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[The majority of emergency calls are erroneous].

An emergency call system has been used to summon specialists for cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Kumamoto University Hospital since 1986. Many improvements have been made to the system since it was established. We performed a prospective evaluation of calls made during the period from April 1, 1996 to March 31, 1997. There were a total of 36 calls, but only two of them were judged to be true emergencies. While at first we considered the number of calls reflected a growing awareness of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation team in the hospital, the large number of erroneous calls (94%) indicated other factors needed to be considered. Further investigation revealed the existence of a special, and little-known, telecommunication system connecting various administrative offices of the Japanese Government. Some of the phone numbers in this system are similar to the emergency call number. Thus many of the emergency calls were probably caused by administrative officers who misdialed. We are proposing to change this emergency call number.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗

[Researches for the planning of measures of working places of old people (author's transl)].

Within ergonomic complex-analyses which aimed at registering, valuing and optimising the working-conditions of elderly female workers in a large factory for telecommunication technics. 75 sitting workplaces were in detail examined as regarding the anthropometric measurements. Only the third of the working-places were constructed in the anthropometrically best possible way. A wrong construction was found in the case of working-height in 45 per cent, in the case of working-seats in 46,5 per cent, in the case of led-space in 30 per cent and in the case of operating-space for the hands in 22 per cent of the work-places. The results of the analysis led to 103 suggestions for changes, which are now to a large extend being put into practive in the course of complex measures of rationalization.

Adult↗

[Utility of PC-based videoconference systems in surgery].

Growing complexity of performance processes in medicine require a quicker and more consistent flow of information, even between distant sites of health care. The Regensburg model, a realisation of lean telemedicine from a low-cost domain, using PC-based standard videoconferencing--systems shows the use of modern telecommunications especially in medical spheres. In project-related evaluations, the efficacy of these systems as well as their use can clearly be proven. Through a quicker flow of information, quality improvements for all participants resulted, and to some extent considerable costs for health care were avoided or lowered.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

Face-to-face diagnosis vs telediagnosis of pigmented skin tumors: a teledermoscopic study.

BACKGROUND: Teledermoscopy uses telecommunication technologies to transfer images of pigmented skin lesions, including clinical and anamnestic data, via e-mail to specialized centers for teleconsultation. DESIGN: Sixty-six pigmented skin lesions examined on a face-to-face basis in a skin lesion clinic in L'Aquila, Italy, were sent via e-mail on a standard-resolution color monitor for consultation at a university dermatology department in Graz, Austria. INTERVENTION: Digital photographs of the clinical and dermoscopic images of all pigmented tumors were taken with a stereomicroscope connected to a high-resolution video camera in Truevision advanced graphic array (Targa) format file and converted successively into a Joint Photographic Expert Group (PEG) format file. All lesions were excised surgically and diagnosed histopathologically. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Diagnostic concordance between face-to-face diagnosis and telediagnosis. RESULTS: The diagnostic concordance was 60 (91%) of 66 cases. The number of correct telediagnoses was lower, but the difference was not statistically significant (Wilcoxon test, P = .10). The accuracy of the telediagnoses was not related to the quality of the images, but highly depended on the level of diagnostic difficulty of a given pigmented skin tumor (Spearman correlation, P= .01). CONCLUSION: Teleconsultation of clinical and dermoscopic images of skin tumors via e-mail provides a similar degree of diagnostic accuracy as face-to-face diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

A CD-ROM database product for oncology.

This article discusses the development of a vertically oriented CD-ROM database product in the medical subdiscipline of oncology. Called OncoDisc, the CD-ROM is mastered by ISG. It contains three major information collections: (1) PDQ (a system of a series of files and a set of relationships; the user accesses the data through those relationships); (2) Cancerlit (the research literature that underlies the treatment information contained in PDQ), and (3) full-text articles. SearchLITE, the retrieval system, is written in C language and has been implemented on the the DEC VAX family and the IBM PC/XT and PC/AT. The disc provides a personal library of oncology information for immediate local use by the health professional; it requires no subscription to an online service, no telecommunications, and no online search charges.

Clinical Protocols↗

Pesticide illness surveillance: review of the National Pesticide Hazard Assessment Program.

Regarding consultations on pesticide exposures by Oregon State University, the following information is summarized: 1) source of queries; 2) locations of exposure; 3) types of chemicals; and 4) nature of the illnesses. The majority of queries involve nonagricultural exposures in the home and workplace. Principal sources of referral are from the National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (toll-free number), state departments of agriculture, and state extension services. In addition to illnesses, the system also responds to press releases such as those that occurred after the withdrawal of chlordane. Previously unsuspected clinical problems have been reported (suggesting new areas of research need), including cases associated with long-acting organophosphates, such as chlorpyrifos, and with the pyrethroids.

Adult↗

Anatomy of a successful K-12 educational outreach program in the health sciences: eleven years experience at one medical sciences campus.

The Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is the administrative home of a nationally recognized educational outreach program in the health sciences for K-12 teachers (includes school nurses, counselors, etc.) and students. This program is called the Partners in Health Sciences (PIHS) program. It began in the summer of 1991 and is based on an annual needs assessment of the state's teachers. PIHS is a program available to all teachers and students in the state. It has several different components: (1) a cafeteria of 21 days of mini-courses offered in the summer to meet the professional development needs of K-12 biology/health teachers and other school personnel; (2) weekly, interactive telecommunication broadcasts for students during the academic year; (3) intensive, 5-day workshops that train five selected teachers at a time (10 per year) to use an authoring software program to develop grade-appropriate interactive, computer-assisted, instructional (CAI) modules for Internet (http://k14education.uams.edu) use by teachers and students; (4) a monthly science night for students and their parents at a local science magnet high school; (5) field trips to the UAMS campus for teachers and their students; (6) community-requested presentations by program faculty; and (7) availability of earning undergraduate and graduate credit for science education majors in the College of Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The data presented in this report span the period from 1991 through 2001. For all program activities, 14,084 different participants have consumed a total of 50,029 hours of education.

Academic Medical Centers↗

Cost-effectiveness comparison of manual and on-line retrospective bibliographic searching.

A study to compare the cost effectiveness of retrospective manual and on-line bibliographic searching is described. Forty search queries were processed against seven abstracting-indexing publications and the corresponding SDC/ORBIT data bases. Equivalent periods of coverage and searcher skill levels were used for both search models. Separate task times were measured for question analysis, searching, photocopying, shelving, and output distribution. Component costs were calculated for labor, information, reproduction, equipment, physical space, and telecommunications. Results indicate that on-line searching is generally faster, less costly, and more effective than manual searching. However, for certain query/information-source combinations, manual searching may offer some advantages in precision and turn-around time. The results of a number of related studies are reviewed.

California↗

Office automation technology and functions: an overview.

Office automation is the progeny of technological imperatives coupled with bureaucratic realities. Advances in computer, photographic, and telecommunication technologies have made it possible to collect, edit, store, distribute, and copy documentary information at ever decreasing cost. The need for training, acceptance, cooperation, and effective use of the technology has filtered out many proposed systems. This article describes the opportunities and limitations inherent in the technologies, focusing on media conversions and equipment compatibility. It also describes the differing needs of convenience users and dedicated users, document preparers, and archivists. The systems that are emerging for use within organizations are compared to systems for use in communication between organizations.

Automation↗

Generic UMTS test signal for RF bioelectromagnetic studies.

This report outlines the characteristics of universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) signals and discusses the signal parameters with respect to their possible biological relevance in order to define a generic UMTS test signal (GUS) for experiments aiming at the investigation of biological effects of weak electromagnetic fields. The GUS includes features of a real UMTS signal and especially the characteristics of UMTS, which differ from those of already applied second generation mobile communication systems (GSM 900, DCS1800, PCS1900, IS-95). It has been specified on the basis of the recommendations of a working group of the German Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk (FGF) with a focus on the mechanisms of UMTS which are responsible for slow term signal contributions, i.e., low frequency variations of the radio frequency (RF) envelope, since the hypothetical possibility of biological relevance of weak electromagnetic fields is often attributed to time variations of the RF envelope with frequencies close to those of natural processes. In this respect, it is also shown that the mandatory power control loop in UMTS gives rise to very strong 1.5 kHz variations on the air interface. Based upon the concept of the GUS, a UMTS test signal generator (GUS6960S) is described.

Cell Phone↗

Large scale in vitro experiment system for 2 GHz exposure.

A beam formed radiofrequency (RF) exposure-incubator employing a horn antenna, a dielectric lens, and a culture case in an anechoic chamber is developed for large scale in vitro studies. The combination of an open type RF exposure source and a culture case through which RF is transmitted realizes a uniform electric field (+/-1.5 dB) in a 300 x 300 mm area that accommodates 49 35 mm diameter culture dishes. This large culture dish area enables simultaneous RF exposure of a large number of cells or various cell lines. The RF exposure source operates at 2142.5 MHz corresponding to the middle frequency of the downlink band of the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system. The dielectric lens, which has a gain of 7 dB, focuses RF energy in the direction of the culture case and provides a uniform electric field. The culture case is sealed and connected to the main unit for environmental control, located outside the anechoic chamber, via ducts. The temperature at the center of the tray, which contains the culture dishes in the culture room, is maintained at 37.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C by air circulation. In addition, the appropriate CO2 density and humidity supplied to the culture case realizes stable long-term culture conditions. Specific absorption rate (SAR) dosimetry is performed using an electric field measurement technique and the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) calculation method. The results indicate that the mean SAR of the culture fluid at the bottom of the 49 (7 x 7 array) culture dishes used in the in vitro experiments is 0.175 W/kg for an antenna input power of 1 W and the standard deviation of the SAR distribution is 59%. When only 25 culture dishes (5 x 5 array) are evaluated, the mean SAR is 0.139 W/kg for the same antenna input power and the standard deviation of the SAR distribution is 47%. The proliferation of the H4 cell line in 72 h in a pair of RF exposure-incubators reveals that the culture conditions are equivalent to those of a common CO2 incubator.

Cell Culture Techniques↗

Survey of RF exposure levels from mobile telephone base stations in Australia.

This paper reports the results of an exposure level survey of radiofrequency electromagnetic energy originating from mobile telephone base station antennas. Measurements of CDMA800, GSM900, GSM1800, and 3G(UMTS) signals were performed at distances ranging over 50 to 500 m from 60 base stations in five Australian cities. The exposure levels from these mobile telecommunications base stations were found to be well below the general public exposure limits of the ICNIRP guidelines and the Australian radiofrequency standard (ARPANSA RPS3). The highest recorded level from a single base station was 7.8 x 10(-3) W/m(2), which translates to 0.2% of the general public exposure limit.

Australia↗

DNA strand breaks are not induced in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW and W-CDMA modulated radiofrequency fields allocated to mobile radio base stations.

We conducted a large-scale in vitro study focused on the effects of low level radiofrequency (RF) fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system in order to test the hypothesis that modulated RF fields may act as a DNA damaging agent. First, we evaluated the responses of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 80 mW/kg, which corresponds to the limit of the average whole body SAR for general public exposure defined as a basic restriction in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. Second, we investigated whether continuous wave (CW) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) modulated signal RF fields at 2.1425 GHz induced different levels of DNA damage. Human glioblastoma A172 cells and normal human IMR-90 fibroblasts from fetal lungs were exposed to mobile communication frequency radiation to investigate whether such exposure produced DNA strand breaks in cell culture. A172 cells were exposed to W-CDMA radiation at SARs of 80, 250, and 800 mW/kg and CW radiation at 80 mW/kg for 2 and 24 h, while IMR-90 cells were exposed to both W-CDMA and CW radiations at a SAR of 80 mW/kg for the same time periods. Under the same RF field exposure conditions, no significant differences in the DNA strand breaks were observed between the test groups exposed to W-CDMA or CW radiation and the sham exposed negative controls, as evaluated immediately after the exposure periods by alkaline comet assays. Our results confirm that low level exposures do not act as a genotoxicant up to a SAR of 800 mW/kg.

Cell Line↗

Phosphorylation and gene expression of p53 are not affected in human cells exposed to 2.1425 GHz band CW or W-CDMA modulated radiation allocated to mobile radio base stations.

A large-scale in vitro study focusing on low-level radiofrequency (RF) fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system was conducted to test the hypothesis that modulated RF fields induce apoptosis or other cellular stress response that activate p53 or the p53-signaling pathway. First, we evaluated the response of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 80 mW/kg, which corresponds to the limit of the average whole-body SAR for general public exposure defined as a basic restriction by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. Second, we investigated whether continuous wave (CW) and wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) modulated signal RF fields at 2.1425 GHz induced apoptosis or any signs of stress. Human glioblastoma A172 cells were exposed to W-CDMA radiation at SARs of 80, 250, and 800 mW/kg, and CW radiation at 80 mW/kg for 24 or 48 h. Human IMR-90 fibroblasts from fetal lungs were exposed to both W-CDMA and CW radiation at a SAR of 80 mW/kg for 28 h. Under the RF field exposure conditions described above, no significant differences in the percentage of apoptotic cells were observed between the test groups exposed to RF signals and the sham-exposed negative controls, as evaluated by the Annexin V affinity assay. No significant differences in expression levels of phosphorylated p53 at serine 15 or total p53 were observed between the test groups and the negative controls by the bead-based multiplex assay. Moreover, microarray hybridization and real-time RT-PCR analysis showed no noticeable differences in gene expression of the subsequent downstream targets of p53 signaling involved in apoptosis between the test groups and the negative controls. Our results confirm that exposure to low-level RF signals up to 800 mW/kg does not induce p53-dependent apoptosis, DNA damage, or other stress response in human cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mobile phone base station-emitted radiation does not induce phosphorylation of Hsp27.

An in vitro study focusing on the effects of low-level radiofrequency (RF) fields from mobile radio base stations employing the International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT-2000) cellular system was conducted to test the hypothesis that modulated RF fields act to induce phosphorylation and overexpression of heat shock protein hsp27. First, we evaluated the responses of human cells to microwave exposure at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 80 mW/kg, which corresponds to the limit of the average whole-body SAR for general public exposure defined as a basic restriction in the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines. Second, we investigated whether continuous wave (CW) and Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) modulated signal RF fields at 2.1425 GHz induced activation or gene expression of hsp27 and other heat shock proteins (hsps). Human glioblastoma A172 cells were exposed to W-CDMA radiation at SARs of 80 and 800 mW/kg for 2-48 h, and CW radiation at 80 mW/kg for 24 h. Human IMR-90 fibroblasts from fetal lungs were exposed to W-CDMA at 80 and 800 mW/kg for 2 or 28 h, and CW at 80 mW/kg for 28 h. Under the RF field exposure conditions described above, no significant differences in the expression levels of phosphorylated hsp27 at serine 82 (hsp27[pS82]) were observed between the test groups exposed to W-CDMA or CW signal and the sham-exposed negative controls, as evaluated immediately after the exposure periods by bead-based multiplex assays. Moreover, no noticeable differences in the gene expression of hsps were observed between the test groups and the negative controls by DNA Chip analysis. Our results confirm that exposure to low-level RF field up to 800 mW/kg does not induce phosphorylation of hsp27 or expression of hsp gene family.

Brain Neoplasms↗

No effects of pulsed radio frequency electromagnetic fields on melatonin, cortisol, and selected markers of the immune system in man.

There is growing public concern that radio frequency electromagnetic fields may have adverse biological effects. In the present study eight healthy male students were tested to see whether or not radio frequency electromagnetic fields as used in modern digital wireless telecommunication (GSM standard) have noticeable effects on salivary melatonin, cortisol, neopterin, and immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels during and several hours after exposure. In a specifically designed, shielded experimental chamber, the circularly polarized electromagnetic field applied was transmitted by an antenna positioned 10 cm behind the head of upright sitting test persons. The carrier frequency of 900 MHz was pulsed with 217 Hz (average power flux density 1 W/m2). In double blind trials, each test person underwent a total of 20 randomly allotted 4 hour periods of exposure and sham exposure, equally distributed at day and night. The results obtained show that the salivary concentrations of melatonin, cortisol, neopterin and sIgA did not differ significantly between exposure and sham exposure.

Adult↗

Empirical validation of SAR values predicted by FDTD modeling.

Rapid increase in the use of numerical techniques to predict current density or specific absorption rate (SAR) in sophisticated three dimensional anatomical computer models of man and animals has resulted in the need to understand how numerical solutions of the complex electrodynamics equations match with empirical measurements. This aspect is particularly important because different numerical codes and computer models are used in research settings as a guide in designing clinical devices, telecommunication systems, and safety standards. To ensure compliance with safety guidelines during equipment design, manufacturing and maintenance, realistic and accurate models could be used as a bridge between empirical data and actual exposure conditions. Before these tools are transitioned into the hands of health safety officers and system designers, their accuracy and limitations must be verified under a variety of exposure conditions using available analytical and empirical dosimetry techniques. In this paper, empirical validation of SAR values predicted by finite difference time domain (FDTD) numerical code on sphere and rat is presented. The results of this study show a good agreement between empirical and theoretical methods and, thus, offer a relatively high confidence in SAR predictions obtained from digital anatomical models based on the FDTD numerical code.

Animals↗

An experimental evaluation of alternative communication systems as used for medical diagnosis.

While the problem of providing adequate health care to remote populations has been widely recognized, little research has been undertaken to evaluate alternative systems designed to provide such care. An essential part of such a system is the communications link between the doctor and the community he is serving. Studying this two-way subsystem is the context of primary diagnosis and patient management, efficiency and effectiveness of color television, black and white television and hands-free telephone were compared with physical presence consultation. No significant differences in performance were found among the three systems using telecommunications. Physical presence consultation was found superior only for detecting secondary medical problems. Significant rank order correlations were found, however, between the years of experience of the consulting physician and both diagnostic accuracy and appropriate patient management. Also, the attitudes of the patients, doctors and nurses alike ranked physical presence over color television over black and white television over hands-free telephone for medical consultations.

Attitude↗