Latex allergy at Groote Schuur hospital prevalence, clinical features and outcome

Background. The incidence of latex allergy is increasing worldwide but there is very little information available on the clinical outcome for affected individuals.Objective. To determine the prevalence of latex allergy at Groote Schuur Hospital, a large teaching hospital in Cape Town, and to study the outcome for affected individuals.Method. Using a questionnaire, we screened 2 316 hospital workers for the presence of work-related symptoms. Workers who were symptomatic had Immunocap RAST (CAP RAST) or skin-prick tests to confirm latex sensitivity. Latexavoidance measures were implemented in positive subjects. One hundred symptomatic, sensitised individuals were followed up 3 months after intervention to assess their clinical status. A further cohort of 25 individuals with ongoing nasal symptoms were studied in detail.Results. Latex sensitisation was confirmed in 182 of 717 symptomatic workers (25.3%). SenSitised symptomatic workers were significantly more likely to have had a previous history of urticaria (P = < 0.001), oral allergy syndrome (P = < 0.001), or allergic conjunctivitis (P = 0.001), but not hay fever, perennial rhinitis, eczema or insect allergies. Latex sensitisation occurred among all classes of health care workers. Ocular and cutaneous symptoms were significantly associated with positive latex sensitisation (P = < 0.001). After latex intervention, ocular symptoms (P = < 0.001), skin rashes (P = < 0.001) and wheezing (P = 0.001) reduced significantly. Nasal symptoms did not improve. Undiagnosed and untreated underlying allergies to common aero-allergens were present in the majority of latexsensitised patients with ongoing nasal symptomatology.Conclusion. The prevalence of symptomatic sensitisation to latex allergy at Groote Schuur Hospital is between 9.2 and 11.2%. Ocular and cutaneous symptoms are the most prevalent in sensitised workers, and unlike nasal symptoms are significantly reduced when latex-avoidance measures are introduced. Ongoing nasal symptoms after intervention is instituted are probably due to other allergic sensitivities in latex-sensitised health care workers

ОПТИМАЛЬНЕ ПРОЕКТУВАННЯ РИГЕЛІВ ПРИ РІЗНІЙ ГЕОМЕТРИЧНІЙ ФОРМІ ПОПЕРЕЧНОГО ПЕРЕРІЗУ В ПРОГРАМНОМУ КОМПЛЕКСІ FEMAP NASTRAN.

The article describes the optimization of rod steel of beam, who works on a bend. The optimal solution about weight and the optimum cross-section of a column was calculated. Concluded the automatical and optimal design of balm for the construction industry.Виконано дослідження оптимізації стержневих стальних конструкцій, які працюють на згин. Розрахунок дозволив оптимізувати рішення по масі та площі поперечного перерізу елементів будівельних конструкцій. Зроблені висновки про актуальність автоматизації оптимального проектування в будівельній галузі

Method of increasing accuracy of analysis by chromatographic-mass spectrometer measuring system

Omówiono zastosowanie strukturalno-algorytmicznych metod poprawy dokładności ilościowej analizy chemicznej chromatograficznych systemów pomiarowych z detekcją spektrometrem mas. Zaproponowano zwiększenie dokładności wyników przez wyeliminowanie wpływu niepewności w procesie przygotowania próbki. Dla bezpośrednio skalibrowanego spektrometru mas pozwala to oszacować dyspersję i całkowitą niepewność wyniku analizy. Podano przykład liczbowy.Features of the application of structural-algorithmic methods of increasing the accuracy of the results of quantitative chemical analysis with the use of chromatographic-mass-spectrometric measuring system are considered. Proposed is method of excluding the influence of the uncertainty of the sample preparation stage. It allows for the directly calibrated mass spectrometer to assess the output data dispersion and to determine the overall uncertainty analysis. Formulas for such analysis of uncertainty are presented. As illustration numerical example of uncertainty calculations is included and conclusions are formulated

Uncertainty as a measure of the confidence level to results of experimental procedures

Wykazano, że jakość procedur eksperymentalnych, takich jak zliczanie, kontrola oparta na pomiarach i badania właściwości substancji można charakteryzować poprzez szacowanie niepewności rezultatów tych procedur. Omówiono wpływ parametrów zmiennych kontrolowanych na rodzaj i prawdopodobieństwo niepoprawnych decyzji oraz niepewność kalibracji.In this paper it is shown that it is possible to characterize the quality of the experimental procedures such as score of particles, control, testing, and research of material properties - all based on measurements, by using approaches based on estimating of the uncertainty of the results of these procedures. Formulas for uncer-tainty of these procedures are given. Also general formula of the probability of proper decisions based on the results of above proce-dures is given. Results of decisions for different relations between parameters of controlled variables are given in Table 1 and discussed in detail. Main conclusion is: such approach with estimation of the experimental procedure uncertainty can be used in practice to compare results of such procedures independently from their place and time of realization