Aviat Space Envir Md
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Dec 2005
Hearing loss in military aviation and other trades: investigation of prevalence and risk factors.
Continuous increase in the cost of claims for noise-induced hearing loss in Canadian Forces personnel prompted a review of hearing conservation practices. Investigations comprised retrospective analyses of hearing test results and a prospective survey of risk factors for hearing loss. ⋯ Responses to the questionnaire suggested that training on noise hazard and selection and use of hearing protection were inadequate. Hearing protection was reported to be incompatible with other gear, uncomfortable, and an impediment to communication. Approaches for upgrading hearing conservation strategies, including the creation of end-user focus groups, were considered.
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Susceptibility to motion sickness (MS) is known to be affected by gender and ethnic origin, but whether gender and ethnicity are interacting is unknown. ⋯ Susceptibility to MS is affected by both ethnic origin and by gender in a rather complex fashion. The most reliable prediction of RT can be based on the individual's history as assessed by the MSSQ.
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Nov 2005
Ovariectomy, hindlimb unweighting, and recovery effects on skeletal muscle in adult rats.
The effect of female sex hormones on skeletal muscle is unclear. Reports suggest that female sex hormones have an anabolic effect, have no effect, or are detrimental to skeletal muscle. ⋯ Results suggest that ovarian function influences the recovery of skeletal muscle mass following a period of reduced physical activity.
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Oct 2005
Carboxyhemoglobin and blood cyanide concentrations in relation to aviation accidents.
It is important in aviation accident investigations to determine if a fire occurred during flight or after the crash and to establish the source(s) of the toxic gases. ⋯ The presence of COHb and CN in elevated concentrations in the blood of victims found by autopsy to have died on impact would indicate an in-flight fire. In the absence of fire and CN-, the elevated COHb concentrations would suggest an exhaust leak, particularly at COHb > 30%. The findings of this study also suggest that, in addition to COHb, CN plays a detrimental role in fire-associated aviation accident fatalities.
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Aviat Space Envir Md · Oct 2005
Motion sickness susceptibility fluctuates through the menstrual cycle.
Surveys of transportation by sea, land, and air indicate that women are more susceptible to motion sickness than men, showing higher incidences of vomiting and reporting more symptoms such as nausea. The cause of this greater motion sickness susceptibility in women is unknown. One suggestion is that it is due to the functioning of the female endocrine system, but there are contradictions between existing studies. ⋯ There was a trend indicating that motion sickness susceptibility was maximal at day 5 'menstruation', decreasing through days 12 and 19 to a minimum at day 26 'pre-menstrual', to a small but significant extent. However, it is unlikely that this can fully account for the greater susceptibility in women since the magnitude of fluctuation in susceptibility across the cycle is only around one-third of the overall difference between male and female susceptibility.