Hope Global -- BEADED PROFILE COUNTER

Hope Global runs a Beaded Profile extrusion line that features a polypropylene plastic bead, bonded to a polypropylene non-woven synthetic material. The product is run through a cooling tank, vision inspection system, laser cutter, and finally loaded into boxes where they are weighed and packed. These bonded pieces are shipped to vehicle dealerships around the world as they are used to clip a variety of seat covers to their respective seats. Once the laser cutter executes a pattern of cuts for a given part, that part is counted and sent down a conveyor belt to drop into the J-Box. However, the current counting system has proven to be ineffective, as there is no automatic reset for the product counter on the system. An operator with the task to inspect and package the pieces, at the end of the line, is forced to intervene and frequently neglect their assignment in order to reset the counter on the laser cutter. Due to inefficiencies in the drying process, change is humidity and a fluctuating ambient temperature, Hope Global would like to deviate from the current weighing system as a means to count the final product. Before completing any design work for this solution, patent and literature searches were completed to fully understand methods of previous inventions pertaining to the problem at hand. Thirty design concepts were brainstormed by each team member with sketches and descriptions. Then research techniques ruled out many of them. Through extensive research on previous inventions with this technique, it was determined that using the already efficient laser cutter with a new counting system would be quite complicated. In fact, upon further research and consultation meetings at Hope Global, it was determined that any additional computerized system was inefficient for this solution. It was determined that linking the cutting sequence counter to a simple mechanical system is common in a manufacturing plant and also inexpensive. At this point in the design process it was decided that a diverting system installed at the end of the conveyor belt would be the optimal solution to this manufacturing problem. Upon further inspection of the design specifications and dimensions at the facility, the concepts were narrowed down further and a physical component was designed on SolidWorks and produced with a 3D printer. This design consists of a two angled aluminum walls that guide pieces to the desired location as well as a stabilization platform. A pin axis will be attached to a bracket that is connected to the conveyor belt walls. A motor mounted to a bracket will be linked to the counting system, signaling for a rotation of the guide once the desired count is attained. A multitude of 3D printed models have been created and tested at the facility, with minor design changes necessary after each test. After four testing trials, a final 3D model was printed and a sheet metal prototype was machined at the Hope Global facility. Moving forward, the metal prototype will be adjusted to meet the specifications of the final 3D model and a SVL-201 servo motor will be mounted to an additional bracket and gear-belt system to initiate rotation. This design ensures an autonomous method of counting beaded profile parts at Hope Global with 100 percent accuracy

Salivarian trypanosomosis : a review of parasites involved, their global distribution and their interaction with the innate and adaptive mammalian host immune system

Salivarian trypanosomes are single cell extracellular parasites that cause infections in a wide range of hosts. Most pathogenic infections worldwide are caused by one of four major species of trypanosomes including (i) Trypanosoma brucei and the human infective subspecies T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense, (ii) Trypanosoma evansi and T. equiperdum, (iii) Trypanosoma congolense and (iv) Trypanosoma vivax. Infections with these parasites are marked by excessive immune dysfunction and immunopathology, both related to prolonged inflammatory host immune responses. Here we review the classification and global distribution of these parasites, highlight the adaptation of human infective trypanosomes that allow them to survive innate defense molecules unique to man, gorilla, and baboon serum and refer to the discovery of sexual reproduction of trypanosomes in the tsetse vector. With respect to the immunology of mammalian host-parasite interactions, the review highlights recent findings with respect to the B cell destruction capacity of trypanosomes and the role of T cells in the governance of infection control. Understanding infection-associated dysfunction and regulation of both these immune compartments is crucial to explain the continued failures of anti-trypanosome vaccine developments as well as the lack of any field-applicable vaccine based anti-trypanosomosis intervention strategy. Finally, the link between infection-associated inflammation and trypanosomosis induced anemia is covered in the context of both livestock and human infections

Getting it Right: study protocol to determine the diagnostic accuracy of a culturally-specific measure to screen for depression in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people

Abstract Introduction: A freely available, culturally valid depression screening tool is required for use by primary care services across Australia to screen for depression in Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander populations. This is the protocol for a study aiming to determine the validity, sensitivity and specificity of the culturally adapted 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (aPHQ-9). Methods and analysis: Cross sectional validation study. A total of 500 people who self-identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, are ≥ 18 years of age, attending one of 10 primary health care services or service events across Australia and able to communicate sufficiently to answer study questions will be recruited. All participants will complete the aPHQ-9 and the criterion standard MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) 6.0.0. The primary outcome is criterion validity of the aPHQ-9. Process outcomes related to acceptability and feasibility of the aPHQ-9 will be analysed only if the measure is found to be valid. Ethics and dissemination: Lead ethical approval was obtained jointly from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (project 2014/361) and the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales (project 1044/14). Results will be disseminated via the usual scientific forums including peer-reviewed publications and presentations at international conferences following presentation to, discussion with and approval by participating primary health care service staff and community. Study registration number: ACTRN1261400070568

Patients’ Attitudes Towards Patient Involvement in Safety Interventions: Results of Two Exploratory Studies

BACKGROUND: In recent years, patient-focused interventions have been introduced aimed at increasing patient involvement in safety-related behaviours. However, patients\u27 attitudes towards these interventions and comfort in participating in the recommended behaviours remain largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients\u27 attitudes towards a video and leaflet aimed at encouraging patient involvement in safety-related behaviours. DESIGN: Two exploratory studies employing a within-subjects mixed-methods design. SETTING: Six hospital wards on an inner-city London teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Medical and surgical inpatients: 80 patients in study 1 (mean age 55; 69% men) and 80 patients in study 2 (mean age 52; 60% men). INTERVENTION: Patients watched the PINK patient safety video (study 1) or read the National Patient Safety Agency\u27s \u27Please Ask\u27 about staying in hospital leaflet (study 2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perceived comfort in participating in safety-related behaviours; attitudes towards the video or leaflet. RESULTS: Both video and leaflet increased patients\u27 perceived comfort in engaging in some (but not all) safety-related behaviours (P \u3c 0.05). In both studies, the majority of patients questioned whether the intervention could help to reduce medical errors in health care. Suggestions on how the video/leaflet could be improved mainly related to content and layout. CONCLUSION: Video and leaflet could be effective at encouraging patient involvement in some safety-related behaviours. Further in-depth research on patients\u27 attitudes towards different educational materials is required to help inform future policies and interventions in this very important but under-researched area

Growth and body composition in pku children— a three-year prospective study comparing the effects of l-amino acid to glycomacropeptide protein substitutes

Protein quality and quantity are important factors in determining lean body (muscle) mass (LBM). In phenylketonuria (PKU), protein substitutes provide most of the nitrogen, either as amino acids (AA) or glycomacropeptide with supplementary amino acids (CGMP-AA). Body composition and growth are important indicators of long-term health. In a 3-year prospective study comparing the impact of AA and CGMP-AA on body composition and growth in PKU, 48 children were recruited. N = 19 (median age 11.1 years, range 5–15 years) took AA only, n = 16 (median age 7.3 years, range 5–15 years) took a combination of CGMP-AA and AA, (CGMP50) and 13 children (median age 9.2 years, range 5–16 years) took CGMP-AA only (CGMP100). A dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan at enrolment and 36 months measured LBM, % body fat (%BF) and fat mass (FM). Height was measured at enrolment, 12, 24 and 36 months. No correlation or statistically significant differences (after adjusting for age, gender, puberty and phenylalanine blood concentrations) were found between the three groups for LBM, %BF, FM and height. The change in height z scores, (AA 0, CGMP50 +0.4 and CGMP100 +0.7) showed a trend that children in the CGMP100 group were taller, had improved LBM with decreased FM and % BF but this was not statistically significant. There appeared to be no advantage of CGMP-AA compared to AA on body composition after 3-years of follow-up. Although statistically significant differences were not reached, a trend towards improved body composition was observed with CGMP-AA when it provided the entire protein substitute requirement.publishersversionpublishe

Co-producing knowledge of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) health-care inequalities via rapid reviews of grey literature in 27 EU Member States

The health inequalities experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people are well documented with several reviews of global research summarizing key inequalities. These reviews also show how the health-care needs of LGBTI people are often poorly understood whilst suggesting that targeted initiatives to reduce inequalities should involve LGBTI people

The SCottish Alcoholic Liver disease Evaluation: a population-level matched cohort study of hospital-based costs, 1991-2011

Studies assessing the costs of alcoholic liver disease are lacking. We aimed to calculate the costs of hospitalisations before and after diagnosis compared to population controls matched by age, sex and socio-economic deprivation. We aimed to use population level data to identify a cohort of individuals hospitalised for the first time with alcoholic liver disease in Scotland between 1991 and 2011.Incident cases were classified by disease severity, sex, age group, socio-economic deprivation and year of index admission. 5 matched controls for every incident case were identified from the Scottish population level primary care database. Hospital costs were calculated for both cases and controls using length of stay from morbidity records and hospital-specific daily rates by specialty. Remaining lifetime costs were estimated using parametric survival models and predicted annual costs. 35,208 incident alcoholic liver disease hospitalisations were identified. Mean annual hospital costs for cases were 2.3 times that of controls pre diagnosis (£804 higher) and 10.2 times (£12,774 higher) post diagnosis. Mean incident admission cost was £6,663. Remaining lifetime cost for a male, 50-59 years old, living in the most deprived area diagnosed with acoholic liver disease was estimated to be £65,999 higher than the matched controls (£12,474 for 7.43 years remaining life compared to £1,224 for 21.8 years). In Scotland, alcoholic liver disease diagnosis is associated with significant increases in admissions to hospital both before and after diagnosis. Our results provide robust population level estimates of costs of alcoholic liver disease for the purposes of health-care delivery, planning and future cost-effectiveness analyses

How surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives achieve success: a mixed methods study to develop trainee engagement strategies

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to understand the role of surgical Trainee Research Collaboratives (TRCs) in conducting randomised controlled trials and identify strategies to enhance trainee engagement in trials. DESIGN: This is a mixed methods study. We used observation of TRC meetings, semi-structured interviews and an online survey to explore trainees' motivations for engagement in trials and TRCs, including barriers and facilitators. Interviews were analysed thematically, alongside observation field notes. Survey responses were analysed using descriptive statistics. Strategies to enhance TRCs were developed at a workshop by 13 trial methodologists, surgical trainees, consultants and research nurses. SETTING: This study was conducted within a secondary care setting in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: The survey was sent to registered UK surgical trainees. TRC members and linked stakeholders across surgical specialties and UK regions were purposefully sampled for interviews. RESULTS: We observed 5 TRC meetings, conducted 32 semi-structured interviews and analysed 73 survey responses. TRCs can mobilise trainees thus gaining wider access to patients. Trainees engaged with TRCs to improve patient care, surgical evidence and to help progress their careers. Trainees valued the TRC infrastructure, research expertise and mentoring. Challenges for trainees included clinical and other priorities, limited time and confidence, and recognition, especially by authorship. Key TRC strategies were consultant support, initial simple rapid studies, transparency of involvement and recognition for trainees (including authorship policies) and working with Clinical Trials Units and research nurses. A 6 min digital story on YouTube disseminated these strategies. CONCLUSION: Trainee surgeons are mostly motivated to engage with trials and TRCs. Trainee engagement in TRCs can be enhanced through building relationships with key stakeholders, maximising multi-disciplinary working and offering training and career development opportunities

Validating coronal magnetic field reconstruction methods using solar wind simulations and synthetic imagery

We present an ongoing effort within the ESA Modeling and Data Analysis Working Group (MADAWG) to determine automatically the magnetic connectivity between the solar surface and any point in interplanetary space. The goal is to produce predictions of the paths and propagation delays of plasma and energetic particle propagation. This is a key point for the data exploitation of the Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus missions, and for establishing connections between remote and in-situ data. The background coronal magnetic field is currently determined via existing surface magnetograms and PFSS extrapolations, but the interface is ready to include different combinations of coronal field reconstruction methods (NLFFF, Solar Models), wind models (WSA, MULTI-VP), heliospheric models (Parker spiral, ENLIL, EUHFORIA). Some model realisations are also based on advanced magnetograms based on data assimilation techniques (ADAPT) and the HELCATS catalogue of simulations. The results from the different models will be combined in order to better assess the modelling uncertainties. The wind models provide synthetic white-light and EUV images which are compared to coronographic imagery, and the heliospheric models provide estimations of synthetic in-situ data wich are compared to spacecraft data. A part of this is work (wind modelling) is supported by the FP7 project #606692 (HELCATS)

Training healthcare professionals in LGBTI cultural competencies: Exploratory findings from the Health4LGBTI pilot project

Abstract Objectives Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people experience health inequalities and barriers to accessing healthcare at a greater rate than the general population. This paper aims to present the Health4LGBTI training course for healthcare workers and the results of its pilot implementation. Methods Funded by the European Parliament, the training course was developed by a multidisciplinary team including LGBTI organisations as part of the Health4LGBTI Project. 110 healthcare professionals from diverse medical fields attended the pilot training in six European Member States. Knowledge and attitudes were compared on the basis of a pre-post evaluation design utilising an ad hoc questionnaire. Results Knowledge scores increased after the training, irrespective of age and sexual orientation of participants. Attitudes scores generally improved, particularly in terms of inclusivity and a greater acknowledgement of LGBTI health needs and self-competence. Conclusion The Health4LGBTI training course is both feasible and effective in training healthcare professionals and support staff to improve cultural competence and thereby promoting inclusive healthcare practice. Practice Implications The Health4LGBTI training course can be implemented in different healthcare contexts. Piloting of the course provided an opportunity for healthcare professionals and for support staff to improve their knowledge of, and attitudes towards, LGBTI people