The alpha-radioactive polonium 210 (Po-210) is one of the most powerful carcinogenic agents of tobacco smoke and is responsible for the histotype shift of lung cancer from squamous cell type to adenocarcinoma. According to several studies, the principal source of Po-210 is the fertilizers used in tobacco plants, which are rich in polyphosphates containing radio (Ra-226) and its decay products, ...

Peak flow meters are essential tools in the management of asthma. Many types are on the market. A computer-driven piston pump is normally not available for evaluation of the various meters. Comparison with values from a pneumotachograph is an accepted way of testing peak flow meters. This study aims at comparing 11 peak flow meters, for accuracy and linearity. Seven adult peak flow meters were ...

BACKGROUND The clinical significance of blood glucose meter (BGM) error in the presence of increasing carbohydrate errors in diabetes patients who use both the BGM result and the carbohydrate estimation to dose insulin is unknown. METHODS This Monte Carlo simulation modeled diabetes patients who calculate insulin dosages based on BGM results and carbohydrate estimations. It evaluated the like...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate in inpatient and outpatient conditions, using only non-calibration data, the accuracy of the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CG-MS). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Twelve, 21 and 20 type 1 diabetic patients participated in 3- day inhospital, 6-day ambulatory (i.e., 2 sensors worn consecutively) and 3-day ambulatory studies. Capillary glucose tests (7-8/day) served as ...

The design of a new type heat meters based on RFID technology are presented in this paper. By use of RFID technology in heat meters, the data can be exchanged between heat meters and heat supplying department by RF cards. The information can be transmitted in a non-contact way. In this way, the purpose of automatic identification can be achieved. The experimental study of the heat meters is als...

Millions of users are exposed to password-strength meters/checkers at highly popular web services that use userchosen passwords for authentication. Recent studies have found evidence that some meters actually guide users to choose better passwords—which is a rare bit of good news in password research. However, these meters are mostly based on ad-hoc design. At least, as we found, most vendors d...

[1] A new seepage meter design that increases sensitivity to the small hydraulic gradients that drive submarine groundwater discharge was developed as an inexpensive alternative to traditional seepage meters. The new design replaces seepage meter bags with open-ended tubing through which the displacement of injected dye is a highly reproducible measure of discharge. Laboratory measurements, det...