User involvement in the ergonomic development of a medical instrument: a longitudinal case study

In this study the focus is on the continuous ergonomic-focused development of a medical instrument that is capable of performing blood group serological tests. Primarily, a medical device must be clinically effective and safe. At the same time it must also meet the needs of its users. This calls for consideration of numerous ergonomic aspects. The development process of the product line in question was supported by a longitudinal series of carefully designed focus groups. Altogether, the 23 focus groups conducted included 245 participants from 72 laboratories. The aim of the empirical research was to collect users’ experiences, ideas and needs as inputs for the following phase of the product development process. During the mentioned focus group analyses, around 100 development proposals were conceived. Besides presenting more of the mentioned development proposals, the focus group analysis was shown as a proper methodology to involve end-users in the development and implementation of new technology or devices.     

Multiple mating and facultative polygyny in the Panamanian leafcutter ant Acromyrmex echinatior

Queen mating frequency of the facultatively polygynous ant Acromyrmex echinatior was investigated by analysing genetic variation at an (AG)_n repeat microsatellite locus in workers and sexuals of 20 colonies from a single Panamanian population. Thirteen colonies were found to be monogynous, 5 colonies contained multiple queens, whereas the queen number of 2 colonies remained unresolved. Microsatellite genotypes indicated that 12 out of 13 queens were inseminated by multiple males (polyandry). The mean queen mating frequency was 2.53 and the mean genetically effective paternity frequency was 2.23. These values range among the highest found in ants, and the results are in keeping with the high mating frequencies reported for other species of leafcutter ants. Consistent skew in the proportional representation of different patrilines within colonies was found, and this remained constant in two consecutive samples of offspring. Dissections showed that all examined queens from multiple-queen colonies were mated egg-layers. The mean relatedness value among nestmate workers in polygynous colonies was lower than that for monogynous colonies. No diploid males were detected in a sample of 70 genotyped males. Worker production of males was detected in one queenless colony. We discuss our findings in relation to known patterns of multiple maternity and paternity in other eusocial Hymenoptera. Received: 2 September 1998 / Received in revised form: 3 February 1999 / Accepted: 7 February 1999     

突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位共享建模

为给突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位共享提供理论依据,针对突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位共享问题,阐述突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位共享的必要性和可行性,并运用Multi-Hub理论,建立应急医疗床位在城市群集中的优化网络模型,并分析其内涵。在此基础上,采用基于层次分析法的线性回归方法,对多出救点、单个资源、多受灾点的应急医疗床位共享进行优化与讨论,并采用排队分配原则进行应急医疗床位具体去向的落实。研究结果表明:基于Multi-Hub理论的应急医疗床位区域集中优化模型与基于层次分析法的线性规划应急医疗床位调配优化模型,对突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位的共享具有优化和指导作用,能够提高突发事件下城市群应急医疗床位共享的效率,排队分配法能够在不超过医院容纳限度的前提下,保障应急救援的有序性和及时性。     

医疗废物高温蒸汽集中处置工艺设计

以某市医疗废物集中处置中心为例,介绍8 t/d规模的高温蒸汽系统工艺设计,包括工艺流程以及产生的有害物质的处理,并对医疗废物高温蒸汽处理系统的设计技术进行探讨。     

Ergonomic Program Effectiveness: Ergonomic and Medical Intervention

The implementation of a successful ergonomic and medical intervention program designed to reduce the number and severity of injuries and illnesses and the associated levels of discomfort in the workplace is presented. Because of the recent activity concerning the on-again-off-again Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Ergonomic Program Standard questions have been raised as to the value and effectiveness of an organization’s ergonomics program. In light of these concerns, the immense cost associated with work-related injury and illness, and the related pain and suffering associated with such injuries and illnesses, it is important to present a workable and effective ergonomic and medical intervention program. The results of this applied study demonstrate that through the application of an ergonomic and medical intervention program, workplace-related injuries and illnesses can be reduced or eliminated.     

长沙市医疗垃圾管理处置状况及特性研究

报道了对长沙市5所医院为期一个月的研究结果，内容包括：医疗垃圾管理处置现状；医疗垃圾类型及产量；门诊人数、住院人数及垃圾量的变化规律；住院病人和门诊病人的垃圾产率及中药渣产率；传染性垃圾与生活垃圾的比例及医疗垃圾的组成，指出了现行医疗垃圾管理处置需要改进和提高之处，为建立长沙市医疗垃圾集中处理示范工程提供了依据。     

高温蒸汽灭菌处理技术处置医疗废物工艺设计

高温蒸汽灭菌处理技术是近几年开发的新型医疗废物处置技术,并在全国部分地区得到了应用和推广。以西北某市医疗废物处置工程中高温蒸汽灭菌处理技术的应用为例,通过对其工程原理、系统组成、工艺流程等的分析论证共同探讨其工程原理和性能特点,为今后在工程实际中的运用提供参考。     

医疗废物焚烧过程中脱氯机理和试验

医疗废物中包括含有大量的PVC,焚烧时会产生HCl从而污染环境,因此医疗废物在焚烧处理时需要进行脱氯。经热力学计算可知,医疗废物焚烧炉内喷入脱氯吸收剂在燃烧过程脱氯,效果最好的脱氯剂是Ca(OH)2、CaO、CaCO3、MgCO3、Mg(OH)2和MgO。在固定床上进行的医疗废物焚烧过程中脱氯试验结果表明:温度对脱氯有着重要的影响,最佳脱氯温度为800℃左右;吸收剂粒径越小,脱氯效率越高;随着Ca/Cl值的增大脱氯率增大,但增加的速度却趋于平缓,所得最佳Ca/Cl值为2.5~3。     

Residual dynamics of thiacloprid in medical herbs marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil

Thiacloprid is a new insecticide of the chloronicotinyl family. To assess its risk after application, residual characteristics of thiacloprid in marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil were studied under field conditions. The active ingredient was extracted from the plant material using a mixture of acetone-water. After filtration, the extract was concentrated to the aqueous phase, diluted with water, and portioned against ethyl acetate on a matrix solid phase dispersion column. Thiacloprid was extracted from soil using a mixture of methanol-water, filtered, and re.extracted （clean up） with dichloromethane. The residues were quantified using HPLC-MS-MS. The methods were validated by recovery experiments. Thiacloprid residues in marjoram, thyme, and camomile and in soil persisted beyond 10, 14, 14, and 21 d but no residues were detected after 14, 21, 21, and 28 d, respectively. The data obtained in this study indicated that the biexponential model is more suitable than the first-order function to describe the decline of thiacloprid in fresh marjoram, fresh thyme, and dried camomile flowers with half-life （t1/2） of 1.1, 0.7, and 1.2 d, respectively. However, both the first-order function and biexponential model were found to be applicable for dissipation of thiacloprid in soil with almost the same t1/2 values of 3.5 and 3.6 d. The results indicated that thiacloprid dissipates rapidly and does not accumulate in the tested herbs and in soil.     

微波消毒技术在医疗废物处理中的应用

本文通过对微波技术的调查,全面总结了医疗废物微波消毒系统的机理、设备组成、影响消毒效果的主要因素、设备的优越性和人体保护注意事项等。