Implementation of major trauma app: usability and data completeness.

Background: The current UK standard for major trauma patients is to record notes in a paper trauma booklet. Through an innovative collaboration between a major trauma centre and a digital transformation industry partner, a TraumaApp was developed. Electronic notes have been shown to have fewer errors, granular data collection and enable time stamped contemporaneous record keeping.

Usability of novel major TraumaApp for digital data collection.

Background: Delivery of major trauma care is complex and often fast paced. Clear and comprehensive documentation is paramount to support effective communication during complex clinical care episodes, and to allow collection of data for audit, research and continuous improvement. Clinical events are typically recorded on paper-based records that are developed for individual centres or systems.

Development of a Sub-ppb Resolution Methane Sensor Using a GaSb-Based DFB Diode Laser near 3270 nm for Fugitive Emission Measurement.

A challenge for mobile measurement of fugitive methane emissions is the availability of portable sensors that feature high sensitivity and fast response times, simultaneously. A methane gas sensor to measure fugitive emissions was developed using a continuous-wave, thermoelectrically cooled, GaSb-based distributed feedback diode laser emitting at a wavelength of 3.27 μm to probe methane in its strong ν vibrational band.

Assessment of a regulatory measurement system for the determination of the non-volatile particulate matter emissions from commercial aircraft engines.

The SAE International has published Aerospace Information Report (AIR) 6241 which outlined the design and operation of a standardized measurement system for measuring non-volatile particulate matter (nvPM) mass and number emissions from commercial aircraft engines. Prior to this research, evaluation of this system by various investigators revealed differences in nvPM mass emissions measurement on the order of 15-30% both within a single sampling system and between two systems operating in parallel and measuring nvPM mass emissions from the same source. To investigate this issue, the U.

Ash-Decorated and Ash-Painted Soot from Residual and Distillate-Fuel Combustion in Four Marine Engines and One Aviation Engine.

Soot is typically the dominant component of the nonvolatile particles emitted from internal combustion engines. Although soot is primarily composed of carbon, its chemistry, toxicity, and oxidation rates may be strongly influenced by internally mixed inorganic metal compounds (ash). Here, we describe the detailed microstructure of ash internally mixed with soot from four marine engines and one aviation engine.

Antibacterial Properties of Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine Coatings Prepared by a Simple Two-Step Shaking-Assisted Method.

A simple two-step, shaking-assisted polydopamine (PDA) coating technique was used to impart polypropylene (PP) mesh with antimicrobial properties. In this modified method, a relatively large concentration of dopamine (20 mg ml) was first used to create a stable PDA primer layer, while the second step utilized a significantly lower concentration of dopamine (2 mg ml) to promote the formation and deposition of large aggregates of PDA nanoparticles. Gentle shaking (70 rpm) was employed to increase the deposition of PDA nanoparticle aggregates and the formation of a thicker PDA coating with nano-scaled surface roughness (RMS = 110 nm and Ra = 82 nm).

Kalman filter approach for uncertainty quantification in time-resolved laser-induced incandescence.

Time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (TiRe-LII) data can be used to infer spatially and temporally resolved volume fractions and primary particle size distributions of soot-laden aerosols, but these estimates are corrupted by measurement noise as well as uncertainties in the spectroscopic and heat transfer submodels used to interpret the data. Estimates of the temperature, concentration, and size distribution of soot primary particles within a sample aerosol are typically made by nonlinear regression of modeled spectral incandescence decay, or effective temperature decay, to experimental data. In this work, we employ nonstationary Bayesian estimation techniques to infer aerosol properties from simulated and experimental LII signals, specifically the extended Kalman filter and Schmidt-Kalman filter.

Sequential signal detection for high dynamic range time-resolved laser-induced incandescence.

A new method for collecting time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (TiRe-LII) signals with high dynamic range is presented. Gated photomultiplier tubes (PMT) are used to detect temporal sections of the LII signal. This helps to overcome the limitations of PMTs caused by restricted maximum signal current at the strong initial signal and poor signal-to-noise ratios when the signal intensity approaches the noise level.

Effect of Drive Cycle and Gasoline Particulate Filter on the Size and Morphology of Soot Particles Emitted from a Gasoline-Direct-Injection Vehicle.

The size and morphology of particulate matter emitted from a light-duty gasoline-direct-injection (GDI) vehicle, over the FTP-75 and US06 transient drive cycles, have been characterized by transmission-electron-microscope (TEM) image analysis. To investigate the impact of gasoline particulate filters on particulate-matter emission, the results for the stock-GDI vehicle, that is, the vehicle in its original configuration, have been compared to the results for the same vehicle equipped with a catalyzed gasoline particulate filter (GPF). The stock-GDI vehicle emits graphitized fractal-like aggregates over all driving conditions.

Towards evidence based emergency medicine: Best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. BET 1: Emergency physician performed 2-point bedside compression ultrasound for deep venous thrombosis.

A short cut review was carried out to establish the diagnostic utility of Emergency Physician performed ultrasound in confirming or refuting the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis compared with a radiology scan. A systematic review incorporating 16 studies and two studies published subsequently were found to be relevant to the question. The clinical bottom line was that some studies demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity compared with the reference standard but this finding was not universal.

Application of the Hough transform for the automatic determination of soot aggregate morphology.

We report a new method for automated identification and measurement of primary particles within soot aggregates as well as the sizes of the aggregates and discuss its application to high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) images of the aggregates. The image processing algorithm is based on an optimized Hough transform, applied to the external border of the aggregate. This achieves a significant data reduction by decomposing the particle border into fragments, which are assumed to be spheres in the present application, consistent with the known morphology of soot aggregates.

Quantitative field measurement of soot emission from a large gas flare using sky-LOSA.

Particulate matter emissions from unconfined sources such as gas flares are extremely difficult to quantify, yet there is a significant need for this measurement capability due to the prevalence and magnitude of gas flaring worldwide. Current estimates for soot emissions from flares are rarely, if ever, based on any form of direct data. A newly developed method to quantify the mass emission rate of soot from flares is demonstrated on a large-scale flare at a gas plant in Uzbekistan, in what is believed to be the first in situ quantitative measurement of soot emission rate from a gas flare under field conditions.

Sky-scattered solar radiation based plume transmissivity measurement to quantify soot emissions from flares.

For gas flares typical of the upstream energy industry and similar point sources, most current methods for characterizing soot emissions are based on plume opacity rather than a quantitative measure of mass flux. The absence of more quantitative approaches is indicative of the inherent complexity of soot and the difficulties in characterizing emissions in an unbounded plume. A new experimental approach has been developed for the investigation of soot emissions in industrial plumes.

Diffuse-light two-dimensional line-of-sight attenuation for soot concentration measurements.

A technique of diffuse-light two-dimensional line-of-sight attenuation (diffuse 2D-LOSA) is described and demonstrated that achieves very high levels of sensitivity in transmissivity measurements (optical thicknesses down to 0.001) while effectively mitigating interferences due to beam steering. An optical system is described in which an arc lamp coupled with an integrating sphere is used as a source of diffuse light that is imaged to the center of the particulate laden medium.

Clinical outcomes of magnetic resonance imaging in blunt cervical trauma.

Objectives: To determine whether MRI of the cervical spine resulted in a change in management of patients with blunt trauma and normal plain X-ray (XR)/CT of the cervical spine.

Methods: An explicit chart review was conducted of patients seen at a Level 1 trauma centre over a 1 year period. Clinical details were extracted from the charts of patients with blunt trauma who had a normal plain XR and CT scan of the cervical spine and who underwent cervical spine MRI.

Deconvolution of axisymmetric flame properties using Tikhonov regularization.

We present a method based on Tikhonov regularization for solving one-dimensional inverse tomography problems that arise in combustion applications. In this technique, Tikhonov regularization transforms the ill-conditioned set of equations generated by onion-peeling deconvolution into a well-conditioned set that is less susceptible to measurement errors that arise in experimental settings. The performance of this method is compared to that of onion-peeling and Abel three-point deconvolution by solving for a known field variable distribution from projected data contaminated with an artificially generated error.

Spinning-induced rhabdomyolysis: a case report.

Exercise induced rhabdomyolysis has previously been described as occurring in unfit adults or those attempting exhaustive exercise, but is rarely seen in previously fit adults undertaking moderate exercise. This case report describes what we believe to be the first reported case of exercise induced rhabdomyolysis due to the patient completing a 'spinning class' at her local gymnasium. The report also covers diagnosis and management of this condition.