Safety Aspects Research Articles

Seeing the forest for the trees: An ecological systems theory approach to addressing emergent issues in psychedelic-assisted therapy research

AbstractDespite growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) research, there remains a lack of consensus about key issues relevant to difficulties in predicting acute drug effects, and the role of therapeutic support in clinical trials. In the absence of a clear theoretical model to conceptualize multifaceted components in PAT research, dialogue across contexts (e.g., popular media, peer reviewed journals, conference settings) is becoming increasingly polarized and siloed. This has even contributed to somewhat unusual recommendations by the FDA and others that removing critical aspects of psychological and medical safety could enhance our ability to investigate the impact of these drugs on clinical outcomes. Considering the importance of determining and maximizing safety in ongoing PAT research, this commentary suggests that an ecological systems theory (EST) approach provides a structure to make contextual and practical factors a more explicit and testable component of research. Utilizing systems theory and Bronfenbrenner’s EST approach adapted for healthcare settings, we propose that a more detailed conceptual model in PAT research would enable more explicit consideration of contextual factors informing and influencing outcomes. This commentary is accompanied by a custom figure that illustrates application of this model for psychedelic research and highlights the limitations of current measurement of acute subjective experience.

Invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) Fish from the Southern Baltic as a Source of Arsenic and Selenium-Food Safety Aspects.

Minimizing human exposure to arsenic (As) and ensuring an adequate dietary intake of selenium (Se) are significant issues in research on food sources. This study measured the content of As and Se in the muscles, gills, liver, and gonads of the fish round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) to assess the benefits and risks associated with their consumption. This was achieved by using dietary reference intake (DRI), estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and carcinogenic risk (CR). The elements were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentrations of As and Se (in μg kg-1 wet weight) were 25.1 and 161.4 in muscle, 58.8 and 367.4 in liver, 47.4 and 635.3 in gonads, and 16.4 and 228.5 in gills, respectively. Arsenic in the muscle portion of fish accounted for up to 0.5% of the DRI, while Se constituted approximately 30% of the DRI. The EDI values were below the reference oral dose (RfD). The THQ were much below the permissible levels (THQ < 1), and the CR were at least within the permissible limit (CR < 10-4). With regard to the As content, round goby muscles can be deemed safe for consumers. They may also be a valuable source of Se in the human diet. However, round goby consumption should be monitored for the proper and safe intake of these elements.

Vehicle Platooning: A Detailed Literature Review on Environmental Impacts and Future Research Directions

This paper provides a detailed literature review of the environmental implications of vehicle platooning, a topic gaining significant attention in transportation. While previous reviews have focused on the safety, planning, fuel economy, and microsimulation aspects of platooning, this paper delves into environmental aspects. It identifies a lack of research adopting a holistic approach to transport and environmental benefits and emphasizes the need for further research to enhance vehicle efficiency and improve air quality and health conditions. This study traces the historical evolution of platooning, highlighting the shift in research focus over the decades. It advocates for more research on platooning’s environmental aspects, particularly pollutant emissions and air quality. The primary contributions of this work are threefold and include the following: firstly, it delineates simulation methodologies for platooning and the associated pollutant emissions; secondly, it offers a critical assessment of the existing literature on vehicle emissions, fuel consumption, and energy savings; and thirdly, it illuminates the prospective research challenges within the specialized domain of vehicle platooning.

Structural Analysis of Deck Reinforcement on Composite Yacht for Crane Installation

The crane installation on the deck of a yacht redistributes the stress field and affects the local structural integrity and performance. The safe operation of the yacht is associated with the optimal placement of the crane on the deck and the proper local structural reinforcement. Here, the structural analysis of the bow part of a yacht made of composite materials is studied, considering the retrofit installation of a crane, in three different cases of reinforcing the deck: (a) without any reinforcement, (b) with a T-type reinforcement, and finally, (c) with a longitudinal beam. The T-type connects the longitudinal bulkhead and the deck, reinforced locally with overlamination skin and adhesive-filler. The longitudinal beam works as a local longitudinal stiffener attached to the deck and connects the second, third, and fourth transverse frames. The structural analysis is performed using the finite element method following the classification societies’ rules. The local reinforcements are made from the same composite materials as the unreinforced deck. The maximum deformations, the principal stresses, and the safety factors following Tsai-Wu and Hashin criteria are calculated and compared for the three different cases. The T-type and longitudinal reinforcements reduce deck stresses by 33%, with longitudinal reinforcement reducing deck deformation by 17%. Composite failure analysis shows the structure was near failure, and the reinforcements enhance safety; T-type is better for multiaxial loads (Tsai-Wu), and longitudinal is superior for micromechanical failure (Hashin). By considering the structural performance and safety aspects, designers and engineers can make optimal decisions regarding yacht crane installation and proper reinforcement, leading to safer and more efficient structures.

Awareness of Phymill treatment for cerebral palsy kids among university students’ perspective

Cerebral palsy (CP) kids are a group of disorders that affect their mobility. This health condition is somewhat of a crucial disability and requires treatment to have a better lifestyle as they grow older. It is important to acknowledge the existence of this CP and ways to battle or treat it. Currently, the physio-treadmill (PhyMill) is well developed for CP kids. In this study, we focus on a quantitative survey that was conducted to predictors of the knowledge towards CP and PhyMill among university students, and to observe the awareness of the treatment based on ergonomics, biomechanics, and safety aspects using the PhyMill. The results showed that a huge percentage of students are aware of the knowledge of CP and how to know if an individual is experiencing this disability. The responses for the function of PhyMill have shown the students that the function of the PhyMill is to stimulate the conditioning of a healthier lifestyle in patients with this health condition. The responsive feedback of treatment on ergonomics, biomechanics, and safety aspects also shows comfortable, user-friendly, and good safety inventions by using PhyMill. The significance of this study is would explore the possibility of PhyMill to enhance the performance of patient treatment.

Current practices and perceptions of misoprostol use for cervical preparation prior to outpatient hysteroscopy: a nationwide survey among gynecologists in Spain.

Although misoprostol has been used as a potential option for cervical priming prior to hysteroscopy, the available scientific evidence regarding its use is not always conclusive. The purpose of this article is to assess the different practices and criteria applied for the use of misoprostol use for cervical preparation in outpatient hysteroscopy without anesthesia among gynecologists across Spain, exploring the need for the corresponding evidence-based guidelines. We carried out a cross-sectional study in which a two-step approach survey was conducted. Firstly, an online pilot survey was conducted with a limited sample of 10 professionals from 10 centers to identify initial patterns and gather feedback. Subsequently, a comprehensive online survey was carried out over a larger sample of respondents. The comprehensive survey covered aspects of misoprostol usage, including dosage, timing, indications, safety concerns, and overall perception. The survey design allowed for a thorough examination of existing practices and provided valuable insights to help address the disparities noted in misoprostol use for cervical preparation in outpatient hysteroscopies. Through the comprehensive online survey, we received response of 102 gynecologists from 54 centers across Spain. The overall results show a considerable variation in misoprostol use prior to hysteroscopy, with 21.57% of respondents not using misoprostol in any case, while a substantial majority (78.43%) use it selectively (68.83%) or consistently (9.8%). When asked about the type of patients, the vast majority (72.55%) use it in postmenopausal nulliparous patients, while its was used considerably less in premenopausal nulliparous patients (35.29%), postmenopausal multiparous patients (22.55%), and premenopausal multiparous patients (3.92%), whereas some choose not to use it in any patients (26.47%). Furthermore, 89.22% of respondents felt that there is a lack of clear criteria on misoprostol use, while 79.41% believed that it is necessary to establish such criteria. There was a diverse landscape of misoprostol use which underscores the complexity and individual approach to cervical preparation for an outpatient hysteroscopy. Indeed, the findings regarding its application, notably more prevalent among postmenopausal patients, contravene the prevailing body of published evidence. Moreover, a considerable proportion of respondents expressed the need for clear criteria, which emphasizes the importance of evidence-based protocols to guide the optimal use of misoprostol.

Pavement maintenance and surface treatment: Evaluation and prevention towards road safety aspect along Ampang Jaya road

Abstract The severity of road damage, such as surface cracking or potholes putting drivers of moving vehicles at greater risk of collisions. This study aims to determine and propose the maintenance procedure and surface treatment activity carried out along Jalan Taman Putra, Jalan Bunga Raya and Jalan Perdana Utama in Ampang Jaya, Selangor. From a visual inspection, Jalan Bunga Raya and Jalan Perdana Utama was rated as B and required immediate repairs, while Rating C required to be fixed for user comfort on Jalan Taman Putra. Patch defects account for 45 % and 46 % of all defects on Jalan Taman Putra and Jalan Bunga Raya routes, respectively. Meanwhile, most defects on Jalan Perdana Utama were delamination, accounting for 38 % of all defects. The statistics on the number of road accidents show that pavement restoration work is effective when it results in a decrease in accidents between 2015 and 2021 by 42 % in Jalan Taman Putra, 33 % in Jalan Bunga Raya, and 12 % in Jalan Perdana Utama. Rehabilitating the roads had a favourable impact on Ampang Jaya, Selangor's low traffic accidents rate and raised levels of road safety. To improve road safety features, efficient supervision and maintenance efficiency are required.

CAR T-cell therapies: Measuring the growing need for increasing long-term safety protocols.

e23047 Background: The CAR T-Cell market has grown significantly over the last five years with six products in the U.S. market covering a range of cancer types (DLBCL, FL, MCL, MM, ALL). The number of transplant centers certified for CAR T-Cell administration has also grown from 142 centers in Q4 2020 to 200 in Q4 2023. The FDA is currently investigating the safety of CAR T-Cell therapies due to the threat of secondary malignancies. CAR T-Cell patients are treated at advanced treatment centers but after they have completed therapy, they are often referred back to their original specialist for long-term monitoring. The purpose of this research is to measure if referring Oncologists have the information required to safely manage CAR T-Cell patients. Methods: This study followed market research best practices. The study was based on a survey of the BrandImpact panel of Oncologists who refer patients and a CAR T-Cell Panel of Oncologists who administer CAR T-Cell therapies. Results: The majority of referring Oncologists (61%) report they could use more information about CAR T-Cell therapies. When asked on an unaided basis what type of information they require, the most common request was for additional safety information (57%). At the same time, one-third of Oncologists treating CAR T-Cell patients at the advanced centers feel that there needs to be improved knowledge of the long-term safety aspects of CAR T-Cell therapies. When they resume monitoring CAR T-Cell patients, they would like to better understand the relevant long-term side effects and how they differ from the short-term side effects. Conclusions: Oncologists who refer CAR T-Cell patients report that they need more information; mainly around safety/side-effects. Of the Oncologists administering CAR T-Cell therapies, one-third feel there needs to be improved knowledge of the long-term safety issues. Consideration should be given to improving the level of educational information provided on this topic to improve CAR T-Cell patient outcomes. [Table: see text]

Experience on Utilization of Novel Modeling &amp; Simulation Approaches in Generic Product Development

Modeling and simulation approaches such as Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) and Physiologically Based Biopharmaceutics Modeling (PBBM) are gaining importance due to their impact to transform drug development paradigm. Development of such modeling approaches include integration of drug substance, drug product and physiological aspects followed by validation against clinical data. In this manuscript, we have highlighted utility of PBPK and PBBM in generic product development using case examples. An application where PBBM was utilized to obtain biowaivers and dissolution safe space was portrayed. Utility of such modeling approaches in obtaining fed bioequivalence studies was discussed with case example. Impact of gender evaluation on bioequivalence study outcome using PBPK approach was highlighted with a case example. Evaluation of safety aspects of extended release formulation with help of modeling approach was discussed with practical example. In the last case study, understanding the impact of critical bioavailability attributes with help of PBBM was indicated. Further, future direction in terms of sharing best practices across academia, industry and regulatory was highlighted. Overall, this manuscript summarizes experience on utilization of modeling and simulation approaches in generic product development with an aim to have more affordable and quality medicines to the patients.

Improving industrial security device detection with convolutional neural networks

&lt;p&gt;Employee safety is paramount in the manufacturing industry to ensure their well-being and protection. Technological advancements, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNN), have significantly enhanced this safety aspect by facilitating object detection and recognition. This project aims to utilize CNN technology to detect personal protective equipment and implement a safety implement detection system. The CNN architecture with the YOLOv5x model was employed to train a dataset. Dataset videos were converted into frames, with resolution scale adjustments made during the data collection phase. Subsequently, the dataset was labeled, underwent data cleaning, and label and bounding box revisions. The results revealed significant metrics in safety equipment detection in industrial settings. Helmet precision reached 91%, with a recall of 74%. Goggles achieved 85% precision and an 87% recall. Mask absence recorded 92% precision and an 89% recall. The YOLOv5x model exhibited commendable performance, showcasing its robust ability to accurately locate and detect objects. In conclusion, the utilization of a CNN-based safety equipment detection system, such as YOLOv5x, has yielded substantial improvements in both speed and accuracy. These findings lay a solid foundation for future industrial security applications aimed at safeguarding workers, fostering responsible workplace behavior, and optimizing the utilization of information technology resources.&lt;/p&gt;

Long-term outcomes of neoadjuvant treatment in older patients with HER2-positive breast cancer: Evidence from a single center in Mexico.

e12648 Background: The optimal approach to managing breast cancer (BC) in elderly women is still far from certain. These patients are often underrepresented in clinical trials, leaving the long-term effectiveness and safety aspects of treatment unclear. This study aimed to assess long-term survival outcomes of neoadjuvant treatment and cardiac toxicity in geriatric HER2-positive BC patients. Methods: Patients aged over 64, diagnosed with clinical stage IIA-IIIC HER2-positive BC between January 2007 and December 2022, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were identified from Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia's Breast Cancer Unit database. Only those receiving neoadjuvant treatment were selected. Treatment information: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) measurements and survival events were captured from medical electronic records. Descriptive statistics were used to report patient characteristics and treatment details. Event-free survival (EFS) and Overall Survival (OS) were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier. Cardiac toxicity was defined as a decrease in LVEF &gt;10% over baseline or &lt;50% during neoadjuvant therapy, and was compared between anthracycline-based and anthracycline-free regimens. Results: A total of 193 patients with an age greater than 64 and clinical stage IIA-IIIC HER2-Positive BC were identified from a database of 10.859 BC patients. From these, 87 patients received neoadjuvant treatment. As documented comorbidities prior to initiation of treatment, 54.0% of patients reported hypertension, 18.4% had diabetes, 81.6% were found with overweight or obesity, 12.6% were smokers, and 3.4% had a history of cardiovascular disease. The median age was 68, the median number of administered cycles was 8, and 88.5% of patients underwent surgery. The median follow-up was 9.25 years. Median EFS was 12.3 years, median OS was unreached, EFS-3yr was 76.3% and OS-3yr was 88.1%. Among patients who underwent surgery, 48.0% and 66.7% achieved a complete pathological response (ypT0/is ypN0) when treated with anthracycline-based and anthracycline-free regimes, respectively. The proportion of patients who developed cardiac toxicity during neoadjuvant treatment was 14.7%, all treated with anthracycline-based regimens. One patient under an anthracycline-based regime developed clinical heart failure. No cardiac toxicity was observed in patients treated with anthracycline-free regimens. Conclusions: Our findings show that, in this complex older population, long-term survival outcomes do not appear low. In addition, anthracycline-free regimens might represent a safer alternative from a cardiovascular perspective. Despite limitations of retrospective studies, this research addresses a long-standing gap in the representation of geriatric patients in clinical trials and contributes as a basis for improving neoadjuvant strategies.

An advanced graph algorithm-based protection strategy for detecting kilometric and cross-country faults in DC microgrid

Low voltage DC microgrids (LVDC) are on rise, because of increase in usage of electronics-based utility loads. However, the protection and safety aspects of these grids remain unresolved due to the fault current magnitude, unnecessary tripping, and blinding of protection. In this paper, an adaptive differential protection system incorporated with an advanced graph algorithm is proposed for DC microgrid. This graph algorithm is a combination of Fenwick tree and Bidirectional Dijkstra algorithm. Fenwick tree algorithm is used to determine the network configuration and Bidirectional Dijkstra algorithm is used to determine the least distance from the fault location to the nearest distributed generations. The developed protection scheme is applied to a 7 bus, 400 V DC microgrid setup using Real Time simulator (control hardware in loop) to detect and clear the faults such as kilometric faults, and cross-country faults. In terms of efficiency, the proposed algorithm demonstrates superiority over the conventional algorithm by detecting and rectifying faults in 384 μs.The results depict the robustness of the protection setup in clearing the faults rapidly with minimum network disconnection.

Structural equation modeling approach for the analysis of ergonomics risk factors and occupational injuries among building construction workers in Bahir Dar City-Ethiopia

Ergonomic risk factors are a prominent cause of fatality and severe injuries in building constructions. Hence, this study applies a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach to analyze ergonomics risk factors and occupational injuries among building construction workers in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. The results indicate significant relationships between ergonomics risk factors and the prevalence of occupational injuries. This study's findings contribute to the understanding of occupational health and safety in the construction industry, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. A cross-sectional study has been carried out, where data was collected through direct observations and standardized pretested questionnaires. The study recruited 220 participants in the construction industry. The data was analyzed using AMOS to study the direct and indirect effects of the identified variable. SEM has shown that the magnitude of the prevalence of occupational injury was 65.2 %. The results also revealed that the mostly affected body parts were lower arm, lower leg, hand, toe, and knee. Carpenter & roofers, plasterer and daily labors & other helpers were highly injury subjected occupations in respective order. The six leading significant risk factors were, do not tie belt at scaffold, falling stairways & ladders, exposure hazardous substances, tools & machinery, electricity (electric power accidents), repetitive tasks, the layout didn't consider health & safety aspects in the site, and do not provide safety orientation for new workers engaging the job. Employees are mostly affected on their lower body parts which needs more focus to prevent it, especially carpenter & roofers, plasterer and daily labors. Also the findings show that 50 % of respondents agree that the higher priority for safety and health management practices should be given to finishing part of the construction followed by excavation and earth work, masonry, and electrical installations. Therefore, it is recommended that the contractors must focus more on the finishing phase.

Background Rates of Adverse Events of Special Interest for COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring in South Korea

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate background incidence rates (IR) for adverse events of special interest (AESI) associated with COVID-19 vaccines in South Korea. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, with IR calculated annually. Eight AESIs including acute myocarditis, acute pericarditis, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), acute transverse myelitis (ATM), encephalitis, anaphylaxis, Bell’s palsy, and lymphadenitis were evaluated. Two operational strategies were implemented: a broad definition using ICD-10 codes for primary or secondary diagnoses to enhance sensitivity, and a narrow definition integrating ICD-10 codes with procedure and drug codes for enhanced accuracy and specificity. IR was calculated by dividing the number of incident cases by the total person-time at risk, with separate analyses by sex and age. Results: During the study period, the incidence of anaphylaxis, Bell’s palsy, and lymphadenitis under the broad definition continued to increase. Under the narrow definition, there were no reported cases of acute myocarditis or Bell’s palsy from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, the incidence rates for acute pericarditis, ADEM, ATM, encephalitis, anaphylaxis, and lymphadenitis were lower than those calculated under the broad definition. Males generally had higher rates, except for Bell’s palsy and lymphadenitis. Most AESIs were more common in individuals aged 65 and older, whereas ADEM and lymphadenitis were higher in children aged 0-19 years. Conclusions: Variability in AESI rates emphasizes the importance of considering definitions and demographics when establishing background rates for surveillance, which is a critical aspect of monitoring vaccine safety.

Zinc Supplementation Improves Texture, Oxidative Stability of Caciotta Cheese and Reduces Biogenic Amines Production.

Zinc is essential for animals, playing a vital role in enzyme systems and various biochemical reactions. It is crucial to ensure a sufficient intake of zinc through the diet to maintain efficient homeostasis. Only few studies on zinc effect in cow lactating diet evaluated the effects on milk and cheese quality, with conflicting findings. 24 cows of the Friesian breed were divided into two groups (CTR: control and TRT: treated group). Cows were selected for age, body weight, parity and phase of lactations (mid lactation, 140-160 days). CTR diet contained 38 mg/kg of Zn and TRT diet was supplied with 120 mg/kg of complete feed for 60 days. The objective of current investigation was to evaluate the impact of a dietary Zinc Oxide (ZnO) integration of lactating Friesian cows on chemical composition, zinc content, fatty acid and proteic profile, ammine content, pH, aw, texture, and sensory profile of cheese and to improve the chemical-nutritional quality of milk and cheese. The results showed that ZnO supplementation reduced mesophilic aerobic bacteria and Presumptive Pseudomonas spp. growth, proteolysis, biogenic amines content, lipid oxidation, odour intensity and sour and increased hardness, gumminess, chewiness, elasticity of cheese. Biogenic amines are considered an important aspect of food safety. ZnO integration in cow diet could represent a promising strategy for improving the quality, the safety and shelf-life of caciotta cheese.

Evaluasi Kelayakan dan Faktor Penggunaan Jembatan Penyeberangan Orang (JPO)

The availability of pedestrian bridge facilities is very necessary for the safety of pedestrian crossings in minimizing the risk of accidents. One of the pedestrian bridge facilities in Kupang City is on Jl. Ahmad Yani District. Old town. The level of feasibility and use of this footbridge is considered inadequate so it is necessary to evaluate the feasibility and factors of use of this footbridge. The method used is the method for determining crossing facilities according to Bina Marga standards to determine the suitability of pedestrian bridge facilities and the AHP method for determining factors in the use of pedestrian bridge. The results of the pedestrian bridge’s feasibility analysis show that the facilities required according to the calculation results are a zebra crossing with school safety zone (ZoSS) equipment, whereas based on a geometric review of the pedestrian bridge the safety and comfort aspects do not meet the requirements. The results of the analysis of respondents' answers regarding factors in using pedestrian bridge showed that 89% of respondents used pedestrian bridge for trial and error reasons and 50% of respondents answered that they did not use pedestrian bridge s because of construction constraints. Using AHP analysis, the factor that most influences the use of footbridges is the comfort factor (distance from the center of activity) with a distribution weight of 50%, followed by the comfort factor (lighting) with a distribution weight of 32%, then the safety factor (roof availability) with a distribution weight of 12% and finally the safety factor (bridge construction) with a distribution weight of 6%.

Reducing the fatal attraction of nocturnal insects using tailored and shielded road lights

The attraction of insects to artificial light is a global environmental problem with far-reaching implications for ecosystems. Since light pollution is rarely integrated into conservation approaches, effective mitigation strategies towards environmentally friendly lighting that drastically reduce insect attraction are urgently needed. Here, we tested novel luminaires in two experiments (i) at a controlled experimental field site and (ii) on streets within three municipalities. The luminaires are individually tailored to only emit light onto the target area and to reduce spill light. In addition, a customized shielding renders the light source nearly invisible beyond the lit area. We show that these novel luminaires significantly reduce the attraction effect on flying insects compared to different conventional luminaires with the same illuminance on the ground. This underlines the huge potential of spatially optimized lighting to help to bend the curve of global insect decline without compromising human safety aspects. A customized light distribution should therefore be part of sustainable future lighting concepts, most relevant in the vicinity of protected areas.

Kebijakan Trans Metro Deli sebagai Upaya Meningkatkan Layanan Transportasi Umum di Kota Medan

The Trans Metro Deli policy in Medan City is an effort to improve public transportation services. First, this policy provides an integrated and efficient mass transportation system through a special bus network with routes that cross strategic points in the city of Medan. Second, the adoption of information technology in the operational management of Trans Metro Deli allows users to obtain the latest information regarding bus schedules, routes and conditions in real-time, increasing reliability and user comfort. Apart from that, implementing affordable fares is also an important point in this policy, expanding transportation accessibility for people from various economic layers. Third, the Trans Metro Deli policy also prioritizes safety and security aspects in the use of public transportation by establishing operational standards and strict supervision of the bus fleet and personnel. This has a positive impact on public perception and trust in the service. Furthermore, efforts to improve infrastructure including the development of special bus stops and lanes are also an important part of this policy, ensuring accessibility and efficiency in daily operations. In conclusion, the Trans Metro Deli policy in Medan City is a significant step in improving public transportation services by integrating various aspects such as operational efficiency, use of technology, safety, comfort and accessibility. In this way, it is hoped that it can have a broad positive impact on the mobility and quality of life of city residents.

The safety and environmental impacts of battery storage systems in renewable energy

The integration of battery storage systems in renewable energy infrastructure has garnered significant attention due to its potential to enhance energy reliability, efficiency, and sustainability. However, alongside these benefits, concerns persist regarding the safety and environmental impacts associated with the deployment and operation of such systems. This review explores the multifaceted aspects of safety and environmental considerations in battery storage systems within the context of renewable energy. Firstly, safety concerns encompass a range of factors, including thermal runaway, fire hazards, and chemical leakage, which pose risks to both human life and property. Mitigation strategies such as advanced battery management systems and fire suppression technologies are critical for addressing these risks effectively. Secondly, environmental impacts arise throughout the lifecycle of battery storage systems, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal. Key issues include resource depletion, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution from mining activities. Sustainable practices such as responsible sourcing of materials, recycling initiatives, and the development of second-life applications are essential for minimizing environmental footprints. Furthermore, the interaction between battery storage systems and renewable energy sources introduces complexities in assessing environmental impacts. While battery storage facilitates the integration of intermittent renewables like solar and wind by providing grid stabilization and energy storage capabilities, its environmental benefits may be compromised by factors such as energy-intensive manufacturing processes and reliance on non-renewable resources. The safety and environmental impacts of battery storage systems in renewable energy demand comprehensive evaluation and management strategies to maximize benefits while minimizing risks. Collaboration among stakeholders, technological innovation, and regulatory frameworks are crucial for promoting the sustainable deployment and operation of these systems in the transition towards a cleaner and more resilient energy future.

CETARS/CAR Practice Guideline on Imaging the Pregnant Trauma Patient.

Imaging of pregnant patients who sustained trauma often causes fear and confusion among patients, their families, and health care professionals regarding the potential for detrimental effects from radiation exposure to the fetus. Unnecessary delays or potentially harmful avoidance of the justified imaging studies may result from this understandable anxiety. This guideline was developed by the Canadian Emergency, Trauma and Acute Care Radiology Society (CETARS) and the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Working Group on Imaging the Pregnant Trauma Patient, informed by a literature review as well as multidisciplinary expert panel opinions and discussions. The working group included academic subspecialty radiologists, a trauma team leader, an emergency physician, and an obstetriciangynaecologist/maternal fetal medicine specialist, who were brought together to provide updated, evidence-based recommendations for the imaging of pregnant trauma patients, including patient safety aspects (eg, radiation and contrast concerns) and counselling, initial imaging in maternal trauma, specific considerations for the use of fluoroscopy, angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging. The guideline strives to achieve clarity and prevent added anxiety in an already stressful situation of injury to a pregnant patient, who should not be imaged differently.