Aleutian Mink Disease Virus and Humans

Reports of a possible relationship between Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (AMDV) and human infection are rare. However, 2 mink farmers with vascular disease and microangiopathy similar to that in mink with Aleutian disease were found to have AMDV-specific antibodies and AMDV DNA. These findings raise the suspicion that AMDV may play a role in human disease

A cross-sectional study of the relation between symptoms and physical findings in computer operators

BACKGROUND: The character of upper limb disorder in computer operators is subject to debate. A peripheral nerve-involvement is suggested from the common presence of a triad of symptoms consisting of pain, paraestesiae and subjective weakness, and from physical findings suggesting neuropathy. This study aimed to examine the outcome of a detailed neurological examination in computer operators and to compare findings with the presence of symptoms. METHODS: 96 graphical computer operators answered a modified Nordic Questionnaire including information on perceived pain in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist/hand scored for each region on a VAS-scale 0 – 9. In addition, they underwent a physical examination including the subjective assessment of the individual function of 11 upper limb muscles, of algesia in five and vibratory threshold in three territories, respectively, and of mechanosensitivity of nerves at seven locations. In order to reflect an involvement of the brachial plexus (chord level), the posterior interosseous nerve and the median nerve at elbow level we defined three patterns of neurological findings illustrating the course of nerves and their innervation. The pain scores summarized for the three upper limb regions (min. = 0, max = 27) in the mouse-operating and contralateral limbs were compared by a Wilcoxon test and the relation to each physical item analyzed by Kendall's rank correlation. The relation of summarized pain to each pattern was studied by application of a test of the trend across ordered groups (patterns). RESULTS: Pain, paraestesiae and subjective weakness was reported for 67, 23, and 7 mouse-operating limbs, respectively, with the summarized pain scores exceeding 4 in 33 limbs. Abnormal physical findings were prevalent. The summarized pain was significantly related to a reduced function in five muscles, to mechanical allodynia at one location and to elevated threshold to vibration in two territories. Brachial plexopathy was diagnosed in 9/2, median neuropathy in 13/5 and posterior interosseous neuropathy in 13/8 mouse operating/contralateral limbs, respectively. The summarized pain was significantly higher in the mouse-operating limbs and in limbs with any of the defined patterns. There was a significant trend between the summarized pain and the summarized scores for the items contained in each pattern. CONCLUSION: This small-scale study of a group of computer-operators currently in work and with no or minor upper limb symptoms has indicated in symptomatic subjects the presence of peripheral nerve-afflictions with specific locations

Hydrogenation properties of lithium and sodium hydride – closo-borate, [B10H10]2− and [B12H12]2−, composites

© 2018 the Owner Societies. The hydrogen absorption properties of metal closo-borate/metal hydride composites, M2B10H10-8MH and M2B12H12-10MH, M = Li or Na, are studied under high hydrogen pressures to understand the formation mechanism of metal borohydrides. The hydrogen storage properties of the composites have been investigated by in situ synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction at p(H2) = 400 bar and by ex situ hydrogen absorption measurements at p(H2) = 526 to 998 bar. The in situ experiments reveal the formation of crystalline intermediates before metal borohydrides (MBH4) are formed. On the contrary, the M2B12H12-10MH (M = Li and Na) systems show no formation of the metal borohydride at T = 400 °C and p(H2) = 537 to 970 bar.11B MAS NMR of the M2B10H10-8MH composites reveal that the molar ratio of LiBH4or NaBH4and the remaining B species is 1:0.63 and 1:0.21, respectively. Solution and solid-state11B NMR spectra reveal new intermediates with a B:H ratio close to 1:1. Our results indicate that the M2B10H10(M = Li, Na) salts display a higher reactivity towards hydrogen in the presence of metal hydrides compared to the corresponding [B12H12]2-composites, which represents an important step towards understanding the factors that determine the stability and reversibility of high hydrogen capacity metal borohydrides for hydrogen storage

A cross-sectional study of the upper limb non-neurogenic physical findings in computer operators and their relation to pain and neurological findings

ObjectivesThe character of upper limb disorders in computer operators is subject to debate. While nerve involvement is suggested by the presenceof pain, paresthesia and subjective weakness, these symptoms are mainly interpreted as related to pathologies outside the nervous system. Findings in a previous study involving computer operators indicated peripheral nerve afflictions with specific locations in symptomatic subjects. Based on the same sample, this study addresses the relation of non-neurogenic findings to pain and neurological findings.Material and MethodsOverall, 96 computer operators scored their perceived pain in the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist/hand on a Visual Analogue Scale of 0–9. They underwent 2 sets of blinded physical examinations of selected non-neurogenic and neurological items, respectively. The authors analyzed correlations between the scores of each non-neuropathic finding, and a) mean pain scores for each and all regions, and b) scores for neurological patterns reflecting brachial plexopathy, median neuropathy (the elbow), and posterior interosseous neuropathy, respectively, and their combination. Kendall’s rank correlation test was applied for all statistical analyses.ResultsA median pain level of 1 or 0.5 was reported by 80 and 57 participants on the mouse-operating or contralateral side, respectively. Non-neurogenic and neurological findings were frequent. The mean overall pain correlated with palpation soreness of the neck insertions, and of the trapezius and supraspinatus muscles. Neck and elbow pain correlated with palpation soreness at the neck insertions and the lateral epicondyles, respectively. Significant correlations on the mouse-operating side were identified between posterior interosseous neuropathy and lateral epicondyle soreness, and between median neuropathy and any neurological pattern, and trapezius and lateral epicondyle soreness. Conclusions Pain correlated with palpation soreness, which again correlated with the neurological patterns. Palpation soreness may be less significant as a marker of a painful disorder as it correlated no better with regional than with overall pain. The physical examination of computer operators should include a sufficient neurological assessment

Surveillance of maritime deaths on board Danish merchant ships, 1986–2009

Background. A previous study demonstrated a high death rate among seafarers signed on Danish ships during the years 1986–1993. This study aimed to examine and analyse the subsequent development until 2009. Material and methods. A total of 356 fatalities were identified from data supplied from the Danish Maritime Authority, an insurance company, and other sources. Maritime deaths among seafarers signed on Danish ships comprise deaths from 1) accidents, suicides and homicides; and 2) disease on board. Deaths due to 2) occurring ashore within 30 days after signing off were included. The overall and mode-specific death rates were calculated for three eight-year observation periods. The rates for work-related fatal accidents were compared with the rates for landbased trades. Results. All categories of maritime deaths were significantly reduced from 1986 to 2009 — in particular during the last eight-year period (Accidents 1986-1993: 66.6 per 100,000 person years, 2002–2009: 27.0 per 100,000 person years, diseases 49.5–26.1, suicides 14.4–7.8). In spite of the remarkable improvement since 1986, seafarers remain in 2002–2009 more than six times more likely to die from occupational accidents (including shipwrecks) than do workers ashore. Conclusions. The favourable trend of maritime deaths in the Danish merchant fleet may be due to 1) preventive measures — e.g. interventions relating to vessel safety, work environment, and improved medical care on board — and to 2) technological and organizational changes — e.g. newer and larger vessels in the Danish merchant fleet, changed composition of the workforce, and reduced shore leaves. The persisting excess risk warrants further preventive actions

Diagnostic accuracy of the neurological upper limb examination II: Relation to symptoms of patterns of findings

Abstract Background In a sample of patients in clinical occupational medicine we have demonstrated that an upper limb neurological examination can reliably identify patterns of findings suggesting upper limb focal neuropathies. This further study aimed at approaching the diagnostic accuracy of the examination. Methods 82 limbs were semi-quantitatively assessed by two blinded examiners (strength in 14 individual muscles, sensibility in 7 homonymous territories, and mechanosensitivity at 10 locations along nerves). Based on the topography of nerves and their muscular and sensory innervation we defined 10 neurological patterns each suggesting a localized nerve affliction. Information on complaints (pain, weakness and/or numbness/tingling) collected by others served as a reference for comparison. The relation between the presence of pattern(s) and complaints was assessed by κ-statistics. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values were calculated, and pre-test odds were compared to post-test probability. Results The two examiners identified pattern(s) suggesting focal neuropathy in 34/36 out of 38 symptomatic limbs, respectively (κ = 0.70/0.75), with agreement in 28 limbs. Out of 44 non-symptomatic limbs the examiners agreed on absence of any pattern in 38 limbs. With concordance between the examiners with regard to the presence or absence of any pattern, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 0.73, 0.86, 0.93 and 0.90, respectively. While the pre-test odds for a limb to be symptomatic amounted to 0.46 the post-test probability was 0.81. For each examiner the post-test probability was 0.87 and 0.88, respectively. Conclusion The improved diagnostic confidence is an indication of one aspect of construct validity of the physical examination. For determination of clinical feasibility of the examination further studies are required, most importantly 1) studies of validity by means of comparison with additional references and 2) studies of the potential benefit that can be attained from its use.</p