risk-based communication approach for nuclear safety could be effective within the higher frequency area than safety goal, but not good for the lower frequency area than safety goal. The latter could be highly subjective and more qualitative. For this area, ''safety communication'' would be highly maintained with taking account of existence of ''information asymmetry'' and need of ''communicative action''. (T.Tanaka)

  17. Could information about herd immunity help us achieve herd immunity? Evidence from a population representative survey experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnesen, Sveinung; Bærøe, Kristine; Cappelen, Cornelius; Carlsen, Benedicte

    2018-05-01

    Immunisation causes dramatic reductions in morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases; however, resistance to vaccination is nonetheless widespread. An understudied issue - explored here - is whether appeals to collective as opposed to individual benefits of vaccination encourage people to vaccinate. Knowledge of this is important not least with respect to the design of public health campaigns, which often lack information about the collective benefits of vaccination. Using a between-subjects experimental survey design, we test whether information about the effects of herd immunity influences people's decision to vaccinate. A representative sample of Norwegians was confronted with a hypothetical scenario in which a new and infectious disease is on its way to Norway. The sample was split in three - a control group and two treatment groups. The one treatment group was provided information about collective benefits of vaccination; the other was provided information about the individual benefits of vaccination. Both treatments positively affect people's decision to vaccinate; however, informing about the collective benefits has an even stronger effect than informing about the individual benefits. Our results suggest that people's decision about whether to vaccinate and thus contribute to herd immunity is influenced by concern for others. Thus, stressing the collective benefits of vaccination could increase the effectiveness of health campaigns.

  18. RISK-INFORMED SAFETY MARGIN CHARACTERIZATION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dinh, Nam; Szilard, Ronaldo

    2009-01-01

    The concept of safety margins has served as a fundamental principle in the design and operation of commercial nuclear power plants (NPPs). Defined as the minimum distance between a system's 'loading' and its 'capacity', plant design and operation is predicated on ensuring an adequate safety margin for safety-significant parameters (e.g., fuel cladding temperature, containment pressure, etc.) is provided over the spectrum of anticipated plant operating, transient and accident conditions. To meet the anticipated challenges associated with extending the operational lifetimes of the current fleet of operating NPPs, the United States Department of Energy (USDOE), the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have developed a collaboration to conduct coordinated research to identify and address the technological challenges and opportunities that likely would affect the safe and economic operation of the existing NPP fleet over the postulated long-term time horizons. In this paper we describe a framework for developing and implementing a Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC) approach to evaluate and manage changes in plant safety margins over long time horizons

  19. Risk-informed, performance-based safety-security interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mrowca, B.; Eltawila, F.

    2012-01-01

    Safety-security interface is a term that is used as part of the commercial nuclear power security framework to promote coordination of the many potentially adverse interactions between plant security and plant safety. Its object is to prevent the compromise of either. It is also used to describe the concept of building security into a plant's design similar to the long standing practices used for safety therefore reducing the complexity of the operational security while maintaining or enhancing overall security. With this in mind, the concept of safety-security interface, when fully implemented, can influence a plant's design, operation and maintenance. It brings the approach use for plant security to one that is similar to that used for safety. Also, as with safety, the application of risk-informed techniques to fully implement and integrate safety and security is important. Just as designers and operators have applied these techniques to enhance and focus safety, these same techniques can be applied to security to not only enhance and focus the security but also to aid in the implementation of effective techniques to address the safety-security interfaces. Implementing this safety-security concept early within the design process can prevent or reduce security vulnerabilities through low cost solutions that often become difficult and expensive to retrofit later in the design and/or post construction period. These security considerations address many of the same issues as safety in ensuring that the response of equipment and plant personnel are adequate. That is, both safety and security are focused on reaching safe shutdown and preventing radiological release. However, the initiation of challenges and the progression of actions in response these challenges and even the definitions of safe shutdown can be considerably different. This paper explores the techniques and limitations that are employed to fully implement a risk-informed, safety-security interface

  20. Information systems in food safety management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMeekin, T A; Baranyi, J; Bowman, J; Dalgaard, P; Kirk, M; Ross, T; Schmid, S; Zwietering, M H

    2006-12-01

    Information systems are concerned with data capture, storage, analysis and retrieval. In the context of food safety management they are vital to assist decision making in a short time frame, potentially allowing decisions to be made and practices to be actioned in real time. Databases with information on microorganisms pertinent to the identification of foodborne pathogens, response of microbial populations to the environment and characteristics of foods and processing conditions are the cornerstone of food safety management systems. Such databases find application in: Identifying pathogens in food at the genus or species level using applied systematics in automated ways. Identifying pathogens below the species level by molecular subtyping, an approach successfully applied in epidemiological investigations of foodborne disease and the basis for national surveillance programs. Predictive modelling software, such as the Pathogen Modeling Program and Growth Predictor (that took over the main functions of Food Micromodel) the raw data of which were combined as the genesis of an international web based searchable database (ComBase). Expert systems combining databases on microbial characteristics, food composition and processing information with the resulting "pattern match" indicating problems that may arise from changes in product formulation or processing conditions. Computer software packages to aid the practical application of HACCP and risk assessment and decision trees to bring logical sequences to establishing and modifying food safety management practices. In addition there are many other uses of information systems that benefit food safety more globally, including: Rapid dissemination of information on foodborne disease outbreaks via websites or list servers carrying commentary from many sources, including the press and interest groups, on the reasons for and consequences of foodborne disease incidents. Active surveillance networks allowing rapid dissemination

  1. Functional safety of health information technology.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Chadwick, Liam

    2012-03-01

    In an effort to improve patient safety and reduce adverse events, there has been a rapid growth in the utilisation of health information technology (HIT). However, little work has examined the safety of the HIT systems themselves, the methods used in their development or the potential errors they may introduce into existing systems. This article introduces the conventional safety-related systems development standard IEC 61508 to the medical domain. It is proposed that the techniques used in conventional safety-related systems development should be utilised by regulation bodies, healthcare organisations and HIT developers to provide an assurance of safety for HIT systems. In adopting the IEC 61508 methodology for HIT development and integration, inherent problems in the new systems can be identified and corrected during their development. Also, IEC 61508 should be used to develop a healthcare-specific standard to allow stakeholders to provide an assurance of a system\\'s safety.

  2. Criticality Safety Information Resource Center Web portal: www.csirc.net

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harmon, C.D. II; Jones, T.

    2000-01-01

    The Nuclear Criticality Safety Group (ESH-6) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is in the process of collecting and archiving historical and technical information related to nuclear criticality safety from LANL and other facilities. In an ongoing effort, this information is being made available via the Criticality Safety Information Resource Center (CSIRC) web site, which is hosted and maintained by ESH-6 staff. Recently, the CSIRC Web site was recreated as a Web portal that provides the criticality safety community with much more than just archived data

  3. Comics as a Medium for Providing Information on Adult Immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muzumdar, Jagannath M; Pantaleo, Nicholas L

    2017-10-01

    This study compared the following effects of two vaccine information flyers-one developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) versus one adapted from this information to a comic medium (comic)-on adults: (a) attitude toward the flyer; (b) perceived informativeness of the flyer; (c) intention to seek more information about adult immunizations after viewing the flyer; and (d) intention to get immunized after viewing the flyer. A between-group, randomized trial was used to randomly assign adults (age 18 years or older) at an ambulatory care center to review the CDC or comic flyer. Participants were asked to complete a survey to measure several outcome variables. Items were measured using a 7-point semantic differential scale. Independent-samples t-test was used for comparisons. A total of 265 surveys (CDC n = 132 vs comic n = 133) were analyzed. The comic flyer had a statistically significant effect on participants' attitudes and their perception of the flyer's informativeness compared to the CDC flyer. Flyer type did not have a statistically significant effect on intention-related variables. The study findings showed that the comic flyer was positively evaluated compared to the CDC flyer. These findings could provide a new direction for developing adult educational materials.

  4. Committee Opinion No. 661: Integrating Immunizations Into Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases is an essential component of women's primary and preventive health care. Despite the importance of vaccination and clear guidance from public health agencies, rates of vaccination lag behind national goals. Obstetrician-gynecologists can play a major role in reducing morbidity and mortality from a range of vaccine-preventable diseases, including pertussis, influenza, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis. Given demonstrated vaccine efficacy and safety, and the large potential for prevention of many infectious diseases that affect adults, pregnant women, and newborns, obstetrician-gynecologists should include immunizations as an integral part of their practice. To do so, they must embrace their role as important sources of information and advice on immunization for adults, adolescents, and pregnant women, and advance their patients' well-being with continued efforts to augment immunization services in their offices. Increasing awareness combined with the many suggestions in this document will work to enhance immunization uptake.

  5. 47 CFR 80.1135 - Transmission of maritime safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transmission of maritime safety information. 80... RADIO SERVICES STATIONS IN THE MARITIME SERVICES Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Operating Procedures for Distress and Safety Communications § 80.1135 Transmission of maritime safety...

  6. Organizing safety: conditions for successful information assurance programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collmann, Jeff; Coleman, Johnathan; Sostrom, Kristen; Wright, Willie

    2004-01-01

    Organizations must continuously seek safety. When considering computerized health information systems, "safety" includes protecting the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information assets such as patient information, key components of the technical information system, and critical personnel. "High Reliability Theory" (HRT) argues that organizations with strong leadership support, continuous training, redundant safety mechanisms, and "cultures of high reliability" can deploy and safely manage complex, risky technologies such as nuclear weapons systems or computerized health information systems. In preparation for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs), the Offices of the Surgeons General of the United States Army, Navy and Air Force, and the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command sponsored organizational, doctrinal, and technical projects that individually and collectively promote conditions for a "culture of information assurance." These efforts include sponsoring the "P3 Working Group" (P3WG), an interdisciplinary, tri-service taskforce that reviewed all relevant Department of Defense (DoD), Miliary Health System (MHS), Army, Navy and Air Force policies for compliance with the HIPAA medical privacy and data security regulations; supporting development, training, and deployment of OCTAVE(sm), a self-directed information security risk assessment process; and sponsoring development of the Risk Information Management Resource (RIMR), a Web-enabled enterprise portal about health information assurance.

  7. The impact of access to immunization information on vaccine acceptance in three countries.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lori K Handy

    Full Text Available Vaccine acceptance is a critical component of sustainable immunization programs, yet rates of vaccine hesitancy are rising. Increased access to misinformation through media and anti-vaccine advocacy is an important contributor to hesitancy in the United States and other high-income nations with robust immunization programs. Little is known about the content and effect of information sources on attitudes toward vaccination in settings with rapidly changing or unstable immunization programs.The objective of this study was to explore knowledge and attitudes regarding vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases among caregivers and immunization providers in Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece and examine how access to information impacts reported vaccine acceptance.We conducted 37 focus groups and 14 semi-structured interviews with 96 providers and 153 caregivers in Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece. Focus groups were conducted in Setswana, English, Spanish, or Greek; digitally recorded; and transcribed. Transcripts were translated into English, coded in qualitative data analysis software (NVivo 10, QSR International, Melbourne, Australia, and analyzed for common themes.Dominant themes in all three countries included identification of health care providers or medical literature as the primary source of vaccine information, yet participants reported insufficient communication about vaccines was available. Comments about level of trust in the health care system and government contrasted between sites, with the highest level of trust reported in Botswana but lower levels of trust in Greece.In Botswana, the Dominican Republic, and Greece, participants expressed reliance on health care providers for information and demonstrated a need for more communication about vaccines. Trust in the government and health care system influenced vaccine acceptance differently in each country, demonstrating the need for country-specific data that focus

  8. Application of life-cycle information for advancement in safety of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Application of safety information to advanced safety management support system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Ishida, Michihiko

    2005-08-01

    Risk management is major concern to nuclear energy reprocessing plants to improve plant and process reliability and ensure their safety. This is because we are required to predict potential risks before any accident or disaster occurs. The advancement of safety design and safety systems technologies showed large amount of useful safety-related knowledge that can be of great importance to plant operation to reduce operation risks and ensure safety. This research proposes safety knowledge modeling framework on the basis of ontology technologies to systematically construct plant knowledge model, which includes plant structure, operation, and the associated behaviors. In such plant knowledge model safety related information is defined and linked to the different elements of plant knowledge model. Ontology editor is employed to define the basic concepts and their inter-relations, which are used to capture and construct plant safety knowledge. In order to provide detailed safety knowledgebase, HAZOP results are analyzed and structured so that safety-related knowledge are identified and structured within the plant knowledgebase. The target safety knowledgebase includes: failures, deviations, causes, consequences, and fault propagation as mapped to plant knowledge. The proposed ontology-based safety framework is applied on case study nuclear plant to structure failures, causes, consequences, and fault propagation, which are used to support plant operation. (author)

  9. Providing public information in the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fon Jager, Mojca

    2000-01-01

    Full text: Good safety culture is strongly related to transparent and timely information. Experience has shown that radiation and nuclear safety are under continuous surveillance by the public. The provision of open and authentic information to the public is a fundamental policy of the SNSA. The SNSA endeavors to provide substantial and reliable information to the interested institutions, mass media and to the citizens through press conferences, public statements, media discussions, and active participation in domestic and international meetings, symposia and congresses, through publications, the Internet and direct contacts with the interested public. The SNSA regularly provides information on nuclear safety to the Government, the National Assembly and the citizens of the Republic of Slovenia. The Annual Report on Nuclear and Radiation Safety is published in Poroeevalec (Reporter) - the publication of the National Assembly - in autumn, and is available in public libraries throughout Slovenia. Annual Report is available also on the Internet (http://www.sigov.si/ursjv/uvod.html) in Slovene and English. Access to data of the Central Radiation Early Warning System of Slovenia (CROSS), recording the real time (at half-hour intervals) gamma dose rate levels, is also available through Internet. The report in English is sent every year to Slovenian embassies world-wide, to certain foreign embassies in Slovenia and to other organizations participating in the activities in the nuclear and radiological field. Reports on the SNSA activities are also published in the bulletin Okolje in prostor (Environment and Spatial Planning), published by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning. The SNSA regularly contributes articles on courses, seminars and symposia attended at home and abroad. The articles are intended to give basic information on training and the names of contact persons to provide additional information on certain topics to those interested. More than half of

  10. 75 FR 53733 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA-2010-0246] Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous... liquefied natural gas, hazardous liquid, and gas transmission pipeline systems operated by a company. The...

  11. Food safety: correct information for pregnant women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bartolomeo Griglio

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed at investigating the knowledge of pregnant women on food safety with particular attention to the effectiveness of the informative material (pamphlet and poster prepared in a previous study. To this scope, a questionnaire composed by 8 questions (Likert scaled was used except for one which was a Y/N question. Themes of the questionnaire were: level of concerns on food safety, and knowledge on foodborne diseases (salomonellosis, toxoplasmosis and listeriosis, risk factors and preventive measures. Results indicate that knowledge increased in respect to that of the previous study, but in relation to informative material previously distributed.

  12. Safety and skin delayed-type hypersensitivity response in vervet monkeys immunized with Leishmania donovani sonicate antigen delivered with adjuvants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua M. Mutiso

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we report on the safety and skin delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH, responses of the Leishmania donovani whole cell sonicate antigen delivered in conjunction with alum-BCG (AlBCG, Montanide ISA 720 (MISA or Monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA in groups of vervet monkeys. Following three intradermal injections of the inoculums on days 0, 28 and 42, safety and DTH responses were assessed. Preliminary tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α and interferon gamma (IFN-γ levels were also measured and these were compared with DTH. Only those animals immunized with alum-BCG reacted adversely to the inoculum by producing ulcerative erythematous skin indurations. Non-parametric analysis of variance followed by a post-test showed significantly higher DTH responses in the MISA+Ag group compared with other immunized groups (p < 0.001. The MPLA+Ag group indicated significantly lower DTH responses to the sonicate antigen compared with the AlBCG+Ag group. There was a significant correlation between the DTH and cytokine responses (p < 0.0001. Based on this study we conclude that Leishmania donovani sonicate antigen containing MISA 720 is safe and is associated with a strong DTH reaction following immunization.

  13. [Progress of childhood immunization information management system in China in 2008].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Ling-Sheng; Liu, Da-Wei; Guo, Biao

    2009-08-01

    To evaluate the coverage of childhood immunization information management system (CIIMS) in China (not include HongKong, Macao, and Taiwan) in 2008. Analyzing immunization cases and users' file record archives in CIIMS for china in 2008. These data indicated that 87.10% (27/31) of provinces and 30.36% (891/2935) of county level and 26.63% (11,512/43,231) of vaccination points of township level submitted immunization data to an CIIMS in 2008. The rate of implementation of the county > or = 90% are Fujian and Hubei. The rate of implementation of the township > or = 90% are Hubei, Fujian and Hebei. Coverage of eastern areas, middle areas and western areas were 28.91%, 43.20%, and 18.41% by county, 26.15%, 37.69%, and 16.44% by township respectively. The upload permissions against cases is in a total of 15,014 units, and the client software collect a total of 42,956,214 cases of immunization. 44.46% chinese children aged < 6 years old participated in an CIIMS in 2008. The vaccination point of township level submitted 8,793,334 cases to CIIMS, it accounted for 20.47% of client collection cases. To achieve the national CIIMS objectives for 2010, the extensive implementation must be promoted, the funding for system-building should be increased, an independent platform of CIIMS must be established, and admission of the issue of data exchange with the local information systems must be accelerated.

  14. Methods used for immunization coverage assessment in Canada, a Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Sarah E; Quach, Susan; MacDonald, Shannon E; Naus, Monika; Deeks, Shelley L; Crowcroft, Natasha S; Mahmud, Salaheddin M; Tran, Dat; Kwong, Jeff; Tu, Karen; Gilbert, Nicolas L; Johnson, Caitlin; Desai, Shalini

    2017-08-03

    Accurate and complete immunization data are necessary to assess vaccine coverage, safety and effectiveness. Across Canada, different methods and data sources are used to assess vaccine coverage, but these have not been systematically described. Our primary objective was to examine and describe the methods used to determine immunization coverage in Canada. The secondary objective was to compare routine infant and childhood coverage estimates derived from the Canadian 2013 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey (cNICS) with estimates collected from provinces and territories (P/Ts). We collected information from key informants regarding their provincial, territorial or federal methods for assessing immunization coverage. We also collected P/T coverage estimates for select antigens and birth cohorts to determine absolute differences between these and estimates from cNICS. Twenty-six individuals across 16 public health organizations participated between April and August 2015. Coverage surveys are conducted regularly for toddlers in Quebec and in one health authority in British Columbia. Across P/Ts, different methodologies for measuring coverage are used (e.g., valid doses, grace periods). Most P/Ts, except Ontario, measure up-to-date (UTD) coverage and 4 P/Ts also assess on-time coverage. The degree of concordance between P/T and cNICS coverage estimates varied by jurisdiction, antigen and age group. In addition to differences in the data sources and processes used for coverage assessment, there are also differences between Canadian P/Ts in the methods used for calculating immunization coverage. Comparisons between P/T and cNICS estimates leave remaining questions about the proportion of children fully vaccinated in Canada.

  15. [Evaluation of immunogenicity and safety of 2 immunizations with allantoic intranasal live influenza vaccine Ultragrivac].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shishkina, L N; Mazurkova, N A; Ternovoĭ, V A; Bulychev, L E; Tumanov, Iu V; Skarnovich, M O; Kabanov, A S; Ryndiuk, N N; Kuzubov, V I; Mironov, A N; Stavskiĭ, E A; Drozdov, I G

    2011-01-01

    Evaluate reactogenicity, safety and immunogenicity in phase 2 clinical trials of 2 immunization schedules with Ultragrivac--an allantoic intranasal life influenza vaccine based on A/17/ duck/Potsdam/86/92 [17/H5] reassortant strain. 4 groups of volunteers participated in the study: group 1--40 individuals were vaccinated twice with a 10 day interval; group 2--40 individuals were vaccinated twice with a 21 day interval; group 3 (control)--10 individuals received placebo twice with a 10 day interval; group 4 (control)--10 individuals received placebo twice with a 21 day interval. Local (secretory IgA), cellular and humoral immune response were evaluated. Humoral immunity was evaluated by the intensity of increase of geometric mean antibody titers against 2 influenza virus strains A/17/duck/Potsdam/86/92 [17/H5] and A/chicken/Suzdalka/Nov-1 1/2005 (H5N1), and by the level of significant (4 times or more) antibody seroconversions after the vaccination. After the use of Ultragrivac the level of secretory IgA in the nasal cavity of vaccinated volunteers in the groups with revaccination intervals of 10 and 21 days increased significantly. The second immunization with 10 or 21 day intervals significantly increased postvaccinal humoral immune response. Humoral immune response induction after 2 vaccinations with 10 day interval was no less effective than with 21 day interval. Ultragrivac allantoic intranasal live influenza vaccine is areactogenic, harmless for vaccinated individuals, safe for those around, and has immunogenic properties against not only homologous virus A(H5N2), but also against influenza strain A(H5N1).

  16. Atomic Information Technology Safety and Economy of Nuclear Power Plants

    CERN Document Server

    Woo, Taeho

    2012-01-01

    Atomic Information Technology revaluates current conceptions of the information technology aspects of the nuclear industry. Economic and safety research in the nuclear energy sector are explored, considering statistical methods which incorporate Monte-Carlo simulations for practical applications. Divided into three sections, Atomic Information Technology covers: • Atomic economics and management, • Atomic safety and reliability, and • Atomic safeguarding and security. Either as a standalone volume or as a companion to conventional nuclear safety and reliability books, Atomic Information Technology acts as a concise and thorough reference on statistical assessment technology in the nuclear industry. Students and industry professionals alike will find this a key tool in expanding and updating their understanding of this industry and the applications of information technology within it.

  17. Collection and accumulation of seismic safety research findings, and considerations for information dissemination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    Seismic Safety Division of JNES is collecting and analyzing the findings of seismic safety research, and is developing a system to organize and disseminate the information internally and internationally. These tasks have been conducted in response to the lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The overview of the tasks is as follows; 1) Collection of the knowledge and findings from seismic safety research. JNES collects information on seismic safety researches including the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. The information is analyzed whether it is important for regulation to increase seismic safety of NPP. 2) Constructing database of seismic safety research. JNES collects information based on documents published by committee and constructs database of active faults around NPP sites in order to incorporate in the seismic safety review. 3) Dissemination of information related to seismic safety. JNES disseminates outcomes of own researches internally and internationally. (author)

  18. Collection and accumulation of seismic safety research findings, and considerations for information dissemination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    Seismic Safety Division of JNES is collecting and analyzing the findings of seismic safety research, and is developing a system to organize and disseminate the information internally and internationally. These tasks have been conducted in response to the lessons learned from Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. The overview of the tasks is as follows; 1) Collection of the knowledge and findings from seismic safety research. JNES collects information on seismic safety researches including the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. The information is analyzed whether it is important for regulation to increase seismic safety of NPP. 2) Constructing database of seismic safety research. JNES collects information based on documents published by committee and constructs database of active faults around NPP sites in order to incorporate in the seismic safety review. 3) Dissemination of information related to seismic safety. JNES disseminates outcomes of own researches internally and internationally. (author)

  19. Determinants of immunization inequality among urban poor children: evidence from Nairobi's informal settlements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egondi, Thaddaeus; Oyolola, Maharouf; Mutua, Martin Kavao; Elung'ata, Patricia

    2015-02-27

    Despite the relentless efforts to reduce infant and child mortality with the introduction of the National Expanded Programmes on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, major disparities still exist in immunizations coverage across different population sub-groups. In Kenya, for instance, while the proportion of fully immunized children increased from 57% in 2003 to 77% in 2008-9 at national level and 73% in Nairobi, only 58% of children living in informal settlement areas are fully immunized. The study aims to determine the degree and determinants of immunization inequality among the urban poor of Nairobi. We used data from the Nairobi Cross-Sectional Slum Survey of 2012 and the health outcome was full immunization status among children aged 12-23 months. The wealth index was used as a measure of social economic position for inequality analysis. The potential determinants considered included sex of the child and mother's education, their occupation, age at birth of the child, and marital status. The concentration index (CI) was used to quantify the degree of inequality and decomposition approach to assess determinants of inequality in immunization. The CI for not fully immunized was -0.08 indicating that immunization inequality is mainly concentrated among children from poor families. Decomposition of the results suggests that 78% of this inequality is largely explained by the mother's level of education. There exists immunization inequality among urban poor children in Nairobi and efforts to reduce this inequality should aim at targeting mothers with low level of education during immunization campaigns.

  20. Transactions of the nineteenth water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1991-10-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 19th Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland, October 28--30, 1991. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, USNRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the nuclear industry, and from the governments and industry in Europe and Japan are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting, and are given in the order of their presentation in each session. The individual summaries have been cataloged separately

  1. Safety Psychology Applicating on Coal Mine Safety Management Based on Information System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Baoyue; Chen, Fei

    In recent years, with the increase of intensity of coal mining, a great number of major accidents happen frequently, the reason mostly due to human factors, but human's unsafely behavior are affected by insecurity mental control. In order to reduce accidents, and to improve safety management, with the help of application security psychology, we analyse the cause of insecurity psychological factors from human perception, from personality development, from motivation incentive, from reward and punishment mechanism, and from security aspects of mental training , and put forward countermeasures to promote coal mine safety production,and to provide information for coal mining to improve the level of safety management.

  2. MedWatch, the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Reporting Program MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it ... approved information that can help patients avoid serious adverse events. Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety ...

  3. Aviation Safety Reporting System: Process and Procedures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connell, Linda J.

    1997-01-01

    The Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) was established in 1976 under an agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This cooperative safety program invites pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance personnel, and others to voluntarily report to NASA any aviation incident or safety hazard. The FAA provides most of the program funding. NASA administers the program, sets its policies in consultation with the FAA and aviation community, and receives the reports submitted to the program. The FAA offers those who use the ASRS program two important reporting guarantees: confidentiality and limited immunity. Reports sent to ASRS are held in strict confidence. More than 350,000 reports have been submitted since the program's beginning without a single reporter's identity being revealed. ASRS removes all personal names and other potentially identifying information before entering reports into its database. This system is a very successful, proof-of-concept for gathering safety data in order to provide timely information about safety issues. The ASRS information is crucial to aviation safety efforts both nationally and internationally. It can be utilized as the first step in safety by providing the direction and content to informed policies, procedures, and research, especially human factors. The ASRS process and procedures will be presented as one model of safety reporting feedback systems.

  4. Managing knowledge and information on nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hahn, L.

    2005-01-01

    Described is the management of nuclear safety knowledge through education networks, knowledge pool, sharing, archiving and distributing the knowledge information. Demonstrated is the system used at Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen-und Reaktorsicherheit

  5. Transactions of the twenty-fifth water reactor safety information meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monteleone, S. [comp.

    1997-09-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 25th Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland, October 20--22, 1997. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion of information exchanged during the course of the meeting, and are given in order of their presentation in each session.

  6. Transactions of the twenty-fifth water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteleone, S.

    1997-09-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 25th Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland, October 20--22, 1997. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion of information exchanged during the course of the meeting, and are given in order of their presentation in each session

  7. Radiation safety research information database

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yukawa, Masae; Miyamoto, Kiriko; Takeda, Hiroshi; Kuroda, Noriko; Yamamoto, Kazuhiko

    2004-01-01

    National Institute of Radiological Sciences in Japan began to construct Radiation Safety Research Information Database' in 2001. The research information database is of great service to evaluate the effects of radiation on people by estimating exposure dose by determining radiation and radioactive matters in the environment. The above database (DB) consists of seven DB such as Nirs Air Borne Dust Survey DB, Nirs Environmental Tritium Survey DB, Nirs Environmental Carbon Survey DB, Environmental Radiation Levels, Abe, Metabolic Database for Assessment of Internal Dose, Graphs of Predicted Monitoring Data, and Nirs nuclear installation environment water tritium survey DB. Outline of DB and each DB are explained. (S.Y.)

  8. Information about the control of nuclear safety in France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerster, D.

    1994-01-01

    The permanent objective of the French Nuclear Safety Authority is the public information about technical controls performed in French nuclear installations. Three publications from the DSIN (Direction of Nuclear Installations Safety) are devoted to this effort: the MAGNUC Minitel magazine, the annual activity report and the CONTROLE magazine. Details about the content of these publications are given. A large part of the information about control of nuclear safety concerns the incidents and accidents and their importance level. A seriousness scale was created in France at the beginning of 1988 and replaced in April 1994 by the very similar International Nuclear Event Scale (INES). Explanation of this scale is given and illustrated with examples of real events and accidents. However, international comparison between incidents and accidents remains delicate because the detailed content of safety reports can change significantly from one country to another. (J.S.). 1 fig

  9. An Adaptive Information Quantity-Based Broadcast Protocol for Safety Services in VANET

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjie Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Vehicle-to-vehicle communication plays a significantly important role in implementing safe and efficient road traffic. When disseminating safety messages in the network, the information quantity on safety packets changes over time and space. However, most of existing protocols view each packet the same to disseminate, preventing vehicles from collecting more recent and precise safety information. Hence, an information quantity-based broadcast protocol is proposed in this paper to ensure the efficiency of safety messages dissemination. In particular, we propose the concept of emergency-degree to evaluate packets’ information quantity. Then we present EDCast, an emergency-degree-based broadcast protocol. EDCast differentiates each packet’s priority for accessing the channel based on its emergency-degree so as to provide vehicles with more safety information timely and accurately. In addition, an adaptive scheme is presented to ensure fast dissemination of messages in different network condition. We compare the performance of EDCast with those of three other representative protocols in a typical highway scenario. Simulation results indicate that EDCast achieves higher broadcast efficiency and less redundancy with less delivery delay. What we found demonstrates that it is feasible and necessary for incorporating information quantity of messages in designing an efficient safety message broadcast protocol.

  10. Immune response at birth, long-term immune memory and 2 years follow-up after in-utero anti-HBV DNA immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazio, V M; Ria, F; Franco, E; Rosati, P; Cannelli, G; Signori, E; Parrella, P; Zaratti, L; Iannace, E; Monego, G; Blogna, S; Fioretti, D; Iurescia, S; Filippetti, R; Rinaldi, M

    2004-03-01

    Infections occurring at the end of pregnancy, during birth or by breastfeeding are responsible for the high toll of death among first-week infants. In-utero DNA immunization has demonstrated the effectiveness in inducing specific immunity in newborns. A major contribution to infant immunization would be achieved if a vaccine proved able to be protective as early as at the birth, preventing the typical 'first-week infections'. To establish its potential for use in humans, in-utero DNA vaccination efficiency has to be evaluated for short- and long-term safety, protection at delivery, efficacy of boosts in adults and effective window/s for modulation of immune response during pregnancy, in an animal model suitable with human development. Here we show that a single intramuscular in-utero anti-HBV DNA immunization at two-thirds of pig gestation produces, at birth, antibody titers considered protective in humans. The boost of antibody titers in every animal following recall at 4 and 10 months demonstrates the establishment of immune memory. The safety of in-utero fetus manipulation is guaranteed by short-term (no fetus loss, lack of local alterations, at-term spontaneous delivery, breastfeeding) and long-term (2 years) monitoring. Treatment of fetuses closer to delivery results in immune ignorance without induction of tolerance. This result highlights the repercussion of selecting the appropriate time point when this approach is used to deliver therapeutic genes. All these findings illustrate the relevance of naked DNA-based vaccination technology in therapeutic efforts aimed to prevent the high toll of death among first-week infants.

  11. Transactions of the Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteleone, S.

    1993-10-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 21st Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 25--27, 1993. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session

  12. Transactions of the Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monteleone, S. [comp.

    1993-10-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 21st Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 25--27, 1993. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session.

  13. Transactions of the twenty-second water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-10-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 22nd Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 24--26, 1994. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session. Individual papers have been cataloged separately

  14. Transactions of the Twentieth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1992-10-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 20th Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel in Bethesda, Maryland, October 21--23, 1992. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, USNRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included

  15. Maintenance of radiation safety information system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Ho Sun [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Taejon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Moon Il; Chung, Chong Kyu; Lim, Bock Soo; Kim, Hyung Uk; Chang, Kwang Il; Nam, Kwan Hyun; Cho, Hye Ryan [AD center incubation LAB, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2001-12-15

    The objectives of radiation safety information system maintenance are to maintain the requirement of users, change of job process and upgrade of the system performance stably and effectively while system maintenance. We conduct the code of conduct recommended by IAEA, management of radioisotope inventory database systematically using analysis for the state of inventory database integrated in this system. This system and database will be support the regulatory guidance, rule making and information to the MOST, KINS, other regulatory related organization and general public optimizationally.

  16. Communication in crisis situations in the process of immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravlija, Jelena; Vasilj, Ivan

    2012-09-01

    Immunization is one of the most effective medical interventions in the prevention of the disease and represents the easiest and most cost-effective investment in health. The strategy of controlling contagious diseases that can be prevented through immunization has a long tradition in B&H. Mandatory immunizations are administered against ten diseases. Although the development of new technologies, the efforts of the pharmaceutical industry, the development of new vaccines provides better vaccines in terms of greater safety and effectiveness it should be pointed out that no vaccine is "absolutely effective and safe", and it will not achieve the immune response in 100% vaccinated, also there are possible side effects and unexpected reactions that could occur. Vaccination is often a media issue because previously unnoticed local, isolated events-side effects and complications of vaccination are now accompanied by media attention as there are now numerous and fast communication channels (internet, e-mail, TV1 etc.) and media evolved from being less "controlled" to more "commercial". Doubt in benefit of vaccination is growing even among health professionals who are expected to provide up-to-date, understandable information, and issue information about immunization benefits and potential risks. It is therefore important for health professionals to be well informed, to be a good source of authoritative, scientific and reasonable advice, and to speak openly about the benefits and risks of vaccination so that consumers fully understand both possible outcomes of vaccination. This takes communication skills, particularly in crisis situations connected with vaccination. Health professionals are thus faced with a changing attitude toward importance of immunization in the social climate where risk is less tolerated than ever before.

  17. 49 CFR 575.301 - Vehicle Labeling of Safety Rating Information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... providing them with safety rating information developed by NHTSA in its New Car Assessment Program (NCAP..., as specified at 15 U.S.C. 1231-1233. (2) Safety rating label means the label with NCAP safety rating... has approved an optional NCAP test that will cover that category, the manufacturer may depict vehicles...

  18. Integrated care: an Information Model for Patient Safety and Vigilance Reporting Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Jean-Marie; Schulz, Stefan; Souvignet, Julien

    2015-01-01

    Quality management information systems for safety as a whole or for specific vigilances share the same information types but are not interoperable. An international initiative tries to develop an integrated information model for patient safety and vigilance reporting to support a global approach of heath care quality.

  19. Design Information from the PSA for Digital Safety-Critical Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Hyun Gook; Jang, Seung Cheol

    2005-01-01

    Many safety-critical applications such as nuclear field application usually adopt a similar design strategy for digital safety-critical systems. Their differences from the normal design for the non-safety-critical applications could be summarized as: multiple-redundancy, highly reliable components, strengthened monitoring mechanism, verified software, and automated test procedure. These items are focusing on maintaining the capability to perform the given safety function when it is requested. For the past several decades, probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) techniques are used in the nuclear industry to assess the relative effects of contributing events on plant risk and system reliability. They provide a unifying means of assessing physical faults, recovery processes, contributing effects, human actions, and other events that have a high degree of uncertainty. The applications of PSA provide not only the analysis results of already installed system but also the useful information for the system under design. The information could be derived from the PSA experience of the various safety-critical systems. Thanks to the design flexibility, the digital system is one of the most suitable candidates for risk-informed design (RID). In this article, we will describe the feedbacks for system design and try to develop a procedure for RID. Even though the procedure is not sophisticated enough now, it could be the start point of the further investigation for developing more complete and practical methodology

  20. 77 FR 69899 - Public Conference on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Transportation Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-21

    ... NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD Public Conference on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in... Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in transportation safety on December 4-5, 2012. GIS is a rapidly... visualization of data. The meeting will bring researchers and practitioners in transportation safety and GIS...

  1. Compatibility of Safety Properties and Possibilistic Information Flow Security in MAKS

    OpenAIRE

    Bauereiss , Thomas; Hutter , Dieter

    2014-01-01

    Part 6: Information Flow Control; International audience; Motivated by typical security requirements of workflow management systems, we consider the integrated verification of both safety properties (e.g. separation of duty) and information flow security predicates of the MAKS framework (e.g. modeling confidentiality requirements). Due to the refinement paradox, enforcement of safety properties might violate possibilistic information flow properties of a system. We present an approach where s...

  2. The Criticality Safety Information Resource Center (CSIRC) at Los Alamos National Laboratory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Henderson, B.D.; Meade, R.A.; Pruvost, N.L.

    1999-01-01

    The Criticality Safety Information Resource Center (CSIRC) at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a program jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in conjunction with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 97-2. The goal of CSIRC is to preserve primary criticality safety documentation from U.S. critical experimental sites and to make this information available for the benefit of the technical community. Progress in archiving criticality safety primary documents at the LANL archives as well as efforts to make this information available to researchers are discussed. The CSIRC project has a natural linkage to the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP). This paper raises the possibility that the CSIRC project will evolve in a fashion similar to the ICSBEP. Exploring the implications of linking the CSIRC to the international criticality safety community is the motivation for this paper

  3. Thermal analysis and safety information for metal nanopowders by DSC

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tseng, J.M.; Huang, S.T. [Institute of Safety and Disaster Prevention Technology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 666, Buzih Road, Beitun District, Taichung 40601, Taiwan, ROC (China); Duh, Y.S.; Hsieh, T.Y.; Sun, Y.Y. [Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, J.Z. [Institute of Safety and Disaster Prevention Technology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 666, Buzih Road, Beitun District, Taichung 40601, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wu, H.C. [Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Council of Labor Affairs, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Kao, C.S., E-mail: jcsk@nuu.edu.tw [Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2013-08-20

    Highlights: • Metal nanopowders are common and frequently employed in industry. • Nano iron powder experimental results of T{sub o} were 140–150 °C. • Safety information can benefit relevant metal powders industries. - Abstract: Metal nanopowders are common and frequently employed in industry. Iron is mostly applied in high-performance magnetic materials and pollutants treatment for groundwater. Zinc is widely used in brass, bronze, die casting metal, alloys, rubber, and paints, etc. Nonetheless, some disasters induced by metal powders are due to the lack of related safety information. In this study, we applied differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and used thermal analysis software to evaluate the related thermal safety information, such as exothermic onset temperature (T{sub o}), peak of temperature (T{sub p}), and heat of reaction (ΔH). The nano iron powder experimental results of T{sub o} were 140–150 °C, 148–158 °C, and 141–149 °C for 15 nm, 35 nm, and 65 nm, respectively. The ΔH was larger than 3900 J/g, 5000 J/g, and 3900 J/g for 15 nm, 35 nm, and 65 nm, respectively. Safety information can benefit the relevant metal powders industries for preventing accidents from occurring.

  4. Health and safety information program for hazardous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Brien, M.P.; Fallon, N.J.; Kuehner, A.V.

    1979-01-01

    The system is used as a management tool in several safety and health programs. It is used to: trace the use of hazardous materials and to determine monitoring needs; inform the occupational physician of the potential health problems associated with materials ordered by a given individual; inform the fire and rescue group of hazardous materials in a given building; provide waste disposal recommendations to the hazardous waste management group; assist the hazardous materials shipping coordinator in identifying materials which are regulated by the Department of Transportation; and guide management decisions in the area of recognizing and rectifying unsafe conditions. The information system has been expanded from a manual effort to provide a brief description of health hazards of chemicals used at the lab to a computerized health and safety information system which serves the needs of all personnel who may encounter the material in the course of their work. The system has been designed to provide information needed to control the potential problems associated with a hazardous material up to the time that it is consumed in a given operation or is sent to the waste disposal facility

  5. Opportunities for Using Building Information Modeling to Improve Worker Safety Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kasim Alomari

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Building information modelling (BIM enables the creation of a digital representation of a designed facility combined with additional information about the project attributes, performance criteria, and construction process. Users of BIM tools point to the ability to visualize the final design along with the construction process as a beneficial feature of using BIM. Knowing the construction process in relationship to a facility’s design benefits both safety professionals when planning worker safety measures for a project and designers when creating a project’s design. Success in using BIM to enhance safety partly depends on the familiarity of project personnel with BIM tools and the extent to which the tools can be used to identify and eliminate safety hazards. In a separate, ongoing study, the authors investigated the connection between BIM and safety to document the opportunities, barriers, and impacts. Utilizing an on-line survey of project engineers who work for construction firms together with a comprehensive literature review, the study found those who use BIM feel that it aids in communication of project information and project delivery, both of which have been found to have positive impacts on construction site safety. Further, utilizing the survey results, the authors apply the binary logistic regression econometric framework to better understand the factors that lead to safety professionals believing that BIM increases safety in the work place. In addition, according to the survey results, a large percentage of the engineers who use BIM feel that ultimately it helps to eliminate safety hazards and improve worker safety. The study findings suggest that improvements in safety performance across the construction industry may be due in part to increased use of BIM in the construction industry.

  6. The challenge of effectively communicating patient safety information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hugman, Bruce; Edwards, I Ralph

    2006-07-01

    Rational use of drugs and patient safety are seriously compromised by a lack of good information, education and effective communication at all stages of drug development and use. From animal trials through to dispensing, there are misconceptions and opportunities for error which current methods of drug information communication do not adequately address: they do not provide those responsible for prescribing and dispensing drugs with the data and information they need to pass on complex and often changing messages to patients and the public. The incidence of adverse reactions due to the way drugs are used; the variable impact of regulatory guidelines and warnings on prescribing behaviour; drug scares and crises suggest a great gap between the ideals of the safe use of medicines and the reality in homes, clinics and hospitals around the world. To address these challenges, the authors review the several levels at which safety information is generated and communicated, and examine how, at each stage, the content and its significance, and the method of communication can be improved.

  7. Information need about the safety of the final disposal of nuclear waste. Information receiver's views in Eurajoki, Kuhmo and Aeaenekoski municipalities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hautakangas, H.

    1997-03-01

    The study analyses the public's information need about the safety issues related to the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel generated by the Finnish nuclear power stations. Locals in three municipalities that are studied as possible sites for final disposal were interviewed for the study. Earlier studies made in Finland had indicated that the public's knowledge about safety issues related to the final disposal was almost opposite to the findings of the natural sciences. Also, the public had expressed a wish to receive more information from the safety authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). This study therefore had two basic objectives: To find out what kind of safety information the locals need and what the safety authority's role could be in providing information. The main results show interest and need especially for information concerning the disposal phases taking place on the ground level, such as nuclear waste transportation and encapsulation. Also, the interviews show a clear need and desire for an impartial actor such as STUK in the information and communication process. (author) (107 refs.)

  8. Exchange of information between nuclear safety authorities: Policy of the French regulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asty, Michel

    2000-01-01

    Full text: The decree setting up the Nuclear Safety Authority in 1973 entrusted it with international assignments whose objectives are still valid: - develop exchanges of information with foreign counterparts on regulatory systems and practices, on problems encountered in the nuclear safety field and on provisions made, with a view to enhancing its approach, and - becoming better acquainted with the actual operating practice of these Safety Authorities from which lessons could be learned for its own working procedures; - improving its position in the technical discussions with the French operators, since its arguments would be strengthened by practical knowledge of conditions abroad; - make known and explain the French approach and practices in the nuclear safety field and provide information on measures taken to deal with the problems encountered. This approach has several objectives: - promote the circulation of information on French positions on certain issues, such as very low level waste, for instance; - assist some countries wishing to create or modify their Nuclear Safety Authority, such as countries of the former USSR, the Central and Eastern European countries, and emerging countries on other continents; - help, when requested, foreign Safety Authorities required to issue permits for nuclear equipment of French origin; - provide the countries concerned with all relevant information on French nuclear installations located near their frontiers. Examples are given on the way the French Nuclear Safety Authority implements these objectives. (author)

  9. Impediments for the application of risk-informed decision making in nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hahn, L.

    2001-01-01

    A broad application of risk-informed decision making in the regulation of safety of nuclear power plants is hindered by the lack of quantitative risk and safety standards as well as of precise instruments to demonstrate an appropriate safety. An additional severe problem is associated with the difficulty to harmonize deterministic design requirements and probabilistic safety assessment. The problem is strengthened by the vulnerability of PSA for subjective influences and the potential of misuse. Beside this scepticism the nuclear community is encouraged to intensify the efforts to improve the quality standards for probabilistic safety assessments and their quality assurance. A prerequisite for reliable risk-informed decision making processes is also a well-defined and transparent relationship between deterministic and probabilistic safety approaches. (author)

  10. Vaccine Education During Pregnancy and Timeliness of Infant Immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veerasingam, Priya; Grant, Cameron C; Chelimo, Carol; Philipson, Kathryn; Gilchrist, Catherine A; Berry, Sarah; Carr, Polly Atatoa; Camargo, Carlos A; Morton, Susan

    2017-09-01

    Pregnant women routinely receive information in support of or opposing infant immunization. We aimed to describe immunization information sources of future mothers' and determine if receiving immunization information is associated with infant immunization timeliness. We analyzed data from a child cohort born 2009-2010 in New Zealand. Pregnant women ( N = 6822) at a median gestation of 39 weeks described sources of information encouraging or discouraging infant immunization. Immunizations received by cohort infants were determined through linkage with the National Immunization Register ( n = 6682 of 6853 [98%]). Independent associations of immunization information received with immunization timeliness were described by using adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Immunization information sources were described by 6182 of 6822 (91%) women. Of these, 2416 (39%) received information encouraging immunization, 846 (14%) received discouraging information, and 565 (9%) received both encouraging and discouraging information. Compared with infants of women who received no immunization information (71% immunized on-time), infants of women who received discouraging information only (57% immunized on time, OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.38-0.64) or encouraging and discouraging information (61% immunized on time, OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.42-0.63) were at decreased odds of receiving all immunizations on time. Receipt of encouraging information only was not associated with infant immunization timeliness (73% immunized on time, OR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.87-1.15). Receipt, during pregnancy, of information against immunization was associated with delayed infant immunization regardless of receipt of information supporting immunization. In contrast, receipt of encouraging information is not associated with infant immunization timeliness. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  11. Immunization Coverage

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... room/fact-sheets/detail/immunization-coverage","@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article"}; العربية 中文 français русский español ... Plan Global Health Observatory (GHO) data - Immunization More information on vaccines and immunization News 1 in 10 ...

  12. Feedback from incident reporting: information and action to improve patient safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benn, J; Koutantji, M; Wallace, L; Spurgeon, P; Rejman, M; Healey, A; Vincent, C

    2009-02-01

    Effective feedback from incident reporting systems in healthcare is essential if organisations are to learn from failures in the delivery of care. Despite the wide-scale development and implementation of incident reporting in healthcare, studies in the UK suggest that information concerning system vulnerabilities could be better applied to improve operational safety within organisations. In this article, the findings and implications of research to identify forms of effective feedback from incident reporting are discussed, to promote best practices in this area. The research comprised a mixed methods review to investigate mechanisms of effective feedback for healthcare, drawing upon experience within established reporting programmes in high-risk industry and transport domains. Systematic searches of published literature were undertaken, and 23 case studies describing incident reporting programmes with feedback were identified for analysis from the international healthcare literature. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 19 subject matter experts across a range of domains, including: civil aviation, maritime, energy, rail, offshore production and healthcare. In analysis, qualitative information from several sources was synthesised into practical requirements for developing effective feedback in healthcare. Both action and information feedback mechanisms were identified, serving safety awareness, improvement and motivational functions. The provision of actionable feedback that visibly improved systems was highlighted as important in promoting future reporting. Fifteen requirements for the design of effective feedback systems were identified, concerning: the role of leadership, the credibility and content of information, effective dissemination channels, the capacity for rapid action and the need for feedback at all levels of the organisation, among others. Above all, the safety-feedback cycle must be closed by ensuring that reporting, analysis and

  13. 'BeSAFE', effect-evaluation of internet-based, tailored safety information combined with personal counselling on parents' child safety behaviours: study design of a randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Beeck Eduard F

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Injuries in or around the home are the most important cause of death among children aged 0-4 years old. It is also a major source of morbidity and loss of quality of life. In order to reduce the number of injuries, the Consumer Safety Institute introduced the use of Safety Information Leaflets in the Netherlands to provide safety education to parents of children aged 0-4 years. Despite current safety education, necessary safety behaviours are still not taken by a large number of parents, causing unnecessary risk of injury among young children. In an earlier study an E-health module with internet-based, tailored safety information was developed and applied. It concerns an advice for parents on safety behaviours in their homes regarding their child. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of this safety information combined with personal counselling on parents' child safety behaviours. Methods/Design Parents who are eligible for the regular well-child visit with their child at child age 5-8 months are invited to participate in this study. Participating parents are randomized into one of two groups: 1 internet-based, tailored safety information combined with personal counselling (intervention group, or 2 personal counselling using the Safety Information Leaflets of the Consumer Safety Institute in the Netherlands for children aged 12 to 24 months (control group. All parents receive safety information on safety topics regarding the prevention of falling, poisoning, drowning and burning. Parents of the intervention group will access the internet-based, tailored safety information module when their child is approximately 10 months old. After completion of the assessment questions, the program compiles a tailored safety advice. The parents are asked to devise and inscribe a personal implementation intention. During the next well-child visit, the Child Health Clinic professional will discuss this tailored safety information

  14. Use of risk information to safety regulation. Fabrication facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    A procedure of ISA (Integrated Safety Analysis) for uranium fuel fabrication/enrichment facilities has been under the development aiming to utilize risk information for safety regulations in this project. Activities in the fiscal year 2012 are summarized in the paper. There are two major activities in the year. First one is a study on ISA procedure for external events such as earthquakes. Second one is that for chemical consequences such as UF6 and HF. Other than the activities a fundamental study on a policy of utilizing risk information was conducted. The outline and results are provided in the chapter 1 and 2 respectively. (author)

  15. Quantifying Safety Margin Using the Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grabaskas, David; Bucknor, Matthew; Brunett, Acacia; Nakayama, Marvin

    2015-04-26

    The Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC), developed by Idaho National Laboratory as part of the Light-Water Reactor Sustainability Project, utilizes a probabilistic safety margin comparison between a load and capacity distribution, rather than a deterministic comparison between two values, as is usually done in best-estimate plus uncertainty analyses. The goal is to determine the failure probability, or in other words, the probability of the system load equaling or exceeding the system capacity. While this method has been used in pilot studies, there has been little work conducted investigating the statistical significance of the resulting failure probability. In particular, it is difficult to determine how many simulations are necessary to properly characterize the failure probability. This work uses classical (frequentist) statistics and confidence intervals to examine the impact in statistical accuracy when the number of simulations is varied. Two methods are proposed to establish confidence intervals related to the failure probability established using a RISMC analysis. The confidence interval provides information about the statistical accuracy of the method utilized to explore the uncertainty space, and offers a quantitative method to gauge the increase in statistical accuracy due to performing additional simulations.

  16. Use of information technologies to contribute for optimizing the safety radiation management in Cuba

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valdes Ramos, M.; Prendes Alonso, M.; Hernandez Saiz, A.; Manzano de Armas, J.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents the results achieved in Cuba, with the development of a group of information management tools to implement radiation safety systemic and proactive approaches to safety and ICT supported. These tools were designed for different organisms with responsibility for the security at the country level, to the regulatory authority, for user entities, for individual monitoring services and other radiation protection services. It describes the philosophy of information management model used, the characteristics of the developed tools and their integration, the work performed for the homogenization of information available and the ability to capture and deliver data at different levels in decision making. The tools developed are based on the use of variables and indicators of importance to the safety and the systemic approach adopted allows to facilitate the optimization process for supervision of safety practices as well as contribute to the management of knowledge in radiation safety, through a synergistic combination of process data, information, information management systems, and the creative and innovative radiation safety experts

  17. THE FORMATION OF THE CONTOUR OF THE DOCUMENTED AND REAL FLIGHT SAFETY IN THE SYSTEM OF THE INFORMATION PROVISION OF SAFETY OF FLIGHTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. I. Bachkalo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The article discusses the principles and mechanisms of formation of the contour of the real safety of flights and contour of the documented safety, allowing us to obtain information to control fligh safety. The proposed approach can be used in the algorithms of active on-board flight safety management system for the implementation of information support to the crew in flight and automatic control of flight safety.

  18. 75 FR 36615 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Gas Distribution Annual Report Form

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 192 [Docket No. PHMSA-RSPA-2004-19854] Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Gas Distribution Annual Report Form AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Request...

  19. Patient-Reported Safety Information: A Renaissance of Pharmacovigilance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Härmark, Linda; Raine, June; Leufkens, Hubert; Edwards, I Ralph; Moretti, Ugo; Sarinic, Viola Macolic; Kant, Agnes

    2016-10-01

    The role of patients as key contributors in pharmacovigilance was acknowledged in the new EU pharmacovigilance legislation. This contains several efforts to increase the involvement of the general public, including making patient adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting systems mandatory. Three years have passed since the legislation was introduced and the key question is: does pharmacovigilance yet make optimal use of patient-reported safety information? Independent research has shown beyond doubt that patients make an important contribution to pharmacovigilance signal detection. Patient reports provide first-hand information about the suspected ADR and the circumstances under which it occurred, including medication errors, quality failures, and 'near misses'. Patient-reported safety information leads to a better understanding of the patient's experiences of the ADR. Patients are better at explaining the nature, personal significance and consequences of ADRs than healthcare professionals' reports on similar associations and they give more detailed information regarding quality of life including psychological effects and effects on everyday tasks. Current methods used in pharmacovigilance need to optimise use of the information reported from patients. To make the most of information from patients, the systems we use for collecting, coding and recording patient-reported information and the methodologies applied for signal detection and assessment need to be further developed, such as a patient-specific form, development of a severity grading and evolution of the database structure and the signal detection methods applied. It is time for a renaissance of pharmacovigilance.

  20. Report on probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) quality assurance in utilization of risk information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2006-12-01

    Recently in Japan, introduction of nuclear safety regulations using risk information such as probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) has been considered and utilization of risk information in the rational and practical measures on safety assurance has made a progress to start with the operation or inspection area. The report compiled results of investigation and studies of PSA quality assurance in risk-informed activities in the USA. Relevant regulatory guide and standard review plan as well as issues and recommendations were reviewed for technical adequacy and advancement of probabilistic risk assessment technology in risk-informed decision making. Useful and important information to be referred as issues in PSA quality assurance was identified. (T. Tanaka)

  1. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. July 1, 2009 meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-07-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 5 main points: 1 - radioactive waste management: status and steps of the June 28, 2006 law, ANDRA's projects of deep geologic disposal for long living/high-medium activity wastes and of low depth disposal for long living/low activity wastes, French nuclear safety authority (ASN) opinion about the sites choice, implementation of article 10 of the June 28, 2006 law relative to public information; 2 - progress of the working groups' works on transparency and secrecy, on the development of a communication scale, and on the creation of an Internet portal for the radio-ecological follow-up of nuclear sites; 3 - comments of the ASN's report on the nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2008; 4 - procedure of management of the radio-physicists shortage in order to warrant the patients' safety and information; 5 - miscellaneous points: project of European directive on nuclear safety, organisation of a visit day onboard of a ship for nuclear materials transportation, comments about the by-law from May 5, 2009, relative to the exemption to informing consumers about the addition of radionuclides to consumption and construction products. (J.S.)

  2. Risk-informed decision making a keystone in advanced safety assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reinhart, M.

    2007-01-01

    Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) has provided extremely valuable complementary insight, perspective, comprehension, and balance to deterministic nuclear reactor safety assessment. This integrated approach of risk-informed management and decision making has been called Risk-Informed Decision Making (RIDM). RIDM provides enhanced safety, reliability, operational flexibility, reduced radiological exposure, and improved fiscal economy. Applications of RIDM continuously increase. Current applications are in the areas of design, construction, licensing, operations, and security. Operational phase safety applications include the following: technical specifications improvement, risk-monitors and configuration control, maintenance planning, outage planning and management, in-service inspection, inservice testing, graded quality assurance, reactor oversight and inspection, inspection finding significance determination, operational events assessment, and rulemaking. Interestingly there is a significant spectrum of approaches, methods, programs, controls, data bases, and standards. The quest of many is to assimilate the full compliment of PSA and RIDM information and to achieve a balanced international harmony. The goal is to focus the best of the best, so to speak, for the benefit of all. Accordingly, this presentation will address the principles, benefits, and applications of RIDM. It will also address some of the challenges and areas to improve. Finally it will highlight efforts by the IAEA and others to capture the international thinking, experience, successes, challenges, and lessons in RIDM. (authors)

  3. Swimming Pool Safety

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Spread the Word Shop AAP Find a Pediatrician Safety & Prevention Immunizations All Around At Home At Play ... Español Text Size Email Print Share Swimming Pool Safety Page Content ​What is the best way to ...

  4. 10 CFR 52.157 - Contents of applications; technical information in final safety analysis report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ...; technical information in final safety analysis report. The application must contain a final safety analysis... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Contents of applications; technical information in final safety analysis report. 52.157 Section 52.157 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES...

  5. 10 CFR 52.79 - Contents of applications; technical information in final safety analysis report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ...; technical information in final safety analysis report. (a) The application must contain a final safety... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Contents of applications; technical information in final safety analysis report. 52.79 Section 52.79 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) LICENSES...

  6. Risk-informed approaches to assess ecological safety of facilities with radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vashchenko, V.N.; Zlochevskij, V.V.; Skalozubov, V.I.

    2011-01-01

    Ingenious risk-informed methods to assess ecological safety of facilities with radioactive waste are proposed in the paper. Probabilistic norms on lethal outcomes and reliability of safety barriers are used as safety criteria. Based on the probability measures, it is established that ecological safety conditions are met for the standard criterion of lethal outcomes

  7. Factors shaping effective utilization of health information technology in urban safety-net clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Sheba; Garth, Belinda; Fish, Allison; Baker, Richard

    2013-09-01

    Urban safety-net clinics are considered prime targets for the adoption of health information technology innovations; however, little is known about their utilization in such safety-net settings. Current scholarship provides limited guidance on the implementation of health information technology into safety-net settings as it typically assumes that adopting institutions have sufficient basic resources. This study addresses this gap by exploring the unique challenges urban resource-poor safety-net clinics must consider when adopting and utilizing health information technology. In-depth interviews (N = 15) were used with key stakeholders (clinic chief executive officers, medical directors, nursing directors, chief financial officers, and information technology directors) from staff at four clinics to explore (a) nonhealth information technology-related clinic needs, (b) how health information technology may provide solutions, and (c) perceptions of and experiences with health information technology. Participants identified several challenges, some of which appear amenable to health information technology solutions. Also identified were requirements for effective utilization of health information technology including physical infrastructural improvements, funding for equipment/training, creation of user groups to share health information technology knowledge/experiences, and specially tailored electronic billing guidelines. We found that despite the potential benefit that can be derived from health information technologies, the unplanned and uninformed introduction of these tools into these settings might actually create more problems than are solved. From these data, we were able to identify a set of factors that should be considered when integrating health information technology into the existing workflows of low-resourced urban safety-net clinics in order to maximize their utilization and enhance the quality of health care in such settings.

  8. Information Management of Health and Safety at the Tarkwa Mine of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Michael

    2016-06-01

    Jun 1, 2016 ... Information Management of Health and Safety at the Tarkwa ... heap leach technology. ... the quality of information was assessed using the content of information ..... managing library users' expectations; and reference service.

  9. Methods of Certification tests PLC-Networks in Compliance Safety Information

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. Balaev

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was description of the methodology of the audit plc-network to meet the requirements of information security. The technique is based on the provisions of the guidance documents and model FSTEC Russia test object methods of information on safety information.

  10. Progress in Childhood Vaccination Data in Immunization Information Systems - United States, 2013-2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murthy, Neil; Rodgers, Loren; Pabst, Laura; Fiebelkorn, Amy Parker; Ng, Terence

    2017-11-03

    In 2016, 55 jurisdictions in 49 states and six cities in the United States* used immunization information systems (IISs) to collect and manage immunization data and support vaccination providers and immunization programs. To monitor progress toward achieving IIS program goals, CDC surveys jurisdictions through an annual self-administered IIS Annual Report (IISAR). Data from the 2013-2016 IISARs were analyzed to assess progress made in four priority areas: 1) data completeness, 2) bidirectional exchange of data with electronic health record systems, 3) clinical decision support for immunizations, and 4) ability to generate childhood vaccination coverage estimates. IIS participation among children aged 4 months through 5 years increased from 90% in 2013 to 94% in 2016, and 33 jurisdictions reported ≥95% of children aged 4 months through 5 years participating in their IIS in 2016. Bidirectional messaging capacity in IISs increased from 25 jurisdictions in 2013 to 37 in 2016. In 2016, nearly all jurisdictions (52 of 55) could provide automated provider-level coverage reports, and 32 jurisdictions reported that their IISs could send vaccine forecasts to providers via Health Level 7 (HL7) messaging, up from 17 in 2013. Incremental progress was made in each area since 2013, but continued effort is needed to implement these critical functionalities among all IISs. Success in these priority areas, as defined by the IIS Functional Standards (1), bolsters clinicians' and public health practitioners' ability to attain high vaccination coverage in pediatric populations, and prepares IISs to develop more advanced functionalities to support state/local immunization services. Success in these priority areas also supports the achievement of federal immunization objectives, including the use of IISs as supplemental sampling frames for vaccination coverage surveys like the National Immunization Survey (NIS)-Child, reducing data collection costs, and supporting increased precision

  11. Safety, immunogenicity and duration of immunity elicited by an inactivated bovine ephemeral fever vaccine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Orly Aziz-Boaron

    Full Text Available Bovine ephemeral fever (BEF is an economically important viral vector-borne cattle disease. Several live-attenuated, inactivated and recombinant vaccines have been tested, demonstrating varying efficacy. However, to the best of our knowledge, duration of immunity conferred by an inactivated vaccine has never been reported. In the last decade, Israel has faced an increasing number of BEF outbreaks. The need for an effective vaccine compatible with strains circulating in the Middle East region led to the development of a MONTANIDE™ ISA 206 VG (water-in-oil-in-water, inactivated vaccine based on a local strain. We tested the safety, immunogenicity and duration of immunity conferred by this vaccine. The induced neutralizing antibody (NA response was followed for 493 days in 40 cows vaccinated by different protocols. The vaccine did not cause adverse reactions or a decrease in milk production. All cows [except 2 (6.7% which did not respond to vaccination] showed a significant rise in NA titer of up to 1:256 following the second, third or fourth booster vaccination. Neutralizing antibody levels declined gradually to 1:16 up to 120 days post vaccination. This decline continued in cows vaccinated only twice, whereas cows vaccinated 3 or 4 times showed stable titers of approximately 1:16 for up to 267 days post vaccination. At least three vaccinations with the inactivated BEF vaccine were needed to confer long-lasting immunity. These results may have significant implications for the choice of vaccination protocol with inactivated BEF vaccines. Complementary challenge data should however be added to the above results in order to determine what is the minimal NA response conferring protection from clinical disease.

  12. Measuring and improving patient safety through health information technology: The Health IT Safety Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Hardeep; Sittig, Dean F

    2016-04-01

    Health information technology (health IT) has potential to improve patient safety but its implementation and use has led to unintended consequences and new safety concerns. A key challenge to improving safety in health IT-enabled healthcare systems is to develop valid, feasible strategies to measure safety concerns at the intersection of health IT and patient safety. In response to the fundamental conceptual and methodological gaps related to both defining and measuring health IT-related patient safety, we propose a new framework, the Health IT Safety (HITS) measurement framework, to provide a conceptual foundation for health IT-related patient safety measurement, monitoring, and improvement. The HITS framework follows both Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and sociotechnical approaches and calls for new measures and measurement activities to address safety concerns in three related domains: 1) concerns that are unique and specific to technology (e.g., to address unsafe health IT related to unavailable or malfunctioning hardware or software); 2) concerns created by the failure to use health IT appropriately or by misuse of health IT (e.g. to reduce nuisance alerts in the electronic health record (EHR)), and 3) the use of health IT to monitor risks, health care processes and outcomes and identify potential safety concerns before they can harm patients (e.g. use EHR-based algorithms to identify patients at risk for medication errors or care delays). The framework proposes to integrate both retrospective and prospective measurement of HIT safety with an organization's existing clinical risk management and safety programs. It aims to facilitate organizational learning, comprehensive 360 degree assessment of HIT safety that includes vendor involvement, refinement of measurement tools and strategies, and shared responsibility to identify problems and implement solutions. A long term framework goal is to enable rigorous measurement that helps achieve the safety

  13. 29 CFR 1960.12 - Dissemination of occupational safety and health program information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Dissemination of occupational safety and health program... OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAMS AND RELATED MATTERS Administration § 1960.12 Dissemination of occupational safety and health program information. (a) Copies of the Act, Executive Order 12196, program...

  14. Thirteenth water reactor safety research information meeting: proceedings Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1986-02-01

    This six-volume report contains 151 papers out of the 178 that were presented at the Thirteenth Water Reactor Safety Research Information Meeting held at the National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland, during the week of October 22-25, 1985. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included thirty-one different papers presented by researchers from Japan, Canada and eight European countries. The title of the papers and the names of the authors have been updated and may differ from those that appeared in the final program of the meeting. This volume presents information on: risk analysis PRA application; severe accident sequence analysis; risk analysis/dependent failure analysis; and industry safety research

  15. Analyzing and strengthening the vaccine safety program in Manitoba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montalban, J M; Ogbuneke, C; Hilderman, T

    2014-12-04

    The emergence of a novel influenza A virus in 2009 and the rapid introduction of new pandemic vaccines prompted an analysis of the current state of the adverse events following immunization (AEFI) surveillance response in several provinces. To highlight aspects of the situational analysis of the Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors (MHHLS's) AEFI surveillance system and to demonstrate how common business techniques could be usefully applied to a provincial vaccine safety monitoring program. Situational analysis of the AEFI surveillance system in Manitoba was developed through a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis and informed by the National Immunization Strategy vaccine safety priorities. Strategy formulation was developed by applying the threats-opportunities-weaknesses-strengths (TOWS) matrix. Thirteen strategies were formulated that use strengths to either take advantage of opportunities or avoid threats, that exploit opportunities to overcome weaknesses, or that rectify weaknesses to circumvent threats. These strategies entailed the development of various tools and resources, most of which are either actively underway or completed. The SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix enabled MHHLS to enhance the capacity of its vaccine safety program.

  16. Patterns of patient safety culture: a complexity and arts-informed project of knowledge translation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Gail J; Tregunno, Deborah; Gray, Julia; Ginsberg, Liane

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe patterns of patient safety culture that emerged from an innovative collaboration among health services researchers and fine arts colleagues. The group engaged in an arts-informed knowledge translation project to produce a dramatic expression of patient safety culture research for inclusion in a symposium. Scholars have called for a deeper understanding of the complex interrelationships among structure, process and outcomes relating to patient safety. Four patterns of patient safety culture--blinding familiarity, unyielding determination, illusion of control and dismissive urgency--are described with respect to how they informed creation of an arts-informed project for knowledge translation.

  17. Imbalanced immune homeostasis in immune thrombocytopenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yazdanbakhsh, Karina

    2016-04-01

    Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune bleeding disorder resulting from low platelet counts caused by inadequate production as well as increased destruction by autoimmune mechanisms. As with other autoimmune disorders, chronic ITP is characterized by perturbations of immune homeostasis with hyperactivated effector cells as well as defective regulatory arm of the adaptive immune system, which will be reviewed here. Interestingly, some ITP treatments are associated with restoring the regulatory imbalance, although it remains unclear whether the immune system is redirected to a state of tolerance once treatment is discontinued. Understanding the mechanisms that result in breakdown of immune homeostasis in ITP will help to identify novel pathways for restoring tolerance and inhibiting effector cell responses. This information can then be translated into developing therapies for averting autoimmunity not only in ITP but also many autoimmune disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Health Information Technology in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety: Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldman, Sue S; Buchalter, Scott; Hayes, Leslie W

    2018-06-04

    The area of healthcare quality and patient safety is starting to use health information technology to prevent reportable events, identify them before they become issues, and act on events that are thought to be unavoidable. As healthcare organizations begin to explore the use of health information technology in this realm, it is often unclear where fiscal and human efforts should be focused. The purpose of this study was to provide a foundation for understanding where to focus health information technology fiscal and human resources as well as expectations for the use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed publications reporting on the actual use of health information technology in healthcare quality and patient safety. Inductive thematic analysis with open coding was used to categorize a total of 41 studies. Three pre-set categories were used: prevention, identification, and action. Three additional categories were formed through coding: challenges, outcomes, and location. This study identifies five main categories across seven study settings. A majority of the studies used health IT for identification and prevention of healthcare quality and patient safety issues. In this realm, alerts, clinical decision support, and customized health IT solutions were most often implemented. Implementation, interface design, and culture were most often noted as challenges. This study provides valuable information as organizations determine where they stand to get the most "bang for their buck" relative to health IT for quality and patient safety. Knowing what implementations are being effectivity used by other organizations helps with fiscal and human resource planning as well as managing expectations relative to cost, scope, and outcomes. The findings from this scan of the literature suggest that having organizational champion leaders that can shepherd implementation, impact culture

  19. Establishing management information system to solve the information management problem of nuclear safety related personnel's qualification management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Haipeng; Liu Zhijun; Li Tianshu

    2013-01-01

    With the rapid progress of nuclear energy and nuclear technology utilization, nuclear safety related personnel play an increasingly important role in ensuring nuclear safety. NNSA personnel qualification management information system conducts a multi-faceted, effective, real-time monitoring and information collection for nuclear safety staff practice unit management, knowledge management, license application, appraisal management or supervision, training management or supervision and certified staff management, and also is a milestone for NNSA to build the state department with 'five-feature' (learning-oriented, service-oriented, economical, innovative, clean-type). (authors)

  20. Internet Exposure Associated With Canadian Parents' Perception of Risk on Childhood Immunization: Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tustin, Jordan Lee; Crowcroft, Natasha Sarah; Gesink, Dionne; Johnson, Ian; Keelan, Jennifer

    2018-01-19

    There is a large presence of provaccination and antivaccination content on the Internet. The Internet has been identified as an important source for parents to seek and share vaccine information. There are concerns that parental fears or hesitancy on childhood immunizations are increasing due to the popularity of social media and exposure to online antivaccination sentiment. No other studies have investigated the association between seeking vaccine information online and Canadian parents' perception of risk on childhood immunization. We aimed to investigate the potential association between seeking vaccine information on the Internet and Canadian parents' perception of risk on childhood immunization in order to quantify the perceived association and increase our understanding on the impact of the Internet to help guide public health interventions. We analyzed this association in two population samples: a self-selecting Web-based sample of Canadian parents recruited through Facebook (n=966) and a population-based sample of parents recruited by random digit dialing (RDD; n=951). The outcome was parental perception of vaccine safety on a seven-point ordinal scale from "not safe" to "extremely safe." An ordinal regression model was used to investigate if Internet information seeking on childhood vaccination predicted parental perception of vaccine safety. After adjusting for income level, Internet reliability, age of parent, and region, the odds of perceiving vaccines as less safe rather than more safe were 1.6 times higher (95% CI 1.3-2.1) for parents who used the Internet to search for vaccination information compared to parents who did not search the Internet in the Web-based sample, and 2.0 times higher (95% CI 1.6-2.5) in the population-based RDD sample. The results suggest the Internet is significantly associated with Canadian parents' negative perception of vaccine risk. Governmental and scientific sectors should consider the development and implementation of

  1. A single immunization with a recombinant canine adenovirus expressing the rabies virus G protein confers protective immunity against rabies in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jianwei; Faber, Milosz; Papaneri, Amy; Faber, Marie-Luise; McGettigan, James P.; Schnell, Matthias J.; Dietzschold, Bernhard

    2006-01-01

    Rabies vaccines based on live attenuated rabies viruses or recombinant pox viruses expressing the rabies virus (RV) glycoprotein (G) hold the greatest promise of safety and efficacy, particularly for oral immunization of wildlife. However, while these vaccines induce protective immunity in foxes, they are less effective in other animals, and safety concerns have been raised for some of these vaccines. Because canine adenovirus 2 (CAV2) is licensed for use as a live vaccine for dogs and has an excellent efficacy and safety record, we used this virus as an expression vector for the RVG. The recombinant CAV2-RV G produces virus titers similar to those produced by wild-type CAV2, indicating that the RVG gene does not affect virus replication. Comparison of RVG expressed by CAV2-RV G with that of vaccinia-RV G recombinant virus (V-RG) revealed similar amounts of RV G on the cell surface. A single intramuscular or intranasal immunization of mice with CAV2-RVG induced protective immunity in a dose-dependent manner, with no clinical signs or discomfort from the virus infection regardless of the route of administration or the amount of virus

  2. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. March 17, 2009 meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-03-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 9 main topics: 1 - presentation by the French nuclear safety authority (ASN) of a dismantling strategy for nuclear facilities, in particular taking into account a final state for the site and the information of populations; 2 - status of the next campaign of iodine tablets distribution; 3 - the management of ancient uranium mines and in particular the long-term environmental and health impact of mine tailings; 4 - the implementation of the high committee's recommendations; 5 - work progress of the working group on information transparency; 6 - Areva's invitation of the working group on information transparency to assist to the organisation of a Mox fuel convoy between Cherbourg and Japan; 7 - progress of the working group on the elaboration of a 'communication scale' comparable to the INES scale; 8 - presentation of the meetings organized by the ANCLI (French national association of local information commissions) about the implementation of the Aarhus convention; 9 - presentation by the IRSN (Institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety) of its communication approach towards the public. (J.S.)

  3. Food Safety and Nutrition Information for Kids and Teens

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Vaccines, Blood & Biologics Animal & Veterinary Cosmetics Tobacco Products Food Home Food Resources for You Consumers Kids & Teens ... More sharing options Linkedin Pin it Email Print Food Safety & Nutrition Information for Kids and Teens Fun & ...

  4. Pertussis Maternal Immunization: Narrowing the Knowledge Gaps on the Duration of Transferred Protective Immunity and on Vaccination Frequency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaillard, María Emilia; Bottero, Daniela; Zurita, María Eugenia; Carriquiriborde, Francisco; Martin Aispuro, Pablo; Bartel, Erika; Sabater-Martínez, David; Bravo, María Sol; Castuma, Celina; Hozbor, Daniela Flavia

    2017-01-01

    Maternal safety through pertussis vaccination and subsequent maternal–fetal-antibody transfer are well documented, but information on infant protection from pertussis by such antibodies and by subsequent vaccinations is scarce. Since mice are used extensively for maternal-vaccination studies, we adopted that model to narrow those gaps in our understanding of maternal pertussis immunization. Accordingly, we vaccinated female mice with commercial acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine and measured offspring protection against Bordetella pertussis challenge and specific-antibody levels with or without revaccination. Maternal immunization protected the offspring against pertussis, with that immune protection transferred to the offspring lasting for several weeks, as evidenced by a reduction (4–5 logs, p protection to offspring up to the fourth pregnancy. Under the conditions of our experimental protocol, protection to offspring from the aP-induced immunity is transferred both transplacentally and through breastfeeding. Adoptive-transfer experiments demonstrated that transferred antibodies were more responsible for the protection detected in offspring than transferred whole spleen cells. In contrast to reported findings, the protection transferred was not lost after the vaccination of infant mice with the same or other vaccine preparations, and conversely, the immunity transferred from mothers did not interfere with the protection conferred by infant vaccination with the same or different vaccines. These results indicated that aP-vaccine immunization of pregnant female mice conferred protective immunity that is transferred both transplacentally and via offspring breastfeeding without compromising the protection boostered by subsequent infant vaccination. These results—though admittedly not necessarily immediately extrapolatable to humans—nevertheless enabled us to test hypotheses under controlled conditions through detailed sampling and data collection. These

  5. Twenty-First Water Reaction Safety Information Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteleone, S.

    1994-04-01

    This three-volume report contains 90 papers out of the 102 that were presented at the Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, during the week of October 25--27, 1993. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included papers presented by researchers from France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom. The titles of the papers and the names of the authors have been updated and may differ from those that appeared in the final program of the meeting. Individual papers have been cataloged separately. This document, Volume 2, presents papers on severe accident research

  6. Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteleone, S.

    1994-04-01

    This three-volume report contains 90 papers out of the 102 that were presented at the Twenty-First Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, during the week of October 25-27, 1993. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included papers presented by researchers from France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom. The titles of the papers and the names of the authors have been updated and may differ from those that appeared in the final program of the meeting. Selected papers were indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database

  7. Standardized System of Nuclear Safety Information for the Promotion of Transparency and Openness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Gihyung; Kim, Sanghyun; Lee, Gyehwi; Yoon, Yeonhwa; Song, Song Hyerim; Jeong, Jina [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Jaehyung; Seo, Jonghwan [Dong-A Univ., Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-05-15

    There has been an increasing emphasis on the need for increased disclosure of information through the home page of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), responsible for nuclear safety regulations, and the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC) to enhance public understanding of nuclear safety. However, due to the dazzled structure of the existing KINS and NSIC home pages, improvements in accessibility and convenience are necessary. At the same time, content standardization is required to increase operational efficiency and provide coherent information. In this study, the Delphi method was used to select the major contents to make available on the home page as well as the main user base definition for the home page layout development. Also, internal and external expert groups were created to conduct AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) analysis and develop the comparative analysis items for the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC)/KINS/NSIC home pages. Afterwards, problems and points of improvements for the home page system, design, and profile were derived using heuristic analysis. The implications arising from the Delphi analysis results were applied to the home page layout. In the nuclear safety information standardized system construction process, the comparative analysis conducted using the AHP and heuristic analyses of the NRC home page resulted in deriving improvements for the Guidance, Organization, and Trustworthy items of the KINS/NSIC home page. Furthermore, through the Delphi analysis, a clear purpose and core values were set for the KINS web site, and the needs of the main user base were identified. By developing the home page layout, user interest and utility were raised to improve the organization method and layout. Through this study, KINS was able to construct a nuclear safety information standardized system and increase transparency and openness by providing feature enhancements in information provision as well as user accessibility and

  8. Standardized System of Nuclear Safety Information for the Promotion of Transparency and Openness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Gihyung; Kim, Sanghyun; Lee, Gyehwi; Yoon, Yeonhwa; Song, Song Hyerim; Jeong, Jina; Byun, Jaehyung; Seo, Jonghwan

    2013-01-01

    There has been an increasing emphasis on the need for increased disclosure of information through the home page of the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), responsible for nuclear safety regulations, and the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC) to enhance public understanding of nuclear safety. However, due to the dazzled structure of the existing KINS and NSIC home pages, improvements in accessibility and convenience are necessary. At the same time, content standardization is required to increase operational efficiency and provide coherent information. In this study, the Delphi method was used to select the major contents to make available on the home page as well as the main user base definition for the home page layout development. Also, internal and external expert groups were created to conduct AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) analysis and develop the comparative analysis items for the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC)/KINS/NSIC home pages. Afterwards, problems and points of improvements for the home page system, design, and profile were derived using heuristic analysis. The implications arising from the Delphi analysis results were applied to the home page layout. In the nuclear safety information standardized system construction process, the comparative analysis conducted using the AHP and heuristic analyses of the NRC home page resulted in deriving improvements for the Guidance, Organization, and Trustworthy items of the KINS/NSIC home page. Furthermore, through the Delphi analysis, a clear purpose and core values were set for the KINS web site, and the needs of the main user base were identified. By developing the home page layout, user interest and utility were raised to improve the organization method and layout. Through this study, KINS was able to construct a nuclear safety information standardized system and increase transparency and openness by providing feature enhancements in information provision as well as user accessibility and

  9. Safety Requirements and Modern Technical Requirements in Human Information Systems in Amman Hotels

    OpenAIRE

    Farouq Ahmad Alazzam; Sattam Rakan Allahawiah; Mohammad Nayef Alsarayreh; Kafa Hmoud Abdallah al Nawaiseh

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to demonstrate the availability of Safety requirements and modern technical requirements in human information systems in Amman hotels. an the most important results of this study is the availability of security and safety requirements in human information systems In Amman hotels and The adequacy of the information that it provided .and show that all departments are not connected by appropriate and effective communication networks in adequate form . Also sophisticated operatin...

  10. Safety and Efficacy Profile of Commercial Veterinary Vaccines against Rift Valley Fever: A Review Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moataz Alhaj

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Rift Valley Fever (RVF is an infectious illness with serious clinical manifestations and health consequences in humans as well as a wide range of domestic ruminants. This review provides significant information about the prevention options of RVF along with the safety-efficacy profile of commercial vaccines and some of RVF vaccination strategies. Information presented in this paper was obtained through a systematic investigation of published data about RVF vaccines. Like other viral diseases, the prevention of RVF relies heavily on immunization of susceptible herds with safe and cost-effective vaccine that is able to confer long-term protective immunity. Several strains of RVF vaccines have been developed and are available in commercial production including Formalin-Inactivated vaccine, live attenuated Smithburn vaccine, and the most recent Clone13. Although Formalin-Inactivated vaccine and live attenuated Smithburn vaccine are immunogenic and widely used in prevention programs, they proved to be accompanied by significant concerns. Despite Clone13 vaccine being suggested as safe in pregnant ewes and as highly immunogenic along with its potential for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA, a recent study raised concerns about the safety of the vaccine during the first trimester of gestation. Accordingly, RVF vaccines that are currently available in the market to a significant extent do not fulfill the requirements of safety, potency, and DIVA. These adverse effects stressed the need for developing new vaccines with an excellent safety profile to bridge the gap in safety and immunity. Bringing RVF vaccine candidates to local markets besides the absence of validated serological test for DIVA remain the major challenges of RVF control.

  11. Riding on air: critical safety information for you and your tires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2002-07-01

    This booklet is issued for public distribution by Transport Canada. It provides a few simple tips concerning automobile tire safety which, if followed, is expected to result in increased personal and vehicle safety, improved fuel economy, prolonged tire life, energy savings and reduced environmental pollution. The information provided include tips about tire pressure, tire inspection for damage and wear, rotation of tires for more even wear, replacing worn tires, the advantages of using snow tires in winter and an explanation of the meaning of the information found on the tire sidewall.

  12. A risk-informed perspective on deterministic safety analysis of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wan, P.T.

    2009-01-01

    In this work, the deterministic safety analysis (DSA) approach to nuclear safety is examined from a risk-informed perspective. One objective of safety analysis of a nuclear power plant is to demonstrate via analysis that the risks to the public from events or accidents that are within the design basis of the power plant are within acceptable levels with a high degree of assurance. This nuclear safety analysis objective can be translated into two requirements on the risk estimates of design basis events or accidents: the nominal risk estimate to the public must be shown to be within acceptable levels, and the uncertainty in the risk estimates must be shown to be small on an absolute or relative basis. The DSA approach combined with the defense-in-depth (DID) principle is a simplified safety analysis approach that attempts to achieve the above safety analysis objective in the face of potentially large uncertainties in the risk estimates of a nuclear power plant by treating the various uncertainty contributors using a stylized conservative binary (yes-no) approach, and applying multiple overlapping physical barriers and defense levels to protect against the release of radioactivity from the reactor. It is shown that by focusing on the consequence aspect of risk, the previous two nuclear safety analysis requirements on risk can be satisfied with the DSA-DID approach to nuclear safety. It is also shown the use of multiple overlapping physical barriers and defense levels in the traditional DSA-DID approach to nuclear safety is risk-informed in the sense that it provides a consistently high level of confidence in the validity of the safety analysis results for various design basis events or accidents with a wide range of frequency of occurrence. It is hoped that by providing a linkage between the consequence analysis approach in DSA with a risk-informed perspective, greater understanding of the limitation and capability of the DSA approach is obtained. (author)

  13. Preliminary safety information document for the standard MHTGR. Volume 4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    1986-01-01

    This report contains information concerning: operational radionuclide control; occupational radiation protection, conduct of operations; initial test program; safety analysis; technical specifications; and quality assurance. (JDB)

  14. Evaluating and Predicting Patient Safety for Medical Devices With Integral Information Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-01-01

    323 Evaluating and Predicting Patient Safety for Medical Devices with Integral Information Technology Jiajie Zhang, Vimla L. Patel, Todd R...errors are due to inappropriate designs for user interactions, rather than mechanical failures. Evaluating and predicting patient safety in medical ...the users on the identified trouble spots in the devices. We developed two methods for evaluating and predicting patient safety in medical devices

  15. Sculpting humoral immunity through dengue vaccination to enhance protective immunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wayne eCrill

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Dengue viruses (DENV are the most important mosquito transmitted viral pathogens infecting humans. DENV infection produces a spectrum of disease, most commonly causing a self-limiting flu-like illness known as dengue fever; yet with increased frequency, manifesting as life-threatening dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF. Waning cross-protective immunity from any of the four dengue serotypes may enhance subsequent infection with another heterologous serotype to increase the probability of DHF. Decades of effort to develop dengue vaccines are reaching the finishing line with multiple candidates in clinical trials. Nevertheless, concerns remain that imbalanced immunity, due to the prolonged prime-boost schedules currently used in clinical trials, could leave some vaccinees temporarily unprotected or with increased susceptibility to enhanced disease. Here we develop a DENV serotype 1 (DENV-1 DNA vaccine with the immunodominant cross-reactive B cell epitopes associated with immune enhancement removed. We compare wild-type (WT with this cross-reactivity reduced (CRR vaccine and demonstrate that both vaccines are equally protective against lethal homologous DENV-1 challenge. Under conditions mimicking natural exposure prior to acquiring protective immunity, WT vaccinated mice enhanced a normally sub-lethal heterologous DENV-2 infection resulting in DHF-like disease and 95% mortality in AG129 mice. However, CRR vaccinated mice exhibited redirected serotype-specific and protective immunity, and significantly reduced morbidity and mortality not differing from naïve mice. Thus, we demonstrate in an in vivo DENV disease model, that non-protective vaccine-induced immunity can prime vaccinees for enhanced DHF-like disease and that CRR DNA immunization significantly reduces this potential vaccine safety concern. The sculpting of immune memory by the modified vaccine and resulting redirection of humoral immunity provide insight into DENV vaccine induced immune

  16. An approach for risk informed safety culture assessment for Canadian nuclear power stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, W.R.

    2010-01-01

    One of the most important components of effective safety and risk management for nuclear power stations is a healthy safety culture. DNV has developed an approach for risk informed safety culture assessment that combines two complementary paradigms for safety and risk management: loss prevention - for preventing and intervening in accidents; and critical function management - for achieving safety and performance goals. Combining these two paradigms makes it possible to provide more robust systems for safety management and to support a healthy safety culture. This approach is being applied to safety culture assessment in partnership with a Canadian nuclear utility. (author)

  17. Development of a Safety Assessment Information System for the Management of Periodic Safety Assessment Activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Tae Young

    2007-01-01

    At present, the 10-year Periodic Safety Review(PSR) has been performing to confirm all the aspects of safety issues for all the operating plants in compliance with domestic nuclear law of article 23, subarticle 3. For each plant, in addition, Probabilistic Safety Assessment(PSA) and Severe Accident Management Guideline(SAMG) are being implemented and revised periodically to reflect the latest safety level according to principle fulfillment of severe accident policy statement. The assessment reports, as one of outcomes from these activities, are submitted into and reviewed by domestic regulatory body. During reviewing (in-office duty) and licensing (regulatory duty) process, a large number of outcomes of which most are the formal technical reports and licensing materials, are inevitably produced. Moreover, repeated review process over the plants can make them accumulated and produce a variety of documents additionally. This circumstance motivates to develop effective tool or system for the management of these reports and related technical documents for the future use in licensing process and for subsequent plant assessments. This paper presents the development status of Safety Assessment Information System(SAIS) which manages safety-related documents of PSR, PSA and SAMG for practical use for experienced engineers in charge of these areas

  18. Development of a Safety Assessment Information System for the Management of Periodic Safety Assessment Activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, Tae Young [Nuclear Engineering and Technology Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-07-01

    At present, the 10-year Periodic Safety Review(PSR) has been performing to confirm all the aspects of safety issues for all the operating plants in compliance with domestic nuclear law of article 23, subarticle 3. For each plant, in addition, Probabilistic Safety Assessment(PSA) and Severe Accident Management Guideline(SAMG) are being implemented and revised periodically to reflect the latest safety level according to principle fulfillment of severe accident policy statement. The assessment reports, as one of outcomes from these activities, are submitted into and reviewed by domestic regulatory body. During reviewing (in-office duty) and licensing (regulatory duty) process, a large number of outcomes of which most are the formal technical reports and licensing materials, are inevitably produced. Moreover, repeated review process over the plants can make them accumulated and produce a variety of documents additionally. This circumstance motivates to develop effective tool or system for the management of these reports and related technical documents for the future use in licensing process and for subsequent plant assessments. This paper presents the development status of Safety Assessment Information System(SAIS) which manages safety-related documents of PSR, PSA and SAMG for practical use for experienced engineers in charge of these areas.

  19. NASA Aviation Safety Program Weather Accident Prevention/weather Information Communications (WINCOMM)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feinberg, Arthur; Tauss, James; Chomos, Gerald (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Weather is a contributing factor in approximately 25-30 percent of general aviation accidents. The lack of timely, accurate and usable weather information to the general aviation pilot in the cockpit to enhance pilot situational awareness and improve pilot judgment remains a major impediment to improving aviation safety. NASA Glenn Research Center commissioned this 120 day weather datalink market survey to assess the technologies, infrastructure, products, and services of commercial avionics systems being marketed to the general aviation community to address these longstanding safety concerns. A market survey of companies providing or proposing to provide graphical weather information to the general aviation cockpit was conducted. Fifteen commercial companies were surveyed. These systems are characterized and evaluated in this report by availability, end-user pricing/cost, system constraints/limits and technical specifications. An analysis of market survey results and an evaluation of product offerings were made. In addition, recommendations to NASA for additional research and technology development investment have been made as a result of this survey to accelerate deployment of cockpit weather information systems for enhancing aviation safety.

  20. Memorandum on the use of information technology to improve medication safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ammenwerth, E; Aly, A-F; Bürkle, T; Christ, P; Dormann, H; Friesdorf, W; Haas, C; Haefeli, W E; Jeske, M; Kaltschmidt, J; Menges, K; Möller, H; Neubert, A; Rascher, W; Reichert, H; Schuler, J; Schreier, G; Schulz, S; Seidling, H M; Stühlinger, W; Criegee-Rieck, M

    2014-01-01

    Information technology in health care has a clear potential to improve the quality and efficiency of health care, especially in the area of medication processes. On the other hand, existing studies show possible adverse effects on patient safety when IT for medication-related processes is developed, introduced or used inappropriately. To summarize definitions and observations on IT usage in pharmacotherapy and to derive recommendations and future research priorities for decision makers and domain experts. This memorandum was developed in a consensus-based iterative process that included workshops and e-mail discussions among 21 experts coordinated by the Drug Information Systems Working Group of the German Society for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (GMDS). The recommendations address, among other things, a stepwise and comprehensive strategy for IT usage in medication processes, the integration of contextual information for alert generation, the involvement of patients, the semantic integration of information resources, usability and adaptability of IT solutions, and the need for their continuous evaluation. Information technology can help to improve medication safety. However, challenges remain regarding access to information, quality of information, and measurable benefits.

  1. Trade associations and labor organizations as intermediaries for disseminating workplace safety and health information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okun, Andrea H; Watkins, Janice P; Schulte, Paul A

    2017-09-01

    There has not been a systematic study of the nature and extent to which business and professional trade associations and labor organizations obtain and communicate workplace safety and health information to their members. These organizations can serve as important intermediaries and play a central role in transferring this information to their members. A sample of 2294 business and professional trade associations and labor organizations in eight industrial sectors identified by the National Occupational Research Agenda was surveyed via telephone. A small percent of these organizations (40.9% of labor organizations, 15.6% of business associations, and 9.6% of professional associations) were shown to distribute workplace safety and health information to their members. Large differences were also observed between industrial sectors with construction having the highest total percent of organizations disseminating workplace safety and health information. There appears to be significant potential to utilize trade and labor organizations as intermediaries for transferring workplace safety and health information to their members. Government agencies have a unique opportunity to partner with these organizations and to utilize their existing communication channels to address high risk workplace safety and health concerns. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  2. SAFETY AND IMMUNOLOGIC EFFICACY OF COMBINED IMMUNIZATION IN CHILDREN AGED 6—7 YEARS WITH VACCINES FROM THE NATIONAL CALENDAR OF PROPHYLACTICS VACCINES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. V. Konovalov

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We estimated the safety of the vaccination for prevention of influenza with Grippol® plus vaccine alongside with vaccination with combined preparations for the prevention of diphtheria and tetanus (Td and measles, rubella, mumps in children aged 6—7 years. We determined that combined immunization with the indicated vaccines proves good tolerability and low reactogenicity. Vaccine Grippol® Plus shows low reactogenicity , high immunologenicity and does not cause cross-suppression of antibodies in co-administration with other vaccines on vaccination calendar. Also concomitant vaccination with Grippol® plus and other vaccines does not inhibit the development of a specific immune response against influenza.

  3. Safety recommendation component of mobile information assistant of the tourist

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savchuk, Valeriya V.; Kunanec, Natalia E.; Pasichnyk, Volodymyr V.; Popiel, Piotr; Weryńska-Bieniasz, RóŻa; Kashaganova, Gulzhamal; Kalizhanova, Aliya

    2017-08-01

    The goal of article is to introduce and justify the need for the safety system components of Mobile Information of the tourist (MIAT). One of the objectives of the system is to determine the level of risk in a particular tourist destination on the basis of available information in the knowledge base.

  4. State Traffic Safety Information - 2010-2015 FARS Accident File data

    Data.gov (United States)

    Department of Transportation — The State Traffic Safety Information (STSI) portal is part of the larger Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) Encyclopedia. STSI provides state-by-state traffic...

  5. Immunity's fourth dimension: approaching the circadian-immune connection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjona, Alvaro; Silver, Adam C; Walker, Wendy E; Fikrig, Erol

    2012-12-01

    The circadian system ensures the generation and maintenance of self-sustained ~24-h rhythms in physiology that are linked to internal and environmental changes. In mammals, daily variations in light intensity and other cues are integrated by a hypothalamic master clock that conveys circadian information to peripheral molecular clocks that orchestrate physiology. Multiple immune parameters also vary throughout the day and disruption of circadian homeostasis is associated with immune-related disease. Here, we discuss the molecular links between the circadian and immune systems and examine their outputs and disease implications. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie circadian-immune crosstalk may prove valuable for devising novel prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. The Research on Safety Management Information System of Railway Passenger Based on Risk Management Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Wenmin; Jia, Yuanhua

    2018-01-01

    Based on the risk management theory and the PDCA cycle model, requirements of the railway passenger transport safety production is analyzed, and the establishment of the security risk assessment team is proposed to manage risk by FTA with Delphi from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. The safety production committee is also established to accomplish performance appraisal, which is for further ensuring the correctness of risk management results, optimizing the safety management business processes and improving risk management capabilities. The basic framework and risk information database of risk management information system of railway passenger transport safety are designed by Ajax, Web Services and SQL technologies. The system realizes functions about risk management, performance appraisal and data management, and provides an efficient and convenient information management platform for railway passenger safety manager.

  7. Analyzing and strengthening the vaccine safety program in Manitoba

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montalban, JM; Ogbuneke, C; Hilderman, T

    2014-01-01

    Background: The emergence of a novel influenza A virus in 2009 and the rapid introduction of new pandemic vaccines prompted an analysis of the current state of the adverse events following immunization (AEFI) surveillance response in several provinces. Objectives To highlight aspects of the situational analysis of the Manitoba Health, Healthy Living and Seniors (MHHLS’s) AEFI surveillance system and to demonstrate how common business techniques could be usefully applied to a provincial vaccine safety monitoring program. Method Situational analysis of the AEFI surveillance system in Manitoba was developed through a strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats (SWOT) analysis and informed by the National Immunization Strategy vaccine safety priorities. Strategy formulation was developed by applying the threats-opportunities-weaknesses-strengths (TOWS) matrix. Results Thirteen strategies were formulated that use strengths to either take advantage of opportunities or avoid threats, that exploit opportunities to overcome weaknesses, or that rectify weaknesses to circumvent threats. These strategies entailed the development of various tools and resources, most of which are either actively underway or completed. Conclusion The SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix enabled MHHLS to enhance the capacity of its vaccine safety program. PMID:29769910

  8. Risk-informed regulation: handling uncertainty for a rational management of safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zio, Enrico

    2008-01-01

    A risk-informed regulatory approach implies that risk insights be used as supplement of deterministic information for safety decision-making purposes. In this view, the use of risk assessment techniques is expected to lead to improved safety and a more rational allocation of the limited resources available. On the other hand, it is recognized that uncertainties affect both the deterministic safety analyses and the risk assessments. In order for the risk-informed decision making process to be effective, the adequate representation and treatment of such uncertainties is mandatory. In this paper, the risk-informed regulatory framework is considered under the focus of the uncertainty issue. Traditionally, probability theory has provided the language and mathematics for the representation and treatment of uncertainty. More recently, other mathematical structures have been introduced. In particular, the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence is here illustrated as a generalized framework encompassing probability theory and possibility theory. The special case of probability theory is only addressed as term of comparison, given that it is a well known subject. On the other hand, the special case of possibility theory is amply illustrated. An example of the combination of probability and possibility for treating the uncertainty in the parameters of an event tree is illustrated

  9. Pertussis Maternal Immunization: Narrowing the Knowledge Gaps on the Duration of Transferred Protective Immunity and on Vaccination Frequency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Emilia Gaillard

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Maternal safety through pertussis vaccination and subsequent maternal–fetal-antibody transfer are well documented, but information on infant protection from pertussis by such antibodies and by subsequent vaccinations is scarce. Since mice are used extensively for maternal-vaccination studies, we adopted that model to narrow those gaps in our understanding of maternal pertussis immunization. Accordingly, we vaccinated female mice with commercial acellular pertussis (aP vaccine and measured offspring protection against Bordetella pertussis challenge and specific-antibody levels with or without revaccination. Maternal immunization protected the offspring against pertussis, with that immune protection transferred to the offspring lasting for several weeks, as evidenced by a reduction (4–5 logs, p < 0.001 in the colony-forming-units recovered from the lungs of 16-week-old offspring. Moreover, maternal-vaccination-acquired immunity from the first pregnancy still conferred protection to offspring up to the fourth pregnancy. Under the conditions of our experimental protocol, protection to offspring from the aP-induced immunity is transferred both transplacentally and through breastfeeding. Adoptive-transfer experiments demonstrated that transferred antibodies were more responsible for the protection detected in offspring than transferred whole spleen cells. In contrast to reported findings, the protection transferred was not lost after the vaccination of infant mice with the same or other vaccine preparations, and conversely, the immunity transferred from mothers did not interfere with the protection conferred by infant vaccination with the same or different vaccines. These results indicated that aP-vaccine immunization of pregnant female mice conferred protective immunity that is transferred both transplacentally and via offspring breastfeeding without compromising the protection boostered by subsequent infant vaccination. These results

  10. Quality and safety implications of emergency department information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farley, Heather L; Baumlin, Kevin M; Hamedani, Azita G; Cheung, Dickson S; Edwards, Michael R; Fuller, Drew C; Genes, Nicholas; Griffey, Richard T; Kelly, John J; McClay, James C; Nielson, Jeff; Phelan, Michael P; Shapiro, Jason S; Stone-Griffith, Suzanne; Pines, Jesse M

    2013-10-01

    The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services "meaningful use" incentive programs, in tandem with the boundless additional requirements for detailed reporting of quality metrics, have galvanized hospital efforts to implement hospital-based electronic health records. As such, emergency department information systems (EDISs) are an important and unique component of most hospitals' electronic health records. System functionality varies greatly and affects physician decisionmaking, clinician workflow, communication, and, ultimately, the overall quality of care and patient safety. This article is a joint effort by members of the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Section and the Informatics Section of the American College of Emergency Physicians. The aim of this effort is to examine the benefits and potential threats to quality and patient safety that could result from the choice of a particular EDIS, its implementation and optimization, and the hospital's or physician group's approach to continuous improvement of the EDIS. Specifically, we explored the following areas of potential EDIS safety concerns: communication failure, wrong order-wrong patient errors, poor data display, and alert fatigue. Case studies are presented that illustrate the potential harm that could befall patients from an inferior EDIS product or suboptimal execution of such a product in the clinical environment. The authors have developed 7 recommendations to improve patient safety with respect to the deployment of EDISs. These include ensuring that emergency providers actively participate in selection of the EDIS product, in the design of processes related to EDIS implementation and optimization, and in the monitoring of the system's ongoing success or failure. Our recommendations apply to emergency departments using any type of EDIS: custom-developed systems, best-of-breed vendor systems, or enterprise systems

  11. 78 FR 34703 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Distribution Annual Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-06-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA-2013-0004] Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Distribution Annual Report AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice and request...

  12. Sero-Surveillance to assess immunity to rubella and assessment of immunogenicity and safety of a single dose of rubella vaccine in school girls

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharma Hitt

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Rubella vaccination is not yet included in National Immunization Schedule in India. Serosurvey is frequently used to assess epidemiologic pattern of Rubella in a community. Serosurveys in different parts of India have found that 6-47% of women are susceptible for Rubella infection. The present serosurveillance was conducted in Jammu, India, in two public schools. Objective: To determine serological status of Rubella antibodies of school girls and assessment of immunogenicity and reactogenicity of Rubella immunization in seronegative girls. Materials and Methods: The current study was conducted to determine Rubella serostatus in peripubertal schoolgirls aged 11-18 years and also to assess immunogenicity and safety of Rubella vaccine (R-Vac of Serum Institute of India Ltd., Pune, in seronegative girls. For screening, pre-vaccination serum Rubella IgG antibodies were determined and to assess immunogenicity of the vaccine, post-vaccination IgG antibodies were compared with pre-vaccination levels. Safety assessment was done for a period of 8 weeks, post-vaccination. Results: A total of 90 (32.7% seronegative girls were vaccinated. All girls (100% became seropositive, post-vaccination. Clinically relevant and statistically significant increase in anti-Rubella IgG titres was observed. The adverse events were mild and self-limiting. Conclusions: R-Vac vaccine used in the study demonstrated an excellent safety and immunogenicity profile.

  13. A qualitative exploration of the perceptions and information needs of public health inspectors responsible for food safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sargeant Jan M

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In Ontario, local public health inspectors play an important frontline role in protecting the public from foodborne illness. This study was an in-depth exploration of public health inspectors' perceptions of the key food safety issues in public health, and their opinions and needs with regards to food safety information resources. Methods Four focus group discussions were conducted with public health inspectors from the Central West region of Ontario, Canada during June and July, 2008. A questioning route was used to standardize qualitative data collection. Audio recordings of sessions were transcribed verbatim and data-driven content analysis was performed. Results A total of 23 public health inspectors participated in four focus group discussions. Five themes emerged as key food safety issues: time-temperature abuse, inadequate handwashing, cross-contamination, the lack of food safety knowledge by food handlers and food premise operators, and the lack of food safety information and knowledge about specialty foods (i.e., foods from different cultures. In general, participants reported confidence with their current knowledge of food safety issues and foodborne pathogens. Participants highlighted the need for a central source for food safety information, access to up-to-date food safety information, resources in different languages, and additional food safety information on specialty foods. Conclusions The information gathered from these focus groups can provide a basis for the development of resources that will meet the specific needs of public health inspectors involved in protecting and promoting food safety.

  14. Skin innate immune system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berna Aksoy

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available All multicellular organisms protect themselves from external universe and microorganisms by innate immune sytem that is constitutively present. Skin innate immune system has several different components composed of epithelial barriers, humoral factors and cellular part. In this review information about skin innate immune system and its components are presented to the reader. Innate immunity, which wasn’t adequately interested in previously, is proven to provide a powerfull early protection system, control many infections before the acquired immunity starts and directs acquired immunity to develop optimally

  15. Evaluating Pharmacy Student Attitudes Toward the Medium of Comics for Providing Information on Adult Immunizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jagannath M. Muzumdar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed at designing and assessing educational materials for adult immunizations through the medium of comics. The study design evaluated the effects of two vaccine information flyers (a CDC flyer vs a flyer designed in Comic medium on participants’ attitude towards the flyers. Methods: A between-group, randomized trial was used to compare the effectiveness of two vaccine information flyers on participants’ attitude towards the flyers. Upon approval from the human subjects review committee, student participants (age ≥18 years were randomly assigned either the CDC or comic flyer. They were then asked to respond to survey items developed to measure the flyers’ effect on participants’ attitude towards the flyer. Items were measured using a 7-point semantic differential scale. Cronbach’s alpha was computed for reliability testing of the study instrument. Independent-samples t-test was used to compare means of the two groups with respect to their attitudes toward the flyer. Results: A total of 170 third-year pharmacy students participated in the study (N = 91 for Comic flyer & N = 79 for CDC flyer. There was a significant difference in attitudes toward the flyer between students who read comic flyers (mean = 6.14; SD = 0.62 and those who read CDC flyers (mean = 4.93; SD = 1.20. Additional comments provided by students further confirmed the quantitative findings of the study. Student responses to the use of comics as a medium of providing information on adult immunization were constructive and encouraging. Conclusion: The study findings showed that the flyer with comics was evaluated more attractive than the CDC flyer. The positive findings of our study could provide a new direction for developing educational materials about adult immunizations. Future research on comics, as a medium of communication, could explore its use as a tool for providing healthcare information to consumers.   Type: Original Research

  16. A Survey of Pilots on the Dissemination of Safety Information

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Rakovan, Lori

    1999-01-01

    A survey was conducted to obtain information from the pilot population on erections of safety-related training currently being offered, its usefulness, and the process through which it might be better...

  17. Participatory approach to improving safety, health and working conditions in informal economy workplaces in Cambodia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawakami, Tsuyoshi; Tong, Leng; Kannitha, Yi; Sophorn, Tun

    2011-01-01

    The present study aimed to improve safety and health in informal economy workplaces such as home workplaces, small construction sites, and rural farms in Cambodia by using "participatory" approach. The government, workers' and employers' organizations and NGOs jointly assisted informal economy workers in improving safety and health by using participatory training methodologies. The steps taken were: (1) to collect existing good practices in safety and health in Cambodia; (2) to develop new participatory training programmes for home workers and small construction sites referring to ILO's WISE training programme, and (3) to train government officers, workers, employers and NGOs as safety and health trainers. The participatory training programmes developed consisted of action-checklists associated with illustrations, good example photo sheets, and texts explaining practical, low-cost improvement measures. The established safety and health trainers reached many informal economy workers through their human networks, and trained them by using the developed participatory training programmes. More than 3,000 informal economy workers were trained and they implemented improvements by using low-cost methods. Participatory training methodologies and active cooperation between the government, workers, employers and NGOs made it possible to provide practical training for those involved in the informal economy workplaces.

  18. The immune complex CTA1-DD/IgG adjuvant specifically targets connective tissue mast cells through FcγRIIIA and augments anti-HPV immunity after nasal immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Y; Zhang, T; Lidell, L; Xu, X; Lycke, N; Xiang, Z

    2013-11-01

    We have previously reported that CTA1-DD/IgG immune complexes augment antibody responses in a mast cell-dependent manner following intranasal (IN) immunizations. However, from a safety perspective, mast cell activation could preclude clinical use. Therefore, we have extended these studies and demonstrate that CTA1-DD/IgG immune complexes administered IN did not trigger an anaphylactic reaction. Importantly, CTA1-DD/IgE immune complexes did not activate mast cells. Interestingly, only connective tissue, but not mucosal, mast cells could be activated by CTA1-DD/IgG immune complexes. This effect was mediated by FcγRIIIA, only expressed on connective tissue mast cells, and found in the nasal submucosa. FcγRIIIA-deficient mice had compromised responses to immunization adjuvanted by CTA1-DD/IgG. Proof-of-concept studies revealed that IN immunized mice with human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 L1 virus-like particles (VLP) and CTA1-DD/IgG immune complexes demonstrated strong and sustained specific antibody titers in serum and vaginal secretions. From a mast cell perspective, CTA1-DD/IgG immune complexes appear to be safe and effective mucosal adjuvants.

  19. Information System Passive Safety at DaimlerChrysler: from vision to reality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruoff, H. [DaimlerChrysler AG, Sindelfingen (Germany)

    2001-07-01

    Today, short development times and an extensive model range are key factors when it comes to remaining a leading force in the highly competitive automobile market. Information technology plays a crucial role as an 'enabler' in keeping this competitive edge. It is only possible to make full use of existing potential by using 'state-of-the-art' information technology. In particular, this involves making knowledge that is distributed in various systems and 'heads' available quickly and transparently anytime and anywhere. The improved re-use of acquired expertise, efficient information searches, and standardized and seamless applications lead to a high level of performance. This often involves the transformation of a company culture from 'information hider' to 'information provider'. The vision of converting a gradually created, complex range of systems into a seamless sequence of distributed working processes with numerous participants is becoming reality in the Passive Safety area in Automobile/Vehicle Development at DaimlerChrysler. The INFOS Passive Safety information system provides all the data and information, which is required for, or results from, the entire crash test process. (orig.)

  20. Information dissemination and use: critical components in occupational safety and health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulte, P A; Okun, A; Stephenson, C M; Colligan, M; Ahlers, H; Gjessing, C; Loos, G; Niemeier, R W; Sweeney, M H

    2003-11-01

    Information dissemination is a mandated, but understudied, requirement of occupational and environmental health laws and voluntary initiatives. Research is needed on the factors that enhance and limit the development, transfer, and use of occupational safety and health information (OSH). Contemporary changes in the workforce, workplaces, and the nature of work will require new emphasis on the dissemination of information to foster prevention. Legislative and regulatory requirements and voluntary initiatives for dissemination of OSH information were identified and assessed. Literature on information dissemination was reviewed to identify important issues and useful approaches. More than 20 sections of laws and regulations were identified that mandated dissemination of occupational and environmental safety and health information. A four-stage approach for tracking dissemination and considering the flow of information was delineated. Special areas of dissemination were identified: the information needs of the changing workforce, new and young workers; small businesses; and workers with difficulty in understanding or reading English. We offer a framework for dissemination of OSH information and underscore the need to focus on the extent to which decision-makers and others receive and use such information. More solid data are also needed on current investments in disseminating, diffusing and applying OSH information and on the utility of that information. Am. J. Ind. Med. 44:515-531, 2003. Published 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  1. Impact of pharmacists providing immunizations on adolescent influenza immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robison, Steve G

    2016-01-01

    To determine if the Oregon law change in 2011 to allow pharmacists to immunize adolescents 11 to 17 years of age increased influenza immunizations or changed existing immunization venues. With the use of Oregon's ALERT Immunization Information System (IIS), 2 measures of impact were developed. First, the change in adolescent age 11-17 influenza immunizations before (2007-2010) and after (2011-2014) the pharmacy law change was evaluated against a reference cohort (aged 7-10) not affected by the law. Community pharmacies were also compared with other types of influenza immunization sites within one of the study influenza seasons (2013-2014). From 2007 to 2014, adolescent influenza immunizations at community pharmacies increased from 36 to 6372 per year. After the 2011 pharmacy law change, adolescents aged 11 to 17 were more likely to receive an influenza immunization compared with the reference population (odds ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.19-1.22). Analysis of the 2013-2014 influenza season suggests that community pharmacies immunized a different population of adolescents than other providers. The 2011 change in Oregon law allowed pharmacists to increase the total of influenza immunizations given to adolescents. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. An Anesthesia Preinduction Checklist to Improve Information Exchange, Knowledge of Critical Information, Perception of Safety, and Possibly Perception of Teamwork in Anesthesia Teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tscholl, David W; Weiss, Mona; Kolbe, Michaela; Staender, Sven; Seifert, Burkhardt; Landert, Daniel; Grande, Bastian; Spahn, Donat R; Noethiger, Christoph B

    2015-10-01

    An anesthesia preinduction checklist (APIC) to be performed before anesthesia induction was introduced and evaluated with respect to 5 team-level outcomes, each being a surrogate end point for patient safety: information exchange (the percentage of checklist items exchanged by a team, out of 12 total items); knowledge of critical information (the percentage of critical information items out of 5 total items such as allergies, reported as known by the members of a team); team members' perceptions of safety (the median scores given by the members of a team on a continuous rating scale); their perception of teamwork (the median scores given by the members of a team on a continuous rating scale); and clinical performance (the percentage of completed items out of 14 required tasks, e.g., suction device checked). A prospective interventional study comparing anesthesia teams using the APIC with a control group not using the APIC was performed using a multimethod design. Trained observers rated information exchange and clinical performance during on-site observations of anesthesia inductions. After the observations, each team member indicated the critical information items they knew and their perceptions of safety and teamwork. One hundred five teams using the APIC were compared with 100 teams not doing so. The medians of the team-level outcome scores in the APIC group versus the control group were as follows: information exchange: 100% vs 33% (P safety: 91% vs 84% (P improves information exchange, knowledge of critical information, and perception of safety in anesthesia teams-all parameters contributing to patient safety. There was a trend indicating improved perception of teamwork.

  3. Biomarkers of safety and immune protection for genetically modified live attenuated leishmania vaccines against visceral leishmaniasis - discovery and implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gannavaram, Sreenivas; Dey, Ranadhir; Avishek, Kumar; Selvapandiyan, Angamuthu; Salotra, Poonam; Nakhasi, Hira L

    2014-01-01

    Despite intense efforts there is no safe and efficacious vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis, which is fatal and endemic in many tropical countries. A major shortcoming in the vaccine development against blood-borne parasitic agents such as Leishmania is the inadequate predictive power of the early immune responses mounted in the host against the experimental vaccines. Often immune correlates derived from in-bred animal models do not yield immune markers of protection that can be readily extrapolated to humans. The limited efficacy of vaccines based on DNA, subunit, heat killed parasites has led to the realization that acquisition of durable immunity against the protozoan parasites requires a controlled infection with a live attenuated organism. Recent success of irradiated malaria parasites as a vaccine candidate further strengthens this approach to vaccination. We developed several gene deletion mutants in Leishmania donovani as potential live attenuated vaccines and reported extensively on the immunogenicity of LdCentrin1 deleted mutant in mice, hamsters, and dogs. Additional limited studies using genetically modified live attenuated Leishmania parasites as vaccine candidates have been reported. However, for the live attenuated parasite vaccines, the primary barrier against widespread use remains the absence of clear biomarkers associated with protection and safety. Recent studies in evaluation of vaccines, e.g., influenza and yellow fever vaccines, using systems biology tools demonstrated the power of such strategies in understanding the immunological mechanisms that underpin a protective phenotype. Applying similar tools in isolated human tissues such as PBMCs from healthy individuals infected with live attenuated parasites such as LdCen(-/-) in vitro followed by human microarray hybridization experiments will enable us to understand how early vaccine-induced gene expression profiles and the associated immune responses are coordinately regulated in normal

  4. Biomarkers of safety and immune protection for genetically modified live attenuated Leishmania vaccines against visceral leishmaniasis-Discovery and implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sreenivas eGannavaram

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Despite intense efforts there is no safe and efficacious vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis, which is fatal and endemic in many tropical countries. A major shortcoming in the vaccine development against blood borne parasitic agents such as Leishmania is the inadequate predictive power of the early immune responses mounted in the host against the experimental vaccines. Often immune correlates derived from in-bred animal models do not yield immune markers of protection that can be readily extrapolated to humans. The limited efficacy of vaccines based on DNA, sub-unit, heat killed parasites has led to the realization that acquisition of durable immunity against the protozoan parasites requires a controlled infection with a live attenuated organism. Recent success of irradiated malaria parasites as a vaccine candidate further strengthens this approach to vaccination. We developed several gene deletion mutants in L. donovani as potential live attenuated vaccines and reported extensively on the immunogenicity of LdCentrin1 deleted mutant in mice, hamsters and dogs. Additional limited studies using genetically modified live attenuated Leishmania parasites as vaccine candidates have been reported. However, for the live attenuated parasite vaccines, the primary barrier against widespread use remains the absence of clear biomarkers associated with protection and safety. Recent studies in evaluation of vaccines e.g., influenza and yellow fever vaccines, using systems biology tools demonstrated the power of such strategies in understanding the immunological mechanisms that underpin a protective phenotype. Applying similar tools in isolated human tissues such as PBMCs from healthy individuals infected with live attenuated parasites such as LdCen1-/- in vitro followed by human microarray hybridization experiments will enable us to understand how early vaccine-induced gene expression profiles and the associated immune responses are coordinately regulated

  5. Analysis of safety information for nuclear power plants and development of source term estimation program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Tae Woon; Choi, Seong Soo; Park, Jin Hee

    1999-12-01

    Current CARE(Computerized Advisory System for Radiological Emergency) in KINS(Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety) has no STES(Source Term Estimation System) which links between SIDS(Safety Information Display System) and FADAS(Following Accident Dose Assessment System). So in this study, STES is under development. STES system is the system that estimates the source term based on the safety information provided by SIDS. Estimated source term is given to FADAS as an input for estimation of environmental effect of radiation. Through this first year project STES for the Kori 3,4 and Younggwang 1,2 has been developed. Since there is no CARE for Wolsong(PHWR) plants yet, CARE for Wolsong is under construction. The safety parameters are selected and the safety information display screens and the alarm logic for plant status change are developed for Wolsong Unit 2 based on the design documents for CANDU plants

  6. Childhood immunization: when physicians and parents disagree.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilmour, Joan; Harrison, Christine; Asadi, Leyla; Cohen, Michael H; Vohra, Sunita

    2011-11-01

    Persistent fears about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and whether immunization programs are still needed, have led a significant minority of parents to refuse vaccination. Are parents within their rights when refusing to consent to vaccination? How ought physicians respond? Focusing on routine childhood immunization, we consider the ethical, legal, and clinical issues raised by 3 aspects of parental vaccine refusal: (1) physician counseling; (2) parental decision-making; and (3) continuing the physician-patient relationship despite disagreement. We also suggest initiatives that could increase confidence in immunization programs.

  7. Smooth handling: the lack of safety-related consumer information in car advertisements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Nick; Maher, Anthony; Thomson, George; Keall, Michael

    2007-10-01

    To examine the content and trends of safety-related consumer information in magazine vehicle advertisements, as a case study within the worldwide marketing of vehicles. Content analysis of popular current affairs magazines in New Zealand for the 5-year period 2001-2005 was undertaken (n = 514 advertisements), supplemented with vehicle data from official websites. Safety information in advertisements for light passenger vehicles was relatively uncommon with only 27% mentioning one or more of nine key safety features examined (average: 1.7 out of nine features in this 27%). Also included were potentially hazardous features of: speed imagery (in 29% of advertisements), power references (14%), and acceleration data (4%). The speed and power aspects became relatively more common over the 5-year period (p advertisements and vehicle marketing - as already occurs with many other consumer products.

  8. Comparison of the safety information on drug labels in three developed countries: The USA, UK and Canada

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thamir M. Alshammari

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The safety information on drug labels of a company marketing the same drugs in different countries is sometimes different. The aim of the present study is to understand the differences in the volume and content of safety information on the drug labels from the same manufacturers in three developed countries: the United States of America (USA, the United Kingdom (UK and Canada. This study involved the calculation of the proportion of total safety information (PSI and of contraindications (PCI in comparison to all information on the label and the percentage of boxed warnings (PBW among the 100 labels studied from each country. The PSI on the labels of different countries is different with USA labels bearing lesser value PSI and UK labels bearing higher value PSI. The qualitative information provided on these drug labels from each country in ‘contraindications’ sections, ‘boxed/serious warnings’ and ‘overdosage’ sections presented differences in the information provided on most of the labels. We have found distinct differences between the safety information available on drug labels in terms of volume and content. We conclude that the safety information for the same products should be standardised across all countries.

  9. Classification of antecedents towards safety use of health information technology: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salahuddin, Lizawati; Ismail, Zuraini

    2015-11-01

    This paper provides a systematic review of safety use of health information technology (IT). The first objective is to identify the antecedents towards safety use of health IT by conducting systematic literature review (SLR). The second objective is to classify the identified antecedents based on the work system in Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model and an extension of DeLone and McLean (D&M) information system (IS) success model. A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted from peer-reviewed scholarly publications between January 2000 and July 2014. SLR was carried out and reported based on the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. The related articles were identified by searching the articles published in Science Direct, Medline, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Data extracted from the resultant studies included are to be analysed based on the work system in Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model, and also from the extended DeLone and McLean (D&M) information system (IS) success model. 55 articles delineated to be antecedents that influenced the safety use of health IT were included for review. Antecedents were identified and then classified into five key categories. The categories are (1) person, (2) technology, (3) tasks, (4) organization, and (5) environment. Specifically, person is attributed by competence while technology is associated to system quality, information quality, and service quality. Tasks are attributed by task-related stressor. Organisation is related to training, organisation resources, and teamwork. Lastly, environment is attributed by physical layout, and noise. This review provides evidence that the antecedents for safety use of health IT originated from both social and technical aspects. However, inappropriate health IT usage potentially increases the incidence of errors and produces new safety risks. The review cautions future

  10. Effectively managing public concerns about immunization safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Los beneficios de la vacunación frente a las enfermedades prevenibles de este modo son muy superiores a sus mínimos riesgos. Con el fin de mantener o fortalecer los programas nacionales de vacunación, los trabajadores de todos los niveles de la salud pública deberían recibir formación sobre los temas relacionados con la vacunación y estar preparados para responder a las dudas planteadas por el público. Una respuesta rápida y franca a los temores del público acerca de las vacunas podría garantizar la integridad de los programas de vacunación en todo el continente americano, según el documento "Directrices para enfrentarse a los temores sobre la seguridad de las vacunaciones" (Guidelines for Managing Immunization Safety Concerns, elaborado por la División de Vacunas e Inmunización de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud (OPS y resumido aquí. Todo acontecimiento médico que se considere posiblemente relacionado con una vacuna debe ser investigado en el ámbito local. Si su distribución temporal y los síntomas respaldan la sospecha de que pueda estar relacionado con una vacuna, se debe iniciar una investigación más formal y, una vez finalizada, el acontecimiento debe ser clasificado en una de las cuatro categorías siguientes: 1 relacionado con el programa, 2 relacionado con la vacuna, 3 no relacionado, o 4 desconocido (investigación no concluyente. Dependiendo de la categoría a la que haya sido asignado el acontecimiento, las acciones posteriores pueden consistir en tranquilizar a los padres, a los cuidadores y a otros adultos; comunicarse con el público y con otros trabajadores de la salud; instaurar tratamiento; corregir los errores del programa, como pueden ser la manipulación de la vacuna, su almacenamiento, su administration o los problemas relacionados con la jeringuilla; comentar con los fabricantes problemas relacionados con la calidad y eficacia de la vacuna; retirar la vacuna del mercado, o iniciar nuevas

  11. Public information and education on radiation safety and protection in Indonesia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Djaloeis, Azhar [National Atomic Energy Agency, Jalan KH Abdul Rohim, Mampang Prapatan, Jakarta (Indonesia)

    1999-09-01

    This paper presents a brief overview of public information and education concerning nuclear science and technology in general and radiation safety and protection in particular in Indonesia from the perspective of promoting the development and utilization of nuclear science and technology in the country. The role of nuclear science and technology in Indonesia is first introduced, followed by an overview of the nuclear activities in the country. Basic considerations, major objectives of the public information and education program on radiation safety and protection as well as basic and operational strategies to achieve those objectives are then presented. Major programs including highlights of the past and present activities as well as prospect on future course of actions are discussed. (author)

  12. Public information and education on radiation safety and protection in Indonesia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Djaloeis, Azhar

    1999-01-01

    This paper presents a brief overview of public information and education concerning nuclear science and technology in general and radiation safety and protection in particular in Indonesia from the perspective of promoting the development and utilization of nuclear science and technology in the country. The role of nuclear science and technology in Indonesia is first introduced, followed by an overview of the nuclear activities in the country. Basic considerations, major objectives of the public information and education program on radiation safety and protection as well as basic and operational strategies to achieve those objectives are then presented. Major programs including highlights of the past and present activities as well as prospect on future course of actions are discussed. (author)

  13. Data Analysis Approaches for the Risk-Informed Safety Margins Characterization Toolkit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandelli, Diego; Alfonsi, Andrea; Maljovec, Daniel P.; Parisi, Carlo; Cogliati, Joshua J.; Talbot, Paul W.; Smith, Curtis L.; Rabiti, Cristian; Picoco, Claudia

    2016-01-01

    In the past decades, several numerical simulation codes have been employed to simulate accident dynamics (e.g., RELAP5-3D, RELAP-7, MELCOR, MAAP). In order to evaluate the impact of uncertainties into accident dynamics, several stochastic methodologies have been coupled with these codes. These stochastic methods range from classical Monte-Carlo and Latin Hypercube sampling to stochastic polynomial methods. Similar approaches have been introduced into the risk and safety community where stochastic methods (such as RAVEN, ADAPT, MCDET, ADS) have been coupled with safety analysis codes in order to evaluate the safety impact of timing and sequencing of events. These approaches are usually called Dynamic PRA or simulation-based PRA methods. These uncertainties and safety methods usually generate a large number of simulation runs (database storage may be on the order of gigabytes or higher). The scope of this paper is to present a broad overview of methods and algorithms that can be used to analyze and extract information from large data sets containing time dependent data. In this context, ''extracting information'' means constructing input-output correlations, finding commonalities, and identifying outliers. Some of the algorithms presented here have been developed or are under development within the RAVEN statistical framework.

  14. Treatment of Passive Component Reliability in Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization FY 2010 Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robert W Youngblood

    2010-09-01

    The Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC) pathway is a set of activities defined under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program. The overarching objective of RISMC is to support plant life-extension decision-making by providing a state-of-knowledge characterization of safety margins in key systems, structures, and components (SSCs). A technical challenge at the core of this effort is to establish the conceptual and technical feasibility of analyzing safety margin in a risk-informed way, which, unlike conventionally defined deterministic margin analysis, is founded on probabilistic characterizations of SSC performance.

  15. Universal varicella vaccine immunization in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshikawa, Tetsushi; Kawamura, Yoshiki; Ohashi, Masahiro

    2016-04-07

    In 1974, Japanese scientists developed a live attenuated varicella vaccine based on the Oka strain. The efficacy of the vaccine for the prevention of varicella has been primarily demonstrated in studies conducted in the United States following the adoption of universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in 1996. Although the vaccine was developed by Japanese scientists, until recently, the vaccine has been administered on a voluntary basis in Japan resulting in a vaccine coverage rate of approximately 40%. Therefore, Japan initiated universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in November 2014. Given the transition from voluntary to universal immunization in Japan, it will also be important to monitor the epidemiology of varicella and herpes zoster. The efficacy and safety of co-administration of the varicella vaccine and measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine have been demonstrated in many countries; however, there was no data from Japan. In order to adopt the practice of universal immunization using the Oka strain varicella vaccine in Japan, data demonstrating the efficacy and safety of co-administration of varicella vaccine and measles and rubella (MR) vaccine were required. Additionally, we needed to elucidate the appropriate time interval between the first and second administrations of the vaccine. It is also important to differentiate between wild type and Oka vaccine type strains in herpes zoster patient with past history of varicella vaccine. Thus, there are many factors to consider regarding the adoption of universal immunization in Japan to control varicella zoster virus (VZV) infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Immune System (For Parents)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of the Immune System Print en español El sistema inmunitario The immune system, which is made up ... of Use Notice of Nondiscrimination Visit the Nemours Web site. Note: All information on KidsHealth® is for ...

  17. Biomarkers of Safety and Immune Protection for Genetically Modified Live Attenuated Leishmania Vaccines Against Visceral Leishmaniasis – Discovery and Implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gannavaram, Sreenivas; Dey, Ranadhir; Avishek, Kumar; Selvapandiyan, Angamuthu; Salotra, Poonam; Nakhasi, Hira L.

    2014-01-01

    Despite intense efforts there is no safe and efficacious vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis, which is fatal and endemic in many tropical countries. A major shortcoming in the vaccine development against blood-borne parasitic agents such as Leishmania is the inadequate predictive power of the early immune responses mounted in the host against the experimental vaccines. Often immune correlates derived from in-bred animal models do not yield immune markers of protection that can be readily extrapolated to humans. The limited efficacy of vaccines based on DNA, subunit, heat killed parasites has led to the realization that acquisition of durable immunity against the protozoan parasites requires a controlled infection with a live attenuated organism. Recent success of irradiated malaria parasites as a vaccine candidate further strengthens this approach to vaccination. We developed several gene deletion mutants in Leishmania donovani as potential live attenuated vaccines and reported extensively on the immunogenicity of LdCentrin1 deleted mutant in mice, hamsters, and dogs. Additional limited studies using genetically modified live attenuated Leishmania parasites as vaccine candidates have been reported. However, for the live attenuated parasite vaccines, the primary barrier against widespread use remains the absence of clear biomarkers associated with protection and safety. Recent studies in evaluation of vaccines, e.g., influenza and yellow fever vaccines, using systems biology tools demonstrated the power of such strategies in understanding the immunological mechanisms that underpin a protective phenotype. Applying similar tools in isolated human tissues such as PBMCs from healthy individuals infected with live attenuated parasites such as LdCen−/− in vitro followed by human microarray hybridization experiments will enable us to understand how early vaccine-induced gene expression profiles and the associated immune responses are coordinately regulated in normal

  18. 78 FR 50079 - Information Collection Activities: Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS); Proposed...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-16

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement [Docket ID BSEE-2013-0005; OMB Control Number 1014-0017: 134E1700D2 EEEE500000 ET1SF0000.DAQ000] Information Collection Activities: Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS); Proposed Collection; Comment Request...

  19. Database search for safety information on cosmetic ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauwels, Marleen; Rogiers, Vera

    2007-12-01

    Ethical considerations with respect to experimental animal use and regulatory testing are worldwide under heavy discussion and are, in certain cases, taken up in legislative measures. The most explicit example is the European cosmetic legislation, establishing a testing ban on finished cosmetic products since 11 September 2004 and enforcing that the safety of a cosmetic product is assessed by taking into consideration "the general toxicological profile of the ingredients, their chemical structure and their level of exposure" (OJ L151, 32-37, 23 June 1993; OJ L066, 26-35, 11 March 2003). Therefore the availability of referenced and reliable information on cosmetic ingredients becomes a dire necessity. Given the high-speed progress of the World Wide Web services and the concurrent drastic increase in free access to information, identification of relevant data sources and evaluation of the scientific value and quality of the retrieved data, are crucial. Based upon own practical experience, a survey is put together of freely and commercially available data sources with their individual description, field of application, benefits and drawbacks. It should be mentioned that the search strategies described are equally useful as a starting point for any quest for safety data on chemicals or chemical-related substances in general.

  20. Carbohydrate Mimetic Peptides Augment Carbohydrate-Reactive Immune Responses in the Absence of Immune Pathology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hennings, Leah; Artaud, Cecile; Jousheghany, Fariba; Monzavi-Karbassi, Behjatolah; Pashov, Anastas; Kieber-Emmons, Thomas

    2011-01-01

    Among the most challenging of clinical targets for cancer immunotherapy are Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigens (TACAs). To augment immune responses to TACA we are developing carbohydrate mimetic peptides (CMPs) that are sufficiently potent to activate broad-spectrum anti-tumor reactivity. However, the activation of immune responses against terminal mono- and disaccharide constituents of TACA raises concerns regarding the balance between “tumor destruction” and “tissue damage”, as mono- and disaccharides are also expressed on normal tissue. To support the development of CMPs for clinical trial testing, we demonstrate in preclinical safety assessment studies in mice that vaccination with CMPs can enhance responses to TACAs without mediating tissue damage to normal cells expressing TACA. BALB/c mice were immunized with CMPs that mimic TACAs reactive with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin 1 (GS-I), and tissue reactivity of serum antibodies were compared with the tissue staining profile of GS-I. Tissues from CMP immunized mice were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin stain, and Luxol-fast blue staining for myelination. Western blots of membranes from murine mammary 4T1 cells, syngeneic with BALB/c mice, were also compared using GS-I, immunized serum antibodies, and naive serum antibodies. CMP immunization enhanced glycan reactivities with no evidence of pathological autoimmunity in any immunized mice demonstrating that tissue damage is not an inevitable consequence of TACA reactive responses

  1. Carbohydrate Mimetic Peptides Augment Carbohydrate-Reactive Immune Responses in the Absence of Immune Pathology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hennings, Leah; Artaud, Cecile; Jousheghany, Fariba; Monzavi-Karbassi, Behjatolah; Pashov, Anastas; Kieber-Emmons, Thomas, E-mail: tke@uams.edu [Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205 (United States)

    2011-11-11

    Among the most challenging of clinical targets for cancer immunotherapy are Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigens (TACAs). To augment immune responses to TACA we are developing carbohydrate mimetic peptides (CMPs) that are sufficiently potent to activate broad-spectrum anti-tumor reactivity. However, the activation of immune responses against terminal mono- and disaccharide constituents of TACA raises concerns regarding the balance between “tumor destruction” and “tissue damage”, as mono- and disaccharides are also expressed on normal tissue. To support the development of CMPs for clinical trial testing, we demonstrate in preclinical safety assessment studies in mice that vaccination with CMPs can enhance responses to TACAs without mediating tissue damage to normal cells expressing TACA. BALB/c mice were immunized with CMPs that mimic TACAs reactive with Griffonia simplicifolia lectin 1 (GS-I), and tissue reactivity of serum antibodies were compared with the tissue staining profile of GS-I. Tissues from CMP immunized mice were analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin stain, and Luxol-fast blue staining for myelination. Western blots of membranes from murine mammary 4T1 cells, syngeneic with BALB/c mice, were also compared using GS-I, immunized serum antibodies, and naive serum antibodies. CMP immunization enhanced glycan reactivities with no evidence of pathological autoimmunity in any immunized mice demonstrating that tissue damage is not an inevitable consequence of TACA reactive responses.

  2. Intelligent Information Processing for Enhanced Safety in the NAS, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Our Phase I work focused on how improved information flow between actors in a flight deck environment can improve safety performance. An operational prototype was...

  3. Intelligent Information Processing for Enhanced Safety in the NAS, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose a system that focuses on how improved information flow between agents acting in a flight deck environment can improve safety performance. Agents are...

  4. Assessment of source of information for polio supplementary immunization activities in 2014 and 2015, Somali, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedada, Selamawit Yilma; Gallagher, Kathleen; Aregay, Aron Kassahun; Mohammed, Bashir; Maalin, Mohammed Adem; Hassen, Hassen Abdisemed; Ali, Yusuf Mohammed; Braka, Fiona; Kilebou, Pierre M'pele

    2017-01-01

    Communication is key for the successful implementation of polio vaccination campaigns. The purpose of this study is to review and analyse the sources of information utilized by caregivers during polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in Somali, Ethiopia in 2014 and 2015. Data on sources of information about the polio campaign were collected post campaign from caregivers by trained data collectors as part of house to house independent monitoring. The sources of information analysed in this paper include town criers (via megaphones), health workers, religious leaders, kebele leaders (Kebele is the lowest administrative structure in Ethiopia), radio, television, text message and others. The repetition of these sources of information was analysed across years and zones for trends. Polio vaccination campaign coverage was also reviewed by year and zones within the Somali region in parallel with the major sources of information used in the respective year and zones. 57,745 responses were used for this analysis but the responses were received from polio SIAs. Zonal trends in using town criers as a major source of information in both study years remained consistent except in two zones. 87.5% of zones that reported at least 90% coverage during both study years had utilized town criers as a major source of information while the rest (12.5%) used health workers. We found that town criers were consistently the major source of information about the polio campaigns for Somali region parents and caregivers during polio immunization days held in 2014 and 2015. Health workers and kebele leaders were also important sources of information about the polio campaign for parents.

  5. Risk-Informing Safety Reviews for Non-Reactor Nuclear Facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mubayi, V.; Azarm, A.; Yue, M.; Mukaddam, W.; Good, G.; Gonzalez, F.; Bari, R.A.

    2011-03-13

    This paper describes a methodology used to model potential accidents in fuel cycle facilities that employ chemical processes to separate and purify nuclear materials. The methodology is illustrated with an example that uses event and fault trees to estimate the frequency of a specific energetic reaction that can occur in nuclear material processing facilities. The methodology used probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)-related tools as well as information about the chemical reaction characteristics, information on plant design and operational features, and generic data about component failure rates and human error rates. The accident frequency estimates for the specific reaction help to risk-inform the safety review process and assess compliance with regulatory requirements.

  6. Risk-Informing Safety Reviews for Non-Reactor Nuclear Facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mubayi, V.; Azarm, A.; Yue, M.; Mukaddam, W.; Good, G.; Gonzalez, F.; Bari, R.A.

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes a methodology used to model potential accidents in fuel cycle facilities that employ chemical processes to separate and purify nuclear materials. The methodology is illustrated with an example that uses event and fault trees to estimate the frequency of a specific energetic reaction that can occur in nuclear material processing facilities. The methodology used probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)-related tools as well as information about the chemical reaction characteristics, information on plant design and operational features, and generic data about component failure rates and human error rates. The accident frequency estimates for the specific reaction help to risk-inform the safety review process and assess compliance with regulatory requirements.

  7. The immune self: a selectionist theory of recognition, learning, and remembering within the immune system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kradin, R L

    1995-01-01

    In this paper, I have briefly explored metaphors shared by the immune and nervous systems and shown that this exercise can lead to the elucidation of common principles of organization, as well as to predictions concerning how the immune system functions. Metaphor itself undoubtedly reflects the way in which we categorize and retrieve information 44], so it is not surprising that the deep processes of language tend to sample information from related data categories. Although the nervous and immune systems are obviously not the same and metaphors are indeed just that, my primary goal has been to suggest that by virtue of their having evolved in parallel over millions of years, the nervous and immune systems currently use the same archetypal principles and strategies to address related challenges in information processing and retrieval. Ultimately, nature is conservative. One need only look at a tree, a river, the airways, or the vascular bed in order to see how a fractal pattern of repetitive dichotomous branching has been used by each, in order to optimize the transport of fluids over large distances [45]. While each system has had to adopt different materials in order to solve the problem, the shape of their solutions is remarkably alike. In the immune and nervous systems, the elements used to produce optimal functional responses are also quite different, but again the solutions have been achieved by comparable strategies. I am certain that these two great systems of information processing, each responding with vastly different kinetics, will prove to be far more integrally interdependent than has been previously recognized. For example, should a swift response by the immune system be required in an overwhelming invasion by microbial pathogens, the immune system may be able to cooperate with the rapidly reacting nervous system to rid the host of the invaders. In this regard, we have shown that the beta-adrenergic hormone epinephrine rapidly increases the traffic of

  8. 77 FR 22387 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Transmission and Gathering...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0024] Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems Annual Report, Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems Incident Report...

  9. 77 FR 58616 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Transmission and Gathering...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-09-21

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0024] Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities, Revision to Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems Annual Report, Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems Incident Report...

  10. Vaccine Safety Datalink

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Vaccine Safety Datalink is part of the National Immunization Program within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was started in recognition of gaps in the scientific knowledge of rare vaccine side effects.

  11. Toward risk assessment 2.0: Safety supervisory control and model-based hazard monitoring for risk-informed safety interventions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favarò, Francesca M.; Saleh, Joseph H.

    2016-01-01

    Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) is a staple in the engineering risk community, and it has become to some extent synonymous with the entire quantitative risk assessment undertaking. Limitations of PRA continue to occupy researchers, and workarounds are often proposed. After a brief review of this literature, we propose to address some of PRA's limitations by developing a novel framework and analytical tools for model-based system safety, or safety supervisory control, to guide safety interventions and support a dynamic approach to risk assessment and accident prevention. Our work shifts the emphasis from the pervading probabilistic mindset in risk assessment toward the notions of danger indices and hazard temporal contingency. The framework and tools here developed are grounded in Control Theory and make use of the state-space formalism in modeling dynamical systems. We show that the use of state variables enables the definition of metrics for accident escalation, termed hazard levels or danger indices, which measure the “proximity” of the system state to adverse events, and we illustrate the development of such indices. Monitoring of the hazard levels provides diagnostic information to support both on-line and off-line safety interventions. For example, we show how the application of the proposed tools to a rejected takeoff scenario provides new insight to support pilots’ go/no-go decisions. Furthermore, we augment the traditional state-space equations with a hazard equation and use the latter to estimate the times at which critical thresholds for the hazard level are (b)reached. This estimation process provides important prognostic information and produces a proxy for a time-to-accident metric or advance notice for an impending adverse event. The ability to estimate these two hazard coordinates, danger index and time-to-accident, offers many possibilities for informing system control strategies and improving accident prevention and risk mitigation

  12. Guaranteed safety information for rising traffic safety at roads main junctions using infrastructure-aided driver-assistance systems; Sichere Information durch infrastrukturgestuetzte Fahrerassistenzsysteme zur Steigerung der Verkehrssicherheit an Strassenknotenpunkten

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wiltschko, T.

    2004-07-01

    Progress of development of driver assistance systems have more and more lead to systems assisting the driver on guidance level. These systems allow direct or indirect driving process contact thus being safety relevant vehicle systems, and their operation requires high safety and reliability standards. To realize the necessary driver assistance, complete collection and interpretation of traffic actions are required and a number of information and information sources has to be integrated, especially in case of traffic situations at junctions in urban areas. The requirements, however, cannot only be reduced to technical reliability of the system and system components but have also to be extended to the information in- and output thus guaranteeing safe operation. This information has to reach the required quality thus avoiding any hazards during the complete time of information use. It is evident that none of the existing models and methods allow a uniform description of information quality of driver assistance systems. The thesis shows a quality concept for description and evaluation of information quality within information processing systems. The quality concept consists of a quality model and an analysing procedure. The quality model is the basis of the quality concept. All types of information are described by a fixed set of quality characteristic, and suitable parameters are used for concretion and quantification. (orig.)

  13. Guidelines for nuclear-power-plant safety-issue prioritization information development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrews, W.B.; Gallucci, R.H.V.; Konzek, G.J.

    1983-05-01

    This is the second in a series of reports to document the use of a methodology developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory to calculate, for prioritization purposes, the risk, dose and cost impacts of implementing resolutions to reactor safety issues. This report contains results of issue-specific analyses for 15 issues. Each issue was considered within the contraints of available information as of September 1982 and two staff-weeks of labor. The results will be referenced, as one consideration in setting priorities for reactor safety issues, in an NRC prioritization report to be published at a future date

  14. Why consumers behave as they do with respect to food safety and risk information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Verbeke, Wim; Frewer, Lynn J.; Scholderer, Joachim

    2007-01-01

    rankings. The aim of this contribution is to provide a better understanding to food risk analysts of why consumers behave as they do with respect to food safety and risk information. This paper presents some cases of seemingly irrational and inconsistent consumer behaviour with respect to food safety...... and risk information and provides explanations for these behaviours based on the nature of the risk and individual psychological processes. Potential solutions for rebuilding consumer confidence in food safety and bridging between lay and expert opinions towards food risks are reviewed. These include......In recent years, it seems that consumers are generally uncertain about the safety and quality of their food and their risk perception differs substantially from that of experts. Hormone and veterinary drug residues in meat persist to occupy a high position in European consumers' food concern...

  15. Using Active Learning to Identify Health Information Technology Related Patient Safety Events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fong, Allan; Howe, Jessica L; Adams, Katharine T; Ratwani, Raj M

    2017-01-18

    The widespread adoption of health information technology (HIT) has led to new patient safety hazards that are often difficult to identify. Patient safety event reports, which are self-reported descriptions of safety hazards, provide one view of potential HIT-related safety events. However, identifying HIT-related reports can be challenging as they are often categorized under other more predominate clinical categories. This challenge of identifying HIT-related reports is exacerbated by the increasing number and complexity of reports which pose challenges to human annotators that must manually review reports. In this paper, we apply active learning techniques to support classification of patient safety event reports as HIT-related. We evaluated different strategies and demonstrated a 30% increase in average precision of a confirmatory sampling strategy over a baseline no active learning approach after 10 learning iterations.

  16. Geo-scientific Information in the Radioactive Waste Management Safety Case Main Messages from the AMIGO Project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    Radioactive waste is associated with all phases of the nuclear fuel cycle as well as the use of radioactive materials in medicine, research and industry. For the most hazardous and long-lived waste, the solution being investigated worldwide is disposal in engineered repositories deep underground. The importance of geo-scientific information in selecting a site for geological disposal has long been recognised, but there has been growing acknowledgement of the broader role of this information in assessing and documenting the safety of disposal. The OECD/NEA Approaches and Methods for Integrating Geological Information in the Safety Case (AMIGO) project has demonstrated that geological data and understanding serve numerous roles in safety cases. The project, which ran from 2002 to 2008, underscored the importance of integrating geo-scientific information in the development of a disposal safety case and increasingly in the overall process of repository development, including, for example, siting decisions and ensuring the practical feasibility of repository layout and engineering. (authors)

  17. 78 FR 71036 - Pipeline Safety: Random Drug Testing Rate; Contractor Management Information System Reporting...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-27

    ... PHMSA-2013-0248] Pipeline Safety: Random Drug Testing Rate; Contractor Management Information System Reporting; and Obtaining Drug and Alcohol Management Information System Sign-In Information AGENCY: Pipeline... Management Information System (MIS) Data; and New Method for Operators to Obtain User Name and Password for...

  18. Guidelines for nuclear power plant safety issue prioritization information development. Supplement 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrews, W.B.; Gallucci, R.H.V.; Konzek, G.J.; Heaberlin, S.W.; Fecht, B.A.; Allen, C.H.; Allen, R.D.; Bickford, W.E.; Carbaugh, E.H.; Lewis, J.R.

    1983-12-01

    This is the third in a series of reports to document the use of a methodology developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory to calculate, for prioritization purposes, the risk, dose and cost impacts of implementing resolutions to reactor safety issues (NUREG/CR-2800, Andrews et al. 1983). This report contains results of issue-specific analyses for 31 issues. Each issue was considered within the constraints of available information as of summer 1983, and two staff-weeks of labor. The results are referenced, as one consideration in setting priorities for reactor safety issues, in NUREG-0933, A Prioritization of Generic Safety Issues

  19. RESI-1 and RESI-2: pPrototypes of an information system on reactor safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schultheiss, G.F.; Eglin, W.; Katz, F.W.; Krings, T.; Pee, A.; Schlechtendahl, E.G.

    1975-04-01

    To demonstrate by practical experience the feasibility of the information system elaborated in the 'Study of an Information System on Reactor Safety RESI' (KFK 1900), the prototype systems RESI-1 and RESI-2 were developed and tested in operation. The two systems have been considerably reduced both in extent and contents as compared to the information system described in the study. The RESI-1 prototype system is a paper version established for verification of all the individual functions before passing over to the computer-aided interactive version RESI-2. RESI-2 is based on the GOLEM system of Siemens. Both protoype systems have proved that the essential features: 1) documentation, 2) formulation of and answering to safety questions, which are relevant with respect to particular licensing cases, 3) formulation of safety questions related to individual reactor types can be managed satisfactorily. All the functions of information retrieval have been tested carefully over several months. Particularities of project development and of the methods elaborated are described in detail and presented in this report. (orig.) [de

  20. Student pharmacists' perceptions of immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kubli, Kara; McBane, Sarah; Hirsch, Jan D; Lorentz, Sarah

    2017-05-01

    The primary aim of this study was to explore changes in knowledge level, perceived importance and apprehension of immunizations by first year pharmacy students pre- vs. post-immunization education and training. First year pharmacy students at the University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (UC San Diego SSPPS) completed a pre- and post-immunization training course questionnaire. Knowledge base and perceived importance level of immunizations including hepatitis B, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), varicella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap), meningococcal and human papilloma virus (HPV) were assessed. In addition, apprehension of needle administration and fears regarding safety and efficacy were evaluated. Of 120 students, 85 (71%) completed pre- and post-course questionnaires for this study. Mean knowledge test scores increased from 56% pre-course to 83% post-course. Pre-course, 73% of participants considered immunizations as very important in preventing future disease outbreaks. Post-course, this percentage climbed to 94%. Prior to taking the course, 52% of students were apprehensive about administering injections; however, after completing the course this percentage declined to 33%. The majority of students who had been fearful prior to the course retained their fears of receiving needle injections. The proportion of students believing immunizations should be a personal choice, not mandatory, did not significantly change from pre-course (49%) to post-course (44%). The UC San Diego SSPPS immunization course increased student knowledge of immunization facts and the perceived importance of immunizations. However, a substantial portion of students retained apprehension about administering and receiving needle injections and the proportion believing immunizations should be a personal choice, almost half, did not change appreciably. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Increase plant safety and reduce cost by implementing risk-informed in-service inspection programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Billington, A.; Monette, P.

    2001-01-01

    The idea behind the program is that it is possible to 'inspect less, but inspect better'. In other words, the risk-informed In-Service Inspection (ISI) process is used to improve the effectiveness of examination of piping components, i.e. concentrate inspection resources and enhance inspection strategies on high safety significant locations, and reduce inspection requirements on others. The Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) risk-informed ISI process has already been applied for full scope (Millstone 3, Surry 1) and limited scope (Beznau, Ringhals 4, Asco, Turkey Point 3). By examining the high safety significant piping segments for the different fluid piping systems, the total piping core damage frequency is reduced. In addition, more than 80% of the risk associated with potential pressure boundary failures is addressed with the WOG risk-informed ISI process, while typically less that 50% of this same risk is addressed by the current inspection programs. The risk-informed ISI processes are used to improve the effectiveness of inspecting safety-significant piping components, to reduce inspection requirements on other piping components, to evaluate improvements to plant availability and enhanced safety measures, including reduction of personnel radiation exposure, and to reduce overall Operation and Maintenance (O and M) costs while maintaining regulatory compliance. A description of the process as well as benefits from past projects is presented, since the methodology is applicable for WWER plant design. (author)

  2. Increase plant safety and reduce cost by implementing risk-informed In-Service Inspection programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Billington, A.; Monette, P.; Doumont, C.

    2000-01-01

    The idea behind the program is that it is possible to 'inspect less, but inspect better'. In other words, the risk-informed In-Service Inspection (ISI) process is used to improve the effectiveness of examination of piping components, i.e. concentrate inspection resources and enhance inspection strategies on high safety significant locations, and reduce inspection requirements on others. The Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) risk-informed ISI process has already been applied for full scope (Millstone 3, Surry 1) and limited scope (Beznau, Ringhals 4, Asco, Turkey Point 3). By examining the high safety significant piping segments for the different fluid piping systems, the total piping core damage frequency is reduced. In addition, more than 80% of the risk associated with potential pressure boundary failures is addressed with the WOG risk-informed ISI process, while typically less than 50% of this same risk is addressed by the current inspection programs. The risk-informed ISI processes are used: to improve the effectiveness of inspecting safety-significant piping components; to reduce inspection requirements on other piping components; to evaluate improvements to plant availability and enhanced safety measures, including reduction of personnel radiation exposure; and to reduce overall Operation and Maintenance (O and M) costs while maintaining regulatory compliance. A description of the process as well as benefits of past projects is presented, since the methodology is applicable for VVER plant design. (author)

  3. [SAFETY AND IMMUNOGENICITY OF A NATIONAL COMBINED VACCINE AGAINST PERTUSSIS, DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS, HEPATITIS B AND Hib-INFECTION, CONTAINING ACELLULAR PERTUSSIS COMPONENT, DURING IMMUNIZATION OF ADULTS].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldblyum, I V; Nikolaeva, A M; Pavroz, K A; Danilina, T V; Sosnina, O Yu; Vyaznikova, T V; Ershov, A E; Trofimov, D M; Polushkina, A V

    2016-01-01

    Study safety, reactogenicity and immunologic effectiveness of a national combined vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis (acellular component), tetanus, hepatitis B and Hib-infection during immunization of volunteers aged 18-60 years. The study was carried out in accordance with ethical standards and requirements, regulated by Helsinki declaration and Good clinical practice (ICHGCP). In a simple non-randomized clinical trial 20 adult volunteers took part, the mean age of those was 46.9 years. Registered: post-vaccination reactions (both local and systemic) were mild and of moderate degree of severity, stopped independently after 2-3 days without administration of drug treatment. Postvaccinal complications were not noted. Parameters of general and biochemical analysis of blood, urine, IgE content in dynamics of immunization were within normal limits. A single administration of aAPDT--HepB+Hib to individuals aged 18-60 years resulted in development of antibodies against all the components of the preparation. Seroconversion factor fluctuated from 6.9 to 53.5: The results obtained allow to recommend the vaccine for evaluation of its safety, reactogenicity, immunologic and prophylaxis effectiveness in randomized clinical observation trials in children.

  4. 78 FR 10200 - Proposed Information Collection; Captive Wildlife Safety Act

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-13

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-HQ-LE-2013-N020; FF09L00200-FX-LE12200900000] Proposed Information Collection; Captive Wildlife Safety Act AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. SUMMARY: We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) will ask the...

  5. Decree No 87-137 of 2 March 1987 concerning the High Council for nuclear safety and information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    This Decree amends the Decree of 13th March 1973 setting up a High Council for Nuclear Safety. Its purpose is to widen the terms of reference of the High Council for Nuclear Safety. In addition to its responsibilities as regards the safety of nuclear installations, it is now competent in the field of information. The Council is now charged with informing the media as well as the public not only on questions of safety proper but also on incidents and accidents occurring in nuclear installations. (NEA) [fr

  6. Longitudinal study to assess the safety and efficacy of a live-attenuated SHIV vaccine in long term immunized rhesus macaques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yankee, Thomas M.; Sheffer, Darlene; Liu Zhengian; Dhillon, Sukhbir; Jia Fenglan; Chebloune, Yahia; Stephens, Edward B.; Narayan, Opendra

    2009-01-01

    Live-attenuated viruses derived from SIV and SHIV have provided the most consistent protection against challenge with pathogenic viruses, but concerns regarding their long-term safety and efficacy have hampered their clinical usefulness. We report a longitudinal study in which we evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of ΔvpuSHIV PPC , a live virus vaccine derived from SHIV PPC . Macaques were administered two inoculations of ΔvpuSHIV PPC , three years apart, and followed for eight years. None of the five vaccinated macaques developed an AIDS-like disease from the vaccine. At eight years, macaques were challenged with pathogenic SIV and SHIV. None of the four macaques with detectable cellular-mediated immunity prior to challenge had detectable viral RNA in the plasma. This study demonstrates that multiple inoculations of a live vaccine virus can be used safely and can significantly extend the efficacy of the vaccine, as compared to a single inoculation, which is efficacious for approximately three years

  7. Pesticide Health and Safety Information

    Science.gov (United States)

    Animal Health Safe Use Practices Pest Control Food Safety Low Risk Pesticides Integrated Pest Management directed by the product label. Pesticides may be ingested if stored improperly in food or beverage ; Environment Human Health Animal Health Safe Use Practices Food Safety Environment Air Water Soil Wildlife

  8. 77 FR 28602 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Early Food Safety...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-15

    ... appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Early Food Safety Evaluation of New Non-Pesticidal... Evaluation of New Non-Pesticidal Proteins Produced by New Plant Varieties Intended for Food Use AGENCY: Food... for early food safety evaluation of new non-pesticidal proteins produced by new plant varieties...

  9. Local and systemic tumor immune dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enderling, Heiko

    Tumor-associated antigens, stress proteins, and danger-associated molecular patterns are endogenous immune adjuvants that can both initiate and continually stimulate an immune response against a tumor. In retaliation, tumors can hijack intrinsic immune regulatory programs that are intended to prevent autoimmune disease, thereby facilitating continued growth despite the activated antitumor immune response. In metastatic disease, this ongoing tumor-immune battle occurs at each site. Adding an additional layer of complexity, T cells activated at one tumor site can cycle through the blood circulation system and extravasate in a different anatomic location to surveil a distant metastasis. We propose a mathematical modeling framework that incorporates the trafficking of activated T cells between metastatic sites. We extend an ordinary differential equation model of tumor-immune system interactions to multiple metastatic sites. Immune cells are activated in response to tumor burden and tumor cell death, and are recruited from tumor sites elsewhere in the body. A model of T cell trafficking throughout the circulatory system can inform the tumor-immune interaction model about the systemic distribution and arrival of T cells at specific tumor sites. Model simulations suggest that metastases not only contribute to immune surveillance, but also that this contribution varies between metastatic sites. Such information may ultimately help harness the synergy of focal therapy with the immune system to control metastatic disease.

  10. Use of risk information to safety regulation. Reprocessing facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2013-08-15

    A procedure of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) for a reprocessing facility has been under the development aiming to utilize risk information for safety regulations in this project. Activities in the fiscal year 2012 are summarized in the paper. A major activity is a fundamental study on a concept of serious accidents, requirements of serious accident management, and a policy of utilizing risk information for fabrication and reprocessing facilities. Other than the activity a study on release and transport of aerial radioactive materials at a serious accident in a reprocessing facility has been conducted. The outline and results are provided in the chapter 1 and 2 respectively. (author)

  11. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. December 18, 2008 meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-12-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 6 main topics: 1 - a presentation of nuclear medicine by Prof. Devaux, of its domains of application and the respect of radiation protection rules; 2 - the launching of a working group on the transparency/secrecy problem with nuclear activities; 3 - the elaboration of an environmental radioactivity index by the nuclear safety authority (ASN); 4 - the order addressed to the Cruas nuclear facility for the lack of standardized marking and maintenance of pipes used for the transport of explosive fluids; 5 - the consequences of the blocking of 2 fuel assemblies (out of 157) in the Tricastin reactor core; 6 - the flood at the Tricastin site, its origin and consequences. (J.S.)

  12. Effectiveness of transmitting safety-measures information in risk communication of nuclear power generation. Evaluation by the receiver of the messages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Takanobu; Shiomi, Tetsuro

    2004-01-01

    Effectiveness of risk communication were previously discussed through both ''risk information'' and ''benefit information'' of its topics. However, in technical facilities facilities such as nuclear power plant where safeness is an important concern, not only these two aspects but also safety-measures information'' are required. There have been previously no such discussions about risk communication that included ''safety-measures information''. In this report, we investigated general public's view of the difference in effectiveness of risk communication between two cases. In the first case, only ''risk'' and ''benefit information'' were given. In the second case, we added ''safety-measures information'' as well as ''risk'' and benefit information''. Measurement of the effect was performed using a questionnaire. We divided the subjects into two groups. Each group was shown one side of two pamphlets which had information concerning two conditions, and asked how it feels about ''reliance on information'', ''reliance on informer'', ''posture considered with informer'' which are factors in the process of the attitude change that is shown in the paradigm of risk communication (Kinoshita and Kikkawa, (1990)). Prior to this investigation, we identified each subject is position on nuclear power generation. Thus we were able to clarify the effectiveness of each risk communication style depending on each subject is position (approval, neutrality, objection). As a result, we reached the following conclusions: First about ''reliance on information'', where asked whether the contents of a pamphlet would be reliable, it was found that the person negative to nuclear power generation evaluated lower the pamphlet which included ''safety-measures information'' than the other. However, it was found that regardless of the difference in the position towards nuclear power generation, people who read the pamphlet including ''safety-measures information'' evaluated higher ''reliance on

  13. EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY OF VACCINATION AGAINST CHICKENPOX IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.G. Rumyantsev

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is dedicated to the problem of chicken pox in Russia and across the world, its social and economic aspects. The authors provides the modern information on the existing vaccines, their comparative efficacy in different age groups of the patients, as well as the patients from the high risk groups. The researchers reviewed the contraindications and restrictions against the immunization and analyzed the data on the safety and reactogenicity of the vaccine for the chicken pox prevention.Key words: chicken pox, vaccination, children.

  14. Efficient improvement of nuclear power plant safety by reorganization of risk-informed safety importance evaluation methods for piping welded portions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Irie, Takashi; Hanafusa, Hidemitsu; Suyama, Takeshi [Institute of Nuclear Safety System, Inc., Mihama, Fukui (Japan); Morota, Hidetsugu; Kojima, Sigeo; Mizuno, Yoshinobu [Computer Software Development Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    2002-09-01

    In this work, risk information was used to evaluate the safety importance of piping welded portions which were important for plant operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants. There are two types of risk-informed safety importance evaluation methods, namely the ASME method and the EPRI method. Since both methods have advantages and disadvantages, elements of each method were combined and reorganized. Considerations included whether the degradation mechanisms would be objectively evaluated and whether plant safety would be efficiently improved. The most objective and efficient method was as follows. Piping failure potential is quantitatively and objectively evaluated for failure with probabilistic fracture mechanics (PFM) and for other degradation mechanisms with empirical failure rates, and conditional core damage probability (CCDP) is calculated with PSA. This method reduces the inspected segment numbers to 1/4 of the deterministic method and increases the ratio of risk, which is covered by the inspected segments, to total risk from 80% of the deterministic method to 95%. Piping inspection numbers decreased for safety injection systems that were required the inspections by the deterministic method. Piping inspections were required for part of main feed water and main steam systems that were not required the inspections by the deterministic method. (author)

  15. The history of vaccines and immunization: familiar patterns, new challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Alexandra Minna; Markel, Howard

    2005-01-01

    Human beings have benefited from vaccines for more than two centuries. Yet the pathway to effective vaccines has been neither neat nor direct. This paper explores the history of vaccines and immunization, beginning with Edward Jenner's creation of the world's first vaccine for smallpox in the 1790s. We then demonstrate that many of the issues salient in Jenner's era-such as the need for secure funding mechanisms, streamlined manufacturing and safety concerns, and deep-seated public fears of inoculating agents-have frequently reappeared and have often dominated vaccine policies. We suggest that historical awareness can help inform viable long-term solutions to contemporary problems with vaccine research, production, and supply.

  16. Safety and efficacy of E coli enterotoxin adjuvant for urease-based rectal immunization against Helicobacter pylori.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sougioultzis, Stavros; Lee, Cynthia K; Alsahli, Mazen; Banerjee, Subhas; Cadoz, Michel; Schrader, Robert; Guy, Bruno; Bedford, Philip; Monath, Thomas P; Kelly, Ciaran P; Michetti, Pierre

    2002-12-13

    Low dose E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin (LT), delivered orally or enterically, has been used as an adjuvant for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) urease in healthy adults. In this study we aim to test the safety and adjuvant efficacy of LT delivered rectally together with recombinant H. pylori urease. Eighteen healthy adults without present or past H. pylori infection were enrolled in a double blind, randomized, ascending dose study to receive either urease (60 mg), or urease (60 mg) + LT (5 or 25 microg). The immunization preparation was administered per rectum on days 0, 14 and 28. Serum, stool and saliva anti-urease and anti-LT IgG and IgA antibodies (Abs) were measured and urease-specific and LT-specific antigen secreting cells (ASCs) were counted in peripheral blood at baseline and 7 (ASC counts) or 14 days (antibody levels) after each dosing. Peripheral blood lymphoproliferation assays were also performed at baseline and at the end of the study. Rectally delivered urease and LT were well tolerated. Among the 12 subjects assigned to urease+LT, 2 (16.7%) developed anti-urease IgG Abs, 1 (8.3%) developed anti-urease IgA Abs, and 3 (25%) showed urease-specific IgA(+) ASCs. Immune responses to LT were more vigorous, especially in subjects exposed to 5 microg LT. In the urease+ 5 microg LT group, anti-LT IgG and IgA Abs developed in 60 and 80% of the subjects, respectively, while LT-specific IgG(+) and IgA(+) ASCs were detected in all subjects. The magnitude of the anti-LT response was much higher than the response to urease. No IgA anti-urease or anti-LT Abs were detected in stool or saliva and lymphocyte proliferative responses to urease were unsatisfactory. In conclusion, rectal delivery of 5 microg LT is safe and induces vigorous systemic anti-LT immune responses. Further studies are needed to determine if LT can be an effective adjuvant for rectally delivered antigens.

  17. Immunogenicity and safety of two doses of catch-up immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine in Indian children living with HIV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arya, Bikas K; Bhattacharya, Sangeeta Das; Sutcliffe, Catherine G; Saha, Malay K; Bhattacharyya, Subhasish; Niyogi, Swapan Kumar; Moss, William J; Panda, Samiran; Das, Ranjan Saurav; Mallick, Mausom; Mandal, Sutapa

    2016-04-27

    Children living with HIV are at increased risk of disease from Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Data are limited on the immunogenicity of a two-dose, catch-up schedule for Hib conjugate vaccine (HibCV) among HIV-infected children accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) late. The objectives of the study were to: (1) evaluate baseline immunity to Hib and the immunogenicity and safety of two doses of HibCV among HIV-infected Indian children; and (2) document the threshold antibody level required to prevent Hib colonization among HIV-infected children following immunization. We conducted a prospective cohort study among HIV-infected children 2-15 years of age and HIV-uninfected children 2-5 years of age. HIV-infected children received two doses of HibCV and uninfected children received one. Serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibodies were measured at baseline and two months after immunization in the HIV-infected children. Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs were collected at baseline and follow-up. 125 HIV-infected and 44 uninfected children participated. 40% of HIV-infected children were receiving ART and 26% had a viral load >100,000 copies/mL. The geometric mean concentration of serum anti-Hib PRP antibody increased from 0.25 μg/mL at baseline to 2.65 μg/mL after two doses of HibCV, representing a 10.6-fold increase (pchildren mounted an immune response. Moderate or severe immune suppression, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, and lower baseline antibody levels were associated with lower post-vaccine serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibodies. A serum anti-Hib PRP IgG antibody level ≥ 3.3 μg/mL was protective against Hib NP colonization. There were no differences in adverse events between HIV-infected and uninfected children. Including a catch-up immunization schedule for older HIV infected children in countries introducing Hib vaccines is important. Older HIV-infected children with delayed access to ART and without suppressed viral loads mounted an adequate immune response

  18. DART - for design basis justification and safety related information management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Billington, A.; Blondiaux, P.; Boucau, J.; Cantineau, B.; Doumont, C.; Mared, A.

    2000-01-01

    DART is the acronym for Design Analysis Re-engineering Tool. It embodies a systematic and integrated approach to NPP safety re-assessment and configuration management, that makes use of Reverse Failure Mode and Effect Analysis in conjunction with a state-of-the-art relational database and a standardized data format, to permit long-term management of plant safety related information. The plant design is reviewed in a step-by-step logical fashion by constructing fault trees that identify the link between undesired consequences and their causes. Each failure cause identified in a fault tree is addressed by defining functional requirements, which are in turn addressed by documenting the specific manner in which the plant complies with the requirement. The database can be used to generate up-to-date plant safety related documents, including: SAR, Systems Descriptions, Technical Specifications and plant procedures. The approach is open-minded by nature and therefore is not regulatory driven, however the plant licensing basis will also be reviewed and documented within the same database such that a Regulatory Conformance Program may be integrated with the other safety documentation. This methodology can thus reconstitute the plant design bases in a comprehensive and systematic way, while allowing to uncover weaknesses in design. The original feature of the DART methodology is that it links all the safety related documents together, facilitating the evaluation of the safety impact resulting from any plant modification. Due to its capability to retrieve the basic justifications of the plant design, it is also a useful tool for training the young generation of plant personnel. The DART methodology has been developed for application to units 2, 3 and 4 at Vattenfall's Ringhals site in Sweden. It may be applied to any nuclear power plant or industrial facility where public safety is a concern. (author)

  19. DART - for design basis justification and safety related information management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Billington, A.; Blondiaux, B.; Boucau, J.; Cantineau, B.; Mared, A.

    2001-01-01

    DART is the acronym for Design Analysis Re-Engineering Tool. It embodies a systematic and integrated approach to NPP safety re-assessment and configuration management, that makes use of Reverse Failure Mode and Effect Analysis in conjunction with a state-of-the-art relational database and a standardized data format, to permit long-term management of plant safety related information. The plant design is reviewed in a step-by-step logical fashion by constructing fault trees that identify the link between undesired consequences and their causes. Each failure cause identified in a fault tree is addressed by defining functional requirements, which are in turn addressed by documenting the specific manner in which the plant complies with the requirement. The database can then be used to generate up-to-date plant safety related documents, including: SAR, Systems Descriptions, Technical Specifications and plant procedures. The approach is open-minded by nature and therefore is not regulatory driven, however the plant licensing basis will also be reviewed and documented within the same database such that a Regulatory Conformance Program may be integrated with the other safety documentation. This methodology can thus reconstitute the plant design bases in a comprehensive and systematic way, while allowing to uncover weaknesses in design. The original feature of the DART methodology is that it links all the safety related documents together, facilitating the evaluation of the safety impact resulting from any plant modification. Due to its capability to retrieve the basic justifications of the plant design, it is also a useful tool for training the young generation of plant personnel. The DART methodology has been developed for application to units 2, 3 and 4 at Vattenfall's Ringhals site in Sweden. It may be applied to any nuclear power plant or industrial facility where public safety is a concern. (author)

  20. Information System Hazard Analysis: A Method for Identifying Technology-induced Latent Errors for Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Jens H; Mason-Blakley, Fieran; Price, Morgan

    2015-01-01

    Many health information and communication technologies (ICT) are safety-critical; moreover, reports of technology-induced adverse events related to them are plentiful in the literature. Despite repeated criticism and calls to action, recent data collected by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and other organization do not indicate significant improvements with respect to the safety of health ICT systems. A large part of the industry still operates on a reactive "break & patch" model; the application of pro-active, systematic hazard analysis methods for engineering ICT that produce "safe by design" products is sparse. This paper applies one such method: Information System Hazard Analysis (ISHA). ISHA adapts and combines hazard analysis techniques from other safety-critical domains and customizes them for ICT. We provide an overview of the steps involved in ISHA and describe.

  1. The use of information technology to enhance patient safety and nursing efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Tso-Ying; Sun, Gi-Tseng; Kou, Li-Tseng; Yeh, Mei-Ling

    2017-10-23

    Issues in patient safety and nursing efficiency have long been of concern. Advancing the role of nursing informatics is seen as the best way to address this. The aim of this study was to determine if the use, outcomes and satisfaction with a nursing information system (NIS) improved patient safety and the quality of nursing care in a hospital in Taiwan. This study adopts a quasi-experimental design. Nurses and patients were surveyed by questionnaire and data retrieval before and after the implementation of NIS in terms of blood drawing, nursing process, drug administration, bar code scanning, shift handover, and information and communication integration. Physiologic values were easier to read and interpret; it took less time to complete electronic records (3.7 vs. 9.1 min); the number of errors in drug administration was reduced (0.08% vs. 0.39%); bar codes reduced the number of errors in blood drawing (0 vs. 10) and transportation of specimens (0 vs. 0.42%); satisfaction with electronic shift handover increased significantly; there was a reduction in nursing turnover (14.9% vs. 16%); patient satisfaction increased significantly (3.46 vs. 3.34). Introduction of NIS improved patient safety and nursing efficiency and increased nurse and patient satisfaction. Medical organizations must continually improve the nursing information system if they are to provide patients with high quality service in a competitive environment.

  2. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. October 8, 2009 meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-10-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 3 main points: 1 - the progress of the different working groups work: elaboration of a communication scale, comparable to the INES scale, for the evaluation of environmental radioactivity, the realisation of a web site for the HCTISN, the question of transparency and secrecy around the maritime transportation of radioactive materials after the visit by the High Committee of two ships from the British INS company; 2 - the management of radioactive wastes with the concept of storage reversibility: political, technical and decisional aspects, position of the National Evaluation Committee for the researches and studies relative to radioactive materials and wastes management (CNE), position of the ANCLI (French national association of local information commissions), debate; 3 - the shortage of radio-physicists in France and the information of populations and patients (declaration of incidents). Some miscellaneous points are reported as well: the first draft of the first annual report of the HCTISN, development of a societal approach for the research programs of the French institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (IRSN), validation of a collaboration proposal with the ANCLI. (J.S.)

  3. A comparative review of patient safety initiatives for national health information technology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Magrabi, Farah; Aarts, Jos; Nøhr, Christian

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To collect and critically review patient safety initiatives for health information technology (HIT). METHOD: Publicly promulgated set of advisories, recommendations, guidelines, or standards potentially addressing safe system design, build, implementation or use were identified...... by searching the websites of regional and national agencies and programmes in a non-exhaustive set of exemplar countries including England, Denmark, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and Australia. Initiatives were categorised by type and software systems covered. RESULTS: We found 27 patient safety initiatives...... were aimed at certification in the USA, Canada and Australia. Safety is addressed alongside interoperability in the Australian certification programme but it is not explicitly addressed in the US and Canadian programmes, though conformance with specific functionality, interoperability, security...

  4. The electronic security partnership of safety/security and information systems departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yow, J Art

    2012-01-01

    The ever-changing world of security electronics is reviewed in this article. The author focuses on its usage in a hospital setting and the need for safety/security and information systems departments to work together to protect and get full value from IP systems.

  5. 14 CFR 193.5 - How may I submit safety or security information and have it protected from disclosure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... SUBMITTED INFORMATION § 193.5 How may I submit safety or security information and have it protected from... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How may I submit safety or security information and have it protected from disclosure? 193.5 Section 193.5 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION...

  6. Patient and nurse safety: how information technology makes a difference.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Roy L

    2005-01-01

    The Institute of Medicine's landmark report asserted medical error is seldom the fault of individuals, but the result of faulty healthcare policy/procedure systems. Numerous studies have shown that information technology can shore up weak systems. For nursing, information technology plays a key role in protecting patients by eliminating nursing mistakes and protecting nurses by reducing their negative exposure. However, managing information technology is a function of managing the people who use it. This article examines critical issues that impact patient and nurse safety, both physical and professional. It discusses the importance of eliminating the culture of blame, the requirements of process change, how to implement technology in harmony with the organization and the significance of vision.

  7. A framework of risk-informed seismic safety evaluation of nuclear power plants in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, S.; Sakagami, M.; Hirano, M.; Shiba, M.

    2001-01-01

    A framework of risk-informed seismic design and safety evaluation of nuclear power plants is under consideration in Japan so as to utilize the progress in the seismic probabilistic safety assessment methodology. Issues resolved to introduce this framework are discussed after the concept, evaluation process and characteristics of the framework are described. (author)

  8. 75 FR 11988 - Notice of Request for Approval To Collect New Information: Collection of Safety Culture Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-12

    ..., information about changes to the safety culture of the affected workplaces will be used as one of several data...: RITA-2008-0002] Notice of Request for Approval To Collect New Information: Collection of Safety Culture.... mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that persons consider an alternative method...

  9. Global Immunizations: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Worldwide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macintosh, Janelle L B; Eden, Lacey M; Luthy, Karlen E; Schouten, Aimee E

    Immunizations are one of the most important health interventions of the 20th century, yet people in many areas of the world do not receive adequate immunizations. Approximately 3 million people worldwide die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases; about half of these deaths are young children and infants. Global travel is more common; diseases that were once localized now can be found in communities around the world. Multiple barriers to immunizations have been identified. Healthcare access, cost, and perceptions of safety and trust in healthcare are factors that have depressed global immunization rates. Several global organizations have focused on addressing these barriers as part of their efforts to increase immunization rates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, The World Health Organization, and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund each have a part of their organization that is concentrated on immunizations. Maternal child nurses worldwide can assist in increasing immunization rates. Nurses can participate in outreach programs to ease the burden of patients and families in accessing immunizations. Nurses can work with local and global organizations to make immunizations more affordable. Nurses can improve trust and knowledge about immunizations in their local communities. Nurses are a powerful influence in the struggle to increase immunization rates, which is a vital aspect of global health promotion and disease prevention.

  10. Enabling social listening for cardiac safety monitoring: Proceedings from a drug information association-cardiac safety research consortium cosponsored think tank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seifert, Harry A; Malik, Raleigh E; Bhattacharya, Mondira; Campbell, Kevin R; Okun, Sally; Pierce, Carrie; Terkowitz, Jeffrey; Turner, J Rick; Krucoff, Mitchell W; Powell, Gregory E

    2017-12-01

    This white paper provides a summary of the presentations and discussions from a think tank on "Enabling Social Listening for Cardiac Safety Monitoring" trials that was cosponsored by the Drug Information Association and the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium, and held at the White Oak headquarters of the US Food and Drug Administration on June 3, 2016. The meeting's goals were to explore current methods of collecting and evaluating social listening data and to consider their applicability to cardiac safety surveillance. Social listening is defined as the act of monitoring public postings on the Internet. It has several theoretical advantages for drug and device safety. First, these include the ability to detect adverse events that are "missed" by traditional sources and the ability to detect adverse events sooner than would be allowed by traditional sources, both by affording near-real-time access to data from culturally and geographically diverse sources. Social listening can also potentially introduce a novel patient voice into the conversation about drug safety, which could uniquely augment understanding of real-world medication use obtained from more traditional methodologies. Finally, it can allow for access to information about drug misuse and diversion. To date, the latter 2 of these have been realized. Although regulators from the Food and Drug Administration and the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency participated in the think tank along with representatives from industry, academia, and patient groups, this article should not be construed to constitute regulatory guidance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Knowledge management: Role of the the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentine, Timothy

    2017-09-01

    The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is an information analysis center that collects, archives, evaluates, synthesizes and distributes information, data and codes that are used in various nuclear technology applications. RSICC retains more than 2,000 software packages that have been provided by code developers from various federal and international agencies. RSICC's customers (scientists, engineers, and students from around the world) obtain access to such computing codes (source and/or executable versions) and processed nuclear data files to promote on-going research, to ensure nuclear and radiological safety, and to advance nuclear technology. The role of such information analysis centers is critical for supporting and sustaining nuclear education and training programs both domestically and internationally, as the majority of RSICC's customers are students attending U.S. universities. Additionally, RSICC operates a secure CLOUD computing system to provide access to sensitive export-controlled modeling and simulation (M&S) tools that support both domestic and international activities. This presentation will provide a general review of RSICC's activities, services, and systems that support knowledge management and education and training in the nuclear field.

  12. Insights from an international stakeholder consultation to identify informational needs related to seafood safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tediosi, Alice, E-mail: alice.tediosi@aeiforia.eu [Aeiforia Srl, 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC) (Italy); Fait, Gabriella [Aeiforia Srl, 29027 Gariga di Podenzano (PC) (Italy); Jacobs, Silke [Department of Public Health, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Verbeke, Wim [Department of Agricultural Economics, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Álvarez-Muñoz, Diana [Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003 Girona (Spain); Diogene, Jorge [IRTA, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita (Spain); Reuver, Marieke [AquaTT, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Marques, António [Division of Aquaculture and Upgrading (DivAV), Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), 1449-006 Lisbon (Portugal); Capri, Ettore [Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 29122 Piacenza (Italy)

    2015-11-15

    Food safety assessment and communication have a strong importance in reducing human health risks related to food consumption. The research carried out within the ECsafeSEAFOOD project aims to assess seafood safety issues, mainly related to non-regulated priority environmental contaminants, and to evaluate their impact on public health. In order to make the research results accessible and exploitable, and to respond to actual stakeholders' demands, a consultation with international stakeholders was performed by means of a survey. The focus was on policy and decision makers, food producers and processors, and agencies (i.e. EU and National or Regional agencies related to Food Safety or Public Health) and consumer organisations. The survey considered questions related to: seafood safety assessment and mitigation strategies, availability of data, such as the level of information on different contaminants, and communication among different stakeholder groups. Furthermore, stakeholders were asked to give their opinion on how they believe consumers perceive risks associated with environmental contaminants. The survey was distributed to 531 key stakeholders and 91 responses were received from stakeholders from 30 EU and non-EU countries. The main results show that communication between different groups of stakeholders needs to be improved and that there is a deficit of information and data in the field of seafood safety. This pertains mainly to the transfer of contaminants between the environment and seafood, and to the diversity of environmental contaminants such as plastic additives, algal toxins and hormones. On-line tools were perceived to be the most useful communication channel. - Highlights: • We consulted stakeholders to identify their needs about seafood safety. • An on-line survey was prepared and sent to gather stakeholders' opinions. • Communication among stakeholders needs to be improved. • There is a deficit of information and data in the

  13. Insights from an international stakeholder consultation to identify informational needs related to seafood safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tediosi, Alice; Fait, Gabriella; Jacobs, Silke; Verbeke, Wim; Álvarez-Muñoz, Diana; Diogene, Jorge; Reuver, Marieke; Marques, António; Capri, Ettore

    2015-01-01

    Food safety assessment and communication have a strong importance in reducing human health risks related to food consumption. The research carried out within the ECsafeSEAFOOD project aims to assess seafood safety issues, mainly related to non-regulated priority environmental contaminants, and to evaluate their impact on public health. In order to make the research results accessible and exploitable, and to respond to actual stakeholders' demands, a consultation with international stakeholders was performed by means of a survey. The focus was on policy and decision makers, food producers and processors, and agencies (i.e. EU and National or Regional agencies related to Food Safety or Public Health) and consumer organisations. The survey considered questions related to: seafood safety assessment and mitigation strategies, availability of data, such as the level of information on different contaminants, and communication among different stakeholder groups. Furthermore, stakeholders were asked to give their opinion on how they believe consumers perceive risks associated with environmental contaminants. The survey was distributed to 531 key stakeholders and 91 responses were received from stakeholders from 30 EU and non-EU countries. The main results show that communication between different groups of stakeholders needs to be improved and that there is a deficit of information and data in the field of seafood safety. This pertains mainly to the transfer of contaminants between the environment and seafood, and to the diversity of environmental contaminants such as plastic additives, algal toxins and hormones. On-line tools were perceived to be the most useful communication channel. - Highlights: • We consulted stakeholders to identify their needs about seafood safety. • An on-line survey was prepared and sent to gather stakeholders' opinions. • Communication among stakeholders needs to be improved. • There is a deficit of information and data in the field of

  14. Proceedings of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission twentieth water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1993-03-01

    This three-volume report contains papers presented at the Twentieth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, during the week of October 21--23, 1992. The papers describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included 10 different papers presented by researchersfrom CEC, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Spain and Taiwan

  15. Safety of treatments for primary Sjogren's syndrome

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Nimwegen, Jolien F.; Moerman, R. V.; Smitt, Nicole Sillevis; Brouwer, Elisabeth; Bootsma, Hendrika; Vissink, Arjan

    2016-01-01

    Introduction: Primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) is a disabling auto-immune disease, affecting exocrine glands and several organs.Areas covered: In this review we analyze the safety of therapies used in pSS. Symptomatic treatment is widely applied due to the good supportive effect and good safety

  16. Survivorship Care Plan Information Needs: Perspectives of Safety-Net Breast Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Nancy J; Napoles, Tessa M; Banks, Priscilla J; Orenstein, Fern S; Luce, Judith A; Joseph, Galen

    2016-01-01

    Despite the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) 2005 recommendation, few care organizations have instituted standard survivorship care plans (SCPs). Low health literacy and low English proficiency are important factors to consider in SCP development. Our study aimed to identify information needs and survivorship care plan preferences of low literacy, multi-lingual patients to support the transition from oncology to primary care and ongoing learning in survivorship. We conducted focus groups in five languages with African American, Latina, Russian, Filipina, White, and Chinese medically underserved breast cancer patients. Topics explored included the transition to primary care, access to information, knowledge of treatment history, and perspectives on SCPs. Analysis of focus group data identified three themes: 1) the need for information and education on the transition between "active treatment" and "survivorship"; 2) information needed (and often not obtained) from providers; and 3) perspectives on SCP content and delivery. Our data point to the need to develop a process as well as written information for medically underserved breast cancer patients. An SCP document will not replace direct communication with providers about treatment, symptom management and transition, a communication that is missing in participating safety-net patients' experiences of cancer care. Women turned to peer support and community-based organizations in the absence of information from providers. "Clear and effective" communication of survivorship care for safety-net patients requires dedicated staff trained to address wide-ranging information needs and uncertainties.

  17. Information Management system of the safety regulatory requirements and guidance for the Korea next generation reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Y. C.; Lee, J. H.; Lee, H. C.; Lee, J. S.

    2000-01-01

    In order to achieve the safety of the Korea Next Generation Reactors (KNGR), the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety has carried out the Safety and Regulatory Requirements and Guidance (SRRG) development program from 1992 such as establishment of the SRRG hierarchy, development of technical requirements and guidance, and consideration of new licensing system. The SRRG hierarchy for the KNGR was consisted of five tiers; Safety Objectives, Safety Principles, General Safety Criteria, Specific Safety Requirements and Safety Regulatory Guides. The developed SRRG have been compared the criteria in 10CFR and Reg. Guide in the U.S.A and the IAEA documents for assuring internationally acceptable level of the SRRG. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of SRRG development, the construction of database system was required in the course of development. Therefore, the Information Management System of SRRG for the KNGR has been developed which enables developers to quickly and accurately seek and systematically manage whole contexts of the SRRG, reference requirements, and current atomic energy regulation rules. Moreover, through homepage whose URL is 'http://kngr.kins.re.kr', the concerned persons and public can acquire the information related with SRRG and KNGR project, and post his/her thought to the opinion forum in the homepage

  18. Information Management system of the safety regulatory requirements and guidance for the Korea next generation reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yun, Y. C. [LG-EDS Systems, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, J. H.; Lee, H. C.; Lee, J. S. [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

    2000-05-01

    In order to achieve the safety of the Korea Next Generation Reactors (KNGR), the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety has carried out the Safety and Regulatory Requirements and Guidance (SRRG) development program from 1992 such as establishment of the SRRG hierarchy, development of technical requirements and guidance, and consideration of new licensing system. The SRRG hierarchy for the KNGR was consisted of five tiers; Safety Objectives, Safety Principles, General Safety Criteria, Specific Safety Requirements and Safety Regulatory Guides. The developed SRRG have been compared the criteria in 10CFR and Reg. Guide in the U.S.A and the IAEA documents for assuring internationally acceptable level of the SRRG. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of SRRG development, the construction of database system was required in the course of development. Therefore, the Information Management System of SRRG for the KNGR has been developed which enables developers to quickly and accurately seek and systematically manage whole contexts of the SRRG, reference requirements, and current atomic energy regulation rules. Moreover, through homepage whose URL is 'http://kngr.kins.re.kr', the concerned persons and public can acquire the information related with SRRG and KNGR project, and post his/her thought to the opinion forum in the homepage.

  19. Immune System

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... of the Immune System Print en español El sistema inmunitario Whether you're stomping through the showers ... of Use Notice of Nondiscrimination Visit the Nemours Web site. Note: All information on TeensHealth® is for ...

  20. The Feasibility and Safety of Surgery in Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Retrospective Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra W. Elias

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI are revolutionizing care for cancer patients. The list of malignancies for which the Food and Drug Administration is granting approval is rapidly increasing. Furthermore, there is a concomitant increase in clinical trials incorporating ICI. However, the safety of ICI in patients undergoing surgery remains unclear. Herein, we assessed the safety of ICI in the perioperative setting at a single center. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent planned surgery while receiving ICI in the perioperative setting from 2012 to 2016. We collected 30-day postoperative morbidity and mortality utilizing the Clavien–Dindo classification system. We identified 17 patients who received perioperative ICI in 22 operations. Patients were diagnosed with melanoma (n = 14, renal cell carcinoma (n = 2, and urothelial carcinoma (n = 1. Therapies included pembrolizumab (n = 10, ipilimumab (n = 5, atezolizumab (n = 5, and ipilimumab/nivolumab (n = 2. Procedures included cutaneous/subcutaneous resection (n = 6, lymph node resection (n = 5, small bowel resection (n = 5, abdominal wall resection (n = 3, other abdominal surgery (n = 3, orthopedic surgery (n = 1, hepatic resection (n = 1, and neurosurgery (n = 2. There were no Grade III–IV Clavien–Dindo complications. There was one death secondary to ventricular fibrillation in the setting of coronary artery disease. ICI appear safe in the perioperative setting, involving multiple different types of surgery, and likely do not need to be stopped in the perioperative setting. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

  1. 45 CFR 61.16 - Immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Immunity. 61.16 Section 61.16 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION HEALTHCARE INTEGRITY AND PROTECTION DATA BANK... Information by the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank § 61.16 Immunity. Individuals, entities or...

  2. Quality and safety issues of web-based information about herbal medicines in the treatment of cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molassiotis, Alexander; Xu, Min

    2004-12-01

    A number of studies have been carried out to assess health information on the internet and they all have demonstrated that, whereas the internet can be the third opinion for many patients, often contains inaccurate and misleading information. Furthermore, as herbal medicines are increasingly used by patients, it is imperative to assess the quality of information presented on the internet. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the quality and safety of the information presented on the internet about medicinal herbs specifically in the field of cancer. Two hundred relevant websites were initially selected from a process using 10 search engines and the keywords 'herbs' and 'cancer', and 43 sites actually met all inclusion criteria. Assessment of both quality and safety indicators was carried out using the DISCERN instrument, which has been developed to enable consumers and information providers to judge the quality of health information. Readability scores of the sites were also obtained (Flesch formula). It was shown that most sites had low quality in a number of indicators, including accuracy of information, revealing sources of information, biased presentation of information or regularity of updates. The mean score for quality was 22.12 (S.D.=4.18) out of a maximum score of 50. The mean safety score was 13.26 (S.D.=2.14) out of a maximum score of 30. Commercial sites had the most inaccurate or misleading information, emphasizing only the positive aspects of the use of herbs, with little or no evidence. The only biomedical sites assessed achieved the highest score in both quality and safety. Readability of the information was equal to the school level of college (mean=44.63). Seven percent of the sites discouraged the use of conventional medicine. Results suggest that health professionals should talk about use of alternative therapies with their patients and help them find the best available information when using the internet.

  3. User-oriented information access by information need recontextualisation and articulation. Application in nuclear criticality safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medini, Lionel

    2001-01-01

    This research thesis addresses the design methodology of a system of access to information which is based on an access to relevant information with respect to user needs. In a first part, the author addresses the various issues related to access to information and to information understanding. The next part addresses the involved methods and tools and presents the operational approach adopted for this research regarding access to information. Different disciplines are addressed (knowledge management, ergonomics and information science) and different technologies are used (W3 and XML, DVP, ActiveX, pdf format and the Adobe suite). In the core chapter, the author reports the design of a LMCE (a multi-user book of electronic knowledge) which allows both hypermedia navigation in knowledge diagrams and a construction of a document query. This design is based on a knowledge-management modelling to define diagrams, on ergonomics modelling for user profile identification, and on information science for a specific indexing of the information system. The prototype can be visualized with a web browser such as Internet Explorer 5. The author reports a first assessment and discusses the contribution of his approach to the problematic of access to information which is to be applied to nuclear criticality safety [fr

  4. RISK-INFORMED BALANCING OF SAFETY, NONPROLIFERATION, AND ECONOMICS FOR THE SFR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Apostolakis, George; Driscoll, Michael; Golay, Michael; Kadak, Andrew; Todreas, Neil; Aldmir, Tunc; Denning, Richard; Lineberry, Michael

    2011-10-20

    A substantial barrier to the implementation of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) technology in the short term is the perception that they would not be economically competitive with advanced light water reactors. With increased acceptance of risk-informed regulation, the opportunity exists to reduce the costs of a nuclear power plant at the design stage without applying excessive conservatism that is not needed in treating low risk events. In the report, NUREG-1860, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission describes developmental activities associated with a risk-informed, scenario-based technology neutral framework (TNF) for regulation. It provides quantitative yardsticks against which the adequacy of safety risks can be judged. We extend these concepts to treatment of proliferation risks. The objective of our project is to develop a risk-informed design process for minimizing the cost of electricity generation within constraints of adequate safety and proliferation risks. This report describes the design and use of this design optimization process within the context of reducing the capital cost and levelized cost of electricity production for a small (possibly modular) SFR. Our project provides not only an evaluation of the feasibility of a risk-informed design process but also a practical test of the applicability of the TNF to an actual advanced, non-LWR design. The report provides results of five safety related and one proliferation related case studies of innovative design alternatives. Applied to previously proposed SFR nuclear energy system concepts We find that the TNF provides a feasible initial basis for licensing new reactors. However, it is incomplete. We recommend improvements in terms of requiring acceptance standards for total safety risks, and we propose a framework for regulation of proliferation risks. We also demonstrate methods for evaluation of proliferation risks. We also suggest revisions to scenario-specific safety risk acceptance standards

  5. Risk-Informed Balancing Of Safety, Nonproliferation, And Economics For The SFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Apostolakis, George; Driscoll, Michael; Golay, Michael; Kadak, Andrew; Todreas, Neil; Aldmir, Tunc; Denning, Richard; Lineberry, Michael

    2011-01-01

    A substantial barrier to the implementation of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) technology in the short term is the perception that they would not be economically competitive with advanced light water reactors. With increased acceptance of risk-informed regulation, the opportunity exists to reduce the costs of a nuclear power plant at the design stage without applying excessive conservatism that is not needed in treating low risk events. In the report, NUREG-1860, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission describes developmental activities associated with a risk-informed, scenario-based technology neutral framework (TNF) for regulation. It provides quantitative yardsticks against which the adequacy of safety risks can be judged. We extend these concepts to treatment of proliferation risks. The objective of our project is to develop a risk-informed design process for minimizing the cost of electricity generation within constraints of adequate safety and proliferation risks. This report describes the design and use of this design optimization process within the context of reducing the capital cost and levelized cost of electricity production for a small (possibly modular) SFR. Our project provides not only an evaluation of the feasibility of a risk-informed design process but also a practical test of the applicability of the TNF to an actual advanced, non-LWR design. The report provides results of five safety related and one proliferation related case studies of innovative design alternatives. Applied to previously proposed SFR nuclear energy system concepts We find that the TNF provides a feasible initial basis for licensing new reactors. However, it is incomplete. We recommend improvements in terms of requiring acceptance standards for total safety risks, and we propose a framework for regulation of proliferation risks. We also demonstrate methods for evaluation of proliferation risks. We also suggest revisions to scenario-specific safety risk acceptance standards

  6. Reactor operation safety information document

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1990-01-01

    The report contains a reactor facility description which includes K, P, and L reactor sites, structures, operating systems, engineered safety systems, support systems, and process and effluent monitoring systems; an accident analysis section which includes cooling system anomalies, radioactive materials releases, and anticipated transients without scram; a summary of onsite doses from design basis accidents; severe accident analysis (reactor core disruption); a description of operating contractor organization and emergency planning; and a summary of reactor safety evolution. (MB)

  7. Information need about the safety of the final disposal of nuclear waste. Information receiver`s views in Eurajoki, Kuhmo and Aeaenekoski municipalities; Tiedontarve ydinjaetteen loppusijoituksen turvallisuudesta. Vastaanottajan naekoekulmia Eurajoella, Kuhmossa ja Aeaenekoskella

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hautakangas, H

    1997-03-01

    The study analyses the public`s information need about the safety issues related to the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel generated by the Finnish nuclear power stations. Locals in three municipalities that are studied as possible sites for final disposal were interviewed for the study. Earlier studies made in Finland had indicated that the public`s knowledge about safety issues related to the final disposal was almost opposite to the findings of the natural sciences. Also, the public had expressed a wish to receive more information from the safety authority, the Finnish Centre for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (STUK). This study therefore had two basic objectives: To find out what kind of safety information the locals need and what the safety authority`s role could be in providing information. The main results show interest and need especially for information concerning the disposal phases taking place on the ground level, such as nuclear waste transportation and encapsulation. Also, the interviews show a clear need and desire for an impartial actor such as STUK in the information and communication process. (author) (107 refs.).

  8. Transport safety research abstracts. No. 2. Information on research recently concluded and in progress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1994-09-01

    Transport Safety Research Abstracts (TSRA) was first published by the IAEA in 1991 as a means of disseminating information on research in radioactive material transport. This second edition utilizes International Nuclear Information System (INIS) protocol for data processing and report preparation for a research-in-progress database established by the IAEA's Division of Scientific and Technical Information. INIS subject categories and descriptors are included in the information about each project

  9. Transport safety research abstracts. No. 2. Information on research recently concluded and in progress

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1994-09-01

    Transport Safety Research Abstracts (TSRA) was first published by the IAEA in 1991 as a means of disseminating information on research in radioactive material transport. This second edition utilizes International Nuclear Information System (INIS) protocol for data processing and report preparation for a research-in-progress database established by the IAEA`s Division of Scientific and Technical Information. INIS subject categories and descriptors are included in the information about each project.

  10. Incident reporting: Its role in aviation safety and the acquisition of human error data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reynard, W. D.

    1983-01-01

    The rationale for aviation incident reporting systems is presented and contrasted to some of the shortcomings of accident investigation procedures. The history of the United State's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is outlined and the program's character explained. The planning elements that resulted in the ASRS program's voluntary, confidential, and non-punitive design are discussed. Immunity, from enforcement action and misuse of the volunteered data, is explained and evaluated. Report generation techniques and the ASRS data analysis process are described; in addition, examples of the ASRS program's output and accomplishments are detailed. Finally, the value of incident reporting for the acquisition of safety information, particularly human error data, is explored.

  11. Enhancing vaccine safety capacity globally: A lifecycle perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R.T. Chen (Robert T.); T.T. Shimabukuro (Tom T.); D.B. Martin (David); P. Zuber (Patrick); D.M. Weibel (Daniel); M.C.J.M. Sturkenboom (Miriam)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractMajor vaccine safety controversies have arisen in several countries beginning in the last decades of 20th century. Such periodic vaccine safety controversies are unlikely to go away in the near future as more national immunization programs mature with near elimination of target

  12. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older - United States, 2018.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, David K; Riley, Laura E; Hunter, Paul

    2018-02-09

    In October 2017, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to approve the Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older, United States, 2018. The 2018 adult immunization schedule summarizes ACIP recommendations in two figures and a table of contraindications and precautions for vaccines recommended for adults, and is intended is to assist health care providers in implementing the current ACIP recommendations for vaccinating adults. The schedule can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules.* The full ACIP recommendations for each vaccine are available at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html. The 2018 adult immunization schedule has also been approved by the American College of Physicians (https://www.acponline.org), the American Academy of Family Physicians (https://www.aafp.org), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (https://www.acog.org), and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (http://www.midwife.org). The ACIP-recommended use of each vaccine is developed after an in-depth review of vaccine-related data, including data on disease epidemiology, vaccine efficacy and effectiveness, vaccine safety, feasibility of program implementation, and economic aspects of immunization policy (1).

  13. Immunization registries in the EMR Era

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, Lindsay A.; Palma, Jonathan P.; Pandher, Kiran K.; Longhurst, Christopher A.

    2013-01-01

    Background: The CDC established a national objective to create population-based tracking of immunizations through regional and statewide registries nearly 2 decades ago, and these registries have increased coverage rates and reduced duplicate immunizations. With increased adoption of commercial electronic medical records (EMR), some institutions have used unidirectional links to send immunization data to designated registries. However, access to these registries within a vendor EMR has not been previously reported. Purpose: To develop a visually integrated interface between an EMR and a statewide immunization registry at a previously non-reporting hospital, and to assess subsequent changes in provider use and satisfaction. Methods: A group of healthcare providers were surveyed before and after implementation of the new interface. The surveys addressed access of the California Immunization Registry (CAIR), and satisfaction with the availability of immunization information. Information Technology (IT) teams developed a “smart-link” within the electronic patient chart that provides a single-click interface for visual integration of data within the CAIR database. Results: Use of the tool has increased in the months since its initiation, and over 20,000 new immunizations have been exported successfully to CAIR since the hospital began sharing data with the registry. Survey data suggest that providers find this tool improves workflow and overall satisfaction with availability of immunization data. (p=0.009). Conclusions: Visual integration of external registries into a vendor EMR system is feasible and improves provider satisfaction and registry reporting. PMID:23923096

  14. Online Food Safety Information System for Nuclear or Radiological Emergencies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albinet, Franck; Adjigogov, Lazar; Dercon, Gerd

    2016-01-01

    Over the last year, the protocol with regards to data management and visualization requirements for food safety decision-making, developed under CRP D1.50.15 on R esponse to Nuclear Emergency Affecting Food and Agriculture , was further implemented. The development team moved away from early series of disconnected prototypes to a more advanced Information System integrating both data management and visualization components outlined in the agreed protocol

  15. Stakeholder Safety in Information Systems Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.H. Barbour

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Information Communication Technology (ICT researchers adapt and use tools from reference and cognate disciplines. This application of existing tools outside the context of their development has implications beyond the immediate problem context. ICT researchers have access to a wide variety of data sources including newer ones, such as the Internet, that may bring unexpected outcomes. ICT research can impact on researchers, their institutions and the researched in unexpected ways. People so affected are the stakeholders in ICT research activities. Reputations, welfare and property may be put at risk by unplanned events described in this paper. Legal aspects of ICT research are broadly identified and linked to the tort of negligence. The Social Research Association’s Code for researcher safety is described and its application extended to include the Internet as a potential data source. A common set of underlying ethical principles is identified suggesting that the ICT researcher can refine particular research protocols for specific social contexts.

  16. 75 FR 42818 - Agency Information Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Collection of Safety Culture Data for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-22

    ... Collection; Activity Under OMB Review; Collection of Safety Culture Data for Program Evaluation AGENCY... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Collection of Safety Culture Data for Program Evaluation. Type of Request... data on the nation's transportation system is an important component of BTS' responsibility to the...

  17. A clinically parameterized mathematical model of Shigella immunity to inform vaccine design.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Courtney L Davis

    Full Text Available We refine and clinically parameterize a mathematical model of the humoral immune response against Shigella, a diarrheal bacteria that infects 80-165 million people and kills an estimated 600,000 people worldwide each year. Using Latin hypercube sampling and Monte Carlo simulations for parameter estimation, we fit our model to human immune data from two Shigella EcSf2a-2 vaccine trials and a rechallenge study in which antibody and B-cell responses against Shigella's lipopolysaccharide (LPS and O-membrane proteins (OMP were recorded. The clinically grounded model is used to mathematically investigate which key immune mechanisms and bacterial targets confer immunity against Shigella and to predict which humoral immune components should be elicited to create a protective vaccine against Shigella. The model offers insight into why the EcSf2a-2 vaccine had low efficacy and demonstrates that at a group level a humoral immune response induced by EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge against Shigella's LPS or OMP does not appear sufficient for protection. That is, the model predicts an uncontrolled infection of gut epithelial cells that is present across all best-fit model parameterizations when fit to EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge data. Using sensitivity analysis, we explore which model parameter values must be altered to prevent the destructive epithelial invasion by Shigella bacteria and identify four key parameter groups as potential vaccine targets or immune correlates: 1 the rate that Shigella migrates into the lamina propria or epithelium, 2 the rate that memory B cells (BM differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (ASC, 3 the rate at which antibodies are produced by activated ASC, and 4 the Shigella-specific BM carrying capacity. This paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach in ongoing efforts to design an effective Shigella vaccine.

  18. A clinically parameterized mathematical model of Shigella immunity to inform vaccine design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Courtney L; Wahid, Rezwanul; Toapanta, Franklin R; Simon, Jakub K; Sztein, Marcelo B

    2018-01-01

    We refine and clinically parameterize a mathematical model of the humoral immune response against Shigella, a diarrheal bacteria that infects 80-165 million people and kills an estimated 600,000 people worldwide each year. Using Latin hypercube sampling and Monte Carlo simulations for parameter estimation, we fit our model to human immune data from two Shigella EcSf2a-2 vaccine trials and a rechallenge study in which antibody and B-cell responses against Shigella's lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and O-membrane proteins (OMP) were recorded. The clinically grounded model is used to mathematically investigate which key immune mechanisms and bacterial targets confer immunity against Shigella and to predict which humoral immune components should be elicited to create a protective vaccine against Shigella. The model offers insight into why the EcSf2a-2 vaccine had low efficacy and demonstrates that at a group level a humoral immune response induced by EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge against Shigella's LPS or OMP does not appear sufficient for protection. That is, the model predicts an uncontrolled infection of gut epithelial cells that is present across all best-fit model parameterizations when fit to EcSf2a-2 vaccine or wild-type challenge data. Using sensitivity analysis, we explore which model parameter values must be altered to prevent the destructive epithelial invasion by Shigella bacteria and identify four key parameter groups as potential vaccine targets or immune correlates: 1) the rate that Shigella migrates into the lamina propria or epithelium, 2) the rate that memory B cells (BM) differentiate into antibody-secreting cells (ASC), 3) the rate at which antibodies are produced by activated ASC, and 4) the Shigella-specific BM carrying capacity. This paper underscores the need for a multifaceted approach in ongoing efforts to design an effective Shigella vaccine.

  19. EUMENES, a computer software for managing the radiation safety program information at an institutional level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez Saiz, Alejandro; Cornejo Diaz, Nestor; Valdes Ramos, Maryzury; Martinez Gonzalez, Alina; Gonzalez Rodriguez, Niurka; Vergara Gil, Alex

    2008-01-01

    The correct application of national and international regulations in the field of Radiological Safety requires the implementation of Radiation Safety Programs appropriate to the developed practice. These Programs demand the preparation and keeping of an important number of records and data, the compliance with working schedules, systematic quality controls, audits, delivery of information to the Regulatory Authority, the execution of radiological assessments, etc. Therefore, it is unquestionable the necessity and importance of having a computer tool to support the management of the information related to the Radiation Safety Program in any institution. The present work describes a computer program that allows the efficient management of these data. Its design was based on the IAEA International Basic Safety Standards recommendations and on the requirements of the Cuban national standards, with the objective of being flexible enough to be applied in most of the institutions using ionizing radiations. The most important records of Radiation Safety Programs were incorporated and reports can be generated by the users. An additional tools-module allows the user to access to a radionuclide data library, and to carry out different calculations of interest in radiological protection. The program has been developed in Borland Delphi and manages Microsoft Access databases. It is a user friendly code that aims to support the optimization of Radiation Safety Programs. The program contributes to save resources and time, as the generated information is electronically kept and transmitted. The code has different security access levels according to the user responsibility at the institution and also provides for the analysis of the introduced data, in a quick and efficient way, as well as to notice deadlines, the exceeding of reference levels and situations that require attention. (author)

  20. Environmental safety of the global information space

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    В’ячеслав Степанович Волошин

    2015-03-01

    Databases of full-text publications – journals, articles, monographs- are surely a means of salvation for science. There already exist a large number of such portals. Besides, advantages and disadvantages of electronic subscriptions to periodicals should certainly be considered. The former include the following most evident ones: aggregation of large data arrays, saving money on a subscription, an opportunity to work with relevant publications, thematic collections of materials, availability of records, simultaneous access of an unlimited number of users and others. Nevertheless, there are many disadvantages that make it difficult to work with full-text publications. They are the following: selective representativeness of publication numbers, complexity of keyword search, occasional presence of obsolete text formats, printed versions, possible psychological barrier, physiological incompatibility with computer equipment, fatigue caused by prolonged work on the computer. The Internet was followed by the appearance of global control networks, their aims ranging from control of a human life support to a unified control of humanity. So, the formed global information space promises the man to get access to almost any information source. Meanwhile, environmental safety of the man, his/her objective biological psyche and abilities in harmonious development are at serious risk

  1. Immunization delivery in British Columbia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omura, John; Buxton, Jane; Kaczorowski, Janusz; Catterson, Jason; Li, Jane; Derban, Andrea; Hasselback, Paul; Machin, Shelagh; Linekin, Michelle; Morgana, Tamsin; O’Briain, Barra; Scheifele, David; Dawar, Meena

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Objective To explore the experiences of family physicians and pediatricians delivering immunizations, including perceived barriers and supports. Design Qualitative study using focus groups. Setting Ten cities throughout British Columbia. Participants A total of 46 family physicians or general practitioners, 10 pediatricians, and 2 residents. Methods A semistructured dialogue guide was used by a trained facilitator to explore participants’ experiences and views related to immunization delivery in British Columbia. Verbatim transcriptions were independently coded by 2 researchers. Key themes were analyzed and identified in an iterative manner using interpretive description. Main findings Physicians highly valued vaccine delivery. Factors facilitating physician-delivered immunizations included strong beliefs in the value of vaccines and having adequate information. Identified barriers included the large time commitment and insufficient communication about program changes, new vaccines, and the adult immunization program in general. Some physicians reported good relationships with local public health, while others reported the opposite experience, and this varied by geographic location. Conclusion These findings suggest that physicians are supportive of delivering vaccines. However, there are opportunities to improve the sustainability of physician-delivered immunizations. While compensation schemes remain under the purview of the provincial governments, local public health authorities can address the information needs of physicians. PMID:24627403

  2. Ensuring Adequate Health and Safety Information for Decision Makers during Large-Scale Chemical Releases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petropoulos, Z.; Clavin, C.; Zuckerman, B.

    2015-12-01

    The 2014 4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) spill in the Elk River of West Virginia highlighted existing gaps in emergency planning for, and response to, large-scale chemical releases in the United States. The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act requires that facilities with hazardous substances provide Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), which contain health and safety information on the hazardous substances. The MSDS produced by Eastman Chemical Company, the manufacturer of MCHM, listed "no data available" for various human toxicity subcategories, such as reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity. As a result of incomplete toxicity data, the public and media received conflicting messages on the safety of the contaminated water from government officials, industry, and the public health community. Two days after the governor lifted the ban on water use, the health department partially retracted the ban by warning pregnant women to continue avoiding the contaminated water, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deemed safe three weeks later. The response in West Virginia represents a failure in risk communication and calls to question if government officials have sufficient information to support evidence-based decisions during future incidents. Research capabilities, like the National Science Foundation RAPID funding, can provide a solution to some of the data gaps, such as information on environmental fate in the case of the MCHM spill. In order to inform policy discussions on this issue, a methodology for assessing the outcomes of RAPID and similar National Institutes of Health grants in the context of emergency response is employed to examine the efficacy of research-based capabilities in enhancing public health decision making capacity. The results of this assessment highlight potential roles rapid scientific research can fill in ensuring adequate health and safety data is readily available for decision makers during large

  3. Dengue vaccine safety signal: Immune enhancement, waning immunity, or chance occurrence?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gessner, Bradford D; Halsey, Neal

    2017-06-14

    A new dengue vaccine was associated with increased risk of hospitalized virologically-confirmed disease during year 3 of follow-up among children age 2-5years. Among hypotheses to explain this finding, we could not distinguish definitively between antibody dependent enhancement, waning immunity, or chance occurrence. However, any theory must account for the following: (a) the signal occurred mainly because of decreased dengue among controls rather than increased dengue among vaccinees; (b) among 48 data points, a statistically significant increase in hospitalization among vaccinated children occurred for only one age group, during one year, and in one region; (c) cumulative risk was similar for vaccinated vs. control children age 2-5years at the end of year 5 and lower for vaccinated vs. control children among older age groups; (d) the protective effect of vaccine against hospitalization decreased from years 1-2 to years 3-5 of follow-up for all age groups and regions. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Comparison between IV immune globulin (IVIG) and anti-D globulin for treatment of immune thrombocytopenia: a randomized open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eghbali, Aziz; Azadmanesh, Peyman; Bagheri, Bahador; Taherahmadi, Hasan; Sadeghi Sedeh, Bahman

    2016-08-01

    To compare the effect of IV immune globulin (IVIG) and anti-D globulin (anti-D) for treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in children. A randomized, open-label, single-center clinical trial was carried out in Amir-Kabir Hospital (Arak, Iran). The study was performed on 60 children with acute and chronic ITP, aged from 1 to 15 years. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to 50 μg/kg anti-D or 1 g/kg IVIG. Platelet counting was performed at baseline and at 3, 7, and 14 days after treatment termination. Safety assessment was performed in all patients. Anti-D caused a quicker response on the 3rd day of treatment (P anti-D had lower rate of side effects including fever (P anti-D was associated with rapid rise of platelets compared to IVIG. In addition, anti-D treatment had acceptable safety profile. © 2016 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  5. Perceptions of childhood immunization in a minority community: qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henderson, Lesley; Millett, Christopher; Thorogood, Nicki

    2008-05-01

    To assess reasons for low uptake of immunization amongst orthodox Jewish families. Qualitative interviews with 25 orthodox Jewish mothers and 10 local health care workers. The orthodox Jewish community in North East London. Identification of views on immunization in the orthodox Jewish community. In a community assumed to be relatively insulated from direct media influence, word of mouth is nevertheless a potent source of rumours about vaccination dangers. The origins of these may lie in media scares that contribute to anxieties about MMR. At the same time, close community cohesion leads to a sense of relative safety in relation to tuberculosis, with consequent low rates of BCG uptake. Thus low uptake of different immunizations arises from enhanced feelings of both safety and danger. Low uptake was not found to be due to the practical difficulties associated with large families, or to perceived insensitive cultural practices of health care providers. The views and practices of members of this community are not homogeneous and may change over time. It is important that assumptions concerning the role of religious beliefs do not act as an obstacle for providing clear messages concerning immunization, and community norms may be challenged by explicitly using its social networks to communicate more positive messages about immunization. The study provides a useful example of how social networks may reinforce or challenge misinformation about health and risk and the complex nature of decision making about children's health.

  6. Safety and persistence of the humoral and cellular immune responses induced by 2 doses of an AS03-adjuvanted A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic influenza vaccine administered to infants, children and adolescents: Two open, uncontrolled studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Sicilia, José; Arístegui, Javier; Omeñaca, Félix; Carmona, Alfonso; Tejedor, Juan C; Merino, José M; García-Corbeira, Pilar; Walravens, Karl; Bambure, Vinod; Moris, Philippe; Caplanusi, Adrian; Gillard, Paul; Dieussaert, Ilse

    2015-01-01

    In children, 2 AS03-adjuvanted A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine doses given 21 days apart were previously shown to induce a high humoral immune response and to have an acceptable safety profile up to 42 days following the first vaccination. Here, we analyzed the persistence data from 2 open-label studies, which assessed the safety, and humoral and cell-mediated immune responses induced by 2 doses of this vaccine. The first study was a phase II, randomized trial conducted in 104 children aged 6-35 months vaccinated with the A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine containing 1.9 µg haemagglutinin antigen (HA) and AS03B (5.93 mg tocopherol) and the second study, a phase III, non-randomized trial conducted in 210 children and adolescents aged 3-17 years vaccinated with the A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine containing 3.75 µg HA and AS03A (11.86 mg tocopherol). Approximately one year after the first dose, all children with available data were seropositive for haemagglutinin inhibition and neutralising antibody titres, but a decline in geometric mean antibody titres was noted. The vaccine induced a cell-mediated immune response in terms of antigen-specific CD4(+) T-cells, which persisted up to one year post-vaccination. The vaccine did not raise any safety concern, though these trials were not designed to detect rare events. In conclusion, 2 doses of the AS03-adjuvanted A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine at 2 different dosages had a clinically acceptable safety profile, and induced high and persistent humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in children aged 6-35 months and 3-17 years. These studies have been registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00971321 and NCT00964158.

  7. Need for an "integrated safety assessment" of GMOs, linking food safety and environmental considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haslberger, Alexander G

    2006-05-03

    Evidence for substantial environmental influences on health and food safety comes from work with environmental health indicators which show that agroenvironmental practices have direct and indirect effects on human health, concluding that "the quality of the environment influences the quality and safety of foods" [Fennema, O. Environ. Health Perspect. 1990, 86, 229-232). In the field of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Codex principles have been established for the assessment of GM food safety and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety outlines international principles for an environmental assessment of living modified organisms. Both concepts also contain starting points for an assessment of health/food safety effects of GMOs in cases when the environment is involved in the chain of events that could lead to hazards. The environment can act as a route of unintentional entry of GMOs into the food supply, such as in the case of gene flow via pollen or seeds from GM crops, but the environment can also be involved in changes of GMO-induced agricultural practices with relevance for health/food safety. Examples for this include potential regional changes of pesticide uses and reduction in pesticide poisonings resulting from the use of Bt crops or influences on immune responses via cross-reactivity. Clearly, modern methods of biotechnology in breeding are involved in the reasons behind the rapid reduction of local varieties in agrodiversity, which constitute an identified hazard for food safety and food security. The health/food safety assessment of GM foods in cases when the environment is involved needs to be informed by data from environmental assessment. Such data might be especially important for hazard identification and exposure assessment. International organizations working in these areas will very likely be needed to initiate and enable cooperation between those institutions responsible for the different assessments, as well as for exchange and analysis of

  8. The Safety Case and the Risk-Informed Performance-Based Approach for Management of US Commercial Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abu-Eid, Rateb; Esh, David; Grossman, Chrisopher

    2016-01-01

    Summary/Conclusion Safety Case & 10 CFR Part 61: • Safety Case is an integrated approach to risk assessment and risk management. • NRC staff explicitly added “the safety case” concept in the ongoing amendment of 10 CFR Part 61, at the direction of Commission. • Plain language description the safety arguments and evidence to demonstrate the overall safety of a land disposal facility were developed. • It describes all safety relevant aspects of the disposal site, the design of the facility, and the managerial control measures and regulatory controls to inform the decision whether to grant a license. • It includes the same type of information that the original 10 CFR Part 61 required to be submitted as part of a license application (i.e., 10 CFR 61.10 – 10 CFR 61.16). • The safety case will be updated over time as a new information is gained during the various phases of the facility’s development, inspection, and operation. • 10 CFR Part 61 SC is quite consistent with IAEA SSG-23 with more detailed technical analysis.

  9. Lessons and implications from a mass immunization campaign in squatter settlements of Karachi, Pakistan: an experience from a cluster-randomized double-blinded vaccine trial [NCT00125047

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abu-Elyazeed Remon

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective To determine the safety and logistic feasibility of a mass immunization strategy outside the local immunization program in the pediatric population of urban squatter settlements in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods A cluster-randomized double blind preventive trial was launched in August 2003 in 60 geographic clusters covering 21,059 children ages 2 to 16 years. After consent was obtained from parents or guardians, eligible children were immunized parenterally at vaccination posts in each cluster with Vi polysaccharide or hepatitis A vaccine. Safety, logistics, and standards were monitored and documented. Results The vaccine coverage of the population was 74% and was higher in those under age 10 years. No life-threatening serious adverse events were reported. Adverse events occurred in less than 1% of all vaccine recipients and the main reactions reported were fever and local pain. The proportion of adverse events in Vi polysaccharide and hepatitis A recipients will not be known until the end of the trial when the code is broken. Throughout the vaccination campaign safe injection practices were maintained and the cold chain was not interrupted. Mass vaccination in slums had good acceptance. Because populations in such areas are highly mobile, settlement conditions could affect coverage. Systemic reactions were uncommon and local reactions were mild and transient. Close community involvement was pivotal for information dissemination and immunization coverage. Conclusion This vaccine strategy described together with other information that will soon be available in the area (cost/effectiveness, vaccine delivery costs, etc will make typhoid fever control become a reality in the near future.

  10. Data Analysis Approaches for the Risk-Informed Safety Margins Characterization Toolkit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mandelli, Diego [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Alfonsi, Andrea [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Maljovec, Daniel P. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Parisi, Carlo [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cogliati, Joshua J. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Talbot, Paul W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Smith, Curtis L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Rabiti, Cristian [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Picoco, Claudia [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-09-01

    In the past decades, several numerical simulation codes have been employed to simulate accident dynamics (e.g., RELAP5-3D, RELAP-7, MELCOR, MAAP). In order to evaluate the impact of uncertainties into accident dynamics, several stochastic methodologies have been coupled with these codes. These stochastic methods range from classical Monte-Carlo and Latin Hypercube sampling to stochastic polynomial methods. Similar approaches have been introduced into the risk and safety community where stochastic methods (such as RAVEN, ADAPT, MCDET, ADS) have been coupled with safety analysis codes in order to evaluate the safety impact of timing and sequencing of events. These approaches are usually called Dynamic PRA or simulation-based PRA methods. These uncertainties and safety methods usually generate a large number of simulation runs (database storage may be on the order of gigabytes or higher). The scope of this paper is to present a broad overview of methods and algorithms that can be used to analyze and extract information from large data sets containing time dependent data. In this context, “extracting information” means constructing input-output correlations, finding commonalities, and identifying outliers. Some of the algorithms presented here have been developed or are under development within the RAVEN statistical framework.

  11. Safety of antimicrobial treatment during pregnancy: a current review of resistance, immunomodulation and teratogenicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamont, Harriet F; Blogg, Henrietta J; Lamont, Ronald F

    2014-12-01

    The extent of antibiotic use in pregnancy remains unknown but may occur in > 40% of pregnant women for various indications, at different gestational ages from different sources. Antibiotic resistance, alterations to the neonatal immune system causing allergy, asthma and atopic disease in later life and teratogenicity. Although teratogenesis is not a major concern, it is important, and ignorance and complacency cast a long shadow. Robust evidence exists to guide clinicians in their choice of a safe agent with respect to teratogenicity. Antibiotic resistance is a major safety concern, and together with decreased research and development of new antibiotic agents, it has required legal initiatives to encourage Big Pharma to search for safe alternatives. New information from culture-independent, molecular-based techniques has resulted in a greater understanding of the adverse effects of antepartum/intrapartum antibiotics on the maternal vaginal microbiome and the neonatal gut microbiome. As this might adversely affect the development of the immature immune system and lead to asthma, allergy and atopic disease in later life, new research merits support in scrutinizing the safety of antibiotic use in pregnancy.

  12. Efficacy and Safety of Vaccination in Pediatric Patients with Systemic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: a systematic review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Sandra; Duarte, Ana Catarina; Cordeiro, Inês; Ferreira, Joana; Gonçalves, Maria João; Meirinhos, Tiago; Rocha, Teresa Martins; Romão, Vasco C; Santos, Maria José

    2017-01-01

    tolerated and effective in stable SIRD patients, yet antibody titers are frequently lower than in healthy controls. There is some evidence that biological therapy could hamper the immune response. Data on safety of live attenuated vaccines is limited. Although the available literature covers most vaccines included in the national immunization plan, there is a need for more information regarding new vaccines and new anti-rheumatic therapies.

  13. Efficacy and Safety of Vaccination in Pediatric Patients with Systemic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: a systematic review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Sousa

    2017-01-01

    . Conclusions: Existing literature demonstrates that vaccines are generally well tolerated and effective in stable SIRD patients, yet antibody titers are frequently lower than in healthy controls. There is some evidence that biological therapy could hamper the immune response. Data on safety of live attenuated vaccines is limited. Although the available literature covers most vaccines included in the national immunization plan, there is a need for more information regarding new vaccines and new anti-rheumatic therapies.

  14. Development of a check sheet for collecting information necessary for occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems in overseas business places.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Uehara, Masamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

    2016-06-07

    This study aimed to develop an information gathering check sheet to efficiently collect information necessary for Japanese companies to build global occupational safety and health management systems in overseas business places. The study group consisted of 2 researchers with occupational physician careers in a foreign-affiliated company in Japan and 3 supervising occupational physicians who were engaged in occupational safety and health activities in overseas business places. After investigating information and sources of information necessary for implementing occupational safety and health activities and building relevant systems, we conducted information acquisition using an information gathering check sheet in the field, by visiting 10 regions in 5 countries (first phase). The accuracy of the information acquired and the appropriateness of the information sources were then verified in study group meetings to improve the information gathering check sheet. Next, the improved information gathering check sheet was used in another setting (3 regions in 1 country) to confirm its efficacy (second phase), and the information gathering check sheet was thereby completed. The information gathering check sheet was composed of 9 major items (basic information on the local business place, safety and health overview, safety and health systems, safety and health staff, planning/implementation/evaluation/improvement, safety and health activities, laws and administrative organs, local medical care systems and public health, and medical support for resident personnel) and 61 medium items. We relied on the following eight information sources: the internet, company (local business place and head office in Japan), embassy/consulate, ISO certification body, university or other educational institutions, and medical institutions (aimed at Japanese people or at local workers). Through multiple study group meetings and a two-phased field survey (13 regions in 6 countries), an information

  15. Why the Immune System Should Be Concerned by Nanomaterials?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marc J. Pallardy

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Particles possess huge specific surface area and therefore nanomaterials exhibit unique characteristics, such as special physical properties and chemical hyper-reactivity, which make them particularly attractive but also raise numerous questions concerning their safety. Interactions of nanomaterials with the immune system can potentially lead to immunosuppression, hypersensitivity (allergy, immunogenicity and autoimmunity, involving both innate and adaptive immune responses. Inherent physical and chemical NP characteristics may influence their immunotoxicity, i.e., the adverse effects that can result from exposure. This review will focus on the possible interaction of nanomaterials including protein aggregates with the innate immune system with specific emphasis on antigen-presenting cells, i.e., dendritic cells, macrophages and monocytes.

  16. AERB information booklet: personal protective equipment- safety footwear

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-01-01

    The main classes of safety footwear required for industrial operations in the units of Department of Atomic Energy are the following; leather safety boots and shoes, firemen's leather boots - Wellington type, electrical safety shoes, chemical safety shoes, shoes suitable for mining operations. The criteria to be adopted for selection of safety shoes for nuclear installations are given. (M.K.V.). 5 annexures, 1 appendix

  17. Measuring the immune system: a comprehensive approach for the analysis of immune functions in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Claus, Maren; Dychus, Nicole; Ebel, Melanie; Damaschke, Jürgen; Maydych, Viktoriya; Wolf, Oliver T; Kleinsorge, Thomas; Watzl, Carsten

    2016-10-01

    The immune system is essential to provide protection from infections and cancer. Disturbances in immune function can therefore directly affect the health of the affected individual. Many extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as exposure to chemicals, stress, nutrition and age have been reported to influence the immune system. These influences can affect various components of the immune system, and we are just beginning to understand the causalities of these changes. To investigate such disturbances, it is therefore essential to analyze the different components of the immune system in a comprehensive fashion. Here, we demonstrate such an approach which provides information about total number of leukocytes, detailed quantitative and qualitative changes in the composition of lymphocyte subsets, cytokine levels in serum and functional properties of T cells, NK cells and monocytes. Using samples from a cohort of 24 healthy volunteers, we demonstrate the feasibility of our approach to detect changes in immune functions.

  18. Formulation of nuclear safety under various induced events. Part 1. Current status and challenges for risk-informed activities in nuclear safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itoi, Tatsuya; Hayashi, Kentaro; Yamato, Masaaki

    2016-01-01

    The Nuclear Safety Subcommittee published in March 2013 a report on 'Seminar on the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident' (hereinafter referred to as Seminar Report), and has thereafter continued discussions on the challenges that were pointed out in Seminar Report as the target of discussions. This commentary series summarizes the current situation and challenges for the ideal way of nuclear safety against a variety of causal events as one of the above challenges. This paper, as Part 1 of the above theme, firstly summarizes the current state of the challenges of regulatory bodies and business operators who are engaging risk information utilization. It secondly discusses the future risk information utilization of regulations and business operators, realization of integrated decision-making process, timeliness and promptness required in decision-making, and future efforts including incentives. (A.O.)

  19. Immune-directed therapy for type 1 diabetes at the clinical level: the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ehlers, Mario R; Nepom, Gerald T

    2012-01-01

    Reestablishing immune tolerance in type 1 diabetes (T1D), a chronic autoimmune disease, is a major goal. The Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) has initiated eight clinical trials of immunomodulatory therapies in recent-onset T1D over the past decade. Results have been mixed in terms of clinical efficacy, but the studies have provided valuable mechanistic insight that are enhancing our understanding of the disease and guiding the design of future trials. Trials of non-Fc-binding anti-CD3 mAbs have revealed that modulation of this target leads to partial responses, and ITN's AbATE trial led to identification of a robust responder group that could be distinguished from non-responders by baseline metabolic and immunologic features. A pilot study of the combination of IL-2 and rapamycin gave the first demonstration that frequency and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) can be enhanced in T1D subjects, although the therapy triggered the activation of effectors with transient β-cell dysfunction. Similarly, therapy with anti-thymocyte globulin led to substantial lymphocyte depletion, but also to the activation of the acute-phase response with no clinical benefit during preliminary analyses. These and other results provide mechanistic tools that can be used as biomarkers for safety and efficacy in future trials. Furthermore, our results, together with those of other organizations, notably TrialNet, delineate the roles of the major components of the immune response in T1D. This information is setting the stage for future combination therapy trials. The development of disease-relevant biomarkers will also enable the implementation of innovative trial designs, notably adaptive trials, which will increase efficiencies in terms of study duration and sample size, and which will expedite the conduct of trials in which there are uncertainties about dose response and effect size.

  20. Guidelines for nuclear power plant safety issue prioritization information development. Supplement 5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daling, P.M.; Lavender, J.C.

    1996-07-01

    This is the sixth in a series of reports to document the development and use of a methodology developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to calculate, for prioritization purposes, the risk, dose, and cost impacts of implementing potential resolutions to reactor safety issues (see NUREG/CR-2800, Andrews, et al., 1983). This report contains the results of issue-specific analyses for 34 generic issues. Each issue was considered within the constraints of available information at the time the issues were examined and approximately 2 staff-weeks of labor. The results are referenced as one consideration in NUREG-0933, A Prioritization of Generic Safety Issues (Emrit, et al., 1983)

  1. Guidelines for nuclear power plant safety issue prioritization information development. Supplement 5

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daling, P.M.; Lavender, J.C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

    1996-07-01

    This is the sixth in a series of reports to document the development and use of a methodology developed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to calculate, for prioritization purposes, the risk, dose, and cost impacts of implementing potential resolutions to reactor safety issues (see NUREG/CR-2800, Andrews, et al., 1983). This report contains the results of issue-specific analyses for 34 generic issues. Each issue was considered within the constraints of available information at the time the issues were examined and approximately 2 staff-weeks of labor. The results are referenced as one consideration in NUREG-0933, A Prioritization of Generic Safety Issues (Emrit, et al., 1983).

  2. Meeting of the high committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. Proceedings of the June 18, 2008 meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 3 main topics: 1 - the organization and stakes of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France, 2 - the plutonium imports and transports from England to France and their conformability with respect to the maritime, nuclear safety and nuclear security regulations, 3 - the role and operation of the HCTISN. This document is the proceedings of this meeting. (J.S.)

  3. Nurses' perspectives on the intersection of safety and informed decision making in maternity care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Carrie H; Zlatnik, Marya G; Kennedy, Holly Powell; Lyndon, Audrey

    2013-01-01

    To explore maternity nurses' perceptions of women's informed decision making during labor and birth to better understand how interdisciplinary communication challenges might affect patient safety. Constructivist grounded theory. Four hospitals in the western United States. Forty-six (46) nurses and physicians practicing in maternity units. Data collection strategies included individual interviews and participant observation. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, dimensional analysis, and situational analysis (Charmaz, 2006; Clarke, 2005; Schatzman, 1991). The nurses' central action of holding off harm encompassed three communication strategies: persuading agreement, managing information, and coaching of mothers and physicians. These strategies were executed in a complex, hierarchical context characterized by varied practice patterns and relationships. Nurses' priorities and patient safety goals were sometimes misaligned with those of physicians, resulting in potentially unsafe communication. The communication strategies nurses employed resulted in intended and unintended consequences with safety implications for mothers and providers and had the potential to trap women in the middle of interprofessional conflicts and differences of opinion. © 2013 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

  4. ROUTINE IMMUNIZATION IN INDIA: A PERSPECTIVE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G Taneja

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The Universal Immunization Programme is possibly the longest and one of the biggest public health intervention measures undertaken in India. To improve immunization coverage in the country various initiatives have been undertaken since the inception of the programme in 1985; key inputs being strengthening and expanding the cold chain system, establishing a network of outreach immunization sites, alternate vaccine delivery model, capacity building of health functionaries and medical officers and intensified polio control measures. Introduction of new and underutilized vaccines, drafting of the national vaccine policy, tracking of beneficiaries through the Maternal and Child Tracking system are some of the recent developments. However in spite of more than 25 years since inception the programme is still adversely impacted by challenges across key thematic areas of programme management, cold chain and vaccine management, recording and reporting and injection safety. To further strengthen and improve service delivery 2012-13 has been declared as the “Year of Intensification of Routine Immunization” with the objective of improving immunization coverage rates across poor performing districts and states so as to attain Global Immunization Vision and Strategy goals of 90% coverage at national and more than 80% coverage at district level. Key activities planned during the year include sustained advocacy at all levels, improved communication and social mobilization, robust and regular program reviews, comprehensive microplanning, strengthening cold chain and vaccine logistics system, special catch up rounds through immunization weeks, piloting the teeka express, improved surveillance systems, strengthened partnerships and operational research activities. The current review pertains to the existing scenario of Universal Immunization Program in the country with impetus on the existing challenges, progress achieved till date as a result of various

  5. Immune memory in invertebrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milutinović, Barbara; Kurtz, Joachim

    2016-08-01

    Evidence for innate immune memory (or 'priming') in invertebrates has been accumulating over the last years. We here provide an in-depth review of the current state of evidence for immune memory in invertebrates, and in particular take a phylogenetic viewpoint. Invertebrates are a very heterogeneous group of animals and accordingly, evidence for the phenomenon of immune memory as well as the hypothesized molecular underpinnings differ largely for the diverse invertebrate taxa. The majority of research currently focuses on Arthropods, while evidence from many other groups of invertebrates is fragmentary or even lacking. We here concentrate on immune memory that is induced by pathogenic challenges, but also extent our view to a non-pathogenic context, i.e. allograft rejection, which can also show forms of memory and can inform us about general principles of specific self-nonself recognition. We discuss definitions of immune memory and a number of relevant aspects such as the type of antigens used, the route of exposure, and the kinetics of reactions following priming. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Access to information on nuclear safety in some Western countries. Additional expertise commissioned by the Public Debate National Commission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marignac, Y.; Schneider, Th.; Drouet, F.

    2006-01-01

    The authors report the analysis of procedures implemented in different western countries (Switzerland, Finland, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and United States) about the access to information on nuclear safety in the broad sense, i.e. as far as population protection against accidental or malevolent situations is concerned. They aimed at analysing how these procedures conciliate pluralism and comprehensive debate while preserving national and industrial interests as well as population's confidence. For each country, they present the different pubic bodies or agencies in charge of nuclear installations and nuclear safety, the existing legal framework related to information on government and nuclear activities, and give examples of information related to nuclear safety (incident or accident concerning nuclear power station or radioactive wastes). The comparative analysis considers different issues: access to information, and pluralist expertise

  7. The Role of the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) in Knowledge Management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valentine, T.

    2016-01-01

    Full text: The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) is an information analysis center that collects, archives, evaluates, synthesizes and distributes information, data and codes that are used in various nuclear technology applications. RSICC retains more than 2,000 packages that have been provided by contributors from various agencies. RSICC’s customers obtain access to such computing codes (source and/or executable versions) and processed nuclear data files to promote on-going research, to help ensure nuclear and radiological safety, and to advance nuclear technology. The role of such information analysis centers is critical for supporting and sustaining nuclear education and training programmes both domestically and internationally, as the majority of RSICC’s customers are students attending U.S. universities. RSICC also supports and promotes workshops and seminars in nuclear science and technology to further the use and/or development of computational tools and data. Additionally, RSICC operates a secure CLOUD computing system to provide access to sensitive export-controlled modeling and simulation (M&S) tools that support both domestic and international activities. This presentation will provide a general review of RSICC’s activities, services, and systems that support knowledge management and education and training in the nuclear field. (author

  8. Support for immunization registries among parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated school-aged children: a case control study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pan William KY

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Immunizations have reduced childhood vaccine preventable disease incidence by 98–100%. Continued vaccine preventable disease control depends on high immunization coverage. Immunization registries help ensure high coverage by recording childhood immunizations administered, generating reminders when immunizations are due, calculating immunization coverage and identifying pockets needing immunization services, and improving vaccine safety by reducing over-immunization and providing data for post-licensure vaccine safety studies. Despite substantial resources directed towards registry development in the U.S., only 48% of children were enrolled in a registry in 2004. Parental attitudes likely impact child participation. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated school-aged children regarding: support for immunization registries; laws authorizing registries and mandating provider reporting; opt-in versus opt-out registry participation; and financial worth and responsibility of registry development and implementation. Methods A case control study of parents of 815 children exempt from school vaccination requirements and 1630 fully vaccinated children was conducted. Children were recruited from 112 elementary schools in Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Washington. Surveys administered to the parents, asked about views on registries and perceived utility and safety of vaccines. Parental views were summarized and logistic regression models compared differences between parents of exempt and vaccinated children. Results Surveys were completed by 56.1% of respondents. Fewer than 10% of parents were aware of immunization registries in their communities. Among parents aware of registries, exempt children were more likely to be enrolled (65.0% than vaccinated children (26.5% (p value = 0.01. A substantial proportion of parents of exempt children support immunization

  9. Successful introduction of an underutilized elderly pneumococcal vaccine in a national immunization program by integrating the pre-existing public health infrastructure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Tae Un; Kim, Eunsung; Park, Young-Joon; Kim, Dongwook; Kwon, Yoon Hyung; Shin, Jae Kyong; Park, Ok

    2016-03-18

    Although pneumococcal vaccines had been recommended for the elderly population in South Korea for a considerable period of time, the coverage has been well below the optimal level. To increase the vaccination rate with integrating the pre-existing public health infrastructure and governmental funding, the Korean government introduced an elderly pneumococcal vaccination into the national immunization program with a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in May 2013. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of the program in increasing the vaccine coverage rate and maintaining stable vaccine supply and safe vaccination during the 20 months of the program. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed the process of introducing and the outcomes of the program in terms of the systematic organization, efficiency, and stability at the national level. A staggered introduction during the first year utilizing the public sector, with a target coverage of 60%, was implemented based on the public demand for an elderly pneumococcal vaccination, vaccine supply capacity, vaccine delivery capacity, safety, and sustainability. During the 20-month program period, the pneumococcal vaccine coverage rate among the population aged ≥65 years increased from 5.0% to 57.3% without a noticeable vaccine shortage or safety issues. A web-based integrated immunization information system, which includes the immunization registry, vaccine supply chain management, and surveillance of adverse events following immunization, reduced programmatic errors and harmonized the overall performance of the program. Introduction of an elderly pneumococcal vaccination in the national immunization program based on strong government commitment, meticulous preparation, financial support, and the pre-existing public health infrastructure resulted in an efficient, stable, and sustainable increase in vaccination coverage. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  10. Latino immigrant day laborer perceptions of occupational safety and health information preferences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Díaz Fuentes, Claudia M; Martinez Pantoja, Leonardo; Tarver, Meshawn; Geschwind, Sandy A; Lara, Marielena

    2016-06-01

    We address immigrant day laborers' experiences with occupational safety in the construction industry in New Orleans, and opinions about content and method of communication for educational interventions to reduce occupational risks. In 2011, we conducted seven focus groups with 48 Spanish-speaking day laborers (8 women, 40 men, 35 years on average). Focus group results are based on thematic analysis. Most employers did not provide safety equipment, threatened to dismiss workers who asked for it, and did not provide health insurance. Attitudes toward accepting unsafe work conditions varied. Women faced lower pay and hiring difficulties than men. Day laborers preferred audio format over written, and content about consequences from and equipment for different jobs/exposures. Day laborers have common occupational experiences, but differences existed by gender, literacy and sense of control over safety. Day laborer information preferences and use of media needs further studying. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:476-485, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Waste isolation safety assessment program. Task 4. Third contractor information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-06-01

    The Contractor Information Meeting (October 14 to 17, 1979) was part of the FY-1979 effort of Task 4 of the Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP): Sorption/Desorption Analysis. The objectives of this task are to: evaluate sorption/desorption measurement methods and develop a standardized measurement procedure; produce a generic data bank of nuclide-geologic interactions using a wide variety of geologic media and groundwaters; perform statistical analysis and synthesis of these data; perform validation studies to compare short-term laboratory studies to long-term in situ behavior; develop a fundamental understanding of sorption/desorption processes; produce x-ray and gamma-emitting isotopes suitable for the study of actinides at tracer concentrations; disseminate resulting information to the international technical community; and provide input data support for repository safety assessment. Conference participants included those subcontracted to WISAP Task 4, representatives and independent subcontractors to the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, representatives from other waste disposal programs, and experts in the area of waste/geologic media interaction. Since the meeting, WISAP has been divided into two programs: Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) (modeling efforts) and Waste/Rock Interactions Technology (WRIT) (experimental work). The WRIT program encompasses the work conducted under Task 4. This report contains the information presented at the Task 4, Third Contractor Information Meeting. Technical Reports from the subcontractors, as well as Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), are provided along with transcripts of the question-and-answer sessions. The agenda and abstracts of the presentations are also included. Appendix A is a list of the participants. Appendix B gives an overview of the WRIT program and details the WRIT work breakdown structure for 1980

  12. Waste isolation safety assessment program. Task 4. Third contractor information meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1980-06-01

    The Contractor Information Meeting (October 14 to 17, 1979) was part of the FY-1979 effort of Task 4 of the Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program (WISAP): Sorption/Desorption Analysis. The objectives of this task are to: evaluate sorption/desorption measurement methods and develop a standardized measurement procedure; produce a generic data bank of nuclide-geologic interactions using a wide variety of geologic media and groundwaters; perform statistical analysis and synthesis of these data; perform validation studies to compare short-term laboratory studies to long-term in situ behavior; develop a fundamental understanding of sorption/desorption processes; produce x-ray and gamma-emitting isotopes suitable for the study of actinides at tracer concentrations; disseminate resulting information to the international technical community; and provide input data support for repository safety assessment. Conference participants included those subcontracted to WISAP Task 4, representatives and independent subcontractors to the Office of Nuclear Waste Isolation, representatives from other waste disposal programs, and experts in the area of waste/geologic media interaction. Since the meeting, WISAP has been divided into two programs: Assessment of Effectiveness of Geologic Isolation Systems (AEGIS) (modeling efforts) and Waste/Rock Interactions Technology (WRIT) (experimental work). The WRIT program encompasses the work conducted under Task 4. This report contains the information presented at the Task 4, Third Contractor Information Meeting. Technical Reports from the subcontractors, as well as Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), are provided along with transcripts of the question-and-answer sessions. The agenda and abstracts of the presentations are also included. Appendix A is a list of the participants. Appendix B gives an overview of the WRIT program and details the WRIT work breakdown structure for 1980.

  13. Immune checkpoint inhibitors for metastatic bladder cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massari, Francesco; Di Nunno, Vincenzo; Cubelli, Marta; Santoni, Matteo; Fiorentino, Michelangelo; Montironi, Rodolfo; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Anto; Battelli, Nicola; Ardizzoni, Andrea

    2018-03-01

    Chemotherapy has represented the standard therapy for unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma for more than 20 years. The growing knowledge of the interaction between tumour and immune system has led to the advent of new classes of drugs, the immune-checkpoints inhibitors, which are intended to change the current scenario. To date, immunotherapy is able to improve the overall responses and survival. Moreover, thanks to its safety profile immune-checkpoint inhibitors could be proposed also to patients unfit for standard chemotherapy. No doubts that these agents have started a revolution expected for years, but despite this encouraging results it appears clear that not all subjects respond to these agents and requiring the development of reliable predictive response factors able to isolate patients who can more benefit from these treatments as well as new strategies aimed to improve immunotherapy clinical outcome. In this review we describe the active or ongoing clinical trials involving Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1), Programmed Death receptor 1 (PD-1) and Cytotoxic-T Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA 4) inhibitors in urothelial carcinoma focusing our attention on the developing new immune-agents and combination strategies with immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC): A Resource for Nuclear Science Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kirk, Bernadette Lugue [ORNL

    2009-01-01

    The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) has been in existence since 1963. RSICC collects, organizes, evaluates and disseminates technical information (software and nuclear data) involving the transport of neutral and charged particle radiation, and shielding and protection from the radiation associated with: nuclear weapons and materials, fission and fusion reactors, outer space, accelerators, medical facilities, and nuclear waste management. RSICC serves over 12,000 scientists and engineers from about 100 countries.

  15. Internet access and online cancer information seeking among Latino immigrants from safety net clinics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selsky, Claire; Luta, George; Noone, Anne-Michelle; Huerta, Elmer E; Mandelblatt, Jeanne S

    2013-01-01

    Internet use is widespread, but little is known about Internet use for cancer information among Latinos, especially those who rely on safety net clinics. The authors investigated access to and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among low income, immigrant Latinos predominately from Central and South America. A cross-sectional study of 1,273 Latinos 21 years and older attending safety net clinics or health fairs was conducted from June 2007 to November 2008. The authors used logistic regression models to evaluate associations of age, acculturation, psychosocial factors and other covariates with Internet access and intended use of the Internet for cancer information among those with access. Of the sample, 44% reported Internet access. Higher information self-efficacy and greater trust in the Internet were independently associated with Internet access (p = .05 and p Internet use for cancer information, considering covariates. In addition, those with high (vs. low) perceived risk of cancer (OR = 1.76; 95% CI [1.14, 2.73]; p = .01) and higher levels of trust in online health information (OR = 1.47 per one-point increase; 95% [CI 1.19, 1.82]; p = .0004) were more likely to intend to seek cancer information online. These findings that Internet access is fairly high in the immigrant Latino population and that the Internet is a trusted source of cancer information suggest that the Internet may be a channel for cancer control interventions.

  16. Assessment of shaft safety and management system of controlling engineering information

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Rui-xin; Xu Yan-chun [Yanzhou Mining Group Ltd., Zoucheng (China)

    2008-02-15

    Evaluating shaft safety and establishing a system for controlling engineering information is very important because more than 90 shafts in thick alluvial areas suddenly have shaft wall fracturing or breaking problems and there are more than a few hundred shafts of similar geologic conditions. Taking shaft control in the Yangzhou Coal Mining Group as an example, an assessment and management system and related software were established. This system includes basic information of the mine, measurement results and analysis, and functions of empirical and theoretical forecasting and finite element analysis, which are confirmed to be very effective for guiding shaft well control engineering in practice. 8 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

  17. Manche storage Centre. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection 2015

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-01-01

    After a presentation of the Manche Storage Centre (CSM), the first French center of surface storage of low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes, of its history, its buildings and activities, of the multi-layer cover, of the water management system (installation, controls, sampling), this report then describes the measures related to nuclear safety, the management of conventional and nuclear wastes produced by the Centre, the other impacts, the control, maintenance and follow-up of installations, the radiation protection and security of the center, the incidents and accidents that occurred at the facility, and the public information and communication actions. Recommendations of the Health and safety Committee (CHSCT) are reported at the end

  18. Heightened fear in response to a safety cue and extinguished fear cue in a rat model of maternal immune activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan eSangha

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Maternal immune activation during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and autism in the offspring. Hence, changes in an array of behaviors, including behavioral flexibility, consistent with altered functioning of cortico-limbic circuits have been reported in rodent models of maternal immune activation. Surprisingly, previous studies have not examined the effect of maternal immune activation on the extinction of fear conditioning which depends on cortico-limbic circuits. Thus, we tested the effects of treating pregnant Long Evans rats with the viral mimetic polyI:C (gestational day 15; 4 mg/kg; i.v. on fear conditioning and extinction in the male offspring using two different tasks. In the first experiment, we observed no effect of polyI:C treatment on the acquisition or extinction of a classically conditioned fear memory in a non-discriminative auditory cue paradigm. However, polyI:C-treated offspring did increase contextual freezing during the recall of fear extinction in this non-discriminative paradigm. The second experiment utilized a recently developed task to explicitly test the ability of rats to discriminate among cues signifying fear, reward, and safety; a task that requires behavioral flexibility. To our surprise, polyI:C-treated rats acquired the task in a manner similar to saline-treated rats. However, upon subsequent extinction training, they showed significantly faster extinction of the freezing response to the fear cue. In contrast, during the extinction recall test, polyI:C-treated offspring showed enhanced freezing behavior before and after presentation of the fear cue, suggesting an impairment in their ability to regulate fear behavior. These behavioral results are integrated into the literature suggesting impairments in cortico-limbic brain function in the offspring of rats treated with polyI:C during pregnancy.

  19. The development and application of electronic information system for safety administration of newborns in the rooming-in care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fang; Dong, Jian-Cheng; Chen, Jian-Rong; Wu, Hui-Qun; Liu, Man-Hua; Xue, Li-Ly; Zhu, Xiang-Hua; Wang, Jian

    2015-01-01

    To independently research and develop an electronic information system for safety administration of newborns in the rooming-in care, and to investigate the effects of its clinical application. By VS 2010 SQL SERVER 2005 database and adopting Microsoft visual programming tool, an interactive mobile information system was established, with integrating data, information and knowledge with using information structures, information processes and information technology. From July 2011 to July 2012, totally 210 newborns from the rooming-in care of the Obstetrics Department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University were chosen and randomly divided into two groups: the information system monitoring group (110 cases) and the regular monitoring group (100 cases). Incidence of abnormal events and degree of satisfaction were recorded and calculated. ① The wireless electronic information system has four main functions including risk scaling display, identity recognition display, nursing round notes board and health education board; ② statistically significant differences were found between the two groups both on the active or passive discovery rate of abnormal events occurred in the newborns (P<0.05) and the satisfaction degree of the mothers and their families (P<0.05); ③ the system was sensitive and reliable, and the wireless transmission of information was correct and safety. The system is with high practicability in the clinic and can ensure the safety for the newborns with improved satisfactions.

  20. Information and Communication Technologies for the Safety and Security of Fish and Fishery Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana Mihaela MOGA

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The food industry is becoming more customer-oriented and needs faster response times to deal with food scandals and incidents. Good traceability systems help to minimize the production and distribution of unsafe or poor quality products, thereby minimizing the potential for bad publicity, liability, and recalls. The current food labelling systems cannot guarantee that the food is authentic, good quality and safe. Therefore, traceability is applied as a tool to assist in the assurance of food safety and quality as well as to achieve consumer confidence. This paper presents comprehensive information about traceability systems and the evolution concerning the actors involved and the information about safety and quality in the food supply chain administrated within the systems. Some inventive factors, which influence the traceability systems adoption, are underlined.

  1. Leader humility and team creativity: The role of team information sharing, psychological safety, and power distance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jia; Erdogan, Berrin; Jiang, Kaifeng; Bauer, Talya N; Liu, Songbo

    2018-03-01

    In this study, we identify leader humility, characterized by being open to admitting one's limitations, shortcomings, and mistakes, and showing appreciation and giving credit to followers, as a critical leader characteristic relevant for team creativity. Integrating the literatures on creativity and leadership, we explore the relationship between leader humility and team creativity, treating team psychological safety and team information sharing as mediators. Further, we hypothesize and examine team power distance as a moderator of the relationship. We tested our hypotheses using data gathered from 72 work teams and 354 individual members from 11 information and technology firms in China using a multiple-source, time-lagged research design. We found that the positive relationship between leader humility and team information sharing was significant and positive only within teams with a low power distance value. In addition, leader humility was negatively related to team psychological safety in teams with a high power distance value, whereas the relationship was positive yet nonsignificant in teams with low power distance. Furthermore, team information sharing and psychological safety were both significantly related to team creativity. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for leadership and work teams. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Development of the JNC geological disposal technical information integration system subjected for repository design and safety assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Yoshinao; Ito, Takashi; Kobayashi, Shigeki; Neyama, Atsushi

    2004-02-01

    On this work, system manufacture about disposal technology and safety assessment field was performed towards construction of the JNC Geological Disposal Technical Information Integration System which systematized three fields of technical information acquired in investigation (site characteristic investigation) of geology environmental conditions, disposal technology (design of deep repository), and performance/safety assessment. The technical information database managed focusing on the technical information concerning individual research of an examination, analysis, etc. and the parameter set database managed focusing on the set up data set used in case of comprehensive evaluation are examined. In order to support and promote share and use of the technical information registered and managed by the database, utility functions, such as a technical information registration function, technical information search/browse function, analysis support function, and visualization function, are considered, and the system realized in these functions is built. The built system is installed in the server of JNC, and the functional check examination is carried out. (author)

  3. Food safety information and food demand

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Smed, Sinne; Jensen, Jørgen Dejgård

    2005-01-01

    Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how news about food-related health risks affects consumers’ demands for safe food products. Design/methodology/approach – By identifying structural breaks in an econometrically estimated demand model, news with permanent impact on demand...... induces a permanent increase in the demand for pasteurized eggs, while more moderate negative news influences demand temporarily and to a lesser extent. There is, however, considerable variation in the response to food safety news across socio-demographic groups of consumers. Research limitations...... is distinguished from news with temporary impact. The Danish demand for pasteurized versus shell eggs is used as an illustrative case. Findings – Negative safety news about one product variety can provide significant stimulation to the demand for safe varieties. Severe negative news about the safety of shell eggs...

  4. Defining safety culture and the nexus between safety goals and safety culture. 4. Enhancing Safety Culture Through the Establishment of Safety Goals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tateiwa, Kenji; Miyata, Koichi; Yahagi, Kimitoshi

    2001-01-01

    Safety culture is the perception of each individual and organization of a nuclear power plant that safety is the first priority, and at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), we have been practicing it in everyday activities. On the other hand, with the demand for competitiveness of nuclear power becoming even more intense these days, we need to pursue efficient management while maintaining the safety level at the same time. Below, we discuss how to achieve compatibility between safety culture and efficient management as well as enhance safety culture. Discussion at Tepco: safety culture-nurturing activities such as the following are being implemented: 1. informing the employees of the 'Declaration of Safety Promotion' by handing out brochures and posting it on the intranet home page; 2. publishing safety culture reports covering stories on safety culture of other industry sectors, recent movements on safety culture, etc.; 3. conducting periodic questionnaires to employees to grasp how deeply safety culture is being established; 4. carrying out educational programs to learn from past cases inside and outside the nuclear industry; 5. committing to common ownership of information with the public. The current status of safety culture in Japan sometimes seems to be biased to the quest of ultimate safety; rephrasing it, there have been few discussions regarding the sufficiency of the quantitative safety level in conjunction with the safety culture. Safety culture is one of the most crucial foundations guaranteeing the plant's safety, and for example, the plant safety level evaluated by probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) could be said to be valid only on the ground that a sound and sufficient safety culture exists. Although there is no doubt that the safety culture is a fundamental and important attitude of an individual and organization that keeps safety the first priority, the safety culture in itself should not be considered an obstruction to efforts to implement

  5. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of the ECRIN INB - Issue 2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents the Malvesi establishment, the ECRIN basic nuclear installation (INB), the COMURHEX II project, and the policy for a sustainable development and continuous progress of this establishment. It describes the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: nuclear safety, safety guarantee for personnel and installations, management of emergency situations, preservation of staff health and protection, inspections, actions undertaken regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection. It reports nuclear events which occurred, describes the management of effluents and the control of the environment (environmental policy, management of effluents from the Malvesi establishment, management of effluents from the ECRIN INB, reduction of consumptions). It addresses the waste management (industrial and radioactive wastes) and the management of other impacts of the ECRIN INB. It gives an overview of actions undertaken regarding information and transparency. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  6. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of the ECRIN INB - Issue 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents the Malvesi establishment, the ECRIN basic nuclear installation (INB), the COMURHEX II project, and the policy for a sustainable development and continuous progress of this establishment. It describes the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: nuclear safety, safety guarantee for personnel and installations, management of emergency situations, preservation of staff health and protection, inspections, actions undertaken regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection. It reports nuclear events which occurred, describes the management of effluents and the control of the environment (environmental policy, management of effluents from the Malvesi establishment, management of effluents from the ECRIN INB, reduction of consumptions). It addresses the waste management (industrial and radioactive wastes) and the management of other impacts of the ECRIN INB. It gives an overview of actions undertaken regarding information and transparency. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  7. Safety and immunotoxicity assessment of immunomodulatory monoclonal antibodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morton, Laura Dill; Spindeldreher, Sebastian; Kiessling, Andrea; Allenspach, Roy; Hey, Adam; Muller, Patrick Y; Frings, Werner; Sims, Jennifer

    2010-01-01

    Most therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) licensed for human use or in clinical development are indicated for treatment of patients with cancer and inflammatory/autoimmune disease and as such, are designed to directly interact with the immune system. A major hurdle for the development and early clinical investigation of many of these immunomodulatory mAbs is their inherent risk for adverse immune-mediated drug reactions in humans such as infusion reactions, cytokine storms, immunosuppression and autoimmunity. A thorough understanding of the immunopharmacology of a mAb in humans and animals is required to both anticipate the clinical risk of adverse immunotoxicological events and to select a safe starting dose for first-in-human (FIH) clinical studies. This review summarizes the most common adverse immunotoxicological events occurring in humans with immunomodulatory mAbs and outlines non-clinical strategies to define their immunopharmacology and assess their immunotoxic potential, as well as reduce the risk of immunotoxicity through rational mAb design. Tests to assess the relative risk of mAb candidates for cytokine release syndrome, innate immune system (dendritic cell) activation and immunogenicity in humans are also described. The importance of selecting a relevant and sensitive toxicity species for human safety assessment in which the immunopharmacology of the mAb is similar to that expected in humans is highlighted, as is the importance of understanding the limitations of the species selected for human safety assessment and supplementation of in vivo safety assessment with appropriate in vitro human assays. A tiered approach to assess effects on immune status, immune function and risk of infection and cancer, governed by the mechanism of action and structural features of the mAb, is described. Finally, the use of immunopharmacology and immunotoxicity data in determining a minimum anticipated biologic effect Level (MABEL) and in the selection of safe human

  8. Risk-informing safety reviews for non-reactor nuclear facilities: an example application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mubayi, V.; Yue, M.; Bari, R.A.; Azarm, M.A.; Mukaddam, W.; Good, G.; Gonzalez, F.

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a methodology used to model potential accidents in fuel cycle facilities that employ chemical processes to separate and purify nuclear materials. The methodology is illustrated with an example that uses event and fault trees to estimate the frequency of a specific energetic reaction that can occur in nuclear material processing facilities. The methodology used probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)-related tools as well as information about the chemical reaction characteristics, information on plant design and operational features, and generic data about component failure rates and human error rates. The accident frequency estimates for the specific reaction can be useful to help to risk-inform a safety review process and assess compliance with regulatory requirements. (authors)

  9. 75 FR 35286 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Safety Standard...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-21

    ... the retail package. There are seven known firms supplying walkers to the United States market. Four of... instructional literature requirements in the Safety Standard for Infant walkers. DATES: Submit written or... for marking and instructional literature. We estimate the burden of this collection of information as...

  10. 75 FR 30783 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Safety Standard...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-02

    ... product and the retail package. There are three known firms supplying bath seats to the United States... marking and instructional literature requirements in the Safety Standard for Infant Bath Seats. DATES... for marking and instructional literature. We estimate the burden of this collection of information as...

  11. 10 CFR 70.62 - Safety program and integrated safety analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ...; (iv) Potential accident sequences caused by process deviations or other events internal to the... have experience in nuclear criticality safety, radiation safety, fire safety, and chemical process... this safety program; namely, process safety information, integrated safety analysis, and management...

  12. Information about robustness, reliability and safety in early design phases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marini, Vinicius Kaster

    methods, and an industrial case to assess how the use of information about robustness, reliability and safety as practised by current methods influences concept development. Current methods cannot be used in early design phases due to their dependence on detailed design information for the identification...... alternatives. This prompts designers to reuse working principles that are inherently flawed, as they are liable to disturbances, failures and hazards. To address this issue, an approach based upon individual records of early design issues consists of comparing failures and benefits from prior working...... principles, before making a decision, and improving the more suitable alternatives through this feedback. Workshops were conducted with design practitioners to evaluate the potential of the approach and to simulate decision-making and gain feedback on a proof-of-concept basis. The evaluation has demonstrated...

  13. Ferrocyanide Safety Program: Safety criteria for ferrocyanide watch list tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Postma, A.K.; Meacham, J.E.; Barney, G.S.

    1994-01-01

    This report provides a technical basis for closing the ferrocyanide Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) at the Hanford Site. Three work efforts were performed in developing this technical basis. The efforts described herein are: 1. The formulation of criteria for ranking the relative safety of waste in each ferrocyanide tank. 2. The current classification of tanks into safety categories by comparing available information on tank contents with the safety criteria; 3. The identification of additional information required to resolve the ferrocyanide safety issue

  14. 75 FR 30044 - Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-05-28

    ..., Kent ``Oz'' Nelson Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. Status: Open to the public, limited only by the... for More Information: Antonette Hill, Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization...

  15. Immune Repertoire after Immunization As Seen by Next-Generation Sequencing and Proteomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martijn M. VanDuijn

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The immune system produces a diverse repertoire of immunoglobulins in response to foreign antigens. During B-cell development, VDJ recombination and somatic mutations generate diversity, whereas selection processes remove it. Using both proteomic and NGS approaches, we characterized the immune repertoires in groups of rats after immunization with purified antigens. Proteomics and NGS data on the repertoire are in qualitative agreement, but did show quantitative differences that may relate to differences between the biological niches that were sampled for these approaches. Both methods contributed complementary information in the characterization of the immune repertoire. It was found that the immune repertoires resulting from each antigen had many similarities that allowed samples to cluster together, and that mutated immunoglobulin peptides were shared among animals with a response to the same antigen significantly more than for different antigens. However, the number of shared sequences decreased in a log-linear fashion relative to the number of animals that share them, which may affect future applications. A phylogenetic analysis on the NGS reads showed that reads from different individuals immunized with the same antigen populated distinct branches of the phylogram, an indication that the repertoire had converged. Also, similar mutation patterns were found in branches of the phylogenetic tree that were associated with antigen-specific immunoglobulins through proteomics data. Thus, data from different analysis methods and different experimental platforms show that the immunoglobulin repertoires of immunized animals have overlapping and converging features. With additional research, this may enable interesting applications in biotechnology and clinical diagnostics.

  16. Implementation of pertussis immunization in health-care personnel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walther, Kathi; Burckhardt, Marie-Anne; Erb, Thomas; Heininger, Ulrich

    2015-04-21

    Infection with Bordetella pertussis is most severe in young infants who frequently acquire it from adults. Pertussis immunization in adults 25-29 years of age and all adults in close contact with infants vaccination campaign. Between April 2012 and March 2013 we provided information about the campaign to our staff through several channels and offered appointments for counseling and immunization. After checking indications and contraindications of responding health-care personnel (HCP), informed consent for tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis component (Tdap) immunization was obtained. Specific adverse events (AE) were self-assessed by standardized diaries for 7 days. Statistical analyses were performed using a t-test and Mann-Whitney U-tests SPSS (V21). Of 852 HCP eligible for pertussis immunization, 427 (51%) responded. Of these, 72 (17%) had already received Tdap now, 38 (9%) were scheduled for vaccination and 12 (3%) declined. Diaries were returned by 272 (89%) of 304 vaccinees; 56 HCP reported ≥1 local AE, most frequently local swelling (8%), redness (2%), redness and swelling (7%), and fever (5=2%); no serious AE occurred. Comprehensive efforts were needed to achieve pertussis immunization coverage of ≥49% among all HCP in our institution. Good tolerability of the vaccine and continuous and individual information to HCP about the rationale and benefits of pertussis immunization contributed to this partial success, but increased efforts are needed to mobilize non-responding HCP. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC): Integrated Treatment of Aleatory and Epistemic Uncertainty in Safety Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Youngblood, R.W.

    2010-01-01

    The concept of 'margin' has a long history in nuclear licensing and in the codification of good engineering practices. However, some traditional applications of 'margin' have been carried out for surrogate scenarios (such as design basis scenarios), without regard to the actual frequencies of those scenarios, and have been carried out with in a systematically conservative fashion. This means that the effectiveness of the application of the margin concept is determined in part by the original choice of surrogates, and is limited in any case by the degree of conservatism imposed on the evaluation. In the RISMC project, which is part of the Department of Energy's 'Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program' (LWRSP), we are developing a risk-informed characterization of safety margin. Beginning with the traditional discussion of 'margin' in terms of a 'load' (a physical challenge to system or component function) and a 'capacity' (the capability of that system or component to accommodate the challenge), we are developing the capability to characterize probabilistic load and capacity spectra, reflecting both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty in system response. For example, the probabilistic load spectrum will reflect the frequency of challenges of a particular severity. Such a characterization is required if decision-making is to be informed optimally. However, in order to enable the quantification of probabilistic load spectra, existing analysis capability needs to be extended. Accordingly, the INL is working on a next-generation safety analysis capability whose design will allow for much more efficient parameter uncertainty analysis, and will enable a much better integration of reliability-related and phenomenology-related aspects of margin.

  18. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. November 20, 2009 meeting of the High Committee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-11-01

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment, and, depending on the events, some extraordinary meetings. This document is the proceedings of an extraordinary meeting about the information and transparency in relation with the management of nuclear materials and wastes at all stages of the fuel cycle. The reason of this meeting is a request from the French Minister of ecology, energy, sustainable development and sea (MEEDDM) after the broadcast of a TV documentary entitled 'wastes: the nuclear industry nightmare' and the publication of a press article affirming that 'our nuclear wastes are hidden in Siberia'. The Minister expressed his wish to have the question of the international trade of nuclear materials examined by the HCTISN. The document is organized as follows: a first part presents the hearings of the general direction of energy and climate (DGEC), of the nuclear safety authority (ASN), of EdF, of Areva, of the CEA, of the senior official for the defense and security of the MEEDDM, of Rosatom company and of Greenpeace organisation. A second part examines the incident which took place in October 2009 at the plutonium technology workshop (ATPu) of Cadarache, where about 22 to 39 kg of plutonium powder were discovered in the gloveboxes of this facility, decommissioned in 2005 and undergoing dismantlement today. This part presents the hearings of the CEA, of AREVA, of the Institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (IRSN), of the ASN, of the hygiene, safety and labour conditions committee (CHSCT) of Areva and CEA, and of the local information commission (CLI) of Cadarache, in relation with

  19. Development of Information Support of the Automated System for Monitoring the State of the Gas Transportation System’s Industrial Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruslan Skrynkovskyy

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the article is to developing the information security of the automated system for monitoring the state of industrial safety of the gas transportation system within the framework of the safety management system, which will enable timely and objective detection of adverse accident hazards (hazardous events and taking the necessary specific measures to eliminate them and operate the gas transport system safely. It is proved that the basis of the information provision of the automated system for monitoring the state of the industrial safety of the gas transmission system is a methodology that includes the following basic procedures: identifying hazards; qualitative and quantitative assessment of emergencies; establishing of unacceptable (unallowable risks and their introduction to the information base (register of unacceptable risks of objects of the gas transportation system; comprehensive assessment and certification of the state of industrial safety of objects of the gas transportation system; identification of effective, productive (efficient risk management measures. The prospect of further research in this area is the development and implementation of an automated system for monitoring the state of industrial safety of the objects of the gas transmission system based on the results of the research (of the submitted information provision.

  20. Improving Immunization Coverage in a Rural School District in Pierce County, Washington

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Robin M.; Cook, Carolyn; Yerxa, Mary E.; Marshall, James H.; Pulos, Elizabeth; Rollosson, Matthew P.

    2012-01-01

    Washington State has some of the highest percentages of school immunization exemptions in the country. We compared school immunization records in a rural school district in Pierce County, Washington, to immunization records in the state immunization information system (IIS) and parent-held records. Correcting school immunization records resulted…

  1. The Concordance of Parent and Child Immunization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robison, Steve G; Osborn, Andrew W

    2017-05-01

    A substantial body of work has related survey-based parental vaccine hesitancy to noncompliant childhood immunization. However little attention has been paid to the connection between parents' own immunization behavior and the immunizations their children receive. Using the Oregon ALERT Immunization Information System, we identified adult caregiver-child pairs for children between 9 months and 17 years of age. The likelihood of adult-child concordance of influenza immunization per influenza season from 2010-2011 through 2014-2015 was assessed. The utility of adult immunization as a predictor was also assessed for other, noninfluenza recommended immunizations for children and adolescents. A total of 450 687 matched adult caregiver-child pairs were included in the study. The children of immunizing adults were 2.77 times more likely to also be immunized for seasonal influenza across all seasons (95% confidence interval, 2.74-2.79), with similar results applying within each season. Adult immunization status was also significantly associated with the likelihood of children and adolescents getting other noninfluenza immunizations, such as the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV). When adults improved their own behavior from nonimmunizing to immunizing across influenza seasons, their children if not immunized in the previous season were 5.44 times (95% confidence interval, 5.35-5.53) more likely to become immunized for influenza. Children's likelihood of following immunization recommendations is associated with the immunization behavior of their parents. Encouraging parental immunization is a potential tool for increasing children's immunization rates. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  2. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. September 23, 2008 meeting; Haut comite pour la transparence et l'information sur la securite nucleaire. Reunion du 23 septembre 2008

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2008-09-15

    The high committee for the nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN) is an information, consultation and debate authority devoted to the assessment of the risks linked with nuclear activities and to the analysis of their impact on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. Each year, the HCTISN organizes several ordinary meetings in order to analyze some specific topics of the moment. This meeting was organized around 6 main points: 1 - the terms of the High Committee operation and the internal rules for the meetings; 2 - the plutonium imports and transportation between Great Britain and France (contracts status, ship safety report, plutonium grade, return of plutonium-derived wastes): hearing of Areva, of the general direction of infrastructures, transports and sea (DGITM), of Greenpeace organisation, debate; 3 - the follow-up of the July 7, 2008 incident at the Socatri facility (Tricastin site (France)) where the overflow of a storage tank led to the spillage of a uraniferous solution on the ground: hearing of Areva (remedial action, re-start up of the facility, environmental monitoring, communication and transparency), hearing of the nuclear safety authority (ASN), of the institute of radiation protection and nuclear safety (IRSN), of the local commission of information (CIGEET), of the hygiene, safety and labour conditions committee (CHSCT) of Socatri company, of the direction of civil safety (DSC), debate about the information dissemination around this incident; 4 - Opinion of the High Committee about the plutonium transportation between Great Britain and France, and about the Socatri incident; 5 - referral to the High Committee of the radioecological follow up of all nuclear sites and of the quality of the information given to the public: ASN's reports about the radioecological follow-up of surface and ground waters and of the ancient radioactive waste storage sites, ASND's answer (Nuclear safety authority of defense), IRSN

  3. Analysis of Drug Development Paradigms for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jardim, Denis L; de Melo Gagliato, Débora; Giles, Francis J; Kurzrock, Razelle

    2018-04-15

    Immune checkpoint inhibitors have unique toxicities and response kinetics compared with cytotoxic and gene-targeted anticancer agents. We investigated the impact of innovative/accelerated immunotherapy drug development/approval models on the accuracy of safety and efficacy assessments by searching the FDA website. Initial phase I trials for each agent were reviewed and safety and efficacy data compared with that found in later trials leading to regulatory approvals of the same agents. As of June 2017, the FDA approved six checkpoint inhibitors for a variety of cancer types. All checkpoint inhibitors received a priority review status and access to at least two additional FDA special access programs, more often breakthrough therapy designation and accelerated approval. Median clinical development time (investigational new drug application to approval) was 60.77 months [avelumab had the shortest timeline (52.33 months)]. Response rates during early phase I trials (median = 16%) are higher than for phase I trials of other agents (with the exception of gene-targeted agents tested with a biomarker). Doses approved were usually not identical to doses recommended on phase I trials. Approximately 50% of types of immune-related and 43% of types of clinically relevant toxicities from later trials were identified in early-phase trials. Even so, treatment-related mortality remains exceedingly low in later studies (0.33% of patients). In conclusion, efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors appear to be reasonably predicted from the dose-finding portion of phase I trials, indicating that the fast-track development of these agents is safe and justified. Clin Cancer Res; 24(8); 1785-94. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  4. Hazardous Waste/Mixed Waste Treatment Building Safety Information Document (SID)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fatell, L.B.; Woolsey, G.B.

    1993-01-01

    This Safety Information Document (SID) provides a description and analysis of operations for the Hazardous Waste/Mixed Waste Disposal Facility Treatment Building (the Treatment Building). The Treatment Building has been classified as a moderate hazard facility, and the level of analysis performed and the methodology used are based on that classification. Preliminary design of the Treatment Building has identified the need for two separate buildings for waste treatment processes. The term Treatment Building applies to all these facilities. The evaluation of safety for the Treatment Building is accomplished in part by the identification of hazards associated with the facility and the analysis of the facility's response to postulated events involving those hazards. The events are analyzed in terms of the facility features that minimize the causes of such events, the quantitative determination of the consequences, and the ability of the facility to cope with each event should it occur. The SID presents the methodology, assumptions, and results of the systematic evaluation of hazards associated with operation of the Treatment Building. The SID also addresses the spectrum of postulated credible events, involving those hazards, that could occur. Facility features important to safety are identified and discussed in the SID. The SID identifies hazards and reports the analysis of the spectrum of credible postulated events that can result in the following consequences: Personnel exposure to radiation; Radioactive material release to the environment; Personnel exposure to hazardous chemicals; Hazardous chemical release to the environment; Events leading to an onsite/offsite fatality; and Significant damage to government property. The SID addresses the consequences to the onsite and offsite populations resulting from postulated credible events and the safety features in place to control and mitigate the consequences

  5. Hazardous Waste/Mixed Waste Treatment Building Safety Information Document (SID)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fatell, L.B.; Woolsey, G.B.

    1993-04-15

    This Safety Information Document (SID) provides a description and analysis of operations for the Hazardous Waste/Mixed Waste Disposal Facility Treatment Building (the Treatment Building). The Treatment Building has been classified as a moderate hazard facility, and the level of analysis performed and the methodology used are based on that classification. Preliminary design of the Treatment Building has identified the need for two separate buildings for waste treatment processes. The term Treatment Building applies to all these facilities. The evaluation of safety for the Treatment Building is accomplished in part by the identification of hazards associated with the facility and the analysis of the facility`s response to postulated events involving those hazards. The events are analyzed in terms of the facility features that minimize the causes of such events, the quantitative determination of the consequences, and the ability of the facility to cope with each event should it occur. The SID presents the methodology, assumptions, and results of the systematic evaluation of hazards associated with operation of the Treatment Building. The SID also addresses the spectrum of postulated credible events, involving those hazards, that could occur. Facility features important to safety are identified and discussed in the SID. The SID identifies hazards and reports the analysis of the spectrum of credible postulated events that can result in the following consequences: Personnel exposure to radiation; Radioactive material release to the environment; Personnel exposure to hazardous chemicals; Hazardous chemical release to the environment; Events leading to an onsite/offsite fatality; and Significant damage to government property. The SID addresses the consequences to the onsite and offsite populations resulting from postulated credible events and the safety features in place to control and mitigate the consequences.

  6. An Online Network Tool for Quality Information to Answer Questions about Occupational Safety and Health: Usability and Applicability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rhebergen, M.D.F.; Hulshof, C.T.J.; Lenderink, A.F.; van Dijk, F.J.H.

    2010-01-01

    ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Common information facilities do not always provide the quality information needed to answer questions on health or health-related issues, such as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) matters. Barriers may be the accessibility, quantity and readability of information. Online

  7. A risk informed safety classification for a Nordic NPP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jaenkaelae, K.

    2002-01-01

    The report describes a study to develop a safety classification proposal or classi- fication recommendations based on risks for selected equipment of a nuclear power plant. The application plant in this work is Loviisa NPP unit 1. The safety classification proposals are to be considered as an exercise in this pilot study and do not necessarily represent final proposals in a real situation. Comparisons to original safety classifications and technical specifications were made. The study concludes that it is possible to change safety classes or safety signifi- cances as considered in technical specifications and in in-service-inspections into both directions without endangering the safety or even by improving the safety. (au)

  8. Polio Endgame, Information Gaps Related to Vaccines and Immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Mohammad; Bahl, Sunil; Kunwar, Abhishek

    2016-08-07

    Evidence generated through research studies has guided programmatic actions and fine-tuned strategies for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). However, many gaps still persist in the understanding of a risk-free implementation of the polio endgame. Immediate concerns relate to the introduction of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and switch from trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV) to bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) in routine immunization schedule. A comprehensive understanding of mucosal immunity in populations and best response options against circulating vaccine derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks in post tOPV-bOPV switch is essential to mitigate the risks of wild and vaccine-derived poliovirus importations and emergence of cVDPVs in polio-free countries. A clearer picture is also needed on few operational issues, interference between polio vaccines and other EPI vaccines and products related to polio endgame. It is also extremely important to develop mechanisms to identify and manage long-term poliovirus excretors who may pose a risk of reintroduction into the population after global eradication of poliovirus.

  9. Social determinants of immunization services uptake in developing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Twenty-six articles were reviewed. Results: seventeen Key Determinants were identified with frequencies in brackets: caregivers' social status (25); caregivers' knowledge on immunization (22); access to immunization services and information (20); health workers' knowledge attitude and practice (12); social influence and ...

  10. Attitudes of Swiss Health Care Providers Toward Childhood Immunizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schuler, Marianne; Schaedelin, Sabine; Aebi, Christoph; Berger, Christoph; Crisinel, Pierre-Alex; Diana, Alessandro; Niederer-Loher, Anita; Siegrist, Claire-Anne; Vaudaux, Bernard; Heininger, Ulrich

    2017-06-01

    INFOVAC is a network providing information about immunization issues to health professionals. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of INFOVAC subscribers toward the current Swiss immunization schedule, potential modifications, and current and hypothetical immunization practices regarding their own children. In March 2015, a Web-based survey was sent to 4260 physicians and pharmacists subscribed to INFOVAC. Participation was anonymous and voluntary. The following information was obtained: (1) current immunization status of own children; (2) which immunizations would currently be accepted for a hypothetical own child and (3) attitudes toward potential modifications of the Swiss immunization schedule. Descriptive methods and multivariate models to correct for covariables were used for data analysis. Nine hundred and fifty-five valid questionnaires were received: 886/3704 (23.9%) from physicians and 69/556 (12.4%) from pharmacists. Current (>95%) and hypothetical (>99%) immunization rates were high for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis and measles-mumps-rubella. Most pediatricians (61%) would support more vaccines for their children than currently recommended by the Swiss immunization advisory committee, whereas about 50% of other physicians and pharmacists would decline at least one of the recommended immunizations, most frequently varicella, pneumococcal or meningococcal C conjugate vaccines. Strong general support was expressed for the expansion of human papillomavirus immunization to males, acceleration of the measles-mumps-rubella schedule and a 2 + 1 instead of 3 + 1 diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, acellular-inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (DTPa-IPV)/Haemophilus influenzae type b ± hepatitis B virus (HBV) schedule. Survey participants generally demonstrated a positive attitude toward immunization, with pediatricians being the most progressive subgroup with the largest percentage of participants (63.1%) neither declining nor postponing any

  11. Tornadoes: Nature's Most Violent Storms. A Preparedness Guide Including Safety Information for Schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    American National Red Cross, Washington, DC.

    This preparedness guide explains and describes tornadoes, and includes safety information for schools. A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The guide explains the cause of tornadoes, provides diagrams of how they form, describes variations of tornadoes, and classifies tornadoes by…

  12. Report of the 52. meeting of the Superior Council of the Nuclear Safety and Information (project)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-01-01

    Since june 2000, the CSSIN (Superior Council on Nuclear Safety and Information) decided to present the meeting of its sessions, on the Internet site of the Nuclear Safety Authority. This document is the meeting project concerning the session of the 27 june 2000. The following subjects have been treated: the Blayais accident and its consequences; the Euratom Directive transposition on the workers and people protection; methodology and organization of the CSSIN concerning the civil nuclear installations and the radiation protection; actualization of the CSSIN heading in the Internet site of the Nuclear Safety Authority. (A.L.B.)

  13. An online network tool for quality information to answer questions about occupational safety and health: usability and applicability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rhebergen, Martijn D. F.; Hulshof, Carel T. J.; Lenderink, Annet F.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.

    2010-01-01

    Common information facilities do not always provide the quality information needed to answer questions on health or health-related issues, such as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) matters. Barriers may be the accessibility, quantity and readability of information. Online Question & Answer (Q&A)

  14. Views on chemical safety information and influences on chemical disposal behaviour in the UK

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hinks, J.; Bush, J.; Andras, P.; Garratt, J.; Pigott, G.; Kennedy, A.; Pless-Mulloli, T.

    2009-01-01

    This study examined how groups representing four tiers in the chemical supply chain (manufacturers, vendors, workers and consumers) understood safety information, and the factors that influenced disposal behaviour. Data from seven, semi-structured, focus groups was analysed both qualitatively (textual analysis) and quantitatively (network analysis). Such combined analytical methods enabled us to achieve both detailed insights into perceptions and behaviour and an objective understanding of the prevailing opinions that occurred within and between the focus group discussions. We found issues around awareness, trust, access and disposal behaviours differed between groups within the supply chain. Participants from the lower tiers perceived chemical safety information to be largely inaccessible. Labels were the main source of information on chemical risks for the middle and bottom tiers of the supply chain. Almost all of the participants were aware of the St Andrew's Cross and skull and crossbones symbols but few were familiar with the Volatile Organic Compound logo or the fish and tree symbol. Both the network and thematic analysis demonstrated that whilst frequent references to health risks associated with chemicals were made environmental risks were usually only articulated after prompting. It is clear that the issues surrounding public understanding of chemical safety labels are highly complex and this is compounded by inconsistencies in the cognitive profiles of chemical users. Substantially different cognitive profiles are likely to contribute towards communication difficulties between different tiers of the supply chain. Further research is needed to examine the most effective ways of communicating chemical hazards information to the public. The findings demonstrate a need to improve and simplify disposal guidance to members of the public, to raise public awareness of the graphic symbols in the CHIP 3.1, 2005 regulations and to improve access to disposal guidance

  15. Modulation of Immune Functions by Foods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuichi Kaminogawa

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Evidence is rapidly accumulating as to the beneficial effects of foods. However, it is not always clear whether the information is based on data evaluated impartially in a scientific fashion. Human research into whether foods modulate immune functions in either intervention studies or randomized controlled trials can be classified into three categories according to the physical state of subjects enrolled for investigation: (i studies examining the effect of foods in healthy individuals; (ii studies analyzing the effect of foods on patients with hypersensitivity; and (iii studies checking the effect of foods on immunocompromized subjects, including patients who had undergone surgical resection of cancer and newborns. The systematization of reported studies has made it reasonable to conclude that foods are able to modulate immune functions manifesting as either innate immunity (phagocytic activity, NK cell activity or acquired immunity (T cell response, antibody production. Moreover, improvement of immune functions by foods can normalize the physical state of allergic patients or cancer patients, and may reduce the risk of diseases in healthy individuals. Therefore, it is valuable to assess the immune-modulating abilities of foods by measuring at least one parameter of either innate or acquired immunity.

  16. Bronson Methodist Hospital: journey to excellence in quality and safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knapp, Cheryl

    2006-10-01

    Bronson Healthcare Group, a 343-bed not-for-profit health care system serving all of southwest Michigan and northern Indiana, has as its flagship Bronson Methodist Hospital, the recipient of the 2005 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. The Baldrige criteria were used to formalize Bronson's approach to performance excellence. The strategic plan is condensed and communicated via a "Plan for Excellence" focused on three strategies: clinical excellence, customer and service excellence, and corporate effectiveness. Initiatives include clinical scene investigation (a system for reporting and investigating sentinel and atypical events), a strategy for educating staff in the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendations (SBAR) communication technique, and mandatory influenza immunization for health care staff (safety), patient health literacy needs and a health information center (patient centeredness); methods to reduce bloodstream and ventilator-acquired pneumonia infections (effectiveness); a physician portal for access to forms, test results, and patient information (efficiency); restaurant-style pagers for patients and families while waiting (timeliness); and community outreach (equity). Bronson's journey to excellence continues with more accountability for hand-off communication and teamwork, enhancing a non-punitive environment for patient safety reporting, and further incorporating patient and family involvement.

  17. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles stimulate sea urchin immune cell phagocytic activity involving TLR/p38 MAPK-mediated signalling pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinsino, Annalisa; Russo, Roberta; Bonaventura, Rosa; Brunelli, Andrea; Marcomini, Antonio; Matranga, Valeria

    2015-01-01

    Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are one of the most widespread-engineered particles in use for drug delivery, cosmetics, and electronics. However, TiO2NP safety is still an open issue, even for ethical reasons. In this work, we investigated the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus immune cell model as a proxy to humans, to elucidate a potential pathway that can be involved in the persistent TiO2NP-immune cell interaction in vivo. Morphology, phagocytic ability, changes in activation/inactivation of a few mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK, ERK), variations of other key proteins triggering immune response (Toll-like receptor 4-like, Heat shock protein 70, Interleukin-6) and modifications in the expression of related immune response genes were investigated. Our findings indicate that TiO2NPs influence the signal transduction downstream targets of p38 MAPK without eliciting an inflammatory response or other harmful effects on biological functions. We strongly recommend sea urchin immune cells as a new powerful model for nano-safety/nano-toxicity investigations without the ethical normative issue. PMID:26412401

  18. Effects of Food Additives on Immune Cells As Contributors to Body Weight Gain and Immune-Mediated Metabolic Dysregulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paula Neto, Heitor A; Ausina, Priscila; Gomez, Lilian S; Leandro, João G B; Zancan, Patricia; Sola-Penna, Mauro

    2017-01-01

    Food additives are compounds used in order to improve food palatability, texture, and shelf life. Despite a significant effort to assure safety of use, toxicological analysis of these substances, generally, rely on their direct toxicity to target organs (liver and kidney) or their genotoxic effects. Much less attention is paid to the effects of these compounds on cells of the immune system. This is of relevance given that metabolic dysregulation and obesity have a strong immune-mediated component. Obese individuals present a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that contributes to the establishment of insulin resistance and other metabolic abnormalities known as the metabolic syndrome. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are currently recognized as worldwide epidemics that pose a profound socioeconomic impact and represent a concern to public health. Cells of the immune system contribute to both the maintenance of "lean homeostasis" and the metabolic dysregulation observed in obese individuals. Although much attention has been drawn in the past decades to obesity and metabolic syndrome as a result of ingesting highly processed food containing large amounts of fat and simple sugars, mounting evidence suggest that food additives may also be important contributors to metabolic derangement. Herein, we review pieces of evidence from the literature showing that food additives have relevant effects on cells of the immune system that could contribute to immune-mediated metabolic dysregulation. Considering their potential to predispose individuals to develop obesity and metabolic syndrome, their use should be taken with caution or maybe revisited.

  19. 75 FR 64348 - BOEMRE Information Collection Activity: 1010-0182, Increased Safety Measures for Energy...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-19

    ... No. BOEM-2010-0052] BOEMRE Information Collection Activity: 1010-0182, Increased Safety Measures for... the likelihood of blowouts, loss of well control, fires, spillages, physical obstruction to other... subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. These events highlight the importance of ensuring safe operations...

  20. RESULTS OF THE IMMUNIZATION ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CALENDAR ASSOCIATED WITH VACCINATION AGAINST INFLUENZA IN CHILDREN WITH SOMATIC DISORDERS AND IMMUNODEFICIENCY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Kharit

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: to study safety and immunological efficacy of vaccination against influenza in separate and associated immunization according to the National Calendar. Patients and methods: 100 children with various disorders as well as children with HIV subjected to revaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, parotiditis and rubella, were included into the study. Children were divided into 5 groups of 20 persons each: groups of separate or associated vaccination. In order to assess safety of vaccination children were observed for 30 days after vaccination. In order to analyze immunologic efficacy participants were taken serum tests before and on the 30th day after vaccination. Results: the study demonstrated high safety of the vaccine against influenza. Mild and moderate topical and general reactions were observed in isolated instances and did not differ in comparison groups. Simultaneous vaccination against influenza with immunization against diphtheria, parotiditis and rubella did not influence synthesis of antibodies, while synthesis of antibodies against measles was decreased; immunization against diphtheria and measles when associated with vaccination against influenza depressed synthesis of antibodies against A/H3N2 influenza. Conclusions: vaccine against influenza has low reactivity, high safety and can be used in association with immunization according to the National calendar in independence to somatic disorders of patients. 

  1. The immune response against Candida spp. and Sporothrix schenckii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Álvarez, José A; Pérez-García, Luis A; Flores-Carreón, Arturo; Mora-Montes, Héctor M

    2014-01-01

    Candida albicans is the main causative agent of systemic candidiasis, a condition with high mortality rates. The study of the interaction between C. albicans and immune system components has been thoroughly studied and nowadays there is a model for the anti-C. albicans immune response; however, little is known about the sensing of other pathogenic species of the Candida genus. Sporothrix schenckii is the causative agent of sporotrichosis, a subcutaneous mycosis, and thus far there is limited information about its interaction with the immune system. In this paper, we review the most recent information about the immune sensing of species from genus Candida and S. schenckii. Thoroughly searches in scientific journal databases were performed, looking for papers addressing either Candida- or Sporothrix-immune system interactions. There is a significant advance in the knowledge of non-C. albicans species of Candida and Sporothrix immune sensing; however, there are still relevant points to address, such as the specific contribution of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) for sensing by different immune cells and the immune receptors involved in such interactions. This manuscript is part of the series of works presented at the "V International Workshop: Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human pathogenic fungi" (Oaxaca, Mexico, 2012). Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  2. Integrating risk management and safety culture in a framework for risk informed decision making

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nelson, W.R.

    2009-01-01

    Operators and regulators of nuclear power plants agree on the importance of maintaining safety and controlling accident risks. Effective safety and risk management requires treatment of both technical and organizational components. Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) provides tools for technical risk management. However, organizational factors are not treated in PRA, but are addressed using different approaches. To bring both components together, a framework of Risk Informed Decision Making (RIDM) is needed. The objective tree structure of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is a promising approach to combine both elements. Effective collaboration involving regulatory and industry groups is needed to accomplish the integration. (author)

  3. The importance of online communication in the information upon safety and security at work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chiţu Ioana Bianca

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at presenting the employees’ opinions on the use of online environment as a medium for communicating the information related to labour safety and security. The study is based on a quantitative marketing research achieved by interviewing 95 participants, within a conference on labour safety and security. The idea of conducting this research was based on the increasing number of internet users in our country, as well as on the fact that the young generations are ever more dependent on the communication in the online environment, to the detriment of the communication by classical promotional media.

  4. Proceedings of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission nineteenth water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1992-04-01

    This three-volume report contains 83 papers out of the 108 that were presented at the Nineteenth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, during the week of October 28--30, 1991. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included 14 different papers presented by researchers from Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Sweden, Taiwan, and USSR. This document, Volume 2, presents papers on: Severe accident research; Severe accident and policy implementation; and Accident management. The individual papers have been cataloged separately

  5. Bridging probabilistic safety assessment studies with information Management System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luanco, E. M.

    2010-01-01

    Probabilistic Safety Assessment (PSA) is a critical business often known in conjunction with either new build or life extension of nuclear power plant. However, it is not so often referred to the operation phase of the plant, although it could bring a lot of long term benefits to the operator. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential contribution of PSA with day to day operation in bridging the deficiencies and specific failures characteristics of critical Structure System and Component (SSC) with the results of PSA studies. From and Information System prospective, the use of Information Management system (IMS) -also known as EAM solution -widely used by the majority of nuclear operators- is the potential vehicle to bridge the 2 worlds of PSA and daily operation. Most EAM solution get reliability management functionalities which are not really integrated with PSA tools and data and thus cannot provide the anticipated benefits of addressing typical aging phenomena beyond the only predictive models used by the PSA studies. The paper will also discuss potential integration scenario between PSA tools and EAM solutions. (authors)

  6. Current understanding of interactions between nanoparticles and the immune system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrovolskaia, Marina A; Shurin, Michael; Shvedova, Anna A

    2016-05-15

    The delivery of drugs, antigens, and imaging agents benefits from using nanotechnology-based carriers. The successful translation of nanoformulations to the clinic involves thorough assessment of their safety profiles, which, among other end-points, includes evaluation of immunotoxicity. The past decade of research focusing on nanoparticle interaction with the immune system has been fruitful in terms of understanding the basics of nanoparticle immunocompatibility, developing a bioanalytical infrastructure to screen for nanoparticle-mediated immune reactions, beginning to uncover the mechanisms of nanoparticle immunotoxicity, and utilizing current knowledge about the structure-activity relationship between nanoparticles' physicochemical properties and their effects on the immune system to guide safe drug delivery. In the present review, we focus on the most prominent pieces of the nanoparticle-immune system puzzle and discuss the achievements, disappointments, and lessons learned over the past 15years of research on the immunotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. A Framework for an Integrated Risk Informed Decision Making Process. INSAG-25. A Report by the International Nuclear Safety Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-01-01

    There is general international agreement, as reflected in various IAEA Safety Standards on nuclear reactor design and operation, that both deterministic and probabilistic analyses contribute to reactor safety by providing insights, perspective, comprehension and balance. Accordingly, the integration of deterministic and probabilistic analyses is increasing to support design, safety evaluation and operations. Additionally, application of these approaches to physical security is now being considered by several Member States. Deterministic and probabilistic analyses yield outputs that are complementary to each other. There is thus a need to use a structured framework for consideration of deterministic and probabilistic techniques and findings. In this process, it is appropriate to encourage a balance between deterministic approaches, probabilistic analyses and other factors (see Section 3) in order to achieve an integrated decision making process that serves in an optimal fashion to ensure nuclear reactor safety. This report presents such a framework - a framework that is termed 'integrated risk informed decision making' (IRIDM). While the details of IRIDM methods may change with better understanding of the subject, the framework presented in this report is expected to apply for the foreseeable future. IRIDM depends on the integration of a wide variety of information, insights and perspectives, as well as the commitment of designers, operators and regulatory authorities ers, operators and regulatory authorities to use risk information in their decisions. This report thus focuses on key IRIDM aspects, as well considerations that bear on their application which should be taken into account in order to arrive at sound risk informed decisions. This report is intended to be in harmony with the IAEA Safety Standards and various INSAG reports relating to safety assessment and verification, and seeks to convey an appropriate approach to enhance nuclear reactor safety

  8. A Framework for an Integrated Risk Informed Decision Making Process. INSAG-25. A Report by the International Nuclear Safety Group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    There is general international agreement, as reflected in various IAEA Safety Standards on nuclear reactor design and operation, that both deterministic and probabilistic analyses contribute to reactor safety by providing insights, perspective, comprehension and balance. Accordingly, the integration of deterministic and probabilistic analyses is increasing to support design, safety evaluation and operations. Additionally, application of these approaches to physical security is now being considered by several Member States. Deterministic and probabilistic analyses yield outputs that are complementary to each other. There is thus a need to use a structured framework for consideration of deterministic and probabilistic techniques and findings. In this process, it is appropriate to encourage a balance between deterministic approaches, probabilistic analyses and other factors (see Section 3) in order to achieve an integrated decision making process that serves in an optimal fashion to ensure nuclear reactor safety. This report presents such a framework - a framework that is termed 'integrated risk informed decision making' (IRIDM). While the details of IRIDM methods may change with better understanding of the subject, the framework presented in this report is expected to apply for the foreseeable future. IRIDM depends on the integration of a wide variety of information, insights and perspectives, as well as the commitment of designers, operators and regulatory authorities to use risk information in their decisions. This report thus focuses on key IRIDM aspects, as well considerations that bear on their application which should be taken into account in order to arrive at sound risk informed decisions. This report is intended to be in harmony with the IAEA Safety Standards and various INSAG reports relating to safety assessment and verification, and seeks to convey an appropriate approach to enhance nuclear reactor safety

  9. ImmuneDB: a system for the analysis and exploration of high-throughput adaptive immune receptor sequencing data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenfeld, Aaron M; Meng, Wenzhao; Luning Prak, Eline T; Hershberg, Uri

    2017-01-15

    As high-throughput sequencing of B cells becomes more common, the need for tools to analyze the large quantity of data also increases. This article introduces ImmuneDB, a system for analyzing vast amounts of heavy chain variable region sequences and exploring the resulting data. It can take as input raw FASTA/FASTQ data, identify genes, determine clones, construct lineages, as well as provide information such as selection pressure and mutation analysis. It uses an industry leading database, MySQL, to provide fast analysis and avoid the complexities of using error prone flat-files. ImmuneDB is freely available at http://immunedb.comA demo of the ImmuneDB web interface is available at: http://immunedb.com/demo CONTACT: Uh25@drexel.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  10. Harnessing naturally occurring tumor immunity: a clinical vaccine trial in prostate cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mayu O Frank

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Studies of patients with paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PND have revealed that apoptotic tumor serves as a potential potent trigger for the initiation of naturally occurring tumor immunity. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and immunogenicity of an apoptotic tumor-autologous dendritic cell (DC vaccine.We have modeled PND tumor immunity in a clinical trial in which apoptotic allogeneic prostate tumor cells were used to generate an apoptotic tumor-autologous dendritic cell vaccine. Twenty-four prostate cancer patients were immunized in a Phase I, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study to assess the safety and immunogenicity of this vaccine. Vaccinations were safe and well tolerated. Importantly, we also found that the vaccine was immunogenic, inducing delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH responses and CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation, with no effect on FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. A statistically significant increase in T cell proliferation responses to prostate tumor cells in vitro (p = 0.002, decrease in prostate specific antigen (PSA slope (p = 0.016, and a two-fold increase in PSA doubling time (p = 0.003 were identified when we compared data before and after vaccination.An apoptotic cancer cell vaccine modeled on naturally occurring tumor immune responses in PND patients provides a safe and immunogenic tumor vaccine.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00289341.

  11. Perceptions of Psychological and Physical Safety Environments of Information Technology Employees: A Phenomenological Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, Sheila C.

    2012-01-01

    A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of psychological and safety environments of an oil and gas multinational enterprise. Twenty information technology professionals were interviewed to explore their feelings, perceptions, beliefs, and values of the phenomenon. The interviews elicited data about facets…

  12. Apps for immunization: Leveraging mobile devices to place the individual at the center of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Kumanan; Atkinson, Katherine M; Westeinde, Jacqueline

    2015-01-01

    Mobile technology and applications (apps) have disrupted several industries including healthcare. The advantage of apps, being personally focused and permitting bidirectional communication, make them well suited to address many immunization challenges. As of April 25, 2015 searching the Android app store with the words 'immunize app' and 'immunization app' in Canada yielded 225 apps. On the Apple App Store a similar search produced 98 results. These include apps that provide immunization related information, permit vaccine tracking both for individuals and for animals, assist with the creation of customized schedules and identification of vaccine clinics and serve as sources of education. The diverse functionality of mobile apps creates the potential for transformation of immunization practice both at a personal level and a system level. For individuals, mobile apps offer the opportunity for better record keeping, assistance with the logistics of vaccination, and novel ways of communicating with and receiving information from public health officials. For the system, mobile apps offer the potential to improve the quality of information residing in immunization information systems and program evaluation, facilitate harmonization of immunization information between individuals, health care providers and public health as well as reduce vaccine hesitancy. As mobile technology continues to rapidly evolve there will emerge new ways in which apps can enhance immunization practice.

  13. Advice on drug safety in pregnancy: are there differences between commonly used sources of information?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frost Widnes, Sofia K; Schjøtt, Jan

    2008-01-01

    Safety regarding use in pregnancy is not established for many drugs. Inconsistencies between sources providing drug information can give rise to confusion with possible therapeutic consequences. Therefore, it is important to measure clinically important differences between drug information sources. The objective of this study was to compare two easily accessible Norwegian sources providing advice on drug safety in pregnancy - the product monographs in the Felleskatalog (FK), published by the pharmaceutical companies, and the five regional Drug Information Centres (DICs) in Norway - in addition to assessing the frequency of questions regarding drug safety in pregnancy made to the DICs according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. Advice on drug use in pregnancy provided by the DICs in 2003 and 2005 were compared with advice in the product monographs for the respective drugs in the FK. Comparison of advice was based on categorization to one of four categories: can be used, benefit-risk assessment, should not be used, or no available information. A total of 443 drug advice were categorized. Seven out of ten of drugs frequently enquired about, according to the ATC system, were drugs acting on the nervous system (group N). For 208 (47%) of the drugs, advice differed between the DICs and FK. Advice from the FK was significantly (p drugs that were newly introduced and those that had been on the market for a longer time, advice regarding use of drugs in the first trimester and advice regarding use of drugs in the second or third trimester, or between advice provided during 2003 and during 2005. The results of this study show considerable differences between two Norwegian sources providing advice on the use of drugs in pregnancy. Based on the knowledge that healthcare providers choose sources of information in a random manner, our results may be of clinical importance. We believe that the problem with heterogeneous drug information on this

  14. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of MELOX - Issue 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents different aspects of the MELOX plant which produces MOX fuel: location and environment, history of basic nuclear installation or INB 151, presentation of the nuclear operator and of the industrial operator, assets of MOX fuel, MOX customers, regulatory framework of the MELOX plant, policy for sustainable development and continuous progress. It addresses the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: general overview of nuclear safety in France, presentation of the Areva's nuclear safety Charter, measures adopted in MELOX, review for 2012 and perspectives for 2013. The next part addresses nuclear events: presentation of the INES scale and of the event declaration procedure, review of events declared in 2012 and regarding MELOX. The report gives an overview of activities and measures regarding protection and control of the environment: environmental management, consumption of natural resources, control of effluent releases, measurement of the impact on the environment, waste management, and perspectives for 2013. The last chapter reviews the actions undertaken in the field of transparency and information. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  15. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of MELOX - Issue 2013

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents different aspects of the MELOX plant which produces MOX fuel: location and environment, history of basic nuclear installation or INB 151, presentation of the nuclear operator and of the industrial operator, assets of MOX fuel, MOX customers, regulatory framework of the MELOX plant, policy for sustainable development and continuous progress. It addresses the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: general overview of nuclear safety in France, presentation of the Areva's nuclear safety Charter, measures adopted in MELOX, review for 2013 and perspectives for 2014. The next part addresses nuclear events: presentation of the INES scale and of the event declaration procedure, review of events declared in 2013 and regarding MELOX. The report gives an overview of activities and measures regarding protection and control of the environment: environmental management, consumption of natural resources, control of effluent releases, measurement of the impact on the environment, waste management, and perspectives for 2014. The last chapter reviews the actions undertaken in the field of transparency and information. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  16. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of MELOX - Issue 2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents different aspects of the MELOX plant which produces MOX fuel: location and environment, history of basic nuclear installation or INB 151, presentation of the nuclear operator and of the industrial operator, assets of MOX fuel, MOX customers, regulatory framework of the MELOX plant, policy for sustainable development and continuous progress. It addresses the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: general overview of nuclear safety in France, presentation of the Areva's nuclear safety Charter, measures adopted in MELOX, review for 2014 and perspectives for 2015. The next part addresses nuclear events: presentation of the INES scale and of the event declaration procedure, review of events declared in 2014 and regarding MELOX. The report gives an overview of activities and measures regarding protection and control of the environment: environmental management, consumption of natural resources, control of effluent releases, measurement of the impact on the environment, waste management, and perspectives for 2015. The last chapter reviews the actions undertaken in the field of transparency and information. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  17. A modified live canine parvovirus vaccine. II. Immune response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmichael, L E; Joubert, J C; Pollock, R V

    1983-01-01

    The safety and efficacy of an attenuated canine parvovirus (A-CPV) vaccine was evaluated in both experimental and in field dogs. After parenteral vaccination, seronegative dogs developed hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibody titers as early as postvaccination (PV) day 2. Maximal titers occurred within 1 week. Immunity was associated with the persistence of HI antibody titers (titers greater than 80) that endured at least 2 years. Immune dogs challenged with virulent CPV did not shed virus in their feces. The A-CPV vaccine did not cause illness alone or in combination with living canine distemper (CD) and canine adenovirus type-2 (CAV-2) vaccines, nor did it interfere with the immune response to the other viruses. A high rate (greater than 98%) of immunity was engendered in seronegative pups. In contrast, maternal antibody interfered with the active immune response to the A-CPV. More than 95% of the dogs with HI titers less than 10 responded to the vaccine, but only 50% responded when titers were approximately 20. No animal with a titer greater than 80 at the time of vaccination became actively immunized. Susceptibility to virulent CPV during that period when maternal antibody no longer protects against infection, but still prevents active immunization, is the principal cause of vaccinal failure in breeding kennels where CPV is present. Reduction, but not complete elimination, of CPV disease in large breeding kennels occurred within 1-2 months of instituting an A-CPV vaccination program.

  18. IE Information Notice No. 85-08: Industry experience on certain materials used in safety-related equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jordan, E.L.

    1992-01-01

    This information notice is being issued to provide licensees and construction permit holders with information pertaining to the behavior of certain materials used in safety-related equipment. The materials, as described below, were observed to have the potential of degrading the operability of safety-related equipment. These observations were made during environmental qualification testing and/or during routine inspection of in-service equipment. The notice describes the following: elastomeric seals used in personnel air locks for the reactor containment systems; epoxy phenolic coating applied to the lower portion of the interior surface of diesel oil storage tanks; the use of Viton elastomer as the seal material in hydrogen recombiner applications; and environmental qualification of ASCO NP valves with Viton and ethylene propylene parts

  19. On the role of safety culture in risk-informed regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorensen, J.N.; Apostolakis, G.E.; Powers, D.A.

    2000-01-01

    There is a widespread belief that safety culture is an important contributor to safety of operations. The commonly accepted attributes of safety culture include good organizational communications, good organizational learning, and senior management commitment to safety. Safety culture may be particularly important in reducing latent errors in complex, well-defended systems. The role of regulatory bodies in fostering strong safety cultures remains unclear, and additional work is required to define the essential attributes of safety culture and to identify reliable performance indicators. (author)

  20. Predicting safety culture: the roles of employer, operations manager and safety professional.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Tsung-Chih; Lin, Chia-Hung; Shiau, Sen-Yu

    2010-10-01

    This study explores predictive factors in safety culture. In 2008, a sample 939 employees was drawn from 22 departments of a telecoms firm in five regions in central Taiwan. The sample completed a questionnaire containing four scales: the employer safety leadership scale, the operations manager safety leadership scale, the safety professional safety leadership scale, and the safety culture scale. The sample was then randomly split into two subsamples. One subsample was used for measures development, one for the empirical study. A stepwise regression analysis found four factors with a significant impact on safety culture (R²=0.337): safety informing by operations managers; safety caring by employers; and safety coordination and safety regulation by safety professionals. Safety informing by operations managers (ß=0.213) was by far the most significant predictive factor. The findings of this study provide a framework for promoting a positive safety culture at the group level. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Immunization in pregnancy clinical research in low- and middle-income countries - Study design, regulatory and safety considerations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kochhar, Sonali; Bonhoeffer, Jan; Jones, Christine E; Muñoz, Flor M; Honrado, Angel; Bauwens, Jorgen; Sobanjo-Ter Meulen, Ajoke; Hirschfeld, Steven

    2017-12-04

    Immunization of pregnant women is a promising public health strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality among both the mothers and their infants. Establishing safety and efficacy of vaccines generally uses a hybrid design between a conventional interventional study and an observational study that requires enrolling thousands of study participants to detect an unknown number of uncommon events. Historically, enrollment of pregnant women in clinical research studies encountered many barriers based on risk aversion, lack of knowledge, and regulatory ambiguity. Conducting research enrolling pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries can have additional factors to address such as limited availability of baseline epidemiologic data on disease burden and maternal and neonatal outcomes during and after pregnancy; challenges in recruiting and retaining pregnant women in research studies, variability in applying and interpreting assessment methods, and variability in locally acceptable and available infrastructure. Some measures to address these challenges include adjustment of study design, tailoring recruitment, consent process, retention strategies, operational and logistical processes, and the use of definitions and data collection methods that will align with efforts globally. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. The role of immune system exhaustion on cancer cell escape and anti-tumor immune induction after irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendes, Fernando; Domingues, Cátia; Rodrigues-Santos, Paulo; Abrantes, Ana Margarida; Gonçalves, Ana Cristina; Estrela, Jéssica; Encarnação, João; Pires, Ana Salomé; Laranjo, Mafalda; Alves, Vera; Teixo, Ricardo; Sarmento, Ana Bela; Botelho, Maria Filomena; Rosa, Manuel Santos

    2016-04-01

    Immune surveillance seems to represent an effective tumor suppressor mechanism. However, some cancer cells survive and become variants, being poorly immunogenic and able to enter a steady-state phase. These cells become functionally dormant or remain hidden clinically throughout. Neoplastic cells seem to be able to instruct immune cells to undergo changes promoting malignancy. Radiotherapy may act as a trigger of the immune response. After radiotherapy a sequence of reactions occurs, starting in the damage of oncogenic cells by multiple mechanisms, leading to the immune system positive feedback against the tumor. The link between radiotherapy and the immune system is evident. T cells, macrophages, Natural Killer cells and other immune cells seem to have a key role in controlling the tumor. T cells may be dysfunctional and remain in a state of T cell exhaustion, nonetheless, they often retain a high potential for successful defense against cancer, being able to be mobilized to become highly functional. The lack of clinical trials on a large scale makes data a little robust, in spite of promising information, there are still many variables in the studies relating to radiation and immune system. The clarification of the mechanisms underlying immune response to radiation exposure may contribute to treatment improvement, gain of life quality and span of patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Safety performance indicators used by the Russian Safety Regulatory Authority in its practical activities on nuclear power plant safety regulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khazanov, A.L.

    2005-01-01

    The Sixth Department of the Nuclear, Industrial and Environmental Regulatory Authority of Russia, Scientific and Engineering Centre for Nuclear and Radiation Safety process, analyse and use the information on nuclear power plants (NPPs) operational experience or NPPs safety improvement. Safety performance indicators (SPIs), derived from processing of information on operational violations and analysis of annual NPP Safety Reports, are used as tools to determination of trends towards changing of characteristics of operational safety, to assess the effectiveness of corrective measures, to monitor and evaluate the current operational safety level of NPPs, to regulate NPP safety. This report includes a list of the basic SPIs, those used by the Russian safety regulatory authority in regulatory activity. Some of them are absent in list of IAEA-TECDOC-1141 ('Operational safety performance indicators for nuclear power plants'). (author)

  4. Immunization against Genital Herpes with a Vaccine Virus That has Defects in Productive and Latent Infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Costa, Xavier J.; Jones, Cheryl A.; Knipe, David M.

    1999-06-01

    An effective vaccine for genital herpes has been difficult to achieve because of the limited efficacy of subunit vaccines and the safety concerns about live viruses. As an alternative approach, mutant herpes simplex virus strains that are replication-defective can induce protective immunity. To increase the level of safety and to prove that replication was not needed for immunization, we constructed a mutant herpes simplex virus 2 strain containing two deletion mutations, each of which eliminated viral replication. The double-mutant virus induces protective immunity that can reduce acute viral shedding and latent infection in a mouse genital model, but importantly, the double-mutant virus shows a phenotypic defect in latent infection. This herpes vaccine strain, which is immunogenic but has defects in both productive and latent infection, provides a paradigm for the design of vaccines and vaccine vectors for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as AIDS.

  5. Liquid-metal fast-breeder reactors: Preliminary safety and environmental information document. Volume VI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1980-01-01

    Information is presented concerning LMFBR design characteristics; uranium-plutonium/uranium recycle homogeneous core; uranium-plutonium/uranium spiked recycle heterogeneous core; uranium-plutonium/uranium spiked recycle homogeneous core; uranium-plutonium/thorium spiked recycle heterogeneous core; uranium-plutonium/thorium spiked recycle homogeneous core; thorium-plutonium/thorium spiked recycle homogeneous core; denatured uranium-233/thorium cycle homogeneous core; safety consideration for the LMFBR; and environmental considerations

  6. Changes in the immune system during and after spaceflight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, G. R.; Konstantinova, I.; Sonnenfeld, G.; Jennings, R.

    1997-01-01

    The results of immunological analyses before, during and after spaceflight, have established the fact that spaceflight can result in a blunting of the immune mechanisms of human crew members and animal test species. There is some evidence that the immune function changes in short-term flights resemble those occurring after acute stress, while the changes during long-term flights resemble those caused by chronic stress. In addition, this blunting of the immune function occurs concomitant with a relative increase in potentially infectious microorganisms in the space cabin environment. This combination of events results in an increased probability of inflight infectious events. The realization of this probability has been shown to be partially negated by the judicious use of a preflight health stabilization program and other operational countermeasures. The continuation of these countermeasures, as well as microbial and immunological monitoring, are recommended for continued spaceflight safety.

  7. Using the North Dakota Immunization Information System to determine adolescent vaccination rates and uptake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LoMurray, Keith; Sander, Molly

    2011-01-01

    We described the uptake and coverage rates of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4); tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap); and quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) in North Dakota using the North Dakota Immunization Information System (NDIIS). We analyzed all available MCV4, Tdap, and HPV4 doses given after vaccine licensure and through December 31, 2009, obtained from the NDIIS to identify trends and patterns in vaccine administration. We analyzed all data by administration date, age group, and health-care provider type. We also calculated missed opportunities to complete all recommended vaccines among vaccinated adolescents. For adolescents aged 13-17 years, 69.2% had > or = 1 dose of Tdap and 62.8% had > or = 1 dose of MCV4. Of females aged 13-17 years, 42.8% initiated the HPV4 vaccination series and 24.9% received > or = 3 HPV4 doses. Only 48.7% of males aged 13-17 years received both Tdap and MCV4 at the same visit, and only 11.5% of females aged 13-17 years received Tdap, MCV4, and HPV4 doses at the first visit. The NDIIS is useful in tracking adolescent vaccine uptake. The immunization rates for all three routinely recommended adolescent vaccines are rising in North Dakota, although at different paces. Providers should be educated about the importance of not missing opportunities to vaccinate, and school-based vaccination clinics should be used to reach adolescents who are less likely to have preventive care visits.

  8. Improving Hospital Quality and Patient Safety an Examination of Organizational Culture and Information Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, John Wallace

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation examines the effects of safety culture, including operational climate and practices, as well as the adoption and use of information systems for delivering high quality healthcare and improved patient experience. Chapter 2 studies the influence of both general and outcome-specific hospital climate and quality practices on process…

  9. The Decision of Information Safety Problems at Processing of the Biometric Personal Data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. G. Gorshkov

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available The requirements imposed on transfer by the personal biometric information in systems and communication networks according to Federal Law № 152 “Personal data” are defined. Lacks of used decisions protection of such biometric data, as the test speech information, including parameters of a speech path, and also acoustic signals of tones and noise of heart of the person on an example of telemedicine systems construction with the using of a network telephone channels general using and wireless networks Wi-Fi are considered. Directions of works are formulated on safety of the personal biometric data transferred in telecommunication systems.

  10. Comparison of immunization strategies in geographical networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Bing; Aihara, Kazuyuki [Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan)] [ERATO Aihara Complexity Modelling Project, JST, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 153-8505 (Japan); Kim, Beom Jun, E-mail: beomjun@skku.ed [BK21 Physics Research Division and Department of Energy Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)] [Department of Computational Biology, School of Computer Science and Communication, Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2009-10-12

    The epidemic spread and immunizations in geographically embedded scale-free (SF) and Watts-Strogatz (WS) networks are numerically investigated. We make a realistic assumption that it takes time which we call the detection time, for a vertex to be identified as infected, and implement two different immunization strategies: one is based on connection neighbors (CN) of the infected vertex with the exact information of the network structure utilized and the other is based on spatial neighbors (SN) with only geographical distances taken into account. We find that the decrease of the detection time is crucial for a successful immunization in general. Simulation results show that for both SF networks and WS networks, the SN strategy always performs better than the CN strategy, especially for more heterogeneous SF networks at long detection time. The observation is verified by checking the number of the infected nodes being immunized. We found that in geographical space, the distance preferences in the network construction process and the geographically decaying infection rate are key factors that make the SN immunization strategy outperforms the CN strategy. It indicates that even in the absence of the full knowledge of network connectivity we can still stop the epidemic spread efficiently only by using geographical information as in the SN strategy, which may have potential applications for preventing the real epidemic spread.

  11. Comparison of immunization strategies in geographical networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bing; Aihara, Kazuyuki; Kim, Beom Jun

    2009-01-01

    The epidemic spread and immunizations in geographically embedded scale-free (SF) and Watts-Strogatz (WS) networks are numerically investigated. We make a realistic assumption that it takes time which we call the detection time, for a vertex to be identified as infected, and implement two different immunization strategies: one is based on connection neighbors (CN) of the infected vertex with the exact information of the network structure utilized and the other is based on spatial neighbors (SN) with only geographical distances taken into account. We find that the decrease of the detection time is crucial for a successful immunization in general. Simulation results show that for both SF networks and WS networks, the SN strategy always performs better than the CN strategy, especially for more heterogeneous SF networks at long detection time. The observation is verified by checking the number of the infected nodes being immunized. We found that in geographical space, the distance preferences in the network construction process and the geographically decaying infection rate are key factors that make the SN immunization strategy outperforms the CN strategy. It indicates that even in the absence of the full knowledge of network connectivity we can still stop the epidemic spread efficiently only by using geographical information as in the SN strategy, which may have potential applications for preventing the real epidemic spread.

  12. Effects of Food Additives on Immune Cells As Contributors to Body Weight Gain and Immune-Mediated Metabolic Dysregulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heitor A. Paula Neto

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Food additives are compounds used in order to improve food palatability, texture, and shelf life. Despite a significant effort to assure safety of use, toxicological analysis of these substances, generally, rely on their direct toxicity to target organs (liver and kidney or their genotoxic effects. Much less attention is paid to the effects of these compounds on cells of the immune system. This is of relevance given that metabolic dysregulation and obesity have a strong immune-mediated component. Obese individuals present a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that contributes to the establishment of insulin resistance and other metabolic abnormalities known as the metabolic syndrome. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are currently recognized as worldwide epidemics that pose a profound socioeconomic impact and represent a concern to public health. Cells of the immune system contribute to both the maintenance of “lean homeostasis” and the metabolic dysregulation observed in obese individuals. Although much attention has been drawn in the past decades to obesity and metabolic syndrome as a result of ingesting highly processed food containing large amounts of fat and simple sugars, mounting evidence suggest that food additives may also be important contributors to metabolic derangement. Herein, we review pieces of evidence from the literature showing that food additives have relevant effects on cells of the immune system that could contribute to immune-mediated metabolic dysregulation. Considering their potential to predispose individuals to develop obesity and metabolic syndrome, their use should be taken with caution or maybe revisited.

  13. Safety of antimicrobial treatment during pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lamont, Harriet F; Blogg, Henrietta J; Lamont, Ronald F

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: The extent of antibiotic use in pregnancy remains unknown but may occur in > 40% of pregnant women for various indications, at different gestational ages from different sources. Areas covered: Antibiotic resistance, alterations to the neonatal immune system causing allergy, asthma...... in scrutinizing the safety of antibiotic use in pregnancy....

  14. Arrangement between the Health and Safety Executive of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Minister of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany for a continuing exchange of information on significant matters pertaining to the safety of nuclear installations and on collaboration in the development of regulatory safety criteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    According to this Agreement, information is exchanged by communication of reports, research results and studies as well as by mutual information on measures and resolutions concerning the safety of nuclear installations. Reports and information also include decisions and enquiries by courts of law on matters of safety. Co-operation in the drafting of safety standards comprises mutual information about work undertaken or planned and the exchange of texts of law, rules and regulations. (NEA) [fr

  15. Trauma-informed care in the newborn intensive care unit: promoting safety, security and connectedness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, M R; Hall, S L

    2018-01-01

    Both babies and their parents may experience a stay in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) as a traumatic or a 'toxic stress,' which can lead to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and ultimately to poorly controlled cortisol secretion. Toxic stresses in childhood or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to poor health outcomes across the lifespan and trauma-informed care is an approach to caregiving based on the recognition of this relationship. Practitioners of trauma-informed care seek to understand clients' or patients' behaviors in light of previous traumas they have experienced, including ACEs. Practitioners also provide supportive care that enhances the client's or patient's feelings of safety and security, to prevent their re-traumatization in a current situation that may potentially overwhelm their coping skills. This review will apply the principles of trauma-informed care, within the framework of the Polyvagal Theory as described by Porges, to care for the NICU baby, the baby's family and their professional caregivers, emphasizing the importance of social connectedness among all. The Polyvagal Theory explains how one's unconscious awareness of safety, danger or life threat (neuroception) is linked through the autonomic nervous system to their behavioral responses. A phylogenetic hierarchy of behaviors evolved over time, leveraging the mammalian ventral or 'smart' vagal nucleus into a repertoire of responses promoting mother-baby co-regulation and the sense of safety and security that supports health and well-being for both members of the dyad. Fostering social connectedness that is mutual and reciprocal among parents, their baby and the NICU staff creates a critical buffer to mitigate stress and improve outcomes of both baby and parents. Using techniques of trauma-informed care, as explained by the Polyvagal Theory, with both babies and their parents in the NICU setting will help to cement a secure relationship

  16. Transport modeling: An artificial immune system approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teodorović Dušan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper describes an artificial immune system approach (AIS to modeling time-dependent (dynamic, real time transportation phenomenon characterized by uncertainty. The basic idea behind this research is to develop the Artificial Immune System, which generates a set of antibodies (decisions, control actions that altogether can successfully cover a wide range of potential situations. The proposed artificial immune system develops antibodies (the best control strategies for different antigens (different traffic "scenarios". This task is performed using some of the optimization or heuristics techniques. Then a set of antibodies is combined to create Artificial Immune System. The developed Artificial Immune transportation systems are able to generalize, adapt, and learn based on new knowledge and new information. Applications of the systems are considered for airline yield management, the stochastic vehicle routing, and real-time traffic control at the isolated intersection. The preliminary research results are very promising.

  17. 76 FR 45904 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-08-01

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... at U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1200...: On Occasion. Title: Record Keeping for Natural Gas Pipeline Operators. OMB Control Number: 2137-0049...

  18. 75 FR 13807 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-23

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No... of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE...: Updates to Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Reporting Requirements (One Rule). The Notice of Proposed...

  19. Aube storage center. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection 2015

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2016-01-01

    The National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Andra), was established by the December 1991 Waste Act as a public body in charge of the long-term management of all radioactive waste, under the supervision of the Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea (formerly the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Environment), and the Ministry of Research. The Andra operates two storage centers in the Aube region (France): the center for short-lived low- and intermediate-level wastes, and the center for very-low-level radioactive wastes. This document is the 2015 activity report of the center for short-lived low- and intermediate-level wastes. It presents a review of the activities of the center: presentation of the installations, safety and radiation protection, security, events or incidents, environmental monitoring and effluents, wastes management, public information, recommendations of the Health and safety Committee (CHSCT)

  20. Aube storage center. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection 2016

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-01-01

    The National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Andra), was established by the December 1991 Waste Act as a public body in charge of the long-term management of all radioactive waste, under the supervision of the Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea (formerly the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Environment), and the Ministry of Research. The Andra operates two storage centers in the Aube region (France): the center for short-lived low- and intermediate-level wastes, and the center for very-low-level radioactive wastes. This document is the 2016 activity report of the center for short-lived low- and intermediate-level wastes. It presents a review of the activities of the center: presentation of the installations, safety and radiation protection, security, events or incidents, environmental monitoring and effluents, wastes management, public information, recommendations of the Health and safety Committee (CHSCT)

  1. Rules Extraction with an Immune Algorithm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deqin Yan

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, a method of extracting rules with immune algorithms from information systems is proposed. Designing an immune algorithm is based on a sharing mechanism to extract rules. The principle of sharing and competing resources in the sharing mechanism is consistent with the relationship of sharing and rivalry among rules. In order to extract rules efficiently, a new concept of flexible confidence and rule measurement is introduced. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is effective.

  2. Risk-informed decision making during Bohunice NPP safety upgrading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lipar, M.; Muzikova, E.; Kubanyi, J.

    2001-01-01

    The paper summarizes some facts of risk-informed regulation developments within UJD regulatory environment. Based on national as well as international operating experience and indications resulted from PSA, Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD) since its constituting in 1993 has devoted an effort to use PSA technology to support the regulatory policy in Slovakia. The PSA is considered a complement, not a substitute, to the deterministic approach. Suchlike integrated approach is used in decision making processes and the final decision on scope and priorities is based on it. The paper outlines risk insights used in the decision making process concerning Bohunice NPP safety upgrading and focuses on the role of PSA results in Gradual Reconstruction of Bohunice VI NPP. Besides, two other examples of the PSA results application to the decision making process are provided: the assessment of proposal of modifications to the main power supply diagram (incorporation of generator switches) and the assessment of licensee request for motor generator AOT (Allowable Outage Time) extension. As an example of improving support of Bohunice V-2 risk-informed operations, concept of AOT calculations and Bohunice V-2 Risk Monitor Project are briefly described. (author)

  3. Risk informed approach and its application in Daya Bay NPP operation safety management

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He Yu; Zhang Jinlong; Bao Yukun

    2004-01-01

    The paper presents a systematic risk assessment approach based on probabilistic theory, and discusses its significance and application process in safety management. Risk informed approach that uses deterministic engineering principles and probabilistic methods is the appropriate approach to decision making at nuclear power plants. The paper also studies an actual case taken place at Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station using PSA approach to equipment maintenance. (authors)

  4. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of the SOMANU site - Issue 2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents different aspects of the SOMANU plant which is dedicated to the maintenance of materials and equipment from nuclear installations: location and environment, history, description of activities, regulatory framework. It describes the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: general principles of nuclear safety, organization, presentation of the Areva's nuclear safety Charter, inspections and controls, measures regarding radiation protection. The next part addresses nuclear events which occurred on this site and had to be declared. The report gives an overview of activities and measures regarding the management of releases and the control of the environment. The next part addresses waste management: general considerations on radioactive waste management in France, description and classification of radioactive wastes present in the INB, management of conventional wastes. The management of other impacts is also reported. The last chapter reviews the actions undertaken in the field of transparency and information. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  5. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of the SOMANU site - Issue 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-06-01

    Published in compliance with the French code of the environment, this report first presents different aspects of the SOMANU plant which is dedicated to the maintenance of materials and equipment from nuclear installations: location and environment, history, description of activities, regulatory framework. It describes the various measures regarding nuclear safety and radiation protection: general principles of nuclear safety, organization, presentation of the Areva's nuclear safety Charter, inspections and controls, measures regarding radiation protection. The next part addresses nuclear events which occurred on this site and had to be declared. The report gives an overview of activities and measures regarding the management of releases and the control of the environment. The next part addresses waste management: generalities on radioactive waste management in France, description and classification of radioactive wastes present in the INB, management of conventional wastes. The management of other impacts is also reported. The last chapter reviews the actions undertaken in the field of transparency and information. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  6. 75 FR 73160 - Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No...-Related Conditions on Gas, Hazardous Liquid, and Carbon Dioxide Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas... Pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities.'' The Pipeline Safety Laws (49 U.S.C. 60132) require each...

  7. High dose Intravenous Anti-D Immune Globulin is More Effective and Safe in Indian Paediatric Patients of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swain, Trupti Rekha; Jena, Rabindra Kumar; Swain, Kali Prasanna

    2016-12-01

    Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) is characterised by an autoimmune antibody-mediated destruction of platelets and impaired platelet production. Few controlled trials exist to guide management of patients with ITP in Indian scenario for which patients require an individualized approach. Anti-D (Rho (D) immune globulin) at a higher dose can prove to be a cost effective and safe alternative for Indian patients with ITP. To compare the safety and efficacy of higher dose (75μg/kg) intravenous Anti-D immune globulin against the standard dose of 50μg/kg for the management of ITP in Indian patients. One hundred and sixty four children with newly diagnosed ITP between 4-14 years were randomly selected for inclusion and were treated with 50μg/kg (standard dose) or 75μg /kg (higher dose) of Anti-D to compare the efficacy and safety of higher dose intravenous anti-D immune globulin. Efficacy of Anti-D was measured in terms of rate of response and median time to response for increase in platelet counts. Any adverse event was noted. A decrease in haemoglobin concentration suggested accompanying haemolysis. Seventy one out of 84 patients treated with Anti-D at 75μg/kg produced complete response (85%) with median time of response being 2.5 days. On the contrary, 45 patients (70%) patients treated with 50μg/kg had complete response. However, there was no significant increase in haemolysis with higher dose. A significant correlation was found between dose and peak increase in platelet count measured at 7 th day following administration. However, there was no relationship between the decrease in haemoglobin and the dose given, or between the increase in platelet count and fall in haemoglobin. A 75μg/kg dose of Anti-D is more effective with acceptable side effect in comparison to 50μg dose for treatment of newly diagnosed Indian patients of ITP.

  8. Negotiating the 'trading zone'. Creating a shared information infrastructure in the Dutch public safety sector

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boersma, F.K.; Wagenaar, F.P.; Wolbers, J.J.

    2012-01-01

    Our main concern in this article is whether nation-wide information technology (IT) infrastructures or systems in emergency response and disaster management are the solution to the communication problems the safety sector suffers from. It has been argued that implementing nation-wide IT systems will

  9. Incorporating immunizations into routine obstetric care to facilitate Health Care Practitioners in implementing maternal immunization recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, Heather; Street, Jackie; Marshall, Helen

    2014-01-01

    Immunization against pertussis, influenza, and rubella reduces morbidity and mortality in pregnant women and their offspring. Health care professionals (HCPs) caring for women perinatally are uniquely placed to reduce maternal vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). Despite guidelines recommending immunization during the perinatal period, maternal vaccine uptake remains low. This qualitative study explored the role of obstetricians, general practitioners, and midwives in maternal vaccine uptake. Semi-structured interviews (n = 15) were conducted with perinatal HCPs at a tertiary maternity hospital in South Australia. HCPs were asked to reflect on their knowledge, beliefs, and practice relating to immunization advice and vaccine provision. Interviews were transcribed and coded using thematic analysis. Data collection and analysis was an iterative process, with collection ceasing with theoretical saturation. Participants unanimously supported maternal vaccination as an effective way of reducing risk of disease in this vulnerable population, however only rubella immunity detection and immunization is embedded in routine care. Among these professionals, delegation of responsibility for maternal immunization was unclear and knowledge about maternal immunization was variable. Influenza and pertussis vaccine prevention measures were not included in standard pregnancy record documentation, information provision to patients was "ad hoc" and vaccinations not offered on-site. The key finding was that the incorporation of maternal vaccinations into standard care through a structured process is an important facilitator for immunization uptake. Incorporating vaccine preventable disease management measures into routine obstetric care including incorporation into the Pregnancy Record would facilitate HCPs in implementing recommendations. Rubella prevention provides a useful 'template' for other vaccines.

  10. Immunization Milestones: A More Comprehensive Picture of Age-Appropriate Vaccination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve G. Robison

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A challenge facing immunization registries is developing measures of childhood immunization coverage that contain more information for setting policy than present vaccine series up-to-date (UTD rates. This study combined milestone analysis with provider encounter data to determine when children either do not receive indicated immunizations during medical encounters or fail to visit providers. Milestone analysis measures immunization status at key times between birth and age 2, when recommended immunizations first become late. The immunization status of a large population of children in the Oregon ALERT immunization registry and in the Oregon Health Plan was tracked across milestone ages. Findings indicate that the majority of children went back and forth with regard to having complete age-appropriate immunizations over time. We also found that immunization UTD rates when used alone are biased towards relating non-UTD status to a lack of visits to providers, instead of to provider visits on which recommended immunizations are not given.

  11. Pharmaceutical sales representatives and patient safety: a comparative prospective study of information quality in Canada, France and the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mintzes, Barbara; Lexchin, Joel; Sutherland, Jason M; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique; Wilkes, Michael S; Durrieu, Geneviève; Reynolds, Ellen

    2013-10-01

    The information provided by pharmaceutical sales representatives has been shown to influence prescribing. To enable safe prescribing, medicines information must include harm as well as benefits. Regulation supports this aim, but relative effectiveness of different approaches is not known. The United States (US) and France directly regulate drug promotion; Canada relies on industry self-regulation. France has the strictest information standards. This is a prospective cohort study in Montreal, Vancouver, Sacramento and Toulouse. We recruited random samples of primary care physicians from May 2009 to June 2010 to report on consecutive sales visits. The primary outcome measure was "minimally adequate safety information" (mention of at least one indication, serious adverse event, common adverse event, and contraindication, and no unqualified safety claims or unapproved indications). Two hundred and fifty-five physicians reported on 1,692 drug-specific promotions. "Minimally adequate safety information" did not differ: 1.7 % of promotions; range 0.9-3.0 % per site. Sales representatives provided some vs. no information on harm more often in Toulouse than in Montreal and Vancouver: 61 % vs. 34 %, OR = 4.0; 95 % CI 2.8-5.6, or Sacramento (39 %), OR = 2.4; 95 % CI 1.7-3.6. Serious adverse events were rarely mentioned (5-6 % of promotions in all four sites), although 45 % of promotions were for drugs with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "black box" warnings of serious risks. Nevertheless, physicians judged the quality of scientific information to be good or excellent in 901 (54 %) of promotions, and indicated readiness to prescribe 64 % of the time. "Minimally adequate safety information" did not differ in the US and Canadian sites, despite regulatory differences. In Toulouse, consistent with stricter standards, more harm information was provided. However, in all sites, physicians were rarely informed about serious adverse events, raising questions about

  12. Proceedings of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission nineteenth water reactor safety information meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weiss, A.J.

    1992-04-01

    This three-volume report contains 83 papers out of the 108 that were presented at the Nineteenth Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting held at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, during the week of October 28--30, 1991. The papers are printed in the order of their presentation in each session and describe progress and results of programs in nuclear safety research conducted in this country and abroad. Foreign participation in the meeting included 14 different papers presented by researchers from Canada, Germany, France, Japan, Sweden, Taiwan, and USSR. This document, Volume 3, presents papers on: Structural engineering; Advanced reactor research; Advanced passive reactors; Human factors research; Human factors issues related to advanced passive light water researchers; Thermal Hydraulics; and Earth sciences. The individual papers have been cataloged separately

  13. Measuring Health Information Dissemination and Identifying Target Interest Communities on Twitter: Methods Development and Case Study of the @SafetyMD Network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandadai, Venk; Yang, Haodong; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Christopher C; Fleisher, Linda; Winston, Flaura Koplin

    2016-05-05

    Little is known about the ability of individual stakeholder groups to achieve health information dissemination goals through Twitter. This study aimed to develop and apply methods for the systematic evaluation and optimization of health information dissemination by stakeholders through Twitter. Tweet content from 1790 followers of @SafetyMD (July-November 2012) was examined. User emphasis, a new indicator of Twitter information dissemination, was defined and applied to retweets across two levels of retweeters originating from @SafetyMD. User interest clusters were identified based on principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of a random sample of 170 followers. User emphasis of keywords remained across levels but decreased by 9.5 percentage points. PCA and HCA identified 12 statistically unique clusters of followers within the @SafetyMD Twitter network. This study is one of the first to develop methods for use by stakeholders to evaluate and optimize their use of Twitter to disseminate health information. Our new methods provide preliminary evidence that individual stakeholders can evaluate the effectiveness of health information dissemination and create content-specific clusters for more specific targeted messaging.

  14. Risk-Informed Safety Assurance and Probabilistic Assessment of Mission-Critical Software-Intensive Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guarro, Sergio B.

    2010-01-01

    This report validates and documents the detailed features and practical application of the framework for software intensive digital systems risk assessment and risk-informed safety assurance presented in the NASA PRA Procedures Guide for Managers and Practitioner. This framework, called herein the "Context-based Software Risk Model" (CSRM), enables the assessment of the contribution of software and software-intensive digital systems to overall system risk, in a manner which is entirely compatible and integrated with the format of a "standard" Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA), as currently documented and applied for NASA missions and applications. The CSRM also provides a risk-informed path and criteria for conducting organized and systematic digital system and software testing so that, within this risk-informed paradigm, the achievement of a quantitatively defined level of safety and mission success assurance may be targeted and demonstrated. The framework is based on the concept of context-dependent software risk scenarios and on the modeling of such scenarios via the use of traditional PRA techniques - i.e., event trees and fault trees - in combination with more advanced modeling devices such as the Dynamic Flowgraph Methodology (DFM) or other dynamic logic-modeling representations. The scenarios can be synthesized and quantified in a conditional logic and probabilistic formulation. The application of the CSRM method documented in this report refers to the MiniAERCam system designed and developed by the NASA Johnson Space Center.

  15. Safety and immune regulatory properties of canine induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chow, Lyndah; Johnson, Valerie; Regan, Dan; Wheat, William; Webb, Saiphone; Koch, Peter; Dow, Steven

    2017-12-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit broad immune modulatory activity in vivo and can suppress T cell proliferation and dendritic cell activation in vitro. Currently, most MSC for clinical usage are derived from younger donors, due to ease of procurement and to the superior immune modulatory activity. However, the use of MSC from multiple unrelated donors makes it difficult to standardize study results and compare outcomes between different clinical trials. One solution is the use of MSC derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC); as iPSC-derived MSC have nearly unlimited proliferative potential and exhibit in vitro phenotypic stability. Given the value of dogs as a spontaneous disease model for pre-clinical evaluation of stem cell therapeutics, we investigated the functional properties of canine iPSC-derived MSC (iMSC), including immune modulatory properties and potential for teratoma formation. We found that canine iMSC downregulated expression of pluripotency genes and appeared morphologically similar to conventional MSC. Importantly, iMSC retained a stable phenotype after multiple passages, did not form teratomas in immune deficient mice, and did not induce tumor formation in dogs following systemic injection. We concluded therefore that iMSC were phenotypically stable, immunologically potent, safe with respect to tumor formation, and represented an important new source of cells for therapeutic modulation of inflammatory disorders. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. Generic safety documentation model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahn, J.A.

    1994-04-01

    This document is intended to be a resource for preparers of safety documentation for Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico facilities. It provides standardized discussions of some topics that are generic to most, if not all, Sandia/NM facilities safety documents. The material provides a ''core'' upon which to develop facility-specific safety documentation. The use of the information in this document will reduce the cost of safety document preparation and improve consistency of information

  17. Current Activities on Nuclear Safety Culture in Korea. How to meet the challenges for Safety and Safety Culture?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Chaewoon [International Policy Department Policy and Standard Division, Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, 19 Gusung-Dong Yuseong-Ku, 305-338 DAEJEON (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-07-01

    'Statement of Nuclear Safety Policy' declared by the Korean Government elucidates adherence to the principle of 'priority to safety'. The 3. Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan (2007-2011) more specifically addressed the necessity to develop and apply 'safety culture evaluation criteria' and to strengthen safety management of concerned organizations in an autonomous way. Putting these policies as a backdrop, Korean Government has taken diverse safety culture initiatives and has encouraged the relevant organizations to develop safety culture practices of their own accord. Accordingly, KHNP, the operating organization in Korea, developed a 'safety culture performance indicator', which has been used to evaluate safety mind of employees and the evaluation results have been continuously reflected in operational management and training programs. Furthermore, KHNP inserted 'nuclear safety culture subject' into every course of more than two week length, and provided employees with special lectures on safety culture. KINS, the regulatory organization, developed indicators for the safety culture evaluation based on the IAEA Guidelines. Also, KINS has hosted an annual Nuclear Safety Technology Information Meeting to share information between regulatory organizations and industries. Furthermore, KINS provided a nuclear safety culture class to the new employees and they are given a chance to participate in performance of a role-reversal socio-drama. Additionally, KINS developed a safety culture training program, published training materials and conducted a 'Nuclear Safety Culture Basic Course' in October 2007, 4 times of which are planed this year. In conclusion, from Government to relevant organizations, 'nuclear safety culture' concept is embraced as important and has been put into practice on a variety of forms. Specifically, 'education and training' is a starting line and sharing

  18. Information requirements of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's safety, environmental health, and occupational medicine programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whyte, A. A.

    1978-01-01

    A survey of the internal and external reporting and recordkeeping procedures of these programs was conducted and the major problems associated with them are outlined. The impact of probable future requirements on existing information systems is evaluated. This report also presents the benefits of combining the safety and health information systems into one computerized system and recommendations for the development and scope of that system.

  19. Establishment of the National Nuclear Regulatory Portal (NNRP) as the key element of the Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network and Regulatory Network (GNSSN/RegNet) for sharing of nuclear safety information and knowledge among the Global Expert Community

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuvshinnikov, A.V.

    2011-01-01

    The Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network (GNSSN) implements the concept of the Global Nuclear Safety and Security Framework (GNSSF) as outlined in INSAG 21. This is the framework of instruments and resources for achieving and maintaining worldwide a high level of safety and security at nuclear facilities and activities as stated in SF-1 and supporting safety standards or recommendations such as INSAG-12. National efforts are and should be augmented by the activities of a variety of international enterprises that facilitate safety and security. The IAEA standard GS-R-3 requires that information and knowledge is managed as a resource. Further strengthening of GNSSN in particular regulatory networking as intended by GNSSN/RegNet has to be based on current national priorities, on existing regional and thematic networks and on the established mechanisms of international co-operation as presented for example on the websites of the IAEA or the OECD-NEA. Current design and operation of RegNet are flexible enough to accommodate differences in national and international approaches and practices and to facilitate exchange and cooperation on regulatory matters. The main role of GNSSN/RegNet is sharing knowledge and bringing people together to enhance and promote nuclear safety and security. The objectives of GNSSN/RegNet: enhancing safety and security by international cooperation, sharing information and best practices, enabling adequate access to relevant safety and security information and promoting the dissemination of this information, implementing active collaboration in the relevant areas related to safety and security, such as joint projects, peer reviews, enabling synergies among existing networks and initiatives, informing the public on the relevant safety and security areas and the related international collaboration. In the RegNet part of the GNSSN exist the National Nuclear Regulatory Portal (NNRP) which is on one hand a part of the global RegNet and on the

  20. Construction Process Simulation and Safety Analysis Based on Building Information Model and 4D Technology

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HU Zhenzhong; ZHANG Jianping; DENG Ziyin

    2008-01-01

    Time-dependent structure analysis theory has been proved to be more accurate and reliable com-pared to commonly used methods during construction. However, so far applications are limited to partial pe-riod and part of the structure because of immeasurable artificial intervention. Based on the building informa-tion model (BIM) and four-dimensional (4D) technology, this paper proposes an improves structure analysis method, which can generate structural geometry, resistance model, and loading conditions automatically by a close interlink of the schedule information, architectural model, and material properties. The method was applied to a safety analysis during a continuous and dynamic simulation of the entire construction process.The results show that the organic combination of the BIM, 4D technology, construction simulation, and safety analysis of time-dependent structures is feasible and practical. This research also lays a foundation for further researches on building lifecycle management by combining architectural design, structure analy-sis, and construction management.

  1. High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information. Annual activity report. June 2008 - December 2009

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    This document is the first activity report of the High committee for nuclear safety transparency and information (HCTISN), created on June 18, 2008. The HCTISN is a French authority of information, dialogue and debate about the risks linked with nuclear activities and about their impacts on public health, on the environment and on nuclear safety. The committee has the ability to express his opinion and recommendations about any question on the above topics and to propose any measure aiming at warranting or improving the transparency in the nuclear domain. This activity report offers a synthetic overview of the actions already undertaken: the plutonium imports from UK, the contamination incident at the Socatri facility (a Areva-Eurodif daughter company located at the Tricastin site), and the dismantling strategy of basic nuclear facilities. It presents the composition, organization, missions and means of the Committee, the different working groups and the follow-up of the different recommendations emitted so far by the Committee. (J.S.)

  2. Skin Immunization Obviates Alcohol-Related Immune Dysfunction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rhonda M. Brand

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Alcoholics suffer from immune dysfunction that can impede vaccine efficacy. If ethanol (EtOH-induced immune impairment is in part a result of direct exposure of immune cells to EtOH, then reduced levels of exposure could result in less immune dysfunction. As alcohol ingestion results in lower alcohol levels in skin than blood, we hypothesized that the skin immune network may be relatively preserved, enabling skin-targeted immunizations to obviate the immune inhibitory effects of alcohol consumption on conventional vaccines. We employed the two most common chronic EtOH mouse feeding models, the liver-damaging Lieber-DeCarli (LD and liver-sparing Meadows-Cook (MC diets, to examine the roles of EtOH and/or EtOH-induced liver dysfunction on alcohol related immunosuppression. Pair-fed mice were immunized against the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA by DNA immunization or against flu by administering the protein-based influenza vaccine either systemically (IV, IM, directly to liver (hydrodynamic, or cutaneously (biolistic, ID. We measured resulting tissue EtOH levels, liver stress, regulatory T cell (Treg, and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC populations. We compared immune responsiveness by measuring delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH, antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL, and antibody induction as a function of delivery route and feeding model. We found that, as expected, and independent of the feeding model, EtOH ingestion inhibits DTH, CTL lysis, and antigen-specific total IgG induced by traditional systemic vaccines. On the other hand, skin-targeted vaccines were equally immunogenic in alcohol-exposed and non-exposed subjects, suggesting that cutaneous immunization may result in more efficacious vaccination in alcohol-ingesting subjects.

  3. Three randomized trials of maternal influenza immunization in Mali, Nepal, and South Africa: Methods and expectations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omer, Saad B; Richards, Jennifer L; Madhi, Shabir A; Tapia, Milagritos D; Steinhoff, Mark C; Aqil, Anushka R; Wairagkar, Niteen

    2015-07-31

    Influenza infection in pregnancy can have adverse impacts on maternal, fetal, and infant outcomes. Influenza vaccination in pregnancy is an appealing strategy to protect pregnant women and their infants. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting three large, randomized trials in Nepal, Mali, and South Africa evaluating the efficacy and safety of maternal immunization to prevent influenza disease in pregnant women and their infants <6 months of age. Results from these individual studies are expected in 2014 and 2015. While the results from the three maternal immunization trials are likely to strengthen the evidence base regarding the impact of influenza immunization in pregnancy, expectations for these results should be realistic. For example, evidence from previous influenza vaccine studies - conducted in general, non-pregnant populations - suggests substantial geographic and year-to-year variability in influenza incidence and vaccine efficacy/effectiveness. Since the evidence generated from the three maternal influenza immunization trials will be complementary, in this paper we present a side-by-side description of the three studies as well as the similarities and differences between these trials in terms of study location, design, outcome evaluation, and laboratory and epidemiological methods. We also describe the likely remaining knowledge gap after the results from these trials become available along with a description of the analyses that will be conducted when the results from these individual data are pooled. Moreover, we highlight that additional research on logistics of seasonal influenza vaccine supply, surveillance and strain matching, and optimal delivery strategies for pregnant women will be important for informing global policy related to maternal influenza immunization. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Information report on the nuclear safety and radiation protection of the Aube storage Centre - 2012

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-07-01

    This report first present the site of the Aube Storage Centre (CSA), its storage areas, its buildings and equipment, describes the water treatment process, proposes some exploitation data for 2012 (deliveries, storage, compacting), and indicates highlights and works performed in 2012. The next part reviews measures related to nuclear safety: recall of safety principles and objectives, technical arrangements to meet safety objectives, inspections by the ASN, quality audits. The third part reviews measures related to safety and radiation protection: principles for radiation protection, staff dosimetry practices and results, personnel safety, works performed in 2012. The fourth part addresses incidents and accidents (none occurred in 2012) and other minor events classified according to the INES scale. The fifth part addresses the control of the environment and the releases by the centre: measurement locations, measurement results (in the atmosphere, in rivers, in underground waters, radiological control, control of ecosystems, assessment of the radiological impact), physical-chemical control of a local river, actions undertaken for the protection of the environment, highlights for 2012. The next chapter addresses the management of the various wastes produced by the Centre (radioactive wastes, conventional wastes) and the last part reports actions regarding information and transparency. Recommendations of the CHSCT are reported

  5. Do Dutch workers seek and find information on occupational safety and health?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhebergen, Martijn D F; Lenderink, Annet F; van Dijk, Frank J H; Hulshof, Carel T J

    2012-03-01

    Currently, little is known about workers' occupational safety and health (OSH) information-seeking behavior. We assessed whether Dutch workers have (OSH) questions, what motivates them to seek information or advice to solve these questions, and whether workers actually find the information they are looking for. A random sample of 888 workers from a large business panel were sent an online questionnaire. In total, 535 workers, likely parallel to the Dutch working population, returned the questionnaire (response rate 60%). In the last year, 380 of the 535 respondents (71%) had at least one OSH question. In total, 159 of the 380 respondents (42%) with an OSH question actively searched for information or advice. In a logistic regression analysis, three factors were identified to influence workers' information seeking: cognitions about personal benefits or costs of solving the question (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.8-4.5), emotions that accompany the question (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.0), and encouragement by the social environment (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0-3.0). In total, 50% of the respondents seeking information indicated they could not find (all) the information they sought. The barrier most often mentioned (47%) was the poor applicability of the information. Although most workers have OSH questions, only 40% seek information or advice to answer their questions. Moreover, many OSH questions remain unanswered by common information facilities. This study provides input on how to develop campaigns and new facilities that may induce workers to seek information and that offer more applicable information. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Assessing Pharmacists' Attitudes and Barriers Involved with Immunizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah Aldrich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pharmacists are considered the most accessible health care professional. Immunizations create an opportunity for the profession to grow and develop toward direct patient care. Between 1995 and 2004 programs involving immunizations led to a national initiative to train pharmacists that became a significant leap toward pharmacist's involvement in direct patient care. Although immunizations can be considered a catalyst to change the pharmacist's role, little was known about pharmacist's attitudes and the barriers involved with immunizing. Few studies have assessed barriers, attitudes, and practice issues experienced by immunizing pharmacists. The objective of this study was to determine pharmacists' attitudes toward immunizations and more specifically to assess possible barriers involved with this practice. Five hundred pharmacists were randomly selected for inclusion in the study from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Database, of which 137 (27.4% completed the survey. A 37- item questionnaire was administered via an e-mail invitation to take an online survey using Qualtrics software with a Likert-type scale, where 1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree. Several topics were assessed regarding immunizations including time constraints, workflow constraints, adequacy of training, technician support, worksite conditions and space, immunization processes, reimbursement issues, safety issues, documentation issues, and the future direction of immunizations. Demographics included gender, age, degree, number of years practicing, practice site, and number of years immunizing. Seventy-three percent of pharmacists believed that immunizing could lead to prescription filling errors (mean=4.45, SD=1.79. Pharmacists strongly agreed that having more technicians on staff would make providing immunizations easier (mean=5.80, SD=1.39 and that they play a vital role in keeping the process running smoothly (mean=6.08, SD=1.16. Also, pharmacists strongly agreed

  7. Humoral immune responses of pregnant Guinea pigs Immunized with live attenuated Rhodococcus equi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mawlood Abass Ali Al- Graibawi

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The potential to increase passive transfer of specific Rhodococcus equi (R.equi humoral immunity to newborn by preparturient vaccination of their dams was investigated in Pregnant Guinea pigs as a pilot study. Attenuated autogenous vaccine was prepared from a Congo red negative (CR- R.equi local isolate mixed with adjuvant (potassium alum sulphate, tested for sterility, safety and potency prior to vaccination .Two groups of pregnant G. pigs were used, the first group was vaccinated twice subcutaneously (S.C with the prepared vaccine at five and three weeks prior parturition, the second group was inoculated with adjuvant plus phosphate buffer saline (PBS twice s.c and kept as control. Offspring from the vaccinated dams had revealed high titers of specific R. equi antibody as detected by tube agglutination (TA and passive haemagglutination (PH test and showed protection against challenge dose. The results revealed that vaccination of pregnant G. pigs with the prepared attenuated vaccine was safe and efficient method to protect their offspring against experimental challenge with virulent R.equi. Vaccination was associated with increased humoral immune response in vaccinated group.

  8. Development and design of a computer-assisted information management system for radiation safety management at the University of Washington

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riches, C.G.; Riordan, F.J.; Robb, D.; Grieb, C.; Pence, G.; O'Brien, M.J.

    1984-01-01

    The Radiation Safety Office (RSO) at the University of Washington (UW) found that it needed a computerized information system to help manage the campus radiation safety program and to help provide the records necessary to show compliance with regulations and license requirements. The John L. Locke Computer Center at the UW had just developed the GLAMOR system to aid information entry and query for their computer when the RSO turned to them for assistance. The module that was developed provided a mechanism for controlling and monitoring radioactive materials on campus. This became one part of a multi-faceted system that registers users, employees, sealed sources and radiation-producing machines. The system is designed to be interactive, for immediate information recall, and powerful enough to provide routine and special reports on compliance status. The RSO information system is designed to be flexible and can easily incorporate additional features. Some future features include an interactive SNM control program, an interface to the information system currently being developed for the occupational safety and health program and an interface to the database provided by the commercial film badge service used by the University. Development of this program lead the RSO to appreciate the usefulness of having health physics professionals on the staff who were also knowledgeable about computers and who could develop programs and reports necessary to their activities

  9. The Immune System in Obesity: Developing Paradigms Amidst Inconvenient Truths.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrawal, Madhur; Kern, Philip A; Nikolajczyk, Barbara S

    2017-08-15

    Adipose tissue (AT) houses both innate and adaptive immune systems that are crucial for preserving AT function and metabolic homeostasis. In this review, we summarize recent information regarding progression of obesity-associated AT inflammation and insulin resistance. We additionally consider alterations in AT distribution and the immune system in males vs. females and among different racial populations. Innate and adaptive immune cell-derived inflammation drives insulin resistance both locally and systemically. However, new evidence also suggests that the immune system is equally vital for adipocyte differentiation and protection from ectopic lipid deposition. Furthermore, roles of anti-inflammatory immune cells such as regulatory T cells, "M2-like" macrophages, eosinophils, and mast cells are being explored, primarily due to promise of immunotherapeutic applications. Both immune responses and AT distribution are strongly influenced by factors like sex and race, which have been largely underappreciated in the field of metabolically-associated inflammation, or meta-flammation. More studies are required to recognize factors that switch inflammation from controlled to uncontrolled in obesity-associated pathogenesis and to integrate the combined effects of meta-flammation and immunometabolism. It is critical to recognize that the AT-associated immune system can be alternately beneficial and destructive; therefore, simply blocking immune responses early in obesity may not be the best clinical approach. The dearth of information on gender and race-associated disparities in metabolism, AT distribution, and the immune system suggest that a greater understanding of such differences will be critical to develop personalized treatments for obesity and the associated metabolic dysfunction.

  10. Status of safety issues at licensed power plants: TMI action plan requirements, unresolved safety issues, generic safety issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-12-01

    As part of ongoing US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) efforts to ensure the quality and accountability of safety issue information, a program was established whereby an annual NUREG report would be published on the status of licensee implementation and NRC verification of safety issues in major NRC requirements areas. This information was compiled and reported in three NUREG volumes. Volume 1, published in March 1991, addressed the status of of Three Mile Island (TMI) Action Plan Requirements. Volume 2, published in May 1991, addressed the status of unresolved safety issues (USIs). Volume 3, published in June 1991, addressed the implementation and verification status of generic safety issues (GSIs). This annual NUREG report combines these volumes into a single report and provides updated information as of September 30, 1991. The data contained in these NUREG reports are a product of the NRC's Safety Issues Management System (SIMS) database, which is maintained by the Project Management Staff in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and by NRC regional personnel. This report is to provide a comprehensive description of the implementation and verification status of TMI Action Plan Requirements, safety issues designated as USIs, and GSIs that have been resolved and involve implementation of an action or actions by licensees. This report makes the information available to other interested parties, including the public. An additional purpose of this NUREG report is to serve as a follow-on to NUREG-0933, ''A Prioritization of Generic Safety Issues,'' which tracks safety issues up until requirements are approved for imposition at licensed plants or until the NRC issues a request for action by licensees

  11. Maternal immunity enhances systemic recall immune responses upon oral immunization of piglets with F4 fimbriae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Ut V; Melkebeek, Vesna; Devriendt, Bert; Goetstouwers, Tiphanie; Van Poucke, Mario; Peelman, Luc; Goddeeris, Bruno M; Cox, Eric

    2015-06-23

    F4 enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) cause diarrhoea and mortality in piglets leading to severe economic losses. Oral immunization of piglets with F4 fimbriae induces a protective intestinal immune response evidenced by an F4-specific serum and intestinal IgA response. However, successful oral immunization of pigs with F4 fimbriae in the presence of maternal immunity has not been demonstrated yet. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the effect of maternal immunity on the induction of a systemic immune response upon oral immunization of piglets. Whereas F4-specific IgG and IgA could be induced by oral immunization of pigs without maternal antibodies and by intramuscular immunization of pigs with maternal antibodies, no such response was seen in the orally immunized animals with maternal antibodies. Since maternal antibodies can mask an antibody response, we also looked by ELIspot assays for circulating F4-specific antibody secreting cells (ASCs). Enumerating the F4-specific ASCs within the circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and the number of F4-specific IgA ASCs within the circulating IgA(+) B-cells revealed an F4-specific immune response in the orally immunized animals with maternal antibodies. Interestingly, results suggest a more robust IgA booster response by oral immunization of pigs with than without maternal antibodies. These results demonstrate that oral immunization of piglets with F4-specific maternal antibodies is feasible and that these maternal antibodies seem to enhance the secondary systemic immune response. Furthermore, our ELIspot assay on enriched IgA(+) B-cells could be used as a screening procedure to optimize mucosal immunization protocols in pigs with maternal immunity.

  12. U.S. Immunization program adult immunization activities and resources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, LaDora O.; Bridges, Carolyn B.; Graitcer, Samuel B.; Lamont, Brock

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Adults are recommended to receive vaccines based on their age, medical conditions, prior vaccinations, occupation and lifestyle. However, adult immunization coverage is low in the United States and lags substantially below Healthy People 2020 goals. To assess activities and resources designated for adult immunization programs by state and local health department immunization programs in the United States, we analyzed 2012 and 2013 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Program Annual Reports and Progress Assessments (PAPA) survey of CDC-funded immunization programs. Fifty-six of 64 funded US immunization programs' responses were included in the analysis. Eighty-two percent of (n = 46) programs reported having a designated adult immunization coordinator in 2012 and 73% (n = 41) in 2013. Of the 46 coordinators reported in 2012, 30% (n = 14) spent more than 50% of their time on adult immunization activities, and only 24% (n = 10) of the 41 adult coordinators in 2013 spent more than 50% of their time on adult immunization activities. In 2012, 23% (n = 13) of the 56 programs had a separate immunization coalition for adults and 68% (n = 38) included adult issues in their overall immunization program coalition. In 2013, 25% (n = 14) had a separate adult immunization coalition while 57% (n = 32) incorporated adult immunizations into their overall immunization program coalition. The results indicate substantial variation across the US in public health infrastructure to support adult immunizations. Continued assessment of adult immunization resources and activities will be important in improving adult immunization coverage levels though program support. With many programs having limited resources dedicated to improving adult immunization rates in the in US, efforts by the health departments to collaborate with providers and other partners in their jurisdictions to increase awareness, increase the use of proven strategies to improve

  13. A road safety information system : from concept to implementation. Contribution to the Road Safety Training Course of the World Bank, 1 May 2001, Washington, D.C.

    OpenAIRE

    Wegman, F.C.M.

    2001-01-01

    It is a proven fact that road safety problems are not unsolvable: what is man-made can also be unmade by man. This leads to questions such as which priorities to set, which measures to take, which effects to expect, what costs are involved, and how these can be financed. In order to be able to answer all these questions, data, knowledge, and information are needed to give a comprehensive and objective picture of the road safety problems and of the effectiveness and efficiency of potential roa...

  14. Exploring the Homeostatic and Sensory Roles of the Immune System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marques, Rafael Elias; Marques, Pedro Elias; Guabiraba, Rodrigo; Teixeira, Mauro Martins

    2016-01-01

    Immunology developed under the notion of the immune system exists to fight pathogens. Recently, the discovery of interactions with commensal microbiota that are essential to human health initiated a change in this old paradigm. Here, we argue that the immune system has major physiological roles extending far beyond defending the host. Immune and inflammatory responses share the core property of sensing, defining the immune system also as a sensory system. The inference with the immune system collects, interprets, and stores information, while creating an identity of self, places it in close relationship to the nervous system, which suggests that these systems may have a profound evolutionary connection.

  15. NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connell, Linda J.

    2017-01-01

    The NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) collects, analyzes, and distributes de-identified safety information provided through confidentially submitted reports from frontline aviation personnel. Since its inception in 1976, the ASRS has collected over 1.4 million reports and has never breached the identity of the people sharing their information about events or safety issues. From this volume of data, the ASRS has released over 6,000 aviation safety alerts concerning potential hazards and safety concerns. The ASRS processes these reports, evaluates the information, and provides selected de-identified report information through the online ASRS Database at http:asrs.arc.nasa.gov. The NASA ASRS is also a founding member of the International Confidential Aviation Safety Systems (ICASS) group which is a collection of other national aviation reporting systems throughout the world. The ASRS model has also been replicated for application to improving safety in railroad, medical, fire fighting, and other domains. This presentation will discuss confidential, voluntary, and non-punitive reporting systems and their advantages in providing information for safety improvements.

  16. The Immunity Community: A Community Engagement Strategy for Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoeppe, Jennie; Cheadle, Allen; Melton, Mackenzie; Faubion, Todd; Miller, Creagh; Matthys, Juno; Hsu, Clarissa

    2017-09-01

    Parental concerns about vaccine safety have grown in the United States and abroad, resulting in delayed or skipped immunizations (often called "vaccine hesitancy"). To address vaccine hesitancy in Washington State, a public-private partnership of health organizations implemented and evaluated a 3-year community intervention, called the "Immunity Community." The intervention mobilized parents who value immunization and provided them with tools to engage in positive dialogue about immunizations in their communities. The evaluation used qualitative and quantitative methods, including focus groups, interviews, and pre and post online surveys of parents, to assess perceptions about and reactions to the intervention, assess facilitators and barriers to success, and track outcomes including parental knowledge and attitudes. The program successfully engaged parent volunteers to be immunization advocates. Surveys of parents in the intervention communities showed statistically significant improvements in vaccine-related attitudes: The percentage concerned about other parents not vaccinating their children increased from 81.2% to 88.6%, and the percentage reporting themselves as "vaccine-hesitant" decreased from 22.6% to 14.0%. There were not statistically significant changes in parental behaviors. This study demonstrates the promise of using parent advocates as part of a community-based approach to reduce vaccine hesitancy.

  17. Safety culture in nuclear installations. Management of safety and safety culture in Indian NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rawal, S.C.

    2002-01-01

    Nuclear Power Corporation Of India Ltd. (NPCIL) is a company owned by Government of India and is responsible for Design, Construction, Commissioning, Operation and Decommissioning of Nuclear Power plants in India. Presently, a total of 13 Nuclear power Stations are in operation with an installed capacity of 2620 MWe and 2 VVR type PWR Units of 1000 MWe capacity each, 2 PHWR type units of 500 MWe capacity each and 4 PHWR type 220 MWe capacity each are under construction. NPPs generation capacity has been increased from 70% to 85% in the span Of last 7 years with high level of safety standards. This could be achieved through Management commitment towards building a strong Safety Culture. Safety culture is that assembly of characteristics and attitudes in organisation and individuals which establishes that as an overriding priority nuclear plant safety issues receives the attention warranted by their significance. This definition of safety culture brings out two major components in its manifestation. The framework within which individuals within the organisation works.The attitude and response of individual towards the safety issues over productivity and economics in the organisational work practices. The two attributes of safety culture are built in and upgraded in each individuals through special training at the time of entry in the organisation and later through in built procedures in the work practices, motivation and encouragement for free participation of each individuals. Individuals are encouraged to participate in Quality circle teams at the sectional level and review of safety proposal originated by individuals in Station operation Review Committee at Station level, in addition to this to continuously enhance the safety culture, refresher training courses are being organised at regular intervals. The safety related proposals are categorised in to two namely: Proposals from Operating Plants, and Proposals from projects and Design. The concept of safety

  18. Organizational culture influences health care workers' influenza immunization behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isaacson, Nicole; Roemheld-Hamm, Beatrix; Crosson, Jesse C; Dicicco-Bloom, Barbara; Winston, Carla A

    2009-03-01

    Low rates of influenza immunization among health care workers (HCWs) pose a potential health risk to patients in primary care practices. Despite previous educational efforts and programs to reduce financial barriers, HCW influenza immunization rates remain low. Variation in practice-level organizational culture may affect immunization rates. To explore this relationship, we examined organizational cultures and HCWs' influenza immunization behaviors in three family medicine practices. We used a multi-method comparative case study. A field researcher used participant observation, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews to collect data in each practice in November-December 2003. A diverse team used grounded theory to analyze text data. Organizational culture varied among practices and differing HCW immunization rates were observed. The most structured and business-like practice achieved immunization of all HCWs, while the other two practices exhibited greater variation in HCW immunization rates. Physicians in the practices characterized as chaotic/disorganized or divided were immunized at higher rates than other members of the practices. In these practices, organizational culture was associated with varying rates of influenza immunization for HCWs, especially among nonphysicians. Addressing elements of organizational culture such as beliefs regarding influenza immunization and office policies may facilitate the immunization of all staff members.

  19. Official communication of the Safety Commission

    CERN Multimedia

    DG Unit

    2009-01-01

    The Prevention and Training section of the Safety Commission, would like to inform you that the new Safety Awareness course for newcomers will replace the welcome video in building 55 as of 2 April. The 3 levels (‘Safety at CERN’, ‘General Risks’ and ‘Specific Risks’) followed by 3 tests will determine access to CERN. Thanks to the SIR (Safety Information Registration, http://sir.cern.ch) application, it will be possible for you to follow the awareness course from your computer. For more information, go to the Safety Commission web site: http://safety-commission.web.cern.ch

  20. Official communication of the Safety Commission

    CERN Multimedia

    DG Unit

    2009-01-01

    We, the Prevention and Training section of the Safety Commission, would like to inform you that the new Safety Awareness course for newcomers will replace the welcome video in building 55 as of the 2nd April. The 3 levels (‘Safety at CERN’, ‘General Risks’ and ‘Specific Risks’) followed by 3 tests will determine access to CERN. Thanks to the SIR (Safety Information Registration, http://sir.cern.ch) application, it will be possible for you to follow the awareness course from your computer. For more information, go to the Safety Commission web site: http://safety-commission.web.cern.ch

  1. Usability Methods for Ensuring Health Information Technology Safety: Evidence-Based Approaches. Contribution of the IMIA Working Group Health Informatics for Patient Safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borycki, E; Kushniruk, A; Nohr, C; Takeda, H; Kuwata, S; Carvalho, C; Bainbridge, M; Kannry, J

    2013-01-01

    Issues related to lack of system usability and potential safety hazards continue to be reported in the health information technology (HIT) literature. Usability engineering methods are increasingly used to ensure improved system usability and they are also beginning to be applied more widely for ensuring the safety of HIT applications. These methods are being used in the design and implementation of many HIT systems. In this paper we describe evidence-based approaches to applying usability engineering methods. A multi-phased approach to ensuring system usability and safety in healthcare is described. Usability inspection methods are first described including the development of evidence-based safety heuristics for HIT. Laboratory-based usability testing is then conducted under artificial conditions to test if a system has any base level usability problems that need to be corrected. Usability problems that are detected are corrected and then a new phase is initiated where the system is tested under more realistic conditions using clinical simulations. This phase may involve testing the system with simulated patients. Finally, an additional phase may be conducted, involving a naturalistic study of system use under real-world clinical conditions. The methods described have been employed in the analysis of the usability and safety of a wide range of HIT applications, including electronic health record systems, decision support systems and consumer health applications. It has been found that at least usability inspection and usability testing should be applied prior to the widespread release of HIT. However, wherever possible, additional layers of testing involving clinical simulations and a naturalistic evaluation will likely detect usability and safety issues that may not otherwise be detected prior to widespread system release. The framework presented in the paper can be applied in order to develop more usable and safer HIT, based on multiple layers of evidence.

  2. Drug safety in pregnancy: utopia or achievable prospect? Risk information, risk research and advocacy in Teratology Information Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaefer, Christof

    2011-03-01

    Even though from preclinical testing to drug risk labeling, the situation with drugs in pregnancy has improved substantially since the thalidomide scandal, there is still an increasing need to provide healthcare professionals and patients with updated individualized risk information for clinical decision making. For the majority of drugs, clinical experience is still insufficient with respect to their safety in pregnancy. There is often uncertainty in how to interpret the available scientific data. Based on 20 years of experience with Teratology Information Services (TIS) cooperating in the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) methods of risk interpretation, follow-up of exposed pregnancies through the consultation process and their evaluation is discussed. Vitamin K antagonists, isotretinoin and angiotensin (AT) II-receptor-antagonists are presented as examples of misinterpretation of drug risks and subjects of research based on observational clinical data recorded in TIS. As many TIS are poorly funded, advocacy is necessary by establishing contacts with decision makers in health politics and administration, informing them of the high return in terms of health outcomes and cost savings provided by TIS as reference institutions in clinical teratology. © 2011 The Author. Congenital Anomalies © 2011 Japanese Teratology Society.

  3. Immunization against social fear learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golkar, Armita; Olsson, Andreas

    2016-06-01

    Social fear learning offers an efficient way to transmit information about potential threats; little is known, however, about the learning processes that counteract the social transmission of fear. In three separate experiments, we found that safety information transmitted from another individual (i.e., demonstrator) during preexposure prevented subsequent observational fear learning (Experiments 1-3), and this effect was maintained in a new context involving direct threat confrontation (Experiment 3). This protection from observational fear learning was specific to conditions in which information about both safety and danger was transmitted from the same demonstrator (Experiments 2-3) and was unaffected by increasing the number of the safety demonstrators (Experiment 3). Collectively, these findings demonstrate that observational preexposure can limit social transmission of fear. Future research is needed to better understand the conditions under which such effects generalize across individual demonstrators. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  4. School Chemistry Laboratory Safety Guide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brundage, Patricia; Palassis, John

    2006-01-01

    The guide presents information about ordering, using, storing, and maintaining chemicals in the high school laboratory. The guide also provides information about chemical waste, safety and emergency equipment, assessing chemical hazards, common safety symbols and signs, and fundamental resources relating to chemical safety, such as Material…

  5. Transactions of the twenty-third water reactor safety information meeting to be held at Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 23--25, 1995

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monteleone, S. [comp.

    1995-09-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 23rd Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 23--25, 1995. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory, Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session.

  6. Transactions of the twenty-third water reactor safety information meeting to be held at Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 23--25, 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monteleone, S.

    1995-09-01

    This report contains summaries of papers on reactor safety research to be presented at the 23rd Water Reactor Safety Information Meeting at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, October 23--25, 1995. The summaries briefly describe the programs and results of nuclear safety research sponsored by the Office of Nuclear Regulatory, Research, US NRC. Summaries of invited papers concerning nuclear safety issues from US government laboratories, the electric utilities, the nuclear industry, and from foreign governments and industry are also included. The summaries have been compiled in one report to provide a basis for meaningful discussion and information exchange during the course of the meeting and are given in the order of their presentation in each session

  7. Analysis of safety impacts from external flooding using the risk-informed safety margin characterization (RISMC) Toolkit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, Curtis L.; Mandelli, Diego; Prescott, Steve

    2015-01-01

    The existing fleet of U.S. nuclear power plants is in the process of extending its lifetime and increasing the power generated from these plants via power uprates. In order to evaluate the impact of these factors on the safety of the plant, the Risk-Informed Safety Margin Characterization (RISMC) project aims to provide insight to decision makers through a series of simulations of the plant dynamics for different initial conditions (e.g., probabilistic analysis and uncertainty quantification). This paper demonstrates how Idaho National Laboratory (INL) researchers use the RISMC Toolkit to investigate complex nuclear plant phenomena using RAVEN and RELAP-7. The analysis focused on a highly relevant topic currently facing some nuclear power plants – specifically flooding issues. This research and development looked at challenges to a hypothetical pressurized water reactor, including: (1) a potential loss of off-site power followed by the possible loss of all diesel generators (i.e., a station black-out event), (2) earthquake induced station-blackout, and (3) a potential earthquake induced tsunami flood. The analysis is performed by using a set of codes: a thermal-hydraulic code (RELAP-7), a flooding simulation tool (NEUTRINO) and a stochastic analysis tool (RAVEN) – these are currently under development at INL. Using RAVEN, we were able to perform multiple RELAP-7 simulation runs by changing specific parts of the model in order to reflect specific aspects of different scenarios, including both the failure and recovery of critical components. The simulation employed traditional statistical tools (such as Monte-Carlo sampling) and more advanced machine-learning based algorithms to perform uncertainty quantification in order to understand changes in system performance and limitations as a consequence of power uprate. Qualitative and quantitative results obtained gave a detailed picture of the issues associated with potential accident scenarios. These types of

  8. Approaches Mediating Oxytocin Regulation of the Immune System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tong; Wang, Ping; Wang, Stephani C; Wang, Yu-Feng

    2016-01-01

    The hypothalamic neuroendocrine system is mainly composed of the neural structures regulating hormone secretion from the pituitary gland and has been considered as the higher regulatory center of the immune system. Recently, the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) emerged as an important component of neuroendocrine-immune network, wherein the oxytocin (OT)-secreting system (OSS) plays an essential role. The OSS, consisting of OT neurons in the supraoptic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, their several accessory nuclei and associated structures, can integrate neural, endocrine, metabolic, and immune information and plays a pivotal role in the development and functions of the immune system. The OSS can promote the development of thymus and bone marrow, perform immune surveillance, strengthen immune defense, and maintain immune homeostasis. Correspondingly, OT can inhibit inflammation, exert antibiotic-like effect, promote wound healing and regeneration, and suppress stress-associated immune disorders. In this process, the OSS can release OT to act on immune system directly by activating OT receptors or through modulating activities of other hypothalamic-pituitary-immune axes and autonomic nervous system indirectly. However, our understandings of the role of the OSS in neuroendocrine regulation of immune system are largely incomplete, particularly its relationship with other hypothalamic-pituitary-immune axes and the vasopressin-secreting system that coexists with the OSS in the HNS. In addition, it remains unclear about the relationship between the OSS and peripherally produced OT in immune regulation, particularly intrathymic OT that is known to elicit central immunological self-tolerance of T-cells to hypophysial hormones. In this work, we provide a brief review of current knowledge of the features of OSS regulation of the immune system and of potential approaches that mediate OSS coordination of the activities of entire neuroendocrine-immune network.

  9. Food Safety in the Domestic Environment: The Effect of Consumer Risk Information on Human Disease Risks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nauta, M.J.; Fischer, A.R.H.; Asselt, van E.D.; Jong, de A.E.I.; Frewer, L.J.; Jonge, de R.

    2008-01-01

    The improvement of food safety in the domestic environment requires a transdisciplinary approach, involving interaction between both the social and natural sciences. This approach is applied in a study on risks associated with Campylobacter on broiler meat. First, some web-based information

  10. Hydrogen Technologies Safety Guide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rivkin, C. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Burgess, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Buttner, W. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this guide is to provide basic background information on hydrogen technologies. It is intended to provide project developers, code officials, and other interested parties the background information to be able to put hydrogen safety in context. For example, code officials reviewing permit applications for hydrogen projects will get an understanding of the industrial history of hydrogen, basic safety concerns, and safety requirements.

  11. Methods for addressing "innocent bystanders" when evaluating safety of concomitant vaccines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shirley V; Abdurrob, Abdurrahman; Spoendlin, Julia; Lewis, Edwin; Newcomer, Sophia R; Fireman, Bruce; Daley, Matthew F; Glanz, Jason M; Duffy, Jonathan; Weintraub, Eric S; Kulldorff, Martin

    2018-04-01

    The need to develop methods for studying the safety of childhood immunization schedules has been recognized by the Institute of Medicine and Department of Health and Human Services. The recommended childhood immunization schedule includes multiple vaccines in a visit. A key concern is safety of concomitant (same day) versus separate day vaccination. This paper addresses a methodological challenge for observational studies using a self-controlled design to investigate the safety of concomitant vaccination. We propose a process for distinguishing which of several concomitantly administered vaccines is responsible for increased risk of an adverse event while adjusting for confounding due to relationships between effect modifying risk factors and concomitant vaccine combinations. We illustrate the approach by re-examining the known increase in risk of seizure 7 to 10 days after measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination and evaluating potential independent or modifying effects of other vaccines. Initial analyses suggested that DTaP had both an independent and potentiating effect on seizure. After accounting for the relationship between age at vaccination and vaccine combination, there was little evidence for increased risk of seizure with same day administration of DTaP and MMR; incidence rate ratio, 95% confidence interval 1.2 (0.9-1.6), P value = θ.226. We have shown that when using a self-controlled design to investigate safety of concomitant vaccination, it can be critically important to adjust for time-invariant effect modifying risk factors, such as age at time of vaccination, which are structurally related to vaccination patterns due to recommended immunization schedules. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Global Nuclear Safety and Security Network

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Lingquan

    2013-01-01

    The objectives of the Regulatory Network are: - to contribute to the effectiveness of nuclear regulatory systems; - to contribute to continuous enhancements, and - to achieve and promote radiation and nuclear safety and security by: • Enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of international cooperation in the regulation of nuclear and radiation safety of facilities and activities; • Enabling adequate access by regulators to relevant safety and security information; • Promoting dissemination of information on safety and security issues as well as information of good practices for addressing and resolving these issues; • Enabling synergies among different web based networks with a view to strengthening and enhancing the global nuclear safety framework and serving the specific needs of regulators and international organizations; • Providing additional information to the public on international regulatory cooperation in safety and security matters

  13. The impact of changing medicaid enrollments on New Mexico's Immunization Program.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A Schillaci

    Full Text Available Immunizations are an important component to pediatric primary care. New Mexico is a relatively poor and rural state which has sometimes struggled to achieve and maintain its childhood immunization rates. We evaluated New Mexico's immunization rates between 1996 and 2006. Specifically, we examined the increase in immunization rates between 2002 and 2004, and how this increase may have been associated with Medicaid enrollment levels, as opposed to changes in government policies concerning immunization practices.This study examines trends in childhood immunization coverage rates relative to Medicaid enrollment among those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF in New Mexico. Information on health policy changes and immunization coverage was obtained from state governmental sources and the National Immunization Survey. We found statistically significant correlations varying from 0.86 to 0.93 between immunization rates and Medicaid enrollment.New Mexico's improvement and subsequent deterioration in immunization rates corresponded with changing Medicaid coverage, rather than the state's efforts to change immunization practices. Maintaining high Medicaid enrollment levels may be important for achieving high childhood immunization levels.

  14. The Impact of Changing Medicaid Enrollments on New Mexico's Immunization Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schillaci, Michael A.; Waitzkin, Howard; Sharmen, Tom; Romain, Sandra J.

    2008-01-01

    Background Immunizations are an important component to pediatric primary care. New Mexico is a relatively poor and rural state which has sometimes struggled to achieve and maintain its childhood immunization rates. We evaluated New Mexico's immunization rates between 1996 and 2006. Specifically, we examined the increase in immunization rates between 2002 and 2004, and how this increase may have been associated with Medicaid enrollment levels, as opposed to changes in government policies concerning immunization practices. Methods and Findings This study examines trends in childhood immunization coverage rates relative to Medicaid enrollment among those receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in New Mexico. Information on health policy changes and immunization coverage was obtained from state governmental sources and the National Immunization Survey. We found statistically significant correlations varying from 0.86 to 0.93 between immunization rates and Medicaid enrollment. Conclusions New Mexico's improvement and subsequent deterioration in immunization rates corresponded with changing Medicaid coverage, rather than the state's efforts to change immunization practices. Maintaining high Medicaid enrollment levels may be important for achieving high childhood immunization levels. PMID:19107189

  15. Integrating building information modeling and health and safety for onsite construction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganah, Abdulkadir; John, Godfaurd A

    2015-03-01

    Health and safety (H&S) on a construction site can either make or break a contractor, if not properly managed. The usage of Building Information Modeling (BIM) for H&S on construction execution has the potential to augment practitioner understanding of their sites, and by so doing reduce the probability of accidents. This research explores BIM usage within the construction industry in relation to H&S communication. In addition to an extensive literature review, a questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information on the embedment of H&S planning with the BIM environment for site practitioners. The analysis of responses indicated that BIM will enhance the current approach of H&S planning for construction site personnel. From the survey, toolbox talk will have to be integrated with the BIM environment, because it is the predominantly used procedure for enhancing H&S issues within construction sites. The advantage is that personnel can visually understand H&S issues as work progresses during the toolbox talk onsite.

  16. Perceived Immune Status and Sleep : A Survey among Dutch Students

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Donners, Anouk A M T; Tromp, Marilou D P; Garssen, Johan; Roth, Thomas; Verster, Joris C

    2015-01-01

    Reduced immune functioning may have a negative impact on sleep and health, and vice versa. A survey among Dutch young adults (18-35 years old) was administered to collect information on perception of reduced immunity and its relationship to sleep disorders, sleep duration, and quality. Sleep

  17. Live attenuated S. Typhimurium vaccine with improved safety in immuno-compromised mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balamurugan Periaswamy

    Full Text Available Live attenuated vaccines are of great value for preventing infectious diseases. They represent a delicate compromise between sufficient colonization-mediated adaptive immunity and minimizing the risk for infection by the vaccine strain itself. Immune defects can predispose to vaccine strain infections. It has remained unclear whether vaccine safety could be improved via mutations attenuating a vaccine in immune-deficient individuals without compromising the vaccine's performance in the normal host. We have addressed this hypothesis using a mouse model for Salmonella diarrhea and a live attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium strain (ssaV. Vaccination with this strain elicited protective immunity in wild type mice, but a fatal systemic infection in immune-deficient cybb(-/-nos2(-/- animals lacking NADPH oxidase and inducible NO synthase. In cybb(-/-nos2(-/- mice, we analyzed the attenuation of 35 ssaV strains carrying one additional mutation each. One strain, Z234 (ssaV SL1344_3093, was >1000-fold attenuated in cybb(-/-nos2(-/- mice and ≈100 fold attenuated in tnfr1(-/- animals. However, in wt mice, Z234 was as efficient as ssaV with respect to host colonization and the elicitation of a protective, O-antigen specific mucosal secretory IgA (sIgA response. These data suggest that it is possible to engineer live attenuated vaccines which are specifically attenuated in immuno-compromised hosts. This might help to improve vaccine safety.

  18. Safety for Users

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    CERN welcomes more than 8000 Users every year. The PH Department as host to these scientific associates requires the highest safety standards. The PH Safety Office has published a Safety Flyer for Users. Important safety topics and procedures are presented. Although the Flyer is intended primarily to provide safety information for Users, the PH Safety Office invites all those on the CERN sites to keep a copy of the flyer as it gives guidance in matters of safety and explains what to do in the event of an emergency. Link: http://ph-dep.web.cern.ch/ph-dep/Safety/SafetyOffice.html PH-Safety Office PH Department

  19. Safety for Users

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    CERN welcomes more than 8000 Users every year. The PH Department as host to these scientific associates requires the highest safety standards. The PH Safety Office has published a safety flyer for Users. Important safety topics and procedures are presented. Although the flyer is intended primarily to provide safety information for Users, the PH Safety Office invites all those on the CERN sites to keep a copy of the flyer as it gives guidance in matters of safety and explains what to do in the event of an emergency. The flyer is available at: http://ph-dep.web.cern.ch/ph-dep/Safety/SafetyOffice.html PH-Safety Office PH Department

  20. Measuring mobile patient safety information system success: an empirical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jen, Wen-Yuan; Chao, Chia-Cheng

    2008-10-01

    The Health Risk Reminders and Surveillance (HRRS) system was designed to deliver critical abnormal test results of severely ill patients from Laboratory, Radiology, and Pathology departments to physicians within 5 min using cell phone text messages. This paper explores the success of the HRRS system. This study employed an augmented version of the DeLone and McLean IS success model. Seven variables (system quality, information quality, system use, user satisfaction, mobile healthcare anxiety, impact on the individual and impact on the organization) were used to evaluate the success of the HRRS system. The interrelationships between the seven variables were hypothesized and the hypotheses were empirically tested. The results indicate that the information quality of the HRRS system is positively associated with both system use and user satisfaction. In addition, system use is positively associated with user satisfaction, which is also positively associated with mobile healthcare anxiety. Moreover, results indicate that impact on the individual is positively associated with both user satisfaction and mobile healthcare anxiety. Finally, the impact of the organization is positively associated with impact on the individual. The results of the study provide an expanded understanding of the factors that contribute to mobile patient safety information system (IS) success. Implications of the relationship between system use and physician mobile healthcare anxiety are discussed.

  1. Improving immunization in Afghanistan: results from a cross-sectional community-based survey to assess routine immunization coverage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raveesha R. Mugali

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite progress in recent years, Afghanistan is lagging behind in realizing the full potential of immunization. The country is still endemic for polio transmission and measles outbreaks continue to occur. In spite of significant reductions over the past decade, the mortality rate of children under 5 years of age continues to remain high at 91 per 1000 live births. Methods The study was a descriptive community-based cross sectional household survey. The survey aimed to estimate the levels of immunization coverage at national and province levels. Specific objectives are to: establish valid baseline information to monitor progress of the immunization program; identify reasons why children are not immunized; and make recommendations to enhance access and quality of immunization services in Afghanistan. The survey was carried out in all 34 provinces of the country, with a sample of 6125 mothers of children aged 12–23 months. Results Nationally, 51% of children participating in the survey received all doses of each antigen irrespective of the recommended date of immunization or recommended interval between doses. About 31% of children were found to be partially vaccinated. Reasons for partial vaccination included: place to vaccinate child too far (23%, not aware of the need of vaccination (17%, no faith in vaccination (16%, mother was too busy (15%, and fear of side effects (11%. Conclusion The innovative mechanism of contracting out delivery of primary health care services in Afghanistan, including immunization, to non-governmental organizations is showing some positive results in quickly increasing coverage of essential interventions, including routine immunization. Much ground still needs to be covered with proper planning and management of resources in order to improve the immunization coverage in Afghanistan and increase survival and health status of its children.

  2. Immunizing Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geraldine Jody Macdonald

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses the complex contexts within which Canadian health professionals engage in immunizing children and focuses on the Canadian practice guidelines and current scientific evidence that direct Canadian health professional competencies. The article begins by presenting two current global vaccine initiatives and links these to immunization in Canada. A selected literature review identifies current best immunization practices. With the purpose of promoting quality improvement, three key Canadian immunization competencies for health professional are highlighted: communication with parents, including those who are experiencing vaccine hesitancy; administration of immunizing agents; and documentation of immunizations. Health professionals are encouraged to reflect on immunization competencies and ensure evidence-based practices underpin vaccine delivery in their primary care settings.

  3. Arizona Traffic Safety Education, K-8. Passenger Safety, Grade 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mesa Public Schools, AZ.

    One in a series designed to assist Arizona elementary and junior high school teachers in developing children's traffic safety skills, this curriculum guide contains four lessons and an appendix of school bus safety tips for use in grade 3. Introductory information provided for the teacher includes basic highway safety concepts, stressing…

  4. IAEA safety glossary. Terminology used in nuclear safety and radiation protection, multilingual 2007 edition, including the IAEA safety fundamentals [no. SF-1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-10-01

    The IAEA Safety Glossary defines and explains technical terms used in the IAEA Safety Standards and other safety related IAEA publications, and provides information on their usage.The publication is multilingual and covers the six official IAEA languages,, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. It has been in use since April 2000. The 2007 Edition is a revised and updated version. The primary purpose of the publication is to harmonize terminology and usage in the IAEA Safety Standards. It is a source of information for users of the IAEA Safety Standards and other safety related IAEA publications and provides guidance for the drafters and reviewers of publications, including IAEA technical officers and consultants, and members of technical committees, advisory groups, working groups and bodies for the endorsement of safety standards

  5. Bovine anaplasmosis with emphasis on immune responses and protection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ristic, M.

    1980-01-01

    Anaplasmosis is an infectious and transmissible disease manifested by progressive anaemia and the appearance of other characteristic disease symptoms. It is a world-wide tick-borne disease of cattle and some wild ruminants caused by the rickettsia Anaplasma marginale. By drawing on information obtained from studies of plasmodial cell cultures, a method has recently been developed for short-term in vitro cultivation of A. marginale. An attenuated Anaplasma organism capable of growth in both ovine and bovine erythrocytes was used to demonstrate that the in vitro system provided the necessary requirements for active transfer of the organism from cell to cell. Organismal antigens are found in the erythrocytes of infected animals, whereas soluble antigens are derived from their erythrocytes and serum. Serums from convalescing animals interact with these antigens in agglutination, complement fixation, fluorescent antibody and precipitation tests. Passive transfer of sera from immune to susceptible cattle, however, does not seem to confer protection against the infection and development of the disease. Studies that employed various tests for measuring cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses (leukocyte migration inhibition, blast transformation and cytotoxicity), in association with information collected simultaneously on antibody activity, have shown that both humoral and cellular immune responses are needed for the development of protective immunity in anaplasmosis. It was further shown that an active replication of Anaplasma is essential for induction of these two types of immune responses. Consequently, live virulent and attenuated immunogens fulfil requirements for induction of protective immunity. With the virulent agent, however, development of protective immunity is preceded by induction of auto-immune responses apparently associated with pathogenesis of anaemia in anaplasmosis. Inactivated immunogens derived from blood of infected cattle and used in combination with

  6. Safety aspects of the modernization of I and C and process information in nuclear power plants with special regard to alarm annunciation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seidel, F [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Salzgitter (Germany)

    1997-09-01

    In particular for older German nuclear power plants there are projects to modernize I and C and process information systems. This modernization mainly aims at improvements in plant operation. For instance, using modern computing technology, the plant operation can be optimized, according to further details. Furthermore, the problem of spare-part keeping for out-dated components can be solved. For modernizing the I and C or the process computer system, safety-relevant aspects have to be taken into account. For instance, the compatibility of the system modification with the existing alarm annunciation concept shall be considered, and for each modernization step, the interfaces between the equipment of different safety significance shall be assessed and observed. The functions and the associated equipment have to be qualified in accordance to their safety significance. At present, the regulatory framework for computer-based instrumentation and control as well as for information systems is being elaborated in Germany and worldwide. Recently, the guidelines of the German Reactor Safety Commission have been extended with regard to the introduction and safety application of modern computer-based I and C in nuclear power plants. Furthermore, some of the essential requirements for design and qualification of modern I and C can be derived from the existing rules and standards. Particularly, concerning the alarm annunciation system, this report summarizes safety-relevant aspects of the modernization of the instrumentation and control system as well as the process information system in nuclear power plants. (author). 4 refs.

  7. Safety aspects of the modernization of I and C and process information in nuclear power plants with special regard to alarm annunciation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seidel, F.

    1997-01-01

    In particular for older German nuclear power plants there are projects to modernize I and C and process information systems. This modernization mainly aims at improvements in plant operation. For instance, using modern computing technology, the plant operation can be optimized, according to further details. Furthermore, the problem of spare-part keeping for out-dated components can be solved. For modernizing the I and C or the process computer system, safety-relevant aspects have to be taken into account. For instance, the compatibility of the system modification with the existing alarm annunciation concept shall be considered, and for each modernization step, the interfaces between the equipment of different safety significance shall be assessed and observed. The functions and the associated equipment have to be qualified in accordance to their safety significance. At present, the regulatory framework for computer-based instrumentation and control as well as for information systems is being elaborated in Germany and worldwide. Recently, the guidelines of the German Reactor Safety Commission have been extended with regard to the introduction and safety application of modern computer-based I and C in nuclear power plants. Furthermore, some of the essential requirements for design and qualification of modern I and C can be derived from the existing rules and standards. Particularly, concerning the alarm annunciation system, this report summarizes safety-relevant aspects of the modernization of the instrumentation and control system as well as the process information system in nuclear power plants. (author). 4 refs

  8. Study of system safety evaluation on LTO of national project. NISA safety research project on system safety of nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takizawa, Masayuki; Sekimura, Naoto; Miyano, Hiroshi; Aoyama, Katsunobu

    2012-01-01

    Japanese safety regulatory body, that is, Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) started a 5-year national safety research project as 'the first stage' from 2006 FY to 2010 FY whose objective is 'Improve the technical information basis in order to utilize knowledge as well as information related to ageing management and maintenance of NPPs. Fukushima disaster happened in March 2011, and the priority of research needs for ageing management dramatically changed in Japan. The second-stage national project started in October 2011 with the concept of 'system safety' of NNPs where not only ageing management on degradation phenomena of important components but also safety management on total plant systems are paid attention to. The second-stage project is so called 'Japanese Ageing Management Program for System Safety (JAMPSS)'. (author)

  9. Evolution of human factors research and studies of health information technologies: the role of patient safety

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beuscart-Zéphir, M. C.; Borycki, E.; Carayon, P.; Jaspers, M. W. M.; Pelayo, S.

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this survey paper is to present and explain the impact of recent regulations and patient safety initiatives (EU, US and Canada) on Human Factors (HF)/Usability studies and research focusing on Health Information Technology (HIT). The authors have selected the most prominent of these

  10. Circumventing antivector immunity: potential use of nonhuman adenoviral vectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopez-Gordo, Estrella; Podgorski, Iva I; Downes, Nicholas; Alemany, Ramon

    2014-04-01

    Adenoviruses are efficient gene delivery vectors based on their ability to transduce a wide variety of cell types and drive high-level transient transgene expression. While there have been advances in modifying human adenoviral (HAdV) vectors to increase their safety profile, there are still pitfalls that need to be further addressed. Preexisting humoral and cellular immunity against common HAdV serotypes limits the efficacy of gene transfer and duration of transgene expression. As an alternative, nonhuman AdV (NHAdV) vectors can circumvent neutralizing antibodies against HAdVs in immunized mice and monkeys and in human sera, suggesting that NHAdV vectors could circumvent preexisting humoral immunity against HAdVs in a clinical setting. Consequently, there has been an increased interest in developing NHAdV vectors for gene delivery in humans. In this review, we outline the recent advances and limitations of HAdV vectors for gene therapy and describe examples of NHAdV vectors focusing on their immunogenicity, tropism, and potential as effective gene therapy vehicles.

  11. Construction of Structure of Indicators of Efficiency of Counteraction to Threats of Information Safety in Interests of the Estimation of Security of Information Processes in Computer Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. P. Kurilo

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The theorem of system of indicators for an estimation of the security of information processes in the computer systems is formulated and proved. A number of the signs is proved, allowing to consider set of the indicators of efficiency of counteraction to the threats of information safety of the computer systems as the system.

  12. Information report on nuclear safety and radiation protection of the Tricastin AREVA site, 2010 edition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    This report presents the Tricastin site, the different arrangements concerning nuclear safety and radiation protection on this site, and recent nuclear events. It describes how site releases are managed and how the environment is controlled and monitored, how wastes are managed, and how other impacts are controlled. It finally presents the different actions regarding transparency and information

  13. "The Impact of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Immune Evasion on Protective Immunity: Implications for TB Vaccine Design" - Meeting report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boggiano, Cesar; Eichelberg, Katrin; Ramachandra, Lakshmi; Shea, Jaqueline; Ramakrishnan, Lalita; Behar, Samuel; Ernst, Joel D; Porcelli, Steven A; Maeurer, Markus; Kornfeld, Hardy

    2017-06-14

    Tuberculosis (TB) is the major cause of death from infectious diseases around the world, particularly in HIV infected individuals. TB vaccine design and development have been focused on improving Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and evaluating recombinant and viral vector expressed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) proteins, for boosting BCG-primed immunity, but these approaches have not yet yielded significant improvements over the modest effects of BCG in protecting against infection or disease. On March 7-8, 2016, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) convened a workshop on "The Impact of Mtb Immune Evasion on Protective Immunity: Implications for TB Vaccine Design" with the goal of defining immune mechanisms that could be targeted through novel research approaches, to inform vaccine design and immune therapeutic interventions for prevention of TB. The workshop addressed early infection events, the impact of Mtb evolution on the development and maintenance of an adaptive immune response, and the factors that influence protection against and progression to active disease. Scientific gaps and areas of study to revitalize and accelerate TB vaccine design were discussed and prioritized. These included a comprehensive evaluation of innate and Mtb-specific adaptive immune responses in the lung at different stages of disease; determining the role of B cells and antibodies (Abs) during Mtb infection; development of better assays to measure Mtb burden following exposure, infection, during latency and after treatment, and approaches to improving current animal models to study Mtb immunogenicity, TB disease and transmission. Copyright © 2017.

  14. Safety and Immunogenicity of a Quadrivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine and Commonly Administered Vaccines After Coadministration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasparini, Roberto; Tregnaghi, Miguel; Keshavan, Pavitra; Ypma, Ellen; Han, Linda; Smolenov, Igor

    2016-01-01

    Given the broad age range across which the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine MenACWY-CRM is used, coadministration with routine vaccines should be evaluated across age groups for possible immunologic interference and impact on vaccine reactogenicity and safety. We summarize data from a large population of infants, adolescents and international travelers from 10 phase 3 or 4 clinical studies to evaluate coadministration of MenACWY-CRM with commonly administered vaccines. Noninferiority analyses of immune responses were performed across studies and age groups for each vaccine. Reactogenicity and safety were also assessed. In infants, MenACWY-CRM coadministered with routine vaccines did not reduce immune responses to diphtheria, tetanus, poliovirus, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type b, pneumococcal conjugate, measles-mumps-rubella, varicella or pertussis antigens. Noninferiority criteria were not met for some pneumococcal conjugate serotypes at 7 months of age, but no consistent trends were observed. In adolescents, coadministration did not reduce immune responses to tetanus, diphtheria and human papilloma virus vaccine antigens. Noninferiority criteria for pertussis antigens were not uniformly met in infant and adolescent studies, although the clinical relevance is unclear. In adults, coadministration did not reduce immune responses to hepatitis A/B, typhoid fever, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and rabies antigens. Immune responses to MenACWY-CRM were not impacted by coadministration of commonly administered vaccines. Coadministration did not increase frequencies of postvaccination adverse events in any age group. With no clinically relevant vaccine interactions or impact on vaccine reactogenicity or safety, these results support the coadministration of MenACWY-CRM with routine vaccines in all age groups.

  15. The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC): A Resource for Nuclear Science Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirk, Bernadette Lugue

    2009-01-01

    The Radiation Safety Information Computational Center (RSICC) has been in existence since 1963. RSICC collects, organizes, evaluates and disseminates technical information (software and nuclear data) involving the transport of neutral and charged particle radiation, and shielding and protection from the radiation associated with: nuclear weapons and materials, fission and fusion reactors, outer space, accelerators, medical facilities, and nuclear waste management. RSICC serves over 12,000 scientists and engineers from about 100 countries. An important activity of RSICC is its participation in international efforts on computational and experimental benchmarks. An example is the Shielding Integral Benchmarks Archival Database (SINBAD), which includes shielding benchmarks for fission, fusion and accelerators. RSICC is funded by the United States Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

  16. The TRAIN-project: railway safety and the train driver information environment and work situation. A summary of the main results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kecklund, L. [MTO Psychology and Swedish National Rail Administration (Sweden); Ingre, M.; Kecklund, G.; Soederstroem, M.; Aakerstedt, T. [National Inst. for Psychosocial Factors and Health (Sweden); Lindberg, E. [Swedish National Rail Administration (Sweden); Jansson, A.; Olsson, E.; Sandblad, B. [Uppsala Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Human-Computer Interaction; Almqvist, P. [Swedish State Railways (Sweden)

    2001-07-01

    The TRAIN project investigates traffic safety related risks, focusing in particular on the train driver work situation, use of information but also on the supporting safety organisation. It is an on-going project funded and managed by Swedish National Rail Administration and carried out by independent researchers. The project provides a multi-disciplinary investigation by use of a man-technology-organisation (MTO) perspective. Activities performed are task analysis, evaluation of the drivers use of information and interaction with the ATP system as well as analyses of stress, mental workload and work hours. Several methods are being used such as interviews, questionnaires, diaries, activity monitoring and videotapes. This paper gives an overview of the project as well as a short summary of the main results. Detailed results are presented in separate reports as started in the reference list. Some of the main results are that the drivers report severe problems concerning sleepiness on early morning shifts, problems with maintenance on vehicles, lack of information supporting the planning task as well as problems in understanding ATP functions. Two groups of drivers having a feed-back related as opposed to a feed-forward driving style could be identified. In conclusion there is a great need to perform more scientific studies of human factors and railway safety as well as to implement safety management programs including professional human factors competence in the railway industries. (orig.)

  17. An overview of current and potential use of information and communication technologies for immunization promotion among adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amicizia, Daniela; Domnich, Alexander; Gasparini, Roberto; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Lai, Piero Luigi; Panatto, Donatella

    2013-12-01

    Information and communication technologies (ICT), such as the Internet or mobile telephony, have become an important part of the life of today's adolescents and their main means of procuring information. The new generation of the Internet based on social-networking technologies, Web 2.0, is increasingly used for health purposes by both laypeople and health professionals. A broad spectrum of Web 2.0 applications provides several opportunities for healthcare workers, in that they can reach large numbers of teenagers in an individualized way and promote vaccine-related knowledge in an interactive and entertaining manner. These applications, namely social-networking and video-sharing websites, wikis and microblogs, should be monitored in order to identify current attitudes toward vaccination, to reply to vaccination critics and to establish a real-time dialog with users. Moreover, the ubiquity of mobile telephony makes it a valuable means of involving teenagers in immunization promotion, especially in developing countries.

  18. A Content Analysis of Health and Safety Communications Among Internet-Based Sex Work Advertisements: Important Information for Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atchison, Chris

    2017-01-01

    Background The capacity to advertise via the Internet continues to contribute to the shifting dynamics in adult commercial sex work. eHealth interventions have shown promise to promote Internet-based sex workers’ health and safety internationally, yet minimal attention has been paid in Canada to developing such interventions. Understanding the information communicated in Internet-based sex work advertisements is a critical step in knowledge development to inform such interventions. Objective The purpose of this content analysis was to increase our understanding of the health and safety information within the Internet advertisements among women, men, and transgender sex workers and to describe how this information may be utilized to inform eHealth service development for this population. Methods A total of 75 Internet-based sex worker advertisements (45 women, 24 men, and 6 transgender persons) were purposefully selected from 226 advertisements collected as part of a larger study in Western Canada. Content analysis was employed to guide data extraction about demographic characteristics, sexual services provided, service restrictions, health practices and concerns, safety and security, and business practices. Frequencies for each variable were calculated and further classified by gender. Thematic analysis was then undertaken to situate the communications within the social and commercialized contexts of the sex industry. Results Four communications themes were identified: (1) demographic characteristics; (2) sexual services; (3) health; and (4) safety and security. White was the most common ethnicity (46/75, 61%) of advertisements. It was found that 20-29 years of age accounted for 32 of the 51 advertisements that provided age. Escort, the only legal business title, was the most common role title used (48/75, 64%). In total, 85% (64/75) of advertisements detailed lists of sexual services provided and 41% (31/75) of advertisements noted never offering uncovered

  19. Real-time immune-inspired optimum state-of-charge trajectory estimation using upcoming route information preview and neural networks for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles fuel economy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mozaffari, Ahmad; Vajedi, Mahyar; Azad, Nasser L.

    2015-06-01

    The main proposition of the current investigation is to develop a computational intelligence-based framework which can be used for the real-time estimation of optimum battery state-of-charge (SOC) trajectory in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The estimated SOC trajectory can be then employed for an intelligent power management to significantly improve the fuel economy of the vehicle. The devised intelligent SOC trajectory builder takes advantage of the upcoming route information preview to achieve the lowest possible total cost of electricity and fossil fuel. To reduce the complexity of real-time optimization, the authors propose an immune system-based clustering approach which allows categorizing the route information into a predefined number of segments. The intelligent real-time optimizer is also inspired on the basis of interactions in biological immune systems, and is called artificial immune algorithm (AIA). The objective function of the optimizer is derived from a computationally efficient artificial neural network (ANN) which is trained by a database obtained from a high-fidelity model of the vehicle built in the Autonomie software. The simulation results demonstrate that the integration of immune inspired clustering tool, AIA and ANN, will result in a powerful framework which can generate a near global optimum SOC trajectory for the baseline vehicle, that is, the Toyota Prius PHEV. The outcomes of the current investigation prove that by taking advantage of intelligent approaches, it is possible to design a computationally efficient and powerful SOC trajectory builder for the intelligent power management of PHEVs.

  20. Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Nutrition and Food Safety Information in School Science Textbooks of India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subba Rao, G. M.; Vijayapushapm, T.; Venkaiah, K.; Pavarala, V.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To assess quantity and quality of nutrition and food safety information in science textbooks prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India for grades I through X. Design: Content analysis. Methods: A coding scheme was developed for quantitative and qualitative analyses. Two investigators independently coded the…

  1. Status of safety issues at licensed power plants: TMI Action Plan requirements; unresolved safety issues; generic safety issues; other multiplant action issues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-12-01

    As part of ongoing US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) efforts to ensure the quality and accountability of safety issue information, the NRC established a program for publishing an annual report on the status of licensee implementation and NRC verification of safety issues in major NRC requirements areas. This information was initially compiled and reported in three NUREG-series volumes. Volume 1, published in March 1991, addressed the status of Three Mile Island (TMI) Action Plan Requirements. Volume 2, published in May 1991, addressed the status of unresolved safety issues (USIs). Volume 3, published in June 1991, addressed the implementation and verification status of generic safety issues (GSIs). The first annual supplement, which combined these volumes into a single report and presented updated information as of September 30, 1991, was published in December 1991. The second annual supplement, which provided updated information as of September 30, 1992, was published in December 1992. Supplement 2 also provided the status of licensee implementation and NRC verification of other multiplant action (MPA) issues not related to TMI Action Plan requirements, USIs, or GSIs. This third annual NUREG report, Supplement 3, presents updated information as of September 30, 1993. This report gives a comprehensive description of the implementation and verification status of TMI Action Plan requirements, safety issues designated as USIs, GSIs, and other MPAs that have been resolved and involve implementation of an action or actions by licensees. This report makes the information available to other interested parties, including the public. Additionally, this report serves as a follow-on to NUREG-0933, ''A Prioritization of Generic Safety Issues,'' which tracks safety issues until requirements are approved for imposition at licensed plants or until the NRC issues a request for action by licensees

  2. Overview of Drosophila immunity: a historical perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imler, Jean-Luc

    2014-01-01

    The functional analysis of genes from the model organism Drosophila melanogaster has provided invaluable information for many cellular and developmental or physiological processes, including immunity. The best-understood aspect of Drosophila immunity is the inducible humoral response, first recognized in 1972. This pioneering work led to a remarkable series of findings over the next 30 years, ranging from the identification and characterization of the antimicrobial peptides produced, to the deciphering of the signalling pathways activating the genes that encode them and, ultimately, to the discovery of the receptors sensing infection. These studies on an insect model coincided with a revival of the field of innate immunity, and had an unanticipated impact on the biomedical field. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Safety- barrier diagrams

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duijm, Nijs Jan

    2008-01-01

    Safety-barrier diagrams and the related so-called 'bow-tie' diagrams have become popular methods in risk analysis. This paper describes the syntax and principles for constructing consistent and valid safety-barrier diagrams. The relation of safety-barrier diagrams to other methods such as fault...... trees and Bayesian networks is discussed. A simple method for quantification of safety-barrier diagrams is proposed. It is concluded that safety-barrier diagrams provide a useful framework for an electronic data structure that integrates information from risk analysis with operational safety management....

  4. Safety-barrier diagrams

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Duijm, Nijs Jan

    2007-01-01

    Safety-barrier diagrams and the related so-called "bow-tie" diagrams have become popular methods in risk analysis. This paper describes the syntax and principles for constructing consistent and valid safety-barrier diagrams. The relation with other methods such as fault trees and Bayesian networks...... are discussed. A simple method for quantification of safety-barrier diagrams is proposed, including situations where safety barriers depend on shared common elements. It is concluded that safety-barrier diagrams provide a useful framework for an electronic data structure that integrates information from risk...... analysis with operational safety management....

  5. A qualitative exploration of patients' attitudes towards the 'Participate Inform Notice Know' (PINK) patient safety video.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinto, Anna; Vincent, Charles; Darzi, Ara; Davis, Rachel

    2013-02-01

    To explore patients' attitudes towards the PINK video, a patient education video aimed at encouraging hospital patients' involvement in safety-relevant behaviours. Qualitative semi-structured interviews. Detailed field notes were taken during the interviews which were analysed using content analysis. One National Health System (NHS) teaching hospital based in London, UK. Thirty-six in-patients aged between 20 and 79 years, 18 of them males. The PINK video is a short animated educational video aimed at encouraging patients to be involved in the safety of their care during hospitalization. Patients' perceptions of how informative, relevant and acceptable the video is; attitudes towards participating in the recommended safety-related behaviours and; potential negative side effects of watching the video. Overall the video was received favourably among the interviewees. Commonly cited benefits included raising awareness and facilitating patients to be involved in their care during their hospital stay. More variability was found in participants' views with regard to the video's role as a patient safety enhancement tool. A number of suggestions for improvement of the video were provided relating to tailoring its content and design to meet the needs of individual patients and their circumstances. Educational videos such as PINK have significant potential to empower patients in the safety and quality of their care. However, efforts to implement patient safety educational videos in practice need to consider different patient groups' needs and characteristics instead of trying to adopt 'a one size fits all' approach.

  6. A primer of drug safety surveillance: an industry perspective. Part I: Information flow, new drug development, and federal regulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allan, M C

    1992-01-01

    To place the fundamentals of clinical drug safety surveillance in a conceptual framework that will facilitate understanding and application of adverse drug event data to protect the health of the public and support a market for pharmaceutical manufacturers' products. Part I of this series provides a background for the discussion of drug safety by defining the basic terms and showing the flow of safety information through a pharmaceutical company. The customers for adverse drug event data are identified to provide a basis for providing quality service. The development of a drug product is briefly reviewed to show the evolution of safety data. Drug development and safety are defined by federal regulations. These regulations are developed by the FDA with information from pharmaceutical manufacturers. The intent of the regulations and the accompanying guidelines is described. An illustration from the news media is cited to show an alternative, positive approach to handling an adverse event report. This review uses primary sources from the federal laws (regulations), commentaries, and summaries. Very complex topics are briefly summarized in the text and additional readings are presented in an appendix. Secondary sources, ranging from newspaper articles to judicial summaries, illustrate the interpretation of adverse drug events and opportunities for drug safety surveillance intervention. The reference materials used were articles theoretically or practically applicable in the day-to-day practice of drug safety surveillance. The role of clinical drug safety surveillance in product monitoring and drug development is described. The process of drug safety surveillance is defined by the Food and Drug Administration regulations, product labeling, product knowledge, and database management. Database management is subdivided into the functions of receipt, retention, retrieval, and review of adverse event reports. Emphasis is placed on the dynamic interaction ;of the components

  7. Communication and Public Information in Development and Maintenance of Radiation Safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huurto, L.

    2003-01-01

    The natural source of Non-Ionizing radiation (NIR) in our environment is the sun. Artificial NIR is widely used in medical and industrial applications and also in households. The most important medical NIR applications are phototherapy, surgical lasers and magnetic resonance imaging. In industry NIR is applied in radio frequency heaters and laser printing. NIR has applications even in entertainment and cosmetics: High power lasers are used in light shows and sun beds emit artificial ultraviolet radiation (UVR) for tanning. From the safety point of view the field is indeed very wide from harmless and common items to devices which can cause acute health hazards. The use of non-ionizing radiation needs neither any safety licence nor other kind of authorisation. The users of NIR devices varies from professionals in health care or lighting technology to those who only use them as a sideline in their main work like beauticians. Also laypersons use various NIR devices like microwave ovens, laser pointers and mobile phones. Many NIR devices are used in applications where the user does not have the knowledge to understand the health risks associated with the device. Thus the only way is to educate the users by communication and public information. (orig.)

  8. Hazard identification and risk assessment for biologics targeting the immune system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weir, Andrea B

    2008-01-01

    Biologic pharmaceuticals include a variety of products, such as monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins and cytokines. Products in those classes include immunomodulatory biologics, which are intended to enhance or diminish the activity of the immune system. Immunomodulatory biologics have been approved by the U.S. FDA for a variety of indications, including cancer and inflammatory conditions. Prior to gaining approval for marketing, sponsoring companies for all types of products must demonstrate a product's safety in toxicology studies conducted in animals and show safety and efficacy in clinical trials conducted in patients. The overall goal of toxicology studies, which applies to immunomodulatory and other product types, is to identify the hazards that products pose to humans. Because biologics are generally highly selective for specific targets (receptors/epitopes), conducting toxicology studies in animal models with the target is essential. Such animals are referred to as pharmacologically relevant. Endpoints routinely included in toxicology studies, such as hematology, organ weight and histopathology, can be used to assess the effect of a product on the structure of the immune system. Additionally, specialized endpoints, such as immunophenotyping and immune function tests, can be used to define effects of immunomodulatory products on the immune system. Following hazard identification, risks posed to patients are assessed and managed. Risks can be managed through clinical trial design and risk communication, a practice that applies to immunomodulatory and other product types. Examples of risk management in clinical trial design include establishing a safe starting dose, defining the appropriate patient population and establishing appropriate patient monitoring. Risk communication starts during clinical trials and continues after product approval. A combination of hazard identification, risk assessment and risk management allows for drug development to proceed

  9. Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB)

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — This repository contains antibody/B cell and T cell epitope information and epitope prediction and analysis tools for use by the research community worldwide. Immune...

  10. Key terms for the assessment of the safety of vaccines in pregnancy: Results of a global consultative process to initiate harmonization of adverse event definitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munoz, Flor M; Eckert, Linda O; Katz, Mark A; Lambach, Philipp; Ortiz, Justin R; Bauwens, Jorgen; Bonhoeffer, Jan

    2015-11-25

    The variability of terms and definitions of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) represents a missed opportunity for optimal monitoring of safety of immunization in pregnancy. In 2014, the Brighton Collaboration Foundation and the World Health Organization (WHO) collaborated to address this gap. Two Brighton Collaboration interdisciplinary taskforces were formed. A landscape analysis included: (1) a systematic literature review of adverse event definitions used in vaccine studies during pregnancy; (2) a worldwide stakeholder survey of available terms and definitions; (3) and a series of taskforce meetings. Based on available evidence, taskforces proposed key terms and concept definitions to be refined, prioritized, and endorsed by a global expert consultation convened by WHO in Geneva, Switzerland in July 2014. Using pre-specified criteria, 45 maternal and 62 fetal/neonatal events were prioritized, and key terms and concept definitions were endorsed. In addition recommendations to further improve safety monitoring of immunization in pregnancy programs were specified. This includes elaboration of disease concepts into standardized case definitions with sufficient applicability and positive predictive value to be of use for monitoring the safety of immunization in pregnancy globally, as well as the development of guidance, tools, and datasets in support of a globally concerted approach. There is a need to improve the safety monitoring of immunization in pregnancy programs. A consensus list of terms and concept definitions of key events for monitoring immunization in pregnancy is available. Immediate actions to further strengthen monitoring of immunization in pregnancy programs are identified and recommended. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  11. Long-term persistence of systemic and mucosal immune response to HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in preteen/adolescent girls and young women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petäjä, T; Pedersen, Court; Poder, A

    2011-01-01

    Vaccination against oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types is one key intervention for cervical cancer prevention. This follow-up study assessed the persistence of the systemic and mucosal immune responses together with the safety profile of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine administered...... of transudation or exudation of serum IgG antibodies through the cervical epithelium. The HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine had a clinically acceptable safety profile. In conclusion, this follow-up study shows that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine administered to preteen/adolescents girls and young women...... induces long-term systemic and mucosal immune response and has a clinically acceptable safety profile up to four years after the first vaccine dose....

  12. Long-term persistence of systemic and mucosal immune response to HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in preteen/adolescent girls and young women

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Petäjä, T; Pedersen, C; Andersen, Anne Poder

    2010-01-01

    Vaccination against oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types is one key intervention for cervical cancer prevention. This follow-up study assessed the persistence of the systemic and mucosal immune responses together with the safety profile of the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine administered...... of transudation or exudation of serum IgG antibodies through the cervical epithelium. The HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine had a clinically acceptable safety profile. In conclusion, this follow-up study shows that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine administered to preteen/adolescents girls and young women...... induces long-term systemic and mucosal immune response and has a clinically acceptable safety profile up to four years after the first vaccine dose....

  13. The use of probabilistic safety assessments for improving nuclear safety in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Birkhofer, A.

    1992-01-01

    The political changes in Europe broadened the scope of international nuclear safety matters considerably. The Western world started to receive reliable and increasingly detailed information on Eastern European nuclear technology and took note of a broad range of technical and administrative problems relevant for nuclear safety in these countries. Reunification made Germany a focus of information exchange on these matters. Here, cooperation with the former German Democratic Republic and with other Eastern European countries as well as safety analyses of Soviet-built nuclear power plants started rather early. Meanwhile, these activities are progressing toward all-European cooperation in the nuclear safety sector. This cooperation includes the use of probabilistic safety assessments (PSAs) addressing applications in both Western and Eastern Europe as well as the further development of this methodology in a converging Europe

  14. Induction of antitumor immunity through xenoplacental immunization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agadjanyan Michael G

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Historically cancer vaccines have yielded suboptimal clinical results. We have developed a novel strategy for eliciting antitumor immunity based upon homology between neoplastic tissue and the developing placenta. Placenta formation shares several key processes with neoplasia, namely: angiogenesis, activation of matrix metalloproteases, and active suppression of immune function. Immune responses against xenoantigens are well known to break self-tolerance. Utilizing xenogeneic placental protein extracts as a vaccine, we have successfully induced anti-tumor immunity against B16 melanoma in C57/BL6 mice, whereas control xenogeneic extracts and B16 tumor extracts where ineffective, or actually promoted tumor growth, respectively. Furthermore, dendritic cells were able to prime tumor immunity when pulsed with the placental xenoantigens. While vaccination-induced tumor regression was abolished in mice depleted of CD4 T cells, both CD4 and CD8 cells were needed to adoptively transfer immunity to naïve mice. Supporting the role of CD8 cells in controlling tumor growth are findings that only freshly isolated CD8 cells from immunized mice were capable of inducing tumor cell caspases-3 activation ex vivo. These data suggest feasibility of using xenogeneic placental preparations as a multivalent vaccine potently targeting not just tumor antigens, but processes that are essential for tumor maintenance of malignant potential.

  15. Development of Safety Assessment Information System (SAIS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Byung Shik; Lee, Kyung Jin; Lee, Byung Chul; Song, Tae Young; Lee, Chang Ho

    2007-01-01

    Many reports and documents about nuclear power plant safety analysis like a Periodic Safe Review (PSR), Periodic Safety Analysis (PSA) and Severe Accident Management Guideline (SAMG) come to be drawn up from KHNP. Since these are not arranged easy to look up, the systematic arrangement of data was necessary. The solution against hereupon is to store database, and it was developed with the name, SAIS, by FNC Tech. Co. together with NETEC KHNP. In this web program it is easy to manage (registration, search and statistics) data. And the authorized user can approach this system. This was developed, and was verified under the development environment of; - Web Server : Apache 2.2.5 - Program Language : PHP 5.2 - DBMS : Oracle 10g

  16. Development of Safety Assessment Information System (SAIS)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Byung Shik; Lee, Kyung Jin; Lee, Byung Chul [FNC Tech. Co. Ltd. SNU, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Song, Tae Young; Lee, Chang Ho [KHNP, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2007-10-15

    Many reports and documents about nuclear power plant safety analysis like a Periodic Safe Review (PSR), Periodic Safety Analysis (PSA) and Severe Accident Management Guideline (SAMG) come to be drawn up from KHNP. Since these are not arranged easy to look up, the systematic arrangement of data was necessary. The solution against hereupon is to store database, and it was developed with the name, SAIS, by FNC Tech. Co. together with NETEC KHNP. In this web program it is easy to manage (registration, search and statistics) data. And the authorized user can approach this system. This was developed, and was verified under the development environment of; - Web Server : Apache 2.2.5 - Program Language : PHP 5.2 - DBMS : Oracle 10g.

  17. Integrated Circuit Immunity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sketoe, J. G.; Clark, Anthony

    2000-01-01

    This paper presents a DOD E3 program overview on integrated circuit immunity. The topics include: 1) EMI Immunity Testing; 2) Threshold Definition; 3) Bias Tee Function; 4) Bias Tee Calibration Set-Up; 5) EDM Test Figure; 6) EMI Immunity Levels; 7) NAND vs. and Gate Immunity; 8) TTL vs. LS Immunity Levels; 9) TP vs. OC Immunity Levels; 10) 7805 Volt Reg Immunity; and 11) Seventies Chip Set. This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

  18. Oral immune therapy: targeting the systemic immune system via the gut immune system for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilan, Yaron

    2016-01-01

    Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are associated with an altered systemic immune response leading to inflammation-mediated damage to the gut and other organs. Oral immune therapy is a method of systemic immune modulation via alteration of the gut immune system. It uses the inherit ability of the innate system of the gut to redirect the systemic innate and adaptive immune responses. Oral immune therapy is an attractive clinical approach to treat autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. It can induce immune modulation without immune suppression, has minimal toxicity and is easily administered. Targeting the systemic immune system via the gut immune system can serve as an attractive novel therapeutic method for IBD. This review summarizes the current data and discusses several examples of oral immune therapeutic methods for using the gut immune system to generate signals to reset systemic immunity as a treatment for IBD.

  19. Analysis of doses reported to the Health and Safety Executive's Central Index of Dose Information

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    This publication analyses the occupational exposure summary information reported to the UK Health and Safety Executive for the years 1986-91. In particular, it considers evidence pointing to the relative success of employers in restricting occupational exposure to ionising radiation over this period. Exposure in the nuclear industry, industrial radiography, non-coal miners underground, medicine, dentistry and the transport sector is discussed. (UK)

  20. 20 CFR 401.160 - Health or safety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Health or safety. 401.160 Section 401.160... INFORMATION Disclosure of Official Records and Information § 401.160 Health or safety. The Privacy Act allows us to disclose information in compelling circumstances where an individual's health or safety is...