Implementation of physical coordination training and cognitive behavioural training interventions at cleaning workplaces--secondary analyses of a randomised controlled trial

This study evaluates the implementation of physical coordination training (PCT) and cognitive behavioural training (CBTr) interventions in a randomised controlled trial at nine cleaners' workplaces. Female cleaners (n = 294) were randomised into a PCT, a CBTr or a reference (REF) group. Both 12-week interventions were performed in groups guided by an instructor. Records were kept on intervention dose (adherence) unanticipated events at the work place (context) and quality of intervention delivery (fidelity). Participant adherence was 37% in the PCT and 49% in the CBTr interventions. Optimal implementation was reached by only 6% in PCT and 42% in the CBTr. Analysis of the barriers to successful implementation indicated that the intervention process is sensitive to unanticipated events. In order to succeed in improving the health of high-risk populations such as cleaners and to correctly interpret intervention effects, more research on implementation is needed. Trial registration: ISRCTN96241850. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: Both physical coordination training and cognitive behavioural training are potential effective workplace interventions among low educated job groups with high physical work demands. However, thorough consideration should be given to feasibility in the design of interventions. The optimal intervention should be tailored to closely match the implementation context and be robust and flexible to minimise susceptibility to changes in work organisation.     

Science and technology in the region: The output of regional science and technology, its strengths and its leading institutions

Summary We operationalize scientific output in a region by means of the number of articles (as in the SciSearch database) per year and technology output by means of the number of patent applications (as in the database of the European Patent Office) per priority year. All informetric analyses were done using the DIALOG online-system. The main research questions are the following: Which scientific and technological fields or topics are most influent within a region and which institutions or companies are mainly publishing articles or holding patents? Do the distributions of regional science and technology fields and of publishing institutions follow the well-known informetric function? Are there - as it is expected - only few fields and few institutions which dominate the region? Is there a connection between the economic power of a region and the regional publication and patent output? Examples studied in detail are seven German regions: Aachen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Köln (Cologne), Leipzig - Halle - Dessau, München (Munich), and Stuttgart. Three different indicators were used, science and technology attraction of a region (number of scientific articles and patents), science and technology intensity (articles and patents per 1,000 inhabitants), and science and technology density (articles and patents per 1 billion EURO gross value added). Top region concerning both attraction and intensity is Munich, concerning density it is Aachen.     

A 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator as a tool for planetary and impact physics research

Investigating the dynamical and physical properties of cosmic dust can reveal a great deal of information about both the dust and its many sources. Over recent years, several spacecraft (e.g., Cassini, Stardust, Galileo, and Ulysses) have successfully characterised interstellar, interplanetary, and circumplanetary dust using a variety of techniques, including in situ analyses and sample return. Charge, mass, and velocity measurements of the dust are performed either directly (induced charge signals) or indirectly (mass and velocity from impact ionisation signals or crater morphology) and constrain the dynamical parameters of the dust grains. Dust compositional information may be obtained via either time-of-flight mass spectrometry of the impact plasma or direct sample return. The accurate and reliable interpretation of collected spacecraft data requires a comprehensive programme of terrestrial instrument calibration. This process involves accelerating suitable solar system analogue dust particles to hypervelocity speeds in the laboratory, an activity performed at the Max Planck Institut fu?r Kernphysik in Heidelberg, Germany. Here, a 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator electrostatically accelerates charged micron and submicron-sized dust particles to speeds up to 80 km s(-1). Recent advances in dust production and processing have allowed solar system analogue dust particles (silicates and other minerals) to be coated with a thin conductive shell, enabling them to be charged and accelerated. Refinements and upgrades to the beam line instrumentation and electronics now allow for the reliable selection of particles at velocities of 1-80 km s(-1) and with diameters of between 0.05 μm and 5 μm. This ability to select particles for subsequent impact studies based on their charges, masses, or velocities is provided by a particle selection unit (PSU). The PSU contains a field programmable gate array, capable of monitoring in real time the particles' speeds and charges, and is controlled remotely by a custom, platform independent, software package. The new control instrumentation and electronics, together with the wide range of accelerable particle types, allow the controlled investigation of hypervelocity impact phenomena across a hitherto unobtainable range of impact parameters.     

VPI-FP: an integrative information system for factory planning

Nowadays, one of the main challenges in factory planning is the consistent and coherent information modelling along planning processes. Despite the current efforts in the fields of virtual production as well as digital and virtual factory, planning and simulation applications mostly support only the analysis and the optimisation of single planning aspects. However, to match nowadays challenges, planners require solutions that provide an integrated view to evaluate planning scenarios in advance and to achieve increasing production quality and efficiency. The concept of virtual production intelligence (VPI) provides a basic concept for such an integrative information system that enables planners to integrate, to aggregate and to analyse data gathered during one planning project as well as to compare different projects. In this study, we present such an information system for factory planning using the concept of the VPI. The focus lies in particular on the information modelling as well as the information integration and evaluation. Therefore, the study presents theoretical basics and implementations of the VPI platform within a precise application scenario in factory planning. This is to process and provide a consolidated information base along the whole planning process to support factory planning projects.     

The Human Host Defense Ribonucleases 1, 3 and 7 Are Elevated in Patients with Sepsis after Major Surgery—A Pilot Study

Sepsis is the most common cause of death in intensive care units and associated with widespread activation of host innate immunity responses. Ribonucleases (RNases) are important components of the innate immune system, however the role of RNases in sepsis has not been investigated. We evaluated serum levels of RNase 1, 3 and 7 in 20 surgical sepsis patients (Sepsis), nine surgical patients (Surgery) and 10 healthy controls (Healthy). RNase 1 and 3 were elevated in Sepsis compared to Surgery (2.2- and 3.1-fold, respectively; both p < 0.0001) or compared to Healthy (3.0- and 15.5-fold, respectively; both p < 0.0001). RNase 1 showed a high predictive value for the development of more than two organ failures (AUC 0.82, p = 0.01). Patients with renal dysfunction revealed higher RNase 1 levels than without renal dysfunction (p = 0.03). RNase 1 and 3 were higher in respiratory failure than without respiratory failure (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.02, respectively). RNase 7 was not detected in Healthy patients and only in two patients of Surgery, however RNase 7 was detected in 10 of 20 Sepsis patients. RNase 7 was higher in renal or metabolic failure than without failure (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). In conclusion, RNase 1, 3 and 7 are secreted into serum under conditions with tissue injury, such as major surgery or sepsis. Thus, RNases might serve as laboratory parameters to diagnose and monitor organ failure in sepsis.     

Influence of ring-type internals on the solids residence time distribution in the fuel reactor of a dual circulating fluidized bed system for chemical looping combustion

The intensification of gas-solids contact in the fuel reactor of a chemical looping combustion system is enhanced with the installation of ring-type internals. This can be a key issue for achieving the necessary fuel conversion rates. Wedged rings, previously designed and tested, were found to increase the particle concentration in the counter current section of the fuel reactor and hence, to achieve a more homogeneous particles concentration along this zone. The present work investigates the effect of the mentioned internals on the residence time distribution of particles in the fuel reactor of a dual circulating fluidized bed system for chemical looping. The study was carried out in a cold flow model especially designed for the fluid-dynamic analysis of the system equipped with a recently developed residence time measurement device based on the detection of ferromagnetic tracer particles through inductance measurement. Ring internals proved the positive effect on the particles residence time, the residence time distribution is more symmetric and shows lower dispersion, the flow pattern is more plug-flow-like, these effects are intensified with the reduction of the aperture ratio of the rings. On the other hand, the upward particle transport in the counter-current zone of the fuel reactor also increases with the installation of the rings, increasing the bypass flow of solids through the fuel reactor's return loop (internal circulation). For high internal circulation rates the solids residence time distribution of the fuel reactor is dominated by the bypass effect. The findings may be used for focused design improvement of the investigated fluidized bed system.