Handheld Electronic Devices Research Articles

Short communication: Repeatability of β-hydroxybutyrate measurements in capillary blood obtained from the external vulvar skin

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the repeatability of measurements of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations in capillary blood obtained from minimal-invasive puncturing of different sites at the external vulva skin of dairy cows. A total of 240 multiparous cows sampled once within 21 d in milk were enrolled in the study. Capillary blood samples were obtained from the right and left labium of the external vulva skin and additionally from a site close to the first puncture. Samples were analyzed by using an electronic hand-held device [FreeStyle Precison Neo (FSP-Neo), Abbott GmbH & Co., Wiesbaden, Germany)]. Additionally, samples from a coccygeal vessel were analyzed as reference in a laboratory. Mean deviations (± standard deviation) between the 3 capillary sampling sites ranged from 0.01 ± 0.14 (left vs. right labium) to 0.02 ± 0.13 mmol/L (left or right labium vs. additional site). The BHB concentrations in capillary blood compared with the reference showed a mean deviation of 0.14 ± 0.18 mmol/L. The Spearman correlation coefficient between BHB concentrations in capillary blood and coccygeal blood was 85.4%. Mixed model analyses showed no significant effect of sampling site or squeezing the skin during sampling procedures on the differences toward the reference. Based on laboratory BHB concentrations of ≥1.2 and ≥1.4 mmol/L, respectively, the prevalence of hyperketonemia was 10.4 (n = 25) and 5.0% (n = 12). Thresholds to detect hyperketonemia with the FSP-Neo were optimized by receiver operating characteristic analyses. Based on a laboratory BHB concentration of ≥1.2 mmol/L thresholds were determined as 1.1 (left labium, 2nd puncture) and 1.0 mmol/L (right labium), with sensitivities between 94 and 99% and specificities between 89 and 97%. Based on a serum BHB concentration of 1.4 mmol/L, receiver operating characteristic analyses resulted in optimized cutoffs of 1.4 mmol/L for all sampling sites at the vulva, with sensitivities of 100% and specificities between 96 and 99%. In conclusion, vulvar capillary blood is suitable for accurate measuring of BHB concentrations by using the FSP-Neo. After adjusting the thresholds, the FSP-Neo provides very good test characteristics independent of the capillary sampling site or squeezing the skin and allows a practical and reliable screening tool for dairy cows.

High Performance GeO2 Inverse Opal Anode Materials for Long Cycle Life Li-Ion Batteries

With the rapid and ever increasing growth in portable electronics, such as smartphones and tablet computers, and the growing need for safer and longer range electric and hybrid powered vehicles, there has never been a more prevalent demand for light weight, high performance batteries with high power and energy densities. Commercial Li-ion batteries are just about keeping up with advancements in electronics. However, the limited performance of today’s commercial batteries is common knowledge, with the majority of hand held electronic devices requiring charging every day. Identifying and preparing battery materials which are capable of high performance, fast charging, and stable, safe capacity retention during operation would significantly advance portable device power technology. Germanium based anode materials have attracted a lot of attention due to the high theoretical capacity of Ge (1384 mAh/g) with various nanostructures such as nanowires, nanotubes and nanoparticles being investigated as anode materials. (1-3) However the cost of preparing pure Ge nanostructures can be quite high due to the use of expensive anhydrous precursors such as diphenylgermane and the need to perform synthesis under an inert atmosphere. These factors would also impede scaling up the synthesis of these materials for industrial applications. To circumvent these issues we are investigating the electrochemical performance of GeO2 with an inverse opal (IO) morphology, which can be prepared in air using cheaper precursors. In this work we detail the preparation of GeO2 IOs with application as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. The IO samples are initially structurally characterised via electron microscopy, electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. We demonstrate the electrochemical evaluation of our GeO2 IO samples with cyclic voltammetry, rate capability testing and long cycle life (>1000 cycles) galvanostatic testing. Previous reports on the electrochemical performance of GeO2 as an anode material have indicated that the capacity values obtained from the oxide are lower than those obtained from pure Ge. However, we demonstrate that by preparing a highly ordered, porous, three dimensionally interconnected network of GeO2 in the form of an IO, we can obtain capacity values which are comparable to the highest values previously reported for pure Ge. Acknowledgements This work was also supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) through an SFI Technology Innovation and Development Award under contract no. 13/TIDA/E2761. This publication has also emanated from research supported in part by a research grant from SFI under Grant Number 14/IA/2581.

Assessing the accommodation response after near visual tasks using different handheld electronic devices.

To assess the accommodation response after short reading periods using a tablet and a smartphone as well as determine potential differences in the accommodation response at various stimulus vergences using a Hartmann- Shack aberrometer. Eighteen healthy subjects with astigmatism of less than 1 D, corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better, and normal findings in an ophthalmic examination were enrolled. Accommodation responses were obtained under three different conditions: accommodation system of the eye relaxed and visually stressed with a tablet and an smartphone for 10 min, at a distance of 0.25 m from the subject's eyes. Three measurements of accommodation response were monocularly acquired at stimulus vergences ranging from 0 to 4 D (1-D step). No statistically significant differences were found in the accommodation responses among the conditions. A moderate but gradually increasing root mean square, coma-like aberration was found for every condition. Conversely, the spherical aberration decreased as stimulus vergences increased. These outcomes were identified in comparison to the one-to-one ideal accommodation response, implying that a certain lag value was present in all stimulus vergences different from 0 D. The results support the hypothesis that the difference between the ideal and real accommodation responses is mainly attributed to parameters associated with the accommodation process, such as the near visual acuity, depth of focus, pupil diameter, and wavefront aberrations. The wavefront aberrations were dependent on the 3-mm pupil size selected in this study. The accommoda tion response was not dependent on the electronic device employed in each condition, and it was mainly associated with young age and level of amplitude of accommodation of the subjects.

Oral Carcinoma Associated with Chronic Use of Electronic Cigarettes

The electronic cigarette (E-cigarette) is a handheld electronic device that vaporizes a nicotine-containing fluid for inhalation. Invented in 2003 by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, the E-cigarette was developed as a substitute for tobacco cigarettes. The use of E-cigarettes continues to grow in popularity in most parts of the world, and many consider their use and the use of other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to be healthier than smoking tobacco cigarettes. There is a paucity of medical research, however, to support that notion. In particular, the impact of chronic use of E-cigarettes and ENDS has not been studied adequately. Herein, we report two cases of oral carcinoma associated with chronic use of E-cigarettes. These highlight the need for increased awareness of this important, and potentially fatal, risk. Physicians, dentists and other health care providers must be made aware and should consider regularly-scheduled, comprehensive oral examinations of their patients that regularly use Ecigarettes or ENDS. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) collects adverse effect and safety data at their Safety Reporting Portal for Tobacco Products (https://www.fda.gov/TobaccoProducts/ PublicHealthScienceResearch). Adverse effects suspected to be related to the use of E-cigarettes or ENDS should be reported to the FDA or to analogous regulatory governances in other countries.

Arm Chair Perspective Preferences

Do generic observers in their free-style viewing of postcard-size pictures have a preference for specific modes of perspective rendering? This most likely depends upon the phrasing of the question. Here we consider the feeling of ‘presence’: does the observer experience a sense of being ‘immersed in the scene’? We had 40 Italian naïve participants and 19 British art students rate three types of rendering of ten ‘typical holiday pictures’. All pictures represented 130° over the width of the picture. They were rendered in linear perspective, Hauck maps, and Postel maps. The results are clearcut. About a quarter of the participants prefer linear perspective, whereas the Hauck map is preferred by more than half of the participants. Naïve observers and art students agree. Architectural scenes are somewhat more likely to be preferred in perspective. Preferences are not randomly distributed, but participants have remarkable idiosyncratic affinities, a small group for perspective projection, a larger group for the Hauck map. Such facts might find application in the viewing of photographs on handheld electronic display devices.

Bleeding Events and Safety Outcomes in Patients with Hemophilia a with Inhibitors: A Prospective, Multicenter, Non-Interventional Study

Bleeding Events and Safety Outcomes in Patients with Hemophilia a with Inhibitors: A Prospective, Multicenter, Non-Interventional Study

Electronic device use by individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury

Objective: To describe use of several electronic devices among individuals with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI).Study Design: Cross-sectional survey.Setting: Community.Methods: Potential participants consisted of all individuals with traumatic SCI, ages 7 and older, who had received care through a large academic medical center in the Midwest between January 1, 2003, and January 2, 2013. All eligible individuals received the survey as part of a four-stage mailing that asked questions about electronic device use in addition to questions about demographic and injury-related characteristics.Results: Mailings were sent to 820 individuals; of those, 451 completed and returned the survey. Descriptive and nonparametric statistics were performed. Individuals with high-level tetraplegia were less likely to use tablet and handheld electronic devices than individuals at all other SCI levels. Individuals aged 65 years and older were less likely to own or use tablet computers and handheld devices than all other age groups.Conclusion: While electronic devices hold considerable potential as a treatment modality for individuals who have sustained SCI, there is diversity in the particular electronic devices that are used by such individuals due to injury-related characteristics and age.

MEMS Packaging Reliability in Board-Level Drop Tests Under Severe Shock and Impact Loading Conditions–Part I: Experiment

The continuing increase of functionality, miniaturization, and affordability of handheld electronic devices has resulted in a decrease in the size and weight of the products. As a result, printed wiring assemblies (PWAs) have become thinner and more flexible, and clearances with surrounding structures have decreased. Therefore, new design rules are needed to minimize and survive possible secondary impacts between PWAs and surrounding structures because of the consequential amplification in acceleration and contact stress. This paper is the first of a two-part series and focuses on the drop test reliability of commercial off-the-shelf microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components that are mounted on printed wiring boards (PWBs). Particularly in this paper, we are interested in gaining preliminary insights into the effects of secondary impacts (between internal structures) on failure sites in the MEMS assemblies. Drop tests are conducted under highly accelerated conditions of 20 000 ${g}$ (“ ${g}$ ” is the gravitational acceleration). Under such high accelerations, the stress levels generated are well beyond those expected in conventional qualification tests. Furthermore, secondary impacts of varying intensities were allowed by changing the clearance between the PWB and the fixture. As a result, the stress and accelerations are further amplified, to mimic unexpected secondary impacts in a product if/when design rules fail to avoid such conditions. The amplification of the test severity is quantified by comparing the characteristic life ( $\eta $ in a Weibull distribution) of all the tested MEMS components at each clearance. Multiple failure sites from drop testing are identified, from packaging-level failures to MEMS device failures. The participation of competing failure sites is also demonstrated via characteristic life representations of each failure site at various clearances.

MEMS Packaging Reliability in Board-Level Drop Tests Under Severe Shock and Impact Loading Conditions—Part II: Fatigue Damage Modeling

Damage in handheld electronic devices due to accidental drops is a critical reliability concern. This paper is the second of a two-part series and focuses on damage models for drop test durability of commercial off-the-shelf microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) components that are mounted on printed wiring boards. The modeling approach is based on the experimental results presented in the first part of this two-part series. In particular, the focus of this paper is on damage due to drop events under extremely high accelerations (20 $000g$ , where $g$ is the gravitational acceleration) achieved by a series of secondary impacts. Impacts with such high accelerations can occur in handheld electronic devices due to collisions between internal neighboring structures and can generate stress levels well beyond levels previously anticipated in typical use, or in conventional qualification tests. A calibrated dynamic multiscale finite element model is used to evaluate the stresses at the relevant failure sites. Utilizing the local stress at each failure site, a fatigue damage modeling approach is proposed to predict the interaction of the competing failure mechanisms in MEMS components. The proposed damage model is based on the deviatoric stress (or strain) at the failure site and uses a hydrostatic stress correction factor to address the influence of mean stress (depending on component orientation). The model estimates the damage accumulation rate for a given stress condition and integrates the accumulated damage over the entire response history. This approach makes it possible to address the influence of the post-impact transient response on fatigue damage accumulation. The damage-model constants are determined for each failure site of interest by relating the failure data to the corresponding stress/strain metrics. Damage modeling results are not only capable of matching the lifetimes of MEMS components in drop testing, but also provide an explanation of transitions in dominant failure sites observed in MEMS assemblies under different drop conditions.

Subjects with osteoarthritis can easily use a handheld touch screen electronic device to report medication use: qualitative results from a usability study.

ObjectivesElectronic data capture is increasingly used to improve collection of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical trials and care. The validation of electronic patient-reported outcome devices requires information on patient preference and ease of use. This study conducted usability testing for a General Symptom Questionnaire and Medication Module™ on a handheld device for subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) to determine whether subjects can report on their symptoms and medication use using an electronic diary.MethodsNine subjects with OA participating in a large US mode equivalency study were surveyed independently in this study. Subjects completed a General Symptom Questionnaire and Medication Module™ using the LogPad® LW handheld device. Demographic and technology use information was collected, and the subjects were queried on device usability.ResultsSubjects reported that the handheld device was easy to use and that they were able to complete a General Symptom Questionnaire and Medication Module™ with little or no assistance. They did not report any issues with the screen or size of the device. Subjects were willing to travel with the device to complete electronic diaries at home or in public. Participants indicated that they would be able to use the handheld device to answer questions during a clinical trial. Subjects with OA experienced no physical discomfort during completion of either questionnaire.ConclusionThe General Symptom Questionnaire and Medication Module™ were usable and acceptable to subjects with OA on a handheld device. This was consistent regardless of previous experience and confidence with technology, despite the potential physical restrictions for an OA cohort.

Encouraging practitioners in infection prevention and control to publish: a cross-sectional survey.

The aim of this cross-sectional survey was to determine the views of infection prevention and control practitioners (IPCPs) on publishing research. A convenience sample was obtained by approaching delegates at the 2015 Infection Prevention Society conference and data were captured via a hand-held electronic device. Of the 79 respondents, most (83%) read the Journal of Infection Prevention (JIP) and found it useful for informing their practice (72%). However, most (91%) had never published in JIP, and less than half (40%) published elsewhere. The main barrier to publication was not having work suitable for publication (38%). Support (37%), training in writing for publication (10%) and time (9%) were considered to be important facilitators in encouraging respondents to publish. Strategies that support IPCPs in developing their writing skills may encourage more IPCPs to disseminate evidence to support best practice by publishing their work in peer-reviewed journals.

Development of Kinematic Graphs of Median Nerve during Active Finger Motion: Implications of Smartphone Use.

BackgroundCertain hand activities cause deformation and displacement of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel due to the gliding motion of tendons surrounding it. As smartphone usage escalates, this raises the public’s concern whether hand activities while using smartphones can lead to median nerve problems.ObjectiveThe aims of this study were to 1) develop kinematic graphs and 2) investigate the associated deformation and rotational information of median nerve in the carpal tunnel during hand activities.MethodsDominant wrists of 30 young adults were examined with ultrasonography by placing a transducer transversely on their wrist crease. Ultrasound video clips were recorded when the subject performing 1) thumb opposition with the wrist in neutral position, 2) thumb opposition with the wrist in ulnar deviation and 3) pinch grip with the wrist in neutral position. Six still images that were separated by 0.2-second intervals were then captured from the ultrasound video for the determination of 1) cross-sectional area (CSA), 2) flattening ratio (FR), 3) rotational displacement (RD) and 4) translational displacement (TD) of median nerve in the carpal tunnel, and these collected information of deformation, rotational and displacement of median nerve were compared between 1) two successive time points during a single hand activity and 2) different hand motions at the same time point. Finally, kinematic graphs were constructed to demonstrate the mobility of median nerve during different hand activities.ResultsPerforming different hand activities during this study led to a gradual reduction in CSA of the median nerve, with thumb opposition together with the wrist in ulnar deviation causing the greatest extent of deformation of the median nerve. Thumb opposition with the wrist in ulnar deviation also led to the largest extent of TD when compared to the other two hand activities of this study. Kinematic graphs showed that the motion pathways of median nerve during different hand activities were complex.ConclusionWe observed that the median nerve in the carpal tunnel was rotated, deformed and displaced during the hand activities that people may be performed when using a smartphone, suggesting an increased risk of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). In addition, the kinematic graphs of median nerve developed in the present study provide new clues for further studies on the pathophysiology of CTS, and alerting smartphone users to establish proper postural habits when using handheld electronic devices.

A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of Nonpharmacological Pain Management During Intravenous Cannulation in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Intravenous (IV) cannulation is commonly performed in pediatric emergency departments (EDs). The busy ED environment is often not conducive to conventional nonpharmacological pain management. This study assessed the use of Ditto (Diversionary Therapy Technologies, Brisbane, Australia), a handheld electronic device which provides procedural preparation and distraction, as a means of managing pain and distress during IV cannulation performed in the pediatric ED. A randomized controlled trial with 98 participants, aged 3 to 12 years, was conducted in a pediatric ED. Participants were recruited and randomized into 5 intervention groups as follows: (1) Standard Distraction, (2) PlayStation Portable Distraction, (3) Ditto Distraction, (4) Ditto Procedural Preparation, and (5) Ditto Preparation and Distraction. Children's pain and distress levels were assessed via self-reports and observational reports by caregivers and nursing staff across the following 3 time points: (1) before, (2) during, and (3) after IV cannulation. Caregivers and nursing staff reported significantly reduced pain and distress levels in children accessing the combined preparation and distraction Ditto protocol, as compared to standard distraction (P ≤ 0.01). This intervention also saw the greatest reduction in pain and distress as reported by the child. Caregiver reports indicate that using the combined Ditto protocol was most effective in reducing children's pain experiences while undergoing IV cannulation in the ED. The use of Ditto offers a promising opportunity to negotiate barriers to the provision of nonpharmacological approaches encountered in the busy ED environment, and provide nonpharmacological pain-management interventions in pediatric EDs.

Measurement of β-hydroxybutyrate in capillary blood obtained from an ear to detect hyperketonemia in dairy cows by using an electronic handheld device

The primary objective of the present study was to test whether capillary blood obtained by puncturing the skin of an ear with a minimal invasive lancet technique is able to detect hyperketonemia (HYK) in dairy cows. Furthermore, test characteristics of a new available handheld device, the FreeStyle Precision Neo (FSP-Neo, Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Wiesbaden, Germany) for determination of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations in bovine blood were evaluated by comparing the measurements with a laboratory reference. The BHB concentration was determined with the FSP-Neo device in 720 capillary blood samples from 3 different sampling sites (left, right ear, and repeated measurement) and in 240 samples from a coccygeal vessel. The concentration of BHB in serum harvested from the coccygeal blood samples was analyzed at the laboratory and was used as reference. The Spearman correlation coefficient (ρs) between the BHB concentrations in capillary blood measured with the handheld device and the reference test was between 0.76 and 0.81. Using capillary blood, the mean ± standard deviation BHB difference compared with the reference test was 0.20±0.47 mmol/L for all 3 sampling locations at the ears. The receiver operating characteristic analyses for the FSP-Neo device resulted in an optimized threshold for the detection of subclinical ketosis (SCK) in capillary blood of 1.3 mmol/L (left and right ear) and 1.2 mmol/L (repeated measurements). Applying these adjusted threshold sensitivities (Se) for all 3 capillary sampling sites at the ear were 100%, and specificities (Sp) ranged between 93 and 94%. Hence, we conclude that all sampling locations were suitable to identify cows suffering from SCK. The reference test compared with BHB measurements in coccygeal blood resulted in a ρs of 0.92 with a mean ± standard deviation of 0.02±0.21 mmol/L. The receiver operating characteristic analyses for the FSP-Neo device resulted in an optimized threshold for the detection of SCK in coccygeal blood of 1.1 mmol/L, with a corresponding Se and Sp of 100 and 95%, respectively. Because capillary blood is easily achievable from an ear, particularly if animals are fixed in headlocks for routine checkups, this technique is considered as an additional minimally invasive method for the identification of dairy cows suffering from HYK.

Implementation of Robust Barcode Modulation Mechanism for Large Data Trans Reception Using Android Device

Barcoding, since its evolution has emerged as a very secure and quick way to identify the data or things uniquely, but the other major use of the bar-coding is to secure the data using barcodes. The concept of 2-D barcodes is of great relevance for use in wireless data transmission between handheld electronic devices. In a general setup of barcode standalone systems, any file on a cell phone, for example, can be transferred to a second cell phone through a series of images on the LCD which are then captured and decoded through the barcode scanner of the second cell phone. In the proposed system, a new approach for data modulation in high capacity 2-D barcodes is introduced, where in the High capacity 2 D barcode of 448*63 pixels is used to barcode the data and thereby transmitted through any wireless or wired medium. The proposed barcode has a high capacity of encoding the large amount of data by making use of MD5 secure hashing algorithm for uniquely identifying the data. The data is hashed using MD5 algorithm and thereby retrieved by cross hashing the values decoded from the barcode. The proposed bar-coding and barcode modulation technique makes use of the latest technology for generating and reading the barcodes and thereby avail users to securely transmit the data. In this paper we have propose the survey of barcode types and compare this with high capacity 2D barcode.

Problem solving, confidence and frustration when carrying out familiar tasks on non-familiar mobile devices

Smart mobile devices, which are hand-held electronic devices with an advanced operating system (such as the Android platform) connected via a wireless protocol, have become an integral and essential part of our everyday life, and support both social and workplace activities. However, adopting mobile technology within the workplace setting can give rise to challenges that impact user behaviour and performance. A study was carried out amongst 90 participants located in two countries, using internet connectivity as a case study. Confidence and frustration have previously been connected with technology competence, but this was not applied to a workplace scenario during problem-solving, when users are assigned an unfamiliar smart mobile device. This research focuses on identifying the link between workplace users' levels of confidence and frustration when seeking to independently solve problems whilst completing familiar tasks on new smart mobile devices. A detailed video analysis of users' attitudes and behaviour during problem-solving was conducted, emphasising a correlation between attitudes and behaviour towards completing a task.

Communicating While Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: Texting With a Smartphone.

Two young adults with severe facial injuries were receiving care in the trauma/surgical intensive care unit at a tertiary care, level I trauma center in the southeastern United States. Both patients were able to communicate by texting on their cellphones to family members, friends, and caregivers in the intensive care unit. Patients who are awake and already have experience texting with a smartphone or other electronic handheld device may be able to communicate well while receiving mechanical ventilation.

Driver crash risk factors and prevalence evaluation using naturalistic driving data

The accurate evaluation of crash causal factors can provide fundamental information for effective transportation policy, vehicle design, and driver education. Naturalistic driving (ND) data collected with multiple onboard video cameras and sensors provide a unique opportunity to evaluate risk factors during the seconds leading up to a crash. This paper uses a National Academy of Sciences-sponsored ND dataset comprising 905 injurious and property damage crash events, the magnitude of which allows the first direct analysis (to our knowledge) of causal factors using crashes only. The results show that crash causation has shifted dramatically in recent years, with driver-related factors (i.e., error, impairment, fatigue, and distraction) present in almost 90% of crashes. The results also definitively show that distraction is detrimental to driver safety, with handheld electronic devices having high use rates and risk.

Control of Pedicle Screw Placement with an Electrical Conductivity Measurement Device: Initial Evaluation in the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine.

Aim. Transpedicular screw fixation is widely used in spinal surgery. But the insertion of pedicle screws can sometimes be challenging because of the variability in pedicle size and the proximity of nerve roots. Methods. We detected intraoperatively the sensitivity for iatrogenic pedicel perforation with a hand-held electronic conductivity measurement device (ECD) that measures electrical conductivity of tissue-medium surrounding the instrument tip. ECD was used to guide the placement of 84 pedicle screws in 15 patients undergoing surgery for tumor or degenerative spinal disease at various spinal levels from T8 to L5. Additionally a CT-scan controlled screw positioning postoperatively. Results. The placement was “correct” (no mediocaudal pedicle wall penetration) for 78 of 84 (92,8%) screws, “suboptimal but acceptable” (0–2 mm penetration) for 4 of 84 (4,8%) screws, and “misplaced” (penetration > 2 mm) for 2 of 84 (2,4%) screws. Conclusion. Although this study was not designed to compare electronic conductivity technique to other guidance methods, such as fluoroscopy or navigation, a convincing “proof of concept” for ECD use in spinal instrumentation could be demonstrated. Advantages include easy handling without time-consuming setup and reduced X-ray exposure. However, further investigations are necessary to evaluate i.a. the economic aspects for this single-use developed instrument.

Texting, Drugs and Driving: A “Triple Threat” To Driving Safety?

Driving is an important task that demands the full attention of the driver. There are many different factors that can compromise driving performance and lead to vehicle crashes. Perhaps two of the most common, yet also the most dangerous, are drug (including alcohol) influences on driving and distractions using handheld devices like cell phone calls and/or texting. Although each of these driving disruptors has been studied separately and has been shown to adversely affect driving performance, there is a paucity of data regarding the effects of these driving disruptors when combined. Given the explosion of handheld electronic devices, and the likelihood that drivers are using these devices when they are driving, it is not surprising that reports of crashes relating to this 'triple threat' combination of drugs (including alcohol), texting and driving are on the rise and in the news. Clearly, this 'triple threat' of texting, drugs and driving is a problem that requires research attention.