Analyzing occupational heat stress using sensor-based monitoring: a wearable approach with environmental ergonomics perspective.

Occupational heat stress could impose a greater risk of heat-related morbidities among the exposed users, declining their work productivity and contributing to a financial burden. This necessitate the implementation of adequate preventive measures and control policies to improve the users' well-being and productive capacity. The emergence of modernistic sensors gives rise to workplace heat stress monitoring at a substantially lower cost than expensive conventional equipment. Present work unveils the productive role of sensor-based safety helmet, which could monitor the environmental variables, heat stress indices, and users' physiological variables as an indicator of heat strain. The proposed safety helmet was tested under three different work environments with users' engaged in specific work activities. Notable variations were perceived among the measured data under respective work conditions and physical activity performed. Higher heat risk exposures were attributable to the outdoor condition compared to indoor work conditions. For wet bulb globe temperature index, strong association (p-value < 0.01) was observed with fighter index of thermal stress (R 2-value = 0.959) followed by discomfort index (R 2-value = 0.899) and heat index (R 2-value = 0.867). Results revealed a rise in measured physiological parameters under the heavy workload activity (shoveling task; outdoor location) followed by hacksaw cutting task (indoor location), while least values were associated with light workload activity (drilling task; indoor location). The proposed design intervention could be considered an effective site-specific solution for monitoring heat stress exposures and keeping exposed users well aware of the prevalent thermal work conditions at the individual level.

Cochlear implantation in children with Mondini dysplasia: our experience.

OBJECTIVE: This study details the intra-operative complications, and compares auditory scales post-implantation of either profoundly deaf young children with radiologically normal inner ears (group A) or children with Mondini dysplasia (group B). METHODS: A retrospective survey was carried out of 338 patients with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss who underwent cochlear implant surgery from February 2015 to May 2017. Patients were divided into 2 groups of 27 patients each. Both groups were followed up to three years post-implantation. RESULTS: Cerebrospinal fluid ooze developed in 12 patients, and 2 patients had a cerebrospinal fluid 'gusher', one of which had to be explored within 24 hours. After implant use for one year, both groups had similar speech perception scores. CONCLUSION: The cerebrospinal fluid gusher in Mondini dysplasia should be anticipated and adequately managed intra-operatively. This study highlights the tailoring of a post-implantation rehabilitation programme according to individual needs.