Soft tissue characterisation using a force feedback-enabled instrument for robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery systems

An automated laparoscopic instrument capable of non-invasivemeasurement of tip/tissue interaction forces for direct application in robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery systems is introduced in this chapter. It has the capability to measure normal grasping forces as well as lateral interaction forces without any sensor mounted on the tip jaws. Further to non-invasive actuation of the tip, the proposed instrument is also able to change the grasping direction during surgical operation. Modular design of the instrument allows conversion between surgical modalities (e.g., grasping, cutting, and dissecting). The main focus of thispaper is on evaluation of the grasping force capability of the proposed instrument. The mathematical formulation of fenestrated insert is presented and its non-linear behaviour is studied. In order to measure the stiffness of soft tissues, a device was developed that is also described in this chapter. Tissue characterisation experiments were conducted and results are presented and analysed here. The experimental results verify the capability of the proposed instrument in accurately measuring grasping forces and in characterising artificial tissue samples of varying stiffness.

An integrated framework for suicide risk prediction

Suicide is a major concern in society. Despite of great attention paid by the community with very substantive medico-legal implications, there has been no satisfying method that can reliably predict the future attempted or completed suicide. We present an integrated machine learning framework to tackle this challenge. Our proposed framework consists of a novel feature extraction scheme, an embedded feature selection process, a set of risk classifiers and finally, a risk calibration procedure. For temporal feature extraction, we cast the patient’s clinical history into a temporal image to which a bank of one-side filters are applied. The responses are then partly transformed into mid-level features and then selected in 1-norm framework under the extreme value theory. A set of probabilistic ordinal risk classifiers are then applied to compute the risk probabilities and further re-rank the features. Finally, the predicted risks are calibrated. Together with our Australian partner, we perform comprehensive study on data collected for the mental health cohort, and the experiments validate that our proposed framework outperforms risk assessment instruments by medical practitioners.

HealthMap: a visual platform for patient suicide risk review

Misjudging suicide risk can be fatal. Risk assessment is complicated by multiplicity of risk factors, none of which individually can reliably predict risk. This paper addresses the need for better clinical support, visualising risk factors scattered in raw electronic medical records. HealthMap is a visual tool that helps clinicians effectively examine patient histories during a suicide risk assessment. We characterise the information visualisation problems accompanying suicide risk assessments. A design driven by visualisation principles was implemented. The prototype was evaluated by clinicians and accepted into daily clinical work-flow.

Does gender explain the relationship between occupation and suicide? Findings from a meta-analytic study

This report investigated whether suicide risk by occupational groups differed for males and females. We examined this using a sub-set of articles examined in a recent meta-analysis and stratified by gender. For certain occupational groups, males and females had a similar risk of suicide (the military, community service occupations, managers, and clerical workers). There was some indication of gender differences for other occupations (technicians, plant and machine operators and ship’s deck crew, craft and related trades workers, and professionals), although these did not reach statistical significance. These findings highlight the complexity of the relationship between occupation and suicide and suggest the possible role of a range of individual, work-related and social-environmental risk factors that may differ for males and females.

Suicide in veterinarians and veterinary nurses in Australia: 2001-2012

BACKGROUND: Whether veterinarians have an elevated suicide rate compared with the general population is controversial. METHODS: Reported cases of suicide among veterinarians and veterinary nurses in Australia over the period 2001 to 2012 were investigated in a retrospective case-series study. RESULTS: The standardised mortality ratio of veterinarians (n = 18) was 1.92 (95% CI 1.14-3.03) and that of veterinary nurses (n = 7) to the general population was 1.24 (95% CI 0.80-1.85). Overdosing on drugs (pentobarbitone) was the main method of suicide in these occupations. CONCLUSION: The reasons for veterinary suicides are likely to be multifactorial, including work- and life-related stressors, and individual characteristics. This research highlights the need for targeted suicide prevention and intervention for veterinarians.

Occupational class differences in suicide: evidence of changes over time and during the global financial crisis in Australia

BACKGROUND: Previous research showed an increase in Australian suicide rates during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). There has been no research investigating whether suicide rates by occupational class changed during the GFC. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the GFC-associated increase in suicide rates in employed Australians may have masked changes by occupational class.

METHODS: Negative binomial regression models were used to investigate Rate Ratios (RRs) in suicide by occupational class. Years of the GFC (2007, 2008, 2009) were compared to the baseline years 2001-2006.

RESULTS: There were widening disparities between a number of the lower class occupations and the highest class occupations during the years 2007, 2008, and 2009 for males, but less evidence of differences for females.

CONCLUSIONS: Occupational disparities in suicide rates widened over the GFC period. There is a need for programs to be responsive to economic downturns, and to prioritise the occupational groups most affected.

The relationship between suicide and violence in schizophrenia: analysis of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) dataset

Background

Suicide and violence often co-occur in the general population as well as in mentally ill individuals. Few studies, however, have assessed whether these suicidal behaviors are predictive of violence risk in mental illness.

Aims

The aim of this study is to investigate whether suicidal behaviors, including suicidal ideation, threats, and attempts, are significantly associated with increased violence risk in individuals with schizophrenia.

Method

Data for these analyses were obtained from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) trial, a randomized controlled trial of antipsychotic medication in 1460 adults with schizophrenia. Univariate Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for suicidal ideation, threats, and attempts. Multivariate analyses were conducted to adjust for common confounding factors, including: age, alcohol or drug misuse, major depression, antisocial personality disorder, depression, hostility, positive symptom, and poor impulse control scores. Tests of discrimination, calibration, and reclassification assessed the incremental predictive validity of suicidal behaviors for the prediction of violence risk.

Results

Suicidal threats and attempts were significantly associated with violence in both males and females with schizophrenia with little change following adjustment for common confounders. Only suicidal threats, however, were associated with a significant increase in incremental validity beyond age, diagnosis with a comorbid substance use disorder, and recent violent behavior.

Conclusions

Suicidal threats are independently associated with violence risk in both males and females with schizophrenia, and may improve violence risk prediction.

Nanostructured liquid crystalline particle assisted delivery of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid to weeds, crops and model plants

Routine agricultural practices are heavily dependent on the use of surfactants, many of which are toxic to humans and detrimental to the environment. In proof of concept work we have previously shown the potential of nanostructured liquid crystalline particles (NLCP) to safely interact with plant leaf cuticular surfaces with minimal impact on epicuticular waxes. Here we demonstrate the use of NLCP to effectively deliver the auxin herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) to plant leaves in laboratory and field studies. In the laboratory, the physiological stress responses of lupin, Lupinus angustifolius (L.) (Fabaceae) towards NLCP spray applications were shown to be much reduced in comparison with application of two common surfactants. Phytotoxicity assays of 2,4-D loaded NLCP were used to validate the herbicidal effects on Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynth. (Brassicaceae) and established a similarity with that of surfactant assisted 2,4-D delivery when tested at a concentration of 0.1%. Field trials were conducted to test the efficacy of NLCP-assisted delivery of 2,4-D in comparison with commercial surfactants for the control of the invasive weed wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum (L.) (Brassicaceae), in wheat, Triticum aestivum (L.) (Poaceae) crop fields. Compared against Estercide 800, a commercially available 2,4-D formulation, NLCP assisted delivery of 2,4-D was effective at low concentrations of 0.03% and 0.06%. The crop yield remained similar for all the tested concentrations and formulations of 2,4-D loaded NLCP and Estercide 800. This is the first report to directly show that, as an alternative to conventional methods, NLCP can be used under both laboratory and field conditions to successfully delivery an agrochemical.

Letters, green cards, telephone calls and postcards: systematic and meta-analytic review of brief contact interventions for reducing self-harm, suicide attempts and suicide

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in brief contact interventions for self-harm and suicide attempt. AIMS: To synthesise the evidence regarding the effectiveness of brief contact interventions for reducing self-harm, suicide attempt and suicide. METHOD: A systematic review and random-effects meta-analyses were conducted of randomised controlled trials using brief contact interventions (telephone contacts; emergency or crisis cards; and postcard or letter contacts). Several sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine study quality and subgroup effects. RESULTS: We found 14 eligible studies overall, of which 12 were amenable to meta-analyses. For any subsequent episode of self-harm or suicide attempt, there was a non-significant reduction in the overall pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.87 (95% CI 0.74-1.04, P = 0119) for intervention compared with control. The number of repetitions per person was significantly reduced in intervention v. control (incidence rate ratio IRR = 066, 95% CI 0.54-0.80, P<0001). There was no significant reduction in the odds of suicide in intervention compared with control (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.24-1.38). CONCLUSIONS: A non-significant positive effect on repeated self-harm, suicide attempt and suicide and a significant effect on the number of episodes of repeated self-harm or suicide attempts per person (based on only three studies) means that brief contact interventions cannot yet be recommended for widespread clinical implementation. We recommend further assessment of possible benefits in well-designed trials in clinical populations.

The impact of a suicide prevention strategy on reducing the economic cost of suicide in the New South Wales construction industry

BACKGROUND: Little research has been conducted into the cost and prevention of self-harm in the workplace. AIMS: To quantify the economic cost of self-harm and suicide among New South Wales (NSW) construction industry (CI) workers and to examine the potential economic impact of implementing Mates in Construction (MIC). METHOD: Direct and indirect costs were estimated. Effectiveness was measured using the relative risk ratio (RRR). In Queensland (QLD), relative suicide risks were estimated for 5-year periods before and after the commencement of MIC. For NSW, the difference between the expected (i.e., using NSW pre-MIC [2008-2012] suicide risk) and counterfactual suicide cases (i.e., applying QLD RRR) provided an estimate of potential suicide cases averted in the post-MIC period (2013-2017). Results were adjusted using the average uptake (i.e., 9.4%) of MIC activities in QLD. Economic savings from averted cases were compared with the cost of implementing MIC. RESULTS: The cost of self-harm and suicide in the NSW CI was AU $527 million in 2010. MIC could potentially avert 0.4 suicides, 1.01 full incapacity cases, and 4.92 short absences, generating annual savings of AU $3.66 million. For every AU $1 invested, the economic return is approximately AU $4.6. CONCLUSION: MIC represents a positive economic investment in workplace safety.

Plasma assisted finishing of cotton fabric with chitosan

Chitosan is a natural and non-toxic polymer which can be used as a multifunctional, e.g. antimicrobial or anti-wrinkle, agent on cotton fabrics. However, due to the lack of strong bonding forces between two polysaccharides, chitosan coating on cotton has poor durability. To provide efficient and irreversible chitosan adsorption on cotton substrate, it is required to build appropriate binding sites and to activate the substrate material properly. For this purpose, plasma treatment can be a promising method as it can activate the surface of the cotton fabric and improve the adsorption of chemicals in a completely harmless procedure. In this study, we investigated the effect of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on adsorption of chitosan onto the cotton fabric. The purpose of the study was to investigate to which extent adsorption of chitosan on cotton can be improved by helium plasma treatment. Fibre surface and adsorption of chitosan were characterized by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Changes in hydrophobicity of fabric`s surface and fibre morphology were evaluated using contact angle method and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results from XPS showed an increase in the C=O bonds on cotton fabrics oxydised by helium plasma treatmnets, confirming the formation of aldehyde groups in cellulose. The characteristic absorbance band of chitosan, amide II (N-H bending vibration) showed an enlargement for all fabrics treated with helium and chitosan, as assesed by FTIR. The absorbance peaks of CH2 stretching vibrations, which confirm chitosan existence, were stronger for all treated fabrics compared to the untreated control. While the plasma only treated fabric surface was very hydrophilic, the surface became hydrophobic after chitosan coating.