Comparison of WatchPAT to polysomnography measurement of apnea-hypopnea index and obstructive sleep apnea severity in adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Study Objectives: The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) increases dramatically in adolescents with overweight or obesity. The gold standard for diagnosis of OSA is in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG). However, access to PSG can be challenging, necessitating development of alternative devices.

The walnut tree as a source of progesterone for reproductive control in goats.

Intravaginal sponges impregnated with the progesterone (P4) analogue fluorogestone acetate (FGA) induce synchronous oestrous behaviour and normal ovulatory cycle in goats. To explore alternatives using natural P4 from plants, we developed a method of ethanolic extraction and a specific enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure P4 in the different parts of the walnut tree Juglans regia. We found a very high concentration of P4, specifically in the leaves of the three most common French varieties (∼100 mg/kg of DM) but not in flowers, fruits, septa, husk, oil or cake.

Ergonomic risk assessment of lifting operations by mud mixing operators at oil rigs.

Oil rigs require mud as a drilling fluid to make boreholes into the earth for crude oil exploration. The operator movements in drilling rigs are repeated bending, lifting of sacks for mud mixing, pushing and/or pulling of sacks and working in hazardous body postures. This study adopts risk assessment tools such as rapid entire body assessment and the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health lifting equation to analyse the risks in postures of the mud mixing operator.