Establishing LA VIDA: A Community-Based Partnership to Prevent Intimate Violence against Latina Women

LA VIDA—the Southwest Detroit Partnership to Prevent Intimate Violence Against Latina Women— evolved in response to community concern about the problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the lack of culturally competent preventive and support services for Latino women and men in southwest Detroit. Since 1997, diverse organizations have mobilized as a community-academic partnership to ensure the availability, accessibility, and utilization of IPV services. This article describes and analyzes the evolution of LA VIDA within a community-based participatory research framework using a case study approach that draws on multiple data sources including group and individual interviews and field notes. The challenges and lessons learned in addressing a complex multifaceted problem such as IPV in an ethnic minority community are highlighted in an examination of the process of mobilizing diverse organizations, conducting community diagnosis and needs assessment activities, establishing goals and objectives within a social ecological framework, and integrating evaluation during the development phase.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66991/2/10.1177_109019819902600606.pd

Combined Effect of Dietary Cadmium and Benzo(a)pyrene on Metallothionein Induction and Apoptosis in the Liver and Kidneys of Bank Voles

Bank voles free living in a contaminated environment have been shown to be more sensitive to cadmium (Cd) toxicity than the rodents exposed to Cd under laboratory conditions. The objective of this study was to find out whether benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a common environmental co-contaminant, increases Cd toxicity through inhibition of metallothionein (MT) synthesis—a low molecular weight protein that is considered to be primary intracellular component of the protective mechanism. For 6 weeks, the female bank voles were provided with diet containing Cd [less than 0.1 μg/g (control) and 60 μg/g dry wt.] and BaP (0, 5, and 10 μg/g dry wt.) alone or in combination. At the end of exposure period, apoptosis and analyses of MT, Cd, and zinc (Zn) in the liver and kidneys were carried out. Dietary BaP 5 μg/g did not affect but BaP 10 μg/g potentiated rather than inhibited induction of hepatic and renal MT by Cd, and diminished Cd-induced apoptosis in both organs. The hepatic and renal Zn followed a pattern similar to that of MT, attaining the highest level in the Cd + BaP 10-μg/g group. These data indicate that dietary BaP attenuates rather than exacerbates Cd toxicity in bank voles, probably by potentiating MT synthesis and increasing Zn concentration in the liver and kidneys

REFLECT – Research flight of EURADOS and CRREAT: Intercomparison of various radiation dosimeters onboard aircraft

Aircraft crew are one of the groups of radiation workers which receive the highest annual exposure to ionizing radiation. Validation of computer codes used routinely for calculation of the exposure due to cosmic radiation and the observation of nonpredictable changes in the level of the exposure due to solar energetic particles, requires continuous measurements onboard aircraft. Appropriate calibration of suitable instruments is crucial, however, for the very complex atmospheric radiation field there is no single reference field covering all particles and energies involved. Further intercomparisons of measurements of different instruments under real flight conditions are therefore indispensable. In November 2017, the REFLECT (REsearch FLight of EURADOS and CRREAT) was carried out. With a payload comprising more than 20 different instruments, REFLECT represents the largest campaign of this type ever performed. The instruments flown included those already proven for routine dosimetry onboard aircraft such as the Liulin Si-diode spectrometer and tissue equivalent proportional counters, as well as newly developed detectors and instruments with the potential to be used for onboard aircraft measurements in the future. This flight enabled acquisition of dosimetric data under well-defined conditions onboard aircraft and comparison of new instruments with those routinely used. As expected, dosimeters routinely used for onboard aircraft dosimetry and for verification of calculated doses such as a tissue equivalent proportional counter or a silicon detector device like Liulin agreed reasonable with each other as well as with model calculations. Conventional neutron rem counters underestimated neutron ambient dose equivalent, while extended-range neutron rem counters provided results comparable to routinely used instruments. Although the responses of some instruments, not primarily intended for the use in a very complex mixed radiation field such as onboard aircraft, were as somehow expected to be different, the verification of their suitability was one of the objectives of the REFLECT. This campaign comprised a single short flight. For further testing of instruments, additional flights as well as comparison at appropriate reference fields are envisaged. The REFLECT provided valuable experience and feedback for validation of calculated aviation doses

The measurement of variability of feed force during cross cutting of pine wood

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań wartości siły posuwu i wydajności skrawania podczas przerzynki wałków sosnowych. Do badań wykorzystano dwie pilarki spalinowe o różnej mocy. Stwierdzono występowanie dużej zmienności siły posuwu podczas przerzynki.The paper presents the results of investigations of feed and the efficiency of cutting during cross cutting of pine rollers. Two chain saws with different power were used in these investigations. The occurrence of the large variability of feed force during cross cutting was established

Possibilities of the utilization of the measurement of the temperature of the cutting unit in the analysis of the chain sawworking efficiency

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań wpływu różnych czynników na temperaturę układu tnącego pilarki spalinowej. Badania dokonywano mierząc temperaturę układu tnącego za pomocą termopary oraz wykorzystując kamerę termowizyjną. Dokonano oceny przydatności metod związanych z pomiarem temperatury układu tnącego do określania sprawności mechanicznej pilarek spalinowych.In the article findings over the influence of different factors on the temperature of chain saws cutting unit are presented. Research was executed with the utilization of thermovision techniques and the measurements of temperature with use of thermocouple. The usefulness of these methods was qualified for determining of mechanical efficiency of chain saw

Effect of wear of chain saw on cutting performance

The wear of chain saw that occurs during its exploitation is characterized by the enlargement of distance between cutting blades and depth gauges in consequence of sharpening of cutters and abrasive wear of a cutter heel in the grove the chain saw of the guide bar. During normal exploitation the chain saw length is rising. The aim of the investigation was to establish the effect of the above described symptoms of wear of chain saws on the rate of cutting W and thickness of chips Δz. Cutting of wood was done on a specially constructed stand that assured constant feeding force obtained by means of the use of weights. Three chain saws with 3/8” pith were used in investigation: one new with nominal dimensions of cutters, in the second saw the distance between depth gauge and cutting edge was enlarged up to the maximum value allowed by the producer, in the third saw the form of heel was changed to imitate the usual wear. In the case of a new saw chain the cutting of wood was performed for two states of tension: correct saw tension and low tension - loose saw chain. The process of pine wood cutting was examined. The results of investigations show the need to reduce the wear of cutter heel during chain saw exploitation, necessity of frequent inspection of chain saw tension and a small influence of the cutting blade wear on the cutting effects.Zużycie piły łańcuchowej w trakcie eksploatacji objawia się m.in. zwiększeniem odległości pomiędzy ostrzami tnącymi a ogranicznikiem posuwu na skutek ostrzenia piły i ścieraniem się piętki ogniwa tnącego po bieżni prowadnicy. Podczas normalnej eksploatacji piła łańcuchowa ulega także rozciąganiu. Celem podjętych badań było ustalenie jaki wpływ mają opisane wyżej objawy zużycia piły na efekty jej pracy takie jak: średnia grubość skrawanego wióra Δz i powierzchniowa wydajność skrawania W. Skrawania drewna dokonywano na specjalnie skonstruowanym stanowisku. Zapewniało ono piłowanie przy stałej sile posuwu, uzyskiwanej za pomocą specjalnych obciążników. W badaniach wykorzystano trzy piły o podziałce 3/8: pierwsza była piłą o nominalnych wymiarach zębów, druga miała zęby tnące ze zwiększoną odległością między ogranicznikiem posuwu a krawędzią tnącą, taką jaka występuje przy maksymalnie dopuszczonym przez producenta zużyciu ostrzy tnących, trzecia zaś zmienione ukształtowanie piętki, odpowiadające pile zużytej. W przypadku nowej piły skrawanie drewna przeprowadzono dla dwóch różnych stanów napięcia: napiętej zgodnie z instrukcją oraz luźnej. Piłowano drewno sosnowe. Wyniki pomiarów wskazują na: potrzebę działań ograniczających zużycie piętki ogniwa w trakcie eksploatacji, konieczność częstej kontroli napięcia piły oraz mały wpływ zużywania się ostrzy tnących na efekty piłowani

Analysis of market of chain saws in Poland

W artykule przedstawiono analizę dostępnego na rynku polskim asortymentu pilarek spalinowych, jednoosobowych z piłą łańcuchową. W analizie uwzględniono firmy, które w swojej ofercie posiadają więcej niż 5 modeli pilarek spalinowych. Analizowane parametry to: moc, pojemność skokowa, masa, przeznaczenie oraz cena.In the article analysis of assortment of chain saws offered on Polish market is presented. In the analysis only firms that in their offer possess more than 5 models of chain saws was considered. The following parameters were considered: power, cylinder capacity (displacement volume), mass, purpose and price