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Anaphylactic reactions to ethanol are rare with only seven cases reported in the literature. All previous cases have occurred following ingestion of alcoholic beverages or food to which an alcoholic beverage has been added. To date there are no cases in the literature of ethanol-induced anaphylaxis caused by the accumulation of endogenous ethanol in overripe fruit.We report a patient with ethanol-induced anaphylaxis who developed anaphylaxis following ingestion of overripe, but not fresh rock melon (Cucumis melo). The patient is a 24-year-old, previously well woman who experienced five episodes of acute anaphylaxis following ingestion of various alcoholic beverages and, on one occasion, following ingestion of overripe rock melon to which no ethanol was added. Ethanol-induced anaphylaxis was confirmed on blinded challenge; however, challenge with freshly prepared rock melon was negative. The patient declined further challenges.Ingestion of overripe fruits may cause anaphylaxis in patients with ethanol-induced anaphylaxis. These patients should therefore, be advised to avoid ingestion of overripe fruits.

Abstract In order to achieve a perfect bottom-up electroplated Cu filling with a minimal surface thickness, 2-mercaptopyridine (2-MP) was investigated as a new leveler for replacing Janus Green B (JGB) for bottom-up copper filling. Electrochemical impedence results indicate that 2-MP has a stronger suppression for Cu deposition than JGB. With the addition of 2-MP, the filling capability of the electroplating solution is improved significantly with the Cu thickness on surface decreasing from ∼16 μm to ∼10 μm. The interaction mechanisms of 2-MP, bis(3-sulfopropyl) disulfide (SPS), Cl − and tri-block copolymer of PEG and PPG with ethylene oxide terminal blocks (EPE) in the plating solution are studied by galvanostatic measurements (GMs). The acceleration effect of SPS and the inhibition effect of 2-MP on copper deposition occur in the presence of EPE, and the convection-dependent adsorption (CDA) behavior of additives usually occurs with the injection of four additives at optional concentrations. Further, it was found that when 1.0 ppm 2-MP, 1.0 ppm SPS and 200 ppm EPE were injected into the basic electrolyte, the potential difference ( Δ h) value of the electrolyte became positive, and the bottom-up electroplated copper filling was obtained in the electrolyte in absence of Cl − . The interaction mechanisms of three additives for bottom-up filling have been investigated by GMs.

In the current era, the importance of proper hand hygiene to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases has become difficult to debate. Yet, compliance rates remain low and are affected by many factors, amongst which is user acceptability of hand hygiene products.The present study aimed at investigating drivers of preference towards different hand hygiene formulations.Three different formulations (liquid, foam and gel) of the same brand were randomly and blindly evaluated by 54 participants based on the WHO Protocol for Evaluation of Tolerability and Acceptability of Alcohol-based Handrubs.The majority (76%) of respondents indicated that the product formulation impacted their level of compliance with hand hygiene protocols. The preferred formulation was liquid, with 50% of participants ranking it as first choice. General product satisfaction, the product texture, the drying speed and the ease of application, were the statistically significant drivers for participants to rank a formulation as their first choice vs not ranking it as their first choice.When designing alcohol formulations and implementing hand hygiene protocols, understanding drivers of preference for formulations may enhance product user acceptability and therefore compliance with hand hygiene.

Abstract Thirty healthy male volunteers drank ethyl alcohol (1.75 g/kg) from 6 p. m. to 9 p. m., which resulted in hangover the next morning, and 10 subjects served as controls. The twenty subjects, who drank alcohol, received glucose or fructose during the same evening (1.0 g/kg) or on the following morning (0.5 g/kg). In the hangover phase psychomotor performance was recorded by a choice reaction test, two coordination tests and an attention test. The intensity of the hangover was graded subjectively and objectively. Blood ethanol, acetaldehyde and glucose concentrations were analysed. The testing procedure was repeated at 8, 10 and 12 a. m. Ethanol, administered alone, increased significantly the number of mistakes on the choice reaction test in hangover phase, but this effect was abolished by the simultaneous administration of sugar. On the other hand, after the combined administration of ethanol and sugars the number of mistakes and mistake percentage on one coordination test were increased. The etiology on the impaired psychomotor skill during the hangover period is probably not directly related to the pathophysiology of the hangover, as there was no correlation between the impairment of the psychomotor performance and the intensity of the hangover of the subjects.

The accuracy and reliability of a rapid blood alcohol estimation by means of a breath alcohol analyser has been evaluated under casualty department conditions in a series of 646 road-crash victims managed at the Dandenong and District Hospital. A higher correlation (r = 0.91) was found between the breath alcohol analyser readings in 633 casualties and those obtained by blood analysis in the police laboratory. In 13 unconscious casualties in whom a nasal breath test was performed, the correlation was lower (r = 0.76). In six casualties, the breath alcohol analyser readings showed lower alcohol concentrations than the legal limit of 0.05 g/100 mL (10.9 mmol/L), but blood analysis detected an illegal concentration. Further evaluation of the accuracy of the breath alcohol analyser in other casualty departments is necessary before it can be recommended as a screening device in States which have legislated for compulsory blood alcohol tests in adult road casualties.

This study assessed the current secular trends in unintentional injury deaths among persons 15 years of age or older in Finland. For this purpose, we obtained from the Finnish Official Cause-of-Death Statistics (OCDS) the data for persons aged 15 years or older whose deaths occurred in 1971--2003 due to an unintentional injury. Among Finnish men, the most drastic change occurred in road traffic crashes. The age-standardised death rate (per 100,000 person-years) of men's road traffic crashes was 47 in 1971 but only 11 in 2003. In contrast, the rate of fall-induced deaths among Finnish men gradually rose, from 18 in 1971 to 24 in 2003, by which time falls became the leading category of men's unintentional injury death. Also alcohol poisonings seemed to bypass road traffic crashes as the cause of men's injury death. Among Finnish women, the age-standardised rate of fall-induced deaths decreased till 1975, after which the curve was rather flat. The death rate (per 100,000 person-years) of women's falls was 30 in 1971 and 18 in 2003. During the entire period of 1971--2003, traffic caused fewer deaths in women than men, but the declining trend in women's death rates was also clear, from 17 in 1971 to 5 in 2003. Other unintentional causes accounted for few deaths in women during 1971--2003, although it was of interest that the rate of women's deaths due to alcohol poisoning rose from 1 in 1971 to 4 in 2003. In conclusion, during 1971--2003 falls replaced road traffic crashes as the leading cause of unintentional injury death in adult Finns. The rise in men's fall-induced deaths occurred even with a rate that cannot be explained merely by demographic changes, and therefore, systematic fall prevention measures are needed to control the development. The rising incidence of women's deaths due to alcohol poisoning needs close follow-up.

Abstract During the operation of vanadium redox flow battery, the vanadium ions diffuse across the membrane as a result of concentration gradients between the two half-cells in the stack, leading to self-discharge reactions in both half-cells that will release heat to the electrolyte and subsequently increase the electrolyte temperature. In order to avoid possible thermal precipitation in the electrolyte solution and prevent possible overheating of the cell components, the electrolyte temperature needs to be known. In this study, the effect of the self-discharge reactions was incorporated into a thermal model based on energy and mass balances, developed for the purpose of electrolyte temperature control. Simulations results have shown that the proposed model can be used to investigate the thermal effect of the self-discharge reactions on both continuous charge–discharge cycling and during standby periods, and can help optimize battery designs and fabrication for different applications.

Abstract A high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyser (PEMWE) was investigated at temperatures between 80 and 130 °C and pressures between 0.5 and 4 bar. Nanometer size Ru 0.7 Ir 0.3 O 2 and Pt/C were employed as anode and cathode catalysts respectively. The catalyst coated on membrane (CCM) method was used to fabricate the membrane electrode assemblies. The membrane, oxygen evolution catalysts and MEAs were characterized with SEM, XRD and TEM. The influence of high temperature and pressure was investigated using in situ electrochemical measurements. Increasing temperature and pressure produced higher current densities for oxygen evolution, and smaller terminal voltages. The high temperature PEMWE achieved a voltage of 1.51 V at a current density of 1 A cm −2 , at 130 °C and 4 bar pressure.

To assess the relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and injury severity in an unselected population of road accident victims, case notes of 820 consecutive road accident victims presenting to hospital in a 12 month period were reviewed retrospectively. Five hundred and thirty-five of these were eligible for BAC analysis and results, obtained from the Victoria Police and the Road Safety and Traffic Bureau were available in 429 cases. These were expressed as mg/100 ml (per cent). Injury severity was quantified using the Injury Severity Score (ISS). BAC was compared with injury severity in three ways. First, Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho) of 0.27 indicated a highly significant correlation (P < 0.01). Second, the median ISS for intoxicated patients (4) was significantly higher than that for sober patients (1) (P < 0.05). Third, when patients were grouped according to ISS, the prevalence of intoxication in each group rose with increasing injury severity (chi 2: P < 0.01). We conclude that there is a significant positive correlation between BAC and injury severity in road accident victims treated at a Melbourne hospital.