Metal mining in the Extremadura region was very important in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, due to different reasons the great majority of mines ceased operations, leading to plenty of abandoned mining sites, most of them with on-site waste dumps. Although metal extraction is not radioactive per se, it is considered a NORM activity. In this study, three former mining sites, in which Pb-V-Zn-Ag, Pb-Ag, and Pb-Zn were extracted, were selected to assess the radiological impact on the population and the environment. The external γ exposure was estimated by determining the effective dose and elaborating isodose maps of the sites. The presence of the mining sites increased up to 0.41 mSv/y the effective dose over the surrounding background, which is below the reference value of 1 mSv/y. In only one mining site, the uranium and radium activity concentration of waste dumps were higher than the surrounding soil. The soil to plant (wild grass) transfer factors were similar to other reported values without the influence of NORM activities. So, no enhanced transfer of radionuclides was observed. The radiological impact on the environment was assessed by the risk to non-human biota using the tiered approach developed in ERICA Tool. The sum of the risk quotients of all considered radionuclides in the most conservative Tier 1 was below 1. Total dose rates for several terrestrial Reference Animal and Plants (RAPs) were estimated using Tier 3, obtaining values below 40 µGy/h. Therefore, the impact on non-human biota can be considered as negligible.

The study aims to assess long-term radiological exposure risks and effects to both industrial workers and occupants living in the near vicinity of local tailing processing plants. The detrimental effects of licensing exemption were studied by comparing contaminated soil collected from 7 unlicensed-by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board-tailing processing plants with soil from control location. It was found that the average concentration of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40 K for all seven processing plants fell between the range of 0.1 ± 0.0-7.21 ± 0.1 Bqg-1, 0.1 ± 0.0-16.34 ± 0.27 Bqg-1, and 0.18 ± 0.01-1.74 ± 0.01 Bqg-1, respectively, showing observable indication of soil contamination with Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive (TENORM) material. The annual effective dose was calculated which showed that most samples exceeded the recommended value of the ICRP of 1 mSvy-1 for non-radiation workers. Assessment of radiological hazards in the environment was done by calculating the radium equivalent value; revealing the exposure risk posed by the contaminated soil is substantial. Using the relatable inputs, the RESRAD-ONSITE computed code revealed that the dose due to internal exposure via inhalation of radon gas contributes the most to the overall exposure. The covering of the contaminated soil with a clean layer is effective in reducing external dose but ineffective for radon inhalation. RESRAD-OFFSITE computer code also revealed that the contribution of exposure via contaminated soil in the neighbouring vicinity is below the recommended 1 mSvy-1 threshold but still contributes to a significant amount cumulatively when considering other exposure pathways as well. The study proposes the introduction of clean cover soil as a viable option in reducing external dose from contaminated soil as 1 m of clean cover soil is able to reduce dose exposure by 23.8-30.5%.

BACKGROUND: Data on mental health improvement after cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are contradictory. The aim was to examine the mental and psycho-social health of patients admitted to our rehabilitation center following hospital treatment for acute coronary syndrome, before and after multidisciplinary CR.
METHODS: Outcome was measured at admission and discharge by the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90R), the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ) and the 6-min-walking distance test. The patients\' health status was compared with norms of sex-, age- and comorbidity-matched data from the German general population. Score differences from norms were measured by standardized mean differences (SMDs); health changes were quantified by standardized effect sizes (ESs). Their importance for comprehensive assessment was quantified by explorative factor analysis.
RESULTS: Of n = 70 patients followed-up (male: 79%; mean age: 66.6 years), 79% had ≥ 3 comorbidities. At baseline, SF-36 Physical functioning (SMD = - 0.75), Role physical (- 0.90), Social functioning (SMD = - 0.44), and Role emotional (SMD = - 0.45) were significantly worse than the norm. After CR, almost all scores significantly improved by ES = 0.23 (SCL-90R Interpersonal sensitivity) to 1.04 (SF-36 Physical functioning). The strongest factor (up to 41.1% explained variance) for health state and change was the mental health domain, followed by function & pain (up to 26.3%).
CONCLUSIONS: Normative deficits in physical and psycho-social health were reported at baseline. After CR, at follow-up, all scores, except phobia, showed significant improvement. The comprehensive measurement of bio-psycho-social health should not be limited to depression and anxiety but include, especially, the somatization and social participation dimensions.

Despite the amount of theorization on the forms and effects of participation, relatively little research directly examines what the concept of workplace participation entails in the minds of employees, and whether employees across cultures think positively when the concept of participation is activated in their mental representation. Three studies (n = 1,138 full-time employees) investigated the perceptions and preferences of full-time employees from the United States and China, cultures that might be expected to differ in their societal participation norm. Using a free association test and text analyses, Study 1 demonstrated that Chinese and American employees differed in their construal of workplace participation, yet both culture groups associated positive valence to the concept of participation. Study 2 showed that employees\' preference for workplace participation is positively related to their perceptions of its outcomes on productivity, job satisfaction, and workplace conflict. Study 3 had employees interact with either a prototypically high or low participation work environment and tested whether clear cultural contrasts might occur. American employees expressed unambiguous endorsement and predicted positive outcomes of a high participation workplace, whereas Chinese employees expressed slightly higher endorsement to a low participation work environment and associated it with higher productivity. This research provides insights on how workplace participation is construed by employees from different cultures, especially from cultures where democratic participation is not the normative default. Different perspectives on workplace participation across cultures may inform practitioners of the goals and approaches when shaping a more participatory workplace and a more democratic society.

Culturally inherited institutional norms structure much of human social life. Successfully replicating institutions train their current members to behave in the generally adaptive ways that served past members. Ancestor veneration is a well-known manifestation of this phenomenon whereby deference is conferred to prestigious past members who are used as cultural models. Such norms of respect may be maintained by punishment based on evidence from theory and laboratory experiments, but there is little observational evidence to show that punishment is commonly used. To test for punishment as a mechanism that maintains these norms, we examine a norm of ancestor veneration in a natural field experiment at the Memorial Student Center (MSC) at Texas A&M University. The MSC is a memorial to university war dead, and the expectation is that all who enter the building remove their hats out of respect. Observations reveal that hat removal is significantly more common at the MSC than at two control locations. Survey data indicate that most, but not all, subjects understand the norm to be veneration of the dead, and most expect others to follow the norm. Many report a strong negative emotional response when asked to imagine the norm being violated. Sixty-two percent report they would definitely or probably ask the noncompliant to uncover. Focal follow data show that punishment is relatively rare, however, with the majority of behatted subjects going unreproached as they pass through the building. Both survey and observational data indicate there is a motivated minority that enthusiastically enforces the norm.

High Purity germanium (HPGe) detectors are found to be suitable for nuclear techniques for measuring radionuclides with very good energy resolution. Inter-comparison exercise is an important tool for external quality control that enables determination of the accuracy and uncertainty of detector measurement system. In this work, a comparative study of natural radioactivity in soil samples was conducted between the laboratory of Autorité nationale de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (ARSN), Burkina Faso and the laboratory of Radiation Protection Institute of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (RPI-GAEC),Ghana to ascertain the reliability and accuracy of measurements made in Burkina Faso. For this purpose:•Some replicate soil samples, assumed as proficiency test samples, were analyzed on both the High Purity Germanium detector of ARSN and RPI.•The statistical performance indicators of z-score, precision, trueness and relative bias were used for the evaluation. The limit for acceptable precision and the maximum acceptable bias for all the radionuclides were set to 20% and 15% respectively.

Objective: To establish the Core Occupational Stress Scale (COSS) norm values for manufacturing and medical workers. Methods: A total of 10 316 manufacturing workers of 20 companies from 7 provincial capital cities and 5 031 medical workers of 19 hospitals from 4 provincial capital cities were investigated using a stratified sampling method. Questionnaire information including occupational stress was collected. Norms of mean, percentile and T scores were calculated for COSS total and sub-dimension scores by different demographic characteristics. Based on the normal distribution, cut points of x¯+0.5s, x¯+s, x¯+1.5s of COSS total scores were calculated to classify the degree of occupational stress. Results: The COSS total scores were (45.48±8.16) and (45.71±8.46). The 50th percentiles were both 46, and T score ranges were (15-92) and (16-91), respectively, for manufacturing and medical workers. When the total score was<50, 50-53, 54-57, and >57 for manufacturing worker, or<50, 50-54, 55-58, and >58 for medical workers, occupational stress would be classified into none, mild, moderate, and severe levels. Conclusion: Compatible with the national condition of China, as well as the principles of psychological measurement, these norm values for manufacturing and medical workers could provide theoretical support and practical guideline on occupational mental health promotion.
目的： 研制适用于我国制造业工人和医务人员的职业紧张测量核心量表（COSS）得分常模。 方法： 采用分层随机抽样方法，从制造业高度聚集区域7个省会市20家制造业企业和全国东、中、西部地区4个省会市19家医院分别抽取制造业工人（10 316名）和医务人员（5 031名）作为常模样本。通过问卷收集职业紧张相关信息，并建立不同人口学特征对象的均数常模、百分位常模、T分值常模，同时采用正态分布法，以COSS总分的x¯+0.5s、x¯+s、x¯+1.5s作为职业紧张程度划分标准。 结果： 制造业工人、医务人员COSS总分分别为（45.48±8.16）、（45.71±8.46）分，P50对应的总分均为46，T分常模范围分别为（15~92）、（16~91）分。当制造业工人COSS总分<50、50~53、54~57、>57分时，医务人员COSS总分<50、50~54、55~58、>58分时，分别判定为无职业紧张和轻度、中度、重度职业紧张水平。 结论： 本常模符合我国国情及心理学测量要求，操作简便、易行，为制造业工人和医务人员心理健康促进提供理论支持与实践指导。.

A prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (CLASS-01) of laparoscopic versus open surgery for locally advanced distal gastric cancer provides high-level evidence-based evidence for minimally invasive surgery for locally advanced gastric cancer. The findings showed that the experienced surgeons could perform laparoscopic D2 distal gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer safely and effectively, with significant minimally invasive advantages, which attracting extensive attention in the academic community. In order to correctly understand and scientifically apply the results of this research in clinical practice, this paper summarized the research consensus of CLASS-01 trail for readers, including relevant definitions, surgical indications, device preparation, perioperative management, surgical principles and standards as well as the operational processes and quality control. The relevant standard procedures in this paper are the consensuses which were reached between the researchers when writing the CLASS-01 research plan. The basic principles referred to the international and domestic treatment guidelines and at the same time fully considered the actual situation of laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery in China. It has crucial guiding significance for the scientific development and rational promotion of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer in China.
腹腔镜对比开腹手术治疗局部进展期远端胃癌的前瞻性、多中心、随机对照研究（CLASS-01），为局部进展期胃癌微创外科提供了高级别循证医学证据。结果表明，经验丰富的团队实施腹腔镜远端胃癌D(2)根治术治疗局部进展期患者是安全、有效的，具有显著的微创优势。这一研究成果引起了学术界的广泛关注。为了在临床实践中正确地认识和科学地应用该研究的成果，本文发布CLASS-01研究共识，以飨读者。内容包括相关定义、手术适应证、器械准备、围手术期处理、手术原则与标准操作流程以及质量控制等关键问题。相关标准操作流程是CLASS-01研究方案撰写时，研究者之间达成的共识，其中的基本原则参考了国际国内权威指南，也充分考虑了我国腹腔镜胃癌外科的实际状况，对我国局部进展期胃癌腹腔镜外科技术的科学发展与合理推广，具有重要的指导意义。.

The aim of this study is to understand interindividual differences in defensive behaviour in elite volleyball players facing similar game situations. This recurrent observation leads us to adopt an activity-centred ergonomic approach. Two case studies are conducted in naturalistic contexts. In the first, thirty-one professional players are observed in order to account for typical forms of behaviour in relation to certain specific sets of game situations. Two characteristic populations are distinguished. The second study uses observations and self-confrontation interviews with twelve players representative of each population in order to characterise their situation assessment. Results highlight important contrasts between the two populations, both in behaviour and in situation assessment. They suggest that one norm of activity centred on the rally-ending issue and another on the roles to be assumed, guide the specific coherency of these populations under time pressure. The identification of these norms provides a hypothesis concerning the foundations of sensemaking. Implications for training development are discussed.

Radioactive related pollution due to suspended particulate matter dispersion is an important workplace and health care issue. Recycling oil production ducts and contaminated production equipment, represent a health hazard to workers and public alike. Radioactive plate-out NORM scales with crystal deposit is analyzed by different techniques; results provide proper information on physico-chemical features and emitted alpha particles. Recommendations for handling and recycling procedures are included in relation to health risk and radiological hazard.