Characterizing Wildland Firefighters’ Thermal Environment During Live-Fire Suppression

Wildland firefighters work under adverse environments (e.g., heat and fire exposure), which contribute to increasing the heat strain. Despite this there is a paucity of knowledge about the thermal environment in real wildfire suppression scenarios. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to characterize the environmental thermal exposure and the risk of heat burn injuries during real wildfire suppression (n = 23). To characterize the wildland firefighter’s (n = 5) local thermal exposure, measurements of air temperature and heat flux were performed. Heat flux measurements were made using four thin-planar heat flux sensors. Two were affixed on the outer surface of the garment on the left chest and thigh. Two other sensors were placed on the inner surface of the fabric in parallel to those placed externally. Four thermal classes were defined based on the heat flux across the inner sensors (≤1000, ≤5000, ≤7000, and >7000 W·m−2). The risk of pain and first-degree burns were calculated using the dose of thermal radiation method. The inner sensors mean and maximum heat flux and environment temperature were 286.7 ± 255.0 and 2370.4 ± 3004.5 W·m−2 and 32.6 ± 8.9 and 78.0 ± 8.9◦C, respectively. Approximately 81, 15, and 3.5% of the exposure time the heat flux was ≤1000, >1000–5000, and >5000 W·m−2, respectively. The highest average and maximum thermal dose values were ∼94 and ∼110 (kW·m−2)4/3·s. In conclusion, the thermal exposure obtained may be considered light. However, high thermal exposure values may be obtained in punctual moments, which can elicit first-degree burns.SIThis study was financially support from the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spain) grant (DEP2016-79762-P AEI/FEDER, UE) and has been funded by the Empresa de Transformación Agraria, S.A. (TRAGSA

Impact of Different Personal Protective Clothing on Wildland Firefighters' Physiological Strain

Wildfire firefighting is an extremely demanding occupation performed under hot environment. The use of personal protective clothing (PPC) is needed to protect subjects from the thermal exposure. However, the additional use of PPC may increase the wildland firefighters’ physiological strain, and consequently limit their performance. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of four different PPC on the physiological strain of wildland firefighters under moderate conditions (30◦C and 30% RH). Eight active and healthy wildland firefighters performed a submaximal walking test wearing a traditional short sports gear and 4 different PPC. The materials combination (viscose, Nomex, Kevlar, P-140 and fire resistant cotton) used during the PPC manufacturing process was different. During all tests, to simulate a real scenario subjects wore a backpack pump (20 kg). Heart rate, respiratory gas exchange, gastrointestinal temperature, blood lactate concentration, perceived exertion and temperature and humidity underneath the PPC were recorded throughout tests. Additionally, parameters of heat balance were estimated. Wearing a PPC did not cause a significant increase in the subjects’ physiological response. The gastrointestinal temperature increment, the relative humidity of the microclimate underneath the PPC, the sweat residue in PPC, the sweat efficiency, the dry heat exchange and the total clothing insulation were significantly affected according to the PPC fabric composition. These results suggest that the PPC composition affect the moisture management. This might be taken into account to increase the wildland firefighters’ protection in real situations, when they have to work close to the flames.SIFinancial support from Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spain) grant (DEP2016-79762-P). In addition, the study has been funded by Empresa de Transformación Agraria, S.A. (TRAGSA)

Fractional Contribution of Wildland Firefighters’ Personal Protective Equipment on Physiological Strain

[EN] Activities performed by wildland firefighters are carried out wearing a personal protective equipment (PPE). Although the PPE protects workers from a wide variety of hazards, it may increase their physiological response and limit their performance. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the protective clothing (PPC) and the rest of the PPE elements (i.e., helmet, neck shroud, gloves, goggles, and mid-calf leather boots) on the wildland firefighters’ thermophysiological response during a moderate- intense exercise. Six male wildland firefighters performed, in a counterbalanced order, a 120 min graded exercise test wearing three different clothing configurations: (i) a traditional short sports gear (SG), (ii) a PPC, and (iii) a complete firefighters’ PPE. Trials were conducted on separate days at the same time of the day (12:00–15:00 h) and under climate-controlled conditions (∼30◦C and ∼30% relative humidity). Heart rate, respiratory gas exchange, gastrointestinal and skin temperature, blood lactate concentration were recorded throughout the tests. Additionally, parameters of heat balance were estimated. Exercise time was shorter (p < 0.001) wearing the PPE (62.4 ± 13.3 min) than with the PPC (115.5 ± 5.0 min) and SG (118.2 ± 20.7 min). The increment of gastrointestinal temperature with the PPE (1.8 ± 0.3◦C) was greater (p < 0.05) than the observed in PPC (1.2 ± 0.6◦C) and SG (1.0 ± 0.2◦C). The use of PPC increased (p < 0.05) subjects’ metabolic demand and skin temperature versus SG during the last 20 min of the test. The sweat retention in the PPE (1,045.7 ± 214.7 g) and PPC (978.3 ± 330.6 g) was significantly higher than that obtained in the SG (510.0 ± 210.0 g). Sweat efficiency decreased (p < 0.05) in the following order: PPE (45.6 ± 18.3%), PPC (64.3 ± 7.8%), and SG (79.3 ± 7.0%). These results highlight the importance of the PPE elements in the subjects’ thermal strain. The reduction in the sweat evaporation produced by the PPE, together with the ensemble mass caused a substantial increase in the subjects’ thermophysiological response. As a consequence the performance was reduced by ∼50%.S

Massive open star clusters using the VVV survey : V. Young clusters with an OB stellar population

Context. The ESO public survey VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) has contributed with deep multi-epoch photometry of the Galactic bulge and the adjacent part of the disk over 526 sq. deg. More than a hundred cluster candidates have been reported thanks to this survey. Aims. We present the fifth article in a series of papers focused on young and massive clusters discovered in the VVV survey. In this paper, we present the physical characterization of five clusters with a spectroscopically confirmed OB-type stellar population. Methods. To characterize the clusters, we used near-infrared photometry (J, H, and KS) from the VVV survey and near-infrared K-band spectroscopy from ISAAC at VLT, following the methodology presented in the previous articles of the series. Results. All clusters in our sample are very young (ages between 1–20 Myr), and their total mass are between (1.07+0.40 −0.30) × 102 M and (4.17+4.15 −2.08) × 103 M . We observed a relation between the clusters total mass Mecl and the mass of their most massive stellar member mmax, for clusters with an age <10 Myr

Development of a Web-Based Clinical Decision Support System for Drug Prescription: ...

Purpose The emergence of electronic prescribing devices with clinical decision support systems (CDSS) is able to significantly improve management pharmacological treatments. We developed a web application available on smartphones in order to help clinicians monitor prescription and further propose CDSS. Method A web application (www.MEmind.net) was developed to assess patients and collect data regarding gender, age, diagnosis and treatment. We analyzed antipsychotic prescriptions in 4345 patients attended in five Psychiatric Community Mental Health Centers from June 2014 to October 2014. The web-application reported average daily dose prescribed for antipsychotics, prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD to defined daily dose (DDD) ratio. Results The MEmind web-application reported that antipsychotics were used in 1116 patients out of the total sample, mostly in 486 (44%) patients with schizophrenia related disorders but also in other diagnoses. Second generation antipsychotics (quetiapine, aripiprazole and long-acting paliperidone) were preferably employed. Low doses were more frequently used than high doses. Long acting paliperidone and ziprasidone however, were the only two antipsychotics used at excessive dosing. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was used in 287 (26%) patients with classic depot drugs, clotiapine, amisulpride and clozapine. Conclusions In this study we describe the first step of the development of a web application that is able to make polypharmacy, high dose usage and off label usage of antipsychotics visible to clinicians. Current development of the MEmind web application may help to improve prescription security via momentary feedback of prescription and clinical decision support system

Development of a Web-Based Clinical Decision Support System for Drug Prescription: ...

Purpose The emergence of electronic prescribing devices with clinical decision support systems (CDSS) is able to significantly improve management pharmacological treatments. We developed a web application available on smartphones in order to help clinicians monitor prescription and further propose CDSS. Method A web application (www.MEmind.net) was developed to assess patients and collect data regarding gender, age, diagnosis and treatment. We analyzed antipsychotic prescriptions in 4345 patients attended in five Psychiatric Community Mental Health Centers from June 2014 to October 2014. The web-application reported average daily dose prescribed for antipsychotics, prescribed daily dose (PDD), and the PDD to defined daily dose (DDD) ratio. Results The MEmind web-application reported that antipsychotics were used in 1116 patients out of the total sample, mostly in 486 (44%) patients with schizophrenia related disorders but also in other diagnoses. Second generation antipsychotics (quetiapine, aripiprazole and long-acting paliperidone) were preferably employed. Low doses were more frequently used than high doses. Long acting paliperidone and ziprasidone however, were the only two antipsychotics used at excessive dosing. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was used in 287 (26%) patients with classic depot drugs, clotiapine, amisulpride and clozapine. Conclusions In this study we describe the first step of the development of a web application that is able to make polypharmacy, high dose usage and off label usage of antipsychotics visible to clinicians. Current development of the MEmind web application may help to improve prescription security via momentary feedback of prescription and clinical decision support system

Cloud Detection and Tracking Based on Object Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks

Due to the need to know the availability of solar resources for the solar renewable technologies in advance, this paper presents a new methodology based on computer vision and the object detection technique that uses convolutional neural networks (EfficientDet-D2 model) to detect clouds in image series. This methodology also calculates the speed and direction of cloud motion, which allows the prediction of transients in the available solar radiation due to clouds. The convolutional neural network model retraining and validation process finished successfully, which gave accurate cloud detection results in the test. Also, during the test, the estimation of the remaining time for a transient due to a cloud was accurate, mainly due to the precise cloud detection and the accuracy of the remaining time algorithm

Production Trends, Collaboration, and Main Topics of the Integrative and Complementary Oncology Research Area: A Bibliometric Analysis

Background: The prevalence of cancer has increased over time worldwide. Nevertheless, the number of deaths has been reduced during the past 2 decades. Thus, one-third of the cancer patients are users of complementary and alternative therapies, looking for other types of interventions. The main aim of the present study is to understand the current status of the research in integrative and complementary oncology. Three different aspects were analyzed: production trends, country collaboration, and leading research topics. Methods: The dataset was obtained from the documents indexed under the Integrative and Complementary Medicine category of the Web of Science database from 1976 to 2017. VOSviewer and SciMAT software were employed to perform the bibliometric analysis. Results: The Journal of Ethnopharmacology, China Medical University and the People’s Republic of China are the leading producers in the field. Regarding the collaboration, the United States and China present a close connection. The scientific community is focused on the following topics: apoptosis, breast cancer, oxidative stress, chemotherapy, and nuclear factor-Kappa-B (NF-Kappa-B). Conclusions: The present article shows potentially important information that allows understanding of the past, present, and future of research in integrative and complementary oncology. It is a useful evidence-based framework on which to base future research actions and academic directions