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The Risk Assessment Committee of the European Chemical Agency released a scientific opinion alerting that the risk associated with dermal occupational exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) via thermal paper might not be adequately controlled because the estimated exposure was around twice the Derived No Effect Level (DNEL) and the European Commission will effectively restrict BPA in thermal paper as soon as 2020. Bisphenol S (BPS) is currently being used as a BPA surrogate and is already widespread in thermal paper receipts. Based on publically available information in the scientific literature, we assessed the risk associated with dermal BPS exposure via thermal paper for the general and occupational populations to compare with BPA situation. We developed two exposure scenarios; one based on the total excreted BPS and another on exposure estimations by transferring BPS from the thermal paper matrix to skin. Both scenarios yielded similar exposures for the general population (0.016–0.013 µg/kg bw/day), but the exposure estimated for the workers in the second scenario (0.96 µg/kg bw/day) was around 17-fold higher than that estimated for the workers in the first scenario. The systemic DNELs for the general and workers populations were 0.45 and 0.91 µg BPS/kg bw/day, respectively, which were 4.6- and 19-fold higher than the respective dermal DNELs. Risk Characterisation Ratio (RCR) (estimated exposure through urinary excretion compared with the systemic DNEL) in the first and most reliable scenario suggested that the risk was adequately controlled. In the second scenario, however, the RCR suggests that the risk might not be adequately controlled for both the general population and workers. This work raises the necessity of generate more toxicodynamic and toxicokinetic information, specially using dermal exposures, to properly assess the risk associated to dermal BPS exposure because the situation might presumably get worse after 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an evaluation method for the assessment of hospital building design from the viewpoint of operations management to assure that the building design supports the efficient and effective operating of care processes now and in the future. The different steps of the method are illustrated by a case study. In the case study an experimental design is applied to assess the effect of used logistical concepts, patient mix and technologies. The study shows that the evaluation method provides a valuable tool for the assessment of both functionality and the ability to meet future developments in operational control of a building design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the status of case studies in professional examinations. In the context of Association of certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) examinations a case study can be defined as: A question with a lot of information, not all necessarily relevant; Placing candidates in a problem situation which attempts to simulate a real-life situation and; Covering a variety of issues drawn from several different areas of the syllabus. In its own external examinations, ACCA uses a variety of case study type questions, ranging from mini scenario questions to quite complex mini case studies. The author thinks it would be fairer to say ACCA uses a variety of case problems rather than case studies. But the author emphasizes that not one paper uses a case problem as its sole assessment technique, they vary from questions worth 20 marks out of 100, to paper 5 with a case problem worth 55 marks. Examiners and ACCA want to keep a balance of case studies and more traditional essay/computational questions.

In this article the author discusses the rules for writing a case study paper. The author states that case study papers offers documentation of the investigation, analysis, and/or performance of a geotechnical project and it present information that will advance geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering practice.

The article presents several aspects of practice teaching and training on education with the policy context of training and education. Moreover, papers from any country in the world are welcome such as case studies, research reports, policy appraisals and narrative articles on the philosophical principals underlying the field of activity that are equally acceptable. In addition, material should be practically relevant to what trainers, managers' and workers actually do, and the articles should run between 2000 and 6000 words, with a preference for the shorter article.

Background and Aims: A developing international literature on population-based occupational intervention provides limited evidence of the ways in which the associated occupational therapy roles are developed among entry-level practitioners. This paper aims to explore the development of an occupational therapy role in a fieldwork placement from the perspective of a student and the off-site supervisor and to explore the use of Organisational Role Analysis in this process. Methods: Systems psychodynamics and an occupational perspective of health provided the theoretical framework for this participant observation case study. Data from the reflective diaries of a fourth-year student and her supervisor were analysed with respect to role development in an organisation where occupational therapy was welcome, but not completely understood. Results: This study provides insight into the challenges for students and supervisors in the development of an occupationally oriented role where the client is an organisation. Organisational Role Analysis was perceived to be helpful in focusing attention on the organisational context of role development. Conclusions: The application of the Organisational Role Analysis as an approach to student supervision in other settings, with more than one student and to facilitate professionally development warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]