Expanded statistical analysis of squats on the Great Britain (GB) mainline network.

Squat defects are one of the most common rail surface defects. Significant research effort has gone into understand squat defects over the last 10 years which has brought about important developments in the understanding of their initiation mechanism; however, further work is still required to fully understand squat and the best methods to control them. This study considers records of squat defects over a period 9 years, considering 2600 km of track across 8 different routes on the GB mainline network. The analysis separately reviews squats on: plainline, crossings, joints and welds. Results include an overview of the main factors influencing the development of each type of squats, practical methods to immediately reduce and manage squat defects and recommends focus areas for further research to understand squat defects. Results suggest that squats on plainline, crossings, joints and welds, all correlate with different influencing factors; headcheck defects appear to significantly influence the probability of squats and how other factors influence squat development. There is a strong connection between total head wear rate (combined material removal due to traffic and grinding) and squats; 90 % of all squats appear on rail with a headwear rate of <0.2 mm/year. Overall larger section rail (60 kg/m vs 56 kg/m) and harder material (260 Brinell vs 220 Brinell) is significantly less susceptible to squat damage. Track curvature has an influence of squat development, especially in rail with no headcheck cracking, where the tightest curves are significantly more likely to sustain squat damage. The probability of squat at vertical discontinuities, i.e. joints and crossings are significantly more likely as train speed increases. Whilst squats on joints are 1000 time more likely than squats on welds.

The accuracy and clinical interpretation of serum ferritin assays.

The accuracy of methods used to assay serum ferritin was determined in two ways. In one a serum, to which the UK ferritin standard had been added, was issued to the participants in an inter-regional quality assurance scheme. The overall recovery was close to that expected. For the second assessment a series of sera from individuals of known iron status were issued. Differences between assay results related to the method of assay though the immunoradiometric and ELISA methods gave results which were close to each other. The variation in clinical interpretation applied to assay results when ferritin concentrations around the upper and lower limits of normal were assayed was more than could be accounted for by method imprecision and indicates that inappropriate reference ranges are in common use. 'Indeterminate', a proper clinical interpretation when the imprecision of a technique should prevent a definite response, was inadequately used.

Intrinsic factor antibody tests.

The sensitivity of methods to detect antibodies to intrinsic factor was assessed. Five sera of known antibody content were tested in 31 laboratories and 30 sera from patients with pernicious anaemia were tested in one laboratory. Five non-commercial methods and two kits for type I antibodies and one non-commercial method for types I and II antibodies are in current use. Differences in sensitivity of the non-commercial methods for type I antibodies related more to the antigen: antibody ratio in the test system than to the method itself. A radioimmune assay for types I and II antibodies showed the best sensitivity but that of an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was poor.

The relationship between a nutrition education program and nutrition knowledge and eating behaviors of the elderly.

An experimental study was conducted to examine the relationship between a nutrition education program and nutrition knowledge and eating behaviors of older adults. Twenty-four subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. Prior to any intervention, all subjects completed a demographic data sheet, a 25-item True/False questionnaire and a 24-Hour Dietary Recall interview. The experimental group attended four one-hour nutrition education classes over a two-week period. Following the educational intervention, both groups of subjects again completed the True/False questionnaire and the 24-Hour Dietary Recall interview. Controlling for pretest, posttest differences on the two dependent variables were tested using repeated measures analysis of variance. No significant differences were found between the two groups.

Relationship of maternal and fetal levels of human placental lactogen to the weight and sex of the fetus.

In a study of 101 patients at term, the maternal and umbilical cord artery and vein levels of human placental lactogen (hPL) were correlated against the sex and birthweight of the fetus. No difference in hPL levels was found between cord artery and vein. The maternal hPL level correlated well with the delivered weight of the child, but no relationship could be demonstrated in the case of umbilical cord blood. Pregnancies with a female child had a higher level of hPL, which was significant only in cord samples.