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Biomedical subjects

R C Jensen

Publications and source records attributed to R C Jensen.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Agricultural machine-related deaths.

Analysis of 1980-1985 death certificate data for the United States indicated that an average of 369 occupational deaths per year involved agricultural machinery as the external cause of death. Out of all agricultural machine-related deaths, tractors accounted for 69 percent. Over half of these tractor-related deaths were rollovers. There is a need for public health programs to affect greater use of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on farm tractors.

Accident Prevention

Static pre-load effect on knee extensor isokinetic concentric and eccentric performance.

The effect of two static pre-load levels on isokinetic concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) performance of the knee extensors at 90 degrees.s-1 was evaluated in 35 healthy subjects. The low pre-load level was 50 N, and the high level was 75% of a maximal voluntary isometric contraction, performed at the start angles of 100 degrees (CON) and 30 degrees (ECC) of knee flexion. A two-way ANOVA with two repeated measures (load and angle) and a Newman-Keuls post hoc analysis were performed to compare the interaction of pre-load and angle at every 5 degrees in the ROM. The differences in average torque, peak torque, and peak torque angle between the pre-load levels were also analyzed with repeated-measures t-tests. The high pre-load condition had a significant increase in torque at 99, 95, 90, and 85 degrees concentrically and 31, 35, 40, 45, and 50 degrees eccentrically. In comparing the two pre-load conditions over the whole torque curve, there was a significant difference in average torque values of both CON and ECC, no significant difference in peak torque in either contraction, and a significant shift in peak torque angle with CON contractions only.

Adult

Effect of age and training status on pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine in thoroughbreds.

The effect of age and training status on the pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine was evaluated in 16 Thoroughbreds. Horses were assigned to 1 of 3 groups on the basis of age and training status: group A (n = 6), horses in active training and less than or equal to 5 years old; group B (n = 5), horses out of training for a minimum of 6 weeks and less than or equal to 5 years old; and group C (n = 5), horses out of training for at least 2 years and greater than or equal to 9 years old. After administration of 500 mg of flunixin meglumine IV, multiple serum and urine samples were obtained over 24 hours and assayed for flunixin by high-performance liquid chromatography. Although the mean distribution rate constant and volume of distribution were similar for the 3 groups, mean total body clearance and elimination rate constant were significantly (P less than 0.05) greater and half-life significantly (P less than 0.01) less in groups A and B, compared with group C. Differences in pharmacokinetic values were not observed between the horses in group A and B. In addition, the changes in clearance, elimination rate constant, and half-life of flunixin were found to significantly (P less than 0.05) correlate with age. The results of this investigation indicated that age, but not training status, influences disposition of flunixin meglumine in Thoroughbreds.

Age Factors

Disabling back injuries among nursing personnel: research needs and justification.

The need for more research on the problem of work-related back injuries among nursing personnel is documented by two comparisons based on the ratio of back injury workers' compensation claims to eligible employees. The first analysis of occupations across industries indicated that nursing aides, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses all had high back injury ratios compared to other occupations. The second analysis of occupations within four parts of the health care industry indicated that aides in nursing and personal care facilities had the greatest problem with disabling back disorders. The article concludes with a list of research needs and suggested research methodologies.

Back Injuries

Sudden death in training and racing Thoroughbred horses.

We reviewed case records, necropsy reports, and histologic sections from 25 Thoroughbred racehorses that died suddenly at 3 Chicago racetracks. These were young horses ranging in age from 2 to 5 years. There were more females (n = 16) than males (n = 9), and the incidence of death increased slightly in the spring and summer. Twenty-one of the 25 horses died while racing or training. Only 8 of the 25 horses (32%) had lesions sufficient to account for the death. In 6 of those 8 cases, death was caused by massive thoracic or abdominal hemorrhage. The site or nature of the vascular defect in these cases could not be determined. One horse died of severe preexisting pulmonary disease, and one died of encephalitis and cardiac papillary muscle fibrosis. The cause of death was undetermined in 17 horses (68%). Nearly all horses had pulmonary edema, congestion, and/or hemorrhage. We postulate that these unexplained deaths were a result of exercise-induced acute cardiovascular failure.

Animals

Assessment of workers' compensation claims for back strains/sprains.

Workers' compensation claim data for 1979 obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Supplementary Data System (SDS) were utilized to examine the demographic and occupational incidence of back strains/sprains among U.S. industrial employees covered by state compensation systems. These data were combined with estimated employment figures to provide incidence ratios, which allowed better approximations of industry- and occupation-specific risk. Industries found to have the largest incidence ratios were construction (1.6 claims/100 workers) and mining (1.5 claims/100 workers). Occupations with the largest ratios were miscellaneous laborers (12.3 claims/100 workers) and garbage collectors (11.1 claims/100 workers). The 285,468 compensation claims due to back strains/sprains filed in the 26 SDS states in 1979 suggest that back injuries continue to be a large and costly problem for U.S. workers and their employers.

Adolescent

Investigation of the after-reach hazard in two-hand controlled power press operations.

One hazard inherent to hand-feeding operations at a power press occurs when a worker reaches into the point of operation after initiating the downward stroke of the press ram. One approach for controlling this hazard is to locate a two-hand actuator at a distance sufficiently far from the point of operation to prevent the operator from getting his hand into the die area before the ram completes its descent. In a study of this problem, the activities of a power press were simulated in the laboratory with the use of a model power press and two locations for the actuator controls, an upper and a lower location. The subjects performed simulated work cycles using the laboratory power press. Randomly an after-reach condition was created in which the subjects were to each into the press die area to reposition a dislodged work blank. The after-reach time, ie, the time needed to reach from the actuator controls to the press die area, was measured. The results of this study indicated that there is a difference in hand-reach speed depending upon the location of the actuator controls. It was concluded that, to define hand-reach speed adequately, more research is needed to characterize the effect of other variables.

Accidents, Occupational