Etalon

L’obésité est universellement définie à partir de la classification recommandée par l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), basée sur l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC). Cependant, l’application d’une norme unique présente des limites, notamment au regard de la grande variabilité interpopulationnelle, tant au niveau biologique que culturel. La relation entre l’IMC et la proportion de masse grasse corporelle, et donc avec les risques sanitaires associés, présente en effet une grande diversité entre groupes humains. La perception sociale du corps corpulent est quant à elle tout autant variable d’une culture à l’autre. The definition of obesity is universally based on WHO recommendations, which use body mass index (BMI). Application of a single norm presents some limits, however, because of large inter-population variability, biologically as well socially. The relationship between BMI and percentage of body fat, with its associated health risks, thus shows significant diversity betw...

Purpose:  The Optics and Radiometry Laboratory (ORLAB) provides a testing service for the Australian sunglass industry to assist its compliance with the mandatory Consumer Product Safety Standard. In doing so, a number of sunglasses carrying the CE mark (in effect a claim of compliance with the European Union Personal Protective Equipment Directive) have been tested. Since there is no mandatory testing in Europe (the sunglass industry is deemed self regulating), evaluating their performance will give an insight into compliance with the Directive.Methods:  Consecutive submissions to ORLAB over a period of 18 months were examined for CE marked sunglasses. The results for 646 CE marked pairs of sunglasses tested during 2003 and first half 2004 were examined and evaluated for compliance with EN 1836 (the European sunglass standard) on the basis of refractive power, prismatic power, transmittance (visible, UV and coloration) and polarization.Results:  A total of 17.3% failed EN 1836 and 3.3% were borderline (i.e. within our uncertainties of measurement of the requirement). The failures comprised: 0.9% lens defect; 12.5% polarization alignment error; 2.7% excessive vertical prism; 22.3% excessive horizontal prism; 27.7% excessive spherical power; 14.3% excessive cylindrical power; 1.8% excessive UV transmittance; and 23.2% transmittance difference between lenses (always gradient tints).Conclusion:  With up to 20% non-compliance, self regulation is not working particularly well in providing the public with complying sunglasses.

Background: Previous studies have shown that only 80% of narrow QRS supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) types can be differentiated by standard 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) criteria. This study was designed to determine the value of some new ECG criteria in differentiating narrow QRS SVT.Methods and Results : 120 ECGs demonstrating paroxysmal narrow QRS complex tachycardia (QRS s 0.11 ms and rate > 120 beats/min) were analyzed. Forty atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT), 70 atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), and 10 atrial tachycardia defined with electrophysiologic study (EPS) consisted the study group. Eight surface ECG criteria were found to be significantly different between tachycardia types by univariate analysis. P waves separate from the QRS complex were observed more frequently in AVRT (70%) and atrial tachycardia (80%). Pseudo r’deflection in lead V1, pseudo S wave in inferior leads, and cycle length alternans were more common in AVNRT (55, 20, and 6%, respectively). QRS alternans was also present during AVRT (28%). ST-segment depression (≧ 2 mm) or T-wave inversion, or both, were present more often in AVRT (60%) than in AVNRT (27%). During sinus rhythm, manifest preexcitation was observed more often in patients with AVRT (42%). When a P wave was present, RP/PR interval ratio > 1 was more common in atrial tachycardia (90%). By multivariate analysis, presence of a P wave separate from the QRS complex, pseudo r’deflection in lead V1, QRS alternans, preexcitation during sinus rhythm, ST-segment depression > 2 mm or T-wave inversion, or both, were independent predictors of tachycardia type.Conclusions: Several new ECG criteria may be useful in differentiation of SVT types. Prediction of mechanism prior to EPS may provide additional benefits concerning the fluoroscopic exposure time and cardiac catheterization procedure. A.N.E. 2002;7(2):120–126

Among the “traditional” hydride-forming elements, lead is probably the most difficult, and its determination in this form has rarely been reported in the literature. In this paper a simple and rapid method, axial-view inductively-coupled plasma optical-emission spectrometry using on-line hydride generation (HG–ICP–OES) from samples prepared as slurry, is proposed for determination of lead in environmental samples. The samples (20–50 mg, particle size ≤120 μm) were treated with 1 mL aqua regia in a 40-kHz ultrasonic bath for 60 min. The slurry was diluted to a final volume of 50 mL with a 10% m/v solution of (NH4)2S2O8. The concentrations of NaBH4, tartaric acid, and (NH4)2S2O8, used for on-line plumbane generation were optimized by means of a complete factorial analysis applied to an aqueous standard solution and to the slurry of a sediment certified reference material (CRM). External calibration against aqueous standards in the concentration range 10–100 μg L−1 was used for analysis of six CRM—three marine sediments, one river sediment, and two sewage sludges. Analysis of the filtered slurry showed that Pb was only partially extracted into the liquid phase. Several major concomitants tested did not affect the Pb signal. The detection limit (3s, n = 10) for 20 mg sample in a final volume of 50 mL was 5.0 μg g−1. Tin was the only other hydride-forming analyte that could be determined satisfactorily with Pb; for tin the detection limit was 1.0 μg g−1. The values obtained for Pb and Sn were not significantly different from the certified concentrations, according to the t-test at the 95% confidence level. Nine river sediments collected locally were also analyzed and the concentrations were in agreement with results obtained after total digestion.