Factors that influence the release of metals from stainless steels exposed to physiological media

Release rates of chromium, nickel and iron from grade 304 stainless steel with three different surface finishes, BA, 2B and 2D, have been determined after exposure to artificial lysosomal fluid. Metal release rates are discussed in relation to corrosion resistance, compositional changes of the outermost surface film of the stainless steel and to measurements of the effective surface area and roughness. The total metal release decreased in the following sequence: 2D > 2B ≈ BA, and was primarily related to the electrochemically active surface area. No direct correlation was observed between corrosion resistance and metal release rates.     

Short-chain fatty acid content and pH in caecum of rats given various sources of carbohydrates

The caecal content of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; acetic, propionic and butyric acid), caecal pH, fermentability and dry matter digestibility (DMD) were examined through balance experiments in rats fed 11 various indigestible carbohydrates. The following carbohydrate sources were incorporated into test diets: cellulose, oat husk, wheat bran, oat bran, pea fibre, linseed fibre, low methoxylated (LM)-pectin, guargum, β-glucans, neosugar and raffinose. The indigestible carbohydrates, except for those in wheat bran, oat husk and cellulose, were highly fermented, ie > 90%. Caecal pH varied between 5·6 and 7·8, with neosugar and raffinose causing the lowest pH and the fibre-free diet and the diet with oat husk the highest. The caecal pool sizes of SCFA were highest with raffinose, β-glucans, LM-pectin, guargum and linseed fibre (335-400 μmol) while pea fibre, wheat bran, oat bran and neosugar gave intermediate levels (137–227 μmol). The pool size with oat husk and cellulose was similar as with the basal diet (45–64 μmol). A high proportion of propionic acid was obtained with guargum and linseed fibre, whereas acetic acid was the predominant product in case of LM-pectin. On the other hand, linseed fibre gave a remarkably low proportion of butyric acid. The quantity fermented and caecal pH correlated well to the amount of SCFA with most materials (r = 0·96 and r = ?0·87, respectively), an exception was neosugar and in case of fermentability also oat bran. DMD values with most of the easily fermented carbohydrates were high (>96%). Exceptions were diets with β-glucans and oat bran which caused low DMD values, about 93%. It is concluded that indigestible carbohydrates may differ in ability to lower caecal pH and to form SCFA during fermentation.     

Short‐chain fatty acid content in the hindgut of rats fed various composite foods and commercial dietary fibre fractions from similar sources

The fermentability of indigestible carbohydrates and content of short‐chain fatty acids along the hindgut of rats were investigated using plant materials of importance in the Swedish diet (instant potato powder, apples and oat flakes). Results with the composite food products were compared with commercial fibre fractions obtained from similar sources, ie potato fibre, apple pectin and β‐glucan‐enriched oat fibre. The materials were incorporated into diets yielding a concentration of 60 or 70 g kg^?1 indigestible carbohydrates. The fermentability of indigestible carbohydrates was high with all diets, between 79 and 90%. All substrates except the pure apple pectin generated intermediate to high proportions of butyric acid in the caecum (15–22 vs 8%). The potato products gave high concentrations of butyric acid in the distal colon. The potato powder, ie the diet with the highest content of resistant starch (22 g kg^?1), also gave the highest proportion of butyric acid in the distal colon (19%), which was higher than the proportion in the caecum with the same substrate (15%) (P < 0.005). The composite foods promoted a higher proportion of butyric acid in the distal colon as compared with the commercial fibre fractions (P < 0.05). © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry     

Work environment and computer systems development

Work environment and occupational health problems of different nature are constantly increasing in computer supported work. Most efforts to improve the work environment are focused primarily on physical aspects, and to some extent on psychosocial aspects. Mental workload and cognitive problems are of a more complex nature, more difficult to measure and provide efficient solutions to, and are more seldom studied or solved. Solutions to work environment problems are usually applied to already existing work situations through improved equipment and work place design, health programmes, education, reorganizations, etc. The problems are seldom prevented by means of applying relevant methods early in the systems development process, before the artefacts have been designed and implemented. This paper, and the following papers of this special issue, will focus on the need to integrate different interdisciplinary methods at different phases in the development process of computerized support systems, with the ultimate goal to prevent work environment problems and decrease the health risks to the users.