Radiation surveys in contaminated communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knight, G.B.

1977-01-01

Radiation surveys of uranium contamination in Uranium City and Port Hope, Canada, are described. Samples of soil, water, and crops grown in contaminated soil and air in homes were analyzed for radon content. Following decontamination, measurements were made of γ exposure rates both inside and outside of buildings

A Survey of Floor Vibration Noise at All Sectors in the APS Experiment Hall

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kearney, Steven [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Shu, Deming [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2016-01-01

A vibration survey of the APS experiment hall floor was conducted. It was found that beamlines 10-20 have particularly low levels of vibration when compared to the rest of the facility. The vibration spectrum for each beamline floor can be found in the appendix. Throughout the majority of the 5-100 Hz vibration spectrum beamlines at the APS fall below the most stringent NEST vibration criteria. Lastly, it was concluded that the magnitude of vibrations at a particular beamline is largely dependent upon the magnitude of vibrations present at the nearby mezzanine support column.

[Wing 1 radiation survey and contamination report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, K.

1991-01-01

We have completed the 5480.11 survey for Wing 1. All area(s)/item(s) requested by the 5480.11 committee have been thoroughly surveyed and documented. Decontamination/disposal of contaminated items has been accomplished. The wing 1 survey was started on 8/13/90 and completed 9/18/90. However, the follow-up surveys were not completed until 2/18/91. We received the final set of smear samples for wing 1 on 1/13/91. A total of 5,495 smears were taken from wing 1 and total of 465 smears were taken during the follow-up surveys. There were a total 122 items found to have fixed contamination and 4 items with smearable contamination in excess of the limits specified in DOE ORDER 5480.11 (AR 3-7). The following area(s)/item(s) were not included in the 5480.11 survey: Hallways, Access panels, Men's and women's change rooms, Janitor closets, Wall lockers and item(s) stored in wing 1 hallways and room 1116. If our contract is renewed, we will include those areas in our survey according to your request of April 15, 1991

Mechanisms of friction and assessment of slip resistance of new and used footwear soles on contaminated floors.

Science.gov (United States)

Grönqvist, Raoul

1995-02-01

The great number of slipping accidents indicates that footwear providing good slip resistance must be rare. Slip resistance seems to be a purely physical phenomenon, however, more knowledge of the mechanisms of friction is needed to develop slip-resistant footwear and to ensure safer walking in slippery conditions. In the present study the influence of the normal wear of shoe heels and soles on their frictional properties was clarified. The slip resistance of three types of new and used safety shoes on four relatively slippery floor-contaminant combinations, was assessed with a prototype apparatus, which simulates the movements of a human foot and the forces applied to the underfoot surface during an actual slip. The used shoes were collected from 27 workers in a shipbuilding company and classified by sight into four wear classes: Good, satisfactory, poor, and worn-out. The assessed shoe heels and soles were in general more slippery when new compared to used heels and soles. However, footwear must be discarded before the tread pattern is worn-out. Used microcellular polyurethane (PU) heels and soles gave a considerably higher coefficient of kinetic friction (μ k ) on contaminated floors than used heels and soles made of compact nitrile (NR) and compact styrene rubber (SR). The heel-slide coefficient of kinetic friction (μ kl ) for used versus new shoes was on average 66% higher for PU (0·216 versus 0·130), 27% higher for SR (0·143 versus 0·113), and 7% lower for NR (0·098 versus 0·105). The fundamental mechanisms of friction between shoe soles and contaminated floors were also discussed, and experiments with seven slabs of sole materials were carried out to assess contact pressure effects from the viewpoint of slipping. Slip resistance particularly seemed to depend on the squeeze film and the contact pressure effects between the soling materials and the floor. An increasing contact pressure dramatically reduced the μ k , thus indicating that the slip

Mechanical decontamination techniques for floor drain systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palau, G.L.

1987-01-01

The unprecedented nature of cleanup activities at Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) following the 1979 accident has necessitated the development of new techniques to deal with radiation and contamination in the plant. One of these problems was decontamination of floor drain systems, which had become highly contaminated with various forms of dirt and sludge containing high levels of fission products and fuel from the damaged reactor core. The bulk of this contamination is loosely adherent to the drain pipe walls; however, significant amounts of contamination have become incorporated into pipe wall oxide and corrosion layers and embedded in microscopic pits and fissures in the pipe wall material. The need to remove this contamination was recognized early in the TMI-2 cleanup effort. A program consisting of development and laboratory testing of floor drain decontamination techniques was undertaken early in the cleanup with support from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Based on this initial research, two techniques were judged to show promise for use at TMI-2: a rotating brush hone system and a high-pressure water mole nozzle system. Actual use of these devices to clean floor drains at TMI-2 has yielded mixed decontamination results. The decontamination effectiveness that has been obtained is highly dependent on the nature of the contamination in the drain pipe and the combination of decontamination techniques used

Final report on contamination surveys at NPL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuplin, T.A.

1984-02-01

The Environmental and Medical Sciences Division of Harwell was contracted to carry out detailed surveys of Building 154 at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington. The survey used a variety of radiation detectors appropriate to the conditions found and also involved monitoring for the presence of beryllium, by means of smear (wiping) tests. The results from the beryllium survey showed that no areas exceeded accepted control limits. The results of the contamination survey indicated a few places where the derived limit was exceeded However, averaged over the accepted surface area (1000 cm 2 ), and noting that the contamination was fixed, the levels were considered to present no hazard to any worker in the area nor to anyone outside the building. The environmental radiation in Room 35, the most contaminated room, was one hundredth of a millirem per hour. In only one area (Room 26) was there a radiologically significant dose rate, caused by a sealed source of cobalt-60. The accessible dose rates close to the source were around 8 millirem per hour. However, the uranium contamination should be removed to be consistent with the principle that radiation exposure should be as low as reasonably achievable. (U.K.)

The estimation of sea floor dynamics from bathymetric surveys of a sand wave area

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dorst, Leendert; Roos, Pieter C.; Hulscher, Suzanne J.M.H.; Lindenbergh, R.C.

2009-01-01

The analysis of series of offshore bathymetric surveys provides insight into the morphodynamics of the sea floor. This knowledge helps to improve resurvey policies for the maintenance of port approaches and nautical charting, and to validate morphodynamic models. We propose a method for such an

Survey of radioactive contamination for foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Wan No; Lee, Chang Wu; Choi, Geun Sik; Cho, Yeong Hyeon; Kang, Mun Ja; Cheong, Geun Ho; Kim, Hui Ryeong; Park, Du Won; Park, Hyo Guk; Kwak, Ji Yeon

2006-11-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, a lot of countries including EU, Japan, USA are to strengthen survey of radioactive contamination for foodstuffs. Our country has also surveyed radioactive contamination of the imported foodstuffs and started to check continuously the radioactivity contamination of the open market foodstuffs since 2003. In this year, imported foodstuffs(130 samples) and domestic foodstuffs(10 samples) are analyzed to investigate the radioactive contamination. Sampled foodstuffs items are collected from the open markets; one group is the imported foodstuffs and the other group is the domestic foodstuffs producted around nuclear facilities and northeast of Sokcho city concerning recent situations. Samples are usually bought from traditional markets, mart, department store or the Internet. After pretreatments such as drying, ashing, and homogenization, all samples were analyzed by gamma spectrometer system for survey and assessment of radioactive contamination. The 131 I radionuclide isn't detected among all foodstuffs(imported and domestic). The 137 Cs radionuclide among the regulation radionuclides( 137 Cs, 13 4 C s, 131 I) of food code is only detected at the imported foodstuffs but its level is far below the maximum permitted level. For the improvement of measurement confidence, the developed analysis method is tested by the participation of the national and international intercomparison. The developed method based on test results and international standard would be used at radioactive analysis as well as an education of relative workers. It could be applied as the basis data for amending the analysis method of food code. It is technically supported for radioactive analysis of commercial company and the government including KFDA. Finally these results would be used to solve an ambiguous anxiety of a people for radiation exposure by foodstuffs intake and help the KFDA to manage systematically the radioactive contamination and to give

Floor surface decontaminating device for use in nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Tomiji; Ue, Tatsuyuki; Omori, Nobuya; Okuzawa, Tsutomu.

1987-01-01

Purpose: To obtain a device for decontaminating the floor surfaces contaminated with radioactive materials in nuclear power plants or the likes, mechanically, automatically and effectively. Constitution: During running of the device by means of running wheels and castors, a decontaminating head is always applied with vibrations by a vibrator. In this state, wiping members are sent from a delivery roll, applied with vibrations at the decontaminating head. The members wipe off contamination products while in frictional contact with the floor surface and are then taken up to a winding roll with the contamination products deposited thereto. In this case, since the vibrations from the decontaminating head are transmitted by way of a resilient portion thereof to the wiping members, the vibrations transmitted from the wiping members to the floor surface are somewhat buffered. (Kawakami, Y.)

Floor Heating with Displacement Ventilation: An Experimental and Numerical Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Causone, Francesco; Olesen, Bjarne W.; Corgnati, S.P.

2010-01-01

The effect of floor heating combined with displacement ventilation (DV) on thermal indoor environments and indoor air quality (IAQ) was studied by means of CFD. The numerical model was validated with experimental data. A typical office room was simulated, and one of the occupants was considered...... to simulate different kinds of contaminant sources, under the same boundary conditions. It was found that DV does not guarantee a better IAQ than full mixing when contaminant sources are not linked to heat sources, even when floor heating is used. Contaminants produced by powerful heat sources require high...

Evaluation of residual uranium contamination in the dirt floor of an abandoned metal rolling mill.

Science.gov (United States)

Glassford, Eric; Spitz, Henry; Lobaugh, Megan; Spitler, Grant; Succop, Paul; Rice, Carol

2013-02-01

A single, large, bulk sample of uranium-contaminated material from the dirt floor of an abandoned metal rolling mill was separated into different types and sizes of aliquots to simulate samples that would be collected during site remediation. The facility rolled approximately 11,000 tons of hot-forged ingots of uranium metal approximately 60 y ago, and it has not been used since that time. Thirty small mass (≈ 0.7 g) and 15 large mass (≈ 70 g) samples were prepared from the heterogeneously contaminated bulk material to determine how measurements of the uranium contamination vary with sample size. Aliquots of bulk material were also resuspended in an exposure chamber to produce six samples of respirable particles that were obtained using a cascade impactor. Samples of removable surface contamination were collected by wiping 100 cm of the interior surfaces of the exposure chamber with 47-mm-diameter fiber filters. Uranium contamination in each of the samples was measured directly using high-resolution gamma ray spectrometry. As expected, results for isotopic uranium (i.e., U and U) measured with the large-mass and small-mass samples are significantly different (p 0.05) from results for the large- or small-mass samples. Large-mass samples are more reliable for characterizing heterogeneously distributed radiological contamination than small-mass samples since they exhibit the least variation compared to the mean. Thus, samples should be sufficiently large in mass to insure that the results are truly representative of the heterogeneously distributed uranium contamination present at the facility. Monitoring exposure of workers and the public as a result of uranium contamination resuspended during site remediation should be evaluated using samples of sufficient size and type to accommodate the heterogeneous distribution of uranium in the bulk material.

The value of DCIP geophysical surveys for contaminated site investigations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balbarini, Nicola; Rønde, Vinni Kampman; Maurya, Pradip Kumar

an old factory site by combining traditional geological, hydrological, and contaminant concentration data with DCIP surveys. The plume consisted of xenobiotic organic compounds and inorganics. The study assesses benefits and limitations of DCIP geophysics for contaminated site investigations. A 3D......Geophysical methods are increasingly being used in contaminant hydrogeology to map lithology, hydraulic properties, and contaminant plumes with a high ionic strength. Advances in the Direct Current resistivity and Induced Polarization (DCIP) method allow the collection of high resolution three...... water and below the streambed. Surface DCIP surveys supported the characterization of the spatial variability in geology, hydraulic conductivity and contaminant concentration. Though DCIP data interpretation required additional borehole data, the DCIP survey reduced the number of boreholes required...

A Mobile Automated Characterization System (MACS) for indoor floor characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, B.S.; Haley, D.C.; Dudar, A.M.; Ward, C.R.

1995-01-01

The Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing an advanced Mobile Automated Characterization System (MACS) to characterize indoor contaminated floors. MACS is based upon Semi-Intelligent Mobile Observing Navigator (SIMON), an earlier floor characterization system developed at SRTC. MACS will feature enhanced navigation systems, operator interface, and an interface to simplify integration of additional sensors. The enhanced navigation system will provide the capability to survey large open areas much more accurately than is now possible with SIMON, which is better suited for hallways and corridors that provide the means for recalibrating position and heading. MACS operator interface is designed to facilitate MACS's use as a tool for health physicists, thus eliminating the need for additional training in the robot's control language. Initial implementation of MACS will use radiation detectors. Additional sensors, such as PCB sensors currently being developed, will be integrated on MACS in the future. Initial use of MACS will be focused toward obtaining comparative results with manual methods. Surveys will be conducted both manually and with MACS to compare relative costs and data quality. While clear cost benefits anticipated, data quality benefits should be even more significant

Minimum detectable activities of contamination control survey equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goles, R.W.; Baumann, B.L.; Johnson, M.L.

1991-08-01

The Instrumentation ampersand External Dosimetry (I ampersand ED) Section of the Health Physics Department at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) has performed a series of tests to determine the ability of portable survey instruments used at Hanford to detect radioactive contamination at levels required by DOE 5480.11. This semi-empirical study combines instrumental, statistical, and human factors as necessary to derive operational detection limits. These threshold detection values have been compared to existing contamination control requirements, and detection deficiencies have been identified when present. Portable survey instruments used on the Hanford Site identify the presence of radioactive surface contamination based on the detection of α-, β-, γ-, and/or x-radiation. However, except in some unique circumstances, most contamination monitors in use at Hanford are configured to detect either α-radiation alone or β- and γ-radiation together. Testing was therefore conducted on only these two categories of radiation detection devices. Nevertheless, many of the results obtained are generally applicable to all survey instruments, allowing performance evaluations to be extended to monitoring devices which are exclusively γ- and/or x-ray- sensitive. 6 figs., 2 tabs

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (Oh-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources.

Science.gov (United States)

Sucharova, Julie; Suchara, Ivan; Hola, Marie; Reimann, Clemens; Boyd, Rognvald; Filzmoser, Peter; Englmaier, Peter

2011-05-01

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the "environmental memory" of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km2 in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Efficiencies of contamination source for flooring and some materials used in unencapsulated radioactivity handling facilities].

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, M; Yoshizawa, M; Minami, K

1990-09-01

The efficiencies of contamination source, defined in ISO Report 7506-1, were experimentally determined for such materials as flooring, polyethylene, smear-tested filter paper and stainless steel plate. 5 nuclides of 147Pm, 60Co, 137Cs, 204Tl and 90Sr-Y were used to study beta-ray energy dependence of the efficiency, and 241Am as alpha-ray emitter. The charge-up effect in the measurement by a window-less 2 pi-proportional counter was evaluated to obtain reliable surface emission rate. The measured efficiencies for non-permeable materials, except for two cases, are more than 0.5 even for 147Pm. The ISO recommendations were shown to be conservative enough on the basis of present results.

Sources of indoor air contamination on the ground floor of a high-rise commercial building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nayebzadeh, A.; Cragg-Elkouh, S.; Rancy, R.; Dufresne, A.

1999-01-01

Indoor air quality is a subject of growing concern in the developed world. Many sources of indoor air contamination in commercial and office buildings are recognised and have been investigated. In addition to the usual internal sources of air contaminants, other external sources from attached facilities can find their way into the building. This report presents the results of an indoor air quality survey in a high-rise office building which demonstrated an obvious seasonal change in regard to the concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ). Furthermore, a complementary survey in the same building was carried out to identify the relevant sources of air contamination in the building and the results indicated that an attached train station and the nearby street traffic had a significant impact on indoor air quality. (author)

Knowledge of the pelvic floor in nulliparous women

OpenAIRE

Neels, Hedwig; Wyndaele, Jean-Jacques; Tjalma, Wiebren A. A.; De Wachter, Stefan; Wyndaele, Michel; Vermandel, Alexandra

2016-01-01

[Purpose] Proper pelvic floor function is important to avoid serious dysfunctions including incontinence, prolapse, and sexual problems. The current study evaluated the knowledge of young nulliparous women about their pelvic floor and identified what additional information they wanted. [Subjects and Methods] In this cross-sectional survey, a validated, 36 item questionnaire was distributed to 212 nulliparous women. The questionnaire addressed demography, pelvic floor muscles, pelvic floor dys...

Radiological Risk Assessment and Survey of Radioactive Contamination for Foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W.R.; Lee, C.W.; Choi, K.S.

2007-11-01

After the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986, a radiological dose assessment and a survey of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs have been investigated by many countries such as EU, Japan, USA. In the case of Japan which is similar to our country for the imported regions of foodstuffs, there were some instances of the excess for regulation on the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination among some imported foodstuffs. Concerns about the radioactive contamination of foodstuffs are increased because of the recently special situation (Nuclear test of North Korea). The purpose of this study is a radiological dose assessment and a survey of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs in order to reduce the probability of intake of contaminated foodstuffs. Analytical results of the collected samples are below MDA. In this project, the model of radiological dose assessment via the food chain was also developed and radiological dose assessment was conducted based on surveys results of a radioactive contamination for foodstuffs in the Korean open markets since 2002. The results of radiological dose assessment are far below international reference level. It shows that public radiation exposure via food chain is well controlled within the international guide level. However, the radioactive contamination research of imported foodstuffs should be continuous considering the special situation(nuclear test of North Korea). These results are used to manage the radioactive contamination of the imported foodstuffs and also amend the regulation on the maximum permitted levels of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs

Life cycle inventory of manufacturing prefinished engineered wood flooring in eastern U.S. with comparison to solid strip wood flooring

Science.gov (United States)

Richard D. Bergman; Scott A. Bowe

2011-01-01

Building products have come under increased scrutiny because of environmental impacts from their manufacture. Our study followed the life cycle inventory approach for prefinished engineered wood flooring in the eastern US and compared the results with those of solid strip wood flooring. Our study surveyed five engineered wood flooring manufacturers in the eastern US....

Results of the radiological survey at the former Associate Aircraft Tool and Manufacturing Company site, Fairfield, Ohio (FOH001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; Carrier, R.F.; Mathis, R.A.

1993-03-01

At the request of the US Department of Energy (DOE), a team from oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted a radiological survey of the former Associate Aircraft Tool and Manufacturing Company facility, Fairfield, Ohio. The survey was performed in July and September 1992. The purpose of the survey was to determine if the facility had become contaminated with residuals containing radioactive materials during the work performed under government contract from February to September, 1956. The survey included gamma scanning over a circumscribed area around and outside of the building, and gamma scanning over most accessible indoor floor surfaces as well as the collection of soil and other samples for radionuclide analyses. Roof trusses were beta-gamma scanned in locations where floor contamination was found. Results of the survey demonstrated radionuclide concentrations in indoor and outdoor samples, and radiation measurements over floor and overhead surfaces, in excess of the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program guidelines. Elevated uranium concentrations outdoors were limited to several small, isolated spots. Radiation measurements exceeded guidelines indoors over numerous spots and areas inside the building, mainly in the areas that had been used in the early government work

Friction between footwear and floor covered with solid particles under dry and wet conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kai Way; Meng, Fanxing; Zhang, Wei

2014-01-01

Solid particles on the floor, both dry and wet, are common but their effects on the friction on the floor were seldom discussed in the literature. In this study, friction measurements were conducted to test the effects of particle size of solid contaminants on the friction coefficient on the floor under footwear, floor, and surface conditions. The results supported the hypothesis that particle size of solids affected the friction coefficient and the effects depended on footwear, floor, and surface conditions. On dry surfaces, solid particles resulted in friction loss when the Neolite footwear pad was used. On the other hand, solid particles provided additional friction when measured with the ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) footwear pad. On wet surfaces, introducing solid particles made the floors more slip-resistant and such effects depended on particle size. This study provides information for better understanding of the mechanism of slipping when solid contaminants are present.

Decontamination effects of a simulated contaminated floor surface by a teleoperated mopping system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki Ho; Kwon, Hyok Jo; Park, Jang Jin; Yang, Myung Seung

2004-01-01

A Tele Operated Mopping System (TOMS) was developed for use in the radioactive zone of the M6 hot-cell of the Irradiated Material Examination Facility (IMEF) at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). TOMS was designed to remove contaminated dry particulates, dust, and smears existing on the floor surface of the M6 hot-cell by mopping it in a remote manner. TOMS has three subsystems - a mobile mopping slave located inside the hot-cell, and a mopping master and a control console located outside the hot-cell. The mobile mopping slave consists of a tracked mobile platform, a mopping tool, and a wet mopping cloth, which were constructed in modules to facilitate a maintenance. This paper aims at describing the mopping capability of the developed TOMS - decontamination capability. In this work the decontamination capability is defined by the ratio of the removed contaminated area when the mopping cloth was passed over. The experiment was carried out by varying the speeds of the mopping slave and the roller, while the mopping force driven by the operator was constant. The roller of the mopping tool mounted on the mopping slave was designed to collect the mopping cloth used. The experimental results showed that the speeds of the mopping slave and the roller influence the extent of the decontamination

Efficiencies of contamination source for flooring and some materials used in unencapsulated radioactivity handling facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Makoto; Yoshizawa, Michio; Minami, Kentaro

1990-01-01

The efficiencies of contamination source, defined in ISO Report 7506-1, were experimentally determined for such materials as flooring, polyethylene, smear-tested filter paper and stainless steel plate. 5 nuclides of 147 Pm, 60 Co, 137 Cs, 204 Tl and 90 Sr-Y were used to study β-ray energy dependence of the efficiency, and 241 Am as α-ray emitter. The charge-up effect in the measurement by a window-less 2π-proportional counter was evaluated to obtain reliable surface emission rate. The measured efficiencies for non-permeable materials, except for two cases, are more than 0.5 even for 147 Pm. The ISO recommendations were shown to be conservative enough on the basis of present results. (author)

Linking chemical elements in forest floor humus (O-h-horizon) in the Czech Republic to contamination sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sucharova, J.; Suchara, I.; Hola, M.; Reimann, C.; Boyd, R.; Filzmoser, P.; Englmaier, P. [Geological Survey of Norway, Trondheim (Norway)

2011-05-15

While terrestrial moss and other plants are frequently used for environmental mapping and monitoring projects, data on the regional geochemistry of humus are scarce. Humus, however, has a much larger life span than any plant material. It can be seen as the 'environmental memory' of an area for at least the last 60-100 years. Here concentrations of 39 elements determined by ICP-MS and ICP AES, pH and ash content are presented for 259 samples of forest floor humus collected at an average sample density of 1 site/300 km{sup 2} in the Czech Republic. The scale of anomalies linked to known contamination sources (e.g., lignite mining and burning, metallurgical industry, coal fired power plants, metal smelters) is documented and discussed versus natural processes influencing humus quality. Most maps indicate a local impact from individual contamination sources: often more detailed sampling than used here would be needed to differentiate between likely sources.

Reaerosolization of Spores from Flooring Surfaces To Assess the Risk of Dissemination and Transmission of Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Paton, Susan; Thompson, Katy-Anne; Parks, Simon R; Bennett, Allan M

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to quantify reaerosolization of microorganisms caused by walking on contaminated flooring to assess the risk to individuals accessing areas contaminated with pathogenic organisms, for example, spores of Bacillus anthracis. Industrial carpet and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) floor coverings were contaminated with aerosolized spores of Bacillus atrophaeus by using an artist airbrush to produce deposition of ∼10(3) to 10(4) CFU · cm(-2). Microbiological air samplers were used to quantify the particle size distribution of the aerosol generated when a person walked over the floorings in an environmental chamber. Results were expressed as reaerosolization factors (percent per square centimeter per liter), to represent the ratio of air concentration to surface concentration generated. Walking on carpet generated a statistically significantly higher reaerosolization factor value than did walking on PVC (t = 20.42; P flooring in order to inform the choice of appropriate respiratory protective equipment and may aid in the selection of the most suitable flooring types for use in health care environments, to reduce aerosol transmission in the event of contamination. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

THERMAL EVALUATION OF CONTAMINATED LIQUID ONTO CELL FLOORS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

For the Salt Disposition Integration Project (SDIP), postulated events in the new Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) can result in spilling liquids that contain Cs-137 and organics onto cell floors. The parameters of concern are the maximum temperature of the fluid following a spill and the time required for the maximum fluid temperature to be reached. Control volume models of the various process cells have been developed using standard conduction and natural convection relationships. The calculations are performed using the Mathcad modeling software. The results are being used in Consolidated Hazards Analysis Planning (CHAP) to determine the controls that may be needed to mitigate the potential impact of liquids containing Cs-137 and flammable organics that spill onto cell floors. Model development techniques and the ease of making model changes within the Mathcad environment are discussed. The results indicate that certain fluid spills result in overheating of the fluid, but the times to reach steady-state are several hundred hours. The long times allow time for spill clean up without the use of expensive mitigation controls

Verification of radioactive contamination surveys for practical use in biological research centres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macias, M.T.; Requejo, C.; Ruiz, M.; Pina, R.

2006-01-01

Unsealed sources are commonly used in science research laboratories. Their manipulation may imply a radioactive contamination hazard. Therefore, adequate and sensitive survey meters must be available, and must have an effective and accurate response to intensity and type of radiation emitted by the used radionuclides to identify and quantify the possible contamination and then be able to avoid any associated or unwanted consequences that may arise. Periodic surveys are performed to show control, any time, any place radioactive contamination is suspected, and to ensure radioisotopes are being used safely. The immediate work areas must be often checked with portable survey monitors, including the entire lab and particularly bench tops, personnel protective equipment or solely designated equipment for isotope use (micro-fuges, water baths, incubators). These are carried out with portable survey instruments like Geiger-Muller tubes, proportional counters and scintillation detectors that provide direct or indirect measurements capabilities. The Radiation Safety Office (R.S.O.) as well as the radioactive compounds working laboratories at the Instituto de Inv. Biomedicas 'A. Sols' (Madrid-Spain) are provided with an adequate radiation measurement instrument. But, before a portable survey instrument is used, several quality checks should be made (batteries, calibration sticker), and the instrument response should be tested with a check source. This paper aims at determining, with a R.S.O. procedure, these surveys working parameters -detection efficiency, calibration factors and minimum detectable activities-, using reference checking sources ( 14 C, 36 Cl, and 90 Sr/ 90 Y) with known radioactivity covering the energy range of beta emitting isotopes used in biological research. No gamma portable monitors have been tested for the R.S.O. has no gamma checking sources. Therefore, 58 beta monitors were tested, obtaining t he efficiency values, the calibration factors (Bq cm-2 s

Survey of Current Best Practices for Diving in Contaminated Water

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Steigleman, W

2002-01-01

.... Navy divers operating in contaminated water. This survey attempted to identify the current best practices and equipment for diving in contaminated water, including personal protective equipment as well as hazard identification, diver training...

Survey of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W. R.; Lee, C. W.; Choi, G. S.; Cho, Y. H.; Kang, M. J.; Cheong, K. H.; Kim, H. R.; Kwak, J. Y.

2005-11-01

The purpose of this study is to survey and assess radioactive contamination of foodstuffs in order to reduce the probability of intake of contaminated foodstuffs. Based on survey and assessment, final goal is to improve the public health by radiation protection. Sampled foodstuffs items are collected from the markets : one group are imported foodstuffs and the other group are domestic foodstuffs producted around nuclear facilities. After pretreatments such as drying, ashing, and homogenization, all samples were analyzed by gamma spectrometer system. The 137 Cs radionuclide was only measured among the regulation radionuclides ( 137 Cs, 134 Cs, 131 I) of food code. All radionuclides of the domestic foodstuffs collected around nuclear facilities were below Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA). But the activity concentrations of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushooms) from Russia ranged up to 171.27 (average value : 36.65) Bq/kg-fresh. In the case of blueberry jam, the radioactivity of 137 Cs is higher than expected value. Other samples are below MDA except some spices. Based on the previous and present results, it should be strengthen to survey for Inontus obliquus (Chaga mushooms), of which the radioactivity shows the range from MDA up to 800.01 Bq/kg-fresh. It should assess the public radiation exposure via food chain because it has the excess provability of the maximum permitted level of food code, which is regulation of KFDA. The development method based on international standard would be used at radioactive analysis as well as education of practical workers and it could be applied as the basis data for amending the analysis method of food code. Our country only surveys gamma emitting radionuclides till now but international organization or foreign countries for example EU survey alpha and beta emitting radionuclides as well as gamma emitting radionuclides. So our country should also research necessity of survey for alpha and beta emitting radionuclides

Social networking and Internet use among pelvic floor patients: a multicenter survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazloomdoost, Donna; Kanter, Gregory; Chan, Robert C; Deveaneau, Nicolette; Wyman, Allison M; Von Bargen, Emily C; Chaudhry, Zaid; Elshatanoufy, Solafa; Miranne, Jeannine M; Chu, Christine M; Pauls, Rachel N; Arya, Lily A; Antosh, Danielle D

2016-11-01

Internet resources are becoming increasingly important for patients seeking medical knowledge. It is imperative to understand patient use and preferences for using the Internet and social networking websites to optimize patient education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate social networking and Internet use among women with pelvic floor complaints to seek information for their conditions as well as describe the likelihood, preferences, and predictors of website usage. This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study of women presenting to clinical practices of 10 female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellowship programs across the United States, affiliated with the Fellows' Pelvic Research Network. New female patients presenting with pelvic floor complaints, including urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and fecal incontinence were eligible. Participants completed a 24 item questionnaire designed by the authors to assess demographic information, general Internet use, preferences regarding social networking websites, referral patterns, and resources utilized to learn about their pelvic floor complaints. Internet use was quantified as high (≥4 times/wk), moderate (2-3 times/wk), or minimal (≤1 time/wk). Means were used for normally distributed data and medians for data not meeting this assumption. Fisher's exact and χ 2 tests were used to evaluate the associations between variables and Internet use. A total of 282 surveys were analyzed. The majority of participants, 83.3%, were white. The mean age was 55.8 years old. Referrals to urogynecology practices were most frequently from obstetrician/gynecologists (39.9%) and primary care providers (27.8%). Subjects were well distributed geographically, with the largest representation from the South (38.0%). Almost one third (29.9%) were most bothered by prolapse complaints, 22.0% by urgency urinary incontinence, 20.9% by stress urinary incontinence, 14.9% by urgency/frequency symptoms, and 4

Evaluation of common cleaning and disinfection programmes in battery cage and on-floor layer houses in France.

Science.gov (United States)

Huneau-Salaün, A; Michel, V; Balaine, L; Petetin, I; Eono, F; Ecobichon, F; Bouquin, S Le

2010-04-01

1. The aim in this study was to evaluate cleaning and disinfection programmes in battery cage and on-floor layer houses in France. 2. Cleaning and disinfection efficiency was assessed by a visual evaluation of cleaning and a bacteriological monitoring of surface contamination from counts of thermotolerant streptococci on contact agar plates. 3. In battery cage houses, dropping belts, manure conveyors, and house floors remained highly contaminated due to poor cleaning in half of the buildings examined. 4. In on-floor houses, a high standard of cleaning was achieved but errors in the planning of cleaning and disinfection operations sometimes led to a high residual contamination of nest boxes and egg sorting tables.

Survey of radioactive contamination of foodstuffs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, W. R.; Lee, C. W.; Choi, G. S.; Cho, Y. H.; Kang, M. J.; Cheong, K. H.; Kim, H. R.; Kwak, J. Y

2005-11-15

The purpose of this study is to survey and assess radioactive contamination of foodstuffs in order to reduce the probability of intake of contaminated foodstuffs. Based on survey and assessment, final goal is to improve the public health by radiation protection. Sampled foodstuffs items are collected from the markets : one group are imported foodstuffs and the other group are domestic foodstuffs producted around nuclear facilities. After pretreatments such as drying, ashing, and homogenization, all samples were analyzed by gamma spectrometer system. The {sup 137}Cs radionuclide was only measured among the regulation radionuclides ({sup 137}Cs, {sup 134}Cs, {sup 131}I) of food code. All radionuclides of the domestic foodstuffs collected around nuclear facilities were below Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA). But the activity concentrations of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushooms) from Russia ranged up to 171.27 (average value : 36.65) Bq/kg-fresh. In the case of blueberry jam, the radioactivity of {sup 137}Cs is higher than expected value. Other samples are below MDA except some spices. Based on the previous and present results, it should be strengthen to survey for Inontus obliquus (Chaga mushooms), of which the radioactivity shows the range from MDA up to 800.01 Bq/kg-fresh. It should assess the public radiation exposure via food chain because it has the excess provability of the maximum permitted level of food code, which is regulation of KFDA. The development method based on international standard would be used at radioactive analysis as well as education of practical workers and it could be applied as the basis data for amending the analysis method of food code. Our country only surveys gamma emitting radionuclides till now but international organization or foreign countries for example EU survey alpha and beta emitting radionuclides as well as gamma emitting radionuclides. So our country should also research necessity of survey for alpha and beta emitting

Efficacy of manual cleaning and an ultraviolet C room decontamination device in reducing health care-associated pathogens on hospital floors.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustapha, Aishat; Alhmidi, Heba; Cadnum, Jennifer L; Jencson, Annette L; Donskey, Curtis J

2018-05-01

Recent studies suggest that floors may be an underappreciated source for transmission of health care-associated pathogens. However, there are limited data on the effectiveness of current cleaning and disinfection methods in reducing floor contamination. We demonstrated that manual postdischarge cleaning by environmental services personnel significantly reduced floor contamination, and an automated ultraviolet C room disinfection device was effective as an adjunct to manual cleaning. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Environmental Pollution in five floors (5th to 9th) Resulting from the use of Depleted Uranium Weaponry in the Al-Tahreer Tower Building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ameen, N.H; Al-ghirrawy, M.A; Kadhim, H.H

2014-01-01

The goals of this study include measuring the increase in radioactivity and removal the contamination regions to protect the population and the environment resulting from bombing the Al-Tahreer Tower Building (the Turkish restaurant previously) by the depleted uranium bullets through direct measurement and sampling of soil from five floors (Fifth,Sixth,Seventh,Eighth,and Ninth) of the building, which contains fourteen floors in addition to basement by using different types of portable monitoring equipment s.The results of radiological surveys by using the portable monitor (CAB) indicated the presence of contaminated soil reached to 55 c/sec, and small particles of depleted uranium shells has very high levels of contamination reached to 70 c /sec ,while the background level is (0.5 c/sec) ,and the higher exposure rates is 55 μR/hr when the portable monitor (Ludlum) put on the contaminated regions approximately on distance 0.5 cm), where the natural background level is 9 μR/hr in the floors of the building.The radiological analyses of the collected soil samples were done in the laboratory of the center of Radiological Researches in the Ministry of sciences and Technology by using gamma spectrometry (which contains High- purity Germanium Detector) with a efficiency of 40% and resolution 2 keV for Energy, 1.33Mev, collection, preparations and tests of soil samples were all done according to IAEA.The laboratory results indicated the presence of high concentrations of the isotopes Th-234 (1550.1) Bq/kg, and Pa-234 m (1394.8) in the soil samples taken from the floors while the concentrations of Th-234 and Pa-234 m in natural background levels are (nearly 40, nil) Bq/Kg respectively which is a clear indication of the presence of high concentrations an isotope of uranium - 238 as they are supposed to be in equilibrium radiation.

Generation of airborne Listeria innocua from model floor drains.

Science.gov (United States)

Berrang, Mark E; Frank, Joseph F

2012-07-01

Listeria monocytogenes can colonize floor drains in poultry processing and further processing facilities, remaining present even after cleaning and disinfection. Therefore, during wash down, workers exercise caution to avoid spraying hoses directly into drains in an effort to prevent the escape and transfer of drain microflora to food contact surfaces. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which an inadvertent water spray into a colonized floor drain can cause the spread of airborne Listeria. Listeria innocua was used to inoculate a polyvinyl chloride model floor drain, resulting in approximately 10(8) cells per ml of phosphate-buffered saline and 10(4) attached cells per square centimeter of inner surface. Each model drain was subjected to a 2-s spray of tap water at 68.9 kPa from a distance of 1 m. Drains were sprayed while filled and again after emptying. Airborne cells were collected by using sedimentation plates containing Listeria selective agar which were placed on the floor and walls of a contained room at incremental horizontal and vertical distances of 0.6, 1.2, 2.4, or 4.0 m from the drain. Sedimentation plates were exposed for 10 min. A mechanical sampler was used to also collect air by impaction on the surface of Listeria selective agar to determine the number of cells per liter of air. The experiment was conducted in triplicate rooms for each of four replications. L. innocua was detected on sedimentation plates on the floor as far as 4.0 m from the drain and on walls as high as 2.4 m above the floor and 4 m from the drain. A 2-s spray with a water hose into a contaminated drain can cause airborne spread of Listeria, resulting in the potential for cross-contamination of food contact surfaces, equipment, and exposed product.

A Fresh Look at Flooring Costs. A Report on a Survey of User Experience Compiled by Armstrong Cork Company.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong Cork Co., Lancaster, PA.

Survey information based on actual flooring installations in several types of buildings and traffic conditions, representing nearly 113 million square feet of actual user experience, is contained in this comprehensive report compiled by the Armstrong Cork Company. The comparative figures provided by these users clearly establish that--(1) the…

The architectural foundations for agent-based shop floor control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langer, Gilad; Bilberg, Arne

1998-01-01

simulation and cell controlenabling technologies. In order to continuethis research effortnew concepts and theories for shop floor control are investigated.This paper reviews the multi-agent concept aimed at investigatingits potential use in shop floor control systems. The paper willalso include a survey...

Results of the radiological verification survey at the former Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company, 1550 Grand Boulevard, Hamilton Ohio (HO001V)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, M.E.; allred, J.F.; Johnson, C.A.

1995-11-01

During the period between the 1940s and early 1950s, the Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company, 1550 Grand Boulevard, Hamilton, Ohio, was one company under subcontract to the Manhattan Engineer District (MED), and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the lead agencies in the development of nuclear energy for defense-related projects. The US Department of Energy (DOE) conducted radiological surveys of these sites to evaluate current radiological conditions as part of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). In 1988, a radiological survey of the Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company facility was conducted, and after small fragments of uranium metal were removed, no beta or gamma radiation above background was detected and the building was dismissed from any additional DOE restrictions. In 1993, it was discovered that a portion of the actual machining work was conducted on the third floor of the facility, located in the southeastern comer of the building. At the request of DOE, this part of the facility was radiologically surveyed by an ORNL survey team to determine whether fixed surface contamination could be found that might exceed the DOE guidelines. Results of this radiological survey indicated 238 U contamination in excess of the DOE criteria for surface contamination, and the site was recommended for remediation. In February and March of 1995, a verification survey of the third floor of the former Herring-Hall-Marvin Safe Company facility by an ORNL survey team was performed in conjunction with decontamination operations conducted under the supervision of Bechtel National Incorporated. The verification survey included gamma scans at the surface and at one meter, alpha and beta-gamma scans for fixed contamination, and smears for transferable contamination

Photographs of the Sea floor Offshore of New York and New Jersey

Science.gov (United States)

Butman, Bradford; Gutierrez, Benjamin T.; Buchholtz ten Brink, Marilyn R.; Schwab, William S.; Blackwood, Dann S.; Mecray, Ellen L.; Middleton, Tammie J.

2003-01-01

This DVD-ROM contains photographs of the sea floor and sediment texture data collected as part of studies carried out by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the New York Bight (Figure 1a (PDF format)). The studies were designed to map the sea floor (Butman, 1998, URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs133-98/) and to develop an understanding of the transport and long-term fate of sediments and associated contaminants in the region (Mecray and others, 1999, URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs114-99/). The data were collected on four research cruises carried out between 1996 and 2000 (Appendix I). The images and texture data were collected to provide direct observations of the sea floor geology and to aid in the interpretation of backscatter intensity data obtained from sidescan sonar and multibeam surveys of the sea floor. Preliminary descriptions of the sea floor geology in this region may be found in Schwab and others (2000, URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-295/; 2003), Butman and others (1998, URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of98-616/.), and Butman and others (2002, URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-503/). Schwab and others (2000 URL: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of00-295/; 2003) have identified 11 geologic units in New York Bight (Figure 2 (PDF format)). These units identify areas of active sediment transport, extensive anthropogenic influence on the sea floor, and various geologic units. Butman and others (2003) and Harris and others (in press) present the results of a moored array experiment carried out in the Hudson Shelf Valley to investigate the transport of sediments during winter. Summaries of these and other studies may be found at USGS studies in the New York Bight (URL: http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/newyork/). This DVD-ROM contains digital images of bottom still photographs, images digitized from videos, sediment grain-size analysis results, and short QuickTime movies from video transects. The data are presented in tabular form and in an ESRI (Environmental

Radiopharmacy contamination in nuclear medicine - a survey report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghai, Anchal; Mardi, Somnath; Kumar, Pradeep; Sarika; Mittal, B.R.; Singh, B.

2011-01-01

To conduct the radiation survey of the category IV Nuclear Medicine department and to further measure and compare the level of loose contamination in areas with high levels of exposure at two different time points (morning and evening) using wipe test

Knee complaints and consequences on work status; a 10-year follow-up survey among floor layers and graphic designers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rytter, Søren; Jensen, Lilli Kirkeskov; Bonde, Jens Peter

2007-09-18

The purpose of the study was to examine if knee complaints among floor layers predict exclusion from the trade. In 1994/95 self-reported data were obtained from a cohort of floor layers and graphic designers with and without knee straining work activities, respectively. At follow-up in 2005 the questionnaire survey was repeated. The study population consisted of 81 floor layers and 173 graphic designers who were presently working in their trades at baseline (1995). All participants were men aged 36-70 years in 2005. We computed the risk of losing gainful employment in the trade according to occurrence of knee complaints at baseline, using Cox proportional hazard regression adjusted for a number of potential confounding variables. Moreover, the crude and adjusted odds risk ratio for knee complaints according to status of employment in the trade were computed, using graphic designers as reference. A positive but non-significant association between knee complaints lasting more than 30 days the past 12 months and exclusion from the trade was found among floor layers (Hazard Ratio = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.6-3.5).The frequency of self-reported knee complaints was lower among floor layers presently at work in the trade in year 2005 (26.3%) compared with baseline in 1995 (41.1%), while the opposite tendency was seen among graphic designers (20.7% vs. 10.7%). The study suggests that knee complaints are a risk factor for premature exclusion from a knee demanding trade. However, low power of the study precludes strong conclusions. The study also indicates a healthy worker effect among floor layers and a survivor effect among graphic designers.

A mobile autonomous robot for radiological surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudar, A.M.; Wagner, D.G.; Teese, G.D.

1992-01-01

The Robotics Development Group at the Savannah River Site is developing an autonomous robot (SIMON) to perform radiological surveys of potentially contaminated floors. The robot scans floors at a speed of one-inch/second and stops, sounds an alarm, and flashes lights when contamination in a certain area is detected. The contamination of interest here is primarily alpha and beta-gamma. The robot, a Cybermotion K2A base, is radio controlled, uses dead reckoning to determine vehicle position, and docks with a charging station to replenish its batteries and calibrate its position. It uses an ultrasonic ranging system for collision avoidance. In addition, two safety bumpers located in the front and the back of the robot will stop the robots motion when they are depressed. Paths for the robot are preprogrammed and the robots motion can be monitored on a remote screen which shows a graphical map of the environment. The radiation instrument being used is an Eberline RM22A monitor. This monitor is microcomputer based with a serial I/0 interface for remote operation. Up to 30 detectors may be configured with the RM22A

Radioactive contamination of some rubber or plastic surfaces by fission products. Decontamination tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mestre, E.; Sautiez, N.

1957-10-01

With the objective of notably addressing the contamination and decontamination of gloves and floor covering, this report first presents some characteristics of contaminating radioactive materials (nature, physical and chemical condition), of contaminated surfaces (surface condition, surface nature), and of decontamination processes (physical, chemical or mechanical action). It describes the operational modality implemented to test decontamination processes on various glove or flooring materials: sample preparation, counting, decontamination, reproducibility of decontamination tests, results in terms of activity reduction. It more precisely describes the tested samples: short gloves, gloves from glove boxes, floor and wall coverings. Results are presented and discussed in terms of sample susceptibility to contamination, and of decontamination, but also for re-contamination tests after a Nab-based decontamination (susceptibility to contamination, decontamination gain)

Defect characterization, diagnosis and repair of wood flooring based on a field survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delgado, A.; Pereira, C.; Brito, J. de; Silvestre, J.D.

2018-01-01

A statistical characterization of defects in 35 buildings and 98 wood floorings (softwood and hardwood floors, and laminated and engineered wood floors), their diagnostic methods and repair solutions is presented. An expert system for inspecting wood flooring, comprising the classification of defects, their most probable causes, diagnostic methods and repair techniques, was used. Results include age, affected area, severity and frequency of defects and their main causes, as well as appropriate diagnostic methods, preventive and curative repair solutions most prescribed and the most significant correlations. Scratches were detected in more than five sixths of the sample, highly associated with exterior mechanical actions, and with an inadequate finishing layer. Wearing of the finishing layer was detected in a quarter of the inspected floorings. Accordingly, the application of a suitable finishing layer and, alternatively, its replacement are the most prescribed repair techniques. [es

Contamination Control Techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

EBY, J.L.

2000-05-16

Welcome to a workshop on contamination Control techniques. This work shop is designed for about two hours. Attendee participation is encouraged during the workshop. We will address different topics within contamination control techniques; present processes, products and equipment used here at Hanford and then open the floor to you, the attendees for your input on the topics.

Contamination Control Techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EBY, J.L.

2000-01-01

Welcome to a workshop on contamination Control techniques. This work shop is designed for about two hours. Attendee participation is encouraged during the workshop. We will address different topics within contamination control techniques; present processes, products and equipment used here at Hanford and then open the floor to you, the attendees for your input on the topics

Radioactive contamination of some rubber or plastic surfaces by fission products. Decontamination tests; Contamination radioactive de quelques surfaces en caoutchouc ou en matiere plastique par des produits de fission. Essais de decontamination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mestre, E.; Sautiez, N.

1957-10-15

With the objective of notably addressing the contamination and decontamination of gloves and floor covering, this report first presents some characteristics of contaminating radioactive materials (nature, physical and chemical condition), of contaminated surfaces (surface condition, surface nature), and of decontamination processes (physical, chemical or mechanical action). It describes the operational modality implemented to test decontamination processes on various glove or flooring materials: sample preparation, counting, decontamination, reproducibility of decontamination tests, results in terms of activity reduction. It more precisely describes the tested samples: short gloves, gloves from glove boxes, floor and wall coverings. Results are presented and discussed in terms of sample susceptibility to contamination, and of decontamination, but also for re-contamination tests after a Nab-based decontamination (susceptibility to contamination, decontamination gain)

Contamination of a church ceiling due to the burning of candles in combination with floor heating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schellen, H.L.; Deelman, J.; Aarle, van M.A.P.

2005-01-01

An air heating system originally heated St. Martinus’ church in Weert. Together with a large restoration in 1984 a floor heating system replaced this heating system. After this major renovation a number of problems arose: due to the floor heating system and massive granite floor the church could

Contamination of a church ceiling due to the burning of candles in combination with floor heating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schellen, H.L.; Aarle, van M.A.P.

2005-01-01

An air heating system originally heated St. Martin's church in Weert. Together with an extensive restoration in 1984 a floor heating system replaced this heating system. After this major renovation a number of problems arose: due to the floor heating System and massive granite floor the church could

Floor interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Marianne Graves; Krogh, Peter; Ludvigsen, Martin

2005-01-01

Within architecture, there is a long tradition of careful design of floors. The design has been concerned with both decorating floors and designing floors to carry information. Ubiquitous computing technology offers new opportunities for designing interactive floors. This paper presents three...... different interactive floor concepts. Through an urban perspective it draws upon the experiences of floors in architecture, and provides a set of design issues for designing interactive floors....

Residential mercury contamination in adobe brick homes in Huancavelica, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagan, Nicole; Robins, Nicholas; Hsu-Kim, Heileen; Halabi, Susan; Espinoza Gonzales, Ruben Dario; Richter, Daniel deB; Vandenberg, John

2013-01-01

This is the first study of adobe brick contamination anywhere in the world. Huancavelica, Peru is the site of historic cinnabar refining and one of the most mercury (Hg) contaminated urban areas in the world. Over 80% of homes in Huancavelica are constructed with adobe bricks made from Hg contaminated soil. In this study we measured total Hg concentrations in adobe brick, dirt floor, surface dust, and air samples from the interior of 60 adobe brick houses located in four neighborhoods. Concentrations of total Hg in adobe bricks, dirt floors, and surface dust ranged from 8.00 to 1070 µg/g, 3.06 to 926 µg/g, and 0.02 to 9.69 µg/wipe, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the four neighborhoods. Concentrations of Hg in adobe brick and dirt floor samples in Huancavelica were orders of magnitude higher than in Ayacucho, a non-mining town in Peru. A strong correlation exists between total Hg concentrations in adobe bricks and dirt floors which confirms that adobe bricks were being made on-site and not purchased from an off-site source. A strong correlation between surface dust and adobe bricks and dirt floors indicates that walls and floors serve as indoor sources of Hg contamination. Elemental Hg vapor concentrations were below detection (adobe bricks, may be a substantial source of residential Hg exposure in silver or gold refining communities where Hg is produced or used for amalgamation in artisanal gold production.

TRANSFER EFFICIENCIES OF PESTICIDES FROM HOUSEHOLD FLOORING SURFACES TO FOODS

Science.gov (United States)

The transfer of pesticides from household surfaces to foods was measured to determine if excess dietary exposure potentially occurs when children's foods contact contaminated surfaces prior to being. Three common household surfaces (ceramic tile, hardwood flooring, and carpet) w...

Perceived floor slipperiness and floor roughness in a gait experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Ruifeng; Li, Kai Way

2015-01-01

Slips and falls contribute to occupational injuries and fatalities globally. Both floor slipperiness and floor roughness affect the occurrence of slipping and falling. Investigations on fall-related phenomena are important for the safety and health of workers. The purposes of this study were to: compare the perceived floor slipperiness before and after walking on the floor; compare the perceived floor slipperiness with and without shoes for males and females; discuss the perceived floor roughness based on barefoot walking; and establish regression models to describe the relationship between perceived floor slipperiness and actual friction of the floors. Male and female subjects walked on 3 m walkways with or without shoes. The perceived floor slipperiness ratings both before and after their walk were collected. The perceived floor slipperiness both before and after walking were significantly affected by both floor and surface conditions. Gender, floor, surface, and footwear conditions were all significant factors affecting the adjustment of perceived floor slipperiness. The subjects made more adjustment on perceived floor slipperiness rating when they had shoes on than when they were barefooted. Regression models were established to describe the relationship between perceived floor slipperiness and floor coefficient of friction. These models may be used to estimate perceived floor slipperiness, or in reverse, the coefficient of friction of the floor, so as to prevent slipping and falling in workplaces.

Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G.

1994-01-01

During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm 2 ) were found to be clean ( 2 ) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination

Applicability of 1994-1995 USRADS reg-sign surveys of Bear Creek Valley flood plain and Operable Unit 1 to the radiological characterization of Y-12 grassy/wooded areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogard, J.S.; Hamm, R.N.; Brown, K.S.

1997-03-01

This document, provided in support of the Y-12 Site Radiological Characterization Study, analyzes the utility of data from two reports by Chemrad Tennessee Corporation in identifying radiological contamination in excess of contamination control guidelines at the surface of soils in the Bear Creek Valley Flood Plain (BCVFP) and in Y-12 Operable Unit 1 (OU1). The Chemrad reports were developed under subcontract to Science Applications International Corporation for their remedial investigation of these sites for Martin Marietta Energy Systems Environmental Restoration Division. Surveys were performed by Chemrad using the UltraSonic Ranging and Data System (USRADS reg-sign), which utilizes ultrasonic triangulation to determine the location of a survey technician at the same time that radiological monitoring data are telemetered from his instruments to a remote receiving station. Floor monitor and Geiger-Mueller pancake meter results from the USRADS reg-sign surveys are shown to be sufficiently precise to reliably detect contamination in excess of the limiting radioactivity value of 1,000 dpm/100 cm 2 for removable uranium contamination specified in 10 CFR 835 Appendix D. MicroRem meter survey results, also included as part of the USRADS reg-sign surveys, indicate that the derived limiting value of 56.8 μrem/h for penetrating dose at 1 m (corresponding to 100 mrem/γ) was not exceeded. However, both the pancake meter and floor monitor results suggest that surface contamination exceeding 1,000 dpm/100 cm 2 is not uncommon. Sites in OU1 and BCVFP were visited, and independent surveys made with hand-held instruments, to confirm conclusions about the USRADS close-quote survey results and to verify that these results are from contamination uniformly distributed on the soil surface, and not from discrete sources which are not likely transferred to shoes, vehicles, or clothing

Assessment of slip resistance under footwear materials, tread designs, floor contamination, and floor inclination conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Kai Way; Chen, Chih-Yong; Chen, Ching Chung; Liu, Liwen

2012-01-01

Slip and fall incidences are common in our daily lives. They are not only important environmental safety issues but also important occupational safety and health problems. The purpose of this study was to use the Brungraber Mark II to measure the friction so as to investigate the effects of the shoe sole, surface condition and the inclined angle of the floor and their interactions on friction coefficient. The results of the study showed the effects of all the main factors and their interactions were significant (p<0.001). Engineering designs & ergonomic interventions in slip & fall prevention should take these factors in full consideration.

Floor heating and cooling combined with displacement ventilation: Possibilities and limitations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Causone, Francesco; Corgnati, Stefano P. [TEBE Research Group, Department of Energetics, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Baldin, Fabio [Department of Applied Physics, University of Padova, via Venezia 1, 35131 Padova (Italy); Olesen, Bjarne W. [ICIEE, Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Nils Koppels Alle Building 402, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark)

2010-12-15

Design guidelines envisage that floor heating can be used together with displacement ventilation (DV), provided that the supply air is not overly heated before it can reach heat and contaminant sources. If this is not controlled a mixing flow pattern could occur in the room. The use of floor cooling with DV is also considered possible, although draught risk at ankle level and vertical air temperature differences must be controlled carefully, because they could increase. Few studies on these topics were found in the literature. An indoor environmental chamber was set up to obtain measurements aimed at analysing the possibilities and limitations of combining floor heating/cooling with DV. Air temperature profiles, air velocity profiles, surface temperatures and ventilation effectiveness were measured under different environmental conditions that may occur in practice. These values were compared to equivalent temperature measurements obtained using a thermal manikin. The measurements show that floor heating can be used with DV, obtaining high ventilation effectiveness values. A correlation between the floor heating capacity and the air temperature profile in the room was found. Measurements showed that floor cooling does not increase draught risk at ankle level, although it does increase vertical air temperature differences. (author)

A Summary--The Economics of Carpeting and Resilient Flooring. An Evaluation and Comparison.

Science.gov (United States)

Parks, George M.

Of use to those concerned with the economics of flooring selection and maintenance, this comparison may prove useful as an estimating guide in the preparation of cost estimates for any flooring area where economics is a factor in the choice of materials. All costs attributed to carpet or resilient flooring have been obtained either by survey or…

Position-sensitive radiation monitoring (surface contamination monitor). Innovative technology summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-06-01

The Shonka Research Associates, Inc. Position-Sensitive Radiation Monitor both detects surface radiation and prepares electronic survey map/survey report of surveyed area automatically. The electronically recorded map can be downloaded to a personal computer for review and a map/report can be generated for inclusion in work packages. Switching from beta-gamma detection to alpha detection is relatively simple and entails moving a switch position to alpha and adjusting the voltage level to an alpha detection level. No field calibration is required when switching from beta-gamma to alpha detection. The system can be used for free-release surveys because it meets the federal detection level sensitivity limits requires for surface survey instrumentation. This technology is superior to traditionally-used floor contamination monitor (FCM) and hand-held survey instrumentation because it can precisely register locations of radioactivity and accurately correlate contamination levels to specific locations. Additionally, it can collect and store continuous radiological data in database format, which can be used to produce real-time imagery as well as automated graphics of survey data. Its flexible design can accommodate a variety of detectors. The cost of the innovative technology is 13% to 57% lower than traditional methods. This technology is suited for radiological surveys of flat surfaces at US Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) sites or similar public or commercial sites

Position-sensitive radiation monitoring (surface contamination monitor). Innovative technology summary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1999-06-01

The Shonka Research Associates, Inc. Position-Sensitive Radiation Monitor both detects surface radiation and prepares electronic survey map/survey report of surveyed area automatically. The electronically recorded map can be downloaded to a personal computer for review and a map/report can be generated for inclusion in work packages. Switching from beta-gamma detection to alpha detection is relatively simple and entails moving a switch position to alpha and adjusting the voltage level to an alpha detection level. No field calibration is required when switching from beta-gamma to alpha detection. The system can be used for free-release surveys because it meets the federal detection level sensitivity limits requires for surface survey instrumentation. This technology is superior to traditionally-used floor contamination monitor (FCM) and hand-held survey instrumentation because it can precisely register locations of radioactivity and accurately correlate contamination levels to specific locations. Additionally, it can collect and store continuous radiological data in database format, which can be used to produce real-time imagery as well as automated graphics of survey data. Its flexible design can accommodate a variety of detectors. The cost of the innovative technology is 13% to 57% lower than traditional methods. This technology is suited for radiological surveys of flat surfaces at US Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear facility decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) sites or similar public or commercial sites.

Tritium contamination experience in an operational D-T fusion reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gentile, C.A.; Ascione, G. [Princeton Univ., NJ (United States). Plasma Physics Lab.; Anderson, J.L. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)] [and others

1994-09-01

During December 1993, the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) injected a mixture of deuterium and tritium in the TFTR vacuum vessel for the purpose of creating D-T plasmas. The tritium used in these D-T plasmas was stored, delivered and processed in the TFTR tritium facility that includes the tritium vault, waste handling area, clean-up area, and gas holding tank room. During this time period, several components in the tritium process system were found to have tritium leaks which led to tritium deposition on process skids, components and floor area. Radiological surveys of surfaces contaminated with tritium oxide indicate a decrease in surface contamination in time (on the order of 12 to 36 hours) as the result of room ventilation. In instances where the facility HVAC system was maintained in the purge mode, a dramatic decrease in surface contamination was observed. Areas contaminated with tritium oxide (> 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sup 2}) were found to be clean (< 16.6 Bq/100 cm{sub 2}) after several hours of continuous purging by the facility HVAC system. In instances where relative humidity was not decreased, the tritium surface contamination was found to be attenuated. During the months of December 1993, January and February 1994 tritium leaking components were either replaced, redesigned or repaired. During this time period, data were collected in the form of contamination surveys, real time tritium monitor output, and HVAC configuration indicating the correlation of purge ventilation leading to a decrease in tritium oxide surface contamination.

Net joint kinetics in the limbs of pigs walking on concrete floor in dry and contaminated conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorup, Vivi M.; Laursen, Bjarne; Jensen, Bente Rona

2008-01-01

In pigs (Sus scrofa), joint disorders are frequent leg problems, and inappropriate pigpen floors and slippery floor conditions may contribute to these problems. Therefore, this study first aimed to quantify the net joint kinetics (net joint moments and net joint reaction forces) in the forelimbs...... and hindlimbs of healthy pigs walking on solid concrete floors. Second, this study aimed to examine the effect of floor condition on the net joint kinetics. Kinematic (50-Hz video recordings) and kinetic (1-kHz force plate measurements) data were collected from 30 pigs and combined with body segment parameters...... from a cadaver study. Net joint kinetics was calculated by using a 2-dimensional inverse dynamic solution. Inverse dynamics have, to our knowledge, not been applied in pigs before. Dry, greasy, and wet floor conditions were tested with 10 pigs each. In the forelimbs, peak joint moment was less (P

Method of preventing contaminations in radioactive material handling facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Shunji.

1986-01-01

Purpose: To prevent the contamination on the floor surface of working places by laying polyvinyl butyral sheets over the floor surface, replacing when the sheets are contaminated, followed by burning. Method: Polyvinyl butyral sheets comprising 50 - 70 mol% of butyral component are laid in a radioactive material handling facility, radioactive materials are handled on the polyvinyl butyral sheets and the sheets are replaced when contaminated. The polyvinyl butyral sheets used contain 62 - 68 mol% of butyral component and has 0.03 - 0.2 mm thickness. The contaminated sheets are subjected to burning processing. This can surely collect radioactive materials and the sheets have favorable burnability, releasing no corrosive or deleterious gases. In addition, they are inexpensive and give no hindrance to the workers walking. (Takahashi, M.)

2016 Annual Inspection and Radiological Survey Results for the Piqua, Ohio, Decommissioned Reactor Site, July 2016

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmerman, Brian [USDOE Office of Legacy Management, Washington, DC (United States); Miller, Michele [Navarro Research and Engineering, Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2016-07-01

This report presents the findings of the annual inspection and radiological survey of the Piqua, Ohio, Decommissioned Reactor Site (site). The decommissioned nuclear power demonstration facility was inspected and surveyed on April 15, 2016. The site, located on the east bank of the Great Miami River in Piqua, Ohio, was in fair physical condition. There is no requirement for a follow-up inspection, partly because City of Piqua (City) personnel participated in a March 2016 meeting to address reoccurring safety concerns. Radiological survey results from 104 locations revealed no removable contamination. One direct beta activity reading in a floor drain on the 56-foot level (1674 disintegrations per minute [dpm]/100 square centimeters [cm2]) exceeded the minimum detectable activity (MDA). Beta activity has been detected in the past at this floor drain. The reading was well below the action level of 5000 dpm/100 cm2.

Residential mercury contamination in adobe brick homes in Huancavelica, Peru.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Hagan

Full Text Available This is the first study of adobe brick contamination anywhere in the world. Huancavelica, Peru is the site of historic cinnabar refining and one of the most mercury (Hg contaminated urban areas in the world. Over 80% of homes in Huancavelica are constructed with adobe bricks made from Hg contaminated soil. In this study we measured total Hg concentrations in adobe brick, dirt floor, surface dust, and air samples from the interior of 60 adobe brick houses located in four neighborhoods. Concentrations of total Hg in adobe bricks, dirt floors, and surface dust ranged from 8.00 to 1070 µg/g, 3.06 to 926 µg/g, and 0.02 to 9.69 µg/wipe, respectively, with statistically significant differences between the four neighborhoods. Concentrations of Hg in adobe brick and dirt floor samples in Huancavelica were orders of magnitude higher than in Ayacucho, a non-mining town in Peru. A strong correlation exists between total Hg concentrations in adobe bricks and dirt floors which confirms that adobe bricks were being made on-site and not purchased from an off-site source. A strong correlation between surface dust and adobe bricks and dirt floors indicates that walls and floors serve as indoor sources of Hg contamination. Elemental Hg vapor concentrations were below detection (<0.5 µg/m(3 in most homes; however in homes with detectable levels, concentrations up to 5.1 µg/m(3 were observed. No statistically significant differences in Hg vapor measurements were observed between neighborhoods. This study demonstrates that building materials used widely in developing communities, such as adobe bricks, may be a substantial source of residential Hg exposure in silver or gold refining communities where Hg is produced or used for amalgamation in artisanal gold production.

ASSESSMENTOF BETA PARTICLE FLUX FROM SURFACE CONTAMINATION AS A RELATIVE INDICATOR FOR RADIONUCLIDE DISTRIBUTION ON EXTERNAL SURFACES OF A MULTI-STORY BUILDING IN PRIPYAT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farfan, E.

2009-11-17

How would we recover if a Radiological Dispersion Device (e.g., dirty bomb) or Improvised Nuclear Device were to detonate in a large city? In order to assess the feasibility of remediation following such an event, several issues would have to be considered, including the levels and characteristics of the radioactive contamination, the availability of the required resources to accomplish decontamination, and the planned future use of the city's structures and buildings. Presently little is known about the distribution, redistribution, and migration of radionuclides in an urban environment. However, Pripyat, a city substantially contaminated by the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident, may provide some answers. The main objective of this study was to determine the radionuclide distribution on a Pripyat multi-story building, which had not been previously decontaminated and therefore could reflect the initial fallout and its further natural redistribution on external surfaces. The 7-story building selected was surveyed from the ground floor to the roof on horizontal and vertical surfaces along seven ground-to-roof transections. Some of the results from this study indicate that the upper floors of the building had higher contamination levels than the lower floors. The authors consequently recommend that existing decontamination procedures for tall structures be re-examined and modified accordingly.

Environmental and body contamination from cleaning vomitus in a health care setting: A simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Linh; Su, Yu-Min; Weber, Rachel; Fritzen-Pedicini, Charissa; Edomwande, Osayuwamen; Jones, Rachael M

2018-04-01

Environmental service workers may be exposed to pathogens during the cleaning of pathogen-containing bodily fluids. Participants with experience cleaning hospital environments were asked to clean simulated, fluorescein-containing vomitus using normal practices in a simulated patient room. Fluorescein was visualized in the environment and on participants under black lights. Fluorescein was quantitatively measured on the floor, in the air, and on gloves and shoe covers. In all 21 trials involving 7 participants, fluorescein was found on the floor after cleaning and on participants' gloves. Lower levels of floor contamination were associated with the use of towels to remove bulk fluid (ρ = -0.56, P = .01). Glove contamination was not associated with the number or frequency of contacts with environmental surfaces, suggesting contamination occurs with specific events, such as picking up contaminated towels. Fluorescein contamination on shoe covers was measured in 19 trials. Fluorescein was not observed on participants' facial personal protective equipment, if worn, or faces. Contamination on other body parts, primarily the legs, was observed in 8 trials. Fluorescein was infrequently quantified in the air. Using towels to remove bulk fluid prior to mopping is part of the recommended cleaning protocol and should be used to minimize residual contamination. Contamination on shoes and the floor may serve as reservoirs for pathogens. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Model decontamination of PVC flooring specimens by wet method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severa, J.; Knajfl, J.; Bar, J.

1981-01-01

PVC flooring samples of 29 mm in diameter were used in experiments. The samples were degreased. Tested were the dependence of the degree of contamination on the duration of contact with the contaminant and the efficacy of decontamination by wiping with tampons and immersing in solutions. A mixture of fission products of 80 kBq/ml in specific activity was used for contamination. Higher decontamination efficacy was achieved by immersing the samples in decontamination solutions. Water was found to be the least efficacious medium; a high degree was only attained in the case when decontamination was effected within 1 minute after contamination. The highest decontamination values were achieved using solutions containing a chelating agent and a surfactant. The most efficacious solutions contained 0.5% of citric acid and 0.5% of detergents which are very potent at a concentration as low as 2 g/l. (J.P.)

Effects of Sachet Water Consumption on Exposure to Microbe-Contaminated Drinking Water: Household Survey Evidence from Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Jim; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Wardrop, Nicola A; Johnston, Richard; Hill, Allan; Aryeetey, Genevieve; Adanu, Richard

2016-03-09

There remain few nationally representative studies of drinking water quality at the point of consumption in developing countries. This study aimed to examine factors associated with E. coli contamination in Ghana. It drew on a nationally representative household survey, the 2012-2013 Living Standards Survey 6, which incorporated a novel water quality module. E. coli contamination in 3096 point-of-consumption samples was examined using multinomial regression. Surface water use was the strongest risk factor for high E. coli contamination (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 32.3, p water use had the greatest protective effect (RRR = 0.06, p water piped to premises. E. coli contamination followed plausible patterns with digit preference (tendency to report values ending in zero) in bacteria counts. The analysis suggests packaged drinking water use provides some protection against point-of-consumption E. coli contamination and may therefore benefit public health. It also suggests viable water quality data can be collected alongside household surveys, but field protocols require further revision.

SUSTAINABLE TRAILER FLOORING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Lu

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Different trailer flooring materials, including wood-based, aluminum, steel, and synthetic plastic floors, were evaluated in accordance with their durability and sustainability to our natural environment. Wood-based trailer flooring is an eco-friendly product. It is the most sustainable trailer flooring material compared with fossil fuel-intensive steel, aluminum, and plastics. It is renewable and recyclable. Oak, hard maple, and apitong are strong and durable hardwood species that are currently extensively used for trailer flooring. For manufacture, wood-based flooring is higher in energy efficiency and lower in carbon emission than steel, aluminum and plastics. Moreover, wood per se is a natural product that sequesters carbon. Accordingly, using more wood-based trailer flooring is effective to reduce global warming.

Floors: Selection and Maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkeley, Bernard

Flooring for institutional, commercial, and industrial use is described with regard to its selection, care, and maintenance. The following flooring and subflooring material categories are discussed--(1) resilient floor coverings, (2) carpeting, (3) masonry floors, (4) wood floors, and (5) "formed-in-place floors". The properties, problems,…

Effect of floor type (dirt or concrete on litter quality, house environmental conditions, and performance of broilers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

VMN Abreu

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the use of concrete or hard-packed dirt floor in broiler houses. This experiment was carried out in two different phases. The following performance parameters were studied: live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality. Litter moisture, pH and temperature were measured. Litter residual contamination after cleaning and disinfection was also evaluated. A dry bulb thermometer, a wet bulb thermometer, and a black bulb thermometer were placed inside each broiler house at bird height and outside the broiler house for data collection. Environmental data were collected at 3h intervals from 00:00 to 24:00 hours during weeks 4, 5, and 6 of the grow-out. Based on the collected data, air relative humidity (RH was determined, after which wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT and Radiant Heat Load (RHL were calculated. There were no differences in live performance parameters. However, total mortality and sudden death were higher in birds raised on dirt floor. On days 0, 14 and 35, litter pH was higher in the dirt floor as compared to the concrete floor, but at the end of the grow-out, this difference disappeared. There was a cubic effect of bird age on litter moisture, which increased up to day 28, and then stabilized or decreased. Litter coliform contamination was higher at the end of the grow-out as compared to that found at housing, but it was not influenced by floor type. The general thermal comfort of broiler raised on dirt floor was similar to that of broilers raised on concrete floor.

Results of the radiological survey at the former Chapman Valve Manufacturing Company, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts (CIO001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Uziel, M.S.

1992-07-01

Radiological survey was conducted at Building 23 (Department No. 40) at the former Chapman Valve Manufacturing Company, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. The survey was performed in August 1991. The purpose of the survey was to determine whether the property was contaminated with radioactive residues, principally 238 U, as a result of work done for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) during the 1940s. The survey included a gamma scan, a beta-gamma scan, and measurement of alpha activity; measurement of direct and removable alpha and beta-gamma levels; and the collection of soil, dust, debris, and smear samples for radionuclide analyses. Survey emphasis was on interior floors, walls, and overhead beams. Radionuclide analysis of soil, dust, and debris, and analysis of smear samples indicate that residual 238 U attributable to former AEC-supported operations is present at this site. Elevated levels of radioactivity were particularly evident on the floors and walls in the western part of the central area of the building (grid blocks Al through A6). Concentrations of 238 U in dust samples collected from overhead beams exceeded DOE guidelines in grid blocks Al through A14 and remained elevated in grid blocks A15 through A19. Dust on a movable overhead crane in grid block A23 was well above the guideline, probably because the crane had at some time been located further west. Some contamination was evident in grid blocks B1 through B5, but clutter and debris in this area prevented a thorough survey

Autonomous mobile robot for radiologic surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudar, A.M.; Wagner, D.G.; Teese, G.D.

1994-01-01

An apparatus is described for conducting radiologic surveys. The apparatus comprises in the main a robot capable of following a preprogrammed path through an area, a radiation monitor adapted to receive input from a radiation detector assembly, ultrasonic transducers for navigation and collision avoidance, and an on-board computer system including an integrator for interfacing the radiation monitor and the robot. Front and rear bumpers are attached to the robot by bumper mounts. The robot may be equipped with memory boards for the collection and storage of radiation survey information. The on-board computer system is connected to a remote host computer via a UHF radio link. The apparatus is powered by a rechargeable 24-volt DC battery, and is stored at a docking station when not in use and/or for recharging. A remote host computer contains a stored database defining paths between points in the area where the robot is to operate, including but not limited to the locations of walls, doors, stationary furniture and equipment, and sonic markers if used. When a program consisting of a series of paths is downloaded to the on-board computer system, the robot conducts a floor survey autonomously at any preselected rate. When the radiation monitor detects contamination, the robot resurveys the area at reduced speed and resumes its preprogrammed path if the contamination is not confirmed. If the contamination is confirmed, the robot stops and sounds an alarm. 5 figures

Effects of Sachet Water Consumption on Exposure to Microbe-Contaminated Drinking Water: Household Survey Evidence from Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jim Wright

2016-03-01

Full Text Available There remain few nationally representative studies of drinking water quality at the point of consumption in developing countries. This study aimed to examine factors associated with E. coli contamination in Ghana. It drew on a nationally representative household survey, the 2012−2013 Living Standards Survey 6, which incorporated a novel water quality module. E. coli contamination in 3096 point-of-consumption samples was examined using multinomial regression. Surface water use was the strongest risk factor for high E. coli contamination (relative risk ratio (RRR = 32.3, p < 0.001, whilst packaged (sachet or bottled water use had the greatest protective effect (RRR = 0.06, p < 0.001, compared to water piped to premises. E. coli contamination followed plausible patterns with digit preference (tendency to report values ending in zero in bacteria counts. The analysis suggests packaged drinking water use provides some protection against point-of-consumption E. coli contamination and may therefore benefit public health. It also suggests viable water quality data can be collected alongside household surveys, but field protocols require further revision.

Radiation and contamination survey of the Terengganu offshore facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amran Abd Majid; Sukiman Sarmani

1995-01-01

It is well known that low specific activity of technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (LSA TENORM) such as U-238 and Th-232 and their daughter products have been associated with oil and gas fields. For the period of October 1988 and August 1989 UKM personels were involved in conducting the radiation and contamination survey at several offshore platforms in Terengganu. The results showed that the maximum external and internal radiation levels was 0. 45 μSv/hr whereas the maximum surface contamination level was 0. 124 Bq cm sup -2. These results indicate that the levels were below the level prescribed by the Malaysian Atomic Energy Licensing Board. However, several measures still need to be considered for the safety of the workers and will be discussed in this paper. (author)

Numerical forensic model for the diagnosis of a full-scale RC floor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed B. Shuraim

Full Text Available The paper presents the results of an investigation on the diagnosis and assessment of a full-scale reinforced concrete floor utilizing a 3-D forensic model developed in the framework of plasticity-damage approach. Despite the advancement in nonlinear finite element formulations and models, there is a need to verify models on nontrivial challenging structures. Various standards on strengthening existing structures consider numerical diagnosis as a major stage involving safety and economical aspects. Accordingly, model validity is a major issue that should preferably be examined against realistic large-scale tests. This was done in this study by investigating a one-story joist floor with wide shallow beams supported on columns. The surveyed cracking patterns on the entire top side of the floor were reproduced by the forensic model to a reasonable degree in terms of orientation and general location. Concrete principal plastic tensile strain was shown to be a good indirect indicator of cracking patterns. However, identifying the underlying reasons of major cracks in the floor required correlating with other key field parameters including deflections, and internal moments. Therefore, the ability of the forensic model to reproduce the surveyed damage state of the floor provided a positive indication on the material models, spatial representation, and parameter selection. Such models can be used as forensic tools for assessing the existing conditions as required by various standards and codes.

Pelvic floor muscle function in women with pelvic floor dysfunction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tibaek, Sigrid; Dehlendorff, Christian

2014-01-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the level of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) referred by gynaecologists and urologists for in-hospital pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), and to identity associated factors for a low level of PFM...

SUSTAINABLE TRAILER FLOORING

OpenAIRE

John Lu; Marc Chorney; Lowell Peterson

2009-01-01

Different trailer flooring materials, including wood-based, aluminum, steel, and synthetic plastic floors, were evaluated in accordance with their durability and sustainability to our natural environment. Wood-based trailer flooring is an eco-friendly product. It is the most sustainable trailer flooring material compared with fossil fuel-intensive steel, aluminum, and plastics. It is renewable and recyclable. Oak, hard maple, and apitong are strong and durable hardwood species that are curren...

Development of a Method for Evaluating Floor Dry-Cleanability from Wheat Flour in the Food Industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Barreca, F; Cardinali, G D; Borgese, E; Russo, M

2017-04-01

Many productive processes are characterized by inadequate protocols of sanitation that increase the possibility of proliferation of microbial contaminants, especially on surfaces. The use of this method for evaluating the degree of floor cleanability in agri-food companies is important not only to reduce the risk of contamination of products, but also to provide companies with a tool to identify critical issues. The method is based on the usage of bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) in a solution at a 1:50 ratio of Cu 2+ /BCA, which is ideal for detecting the amount of proteins contained in wheat flour residues on industrial flooring. Spectrophotometric analysis allowed identifying maximum absorbance values at 562 nm for different protein concentrations, although the construction of a regression function led to the definition of the intervals of evaluation corresponding to different degrees of cleanliness from residues of wheat flour. The results of the absorbance curves, obtained by applying the proposed evaluation method to 6 tiles commonly used in agri-food buildings, showed the clear persistence of food material on 2 tiles with surface relief. In particular, such tiles showed a higher presence of proteins, with a level of contamination 440% higher. Furthermore, a robotic system was designed to standardize the cleaning method commonly employed in agri-food companies to remove solid particles from flooring. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Radiological contamination by depleted uranium in the Al-Tahreer tower building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ataby, N.R.; Aisa, B.H.; Jebir, H.M.; Hatem, J.N.

2011-01-01

The research plan included assessment of the radioactivity of the Al-Tahreer Tower Building (the Turkish restaurant recent) through direct measurements and sampling of soil for the four floors (1th,2th,3th,4th) of the building, which contains fourteen floor in addition to the basement, by using portable radiation detection equipment to know the increasing in the levels of exposure and contamination resulting from the bombing a Al-Tahreer Tower building by depleted uranium bullets, the results of radiological surveys by using the portable contamination radiation detection (CAB) indicated readings of contaminated soil reached to 60 c/sec, and parts of shells of depleted uranium reached to 90 c/ sec , while the natural contamination rate in the area is (0.5 c/sec), the natural exposure rate in the area is 9 μR/ hr but the higher exposure rate reached to 60 μR / hr when the device (Ludlum) putting on the contaminated regions(distance about 0.5 cm). The radiological analyses of the collected soil samples were done in the laboratory of the center of Radiological Researches in the Ministry of sciences and Technology by using gamma spectrometry (which contains High-purity Germanium Detector) with a efficiency of 40% and resolution 2 keV for Energy, 1.33 Mev,collection,preparations and tests of soil samples were all done according to IAEA.The normal concentration for Th 234 and Pa 234 m in the soil samples taken from areas near to the building (can consider as background radiation region) is in range 41 Bq /Kg for Th 234 ,and nil for pa 234 m ,while higher concentration of Th 234 in contaminated soil is 1194 Bq/kg,and 1664 Bq/kg for pa 234 m which is a clear indication of the presence of high concentrations an isotope of uranium 238 as they are supposed to be in equilibrium radiation. The major aim of this study include removal the contaminated regions in the building, to protect the population and the environment from the effect of radiological contamination which

Speciation and bioaccessibility of mercury in adobe bricks and dirt floors in Huancavelica, Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagan, Nicole; Robins, Nicholas; Gonzales, Ruben Dario Espinoza; Hsu-Kim, Heileen

2015-04-01

Huancavelica, Peru, a historic cinnabar refining site, is one of the most mercury (Hg)-contaminated urban areas in the world. Exposure is amplified because residents build their adobe brick homes from contaminated soil. The objectives of this study were to compare two Hg-leaching procedures, and their application as risk-assessment screening tools in Hg-contaminated adobe brick homes in Huancavelica. The purpose was to evaluate potential health implications, particularly for children, after ingestion of Hg-contaminated particles. Hg was measured in adobe brick and dirt floor samples from 60 households by total Hg extraction, simulated gastric fluid (GF) extraction, and sequential selective extraction (SSE), which provides more detailed data but is resource-intensive. Most of the Hg present in samples was relatively insoluble, although in some households soluble Hg species were present at concentrations that may be of concern after ingestion. A strong correlation was identified between results from simulated GF extraction of adobe bricks and dirt floors and the more soluble fractions of Hg from SSE. Simulated GF extraction data were combined with ingestion and body mass characteristics for small children to compare potential risk of ingestion of Hg-contaminated soil with current health standards. Simulated GF extraction can be used as a risk assessment screening tool for effective allocation of time and resources to households that have measurable concentrations of bioaccessible Hg. Combining simulated GF extraction data with health standards enables intervention strategies targeted at households with the greatest potential health threat from ingestion of Hg-contaminated particles.

Sequential extraction of uranium metal contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murry, M.M.; Spitz, H.B.; Connick, W.B.

2016-01-01

Samples of uranium contaminated dirt collected from the dirt floor of an abandoned metal rolling mill were analyzed for uranium using a sequential extraction protocol involving a series of five increasingly aggressive solvents. The quantity of uranium extracted from the contaminated dirt by each reagent can aid in predicting the fate and transport of the uranium contamination in the environment. Uranium was separated from each fraction using anion exchange, electrodeposition and analyzed by alpha spectroscopy analysis. Results demonstrate that approximately 77 % of the uranium was extracted using NH 4 Ac in 25 % acetic acid. (author)

Antibacterial efficacy of commercial disinfectants on dirt floor used in poultry breeder houses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Pilotto

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Dirt floors are used on most Brazilian poultry farms since the construction of concrete floors is very expensive. In vitro tests carried out to verify the effectiveness of disinfectants do not consider the adverse conditions found in poultry farms. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the effect of six commercial disinfectants on the reduction of total and fecal coliforms on the dirt floor of breeder houses. The amount of disinfectant solution to be used per square meter was defined by counting total and fecal coliforms at different soil depths and by analyzing soil physical properties. Coliforms were detected at 0.5 cm, and one liter of disinfectant solution was sufficient for soil saturation at this depth. After that, the efficacy of six commercial products (caustic soda, hydrated lime, phenols 1 and 2, iodine, glutaraldehyde, and quaternary ammonium in reducing the number of coliforms, after six hours of contact with the dirt floor, was assessed using the most probable number (MPN method. Escherichia coli specimens isolated from the dirt floor were used to evaluate in vitro effectiveness of disinfectants. Products that yielded the best results in the MPN method were also effective in the in vitro tests. Among the tested disinfectants, hydrated lime was the most efficient, reducing the initial contamination by 2.9 log after six hours of contact with the dirt floor.

120 Years of U.S. Residential Housing Stock and Floor Space.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Cecilia P Moura

Full Text Available Residential buildings are a key driver of energy consumption and also impact transportation and land-use. Energy consumption in the residential sector accounts for one-fifth of total U.S. energy consumption and energy-related CO2 emissions, with floor space a major driver of building energy demands. In this work a consistent, vintage-disaggregated, annual long-term series of U.S. housing stock and residential floor space for 1891-2010 is presented. An attempt was made to minimize the effects of the incompleteness and inconsistencies present in the national housing survey data. Over the 1891-2010 period, floor space increased almost tenfold, from approximately 24,700 to 235,150 million square feet, corresponding to a doubling of floor space per capita from approximately 400 to 800 square feet. While population increased five times over the period, a 50% decrease in household size contributed towards a tenfold increase in the number of housing units and floor space, while average floor space per unit remains surprisingly constant, as a result of housing retirement dynamics. In the last 30 years, however, these trends appear to be changing, as household size shows signs of leveling off, or even increasing again, while average floor space per unit has been increasing. GDP and total floor space show a remarkably constant growth trend over the period and total residential sector primary energy consumption and floor space show a similar growth trend over the last 60 years, decoupling only within the last decade.

Measurement of penetration depths of plutonium and americium in sediment from the ocean floor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fried, S.; Friedman, A.; Hines, J.; Sjoblom, R.; Schmitz, G.; Schreiner, F.

1979-01-01

The clay-like sediment covering the ocean floor constitutes the last barrier that shields the biosphere from contamination by radionuclides stemming from the nuclear wastes of a subseabed repository. In the event of a failure of the engineered barriers the mobility of the released radionuclides in the sediment determines the rate and the extent of entry into the water of the ocean. The initial results of measurements designed to determine the mobility of transuranium elements in sediment from the ocean floor are presented. Data indicate very low migration rates and imply strong chemisorptive interaction with the sediment

Solving decontaminable flooring problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1989-01-01

Pennsylvania Power and Light wanted to cover deteriorating concrete in unit 2 of its Susquehanna BWR with a smooth, durable, decontaminable coating. Traditionally, floors in the plant had been coated with epoxy paint, but many of these floors suffered delamination, and failed in three to five years. Painting with epoxy would also interrupt operations for as much as three days while the floor dried, yet critical instruments in some areas had to be monitored at least once per shift. In addition, conventional floor surface preparation produced dust and vibration around sensitive equipment. The solution was a dustless scabbling system for surface preparation, followed by the installation of a high-strength acrylic industrial floor known as Silakal. The work was carried out by Pentek. Silikal bonds to the underlying concrete, so that delamination of the floor will not occur even under severe traffic conditions. Another advantage of this type of flooring is that it cures in one hour, so floor resurfacing has only minimal impact on plant operations. (author)

Introductory guide to floors and flooring

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Billingham, PA

1977-01-01

Full Text Available not make use of the warming and cooling effects of direct contact with the ground. Indeed the precautions that are necessary to protect such floors against damp and decay may actually reduce the comfort levels within a house. This is because there is a... with resultant discomfort and extra heating costs. Today, in South Africa, most modern homesareof singlestorey con- struction with aconcrete floor slab in direct contact with theground which once again makes its full contribution to the comfort and structural...

Restaurant industry preparedness against intentional food contamination: results of a South Carolina survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Xirasagar, Sudha; Kanwat, C P; Smith, Lillian U; Li, Yi-Jhen; Sros, Lekhena; Shewchuk, Richard M

2010-01-01

Food safety and food defense are both responsibilities of public health agencies. Food safety practices within restaurants are regulated by state and local public health laws based on the US Food and Drug Administration Model Food Code. However, little is known about preemptive practices against intentional food-borne outbreaks within restaurants. The researchers administered a survey to a 50 percent random sample of South Carolina's restaurants, a state that relies heavily on tourism and the restaurant industry for its economic well-being. The survey received a response rate of 15 percent. The food defense practice items fall under three functional categories: employee management and training practices; vendor and delivery-related practices; and physical facilities and operational security practices. This study presents the results, classified by geographic region. Findings indicate some key areas of vulnerability that need attention to protect the public from mass food outbreaks due to intentional contamination. Of concern, there is much variation in practices by geographic region. On the basis of the survey, recommendations are made to improve restaurant preparedness against food-borne outbreaks from terrorism and malevolent contamination.

Investigation of floor Nusselt number in floor heating system for insulated ceiling conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karadag, Refet; Teke, Ismail

2007-01-01

In this study, in a floor heated room, natural convection heat transfer over the floor is analysed numerically for different thermal conditions. An equation relevant to Nusselt number over the floor has been obtained by using the numerical data. Different equations are given in the literature. They consider the effect of floor Rayleigh number while neglecting the effect of wall and ceiling thermal conditions. Numerical data obtained in this study show that the Nusselt number over the floor depends on not only the floor Rayleigh number but also the wall Rayleigh number (for insulated ceiling conditions). The equations given in the literature are different from each other due to their not considering the effect of wall and ceiling Rayleigh numbers. This difference between the equations may be eliminated by obtaining an equation containing the effect of floor, wall and ceiling Rayleigh numbers. In this new approach, an equation relevant to the floor Nusselt number that depends on the floor and wall Rayleigh numbers has been obtained in the floor heating system for insulated ceiling conditions. The equation obtained in this study has been compared with the equations given in the literature. It has been seen that the equation obtained in this study matches the numerical values under more extensive thermal conditions than the equations given in the literature. The maximum deviation for the equations given in the literature is 35%, but in the current study, the maximum deviation has been found to be 10%. As a result, it is more convenient to use the equation found in the new approach as a function of Rayleigh number over the floor and wall for insulated ceiling conditions

Results of the independent radiological verification survey at the former Bridgeport Brass Company Facility, Seymour, Connecticut (SSC001)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foley, R.D.; Rice, D.E.; Allred, J.F.; Brown, K.S.

1995-03-01

At the request of the USDOE, a team from ORNL conducted an independent radiological verification survey at the former Bridgeport Brass Company Facility, Seymour, Connecticut, from September 1992 to March 1993. Purpose of the survey was to determine whether residual levels of radioactivity inside the Ruffert Building and selected adjacent areas were rmediated to levels below DOE guidelines for FUSRAP sites. The property was contaminated with radioactive residues of 238 U from uranium processing experiments conducted by Reactive Metals, Inc., from 1962 to 1964 for the Atomic Energy Commission. A previous radiological survey did not characterize the entire floor space because equipment which could not be moved at the time made it inaccessible for radiological surveys. During the remediation process, additional areas of elevated radioactivity were discovered under stationary equipment, which required additional remediation and further verification. Results of the independent radiological verification survey confirm that, with the exception of the drain system inside the building, residual uranium contamination has been remediated to levels below DOE guidelines for unrestricted release of property at FUSRAP sites inside and outside the Ruffert Building. However, certain sections of the drain system retain uranium contamination above DOE surface guideline levels. These sections of pipe are addressed in separate, referenced documentation

HB-Line Dissolution of Glovebox Floor Sweepings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, J.H.

1998-02-01

one to three hours.Generation of hydrogen caused by the dissolution of calcium metal should also not be a concern.No hydrogen was detected in the laboratory off-gas stream and insignificant metals of any kind are present in glovebox floor sweepings. Glovebox floor sweepings are generated at Savannah River in FB-Line during preparation of the feed material used in the metal producing bomb reduction process. It is usually after precipitation and during drying or conversion of plutonium fluoride to a PuF 4 -PuO 2 mixture at 500 degree C, that spil occur which can contaminate the converted cake with varying amounts of MgO sand or other glovebox materials. This contaminated converted cake mixture of PuF 4 and PuO 2 is packaged and stored in the vault fo eventual recovery of the plutonium.In the past, most recovery operations in HB-Line have dealt with PuO 2 as the only plutonium compound present in the material to be dissolved. However,since the plutonium in FB-Line glovebox floor sweepings is a mixture of plutonium fluoride (PuF 4 ) and plutonium oxide (PuO 2 ), the standar HB-Line dissolving flowsheet is not directly suitable for complete dissolution.This is because it is difficult to completely dissolve PuO 2 when the fluoride is complexed with aluminum and it is difficult to completely dissolve PuF 4 unless sufficient aluminum is present to complex free fluoride. These observations were previously confirmed during the initial flowsheet development work for dissolving sand, slag,

Effect of pelvic floor rehabilitation technique in preventing the postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Qiong Li

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To explore the effect of pelvic floor rehabilitation technique in preventing the postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction and on the sexual life quality. Methods: A total of 286 puerpera with pelvic floor dysfunction who were admitted in our hospital from May, 2014 to May, 2015 42 d after delivery were included in the study, and randomized into the treatment group and the control group with 143 cases in each group. After guidance, the puerpera in the control group were given pelvic floor muscle training by themselves at home. On this basis, the puerpera in the treatment group were treated by the pelvic floor rehabilitation apparatus. The puerpera in the two groups were treated for 4 weeks. The pelvic floor function before treatment, 6 months and 1 year after delivery was detected. The color Doppler ultrasound apparatus was used to detect BSD, PUVA, UVJ-M, and BND 3 months after delivery. Results: BND, PUVA-R, PUVA-S, and UVJ-M 3 months after delivery in the treatment groups were significantly lower than those in the control group, while BSD-S was significantly higher than that in the control group. The improvement of type I and II muscle fiber fatigue (%, POP-Q degree, AP indication point (cm, and vaginal dynamic pressure (cmH2O was significantly superior to that in the control group. The comparison of pelvic floor muscle strength classification before treatment between the two groups was not statistically significant. After treatment, the pelvic floor muscle in the two groups was significantly strengthened, and the proportion of V grade patients was significantly increased when compared with before treatment. Conclusions: The postpartum early pelvic floor rehabilitation technique can effectively enhance the pelvic floor function, and prevent the postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, with an accurate efficacy; therefore, it deserves to be widely recommended in the clinic.

Comparison of survivability of Staphylococcus aureus and spores of Aspergillus niger on commonly used floor materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Mridula; Bisesi, Michael; Lee, Jiyoung

2017-07-01

The survivability of Staphylococcus aureus and spores of Aspergillus niger was compared on 5 common floor materials. Floor materials were inoculated with a known concentration of S aureus and spores of A niger on day 0. Their survivability was measured on days, 2, 7, 14, and 28 by bulk rinsate method and enumerated using culture-based method. The difference in change of S aureus levels was statistically significant for all tested days (P niger spores were undetected on residential broadloom carpet and rubber-backed commercial carpet after day 2 but survived on VCT, PT, and wood until day 28. Floor materials with hard and smooth surfaces, such as VCT and PT, can allow survival of S aureus and A niger for up to 4 weeks. It may imply that floor materials can play a major role in preserving microbial contaminants in the built environment. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy Regarding Treatment of High-Tone Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoorob, Dani; Higgins, Margaret; Swan, Kimberly; Cummings, Jennifer; Dominguez, Sarah; Carey, Erin

Chronic pelvic pain is a prevalent and debilitating condition with a wide range of etiologies. An estimated 30% to 70% of chronic pelvic cases involve musculoskeletal component pain including high-tone pelvic floor dysfunction (HTPFD). Pelvic floor physical therapy has been shown to be a beneficial treatment for HTPFD, yet many patients do not have access to this treatment. The objective of this study was to identify the barriers preventing patients from following through with the first-line management, physical therapy. Participants with a diagnosis of HTPFD (n = 154) were identified from the list of referrals sent from the obstetrics and gynecology department to an affiliated PFPT center. Participants were contacted and asked to complete a phone survey addressing demographics and perceived barriers to care. Responses were collected in REDCap. Univariate and bivariate analyses were performed using a statistical analysis software. Seventy surveys were completed. The top barriers identified by participants were financial constraints (51.4%), perceived lack of utility (37.1%), time constraints (30.0%), and travel issues (18.6%); 84.4% of participants had 1 or more comorbid pain condition. Whereas 51.4% expressed some level of anxiety regarding the PFPT option, only 9.6% of participants did not start treatment because of fear of treatment. The majority of treatment barriers identified were concrete restraints, with insurance noncoverage and time constraints being the top issues. A fair number of participants expressed anxiety about the treatment or felt they received unclear explanations of the treatment. These are areas in which providers can potentially alleviate some barriers to care.

Radiological characterisation on V1 NPP technological systems and buildings - Contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanzel, Richard; Rapant, Tibor; Svitek, Jaroslav

2012-01-01

Since 2001, the preparation of V1 NPP practical decommissioning has been supported and partly financed by the Bohunice International Decommissioning Support Fund, under the administration of the European bank for Reconstruction and development. AMEC Nuclear Slovakia, together with partners STM Power and EWN GmbH, performed BIDSF B.4 project - Decommissioning database development. The main purpose of the B6.4 project was to develop a comprehensive physical and radiological inventory database to support RAW management development of the decommissioning studies and decommissioning project of Bohunice V1 NPP. AMEC Nuclear Slovakia was responsible mainly for DDB design, planning documents and physical and radiological characterization including sampling and analyses of the plant controlled area. The objective of V1 NPP radiological characterization was summarisation of sampling and analyses results, description of methodology used for radiological characterization and determination of the V1 NPP radiological inventory. Results of the characterization survey included the identification and distribution of contamination in buildings, structures, and other site facilities or other impacted media. The characterization survey clearly identified those portions of the site that have been affected by site activities and are contaminated. The survey also identified the portions of the site that have not been affected by these activities and can be marked as 'not impacted'. Radiological data have been presented also on the basis of index RAI level, where 5 radiological classes have been defined. On the basis of sampling and analyses results following radiological parameters have been assigned to all impacted components and civil structures included in DDB: dose rate in contact, dose rate in distance 1 m, external surface contamination, internal surface contamination and volume/mass contamination. Each room in controlled area has been described by following radiological parameters

Sea-floor geology in northwestern Block Island Sound, Rhode Island

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Katherine Y.; Poppe, Lawrence J.; Ackerman, Seth D.; Blackwood, Dann S.; Woods, D.A.

2014-01-01

Multibeam-echosounder and sidescan-sonar data, collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a 69-square-kilometer area of northwestern Block Island Sound, are used with sediment samples, and still and video photography of the sea floor, collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at 43 stations within this area, to interpret the sea-floor features and sedimentary environments. Features on the sea floor include boulders, sand waves, scour depressions, modern marine sediments, and trawl marks. Boulders, which are often several meters wide, are found in patches in the shallower depths and tend to be overgrown with sessile flora and fauna. They are lag deposits of winnowed glacial drift, and reflect high-energy environments characterized by processes associated with erosion and nondeposition. Sand waves and megaripples tend to have crests that either trend parallel to shore with 20- to 50-meter (m) wavelengths or trend perpendicular to shore with several-hundred-meter wavelengths. The sand waves reflect sediment transport directions perpendicular to shore by waves, and parallel to shore by tidal or wind-driven currents, respectively. Scour depressions, which are about 0.5 m lower than the surrounding sea floor, have floors of gravel and coarser sand than bounding modern marine sediments. These scour depressions, which are conspicuous in the sidescan-sonar data because of their more highly reflective coarser sediment floors, are likely formed by storm-generated, seaward-flowing currents and maintained by the turbulence in bottom currents caused by their coarse sediments. Areas of the sea floor with modern marine sediments tend to be relatively flat to current-rippled and sandy.

A prospective study of floor surface, shoes, floor cleaning and slipping in US limited-service restaurant workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Santosh K; Chang, Wen Ruey; Courtney, Theodore K; Lombardi, David A; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Brennan, Melanye J; Mittleman, Murray A; Ware, James H; Perry, Melissa J

2011-04-01

Slips and falls are a leading cause of injury at work. Few studies, however, have systematically examined risk factors of slipping outside the laboratory environment. This study examined the association between floor surface characteristics, slip-resistant shoes, floor cleaning frequency and the risk of slipping in limited-service restaurant workers. 475 workers from 36 limited-service restaurants from three major chains in six states in the USA were recruited to participate in a prospective cohort study of workplace slipping. Kitchen floor surface roughness and coefficient of friction (COF) were measured in eight working areas and then averaged within each restaurant. The use of slip-resistant shoes was determined by examining the participant's shoes and noting the presence of a 'slip-resistant' marking on the sole. Restaurant managers reported the frequency of daily kitchen floor cleaning. Participants reported their slip experience and work hours weekly for up to 12 weeks. The survey materials were made available in three languages: English, Spanish and Portuguese. The associations between rate of slipping and risk factors were assessed using a multivariable negative binomial generalised estimating equation model. The mean of individual slipping rate varied among the restaurants from 0.02 to 2.49 slips per 40 work hours. After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, education, primary language, job tenure and restaurant chain, the use of slip-resistant shoes was associated with a 54% reduction in the reported rate of slipping (95% CI 37% to 64%), and the rate of slipping decreased by 21% (95% CI 5% to 34%) for each 0.1 increase in the mean kitchen COF. Increasing floor cleaning frequency was significantly associated with a decreasing rate of slipping when considered in isolation but not after statistical adjustment for other factors. These results provide support for the use of slip-resistant shoes and measures to increase COF as preventive interventions to reduce slips

Does Flooring Substrate Impact Kennel and Dog Cleanliness in Commercial Breeding Facilities?

Science.gov (United States)

Stella, Judith; Hurt, Moriah; Bauer, Amy; Croney, Candace

2018-01-01

Simple Summary It is important to understand how the flooring substrate used in dog housing impacts dog health and well-being. Aspects to consider include paw, elbow, and hock health, the cleanliness of the dog, and the ability of the floors to be cleaned easily and thoroughly. This pilot study assessed the health and cleanliness of 118 dogs housed on three different types of flooring commonly found in commercial breeding kennels. No serious paw, elbow, or hock problems were identified. Thirty-one percent or fewer kennels at each facility were found to have fecal contamination after routine cleaning and the majority of dogs were clean. These findings indicate that a well-managed kennel can maintain clean, healthy dogs on different types of flooring substrates. Abstract Evaluation of kennel flooring surfaces is needed to understand their impacts on dog health and well-being. This pilot study aimed to characterize aspects of physical health, kennel cleanliness, and dog body cleanliness on flooring types common in US breeding kennels. Subjects were 118 adult dogs housed on diamond-coated expanded metal (DCEM), polypropylene (POLY), or concrete (CON) flooring at five commercial breeding facilities in Indiana, U.S. Body condition, paw, elbow, and hock health scores were recorded. Each indoor kennel and dog was visually assessed for cleanliness. Kennels were swabbed immediately after cleaning with electrostatic dry cloths and cultured for Escherichia coli. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Mean body condition score (BCS), kennel and dog cleanliness scores were all near ideal (3, 1.15, and 1.04, respectively). Thirty-one percent or fewer kennels at each facility were culture-positive for E. coli after cleaning. No serious paw, elbow, or hock problems were identified. Overall, the findings indicate that with appropriate management and regular access to additional surfaces, dog foot health, cleanliness, and kennel cleanliness can be maintained on the flooring

The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders and their relationship to gender, age, parity and mode of delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

MacLennan, A H; Taylor, A W; Wilson, D H; Wilson, D

2000-12-01

To define the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in a non-institutionalised community and to determine the relationship to gender, age, parity and mode of delivery. A representative population survey using the 1998 South Australian Health Omnibus Survey. Random selection of 4400 households; 3010 interviews were conducted in the respondents' homes by trained female interviewers. This cross sectional survey included men and women aged 15-97 years. The prevalence of all types of self-reported urinary incontinence in men was 4.4% and in women was 35.3% (Pparity and age. The highest prevalence (51.9%) was reported in women aged 70-74 years. The prevalence of flatus and faecal incontinence was 6.8% and 2.3% in men and 10.9% and 3.5% in women, respectively. Pregnancy (> 20 weeks), regardless of the mode of delivery, greatly increased the prevalence of major pelvic floor dysfunction, defined as any type of incontinence, symptoms of prolapse or previous pelvic floor surgery. Multivariate logistic regression showed that, compared with nulliparity, pelvic floor dysfunction was significantly associated with caesarean section (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-4.3), spontaneous vaginal delivery (OR 3.4, 95% CI 2.4-4.9) and at least one instrumental delivery (OR 4.3, 95% CI 2.8-6.6). The difference between caesarean and instrumental delivery was significant (Pparity and were reported in 19.9% of men and 30.2% of women. Pelvic floor disorders are very common and are strongly associated with female gender, ageing, pregnancy, parity and instrumental delivery. Caesarean delivery is not associated with a significant reduction in long term pelvic floor morbidity compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Factors influencing restaurant worker perception of floor slipperiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Courtney, Theodore K; Huang, Yueng-Hsiang; Verma, Santosh K; Chang, Wen-Ruey; Li, Kai Way; Filiaggi, Alfred J

2006-11-01

Falls are responsible for a substantial injury burden in the global workplace. Restaurant environments are particularly challenged by slips, trips, and falls. This study explored those factors that could influence workers' self-reports of slipperiness in U.S. fast-food restaurants. One hundred and twenty-six workers employed in 10 fast-food restaurants in the northeastern United States participated in the study representing a study-wide response rate of 87.5%. Participants' ratings of floor slipperiness and occupational slip history within the past 4 weeks were collected through written questionnaire. Additional factors collected by questionnaire included age, gender, shift length, and shoe type. Shoe condition (wear) and shoe contamination were visually assessed by the investigators. Floor friction was also measured. Lower restaurant mean coefficient of friction and the presence of contamination on workers' shoe soles were environmental factors significantly associated with workers reporting more slippery conditions. A recent workplace history of slipping with or without a subsequent fall was also significantly associated with workers reporting more slippery conditions. Workers over the age of 45 reported conditions to be significantly less slippery than younger workers. The results suggest that worker ratings of slipperiness are influenced not only by the actual level of friction but also by the other individual and environmental factors noted above. Recommendations for future studies would include a longitudinal design to better capture the temporal sequence between these variables. More field research is needed to better understand the association between workplace conditions, worker perception of slipperiness, and slipping at work.

Determination of contamination with Radium-226 at the Radon Calibration plant at Malaa. Decision data for decontamination and decommissioning of the plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moere, Hans; Skeppstroem, Kirlna

2011-01-01

The Radon Calibration facility in Malaa is contaminated with Radium-226 ( 226 Ra) which leaked from the original sources. Clean-up was conducted in 1988, but activity is estimated to remain on the inside of the pipes and on the floor of the room. As the plant will be decommissioned, it is important to determine the activity in the piping and on the floor in order to determine what which can be cleared and what needs to be cleaned up. The purpose of the measurement was to estimate the 226 Ra-contamination in the piping and on the floor and to verify the estimates of the decontamination made in 1988. To estimate 226 Ra activity in the pipe we measured the growth of radon concentrations in the closed plant by the instantaneous sampling with Lucas cells. Continuous sampling and measurement of radon growth was also made with an Atmos 12, as an additional measurement systems. Scanning of any 226 Ra-contamination on the floor of the room was done using a gamma gauge and an alpha probe, which measured the alpha radiation. 226 Ra-contamination on the inside of the pipes in the plant is estimated be between 80-90 kBq 226 Ra with uncertainty around 9% (1 SD), a value reasonably consistent with the estimated value from 1988 (120 kBq 226 Ra). Alfa measurements on the floor showed that the floor is contaminated, but that activity is unevenly distributed across the surface. Alpha activity, which occurs in patches on the floor, is estimated to be below 2 kBq/m 2 for 226 Ra, a value that is far below the clearance limits of 10 kBq/m 2 for 226 Ra. Measurements and calculations of activity in the piping and on the floor is based on several assumptions (one of the more significant is the emanation factor of radon gas), which in turn leads to uncertainties in activity estimates

Confirmatory radiological survey of the BORAX-V turbine building Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, G.H.; Coleman, R.L.; Jensen, M.K.; Pierce, G.A.; Egidi, P.V.; Mather, S.K.

1993-01-01

An independent assessment of the remediation of the BORAX-V (Boiling Water Reactor Experiment) turbine building at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Idaho Falls, Idaho, was accomplished by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Pollutant Assessments Group (ORNL/PAG). The purpose of the assessment was to confirm the site's compliance with applicable Department of Energy guidelines. The assessment included reviews of both the decontamination and decommissioning Plan and data provided from the pre- and post-remedial action surveys and an independent verification survey of the facility. The independent verification survey included determination of background exposure rates and soil concentrations, beta-gamma and gamma radiation scans, smears for detection of removable contamination, and direct measurements for alpha and beta-gamma radiation activity on the basement and mezzanine floors and the building's interior and exterior walls. Soil samples were taken, and beta-gamma and gamma radiation exposure rates were measured on areas adjacent to the building. Results of measurements on building surfaces at this facility were within established contamination guidelines except for elevated beta-gamma radiation levels located on three isolated areas of the basement floor. Following remediation of these areas, ORNL/PAG reviewed the remedial action contractor's report and agreed that remediation was effective in removing the source of the elevated direct radiation. Results of all independent soil analyses for 60 Co were below the detection limit. The highest 137 Cs analysis result was 4.6 pCi/g; this value is below the INEL site-specific guideline of 10 pCi/g

Flooring-systems and their interaction with usage of the floor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Lars; Frier, Christian; Andersen, Lars Vabbersgaard

2017-01-01

Some flooring-system designs might be sensitive to their vibrational performance, as there might be the risk that serviceability-limit-state problems may be encountered. For evaluating the vibrational performance of the flooring-system at the design stage, decisions need to be made by the enginee...

Fluid Pressures at the Shoe-Floor-Contaminant Interface During Slips: Effects of Tread & Implications on Slip Severity

Science.gov (United States)

Beschorner, Kurt E.; Albert, Devon L.; Chambers, April J.; Redfern, Mark S.

2018-01-01

Previous research on slip and fall accidents has suggested that pressurized fluid between the shoe and floor is responsible for initiating slips yet this effect has not been verified experimentally. This study aimed to 1) measure hydrodynamic pressures during slipping for treaded and untreaded conditions; 2) determine the effects of fluid pressure on slip severity; and 3) quantify how fluid pressures vary with instantaneous resultant slipping speed, position on the shoe surface, and throughout the progression of the slip. Eighteen subjects walked on known dry and unexpected slippery floors, while wearing treaded and untreaded shoes. Fluid pressure sensors, embedded in the floor, recorded hydrodynamic pressures during slipping. The maximum fluid pressures (mean+/−standard deviation) were significantly higher for the untreaded conditions (124 +/−75 kPa) than the treaded conditions (1.1 +/−0.29 kPa). Maximum fluid pressures were positively correlated with peak slipping speed (r = 0.87), suggesting that higher fluid pressures, which are associated with untreaded conditions, resulted in more severe slips. Instantaneous resultant slipping speed and position of sensor relative to the shoe sole and walking direction explained 41% of the fluid pressure variability. Fluid pressures were primarily observed for untreaded conditions. This study confirms that fluid pressures are relevant to slipping events, consistent with fluid dynamics theory (i.e. the Reynolds equation), and can be modified with shoe tread design. The results suggest that the occurrence and severity of unexpected slips can be reduced by designing shoes/floors that reduce underfoot fluid pressures. PMID:24267270

Development of custom LCD based portable survey/contamination monitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, J.D.

2010-01-01

Equipments for carrying out radiation survey measurements for alpha, beta and gamma radiations have evolved considerably with the advancements in Electronics overtime. There are 2 major classes of portable instruments available from most manufacturers - (a) Analog indicator type (b) Direct digital readout type. Analog meters give a direct quantifying feel to radiation levels though they are not rich features nor they have smartness like a digital meter. Digital versions have advantages of direct readout numerically and configurable as per users requirements. To achieve best features of both the techniques a dual indicator type LCD module comprising of Analog indicating LCD segments and digital readout indicating 7 segments has been developed. This LCD comprising of LCD glass and its display driver has been deployed across various types of survey meters and contamination monitors manufactured by Nucleonix. This display now facilitates direct readout of dose rate/count rate in various units simultaneously in both analog LCD scale and direct digital indication. (author)

Supporting shop floor intelligence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carstensen, Peter; Schmidt, Kjeld; Wiil, Uffe Kock

1999-01-01

Many manufacturing enterprises are now trying to introduce various forms of flexible work organizations on the shop floor. However, existing computer-based production planning and control systems pose severe obstacles for autonomous working groups and other kinds of shop floor control to become r......-to-day production planning by supporting intelligent and responsible workers in their situated coordination activities on the shop floor....

Pyroclastic Deposits in the Floor-fractured Crater Alphonsus

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Carlton C.; Donaldson-Hanna, Kerri L.; Pieters, Carle M.; Moriarty, Daniel P.; Greenhagen, Benjamin T.; Bennett, Kristen A.; Kramer, Georgiana Y.; Paige, David A.

2013-01-01

Alphonsus, the 118 km diameter floor-fractured crater, is located immediately east of Mare Nubium. Eleven pyroclastic deposits have been identified on the crater's floor. Early telescopic spectra suggest that the floor of Alphonsus is noritic, and that the pyroclastic deposits contain mixtures of floor material and a juvenile component including basaltic glass. Head and Wilson contend that Nubium lavas intruded the breccia zone beneath Alphonsus, forming dikes and fractures on the crater floor. In this model, the magma ascended to the level of the mare but cooled underground, and a portion broke thru to the surface in vulcanian (explosive) eruptions. Alternatively, the erupted material could be from a source unrelated to the mare, in the style of regional pyroclastic deposits. High-resolution images and spectroscopy from the Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3), Diviner Lunar Radiometer, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) provide data to test these formation models. Spectra from M3 confirm that the crater floor is primarily composed of noritic material, and that the Nubium lavas are basaltic. Spectra from the three largest pyroclastic deposits in Alphonsus are consistent with a minor low- Ca pyroxene component in a glass-rich matrix. The centers of the 2 micron absorption bands have wavelengths too short to be of the same origin as the Nubium basalts. Diviner Christiansen feature (CF) values were used to estimate FeO abundances for the crater floor, Nubium soil, and pyroclastic deposits. The estimated abundance for the crater floor (7.5 +/- 1.4 wt.%) is within the range of FeO values for Apollo norite samples. However, the estimated FeO abundance for Nubium soil (13.4 +/- 1.4 wt.%) is lower than those measured in most mare samples. The difference may reflect contamination of the mare soil by highland ejecta. The Diviner-derived FeO abundance for the western pyroclastic deposit is 13.8 +/- 3.3 wt.%. This is lower than the values for mare soil

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites remedial action program: radiological survey of the former Simonds Saw and Steel Co., Lockport, New York. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-11-01

Results of a radiological survey of the former Simonds Saw and Steel Company (current name of this facility is Guterl Special Steel Corporation), Lockport, New York, are presented in this report. During the period 1948 to 1956, this company handled large quantities of uranium metal and smaller quantities of thorium metal in rolling mill operations. The survey included measurement of residual alpha and beta-gamma radiation levels in the rolling mill building and forging shop; external gamma radiation in the same area; uranium, radium, and thorium in soil samples taken from beneath removable floor plates in the rolling mill area and from other parts of the site; radon and radon daughter concentrations in the rolling mill building; and contamination in drainage paths leading from the buildings and grounds. Elevated concentrations of uranium were found in soil samples taken from beneath the floor plates within 40 ft of the 16-inch rolling mill. Beta-gamma radiation levels were greater than 1 mrad/hr at the locations having the highest concentrations of uranium. External gamma radiation levels were above the background level in a few small isolated areas in the rolling mill building. The 16-inch rolling mill showed elevated alpha and beta contamination levels in several areas

Preventing intentional food contamination: a survey to assess restaurant preparedness.

Science.gov (United States)

Xirasagar, Sudha; Kanwat, C P; Qu, Haiyan; Smith, Lillian U; Patterson, Nathaniel J; Shewchuk, Richard M

2010-01-01

In the age of preparedness, public health agencies are concerned with intentional acts of food contamination in restaurants, in addition to food safety. Food safety consists of applying standard norms of practice and infrastructure, which, if violated, cause food-borne illness. In contrast, food defense requires an institutionalized mindset of informed alertness to unusual variations from the norms, combined with preemptive practices best suited to each restaurant. Therefore, while food safety lends itself to regulation to ensure standard practices, food defense is best served by advisory guidelines for autonomous application, preserving the restaurant industry's core values of hospitality and customer service. To address this challenge, public health agencies need survey tools that can yield action-relevant data on the knowledge and practice gaps in food defense preparedness and on educational messages and support services to be developed for maximum impact potential. This article presents a mail survey instrument, developed using qualitative research to ensure content and face validity. Instrument development involved drafting the survey on the basis of expert consultations, validating its content by using focus groups (representing all restaurant categories and geographic regions), and ensuring face validity through cognitive interviews. The resulting survey remains sensitive to the hospitality industry while encompassing all vulnerable points.

Assessment of Contaminated Brine Fate and Transport in MB139 at WIPP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuhlman, Kristopher L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Applied Systems Analysis and Research Dept.; Malama, Bwalya [Sandia National Lab., Carlsbad, NM (United States). Performance Assessment Dept.

2014-07-01

Following the radionuclide release event of February 14, 2014 at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), actinide contamination has been found on the walls and floor in Panel 7 as a result of a release in Room 7 of Panel 7. It has been proposed to decontaminate Panel 7 at the WIPP by washing contaminated surfaces in the underground with fresh water. A cost-effective cleanup of this contamination would allow for a timely return to waste disposal operations at WIPP. It is expected that the fresh water used to decontaminate Panel 7 will flow as contaminated brine down into the porosity of the materials under the floor – the run-of-mine (ROM) salt above Marker Bed 139 (MB139) and MB139 itself – where its fate will be controlled by the hydraulic and transport properties of MB139. Due to the structural dip of MB139, it is unlikely that this brine would migrate northward towards the Waste-Handling Shaft sump. A few strategically placed shallow small-diameter observation boreholes straddling MB139 would allow for monitoring the flow and fate of this brine after decontamination. Additionally, given that flow through the compacted ROM salt floor and in MB139 would occur under unsaturated (or two-phase) conditions, there is a need to measure the unsaturated flow properties of crushed WIPP salt and salt from the disturbed rock zone (DRZ).

17 CFR 3.11 - Registration of floor brokers and floor traders.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Registration of floor brokers and floor traders. 3.11 Section 3.11 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING... a contract market or registered as a derivatives transaction execution facility by the Commission...

Matching Deep Tow Camera study and Sea Floor geochemical characterization of gas migration at the Tainan Ridge, South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, L. F.; Lien, K. L.; Hsieh, I. C.; Lin, S.

2017-12-01

Methane seep in deep sea environment could lead to build up of chemosynthesis communities, and a number of geological and biological anomalies as compare to the surrounding area. In order to examine the linkage between seep anomalies and those at the vicinity background area, and to detail mapping those spatial variations, we used a deep towed camera system (TowCam) to survey seafloor on the Tainan Ridge, Northeastern South China Sea (SCS). The underwater sea floor pictures could provide better spatial variations to demonstrate impact of methane seep on the sea floor. Water column variations of salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen were applied to delineate fine scale variations at the study area. In addition, sediment cores were collected for chemical analyses to confirm the existence of local spatial variations. Our results show large spatial variations existed as a result of differences in methane flux. In fact, methane is the driving force for the observed biogeochemical variations in the water column, on the sea floor, and in the sediment. Of the area we have surveyed, there are approximately 7% of total towcam survey data showing abnormal water properties. Corresponding to the water column anomalies, underwater sea floor pictures taken from those places showed that chemosynthetic clams and muscles could be identified, together with authigenic carbonate buildups, and bacterial mats. Moreover, sediment cores with chemical anomalies also matched those in the water column and on the sea floor. These anomalies, however, represent only a small portion of the area surveyed and could not be identified with typical (random) coring method. Methane seep, therefore, require tedious and multiple types of surveys to better understand the scale and magnitude of seep and biogeochemical anomalies those were driven by gas migrations.

A survey of benthic sediment contaminants in reaches of the Columbia River Estuary based on channel sedimentation characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Counihan, Timothy D; Waite, Ian R; Nilsen, Elena B; Hardiman, Jill M; Elias, Edwin; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Zaugg, Steven D

2014-06-15

While previous studies have documented contaminants in fish, sediments, water, and wildlife, few specifics are known about the spatial distribution of contaminants in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE). Our study goal was to characterize sediment contaminant detections and concentrations in reaches of the CRE that were concurrently being sampled to assess contaminants in water, invertebrates, fish, and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs. Our objectives were to develop a survey design based on sedimentation characteristics and then assess whether sediment grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), and contaminant concentrations and detections varied between areas with different sedimentation characteristics. We used a sediment transport model to predict sedimentation characteristics of three 16km river reaches in the CRE. We then compartmentalized the modeled change in bed mass after a two week simulation to define sampling strata with depositional, stable, or erosional conditions. We collected and analyzed bottom sediments to assess whether substrate composition, organic matter composition, and contaminant concentrations and detections varied among strata within and between the reaches. We observed differences in grain size fractions between strata within and between reaches. We found that the fine sediment fraction was positively correlated with TOC. Contaminant concentrations were statistically different between depositional vs. erosional strata for the industrial compounds, personal care products and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons class (Indus-PCP-PAH). We also observed significant differences between strata in the number of detections of Indus-PCP-PAH (depositional vs. erosional; stable vs. erosional) and for the flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides class (depositional vs. erosional, depositional vs. stable). When we estimated mean contaminant concentrations by reach, we observed higher contaminant concentrations in the furthest downstream

A survey of benthic sediment contaminants in reaches of the Columbia River Estuary based on channel sedimentation characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Counihan, Timothy D.; Waite, Ian R.; Nilsen, Elena B.; Hardiman, Jill M.; Elias, Edwin; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Zaugg, Steven D.

2014-01-01

While previous studies have documented contaminants in fish, sediments, water, and wildlife, few specifics are known about the spatial distribution of contaminants in the Columbia River Estuary (CRE). Our study goal was to characterize sediment contaminant detections and concentrations in reaches of the CRE that were concurrently being sampled to assess contaminants in water, invertebrates, fish, and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) eggs. Our objectives were to develop a survey design based on sedimentation characteristics and then assess whether sediment grain size, total organic carbon (TOC), and contaminant concentrations and detections varied between areas with different sedimentation characteristics. We used a sediment transport model to predict sedimentation characteristics of three 16 km river reaches in the CRE. We then compartmentalized the modeled change in bed mass after a two week simulation to define sampling strata with depositional, stable, or erosional conditions. We collected and analyzed bottom sediments to assess whether substrate composition, organic matter composition, and contaminant concentrations and detections varied among strata within and between the reaches. We observed differences in grain size fractions between strata within and between reaches. We found that the fine sediment fraction was positively correlated with TOC. Contaminant concentrations were statistically different between depositional vs. erosional strata for the industrial compounds, personal care products and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons class (Indus–PCP–PAH). We also observed significant differences between strata in the number of detections of Indus–PCP–PAH (depositional vs. erosional; stable vs. erosional) and for the flame retardants, polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides class (depositional vs. erosional, depositional vs. stable). When we estimated mean contaminant concentrations by reach, we observed higher contaminant concentrations in the furthest

Survey in organic contaminants content in sewage sludge from the Emilia Romagna region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mantovi, P.; Sassi, D.; Piccinini, S.; Rossi, L.

2008-01-01

Data was collected on the organic pollutants cited in the Working document on sludge, 3. draft (AOX, LAS, DEHP, NPE, PAH, PCB, PCDD/F), for sewage sludge deriving from 12 municipal-industrial wastewater treatment plants and 7 agro-industrial wastewater treatment plants located in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy), taking samples in spring, summer and winter. The limit values given in the Working document were sporadically exceeded. The most frequent contamination was associated with LAS, in particular in the winter period. Results confirmed lower organic contaminant contents in sludge of agro-industrial origin, compared to sludge from municipal-industrial wastewater treatment plants, with generally not detectable values for the majority of organic pollutants. Comparison of the results collected in this survey with values recorded in other European countries shows that the organic contaminant content of sewage sludge obtained in plants in the Emilia-Romagna region, excepting LAS, is reasonable [it

Information Management System Supporting a Multiple Property Survey Program with Legacy Radioactive Contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Stager, Ron; Chambers, Douglas; Wiatzka, Gerd; Dupre, Monica; Callough, Micah; Benson, John; Santiago, Erwin; van Veen, Walter

2017-04-01

The Port Hope Area Initiative is a project mandated and funded by the Government of Canada to remediate properties with legacy low-level radioactive waste contamination in the Town of Port Hope, Ontario. The management and use of large amounts of data from surveys of some 4800 properties is a significant task critical to the success of the project. A large amount of information is generated through the surveys, including scheduling individual field visits to the properties, capture of field data laboratory sample tracking, QA/QC, property report generation and project management reporting. Web-mapping tools were used to track and display temporal progress of various tasks and facilitated consideration of spatial associations of contamination levels. The IM system facilitated the management and integrity of the large amounts of information collected, evaluation of spatial associations, automated report reproduction and consistent application and traceable execution for this project.x. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Floor cooler for floor trough of a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedrich, H.J.

1985-01-01

Cooling pipes are situated below the floor trough of a BWR, which are connected to the annular distribution or collection pipes. The distribution and collection pipes are connected by parallel hairpin pipes with involute shape to the centre of the floor trough. These hairpin pipes are situated in a lower plane than the annular distribution pipe to the centre and in a higher plane from the centre to the outer annular collector pipe. (orig./HP) [de

[Functional aspects of pelvic floor surgery].

Science.gov (United States)

Wagenlehner, F M E; Gunnemann, A; Liedl, B; Weidner, W

2009-11-01

Pelvic floor dysfunctions are frequently seen in females. The human pelvic floor is a complex structure and heavily stressed throughout female life. Recent findings in the functional anatomy of the pelvic floor have led to a much better understand-ing, on the basis of which enormous improvements in the therapeutic options have arisen. The pelvic floor activity is regulated by three main muscular forces that are responsible for vaginal tension and suspension of the pelvic floor -organs, bladder and rectum. For different reasons laxity in the vagina or its supporting ligaments as a result of altered connective tissue can distort this functional anatomy. A variety of symptoms can derive from these pelvic floor dysfunctions, such as urinary urge and stress incontinence, abnormal bladder emptying, faecal incontinence, obstructive bowel disease syndrome and pelvic pain. Pelvic floor reconstruction is nowadays driven by the concept that in the case of pelvic floor symptoms restoration of the anatomy will translate into restoration of the physiology and ultimately improve the patients' symptoms. The exact surgical reconstruction of the anatomy is there-fore almost exclusively focused on the restoration of the lax pelvic floor ligaments. An exact identification of the anatomic lesions preoperatively is eminently necessary, to allow for an exact anatomic reconstruction with respect to the muscular forces of the pelvic floor. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart * New York.

Pelvic floor physical therapy in urogynecologic disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotarinos, Rhonda K

2003-08-01

Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to treat pelvic floor dysfunction with conservative management techniques. Techniques associated with incontinence and support functions of the pelvic floor include bladder training and pelvic floor rehabilitation: pelvic floor exercises, biofeedback therapy, and pelvic floor electrical stimulation. Pain associated with mechanical pelvic floor dysfunction can be treated by physical therapists utilizing various manual techniques and modalities. Research documents that conservative management is effective in treating many conditions associated with pelvic floor dysfunction. Research should be conducted to determine if addressing diastasis recti and contracture of the pelvic floor musculature should be a component of the standard physical therapy protocol.

THE GENERATION OF BUILDING FLOOR PLANS USING PORTABLE AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE MAPPING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. J. Tsai

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Indoor navigation or positioning systems have been widely developed for Location-Based Services (LBS applications and they come along with a keen demand of indoor floor plans for displaying results even improving the positioning performance. Generally, the floor plans produced by robot mapping focus on perceiving the environment to avoid obstacles and using the feature landmarks to update the robot position in the relative coordinate frame. These maps are not accurate enough to incorporate to the indoor positioning system. This study aims at developing Indoor Mobile Mapping System (Indoor MMS and concentrates on generating the highly accurate floor plans based on the robot mapping technique using the portable, robot and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV platform. The proposed portable mapping system prototype can be used in the chest package and the handheld approach. In order to evaluate and correct the generated floor plans from robot mapping techniques, this study builds the testing and calibration field using the outdoor control survey method implemented in the indoor environments. Based on control points and check points from control survey, this study presents the map rectification method that uses the affine transformation to solve the scale and deformation problems and also transfer the local coordinate system into world standard coordinate system. The preliminary results illustrate that the final version of the building floor plan reach 1 meter absolute positioning accuracy using the proposed mapping systems that combines with the novel map rectification approach proposed. These maps are well geo-referenced with world coordinate system thus it can be applied for future seamless navigation applications including indoor and outdoor scenarios.

Decontamination and decommissioning of the Argonne National Laboratory East Area radioactively contaminated surplus facilities: Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kline, W.H.; Fassnacht, G.F.; Moe, H.J.

1987-07-01

ANL has decontaminated and decommissioned (D and D) seven radiologically contaminated surplus facilities at its Illinois site: a ''Hot'' Machine Shop (Building 17) and support facilities; Fan House No. 1 (Building 37), Fan House No. 2 (Building 38), the Pangborn Dust Collector (Building 41), and the Industrial Waste Treatment Plant (Building 34) for exhaust air from machining of radioactive materials. Also included were a Nuclear Materials Storage Vault (Building 16F) and a Nuclear Research Laboratory (Building 22). The D and D work involved dismantling of all process equipment and associated plumbing, ductwork, drain lines, etc. After radiation surveys, floor and wall coverings, suspended ceilings, room partitions, pipe, conduit and electrical gear were taken down as necessary. In addition, underground sewers were excavated. The grounds around each facility were also thoroughly surveyed. Contaminated materials and soil were packaged and shipped to a low-level waste burial site, while nonactive debris was buried in the ANL landfill. Clean, reusable items were saved, and clean metal scrap was sold for salvage. After the decommissioning work, each building was torn down and the site relandscaped. The project was completed in 1985, ahead of schedule, with substantial savings

Final Status Survey for the Largest Decommissioning Project on Earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubiel, R.W.; Miller, J.; Quayle, D.

2006-01-01

To assist the United States Department of Energy's (US DOE's) re-industrialization efforts at its gaseous diffusion site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, known as the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), the US DOE awarded a 6-year Decontamination and Decommissioning (D and D) contract to BNG America (formerly BNFL Inc.) in 1997. The ETTP 3-Building D and D Project included the removal and disposition of the materials and equipment from the K-33, K-31, and K-29 Gaseous Diffusion Plant buildings. The three buildings comprise more than 4.8 million square feet (446,000 square meters) of floor surface area and more than 350 million pounds (148 million kilograms) of hazardous and radioactively contaminated material, making it the largest nuclear D and D project in progress anywhere in the world. The logistical hurdles involved in a project of this scope and magnitude required an extensive amount of Engineering and Health Physics professionals. In order to accomplish the Final Status Survey (FSS) for a project of this scope, the speed and efficiency of automated survey equipment was essential. Surveys of floors, structural steel and ceilings up to 60 feet (18 meters) were required. The FSS had to be expanded to include additional remediation and surveys due to characterization surveys and assumptions regarding the nature and extent of contamination provided by the US DOE. Survey design and technical bases had to consider highly variable constituents; including uranium from depleted to low enrichment, variable levels of Technetium-99 and transuranic nuclides, which were introduced into the cascade during the 1960's when recycled uranium (RU) from Savannah River was re-enriched at the facility. The RU was transported to unexpected locations from leaks in the cascade by complex building ventilation patterns. The primary survey tool used for the post remediation and FSS was the Surface Contamination Monitor (SCM) and the associated Survey Information Management System (SIMS

School Flooring Factors

Science.gov (United States)

McGrath, John

2012-01-01

With all of the hype that green building is receiving throughout the school facility-management industry, it's easy to overlook some elements that may not be right in front of a building manager's nose. It is helpful to examine the role floor covering plays in a green building project. Flooring is one of the most significant and important systems…

Price floors for emissions trading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Peter John; Jotzo, Frank

2011-01-01

Price floors in greenhouse gas emissions trading schemes can guarantee minimum abatement efforts if prices are lower than expected, and they can help manage cost uncertainty, possibly as complements to price ceilings. Provisions for price floors are found in several recent legislative proposals for emissions trading. Implementation however has potential pitfalls. Possible mechanisms are government commitments to buy back permits, a reserve price at auction, or an extra fee or tax on acquittal of emissions permits. Our analysis of these alternatives shows that the fee approach has budgetary advantages and is more compatible with international permit trading than the alternatives. It can also be used to implement more general hybrid approaches to emissions pricing. - Research highlights: → Price floors for emissions trading schemes guarantee a minimum carbon price. → Price floors mean that emissions can be less than specified by the ETS cap. → We examine how price floors can relate to different policy objectives. → We compare different mechanisms for implementing a price floor. → We find that a mechanism where there is an extra tax or fee has advantages.

Floor heating systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radtke, U

1984-02-01

The question of whether PPC- and VPE-floor heating pipes can endure damage when incompletely imbedded in the floor finish is investigated in an experimental setup. An expansion of the pipe, caused by a temperature increase from 20/sup 0/C to 50/sup 0/C was measured and considered too small to deduce the degree of danger from the damage.

Surveys of embedded piping for Shoreham license termination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, D.E. Jr.

2004-01-01

In planning the decommissioning of the Shoreham Nuclear Power Station (SNPS) in Wading River, N.Y., it was determined that the cost of removing contaminated floor drain piping was prohibitive. The piping is typically embedded approximately four feet deep in reinforced concrete, often below structural I-beams. A decision was made to develop remote survey devices ('pipe crawlers') that would allow SNPS to decontaminate and survey embedded piping within NRC free release limits. Pipe crawlers currently in use at SNPS are able to traverse multiple 45 and 90 degree bends while maintaining all detectors in the required geometry (less than 1 cm detector to surface distance). The following aspects of this project will be presented: 1) System classification and cost-benefit analysis 2) Overview of system decontamination 3) Pipe crawler mechanical and electrical development 4) Detector backgrounds and MDA's 5) Additional devices and techniques 6) NRC position on crawler use. 7) SNPS results to date. (author)

The accuracy of surface-contamination measurements; survey of UK hospitals, 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woods, M.J.

1987-01-01

In response to a number of concerns expressed at both national and international levels, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) conducted a survey of UK hospitals and associated Regional Radiation Protection Services. Sources of surface contamination were distributed and participants were requested to measure these and interpret the relevant responses in terms of emission and activity per unit area. The analysis of the returns demonstrates that the vast majority of results was significantly in error and that the quality of radiation protection may be impaired. (author)

Pelvic floor and sexual male dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonella Pischedda

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The pelvic floor is a complex multifunctional structure that corresponds to the genito- urinary-anal area and consists of muscle and connective tissue. It supports the urinary, fecal, sexual and reproductive functions and pelvic statics. The symptoms caused by pelvic floor dysfunction often affect the quality of life of those who are afflicted, worsening significantly more aspects of daily life. In fact, in addition to providing support to the pelvic organs, the deep floor muscles support urinary continence and intestinal emptying whereas the superficial floor muscles are involved in the mechanism of erection and ejaculation. So, conditions of muscle hypotonia or hypertonicity may affect the efficiency of the pelvic floor, altering both the functionality of the deep and superficial floor muscles. In this evolution of knowledge it is possible imagine how the rehabilitation techniques of pelvic floor muscles, if altered and able to support a voiding or evacuative or sexual dysfunction, may have a role in improving the health and the quality of life.

An integrated system for conducting radiological surveys of contaminated sites - 16312

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCown, Jay P.; Rogers, Donna M.; Waggoner, Charles A.

2009-01-01

This paper describes an integrated detection system that has been developed to conduct radiological surveys of sites suspected of contamination of materials such as depleted uranium. This system utilizes cerium activated lanthanum bromide and thallium activated sodium iodide gamma detectors and can be easily adapted to include units for detecting neutrons. The detection system includes software controlling the collection of radiological spectra and GPS data. Two different platforms are described for conducting surveys, a modified zero turn radius (ZTR) mower and a three-wheeled cart that is manually pushed. The detection system software controlling data collection has components that facilitate completing a grid-less survey on user specified spacings. Another package confirms that all data quality activities (calibrations, etc.) are conducted prior to beginning the survey and also reviews data to identify areas that have been missed for which data quality falls below user designated parameters. Advanced digital signal processing algorithms are used to enhance the interpretation of spectra for conducting background subtractions and for mapping. Data from radiation detection instruments and GPS antennae are merged and made compatible with mapping using Geosoft Oasis montaj software. A summary of system performance during field-testing is included in the paper. This includes survey rate, detection limits, duty cycle, supporting ancillary equipment/material, and manpower requirements. The rate of false positives and false negatives is discussed with the benefits of surveys conducted using synergetic detection systems such as electromagnetic induction imaging. (authors)

Maxillary Sinus Floor Augmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Starch-Jensen, Thomas; Jensen, Janek Dalsgaard

2017-01-01

, radiological and histomorphometric outcome as well as complications are presented after maxillary sinus floor augmentation applying the lateral window technique with a graft material, maxillary sinus membrane elevation without a graft material and osteotome-mediated sinus floor elevation with or without...

The effect of sub-floor heating on house-dust-mite populations on floors and in furniture.

Science.gov (United States)

de Boer, Rob

2003-01-01

It is well known that dehydrating conditions for house dust mites can be created by simply raising the temperature, causing loss of body water and eventually death. Thus, it can be expected that conditions for dust mites are less favourable on floors supplied with sub-floor heating. This was examined in a study of 16 houses with sub-floor heating and 21 without. The pattern of changes in air humidity and temperature on the floors was investigated and compared to known data of the tolerance of dust mites. Also the resident mite populations were compared. Floors with sub-floor heating had, on average, fewer mites, but the difference with unheated floors was small. It was remarkable that mite numbers were also lower in upholstered furniture. Another important observation was that some houses with sub-floor heating had high mite numbers, indicating that this type of heating is compatible with a thriving mite population. Temperature and humidity conditions of heated floors may allow mites not only to survive, but also to remain active in winter. A moderate increase in temperature, a moderate decrease in (absolute) air humidity, or a combination of both, will suffice to keep the humidity all winter below the Critical Equilibrium Humidity, the level of air humidity that is critical for mite growth and reproduction, hence for allergen production. However, it is argued that measures to suppress allergen production by house dust mites are likely to be far more effective if taken in summer rather than in winter.

Orbital floor reconstruction with free flaps after maxillectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sampathirao, Leela Mohan C S R; Thankappan, Krishnakumar; Duraisamy, Sriprakash; Hedne, Naveen; Sharma, Mohit; Mathew, Jimmy; Iyer, Subramania

2013-06-01

Background The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of orbital floor reconstruction with free flaps after maxillectomy. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 34 consecutive patients who underwent maxillectomy with orbital floor removal for malignancies, reconstructed with free flaps. A cross-sectional survey to assess the functional and esthetic outcome was done in 28 patients who were alive and disease-free, with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up. Results Twenty-six patients had bony reconstruction, and eight had soft tissue reconstruction. Free fibula flap was the commonest flap used (n = 14). Visual acuity was normal in 86%. Eye movements were normal in 92%. Abnormal globe position resulted in nine patients. Esthetic satisfaction was good in 19 patients (68%). Though there was no statistically significant difference in outcome of visual acuity, eye movement, and patient esthetic satisfaction between patients with bony and soft tissue reconstruction, more patients without bony reconstruction had abnormal globe position (p = 0.040). Conclusion Free tissue transfer has improved the results of orbital floor reconstruction after total maxillectomy, preserving the eye. Good functional and esthetic outcome was achieved. Though our study favors a bony orbital reconstruction, a larger study with adequate power and equal distribution of patients among the groups would be needed to determine this. Free fibula flap remains the commonest choice when a bony reconstruction is contemplated.

Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonates in indoor Floor Dust

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Jørgen Øgaard; Wolkoff, Peder; Madsen, Jørgen Øgaard

1999-01-01

The amount of Linear Alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS) in the particle fraction of floor dust sampled from 7 selected public buildings varied between 34 and 1500 microgram per gram dust, while the contents of the fibre fractions generally were higher with up to 3500 microgram LAS/g dust. The use...... of a cleaning agent with LAS resulted in an increase of the amount of LAS in the floor dust after floor wash relative to just before floor wash. However, the most important source of LAS in the indoor floor dust appears to be residues of detergent in clothing. Thus, a newly washed shirt contained 2960 microgram...

Effects of Floor Covering Resistance of a Radiant Floor on System Energy and Exergy Performances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kazanci, Ongun Berk; Shukuya, Masanori; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2016-01-01

Floor covering resistance (material and thickness) can be influenced by subjective choices (architectural design, interior design, texture, etc.) with significant effects on the performance of a radiant heating and cooling system. To study the effects of floor covering resistance on system...... performance, a water-based radiant floor heating and cooling system (dry, wooden construction) was considered to be coupled to an air-to-water heat pump, and the effects of varying floor covering resistances (0.05 m2K/W, 0.09 m2K/W and 0.15 m2K/W) on system performance were analyzed in terms of energy...... and exergy. In order to achieve the same heating and cooling outputs, higher average water temperatures are required in the heating mode (and lower temperatures in the cooling mode) with increasing floor covering resistance. These temperature requirements decrease the heat pump’s performance (lower...

A comparative study on thermal efficiency between the present floor and a ceramic floor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Y.M.; Kim, K.S. [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, B.S. [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Ko, J.S.; Park, S.K. [Bomwoo and Co. LTD., Kwangju (Korea, Republic of)

1999-04-01

A ceramic floor with improved thermal conductivity and efficiency has been developed in this study. The new ceramic floor minimizes the shrinkage rate to below 0.07% and shows almost no cleavage. There is no need to repair the ceramic floor because its bottom surface is flat. It especially shows an excellent performance in the test of a compressive strength (300 kg/cm{sup 2} based on 28 days), a flexural strength (64 kg/cm{sup 2} based on 28 days), and a convenient pressing. It is lighter than the present floor and it is expected to be applicable for a self-leveling ceramic motar in the residences and apartments. It shows an excellent character in the thermal conductivity and other physical properties compare to the present cement mortar. 5 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Floors: Care and Maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Post Office Dept., Washington, DC.

Guidelines, methods and policies regarding the care and maintenance of post office building floors are overviewed in this handbook. Procedures outlined are concerned with maintaining a required level of appearance without wasting manpower. Flooring types and characteristics and the particular cleaning requirements of each type are given along with…

Tracking cross-contamination transfer dynamics at a mock retail deli market using GloGerm.

Science.gov (United States)

Maitland, Jessica; Boyer, Renee; Gallagher, Dan; Duncan, Susan; Bauer, Nate; Kause, Janell; Eifert, Joseph

2013-02-01

Ready-to-eat (RTE) deli meats are considered a food at high risk for causing foodborne illness. Deli meats are listed as the highest risk RTE food vehicle for Listeria monocytogenes. Cross-contamination in the retail deli market may contribute to spread of pathogens to deli meats. Understanding potential cross-contamination pathways is essential for reducing the risk of contaminating various products. The objective of this study was to track cross-contamination pathways through a mock retail deli market using an abiotic surrogate, GloGerm, to visually represent how pathogens may spread through the deli environment via direct contact with food surfaces. Six contamination origination sites (slicer blade, meat chub, floor drain, preparation table, employee's glove, and employee's hands) were evaluated separately. Each site was inoculated with 20 ml of GloGerm, and a series of standard deli operations were completed (approximately 10 min of work). Photographs were then taken under UV illumination to visualize spread of GloGerm throughout the deli. A sensory panel evaluated the levels of contamination on the resulting contaminated surfaces. Five of the six contamination origination sites were associated with transfer of GloGerm to the deli case door handle, slicer blade, meat chub, preparation table, and the employee's gloves. Additional locations became contaminated (i.e., deli case shelf, prep table sink, and glove box), but this contamination was not consistent across all trials. Contamination did not spread from the floor drain to any food contact surfaces. The findings of this study reinforce the need for consistent equipment cleaning and food safety practices among deli workers to minimize cross-contamination.

Survey and decontamination trial of boat wastes contaminated with radioactive cesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takigami, Hidetaka; Yamamoto, Takashi; Suzuki, Go; Takeuchi, Yukio; Tanosaki, Takao; Takata, Mitsuyasu; Okubo, Takuro

2013-01-01

Field survey was conducted to investigate radioactive cesium contamination status of the fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) boats which were damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake and resulting tsunami, and further affected by nuclear fallout from the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Radiation dose rate was measured targeted at some selected boats and the surrounding environment by using radiation survey meters (i.e., NaI (Tl) scintillation counter and GM counter) and a radiation-sensing camera in order to visualize a dose rate distribution within the area. In addition, FRP parts, sediment deposits and stagnant waters in the boats were sampled and their "1"3"4Cs and "1"3"7Cs radioactivity were measured by gamma-ray spectrometry using NaI (Tl) scintillation or Ge detector. From the monitoring results, materials or sediments in the boats enhanced the radiation levels, however, which can be significantly reduced by decontamination operations such as removal and wash-out of the materials or sediments (i.e., countermeasures for surface-deposited radioactivity). Consequently, the conducted survey and decontamination approaches became a good model and promoted a prompt dismantlement, removal and further disposal/recycle by the local authorities concerned. (author)

Multiagency radiation survey and site investigation manual (MARSSIM): Survey design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abelquist, E.W.; Berger, J.D.

1996-01-01

This paper describes the MultiAgency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) strategy for designing a final status survey. The purpose of the final status survey is to demonstrate that release criteria established by the regulatory agency have been met. Survey design begins with identification of the contaminants and determination of whether the radionuclides of concern exist in background. The decommissioned site is segregated into Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 areas, based on contamination potential, and each area is further divided into survey units. Appropriate reference areas for indoor and outdoor background measurements are selected. Survey instrumentation and techniques are selected in order to assure that the instrumentation is capable of detecting the contamination at the derived concentration guideline level (DCGL). Survey reference systems are established and the number of survey data points is determined-with the required number of data points distributed on a triangular grid Pattern. Two suitistical tests are used to evaluate data from final status surveys. For contaminants that are b, present in background, the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test is used; for contaminants that are not present in background, the Wilcoxon Signed Rank (or Sign) test is used. The number of data points needed to satisfy these nonparametric tests is based on the contaminant DCGL value, the expected Standard deviation of the contaminant in background and in the survey unit, and the acceptable probability of making Type I and Type II decision errors. The MARSSIM also requires a reasonable level of assurance that any small areas of elevated residual radioactivity that could be significant relative to regulatory limits are not missed during the final status survey. Measurements and sampling on a specified grid size are used to obtain an adequate assurance level that small locations of elevated radioactivity will Still satisfy DCGLs-applicable to small areas

Sea-floor geology and character offshore of Rocky Point, New York

Science.gov (United States)

Poppe, L.J.; McMullen, K.Y.; Ackerman, S.D.; Blackwood, D.S.; Irwin, B.J.; Schaer, J.D.; Lewit, P.G.; Doran, E.F.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working cooperatively to interpret surficial sea-floor geology along the coast of the Northeastern United States. NOAA survey H11445 in eastern Long Island Sound, offshore of Plum Island, New York, covers an area of about 12 square kilometers. Multibeam bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery from the survey, as well as sediment and photographic data from 13 stations occupied during a USGS verification cruise are used to delineate sea-floor features and characterize the environment. Bathymetry gradually deepens offshore to over 100 meters in a depression in the northwest part of the study area and reaches 60 meters in Plum Gut, a channel between Plum Island and Orient Point. Sand waves are present on a shoal north of Plum Island and in several smaller areas around the basin. Sand-wave asymmetry indicates that counter-clockwise net sediment transport maintains the shoal. Sand is prevalent where there is low backscatter in the sidescan-sonar imagery. Gravel and boulder areas are submerged lag deposits produced from the Harbor Hill-Orient Point-Fishers Island moraine segment and are found adjacent to the shorelines and just north of Plum Island, where high backscatter is present in the sidescan-sonar imagery.

Building with electromagnetic shield structure for individual floors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, T.; Nakamura, M.; Yabana, Y.; Ishikawa, T.; Nagata, K.

1991-01-01

This invention relates to a building having a floor-by-floor electromagnetic shield structure well-suited for application to an information network system in which an electromagnetically shielded space is divided by individual floors and electric waves are utilized within the building on a floor-by-floor basis. (author). 8 figs

Building with electromagnetic shield structure for individual floors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takahashi, T; Nakamura, M; Yabana, Y; Ishikawa, T; Nagata, K

1991-09-10

This invention relates to a building having a floor-by-floor electromagnetic shield structure well-suited for application to an information network system in which an electromagnetically shielded space is divided by individual floors and electric waves are utilized within the building on a floor-by-floor basis. (author). 8 figs.

The application of containment technologies on landfills and contaminated sites in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melchior, S.

1997-01-01

Remedial action on contaminated sites may include ex-situ or in-situ treatment of contaminants (extraction of solids, liquids and gases or in-situ decontamination) as well as the application of containment technologies. Rumer ampersand Ryan (1995) define containment technology as open-quotes the construction of low-permeability barriers around the source zone [of contaminated sites] to contain contaminants combined with manipulation of hydraulic gradientsclose quotes. The technical focus areas of the 1997 International Containment Technology Conference and Exhibition include vertical, bottom and surface barriers as well as technologies like permeable barriers and stabilization ampersand solidification. Contaminant transport modeling, the test and choice of materials, quality assurance and control, cost and performance criteria, and long-term performance monitoring are integral and essential parts of the technologies and their application. The extent of their use depends on the technology applied as well as on the hazard of the site. This paper will focus on a description of the systems used to construct walls, floors, and caps on European landfills and contaminated sites. The application of walls, floors, and caps, however, is not only a question of the best available technology but also is strongly governed by the priority of the problem to be solved. Therefore this paper will give a short overview on some environmental, socio-economical and political factors, which influence the application of containment technologies, before short profiles of the currently applied technologies will be presented

The Combine Use of Semi-destructive and Non-destructive Methods for Tiled Floor Diagnostics

Science.gov (United States)

Štainbruch, Jakub; Bayer, Karol; Jiroušek, Tomáš; Červinka, Josef

2017-04-01

The combination of semi-destructive and non-destructive methods was used to asset the conditions of a tiled floor in the historical monument Minaret, situated in the park complex of the Chateau Lednice (South Moravia Region, Czech Republic), before its renovation. Another set of measurements is going to be performed after the conservation works are finished. (The comparison of the results collected during pre- and post-remediation measurements will be known and presented during the General Assembly meeting in Wien.) The diagnostic complex of methods consisted of photogrammetry, resistivity drilling and georadar. The survey was aimed to contour extends of air gaps beneath the tiles and the efficiency of filling gaps by means of injection, consolidation and gluing individual layers. The state chateau Lednice creates a part of the Lednice-Valtice precinct, a UNESCO landmark, and belongs among the greatest historic monuments in Southern Moravia. In the chateau park there is a romantic observation tower in the shape of a minaret built according to the plans of Josef Hardtmuth between 1798-1804. The Minaret has been extensively renovated for many decades including the restoration of mosaic floors from Venetian terazzo. During the static works of the Minaret building between 1999-2000, the mosaic floors in the rooms on the second floor were transferred and put back onto concrete slabs. Specifically, the floor was cut up to tiles and these were glued to square slabs which were then attached to the base plate. The transfer was not successful and the floor restoration was finalized between 2016-2017. The damage consisted in separating the original floor from the concrete plate which led to creating gaps. Furthermore, the layers of the floor were not compact. It was necessary to fill the gaps and consolidate and glue the layers. The existence of air gap between individual layers of the tiles and their degradation was detected using two different diagnostic methods: semi

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers and “novel” brominated flame retardants in floor and elevated surface house dust from Iraq: Implications for human exposure assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Layla Salih Al-Omran

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs and selected novel brominated flame retardants (NBFRs were measured in indoor dust from the living areas of 18 homes in Basrah, Iraq. This is the first report of contamination of the Iraqi environment with these chemicals. To evaluate the implications for human exposure, samples were collected from both the floor and from elevated surfaces like tables, shelves and chairs. When normalised for the organic carbon content of the dust sample, concentrations in elevated surface dust of BDE-99, BDE-209, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB, bis (2-ethylhexyl 3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP, and decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE exceeded significantly (p < 0.05 those in floor dust from the same rooms. This suggests that previous studies that base estimates of adult exposure via dust ingestion on floor dust, may underestimate exposure. Such underestimation is less likely for toddlers who are far more likely to ingest floor dust. Concentrations of PBDEs and NBFRs in indoor dust from Basrah, Iraq are at the lower end of levels reported elsewhere. The PBDE contamination pattern in our samples suggests that use in Iraq of the Deca-BDE formulation, exceeds substantially that of Penta-BDE, but that use of the Octa-BDE formulation has been higher in Iraq than in some other regions. Reassuringly, our estimates of exposure to our target BFRs via dust ingestion for the Iraqi population fall well below the relevant health-based limit values.

Flooring choices for newborn ICUs.

Science.gov (United States)

White, R D

2007-12-01

Floors are a major element of newborn intensive care unit (NICU) construction. They provide visual cues, sound control, and with certain materials, some degree of physical comfort for workers. Flooring materials may entail a significant cost for installation and upkeep and can have substantial ecological impact, both in the choice of the flooring itself, as well as the substances used to clean it. In this article the important aspects to consider for each factor are explored and recommendations are offered for appropriate choices in various NICU areas.

Method and apparatus for the purification of a liquid contaminated with radioactive substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mende, H.

1976-01-01

A method of and apparatus for the purification of a liquid contaminated with radioactive substances is described, wherein the liquid is infed to an evaporator in or with which there is connected a column having a multiplicity of superposed plates or floors. The vapor generated in the evaporator is guided through a washing or scrubbing liquid uniformly distributed at the floors and flowing in crosswise counterflow with regard to the vapor. The washing liquid at the floors is deflected a number of times in such a manner that the washing liquid itself together with the droplets entrained by the vapor are uniformly admixed and the washing liquid subjected to a constant intake of the radioactive substance

Advantages and limitations of remotely operated sea floor drill rigs

Science.gov (United States)

Freudenthal, T.; Smith, D. J.; Wefer, G.

2009-04-01

A variety of research targets in marine sciences including the investigation of gas hydrates, slope stability, alteration of oceanic crust, ore formation and palaeoclimate can be addressed by shallow drilling. However, drill ships are mostly used for deep drillings, both because the effort of building up a drill string from a drill ship to the deep sea floor is tremendous and control on drill bit pressure from a movable platform and a vibrating drill string is poor especially in the upper hundred meters. During the last decade a variety of remotely operated drill rigs have been developed, that are deployed on the sea bed and operated from standard research vessels. These developments include the BMS (Bentic Multicoring System, developed by Williamson and Associates, operated by the Japanese Mining Agency), the PROD (Portable Remotely Operated Drill, developed and operated by Benthic Geotech), the Rockdrill 2 (developed and operated by the British geological Survey) and the MeBo (German abbreviation for sea floor drill rig, developed and operated by Marum, University of Bremen). These drill rigs reach drilling depths between 15 and 100 m. For shallow drillings remotely operated drill rigs are a cost effective alternative to the services of drill ships and have the major advantage that the drilling operations are performed from a stable platform independent of any ship movements due to waves, wind or currents. Sea floor drill rigs can be deployed both in shallow waters and the deep sea. A careful site survey is required before deploying the sea floor drill rig. Slope gradient, small scale topography and soil strength are important factors when planning the deployment. The choice of drill bits and core catcher depend on the expected geology. The required drill tools are stored on one or two magazines on the drill rig. The MeBo is the only remotely operated drill rig world wide that can use wire line coring technique. This method is much faster than conventional

Impact and appreciation of two methods aiming at reducing hazardous drug environmental contamination: The centralization of the priming of IV tubing in the pharmacy and use of a closed-system transfer device.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillemette, Annie; Langlois, Hélène; Voisine, Maxime; Merger, Delphine; Therrien, Roxane; Mercier, Genevieve; Lebel, Denis; Bussières, Jean-François

2014-12-01

The main objective was to evaluate the impact of two methods aiming at reducing hazardous drug environmental contamination: the centralization of the priming of IV tubing in the pharmacy and the use of a closed-system transfer device. The secondary objective was to evaluate the satisfaction of pharmacy technicians using a survey. Sites in the hematology-oncology satellite pharmacy and care unit were analyzed for the presence of cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and methotrexate before and after the centralization of the priming of IV tubing in the pharmacy and before and after using a closed-system transfer device. The limits of detection for cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and methotrexate were, respectively, of 0.0015 ng/cm(2), 0.0012 ng/cm(2) and 0.0060 ng/cm(2). The pharmacy technician satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire. A total of 225 samples was quantified. After the centralization of priming in the pharmacy, no significant difference was found in the proportion of positive samples for cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide and methotrexate. Traces of cyclophosphamide found on the floor in patient care areas was significantly reduced (median[min-max] 0.08[0.06-0.09]ng/cm(2) vs. 0.03[0.02-0.05], p tubing in the pharmacy reduced floor contamination in patient care areas without increasing surface contamination in the pharmacy. Closed-system transfer devices reduced contamination in pharmacy, but handling issues were raised by pharmacy technicians. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Simulations of floor cooling system capacity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Odyjas, Andrzej; Górka, Andrzej

2013-01-01

Floor cooling system capacity depends on its physical and operative parameters. Using numerical simulations, it appears that cooling capacity of the system largely depends on the type of cooling loads occurring in the room. In the case of convective cooling loads capacity of the system is small. However, when radiation flux falls directly on the floor the system significantly increases productivity. The article describes the results of numerical simulations which allow to determine system capacity in steady thermal conditions, depending on the type of physical parameters of the system and the type of cooling load occurring in the room. Moreover, the paper sets out the limits of system capacity while maintaining a minimum temperature of the floor surface equal to 20 °C. The results are helpful for designing system capacity in different type of cooling loads and show maximum system capacity in acceptable thermal comfort condition. -- Highlights: ► We have developed numerical model for simulation of floor cooling system. ► We have described floor system capacity depending on its physical parameters. ► We have described floor system capacity depending on type of cooling loads. ► The most important in the obtained cooling capacities is the type of cooling loads. ► The paper sets out the possible maximum cooling floor system capacity

Statistical sampling strategies for survey of soil contamination

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brus, D.J.

2011-01-01

This chapter reviews methods for selecting sampling locations in contaminated soils for three situations. In the first situation a global estimate of the soil contamination in an area is required. The result of the surey is a number or a series of numbers per contaminant, e.g. the estimated mean

Survey of radioactive contamination distribution in the Naka-Dori area, Tohoku, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hohara, Sin-ya; Inagaki, Masayo; Yamanishi, Hirokuni; Wakabayashi, Genichiro; Sugiyama, Wataru; Itoh, Tetsuo

2013-01-01

The Kinki University Atomic Energy Research Institute investigated radioactive contamination due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in urban areas of the Fukushima Naka-Dori Area in the TOHOKU region, Japan. A specific activity measurement of the surface soil and a survey of the dose rate distribution in urban areas were performed. From the results of this research, a decrease in dose rate in paved areas became clear, and differences due to the “wash out effect” in paved areas for different paving materials was measured and verified. (author)

Formaldehyde and TVOC emission behavior of laminate flooring by structure of laminate flooring and heating condition.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Jae-Yoon; Kim, Sumin; Kim, Hyun-Joong

2011-03-15

Formaldehyde was measured with a desiccator, a 20 L chamber and the FLEC method. The formaldehyde emission rate from laminate was the highest at 32 °C using the desiccator, which then decreased with time. The formaldehyde emission using the 20 L small chamber and FLEC showed a similar tendency. There was a strong correlation between the formaldehyde and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) with both types of floorings using the two different methods. The formaldehyde emission rate and TVOC results were higher when tested using the FLEC method than with the 20 L small chamber method. The emission rate was affected by the joint edge length in laminate flooring. Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene were the main VOCs emitted from laminate flooring, and there were more unidentified VOCs emitted than identified VOCs. The samples heated with a floor heating system emitted more formaldehyde than those heated using an air circulation system due to the temperature difference between the bottom panel and flooring. The TVOC emission level of the samples was higher when an air circulation system was used than when a floor heating system was used due to the high ventilation rate. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiological assessment and remedial action report for the ''Son of Lansdowne'' property, 186 North Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, W.H.; Wynveen, R.A.

1987-08-01

This document reports the results of a radiological assessment and remedial action program conducted by Argonne National Laboratory personnel at a radioactively contaminated private residence in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. The program was conducted on the residence at 186 Lansdowne Avenue. The survey conducted by the ANL personnel indicated that several dozen areas or spots of contamination were present on all floors and the basement of the three-story house. Contamination was found on furniture, carpeting, walls, floors, woodwork, and ceilings. Remedial action undertaken to remove the contamination ranged from scrubbing, to scraping, to shaving of wood, to removal and disposal of items and material that could not be adequately decontaminated. Outdoors, contaminated soil was removed from the backyard, and the driveway was dug up so the contaminated subsurface material could be removed. The remedial action generated quantities of radioactive waste, including four 55-gallon drums and one M-III bin (120 ft 3 ) containing floor tile, concrete, personal items, furniture, floor scrapings, vermiculite absorbed scrub water, and other items. In addition, there were 24 M-III bins containing approximately 112 tons of contaminated soil and rock from the two contaminated areas in the backyard and from the contaminated subsurface of the driveway. 2 refs., 39 figs., 12 tabs

Radiation budget, soil heat flux and latent heat flux at the forest floor in warm, temperate mixed forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamai, K.; Abe, T.; Araki, M.; Ito, H.

1998-01-01

Seasonal changes in the radiation budget and soil heat flux of a forest floor were measured in a mixed forest located in Kyoto, Japan. The basal area at breast height in the survey forest was about 15·82 m 2 ha −1 , for evergreen trees, and 12·46 m 2 ha −1 , for deciduous trees. The sky view factor was 16 and 22% at the survey site in the foliate and defoliate seasons, respectively. The small difference between the sky view factor in the two seasons was reflected in the seasonal change in the radiation budget of the forest floor. Namely, the net long-wave radiation changed rapidly in leafing and falling days, and the rate of net short-wave radiation was highest in April. The distinctive characteristic of the radiation budget was that the rates of available radiation in the daytime and at night were almost equal in September and October. Latent heat flux at the forest floor was estimated to be around 94 MJ m −2 annually, from our measurement with the simulation model. (author)

Distribution of contaminants in the occupied zone of a room with personalized and displacement ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cermak, Radim; Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Forejt, L.

2004-01-01

A distribution of contaminants from floor covering, exhaled air and human bioeffluents was examined in a mock-up of a typical two-person office by means of tracer-gases. The distribution was studied with two types of air terminal device for personalized ventilation combined with displacement...... ventilation. The results document that the distribution of contaminants depends to a great extent on the type and operation of personalized ventilation, as well as on the type and location of contaminant sources....

Crustal Ages of the Ocean Floor - Poster

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Crustal Ages of the Ocean Floor Poster was created at NGDC using the Crustal Ages of the Ocean Floor database draped digitally over a relief of the ocean floor...

75 FR 66126 - Multilayered Wood Flooring From China

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-27

...)] Multilayered Wood Flooring From China AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Institution... flooring, provided for in subheadings 4409.10, 4409.29, 4412.31, 4412.32, 4412.39, 4412.94, 4412.99, 4418... multilayered wood flooring. The following companies are members of the CAHP: Anderson Hardwood Floors, LLC...

75 FR 79019 - Multilayered Wood Flooring From China

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-17

...)] Multilayered Wood Flooring From China Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject... imports from China of multilayered wood flooring, provided for in subheadings 4409.10, 4409.29, 4412.31... multilayered wood flooring. The following companies are members of the CAHP: Anderson Hardwood Floors, LLC...

Mode of delivery and Pelvic floor disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noor, R.; Neelam, H.; Bashir, M.S.

2017-01-01

Objective: To compare pelvic floor dysfunction in non pregnant women who had delivered vaginally versus those with cesarean delivery. Methodology: The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders among non pregnant women was assesses by using a standardized tool pelvic floor distress inventory short form (PFDI-20). Data was collected from Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Pakistan. Results: Total numbers of participants were 278. 47.12% subjects had moderate, 36.69% miner and 16.19% had severe pelvic floor dysfunction. The symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse were more prevalent (mean value is 59.1876) than Urinary Distress (mean value is 40.5426), while the Colorectal-Anal Distress (mean value is 35.9150) were least prevalent. Conclusion: Pelvic floor disorders are very common among females and are strongly associated with mode of delivery. Although spontaneous vaginal birth was extensively associated with pelvic floor disorders the instrumental delivery affects most. (author)

Functional anatomy of pelvic floor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvatore Rocca Rossetti

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Generally, descriptions of the pelvic floor are discordant, since its complex structures and the complexity of pathological disorders of such structures; commonly the descriptions are sectorial, concerning muscles, fascial developments, ligaments and so on. On the contrary to understand completely nature and function of the pelvic floor it is necessary to study it in the most unitary view and in the most global aspect, considering embriology, philogenesy, anthropologic development and its multiple activities others than urological, gynaecological and intestinal ones. Recent acquirements succeeded in clarifying many aspects of pelvic floor activity, whose musculature has been investigated through electromyography, sonography, magnetic resonance, histology, histochemistry, molecular research. Utilizing recent research concerning not only urinary and gynecologic aspects but also those regarding statics and dynamics of pelvis and its floor, it is now possible to study this important body part as a unit; that means to consider it in the whole body economy to which maintaining upright position, walking and behavior or physical conduct do not share less than urinary, genital, and intestinal functions. It is today possible to consider the pelvic floor as a musclefascial unit with synergic and antagonistic activity of muscular bundles, among them more or less interlaced, with multiple functions and not only the function of pelvic cup closure.

A robotic system to conduct radiation and contamination surveys on nuclear waste transport casks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrigan, R.W.; Sanders, T.L.

1990-06-01

The feasibility of performing, numerous spent fuel cask operations using fully integrated robotic systems is under evaluation. Using existing technology, operational and descriptive software and hardware in the form of robotic end effectors are being designed in conjunction with interfacing cask components. A robotic radiation and contamination survey system has been developed and used on mock-up cask hardware to evaluate the impact of such fully automated operations on cask design features and productivity. Based on experience gained from the survey system, numerous health physics operations can be reliably performed with little human intervention using a fully automated system. Such operations can also significantly reduce time requirements for cask-receiving operations. 7 refs., 51 figs., 6 tabs

Results of the indoor radiological survey at the W.R. Grace Co., Curtis Bay site, Baltimore, Maryland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, W.D.; Foley, R.D.; Johnson, C.A.

1989-07-01

The W.R. Grace Company, Davison Chemical Division, conducted developmental research and extraction of thorium from monazite ore at its Curtis Bay facility in Baltimore, Maryland, during the 1950s under contract to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Only one of the numerous buildings on the site was used for these operations. A 1979 aerial survey of the site for the Department of Energy (DOE) indicated that a comprehensive ground survey was required to determine whether or not any contamination remained from the AEC activities in that building. A radiological scoping survey performed later that year for DOE by a team from the Measurement Applications and Development Group of the Health and Safety Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), disclosed surface contamination (alpha) levels in excess of DOE criteria on all five levels of the building. As a result of this finding, two additional surveys were performed in 1986 by ORNL at the request of DOE to evaluate any present or potential health risk. They are detailed in this report. The results of the 1986 surveys revealed several areas having elevated levels of radiation as a result of significant quantities of thorium on some building surfaces such as floors and ceiling beams. Most areas were small spots and in locations of low occupancy; thus, the possibility for significant exposure to workers was judged to be low. To confirm this evaluation, annual radiation exposure estimates for workers frequenting the few, larger contaminated areas on the site were derived using ORNL survey data and occupancy factors provided by the W.R. Grace Company. Estimates ranged from 27 to 41 mrem/yr or a maximum of 41% of the basic dose limit of 100 mrem/yr for members of the general public. 2 refs., 14 figs., 8 tabs

External Hand Forces Exerted by Long-Term Care Staff to Push Floor-Based Lifts: Effects of Flooring System and Resident Weight.

Science.gov (United States)

Lachance, Chantelle C; Korall, Alexandra M B; Russell, Colin M; Feldman, Fabio; Robinovitch, Stephen N; Mackey, Dawn C

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of flooring type and resident weight on external hand forces required to push floor-based lifts in long-term care (LTC). Novel compliant flooring is designed to reduce fall-related injuries among LTC residents but may increase forces required for staff to perform pushing tasks. A motorized lift may offset the effect of flooring on push forces. Fourteen female LTC staff performed straight-line pushes with two floor-based lifts (conventional, motor driven) loaded with passengers of average and 90th-percentile resident weights over four flooring systems (concrete+vinyl, compliant+vinyl, concrete+carpet, compliant+carpet). Initial and sustained push forces were measured by a handlebar-mounted triaxial load cell and compared to participant-specific tolerance limits. Participants rated pushing difficulty. Novel compliant flooring increased initial and sustained push forces and subjective ratings compared to concrete flooring. Compared to the conventional lift, the motor-driven lift substantially reduced initial and sustained push forces and perceived difficulty of pushing for all four floors and both resident weights. Participants exerted forces above published tolerance limits only when using the conventional lift on the carpet conditions (concrete+carpet, compliant+carpet). With the motor-driven lift only, resident weight did not affect push forces. Novel compliant flooring increased linear push forces generated by LTC staff using floor-based lifts, but forces did not exceed tolerance limits when pushing over compliant+vinyl. The motor-driven lift substantially reduced push forces compared to the conventional lift. Results may help to address risk of work-related musculoskeletal injury, especially in locations with novel compliant flooring. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

76 FR 76435 - Multilayered Wood Flooring From China

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-07

...)] Multilayered Wood Flooring From China Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed in the subject... multilayered wood flooring, provided for in subheadings 4409.10, 4409.29, 4412.31, 4412.32, 4412.39, 4412.94... flooring. The following companies are members of the CAHP: Anderson Hardwood Floors, LLC, Fountain Inn, SC...

Radiological survey techniques for decontamination and dismantlement applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruesink, G.P.; Stempfley, D.H.; Pettit, P.J.; Warner, R.D.

1997-01-01

The Department of Energy's Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) is engaged in an aggressive Program to remove all above ground structures as part of the Fernald sites final remediation remedy. Through the complete removal of major facilities such as Plant 7, Plant 4, and Plant 1, the FEMP has developed radiological survey approaches that are effective for the different phases of the Decontamination and Dismantlement (D ampersand D) process. Some of the most pressing challenges facing the FEMP are implementing effective, low cost methods for the D ampersand D of former process buildings while minimizing environmental effects. One of the key components to ensure minimal impact on the environment is the collection of radiological contamination information during the D ampersand D process to facilitate the decision making process. Prior to the final demolition of any structure, radiological surveys of floors, walls, and ceilings must take place. These surveys must demonstrate that contamination levels am below 5000 dpm removable beta/gamma for non-porous surfaces and below 1000 dpm removable-beta/gamma for all porous surfaces. Technique which can perform these activities in a safe, effective, and cost efficient manner are greatly desired. The FEMP has investigated new approaches to address this need. These techniques include sampling approaches using standard baseline methodology as well as innovative approaches to accelerate final radiological clearance processes. To further improve upon this process, the FEMP has investigated several new technologies through the Fernald Plant 1 Large Scale Technology Demonstration Project. One of the most promising of these new technologies, Laser Induced Fluorescence, may significantly improve the radiological clearance survey process. This paper will present real world experiences in applying radiological control limits to D ampersand D projects as well as relate potential productivity and cost improvements with the

L. monocytogenes in a cheese processing facility: Learning from contamination scenarios over three years of sampling.

Science.gov (United States)

Rückerl, I; Muhterem-Uyar, M; Muri-Klinger, S; Wagner, K-H; Wagner, M; Stessl, B

2014-10-17

The aim of this study was to analyze the changing patterns of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a cheese processing facility manufacturing a wide range of ready-to-eat products. Characterization of L. monocytogenes isolates included genotyping by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Disinfectant-susceptibility tests and the assessment of L. monocytogenes survival in fresh cheese were also conducted. During the sampling period between 2010 and 2013, a total of 1284 environmental samples were investigated. Overall occurrence rates of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes were 21.9% and 19.5%, respectively. Identical L. monocytogenes genotypes were found in the food processing environment (FPE), raw materials and in products. Interventions after the sampling events changed contamination scenarios substantially. The high diversity of globally, widely distributed L. monocytogenes genotypes was reduced by identifying the major sources of contamination. Although susceptible to a broad range of disinfectants and cleaners, one dominant L. monocytogenes sequence type (ST) 5 could not be eradicated from drains and floors. Significantly, intense humidity and steam could be observed in all rooms and water residues were visible on floors due to increased cleaning strategies. This could explain the high L. monocytogenes contamination of the FPE (drains, shoes and floors) throughout the study (15.8%). The outcome of a challenge experiment in fresh cheese showed that L. monocytogenes could survive after 14days of storage at insufficient cooling temperatures (8 and 16°C). All efforts to reduce L. monocytogenes environmental contamination eventually led to a transition from dynamic to stable contamination scenarios. Consequently, implementation of systematic environmental monitoring via in-house systems should either aim for total avoidance of FPE colonization, or emphasize a first reduction of L. monocytogenes to sites where

What Will Science Gain From Mapping the World Ocean Floor?

Science.gov (United States)

Jakobsson, M.

2017-12-01

It is difficult to estimate how much of the World Ocean floor topography (bathymetry) that has been mapped. Estimates range from a few to more than ten percent of the World Ocean area. The most recent version of the bathymetric grid compiled by the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) has bathymetric control points in 18% of the 30 x 30 arc second large grid cells. The depth values for the rest of the cells are obtained through interpolation guided by satellite altimetry in deep water. With this statistic at hand, it seems tenable to suggest that there are many scientific discoveries to be made from a complete high-resolution mapping of the World Ocean floor. In this presentation, some of our recent scientific discoveries based on modern multibeam bathymetric mapping will be highlighted and discussed. For example, how multibeam mapping provided evidence for a km-thick ice shelf covering the entire Arctic Ocean during peak glacial conditions, a hypothesis proposed nearly half a century ago, and how groundwater escape features are visible in high-resolution bathymetry in the Baltic Sea, with potential implications for the freshwater budget and distribution of nutrients and pollutants. Presented examples will be placed in the context of mapping resolution, systematic surveys versus mapping along transits, and scientific hypothesis driven mapping versus ocean exploration. The newly announced Nippon Foundation - GEBCO Seabed 2030 project has the vision to map 100% of the World Ocean floor mapped by 2030. Are there specific scientific areas where we can expect new discoveries from all mapping data collected through the Seabed 2030 project? Are there outstanding hypothesis that can be tested from a fully mapped World Ocean floor?

Independent Verification Survey of the Clean Coral Storage Pile at the Johnston Atoll Plutonium Contaminated Soil Remediation Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson-Nichols, M.J.; Egidi, P.V.; Roemer, E.K.; Schlosser, R.M.

2000-01-01

f I The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Environmental Technology Section conducted an independent verification (IV) survey of the clean storage pile at the Johnston Atoll Plutonium Contaminated Soil Remediation Project (JAPCSRP) from January 18-25, 1999. The goal of the JAPCSRP is to restore a 24-acre area that was contaminated with plutonium oxide particles during nuclear testing in the 1960s. The selected remedy was a soil sorting operation that combined radiological measurements and mining processes to identify and sequester plutonium-contaminated soil. The soil sorter operated from about 1990 to 1998. The remaining clean soil is stored on-site for planned beneficial use on Johnston Island. The clean storage pile currently consists of approximately 120,000 m3 of coral. ORNL conducted the survey according to a Sampling and Analysis Plan, which proposed to provide an IV of the clean pile by collecting a minimum number (99) of samples. The goal was to ascertain wi th 95% confidence whether 97% of the processed soil is less than or equal to the accepted guideline (500-Bq/kg or 13.5-pCi/g) total transuranic (TRU) activity

Revelations of an overt water contamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gurpreet; Kaushik, S K; Mukherji, S

2017-07-01

Contaminated water sources are major cause of water borne diseases of public health importance. Usually, contamination is suspected after an increase in patient load. Two health teams investigated the episode. First team conducted sanitary survey, and second team undertook water safety and morbidity survey. On-site testing was carried out from source till consumer end. Investigation was also undertaken to identify factors which masked the situation. Prevention and control measures included super chlorination, provision of alternate drinking water sources, awareness campaign, layout of new water pipeline bypassing place of contamination, repair of sewers, flushing and cleaning of water pipelines, and repeated water sampling and testing. Multiple sources of drinking water supply were detected. Water samples from consumer end showed 18 coliforms per 100 ml. Sewer cross connection with active leakage in water pipeline was found and this was confirmed by earth excavation. Water safety and morbidity survey found majority of households receiving contaminated water supply. This survey found no significant difference among households receiving contaminated water supply and those receiving clean water. Average proportion of household members with episode of loose motions, pain abdomen, vomiting, fever, and eye conditions was significantly more among households receiving contaminated water. The present study documents detailed methodology of investigation and control measures to be instituted on receipt of contaminated water samples. Effective surveillance mechanisms for drinking water supplies such as routine testing of water samples can identify water contamination at an early stage and prevent an impending outbreak.

The release of lindane from contaminated building materials

OpenAIRE

Volchek, Konstantin; Thouin, Geneviève; Kuang, Wenxing; Li, Ken; Tezel, F. Handan; Brown, Carl E.

2014-01-01

The release of the organochlorine pesticide lindane (γ-hexachlorocyclohexane) from several types of contaminated building materials was studied to assess inhalation hazard and decontamination requirements in response to accidental and/or intentional spills. The materials included glass, polypropylene carpet, latex-painted drywall, ceramic tiles, vinyl floor tiles, and gypsum ceiling tiles. For each surface concentration, an equilibrium concentration was determined in the vapour phase of the s...

Radiant Floor Cooling Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Bjarne W.

2008-01-01

In many countries, hydronic radiant floor systems are widely used for heating all types of buildings such as residential, churches, gymnasiums, hospitals, hangars, storage buildings, industrial buildings, and smaller offices. However, few systems are used for cooling.This article describes a floor...... cooling system that includes such considerations as thermal comfort of the occupants, which design parameters will influence the cooling capacity and how the system should be controlled. Examples of applications are presented....

Magnetic resonance imaging of pelvic floor dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalwani, Neeraj; Moshiri, Mariam; Lee, Jean H; Bhargava, Puneet; Dighe, Manjiri K

2013-11-01

Pelvic floor dysfunction is largely a complex problem of multiparous and postmenopausal women and is associated with pelvic floor or organ descent. Physical examination can underestimate the extent of the dysfunction and misdiagnose the disorders. Functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is emerging as a promising tool to evaluate the dynamics of the pelvic floor and use for surgical triage and operative planning. This article reviews the anatomy and pathology of pelvic floor dysfunction, typical imaging findings, and the current role of functional MR imaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Some problems in calibrating surface contamination meters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zigen; LI Xingyuan; Shuai Xiaoping.

1984-01-01

It is necessary that instruments are calibrated accurately in order to obtain reliable survey data of surface contamination. Some problems in calibrating surface contamination meters are expounded in this paper. Measurement comparison for beta surface contamination meters is organized within limited scope, thus survey quality is understood, questions are discovered, significance of calibration is expounded further. (Author)

Associations between floor activities and knee osteoarthritis in Thai Buddhist monks: the Songkhla study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangtrakulwanich, Boonsin; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Geater, Alan F

2006-11-01

Whether floor activity, a common daily activity among Buddhist monks, is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis remains controversial. The objective of the present study was to search for any association between floor activities and knee osteoarthritis. This population-based survey involved 261 monks, 40 years of age or older from Songkhla province in the southern part of Thailand Histories were taken on lifetime floor activities in four common positions, squatting, lotus, side-knee bending, and kneeling. Radiographic investigations included antero-posterior and skyline views of both knees. Diagnosis of osteoarthritis in each compartment was based on Kellgren & Lawrence grade 2 or more. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index and smoking status was used to identify the associations between lifetime floor activity and knee osteoarthritis. The mean age (SD) of monks in the present study was 60.4 (12.7) with mean age at ordination 44.4 (17.6) years. The lotus and side-knee bending positions were the two most common practices. Using the lowest tertile of exposure to lotus position as a reference, the third tertile had an odds ratio of 1.0 (95% CI; 0.5-2.2) associated with radiographic knee osteoarthritis. The corresponding odds ratio for side-knee bending was 0.8 (95% CI; 0.3-1.7), for squatting 2.1 (95% CI; 0.9-4.5), and for kneeling 0.7 (95% CI; 0.3-1.5). There was no significant association between the average daily lifetime floor activity in any positions and symptomatic radiographic knee osteoarthritis. Floor activities involving squatting, lotus, side-knee bending and kneeling do not increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis in Thai Buddhist monks.

[Continuous improvement of portable domestic pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the pelvic floor function of patients with urinary incontinence].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhijing; Zhu, Lan; Lang, Jinghe; Wang, Wei; Shi, Honghui; Pang, Hongxia; Shi, Xinwen

2015-12-01

To evaluate continuous improvement of portable domestic pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the pelvic floor function of patients with stress urinary incontinence after short-term pelvic floor electrophysiological treatment in hospital. Totally 60 women with stress urinary incontinence were recruited for this randomized controlled trial. The control group including a total of 30 patients, only received 4 weeks pelvic floor electrophysiological treatment in the hospital. Family consolidation treatment group (experimental group) including 30 patients, after 4-week treatment in hospital, received 12-week of pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation using portable electrical stimulator at home under the guidance of doctors. In post-treatment 6 months and 9 months, 1-hour pad test was measured for urine leakage, pelvic floor electrical physiological parameters were assessed, and subjective improvement of symptoms of urinary incontinence were evaluated. All these data were analysed to compare the effect of the two groups. In 9 months after treatment, average change of urine leakage, the control group and experiment group were (75±24)% versus (99±3)%, the difference was statistically significant (Pcontinuous improvement of pelvic floor function.

[Survey on fungi contamination and natural occurrence of mycotoxins in 94 corn feed ingredients collected from China].

Science.gov (United States)

Han, X M; Zhang, H Y; Zhang, J; Xu, W J; Liu, D; Jiang, T; Xu, J; Li, F Q

2016-10-06

Objective: To investigate fungi contamination and the natural occurrence of mycotoxins in corn feed ingredients collected from China. Methods: A total of 94 corn feed ingredient samples were collected from 8 Chinese provinces(i.e., Anhui, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, and Shandong)in February 2014. A tandem ultra-performance liquid chromatographymass spectrometry method was used for simultaneous detection of twelve kinds of mycotoxins, including aflatoxin(AF), type A and type B tricothecenes, and zearalenone(ZEN). Contaminated fungi were also identified and counted. Results: AF was detected in 36.2%(34/94)of samples; the concentration of AFB 1 was the highest in the four AFs with the range: 0.3~181.3 μg/kg; and then followed by AFB 2 (range: 1.0-74.3 μg/kg). There were 7 samples(7.5%)with AFB 1 concentrations higher than the tolerance limit of 50 μg/kg. The concentration of type A tricothecenes in all samples was lower(0.1-10.5 μg/kg). DON had the most serious contamination than other kind of type B tricothecenes(range: 0.7-606.6 μg/kg; median: 66.3 μg/kg). The DON concentration in all samples was below the tolerance limit of 1 000 μg/kg. ZEN was detected in 76.6%(72/ 94)of samples(median: 36.9 μg/kg), with 3 samples having ZEN concentrations higher than the tolerance limit of 500 μg/kg. The survey on fungi contamination showed that all samples were contaminated by fungi(range: 5.0-1.4×10 5 CFU/g). There were 18 and 3 samples with quantities of fungi higher than the tolerance and forbidden limits, respectively. The Aspergillus , Penicillium , Fusarium , Trichoderma and Mucor genuses were the predominant fungi in corn feed ingredients, with detection rates of 71.3%(67), 60.6%(57), 71.3%(67), 27.7%(26), and 24.5%(23), respectively. The detection rate of Fusarium moniliforme , 73.4%(69/94)was higher than that of Aspergillus flavus , 41.5%(39/94). Conclusion: In this survey, the corn feed ingredients were not seriously

Modular Flooring System

Science.gov (United States)

Thate, Robert

2012-01-01

The modular flooring system (MFS) was developed to provide a portable, modular, durable carpeting solution for NASA fs Robotics Alliance Project fs (RAP) outreach efforts. It was also designed to improve and replace a modular flooring system that was too heavy for safe use and transportation. The MFS was developed for use as the flooring for various robotics competitions that RAP utilizes to meet its mission goals. One of these competitions, the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), currently uses two massive rolls of broadloom carpet for the foundation of the arena in which the robots are contained during the competition. The area of the arena is approximately 30 by 72 ft (approximately 9 by 22 m). This carpet is very cumbersome and requires large-capacity vehicles, and handling equipment and personnel to transport and deploy. The broadloom carpet sustains severe abuse from the robots during a regular three-day competition, and as a result, the carpet is not used again for competition. Similarly, broadloom carpets used for trade shows at convention centers around the world are typically discarded after only one use. This innovation provides a green solution to this wasteful practice. Each of the flooring modules in the previous system weighed 44 lb (.20 kg). The improvements in the overall design of the system reduce the weight of each module by approximately 22 lb (.10 kg) (50 %), and utilize an improved "module-to-module" connection method that is superior to the previous system. The MFS comprises 4-by-4-ft (.1.2-by- 1.2-m) carpet module assemblies that utilize commercially available carpet tiles that are bonded to a lightweight substrate. The substrate surface opposite from the carpeted surface has a module-to-module connecting interface that allows for the modules to be connected, one to the other, as the modules are constructed. This connection is hidden underneath the modules, creating a smooth, co-planar flooring surface. The modules are stacked and strapped

Container floor at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reutler, H.; Klapperich, H.J.; Mueller-Frank, U.

1978-01-01

The invention describes a floor for container which is stressed at high, changing temperatures and is intended for use in gas-cooled nuclear reactors. Due to the downward cooling gas flow in these types of reactor, the reactor floor is subjected to considerable dimensional changes during switching on and off. In the heating stage, the whole graphite structure of the reactor core and floor expands. In order to avoid arising constraining forces, sufficiently large expansion spaces must be allowed for furthermore restoring forces must be present to close the gaps again in the cooling phase. These restoring forces must be permanently present to prevent loosening of the core cuits amongst one another and thus uncontrollable relative movement. Spring elements are not suitable due to fast fatigue as a result of high temperatures and radiation exposure. It is suggested to have the floor elements supported on rollers whose rolling planes are downwards inclined to a fixed point for support. The construction is described in detail by means of drawings. (GL) [de

No bulging of floor heating pipes to be expected in case of incomplete floor plastering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radtke, U

1983-02-01

According to advertising slogans floor heating pipes are said to be damaged prematurely by bulges if they are not completely surrounded by flooring plaster. The author has thoroughly dealt with this problem and made the respective measurements. He found out that there are so few bulges occurring that they cannot lead to damages.

The Survey of Contamination of Platelet Product with Aerobic Bacteria in Isfahan Blood Transfusion Center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F Baghban

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Although nowadays the risk of transmission of bacterial pathogens through blood transfusion has been decreased, but there is the possibility of transmission of these factors by injection of these kind of products. The purpose of this survey was determination of contamination of platelet products with aerobic bacteria in Isfahan Blood Transfusion Center. Methods: In the spring and summer of 2014, 2000 platelet product samples were examined randomly in 5 months for aerobic bacterial contamination. First, samples were cultured in fluid thioglycollate medium. The bacteria that were grown in this medium were identified by Gram staining and biochemical tests. Then, DNA was extracted from isolated bacteria and PCR was done for 16S rRNA gene. After that the PCR products were sequenced and the bacteria were recognized at the level of species. Results: At this research, 4 contaminated samples were identified. Isolated bacteria were including: Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 case, Staphylococcus aureus 1 case, Staphylococcus epidermidis 1 case and Staphylococcus haemolyticus 1 case.    After sequencing of 16S rRNA gene, the homology was observed 97%, 83%, 99%, and 90% at theses bacteria, respectively. Discussion: According to the results of this research, platelet products may be contaminated with aerobic bacteria. Therefore, providing appropriate conditions in transfusion centers and other therapeutic centers for doing screening tests on platelet products to identifying bacterial contaminations before using of these products seems to be necessary.

Recognition and Management of Nonrelaxing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

OpenAIRE

Faubion, Stephanie S.; Shuster, Lynne T.; Bharucha, Adil E.

2012-01-01

Nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction is not widely recognized. Unlike in pelvic floor disorders caused by relaxed muscles (eg, pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence, both of which often are identified readily), women affected by nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction may present with a broad range of nonspecific symptoms. These may include pain and problems with defecation, urination, and sexual function, which require relaxation and coordination of pelvic floor muscles and urinary and ...

Floor-Fractured Craters through Machine Learning Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Thorey, C.

2015-12-01

Floor-fractured craters are impact craters that have undergone post impact deformations. They are characterized by shallow floors with a plate-like or convex appearance, wide floor moats, and radial, concentric, and polygonal floor-fractures. While the origin of these deformations has long been debated, it is now generally accepted that they are the result of the emplacement of shallow magmatic intrusions below their floor. These craters thus constitute an efficient tool to probe the importance of intrusive magmatism from the lunar surface. The most recent catalog of lunar-floor fractured craters references about 200 of them, mainly located around the lunar maria Herein, we will discuss the possibility of using machine learning algorithms to try to detect new floor-fractured craters on the Moon among the 60000 craters referenced in the most recent catalogs. In particular, we will use the gravity field provided by the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission, and the topographic dataset obtained from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) instrument to design a set of representative features for each crater. We will then discuss the possibility to design a binary supervised classifier, based on these features, to discriminate between the presence or absence of crater-centered intrusion below a specific crater. First predictions from different classifier in terms of their accuracy and uncertainty will be presented.

Determination of contamination with Radium-226 at the Radon Calibration plant at Malaa. Decision data for decontamination and decommissioning of the plant; Bestaemning av kontamination med Radium-226 i radonkalibreringsanlaeggningen i Malaa. Beslutsunderlag infoer sanering och avveckling av anlaeggningen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moere, Hans; Skeppstroem, Kirlna

2011-01-15

The Radon Calibration facility in Malaa is contaminated with Radium-226 (226Ra) which leaked from the original sources. Clean-up was conducted in 1988, but activity is estimated to remain on the inside of the pipes and on the floor of the room. As the plant will be decommissioned, it is important to determine the activity in the piping and on the floor in order to determine what which can be cleared and what needs to be cleaned up. The purpose of the measurement was to estimate the 226Ra-contamination in the piping and on the floor and to verify the estimates of the decontamination made in 1988. To estimate 226Ra activity in the pipe we measured the growth of radon concentrations in the closed plant by the instantaneous sampling with Lucas cells. Continuous sampling and measurement of radon growth was also made with an Atmos 12, as an additional measurement systems. Scanning of any 226Ra-contamination on the floor of the room was done using a gamma gauge and an alpha probe, which measured the alpha radiation. 226Ra-contamination on the inside of the pipes in the plant is estimated be between 80-90 kBq 226Ra with uncertainty around 9% (1 SD), a value reasonably consistent with the estimated value from 1988 (120 kBq 226Ra). Alfa measurements on the floor showed that the floor is contaminated, but that activity is unevenly distributed across the surface. Alpha activity, which occurs in patches on the floor, is estimated to be below 2 kBq/m2 for 226Ra, a value that is far below the clearance limits of 10 kBq/m2 for 226Ra. Measurements and calculations of activity in the piping and on the floor is based on several assumptions (one of the more significant is the emanation factor of radon gas), which in turn leads to uncertainties in activity estimates

Burial and exhumation of temperate bedrock reefs as elucidated by repetitive high-resolution sea floor sonar surveys: Spatial patterns and impacts to species' richness and diversity

Science.gov (United States)

Storlazzi, Curt D.; Fregoso, Theresa A.; Figurski, Jared D.; Freiwald, Jan; Lonhart, Steve I.; Finlayson, David P.

2013-01-01

To understand how chronic sediment burial and scour contribute to variation in the structure of algal and invertebrate communities on temperate bedrock reefs, the dynamics of the substrate and communities were monitored at locations that experience sand inundation and adjacent areas that do not. Co-located benthic scuba-transect surveys and high-resolution swath-sonar surveys were completed on bedrock reefs on the inner shelf of northern Monterey Bay, CA, in early winter 2009, spring 2010, and summer 2010. Analysis of the sonar surveys demonstrates that during the 8 months over which the surveys were conducted, 19.6% of the study area was buried by sand while erosion resulted in the exposure of bedrock over 13.8% of the study area; the remainder underwent no change between the surveys. Substrate classifications from the benthic transect surveys correlated with classifications generated from the sonar surveys, demonstrating the capacity of high-resolution sonar surveys to detect burial of bedrock reefs by sediment. On bedrock habitat that underwent burial and exhumation, species' diversity and richness of rock-associated sessile and mobile organisms were 50–66% lower as compared to adjacent stable bedrock habitat. While intermediate levels of disturbance can increase the diversity and richness of communities, these findings demonstrate that burial and exhumation of bedrock habitat are sources of severe disturbance. We suggest that substrate dynamics must be considered when developing predictions of benthic community distributions based on sea floor imagery. These results highlight the need for predictive models of substrate dynamics and for a better understanding of how burial and exhumation shape benthic communities.

The Sea Floor: A Living Learning Residential Community

Science.gov (United States)

Guentzel, J. L.; Rosch, E.; Stoughton, M. A.; Bowyer, R.; Mortensen, K.; Smith, M.

2016-02-01

Living learning communities are collaborations between university housing and academic departments designed to enhance the overall student experience by integrating classroom/laboratory learning, student life and extracurricular activities. At Coastal Carolina University, the residential community associated with the Marine Science program is known as the Sea Floor. Students selected to become members of the Sea Floor remain "in residence" for two consecutive semesters. These students are first-time freshman that share a common course connection. This course is usually Introduction to Marine Science (MSCI 111) or MSCI 399s, which are one credit field/laboratory centered internships. The common course connection is designed so residents can establish and maintain an educational dialog with their peers. Activities designed to enhance the students' networking skills and educational and social development skills include monthly lunches with marine science faculty and dinner seminars with guest speakers from academia, industry and government. Additionally, each semester several activities outside the classroom are planned so that students can more frequently interact with themselves and their faculty and staff partners. These activities include field trips to regional aquariums, local boat trips that include water sample collection and analysis, and an alternative spring break trip to the Florida Keys to study the marine environment firsthand. The resident advisor that supervises the Sea Floor is usually a sophomore or junior marine science major. This provides the residents with daily communication and mentoring from a marine science major that is familiar with the marine science program and residence life. Assessment activities include: a university housing community living survey, student interest housing focus groups, fall to spring and fall to fall retention, and evaluation of program advisors and program activities.

Effect of pre-entry instruction as an additional part of radiation training beginner's course on reduction of radioactive contamination in two independent unsealed radioisotope facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Naoki; Yoshida, Masahiro; Takao, Hideaki; Kaneko, Mamoru; Okumura, Yutaka; Shimasaki, Tatsuya; Kojima, Akihiro; Shiraishi, Yoshioki; Horiuchi, Seikoh

2005-01-01

The education for radiation workers is essential for the safety of radiation facility that stands on radiation protection practice by each worker. Japanese laws concerning radiation safety requires each radiation worker attending the 6 hours beginner's training course before entering the control area. However, in unsealed radioisotope facilities, radioactive contaminations in the control area may still take place because practical procedures for radiation safety vary depending on the type of experiments and the characteristics of radioisotopes. Therefore, an additional and practical training for each radiation worker is needed. In an attempt to give the workers an additional training of this kind, the pre-entry instruction was performed independently in Center for Frontier Life Sciences, Nagasaki University and in Institute of Resource Development and Analysis Kumamoto University. In this study, the efficacy of the instruction in each facility was assessed quantitatively on the basis of the incidence of contamination in the control area. The instruction covered laboratory rules, radioisotope ordering information, description of sign-up sheets, radioactive waste management, use of survey meters, and lab tour with an appropriate modification to meet with a specificity of each experiment. The instruction was given to beginners and to refreshers who have not handled radioisotopes for a long period, in a face-to-face manner for 1 hour before they start working radioisotopes. To examine the education effect on the reduction of contamination in a typical and frequently used laboratory, the contamination in molecular biology room of Nagasaki University was surveyed directly by a GM survey meter on a daily basis. In Kumamoto University, contamination on the surface of the entire floor in the control area was surveyed monthly by the smear method to know the education effect on general reduction of contamination. The results revealed that the number of contamination decreased

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites remedial action program. Radiological survey of the former Horizons, Inc., metal handling facility, Cleveland, Ohio. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leggett, R.W.; Cottrell, W.D.; Shinpaugh, W.H.; Doane, R.W.; Haywood, F.F.; Johnson, W.M.

1979-02-01

The results of a radiological survey of the former Horizons, Inc., metal handling facility in Cleveland, Ohio, are presented in this report. During the 1940's and early 1950's, two of the three buildings on this site (Buildings B and C) were used for the production of granular thorium metal. The survey included measurements related to the following: fixed and transferable alpha and beta-gamma contamination levels on the surfaces in Buildings B and C and on the roofs of these buildings; external gamma radiation levels at 1 m above the floors and grounds on and near the property; radionuclide concentrations in soil, water, and other materials collected from surfaces and drains inside Buildings B and C, from beneath the floor in Building C, and from outdoor locations on and near the site; and thoron ( 220 Rn) daughter concentrations in the air in Buildings B and C. Elevated concentrations of 232 Th, 228 Ra, 228 Th, and 230 Th were found in some samples. Alpha and beta-gamma contamination levels exceeded applicable guideline limits in some areas of Buildings B and C. External gamma radiation levels, approximately 10 times the average background level, were measured at isolated points in and near Building B. Thorium B ( 212 Pb) concentrations in air in Building B were near the Radioactivity Concentration Guide (RCG) level. Most of the elevated radiation levels were found indoors in areas presently used for storage. Outdoors on and near the site, significant radiation levels were found only near the east wall of Building B

Comparison of panoramic radiograph with cone-beam computed tomography in assessment of maxillary sinus floor and nasal floor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vijay Kumar Bokkasam

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Panoramic radiograph is frequently prescribed by dentists for implant planning and, hence, accurate assessment of anatomical structures in panoramic radiograph is of utmost importance. Aims: The aim of the present study is to know the accuracy of panoramic radiograph in assessment of relationship between maxillary sinus floor and posterior teeth roots, and the distance from alveolar crest to nasal floor by comparing it with that of cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT image. Materials and Methods: Panoramic and CBCT images of 30 patients were analyzed. The topographic relationship of each root of posterior teeth to the maxillary sinus floor was evaluated and classified into three classes. The distance from the peak point on maxillary alveolar crest to nasal floor was measured in panoramic radiograph as well as in CBCT image. All the measurements were made by built-in measurement tools. Results: Class 1 roots in panoramic radiograph showed high agreement (86% with CBCT image, followed by class 0 (76%. There was a significant difference in the measurements of alveolar bone height (ABH in the nasal floor region with a P value of 0.018. Conclusion: Panoramic radiograph is reliable in assessment of nasal floor and maxillary sinus, provided position of the patient, distortion, and the inherent magnification factor are taken into consideration.

Assessing prevalence of urinary incontinence in Scottish fitness instructors and experience of teaching pelvic floor muscle exercises: an online survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen, Kate; van Woerden, Hugo; MacRury, Sandra

2018-06-18

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of urinary incontinence in fitness instructors, experience of teaching pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME), and attitudes to incorporating such exercises into classes. An online survey was undertaken of fitness instructors working in Scotland based on the Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI). The survey was at least partially completed by 106, of whom 73.6% (53/72) were female and 52.8% (38/72) were in the 35-54 years age group. Prevalence of UI was 28.2% (24/85), and severity based on ICIQ-UI scores was 'slight' 65.2% (15/23), or 'moderate' in 26.1% (6/23). Leakage of urine was associated with physical activity in 36% (9/25), of whom 31.8% (7/22) had not taken actions to reduce the impact, and 86.4% (19/22) had not sought professional advice or treatment. There was widespread willingness to incorporate PFME into classes if given appropriate training 86.1% (62/72), and 67.1% (49/73) would be happy to recommend a PFME app. A significant proportion of fitness instructors are in need of PFME and those who perform PFME do so at a level below that which is recommended. However, many have had some training on PFME or are willing to provide this.

Imaging pelvic floor disorders. 2. rev. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoker, Jaap; Taylor, Stuart A.; DeLancey, John O.L.

2008-01-01

This volume builds on the success of the first edition of imaging pelvic floor disorders and is aimed at those practitioners with an interest in the imaging, diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. Concise textual information from acknowledged experts is complemented by high-quality diagrams and images to provide a thorough update of this rapidly evolving field. Introductory chapters fully elucidate the anatomical basis underlying disorders of the pelvic floor. State of the art imaging techniques and their application in pelvic floor dysfunction are then discussed in detail. Additions since the first edition include consideration of the effect of aging and new chapters on perineal ultrasound, functional MRI and MRI of the levator muscles. The closing sections of the book describe the modern clinical management of pelvic floor dysfunction, including prolapse, urinary and faecal incontinence and constipation, with specific emphasis on the integration of diagnostic and treatment algorithms. (orig.)

Imaging pelvic floor disorders. 2. rev. ed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoker, Jaap [Amsterdam Univ. (Netherlands). Dept. of Radiology; Taylor, Stuart A. [University College Hospital, London (United Kingdom). Dept. of Specialist X-Ray; DeLancey, John O.L. (eds.) [Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States). L4000 Women' s Hospital

2008-07-01

This volume builds on the success of the first edition of imaging pelvic floor disorders and is aimed at those practitioners with an interest in the imaging, diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction. Concise textual information from acknowledged experts is complemented by high-quality diagrams and images to provide a thorough update of this rapidly evolving field. Introductory chapters fully elucidate the anatomical basis underlying disorders of the pelvic floor. State of the art imaging techniques and their application in pelvic floor dysfunction are then discussed in detail. Additions since the first edition include consideration of the effect of aging and new chapters on perineal ultrasound, functional MRI and MRI of the levator muscles. The closing sections of the book describe the modern clinical management of pelvic floor dysfunction, including prolapse, urinary and faecal incontinence and constipation, with specific emphasis on the integration of diagnostic and treatment algorithms. (orig.)

Safety aspects related to the radioactively contaminated forest areas in Belarus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

SULLIVAN, T.; GIBBS, B.; ANDERSSON, K.G.; ROED, J.; RYMKEVICH, V.; BREKKE, D.

1998-01-01

Doses currently received in Belarus through various pathways related to the contamination of forests are evaluated through calculations. A major pathway is, as expected, generally found to be the external radiation from a contaminated forest floor. Also other pathways may in some cases be highly significant. Generally, it is found that the dose contributions to people spending time in the contaminated forest or consuming forest products are highest, whereas for instance doses received from domestic use of fire-wood are found to be negligible. Recommendations for storage of waste from combustion plants fired with radioactive forest material are also given, together with an estimate of the specific activity of the waste to be disposed of

Floor heating maximizes residents` comfort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tirkkanen, P.; Wikstroem, T.

1996-11-01

Storing heat in floors by using economical night-time electricity does not increase the specific consumption of heating. According to studies done by IVO, the optimum housing comfort is achieved if the room is heated mainly by means of floor heating that is evened out by window or ceiling heating, or by a combination of all three forms of heating. (orig.)

78 FR 30329 - Multilayered Wood Flooring from China

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-22

...)] Multilayered Wood Flooring from China AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission. ACTION: Notice of...-1179 (Final) concerning multilayered wood flooring (``MLWF'') from China. For further information... reconsider ``its decision not to investigate domestic producers of hardwood plywood used for flooring'' 2. to...

Pelvic floor function during and after first pregnancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brummen, H.J. van

2006-01-01

This study evaluated the effects the first pregnancy and childbirth on the pelvic floor. Pregnancy and vaginal delivery can negatively affect pelvic floor function. Micturition symptoms, defecation symptoms and sexual dysfunction are all signs of an impaired pelvic floor function. These symptoms are

Gait of dairy cows on floors with different slipperiness.

Science.gov (United States)

Telezhenko, E; Magnusson, M; Bergsten, C

2017-08-01

This study assessed the slip resistance of different types of solid flooring in cattle housing using a range of technical tests and gait analysis. Dynamic and static coefficient of friction, skid resistance, and abrasiveness were tested on concrete flooring with a smooth finish, a grooved pattern, or a tamped pattern, acid-resistant mastic asphalt, soft rubber mats, and a worn slatted concrete floor. Coefficients of friction and skid resistance were tested under clean and slurry-soiled conditions. Linear kinematic variables were assessed in 40 cows with trackway measurements after the cows passed over the floors in a straight walk. All gait variables were assessed as deviations from those obtained on the slatted concrete floor, which was used as a baseline. The coefficient of friction tests divided the floors into 3 categories: concrete flooring, which had a low coefficient of friction (0.29-0.41); mastic asphalt flooring, which had medium values (0.38-0.45); and rubber mats, which had high values (0.49-0.57). The highest abrasion (g/10 m) was on the asphalt flooring (4.48), and the concrete flooring with a tamped pattern had significantly higher abrasiveness (2.77) than the other concrete floors (1.26-1.60). Lowest values on the skid-resistance tests (dry/wet) were for smooth concrete (79/35) and mastic asphalt (65/47), especially with a slurry layer on the surface. Gait analysis mainly differentiated floors with higher friction and abrasion by longer strides and better tracking. Step asymmetry was lower on floors with high skid-resistance values. The most secure cow gait, in almost every aspect, was observed on soft rubber mats. Relationships between gait variables and physical floor characteristics ranged from average to weak (partial correlations 0.54-0.16). Thus, none of the physical characteristics alone was informative enough to characterize slip resistance. With reference to gait analysis, the abrasiveness of the hard surfaces was more informative than the

Mapping of multi-floor buildings: A barometric approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Özkil, Ali Gürcan; Fan, Zhun; Xiao, Jizhong

2011-01-01

This paper presents a new method for mapping multi5floor buildings. The method combines laser range sensor for metric mapping and barometric pressure sensor for detecting floor transitions and map segmentation. We exploit the fact that the barometric pressure is a function of the elevation......, and it varies between different floors. The method is tested with a real robot in a typical indoor environment, and the results show that physically consistent multi5floor representations are achievable....

SWASV speciation of Cd, Pb and Cu for the determination of seawater contamination in the area of the Nicole shipwreck (Ancona coast, Central Adriatic Sea).

Science.gov (United States)

Annibaldi, Anna; Illuminati, Silvia; Truzzi, Cristina; Scarponi, Giuseppe

2011-12-01

The study reports for the first time on the heavy metal contamination of the waters surrounding a shipwreck lying on the sea floor. Square wave anodic stripping voltammetry has been used for a survey of the total and dissolved Cd, Pb and Cu contents of the seawater at the site of the sinking of the Nicole M/V (Coastal Adriatic Sea, Italy). Results show that the hulk has a considerable impact as regards all three metals in the bottom water, especially for the particulate fraction concentrations, which increased by factors of ≈ 9 (Cd), ≈ 3 (Pb) and ≈ 5 (Cu). The contaminated plume extended downstream for about 2 miles. Much lower contamination was observed for dissolved bottom concentrations; nevertheless Pb (0.56 ± 0.03 nmol/L) is higher than the Italian legal limits established for 2015 and Cd (0.23 ± 0.03 nmol/L) is very close the limit of Cd will be exceeded if the hulk is not removed. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Some Passive Damping Sources on Flooring Systems besides the TMD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Lars

2010-01-01

Impulsive loads and walking loads can generate problematic structural vibrations in flooring-systems. Measures that may be taken to mitigate the problem would often be to consider the implementation of a tuned mass damper or even more advanced vibration control technologies; this in order to add...... damping to the structure. Basically also passive humans on a floor act as a damping source, but it also turns out from doing system identification tests with a floor strip that a quite simple set-up installed on the floor (cheap and readily at hand) might do a good job in terms of reducing vertical floor...... vibrations for some floors. The paper describes the tests with the floor strip, and the results, in terms of dynamic floor behaviour, are compared with what would be expected had the floor instead been equipped with a tuned mass damper....

Experimental Verification of an Instrument to Test Flooring Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Philip, Rony; Löfgren, Hans, Dr

2018-02-01

The focus of this work is to validate the fluid model with different flooring materials and the measurements of an instrument to test flooring materials and its force attenuating capabilities using mathematical models to describe the signature and coefficients of the floor. The main contribution of the present work focus on the development of a mathematical fluid model for floors. The aim of the thesis was to analyze, compare different floor materials and to study the linear dynamics of falling impacts on floors. The impact of the hammer during a fall is captured by an accelerometer and response is collected using a picoscope. The collected data was analyzed using matlab least square method which is coded as per the fluid model. The finding from this thesis showed that the fluid model works with more elastic model but it doesn’t work for rigid materials like wood. The importance of parameters like velocity, mass, energy loss and other coefficients of floor which influences the model during the impact of falling on floors were identified and a standardized testing method was set.

Patients with Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasm Have a Superior Response to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy at Specialized Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Polackwich, Alan Scott; Li, Jianbo; Shoskes, Daniel A

2015-10-01

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a common condition that often requires multimodal therapy. Patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome have a high incidence of pelvic floor spasm, which can be treated with pelvic floor physical therapy. However, this is a specialized skill. We compared outcomes of pelvic floor physical therapy as part of multimodal therapy in patients with chronic pelvic pain syndrome between those treated at our institution and elsewhere. We identified patients from our chronic pelvic pain syndrome registry with pelvic floor spasm who were seen between 2010 and 2014 for more than 1 visit. Patient phenotype was assessed with the UPOINT system and symptom severity was determined by the National Institutes of Health CPSI. A 6-point decrease in CPSI was used to define patient improvement. A total of 82 patients fit the study criteria. Mean age was 41.6 years (range 19 to 75) and median symptom duration was 24 months (range 3 to 240). Mean CPSI was 26.8 (range 10 to 41), the median number of positive UPOINT domains was 3 (range 1 to 6) and 27 patients (32.9%) were treated locally. At followup 9 patients had refused pelvic floor physical therapy, and 24 and 48 had undergone pelvic floor physical therapy elsewhere and at CCF, respectively. The mean change in CPSI was 1.11 ± 4.1 in patients who refused, -3.46 ± 6.7 in those treated elsewhere and -11.3 ± 7.0 in those treated at CCF (p physical therapy at CCF (OR 4.23, p = 0.002) and symptom duration (OR 0.52, p = 0.03) predicted improvement. Pelvic floor physical therapy can be effective for chronic pelvic pain syndrome in patients with pelvic floor spasm. However, the outcome depends on specialty training and experience of therapists. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Floor Surface Finishes for Optimal Slip Resistance Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

In-Ju Kim

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Increasing the slip resistance of floor surfaces would be desirable, but there is a lack of evidence on whether traction properties are linearly correlated with the topographic features of the floor surfaces or what scales of surface roughness are required to effectively control the slipperiness of floors. Objective: This study expands on earlier findings on the effects of floor surface finishes against slip resistance performance and determines the operative ranges of floor surface roughness for optimal slip resistance controls under different risk levels of walking environments. Methods: Dynamic friction tests were conducted among three shoes and nine floor specimens under wet and oily environments and compared with a soapy environment. Results: The test results showed the significant effects of floor surface roughness on slip resistance performance against all the lubricated environments. Compared with the floor-type effect, the shoe-type effect on slip resistance performance was insignificant against the highly polluted environments. The study outcomes also indicated that the oily environment required rougher surface finishes than the wet and soapy ones in their lower boundary ranges of floor surface roughness. Conclusion: The results of this study with previous findings confirm that floor surface finishes require different levels of surface coarseness for different types of environmental conditions to effectively manage slippery walking environments. Collected data on operative ranges of floor surface roughness seem to be a valuable tool to develop practical design information and standards for floor surface finishes to efficiently prevent pedestrian fall incidents. Keywords: floor surface finishes, operational levels of floor surface roughness, slip resistance, wet, soapy and oily environments

An architecture for agile shop floor control systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Langer, Gilad; Alting, Leo

2000-01-01

as shop floor control. This paper presents the Holonic Multi-cell Control System (HoMuCS) architecture that allows for design and development of holonic shop floor control systems. The HoMuCS is a shop floor control system which is sometimes referred to as a manufacturing execution system...

Livestock ownership and microbial contamination of drinking-water: Evidence from nationally representative household surveys in Ghana, Nepal and Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Wardrop, Nicola A; Hill, Allan G; Dzodzomenyo, Mawuli; Aryeetey, Genevieve; Wright, Jim A

2018-01-01

Current priorities for diarrhoeal disease prevention include use of sanitation and safe water. There have been few attempts to quantify the importance of animal faeces in drinking-water contamination, despite the presence of potentially water-borne zoonotic pathogens in animal faeces. This study aimed to quantify the relationship between livestock ownership and point-of-consumption drinking-water contamination. Data from nationally representative household surveys in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Ghana, each with associated water quality assessments, were used. Multinomial regression adjusting for confounders was applied to assess the relationship between livestock ownership and the level of drinking-water contamination with E. coli. Ownership of five or more large livestock (e.g. cattle) was significantly associated with drinking-water contamination in Ghana (RRR=7.9, 95% CI=1.6 to 38.9 for medium levels of contamination with 1-31cfu/100ml; RRR=5.2, 95% CI=1.1-24.5 for high levels of contamination with >31cfu/100ml) and Bangladesh (RRR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3-4.5 for medium levels of contamination; non-significant for high levels of contamination). Ownership of eight or more poultry (chickens, guinea fowl, ducks or turkeys) was associated with drinking-water contamination in Bangladesh (RRR=1.5, 95% CI=1.1-2.0 for medium levels of contamination, non-significant for high levels of contamination). These results suggest that livestock ownership is a significant risk factor for the contamination of drinking-water at the point of consumption. This indicates that addressing human sanitation without consideration of faecal contamination from livestock sources will not be sufficient to prevent drinking-water contamination. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Comfort analysis of lightweight floor system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zegers, S.F.A.J.G.; Herwijnen, van F.; Randall, B.

2007-01-01

During the past 60 years, floor systems used in housing and office-buildings in the Netherlands were mostly made of concrete or other similar materials, These floor systems, which can be characterized as heavy, normally posed little problems concerning vibrations. In recent years, in light of

Floor Vibrations - as Induced and Reduced by Humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Lars

. As for dynamic loads focus is placed on heel impact excitation and actions of jumping people causing floor vibrations. As for interaction between stationary humans and the vibrating floor focus is on modelling humans as oscillating spring-mass-damper systems attached to the floor rather than as simple added mass...

Asthma and respiratory symptoms in hospital workers related to dampness and biological contaminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox-Ganser, J M; Rao, C Y; Park, J-H; Schumpert, J C; Kreiss, K

2009-08-01

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health investigated respiratory symptoms and asthma in relation to damp indoor environments in employees of two hospitals. A cluster of six work-related asthma cases from one hospital department, whose symptoms arose during a time of significant water incursions, led us to conduct a survey of respiratory health in 1171/1834 employees working in the sentinel cases hospital and a nearby hospital without known indoor environmental concerns. We carried out observational assessment of dampness, air, chair, and floor dust sampling for biological contaminants, and investigation of exposure-response associations for about 500 participants. Many participants with post-hire onset asthma reported diagnosis dates in a period of water incursions and renovations. Post-hire asthma and work-related lower respiratory symptoms were positively associated with the dampness score. Work-related lower respiratory symptoms showed monotonically increasing odds ratios with ergosterol, a marker of fungal biomass. Other fungal and bacterial indices, particle counts, cat allergen and latex allergen were associated with respiratory symptoms. Our data imply new-onset of asthma in relation to water damage, and indicate that work-related respiratory symptoms in hospital workers may be associated with diverse biological contaminants. In healthcare facilities with indoor dampness and microbial contamination, possible associations between such conditions and respiratory health effects should be considered. Good building maintenance and housekeeping procedures should lead to improvements in employee respiratory health.

Visual Sample Plan (VSP) Software: Designs and Data Analyses for Sampling Contaminated Buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pulsipher, Brent A.; Wilson, John E.; Gilbert, Richard O.; Nuffer, Lisa L.; Hassig, Nancy L.

2005-01-01

A new module of the Visual Sample Plan (VSP) software has been developed to provide sampling designs and data analyses for potentially contaminated buildings. An important application is assessing levels of contamination in buildings after a terrorist attack. This new module, funded by DHS through the Combating Terrorism Technology Support Office, Technical Support Working Group, was developed to provide a tailored, user-friendly and visually-orientated buildings module within the existing VSP software toolkit, the latest version of which can be downloaded from http://dqo.pnl.gov/vsp. In case of, or when planning against, a chemical, biological, or radionuclide release within a building, the VSP module can be used to quickly and easily develop and visualize technically defensible sampling schemes for walls, floors, ceilings, and other surfaces to statistically determine if contamination is present, its magnitude and extent throughout the building and if decontamination has been effective. This paper demonstrates the features of this new VSP buildings module, which include: the ability to import building floor plans or to easily draw, manipulate, and view rooms in several ways; being able to insert doors, windows and annotations into a room; 3-D graphic room views with surfaces labeled and floor plans that show building zones that have separate air handing units. The paper will also discuss the statistical design and data analysis options available in the buildings module. Design objectives supported include comparing an average to a threshold when the data distribution is normal or unknown, and comparing measurements to a threshold to detect hotspots or to insure most of the area is uncontaminated when the data distribution is normal or unknown

Flooring-systems and their interaction with furniture and humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frier, Christian; Pedersen, Lars; Andersen, Lars Vabbersgaard

2017-01-01

Flooring-system designs may be sensitive in terms of their vibrational performance due the risk that serviceability-limit-state problems may be encountered. For evaluating the vibrational performance of a flooring system at the design stage, decisions must be made by the engineer in charge...... of computations. Passive humans and/or furniture are often present on a floor. Typically, these masses and their way of interacting with the floor mass are ignored in predictions of vibrational behaviour of the flooring system. Utilizing a shell finite-element model, the paper explores and quantifies how non......-structural mass can influence central parameters describing the dynamic behaviour of the flooring system with focus on elevated non-structural mass. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd....

Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M.; Jean, D.; Brown, C.; Byrd, C.S.

1997-09-01

This report describes the survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at Sandia's Environmental Restoration (ER) sites. Radiological characterization was performed as a prerequisite to beginning the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. The removal of radioactive surface contamination was performed in order to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment. The predominant radiological contaminant of concern was depleted uranium (DU). Between October 1993 and November 1996 scanning surface radiation surveys, using gamma scintillometers, were conducted at 65 sites covering approximately 908 acres. A total of 9,518 radiation anomalies were detected at 38 sites. Cleanup activities were conducted between October 1994 and November 1996. A total of 9,122 anomalies were removed and 2,072 waste drums were generated. The majority of anomalies not removed were associated with a site that has subsurface contamination beyond the scope of this project. Verification soil samples (1,008 total samples) were collected from anomalies during cleanup activities and confirm that the soil concentration achieved in the field were far below the target cleanup level of 230 pCi/g of U-238 (the primary constituent of DU) in the soil. Cleanup was completed at 21 sites and no further radiological action is required. Seventeen sites were not completed since cleanup activities wee precluded by ongoing site activity or were beyond the original project scope

Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M. [Brown and Root Environmental, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jean, D. [MDM/Lamb, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Brown, C. [Environmental Dimensions, Inc., Albuquerque, NM 87109 (United States); Byrd, C.S. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1997-09-01

This report describes the survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at Sandia`s Environmental Restoration (ER) sites. Radiological characterization was performed as a prerequisite to beginning the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. The removal of radioactive surface contamination was performed in order to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment. The predominant radiological contaminant of concern was depleted uranium (DU). Between October 1993 and November 1996 scanning surface radiation surveys, using gamma scintillometers, were conducted at 65 sites covering approximately 908 acres. A total of 9,518 radiation anomalies were detected at 38 sites. Cleanup activities were conducted between October 1994 and November 1996. A total of 9,122 anomalies were removed and 2,072 waste drums were generated. The majority of anomalies not removed were associated with a site that has subsurface contamination beyond the scope of this project. Verification soil samples (1,008 total samples) were collected from anomalies during cleanup activities and confirm that the soil concentration achieved in the field were far below the target cleanup level of 230 pCi/g of U-238 (the primary constituent of DU) in the soil. Cleanup was completed at 21 sites and no further radiological action is required. Seventeen sites were not completed since cleanup activities wee precluded by ongoing site activity or were beyond the original project scope.

Can quality of life be improved by pelvic floor muscle training in women with urinary incontinence after ischemic stroke?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tibaek, Sigrid; Jensen, Rigmor; Lindskov, Grethe

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training in women with urinary incontinence after ischemic stroke measured by quality of life (QoL) parameters. Three hundred thirty-nine medical records of stroke patients were searched. Twenty-six subjects were randomised...... to a Treatment Group or a Control Group in a single blinded, randomised study design. The intervention included 12 weeks of standardised pelvic floor muscle training. The outcome was measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire and The Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ). Twenty...

Development of floor design response spectra for seismic design of floor-supported equipment or components, Revision 1, February 1978

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

This guide presents an acceptable method for developing two horizontal and one vertical floor design response spectra at various floor or other equipment-support locations from the time-history motions resulting from the dynamic analysis of the supporting structure. These floor design response spectra are used in the dynamic analysis of systems or equipment supported at various locations of the supporting structure. Consulation has been provided by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards

Deflection of resilient materials for reduction of floor impact sound.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung-Yoon; Kim, Jong-Mun

2014-01-01

Recently, many residents living in apartment buildings in Korea have been bothered by noise coming from the houses above. In order to reduce noise pollution, communities are increasingly imposing bylaws, including the limitation of floor impact sound, minimum thickness of floors, and floor soundproofing solutions. This research effort focused specifically on the deflection of resilient materials in the floor sound insulation systems of apartment houses. The experimental program involved conducting twenty-seven material tests and ten sound insulation floating concrete floor specimens. Two main parameters were considered in the experimental investigation: the seven types of resilient materials and the location of the loading point. The structural behavior of sound insulation floor floating was predicted using the Winkler method. The experimental and analytical results indicated that the cracking strength of the floating concrete floor significantly increased with increasing the tangent modulus of resilient material. The deflection of the floating concrete floor loaded at the side of the specimen was much greater than that of the floating concrete floor loaded at the center of the specimen. The Winkler model considering the effect of modulus of resilient materials was able to accurately predict the cracking strength of the floating concrete floor.

Decontamination of polyvinylchloride- and rubber type flooring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunze, S.

1975-01-01

These types, fabricated by mixing of the basic components, showed no relation between content of fillers and decontamination results. Decontamination results are partly poorer, if the flooring contains a high concentration of the filler, especially if the latter consists mainly of hydrophilic materials. The coloring of the floorings seems to have no influence on the decontamination but floorings with clearly separated patterns can not be recommended for nuclear facilities. Fabricated by chemical reactions between polymeres, vulcanization materials and fillers, the decontamination results depend definitely from the proper choice of the filler. Flooring types, containing lampblack, graphite, kaoline, barium sulfate and titanium oxide are easy to decontamine. Again, increasing contents of hydrophilic filler cause a fall off in the decontamination results. (orig.) [de

Historical Cavern Floor Rise for All SPR Sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moriarty, Dylan Michael [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-09-01

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) contains the largest supply is the largest stockpile of government-owned emergency crude oil in the world. The oil is stored in multiple salt caverns spread over four sites in Louisiana and Texas. Cavern infrastructure near the bottom of the cavern can be damaged from vertical floor movement. This report presents a comprehensive history of floor movements in each cavern. Most of the cavern floor rise rates ranged from 0.5-3.5 ft/yr, however, there were several caverns with much higher rise rates. BH103, BM106, and BH105 had the three highest rise rates. Information from this report will be used to better predict future vertical floor movements and optimally place cavern infrastructure. The reasons for floor rise are not entirely understood and should be investigated.

Association between preterm labour and pelvic floor muscle function.

Science.gov (United States)

Aran, Turhan; Pekgöz, Ipek; Bozkaya, Hasan; Osmanagaoglu, Mehmet A

2018-03-23

We hypothesised that the pressure on the cervix increases with advancing gestation and it may lead to a cervical shortening and cause preterm labour in women with weak pelvic floor muscles. The aim of this prospective study was to measure vaginal resting pressure and pelvic floor muscle strength in the first trimester of pregnancy and to investigate their effects on labour. A study was conducted on the pregnant women with a low risk for preterm birth. The pelvic floor muscle strength and vaginal resting pressure were assessed in 320 pregnant women at their first trimester with a vaginal pressure measurement device. Fifty-two pregnant women were hospitalised for tocolytic therapy because of spontaneous preterm labour. Thirty-two of them (10.2%) had a preterm delivery despite the tocolytic therapy. Both the vaginal resting pressure (p = .009, 95%CI: 0.8; 5.9) and the pelvic floor muscle strength (p = .01, 95%CI: 3.5; 13.1) were significantly lower in the women with a preterm labour. Impact statement What is already known on this subject? The pelvic floor muscles have an essential role in continence and provide support to the pelvic organs. They also have an impact on labour. The pelvic floor muscles should distend to allow the passage of the foetus during labour. The rotation and flexion of the foetal head is due to the pelvic floor resistance. The effect of a vaginal birth on the pelvic floor's function is readily understood. On the other hand, the effect of the pelvic floor muscle function on labour is still controversial. What do the results of this study add? This prospective study showed that there is a negative association between the pelvic floor muscle strength and preterm labour. This is the first clinical study indicating that weak pelvic floor muscles may cause a preterm labour. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Pelvic floor physical therapy may be an alternative preventive strategy to reduce

Survey of post-Chernobyl contamination in Sumava region using various methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drabova, D.; Filgas, R.; Malatova, I.; Cespirova, I.; Foltanova, S.; Hoeschl, V.; Roudny, R.; Jurza, P.; Pichl, R.

1998-01-01

A nation-wide survey of fallout and soil contamination was made immediately after the Chernobyl accident, on 16-18 June 1986. This, however, could not be done near the Bavarian and Austrian border with a special restricted-access regime. Measurements were completed there 10 years later. Cesium deposition was examined by the airborne scintillation and semiconductor spectrometric systems, complemented with ground in-situ spectrometry and measurement of soil samples at selected sites. The 137 Cs deposition in July 1996, as obtained by ENMOS airborne measurement, ground in-situ gamma spectrometry, and soil sampling lay within the ranges of 12-65, 15-63, and 7-81 kBq/m 2 , respectively. The cesium activity in the individual soil samples in each sampling point varied by more than one order of magnitude. (P.A.)

Biomechanics of the pelvic floor musculature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janda, S.

2006-01-01

The present thesis was motivated by two main goals. The first research goal of the thesis was to understand the complex biomechanical behaviour of the pelvic floor muscles. The second goal was to study the mechanism of the pelvic organ prolapse (genital prolapse). The pelvic floor in humans is a

Motor cortical representation of the pelvic floor muscles.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrum, A; Wolff, S; van der Horst, C; Kuhtz-Buschbeck, J P

2011-07-01

Pelvic floor muscle training involves rhythmical voluntary contractions of the external urethral sphincter and ancillary pelvic floor muscles. The representation of these muscles in the motor cortex has not been located precisely and unambiguously. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine brain activity during slow and fast pelvic floor contractions. Cerebral responses were recorded in 17 healthy male volunteers, 21 to 47 years old, with normal bladder control. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during metronome paced slow (0.25 Hertz) and fast (0.7 Hertz) contractions of the pelvic floor that mimicked the interruption of voiding. To study the somatotopy of the cortical representations, flexion-extension movements of the right toes were performed as a control task. Functional magnetic resonance imaging during pelvic floor contractions detected activity of the supplementary motor area in the medial wall and of the midcingulate cortex, insula, posterior parietal cortex, putamen, thalamus, cerebellar vermis and upper ventral pons. There were no significant differences in activation between slow and fast contractions. Toe movements involved significantly stronger activity of the paracentral lobule (ie the medial primary motor cortex) than did the pelvic floor contractions. Otherwise the areas active during pelvic floor and leg muscle contractions overlapped considerably. The motor cortical representation of pelvic floor muscles is located mostly in the supplementary motor area. It extends further ventrally and anteriorly than the representation of distal leg muscles. Copyright © 2011 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantitative and qualitative factors that leads to slip and fall incidents

CERN Document Server

Syahrom, Ardiyansyah; Tap, Masine Md; Rohani, Jafri Mohd

2017-01-01

This book investigates the factors that lead to slip and fall incidents and establishes a relationship between the coefficient of friction (COF), floor slipperiness and floor roughness. It also examines human perception of slipperiness through measured coefficient of friction (COF). On the basis of questionnaire surveys among manufacturing workers, it identifies potential risk factors and assesses human perceptions of slipperiness. It also uses a tribology approach to relate the interaction between contaminants, floor and footwear materials.

Background compensation methodologies for contamination monitoring systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raman, Anand; Chaudhury, Probal; Pradeepkumar, K.S.

2014-01-01

Radiation surveillance program in the various nuclear facilities incorporate contamination monitoring as an important component. Contamination monitoring programs constitute monitoring for alpha and beta contamination of the physical entities associated with the working personnel that include his hands, feet, clothing, shoes as well as the general surface areas in the working environment like floors. All these measurements are fraught with the contribution of the ambient gamma background radiation fields. These inhibit a proper and precise estimation of the contamination concentration being monitored. This paper investigates the efficacy of two methodologies that have been incorporated in two of the contamination monitoring systems developed in the Division. In the first system discussed, a high degree of gamma compensation has been achieved for an uniform exposure of the order of 50 nSv/hr to 100 mSv/hr. In the second system discussed, the degree of gamma compensation achieved is equal to those dictated by the statistical nature of the uncertainties associated with the subtraction of background from the source data. These two methods can be very effectively employed depending on the application requirement. A minimum detection level equivalent to 0.37 Bq/cdm 2 has been achieved in both these cases

9 CFR 91.26 - Concrete flooring.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Concrete flooring. 91.26 Section 91.26... LIVESTOCK FOR EXPORTATION Inspection of Vessels and Accommodations § 91.26 Concrete flooring. (a) Pens aboard an ocean vessel shall have a 3 inch concrete pavement, proportioned and mixed to give 2000 psi...

Sea-Floor geology and character of Eastern Rhode Island Sound West of Gay Head, Massachusetts

Science.gov (United States)

Poppe, L.J.; McMullen, K.Y.; Ackerman, S.D.; Blackwood, D.S.; Irwin, B.J.; Schaer, J.D.; Forrest, M.R.

2011-01-01

Gridded multibeam bathymetry covers approximately 102 square kilometers of sea floor in eastern Rhode Island Sound west of Gay Head, Massachusetts. Although originally collected for charting purposes during National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hydrographic survey H11922, these acoustic data and the sea-floor stations subsequently occupied to verify them (1) show the composition and terrain of the seabed, (2) provide information on sediment transport and benthic habitat, and (3) are part of an expanding series of studies that provide a fundamental framework for research and management activities (for example, windfarms and fisheries) along the Massachusetts inner continental shelf. Most of the sea floor in the study area has an undulating to faintly rippled appearance and is composed of bioturbated muddy sand, reflecting processes associated with sediment sorting and reworking. Shallower areas are composed of rippled sand and, where small fields of megaripples are present, indicate sedimentary environments characterized by processes associated with coarse bedload transport. Boulders and gravel were found on the floors of scour depressions and on top of an isolated bathymetric high where erosion has removed the Holocene marine sediments and exposed the underlying relict lag deposits of Pleistocene drift. The numerous scour depressions, which formed during storm-driven events, result in the juxtaposition of sea-floor areas with contrasting sedimentary environments and distinct gravel, sand, and muddy sand textures. This textural heterogeneity in turn creates a complex patchwork of habitats. Our observations of local variations in community structure suggest that this small-scale textural heterogeneity adds dramatically to the sound-wide benthic biological diversity.

Surgical reconstruction of pelvic floor descent: anatomic and functional aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagenlehner, F M E; Bschleipfer, T; Liedl, B; Gunnemann, A; Petros, P; Weidner, W

2010-01-01

The human pelvic floor is a complex structure and pelvic floor dysfunction is seen frequently in females. This review focuses on the surgical reconstruction of the pelvic floor employing recent findings on functional anatomy. A selective literature research was performed by the authors. Pelvic floor activity is regulated by 3 main muscular forces that are responsible for vaginal tension and suspension of the pelvic floor organs, bladder and rectum. A variety of symptoms can derive from pelvic floor dysfunctions, such as urinary urge and stress incontinence, abnormal bladder emptying, fecal incontinence, obstructive bowel disease syndrome and pelvic pain. These symptoms mainly derive, for different reasons, from laxity in the vagina or its supporting ligaments as a result of altered connective tissue. Pelvic floor reconstruction is nowadays driven by the concept that in case of pelvic floor symptoms, restoration of the anatomy will translate into restoration of the physiology and ultimately improve patients' symptoms. The surgical reconstruction of the anatomy is almost exclusively focused on the restoration of the lax pelvic floor ligaments. Exact preoperative identification of the anatomical lesions is necessary to allow for exact anatomical reconstruction with respect to the muscular forces of the pelvic floor. Copyright 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effect of intravenous endotoxin on blood cell profiles of broilers housed in cages and floor litter environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, W; Wideman, R F; Chapman, M E; Bersi, T K; Erf, G F

2003-12-01

Commercial broilers are constantly exposed to airborne microorganisms and endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). It has been shown that microbial contamination of the air was higher in broiler houses using floor litter than in broiler houses using netting-type floors. The current study evaluated the effect of housing conditions on blood leukocyte profiles and tested the hypothesis that, when compared to broilers reared in clean stainless steel cages (Cage group), broilers raised on floor litter (Floor group) should experience a higher environmental challenge and have a desensitized immune system that may exhibit better tolerance/resistance to subsequent intravenous LPS challenge. Hematological parameters were evaluated prior to and following i.v. administration of 1 mg/kg BW Salmonella typhimurium LPS (dissolved at 1 mg/0.25 mL in PBS) or i.v. injection of 0.25 mL/kg BW PBS alone. The results showed that prior to LPS/PBS injection, broilers in the cage group had higher heterophil and monocyte concentrations, a higher B cell percentage within the lymphocyte population, and a higher heterophil to lymphocyte (H:L) ratio in the blood. The i.v. LPS injection resulted in 25% mortality in the cage group and 42% mortality in the floor group within 8 h post-injection. LPS reduced the concentrations of total white blood cells (WBC) and all differential WBC except eosinophils and increased thrombocyte concentrations within 1 h post-injection in both groups. All of these values returned to their respective pre-injection levels within 48 h post-injection in the surviving birds. The two groups exhibited similar overall hematological changes after LPS injection except that the cage group showed a higher H:L ratio at 8 h post-injection and a lower B-cell percentage within the lymphocyte population at 48 h post-injection when compared with the floor group. We concluded that the immune systems of broilers reared on floor litter were desensitized and exhibited less pronounced leukocyte

Theoretical aspects on the phenomenon of contamination of ground waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echeverri, G.E.

1998-01-01

The phenomenon of contamination of ground waters and the destination of certain constituents of the water keep in mind diverse mechanisms of physical nature, chemistry and biological; in this work it is consigned in a concise way, the theoretical aspects of these topics, that is to say, the basic principles of the ground water hydraulics, the fundamental concepts of the physics of the movement and the chemistry of the ground water, as well as the equations that govern the phenomenon of contamination of the mass of water contained in the interstices of the floors and the rocks, broadly used in the mathematical modeling of the phenomenon

Study of peak broadening effect in floor time histories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soni, R.S.; Kushwaha, H.S.; Mahajan, S.C.; Kakodkar, A.

1996-01-01

Seismic design of secondary systems such components and piping is usually carried out by using the floor motions at their support points. These floor motions can be in the form of Floor Response Spectra (FRS) or the Floor Time Histories (FTH). In order to account for the various uncertainties in generating these floor motions, these motions should be peak broadened and smoothened as per the regulatory codes. Presented here in this paper is the methodology to account for such peak broadening effect in the FTH. Results of this study have been compared with the FRS approach and various important conclusions have been arrived at based on the study

An Improved Prediction Model for the Impact Sound Level of Lightweight Floors: Introducing Decoupled Floor-Ceiling and Beam-Plate Moment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mosharrof, Mohammad Sazzad; Brunskog, Jonas; Ljunggren, Fredrik

2011-01-01

the impact sound pressure level in a receiving room for a coupled floor structure where floor and ceiling are rigidly connected by beams. A theoretical model for predicting the impact sound level for a decoupled floor structure, which has no rigid mechanical connections between the floor and the ceiling......, is developed. An analytical method has been implemented, where a spatial Fourier transform method as well as the Poisson’s sum formula is applied to model transformed plate displacements. Radiated sound power was calculated from these displacements and normalized sound pressure levels were calculated in one...... and is found to be dependent on frequency, showing significant improvement in predicting impact sound level at high frequency region....

Comparison of changes in the mobility of the pelvic floor muscle on during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Halim; Jung, Sangwoo; Joo, Sunghee; Song, Changho

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare changes in the mobility of the pelvic floor muscle during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction. [Subjects] Thirty healthy adults participated in this study (15 men and 15 women). [Methods] All participants performed a bridge exercise and abdominal curl-up during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction. Pelvic floor mobility was evaluated as the distance from the bladder base using ultrasound. [Results] According to exercise method, bridge exercise and abdominal curl-ups led to significantly different pelvic floor mobility. The pelvic floor muscle was elevated during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver and descended during maximal expiration. Finally, pelvic floor muscle mobility was greater during abdominal curl-up than during the bridge exercise. [Conclusion] According to these results, the abdominal drawing-in maneuver induced pelvic floor muscle contraction, and pelvic floor muscle contraction was greater during the abdominal curl-up than during the bridge exercise.

FLOOR IDENTIFICATION WITH COMMERCIAL SMARTPHONES IN WIFI-BASED INDOOR LOCALIZATION SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. J. Ai

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we utilize novel sensors built-in commercial smart devices to propose a schema which can identify floors with high accuracy and efficiency. This schema can be divided into two modules: floor identifying and floor change detection. Floor identifying module starts at initial phase of positioning, and responsible for determining which floor the positioning start. We have estimated two methods to identify initial floor based on K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN and BP Neural Network, respectively. In order to improve performance of KNN algorithm, we proposed a novel method based on weighting signal strength, which can identify floors robust and quickly. Floor change detection module turns on after entering into continues positioning procedure. In this module, sensors (such as accelerometer and barometer of smart devices are used to determine whether the user is going up and down stairs or taking an elevator. This method has fused different kinds of sensor data and can adapt various motion pattern of users. We conduct our experiment with mobile client on Android Phone (Nexus 5 at a four-floors building with an open area between the second and third floor. The results demonstrate that our scheme can achieve an accuracy of 99% to identify floor and 97% to detecting floor changes as a whole.

Radiation distribution measurement using plastic scintillating optical fibers for survey of radioactive contamination in wide area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Chikara; Ito, Keisuke; Ishikawa, Takashi; Yoshida, Akihiro; Sanada, Yukihisa; Torii, Tatsuo; Nohtomi, Akihiro; Wakabayashi, Genichiro; Miyazaki, Nobuyuki

2013-01-01

It is important to examine distribution of environmental contamination due to the accident of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and to confirm the effect of decontamination works. We have applied radiation distribution measurement using plastic scintillating optical fibers (PSFs) in the survey of contamination in wide area including residential, farmland, forests, etc. In the measurements system, two scintillation lights that emitted at an incidence of a radiation transmit to photomultiplier tubes at the both end of PSFs. The position where scintillation light emitted is obtained from the detection time difference of each photomultiplier tube. The distribution of light emission quantity indicates the distribution of radiation incident in a PSF which is corresponds to the distribution of dose-rate. The radiation detection system using the PSFs has been applied to the radiation distribution measurement on grounds, trees, etc. The results show a good agreement with point data measured by survey meters using sodium iodide scintillators. As the PSFs which have water resistance, they have been successfully applied to the radiation distribution measurement in the river. We have also succeeded in measuring two-dimensional distribution of radiation by measuring the count rate while moving to the fiber at a constant speed. (author)

The influence of flooring on environmental stressors: a study of three flooring materials in a hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Debra D

2015-01-01

Three flooring materials, terrazzo, rubber, and carpet tile, in patient unit corridors were compared for absorption of sound, comfort, light reflectance, employee perceptions and preferences, and patient satisfaction. Environmental stressors, such as noise and ergonomic factors, effect healthcare workers and patients, contributing to increased fatigue, anxiety and stress, decreased productivity, and patient safety and satisfaction. A longitudinal comparative cohort study comparing three types of flooring assessed sound levels, healthcare worker responses, and patient Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings over 42 weeks. A linear mixed model analysis was conducted to determine significant differences between the means for participant responses and objective sound meter data during all three phases of the study. A significant difference was found for sound levels between flooring type for equivalent continuous sound levels. Carpet tile performed better for sound attenuation by absorption, reducing sound levels 3.14 dBA. Preferences for flooring materials changed over the course of the study. The HCAHPS ratings aligned with the sound meter data showing that patients perceived the noise levels to be lower with carpet tiles, improving patient satisfaction ratings. Perceptions for healthcare staff and patients were aligned with the sound meter data. Carpet tile provides sound absorption that affects sound levels and influences occupant's perceptions of environmental factors that contribute to the quality of the indoor environment. Flooring that provides comfort underfoot, easy cleanability, and sound absorption influence healthcare worker job satisfaction and patient satisfaction with their patient experience. © The Author(s) 2015.

Recognition and Management of Nonrelaxing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Science.gov (United States)

Faubion, Stephanie S.; Shuster, Lynne T.; Bharucha, Adil E.

2012-01-01

Nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction is not widely recognized. Unlike in pelvic floor disorders caused by relaxed muscles (eg, pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence, both of which often are identified readily), women affected by nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction may present with a broad range of nonspecific symptoms. These may include pain and problems with defecation, urination, and sexual function, which require relaxation and coordination of pelvic floor muscles and urinary and anal sphincters. These symptoms may adversely affect quality of life. Focus on the global symptom complex, rather than the individual symptoms, may help the clinician identify the condition. The primary care provider is in a position to intervene early, efficiently, and effectively by (1) recognizing the range of symptoms that might suggest nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction, (2) educating patients, (3) performing selective tests when needed to confirm the diagnosis, and (4) providing early referral for physical therapy. PMID:22305030

Glazed Tiles as Floor Finish in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toyin Emmanuel AKINDE

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Tile is no doubt rich in antiquity; its primordial  show, came as mosaic with primary prospect in sacred floor finish before its oblivion, courtesy of, later consciousness towards wall finish in banquets, kitchens, toilets, restaurants and even bars. Today, its renaissance as floor finish is apparent in private and public architectural structures with prevalence in residential, recreational, commercial, governmental and other spaces. In Nigeria, the use of glazed tiles as floor finish became apparent, supposedly in mid-twentieth century; and has since, witnessed ever increasing demands from all sundry; a development that is nascent and has necessitated its mass  production locally with pockets of firms in the country. The latter however, is a resultant response to taste cum glazed tiles affordability, whose divergent sophistication in design, colour, size and shape is believed preferred to terrazzo, carpet and floor flex tile. Accessible as glazed tile and production is, in recent times; its dearth of a holistic literature in Nigeria is obvious. In the light of the latter, this paper examine glazed tiles as floor finish in Nigeria, its advent, usage, production, challenge, benefit and prospect with the hope of opening further frontier in discipline specifics.

WOODEN FLOORING – BETWEEN PRESENT AND FUTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan CISMARU

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper aims at presenting a systematization of the wood floors, both in terms of the areas of application, and in terms of the fastening solutions and structures in constructions. In this respect, an extensive bibliographic research was achieved, on the researchers’ preoccupations. Starting from the current situation and forecasting the future, from the point of view of the chances held by wooden flooring, in competition with other types of materials, we dare say the wooden flooring or the wood in combination with other materials are not likely to be eliminated from the “civil-engineering market”. The wood floors are likely to develop as an application, especially in the area of the “special floors”, specific to the indoor sports or social halls; and even for some industrial sectors, with strict operating conditions (elasticity, thermal insulation, soundproofing that cannot be provided by other types of materials or structures. Starting from this last observation, the paper also aims at submitting current opinions with respect to this type of floors, both in the light of the current databases and in the light of the future researches, to this end

What Is Low Profile Access Flooring and Why More Businesses Need It

OpenAIRE

NetfloorUSA

2017-01-01

Low profile access flooring is being commonly used in a variety of businesses today. To understand why more businesses, need this type of flooring, it is essential that we take the time to first understand what is low profile flooring actually is. What Is Low Profile Access Flooring A low profile access floor is a floor that is designed to sit above the original concrete slab flooring installed in any home, business, or public building. The higher floor height creates a space between ...

Polygons on Crater Floor

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-357, 11 May 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) picture shows a pattern of polygons on the floor of a northern plains impact crater. These landforms are common on crater floors at high latitudes on Mars. Similar polygons occur in the arctic and antarctic regions of Earth, where they indicate the presence and freeze-thaw cycling of ground ice. Whether the polygons on Mars also indicate water ice in the ground is uncertain. The image is located in a crater at 64.8oN, 292.7oW. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.

[Perceived risks of food contaminants].

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Severine; Lohmann, Mark; Epp, Astrid; Böl, Gaby-Fleur

2017-07-01

Food contaminants can pose a serious health threat. In order to carry out adequate risk communication measures, the subjective risk perception of the public must be taken into account. In this context, the breadth of the topic and insufficient terminological delimitations from residues and food additives make an elaborate explanation of the topic to consumers indispensable. A representative population survey used language adequate for lay people and a clear definition of contaminants to measure risk perceptions with regard to food contaminants among the general public. The study aimed to assess public awareness of contaminants and the perceived health risks associated with them. In addition, people's current knowledge and need for additional information, their attitudes towards contaminants, views on stakeholder accountability, as well as compliance with precautionary measures, such as avoiding certain foods to reduce health risks originating from contaminants, were assessed. A representative sample of 1001 respondents was surveyed about food contaminants via computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The majority of respondents rated contaminants as a serious health threat, though few of them spontaneously mentioned examples of undesirable substances in foods that fit the scientific or legal definition of contaminants. Mercury and dioxin were the most well-known contaminants. Only a minority of respondents was familiar with pyrrolizidine alkaloids. The present findings highlight areas that require additional attention and provide implications for risk communication geared to specific target groups.

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites remedial action program. Radiological survey of Universal Cyclopes, Inc., Titusville, Plant (formerly Vulcan Crucible Steel Company, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, May 2-8, 1978)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wynveen, R.A.; Smith, W.H.; Mundis, R.L.; Mayes, C.B.

1982-05-01

A radiological survey was conducted at the Universal Cyclops, Inc. Titusville Plant (formerly Vulcan Crucible Steel Company), in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, to determine the location and quantities of any radioactive materials remaining on the site as a result of MED/AEC activities in the late 1940s. This facility was used for rolling uranium billets during the MED/AEC era. The survey included measurements of alpha and beta-gamma contamination, both fixed and removable; beta-gamma exposure readings at contact and at 1 m (3 ft) above the floor or ground level; and measurements of the concentrations of radon daughters in air and concentrations of 137 Cs, the 232 Th decay chain, the 226 Ra decay chain, and uranium in the soil on the site. Fourteen spots of contamination exceeded the allowable limits for natural uranium. Under current use conditions, the potential for radiation exposure of occupants of the building from these sources of contamination is remote. Concentrations of radon daughters were below the 0.01 WL limit. Calculated radon concentrations based on the radon-daughter determinations ranged from 0.11 to 0.27 pCi/l. The concentration guide for 222 Rn in uncontrolled areas is 3 pCi/l. Analysis of soil samples from the site indicated elevated concentrations of uranium (15.1 +- 0.7 to 109.0 +- 5.5 pCi/g) at one sampling location near the building. There currently are no regulatory limits for uranium concentration in soil, but, a proposed guide value is pCi/g. After evaluation of results of the survey, it was concluded that although some areas of the Universal Cyclops facility are contaminated, these areas do not pose a significant risk to the present occupants of the building. Nonetheless, in a few cases the contamination does exceed accepted guidelines. Remedial measures are indicated to bring the contaminated areas within the guidelines

17 CFR 240.11a-1 - Regulation of floor trading.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Regulation of floor trading... Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Adoption of Floor Trading Regulation (rule 11a-1) § 240.11a-1 Regulation of floor trading. (a) No member of a national securities exchange, while on the floor of such exchange...

Physical distribution of oak strip flooring 1969

Science.gov (United States)

William C. Miller; William C. Miller

1971-01-01

As an aid to the marketing of oak strip flooring, a study was made of the distribution process for this product, from manufacture to consumer-where the flooring came from, where it went, how much was shipped, and who handled it.

Pelvic floor muscle training as a persistent nursing intervention: Effect on delivery outcome and pelvic floor myodynamia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Wang

2014-03-01

Conclusion: Persistent nursing intervention for pregnant/postpartum women helped to shorten the second stage of labour and contributed to the recovery of postpartum pelvic floor myodynamia. The influence of this intervention on the delivery mode, and rates of episiotomy and perineal laceration remains unknown. Medical staff should strengthen health education programmes that involve pelvic floor functional rehabilitation.

Assessment of the effect of pelvic floor exercises on pelvic floor muscle strength using ultrasonography in patients with urinary incontinence: a prospective randomized controlled trial

OpenAIRE

Tosun, Ozge Celiker; Solmaz, Ulas; Ekin, Atalay; Tosun, Gokhan; Gezer, Cenk; Ergenoglu, Ahmet Mete; Yeniel, Ahmet Ozgur; Mat, Emre; Malkoc, Mehtap; Askar, Niyazi

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the effect of pelvic floor exercises on pelvic floor muscle strength could be detected via ultrasonography in patients with urinary incontinence. [Subjects and Methods] Of 282 incontinent patients, 116 participated in the study and were randomly divided into a pelvic floor muscle training (n=65) group or control group (n=51). The pelvic floor muscle training group was given pelvic floor exercise training for 12 weeks. Both groups were ev...

Air gun near the sea floor as shear-wave source?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drijkoningen, G.G.; Dieulangard, D.; Holicki, M.E.

2015-01-01

The feasibility of using an air gun near the sea floor as shear-wave source has been investigated. With an air gun near the sea floor, an evanescent P-wave in the water becomes a propagating S-wave in the sea floor, such that it seems that a pure shear-wave source has been used at the sea floor.

Topographic heterogeneity effect on the accumulation of Fukushima-derived radiocesium on forest floor driven by biologically mediated processes

Science.gov (United States)

Koarashi, Jun; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Takeuchi, Erina; Nishimura, Syusaku

2014-10-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant caused serious radiocesium (137Cs) contamination of forest ecosystems located in mountainous and hilly regions with steep terrain. To understand topographic effects on the redistribution and accumulation of 137Cs on forest floor, we investigated the distribution of Fukushima-derived 137Cs in forest-floor litter layers on a steep hillslope in a Japanese deciduous forest in August 2013 (29 months after the accident). Both leaf-litter materials and litter-associated 137Cs were accumulated in large amounts at the bottom of the hillslope. At the bottom, a significant fraction (65%) of the 137Cs inventory was observed to be associated with newly shed and less degraded leaf-litter materials, with estimated mean ages of 0.5-1.5 years, added via litterfall after the accident. Newly emerged leaves were contaminated with Fukushima-derived 137Cs in May 2011 (two months after the accident) and 137Cs concentration in them decreased with time. However, the concentrations were still two orders of magnitude higher than the pre-accident level in 2013 and 2014. These observations are the first to show that 137Cs redistribution on a forested hillslope is strongly controlled by biologically mediated processes and continues to supply 137Cs to the bottom via litterfall at a reduced rate.

Contamination at a hospital from a leaking radiotherapy source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, R.S.

1979-01-01

Routine monitoring of waste arising from the use of small sealed radiotherapy sources led to the discovery of extensive cesium-137 contamination of the floor, walls and equipment in the source preparation room. The origin of the contamination was a damaged cesium chloride bead which was part of a 'train' of beads reassembled in the room about a month beforehand. The sterilising fluid used to clean the sources was still in use, and was responsible for the spread of radioactive contamination. Whole body monitoring revealed two members of staff recording 1100 Bq and 5500 Bq respectively as a result of cesium-137 intake, but the committed dose equivalent did not exceed 500 μSv in the worst case. The incident was expensive, but could have been far worse without the good working procedures by the hospital staff which minimized the radiation doses to staff and patients. (UK)

Dermoid cyst in the mouth floor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Portelles Masso, Ayelen Maria; Torres Inniguez, Ailin Tamara.

2010-01-01

The Dermoid cyst account for the 0.01 % of all cysts of buccal cavity. Its more frequent location is in the mouth floor. This is the case of a female patient aged 19 who approximately 7 years noted an increase of volume under tongue growing gradually and noting outside face and the discomfort at to speak and to chew. Complementary studies were conducted and under general anesthesia a surgical exeresis was carried out by intrabuccal approach achieving excellent esthetic and functional results. Histopathologic diagnosis matched with a dermoid cyst of mouth floor. Patient has not lesion recurrence after three years after operation. We conclude that the Dermoid cyst of mouth floor appear as benign tumor of middle line. The intrabuccal exeresis demonstrates esthetic and functional benefits. (author)

Sea-floor morphology and sedimentary environments of western Block Island Sound, northeast of Gardiners Island, New York

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Katherine Y.; Poppe, Lawrence J.; Danforth, William W.; Blackwood, Dann S.; Clos, Andrew R.; Parker, Castle E.

2014-01-01

Multibeam-echosounder data, collected during survey H12299 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a 162-square-kilometer area of Block Island Sound, northeast of Gardiners Island, New York, are used along with sediment samples and bottom photography, collected at 37 stations in this area by the U.S. Geological Survey during cruise 2013-005-FA, to interpret sea-floor features and sedimentary environments. These data and interpretations provide important base maps for future studies of the sea floor, focused, for example, on benthic ecology and resource management. The features and sedimentary environments on the sea floor are products of the glacial history and modern tidal regime. Features include bedforms such as sand waves and megaripples, boulders, a large current-scoured depression, exposed glaciolacustrine sediments, and areas of modern marine sediment. Sand covers much of the study area and is often in the form of sand waves and megaripples, which indicate environments characterized by coarse-grained bedload transport. Boulders and gravelly lag deposits, which indicate environments of erosion or nondeposition, are found off the coast of Gardiners Island and on bathymetric highs, probably marking areas where deposits associated with recessional ice-front positions, the northern flank of the terminal moraine, or coastal-plain sediments covered with basal till are exposed. Bottom photographs and video of boulders show that they are commonly covered with sessile fauna. Strong tidal currents have produced the deep scour depression along the northwestern edge of the study area. The eastern side of this depression is armored with a gravel lag. Sea-floor areas characterized by modern marine sediments appear featureless at the 2-meter resolution of the bathymetry and flat to current rippled in the photography. These modern environments are indicative of sediment sorting and reworking.

Improving the cleaning procedure to make kitchen floors less slippery.

Science.gov (United States)

Quirion, F; Poirier, P; Lehane, P

2008-12-01

This investigation shows that, in most cases, the floor cleaning procedure of typical restaurants could be improved, resulting in a better cleaning efficiency and a better floor friction. This simple approach could help reduce slips and falls in the workplace. Food safety officers visited ten European style restaurants in the London Borough of Bromley (UK) to identify their floor cleaning procedure in terms of the cleaning method, the concentration and type of floor cleaner and the temperature of the wash water. For all 10 restaurants visited, the cleaning method was damp mopping. Degreasers were used in three sites while neutral floor cleaners were used in seven sites. Typically, the degreasers were over diluted and the neutrals were overdosed. The wash water temperature ranged from 10 to 72 degrees C. The on-site cleaning procedures were repeated in the laboratory for the removal of olive oil from new and sealed quarry tiles, fouled and worn quarry tiles and new porcelain tiles. It is found that in 24 out of 30 cases, cleaning efficiency can be improved by simple changes in the floor cleaning procedure and that these changes result in a significant improvement of the floor friction. The nature of the improved floor cleaning procedure depends on the flooring type. New and properly sealed flooring tiles can be cleaned using damp mopping with a degreaser diluted as recommended by the manufacturer in warm or hot water (24 to 50 degrees C). But as the tiles become worn and fouled, a more aggressive floor cleaning is required such as two-step mopping with a degreaser diluted as recommended by the manufacturer in warm water (24 degrees C).

Nondestructive structural evaluation of wood floor systems with a vibration technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiping Wang; Robert J. Ross; Lawrence Andrew Soltis

2002-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine if transverse vibration methods could be used to effectively assess the structural integrity of wood floors as component systems. A total of 10 wood floor systems, including 3 laboratory-built floor sections and 7 in-place floors in historic buildings, were tested. A forced vibration method was applied to the floor systems...

Improvement of PVC floor tiles by gamma radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plessis, T.A. du; Badenhorst, F.

1988-01-01

Gamma radiation presents a unique method of transforming highly plasticized PVC floor tiles, manufactured at high speed through injection moulding, into a high quality floor covering at a cost at least 30% less than similarly rated rubber tiles. A specially formulated PVC compound was developed in collaboration with a leading manufacturer of floor tiles. These tiles are gamma crosslinked in its shipping cartons to form a dimensionally stable product which is highly fire resistant and inert to most chemicals and solvents. These crosslinked tiles are more flexible than the highly filled conventional PVC floor tiles, scratch resistant and have a longer lifespan and increased colour fastness. These tiles are also less expensive to install than conventional rubber tiles. (author)

The pelvic floor muscles: muscle thickness in healthy and urinary-incontinent women measured by perineal ultrasonography with reference to the effect of pelvic floor training. Estrogen receptor studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernstein, Inge Thomsen

1997-01-01

demonstrated that the striated periurethral muscles and the pelvic floor muscles are of paramount importance for the closure function. This emphasizes the importance of well-functioning pelvic floor muscles to obtain continence, and probably explains the rationale for the effect of pelvic floor training...... in treating urinary incontinence. This study presents a review of the literature on female urinary incontinence, continence mechanisms, pelvic floor muscles, and pelvic floor training. Furthermore, a review of the literature on estrogen receptors in the pelvic floor muscles is given. Perineal ultrasonography...... the effect of pelvic floor training. Additionally, a study of the Pelvic floor muscles was performed to assess the presence of estrogen receptors. Muscle thickness seems to decrease with age. In women over age 60 years, a significantly thinner pelvic floor muscle was found compared to younger women...

Piezoelectric energy harvester under parquet floor

Science.gov (United States)

Bischur, E.; Schwesinger, N.

2011-03-01

The design, fabrication and testing of piezoelectric energy harvesting modules for floors is described. These modules are used beneath a parquet floor to harvest the energy of people walking over it. The harvesting modules consist of monoaxial stretched PVDF-foils. Multilayer modules are built up as roller-type capacitors. The fabrication process of the harvesting modules is simple and very suitable for mass production. Due to the use of organic polymers, the modules are characterized by a great flexibility and the possibility to create them in almost any geometrical size. The energy yield was determined depending on the dynamic loading force, the thickness of piezoelectric active material, the size of the piezoelectric modules, their alignment in the walking direction and their position on the floor. An increase of the energy yield at higher loading forces and higher thicknesses of the modules was observed. It was possible to generate up to 2.1mWs of electric energy with dynamic loads of 70kg using a specific module design. Furthermore a test floor was assembled to determine the influence of the size, alignment and position of the modules on the energy yield.

75 FR 70061 - Dealer Floor Plan Pilot Program Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-16

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Dealer Floor Plan Pilot Program Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business... location, date, time, and agenda for a meeting regarding the Dealer Floor Plan Pilot Program established in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. The meeting will be open to the public. DATES: The Dealer Floor...

Use of a commercial ranging system in field surveys of radioactively contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worth, G.M.; Crowell, J.M.; Meddles, A.D.; Jarrett, J.D.; Wolf, M.A.; Umbarger, C.J.; Moyer, C.

1984-01-01

Now, the adaptation of a commercial ranging and tracking system interfaced to these instruments and to an advanced computer graphics system promises another major improvement to the automation of data collection. Contour maps with radiation isopleths and the x-y position of up to eight instrument operators superimposed thereon can be displayed in near real time. A bidirectional data link offers a further improvement in simulation of, and training for, field surveys since previously collected or computer simulated radiation data as a function of position can be transmitted back to the same survey instrument and displayed to the operator in a manner indistinguishable from real-time data. Additionally, simulated instrument malfunctions such as low battery, detector failure, or total failure can be commanded to occur to evaluate operator response to unusual occurrences under the stress of field conditions. This training mode will greatly improve the ability to simulate situations and to train and evaluate operations personnel while eliminating the need to use special sites and potentially hazardous contamination simulants as are used now

Ploughing the deep sea floor.

Science.gov (United States)

Puig, Pere; Canals, Miquel; Company, Joan B; Martín, Jacobo; Amblas, David; Lastras, Galderic; Palanques, Albert

2012-09-13

Bottom trawling is a non-selective commercial fishing technique whereby heavy nets and gear are pulled along the sea floor. The direct impact of this technique on fish populations and benthic communities has received much attention, but trawling can also modify the physical properties of seafloor sediments, water–sediment chemical exchanges and sediment fluxes. Most of the studies addressing the physical disturbances of trawl gear on the seabed have been undertaken in coastal and shelf environments, however, where the capacity of trawling to modify the seafloor morphology coexists with high-energy natural processes driving sediment erosion, transport and deposition. Here we show that on upper continental slopes, the reworking of the deep sea floor by trawling gradually modifies the shape of the submarine landscape over large spatial scales. We found that trawling-induced sediment displacement and removal from fishing grounds causes the morphology of the deep sea floor to become smoother over time, reducing its original complexity as shown by high-resolution seafloor relief maps. Our results suggest that in recent decades, following the industrialization of fishing fleets, bottom trawling has become an important driver of deep seascape evolution. Given the global dimension of this type of fishery, we anticipate that the morphology of the upper continental slope in many parts of the world’s oceans could be altered by intensive bottom trawling, producing comparable effects on the deep sea floor to those generated by agricultural ploughing on land.

Non-dirt house floor and the stimulant of environmental health decreased the risk Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putu Suriyasa

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The risk factors related to acute respiratory infection (ARI, among others, is house floor. The aim of this research was to identify the influence of the Family Health and Nutrition program (FHN and other risk factors related to ARI. Data was obtained from a survey conducted in 5 provinces in Indonesia, which received the project of Family Health and Nutrition (FHN in 2003. The number of subjects was 1,500 families, selected by stratified random sampling method. The questionnaire completion and the observation were done on the spot in the subject’s house by special trained interviewers. The use of non-dirt house floor built prior to the project of FHN decreased the risk of ARI cases of 51% than the use of dirt house floor [Odds Ratio (OR = 0.49; 95% Confidence Interval (CI = 0.25-0.96]. The risk of ARI decreased of 52% among those who received than those which never received the stimulant of environmental health Family Health and Nutrition program (OR = 0.48; 95% CI =0.33-0.70. To decrease the risks of ARI cases, the program of environmental health is necessarily continued. (Med J Indones 2006; 15:60-5Keywords: ARI, non-dirt house floor, and stimulant of environmental health

Industrial tests of rock consolidation for fighting floor swelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pirskii, A A; Stovpnik, S N [KPI (USSR)

1990-04-01

Reports on investigations into the mechanism of floor swelling in main roadways and into rock mass stabilization by consolidating fluid injection combined with blasting. The principal cause of deterioration in the stability of workings is considered to be the state of stress in the rock mass, rock destruction in side walls where rock blocks are being pressed into the floor while the floor rock is squeezed out into the working space. A case study of fluid injection combined with blasting applied in several mines in the Donbass is presented where holes were drilled 1.5-3 m deep and explosive charges of 0.07-0.1 kg/hole and injection of hardening solutions (0.56-0.83 m{sup 3}/m of workings) were applied. As a result floor swelling rates were reduced by up to about 5 times (e.g. from 2.5 mm/d to 0.5 mm/d.). The period of maintenence free upkeep of workings was extended to 6-8 years. The economic effect in maintenance of 1 m of workings was 11.7 rubles for floor consolidation without sidewall bolting and 51.4 rubles for floor consolidation combined with sidewall bolting. Recommendations that concern the technology of floor consolidation by fluid injection and blasting are made. 4 refs.

Preliminary survey of the vulnerability to the contamination of the aquifers of Morondava river catchments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Randrianasolo, A.F.

2004-01-01

The objective of this work is to make a preliminary survey of the vulnerability to the contamination of the aquifers of Morondava river catchments. The methods used are the geological and hydrogeological surveys, the hydrochemistry and isotopic techniques. This survey allows us to have an overview of the chemical features of groundwaters, conditions of recharge, and especially to determine the potential and active zone of nitrate pollution. Two field works have been carried out within the frame of MAG/8/003 project. The first one is focused on groundwater sampling and surface water sampling, and the second one is based on the geological and hydrogeological surveys. The samples were sent for isotope ( 18 O, 2 H, 15 N, 87 Sr, 3 H) and chemical analysis to the I.A.E.A laboratories. The survey gave the following conclusions: the groundwaters are affected by evaporation before or during infiltration and saline intrusion. The region of Morondava is submitted to a regime of simple oceanic precipitation (excess in deuterium). The boreholes waters is of sodic-bicarbonate chemical type, whereas well waters belong to the calcic-bicarbonate. The superficial aquifers (subsurface water) trapped by the wells are more vulnerable than deep aquifers (homogeneous aquifers) trapped by boreholes. These hypotheses are proven by geological and hydrogeological investigations, by the groundwaters nitrate analyses results, and are confirmed by radioactive isotope. [fr

A novel & affordable interactive floor for educational applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boisen, Ulrik; Hansen, Anders Juul; Knudsen, Lars

2011-01-01

This article examines two research areas: How interactive floors can be used beneficially in an educational context, and how an interactive floor can be created which is mobile and relatively inexpensive....

Modern Theories of Pelvic Floor Support : A Topical Review of Modern Studies on Structural and Functional Pelvic Floor Support from Medical Imaging, Computational Modeling, and Electromyographic Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Yun; Miller, Brandi D; Boone, Timothy B; Zhang, Yingchun

2018-02-12

Weakened pelvic floor support is believed to be the main cause of various pelvic floor disorders. Modern theories of pelvic floor support stress on the structural and functional integrity of multiple structures and their interplay to maintain normal pelvic floor functions. Connective tissues provide passive pelvic floor support while pelvic floor muscles provide active support through voluntary contraction. Advanced modern medical technologies allow us to comprehensively and thoroughly evaluate the interaction of supporting structures and assess both active and passive support functions. The pathophysiology of various pelvic floor disorders associated with pelvic floor weakness is now under scrutiny from the combination of (1) morphological, (2) dynamic (through computational modeling), and (3) neurophysiological perspectives. This topical review aims to update newly emerged studies assessing pelvic floor support function among these three categories. A literature search was performed with emphasis on (1) medical imaging studies that assess pelvic floor muscle architecture, (2) subject-specific computational modeling studies that address new topics such as modeling muscle contractions, and (3) pelvic floor neurophysiology studies that report novel devices or findings such as high-density surface electromyography techniques. We found that recent computational modeling studies are featured with more realistic soft tissue constitutive models (e.g., active muscle contraction) as well as an increasing interest in simulating surgical interventions (e.g., artificial sphincter). Diffusion tensor imaging provides a useful non-invasive tool to characterize pelvic floor muscles at the microstructural level, which can be potentially used to improve the accuracy of the simulation of muscle contraction. Studies using high-density surface electromyography anal and vaginal probes on large patient cohorts have been recently reported. Influences of vaginal delivery on the

Detection and mapping of shipwrecks embedded in sea-floor sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøn, O.; Boldreel, Lars Ole; Cvikel, D.

2015-01-01

different geographical and geological areas and from different periods. The effects of shallow water depths, different sediment types, recording speed and different (2D and 3D) sub-bottom profiler systems are briefly discussed. It is concluded that Chirps are well suited for survey purposes, producing high...... quality 2D profiles of good resolution and satisfactory penetration depth. Furthermore, the equipment is easy to handle from a small boat and allows flexible sailing. This type of 2D data is cheaper and faster to acquire and is easier to interpret and apparently also provides better resolution and detail...... than present 3D systems. Chirp data are therefore of great value in identifying and outlining shipwrecks hidden in the sea floor in survey situations where larger areas must be covered. The overall conclusion is that there are grounds for optimism with regard to this method of detection of maritime...

Prevalence of job strain among Indian foundry shop floor workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, G Madhan; Elangovan, S; Prasad, P S S; Krishna, P Rama; Mokkapati, Anil Kumar

2008-01-01

Global competition in manufacturing sector demand higher productivity levels. In this context, workers in this sector are set with high output targets, leading to job strain. In addition to the strain, hazardous conditions also prevail in some of the manufacturing processes like foundry activities. This paper attempts to appraise the prevalence of job strain among foundry shop floor workers in India with the help of Demands-Control model [8]. In this study, data was collected through a survey using 49-item Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) [9], a widely used and well-validated test for job strain. Then the data was subjected to statistical analysis after ascertaining the reliability. This survey has revealed that 25% of workers in foundry were experiencing high job strain. Hazardous working conditions, limited decision making authority, etc. appear to be the main contributing factors for the higher levels of strain.

Management of disorders of the posterior pelvic floor.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, Loren; Aversa, John; Abir, Farshad; Longo, Walter E.

2005-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Constipation is a relatively common problem affecting 15 percent of adults in the Western world, and over half of these cases are related to pelvic floor disorders. This article reviews the clinical presentation and diagnostic approach to posterior pelvic floor disorders, including how to image and treat them. METHODS: A Pubmed search using keywords "rectal prolapse," "rectocele," "perineal hernia," and "anismus" was performed, and bibliographies of the revealed articles were cross-referenced to obtain a representative cross-section of the literature, both investigational studies and reviews, that are currently available on posterior pelvic floor disorders. DISCUSSION: Pelvic floor disorders can occur with or without concomitant physical anatomical defects, and there are a number of imaging modalities available to detect such abnormalities in order to decide on the appropriate course of treatment. Depending on the nature of the disorder, operative or non-operative therapy may be indicated. CONCLUSION: Correctly diagnosing pelvic floor disorders can be complex and challenging, and the various imaging modalities as well as clinical history and exam must be considered together in order to arrive at a diagnosis. PMID:16720016

Numerical investigation on the effect of balcony open and solid upstand on smoke contamination in atrium balconies

Science.gov (United States)

Mutafi, M. A.; Nasif, M. S.; Pao, W.; Ismail, F. B.

2017-10-01

Atrium is a modern architectural design of buildings that has an open space at the middle and contains several floors. In atrium structure the smoke due to fire can easily flow through the open spaces and causes smoke contamination. CFD simulation using fire dynamic simulator (FDS) software is conducted in this work, to investigate the effect of balcony open upstand on smoke contamination in atrium’s balconies and compare it with balconies with solid upstand. It was found that in case of open upstand, the smoke contamination occurrence decreased inside the balcony comparing with balconies with solid upstand.

Special aspects of attic floor warming in historic buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murgul Vera

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article containsreasoningof the heat transfer performance uniformity factor determination for attic floors of historic residential buildings while energy effective modifying buildings. The numeral value of this heat transfer performance uniformity factor for the wooden attic floor structure was founddurung investigation. It was estimated that there was no moisture condensation in the wooden attic floor structure.

Short communication: Flooring preferences of dairy cows at calving.

Science.gov (United States)

Campler, M; Munksgaard, L; Jensen, M B; Weary, D M; von Keyserlingk, M A G

2014-02-01

The present study investigated the flooring preference during the 30 h before parturition in Holstein dairy cows housed individually in a maternity pen. Seventeen multiparous cows were moved, on average, 2 d before expected calving date into an individual maternity pen with 3 different flooring surfaces: 10 cm of sand, pebble-top rubber mats, or concrete flooring, each covered with 15 cm of straw. Calving location, lying time, and total time and number of lying bouts on each of the floor types were recorded during 2 periods: precalving (24 to 29 h before calving) and at calving (0 to 5h before calving). Ten cows calved on sand, 6 on concrete, and 1 on the rubber mat. Lying bouts increased during the hours closest to calving, regardless of flooring. The number of lying bouts did not differ between flooring types precalving but cows had more lying bouts on sand and concrete compared with rubber at calving. Cows spent more time lying down on sand and concrete compared with rubber precalving, but lying times did not differ between treatments at calving. Cows that calved on sand spent more time lying on sand at calving compared with the other 2 flooring types. Cows that calved on concrete did not show a flooring preference at calving. These results indicate that rubber mats are the least preferred by dairy cows in the maternity pens, even when covered with a deep layer of straw. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obtaining and Estimating Low Noise Floors in Vibration Sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brincker, Rune; Larsen, Jesper Abildgaard

2007-01-01

For some applications like seismic applications and measuring ambient vibrations in structures, it is essential that the noise floors of the sensors and other system components are low and known to the user. Some of the most important noise sources are reviewed and it is discussed how the sensor...... can be designed in order to obtain a low noise floor. Techniques to estimate the noise floors for sensors are reviewed and are demonstrated on a commercial commonly used sensor for vibration testing. It is illustrated how the noise floor can be calculated using the coherence between simultaneous...

CAISSON TYPE HOLLOW FLOOR SLABS OF MONOLITHIC MULTI-STOREYED BUILDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malakhova Anna Nikolaevna

2016-06-01

Full Text Available One of the disadvantages of building structures made of reinforced concrete is their considerable weight. One of the trends to decrease the weight of concrete structures, including floor slabs, is the arrangement of voids in the cross-sectional building structures. In Russian and foreign practice paper, cardboard and plastic tubes has been used for creation of voids in the construction of monolithic floor slabs. Lightweight concretes were also used for production of precast hollow core floor slabs. The article provides constructive solutions of precast hollow core floor slabs and solid monolithic slabs that were used in the construction of buildings before wide use of large precast hollow core floor slabs. The article considers the application of caisson hollow core floor slabs for modern monolithic multi-storeyed buildings. The design solutions of such floor slabs, experimental investigations and computer modeling of their operation under load were described in this article. The comparative analysis of the calculation results of computer models of a hollow slabs formed of rod or plastic elements showed the similarity of calculation results.

Materials contamination control in the microelectronic industry; Controle de la contamination des materiaux dans l`industrie de la micro-electronique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tardif, F

1994-12-31

This paper deals with many aspects of the contamination of materials in the microelectronic industry. The contamination`s control of chemicals, process gases, silicon and the survey of the ions free water`s purity are treated. (TEC). 29 figs., 7 tabs.

Surficial geology of the sea floor in Long Island Sound offshore of Plum Island, New York

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, K.Y.; Poppe, L.J.; Danforth, W.W.; Blackwood, D.S.; Schaer, J.D.; Ostapenko, A.J.; Glomb, K.A.; Doran, E.F.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working cooperatively to interpret surficial sea-floor geology along the coast of the Northeastern United States. NOAA survey H11445 in eastern Long Island Sound, offshore of Plum Island, New York, covers an area of about 12 square kilometers. Multibeam bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery from the survey, as well as sediment and photographic data from 13 stations occupied during a USGS verification cruise are used to delineate sea-floor features and characterize the environment. Bathymetry gradually deepens offshore to over 100 meters in a depression in the northwest part of the study area and reaches 60 meters in Plum Gut, a channel between Plum Island and Orient Point. Sand waves are present on a shoal north of Plum Island and in several smaller areas around the basin. Sand-wave asymmetry indicates that counter-clockwise net sediment transport maintains the shoal. Sand is prevalent where there is low backscatter in the sidescan-sonar imagery. Gravel and boulder areas are submerged lag deposits produced from the Harbor Hill-Orient Point-Fishers Island moraine segment and are found adjacent to the shorelines and just north of Plum Island, where high backscatter is present in the sidescan-sonar imagery.

Global floor planning approach for VLSI design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaPotin, D.P.

1986-01-01

Within a hierarchical design environment, initial decisions regarding the partitioning and choice of module attributes greatly impact the quality of the resulting IC in terms of area and electrical performance. This dissertation presents a global floor-planning approach which allows designers to quickly explore layout issues during the initial stages of the IC design process. In contrast to previous efforts, which address the floor-planning problem from a strict module placement point of view, this approach considers floor-planning from an area planning point of view. The approach is based upon a combined min-cut and slicing paradigm, which ensures routability. To provide flexibility, modules may be specified as having a number of possible dimensions and orientations, and I/O pads as well as layout constraints are considered. A slicing-tree representation is employed, upon which a sequence of traversal operations are applied in order to obtain an area efficient layout. An in-place partitioning technique, which provides an improvement over previous min-cut and slicing-based efforts, is discussed. Global routing and module I/O pin assignment are provided for floor-plan evaluation purposes. A computer program, called Mason, has been developed which efficiently implements the approach and provides an interactive environment for designers to perform floor-planning. Performance of this program is illustrated via several industrial examples

Pelvic floor dysfunction, and effects of pregnancy and mode of delivery on pelvic floor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murat Bozkurt

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD, although seems to be simple, is a complex process that develops secondary to multifactorial factors. The incidence of PFD is increasing with increasing life expectancy. PFD is a term that refers to a broad range of clinical scenarios, including lower urinary tract excretory and defecation disorders, such as urinary and anal incontinence, overactive bladder, and pelvic organ prolapse, as well as sexual disorders. It is a financial burden on the health care system and disrupts women's quality of life. Strategies applied to decrease PFD are focused on the course of pregnancy, mode and management of delivery, and pelvic exercise methods. Many studies in the literature define traumatic birth, usage of forceps, length of the second stage of delivery, and sphincter damage as modifiable risk factors for PFD. Maternal age, fetal position, and fetal head circumference are nonmodifiable risk factors. Although numerous studies show that vaginal delivery affects pelvic floor structures and their functions in a negative way, there is not enough scientific evidence to recommend elective cesarean delivery in order to prevent development of PFD. PFD is a heterogeneous pathological condition, and the effects of pregnancy, vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery, and possible risk factors of PFD may be different from each other. Observational studies have identified certain obstetrical exposures as risk factors for pelvic floor disorders. These factors often coexist; therefore, the isolated effects of these variables on the pelvic floor are difficult to study. The routine use of episiotomy for many years in order to prevent PFD is not recommended anymore; episiotomy should be used in selected cases, and the mediolateral procedures should be used if needed.

Can quality of life be improved by pelvic floor muscle training in women with urinary incontinence after ischemic stroke?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tibaek, Sigrid; Jensen, Rigmor; Lindskov, Grethe

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle training in women with urinary incontinence after ischemic stroke measured by quality of life (QoL) parameters. Three hundred thirty-nine medical records of stroke patients were searched. Twenty-six subjects were randomised...... to a Treatment Group or a Control Group in a single blinded, randomised study design. The intervention included 12 weeks of standardised pelvic floor muscle training. The outcome was measured by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey Questionnaire and The Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ). Twenty....... Development of specific instruments for QoL in stroke patients with urinary incontinence can be recommended....

Laparoscopic Pelvic Floor Repair Using Polypropylene Mesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shih-Shien Weng

2008-09-01

Conclusion: Laparoscopic pelvic floor repair using a single piece of polypropylene mesh combined with uterosacral ligament suspension appears to be a feasible procedure for the treatment of advanced vaginal vault prolapse and enterocele. Fewer mesh erosions and postoperative pain syndromes were seen in patients who had no previous pelvic floor reconstructive surgery.

Detection of lunar floor-fractured craters using machine learning methods

Science.gov (United States)

Thorey, C.

2015-10-01

About 200 Floor Fractured Craters (FFCs) have been identified by Schultz (1976) on the Moon, mainly around the lunar maria. These craters are a class of impact craters that are distinguished by having radi-ally and concentric floor-fractured networks and ab-normally shallow floors. In some cases, the uplift of the crater floor can be as large as 50% of the initial crater depth. These impact craters are interpreted to have undergone endogenous deformations after their formation.

Post-remedial-action radiological survey report for the Plutonium Facility of the Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus Division, West Jefferson Complex, West Jefferson, Ohio, April 1980-June 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flynn, K.F.; Justus, A.L.; Sholeen, C.M.; Smith, W.H.; Wynveen, R.A.

1987-01-01

The post-remedial-action surveys involved only the remaining, newer segment of the original Plutonium Facility and those outdoor environs at the former location of the buried autoclave and old holding tanks. The assessment activities conducted during the three surveys included determination of surface contamination levels, both fixed and removable, through direct instrument and smear surveys; measurement of ambient external penetrating radiation levels at 1-meter heights throughout the involved areas; measurement of the concentrations of radon, thoron, and actinon daughters and longer-lived radionuclides within air samples; and determination of concentrations of uranium, plutonium, americium, neptunium, the thorium-232 decay chain, and the radium-226 decay chain in soil and other material samples from the involved areas. The direct instrument and smear surveys were performed on all accessible floor, wall, and overhead surfaces and ductwork in the laboratory and corridor areas, mechanical room, and men's locker room, where the false ceiling, formerly at the 12-ft level, had been removed. In the office areas, the accessible floors, walls, and overheads were surveyed to the height of the existing 8-ft false ceiling. Although the office areas were adjacent to, not part of, the affected areas, it was possible that radioactive materials could have been carried by the ventilation system, spilled, or otherwise tracked into these adjacent areas. In some building areas, surfaces might hae been retiled, painted, or otherwise covered since the beginning of use of radioactive materials; however, the instruments used for the direct survey had some capability to detect beta-gamma activity on the underlying surfaces. 5 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs

29 CFR 1910.23 - Guarding floor and wall openings and holes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Guarding floor and wall openings and holes. 1910.23 Section... floor and wall openings and holes. (a) Protection for floor openings. (1) Every stairway floor opening... opening and hole shall be guarded by a standard skylight screen or a fixed standard railing on all exposed...

40 CFR 427.70 - Applicability; description of the asbestos floor tile subcategory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... asbestos floor tile subcategory. 427.70 Section 427.70 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Asbestos Floor Tile Subcategory § 427.70 Applicability; description of the asbestos floor tile subcategory... manufacture of asbestos floor tile. ...

An education program about pelvic floor muscles improved women's knowledge but not pelvic floor muscle function, urinary incontinence or sexual function: a randomised trial.

Science.gov (United States)

de Andrade, Roberta Leopoldino; Bø, Kari; Antonio, Flavia Ignácio; Driusso, Patricia; Mateus-Vasconcelos, Elaine Cristine Lemes; Ramos, Salvador; Julio, Monica Pitanguy; Ferreira, Cristine Homsi Jorge

2018-04-01

Does an educational program with instructions for performing 'the Knack' improve voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, reduce reports of urinary incontinence, improve sexual function, and promote women's knowledge of the pelvic floor muscles? Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded assessors. Ninety-nine women from the local community. The experimental group (n=50) received one lecture per week for 4 weeks, and instructions for performing 'the Knack'. The control group (n=49) received no intervention. The primary outcome was maximum voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles measured using manometry. Secondary outcomes were: ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles measured using vaginal palpation; severity of urinary incontinence measured by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF) scored from 0 to 21; self-reported sexual function; and knowledge related to the pelvic floor. Outcomes were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. The intervention did not significantly improve: maximum voluntary contraction (MD 2.7 cmH 2 O higher in the experimental group, 95% CI -0.5 to 5.9); ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles (RR 2.18, 95% CI 0.49 to 9.65); or self-reported severity of urinary incontinence (MD 1 point greater reduction in the experimental group, 95% CI -3 to 1). Sexual function did not significantly differ between groups, but very few of the women engaged in sexual activity during the study period. The educational program did, however, significantly increase women's knowledge related to the location, functions and dysfunctions of the pelvic floor muscles, and treatment options. Education and teaching women to perform 'the Knack' had no significant effect on voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, urinary incontinence or sexual function, but it promoted women's knowledge about the pelvic floor. Brazilian Registry of Clinical

Human Contamination in Public Genome Assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kryukov, Kirill; Imanishi, Tadashi

2016-01-01

Contamination in genome assembly can lead to wrong or confusing results when using such genome as reference in sequence comparison. Although bacterial contamination is well known, the problem of human-originated contamination received little attention. In this study we surveyed 45,735 available genome assemblies for evidence of human contamination. We used lineage specificity to distinguish between contamination and conservation. We found that 154 genome assemblies contain fragments that with high confidence originate as contamination from human DNA. Majority of contaminating human sequences were present in the reference human genome assembly for over a decade. We recommend that existing contaminated genomes should be revised to remove contaminated sequence, and that new assemblies should be thoroughly checked for presence of human DNA before submitting them to public databases.

Aerial radiation survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradeep Kumar, K.S.

1998-01-01

Aerial gamma spectrometry surveys are the most effective, comprehensive and preferred tool to delimit the large area surface contamination in a radiological emergency either due to a nuclear accident or following a nuclear strike. The airborne survey apart from providing rapid and economical evaluation of ground contamination over large areas due to larger ground clearance and higher speed, is the only technique to overcome difficulties posed by ground surveys of inaccessible region. The aerial survey technique can also be used for searching of lost radioactive sources, tracking of radioactive plume and generation of background data on the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) of nuclear installations

Generation of floor response spectra for PFBR RCB

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajish, S.D.; Ramakrishna, V.; Chellapandi, P.; Chetal, S.C.

2003-01-01

This paper describes the generation of floor time histories and corresponding floor response spectrums at various locations in reactor containment building (RCB) for 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). The RCB and its internal structures are modeled with equivalent 3D-beam elements (stick model), which have got the essential global stiffness and inertial properties of the corresponding building. The main aspect in the simulation of beam model is derivation of equivalent cross sectional properties such as bending, torsional and shear rigidities including shear centers. These properties have been obtained through 3D plate/shell element models with appropriate kinematic constraints, for the zones between floors of corresponding buildings. The stick model includes a set of springs and dampers to simulate soil effects, on which base raft and various sticks are mounted. The soil stiffness and damping values are derived based on equations given in ASCE-98. Time history analysis has been done using three uncorrelated time histories, which are derived from the site dependent design response spectra. Floor time histories (FTH) are extracted at important locations from which the corresponding floor response spectrums (FRS) have been generated for various damping values. Peak broadening of the response spectrums has been done according ASCE criteria. Floor response spectrum corresponds to reactor assembly support shows amplification 2.5 for SSE and 3 for OBE. CASTEM 3M is used for seismic analysis and generation of FRS. (author)

Portable flooring protects finished surfaces, is easily moved

Science.gov (United States)

Carmody, R. J.

1964-01-01

To protect curved, finished surface and provide support for workmen, portable flooring has been made from rigid plastic foam blocks, faced with aluminum strips. Held together by nylon webbing, the flooring can be rolled up for easy carrying.

Dance floors as injury risk: analysis and evaluation of acute injuries caused by dance floors in professional dance with regard to preventative aspects.

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, Eileen M; Mill, Helmgard; Wanke, Alice; Davenport, Jaqueline; Koch, Franziska; Groneberg, David A

2012-09-01

A dance floor is often the only support of movements in dance. A dance floor surface that shows deficiencies, can result in acute injuries and chronic problems. Although the significance of an adequate dance floor is well known, there is still a lack of differentiated analyses of dance floor-related acute injuries. This study presents data on acute injuries exclusively caused by the dance floor. The data were obtained from standardized work accident reports from consultants (F 1000), documentary accident records from all Berlin theatres, a state ballet school (n=2,281), and case records from the Berlin State Accident Insurance (UKB) covering a period of 17 years. All analyses and descriptive statistics were conducted with Excel 2007 and SPSS 18. Dance floor surfaces were the causative factor in 12.8% of all accidents (n=291, female 183, male 108). Almost two thirds (62.6%) of all accidents in professional dancers happened on stage, and almost half (49.5%) occurred during performances. As for causative factors, 53.1% of the professional dancers (P) and 42.5% of the dance students (S) claimed that the floor had been "too slippery," with "getting stuck" or (tripping) as the second most common problem (P 18.4%, S 11.3%). Of the injured dancers, 41.8% were older than 30 years and can therefore be categorized as experienced. Dance floors play a significant role in the occurrence of acute injuries, even in experienced dancers. Performances on stage seem to be a particular risk. However, injury prevention measures should include all work locations (P) as well as non-dance-specific locations (S).

27 CFR 46.195 - Floor stocks requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Tubes Held for Sale on April 1, 2009 General § 46.195 Floor stocks requirements. (a) Take inventory. The dealer must establish the quantity of articles subject to the floor stocks tax held for sale on April 1, 2009. The dealer may take a physical inventory or may use a record (book) inventory, as specified in...

[Quality of life in women with pelvic floor dysfunction].

Science.gov (United States)

Segedi, Ljiljana Mladenović; Ilić, Katarina Parezanović; Curcić, Aleksandar; Visnjevac, Nemanja

2011-11-01

Pelvic floor dysfunction is a frequent problem affecting more than 50% of women in peri- and postmenopause. Considering that ageing and menopause befall in the significant factors causing this issue, as well as the expected longevity of women in the world and in our country, pelvic floor dysfunction prevelence is foreseen to be even higher. The aim of the study was to evaluate impact of the symptoms of pelvic dysfunction on quality of life and examine body image satisfaction in adult women with pelvic organ prolapse presenting to tertiary care clinic for surgical treatment. This prospective case-control study included 50 patients who presented to tertiary care gynecology clinic for surgical treatment and 50 controls with normal pelvic floor support and without urinary incontinence who presented tertiary care gynecology clinic for other reasons. Both, patients and controls, completed two quastionnaires recommended for the evaluation of symptoms (Pelvic floor distress inventory - short forms) and quality of life impact (Pelvic floor impact questionnaire - short form) of pelvic organ prolapse, and Body Image Scale. The patients scored significantly worse on the prolapse, urinary, colorectal scales and overall score of Pelvic floor distress inventory--20 than controls subjects (134.91 vs 78.08; p self-conscious (78% vs 42%; p body. There was a positive correlation between decreased quality of life and body image in women with pelvic dysfunction. Women with pelvic floor dysfunction have decreased quality of life and body image.

Contaminant transport and accumulation in Massachusetts Bay and Boston Harbor; a summary of U.S. Geological Survey studies

Science.gov (United States)

Butman, Bradford; Bothner, Michael H.; Hathaway, J.C.; Jenter, H.L.; Knebel, H.J.; Manheim, F.T.; Signell, R.P.

1992-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting studies in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and Cape Cod Bay designed to define the geologic framework of the region and to understand the transport and accumulation of contaminated sediments. The region is being studied because of environmental problems caused by the introduction of wastes for a long time, because a new ocean outfall (to begin operation in 1995) will change the location for disposal of treated Boston sewage from Boston Harbor into Massachusetts Bay, and because of the need to understand the transport of sediments and associated contaminants in order to address a wide range of management questions. The USGS effort complements and is closely coordinated with the research and monitoring studies supported by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, the Massachusetts Bays Program, and by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority. The USGS study includes (1) geologic mapping, (2) circulation studies, (3) long-term current and sediment transport observations, (4) measurements of contaminant inventories and rates of sediment mixing and accumulation, (5) circulation modeling, (6) development of a contaminated sediments data base, and (7) information exchange. A long-term objective of the program is to develop a predictive capability for sediment transport and accumulation.

Anonymous electronic trading versus floor trading

OpenAIRE

Franke, Günter; Hess, Dieter

1995-01-01

This paper compares the attractiveness of floor trading and anonymous electronic trading systems. It is argued that in times of low information intensity the insight into the order book of the electronic trading system provides more valuable information than floor trading, but in times of high information intensity the reverse is true. Thus, the electronic system's market share in trading activity should decline in times of high information intensity. This hypothesis is tested by data on BUND...

Effect of slatted and solid floors and permeability of floors in pig houses on environment, animal welfare and health and food safety: a review of literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vermeij, I.; Enting, J.; Spoolder, H.A.M.

2009-01-01

An integrated approach can improve understanding of floor performance. Not only gap width or percentage of slatted floor is important, but a minimum percentage of permeability of the total floor area appears to be decisive

Imaging of the posterior pelvic floor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoker, Jaap; Bartram, Clive I.; Halligan, Steve

2002-01-01

Disorders of the posterior pelvic floor are relatively common. The role of imaging in this field is increasing, especially in constipation, prolapse and anal incontinence, and currently imaging is an integral part of the investigation of these pelvic floor disorders. Evacuation proctography provides both structural and functional information for rectal voiding and prolapse. Dynamic MRI may be a valuable alternative as the pelvic floor muscles are visualised, and it is currently under evaluation. Endoluminal imaging is important in the management of anal incontinence. Both endosonography and endoanal MRI can be used for detection of anal sphincter defects. Endoanal MRI has the advantage of simultaneously evaluating external sphincter atrophy, which is an important predictive factor for the outcome of sphincter repair. Many aspects of constipation and prolapse remain incompletely understood and treatment is partly empirical; however, imaging has a central role in management to place patients into treatment-defined groups. (orig.)

Imaging of the posterior pelvic floor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoker, Jaap [Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam (Netherlands); Bartram, Clive I.; Halligan, Steve [Intestinal Imaging Centre, St. Mark' s Hospital, London (United Kingdom)

2002-04-01

Disorders of the posterior pelvic floor are relatively common. The role of imaging in this field is increasing, especially in constipation, prolapse and anal incontinence, and currently imaging is an integral part of the investigation of these pelvic floor disorders. Evacuation proctography provides both structural and functional information for rectal voiding and prolapse. Dynamic MRI may be a valuable alternative as the pelvic floor muscles are visualised, and it is currently under evaluation. Endoluminal imaging is important in the management of anal incontinence. Both endosonography and endoanal MRI can be used for detection of anal sphincter defects. Endoanal MRI has the advantage of simultaneously evaluating external sphincter atrophy, which is an important predictive factor for the outcome of sphincter repair. Many aspects of constipation and prolapse remain incompletely understood and treatment is partly empirical; however, imaging has a central role in management to place patients into treatment-defined groups. (orig.)

Common floor system vertical earthquake-proof structure for reactor equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morishita, Masaki.

1996-01-01

In an LMFBR type reactor, a reactor container, a recycling pump and a heat exchanger are disposed on a common floor. Vertical earthquake-proof devices which can be stretched only in vertical direction formed by laminating large-sized bellevilles are disposed on a concrete wall at the circumference of each of reactor equipments. A common floor is placed on all of the vertical earthquake-proof devices to support the entire earthquake-proof structure simultaneously. If each of reactor equipments is loaded on the common floor and the common floor is entirely supported against earthquakes altogether, since the movement of each of the reactor equipments loaded on the common floor is identical, relative dislocation is not exerted on the main pipelines which connect the equipments. In addition, since the entire earthquake structure has a flat common floor and each of the reactor equipments is suspended to minimize the distance between a gravitational center and a support point, locking vibration is less caused to the horizontal earthquake. (N.H.)

Functional imaging of the pelvic floor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lienemann, Andreas E-mail: andreaslienemann@web.de; Fischer, Tanja

2003-08-01

Introduction/Objective: Pelvic floor dysfunction and associated pelvic organ prolapse represent a major problem in our present-day society, mostly afflicting parous women. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is assuming an increasingly important role in the more accurate delineation of the extent of the problem. This article briefly reviews one of the main radiological methods for the dynamic evaluation of the pelvic floor: functional cine MRI. Methods and Material: Out of the literature the smallest common denominator for functional cine MRI can be defined as follows: high field system; patient either in supine or sitting position; fast gradient echo sequence; midsagittal slice orientation; either a stack of slices or repeated measurements at the same slice position with the patient at rest or straining; image analysis using the pubococcygeal reference line. Results: All except two publications stress the usefulness of functional cine MRI in the evaluation of patients with organ descent and prolapse. This well accepted method allows for the visualization of all relevant structures in the anterior, middle and posterior compartment. It is especially useful in the detection of enteroceles, and provides a reliable postoperative follow-up tool. Isolated urinary or stool incontinence are not an indication for functional cine MRI, as is the case in patients with equivocal clinical findings. To date it does not allow for real 3D imaging of the pelvic floor or sufficient determination of fascial defects. Discussion: Functional cine MRI of the pelvic floor is a promising new imaging method for the detection of organ descent and prolapse in patients with equivocal clinical findings. The combination of function and morphology allows for an innovative view of the pelvic floor, and thus adds to our understanding of the various interactions of the structures.

Modelling floor heating systems using a validated two-dimensional ground coupled numerical model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitzmann, Peter; Kragh, Jesper; Roots, Peter

2005-01-01

This paper presents a two-dimensional simulation model of the heat losses and tempera-tures in a slab on grade floor with floor heating which is able to dynamically model the floor heating system. The aim of this work is to be able to model, in detail, the influence from the floor construction...... the floor. This model can be used to design energy efficient houses with floor heating focusing on the heat loss through the floor construction and foundation. It is found that it is impor-tant to model the dynamics of the floor heating system to find the correct heat loss to the ground, and further......, that the foundation has a large impact on the energy consumption of buildings heated by floor heating. Consequently, this detail should be in focus when designing houses with floor heating....

Do women with pelvic floor dysfunction referred by gynaecologists and urologists at hospitals complete a pelvic floor muscle training programme?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tibaek, Sigrid; Dehlendorff, Christian

2013-01-01

For decades women with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) have been referred to pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), but there is only little information on whether the women complete the programmes and why. The objectives of this study were to investigate to which extent women completed a PFMT...

Practical Field Survey Approach with Handle Device for Lead Contamination Assessment in Kabwe, Zambia

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamura, S.; Hirose, K.; Takeda, T.; Uchida, Y.; Nakata, H.; Nakayama, S.; Ishizuka, M.; Yabe, J.; Ito, M.; Igarashi, T.

2017-12-01

International joint research project for assessing lead soil contamination in Kabwe, Zambia was started by Zambian and Japanese scientists in 2008. Various scientific data and results have been obtained up to now. Data sharing among researchers and government officials is necessary for understanding current situation of lead contamination in Kabwe comprehensively. As lead contamination affects on local communities seriously, local community participation is important to solve the environmental issue in near future. This study, therefore, aims to develop GIS Data Integration System (GDIS as followed) consisted of GIS Data Sharing System (GDSS as followed) as web-GIS, FIELDNAUT as Android App for field survey and opensource SNS instance named Mastodon. GDIS will provide local communities to participate easily and support researchers to collect and understand about everyday situation and visualize lead contamination status in Kabwe, Zambia. GDIS is developed with opensource programs. GDSS was simply designed and developed on one desktop PC (Hirose et al., 2015) although common web-GIS requires many servers (Suresh et al., 2015). FIELDNAUT was developed in 2016. FIELDNAUT provides researchers plotting their locations on satellite images and thematic maps, filming and texting with their locations, and compiling and sharing data through GDSS. Mastodon will be used as a new FIELDNAUT communication function between local communities and researchers. It is an independent SNS instance, and the closed and secure communication system will be able to be developed. With this function, local communities will share photos and texts about their daily lives and situation around Kabwe by FIELDNAUT, and those data will be collected into GDSS. Researchers provide their results as hazard maps to local communities through FIELDNAUT. GDIS consisted of GDSS, FIELDNAUT and Mastodon encourages local community participation and let local communities be interested in their environmental issues

Indoor radon seasonal variability at different floors of buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Francesco, S.; Tommasone, F. Pascale; Cuoco, E.; Tedesco, D.

2010-01-01

Indoor radon concentrations have been measured with the α track etch integrated method in public buildings in the town of Pietramelara, north-western Campania, Southern Italy. In particular, our measurements were part of an environmental monitoring program originally aimed at assessing the range of seasonal fluctuations in indoor radon concentrations, at various floors of the studied buildings. However, subsequent analysis of the data and its comparison with the meteorological data recorded in the same period has shown an unexpected pattern at the different floors. In this report we present data suggesting that, besides the well-known medium and longterm periodicity, there could also be a differentiation in major meteorological controlling factors at the different floors of the buildings, a fact that does not appear to have been reported previously. While the lower floors proved to be markedly affected by rainfall, for the upper floors, instead, a different behaviour has been detected, which could possibly be related to global solar radiation.

Sea floor topography and backscatter intensity of the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS), offshore of New York, based on multibeam surveys conducted in 1996, 1998, and 2000

Science.gov (United States)

Butman, Bradford; Danforth, W.W.; Knowles, S.C.; May, Brian; Serrett, Laurie

2000-01-01

An area offshore of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, has been used extensively for disposal of dredged and other materials, derived from the New York/New Jersey Harbor and surrounding areas, since the late 1800's (Figure 1). Between 1976 and 1995, the New York Bight Dredged Material Disposal Site, also known as the Mud Dump Site (Figure 2), received on average about 6 million cubic yards of material each year from federal and private maintenance dredging and from harbor deepening activities (Massa and others, 1996). In September 1997 the Mud Dump Site (MDS) was closed as an official ocean disposal site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/), and the MDS and surrounding areas were designated as the Historic Area Remediation Site (HARS). The HARS is subdivided into a Primary Remediation Area (PRA, subdivided into 9 cells), a Buffer Zone, and a No-Discharge Zone (Figure 2). The sea floor of the HARS, approximately 9 square nautical miles in area, is being remediated by placing at least a one-meter cap of Category I (clean) dredged material on top of the existing surface sediments that exhibit varying degrees of degradation. (See http://www.nan.usace.army.mil/business/prjlinks/dmmp/benefic/hars.htm)(Category I sediments have no potential short or long-term impacts and are acceptable for unrestricted ocean disposal (EPA, 1996)). About 1.1 million cubic yards of dredged material for remediation was placed in the HARS in 1999, and 2.5 million cubic yards in 2000. Three multibeam echosounder surveys were carried out to map the topography and surficial geology of the HARS. The surveys were conducted November 23 - December 3, 1996, October 26 - November 11, 1998, and April 6 - 30, 2000. The surveys were carried out as part of a larger survey of the Hudson Shelf Valley and adjacent shelf (Butman and others, 1998, (http://pubs.usgs.gov/openfile/of98-616/). This report presents maps showing topography, shaded relief, and backscatter intensity (a measure of sea

Addendum 4 to CSAR 81-001, Installation of an Official Critical Drain on the Plexiglass Contamination Barrier in HC-227T Hood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiao, T.

1995-12-01

This report defines the maximum space allowed between the floor surface and the lower edge of an official criticality drain which is to be installed on the plexiglas contamination barrier in HC-227T Hood

Measurement of residual radioactive surface contamination by 2-D laser heated TLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, S.C.

1997-06-01

The feasibility of applying and adapting a two-dimensional laser heated thermoluminescence dosimetry system to the problem of surveying for radioactive surface contamination was studied. The system consists of a CO 2 laser-based reader and monolithic arrays of thin dosimeter elements. The arrays consist of 10,201 thermoluminescent phosphor elements of 40 micron thickness, covering a 900 cm 2 area. Array substrates are 125 micron thick polyimide sheets, enabling them to easily conform to regular surface shapes, especially for survey of surfaces that are inaccessible for standard survey instruments. The passive, integrating radiation detectors are sensitive to alpha and beta radiation at contamination levels below release guideline limits. Required contact times with potentially contaminated surfaces are under one hour to achieve detection of transuranic alpha emission at 100 dpm/100 cm 2 . Positional information obtained from array evaluation is useful for locating contamination zones. Unique capabilities of this system for survey of sites, facilities and material include measurement inside pipes and other geometrical configurations that prevent standard surveys, and below-surface measurement of alpha and beta emitters in contaminated soils. These applications imply a reduction of material that must be classified as radioactive waste by virtue of its possibility of contamination, and cost savings in soil sampling at contaminated sites

Pelvic floor spasm as a cause of voiding dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Tricia L C; Ng, L G; Chapple, Christopher R

2015-07-01

Pelvic floor disorders can present with lower urinary tract symptoms, bowel, sexual dysfunction, and/or pain. Symptoms of pelvic muscle spasm (nonrelaxing pelvic floor or hypertonicity) vary and can be difficult to recognize. This makes diagnosis and management of these disorders challenging. In this article, we review the current evidence on pelvic floor spasm and its association with voiding dysfunction. To distinguish between the different causes of voiding dysfunction, a video urodynamics study and/or electromyography is often required. Conservative measures include patient education, behavioral modifications, lifestyle changes, and pelvic floor rehabilitation/physical therapy. Disease-specific pelvic pain and pain from pelvic floor spasm needs to be differentiated and treated specifically. Trigger point massage and injections relieves pain in some patients. Botulinum toxin A, sacral neuromodulation, and acupuncture has been reported in the management of patients with refractory symptoms. Pelvic floor spasm and associated voiding problems are heterogeneous in their pathogenesis and are therefore often underrecognized and undertreated; it is therefore essential that a therapeutic strategy needs to be personalized to the individual patient's requirements. Therefore, careful evaluation and assessment of individuals using a multidisciplinary team approach including a trained physical therapist/nurse clinician is essential in the management of these patients.

Endoscopic anatomy of the orbital floor and maxillary sinus.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Corey C; Bromwich, Matthew; Roth, Kathy; Matic, Damir B

2008-01-01

Endoscopic repair of orbital blow-out fractures could become a predictable and efficient treatment alternative to traditional methods. However, maxillary sinus endoscopy provides a complex and disorienting view of the orbital floor. To be a useful and consistent technique for providing access to the orbital floor, specific knowledge of maxillary endoscopic anatomy is required. The purpose of the study was to provide an anatomic description of the orbital floor via the endoscopic approach. Objectives include defining consistent landmarks for use in endoscopic repair of orbital floor fractures. Using 0- and 30-degree rigid endoscopes, 6 fresh cadavers (12 maxillary sinuses) were examined via a standard Caldwell-Luc approach. Computed tomographic scans, plastic molds, and digital images were used to compare observable averages within bony anatomy. Potential bony landmarks were correlated with soft-tissue anatomy in fresh specimens. The maxillary ostium, orbital floor, and lateral ethmoid air cells were visualized, and their structures were described. Observations were made in relation to the anatomy of the orbital floor and maxillary sinus, including fracture pattern and force transmission pathways. An "orbitomaxillary" sinus bony thickening was identified and described for the first time. This study provides the basis for further refinement of surgical technique and opens the door for future clinical trials using endoscopic repair.

Nuclear reactor cavity floor passive heat removal system

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Tyler A.; Neeley, Gary W.; Inman, James B.

2018-03-06

A nuclear reactor includes a reactor core disposed in a reactor pressure vessel. A radiological containment contains the nuclear reactor and includes a concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor. An ex vessel corium retention system includes flow channels embedded in the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor, an inlet in fluid communication with first ends of the flow channels, and an outlet in fluid communication with second ends of the flow channels. In some embodiments the inlet is in fluid communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a first elevation and the outlet is in fluid communication with the interior of the radiological containment at a second elevation higher than the first elevation. The radiological containment may include a reactor cavity containing a lower portion of the pressure vessel, wherein the concrete floor located underneath the nuclear reactor is the reactor cavity floor.

Comparison of changes in the mobility of the pelvic floor muscle on during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction

OpenAIRE

Jung, Halim; Jung, Sangwoo; Joo, Sunghee; Song, Changho

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare changes in the mobility of the pelvic floor muscle during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction. [Subjects] Thirty healthy adults participated in this study (15 men and 15 women). [Methods] All participants performed a bridge exercise and abdominal curl-up during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver, maximal expiration, and pelvic floor muscle maximal contraction. Pelvic floor mobility...

Structured expert elicitation about Listeria monocytogenes cross-contamination in the environment of retail deli operations in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoelzer, Karin; Oliver, Haley F; Kohl, Larry R; Hollingsworth, Jill; Wells, Martin T; Wiedmann, Martin

2012-07-01

Listeria monocytogenes is among the foodborne pathogens with the highest death toll in the United States. Ready-to-eat foods contaminated at retail are an important source of infection. Environmental sites in retail deli operations can be contaminated. However, commonly contaminated sites are unlikely to come into direct contact with food and the public health relevance of environmental contamination has remained unclear. To identify environmental sites that may pose a considerable cross-contamination risk, to elucidate potential transmission pathways, and to identify knowledge gaps, we performed a structured expert elicitation of 41 experts from state regulatory agencies and the food retail industry with practical experience in retail deli operations. Following the "Delphi" method, the elicitation was performed in three consecutive steps: questionnaire, review and discussion of results, second questionnaire. Hands and gloves were identified as important potential contamination sources. However, bacterial transfers to and from hands or gloves represented a major data gap. Experts agreed about transfer probabilities from cutting boards, scales, deli cases, and deli preparation sinks to product, and about transfer probabilities from floor drains, walk-in cooler floors, and knife racks to food contact surfaces. Comparison of experts' opinions to observational data revealed a tendency among experts with certain demographic characteristics and professional opinions to overestimate prevalence. Experts' votes clearly clustered into separate groups not defined by place of employment, even though industry experts may have been somewhat overrepresented in one cluster. Overall, our study demonstrates the value and caveats of expert elicitation to identify data gaps and prioritize research efforts. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

Validation of the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 in Danish women with pelvic organ prolapse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Due, Ulla; Brostrøm, Søren; Lose, Gunnar

2013-01-01

To translate the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7) and to evaluate their psychometric properties in Danish women with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse....

Development of rationalized system treating floor drain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Serizawa, Kenichi; Komatsu, Akihiro; Shimizu, Takayuki

1998-01-01

Radioactive liquid wastes generated at BWR plants are collected and treated as required. These days, however, generation of floor drain has deceased and HFF (Hollow Fiber Filter) has experienced a wide applicability to several kinds of liquid wastes. We should consider that the floor drain can be mixed and diluted with equipment drain and be purified by HFF. That enables some of the sumps and long priming pipes to be combined. From this point of view, we have developed a highly rationalized waste liquid system. We have evaluated the applicability of this system after an investigation into the generation and properties of floor drain and equipment drain at the latest BWR'S and an on-site test at a typical BWR. (author)

Soil contamination issues at U.S. ports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rice, D.W.; Hagner, D.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that seven large and medium size west coast ports were surveyed during August 1990 to determine their involvement with hydrocarbon contaminated soils and activities associated with the characterization and remediation of these soils. All ports surveyed indicated that hey have hydrocarbon contaminated soil problems. Although other west coast ports do not have the scale of petroleum transfer and storage facilities that the Prot of Los Angeles has, all ports had tenants with bulk oil or fuel storage in aboveground tanks and were undertaking characterization and remediation work. Hydrocarbon contaminated soil problems were associated with these facilities or with decommissioned facilities of this type

An education program about pelvic floor muscles improved women’s knowledge but not pelvic floor muscle function, urinary incontinence or sexual function: a randomised trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Leopoldino de Andrade

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Question: Does an educational program with instructions for performing ‘the Knack’ improve voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, reduce reports of urinary incontinence, improve sexual function, and promote women’s knowledge of the pelvic floor muscles? Design: Randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded assessors. Participants: Ninety-nine women from the local community. Intervention: The experimental group (n = 50 received one lecture per week for 4 weeks, and instructions for performing ‘the Knack’. The control group (n = 49 received no intervention. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was maximum voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles measured using manometry. Secondary outcomes were: ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles measured using vaginal palpation; severity of urinary incontinence measured by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF scored from 0 to 21; self-reported sexual function; and knowledge related to the pelvic floor. Outcomes were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. Results: The intervention did not significantly improve: maximum voluntary contraction (MD 2.7 cmH2O higher in the experimental group, 95% CI –0.5 to 5.9; ability to contract the pelvic floor muscles (RR 2.18, 95% CI 0.49 to 9.65; or self-reported severity of urinary incontinence (MD 1 point greater reduction in the experimental group, 95% CI –3 to 1. Sexual function did not significantly differ between groups, but very few of the women engaged in sexual activity during the study period. The educational program did, however, significantly increase women’s knowledge related to the location, functions and dysfunctions of the pelvic floor muscles, and treatment options. Conclusion: Education and teaching women to perform ‘the Knack’ had no significant effect on voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles

Decontamination of 125I in Medical Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Geleel, M.; Tawfeek, A.A.

2009-01-01

A radiological laboratory for diagnoses was contaminated by 125 I. A large-scale survey of gamma-radiation has been made in different locations of the floors and walls of the lab to determine the contaminated area and its activity. The activity level before decontamination for the wall and floor was 1400 and 2000 Bq/cm 2 respectively. Decontamination was carried out by using ethyl alcohol, potassium permanganate, ethylene diamine tetracetic acid and tissue papers. Decontamination factor has been calculated and it was 175 and 200 for the wall and floor respectively. D and D computer code has been used to calculate Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE). TEDE from the wall and floor before decontamination were 3.05 and 4.35 ( mSv/yr ) while after decontamination were 18 and 23μSv/yr respectively. These results are lower than the Egyptian and the international regulations (10 mSv/y for the public ) according to International Atomic Energy agency, IAEA, Safety Series, SS, no. 115 (1994).

Inferred effects of cloud deposition on forest floor nutrient cycling and microbial properties along a short elevation gradient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavoie, M.; Bradley, R.L.

2003-01-01

Higher cloud cover significantly decreases forest floor pH, decrease exchangeable cations, modifies mineral-N speciation and increases physiological stress within microbial communities. - Cloud water deposition often increases with elevation, and it is widely accepted that this cloud water increases acid loading to upland forest ecosystems. A study was undertaken in south-eastern Quebec to determine if a 250 m elevation gradient (i.e. 420-665 m), along a uniform sugar-maple stand on the slope of Mount Orford, corresponded to a pH gradient in the forest floor and to predictable changes in soil nutrient availability and microbial properties. Precipitation data from a nearby study, and a photographic survey, provided presumptive evidence that this elevation gradient corresponded to a strong gradient in cloud water deposition. Forest floor temperature did not differ significantly across elevations. Forest floor moisture content was significantly higher, whereas pH and exchangeable Ca and Mg were significantly lower, at the higher elevations. Average seasonal net nitrification rates, determined by long-term laboratory incubations, did not differ significantly across elevations, whereas average seasonal net ammonification rates were significantly higher at higher elevations. Basal respiration rates and microbial biomass did not differ significantly across elevations, but metabolic quotient was significantly higher at higher elevations indicating possible environmental stress on forest floor microbial communities due to cloud water deposition. Anaerobic N mineralisation rates were significantly higher at higher elevations suggesting that N-limited microbial communities frequently exposed to cloud cover can be important short-term sinks for atmospheric N, thereby contributing to increase the active-N fraction of forest floors. We conclude that, where no significant changes in vegetation or temperature occur, elevation gradients can still be used to understand the spatial

An evaluation of the impact of flooring types on exposures to fine and coarse particles within the residential micro-environment using CONTAM.

Science.gov (United States)

Bramwell, Lisa; Qian, Jing; Howard-Reed, Cynthia; Mondal, Sumona; Ferro, Andrea R

2016-01-01

Typical resuspension activities within the home, such as walking, have been estimated to contribute up to 25% of personal exposures to PM10. Chamber studies have shown that for moderate walking intensities, flooring type can impact the rate at which particles are re-entrained into the air. For this study, the impact of residential flooring type on incremental average daily (24 h) time-averaged exposure was investigated. Distributions of incremental time-averaged daily exposures to fine and coarse PM while walking within the residential micro-environment were predicted using CONTAM, the multizone airflow and contaminant transport program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Knowledge of when and where a person was walking was determined by randomly selecting 490 daily diaries from the EPA's consolidated human activity database (CHAD). On the basis of the results of this study, residential flooring type can significantly impact incremental time-averaged daily exposures to coarse and fine particles (α=0.05, P<0.05, N=490, Kruskal-Wallis test) with high-density cut pile carpeting resulting in the highest exposures. From this study, resuspension from walking within the residential micro-environment contributed 6-72% of time-averaged daily exposures to PM10.

Pelvic floor dyssynergia: efficacy of biofeedback training.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadel Hak, Nabil; El-Hemaly, Mohamed; Hamdy, Emad; El-Raouf, Ahmed Abd; Atef, Ehab; Salah, Tarek; El-Hanafy, Ehab; Sultan, Ahmad; Haleem, Magdy; Hamed, Hala

2011-03-01

Paradoxical contraction of the pelvic floor during attempts to defaecate is described as pelvic floor dyssynergia (anismus). It is a behavioural disorder (no associated morphological or neurological abnormalities); consequently, biofeedback training has been recommended as a behavioural therapy for such a disorder. The aim of the present study was to evaluate long-term satisfaction of patients diagnosed with pelvic floor dyssynergia after biofeedback. Sixty patients (35 females and 25 males) with a mean age of 30±12years and a 4year duration of constipation were included. Forty-five patients had normal colonic transit and 15 patients had slow colonic transit. History, physical examination and barium enema were done to exclude constipation secondary to organic causes. Colonic and pelvic floor functions (colon-transit time, anorectal manometry, EMG and defaecography) were performed before and after biofeedback treatments. Patients were treated on a weekly basis with an average of (6±2) sessions. At the end of sessions, 55 out of 60 patients (91.6%) reported a subjectively overall improvement. Symptoms of dyschezia were reported less frequently after biofeedback. Age and gender were not predictive factors of outcome. No symptoms at initial assessment were predictive for patient's satisfaction but the only factor of predictive value was the diagnosis of anismus and the motivated patient who wanted to continue the sessions. Biofeedback remains a morbidity free, low-cost and effective outpatient therapy for well-motivated patients complaining of functional constipation and diagnosed as pelvic floor dyssynergia. Copyright © 2011 Arab Journal of Gastroenterology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

120 Years of U.S. Residential Housing Stock and Floor Space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinto de Moura, Maria C.; Smith, Steven J.; Belzer, David B.

2015-08-11

Energy consumption in the residential sector accounts for one-fifth of total U.S. energy consumption and energy-related CO2 emissions. Floor space is a major driver of building energy demand. This paper develops a historical time series of total residential floor space for 1891-2010 and examines the role of socio-economic drivers GDP, population and household size on floor space. Using primarily data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we develop new construction and vintage-disaggregated housing stock for three building types, and address various data inconsistency issues. An examination of the long-term relationship of GDP and total residential floor space shows a remarkably constant trend over the period. While population increases five times over the period, a 50% decrease in household size contributes towards a tenfold increase in the number of housing units and floor space, while average floor space per unit remains surprisingly constant, as a result of housing retirement dynamics. In the last 30 years, however, these trends appear to be changing, as household size shows signs of leveling off, or even increasing again, while average floor space per unit has been increasing. Total residential sector primary energy consumption and floor space show a similar growth trend over the last 60 years.

76 FR 7098 - Dealer Floor Plan Pilot Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-09

... Plan Pilot Program AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). ACTION: Program implementation with request for comments. SUMMARY: SBA is introducing a new Dealer Floor Plan Pilot Program to make... Plan Pilot Program was created in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. Under the new Dealer Floor Plan...

49 CFR 38.99 - Floors, steps and thresholds.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Floors, steps and thresholds. 38.99 Section 38.99 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) ACCESSIBILITY SPECIFICATIONS FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Commuter Rail Cars and Systems § 38.99 Floors, steps and thresholds...

Surface contamination technology in decommissioning of nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishiguro, Hideharu

2012-01-01

Surface contamination measurement is the most basic technology in radiation control of the nuclear and radiation facilities. Loose surface contamination causes internal exposure through airborne contamination. Surface contamination measurement is recently more important in the waste management such as confirmation of decontamination factor, contamination survey of carried-out materials from radioactive control area, and application of clearance level. This report describes the base of surface contamination standards, meaning of contamination in decommissioning, relationship between clearance level and surface contamination, and current technology of surface contamination measurement. (author)

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: Harvest-floor assessments of targeted characteristics that affect quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts

Science.gov (United States)

The National Beef Quality Audit-2011(NBQA-2011) was conducted to assess targeted characteristics on the harvest floor that affect the quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and byproducts. Survey teams evaluated approximately 18,000 cattle/carcasses between May and November 2011 in 8 beef processin...

"Help Me Pull That Cursor" A Collaborative Interactive Floor Enhancing Community Interaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Krogh

2004-05-01

Full Text Available In this paper we describe the development, experiments and evaluation of the iFloor, an interactive floor prototype installed at the local central municipality library. The primary purpose of the iFloor prototype is to support and stimulate community interaction between collocated people. The context of the library demands that any user can walk up and use the prototype without any devices or prior introduction. To achieve this, the iFloor proposes innovative interaction (modes/paradigms/patterns for floor surfaces through the means of video tracking. Browsing and selecting content is done in a collaborative process and mobile phones are used for posting messages onto the floor. The iFloor highlights topics on social issues of ubiquitous computing environments in public spaces, and provides an example of how to exploit human spatial movements, positions and arrangements in interaction with computers.

Materials contamination control in the microelectronic industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tardif, F.

1993-01-01

This paper deals with many aspects of the contamination of materials in the microelectronic industry. The contamination's control of chemicals, process gases, silicon and the survey of the ions free water's purity are treated. (TEC). 29 figs., 7 tabs

A Method of Assembling Wall or Floor Elements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2002-01-01

The invention relates to a method of constructing, at the site of use, a building wall (1) or a building floor (1) using a plurality of prefabricated concrete or lightweight concrete plate-shaped wall of floor elements (10), in particular cast elements, which have a front side and a rear side...

[Legionella spp. contamination in indoor air: preliminary results of an Italian multicenter study].

Science.gov (United States)

Montagna, Maria Teresa; De Giglio, Osvalda; Napoli, Christian; Cannova, Lucia; Cristina, Maria Luisa; Deriu, Maria Grazia; Delia, Santi Antonino; Giuliano, Ada; Guida, Marco; Laganà, Pasqualina; Liguori, Giorgio; Mura, Ida; Pennino, Francesca; Rossini, Angelo; Tardivo, Stefano; Torre, Ida; Torregrossa, Maria Valeria; Villafrate, Maria Rosaria; Albertini, Roberto; Pasquarella, Cesira

2014-01-01

To propose a standardized protocol for the evaluation of Legionella contamination in air. A bathroom having a Legionella contamination in water >1,000 cfu/l was selected in 10 different healthcare facilities. Air contamination was assessed by active (Surface Air System, SAS) and passive (Index of Microbial Air, IMA) sampling for 8 hours, about 1 m away from the floor and 50 cm from the tap water. Two hundred liters of air were sampled by SAS every 12 min, after flushing water for 2 min. The IMA value was calculated as the mean value of colony forming units/16 plates exposed during sampling (2 plates/hour). Water contamination was evaluated at T0, after 4 and 8 hours, according to the standard methods. Air contamination by Legionella was found in three healthcare facilities (one with active and two with passive sampling), showing a concomitant tap water contamination (median=40,000; range 1,100-43,000 cfu/l). The remaining seven hospitals isolated Legionella spp. exclusively from water samples (median=8,000; range 1,200-70,000 cfu/l). Our data suggest that environmental Legionella contamination cannot be assessed only through the air sampling, even in the presence of an important water contamination.

Floor-fractured craters on Ceres and implications for interior processes

Science.gov (United States)

Buczkowski, Debra; Schenk, Paul M.; Scully, Jennifer E. C.; Park, Ryan; Preusker, Frank; Raymond, Carol; Russell, Christopher T.

2016-10-01

Several of the impact craters on Ceres have patterns of fractures on their floors. These fractures appear similar to those found within a class of lunar craters referred to as Floor-Fractured Craters (FFCs) [Schultz, 1976].Lunar FFCs are characterized by anomalously shallow floors cut by radial, concentric, and/or polygonal fractures, and have been classified into crater classes, Types 1 through 6, based on their morphometric properties [Schultz, 1976; Jozwiak et al, 2012, 2015]. Models for their formation have included both floor uplift due to magmatic intrusion below the crater or floor shallowing due to viscous relaxation. However, the observation that the depth versus diameter (d/D) relationship of the FFCs is distinctly shallower than the same association for other lunar craters supports the hypotheses that the floor fractures form due to shallow magmatic intrusion under the crater [Jozwiak et al, 2012, 2015].FFCs have also been identified on Mars [Bamberg et al., 2014]. Martian FFCs exhibit morphological characteristics similar to the lunar FFCs, and analyses suggest that the Martian FCCs also formed due to volcanic activity, although heavily influenced by interactions with groundwater and/or ice.We have cataloged the Ceres FFCs according to the classification scheme designed for the Moon. Large (>50 km) Ceres FFCs are most consistent with Type 1 lunar FFCs, having deep floors, central peaks, wall terraces, and radial and/or concentric fractures. Smaller craters on Ceres are more consistent with Type 4 lunar FFCs, having less-pronounced floor fractures and a v-shaped moats separating the wall scarp from the crater interior.An analysis of the d/D ratio for Ceres craters shows that, like lunar FFCs, the Ceres FFCs are anomalously shallow. This suggests that the fractures on the floor of Ceres FFCs may be due the intrusion of a low-density material below the craters that is uplifting their floors. While on the Moon and Mars the intrusive material is hypothesized

UNDERWATER COATINGS FOR CONTAMINATION CONTROL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Julia L. Tripp; Kip Archibald; Ann Marie Phillips; Joseph Campbell

2004-01-01

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) deactivated several aging nuclear fuel storage basins. Planners for this effort were greatly concerned that radioactive contamination present on the basin walls could become airborne as the sides of the basins became exposed during deactivation and allowed to dry after water removal. One way to control this airborne contamination was to fix the contamination in place while the pool walls were still submerged. There are many underwater coatings available on the market for marine, naval and other applications. A series of tests were run to determine whether the candidate underwater fixatives were easily applied and adhered well to the substrates (pool wall materials) found in INL fuel pools. Lab-scale experiments were conducted by applying fourteen different commercial underwater coatings to four substrate materials representative of the storage basin construction materials, and evaluating their performance. The coupons included bare concrete, epoxy painted concrete, epoxy painted carbon steel, and stainless steel. The evaluation criteria included ease of application, adherence to the four surfaces of interest, no change on water clarity or chemistry, non-hazardous in final applied form and be proven in underwater applications. A proprietary two-part, underwater epoxy owned by S. G. Pinney and Associates was selected from the underwater coatings tested for application to all four pools. Divers scrubbed loose contamination off the basin walls and floors using a ship hull scrubber and vacuumed up the sludge. The divers then applied the coating using a special powered roller with two separate heated hoses that allowed the epoxy to mix at the roller surface was used to eliminate pot time concerns. The walls were successfully coated and water was removed from the pools with no detectable airborne contamination releases

Comparison between dynamic cystocolpoproctography and dynamic pelvic floor MRI: pros and cons: which is the "functional" examination for anorectal and pelvic floor dysfunction?

Science.gov (United States)

Maglinte, Dean D T; Hale, Douglass S; Sandrasegaran, Kumar

2013-10-01

"Functional" imaging of anorectal and pelvic floor dysfunction has assumed an important role in the diagnosis and management of these disorders. Although defecography has been widely practiced for decades to evaluate the dynamics of rectal emptying, debate concerning its clinical relevance, how it should be done and interpreted continues. Due to the recognition of the association of defecatory disorders with pelvic organ prolapse in women, the need to evaluate the pelvic floor as a unit has arisen. To meet this need, defecography has been extended to include not only evaluation of defecation disorders but also the rest of the pelvic floor by opacifying the small bowel, vagina, and the urinary bladder. The term "dynamic cystocolpoproctography" (DCP) has been appropriately applied to this examination. Rectal emptying performed with DCP provides the maximum stress to the pelvic floor resulting in complete levator ani relaxation. In addition to diagnosing defecatory disorders, this method of examination demonstrates maximum pelvic organ descent and provides organ-specific quantification of organ prolapse, information that is only inferred by means of physical examination. It has been found to be of clinical value in patients with defecation disorders and the diagnosis of associated prolapse in other compartments that are frequently unrecognized by history taking and the limitations of physical examination. Pelvic floor anatomy is complex and DCP does not show the anatomical details pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides. Technical advances allowing acquisition of dynamic rapid MRI sequences has been applied to pelvic floor imaging. Early reports have shown that pelvic MRI may be a useful tool in pre-operative planning of these disorders and may lead to a change in surgical therapy. Predictions of hypothetical increase cancer incidence and deaths in patients exposed to radiation, the emergence of pelvic floor MRI in addition to questions relating to the

Chronic pelvic floor dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Dee; Sarton, Julie

2014-10-01

The successful treatment of women with vestibulodynia and its associated chronic pelvic floor dysfunctions requires interventions that address a broad field of possible pain contributors. Pelvic floor muscle hypertonicity was implicated in the mid-1990s as a trigger of major chronic vulvar pain. Painful bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and temporomandibular jaw disorder are known common comorbidities that can cause a host of associated muscular, visceral, bony, and fascial dysfunctions. It appears that normalizing all of those disorders plays a pivotal role in reducing complaints of chronic vulvar pain and sexual dysfunction. Though the studies have yet to prove a specific protocol, physical therapists trained in pelvic dysfunction are reporting success with restoring tissue normalcy and reducing vulvar and sexual pain. A review of pelvic anatomy and common findings are presented along with suggested physical therapy management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart Floor with Integrated Triboelectric Nanogenerator As Energy Harvester and Motion Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chuan; Zhu, Weijun; Chen, Baodong; Xu, Liang; Jiang, Tao; Han, Chang Bao; Gu, Guang Qin; Li, Dichen; Wang, Zhong Lin

2017-08-09

A smart floor is demonstrated by integrating a square-frame triboelectric nanogenerator (SF-TENG) into a standard wood floor. The smart floor has two working modes based on two pairs of triboelectric materials: one is purposely chosen polytetrafluoroethylene films and aluminum (Al) balls, and the other is the floor itself and the objects that can be triboelectrically charged, such as basketball, shoe soles, and Scotch tape, etc. Utilizing the Al balls enclosed inside shallow boxes, the smart floor is capable of harvesting vibrational energy and, hence, provides a nonintrusive way to detect sudden falls in elderly people. In addition, when the basketball is bounced repeatedly on the floor, the average output voltage and current are 364 ± 43 V and 9 ± 1 μA, respectively, and 87 serially connected light-emitting diodes can be lit up simultaneously. Furthermore, the friction between the triboelectrically chargeable objects and the floor can also induce an alternating current output in the external circuit without the vibration of the Al balls. Normal human footsteps on the floor produce a voltage of 238 ± 17 V and a current of 2.4 ± 0.3 μA. Therefore, this work presents a smart floor with built-in SF-TENG without compromising the flexibility and stability of the standard wood floor and also demonstrates a way to harvest ambient energy solely by using conventional triboelectric materials in our daily life.

Applicability of the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index for Quantification of Residential Mold Contamination in an Air Pollution Health Effects Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Kamal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The Near-Road Exposures and Effects of Urban Air Pollutants Study (NEXUS investigated the impact of exposure to traffic-related air pollution on the respiratory health of asthmatic children in Detroit, Michigan. Since indoor mold exposure may also contribute to asthma, floor dust samples were collected in participants homes (n=112 to assess mold contamination using the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI. The repeatability of the ERMI over time, as well as ERMI differences between rooms and dust collection methods, was evaluated for insights into the application of the ERMI metric. ERMI values for the standard settled floor dust samples had a mean ± standard deviation of 14.5±7.9, indicating high levels of mold contamination. ERMI values for samples collected from the same home 1 to 7 months apart (n=52 were consistent and without systematic bias. ERMI values for separate bedroom and living room samples were highly correlated (r=0.69, n=66. Vacuum bag dust ERMI values were lower than for floor dust but correlated (r=0.58, n=28. These results support the use of the ERMI to evaluate residential mold exposure as a confounder in air pollution health effects studies.

Lead exposures from varnished floor refinishing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schirmer, Joseph; Havlena, Jeff; Jacobs, David E; Dixon, Sherry; Ikens, Robert

2012-01-01

We evaluated the presence of lead in varnish and factors predicting lead exposure from floor refinishing and inexpensive dust suppression control methods. Lead in varnish, settled dust, and air were measured using XRF, laboratory analysis of scrape and wipe samples, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7300, respectively, during refinishing (n = 35 homes). Data were analyzed using step-wise logistic regression. Compared with federal standards, no lead in varnish samples exceeded 1.0 mg/cm(2), but 52% exceeded 5000 ppm and 70% of settled dust samples after refinishing exceeded 40 μg/ft(2). Refinishing pre-1930 dwellings or stairs predicted high lead dust on floors. Laboratory analysis of lead in varnish was significantly correlated with airborne lead (r = 0.23, p = 0.014). Adding dust collection bags into drum sanders and HEPA vacuums to edgers and buffers reduced mean floor lead dust by 8293 μg Pb/ft(2) (pairborne lead exposures to less than 50 μg/m(3). Refinishing varnished surfaces in older housing produces high but controllable lead exposures.

Automatic Measurement of Low Level Contamination on Concrete Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tachibana, M.; Itoh, H.; Shimada, T.; Yanagihara, S.

2002-01-01

Automatic measurement of radioactivity is necessary for considering cost effectiveness in final radiological survey of building structures in decommissioning nuclear facilities. The RAPID (radiation measuring pilot device for surface contamination) was developed to be applied to automatic measurement of low level contamination on concrete surfaces. The RAPID has a capability to measure contamination with detection limit of 0.14 Bq/cm2 for 60Co in 30 seconds of measurement time and its efficiency is evaluated to be 5 m2/h in a normal measurement option. It was confirmed that low level contamination on concrete surfaces could be surveyed by the RAPID efficiently compared with direct measurement by workers through its actual application

Assessment of the environmental microbiological cross contamination following hand drying with paper hand towels or an air blade dryer.

Science.gov (United States)

Margas, E; Maguire, E; Berland, C R; Welander, F; Holah, J T

2013-08-01

This study compared the potential for cross contamination of the surrounding environment resulting from two different hand-drying methods: paper towels and the use of an air blade dryer. One hundred volunteers for each method washed their hands and dried them using one of the two methods. Bacterial contamination of the surrounding environment was measured using settle plates placed on the floor in a grid pattern, air sampling and surface swabs. Both drying methods produced ballistic droplets in the immediate vicinity of the hand-drying process. The air blade dryer produced a larger number of droplets which were dispersed over a larger area. Settle plates showed increased microbial contamination in the grid squares which were affected by ballistic droplets. Using the settle plates counts, it was estimated that approx. 1.7 × 10(5) cfu more micro-organisms were left on the laboratory floor (total area approx. 17.15 m(2)) after 100 volunteers used an air blade dryer compared to when paper towels were used. The two drying methods led to different patterns of ballistic droplets and levels of microbial contamination under heavy use conditions. Whilst the increase in microbial levels in the environment is not significant if only nonpathogenic micro-organisms are spread, it may increase the risk of pathogen contamination of the environment when pathogens are occasionally present on people's hands. The study suggests that the risk of cross contamination from the washroom users to the environment and subsequent users should be considered when choosing a hand-drying method. The data could potentially give guidance following the selection of drying methods on implementing measures to minimise the risk of cross contamination. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

A prospective survey of air and surface fungal contamination in a medical mycology laboratory at a tertiary care university hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Sautour, Marc; Dalle, Frédéric; Olivieri, Claire; L'ollivier, Coralie; Enderlin, Emilie; Salome, Elsa; Chovelon, Isabelle; Vagner, Odile; Sixt, Nathalie; Fricker-Pap, Véronique; Aho, Serge; Fontaneau, Olivier; Cachia, Claire; Bonnin, Alain

2009-04-01

Invasive filamentous fungi infections resulting from inhalation of mold conidia pose a major threat in immunocompromised patients. The diagnosis is based on direct smears, cultural symptoms, and culturing fungi. Airborne conidia present in the laboratory environment may cause contamination of cultures, resulting in false-positive diagnosis. Baseline values of fungal contamination in a clinical mycology laboratory have not been determined to date. A 1-year prospective survey of air and surface contamination was conducted in a clinical mycology laboratory during a period when large construction projects were being conducted in the hospital. Air was sampled with a portable air system impactor, and surfaces were sampled with contact Sabouraud agar plates. The collected data allowed the elaboration of Shewhart graphic charts. Mean fungal loads ranged from 2.27 to 4.36 colony forming units (cfu)/m(3) in air and from 0.61 to 1.69 cfu/plate on surfaces. Strict control procedures may limit the level of fungal contamination in a clinical mycology laboratory even in the context of large construction projects at the hospital site. Our data and the resulting Shewhart graphic charts provide baseline values to use when monitoring for inappropriate variations of the fungal contamination in a mycology laboratory as part of a quality assurance program. This is critical to the appropriate management of the fungal risk in hematology, cancer and transplantation patients.

Dance floor mechanical properties and dancer injuries in a touring professional ballet company.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopper, Luke S; Allen, Nick; Wyon, Matthew; Alderson, Jacqueline A; Elliott, Bruce C; Ackland, Timothy R

2014-01-01

The mechanical properties of the floors used by dancers have often been suggested to be associated with injury, yet limited etiological evidence is available to support this hypothesis. The dance floors at three theatres regularly used by a touring professional ballet company were mechanically quantified with the aim of comparing floor properties with injury incidence in dancers. Cross sectional. Test points on the floors were quantified in accordance with European Sports Surface Standard protocols for force reduction. Injuries and associated variables occurring within the ballet company dancers during activity on the three floors were recorded by the company's medical staff. An injury was recorded if a dancer experienced an incident that restricted the dancer from performing all normal training or performance activities for a 24 h period. Injuries were delimited to those occurring in the lower limbs or lumbar region during non-lifting tasks. Floor construction varied between venues and a range of floor mechanical properties were observed. None of the floors complied with the range of force reduction values required by the European Sport Surface Standards. The highest injury rate was observed on the floor with the greatest variability of force reduction magnitudes. No difference in injury frequency was observed between the venues with the highest and lowest mean force reduction magnitudes. Professional dancers can be required to perform on floors that may be inadequate for safe dance practice. Intra-floor force reduction variability may have a stronger association with injury risk than mean floor force reduction magnitude. Copyright © 2013 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites remedial action program. Radiological survey of the former Watertown arsenal property, Site 34 and Site 41, Watertown, Massachusetts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wynveen, R.A.; Smith, W.H.; Sholeen, C.M.; Justus, A.L.; Flynn, K.F.

1983-10-01

During the MED/AEC era, work involving radioactive materials was conducted at various sites within the arsenal complex. Building 34 housed a uranium machine shop, and a portion of Building 41 contained a foundry that was used for uranium work. Information provided by site personnel indicated that only depleted uranium was used in these buildings. Results of radiological analyses of contaminated material found at these sites indicated depleted uranium with uranium-236. Both buildings have been razed. The remnants still in place consist of the concrete floor slabs, access drives, and underground utility service trenches. This area is currently under the control of the Watertown Redevelopment Authority of Watertown, Massachusetts. During the period from June 25 through July 1, 1981, the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Occupational Health and Safety Division (OHS) Radiological Survey Group (RSG), conducted a radiological survey of Building Sites 34 and 41 at the direction of the US Department of Energy. Significant levels of contamination were found at 33 locations on the pad of Site 34 and in 5 out of 15 soild corings from the perimeter of the pad. No contamination was found on the pad of Site 41; however, two-thirds of this pad was covered with soil up to 4 ft thick. One of the 14 soil corings taken adjacent to the pad of Site 41 had elevated levels of uranium. Levels of contamination in excess of criteria, as identified in ANSI 13.12 and NRC Guidelines, were found at this site. The analyses of the samples from the sewer access points also revealed uranium and radium-226 anomalies. Therefore, according to NRC guidelines dated July 1982, it must be concluded that they are contaminated

Dual-stiffness flooring: can it reduce fracture rates associated with falls?

Science.gov (United States)

Knoefel, Frank; Patrick, Louise; Taylor, Jodie; Goubran, Rafik

2013-04-01

Falls cause significant morbidity and mortality in long term care facilities. Dual-stiffness flooring (DSF) has previously shown promise in reducing such morbidity in experimental models. This study set out to measure the impact of SmartCell flooring on falls-related morbidity in a nursing home. All falls occurring at an Arizona nursing home between July 1, 2008, and December 31, 2010, were reviewed for age, sex, diagnosis of osteoporosis, number of medications, history of previous falls, type of flooring (normal vs DSF), time of day, type of injury, and resulting actions. Fall-related outcomes were compared across room types using chi-square and logistic regression methods. Eighty-two falls on the DSF were compared with 85 falls on the regular floor. There was a tendency for residents falling on DSF to have less bruising and abrasions, while having more redness and cuts. There were 2 fractures on regular flooring (2.4% fracture rate) and none on the DSF flooring (0% fracture rate). The fracture rate of 2.4% of falls on the regular floor is consistent with previous reports in the literature, whereas a 0% rate found on the DSF floor is a clinically significant improvement. This suggests that DSF may be a practical approach for institutions and consumers to reduce fall-related injuries. A larger scale controlled study to confirm these encouraging preliminary findings is warranted. Copyright © 2013 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contamination monitoring activities in Kanupp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naqvi, S S [Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (Pakistan)

1997-06-01

The Karachi Nuclear Power Plant (Kanupp) is a 137 MWe pressurized heavy water reactor, designed and erected by the Canadian General Electric Company as a turn key project. The plant is in operation since it was commissioned in the year 1972. It is located at the Arabian Sea Coast about 15 miles to the west of Karachi. During its more than two decades of operation, the plant has generated about 8 billion units of electricity with an average life time availability factor of 60%. In Kanupp, radioactive contamination may exit due to the release of fission product, activation products etc., which may somehow escape from its confinement and may contaminate surface or other media such as air, water etc. In this paper, following items are described: main aspects of contamination, status of contamination monitoring, need of contamination monitoring, radiation protection activity, instruments, contamination, current status of contamination survey materials and their disposal, and environmental monitoring. (G.K.)

Awareness and timing of pelvic floor muscle contraction, pelvic exercises and rehabilitation of pelvic floor in lifelong premature ejaculation: 5 years experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe La Pera

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To assess the cure rate of patients with premature ejaculation who underwent a treatment involving: 1 awareness of the pelvic floor muscles 2 learning the timing of execution and maintenance of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles during the sensation of the pre-orgasmic phase 3 pelvic floor rehabilitation (bio feed back, pelvic exercises and electrostimulation. Materials and methods: We recruited 78 patients with lifelong premature ejaculation who completed the training. The patients were informed of the role of the pelvic floor. They were taught to carry out the execution and maintenance of contraction of the pelvic floor muscles during the sensation of the pre-orgasmic phase to control the ejaculatory reflex. In order to improve the awareness, the tone and the endurance of the pelvic floor muscles, patients were treated with the rehabilitation of pelvic floor (RPF consisting mainly in biofeedback, pelvic exercises and in some cases also in electro-stimulation (ES. The training was carried out for a period of about 2-6 months with an average of 2-5 visits per cycle. Results: 54% of patients who completed the training were cured of premature ejaculation and learned over time to be able to postpone the ejaculation reflex. In a subgroup of 26 patients was also measured the IELT which on the average increased from < 2 minutes to >10 minutes. The best results occurred mainly in patients aged less than 35 where the cure rate was 65%. There were no side effects. Conclusions: In this study, approximately half of patients with premature ejaculation were cured after applying the above treatment.This therapy, necessitates a fairly long period of time (2-6 months and a great commitment on the part of the patient, nevertheless it can be a valid and effective treatment for patients with premature ejaculation. This treatment makes the patient independent in that he is not bound to specific times for taking medication. Furthermore there are no

Compliant flooring for fall injury prevention in long-term care

OpenAIRE

Lachance, Chantelle

2017-01-01

A promising strategy for reducing the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries in long-term care (LTC) is to decrease the ground surface stiffness, and the subsequent forces applied to the body parts at impact, through installation of compliant flooring. Evidence about the feasibility of compliant flooring in LTC is extremely limited. My PhD research addresses this gap by conducting a comprehensive, multimethod evaluation of compliant flooring. Specifically, I investigate the feasibili...

Thermal analysis of a double layer phase change material floor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Xing; Zhang Xiaosong

2011-01-01

Phase change materials (PCMs) can be used to shift the cooling or heating load from the peak period to the off-peak period. In this paper, a new double layer phase change material (PCM) floor is put forward. The two layers of PCM have different melting temperature. The system is used to store heat or cold energy in the off-peak period and release them in the peak period during heating or cooling. According to the numerical model built in this paper, the thermal performances of the floor are analyzed. The results show that the optimal melting temperatures of PCMs exist. The fluctuations of the floor surface temperatures and the heat fluxes will be reduced and the system still can provide a certain amount of heat or cold energy after the heat pump or chiller has been turned off for a long time. Compared to the floor without PCM, the energy released by the floor with PCM in peak period will be increased by 41.1% and 37.9% during heating and cooling when the heat of fusion of PCM is 150 kJ/kg. - Highlights: → A new double layer phase change material floor is put forward. → The system is used to store heat or cold energy in the off-peak period and release them in the peak period during heating or cooling. → The optimal melting temperatures of PCMs in the system exist. → The heat and cold energy released by the floor with PCM in peak period can be increased by 41.1% and 37.9%.

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy for Vulvodynia: A Clinician's Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Prendergast, Stephanie A

2017-09-01

Vulvar pain affects up to 20% of women at some point in their lives, and most women with vulvar pain have associated pelvic floor impairments. Pelvic floor dysfunction is associated with significant functional limitations in women by causing painful intercourse and urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. A quick screening of the pelvic floor muscles can be performed in the gynecology office and should be used when patients report symptoms of pelvic pain. It is now known the vulvar pain syndromes are heterogeneous in origin; therefore, successful treatment plans are multimodal and include physical therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF MODULAR PARQUET FLOORING IN INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan CISMARU

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The paper submits constructive options and methods to design and manufacture modular parquet flooring, as well as fastening methods in constructions. Likewise, it presents the branches of civil engineering where modular parquet flooring may be turned to profit – industrial buildings, company premises or residential premises. The turn towards the achievement of private constructions, such as individual houses, led to losing control of the modular system applied in defining the inner sizes of the constructions and implicitly to the apparition of dimensional incompatibilities between the parquet flooring and the built spaces. The paper sets out (to solve by an individualized design procedure to achieve modular parquet flooring in industrial system, in correspondence with the sizes of the inner spaces afferent to the constructions.

Physical and chemical test results of electrostatic safe flooring materials

Science.gov (United States)

Gompf, R. H.

1988-01-01

This test program was initiated because a need existed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to have this information readily available to the engineer who must make the choice of which electrostatic safe floor to use in a specific application. The information, however, should be of value throughout both the government and private industry in the selection of a floor covering material. Included are the test results of 18 floor covering materials which by test evaluation at KSC are considered electrostatically safe. Tests were done and/or the data compiled in the following areas: electrostatics, flammability, hypergolic compatibility, outgassing, floor type, material thickness, and available colors. Each section contains the test method used to gather the data and the test results.

Development of stable walking robot for accident condition monitoring on uneven floors in a nuclear power plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Seog; Jang, You Hyun [Central Research Institute of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-04-15

Even though the potential for an accident in nuclear power plants is very low, multiple emergency plans are necessary because the impact of such an accident to the public is enormous. One of these emergency plans involves a robotic system for investigating accidents under conditions of high radiation and contaminated air. To develop a robot suitable for operation in a nuclear power plant, we focused on eliminating the three major obstacles that challenge robots in such conditions: the disconnection of radio communication, falling on uneven floors, and loss of localization. To solve the radio problem, a Wi-Fi extender was used in radio shadow areas. To reinforce the walking, we developed two- and four-leg convertible walking, a floor adaptive foot, a roly-poly defensive falling design, and automatic standing recovery after falling methods were developed. To allow the robot to determine its location in the containment building, a bar code landmark reading method was chosen. When a severe accident occurs, this robot will be useful for accident condition monitoring. We also anticipate the robot can serve as a workman aid in a high radiation area during normal operations.

CAISSON TYPE HOLLOW FLOOR SLABS OF MONOLITHIC MULTI-STOREYED BUILDINGS

OpenAIRE

Malakhova Anna Nikolaevna

2016-01-01

One of the disadvantages of building structures made of reinforced concrete is their considerable weight. One of the trends to decrease the weight of concrete structures, including floor slabs, is the arrangement of voids in the cross-sectional building structures. In Russian and foreign practice paper, cardboard and plastic tubes has been used for creation of voids in the construction of monolithic floor slabs. Lightweight concretes were also used for production of precast hollow core floor ...

Error Floor Analysis of Coded Slotted ALOHA over Packet Erasure Channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ivanov, Mikhail; Graell i Amat, Alexandre; Brannstrom, F.

2014-01-01

We present a framework for the analysis of the error floor of coded slotted ALOHA (CSA) for finite frame lengths over the packet erasure channel. The error floor is caused by stopping sets in the corresponding bipartite graph, whose enumeration is, in general, not a trivial problem. We therefore ...... identify the most dominant stopping sets for the distributions of practical interest. The derived analytical expressions allow us to accurately predict the error floor at low to moderate channel loads and characterize the unequal error protection inherent in CSA.......We present a framework for the analysis of the error floor of coded slotted ALOHA (CSA) for finite frame lengths over the packet erasure channel. The error floor is caused by stopping sets in the corresponding bipartite graph, whose enumeration is, in general, not a trivial problem. We therefore...

Assessment of Cost Variation in Solid and Hollow Floor Construction in Lagos State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oluwaseun Sunday Dosumu

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The differences in construction methods between different forms of slabs construction tend to result into variation in the cost of the slabs for any building project. Thus, this study aims at assessing the variation in construction cost among various construction methods available for hollow and solid floors in construction projects within Lagos State. The research design for this study was a survey design approach and the population of the study are active professionals (Architects, Civil Engineers, Builders, Quantity Surveyors, Consultant and contractors because they are the major participants in the construction activities of the construction industry in Lagos State, Nigeria. The research is based on 46 returned questionnaires out of the 60 that was administered. The data from the questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive tools such as frequencies, percentage and mean values. The hypotheses were tested with paired sample t-test and it was found that the system or method of slab construction well known to the respondents is cast in situ, precast and semi-precast. The study also shows that the cost of in-situ solid slabs are higher than that of hollow slab which is an indication that solid slab construction is more expensive than hollow slab construction provided the hollow slab is a one-way hollow floor and not waffle floor. In pre cast solid slab construction the cost of transportation of units to sites, cost of expertise required in the construction process and the cost of fabrication off site are the three highest and most expensive aspects of precast solid slab while cost of erection and placement and the cost of grouting and topping if required are less expensive. Therefore there is difference in the cost of construction between the solid and hollow slabs but the difference is not appreciable. The study's major recommendation is that, adequate and careful analysis must be done in the choice of floor system being adopted for any

Touch Is Everywhere: Floor Surfaces as Ambient Haptic Interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Visell, Y; Law, A; Cooperstock, J R

2009-01-01

Floor surfaces are notable for the diverse roles that they play in our negotiation of everyday environments. Haptic communication via floor surfaces could enhance or enable many computer-supported activities that involve movement on foot. In this paper, we discuss potential applications of such interfaces in everyday environments and present a haptically augmented floor component through which several interaction methods are being evaluated. We describe two approaches to the design of structured vibrotactile signals for this device. The first is centered on a musical phrase metaphor, as employed in prior work on tactile display. The second is based upon the synthesis of rhythmic patterns of virtual physical impact transients. We report on an experiment in which participants were able to identify communication units that were constructed from these signals and displayed via a floor interface at well above chance levels. The results support the feasibility of tactile information display via such interfaces and provide further indications as to how to effectively design vibrotactile signals for them.

Floor cleaning: effect on bacteria and organic materials in hospital rooms.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, B M; Rasch, M; Kvist, J; Tollefsen, T; Lukkassen, R; Sandvik, L; Welo, A

2009-01-01

Routine surface cleaning is recommended to control the spread of pathogens in hospital environments. In Norway, ordinary cleaning of patient rooms is traditionally performed with soap and water. In this study, four floor-mopping methods--dry, spray, moist and wet mopping--were compared by two systems using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence (Hygiena and Biotrace). These systems assess residual organic soil on surfaces. The floor-mopping methods were also assessed by microbiological samples from the floor and air, before and after cleaning. All methods reduced organic material on the floors but wet and moist mopping seemed to be the most effective (P < 0.001, P < 0.011, respectively, ATP Hygiena). The two ATP methods were easy to use, although each had their own reading scales. Cleaning reduced organic material to 5-36% of the level present before cleaning, depending upon mopping method. All four mopping methods reduced bacteria on the floor from about 60-100 to 30-60 colony-forming units (cfu)/20cm2 floor. Wet, moist and dry mopping seemed to be more effective in reducing bacteria on the floor, than the spray mopping (P=0.007, P=0.002 and P=0.011, respectively). The burden of bacteria in air increased for all methods just after mopping. The overall best cleaning methods seemed to be moist and wet mopping.

Application of electromagnetic techniques in survey of contaminated groundwater at an abandoned mine complex in southwestern Indiana, U.S.A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, G.A.; Olyphant, G.A.; Harper, D.

1991-01-01

In part of a large abandoned mining complex, electromagnetic geophysical surveys were used along with data derived from cores and monitoring wells to infer sources of contamination and subsurface hydrologic connections between acidic refuse deposits and adjacent undistributed geologic materials. Electrical resistivity increases sharply along the boundary of an elevated deposit of pyritic coarse refuse, which is highly contaminated and electrically conductive, indicating poor subsurface hydrologic connections with surrounding deposits of fine refuse and undisturbed glacial material. Groundwater chemistry, as reflected in values of specific conductance, also differs markedly across the deposit's boundary, indicating that a widespread contaminant plume has not developed around the coarse refuse in more than 40 yr since the deposit was created. Most acidic drainage from the coarse refuse is by surface and is concentrated around stream channels. Although most of the contaminated groundwater within the study area is concentrated within the surficial refuse deposits, transects of apparent resistivity and phase angle indicate the existence of an anomalous conductive layer at depth (> 4 m) in thick alluvial sediments along the northern boundary of the mining complex. Based on knowledge of local geology, the anomaly is interpreted to represent a subsurface connection between the alluvium and a flooded abandoned underground mine

Robust Floor Determination Algorithm for Indoor Wireless Localization Systems under Reference Node Failure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kriangkrai Maneerat

2016-01-01

Full Text Available One of the challenging problems for indoor wireless multifloor positioning systems is the presence of reference node (RN failures, which cause the values of received signal strength (RSS to be missed during the online positioning phase of the location fingerprinting technique. This leads to performance degradation in terms of floor accuracy, which in turn affects other localization procedures. This paper presents a robust floor determination algorithm called Robust Mean of Sum-RSS (RMoS, which can accurately determine the floor on which mobile objects are located and can work under either the fault-free scenario or the RN-failure scenarios. The proposed fault tolerance floor algorithm is based on the mean of the summation of the strongest RSSs obtained from the IEEE 802.15.4 Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs during the online phase. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with those of different floor determination algorithms in literature. The experimental results show that the proposed robust floor determination algorithm outperformed the other floor algorithms and can achieve the highest percentage of floor determination accuracy in all scenarios tested. Specifically, the proposed algorithm can achieve greater than 95% correct floor determination under the scenario in which 40% of RNs failed.

17 CFR 155.2 - Trading standards for floor brokers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Trading standards for floor brokers. 155.2 Section 155.2 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION TRADING STANDARDS § 155.2 Trading standards for floor brokers. Each contract market shall adopt and submit...

Characterization of the protective capacity of flooring systems using force-deflection profiling.

Science.gov (United States)

Glinka, Michal N; Karakolis, Thomas; Callaghan, Jack P; Laing, Andrew C

2013-01-01

'Safety floors' aim to decrease the risk of fall-related injuries by absorbing impact energy during falls. Ironically, excessive floor deflection during walking or standing may increase fall risk. In this study we used a materials testing system to characterize the ability of a range of floors to absorb energy during simulated head and hip impacts while resisting deflection during simulated single-leg stance. We found that energy absorption for all safety floors (mean (SD)=14.8 (4.9)J) and bedside mats (25.1 (9.3)J) was 3.2- to 5.4-fold greater than the control condition (commercial carpet). While footfall deflections were not significantly different between safety floors (1.8 (0.7)mm) and the control carpet (3.7 (0.6)mm), they were significantly higher for two bedside mats. Finally, all of the safety floors, and two bedside mats, displayed 3-10 times the energy-absorption-to-deflection ratios observed for the baseline carpet. Overall, these results suggest that the safety floors we tested effectively addressed two competing demands required to reduce fall-related injury risk; namely the ability to absorb substantial impact energy without increasing footfall deflections. This study contributes to the literature suggesting that safety floors are a promising intervention for reducing fall-related injury risk in older adults. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Floor response spectra of buildings with uncertain structural properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, P.C.

1975-01-01

All Category I equipment, such as reactors, vessels, and major piping systems of nuclear power plants, is required to withstand earthquake loadings in order to minimize risk of seismic damage. The equipment is designed by using response spectra of the floor on which the equipment is mounted. The floor response spectra are constructed usually from the floor response time histories which are obtained through a deterministic dynamic analysis. This analysis assumes that all structural parameters, such as mass, stiffness, and damping have been calculated precisely, and that the earthquakes are known. However, structural parameters are usually difficult to determine precisely if the structures are massive and/or irregular, such as nuclear containments and its internal structures with foundation soil incorporated into the analysis. Faced with these uncertainties, it has been the practice to broaden the floor response spectra peaks by +-10 percent of the peak frequencies on the basis of conservatism. This approach is based on engineering judgement and does not have an analytical basis to provide a sufficient level of confidence in using these spectra for equipment design. To insure reliable design, it is necessary to know structural response variations due to variations in structural properties. This consideration leads to the treatment of structural properties as random variables and the use of probabilistic methods to predict structural response more accurately. New results on floor response spectra of buildings with uncertain structural properties obtained by determining the probabilistic dynamic response from the deterministic dynamic response and its standard deviation are presented. The resulting probabilistic floor response spectra are compared with those obtained deterministically, and are shown to provide a more reliable method for determining seismic forces

Development of a 3-dimensional seismic isolation floor for computer systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurihara, M.; Shigeta, M.; Nino, T.; Matsuki, T.

1991-01-01

In this paper, we investigated the applicability of a seismic isolation floor as a method for protecting computer systems from strong earthquakes, such as computer systems in nuclear power plants. Assuming that the computer system is guaranteed for 250 cm/s 2 of input acceleration in the horizontal and vertical directions as the seismic performance, the basic design specification of the seismic isolation floor is considered as follows. Against S 1 level earthquakes, the maximum acceleration response of the seismic isolation floor in the horizontal and vertical directions is kept less than 250 cm/s 2 to maintain continuous computer operation. Against S 2 level earthquakes, the isolation floor allows large horizontal movement and large displacement of the isolation devices to reduce the acceleration response, although it is not guaranteed to be less than 250 cm/s 2 . By reducing the acceleration response, however, serious damage to the computer systems is reduced, so that they can be restarted after an earthquake. Usually, seismic isolation floor systems permit 2-dimensional (horizontal) isolation. However, in the case of just-under-seated earthquakes, which have large vertical components, the vertical acceleration response of this system is amplified by the lateral vibration of the frame of the isolation floor. Therefore, in this study a 3-dimensional seismic isolation floor, including vertical isolation, was developed. This paper describes 1) the experimental results of the response characteristics of the 3-dimensional seismic isolation floor built as a trial using a 3-dimensional shaking table, and 2) comparison of a 2-dimensional analytical model, for motion in one horizontal direction and the vertical direction, to experimental results. (J.P.N.)

OPEN AIR DEMOLITION OF FACILITIES HIGHLY CONTAMINATED WITH PLUTONIUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LLOYD, E.R.

2007-01-01

The demolition of highly contaminated plutonium buildings usually is a long and expensive process that involves decontaminating the building to near free- release standards and then using conventional methods to remove the structure. It doesn't, however, have to be that way. Fluor has torn down buildings highly contaminated with plutonium without excessive decontamination. By removing the select source term and fixing the remaining contamination on the walls, ceilings, floors, and equipment surfaces; open-air demolition is not only feasible, but it can be done cheaper, better (safer), and faster. Open-air demolition techniques were used to demolish two highly contaminated buildings to slab-on-grade. These facilities on the Department of Energy's Hanford Site were located in, or very near, compounds of operating nuclear facilities that housed hundreds of people working on a daily basis. To keep the facilities operating and the personnel safe, the projects had to be creative in demolishing the structures. Several key techniques were used to control contamination and keep it within the confines of the demolition area: spraying fixatives before demolition; applying fixative and misting with a fine spray of water as the buildings were being taken down; and demolishing the buildings in a controlled and methodical manner. In addition, detailed air-dispersion modeling was done to establish necessary building and meteorological conditions and to confirm the adequacy of the proposed methods. Both demolition projects were accomplished without any spread of contamination outside the modest buffer areas established for contamination control. Furthermore, personnel exposure to radiological and physical hazards was significantly reduced by using heavy equipment rather than ''hands on'' techniques

Residual effects of metal contamination on the soil quality: a field survey in central Portugal

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, Ryunosuke; Gerardo, Romeu

2017-04-01

Agriculture is an important source of income and employment. But depletion and degradation of land challenge to producing safe food and other agricultural products to sustain livelihoods and meet the needs of urban populations. When developing or expanding an agricultural area, it becomes essential to access the soil quality. Even if the present source of contamination is not observed, it is a worth subject to evaluate whether or not any negative effects of the post contamination still last. For this purpose, a field survey (2 ha) was carried: a zinc and lead mining site that was abandoned about 50 years ago was researched at Sanguinheiro (40°18'N and 8°21'W) in Central Portugal. The area is characterized by very steep slopes that are confining with a small stream. The obtained results show that (i) the Pb content in the site (165 mg/kg) is higher than that in the background (67.7 mg/kg); (ii) the Zn content of local vegetation (Eucalyptus globulus) in the post-mining site is 2.1 times that in the control site, and (iii) dead bare ground is observed in some parts of the site. There is a possibility that great amounts of Zn and Pb accumulate in tissues of local vegetation. Although mining activity ended 50 years ago, the contents of Pb and Zn in the sampled soil were comparatively high in the site with about a 75% slope. It is concluded that not only the present contamination but also the post-environmental stress should be assessed to properly develop an agricultural area in terms of securing agricultural products.

Effect of different flooring systems on claw conformation of dairy cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Telezhenko, E; Bergsten, C; Magnusson, M; Nilsson, C

2009-06-01

The effect of different flooring surfaces in walking and standing areas on claw conformation, claw horn growth, and wear was studied in 2 experiments during 2 consecutive housing seasons in a research dairy herd of 170 cows. In experiment 1, the flooring systems tested were solid rubber mats, mastic asphalt with and without rubber-matted feed-stalls, and aged concrete slats. In experiment 2, slatted concrete flooring was compared with slatted rubber flooring. The cows were introduced to the respective flooring systems in early lactation and their claws were trimmed before the exposure period. Toe length, toe angle, sole concavity, and claw width, as well as claw growth and wear rates were recorded for lateral and medial claws of the left hind limb. Claw asymmetry calculations were based on these claw measurements and on differences in sole protrusion between lateral and medial soles. Asphalt floors caused shorter toe length and steeper toe angle. They also increased wear on rear claws (5.30 +/- 0.31 and 5.95 +/- 0.33 mm/mo for lateral and medial claw, respectively; LSM +/- SE) and horn growth rate (5.12 +/- 0.36 and 5.83 +/- 0.31 mm/mo of lateral and medial claws, respectively). Rubber mats instead of asphalt in walking areas reduced wear (1.36 +/- 0.19 and 2.02 +/- 0.20 mm/mo for lateral and medial claw, respectively) and claw growth (3.83 +/- 0.23 and 3.94 +/- 0.17 mm/mo for lateral and medial claw, respectively). Rubber-matted feed-stalls together with asphalt walkways decreased claw wear (3.29 +/- 0.31 and 4.10 +/- 0.32 mm/mo for lateral and medial claw, respectively). The concavity of claw soles was reduced on asphalt, especially in the lateral rear claws. Rubber matting in feed-stalls prevented loss of sole concavity compared with asphalt. Claw asymmetry did not differ between flooring systems. While different access to abrasive flooring affected claw conformation, there was no evidence that flooring system influenced the disproportion between lateral and

Surgery for acquired cardiovascular disease: antiseptic treatment of contaminated vein grafts.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, F P; Peivandi, A A; Kohnen, W; Jansen, B

2014-04-01

Saphenous vein grafts harvested for use as bypass conduits can be contaminated intraoperatively, e.g. by being inadvertently dropped to the floor of the operating room (OR). This study was performed to investigate microorganisms most likely contaminating vein grafts and to assess the possible efficacy of measures to treat potentially contaminated vein grafts antiseptically for further use. In a first step we determined the microbiological flora of the OR using surface cultures and cultures from intentionally dropped vein grafts. Several antiseptic agents (PVP-iodine 10%, octenidinhydrochloride 0.1%, polyhexanide 1%) were evaluated for their in vitro efficacy to disinfect artificially contaminated vein segments. The most promising antiseptic regimen was tested on veins contaminated in a real OR setting. Finally, we tested for possible alterations in mechanical properties of the veins caused by antiseptic treatment. Coagulase-negative staphylococci where the predominant bacteria recovered from the OR with 59.9%. Antiseptic treatment with a combination of octenidine and PVP-iodine resulted in a higher rate of negative cultures than any single agent. Treatment of 50 saphenous vein grafts contaminated in the OR with the combination regimen resulted in only 3 positive cultural results within 7 days. Mechanical tear-stress testing comparing antiseptically treated vein grafts with controls showed no difference in their resistance to tear stress. Antiseptic treatment of contaminated vein grafts was shown to be effective in a high percentage of cases without altering mechanical properties of grafts and may be an option for the surgeon in case of a contamination.

APPLICATION OF ELECTRONIC TACHEOMETER FOR PREAND POST-CONSTRUCTION SURVEY OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Nesterionok

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Floor-by-floor survey of installed elements of an elevator shaft using coordinate method and tacheometer is also inhibited by the necessity to determine device installation points for floors of every mounting horizon that leads to additional measurements due to conditions of the completed building framework and presence of a great number of situational disturbances and then it entails significant time expenditure and diminution of accuracy in the obtained results. Technical capabilities of the modern electronic tacheometer substantially simplify an accomplishment of the mission because the device can be applied not only in function of vertical projection but it can be used for preand post-construction survey of the elevator shaft with the help of advanced radiation method. While using the given method the electronic tacheometer equipped with diagonal ocular is installed over a bearing sign in the elevator pit and control points of the elevator shaft are determined with the help of specially developed portable beam deflector in the form of disc with radius r, which is fixed to a handle rod and orientated perpendicularly to a laser beam. An innovation diagram for preand post-construction survey of elevator shaft has been developed while applying this type of deflector. The diagram is characterized by high efficiency due to the fact that one tacheometer installation makes it possible to execute highly accurate, complete plane and high-level surveying of the whole elevator shaft including doorways, door sills and jambs.The paper proposes a new method for pre and post construction survey of the elevator shaft using the electronic tacheometer while applying specially developed beam deflector that ensures a geometric fixing of one or simultaneously two surveying points to spatial coordinate system where the preand post-construction survey is carried out. The method is characterized by high geometric accuracy and technological efficiency.

Regular exercisers have stronger pelvic floor muscles than nonregular exercisers at midpregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bø, Kari; Ellstrøm Engh, Marie; Hilde, Gunvor

2018-04-01

Today all healthy pregnant women are encouraged to be physically active throughout pregnancy, with recommendations to participate in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity on most days of the week in addition to performing strength training of the major muscle groups 2-3 days per week and also pelvic floor muscle training. There is, however, an ongoing debate whether general physical activity enhances or declines pelvic floor muscle function. The objectives of the study were to compare vaginal resting pressure, pelvic floor muscle strength, and endurance in regular exercisers (exercise ≥30 minutes 3 or more times per week) and nonexercisers at midpregnancy. Furthermore, another objective was to assess whether regular general exercise or pelvic floor muscle strength was associated with urinary incontinence. This was a cross-sectional study at mean gestational week 20.9 (±1.4) including 218 nulliparous pregnant women, with a mean age of 28.6 years (range, 19-40 years) and prepregnancy body mass index of 23.9 kg/m 2 (SD, 4.0). Vaginal resting pressure, pelvic floor muscle strength, and pelvic floor muscle endurance were measured by a high-precision pressure transducer connected to a vaginal balloon. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence Short Form was used to assess urinary incontinence. Differences between groups were analyzed using an independent-sample Student t test. Linear regression analysis was conducted to adjust for prepregnancy body mass index, age, smoking during pregnancy, and regular pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy. The significance value was set to P ≤ .05. Regular exercisers had statistically significant stronger (mean 6.4 cm H 2 O [95% confidence interval, 1.7-11.2]) and more enduring (mean 39.9 cm H 2 Osec [95% confidence interval, 42.2-75.7]) pelvic floor muscles. Only pelvic floor muscle strength remained statistically significant, when adjusting for possible confounders. Pelvic floor

Clinical functional evaluation of female's pelvic floor: integrative review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Carolina Nociti Lopes Fernandes

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: The effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT depends on the correct prescription of intensity, repetition and endurance of muscle contractions, which are provided by an adequate assessment of pelvic floor muscle. Objective: Verify the techniques, resources and strategies used for clinical functional evaluation of female pelvic floor (PF described in literature. Methods: It’s an integrative review of published studies and books from 2010 until December 2015. Relevant articles with complete description of PF evaluation were found through the use of Scielo, LILACS, PubMed and Medline databases. Results: 34 articles that fulfilled all the criteria were selected. Conclusion: The most used techniques, resources and strategies were: anamnesis, physical examination, measurement of pelvic floor muscle activity using Modified Oxford Scale or perineometry, and use of questionnaires to analyze patient's perspective of their own symptoms. Thus, we could use the parameters obtained in the evaluation to plan an ideal PFMT for each patient, so the physiotherapist would have a good database to analyze the evolution and define the end of therapy.

Children's Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: An Editorial Reflection of Articles in the IJERPH Special Issue Entitled, "Children's Exposure to Environmental Contaminants".

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Alesia; Solo-Gabriele, Helena

2016-11-09

Children are at increased vulnerability to many environmental contaminants compared to adults due to their unique behavior patterns, increased contaminant intake per body weight, and developing biological systems. Depending upon their age, young children may crawl on the floor and may practice increased hand to mouth activity that may increase their dose-intake of specific contaminants that accumulate in dust and other matrices. Children are also smaller in size than adults, resulting in a greater body burden for a given contaminant dose. Because children undergo rapid transitions through particular developmental stages they are also especially vulnerable during certain growth-related time windows. A Special Issue was organized focused on the latest findings in the field of children's environmental exposure for these reasons. This editorial introduces articles in this Special Issue and emphasizes their main findings in advancing the field. From the many articles submitted to this Special Issue from around the world, 23 were accepted and published. They focus on a variety of research areas such as children's activity patterns, improved risk assessment methods to estimate exposures, and exposures in various contexts and to various contaminants. The future health of a nation relies on protecting the children from adverse exposures and understanding the etiology of childhood diseases. The field of children's environmental exposures must consider improved and comprehensive research methods aimed at introducing mitigation strategies locally, nationally, and globally. We are happy to introduce a Special Issue focused on children's environmental exposure and children's health and hope that it contributes towards improved health of children.

Physical, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine in the Treatment of Pelvic Floor Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnouk, Alex; De, Elise; Rehfuss, Alexandra; Cappadocia, Carin; Dickson, Samantha; Lian, Fei

2017-06-01

The purpose of the study was to catalog the most recent available literature regarding the use of conservative measures in treatment of pelvic floor disorders. Pelvic floor disorders encompass abnormalities of urination, defecation, sexual function, pelvic organ prolapse, and chronic pain, and can have significant quality of life implications for patients. Current guidelines recommend behavioral modifications and conservative treatments as first-line therapy for pelvic floor disorders. We have reviewed the literature for articles published on physical, complementary, and alternative treatments for pelvic floor disorders over the past 5 years. Review of pelvic floor muscle physiotherapy (PFMT) and biofeedback (BF) shows a benefit for patients suffering from bladder dysfunction (incontinence, overactive bladder), bowel dysfunction (constipation, fecal incontinence), pelvic organ prolapse, and sexual dysfunction (pelvic pain). Combination of PFMT and BF has shown improved results compared to PFMT alone, and some studies find that electrical stimulation can augment the benefit of BF and PFMT. Additionally, acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy has shown to be an effective treatment for pelvic floor disorders, particularly with respect to pelvic pain. This update highlights beneficial conservative treatments available for pelvic floor dysfunction, and supplements the current literature on treatment options for patients suffering from these disorders.

Floor-Fractured Craters on Ceres and Implications for Internal Composition and Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Buczkowski, D.; Schenk, P.; Scully, J. E. C.; Park, R. S.; Preusker, F.; Raymond, C. A.; Russell, C. T.

2016-12-01

Several of the impact craters on Ceres have patterns of fractures on their floors. These fractures appear similar to those found within a class of lunar craters referred to as Floor-Fractured Craters (FFCs) [1]. Lunar FFCs are characterized by anomalously shallow floors cut by radial, concentric, and/or polygonal fractures, and have been classified into crater classes, Types 1 through 6, based on their morphometric properties [1,2]. Models for their formation have included both floor uplift due to magmatic intrusion below the crater or floor shallowing due to viscous relaxation. However, the observation that the depth versus diameter (d/D) relationship of the FFCs is distinctly shallower than the same association for other lunar craters supports the hypotheses that the floor fractures form due to shallow magmatic intrusion under the crater [2]. We have cataloged the Ceres FFCs according to the classification scheme designed for the Moon. Large (>50 km) Ceres FFCs are most consistent with Type 1 lunar FFCs, having deep floors, central peaks, wall terraces, and radial and/or concentric fractures. Smaller craters on Ceres are more consistent with Type 4 lunar FFCs, having less-pronounced floor fractures and v-shaped moats separating the wall scarp from the crater interior. An analysis of the d/D ratio for Ceres craters shows that, like lunar FFCs, the Ceres FFCs are anomalously shallow. This suggests that the fractures on the floor of Ceres FFCs may be due the intrusion of a low-density material below the craters that is uplifting their floors. While on the Moon the intrusive material is hypothesized to be silicate magma, this is unlikely for Ceres. However, a cryovolcanic extrusive edifice has been identified on Ceres [3], suggesting that cryomagmatic intrusions could be responsible for the formation of the Ceres FFCs. References: [1] Schultz P. (1976) Moon, 15, 241-273 [2] Jozwiak L.M. et al (2015) JGR 117, doi: 10.1029/2012JE004134 [3] Ruesch O. et al (2016

Assessment of pelvic floor dysfunctions using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hoda Salah Darwish

2014-03-01

Conclusion: Dynamic MRI is an ideal, non invasive technique which does not require patient preparation for evaluation of pelvic floor. It acts as one stop shop for diagnosing single or multiple pelvic compartment involvement in patients with pelvic floor dysfunction.

Pelvic floor functional disorders in vaginally delivered primiparae

OpenAIRE

Antolic, Andrea

2011-01-01

In this study we examined pelvic floor functional disorders in primiparae with single pregnancies, cephalic presentation at term at the Charité delivery department before and during pregnancy as well as after vaginal delivery by means of questionnaire in relation to maternal, neonatal and obstetric risk factors. The pathophysiology of pelvic floor disorders is still not statisfyingly resolved. During pregnancy 74% of primiparae knew about the interrelation between delivery and sexual disorde...

Chemical hazards analysis of resilient flooring for healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Lent, Tom; Silas, Julie; Vallette, Jim

2010-01-01

This article addresses resilient flooring, evaluating the potential health effects of vinyl flooring and the leading alternatives-synthetic rubber, polyolefin, and linoleum-currently used in the healthcare marketplace. The study inventories chemicals incorporated as components of each of the four material types or involved in their life cycle as feedstocks, intermediary chemicals, or emissions. It then characterizes those chemicals using a chemical hazard-based framework that addresses persistence and bioaccumulation, human toxicity, and human exposures.

Evaluation of parasitic contamination from local sources of drinking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A survey on the parasitic contamination of drinking-water sources was carried out ... the extent of contamination of these water sources and their public health implication. ... of the water bodies and boil their drinking-water before consumption.

Quality of life in women with pelvic floor dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mladenović-Segedi Ljiljana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a frequent problem affecting more than 50% of women in peri- and postmenopause. Considering that ageing and menopause befall in the significant factors causing this issue, as well as the expected longevity of women in the world and in our country, pelvic floor dysfunction prevelence is foreseen to be even higher. The aim of the study was to evaluate impact of the symptoms of pelvic dysfunction on quality of life and examine body image satisfaction in adult women with pelvic organ prolapse presenting to tertiary care clinic for surgical treatment. Methods. This prospective case-control study included 50 patients who presented to tertiary care gynecology clinic for surgical treatment and 50 controls with normal pelvic floor support and without urinary incontinence who presented tertiary care gynecology clinic for other reasons. Both, patients and controls, completed two quastionnaires recommended for the evaluation of symptoms (Pelvic floor distress inventory - short forms and quality of life impact (Pelvic floor impact questionnaire - short form of pelvic organ prolapse, and Body Image Scale. Results. The patients scored significantly worse on the prolapse, urinary, colorectal scales and overall score of Pelvic floor distress inventory - 20 than controls subjects (134.91 vs 78.08; p < 0.01. The patients also measured significant decrease in condition- specific quality of life (89.23 vs 3.1; p < 0.01. They were more likely to feel self-conscious (78% vs 42%; p < 0.01, less likely to feel physically attractive (78% vs 22%; p < 0.01, more likely to have difficulty looking at themselves naked (70% vs 42%; p < 0.01, less likely to feel sexually attractive (64% vs 32%; p < 0.01, and less likely to feel feminine (56% vs 16%; p < 0.05, than controls. There were no differencies in their feeling of dissatisfaction with appearance when dressed, avoiding people because of appereance and overall dissatisfaction with

Modelling the cost-effectiveness of impact-absorbing flooring in Swedish residential care facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryen, Linda; Svensson, Mikael

2016-06-01

Fall-related injuries among the elderly, specifically hip fractures, cause significant morbidity and mortality as well as imposing a substantial financial cost on the health care system. Impact-absorbing flooring has been advocated as an effective method for preventing hip fractures resulting from falls. This study identifies the cost-effectiveness of impact-absorbing flooring compared to standard flooring in residential care facilities for the elderly in a Swedish setting. An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis was performed comparing impact-absorbing flooring to standard flooring using a Markov decision model. A societal perspective was adopted and incremental costs were compared to incremental gains in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Data on costs, probability transitions and health-related quality of life measures were retrieved from the published literature and from Swedish register data. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed through a Monte Carlo simulation. The base-case analysis indicates that the impact-absorbing flooring reduces costs and increases QALYs. When allowing for uncertainty we find that 60% of the simulations indicate that impact-absorbing flooring is cost-saving compared to standard flooring and an additional 20% that it has a cost per QALY below a commonly used threshold value : Using a modelling approach, we find that impact-absorbing flooring is a dominant strategy at the societal level considering that it can save resources and improve health in a vulnerable population. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Reaction of calves to two flooring materials offered simultaneously in one pen.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stefanowska, J.; Swierstra, D.; Smits, A.C.; Berg, van den J.V.; Metz, J.H.M.

2002-01-01

Now that group housing is replacing individual crates, so that calves can lie, stand and walk on the pen floor, the quality of the floor for group-housed calves has become the focus of attention. The reaction of two groups of four calves to a double area of floor made from two materials (wooden

Statistical analysis of the variation of floor vibrations in nuclear power plants subject to seismic loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jussila, Vilho; Li, Yue; Fülöp, Ludovic

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Floor flexibility plays a non-negligible role in amplifying horizontal vibrations. • COV of in-floor horizontal and vertical acceleration are 0.15–0.25 and 0.25–0.55. • In-floor variation of vibrations is higher in lower floors. • Floor spectra from limited nodes underestimates vibrations by a factor of 1.5–1.75. - Abstract: Floor vibration of a reactor building subjected to seismic loads was investigated, with the aim of quantifying the variability of vibrations on each floor. A detailed 3D building model founded on the bedrock was excited simultaneously in three directions by artificial accelerograms compatible with Finnish ground response spectra. Dynamic simulation for 21 s was carried out using explicit time integration. The extracted results of the simulation were acceleration in several floor locations, transformed to pseudo-acceleration (PSA) spectra in the next stage. At first, the monitored locations on the floors were estimated by engineering judgement in order to arrive at a feasible number of floor nodes for post processing of the data. It became apparent that engineering judgment was insufficient to depict the key locations with high floor vibrations, which resulted in un-conservative vibration estimates. For this reason, a more systematic approach was later considered, in which nodes of the floors were selected with a more refined grid of 2 m. With this method, in addition to the highest PSA peaks in all directions, the full vibration distribution in each floor can be determined. A statistical evaluation of the floor responses was also carried out in order to define floor accelerations and PSAs with high confidence of non-exceedance. The conclusion was that in-floor variability can be as high as 50–60% and models with sufficiently dense node grids should be used in order to achieve a realistic estimate of floor vibration under seismic action. The effects of the shape of the input spectra, damping, and flexibility of the

Statistical analysis of the variation of floor vibrations in nuclear power plants subject to seismic loads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jussila, Vilho [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Kemistintie 3, 02230 Espoo (Finland); Li, Yue [Dept. of Civil Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Fülöp, Ludovic, E-mail: ludovic.fulop@vtt.fi [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Kemistintie 3, 02230 Espoo (Finland)

2016-12-01

Highlights: • Floor flexibility plays a non-negligible role in amplifying horizontal vibrations. • COV of in-floor horizontal and vertical acceleration are 0.15–0.25 and 0.25–0.55. • In-floor variation of vibrations is higher in lower floors. • Floor spectra from limited nodes underestimates vibrations by a factor of 1.5–1.75. - Abstract: Floor vibration of a reactor building subjected to seismic loads was investigated, with the aim of quantifying the variability of vibrations on each floor. A detailed 3D building model founded on the bedrock was excited simultaneously in three directions by artificial accelerograms compatible with Finnish ground response spectra. Dynamic simulation for 21 s was carried out using explicit time integration. The extracted results of the simulation were acceleration in several floor locations, transformed to pseudo-acceleration (PSA) spectra in the next stage. At first, the monitored locations on the floors were estimated by engineering judgement in order to arrive at a feasible number of floor nodes for post processing of the data. It became apparent that engineering judgment was insufficient to depict the key locations with high floor vibrations, which resulted in un-conservative vibration estimates. For this reason, a more systematic approach was later considered, in which nodes of the floors were selected with a more refined grid of 2 m. With this method, in addition to the highest PSA peaks in all directions, the full vibration distribution in each floor can be determined. A statistical evaluation of the floor responses was also carried out in order to define floor accelerations and PSAs with high confidence of non-exceedance. The conclusion was that in-floor variability can be as high as 50–60% and models with sufficiently dense node grids should be used in order to achieve a realistic estimate of floor vibration under seismic action. The effects of the shape of the input spectra, damping, and flexibility of the

Low-Impact Flooring: Does It Reduce Fall-Related Injuries?

Science.gov (United States)

Hanger, H Carl

2017-07-01

To compare fall rates and injuries from falls on low-impact flooring (LIF) compared with a standard vinyl flooring. Prospective, observational, nonrandomized controlled study. Subacute Older Persons Health ward (N = 20 beds). Older inpatients. Three different types of LIF. All falls in the ward were prospectively monitored using incident reporting, noting location and consequences of each fall. Fall rates (per 1000 bed days) and injuries, were compared between bedroom falls on LIF against those occurring on standard vinyl flooring (controls). Over 31 months, there were 278 bedroom falls (from 178 fallers). The bedroom fall rate (falls per 1000 bed days occupied) did not differ between the LIF and control groups (median 15 [IQR 8-18] versus 17 [IQR 9-23], respectively; P = .47). However, fall-related injuries were significantly less frequent when they occurred on LIFs (22% of falls versus 34% of falls on control flooring; P = .02). Fractures occurred in 0.7% of falls in the LIF cohort versus 2.3% in the control cohort. Rolling resistance when moving heavier equipment, such as beds or hoists, was an issue for staff on LIF. LIF significantly reduced fall-related injuries compared with a standard vinyl flooring, whereas they did not alter the overall risk of falling. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTAMINATED SOIL VOLUME ESTIMATE TRACKING METHODOLOGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durham, L.A.; Johnson, R.L.; Rieman, C.; Kenna, T.; Pilon, R.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting a cleanup of radiologically contaminated properties under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The largest cost element for most of the FUSRAP sites is the transportation and disposal of contaminated soil. Project managers and engineers need an estimate of the volume of contaminated soil to determine project costs and schedule. Once excavation activities begin and additional remedial action data are collected, the actual quantity of contaminated soil often deviates from the original estimate, resulting in cost and schedule impacts to the project. The project costs and schedule need to be frequently updated by tracking the actual quantities of excavated soil and contaminated soil remaining during the life of a remedial action project. A soil volume estimate tracking methodology was developed to provide a mechanism for project managers and engineers to create better project controls of costs and schedule. For the FUSRAP Linde site, an estimate of the initial volume of in situ soil above the specified cleanup guidelines was calculated on the basis of discrete soil sample data and other relevant data using indicator geostatistical techniques combined with Bayesian analysis. During the remedial action, updated volume estimates of remaining in situ soils requiring excavation were calculated on a periodic basis. In addition to taking into account the volume of soil that had been excavated, the updated volume estimates incorporated both new gamma walkover surveys and discrete sample data collected as part of the remedial action. A civil survey company provided periodic estimates of actual in situ excavated soil volumes. By using the results from the civil survey of actual in situ volumes excavated and the updated estimate of the remaining volume of contaminated soil requiring excavation, the USACE Buffalo District was able to forecast and update project costs and schedule. The soil volume

Stochastic seismic floor response analysis method for various damping systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitada, Y.; Hattori, K.; Ogata, M.; Kanda, J.

1991-01-01

A study using the stochastic seismic response analysis method which is applicable for the estimation of floor response spectra is carried out. It is pointed out as a shortcoming in this stochastic seismic response analysis method, that the method tends to overestimate floor response spectra for low damping systems, e.g. 1% of the critical damping ratio. An investigation on the cause of the shortcoming is carried out and a number of improvements in this method were also made to the original method by taking correlation of successive peaks in a response time history into account. The application of the improved method to a typical BWR reactor building is carried out. The resultant floor response spectra are compared with those obtained by deterministic time history analysis. Floor response spectra estimated by the improved method consistently cover the response spectra obtained by the time history analysis for various damping ratios. (orig.)

Hardwood? Carpet? or Tile? A comparison of flooring costs under residential conditions

Science.gov (United States)

David G. Martens; David G. Martens

1971-01-01

Initial installation cost, annual maintenance cost, and total long-term cost are important in the purchase of flooring products. Before deciding on a flooring material, the prudent buyer will consider each of these in relation to his personal desires. From these evaluations, he will then be able to select the flooring material that is best suited to his individual...

Nutrient and pesticide contamination bias estimated from field blanks collected at surface-water sites in U.S. Geological Survey Water-Quality Networks, 2002–12

Science.gov (United States)

Medalie, Laura; Martin, Jeffrey D.

2017-08-14

Potential contamination bias was estimated for 8 nutrient analytes and 40 pesticides in stream water collected by the U.S. Geological Survey at 147 stream sites from across the United States, and representing a variety of hydrologic conditions and site types, for water years 2002–12. This study updates previous U.S. Geological Survey evaluations of potential contamination bias for nutrients and pesticides. Contamination is potentially introduced to water samples by exposure to airborne gases and particulates, from inadequate cleaning of sampling or analytic equipment, and from inadvertent sources during sample collection, field processing, shipment, and laboratory analysis. Potential contamination bias, based on frequency and magnitude of detections in field blanks, is used to determine whether or under what conditions environmental data might need to be qualified for the interpretation of results in the context of comparisons with background levels, drinking-water standards, aquatic-life criteria or benchmarks, or human-health benchmarks. Environmental samples for which contamination bias as determined in this report applies are those from historical U.S. Geological Survey water-quality networks or programs that were collected during the same time frame and according to the same protocols and that were analyzed in the same laboratory as field blanks described in this report.Results from field blanks for ammonia, nitrite, nitrite plus nitrate, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus were partitioned by analytical method; results from the most commonly used analytical method for total phosphorus were further partitioned by date. Depending on the analytical method, 3.8, 9.2, or 26.9 percent of environmental samples, the last of these percentages pertaining to all results from 2007 through 2012, were potentially affected by ammonia contamination. Nitrite contamination potentially affected up to 2.6 percent of environmental samples collected between 2002 and 2006 and

Compilation of PRF Canyon Floor Pan Sample Analysis Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pool, Karl N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Minette, Michael J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wahl, Jon H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Greenwood, Lawrence R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Coffey, Deborah S. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McNamara, Bruce K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bryan, Samuel A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Scheele, Randall D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Delegard, Calvin H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sinkov, Sergey I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Soderquist, Chuck Z. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fiskum, Sandra K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Brown, Garrett N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Clark, Richard A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-06-30

On September 28, 2015, debris collected from the PRF (236-Z) canyon floor, Pan J, was observed to exhibit chemical reaction. The material had been transferred from the floor pan to a collection tray inside the canyon the previous Friday. Work in the canyon was stopped to allow Industrial Hygiene to perform monitoring of the material reaction. Canyon floor debris that had been sealed out was sequestered at the facility, a recovery plan was developed, and drum inspections were initiated to verify no additional reactions had occurred. On October 13, in-process drums containing other Pan J material were inspected and showed some indication of chemical reaction, limited to discoloration and degradation of inner plastic bags. All Pan J material was sealed back into the canyon and returned to collection trays. Based on the high airborne levels in the canyon during physical debris removal, ETGS (Encapsulation Technology Glycerin Solution) was used as a fogging/lock-down agent. On October 15, subject matter experts confirmed a reaction had occurred between nitrates (both Plutonium Nitrate and Aluminum Nitrate Nonahydrate (ANN) are present) in the Pan J material and the ETGS fixative used to lower airborne radioactivity levels during debris removal. Management stopped the use of fogging/lock-down agents containing glycerin on bulk materials, declared a Management Concern, and initiated the Potential Inadequacy in the Safety Analysis determination process. Additional drum inspections and laboratory analysis of both reacted and unreacted material are planned. This report compiles the results of many different sample analyses conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory on samples collected from the Plutonium Reclamation Facility (PRF) floor pans by the CH2MHill’s Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC). Revision 1 added Appendix G that reports the results of the Gas Generation Rate and methodology. The scope of analyses requested by CHPRC includes the determination of

Seismic isolation floor and vibration control equipment for nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niwa, H.; Fujimoto, S.; Aida, Y.; Miyano, H.

1996-01-01

We have developed a seismic isolation floor to improve protection against earthquakes for process computer systems, and a magnetic dynamic damper to reduce the mechanical vibrations of piping systems and pumps in nuclear power plants. Seismic excitation tests of the seismic isolation floor, on which process computer systems were installed, were performed using large earthquake simulators. The test results proved that the seismic isolation floor significantly reduced seismic forces. To control mechanical vibrations, a magnetic dynamic damper was designed using permanent magnets. This magnetic dynamic damper does not require mechanical springs, dampers and supports in the floors and walls of the building. Vibration tests using a rotating machine model confirmed that the magnetic dynamic damper effectively controlled vibrations in such a rotating machine model. (author)

Modal analysis for floors in lightweight buildings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sjökvist, Lars-Göran; Brunskog, Jonas

2007-01-01

of acoustical prediction methods for those houses. The calculation standard EN 12354 is under evaluation since it cannot include most of the wooden houses that are built. It is important during such a work to have a great understanding of the acoustical behaviour for the wooden houses. The floors in lightweight...... constructions usually consist of plates that are stiffened by beams and by the dividing walls. In this study the wave equation for a plate is expanded by Fourier series and an analytical solution in terms of the eigenmodes of the entire system is presented. The studied system consists of one lightweigt floor...

Coatings and floor covers for nuclear applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunze, S.

1998-01-01

To prevent damage to, or even the destruction of, components of very sensitive electrical equipment in rooms in which unsealed radioactive emitters are handled, floors must be antistatic and capable of being decontaminated. Conductive additives to the cover compounds achieve the desired leakage resistance of 5.10 4 to 10 6 Ω. Investigations have shown the decontamination capability of all floor covers and coatings to be excellent in most cases, and good in a few cases. Except for one coating, the coatings examined after radiation exposure also meet the requirements applying to nuclear installations. (orig.) [de

Acoustics advances study of sea floor hydrothermal flow

Science.gov (United States)

Rona, Peter A.; Jackson, Darrell R.; Bemis, Karen G.; Jones, Christopher D.; Mitsuzawa, Kyohiko; Palmer, David R.; Silver, Deborah

Sub-sea floor hydrothermal convection systems discharge as plumes from point sources and as seepage from the ocean bottom. The plumes originate as clear, 150-400°C solutions that vent from mineralized chimneys; precipitate dissolved metals as particles to form black or white smokers as they turbulently mix with ambient seawater; and buoyantly rise hundreds of meters to a level of neutral density where they spread laterally. The seepage discharges from networks of fractures at the rock-water interface as clear, diffuse flow, with lower temperatures, metal contents, and buoyancy than the smokers. The diffuse flow may be entrained upward into plumes, or laterally by prevailing currents in discrete layers within tens of meters of the sea floor. The role of these flow regimes in dispersing heat, chemicals, and biological material into the ocean from sub-sea floor hydrothermal convection systems is being studied on a global scale.

Effects of floor eggs on hatchability and later life performance in broiler chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Brand, H; Sosef, M P; Lourens, A; van Harn, J

2016-05-01

Two experiments were conducted in which effects of floor eggs, washed floor eggs, and clean nest eggs were investigated on incubation characteristics and performance in later life of broiler chickens. In both experiments, a young and an older breeder flock were used in a 3×2 factorial design during incubation. In the second experiment, male and female chickens were reared separately until d 35 of age in floor pens. During this grow out trial, an extra group was created in which chickens obtained from clean nest eggs were mixed with chickens obtained from floor eggs, meaning that grow out period was set up as a 4×2×2 factorial design with 4 egg types, 2 breeder ages, and 2 sexes. In both experiments, fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs were lower in floor and washed eggs than in clean nest eggs (hatchability: experiment 1: 74.4 vs. 70.6 vs. 92.6% for floor eggs, washed floor eggs and clean nest eggs, respectively, P<0.001; experiment 2: 78.3 vs. 81.7 vs. 90.2%, respectively, P<0.001). In experiment 2, BW at d 0 of chickens obtained from clean nest eggs was higher than that of chickens from floor eggs and washed floor eggs (41.5 vs. 40.4 and 40.3 g, respectively; P<0.001). This difference disappeared during the grow out period and was absent at slaughter age at d 35 of age. Feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality during the grow out period were not affected by egg type. Incidence and severity of hock burns and footpad dermatitis were not affected by egg type or breeder age. Litter friability at d 35 of age tended to be lower in pens with chickens obtained from washed floor eggs compared to clean nest eggs. We conclude that incubation of floor eggs or washed floor eggs resulted in lower fertility and hatchability compared to clean nest eggs, but that performance during the grow out period was not affected. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Relationship between Fungal Colonisation of the Respiratory Tract in Lung Transplant Recipients and Fungal Contamination of the Hospital Environment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Bonnal

Full Text Available Aspergillus colonisation is frequently reported after lung transplantation. The question of whether aspergillus colonisation is related to the hospital environment is crucial to prevention.To elucidate this question, a prospective study of aspergillus colonisation after lung transplantation, along with a mycological survey of the patient environment, was performed.Forty-four consecutive patients were included from the day of lung transplantation and then examined weekly for aspergillus colonisation until hospital discharge. Environmental fungal contamination of each patient was followed weekly via air and surface sampling. Twelve patients (27% had transient aspergillus colonisation, occurring 1-13 weeks after lung transplantation, without associated manifestation of aspergillosis. Responsible Aspergillus species were A. fumigatus (6, A. niger (3, A. sydowii (1, A. calidoustus (1 and Aspergillus sp. (1. In the environment, contamination by Penicillium and Aspergillus was predominant. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between occurrence of aspergillus colonisation and fungal contamination of the patient's room, either by Aspergillus spp. in the air or by A.fumigatus on the floor. Related clinical and environmental isolates were genotyped in 9 cases of aspergillus colonisation. For A. fumigatus (4 cases, two identical microsatellite profiles were found between clinical and environmental isolates collected on distant dates or locations. For other Aspergillus species, isolates were different in 2 cases; in 3 cases of aspergillus colonisation by A. sydowii, A. niger and A. calidoustus, similarity between clinical and environmental internal transcribed spacer and tubulin sequences was >99%.Taken together, these results support the hypothesis of environmental risk of hospital acquisition of aspergillus colonisation in lung transplant recipients.

[Perioperative nursing of internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jing; Lei, Yiling; Wang, Liqiong

2013-12-01

This study aims to summarize the nursing experience in the internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery. The medical records of 48 patients who underwent sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery in the Department of Implantation, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, were reviewed. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative nursing methods were summarized. All 48 patients underwent smooth surgeries and did not encounter complications. Careful preoperative preparation, careful and meticulous intraoperative nursing cooperation, and provision of sufficient health education after surgery to the patients are the key factors that ensure the success of internal sinus floor elevation surgery with piezosurgery.

Pelvic Muscle Rehabilitation: A Standardized Protocol for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Pedraza

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Pelvic floor dysfunction syndromes present with voiding, sexual, and anorectal disturbances, which may be associated with one another, resulting in complex presentation. Thus, an integrated diagnosis and management approach may be required. Pelvic muscle rehabilitation (PMR is a noninvasive modality involving cognitive reeducation, modification, and retraining of the pelvic floor and associated musculature. We describe our standardized PMR protocol for the management of pelvic floor dysfunction syndromes. Pelvic Muscle Rehabilitation Program. The diagnostic assessment includes electromyography and manometry analyzed in 4 phases: (1 initial baseline phase; (2 rapid contraction phase; (3 tonic contraction and endurance phase; and (4 late baseline phase. This evaluation is performed at the onset of every session. PMR management consists of 6 possible therapeutic modalities, employed depending on the diagnostic evaluation: (1 down-training; (2 accessory muscle isolation; (3 discrimination training; (4 muscle strengthening; (5 endurance training; and (6 electrical stimulation. Eight to ten sessions are performed at one-week intervals with integration of home exercises and lifestyle modifications. Conclusions. The PMR protocol offers a standardized approach to diagnose and manage pelvic floor dysfunction syndromes with potential advantages over traditional biofeedback, involving additional interventions and a continuous pelvic floor assessment with management modifications over the clinical course.

Methods and Principles of Determining the Footwear and Floor Tribological Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Stamenković

2017-09-01

Full Text Available There are many standards relating to the anti-slip properties of footwear and flooring. These standards describe the different test methods and procedures for determining the footwear and floor slip resistance in different conditions. In this paper authors systematize the standards in this field applied in the EU and in Serbia and cite the Serbian institutes which are certified for this type of testing. In addition, the authors have carried out an analysis and comparison of the tests that are defined in these standards, indicating their advantages and disadvantages. Importance of the static and kinetic friction testing in determining the anti-slip properties of footwear and flooring is specifically indicated. Considering the current standards in area of slip resistance of the footwear and floor covering authors have determined the testing conditions for laboratory measuring the friction forces of different floor and footwear materials. The laboratory measurement has carried out at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Niš. The measuring results and their analysis are presented in the paper, as well.

Technical Basis - Spent Nuclear Fuels (SNF) Project Radiation and Contamination Trending Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ELGIN, J.C.

2000-01-01

This report documents the technical basis for the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Program radiation and contamination trending program. The program consists of standardized radiation and contamination surveys of the KE Basin, radiation surveys of the KW basin, radiation surveys of the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVD), and radiation surveys of the Canister Storage Building (CSB) with the associated tracking. This report also discusses the remainder of radiological areas within the SNFP that do not have standardized trending programs and the basis for not having this program in those areas

Rubber Flooring Impact on Production and Herdlife of Dairy Cows

Science.gov (United States)

Use of rubber flooring in dairies has become popular because of perceived cow comfort. The overall objective of this longitudinal study was to evaluate production, reproduction, and retention of first and second lactations of cows assigned to either rubber (RUB) or concrete (CON) flooring at the fe...

CURB-BASED STREET FLOOR EXTRACTION FROM MOBILE TERRESTRIAL LIDAR POINT CLOUD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ibrahim

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Mobile terrestrial laser scanners (MTLS produce huge 3D point clouds describing the terrestrial surface, from which objects like different street furniture can be generated. Extraction and modelling of the street curb and the street floor from MTLS point clouds is important for many applications such as right-of-way asset inventory, road maintenance and city planning. The proposed pipeline for the curb and street floor extraction consists of a sequence of five steps: organizing the 3D point cloud and nearest neighbour search; 3D density-based segmentation to segment the ground; morphological analysis to refine out the ground segment; derivative of Gaussian filtering to detect the curb; solving the travelling salesman problem to form a closed polygon of the curb and point-inpolygon test to extract the street floor. Two mobile laser scanning datasets of different scenes are tested with the proposed pipeline. The results of the extracted curb and street floor are evaluated based on a truth data. The obtained detection rates for the extracted street floor for the datasets are 95% and 96.53%. This study presents a novel approach to the detection and extraction of the road curb and the street floor from unorganized 3D point clouds captured by MTLS. It utilizes only the 3D coordinates of the point cloud.

The Role of Pelvic Floor Muscles in Male Sexual Dysfunction and Pelvic Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Deborah; Gonzalez, Joshua; Goldstein, Irwin

2016-01-01

Sexual function is essential to good health and well-being in men. The relationship between male sexual function, pelvic floor function, and pelvic pain is complex and only beginning to be appreciated. The objectives of the current review are to examine these complex relationships, and to demonstrate how pelvic floor physical therapy can potentially improve the treatment of various male sexual dysfunctions, including erectile dysfunction and dysfunction of ejaculation and orgasm. Contemporary data on pelvic floor anatomy and function as they relate to the treatment of various male sexual dysfunctions were reviewed. Examination of evidence supporting the association between the male pelvic floor and erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory/orgasmic dysfunction, and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, respectively. Evidence suggests a close relationship between the pelvic floor and male sexual dysfunction and a potential therapeutic benefit from pelvic floor therapy for men who suffer from these conditions. Pelvic floor physical therapy is a necessary tool in a more comprehensive bio-neuromusculoskeletal-psychosocial approach to the treatment of male sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selection criteria and requirements for floors in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunze, S.

1988-01-01

As a surface protection of floors in nuclear facilities coatings, rubber and PVC coverings, respectively, are normally used, whereas stoneware tiles are still provided in rare cases only. All floor materials must be well decontaminable according to the German standard DIN 25415, Part 1. The general requirement is that low-porous, smooth products with little filler content, made of chemically resistant material, are very well decontaminable. Further investigations will be necessary for heavily loaded floor coatings. They include above all examinations for decontaminability after radiation and for wear and resistance to chemicals. These requirements have been compiled in DIN 55991. The examination of about 212 industrial products has revealed that the decontaminability of covering materials is frequently poor. Investigations have shown that the decontaminability is always deteriorated by additions of hygroscopic fillers. Additions of non-hygroscopic fillers and pigments may result in an excellent to poor decontaminability. The pore-free bonding of the covering materials by welding or jointing is of great importance with respect to the decontaminability of these floors. Care should be taken that the jointing compounds are as well decontaminable as the rubber coverings and stonewares. (orig.) [de

Selection criteria and requirements for floors in nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunze, S.

1987-01-01

As a surface protection of floors in nuclear facilities coatings, rubber and PVC coverings, respectively, are normally used, whereas stoneware tiles are still provided in rare cases only. All floor materials must be well decontaminable according to the German standard DIN 25415, Part 1. The general requirement is that low-porous, smooth products with little filler content, made of chemically resistant material, are very well decontaminable. Further investigations will be necessary for heavily loaded floor coatings. They include above all examinations for decontaminability after radiation and for wear and resistance to chemicals. These requirements have been compiled in DIN 55991. The examination of about 200 industrial products has revealed that the decontaminability of covering materials is frequently poor. Investigations have shown that the decontaminability is always deteriorated by additions of hygroscopic fillers. Additions of non-hygroscopic fillers and pigments may result in an excellent to poor decontaminability. The pore-free bonding of the covering materials by welding or jointing is of great importance with respect to the decontaminability of these floors. Care should be taken that the jointing compounds are as well decontaminable as the rubber coverings and stonewares. (orig.) [de

Virtual reality: new method of teaching anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobson, Howard D; Pearl, Russell K; Orsay, Charles P; Rasmussen, Mary; Evenhouse, Ray; Ai, Zhuming; Blew, Gregory; Dech, Fred; Edison, Marcia I; Silverstein, Jonathan C; Abcarian, Herand

2003-03-01

A clear understanding of the intricate spatial relationships among the structures of the pelvic floor, rectum, and anal canal is essential for the treatment of numerous pathologic conditions. Virtual-reality technology allows improved visualization of three-dimensional structures over conventional media because it supports stereoscopic-vision, viewer-centered perspective, large angles of view, and interactivity. We describe a novel virtual reality-based model designed to teach anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy, pathology, and surgery. A static physical model depicting the pelvic floor and anorectum was created and digitized at 1-mm intervals in a CT scanner. Multiple software programs were used along with endoscopic images to generate a realistic interactive computer model, which was designed to be viewed on a networked, interactive, virtual-reality display (CAVE or ImmersaDesk). A standard examination of ten basic anorectal and pelvic floor anatomy questions was administered to third-year (n = 6) and fourth-year (n = 7) surgical residents. A workshop using the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model was then given, and the standard examination was readministered so that it was possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the Digital Pelvic Floor Model as an educational instrument. Training on the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model produced substantial improvements in the overall average test scores for the two groups, with an overall increase of 41 percent (P = 0.001) and 21 percent (P = 0.0007) for third-year and fourth-year residents, respectively. Resident evaluations after the workshop also confirmed the effectiveness of understanding pelvic anatomy using the Virtual Pelvic Floor Model. This model provides an innovative interactive educational framework that allows educators to overcome some of the barriers to teaching surgical and endoscopic principles based on understanding highly complex three-dimensional anatomy. Using this collaborative, shared virtual-reality environment

Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Different Flooring Emissivity on Night-Time Cooling using Displacement Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Le Dréau, Jérôme; Karlsen, Line Røseth; Litewnicki, Michal

2011-01-01

, but it was seen that the emissivity of the flooring affected the heat transfer ratio at the internal surfaces. The convective heat flux increased at the ceiling and decreased at the floor for experiments with aluminum flooring compared to the experiments with EPS floor. Temperature efficiency was slightly higher......-time ventilation using displacement ventilation. Experimental work was conducted on the basis of the work performed by Artmann et al. (2009) in a similar previous study. An aluminum-foil floor cover was installed in a full scale test room. Experimental results obtained with aluminum flooring were compared...... to results obtained by Artmann et al. with a flooring consisting of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Results showed that the surface temperature of the floor decreased with decreasing emissivity. Mean convective heat fluxes were similar for experiments conducted with both EPS and aluminum-foil floor cover...

Radioactive contamination of the 30-km zone according to the sampling data within bench-marks of gamma-ray survey in 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesnoj, D.A.; Rybalko, S.I.; Solyanek, E.G.

1992-01-01

It is noted that formation of radioactive contamination of the Chernobyl' 30-km zone is conditioned by two main factors: state of operation of the reactor and movement of air masses within the period of 26.04.86 till 5.06.86. The analyses of formation of the radioactive traces in this period is presented. It is noted that ground radiometric and spectrometric investigations in 1991 according to the bench-marks with regard to gamma-ray survey of the 30-km zone make it possible to recognize 25% areas as having values close on background rates of the exposure doze in south-western and south-eastern sectors. However, these areas can be recommended for agricultural use after careful geochemical and hydrological mapping and inspecting settlements, plants and animals contamination. 1 tabs

Processing-Dependent and Clonal Contamination Patterns of Listeria monocytogenes in the Cured Ham Food Chain Revealed by Genetic Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Morganti, Marina; Scaltriti, Erika; Cozzolino, Paolo; Bolzoni, Luca; Casadei, Gabriele; Pierantoni, Marco; Foni, Emanuela; Pongolini, Stefano

2016-02-01

The quantitative and qualitative patterns of environmental contamination by Listeria monocytogenes were investigated in the production chain of dry-cured Parma ham. Standard arrays of surfaces were sampled in processing facilities during a single visit per plant in the three compartments of the food chain, i.e., ham production (19 plants) and postproduction, which was divided into deboning (43 plants) and slicing (25 plants) steps. The numbers of sampled surfaces were 384 in ham production, with 25 positive for L. monocytogenes, and 1,084 in postproduction, with 83 positives. Statistical analysis of the prevalence of contaminated surfaces showed that in ham production, contamination was higher at the beginning of processing and declined significantly toward the end, while in postproduction, prevalence rose toward the end of processing. Prevalence was higher in the deboning facilities than in slicing facilities and was dependent on the type of surface (floor/drainage > clothing > equipment). The qualitative pattern of contamination was investigated through an analysis of the survey isolates and a set of isolates derived from routine monitoring, including longitudinal isolations. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis revealed a remarkable clonality of L. monocytogenes within plants, with the detection of 16 plant-specific clones out of 17 establishments with multiple isolates. Repeated detections of clonal isolates >6 months apart were also observed. Six was the maximum number of between-isolate differences in core SNPs observed within these clones. Based on the same six-SNP threshold, three clusters of clonal isolates, shared by six establishments, were also identified. The spread of L. monocytogenes within and between plants, as indicated by its clonal behavior, is a matter of concern for the hygienic management of establishments. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights

An experimental investigation of composite floor vibration due to human activities. A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yasser G. Mohamed Fahmy

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Composite steel floor decks are used in a large variety of constructions with long spans, such as administration and commercial buildings, hotels and bridges. Due to decreased floor mass and longer span lengths, floor vibrations have become an area of concern. Floor decks with low frequencies may be in resonance with the vibrations due to human activities and the resulting acceleration may exceed human comfort levels. The design of slender floor structures, with steel or composite cross sections, is often limited by the serviceability criteria such as deflection limits and vibration behavior, rather than the strength criteria. Control of deflections under AISC specifications requirement is not enough to satisfy the serviceability requirements of the floor systems for vibration. In addition, vibration analysis procedures introduced by AISC design Guide No. 11 are based on regularly-shaped structures and simple boundary conditions. In this paper, a case study for full scale testing of a composite floor system proposed for a tower at Kuwait state that was tested prior to construction. The heel-drop and walking tests are performed on floor systems with and without raised floor respectively. Since heel-drop and walking test results would vary in light of person performance, both tests are carried out three or four times to reduce uncertainty. The fundamental frequencies and damping ratio of the floor system are measured. Comparison of the experimental results with results based on the AISC hand calculations shows that there is no significant difference; therefore the results based on AISC are generally acceptable.

Acoustics. Measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements. Laboratory measurements of the reduction of transmitted impact noise by floor coverings on a heavyweight standard floor

CERN Document Server

British Standards Institution. London

1998-01-01

Acoustics. Measurement of sound insulation in buildings and of building elements. Laboratory measurements of the reduction of transmitted impact noise by floor coverings on a heavyweight standard floor

Total Strain FE Model for Reinforced Concrete Floors on Piles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hofmeyer, H.; Bos, van den A.A.

2008-01-01

A finite element (FE) model using a total strain material model has been developed to predict the behavior of warehouse reinforced concrete floors on piles. The material model (not the FE model itself) was calibrated to material tests. The FE model for the floor structure was checked with full-scale

Prevalence of claw disorders in Dutch dairy cows exposed to several floor systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Somers, J.G.C.J.; Frankena, K.; Noordhuizen-Stassen, E.N.; Metz, J.H.M.

2003-01-01

Claw health was examined in an observational study on Dutch dairy farms with either a slatted floor (SL), slatted floor with manure scraper (SL-SCR), solid concrete floor (SCF), a straw yard (SY), or a zero-grazing feeding system (ZG). Hooves of cows' hind legs were examined for the presence and

Radioactive contamination incidents involving protective clothing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reichelt, R.A.; Clay, M.E.; Eichorst, A.J.

1998-01-01

The study focuses on incidents at Department of Energy facilities involving the migration of radioactive contaminants through protective clothing. The authors analyzed 68 occurrence reports for the following factors: (1) type of work, (2) working conditions, (3) type of anti-contamination material; (4) area of body or clothing contaminated; and (5) nature of spread of contamination. A majority of reports identified strenuous work activities such as maintenance, construction, or decontamination and decommissioning projects. The reports also indicated adverse working conditions that included hot and humid or cramped work environments. The type of anti-contamination clothing most often identified was cotton or water-resistant disposable clothing. Most of the reports also indicated contaminants migrating through perspiration-soaked areas, typically in the knees and forearms. On the basis of their survey, the authors recommend the use of improved engineering controls and resilient, breathable, waterproof protective clothing for work in hot, humid, or damp areas where the possibility of prolonged contact with contamination cannot be easily avoided or controlled. 1 ref., 6 figs., 1 tab

The image acquisition system design of floor grinder

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yang-jiang; Liu, Wei; Liu, Hui-qin

2018-01-01

Based on linear CCD, high resolution image real-time acquisition system serves as designing a set of image acquisition system for floor grinder through the calculation of optical imaging system. The entire image acquisition system can collect images of ground before and after the work of the floor grinder, and the data is transmitted through the Bluetooth system to the computer and compared to realize real-time monitoring of its working condition. The system provides technical support for the design of unmanned ground grinders.

Rechargeable particulate filter for radioactive contaminated gas streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonn, J.W.

1976-01-01

A system is disclosed which includes a closed housing having a plurality of rectangularly configured beds with perforated sidewalls longitudinally disposed in housing in laterally spaced disposition with each other. Alternate spaces at inlet end are closed and alternate spaces opposite the open ends are closed at exit end whereby contaminated gas is laterally squeezed through the beds filled with particulate adsorbent. The lower portions of the beds funnel into longitudinally extending discharge chutes enclosed within respective wells, the lower edges of the chutes rising at a constant angle above the well floor. An evacuation system coupled to the wells suctions the pile of particulate from the most remote portion of the chutes first. 3 claims, 7 drawing figures

Development of Claw Traits and Claw Lesions in Dairy Cows kept on different floor systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Somers, J.G.C.J.; Schouten, W.G.P.; Frankena, K.; Noordhuizen-Stassen, E.N.; Metz, J.H.M.

2005-01-01

Several claw shape measurements, horn hardness, and horn growth and wear were recorded monthly at 12 dairy farms to investigate the effect of floor type and changes in these traits over time. Herds were either housed on a slatted floor (SL), solid concrete floor (SC), grooved floor (GR), or on a

Regulatory Guide 1.122: Development of floor design response spectra for seismic design of floor-supported equipment or components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

''Reactor Site Criteria,'' requires, in part, that safety-related structures, systems, and components remain functional in the event of a Safe Shutdown Earthquake (SSE). It specifies the use of a suitable dynamic analysis as one method of ensuring that the structures, systems, and components can withstand the seismic loads. Similarly, paragraph (a)(2) of Section VI of the same appendix requires, in part, that the structures, systems, and components necessary for continued operation without undue risk to the health and safety of the public remain functional in the event of an Operating Basis Earthquake (OBE). Again, the use of suitable dynamic analysis is specified as one method of ensuring that the structures, systems, and components can withstand the seismic loads. This guide describes methods acceptable to the NRC staff for developing two horizontal and one vertical floor design response spectra at various floors or other equipment-support locations of interest from the time-history motions resulting from the dynamic analysis of the supporting structure. These floor design response spectra are needed for the dynamic analysis of the systems or equipment supported at various locations of the supporting structure

[Comparison of pelvic floor muscle strength in competition-level athletes and untrained women].

Science.gov (United States)

Ludviksdottir, Ingunn; Hardardottir, Hildur; Sigurdardottir, Thorgerdur; Ulfarsson, Gudmundur F

2018-01-01

Exercise can stress the pelvic floor muscles. Numerous women experience urinary incontinence while exercising or competing in sports. This study investigated pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary incontinence, and knowledge in contracting pelvic floor muscles among female athletes and untrained women. This was a prospective case-control study measuring pelvic floor muscle strength using vaginal pressure meas-urement. Participants answered questions regarding general health, urinary incontinence, and knowledge on pelvic floor muscles. Partici-pants were healthy nulliparous women aged 18-30 years, athletes and untrained women. The athletes had competed in their sport for at least three years; including handball, soccer, gymnastics, badminton, BootCamp and CrossFit. The women were comparable in age and height. The athletes (n=18) had a body mass index (BMI) of 22.8 kg/m² vs. 25 kg/m² for the untrained (n=16); p<0.05. The athletes trained on average 11.4 hours/week while the untrained women participated in some activity on average for 1.3 hours/week; p< 0.05. Mean pelvic floor strength was 45±2 hPa in the athletes vs. 43±4 hPa in the untrained; p=0.36 for whether the athletes were stronger. Of the athletes, 61.1% experienced urinary incontinence (n=11) compared with 12.5% of the untrained women (n=2); p<0.05. Incontinence usually occurred during high intensity exercise. The athletes were more knowledgeable about the pelvic floor muscles; p<0.05. There was not a significant difference in the strength of pelvic floor muscles of athletes and untrained women. This suggests that pelvic floor muscles are not strengthened during general training but require specific exercises. This holds especially for football, handball and sports with high physical intensity. Coaches need to pay special attention to training and strengthening women's pelvic floor muscles to reduce the occurrence of urinary incontinence.

Effect of pelvic floor muscle exercises on pulmonary function

OpenAIRE

Han, DongWook; Ha, Misook

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the correlation between pelvic floor muscle strength and pulmonary function. In particular, we examined whether pelvic floor muscle exercises can improve pulmonary function. [Subjects] Thirty female college students aged 19?21 with no history of nervous or musculoskeletal system injury were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. [Methods] For the pulmonary function test, spirometry items included forced vital capacity and maximal volunta...

Thorium-230 contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noey, K.C.; Liedle, S.D.; Hickey, C.R.; Doane, R.W.

1989-01-01

The authors are currently performing radiological surveys on approximately ninety properties in the St. Louis, Missouri area as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. The properties involved are the St. Louis Airport Site, Latty Avenue Properties, St. Louis Downtown Site, Coldwater Creek, and the associated roads and vicinity properties. The primary radioactive contaminant on these properties is thorium-230. Since field instrumentation is not available to detect the presence of alpha-emitting contamination in soil, soil samples are being collected and sent to an analytical laboratory for analysis. Thorium-230 analysis is costly and time-consuming, and as a result, soil sample analysis results are not available to help direct the field sampling program. This paper provides discussion of the manner in which the properties became radioactively contaminated, followed by a discussion of the difficulties associated with the detection of thorium-230. Finally, new methodologies for detecting alpha-emitting radionuclides in the field are described

Timber floors strengthened with concrete

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blass, H.J.; Linden, M.L.R. van der; Schlager, M.

1998-01-01

Timber-concrete composite (tcc) beams may be used for the renovation of old timber floors. Although these systems are not new (Pokulka, 1997) and form a simple and practical solution, they are not widely adopted. One of the reasons for this is the Jack of uniform design rules. In this research

Timber-concrete composite floor systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Linden, M.L.R. van der; Blass, H.J.

1996-01-01

Timber-concrete composite (tcc) beams may be used for the renovation of old timber floors. Although these systems are a simple and practical solution, they are not widely adopted. One of the reasons for this is the lack of uniform design mies. In this research programme shear tests on four different

Efficacy of hypopressive abdominal gymnastics in rehabilitating the pelvic floor of women: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz de Viñaspre Hernández, R

2017-12-13

Hypopressive abdominal gymnastics has been proposed as a new paradigm in rehabilitating the pelvic floor. Its claims contraindicate the recommendation for pelvic floor muscle training during the postpartum period. To determine whether hypopressive abdominal gymnastics is more effective than pelvic floor muscle training or other alternative conservative treatments for rehabilitating the pelvic floor. We consulted the databases of the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PubMed, Scopus, Trip Database and Web of Science. We selected systematic reviews, clinical trials and analytical studies that assessed the efficacy of hypopressive abdominal gymnastics in women. The measured outcomes were the strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles, the incidence of urine incontinence or prolapse and symptom remission. We included 4 clinical trials, whose quality was measured with the PEDro scale. Hypopressive gymnastics is less effective than pelvic floor muscle training for activating pelvic floor muscles, achieving closure of the levator hiatus of the anus and increasing pelvic floor muscle thickness, strength and resistance. The evidence reviewed does not support the recommendation for hypopressive abdominal gymnastics for strengthening the pelvic floor either during the postpartum period or outside that period. Pelvic floor muscle training remains the first-line treatment for pelvic floor dysfunction. There is a lack of quality clinical trials that have evaluated the efficacy of hypopressive abdominal gymnastics. Copyright © 2017 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Effect of Air Stability on the Dispersal of Exhaled Contaminant in Rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Chunwen; Gong, Guangcai; Nielsen, Peter V.

2013-01-01

the manikin, indicating that the person who exhales the contaminant may not be polluted by himself as the protective effect of the thermal boundary layer around the body, especially in stable condition with two concentration zones and clean air drawn from the inlets. However, other persons facing......Experiments are conducted in a full-scale chamber equipped with whole floor and whole ceiling supply or exhaust to form approximately zero and larger temperature gradients corresponding to unstable and stable air conditions. It can be observed that the air with smoke exhaled from a life...