MedWorm: Environmental Health

Speciation of mercury in the strongly polluted sediments of the Deule River (France)

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10561F, PaperMilada Kadlecova, Baghdad Ouddane, Hana DocekalovaInvestigation of geochemical factors affecting the speciation and the distribution of mercury in highly contaminated sediments. Transformation of inorganic mercury to methylmercury in an antagonistic environment, highly contaminated by toxic metals.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

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Metal concentrations in the soils and native plants surrounding the old flotation tailings pond of the Copper Mining and Smelting Complex Bor (Serbia)

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10803H, PaperM. M. Antonijevic, M. D. Dimitrijevic, S. M. Milic, M. M. NujkicPotential species for phytoextraction are Prunus persica, Saponaria officinalis and Juglans regia L. with BCF and TF > 1.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Pyrethroid Insecticides in Bed Sediments from Urban and Agricultural Streams across the United States

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10946H, PaperMichelle L Hladik, Kathryn KuivilaPyrethroid insecticides in stream bed sediments have been well documented in California, but there have been limited studies in other urban and agricultural areas across the United States. To broaden...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Source and risk assessment of PCBs in sediments of Fenhe reservoir and watershed, China

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10983B, PaperWei-Hong Li, Yingze Tian, Guo-Liang Shi, Chang-Sheng Guo, Yinchang Feng, Xiu-Ping YueThe concentrations of Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sediments of Fenhe reservoir and watershed were detected at 28 sites in wet and dry seasons. The [summation operator]123PCBs ranged from n.d. to 126.49...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Exposure assessment of tetrafluoroethylene and ammonium perfluorooctanoate 1951-2002

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10930A, PaperAnne Sleeuwenhoek, John W. CherrieEstimates of tetrafluoroethylene and ammonium perfluorooctanoate were used to inform an epidemiological study carried out to investigate possible risks in workers employed in the manufacture of polytetrafluoroethylene.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Bio-monitoring for uranium using stream-side terrestrial plants and macrophytes

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10738D, PaperE. F. Caldwell, M. C. Duff, C. E. Ferguson, D. P. Coughlin, R. A. Hicks, E. DixonVegetation as bio-monitors offers insights into the bio-availability and transport potential of uranium in the environment.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

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A comparison of data quality control protocols for atmospheric mercury speciation measurements

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:21:21 +0100

We present a summary of Environment Canada's development of the RDMQ software program for TGM and atmospheric mercury species. This is followed by an overall view of the AMQC software program.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Elderly men's quality of life and lower urinary tract symptoms: an intricate relationship

International Braz J Urol — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:42 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: For elderly men, moderate to severe LUTS do significantly impact almost all parameters of QoL proposed by the WHO, especially social and environmental relations. (Source: International Braz J Urol)

A Conservative Bioadhesive Approach to the Reattachment of Complicated Crown Fractures in Permanent First Molars: A Case Report with a 2-Year Followup

Advances in Urology — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:14 +0100

This paper presents a clinical report demonstrating combined restorative bioadhesive treatment and prosthetic rehabilitation of uncommon type of dental injury in an eighteen-year-old female involving crown fracture of all the permanent first molars and left upper premolars due to a bicycle riding accident. To restore the coronal fracture with invasion of biologic width, flap surgery with osteotomy and osteoplasty localized on the fractured teeth was performed, and the tooth remnant was reattached to the crown with a self-etch adhesive system. Frank pulp exposure was treated by self-etch dentin adhesive after surface disinfection prior to sealing of the wound site. At 2-year recall, the teeth continue to be aesthetically and functionally stable with a favourable pulpal and periapical enviro...

Social Ecological Approaches to Individuals and Their Contexts: Twenty Years of Health Education & Behavior Health Promotion Interventions. - Golden SD, Earp JA.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

Social ecological models that describe the interactive characteristics of individuals and environments that underlie health outcomes have long been recommended to guide public health practice. The extent to which such recommendations have been applied in h... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Evaluating theory-based evaluation: Information, norms, and adherence. - Jacobs WJ, Sisco M, Hill D, Malter F, Figueredo AJ.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

Programmatic social interventions attempt to produce appropriate social-norm-guided behavior in an open environment. A marriage of applicable psychological theory, appropriate program evaluation theory, and outcome of evaluations of specific social interve... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Splenic injuries at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania: a tertiary hospital experience. - Chalya PL, Mabula JB, Giiti G, Chandika AB, Dass RM, McHembe MD, Gilyoma JM.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

BACKGROUND: Splenic injuries constitute a continuing diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the trauma or general surgeons practicing in developing countries where sophisticated imaging facilities are either not available or exorbitantly expensive. The pu... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

The effects of on-street parking and road environment visual complexity on travel speed and reaction time. - Edquist J, Rudin-Brown CM, Lenne MG.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

On-street parking is associated with elevated crash risk. It is not known how drivers' mental workload and behaviour in the presence of on-street parking contributes to, or fails to reduce, this increased crash risk. On-street parking tends to co-exist wit... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Exfoliation Corrosion and Pitting Corrosion and Their Role in Fatigue Predictive Modeling: State-of-the-Art Review

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Endoscopy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:02:10 +0100

Discussion of cases where IG attack and exfoliation caused issues in structural integrity in aircraft in operational fleets is presented herein along with a much more detailed presentation of the issues involved in dealing with corrosion of aircraft. Issues of corrosion and fatigue related to the structural integrity of aging aircraft are introduced herein. Mechanisms of pitting nucleation are discussed which include adsorption-induced, ion migration-penetration, and chemicomechanical film breakdown theories. In addition, pitting corrosion (PC) fatigue models are presented as well as a critical assessment of their application to aircraft structures and materials. Finally environmental effects on short crack behavior of materials are discussed, and a compilation of definitions related to co...

Using stable isotope analysis to discriminate gasoline on the basis of its origin.

Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:01:37 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that gasoline can be forensically discriminated according to the oil company responsible for its manufacture using stable isotope analysis combined with multivariate statistical analysis. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 22302491 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM)

Differentiation of two industrial oil sands process-affected waters by two-dimensional gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of diamondoid acid profiles.

Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:00:30 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The differences in distributions of diamondoid acids clearly vary between the two samples of OSPW and may prove very useful for monitoring the fate of different sources of OSPW both in storage and in the wider environment, once a wider collection of representative samples is available for study. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID: 22302497 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM)

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Differences in Activity Budgets and Diet Between Semiprovisioned and Wild‐Feeding Groups of the Endangered Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus) in the Central High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

American Journal of Primatology — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:14:24 +0100

The Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus is a very adaptable primate species occupying a wide range of habitats in Morocco and Algeria. Several groups of this endangered macaque can be found in tourist sites, where they are affected by the presence of visitors providing food to them. We compare the activity budgets and the diet of semiprovisioned and wild‐feeding groups of Barbary macaques in the central High Atlas Mountains of Morocco from February to August 2008. We used instantaneous scan sampling at 15‐min intervals. The behaviors included in the activity budget were feeding, moving, foraging, resting, and aggressive display. Food items were grouped into seven categories. We found no differences between the two groups in the daily percentages of records attributed to feeding. The semip...

3D Biomatrix™ Signs Distribution Agreements in the United States and...

PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:10:07 +0100

3D Biomatrix, which develops and sells tools for drug discovery research and testing that mimic the human cellular environment, has signed agreements for the distribution of Hanging Drop Plates with...(PRWeb February 08, 2012)Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9174165.htm (Source: PRWeb: Medical Pharmaceuticals)

Fall Rates and Quality of Nursing Staff PatternsFall Rates and Quality of Nursing Staff Patterns

Medscape Today Headlines — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

How are fall rates in acute care influenced by environmental factors - like sound? Nursing Economics (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

A comparison of sexual behavior and contraceptive use among students in coeducational and non-coeducational secondary schools in Ibadan, Nigeria

Contraception — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:36:54 +0100

The school environment provides a setting for sexual interaction between students, which may be different in coeducational (CE) and non-coeducational (NCE) schools, with more risk of unintended pregnancies in CE schools. (Source: Contraception)

Titanium Dioxide In Foods Measured For ACS Research

LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Emerging Toxic Torts Legal News — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:16:44 +0100

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Research published online Jan. 18 by the American Chemical Society in Environmental Science & Technology quantifies the amount of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in human food and personal care products and estimates the human exposure to dietary nano-TiO2 (DOI: 10.1021/es204168d). Full story on lexis.com (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Emerging Toxic Torts Legal News)

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Child-Mother Serum Levels Studied In C8 Project Data

LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Emerging Toxic Torts Legal News — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:16:44 +0100

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. - Researchers comparing perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAA) concentrations in the serum levels of mothers and their babies released a report Jan. 23 published in Environmental Health Perspectives by the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences in which they conclude that children have a statistically higher level than their mothers until age 12. Full story on lexis.com (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Emerging Toxic Torts Legal News)

Distraction and pedestrian safety: How talking on the phone, texting, and listening to music impact crossing the street.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:31:15 +0100

This study was designed to test how talking on the phone, texting, and listening to music may influence pedestrian safety. 138 college students crossed an interactive, semi-immersive virtual pedestrian street. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups: crossing while talking on the phone, crossing while texting, crossing while listening to a personal music device, or crossing while undistracted. Participants distracted by music or texting were more likely to be hit by a vehicle in the virtual pedestrian environment than were undistracted participants. Participants in all three distracted groups were more likely to look away from the street environment (and look toward other places, such as their telephone or music device) than were undistracted participants. Findings were maintaine...

Fuzzy-logic-based network for complex systems risk assessment: Application to ship performance analysis.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:30:22 +0100

Authors: Abou SC Abstract In this paper, a new interpretation of intuitionistic fuzzy sets in the advanced framework of the Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence is extended to monitor safety-critical systems' performance. Not only is the proposed approach more effective, but it also takes into account the fuzzy rules that deal with imperfect knowledge/information and, therefore, is different from the classical Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system, which assumes that the rule (the knowledge) is perfect. We provide an analytical solution to the practical and important problem of the conceptual probabilistic approach for formal ship safety assessment using the fuzzy set theory that involves uncertainties associated with the reliability input data. Thus, the overall safety of the ship engine is in...

Brake lamp detection in complex and dynamic environments: Recognizing limitations of visual attention and perception.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:23:33 +0100

Authors: McIntyre S, Gugerty L, Duchowski A Abstract Worldwide, both brake lamps and tail lamps on motor vehicles are required to be red. Previous studies have not examined the effect of this confound in a complex, high-traffic scenario in a driving simulator or on visuomotor behavior. In the first experiment, drivers detected brake lamps on nine lead vehicles and lane changes on two rear vehicles in a 15min simulated night time highway drive. A second experiment was used to examine the findings in the context of pre-attentive visual processing research. A third experiment analyzed visuomotor behavior and subjective workload during a vigilance task to further evaluate this hypothesis. For all studies, tail lamp color was manipulated, resulting in two conditions: the currently manda...

Some hazards are more attractive than others: Drivers of varying experience respond differently to different types of hazard.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:23:22 +0100

Authors: Crundall D, Chapman P, Trawley S, Collins L, van Loon E, Andrews B, Underwood G Abstract The ability to detect hazards in video clips of driving has been inconsistently linked to driving experience and skill. One potential reason for the lack of consistency is the failure to understand the structural differences between those hazards that discriminate between safe and unsafe drivers, and those that do not. The current study used a car simulator to test drivers of differing levels of experience on approach to a series of hazards that were categorized a priori according to their underlying structure. The results showed that learner drivers took longer to fixate hazards, although they were particularly likely to miss hazards that were obscured by the environment (such as a pe...

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The effects of on-street parking and road environment visual complexity on travel speed and reaction time.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:19:37 +0100

Authors: Edquist J, Rudin-Brown CM, Lenné MG Abstract On-street parking is associated with elevated crash risk. It is not known how drivers' mental workload and behaviour in the presence of on-street parking contributes to, or fails to reduce, this increased crash risk. On-street parking tends to co-exist with visually complex streetscapes that may affect workload and crash risk in their own right. The present paper reports results from a driving simulator study examining the effects of on-street parking and road environment visual complexity on driver behaviour and surrogate measures of crash risk. Twenty-nine participants drove a simulated urban commercial and arterial route. Compared to sections with no parking bays or empty parking bays, in the presence of occupied parking bay...

Ratcheting Up Cancer Potency Estimates

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:38:41 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es204310j (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Food and Personal Care Products

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:38:00 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es204168d (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Potentials for Sustainable Transportation in Cities to Alleviate Climate Change Impacts

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:37:51 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203353q (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

A Missing Error Term in Benefit–Cost Analysis

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:37:27 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es202861z (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

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Simultaneous NOx and Hydrocarbon Emissions Control for Lean-Burn Engines Using Low-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cell at Open Circuit

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:14:51 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2033058 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

EXAFS and DFT Investigations of Uranyl Arsenate Complexes in Aqueous Solution

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:14:20 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203284s (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Self-Optimization of Pilot Power in Enterprise Femtocells Using Multi objective Heuristic

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:37:00 +0100

Deployment of a large number of femtocells to jointly provide coverage in an enterprise environment raises critical challenges especially in future self-organizing networks which rely on plug-and-play techniques for configuration. This paper proposes a multi-objective heuristic based on a genetic algorithm for a centralized self-optimizing network containing a group of UMTS femtocells. In order to optimize the network coverage in terms of handled load, coverage gaps, and overlaps, the algorithm provides a dynamic update of the downlink pilot powers of the deployed femtocells. The results demonstrate that the algorithm can effectively optimize the coverage based on the current statistics of the global traffic distribution and the levels of interference between neighboring femtocells. The al...

Sensitive Determination of Terazosin in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Biological Samples by Ionic-Liquid Microextraction Prior to Spectrofluorimetry

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:37:00 +0100

An efficient and environmentally friendly sample preparation method based on the application of hydrophobic 1-Hexylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate [Hpy][PF6] ionic liquid (IL) as a microextraction solvent was proposed to preconcentrate terazosin. The performance of the microextraction method was improved by introducing a common ion of pyridinium IL into the sample solution. Due to the presence of the common ion, the solubility of IL significantly decreased. As a result, the phase separation successfully occurred even at high ionic strength, and the volume of the settled IL-phase was not influenced by variations in the ionic strength (up to 30% w/v). After preconcentration step, the enriched phase was introduced to the spectrofluorimeter for the determination of terazosin. The obtaine...

Politics Behind Blocking of Demolition for Asbestos-Containing Building

Asbestos and Mesothelioma News — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:16:26 +0100

A proposed bid that would add $451,000 to an existing budget to demolish asbestos-containing buildings in Colorado blocked by state Republicans through a 33-32 vote. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)

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Recycling of Porcelain Tile Polishing Residue in Portland Cement: Hydration Efficiency

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:05:12 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203118w (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Can SPME Fiber and Tenax Methods Predict the Bioavailability of Biotransformed Insecticides?

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:36 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2035174 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

How to Maintain a Consistent Meditative Practice

Psychology Today Anxiety Center — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:33:04 +0100

We are creatures of habit. For proof, you only need to observe children. They thrive on routines and within familiar environments. Bedtime rituals such as tucking kids in, reading them a story, or singing them a song, calm and relax them.read more (Source: Psychology Today Anxiety Center)

Multiengine Speech Processing Using SNR Estimator in Variable Noisy Environments

Journal of Oncology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:24:10 +0100

We introduce a multiengine speech processing system that can detect the location and the type of audio signal in variable noisy environments. This system detects the location of the audio source using a microphone array; the system examines the audio first, determines if it is speech/nonspeech, then estimates the value of the signal to noise (SNR) using a Discrete-Valued SNR Estimator. Using this SNR value, instead of trying to adapt the speech signal to the speech processing system, we adapt the speech processing system to the surrounding environment of the captured speech signal. In this paper, we introduced the Discrete-Valued SNR Estimator and a multiengine classifier, using Multiengine Selection or Multiengine Weighted Fusion. Also we use the SI as example of the speech processing. T...

δ15N Enrichment Suggests Possible Source for Halogenated 1′-Methyl-1,2′-bipyrroles (MBPs)

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:17:22 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203143c (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

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Assessing Resource Intensity and Renewability of Cellulosic Ethanol Technologies Using Eco-LCA

Environmental Science and Technology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:00:53 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2025615 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Electron-Beam Irradiation Reduces Virus-Related Health Risk In Lettuce, Spinach

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

A team of scientists studying the effects of electron-beam irradiation on iceberg lettuce and spinach has had its research published in the February issue of the leading microbiology journal, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, said the study's lead investigator. The study quantified the theoretical health-risk reduction from virus-related foodborne illness through the use of electron-beam irradiation. "The purpose of this study was twofold," said Dr. Suresh Pillai, director for the National Center for Electron Beam Research at Texas A&M University in College Station... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Swedish Twin Study Finds Cognitive Problems Common Among Non-Demented Elderly

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Both subjective and objective cognitive impairment are highly common among non-demented elderly Swedes, with an overall prevalence of 39 percent and 25 percent respectively, according to a nationwide twin study by researchers at the Aging Research Center of Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The study confirms higher education as a major protective factor and stresses the importance of environmental aspects over genes in mild cognitive disorders in old age... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Outgrowth of single oncogene-expressing cells from suppressive epithelial environments

Nature AOP — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Cheuk T. Leung & Joan S. Brugge Tumorigenesis is a clonal evolution process that is initiated from single cells within otherwise histologically normal tissue. It is unclear how single, sporadic mutant cells that have sustained oncogenic alterations evolve within a tightly regulated tissue environment. Here we investigated the effects of inducing oncogene expression in single cells in organotypic mammary acini as a model to elucidate the processes by which oncogenic alterations initiate clonal progression from organized epithelial environments. Sporadic cells induced to overexpress oncogenes that specifically perturb cell-cycle checkpoints (for example, E7 from human papilloma virus 16, and cyclin D1), deregulate Myc transcription or activate AKT signalling remained quiescent w...

Whaling: Quota trading won't work

Nature — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Diogo Veríssimo & Kristian Metcalfe Anti-whaling organizations are often presented as conservationists (Nature481, 114; 2012). But for conservation efforts to advance, we need to resolve the differences between animal welfare, which is concerned with individuals, and environmental conservation, which focuses on maintaining populations, species and (Source: Nature)

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Astronomy: Core-collapse and star formation

Nature — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature 482, 7384 (2012). doi:10.1038/482135b When massive stars accumulate more iron than their centres can hold, they explode in what is known as a core-collapse supernova. Such supernovae enrich the surrounding environment with elements, seeding the formation of other stars. Astronomers have linked the number of core-collapse supernovae in a (Source: Nature)

Cell phone based balance trainer

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The results suggest users can use the real-time feedback provided by this system to reduce their trunk sway. Its advantages over more complex laboratory-based and commercial balance training systems in terms of cost, size, weight, functionality, flexibility, and accessibility make it a good candidate for further home-based balance training evaluation. (Source: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation)

The effects of a 25% discount on fruits and vegetables: results of a randomized trial in a three-dimensional web-based supermarket

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: A 25% discount on fruits and vegetables was effective in stimulating purchases of those products and did neither lead to higher expenditures in unhealthier food categories nor to higher total calories purchased. Future studies in real supermarkets need to confirm these findings. (Source: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)

Spinal cord trauma and the molecular point of no return

Molecular Neurodegeneration — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

A mechanical trauma to the spinal cord can be followed by the development of irreversible and progressive neurodegeneration, as opposed to a temporary or partially reversible neurological damage. An increasing body of experimental and clinical evidence from humans and animal models indicates that spinal cord injury may set in motion the development of disabling and at times fatal neuromuscular disorders, whose occurrence is not normally associated with any major environmental event. This outcome appears to be dependent on the co-occurrence of a particular form of mechanical stress and of a genetically-determined vulnerability. This increased vulnerability to spinal cord injury may depend on a change of the nature and of the timing of activation of a number of neuroprotective and neurodestr...

Preparing for the unpredictable: adaptive feedback enhances the response to unexpected communication signals

Journal of Neurophysiology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

To interact with the environment efficiently, the nervous system must generate expectations about redundant sensory signals and detect unexpected ones. Neural circuits can, for example, compare a prediction of the sensory signal that was generated by the nervous system with the incoming sensory input, to generate a response selective to novel stimuli. In the first-order electrosensory neurons of a gymnotiform electric fish, a negative image of low-frequency redundant communication signals is subtracted from the neural response via feedback, allowing unpredictable signals to be extracted. Here we show that the cancelling feedback not only suppresses the predictable signal but also actively enhances the response to the unpredictable communication signal. A transient mismatch between the pred...

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Will bubble-powered microrockets zoom through the human stomach?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Chemical Society) Scientists have developed a new kind of tiny motor -- which they term a "microrocket" -- that can propel itself through acidic environments, such as the human stomach, without any external energy source, opening the way to a variety of medical and industrial applications. Their report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society describes the microrockets traveling at virtual warp speed for such devices. A human moving at the same speed would have to run at a clip of 400 miles per hour. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Study to determine whether fish oil can help prevent psychiatric disorders

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System) This new study is a National Institute of Mental Health-funded randomized double-blind trial that was designed to test whether Omega-3 fatty acids improve clinical symptoms, and help adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 25) who are at elevated risk for severe psychiatric disorders function better in school, work and other social environments. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Overexpression of DNA damage-induced 45 alpha gene contributes to esophageal squamous cell cancer by promoter hypomethylation

Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Overexpression of GADD45alpha gene is due to DNA hypomethylation in ESCC. GADD45alpha may be a protective factor in DDP chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. (Source: Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research)

Key signaling nodes in mammary gland development and cancer: Smad signal integration in epithelial cell plasticity

Breast Cancer Research — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Smad proteins are the key intermediates of TGF-beta-signaling during development and in tissue homeostasis. Pertubations in TGF-beta/Smad signaling have been implicated in cancer, and other diseases. In the cell nucleus Smad complexes trigger cell type- and context-specific transcriptional programs, thereby transmitting and integrating signals from a variety of ligands of the TGF-beta-superfamily and other stimuli in the cell micro-environment. The actual transcriptional and biological outcome of Smad activation critically depends on the genomic integrity and the modification state of genome and chromatin of the cell. The cytoplasmic and nuclear Smads can also modulate the activity of other signal transducers and enzymes such as microRNA processing factors. In the case of breast cancer the...

Behavior of Reoccurring PARAFAC Components in Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter in Natural and Engineered Systems: A Critical Review

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:49:44 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2043504 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

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Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in U.S. Sewage Sludges and Biosolids: Temporal and Geographical Trends and Uptake by Corn Following Land Application

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:45:19 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203149g (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

New President Has Vision for the AAONew President Has Vision for the AAO

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:36:19 +0100

Dr. Ruth Williams promises to safeguard the interests of ophthalmology providers in an environment that is witnessing rapid change to eye care delivery and compensation. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Anti-Asbestos Advocate Larry Davis Working Toward Miles for Meso Race Sunday in South Florida

Asbestos and Mesothelioma News — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:33:29 +0100

Larry Davis, a shining example of a survivor of mesothelioma, will leave the hospital this week to prepare for the 3rd annual Miles for Meso Race Sunday in South Florida. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)

Human Therapeutic Plasma Levels of the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Sertraline Decrease Serotonin Reuptake Transporter Binding and Shelter-Seeking Behavior in Adult Male Fathead Minnows

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:20:21 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es204164b (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

TiO2-Photocatalytic Reduction of Pentavalent and Trivalent Arsenic: Production of Elemental Arsenic and Arsine

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:24:57 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es202638c (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

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Assessment of Aquatic Toxicity and Oxygen Depletion during Aerobic Biodegradation of Vegetable Oil: Effect of Oil Loading and Mixing Regime

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:24:06 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2037993 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Monitoring Bacterial Twitter: Does Quorum Sensing Determine the Behavior of Water and Wastewater Treatment Biofilms?

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:01:21 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203933h (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Occurrences and Fates of Hydroxylated Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Marine Sediments in Relation to Trophodynamics

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:18 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203195s (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Mouse females devoid of exposure to males during fetal development exhibit increased maternal behavior

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Summary: Many sex differences can be found in the expression of aggression and parental nurturing behaviors. It is important to determine if these are modulated by prenatal conditions. Here, using assisted reproduction technologies, we generated females that were (mixed-sex) or were not (same-sex) exposed to males during fetal development, raised them by cross fostering among fosters’ own female only pups to control for effects of postnatal environment, and compared their reproductive abilities and behavior. There were no differences between females from the two prenatal conditions in estrus cycle length and length of time spent at individual estrus cycle stages. Both types of females had similar ovulation efficiency and bred equally well yielding comparable litter size and progeny sex r...

Neuroendocrine response to CRF stimulation in veterans with and without PTSD in consideration of war zone era

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Conclusions: A uniform pattern of PTSD-related alterations in the response to intravenous CRF was not found. Rather, PTSD-related alterations were found only in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, and were characterized by an enhanced pituitary response to CRF which may reflect increased sensitivity of pituitary corticotrophs or CRF hyposecretion. Together with previous neuroendocrine findings, the data suggest the HPA axis is dysregulated in Gulf War veterans in unique ways which may reflect the long-term effects of environmental exposures in addition to disease effects. Further work is needed to characterize these effects and their impact on long-term psychological and medical outcomes. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

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Guide for Authors

Biological Psychiatry — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:12:03 +0100

Biological Psychiatry is the official journal of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. The Journal rapidly publishes reports of novel results on a broad range of topics related to the pathophysiology and treatment of major neuropsychiatric disorders. Both basic and clinical neuroscience contributions are encouraged, particularly those addressing genetic and environmental risk factors, neural circuitry and neurochemistry, and important new therapeutic approaches. Except where explicitly stated otherwise, Biological Psychiatry conforms to the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) (see Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and Editing for Biomedical Publication (April 2010): Available from http://www.ICM...

Parental depressive symptoms and children’s sleep: the role of family conflict

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:06:06 +0100

Conclusions: Findings build on this scant literature and highlight the importance of identifying pathways of risk and familial and environmental influences on children’s sleep problems. (Source: Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry)

How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This article reviews research on the connections between language and later reading, environmental factors associated with language learning, and interventions developed in varied countries for encouraging book use by parents of young children. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

Evidence‐based recommendations for the development of obesity prevention programs targeted at preschool children

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:28 +0100

SummaryThe ToyBox intervention was developed using an evidence‐based approach, using the findings of four reviews. These reviews included three critical and narrative reviews of educational strategies and psychological approaches explaining young children's acquisition and formation of energy‐balance related behaviours, and the management of these behaviours, and also a systematic review of behavioural models underpinning school‐based interventions in preschool and school settings for the prevention of obesity in children aged 4–6 years.This paper summarises and translates the findings from these reviews into practical evidence based recommendations for researchers and policy‐makers to consider when developing and implementing interventions for the prevention of overweight and ob...

Existing policies, regulation, legislation and ongoing health promotion activities related to physical activity and nutrition in pre‐primary education settings: an overview

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:26 +0100

SummaryObesity prevention efforts for school‐aged children and adolescents are increasing in number. However, little has been done to address the problem in the preschool age. To address this age group, an evidence‐based preschool programme on physical activity (PA) and nutrition is developed within the ToyBox project. Environmental influencing factors such as policies and competitive health promotion activities could inhibit or induce a successful health promotion programme. This paper describes an overview of existing policies, legislation and/or regulations and health promotion activities in the preschool setting. Method: data were gathered on policies and activities aiming to improve healthy eating and PA of young children (age group 4–6 years) in Belgium‐Flanders, Bulgaria, Ge...

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Critical narrative review to identify educational strategies promoting physical activity in preschool

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:22 +0100

SummaryThe aim of this narrative review is critically to evaluate educational strategies promoting physical activity that are used in the preschool setting in the context of obesity prevention programmes. Literature search was conducted between April and August 2010 in English and German databases (PubMED, PsychINFO, PSYNDEX, ERIC, FIS Bildung). Outcomes considered were time and intensity of physical activity, motor skills or measures of body composition. A total of 19 studies were included. Ten studies added physical activity lessons into their curriculum, one study provided more time for free play, eight studies focused on the social and play environment. Studies reporting positive outcomes implemented physical activity sessions that lasted at least 30 min d−1. Several studies show...

A narrative review of psychological and educational strategies applied to young children's eating behaviours aimed at reducing obesity risk

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:20 +0100

SummaryStrategies to reduce risk of obesity by influencing preschool children's eating behaviour are reviewed. The studies are placed in the context of relevant psychological processes, including inherited and acquired preferences, and behavioural traits, such as food neophobia, ‘enjoyment of food’ and ‘satiety responsiveness’. These are important influences on how children respond to feeding practices, as well as predictors of obesity risk. Nevertheless, in young children, food environment and experience are especially important for establishing eating habits and food preferences. Providing information to parents, or to children, on healthy feeding is insufficient. Acceptance of healthy foods can be encouraged by five to ten repeated tastes. Recent evidence suggests rewarding heal...

Assessment tools of energy balance‐related behaviours used in European obesity prevention strategies: review of studies during preschool

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:15 +0100

SummaryValid and reliable measures of energy balance‐related behaviours are required when evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions aiming at prevention of childhood obesity. A structured descriptive review was performed to appraise food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviour assessment tools used in obesity intervention strategies targeting mainly preschool children across Europe. In total, 25 papers are described, addressing energy balance‐related behaviours as study outcomes and targeting individuals or clusters of individuals at school‐ or home‐based environment. Parentally reported food records and 24‐h recalls were commonly used to assess food intake. Subjective levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were commonly accessed via paren...

Web-Based Environmental Simulation: Bridging the Gap between Scientific Modeling and Decision-Making

Environmental Science and Technology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:58:38 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es2031278 (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Blood pressure measurement - an overview.

Swiss Medical Weekly — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:36:02 +0100

This article provides an overview of current methods and trends in the field of non-invasive blood pressure measurement, an update on current clinical guidelines and an overview of blood pressure measurement in special populations. PMID: 22287317 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Swiss Medical Weekly)

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Managing Wastewater from Fracking, with Robert B. Jackson

EHP-in-Press — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Discussions about fracking and community health typically involve questions about methane contamination of drinking water wells around drill sites. In this podcast, host Ashley Ahearn talks with Robert B. Jackson about another fracking-related water concern: the millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater generated by the process. (Source: EHP-in-Press)

Prenatal Lead Levels, Plasma Amyloid β Levels and Gene Expression in Young Adulthood

EHP-in-Press — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Data from our exploratory study suggest that prenatal lead exposure may influence Aβ-related biological pathways that have been implicated in AD onset. Gene network analysis identified further candidates to study the mechanisms of developmental lead neurotoxicity. (Source: EHP-in-Press)

Risk of Non-accidental and Cardiovascular Mortality in Relation to Long-term Exposure to Low Concentrations of Fine Particulate Matter: A Canadian National-level Cohort Study

EHP-in-Press — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. In this large national cohort of non-immigrant Canadians, mortality was associated with long-term exposure to PM2.5. Associations were observed with exposures to PM2.5 at concentrations that were predominantly lower (i.e., mean 8.7-µg/m3, inter-quartile range 6.2-µg/m3) than those reported previously. (Source: EHP-in-Press)

The omega‐6 fatty acid linoleic acid is associated with risk of gastroschisis: A novel dietary risk factor

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractGastroschisis is a congenital abdominal wall defect, thought by many to represent a disruption in intrauterine blood flow, where there is herniation of abdominal organs. Dietary intake is an important environmental factor that has been implicated in the development of many diseases. Omega‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are nutrients that are substrates for eicosanoid and cytokine synthesis and prone to oxidation, and play a role in modulating inflammation, immune function, and vascular system development. This pilot case‐control study explored the association of dietary intake of the omega‐6 PUFA linoleic acid with risk of gastroschisis. Between 2008 and 2011, we recruited 13 pregnant women in mid‐gestation who were referred to the UCSD Prenatal Center for evaluation...

Family nurture intervention (FNI): methods and treatment protocol of a randomized controlled trial in the NICU

BMC Pediatrics - Latest articles — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with blinded assessment comparing Standard Care (SC) with a novel Family Nurture Intervention (FNI). FNI targets preterm infants born 26-34 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) and their mothers in the NICU. The intervention incorporates elements of mother-infant interventions with known efficacy and organizes them under a new theoretical context referred to collectively as calming activities. This intervention is facilitated by specially trained Nurture Specialists in three ways: 1) In the isolette through calming interactions between mother and infant via odor exchange, firm sustained touch and vocal soothing, and eye contact; 2) Outside the isolette during holding and feeding via the Calming Cycle; and 3) through family sessions designed to eng...

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Development and validation of a screening instrument to assess the types and quality of foods served at home meals

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: This new meal screening tool has high validity and can be used to assess the types of foods served at home meals allowing a more comprehensive assessment of the home food environment. (Source: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)

Ambiguities: residents’ experience of ‘nursing home as my home’

International Journal of Older People Nursing — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. Ambiguities concerning the nursing home as a home and place to live, a social environment in which the residents experience most of their social life and the institution where professional health service is provided were uncovered. High‐quality care was when ambiguities were managed well and a home could be created within the institution.Implication for practice. Achieving quality care in nursing homes requires reconciling the ambiguities of the nursing home as a home. This implies helping residents to create a private home distinct from the professional home, allowing residents’ personal habits to guide institutional routines and supporting meaningful activities. Using these resident developed quality indicators is an important step in improving nursing home service...

Clean Air Standards [Capitol Health Call]

JAMA — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Source: JAMA)

Clinical Performance and Skill Retention after Simulation‐based Education for Nephrology Fellows

Seminars In Dialysis — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractWe previously demonstrated that simulation‐based education (SBE) improved temporary hemodialysis catheter (THDC) insertion skills by nephrology fellows. SBE, featuring deliberate practice and rigorous achievement standards, was a powerful method to enhance THDC insertion skills in nephrology fellows. However, experts have called for further research to evaluate skill transfer from the simulated environment to actual clinical care and skill retention. This is a prospective observational cohort study of THDC insertion skills. Twelve nephrology fellows from three academic centers in Chicago were evaluated using a skills checklist from July 2008 to June 2009. Simulator‐trained fellows were tested after the SBE intervention and expected to meet or exceed a minimum passing score (MPS...

Ginsenoside Re: Its chemistry, metabolism and pharmacokinetics

Chinese Medicine — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Ginsenosides, the bioactive components of ginseng, can be divided into two major groups, namely 20(S)-protopanaxatriol (e.g. Re, Rg1, Rg2, and Rb3) and 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (e.g. Rb1, Rb2, Rc, and Rd). Biological and environmental factors may affect the content of ginsenosides in different parts of ginseng plant. Evidence from pharmacokinetic and metabolic studies of Re demonstrated that (1) the absorption of Re is fast in gastrointestinal tract; (2) Re may be metabolized mainly to Rh1 and F1 by intestinal microflora before absorption into blood; and (3) Re is quickly cleared from the body. (Source: Chinese Medicine)

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Toxicities effects of pharmaceutical, olive mill and textile wastewaters before and after degradation by Pseudomonas putida mt-2

Cancer Cell International — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Toxicity was totally removed when mice were treated by the bio remediated effluent. This indicates that P. putida was able to completely detoxify the toxic industrial effluent. (Source: Cancer Cell International)

Planet under pressure

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Earth System Science Partnership) More than 2,500 leading thinkers in a wide range of global change research areas will present new findings in climate change, environmental geo-engineering, international governance, the future of the oceans and biodiversity, global trade, development, poverty alleviation, food security and more. Authoritative perspectives on today's State of the Planet and recommendations will form a contribution to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 20-22. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Planet Under Pressure conference (London, UK, March 26-29)

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Spatial accessibility to physical activity facilities and to food outlets and overweight in French youth

International Journal of Obesity — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: R Casey, B Chaix, C Weber, B Schweitzer, H Charreire, P Salze, D Badariotti, A Banos, J-M Oppert & C Simon (Source: International Journal of Obesity)

Correlated intermolecular coupling fluctuations in photosynthetic complexes

Journal of Chemical Physics — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:08:27 +0100

Sebastiaan M. Vlaming and Robert J. Silbey The functioning and efficiency of natural photosynthetic complexes is strongly influenced by their embedding in a noisy protein environment, which can even serve to enhance the transport efficiency. Interactions with the environment induce fluctuations of the transition energies and couplings betwee ... [J. Chem. Phys. 136, 055102 (2012)] published Mon Feb 6, 2012. (Source: Journal of Chemical Physics)

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Reactions of a Sulfonamide Antimicrobial with Model Humic Constituents: Assessing Pathways and Stability of Covalent Bonding

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:39:56 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es202272w (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

The dependence of [small alpha]-tocopheroxyl radical reduction by hydroxy-2,3-diarylxanthones on structure and micro-environment

RSC - Organic Biomolecular Chemistry — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:20:53 +0100

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2OB06612B, PaperPatrice Morliere, Larry K. Patterson, Clementina M. M. Santos, Artur M. S. Silva, Jean-Claude Maziere, Paulo Filipe, Ana Gomes, Eduarda Fernandes, M. Beatriz Q. Garcia, Rene SantusFour hydroxyl groups are required for the repair of [small alpha]-tocopheroxyl radical by hydroxy-2,3-diarylxanthones.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - Organic Biomolecular Chemistry)

Structural analysis of proteins in living eukaryotic cells using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Yakugaku Zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:06:03 +0100

Authors: Tochio H, Shirakawa M Abstract Three-dimensional structures of proteins are often critical in understanding proteins functions. However, structures or states of proteins in cells undergo dynamical changes in response to interactions with other proteins and/or biological molecules. In addition, post-translational modification such as phosphorylation, methylation and ubiquitination can drastically change the structure and hence the properties of proteins. Therefore, to precisely correlate structure data of proteins with cell biology data, the structure information should be collected in living cells preferably at atomic level. In addition, as numerous biomolecules are packed into limited space, the concentration of macromolecules is substantially high in cells. Such crowded ...

DGT Measurement of Dissolved Aluminum Species in Waters: Comparing Chelex-100 and Titanium Dioxide-Based Adsorbents

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:46:07 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203674n (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Experimental exposure of healthy subjects with emissions from a gas metal arc welding process—part II: biomonitoring of chromium and nickel

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:34:03 +0100

Conclusion For the biological monitoring of chromium and nickel in urine of subjects exposed to welding fumes, a dependency on exposure dose was seen under standardized conditions after a single exposure over a period of 6 h. Thus, this study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between ambient and biological exposures from welding fumes and provides a good basis for evaluating future biological threshold values for these metals in welding occupation. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s00420-012-0738-8Authors Monika Gube, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyPeter Brand, Institute for Occupational and Social M...

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Exposure of healthy subjects with emissions from a gas metal arc welding process: part 1—exposure technique and external exposure

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:34:02 +0100

Conclusion The Aachen Workplace Simulation Laboratory is suitable for controlled exposure studies with human subjects. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s00420-012-0739-7Authors P. Brand, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyP. Havlicek, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyM. Steiners, ISF, Welding and Joining Institute, Aachen University of Technology, Pontstraße 49, 52062 Aachen, GermanyK. Holzinger, ISF, Welding and Joining Institute, Aachen University of Technology, Pontstraße 49, 52062 Aachen, GermanyU. Reisgen, ISF, Welding and Joining Institute, ...

Exposure of healthy subjects with emissions from a gas metal arc welding process: part 3—biological effect markers and lung function

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:34:02 +0100

Conclusion In healthy, young subjects neither changes in spirometry nor changes in inflammatory markers measured in exhaled breath condensate could be detected after short-term exposure. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original ArticlePages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s00420-012-0740-1Authors P. Brand, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Aachen University of Technology, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyK. Bischof, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Aachen University of Technology, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyL. Siry, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Aachen University of Technology, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, GermanyJ. Bertram, Institute for Occupational and Social Medicine, Aachen University of Technology, Pauwelsstr. 3...

New Social Media for RCC Survivors

Kidney Cancer Association — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:25:06 +0100

Help researchers and meet others who are dealing with renal cancers in a multimedia, feature-rich, environment. Login with Facebook or your email and meet survivors and their families. Better than Facebook, because your participation will help those who want to cure kidney cancer.02/07/2012 (Source: Kidney Cancer Association)

Kinetics of Ni Sorption in Soils: Roles of Soil Organic Matter and Ni Precipitation

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:09:33 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es202376c (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Super Bowl Reminds of NFL Great Merlin Olsen, Who Died from Mesothelioma

Asbestos and Mesothelioma News — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:46:56 +0100

Merlin Olsen, NFL star from Los Angeles Rams who appeared in 14 Pro Bowls and commentated Super Bowl XXIII, died of mesothelioma from asbestos exposure in 2010. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)

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Monitoring of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide by long-path pulsed differential optical absorption spectroscopy using two different light paths

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:14:23 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10625F, PaperYasuaki Kambe, Yotsumi Yoshii, Kenshi Takahashi, Kenichi TonokuraWe measured the local distribution of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide by two long-path pulsed differential optical absorption spectroscopy systems in Tokyo.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Uranium series radionuclides in surface waters from the Shu river (Kazakhstan)

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:14:23 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM11014H, PaperMukhambetkali Burkitbayev, Bolat Uralbekov, Sholpan Nazarkulova, Ilona Matveyeva, Luis Leon VintroThe concentrations of 238U, 234U, 226Ra, 210Po and 210Pb have been determined in surface waters collected along the course of the Shu River, lying on the border between Kazakhstan and...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Monitoring Bacterial Community Structure and Variability in Time Scale in Full-Scale Anaerobic Digesters

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:14:23 +0100

This study assessed bacterial community structure and variability in time scale in seven full-scale anaerobic digesters operated variously in terms of influent substrate, digestion temperature, and reactor configuration. Using 454...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Verification of a Depth-Integrated Sample Arm as a Means to Reduce Solids Stratification Bias in Urban Stormwater Sampling

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:14:23 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10999A, PaperWilliam Selbig, Amanda Cox, Roger BannermanA new water sample collection system was developed to improve representation of solids entrained in urban stormwater by integrating water-quality samples from the entire water column, rather than a single,...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

An e-patient’s End-user community (EUCY): The value added of social network applications

ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:52:59 +0100

Source: Winston ER et al, Computers in Human Behavior, 2012 Content: Decreasing revenues and increasing expenses has led many healthcare organizations to adopt newer technological applications in order to address the informational needs of their patients. One such adoption technique is to develop a more robust e-patient environment. Health care organizations may increase their effectiveness [...] (Source: ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics)

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How Can We Help Keep Children, Teens, Adults With Autism Safe?

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:25:44 +0100

A school environment that strictly enforced a policy of "bullying will not be tolerated" is important and necessary. It is crucial to teach the same safety rules you would to any child, using teaching methods that have been successful for that child. read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Correction to “Life-Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Shale Gas, Natural Gas, Coal, and Petroleum”

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:58:49 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es300252s (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Inactivation and Magnetic Separation of Bacteria from Liquid Suspensions Using Electrosprayed and Nonelectrosprayed nZVI Particles: Observations and Mechanisms

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:56:49 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es204024n (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

Climate Change and Indigenous Rights

AAAS — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:23:36 +0100

AAAS Coalition Explores Perspectives of Indigenous Communities on Climate Change As climate change disrupts environments, it threatens the traditional lifestyle of indigenous peoples. That raises a range of science and human rights issues, speakers said at AAAS. (Source: AAAS)

Astrobiological Field Campaign to a Volcanosedimentary Mars Analogue Methane Producing Subsurface Protected Ecosystem: Imuruk Lake (Alaska)

Comparative and Functional Genomics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:15:44 +0100

Viking missions reported adverse conditions for life in Mars surface. High hydrogen signal obtained by Mars orbiters has increased the interest in subsurface prospection as putative protected Mars environment with life potential. Permafrost has attracted considerable interest from an astrobiological point of view due to the recently reported results from the Mars exploration rovers. Considerable studies have been developed on extreme ecosystems and permafrost in particular, to evaluate the possibility of life on Mars and to test specific automated life detection instruments for space missions. The biodiversity of permafrost located on the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve has been studied as an example of subsurface protected niche of astrobiological interest. Different conventional (en...

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Eyeing Greener Acres, New Farmers Reap Growing U.S. Aid

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:14:00 +0100

By Carey Gillam HALLSVILLE, Missouri (Reuters) - Dan Pugh wishes he had a bigger tractor and his wife Laura worries about their chickens in the winter weather. But as new farmers putting down roots in rural Missouri, the Pughs are counting on more rewards than regrets in trading their city lives for the country. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Swept From Africa to the Amazon (preview)

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

The Bodele depression at the southern edge of the Sahara is a fearsome, forsaken place. Winds howl through the nearby Tebesti Mountains and Ennedi Plateau, picking up speed as they funnel into a parched wasteland nearly the size of California. Once there was a massive freshwater lake here. Now the lake is a shrunken puddle of its former self. Across most of the landscape, there is nothing. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Spectacular Plumes of Dust Reach Across the World

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

We don't hear too much about natural dust, the kind that the winds loft from deserts and dry lakebeds into the air and carries for hundreds of kilometers, crossing oceans and continents, but we should. Plumes of dust connect the atmosphere, the oceans and the forests, and affect the most fundamental processes of life on our planet. Scientists believe that dust has profound and somewhat mysterious influences on atmospheric chemistry, solar heat exchange and nutrient supply to the oceans and rain forests. What those influences are, exactly, is the subject of much study and is still somewhat mysterious--the story of dust shows just how complex our natural world is, and how difficult it is to understand it. For more, see our February feature story, 'Swept From Africa to the Amazon '...

Assistant Professor in animal epigenetics and stress physiology, University of California

Society for Endocrinology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

The University of California, Davis is pleased to announce recruitment for a tenure-track faculty position in animal epigenetics and stress physiology. The successful candidate will join the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the rank of Assistant Professor. Criteria for appointment include: a PhD or equivalent; a strong interest in improving sustainable animal production by understanding how environmental, nutritional, hormonal, and behavioural stressors interact with gene expression; a record of excellence in scholarly research; and demonstrable potential to establish a competitively-funded research program relevant to animal stress in sustainable animal agriculture. The appointee will be responsible for teaching an undergraduate c...

Imbalanced Neural Responsivity to Risk and Reward Indicates Stress Vulnerability in Humans. - Admon R, Lubin G, Rosenblatt JD, Stern O, Kahn I, Assaf M, Hendler T.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:53 +0100

Trauma-related psychopathology has been associated with an intense emotional reaction to stressful event. Emotional responses have evolved to signal the presence of risks to be avoided or of rewards to be approached in the environment. Thus, individuals' s... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Rural school transportation in emerging countries: The Brazilian case - Carvalho WL, Moreira da Cruz RO, Câmara MT, Guilherme de Aragão JJ.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:53 +0100

The lack of proper policies for the rural environment, in contrast to the situation in the urban environment in Brazil, has prevented the rural population from benefiting from basic infrastructure and access to their rights as citizens. The poor school tra... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Prenatal exposure to a natural disaster increases risk for obesity in 5-year-old children. - Dancause KN, Laplante DP, Fraser S, Brunet A, Ciampi A, Schmitz N, King S.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:53 +0100

Introduction:An adverse environment in utero, including exposure to prenatal maternal stress (PNMS), can result in poor birth outcomes such as low birth weight, which increases risk of later cardiometabolic diseases such as hypertension and obesity. It is ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Disordered eating and injuries among adolescent ballet dancers. - Thomas JJ, Keel PK, Heatherton TF.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:53 +0100

BACKGROUND: Ballet dancers are at elevated risk for eating disorders, but the extent to which disordered eating attitudes and behaviors represent a relatively benign adaptation to an environment that values extreme thinness, or a functionally impairing for... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

EUROPE-DEVELOPMENT: Mapping Out the EU's Harmful Projects

IPS Inter Press Service - Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:54:48 +0100

Dozens of European Union-funded projects across several countries are ‘environmentally or socially unsound', according to a map created by a joint effort between CEE Bankwatch Network and Friends of the Earth Europe. (Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health)

Let the country, not the City, drive the UK economy | Colin Tudge

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:02:51 +0100

In one Oxfordshire village, an idea is gathering traction: that it's time for a new agricultural revolutionOxford city council has decided that we need more houses and jobs – not least in my own village of Wolvercote, to the north-west of the city. Under the coalition's neighbourhood development order (part of the localism bill) we, the yokels, the ordinary Joes, have some say in what should be done.So now we plot and ponder in the village hall – and we are witnessing what I hope will prove to be a seismic shift in public mood, in the economy, and in the balance of power. For more and more people are beginning to feel that "development" shouldn't mean more of the same – more city-bound jobs and city-sprawl. Instead what we need is an agrarian renaissance: small-scale farming, includi...

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Bill Gates backs climate scientists lobbying for large-scale geoengineering

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:18:00 +0100

Other wealthy individuals have also funded a series of reports into the future use of technologies to geoengineer the climate• What is geo-engineering?• Scientists criticise handling of geoengineering pilot projectA small group of leading climate scientists, financially supported by billionaires including Bill Gates, are lobbying governments and international bodies to back experiments into manipulating the climate on a global scale to avoid catastrophic climate change.The scientists, who advocate geoengineering methods such as spraying millions of tonnes of reflective particles of sulphur dioxide 30 miles above earth, argue that a "plan B" for climate change will be needed if the UN and politicians cannot agree to making the necessary cuts in greenhouse gases, and say the US governme...

Sunshine May Help To Prevent Allergies And Eczema

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Increased exposure to sunlight may reduce the risk of both food allergies and eczema in children, according to a new scientific study. Researchers from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health, along with several Australian institutions, have found that children living in areas with lower levels of sunlight are at greater risk of developing food allergies and the skin condition eczema, compared to those in areas with higher UV. The research team used data from a study of Australian children and analysed how rates of food allergy, eczema and asthma varied throughout the country... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

How Bacteria Come Back From The Dead

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Salmonella remains a serious cause of food poisoning in the UK and throughout the EU, in part due to its ability to thrive and quickly adapt to the different environments in which it can grow. New research involving a team of IFR scientists, funded by BBSRC, has taken the first detailed look at what Salmonella does when it enters a new environment, which could provide clues to finding new ways of reducing transmission through the food chain and preventing human illness. Bacteria can multiply rapidly, potentially doubling every 20 minutes in ideal conditions... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Toxic China: Heavy metal cadmium openly dumped into rivers by mining companies

NaturalNews.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

China is not exactly the poster child of environmental friendliness, and this was further exemplified this past week when authorities discovered that at least one mining company has been openly discharging toxic cadmium into two major rivers in the southern Guangxi region... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

Synthesis of Indium Borate and Its Application in Photodegradation of 4-Chlorophenol

Environmental Science and Technology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:13:11 +0100

Environmental Science & TechnologyDOI: 10.1021/es203333k (Source: Environmental Science and Technology)

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Genetic Epidemiology with a Capital E: Where Will We Be in Another 10 Years?

Genetic Epidemiology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In a commentary on the evolution of the field of genetic epidemiology over the past 10 years, Khoury et al. (2011) highlight several important developments, including the emergence of evaluation of genetic discoveries for their translational utility and of standards for reporting genetic findings. In this companion to their article, I reflect on some of these trends and speculate about the direction of the field in the future. In particular, I emphasize the opportunities posed by novel technologies like next‐generation sequencing and the biological insights emerging from integrative genomics, but I also question the utility of large consortia. The basic principles of population‐based research and the importance of taking account of the environment remain important to the field. (Source...

Possible alkylation of inorganic Hg(II) by photochemical processes in the environment.

Chemosphere — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Yin Y, Chen B, Mao Y, Wang T, Liu J, Cai Y, Jiang G Abstract The methylation of inorganic Hg by anaerobic bacteria in aquatic environments is considered to be the major pathway for methylmercury (MeHg) production. However, recent research has suggested that abiotic or chemical methylation by humic substances and other low-molecular-weight organic compounds in natural environments is also possible. Here, the aqueous photo-transformation of Hg(2+) to organomercurials was investigated in the presence of ketones, aldehydes and low molecular weight organic acids under UV irradiation. MeHg and/or ethylmercury (EtHg) were identified as the main organomercurial products by multiple analytical techniques, including chromatography-atomic spectrometry and molecular mass spectrometry ...

Unravelling modifiers of breast and ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: update on genetic modifiers

Journal of Internal Medicine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractPathogenic mutations in the tumour suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 confer increased risks for breast and ovarian cancer and account for approximately 15% of the excess familial risk of breast cancer among first degree relatives of breast cancer patients. There is considerable evidence indicating that these risks vary by other genetic and environmental factors clustering in families. In the past few years, based on the availability of genome‐wide association data and samples form large collaborative studies, several common alleles have been found to modify breast or ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. These common alleles explain a small proportion of the genetic variability in breast or ovarian cancer risk for mutation carriers, suggesting more modifiers r...

Glyoxylate Reductase Isoform 1 is Localized in the Cytosol and Not Peroxisomes in Plant Cells.

Journal of Integrative Plant Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ching SL, Gidda SK, Rochon A, van Cauwenberghe OR, Shelp BJ, Mullen RT Abstract Glyoxylate reductase (GLYR) is a key enzyme in plant metabolism which catalyzes the detoxification of both photorespiratory glyoxylate and succinic semialdehdye, an intermediate of the γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) pathway. Two isoforms of GLYR exist in plants, GLYR1 and GLYR2, and while GLYR2 is known to be localized in plastids, GLYR1 has been reported to be localized in either peroxisomes or the cytosol. Here, we reappraised the intracellular localization of GLYR1 in Arabidopsis thaliana L. Heynh (ecotype Lansberg erecta) using both transiently-transformed suspension cells and stably-transformed plants, in combination with fluorescence microscopy. The results indicate that GLYR1 is localized exclu...

Analysis of matched geographical areas to study potential links between environmental exposure to oil refineries and non-Hodgkin lymphoma mortality in Spain

International Journal of Health Geographics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The results suggest a possible increased risk of NHL mortality among populations residing in the vicinity of refineries; however, a potential distance trend has not been shown. Regional effects in the Canary Islands and Galicia are significantly greater than the regional average. (Source: International Journal of Health Geographics)

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Could gastrointestinal disorders differ in two close but divergent social environments?

International Journal of Health Geographics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Knowledge of the occurrence of gastrointestinal problems in populations is better understood if viewed in a context were the social environment is included. Indicators of the social environment should therefore also be considered in future studies of the occurrence of gastrointestinal problems. (Source: International Journal of Health Geographics)

Characterization of the 6-methyl isoxanthopterin (6-MI) base analog dimer, a spectroscopic probe for monitoring guanine base conformations at specific sites in nucleic acids

Nucleic Acids Research — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We here characterize local conformations of site-specifically placed pairs of guanine (G) residues in RNA and DNA, using 6-methyl isoxanthopterin (6-MI) as a conformational probe. 6-MI is a base analog of G and spectroscopic signals obtained from pairs of adjacent 6-MI residues reflect base–base interactions that are sensitive to the sequence context, local DNA conformation and solvent environment of the probe bases. CD signals show strong exciton coupling between stacked 6-MI bases in double-stranded (ds) DNA; this coupling is reduced in single-stranded (ss) DNA sequences. Solvent interactions reduce the fluorescence of the dimer probe more efficiently in ssDNA than dsDNA, while self-quenching between 6-MI bases is enhanced in dsDNA. 6-MI dimer probes closely resemble adjacent GG re...

Drug-Induced Discoloration of Teeth: An Updated Review

Clinical Pediatrics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The problem of tooth discoloration is emerging in our society because of the poor oral hygiene, physical agents, environmental chemicals, mouth rinses, some dental procedures, general systemic conditions, and drugs. Other common causes of tooth discoloration include excessive use of tea, coffee, tobacco smoking and chewing, chewing of betel morsel (piper betel, paan), and so on. Drug-induced tooth discoloration can be prevented by avoiding prescriptions of well-known offender drugs known to cause tooth discoloration during pregnancy and in young children. This review describes some important groups of drugs that cause tooth discoloration. (Source: Clinical Pediatrics)

Piloting Group Well Child Visits in Pediatric Resident Continuity Clinic

Clinical Pediatrics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Discussion. The authors’ continuity clinic had success implementing group visits, and families were recommended the visits. Group visits offer a natural environment to observe residents while exposing them to another way to deliver well child care. (Source: Clinical Pediatrics)

The Impact of Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Bullying and Peer Rejection: A Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial [Article]

Archives of Pediatrics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions The results indicated that SWPBIS has a significant effect on teachers' reports of children's involvement in bullying as victims and perpetrators. The findings were considered in light of other outcomes for students, staff, and the school environment, and they suggest that SWPBIS may help address the increasing national concerns related to school bullying by improving school climate. (Source: Archives of Pediatrics)

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Genetic and Environmental Influences on Individual Differences in Sedentary Behavior During Adolescence: A Twin-Family Study [Article]

Archives of Pediatrics — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion The shift from shared environmental factors in the etiology of sedentary behavior among younger adolescents to genetic and nonshared environmental factors among older adolescents requires age-specific tailoring of intervention programs. (Source: Archives of Pediatrics)

Convergent exaptation of leap up for escape in distantly related arboreal amniotes

Adaptive Behavior — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Tetrapods with highly different morphologies occupy ecological niches of the canopy making them ideal for testing the evolution of structures and performances under similar environmental selective pressures. We compared leap up strategies between two distantly related amniote species, Anolis carolinensis (Squamate) and Microcebus murinus (Lemuriform) known to use leaping as their major locomotor mode for predator avoidance. Our comparative analysis and model show that leaping strategies (flat jump trajectory in horizontal leaps, use of forelimbs in landing) are similar in both species. The most striking divergence concerns only the temporal joint sequence accommodation to leaping height, although an identical proximal-to-distal sequence is observed when both taxa leap to maximal height. We...

Sensory perception, neurobiology, and behavioral adaptations for predator avoidance in planktonic copepods

Adaptive Behavior — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Copepods are important grazers on microplankton in marine food webs and are, in turn, preyed upon by a wide range of predators with diverse feeding adaptations. Although copepods have evolved numerous adaptations to help them avoid predation, their escape behavior sets them apart from many other planktonic organisms. Mechanoreception is widely used by copepods to detect hydrodynamic disturbances created by approaching predators. When these disturbances are detected, copepods respond quickly with escape jumps that can accelerate them from a stationary position to speeds of over 600 body lengths per second within a few milliseconds. Myelinated nerves may improve the escape behavior of some copepods through faster conduction of nerve impulses. The differences in response latencies between mye...

Benign multiple sclerosis: a new definition of this entity is needed

Multiple Sclerosis — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Currently accepted criteria for BMS diagnosis may cause overestimation of true prevalence, underscoring the need for routine monitoring of non-motor symptoms and imaging studies, to help physicians improve diagnostic accuracy as well as therapeutic decision-making in this subgroup of MS patients. (Source: Multiple Sclerosis)

The Quality of the Childrearing Environment of Refugee or Asylum‐Seeking Children and the Best Interests of the Child: Reliability and Validity of the BIC‐Q

Behavioral Sciences and the Law — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The Best Interest of the Child Questionnaire (BIC‐Q) has been designed as an instrument for screening the quality of the rearing situation of asylum‐seeking or refugee children. It is intended to aid legal decisions in asylum procedures. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and the construct validity of the BIC‐Q. Based on a study sample of refugee or asylum‐seeking children in the Netherlands (N = 74), the psychometric quality of the BIC‐Q was investigated using Cohen's kappa for the inter‐ and intrarater reliability and a nonparametric item response model for the construct validity. The interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the BIC‐Q were good (kappa = .65 and .74 respectively). The results of the item response model revealed that the 14 pedag...

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Puzzling over schizophrenia: Schizophrenia, social environment and the brain

Nature Medicine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Heike Tost & Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg (Source: Nature Medicine)

Puzzling over schizophrenia: Schizophrenia as a pathway disease

Nature Medicine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature Medicine 18, 210 (2012). doi:10.1038/nm.2670 Author: Patrick F Sullivan Effective treatment for schizophrenia is still an unmet clinical need. Alleviating problems associated with cognitive impairment and finding the root of the disease remain priorities for clinicians and scientists. The incomplete understanding of the basis of this pathology has urged for research that will unravel the genetic origin of schizophrenia. But studies involving environmental exposure and social impact have also hinted at extrinsic factors as players in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, which may be exploited to prevent the development of the disease. In 'Bench to Bedside', Patrick Sullivan proposes a model putting forward how genetic variants may confer risk by functioning together within th...

Prenatal negative life events increases cord blood IgE: interactions with dust mite allergen and maternal atopy

Allergy — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionsPrenatal stress was independently associated with elevated cord blood IgE. Mechanisms underlying stress effects on fetal immunomodulation may differ based on maternal atopic status. (Source: Allergy)

Antimicrobial Activity of Lauric Arginate‐Coated Polylactic Acid Films against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium on Cooked Sliced Ham

Journal of Food Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This article shows how we can simply develop functional green packaging of PLA for food with effective and efficient antimicrobial activity by use of LAE coating on the surface via corona discharge.Practical Application: The effectiveness of an innovative antimicrobial LAE‐coated PLA film against foodborne pathogens was demonstrated. Importantly, the application of the LAE to form the LAE‐coated PLA film can be customized within current film manufacturing lines. (Source: Journal of Food Science)

Thermal Oxidation Studies on Reduced Folate, L‐5‐Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid (L‐5‐MTHF) and Strategies for Stabilization Using Food Matrices

Journal of Food Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstract: The thermal stability of L‐5‐methyltetrafolic acid (L‐5‐MTHF) was investigated in model/buffer systems and food systems. L‐5‐MTHF degradation followed first‐order reaction kinetics with relatively greater (P < 0.01) stability at pH 4 compared to pH 6.8 in the buffer systems. This was confirmed using cyclic voltammetry. The stability (for example, k‐values) of L‐5‐MTHF in an oxygen controlled environment improved (P < 0.001) proportionally when in the presence of increasing molar ratios of sodium ascorbate (NaAsc). The addition of NaAsc to L‐5‐MTHF after heat treatment was also effective at returning thermally oxidized L‐5‐MTHF back to its original form. A scheme was developed to explain the degradation and regeneration of L‐5‐MTHF. The imp...

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Virulence Strategies of the Dominant USA300 Lineage of Community Associated Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA‐MRSA)

FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractMethicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a serious threat to worldwide health. Historically, MRSA clones have strictly been associated with hospital settings and most hospital‐associated MRSA (HA‐MRSA) disease resulted from a limited number of virulent clones. Recently, MRSA has spread into the community causing disease in otherwise healthy people with no discernible contact with healthcare environments. These community‐associated (CA‐MRSA) are phylogenetically distinct from traditional HA‐MRSA clones and CA‐MRSA strains seem to exhibit hyper virulence and more efficient host:host transmission. Consequently, CA‐MRSA clones belonging to the USA300 lineage have become dominant sources of MRSA infections in North America. The rise of this successful USA...

Phonoemissive spin tunneling in molecular nanomagnets

Annalen der Physik — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractA new mechanism is proposed for the magnetization reversal of molecular nanomagnets such as Fe8. In this process the spin tunnels from the lowest state near one easy direction to the first excited state near the opposite easy direction, and subsequently decays to the second easy direction with the emission of a phonon, or it first emits a phonon and then tunnels to the final state. This mechanism is the simplest imaginable one that allows magnetization relaxation in the presence of a longitudinal magnetic field that is so large that the nuclear spin environment cannot absorb the energy required for energy conservation to hold. It is proposed as a way of understanding both magnetization realaxation and Landau‐Zener‐Stückelberg (LZS) experiments. The requisite Fermi golden rule ...

Domestic cats, and wild bobcats and pumas, living in same area have same diseases

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(National Science Foundation) The joint National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Program funded the study. Scientists at Colorado State University and other institutions conducted the research. It provides evidence that domestic cats and wild cats that share the same outdoor areas in urban environments also can share diseases such as Bartonellosis and Toxoplasmosis. Both can be spread from cats to people. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

New methodology assesses risk of scarce metals

EurekAlert! - Biology — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Yale University) Yale researchers have developed a methodology for governments and corporations to determine the availability of critical metals, according to a paper in Environmental Science & Technology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Biology)