Early identification of frailty through targeted screening can facilitate the delivery of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and may improve outcomes for older inpatients. As several instruments are available, we aimed to investigate which is the most accurate and reliable in the Emergency Department (ED). We compared the ability of three validated, short, frailty screening instruments to identify frailty in a large University Hospital ED. Consecutive patients aged ≥70 attending ED were screened using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), Identification of Seniors at Risk Tool (ISAR), and the Programme on Research for Integrating Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy 7 item questionnaire (PRISMA-7). An independent CGA using a battery of assessments determined each patient’s frailty status. Of the 280 patients screened, complete data were available for 265, with a median age of 79 (interquartile ±9); 54% were female. The median CFS score was 4/9 (±2), ISAR 3/6 (±2), and PRISMA-7 was 3/7 (±3). Based upon the CGA, 58% were frail and the most accurate instrument for separating frail from non-frail was the PRISMA-7 (AUC 0.88; 95% CI:0.83–0.93) followed by the CFS (AUC 0.83; 95% CI:0.77–0.88), and the ISAR (AUC 0.78; 95% CI:0.71–0.84). The PRISMA-7 was statistically significantly more accurate than the ISAR (p = 0.008) but not the CFS (p = 0.15). Screening for frailty in the ED with a selection of short screening instruments, but particularly the PRISMA-7, is reliable and accurate.

We examined how age and exposure to different types of COVID-19 (mis)information affect misinformation beliefs, perceived credibility of the message and intention-to-share it on WhatsApp. Through two mixed-design online experiments in the UK and Brazil (total N = 1454) we first randomly exposed adult WhatsApp users to full misinformation, partial misinformation, or full truth about the therapeutic powers of garlic to cure COVID-19. We then exposed all participants to corrective information from the World Health Organisation debunking this claim. We found stronger misinformation beliefs among younger adults (18–54) in both the UK and Brazil and possible backfire effects of corrective information among older adults (55+) in the UK. Corrective information from the WHO was effective in enhancing perceived credibility and intention-to-share of accurate information across all groups in both countries. Our findings call for evidence-based infodemic interventions by health agencies, with greater engagement of younger adults in pandemic misinformation management efforts.

No abstract

Semi-volatile chemicals are associated with nuclear processes and can provide sticky residues or signatures that will attach to piping, ducting, soil, water, or other surface media. Volatile compounds that are more suitable for electro-optical sensing have been well studied. However, the semi-volatile compounds have not been well documented or studied. A majority of these semi-volatile chemicals are more robust than typical gaseous or liquid chemicals and can have lifetimes of several weeks, months, or years in the environment. However, large data gaps exist concerning these potential signature compounds, and more research is needed to fill these data gaps so important signature information is not overlooked or discarded. This technical report investigates key semi-volatile compounds associated with nuclear separations, identifies available chemical and physical properties, and discusses the degradation products that would result from hydrolysis, radiolysis, and oxidation reactions on these compounds. SummarySemi-volatile chemicals are associated with nuclear processes (e.g., the reprocessing of uranium to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons, or the separation of actinides from processing waste streams), and can provide residues (signatures) that will attach to piping, ducting, soil, water, or other surface media. Semi-volatile compounds are compounds that have low volatility (i.e., have measurable but low vapor pressure (~0 . 1 torr @ 20' C) and are compounds that under ambient conditions are present in detectable concentrations in the atmosphere, either in vapor phase or absorbed on particulates. A majority of these semi-volatile chemicals are more robust than typical gaseous or liquid chemicals and can have lifetimes of several weeks, months, or typically years in the environment.As large data gaps exist concerning these potential signature compounds and their physical properties, this document provides 1) preliminary lkts of key compounds related to actinide separations and their chemical and physical properties, 2) a list of the key semi-volatile organophosphorus compounds and their suspected main byproducts formed from breakdown processes (e.g., hydrolysis, radiolysis, and oxidation), and 3) the chemical lifetime (environmental stability) information for these compounds. In addition, a rough estimation of some the potential emissions that could result from a hypothetical batch separation process were included. This estimation was included to understand the potential amounts of precursor semi-volatile compounds that could be released to the environment.Chemical separation technologies, and related methods, for nuclear production are still being studied by various countries to find more efficient methods for removing long-lived actinides and increase the recovery yields of uranium and plutonium from irradiated fuel and waste streams. These technologies are of interest for not only radioactive waste reduction but also for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Many of the older processing techniq...

Tests were performed to evaluate the accuracy, precision and response time of certain commercially available handheld toxic gas monitors. The tests were conducted by PNNL in the Chemical Chamber Test Facility for CH2MHill Hanford Company. The instruments were tested with a set of dilute test gases including ammonia, nitrous oxide, and a mixture of organic vapors (acetone, benzene, ethanol, hexane, toluene and xylene). The certified gases were diluted to concentrations that may be encountered in the outdoor environment above the underground tank farms containing radioactive waste at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford site, near Richland, Washington. The challenge concentrations are near the lower limits of instrument sensitivity and response time. The performance test simulations were designed to look at how the instruments respond to changes in test gas concentrations that are similar to field conditions. The instruments evaluated are listed by the type of challenge gas: hydrocarbons (ppb-RAE, Area-RAE, 580 EZ); ammonia (Manning EC-P2, iTX-Industrial Scientific Corporation, MIRAN SapphIRe XL); and nitrous oxide (MIRAN SapphIRe XL). iii v validated data collected in the laboratory for spreadsheet transcription accuracy, and Rosanne Aaberg and John T. Hayes, who converted spreadsheet data into figures and tables and performed statistical analyses.