Elevator surfing: a deadly new form of joyriding

A new form of joyride, on top of an elevator as it moves up and down the elevator shaft, has surfaced on college campuses and in housing and apartment complexes with elevators. This practice is called "elevator surfing," and an illustrative case is presented, which is believed to be the first such report in the medical literature.

Escalator injuries

A series of 50 patients suffering injuries from falls on escalators attended our accident and emergency department. Of these, 8 (16 per cent) required admission. Alcohol was a factor in 11/15 (74 per cent) of men but in only 2/34 (6 per cent) of women. Of the injuries, 32 (64 per cent) were associated with the practice of walking on the escalator, while only 12 (24 per cent) were associated with stepping onto or off the escalator. Discouraging the practice of walking on one side of the escalator might help to minimize injuries.

Finger tremor after carbon disulfide-based pesticide exposures

Index finger tremor accompanying voluntary movement was studied in 19 age-matched control subjects and in 19 grain industry employees chronically exposed to carbon disulfide-based fumigants. Visual judgments of tremor amplitude made by neurologists during clinical examinations equaled the sensitivity of computerized tremor amplitude measurements. Tremor frequency variations detectable only with computerized measurement were present in grain workers with and without increased tremor amplitudes. Frequency differences discriminated between normal subjects and 74% of the grain workers. The distribution of tremor frequency power in the grain workers was often sequestered at 5 to 7 Hz, reminiscent of tremor in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. These findings suggest that the measurement of subtle tremor frequency changes may provide an early indication of chronic carbon disulfide poisoning.

Wallpaper illusion: cause of disorientation and falls on escalators

The wallpaper illusion, first described over a century ago, can occur when a person with normal binocular vision views a pattern that is periodic in the horizontal meridian of the visual field. Escalator trends present such a pattern. Evidence is presented favoring the view that disorientation experienced by escalator riders is caused by this illusion. Possibly some of the estimated 60,000 escalator falls occurring in the United States each year are linked to it.

[A study on a design guide for detached houses with home-elevators for aged and physically handicapped persons]

The purpose of this paper is to extract the design guide of the detached houses with home-elevator for aged and physically handicapped persons, so, for 4 cases we investigated the composition of living spaces, living activities and dweller's evaluation. The main results are follows: (1) The aged and physically handicapped persons' room generally must be located at the 1st floor, but setting up the home-elevator house planning turns into more free. (2) Setting up the home-elevator, we can locate the aged and physically handicapped persons' room at the highest floor. In the case of town houses having few site areas, the highest floor has often good condition of the exposure to the sun and the view, so the aged and physically handicapped persons prefer the highest floor room. (3) In the aged and physically handicapped persons' houses, the corridor and the sanitary space get cold in winter, because those spaces are wide using the wheel chair and helping. So these houses need the floor heating. (4) In the aged and physically handicapped persons' houses, at the garage going in and out must be free without the difference in level, the space of the elevator hall must be secured fully turning the wheel chair, and at the garage the place of the outdoor wheel chair and the transfer space must be secured fully. (5) In the case of using home-elevator the noise is no problem. In opposition, the family members feel easy to hear the sound of home-elevator, because they can perceive the aged and physically handicapped persons' activities.

Hospital renovation projects: phased construction requires planning at its best

Building a new hospital facility is a difficult task, but adding onto and renovating an existing structure while normal activity continues is even more difficult. Project planners, designers, contractors, and hospital managers must carefully program the joint effort of construction and hospital operation. Several factors in the construction process and potential problems for hospital operations are described to help hospital managers better anticipate difficulties before plans are finalized and construction commences.

[Precise measurement of acceleration forces in cables]

Certos problemas do uso do cinto de segurança ainda não foram resolvidos, sendo importante a determinação precisa das forças nos cabos. Existem vários métodos que, da maneira que são aplicados, são de pouca precisão. Com o objetivo de suspender essa imprecisão são apresentados três métodos e aperfeiçoado um outro de determinação da força exercida no cabo. Um desses métodos aplica-se a países subdesenvolvidos.

Visual depth illusion and falls in the elderly

This article investigates the relation of vision and the effects of age on the maintenance of posture. This relationship in the elderly is explored within the context of visual depth illusions induced by repeating patterns that occur on escalator treads and elsewhere in the environment. Age does not appear to reduce the susceptibility of the elderly to visual depth illusions. However, if age is coupled with declines in motor control and strength, the elderly are probably more susceptible to falls.

Where does the owner fit in the construction management process?

The construction management approach enables the owner to be involved in the building project from the initial design stage through project completion. He participates in cost-benefit decisions, helping to ensure that the best possible building is constructed at the lowest possible cost.