Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Performance evaluation of a new novel planar interdigital sensors

A new novel planar interdigital sensor has been fabricated to have better sensing performance. The new sensors were fabricated using latest technology in sensor fabrication. The new sensors have four different layers which consist of conductor 1 for main trace and interdigitated capacitor trace, conductor 2 for thicker pads for series mount of resistor and other connections, dielectric dams for the surface mount resistor and a ground plane. Result from the experiments have shown that new novel sensor have better stability in term of amplitude and phase angle, very small resistive part and better shielding to reduce noise. It is also shown that new sensor has stable sensitivity measurement at different temperature.6 page(s

Novel interdigital sensors; analysis, measurement and evaluations

New types of planar interdigital sensors, fabricated using three different methods, to assess different chemicals related to food poisoning are reported in the paper. The sensors were designed to have different configurations. The sensors were fabricated using different substrates in order to investigate which of these sensors has better sensing performance. The first design was fabricated on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) material made from a FR-4 fiberglass; the second sensor design was fabricated using thick film on alumina. The third sensor was designed using thin-film (MEMS) technology and was fabricated on a glass substrate. The sensors were evaluated for different configurations of electrode structure as well as dielectric materials. Experiments have been conducted to analyze the sensors' performance with three peptide derivatives which are closely related to domoic acid, a natural toxin in seafood and with LPS structure which are related to food pathogens.6 page(s

Detection of natural bio-toxins using an improved design interdigital sensors

New types of interdigital sensors have been fabricated to investigate their sensing performance. New sensors have been fabricated using different method of manufacturing. Each manufacturing technique used different substrates. Due to different values of permittivity of different substrate, the capacitance values and corresponding impedance values are influenced by these substrates. The substrates variation was used to investigate the effect of substrate properties on sensing performance. The first design was fabricated on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) material made from a FR-4; the second sensor design was fabricated using thick film on alumina. The third sensor was designed using thin-film (MEMS) technology and was fabricated on a glass substrate. The performances of the sensors were evaluated for different configurations of the electrode structures as well as dielectric materials. Initial experiments have been conducted to analyse the sensor's performance with two peptide derivatives namely Sarcosine and Proline. These peptides are closely related to the target molecule of domoic acid, a natural toxin in seafood. This paper will highlight the design, analysis and fabrication of novel type of planar interdigital sensors. Impedance Spectroscopy detection technique has been used to analyse the sensors performance.4 page(s

Measurements and performance evaluation of novel interdigital sensors for different chemicals related to food poisoning

New types of planar interdigital sensors, were fabricated using three different methods. These sensors were used to assess different chemicals related to food poisoning. The sensors were designed to have different configurations and were constructed on different substrates. The substrate variation was used to investigate the effect of substrate properties on sensing performance. The first design was fabricated on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) material made from a FR4 fiberglass; the second sensor design was fabricated using thick film on alumina. The third sensor was designed using thin-film [microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)] technology and was fabricated on a glass substrate. The performances of the sensors were evaluated for different configurations of the electrode structures as well as dielectric materials. Initial experiments have been conducted to analyze the sensor's performance with two peptide derivatives, namely, Sarcosine and Proline. These peptides are closely related to the target molecule of domoic acid, a natural toxin in seafood. Experiments with endotoxin have been presented and the possibility of extending the sensors for detection of chemicals responsible for food poisoning has been discussed. Initial investigation on the sensors' performance based on Impedance Spectroscopy method is reported in this paper.9 page(s