Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting the respiratory toxicity of volcanic ash in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomašek, Ines; Horwell, Claire J.; Damby, David E.; Ayris, Paul M.; Barošová, Hana; Geers, Christoph; Petri-Fink, Alke; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Clift, Martin J. D.

2016-04-01

Human exposure to inhalable volcanic ash particles following an eruption is a health concern, as respirable-sized particles can potentially contribute towards adverse respiratory health effects, such as the onset or exacerbation of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Although there is substantial information on the mineralogical properties of volcanic ash that may influence its biological reactivity, knowledge as to how external factors, such as air pollution, contribute to and augment the potential reactivity is limited. To determine the respiratory effects of volcanic particle interactions with anthropogenic pollution and volcanic gases we will experimentally assess: (i) physicochemical characteristics of volcanic ash relevant to respiratory toxicity; (ii) the effects of simultaneously inhaling anthropogenic pollution (i.e. diesel exhaust particles (DEP)) and volcanic ash (of different origins); (iii) alteration of volcanic ash toxicity following interaction with volcanic gases. In order to gain a first understanding of the biological impact of the respirable fraction of volcanic ash when inhaled with DEP in vitro, we used a sophisticated 3D triple cell co-culture model of the human alveolar epithelial tissue barrier. The multi-cellular system was exposed to DEP [0.02 mg/mL] and then exposed to either a single or repeated dose of well-characterised respirable volcanic ash (0.26 ± 0.09 or 0.89 ± 0.29 μg/cm2, respectively) from the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat for a period of 24 hours using a pseudo-air liquid interface approach. Cultures were subsequently assessed for adverse biological endpoints including cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and (pro)-inflammatory responses. Results indicated that the combination of DEP and respirable volcanic ash at sub-lethal concentrations incited a significant release of pro-inflammatory markers that was greater than the response for either DEP or volcanic ash, independently. Further work is planned, to determine if

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Hhh of... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., Subpt. HHH, Table 2 Table 2 to Subpart HHH of Part 62—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.5 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p...

40 CFR Table 2 to Subpart Ttttt of... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., Subpt. TTTTT, Table 2 Table 2 to Subpart TTTTT of Part 63—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p...

The Effects of Temperature and Hydrostatic Pressure on Metal Toxicity: Insights into Toxicity in the Deep Sea.

PubMed

Brown, Alastair; Thatje, Sven; Hauton, Chris

2017-09-05

Mineral prospecting in the deep sea is increasing, promoting concern regarding potential ecotoxicological impacts on deep-sea fauna. Technological difficulties in assessing toxicity in deep-sea species has promoted interest in developing shallow-water ecotoxicological proxy species. However, it is unclear how the low temperature and high hydrostatic pressure prevalent in the deep sea affect toxicity, and whether adaptation to deep-sea environmental conditions moderates any effects of these factors. To address these uncertainties we assessed the effects of temperature and hydrostatic pressure on lethal and sublethal (respiration rate, antioxidant enzyme activity) toxicity in acute (96 h) copper and cadmium exposures, using the shallow-water ecophysiological model organism Palaemon varians. Low temperature reduced toxicity in both metals, but reduced cadmium toxicity significantly more. In contrast, elevated hydrostatic pressure increased copper toxicity, but did not affect cadmium toxicity. The synergistic interaction between copper and cadmium was not affected by low temperature, but high hydrostatic pressure significantly enhanced the synergism. Differential environmental effects on toxicity suggest different mechanisms of action for copper and cadmium, and highlight that mechanistic understanding of toxicity is fundamental to predicting environmental effects on toxicity. Although results infer that sensitivity to toxicants differs across biogeographic ranges, shallow-water species may be suitable ecotoxicological proxies for deep-sea species, dependent on adaptation to habitats with similar environmental variability.

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart Cccc of... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Table 3 to Subpart CCCC of Part 60—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.5 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,6...

40 CFR Table 2 of Subpart Ec to... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Ec to Part 60—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.5 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo...

Flow Line, Durafill VS, and Dycal toxicity to dental pulp cells: effects of growth factors

PubMed Central

Furey, Alyssa; Hjelmhaug, Julie; Lobner, Doug

2010-01-01

Introduction The objective was to determine the effects of growth factor treatment on dental pulp cell sensitivity to toxicity of two composite restoration materials, Flow Line and Durafill VS, and a calcium hydroxide pulp capping material, Dycal. Methods Toxicity of the dental materials to cultures of primary dental pulp cells was determined by the MTT metabolism assay. The ability of six different growth factors to influence the toxicity was tested. Results A 24 hour exposure to either Flow Line or Durafill VS caused approximately 40% cell death, while Dycal exposure caused approximately 80% cell death. The toxicity of Flow Line and Durafill VS was mediated by oxidative stress. Four of the growth factors tested (BMP-2, BMP-7, EGF, and TGF-β) decreased the basal MTT values while making the cells resistant to Flow Line and Durafill VS toxicity, except BMP-2 which made the cells more sensitive to Flow Line. Treatment with FGF-2 caused no change in basal MTT metabolism, prevented the toxicity of Durafill VS, but increased the toxicity of Flow Line. Treatment with IGF-I increased basal MTT metabolism and made the cells resistant to Flow Line and Durafill VS toxicity. None of the growth factors made the cells resistant to Dycal toxicity. Conclusions The results indicate that growth factors can be used to alter the sensitivity of dental pulp cells to commonly used restoration materials. The growth factors BMP-7, EGF, TGF-β, and IGF-I provided the best profile of effects, making the cells resistant to both Flow Line and Durafill VS toxicity. PMID:20630288

Age factors potentiating drug toxicity in the reproductive axis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walker, R.F.

Traditionally, the drug toxicity in the reproductive system has been a concern only as it affects fertility and fecundity in young individuals. The purpose of this report is to address the potential problem of synergy between drug actions and abnormal secretion of reproductive hormones that together produce disease in older individuals. Thus, reproductive toxicity has different, but no less serious implications in aging individuals. During aging, the coordinated function of elements within the reproductive neuroendocrine axis degrades. This change promotes atypical secretion of hormones producing abnormal responses in target organs and thus creates a condition with pathogenic potential. Certain drugsmore » may contribute to reproductive toxicity in aging individuals either by accelerating the process of dysregulation and/or by synergizing with hormones to stimulate pathologic changes in target tissues. The geriatric population or the world is increasing, and since it consumes a proportionately larger percentage of drugs than younger groups, this novel form of reproductive toxicity may represent a problem in drug safety that warrants serious consideration.« less

Evaluation of factors that affect diesel exhaust toxicity. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Norbeck, J.M.; Smith, M.R.; Arey, J.

1998-07-01

The scope of this project was to obtain a preliminary assessment of the potential impact of the fuel formulation on the speciation and toxic components of diesel exhaust. The test bed was a Cummins L10 engine operating over the heavy-duty transient test cycle using three diesel fuels: a pre-1993 diesel fuel, a low aromatic diesel fuel, and an alternative formulation diesel fuel. The sampling/analysis plan included: determination of the criteria pollutant emission rates (THC, CO, NOx, and PM); determination of PM(10) and PM(2.5) emission rates; collection and analysis of particulate samples for elemental, inorganic ion and elemental/organic carbon analyses; collectionmore » of bas samples for VOC speciation analyses; collection of 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) cartridges for determination of oxygenates; collection of nitrosomorpholine with Thermosorb N cartridges; collection of semi-volatiles on PF/XAD and particulate samples for PAH, nitro-PAH, and mutagenicity studies; and collection and analysis of dioxins for the pre-1993 and alternative formulation diesel fuels.« less

Interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors--a meta-analysis and case studies.

PubMed

Laskowski, Ryszard; Bednarska, Agnieszka J; Kramarz, Paulina E; Loureiro, Susana; Scheil, Volker; Kudłek, Joanna; Holmstrup, Martin

2010-08-15

The paper addresses problems arising from effects of natural environmental factors on toxicity of pollutants to organisms. Most studies on interactions between toxicants and natural factors, including those completed in the EU project NoMiracle (Novel Methods for Integrated Risk Assessment of Cumulative Stressors in Europe) described herein, showed that effects of toxic chemicals on organisms can differ vastly depending purely on external conditions. We compiled data from 61 studies on effects of temperature, moisture and dissolved oxygen on toxicity of a range of chemicals representing pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, plant protection products of bacterial origin and trace metals. In 62.3% cases significant interactions (p< or =0.05 or less) between natural factors and chemicals were found, reaching 100% for the effect of dissolved oxygen on toxicity of waterborne chemicals. The meta-analysis of the 61 studies showed that the null hypothesis assuming no interactions between toxic chemicals and natural environmental factors should be rejected at p=2.7 x 10(-82) (truncated product method probability). In a few cases of more complex experimental designs, also second-order interactions were found, indicating that natural factors can modify interactions among chemicals. Such data emphasize the necessity of including information on natural factors and their variation in time and across geographic regions in ecological risk assessment. This can be done only if appropriate ecotoxicological test designs are used, in which test organisms are exposed to toxicants at a range of environmental conditions. We advocate designing such tests for the second-tier ecological risk assessment procedures. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for performing systematic reviews in the development of toxicity factors.

PubMed

Schaefer, Heather R; Myers, Jessica L

2017-12-01

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) developed guidance on conducting systematic reviews during the development of chemical-specific toxicity factors. Using elements from publicly available frameworks, the TCEQ systematic review process was developed in order to supplement the existing TCEQ Guidelines for developing toxicity factors (TCEQ Regulatory Guidance 442). The TCEQ systematic review process includes six steps: 1) Problem Formulation; 2) Systematic Literature Review and Study Selection; 3) Data Extraction; 4) Study Quality and Risk of Bias Assessment; 5) Evidence Integration and Endpoint Determination; and 6) Confidence Rating. This document provides guidance on conducting a systematic literature review and integrating evidence from different data streams when developing chemical-specific reference values (ReVs) and unit risk factors (URFs). However, this process can also be modified or expanded to address other questions that would benefit from systematic review practices. The systematic review and evidence integration framework can improve regulatory decision-making processes, increase transparency, minimize bias, improve consistency between different risk assessments, and further improve confidence in toxicity factor development. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emission factors of air toxics from semiconductor manufacturing in Korea.

PubMed

Eom, Yun-Sung; Hong, Ji-Hyung; Lee, Suk-Jo; Lee, Eun-Jung; Cha, Jun-Seok; Lee, Dae-Gyun; Bang, Sun-Ae

2006-11-01

The development of local, accurate emission factors is very important for the estimation of reliable national emissions and air quality management. For that, this study is performed for pollutants released to the atmosphere with source-specific emission tests from the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The semiconductor manufacturing industry is one of the major sources of air toxics or hazardous air pollutants (HAPs); thus, understanding the emission characteristics of the emission source is a very important factor in the development of a control strategy. However, in Korea, there is a general lack of information available on air emissions from the semiconductor industry. The major emission sources of air toxics examined from the semiconductor manufacturing industry were wet chemical stations, coating applications, gaseous operations, photolithography, and miscellaneous devices in the wafer fabrication and semiconductor packaging processes. In this study, analyses of emission characteristics, and the estimations of emission data and factors for air toxics, such as acids, bases, heavy metals, and volatile organic compounds from the semiconductor manufacturing process have been performed. The concentration of hydrogen chloride from the packaging process was the highest among all of the processes. In addition, the emission factor of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) for the packaging process was higher than that of the wafer fabrication process. Emission factors estimated in this study were compared with those of Taiwan for evaluation, and they were found to be of similar level in the case of TVOCs and fluorine compounds.

Factors affecting sign retroreflectivity

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

Severe Pulmonary Toxicity After Myeloablative Conditioning Using Total Body Irradiation: An Assessment of Risk Factors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelsey, Chris R., E-mail: kelse003@mc.duke.edu; Horwitz, Mitchell E.; Chino, Junzo P.

2011-11-01

Purpose: To assess factors associated with severe pulmonary toxicity after myeloablative conditioning using total body irradiation (TBI) followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Methods and Materials: A total of 101 adult patients who underwent TBI-based myeloablative conditioning for hematologic malignancies at Duke University between 1998 and 2008 were reviewed. TBI was combined with high-dose cyclophosphamide, melphalan, fludarabine, or etoposide, depending on the underlying disease. Acute pulmonary toxicity, occurring within 90 days of transplantation, was scored using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. Actuarial overall survival and the cumulative incidence of acute pulmonary toxicity were calculated via the Kaplan-Meiermore » method and compared using a log-rank test. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors independently associated with acute severe pulmonary toxicity. Results: The 90-day actuarial risk of developing severe (Grade 3-5) pulmonary toxicity was 33%. Actuarial survival at 90 days was 49% in patients with severe pulmonary toxicity vs. 94% in patients without (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, the number of prior chemotherapy regimens was the only factor independently associated with development of severe pulmonary toxicity (odds ratio, 2.7 per regimen). Conclusions: Severe acute pulmonary toxicity is prevalent after TBI-based myeloablative conditioning regimens, occurring in approximately 33% of patients. The number of prior chemotherapy regimens appears to be an important risk factor.« less

Metal toxicity differently affects the Iris pseudacorus-arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi symbiosis in terrestrial and semi-aquatic habitats.

PubMed

Wężowicz, K; Turnau, K; Anielska, T; Zhebrak, I; Gołuszka, K; Błaszkowski, J; Rozpądek, P

2015-12-01

Phytoremediation offers an environmental friendly alternative to conventional cleanup techniques. In this study, mycorrhizal fungi isolated from the roots of Mentha longifolia grown in the basin of the Centuria River (S Poland) were used. Iris pseudacorus was grown in substratum from an industrial waste, enriched in Pb, Fe, Zn, and Cd in a terrestrial and water-logged habitat. Plant yield and photosynthetic performance was the highest in the aquatic environment; however, the presence of toxic metals (TM) negatively affected photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry as shown by the JIP test. Fungi colonization and Cd accumulation within plant tissues was decreased. In the terrestrial habitat, neither arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) nor metal toxicity affected plant growth, although metal uptake, Cd in particular, as well as photosynthesis were affected. Inoculated plants accumulated significantly more Cd, and photosynthesis was downregulated. The results presented in this study clearly indicate that the I. pseudacorus-AMF symbiosis adapts itself to the presence of toxic metals in the environment, optimizing resource supply, energy fluxes, and possibly stress tolerance mechanisms. Plant/AMF consortia grown in terrestrial and water-logged habitats utilize different strategies to cope with metal toxicity. The use of AMF in improving the phytoremediation potential of I. pseudacorus needs, however, further research.

Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor skin toxicity: a matter of topical hydration.

PubMed

Ferrari, Daris; Codecà, Carla; Bocci, Barbara; Crepaldi, Francesca; Violati, Martina; Viale, Giulia; Careri, Carmela; Caldiera, Sarah; Bordin, Veronica; Luciani, Andrea; Zonato, Sabrina; Cassinelli, Gabriela; Foa, Paolo

2016-02-01

Skin toxicity is a frequent complication of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy, which can be an obstacle in maintaining the dose intensity and may negatively impact on the clinical outcome of cancer patients. Skin lesions depend on the disruption of the keratinocyte development pathways and no treatment is clearly effective in resolving the cutaneous alterations frequently found during anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. Among systemic treatments, oral tetracycline proved to be useful in preventing skin manifestations. We describe the case of a patient affected by metastatic colorectal cancer, for whom a combination of chemotherapy and cetuximab was used as second-line treatment. The patient developed a symptomatic papulopustular skin rash that disappeared completely after a twice-daily application of a hydrating and moisturizing cream, mainly consisting of a mixture of paraffin, silicone compounds, and macrogol. The marked cutaneous amelioration allowed the patient to continue cetuximab without any further symptoms and was associated with a partial radiological response.

Using ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry and toxicity identification techniques to characterize the toxicity of oil sands process-affected water: The case for classical naphthenic acids.

PubMed

Hughes, Sarah A; Mahaffey, Ashley; Shore, Bryon; Baker, Josh; Kilgour, Bruce; Brown, Christine; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V; Bailey, Howard C

2017-11-01

Previous assessments of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) toxicity were hampered by lack of high-resolution analytical analysis, use of nonstandard toxicity methods, and variability between OSPW samples. We integrated ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry with a toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) approach to quantitatively identify the primary cause of acute toxicity of OSPW to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The initial characterization of OSPW toxicity indicated that toxicity was associated with nonpolar organic compounds, and toxicant(s) were further isolated within a range of discrete methanol fractions that were then subjected to Orbitrap mass spectrometry to evaluate the contribution of naphthenic acid fraction compounds to toxicity. The results showed that toxicity was attributable to classical naphthenic acids, with the potency of individual compounds increasing as a function of carbon number. Notably, the mass of classical naphthenic acids present in OSPW was dominated by carbon numbers ≤16; however, toxicity was largely a function of classical naphthenic acids with ≥17 carbons. Additional experiments found that acute toxicity of the organic fraction was similar when tested at conductivities of 400 and 1800 μmhos/cm and that rainbow trout fry were more sensitive to the organic fraction than larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Collectively, the results will aid in developing treatment goals and targets for removal of OSPW toxicity in water return scenarios both during operations and on mine closure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3148-3157. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Development of an acceptable factor to estimate chronic end points from acute toxicity data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Venman, B.C.; Flaga, C.

1985-12-01

Acceptable daily intake (ADI) values are routinely developed for threshold toxicants from NOAELs determined from human or animal chronic or subchronic data. These NOAELs are then divided by appropriate uncertainty factors ranging from 10 to 1000 depending on the quality of the data. However, for the vast majority of chemicals used industrially, adequate toxicity data needed to use this process are not available. Thus, a procedure to estimate a chronic toxicity endpoint from acute toxicity data, such as an oral rat LD50, becomes necessary. An acute-to-chronic application factor of 0.0001 was developed, which when multiplied by an oral LD50 formore » an individual chemical, yields a surrogate chronic NOAEL. This figure can then be used to estimate an acceptable daily exposure for humans. The process used to estimate this application factor is detailed.« less

Does water chemistry affect the dietary uptake and toxicity of silver nanoparticles by the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis?

USGS Publications Warehouse

López-Serrano Oliver, Ana; Croteau, Marie-Noële; Stoiber, Tasha L.; Tejamaya, Mila; Römer, Isabella; Lead, Jamie R.; Luoma, Samuel N.

2014-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in many applications and likely released into the aquatic environment. There is increasing evidence that Ag is efficiently delivered to aquatic organisms from AgNPs after aqueous and dietary exposures. Accumulation of AgNPs through the diet can damage digestion and adversely affect growth. It is well recognized that aspects of water quality, such as hardness, affect the bioavailability and toxicity of waterborne Ag. However, the influence of water chemistry on the bioavailability and toxicity of dietborne AgNPs to aquatic invertebrates is largely unknown. Here we characterize for the first time the effects of water hardness and humic acids on the bioaccumulation and toxicity of AgNPs coated with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) to the freshwater snail Lymnaea stagnalis after dietary exposures. Our results indicate that bioaccumulation and toxicity of Ag from PVP-AgNPs ingested with food are not affected by water hardness and by humic acids, although both could affect interactions with the biological membrane and trigger nanoparticle transformations. Snails efficiently assimilated Ag from the PVP-AgNPs mixed with diatoms (Ag assimilation efficiencies ranged from 82 to 93%). Rate constants of Ag uptake from food were similar across the entire range of water hardness and humic acid concentrations. These results suggest that correcting regulations for water quality could be irrelevant and ineffective where dietary exposure is important.

40 CFR Table 4 to Subpart Dddd of... - Model Rule-Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Rule—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxic equivalency factor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 1 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.5 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,7,8,9-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin 0.1 1,2,3,6,7,8-hexachlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin...

Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

2018-04-01

The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

Elucidating mechanisms of toxic action of dissolved organic chemicals in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW).

PubMed

Morandi, Garrett D; Wiseman, Steve B; Guan, Miao; Zhang, Xiaowei W; Martin, Jonathan W; Giesy, John P

2017-11-01

Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is generated during extraction of bitumen in the surface-mining oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada, and is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic organisms. It is known that dissolved organic compounds in OSPW are responsible for most toxic effects, but knowledge of the specific mechanism(s) of toxicity, is limited. Using bioassay-based effects-directed analysis, the dissolved organic fraction of OSPW has previously been fractionated, ultimately producing refined samples of dissolved organic chemicals in OSPW, each with distinct chemical profiles. Using the Escherichia coli K-12 strain MG1655 gene reporter live cell array, the present study investigated relationships between toxic potencies of each fraction, expression of genes and characterization of chemicals in each of five acutely toxic and one non-toxic extract of OSPW derived by use of effects-directed analysis. Effects on expressions of genes related to response to oxidative stress, protein stress and DNA damage were indicative of exposure to acutely toxic extracts of OSPW. Additionally, six genes were uniquely responsive to acutely toxic extracts of OSPW. Evidence presented supports a role for sulphur- and nitrogen-containing chemical classes in the toxicity of extracts of OSPW. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EMISSION FACTORS FOR IRON AND STEEL SOURCES: CRITERIA AND TOXIC POLLUTANTS

EPA Science Inventory

The report provides a comprehensive set of emission factors for sources of both criteria and toxic air pollutants in integrated iron and steel plants and specialty electric arc shops (minimills). Emission factors are identified for process sources, and process and open source fug...

Factors Affecting Medical Service Quality.

PubMed

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2014-02-01

A better understanding of factors influencing quality of medical service can pinpoint better strategies for quality assurance in medical services. This study aimed to identify factors affecting the quality of medical services provided by Iranian physicians. Exploratory in-depth individual interviews were conducted with sixty-four physicians working in various medical institutions in Iran. Individual, organizational and environmental factors enhance or inhibit the quality of medical services. Quality of medical services depends on the personal factors of the physician and patient, and factors pertaining to the healthcare setting and the broader environment. Differences in internal and external factors such as availability of resources, patient cooperation and collaboration among providers affect the quality of medical services and patient outcomes. Supportive leadership, proper planning, education and training and effective management of resources and processes improve the quality of medical services. This article contributes to healthcare theory and practice by developing a conceptual framework for understanding factors that influence medical services quality.

Characterization of the dinophysistoxin-2 acute oral toxicity in mice to define the Toxicity Equivalency Factor.

PubMed

Abal, Paula; Louzao, M Carmen; Cifuentes, José Manuel; Vilariño, Natalia; Rodriguez, Ines; Alfonso, Amparo; Vieytes, Mercedes R; Botana, Luis M

2017-04-01

Ingestion of shellfish with dinophysistoxin-2 (DTX2) can lead to diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP). The official control method of DSP toxins in seafood is the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (LC-MS). However in order to calculate the total toxicity of shellfish, the concentration of each compound must be multiplied by individual Toxicity Equivalency Factor (TEF). Considering that TEFs caused some controversy and the scarce information about DTX2 toxicity, the aim of this study was to characterize the oral toxicity of DTX2 in mice. A 4-Level Up and Down Procedure allowed the characterization of DTX2 effects and the estimation of DTX2 oral TEF based on determination of the lethal dose 50 (LD50). DTX2 passed the gastrointestinal barrier and was detected in urine and feces. Acute toxicity symptoms include diarrhea and motionless, however anatomopathology study and ultrastructural images restricted the toxin effects to the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless enterocytes microvilli and tight junctions were not altered, disconnecting DTX2 diarrheic effects from paracellular epithelial permeability. This is the first report of DTX2 oral LD 50 (2262 μg/kg BW) indicating that its TEF is about 0.4. This result suggests reevaluation of the present TEFs for the DSP toxins to better determine the actual risk to seafood consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxic Diatom Aldehydes Affect Defence Gene Networks in Sea Urchins

PubMed Central

Varrella, Stefano; Ruocco, Nadia; Ianora, Adrianna; Bentley, Matt G.; Costantini, Maria

2016-01-01

Marine organisms possess a series of cellular strategies to counteract the negative effects of toxic compounds, including the massive reorganization of gene expression networks. Here we report the modulated dose-dependent response of activated genes by diatom polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. PUAs are secondary metabolites deriving from the oxidation of fatty acids, inducing deleterious effects on the reproduction and development of planktonic and benthic organisms that feed on these unicellular algae and with anti-cancer activity. Our previous results showed that PUAs target several genes, implicated in different functional processes in this sea urchin. Using interactomic Ingenuity Pathway Analysis we now show that the genes targeted by PUAs are correlated with four HUB genes, NF-κB, p53, δ-2-catenin and HIF1A, which have not been previously reported for P. lividus. We propose a working model describing hypothetical pathways potentially involved in toxic aldehyde stress response in sea urchins. This represents the first report on gene networks affected by PUAs, opening new perspectives in understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the response of benthic organisms to diatom exposure. PMID:26914213

40 CFR Table 3 to Subpart X of... - Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Subpart X of Part 63 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS... Standards For Hazardous Air Pollutants From Secondary Lead Smelting Pt. 63, Subpt. X, Table 3 Table 3 to Subpart X of Part 63—Toxic Equivalency Factors Dioxin/furan congener Toxicequivalency factor 2,3,7,8...

The Importance of Patient-Specific Factors for Hepatic Drug Response and Toxicity

PubMed Central

Lauschke, Volker M.; Ingelman-Sundberg, Magnus

2016-01-01

Responses to drugs and pharmacological treatments differ considerably between individuals. Importantly, only 50%–75% of patients have been shown to react adequately to pharmacological interventions, whereas the others experience either a lack of efficacy or suffer from adverse events. The liver is of central importance in the metabolism of most drugs. Because of this exposed status, hepatotoxicity is amongst the most common adverse drug reactions and hepatic liabilities are the most prevalent reason for the termination of development programs of novel drug candidates. In recent years, more and more factors were unveiled that shape hepatic drug responses and thus underlie the observed inter-individual variability. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of different principle mechanisms of drug hepatotoxicity and illustrate how patient-specific factors, such as genetic, physiological and environmental factors, can shape drug responses. Furthermore, we highlight other parameters, such as concomitantly prescribed medications or liver diseases and how they modulate drug toxicity, pharmacokinetics and dynamics. Finally, we discuss recent progress in the field of in vitro toxicity models and evaluate their utility in reflecting patient-specific factors to study inter-individual differences in drug response and toxicity, as this understanding is necessary to pave the way for a patient-adjusted medicine. PMID:27754327

[Identification of new genes that affect [PSI^(+)] prion toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast].

PubMed

Matveenko, A G; Belousov, M V; Bondarev, S A; Moskalenko, S E; Zhouravleva, G A

2016-01-01

Translation termination is an important step in gene expression. Its correct processing is governed by eRF1 (Sup45) and eRF3 (Sup35) proteins. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mutations in the corresponding genes, as well as Sup35 aggregation in [PSI^(+)] cells that propagate the prion form of Sup35 lead to inaccurate stop codon recognition and, consequently, nonsense suppression. The presence of stronger prion variants results in the more efficient suppression of nonsense mutations. Previously, we proposed a synthetic lethality test that enables the identification of genes that may influence either translation termination factors or [PSI^(+)] manifestation. This is based on the fact that the combination of sup45 mutations with the strong [PSI^(+)] prion variant in diploids is lethal. In this work, a set of genes that were previously shown to enhance nonsense suppression was analyzed. It was found that ABF1, FKH2, and REB1 overexpression decreased the growth of strains in a prion-dependent manner and, thus, might influence [PSI^(+)] prion toxicity. It was also shown that the synthetic lethality of [PSI^(+)] and sup45 mutations increased with the overexpression of GLN3 and MOT3 that encode Q/N-rich transcription factors. An analysis of the effects of their expression on the transcription of the release factors genes revealed an increase in SUP35 transcription in both cases. Since SUP35 overexpression is known to be toxic in [PSI^(+)] strains, these genes apparently enhance [PSI^(+)] toxicity via the regulation of SUP35 transcription.

Evaluation of the Possible Sources and Controlling Factors of Toxic Metals/Metalloids in the Florida Everglades and Their Potential Risk of Exposure.

PubMed

Li, Yanbin; Duan, Zhiwei; Liu, Guangliang; Kalla, Peter; Scheidt, Daniel; Cai, Yong

2015-08-18

The Florida Everglades is an environmentally sensitive wetland ecosystem with a number of threatened and endangered fauna species susceptible to the deterioration of water quality. Several potential toxic metal sources exist in the Everglades, including farming, atmospheric deposition, and human activities in urban areas, causing concerns of potential metal exposure risks. However, little is known about the pollution status of toxic metals/metalloids of potential concern, except for Hg. In this study, eight toxic metals/metalloids (Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Hg) in Everglades soils were investigated in both dry and wet seasons. Pb, Cr, As, Cu, Cd, and Ni were identified to be above Florida SQGs (sediment quality guidelines) at a number of sampling sites, particularly Pb, which had a level of potential risk to organisms similar to that of Hg. In addition, a method was developed for quantitative source identification and controlling factor elucidation of toxic metals/metalloids by introducing an index, enrichment factor (EF), in the conventional multiple regression analysis. EFs represent the effects of anthropogenic sources on metals/metalloids in soils. Multiple regression analysis showed that Cr and Ni were mainly controlled by anthropogenic loading, whereas soil characteristics, in particular natural organic matter (NOM), played a more important role for Hg, As, Cd, and Zn. NOM may control the distribution of these toxic metals/metalloids by affecting their mobility in soils. For Cu and Pb, the effects of EFs and environmental factors are comparable, suggesting combined effects of loading and soil characteristics. This study is the first comprehensive research with a vast amount of sampling sites on the distribution and potential risks of toxic metals/metalloids in the Everglades. The finding suggests that in addition to Hg other metals/metalloids could also potentially be an environmental problem in this wetland ecosystem.

Toxic volatile organic compounds in environmental tobacco smoke: Emission factors for modeling exposures of California populations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Hodgson, A.T.

The primary objective of this study was to measure emission factors for selected toxic air contaminants in environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) using a room-sized environmental chamber. The emissions of 23 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including, 1,3-butadiene, three aldehydes and two vapor-phase N-nitrosamines were determined for six commercial brands of cigarettes and reference cigarette 1R4F. The commercial brands were selected to represent 62.5% of the cigarettes smoked in California. For each brand, three cigarettes were machine smoked in the chamber. The experiments were conducted over four hours to investigate the effects of aging. Emission factors of the target compounds were alsomore » determined for sidestream smoke (SS). For almost all target compounds, the ETS emission factors were significantly higher than the corresponding SS values probably due to less favorable combustion conditions and wall losses in the SS apparatus. Where valid comparisons could be made, the ETS emission factors were generally in good agreement with the literature. Therefore, the ETS emission factors, rather than the SS values, are recommended for use in models to estimate population exposures from this source. The variabilities in the emission factors ({mu}g/cigarette) of the selected toxic air contaminants among brands, expressed as coefficients of variation, were 16 to 29%. Therefore, emissions among brands were Generally similar. Differences among brands were related to the smoked lengths of the cigarettes and the masses of consumed tobacco. Mentholation and whether a cigarette was classified as light or regular did not significantly affect emissions. Aging was determined not to be a significant factor for the target compounds. There were, however, deposition losses of the less volatile compounds to chamber surfaces.« less

Toxic Volatile Organic Compounds in Environmental Tobacco Smoke:Emission Factors for Modeling Exposures of California Populations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daisey, J.M.; Mahanama, K.R.R.; Hodgson, A.T.

The primary objective of this study was to measure emission factors for selected toxic air in environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) using a room-sized environmental chamber. The emissions of 23 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 1,3-butadiene, three aldehydes and two vapor-phase N-nitrosarnines were determined for six commercial brands of cigarettes and reference cigarette 1R4F. The commercial brands were selected to represent 62.5% of the cigarettes smoked in California. For each brand, three cigarettes were machine smoked in the chamber. The experiments were conducted over four hours to investigate the effects of aging. Emission factors of the target compounds were also determinedmore » for sidestream smoke (SS). For almost all target compounds, the ETS emission factors were significantly higher than the corresponding SS values probably due to less favorable combustion conditions and wall losses in the SS apparatus. Where valid comparisons could be made, the ETS emission factors were generally in good agreement with the literature. Therefore, the ETS emission factors, rather than the SS values, are recommended for use in models to estimate population exposures from this source. The variabilities in the emission factors (pgkigarette) of the selected toxic air contaminants among brands, expressed as coefficients of variation, were 16 to 29%. Therefore, emissions among brands were generally similar. Differences among brands were related to the smoked lengths of the cigarettes and the masses of consumed tobacco. Mentholation and whether a cigarette was classified as light or regular did not significantly affect emissions. Aging was determined not to be a significant factor for the target compounds. There were, however, deposition losses of the less volatile compounds to chamber surfaces.« less

[Investigation of potential toxic factors for fleece-flower root： from perspective of processing methods evolution].

PubMed

Cui, He-Rong; Bai, Zhao-Fang; Song, Hai-Bo; Jia, Tian-Zhu; Wang, Jia-Bo; Xiao, Xiao-He

2016-01-01

In recent years, the rapid growth of reports on fleece-flower root-caused liver damages has drawn wide attention of both at home and abroad, however, there were rare literature on toxicology of fleece-flower root in ancient Chinese medicine. But why there are so many reports on toxicology of fleece-flower root now compared with the ancient literature? As a typical tonic medicine, the clinical utility of fleece-flower root was largely limited by its standardization and reliability of processing methods in ancient Chinese medicine. The ancient processing methods of fleece-flower root emphasized nine times of steaming and nine times of drying, while the modern processes have been simplified into one time of steaming. Whether the differences between ancient and modern processing methods are the potential cause of the increased events of fleece-flower root-caused liver damages. We will make deep analysis and provide new clues and perspectives for the research on its toxicity. This article, therefore, would discuss the affecting factors and key problems in toxicity attenuation of fleece-flower root on the basis of sorting out the processing methods of fleece-flower root in ancient medical books and modern standards, in order to provide the reference for establishing specification for toxicity attenuation of fleece-flower root. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Comparative chronic toxicity of imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam to Chironomus dilutus and estimation of toxic equivalency factors.

PubMed

Cavallaro, Michael C; Morrissey, Christy A; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Liber, Karsten

2017-02-01

Nontarget aquatic insects are susceptible to chronic neonicotinoid insecticide exposure during the early stages of development from repeated runoff events and prolonged persistence of these chemicals. Investigations on the chronic toxicity of neonicotinoids to aquatic invertebrates have been limited to a few species and under different laboratory conditions that often preclude direct comparisons of the relative toxicity of different compounds. In the present study, full life-cycle toxicity tests using Chironomus dilutus were performed to compare the toxicity of 3 commonly used neonicotinoids: imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam. Test conditions followed a static-renewal exposure protocol in which lethal and sublethal endpoints were assessed on days 14 and 40. Reduced emergence success, advanced emergence timing, and male-biased sex ratios were sensitive responses to low-level neonicotinoid exposure. The 14-d median lethal concentrations for imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam were 1.52 μg/L, 2.41 μg/L, and 23.60 μg/L, respectively. The 40-d median effect concentrations (emergence) for imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam were 0.39 μg/L, 0.28 μg/L, and 4.13 μg/L, respectively. Toxic equivalence relative to imidacloprid was estimated through a 3-point response average of equivalencies calculated at 20%, 50%, and 90% lethal and effect concentrations. Relative to imidacloprid (toxic equivalency factor [TEF] = 1.0), chronic (lethality) 14-d TEFs for clothianidin and thiamethoxam were 1.05 and 0.14, respectively, and chronic (emergence inhibition) 40-d TEFs were 1.62 and 0.11, respectively. These population-relevant endpoints and TEFs suggest that imidacloprid and clothianidin exert comparable chronic toxicity to C. dilutus, whereas thiamethoxam induced comparable effects only at concentrations an order of magnitude higher. However, the authors caution that under field conditions, thiamethoxam readily degrades to

Factors Affecting Tocopherol Concentrations in Soybean Seeds.

PubMed

Carrera, Constanza S; Seguin, Philippe

2016-12-21

Soybean seeds contain several health-beneficial compounds, including tocopherols, which are used by the nutraceutical and functional food industries. Soybean tocopherol concentrations are, however, highly variable. Large differences observed in tocopherol concentrations among soybean genotypes together with the relatively simple biosynthetic pathway involving few genes support the feasibility of selecting for high-tocopherol soybean. Tocopherol concentrations are also highly influenced by environmental factors and field management. Temperature during seed filling and soil moisture appear to be the main factors affecting tocopherol concentrations; other factors such as soil fertility and solar radiation also affect concentrations and composition. Field management decisions including seeding date, row spacing, irrigation, and fertilization also affect tocopherols. Knowledge of factors affecting soybean tocopherols is essential to develop management strategies that will lead to the production of seeds with consistent target concentrations that will meet the needs of the nutraceutical and functional food industries.

Suppression of polyglutamine toxicity by a Drosophila homolog of myeloid leukemia factor 1.

PubMed

Kazemi-Esfarjani, Parsa; Benzer, Seymour

2002-10-01

The toxicity of an abnormally long polyglutamine [poly(Q)] tract within specific proteins is the molecular lesion shared by Huntington's disease (HD) and several other hereditary neurodegenerative disorders. By a genetic screen in Drosophila, devised to uncover genes that suppress poly(Q) toxicity, we discovered a Drosophila homolog of human myeloid leukemia factor 1 (MLF1). Expression of the Drosophila homolog (dMLF) ameliorates the toxicity of poly(Q) expressed in the eye and central nervous system. In the retina, whether endogenously or ectopically expressed, dMLF co-localized with aggregates, suggesting that dMLF alone, or through an intermediary molecular partner, may suppress toxicity by sequestering poly(Q) and/or its aggregates.

Web-based Factors Affecting Online Purchasing Behaviour

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; Sze Yan, Ng; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad; Jusoh, Ahmad

2013-06-01

The growing use of internet and online purchasing among young consumers in Malaysia provides a huge prospect in e-commerce market, specifically for B2C segment. In this market, if E-marketers know the web-based factors affecting online buyers' behaviour, and the effect of these factors on behaviour of online consumers, then they can develop their marketing strategies to convert potential customers into active one, while retaining existing online customers. Review of previous studies related to the online purchasing behaviour in B2C market has point out that the conceptualization and empirical validation of the online purchasing behaviour of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literate users, or ICT professional, in Malaysia has not been clearly addressed. This paper focuses on (i) web-based factors which online buyers (ICT professional) keep in mind while shopping online; and (ii) the effect of web-based factors on online purchasing behaviour. Based on the extensive literature review, a conceptual framework of 24 items of five factors was constructed to determine web-based factors affecting online purchasing behaviour of ICT professional. Analysis of data was performed based on the 310 questionnaires, which were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from ICT undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. The Exploratory factor analysis performed showed that five factors affecting online purchase behaviour are Information Quality, Fulfilment/Reliability/Customer Service, Website Design, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security. The result of Multiple Regression Analysis indicated that Information Quality, Quick and Details, and Privacy/Security affect positively online purchase behaviour. The results provide a usable model for measuring web-based factors affecting buyers' online purchase behaviour in B2C market, as well as for online shopping companies to focus on the factors that will increase customers' online purchase.

Noncardiac Vascular Toxicities of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitors in Advanced Cancer: A Review

PubMed Central

Bowen, Joanne; Gibson, Rachel; Tan, Thean; Okera, Meena; Stringer, Andrea

2011-01-01

Summary. The introduction of molecularly targeted anticancer therapies has brought the promise of longer survival times for select patients with cancers previously considered untreatable. However, it has also brought new toxicities that require understanding and management, sometimes for long periods of time. Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors are associated with a broad range of adverse effects, with vascular toxicity being particularly serious. This review focuses on the current understanding of the pathophysiology and mechanisms of macrovascular toxicities (hypertension, hemorrhage, and thromboembolism), their incidence and severity, the current clinical management, and implications in the advanced cancer setting. Movement of these agents into the early disease setting will alter the impact of these toxicities. Search Strategy and Selection Criteria. Information for this review was collected by searching PubMed/Medline and American Society of Clinical Oncology abstract databases. The medical subject heading terms used included toxicity, hypertension, thromboembolism, hemorrhage, intestinal perforation, risk factors, pharmacokinetics, and metabolism, combined with free text search terms including, but not limited to, VEGF inhibitor*, bevacizumab, sunitinib, and sorafenib. Articles published in English before March 2010 were included, in addition to information from case reports and pharmaceutical agent package inserts. PMID:21441297

Amelioration of boron toxicity in sweet pepper as affected by calcium management under an elevated CO2 concentration.

PubMed

Piñero, María Carmen; Pérez-Jiménez, Margarita; López-Marín, Josefa; Del Amor, Francisco M

2017-04-01

We investigated B tolerance in sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuun L.) under an elevated CO 2 concentration, combined with the application of calcium as a nutrient management amelioration technique. The data show that high B affected the roots more than the aerial parts, since there was an increase in the shoot/root ratio, when plants were grown with high B levels; however, the impact was lessened when the plants were grown at elevated CO 2 , since the root FW reduction caused by excess B was less marked at the high CO 2 concentration (30.9% less). Additionally, the high B concentration affected the membrane permeability of roots, which increased from 39 to 54% at ambient CO 2 concentration, and from 38 to 51% at elevated CO 2 concentration, producing a cation imbalance in plants, which was differentially affected by the CO 2 supply. The Ca surplus in the nutrient solution reduced the nutritional imbalance in sweet pepper plants produced by the high B concentration, at both CO 2 concentrations. The medium B concentration treatment (toxic according to the literature) did not result in any toxic effect. Hence, there is a need to review the literature on critical and toxic B levels taking into account increases in atmospheric CO 2 .

Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Environmental Toxicants: Epigenetics as an Underlying Mechanism

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The increasing prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), calls for more research into the identification of etiologic and risk factors. The Developmental Origin of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesizes that the environment during fetal and childhood development affects the risk for many chronic diseases in later stages of life, including neurodevelopmental disorders. Epigenetics, a term describing mechanisms that cause changes in the chromosome state without affecting DNA sequences, is suggested to be the underlying mechanism, according to the DOHaD hypothesis. Moreover, many neurodevelopmental disorders are also related to epigenetic abnormalities. Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to prenatal environmental toxicants is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. In addition, there is also evidence that environmental toxicants can result in epigenetic alterations, notably DNA methylation. In this review, we first focus on the relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders and environmental toxicants, in particular maternal smoking, plastic-derived chemicals (bisphenol A and phthalates), persistent organic pollutants, and heavy metals. We then review studies showing the epigenetic effects of those environmental factors in humans that may affect normal neurodevelopment. PMID:28567415

Suppression of a NAC-like transcription factor gene improves boron-toxicity tolerance in rice.

PubMed

Ochiai, Kumiko; Shimizu, Akifumi; Okumoto, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Toru; Matoh, Toru

2011-07-01

We identified a gene responsible for tolerance to boron (B) toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa), named BORON EXCESS TOLERANT1. Using recombinant inbred lines derived from the B-toxicity-sensitive indica-ecotype cultivar IR36 and the tolerant japonica-ecotype cultivar Nekken 1, the region responsible for tolerance to B toxicity was narrowed to 49 kb on chromosome 4. Eight genes are annotated in this region. The DNA sequence in this region was compared between the B-toxicity-sensitive japonica cultivar Wataribune and the B-toxicity-tolerant japonica cultivar Nipponbare by eco-TILLING analysis and revealed a one-base insertion mutation in the open reading frame sequence of the gene Os04g0477300. The gene encodes a NAC (NAM, ATAF, and CUC)-like transcription factor and the function of the transcript is abolished in B-toxicity-tolerant cultivars. Transgenic plants in which the expression of Os04g0477300 is abolished by RNA interference gain tolerance to B toxicity.

Toxicity of naphthenic acids to invertebrates: Extracts from oil sands process-affected water versus commercial mixtures.

PubMed

Bartlett, Adrienne J; Frank, Richard A; Gillis, Patricia L; Parrott, Joanne L; Marentette, Julie R; Brown, Lisa R; Hooey, Tina; Vanderveen, Ruth; McInnis, Rodney; Brunswick, Pamela; Shang, Dayue; Headley, John V; Peru, Kerry M; Hewitt, L Mark

2017-08-01

The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been primarily attributed to polar organic constituents, including naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). Our objective was to assess the toxicity of NAFCs derived from fresh and aged OSPW, as well as commercial naphthenic acid (NA) mixtures. Exposures were conducted with three aquatic species: Hyalella azteca (freshwater amphipod), Vibrio fischeri (marine bacterium, Microtox ® assay), and Lampsilis cardium (freshwater mussel larvae (glochidia)). Commercial NAs were more toxic than NAFCs, with differences of up to 30-, 4-, and 120-fold for H. azteca, V. fischeri, and L. cardium, respectively, demonstrating that commercial NAs are not reliable surrogates for assessing the toxicity of NAFCs. Differences in toxicity between species were striking for both commercial NAs and NAFCs. Overall, V. fischeri was the least sensitive and H. azteca was the most sensitive organism. Responses of V. fischeri and H. azteca to NAFC exposures were consistent (< 2-fold difference) regardless of source and age of OSPW; however, effects on L. cardium ranged 17-fold between NAFCs. NAFCs derived from fresh OSPW sources were similarly or less toxic to those from aged OSPW. Our results support the need to better characterize the complex mixtures associated with bitumen-influenced waters, both chemically and toxicologically. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Wound Healing

PubMed Central

Guo, S.; DiPietro, L.A.

2010-01-01

Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds. PMID:20139336

Factors affecting wound healing.

PubMed

Guo, S; Dipietro, L A

2010-03-01

Wound healing, as a normal biological process in the human body, is achieved through four precisely and highly programmed phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. For a wound to heal successfully, all four phases must occur in the proper sequence and time frame. Many factors can interfere with one or more phases of this process, thus causing improper or impaired wound healing. This article reviews the recent literature on the most significant factors that affect cutaneous wound healing and the potential cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved. The factors discussed include oxygenation, infection, age and sex hormones, stress, diabetes, obesity, medications, alcoholism, smoking, and nutrition. A better understanding of the influence of these factors on repair may lead to therapeutics that improve wound healing and resolve impaired wounds.

Factors Affecting Sign Retroreflectivity : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

This study was undertaken to better understand the factors that may affect road sign retroreflectivity, specifically age and physical orientation. A better understanding of these factors could provide guidance to ODOT in managing its inventory of roa...

Factors affecting cadmium absorbed by pistachio kernel in calcareous soils, southeast of Iran.

PubMed

Shirani, H; Hosseinifard, S J; Hashemipour, H

2018-03-01

Cadmium (Cd) which does not have a biological role is one of the most toxic heavy metals for organisms. This metal enters environment through industrial processes and fertilizers. The main objective of this study was to determine the relationships between absorbed Cd by pistachio kernel and some of soil physical and chemical characteristics using modeling by stepwise regression and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), in calcareous soils in Rafsanjan region, southeast of Iran. For these purposes, 220 pistachio orchards were selected, and soil samples were taken from two depths of 0-40 and 40-80cm. Besides, fruit and leaf samples from branches with and without fruit were taken in each sampling point. The results showed that affecting factors on absorbed Cd by pistachio kernel which were obtained by regression method (pH and clay percent) were not interpretable, and considering unsuitable vales of determinant coefficient (R 2 ) and Root Mean Squares Error (RMSE), the model did not have sufficient validity. However, ANN modeling was highly accurate and reliable. Based on its results, soil available P and Zn and soil salinity were the most important factors affecting the concentration of Cd in pistachio kernel in pistachio growing areas of Rafsanjan. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ABC transporters affect the elimination and toxicity of CdTe quantum dots in liver and kidney cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Mingli; Yin, Huancai; Bai, Pengli

This paper aimed to investigate the role of adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette (ABC) transporters on the efflux and the toxicity of nanoparticles in liver and kidney cells. In this study, we synthesized CdTe quantum dots (QDs) that were monodispersed and emitted green fluorescence (maximum peak at 530 nm). Such QDs tended to accumulate in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2), human kidney cells 2 (HK-2), and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, and cause significant toxicity in all the three cell lines. Using specific inhibitors and inducers of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) and multidrug resistance associated proteins (Mrps), the cellular accumulation and subsequent toxicity ofmore » QDs in HepG2 and HK-2 cells were significantly affected, while only slight changes appeared in MDCK cells, corresponding well with the functional expressions of ABC transporters in cells. Moreover, treatment of QDs caused concentration- and time- dependent induction of ABC transporters in HepG2 and HK-2 cells, but such phenomenon was barely found in MDCK cells. Furthermore, the effects of CdTe QDs on ABC transporters were found to be greater than those of CdCl{sub 2} at equivalent concentrations of cadmium, indicating that the effects of QDs should be a combination of free Cd{sup 2+} and specific properties of QDs. Overall, these results indicated a strong dependence between the functional expressions of ABC transporters and the efflux of QDs, which could be an important reason for the modulation of QDs toxicity by ABC transporters. - Highlights: • ABC transporters contributed actively to the cellular efflux of CdTe quantum dots. • ABC transporters affected the cellular toxicity of CdTe quantum dots. • Treatment of CdTe quantum dots induced the gene expression of ABC transporters. • Free Cd{sup 2+} should be partially involved in the effects of QDs on ABC transporters. • Cellular efflux of quantum dots could be an important modulator for its toxicity.« less

Toxicity and deficiency of copper in Elsholtzia splendens affect photosynthesis biophysics, pigments and metal accumulation.

PubMed

Peng, Hongyun; Kroneck, Peter M H; Küpper, Hendrik

2013-06-18

Elsholtzia splendens is a copper-tolerant plant species growing on copper deposits in China. Spatially and spectrally resolved kinetics of in vivo absorbance and chlorophyll fluorescence in mesophyll of E. splendens were used to investigate the copper-induced stress from deficiency and toxicity as well as the acclimation to excess copper stress. The plants were cultivated in nutrient solutions containing either Fe(III)-EDTA or Fe(III)-EDDHA. Copper toxicity affected light-acclimated electron flow much stronger than nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) or dark-acclimated photochemical efficiency of PSIIRC (Fv/Fm). It also changed spectrally resolved Chl fluorescence kinetics, in particular by strengthening the short-wavelength (<700 nm) part of NPQ altering light harvesting complex II (LHCII) aggregation. Copper toxicity reduced iron accumulation, decreased Chls and carotenoids in leaves. During acclimation to copper toxicity, leaf copper decreased but leaf iron increased, with photosynthetic activity and pigments recovering to normal levels. Copper tolerance in E. splendens was inducible; acclimation seems be related to homeostasis of copper and iron in E. splendens. Copper deficiency appeared at 10 mg copper per kg leaf DW, leading to reduced growth and decreased photosynthetic parameters (F0, Fv/Fm, ΦPSII). The importance of these results for evaluating responses of phytoremediation plants to stress in their environment is discussed.

Suppression of a NAC-Like Transcription Factor Gene Improves Boron-Toxicity Tolerance in Rice1

PubMed Central

Ochiai, Kumiko; Shimizu, Akifumi; Okumoto, Yutaka; Fujiwara, Toru; Matoh, Toru

2011-01-01

We identified a gene responsible for tolerance to boron (B) toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa), named BORON EXCESS TOLERANT1. Using recombinant inbred lines derived from the B-toxicity-sensitive indica-ecotype cultivar IR36 and the tolerant japonica-ecotype cultivar Nekken 1, the region responsible for tolerance to B toxicity was narrowed to 49 kb on chromosome 4. Eight genes are annotated in this region. The DNA sequence in this region was compared between the B-toxicity-sensitive japonica cultivar Wataribune and the B-toxicity-tolerant japonica cultivar Nipponbare by eco-TILLING analysis and revealed a one-base insertion mutation in the open reading frame sequence of the gene Os04g0477300. The gene encodes a NAC (NAM, ATAF, and CUC)-like transcription factor and the function of the transcript is abolished in B-toxicity-tolerant cultivars. Transgenic plants in which the expression of Os04g0477300 is abolished by RNA interference gain tolerance to B toxicity. PMID:21543724

Age Learning Factors Affecting Pilot Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torbert, Brison

This document, intended for pilot education and flight safety specialists, consists chiefly of a review of the literature on physiological factors that affect pilot education and an examination of environmental factors that should be scrutinized in order to improve the effectiveness of aviation learning facilities. The physiological factors…

Factors associated with increased incidence of severe toxicities following yttrium-90 resin microspheres in the treatment of hepatic malignancies.

PubMed

Roberson Ii, John D; McDonald, Andrew M; Baden, Craig J; Lin, Chee Paul; Jacob, Rojymon; Burnett Iii, Omer L

2016-03-14

To further define variables associated with increased incidences of severe toxicities following administration of yttrium-90 ((90)Y) microspheres. Fifty-eight patients undergoing 79 treatments were retrospectively assessed for development of clinical and laboratory toxicity incidence following (90)Y administration. Severe toxicity events were defined using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03 and defined as grade ≥ 3. Univariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of different factors on the incidence of severe toxicity events. Multicollinearity was assessed for all factors with P < 0.1 using Pearson correlation matrices. All factors not excluded due to multicollinearity were included in a multivariate logistic regression model for each measurement of severe toxicity. Severe (grade ≥ 3) toxicities occurred following 21.5% of the 79 treatments included in our analysis. The most common severe laboratory toxicities were severe alkaline phosphatase (17.7%), albumin (12.7%), and total bilirubin (10.1%) toxicities. Decreased pre-treatment albumin (OR = 26.2, P = 0.010) and increased pre-treatment international normalized ratio (INR) (OR = 17.7, P = 0.048) were associated with development of severe hepatic toxicity. Increased pre-treatment aspartate aminotransferase (AST; OR = 7.4, P = 0.025) and decreased pre-treatment hemoglobin (OR = 12.5, P = 0.025) were associated with severe albumin toxicity. Increasing pre-treatment model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (OR = 1.8, P = 0.033) was associated with severe total bilirubin toxicity. Colorectal adenocarcinoma histology was associated with severe alkaline phosphatase toxicity (OR = 5.4, P = 0.043). Clinicians should carefully consider pre-treatment albumin, INR, AST, hemoglobin, MELD, and colorectal histology when choosing appropriate candidates for (90)Y microsphere therapy.

Environmental Factors Affecting Preschoolers' Motor Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venetsanou, Fotini; Kambas, Antonis

2010-01-01

The process of development occurs according to the pattern established by the genetic potential and also by the influence of environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to focus on the main environmental factors affecting motor development. The review of the literature revealed that family features, such as socioeconomic status,…

Lipophilicity affects the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of local anaesthetic agents administered by caudal block.

PubMed

Nava-Ocampo, Alejandro A; Bello-Ramírez, Angélica M

2004-01-01

1. Drugs administered into the epidural space by caudal block are cleared by means of a process potentially affected by the lipophilic character of the compounds. 2. In the present study, we examined the relationship between the octanol-water partition coefficient (log Poct) and the time to reach the maximum plasma drug concentration (tmax) of lignocaine, bupivacaine and ropivacaine administered by caudal block in paediatric patients. We also examined the relationship between log Poct and the toxicity of these local anaesthetic agents in experimental models. The tmax and toxicity data were obtained from the literature. 3. Ropivacaine, with a log Poct of 2.9, exhibited a tmax of 61.6 min. The tmax of lignocaine, with a log Poct of 2.4, and bupivacaine, with a log Poct of with 3.4, were approximately 50% shorter than ropivacaine. At log Poct of approximately 3.0, the toxicity of these local anaesthetic agents was substantially increased. The relationship between log Poct and the convulsive effect in dogs was similar to the relationship between log Poct and the lethal dose in sheep. 4. With local anaesthetic agents, it appears that the relationship between log Poct and drug transfer from the epidural space to the blood stream is parabolic, being the slowest rate of transference at log Poct 3.0. Toxicity, due to plasma availability of these local anaesthetic agents, seems to be increased at log Poct equal or higher than 3.0 secondary to the highest transfer from plasma into the central nervous system.

Phosphate toxicity: new insights into an old problem

PubMed Central

RAZZAQUE, M. Shawkat

2011-01-01

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for critical biological reactions that maintain the normal homoeostatic control of the cell. This element is an important component of different cellular structures, including nucleic acids and cell membranes. Adequate phosphorus balance is vital for maintaining basic cellular functions, ranging from energy metabolism to cell signalling. In addition, many intracellular pathways utilize phosphate ions for important cellular reactions; therefore, homoeostatic control of phosphate is one of the most delicate biological regulations. Impaired phosphorus balance can affect the functionality of almost every human system, including musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, ultimately leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality of the affected patients. Human and experimental studies have found that delicate balance among circulating factors, like vitamin D, PTH (parathyroid hormone) and FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23), are essential for regulation of physiological phosphate balance. Dysregulation of these factors, either alone or in combination, can induce phosphorus imbalance. Recent studies have shown that suppression of the FGF23–klotho system can lead to hyperphosphataemia with extensive tissue damage caused by phosphate toxicity. The cause and consequences of phosphate toxicity will be briefly summarized in the present review. PMID:20958267

Phosphate toxicity: new insights into an old problem.

PubMed

Razzaque, M Shawkat

2011-02-01

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient required for critical biological reactions that maintain the normal homoeostatic control of the cell. This element is an important component of different cellular structures, including nucleic acids and cell membranes. Adequate phosphorus balance is vital for maintaining basic cellular functions, ranging from energy metabolism to cell signalling. In addition, many intracellular pathways utilize phosphate ions for important cellular reactions; therefore, homoeostatic control of phosphate is one of the most delicate biological regulations. Impaired phosphorus balance can affect the functionality of almost every human system, including musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, ultimately leading to an increase in morbidity and mortality of the affected patients. Human and experimental studies have found that delicate balance among circulating factors, like vitamin D, PTH (parathyroid hormone) and FGF23 (fibroblast growth factor 23), are essential for regulation of physiological phosphate balance. Dysregulation of these factors, either alone or in combination, can induce phosphorus imbalance. Recent studies have shown that suppression of the FGF23-klotho system can lead to hyperphosphataemia with extensive tissue damage caused by phosphate toxicity. The cause and consequences of phosphate toxicity will be briefly summarized in the present review.

TOXIC EQUIVALENCY FACTORS (TEFS) FOR PCBS, PCDDS, PCDFS FOR HUMANS AND WILDLIFE

EPA Science Inventory

An expert meeting was organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and held ih Stockholm on 15-18 June 1997. The objective of this meeting was to derive cohsensus toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for polychlorinated didbenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and dio...

Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Poulose, Shibu M; Miller, Marshall G; Scott, Tammy; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

2017-11-01

Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plasticity, brain homeostasis, and maintenance in the central nervous system and is a crucial factor in preserving the cognitive function and repair of damaged brain cells affected by aging and brain disorders. Intrinsic factors such as aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain injury, as well as lifestyle factors such as high-fat and high-sugar diets and alcohol and opioid addiction, negatively affect adult neurogenesis. Conversely, many dietary components such as curcumin, resveratrol, blueberry polyphenols, sulforaphane, salvionic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and diets enriched with polyphenols and PUFAs, as well as caloric restriction, physical exercise, and learning, have been shown to induce neurogenesis in adult brains. Although many of the underlying mechanisms by which nutrients and dietary factors affect adult neurogenesis have yet to be determined, nutritional approaches provide promising prospects to stimulate adult neurogenesis and combat neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the role of nutritional factors in modifying adult neurogenesis and their potential to preserve cognitive function during aging. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Combining uncertainty factors in deriving human exposure levels of noncarcinogenic toxicants.

PubMed

Kodell, R L; Gaylor, D W

1999-01-01

Acceptable levels of human exposure to noncarcinogenic toxicants in environmental and occupational settings generally are derived by reducing experimental no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) or benchmark doses (BDs) by a product of uncertainty factors (Barnes and Dourson, Ref. 1). These factors are presumed to ensure safety by accounting for uncertainty in dose extrapolation, uncertainty in duration extrapolation, differential sensitivity between humans and animals, and differential sensitivity among humans. The common default value for each uncertainty factor is 10. This paper shows how estimates of means and standard deviations of the approximately log-normal distributions of individual uncertainty factors can be used to estimate percentiles of the distribution of the product of uncertainty factors. An appropriately selected upper percentile, for example, 95th or 99th, of the distribution of the product can be used as a combined uncertainty factor to replace the conventional product of default factors.

Reducing radiation-induced gastrointestinal toxicity — the role of the PHD/HIF axis

PubMed Central

Olcina, Monica M.; Giaccia, Amato J.

2016-01-01

Radiotherapy is an effective treatment strategy for cancer, but a significant proportion of patients experience radiation-induced toxicity due to damage to normal tissue in the irradiation field. The use of chemical or biological approaches aimed at reducing or preventing normal tissue toxicity induced by radiotherapy is a long-held goal. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) regulate the production of factors that may protect several cellular compartments affected by radiation-induced toxicity. Pharmacological inhibitors of prolyl hydroxylase domain–containing enzymes (PHDs), which result in stabilization of HIFs, have recently been proposed as a new class of radioprotectors. In this review, radiation-induced toxicity in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the main cellular compartments studied in this context will be discussed. The effects of PHD inhibition on GI radioprotection will be described in detail. PMID:27548524

Factors affecting elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from traditional smoked common carp meat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babić, J.; Vidaković, S.; Škaljac, S.; Kartalović, B.; Ljubojević, D.; Ćirković, M.; Teodorović, V.

2017-09-01

Smoking techniques have been progressively improved and different procedures have been developed in different regions for treating fish. In these times, the technology is mainly used for enrichment of fish with specific taste and odour, to extend the shelf-life of these perishable products and appearance required widely on the market. A lot of chemical contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are formed during the combustion of fuel in the smoking process. PAHs are a group of compounds that have been the subject of great concern in the recent years due to their toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic potentials to humans. These fact can have a significant impact on the acceptance of these products by consumers. In this review article, the objective is to describe factors affecting elimination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from traditional smoked common carp meat.

Factors affecting dignity of patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Sharifi, Simin; Borhani, Fariba; Abbaszadeh, Abbas

2016-12-01

MS is one of the most common chronic diseases of the nervous system. Apart from disease progression, other complications such as unemployment, separation and divorce could potentially threat patients' dignity. Most of the previous studies have been done of maintaining patients' dignity in interaction with healthcare team, but studies on affecting factors of dignity in chronic patients in the society and in interaction with usual people are scarce. We aimed to investigate factors affecting dignity of Iranian patients with MS in daily living and in interaction of them with the society. In this qualitative study, 13 patients with multiple sclerosis were chosen by purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation. The study was done in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Factors affecting dignity were classified as 'personal factors' and 'social factors'. Personal factors consist of the following subcategories: patients' communication with self, patients' knowledge, patients' values and beliefs and patients' resources. Social factors include others' communication with patients, social knowledge, social values and beliefs and social resources. Multiple personal and social factors interfere in perceived patient dignity. In fact, interaction between personal and social factors can be influential in final perceived dignity. By focusing on whole aspects of the patients' lives, we can identify dignity-promoting or dignity-threatening factors and help patients maintain their dignity by taking appropriate measures for moderating threatening factors and improving dignity enhancing ones. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Induction of the nuclear factor HIF-1{alpha} in acetaminophen toxicity: Evidence for oxidative stress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, Laura P.; Donahower, Brian; Burke, Angela S.

2006-04-28

Hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) controls the transcription of genes involved in angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, glycolysis, and cell survival. HIF-1{alpha} levels are a critical determinant of HIF activity. The induction of HIF-1{alpha} was examined in the livers of mice treated with a toxic dose of APAP (300 mg/kg IP) and sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h. HIF-1{alpha} was induced at 1-12 h and induction occurred prior to the onset of toxicity. Pre-treatment of mice with N-acetylcysteine (1200 mg/kg IP) prevented toxicity and HIF-1{alpha} induction. In further studies, hepatocyte suspensions were incubated with APAP (1 mM) in the presence ofmore » an oxygen atmosphere. HIF-1{alpha} was induced at 1 h, prior to the onset of toxicity. Inclusion of cyclosporine A (10 {mu}M), an inhibitor of mitochondrial permeability transition, oxidative stress, and toxicity, prevented the induction of HIF-1{alpha}. Thus, HIF-1{alpha} is induced before APAP toxicity and can occur under non-hypoxic conditions. The data suggest a role for oxidative stress in the induction of HIF-1{alpha} in APAP toxicity.« less

[Plant physiological and molecular biological mechanism in response to aluminium toxicity].

PubMed

Liu, Qiang; Zheng, Shaojian; Lin, Xianyong

2004-09-01

Aluminium toxicity is the major factor limiting crop growth on acid soils, which greatly affects the crop productivity on about 40% cultivated soils of the world and 21% of China. In the past decades, a lot of researches on aluminium toxicity and resistant mechanisms have been doing, and great progress was achieved. This paper dealt with the genetic differences in aluminium tolerance among plants, screening and selecting methods and technologies for identifying aluminium resistance in plants, and physiological and molecular mechanism resistance to aluminium toxicity. Some aspects needed to be further studied were also briefly discussed.

Oxygen toxicity.

PubMed

Stogner, S W; Payne, D K

1992-12-01

The objective of this article is to provide an overview of the biochemistry of oxygen metabolism, including the formation of free radicals and the role of endogenous antioxidants. Pathophysiologic correlates underlying the clinical manifestations of oxygen toxicity are reviewed and management strategies are outlined. References from basic science and clinical journals were selected from the authors' files and from a search of a computerized database of the biomedical literature. Articles selected for review included both historical and current literature concerning the biochemistry and pathophysiology of oxygen toxicity in animals and humans. The benefits of oxygen therapy have been known for many years; however, its potential toxicity has not been recognized until the last two decades. The lungs, the eyes, and, under certain conditions, the central nervous system are the organs most affected by prolonged exposure to hyperoxic environments. Free radical formation during cellular metabolism under hyperoxic conditions is recognized as the biochemical basis of oxygen injury to cells and organs. Endogenous antioxidants are a primary means of detoxifying reactive oxygen species and preventing hyperoxia-induced cellular damage. When this defense fails or is overwhelmed by the excessive production of hyperoxia-induced free-radical species, distinctive morphologic changes occur at the cellular level. The amount of hyperoxia required to cause cellular damage and the time course of these changes vary from species to species and from individual to individual within the same species. Age, nutritional status, presence of underlying diseases, and certain drugs may influence the development of oxygen toxicity. There is currently no reliably effective drug for preventing or delaying the development of oxygen toxicity in humans. Use of the lowest effective oxygen concentration, the avoidance of certain drugs, and attention to nutritional and metabolic factors remain the best means

Toxic effects of the interaction of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with chemicals or physical factors

PubMed Central

Liu, Kui; Lin, Xialu; Zhao, Jinshun

2013-01-01

Due to their chemical stability and nonallergic, nonirritant, and ultraviolet protective properties, titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in industries such as electronics, optics, and material sciences, as well as architecture, medicine, and pharmacology. However, increasing concerns have been raised in regards to its ecotoxicity and toxicity on the aquatic environment as well as to humans. Although insights have been gained into the effects of TiO2 NPs on susceptible biological systems, there is still much ground to be covered, particularly in respect of our knowledge of the effects of the interaction of TiO2 NPs with other chemicals or physical factors. Studies suggest that interactions of TiO2 NPs with other chemicals or physical factors may result in an increase in toxicity or adverse effects. This review highlights recent progress in the study of the interactive effects of TiO2 NPs with other chemicals or physical factors. PMID:23901269

Is the Factor-of-2 Rule Broadly Applicable for Evaluating the Prediction Accuracy of Metal-Toxicity Models?

PubMed

Meyer, Joseph S; Traudt, Elizabeth M; Ranville, James F

2018-01-01

In aquatic toxicology, a toxicity-prediction model is generally deemed acceptable if its predicted median lethal concentrations (LC50 values) or median effect concentrations (EC50 values) are within a factor of 2 of their paired, observed LC50 or EC50 values. However, that rule of thumb is based on results from only two studies: multiple LC50 values for the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) exposed to Cu in one type of exposure water, and multiple EC50 values for Daphnia magna exposed to Zn in another type of exposure water. We tested whether the factor-of-2 rule of thumb also is supported in a different dataset in which D. magna were exposed separately to Cd, Cu, Ni, or Zn. Overall, the factor-of-2 rule of thumb appeared to be a good guide to evaluating the acceptability of a toxicity model's underprediction or overprediction of observed LC50 or EC50 values in these acute toxicity tests.

The plausibility of maternal toxicant exposure and nutritional status as contributing factors to the risk of autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Nuttall, Johnathan R

2017-05-01

Recent research suggests the maternal environment may be especially important for the risk of developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In particular maternal infections, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity, and toxicant exposures are likely to interact with genetic risk factors to disrupt fetal brain development. The goal of this paper is to investigate the plausibility of maternal toxicant exposure and nutritional status as causal factors in the development of ASD. This paper reviews current research investigating the hypothesis that maternal toxicant exposure and prenatal micronutrient intake are important modifiable risk factors for ASD. Zinc, copper, iron, and vitamin B9 are identified as specific micronutrients with relevance to the etiology of ASD. Specific toxicants induce a maternal inflammatory response leading to fetal micronutrient deficiencies that disrupt early brain development. Importantly, maternal micronutrient supplementation is associated with reduced risk of ASD. Furthermore, animal studies show that micronutrient supplementation can prevent the teratogenicity and developmental neurotoxicity of specific toxicants. These findings lead to the hypothesis that maternal infection, obesity, and toxicant exposures (e.g. valproic acid, endocrine disrupting plasticizers, ethanol, and heavy metals) are all environmental risk factors for ASD that lead to fetal micronutrient deficiencies resulting from a maternal inflammatory response. It could be possible to use markers of inflammation and micronutrient status to identify women that would benefit from micronutrient supplementation or dietary interventions to reduce the risk of ASD. However, more research is needed to demonstrate a causal role of fetal micronutrient deficiencies and clarify the underlying mechanisms that contribute to ASD.

Factors Influencing Pulmonary Toxicity in Children Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the Setting of Total Body Irradiation-Based Myeloablative Conditioning.

PubMed

Abugideiri, Mustafa; Nanda, Ronica H; Butker, Charlotte; Zhang, Chao; Kim, Sungjin; Chiang, Kuang-Yueh; Butker, Elizabeth; Khan, Mohammad K; Haight, Ann E; Chen, Zhengjia; Esiashvili, Natia

2016-02-01

This study evaluated factors associated with increased risk of pulmonary toxicity (PT) from any cause in pediatric patients after myeloablative conditioning, using total body irradiation (TBI), followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The records of 129 consecutive pediatric patients (range: 1-21 years of age) who underwent TBI-based myeloablative conditioning for hematologic malignancies at our institution between January 2003 and May 2014 were reviewed. Although total TBI doses ranged from 10.5 to 14 Gy, lung doses were limited to 10 Gy with partial transmission blocks. TBI dose rates ranged from 5.6 cGy/min to 20.9 cGy/min. PT was classified using clinical symptoms, radiographic evidence, and ventilatory defects on pulmonary function tests. Noninfectious (idiopathic) pneumonia syndrome (IPS) was characterized by patients exhibiting PT while demonstrating no signs of infection throughout the follow-up period. PT from any cause developed in 70.5% of patients and was significantly associated with increased transplantation-related mortality (TRM) (P=.03) and decreased overall survival (OS) (P=.02). IPS developed in 23.3% of patients but was not associated with increased TRM (P=.6) or decreased OS (P=.5). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) significantly affected PT (P=.001) but did not significantly influence the development of IPS (P=.4). Infection was a leading cause of PT (75.8%). TBI dose rate significantly affected development of overall PT (P=.02) and was the sole factor to significantly influence the incidence of IPS (P=.002). TBI total dose, dose per fraction, disease type, transplantation chemotherapy, age of patient, sex, and donor type did not significantly impact overall PT or IPS. A high incidence of PT was noted in this large series of homogeneously treated pediatric patients undergoing TBI for allogeneic HSCT. TBI dose rates affected overall PT and strongly influenced IPS. TBI dose rate is a contributing factor

Rice seed toxicity tests for organic and inorganic substances

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wang, W.

1994-01-01

Plant seed toxicity tests can be used to evaluate hazardous waste sites and to assess toxicity of complex effluents and industrial chemicals. Conventional plant seed toxicity tests are performed using culture dishes containing filter paper. Some reports indicate that filter papers might interfere with the toxicity of inorganic substances. In this study, a plastic seed tray was used. Rice was used as the test species. A comparison of results in the literature and this study revealed that variation of test species, methods, exposure duration, and other factors may affect the test results. The results of this study showed that the order of decreasing toxicity of metal ions was Cu>Ag>Ni>Cd>Cr(VI)>Pb>Zn>Mn>NaF for rice. The test results were similar to those reported in the literature for lettuce Ag>Ni>Cd,Cu>Cr (VI)>Zn>Mn, millet Cu,Ni>Cd>Cr(VI)>Zn>Mn, and ryegrass Cu>Ni>Mn>>Pb>Cd>Zn> Al>Hg>Cr>Fe. The order of decreasing toxicity of organic herbicides was paraquat, 2,4-D>>glyphosate>bromacil.

Fluconazole affects the alkali-metal-cation homeostasis and susceptibility to cationic toxic compounds of Candida glabrata.

PubMed

Elicharova, Hana; Sychrova, Hana

2014-08-01

Candida glabrata is a salt-tolerant and fluconazole (FLC)-resistant yeast species. Here, we analyse the contribution of plasma-membrane alkali-metal-cation exporters, a cation/proton antiporter and a cation ATPase to cation homeostasis and the maintenance of membrane potential (ΔΨ). Using a series of single and double mutants lacking CNH1 and/or ENA1 genes we show that the inability to export potassium and toxic alkali-metal cations leads to a slight hyperpolarization of the plasma membrane of C. glabrata cells; this hyperpolarization drives more cations into the cells and affects cation homeostasis. Surprisingly, a much higher hyperpolarization of C. glabrata plasma membrane was produced by incubating cells with subinhibitory concentrations of FLC. FLC treatment resulted in a substantially increased sensitivity of cells to various cationic drugs and toxic cations that are driven into the cell by negative-inside plasma-membrane potential. The effect of the combination of FLC plus cationic drug treatment was enhanced by the malfunction of alkali-metal-cation transporters that contribute to the regulation of membrane potential and cation homeostasis. In summary, we show that the combination of subinhibitory concentrations of FLC and cationic drugs strongly affects the growth of C. glabrata cells. © 2014 The Authors.

Co-exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles does not affect cadmium toxicity in radish seeds (Raphanus sativus).

PubMed

Manesh, R Roshan; Grassi, G; Bergami, E; Marques-Santos, L F; Faleri, C; Liberatori, G; Corsi, I

2018-02-01

Recent developments on environmental fate models indicate that as nano waste, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) could reach terrestrial ecosystems thus potentially affecting environmental and human health. Plants can be therefore exposed to ENMs but controversial data in terms of fate and toxicity are currently available. Furthermore, there is a current lack of information on complex interactions/transformations to which ENMs undergo in the natural environment as for instance interacting with existing toxic compounds. The aim of the present study was to assess the behavior and biological effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (n-TiO 2 ) (Aeroxide P25, Degussa Evonik) and its interaction with cadmium (CdCl 2 ) in plants using radish seeds (Raphanus sativus L. Parvus) as model species. Radish seeds were exposed to n-TiO 2 (1-1000mg/L) and CdCl 2 (1-250mg/L) alone and in combination using a seed germination and seedling growth toxicity test OECD 208. Percentage of seed germination, germination index (GI) and root elongation were calculated. Cell morphology and oxidative stress parameters as glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase activities (CAT) were measured in radish seeds after 5 days of exposure. Z-Average, PdI and Z-potential of n-TiO 2 in Milli-Q water as exposure medium were also determined. DLS analysis showed small aggregates of n-TiO 2 , negative Z-potential and stable PdI in seed's exposure media. Germination percentage, GI and root length resulted affected by n-TiO 2 exposure compared to controls. In particular, n-TiO 2 at 1mg/L and 100mg/L did not affect radish seeds germination (100%) while at concentration of 10mg/L, 200mg/L, 500mg/L, and 1000mg/L a slight but not significant decrease of germination % was observed. Similarly root length and GI resulted significantly higher in seeds exposed to 10mg/L and 200mg/L compared to 1mg/L, 100mg/L, 500mg/L, 1000mg/L and control (p < 0.05). On the opposite, CdCl 2 significantly abolished germination % and

Flavorings significantly affect inhalation toxicity of aerosol generated from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)

PubMed Central

Leigh, Noel J.; Lawton, Ralph I.; Hershberger, Pamela A.; Goniewicz, Maciej L.

2018-01-01

Background E-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are designed to deliver nicotine-containing aerosol via inhalation. Little is known about the health effects of flavored ENDS aerosol when inhaled. Methods Aerosol from ENDS was generated using a smoking-machine. Various types of ENDS devices or a tank system prefilled with liquids of different flavors, nicotine carrier, variable nicotine concentrations, and with modified battery output voltage were tested. A convenience sample of commercial fluids with flavor names of tobacco, piña colada, menthol, coffee and strawberry were used. Flavoring chemicals were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. H292 human bronchial epithelial cells were directly exposed to 55 puffs of freshly-generated ENDS aerosol, tobacco smoke, or air (controls) using an air-liquid interface system and the Health Canada intense smoking protocol. The following in vitro toxicological effects were assessed: 1) cell viability, 2) metabolic activity and 3) release of inflammatory mediators (cytokines). Results Exposure to ENDS aerosol resulted in decreased metabolic activity and cell viability and increased release of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, CXCL1, CXCL2 and CXCL10 compared to air controls. Cell viability and metabolic activity were more adversely affected by conventional cigarettes than most tested ENDS products. Product type, battery output voltage, and flavors significantly affected toxicity of ENDS aerosol, with a strawberry-flavored product being the most cytotoxic. Conclusions Our data suggest that characteristics of ENDS products, including flavors, may induce inhalation toxicity. Therefore, ENDS users should use the products with caution until more comprehensive studies are performed. PMID:27633767

Economic and Cultural Factors Affecting University Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jabnoun, Naceur

2009-01-01

Purpose: The ranking of top universities in the world has generated increased interest in the factors that enhance university performance. The purpose of this paper is to identify economic and cultural factors that affect the number of top ranking universities in each country. Design/methodology/approach: This paper first identifies the number of…

Efficacy and Factors Affecting Outcome of Gemcitabine Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, P.-I.; National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Chao, Yee

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and prognostic factors of gemcitabine (GEM) concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Between January 2002 and December 2005, 55 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with GEM (400 mg/m{sup 2}/wk) concurrently with radiotherapy (median dose, 50.4 Gy; range, 26-61.2) at Taipei Veterans General Hospital were enrolled. GEM (1,000 mg/m{sup 2}) was continued after CCRT as maintenance therapy once weekly for 3 weeks and repeated every 4 weeks. The response, survival, toxicity, and prognostic factors were evaluated. Results: With a median follow-up of 10.8 months, the 1- andmore » 2-year survival rate was 52% and 19%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) and median time to progression (TTP) was 12.4 and 5.9 months, respectively. The response rate was 42% (2 complete responses and 21 partial responses). The major Grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (22%) and anorexia (19%). The median OS and TTP was 15.8 and 9.5 months in the GEM CCRT responders compared with 7.5 and 3.5 months in the nonresponders, respectively (both p < 0.001). The responders had a better Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (86 {+-} 2 vs. 77 {+-} 2, p = 0.002) and had received a greater GEM dose intensity (347 {+-} 13 mg/m{sup 2}/wk vs. 296 {+-} 15 mg/m{sup 2}/wk, p = 0.02) than the nonresponders. KPS and serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were the most significant prognostic factors of OS and TTP. Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that GEM CCRT is effective and tolerable for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The KPS and GEM dose correlated with response. Also, the KPS and CA 19-9 level were the most important factors affecting OS and TTP.« less

Toxic-metabolic Risk Factors in Pediatric Pancreatitis: Recommendations for Diagnosis, Management, and Future Research.

PubMed

Husain, Sohail Z; Morinville, Veronique; Pohl, John; Abu-El-Haija, Maisam; Bellin, Melena D; Freedman, Steve; Hegyi, Peter; Heyman, Melvin B; Himes, Ryan; Ooi, Chee Y; Schwarzenberg, Sarah J; Usatin, Danielle; Uc, Aliye

2016-04-01

Pancreatitis in children can result from metabolic and toxic risk factors, but the evidence linking these factors is sparse. We review the evidence for association or causality of these risk factors in pancreatitis, discuss management strategies, and their rationale. We conducted a review of the pediatric pancreatitis literature with respect to the following risk factors: hyperlipidemia, hypercalcemia, chronic renal failure, smoking exposure, alcohol, and medications. Areas of additional research were identified. Hypertriglyceridemia of 1000 mg/dL or greater poses an absolute risk for pancreatitis; persistent elevations of calcium are predisposing. Further research is necessary to determine whether end-stage renal disease leads to increased pancreatitis in children similar to adults. It is unknown whether cigarette smoking exposure, which clearly increases risk in adults, also increases risk in children. The role of alcohol in pediatric pancreatitis, whether direct or modifying, needs to be elucidated. The evidence supporting most cases of medication-induced pancreatitis is poor. Drug structure, improper handling of drug by host, and bystander status may be implicated. Other pancreatitis risk factors must be sought in all cases. The quality of evidence supporting causative role of various toxic and metabolic factors in pediatric pancreatitis is variable. Careful phenotyping is essential, including search for other etiologic risk factors. Directed therapy includes correction/removal of any agent identified, and general supportive measures. Further research is necessary to improve our understanding of these pancreatitis risk factors in children.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AFFECTING BREAST CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental Factors Affecting Breast Cancer Susceptibility
Suzanne. E. Fenton
US EPA, ORD, MD-67 NHEERL, Reproductive Toxicology Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.

Breast cancer is still the most common malignancy afflicting women in the Western world. Alt...

Factors Affecting Radon Concentration in Houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Sharif, Abdel-Latif; Abdelrahman, Y. S.

2001-03-01

The dangers to the human health upon exposure to radon and its daughter products is the main motivation behind the vast number of studies performed to find the concentration of radon in our living environment, including our houses. The presence of radon and its daughter products in houses are due to various sources including building materials and the soil under the houses. Many factors affect radon concentration in our houses, the elevation above ground level,ventilation, building materials and room usage being among these factors. In our paper, we discuss the effect of elevation above ground level, room usage and ventilation on the Radon concentration in houses. The faculty residences of the Mu'tah University (Jordan) were chosen in our study. Our results showed that the concentration of radon decreases with elevation. Ventilation rate was also found to affect radon concentration, where low concentrations observed for areas with good ventilation.

Factors affecting caregivers' ability to make environmental modifications.

PubMed

Messecar, D C

2000-12-01

This study explored factors that family caregivers described as affecting their ability to use environmental modifications. Intensive interviews and participant observation were used to collect detailed data from 24 primary family caregivers. Several factors that affect the caregivers' ability to implement modification strategies were identified in the analysis. These factors included attributes of the elderly individual, attributes of the modification, quality of the caregiver-elderly relationship, caregivers' skills, personal resources of the caregiver, and the informal and formal supports available. Of these factors, the most important were the salient skills that caregivers need to implement environmental modifications. These findings point to the importance of caregivers receiving skills training in this important dimension of caregiving. Intervention should be based on a collaborative approach that ensures the caregiver and care receiver's needs and preferences are respected.

The Role of Abcb5 Alleles in Susceptibility to Haloperidol-Induced Toxicity in Mice and Humans

PubMed Central

Zheng, Ming; Zhang, Haili; Dill, David L.; Clark, J. David; Tu, Susan; Yablonovitch, Arielle L.; Tan, Meng How; Zhang, Rui; Rujescu, Dan; Wu, Manhong; Tessarollo, Lino; Vieira, Wilfred; Gottesman, Michael M.; Deng, Suhua; Eberlin, Livia S.; Zare, Richard N.; Billard, Jean-Martin; Gillet, Jean-Pierre; Li, Jin Billy; Peltz, Gary

2015-01-01

Background We know very little about the genetic factors affecting susceptibility to drug-induced central nervous system (CNS) toxicities, and this has limited our ability to optimally utilize existing drugs or to develop new drugs for CNS disorders. For example, haloperidol is a potent dopamine antagonist that is used to treat psychotic disorders, but 50% of treated patients develop characteristic extrapyramidal symptoms caused by haloperidol-induced toxicity (HIT), which limits its clinical utility. We do not have any information about the genetic factors affecting this drug-induced toxicity. HIT in humans is directly mirrored in a murine genetic model, where inbred mouse strains are differentially susceptible to HIT. Therefore, we genetically analyzed this murine model and performed a translational human genetic association study. Methods and Findings A whole genome SNP database and computational genetic mapping were used to analyze the murine genetic model of HIT. Guided by the mouse genetic analysis, we demonstrate that genetic variation within an ABC-drug efflux transporter (Abcb5) affected susceptibility to HIT. In situ hybridization results reveal that Abcb5 is expressed in brain capillaries, and by cerebellar Purkinje cells. We also analyzed chromosome substitution strains, imaged haloperidol abundance in brain tissue sections and directly measured haloperidol (and its metabolite) levels in brain, and characterized Abcb5 knockout mice. Our results demonstrate that Abcb5 is part of the blood-brain barrier; it affects susceptibility to HIT by altering the brain concentration of haloperidol. Moreover, a genetic association study in a haloperidol-treated human cohort indicates that human ABCB5 alleles had a time-dependent effect on susceptibility to individual and combined measures of HIT. Abcb5 alleles are pharmacogenetic factors that affect susceptibility to HIT, but it is likely that additional pharmacogenetic susceptibility factors will be discovered

Granular activated carbon for simultaneous adsorption and biodegradation of toxic oil sands process-affected water organic compounds.

PubMed

Islam, Md Shahinoor; Zhang, Yanyan; McPhedran, Kerry N; Liu, Yang; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed

2015-04-01

Naphthenic acids (NAs) released into oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) during bitumen processing in Northern Alberta are problematic for oil sands industries due to their toxicity in the environment and resistance to degradation during conventional wastewater treatment processes. Granular activated carbon (GAC) has shown to be an effective media in removing biopersistent organics from wastewater using a combination of adsorption and biodegradation removal mechanisms. A simultaneous GAC (0.4 g GAC/L) adsorption and biodegradation (combined treatment) study was used for the treatment of raw and ozonated OSPW. After 28 days of batch treatment, classical and oxidized NAs removals for raw OSPW were 93.3% and 73.7%, and for ozonated OSPW were 96.2% and 77.1%, respectively. Synergetic effects of the combined treatment process were observed in removals of COD, the acid extractable fraction, and oxidized NAs, which indicated enhanced biodegradation and bioregeneration in GAC biofilms. A bacteria copy number >10(8) copies/g GAC on GAC surfaces was found using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction after treatment for both raw and ozonated OSPW. A Microtox(®) acute toxicity test (Vibrio fischeri) showed effective toxicity removal (>95.3%) for the combined treatments. Therefore, the simultaneous GAC adsorption and biodegradation treatment process is a promising technology for the elimination of toxic OSPW NAs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal and modal characterization of DoD source air toxic emission factors: final report

EPA Science Inventory

This project tested three, real-/near real-time monitoring techniques to develop air toxic emission factors for Department of Defense (DoD) platform sources. These techniques included: resonance enhanced multi photon ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (REMPI-TOFMS) for o...

Which factors affect software projects maintenance cost more?

PubMed

Dehaghani, Sayed Mehdi Hejazi; Hajrahimi, Nafiseh

2013-03-01

The software industry has had significant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this field, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at first, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the maintenance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classified in six groups. "Project" was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software.

Growth and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Toxic and Non-Toxic Strains of the Cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena circinalis in Relation to Light

PubMed Central

Islam, M. Ashraful; Beardall, John

2017-01-01

Cyanobacteria are major bloom-forming organisms in freshwater ecosystems and many strains are known to produce toxins. Toxin production requires an investment in energy and resources. As light is one of the most important factors for cyanobacterial growth, any changes in light climate might affect cyanobacterial toxin production as well as their growth and physiology. To evaluate the effects of light on the growth and physiological parameters of both toxic and non-toxic strains of Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena circinalis, cultures were grown at a range of light intensities (10, 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 µmol m−2 s−1). The study revealed that the toxic strains of both species (CS558 for M. aeruginosa and CS537 and CS541 for A. circinalis) showed growth (µ) saturation at a higher light intensity compared to the non-toxic strains (CS338 for M. aeruginosa and CS534 for A. circinalis). Both species showed differences in chlorophyll a, carotenoid, allophycocyanin (APC) and phycoerythrin (PE) content between strains. There were also differences in dark respiration (Rd), light saturated oxygen evolution rates (Pmax) and efficiency of light harvesting (α) between strains. All other physiological parameters showed no statistically significant differences between strains. This study suggest that the different strains respond differently to different light habitats. Thus, changes in light availability may affect bloom intensity of toxic and nontoxic strains of cyanobacteria by changing the dominance and succession patterns. PMID:28777340

40 CFR Table 5 to Subpart Mmmm of... - Model Rule-Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 7 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Model Rule-Toxic Equivalency Factors 5 Table 5 to Subpart MMMM of Part 60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Existing Sewage Sludge...

40 CFR Table 5 to Subpart Mmmm of... - Model Rule-Toxic Equivalency Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 7 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Model Rule-Toxic Equivalency Factors 5 Table 5 to Subpart MMMM of Part 60 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR NEW STATIONARY SOURCES Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Existing Sewage Sludge...

Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes and its Implications for Occupational and Environmental Health

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lam, Chiu-wing; James, John T.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph document reviews the sources of Nano particles in the environment, the structure and properties of Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs), the physical characteristics of CNT materials, pulmonary and other health concerns of exposure to CNTs. The toxicity of CNT in rodents is summarized and some natural, and man-made sources of CNTs are shown. CNTs are electrically and thermally conductive, fibrous, biopersistent and very complicated in structures. The factors affecting toxicity of CNTs are more than size and surface area.

Preslaughter factors affecting poultry meat quality chapter 2.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poultry meat quality is affected by numerous antemortem factors, in particular those occurring during the last 24 hours that the bird is alive. These short term factors influence carcass yield (live shrink), carcass defects (bruising, broken/dislocated bones), carcass microbiological contamination, ...

Toxic-Metabolic Risk Factors in Pediatric Pancreatitis: Recommendations for Diagnosis, Management and Future Research

PubMed Central

Husain, Sohail Z.; Morinville, Veronique; Pohl, John; Abu-El-Haija, Maisam; Bellin, Melena D.; Freedman, Steve; Hegyi, Peter; Heyman, Melvin B; Himes, Ryan; Ooi, Chee Y.; Schwarzenberg, Sarah Jane; Usatin, Danielle; Uc, Aliye

2016-01-01

Objectives Pancreatitis in children can result from metabolic and toxic risk factors, but the evidence linking these factors is sparse. We review the evidence for association or causality of these risk factors in pancreatitis, discuss management strategies and their rationale. Methods We conducted a review of the pediatric pancreatitis literature with respect to the following risk factors: (a) hyperlipidemia, (b) hypercalcemia, (c) chronic renal failure, (d) smoking exposure, (e) alcohol, and (f) medications. Areas of additional research were identified. Results Hypertriglyceridemia of 1000 mg/dl or greater poses an absolute risk for pancreatitis; persistent elevations of calcium are predisposing. Further research is necessary to determine whether end stage renal disease leads to increased pancreatitis in children similar to adults. It is unknown whether cigarette smoking exposure, which clearly increases risk in adults, also increases risk in children. The role of alcohol in pediatric pancreatitis, whether direct or modifying, needs to be elucidated. The evidence supporting most cases of medication-induced pancreatitis is poor. Drug structure, improper handling of drug by host, and by-stander status may be implicated. Other pancreatitis risk factors must be sought in all cases. Conclusions The quality of evidence supporting causative role of various toxic and metabolic factors in pediatric pancreatitis is variable. Careful phenotyping is essential, including search for other etiologic risk factors. Directed therapy includes correction/ removal of any agent identified, and general supportive measures. Further research is necessary to improve our understanding of these pancreatitis risk factors in children. PMID:26594832

Food plant toxicants and safety Risk assessment and regulation of inherent toxicants in plant foods.

PubMed

Essers, A J; Alink, G M; Speijers, G J; Alexander, J; Bouwmeister, P J; van den Brandt, P A; Ciere, S; Gry, J; Herrman, J; Kuiper, H A; Mortby, E; Renwick, A G; Shrimpton, D H; Vainio, H; Vittozzi, L; Koeman, J H

1998-05-01

The ADI as a tool for risk management and regulation of food additives and pesticide residues is not readily applicable to inherent food plant toxicants: The margin between actual intake and potentially toxic levels is often small; application of the default uncertainty factors used to derive ADI values, particularly when extrapolating from animal data, would prohibit the utilisation of the food, which may have an overall beneficial health effect. Levels of inherent toxicants are difficult to control; their complete removal is not always wanted, due to their function for the plant or for human health. The health impact of the inherent toxicant is often modified by factors in the food, e.g. the bioavailability from the matrix and interaction with other inherent constituents. Risk-benefit analysis should be made for different consumption scenarios, without the use of uncertainty factors. Crucial in this approach is analysis of the toxicity of the whole foodstuff. The relationship between the whole foodstuff and the pure toxicant is expressed in the `product correction factor' (PCF). Investigations in humans are essential so that biomarkers of exposure and for effect can be used to analyse the difference between animals and humans and between the food and the pure toxicant. A grid of the variables characterising toxicity is proposed, showing their inter-relationships. A flow diagram for risk estimate is provided, using both toxicological and epidemiological studies.

Non-infectious chemotherapy-associated acute toxicities during childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia therapy

PubMed Central

Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Müller, Klaus; Mogensen, Signe Sloth; Mogensen, Pernille Rudebeck; Wolthers, Benjamin Ole; Stoltze, Ulrik Kristoffer; Tuckuviene, Ruta; Frandsen, Thomas

2017-01-01

During chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, all organs can be affected by severe acute side effects, the most common being opportunistic infections, mucositis, central or peripheral neuropathy (or both), bone toxicities (including osteonecrosis), thromboembolism, sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, endocrinopathies (especially steroid-induced adrenal insufficiency and hyperglycemia), high-dose methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity, asparaginase-associated hypersensitivity, pancreatitis, and hyperlipidemia. Few of the non-infectious acute toxicities are associated with clinically useful risk factors, and across study groups there has been wide diversity in toxicity definitions, capture strategies, and reporting, thus hampering meaningful comparisons of toxicity incidences for different leukemia protocols. Since treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia now yields 5-year overall survival rates above 90%, there is a need for strategies for assessing the burden of toxicities in the overall evaluation of anti-leukemic therapy programs. PMID:28413626

FACTORS ADVERSELY AFFECTING AMPHIBIAN POPULATIONS IN THE US

EPA Science Inventory

Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in a forthcoming book. Specific adverse factors were identified for 53 (58%) of...

EFFECT OF SOIL MODIFYING FACTORS ON THE BIOAVAILABILITY AND TOXICITY OF METAL CONTAMINATED SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

Heavy metal and organic chemical contamination of soils is a worldwide problem posing a risk to humans and more directly, soil organisms. Metal toxicity is often not directly related to the total concentration of metals present due to a number of modifying factors that depend,...

Factors affecting radiographers' organizational commitment.

PubMed

Akroyd, Duane; Jackowski, Melissa B; Legg, Jeffrey S

2007-01-01

A variety of factors influence employees' attitudes toward their workplace and commitment to the organization that employs them. However, these factors have not been well documented among radiologic technologists. To determine the predictive ability of selected organizational, leadership, work-role and demographic variables on organizational commitment for a national sample of radiographers. Three thousand radiographers registered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists working full time in clinical settings were surveyed by mail regarding their commitment to their employers, leadership within the organization that employs them, employer support and demographic information. Overall, radiographers were found to have only a moderate level of commitment to their employers. Among the factors that significantly affected commitment were the radiographer's educational level, perceived level of organizational support, role clarity and organizational leadership. The results of this study could provide managers and supervisors with insights on how to empower and challenge radiographers and offer opportunities that will enhance radiographers' commitment to the organization, thus reducing costly turnover and improving employee performance.

Discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level for ionizable compounds: Effect of pH.

PubMed

Li, Jin J; Zhang, Xu J; Wang, Xiao H; Wang, Shuo; Yu, Yang; Qin, Wei C; Su, Li M; Zhao, Yuan H

2016-03-01

The toxic effect can be affected by pH in water through affecting the degree of ionization of ionizable compounds. Wrong classification of mode of action can be made from the apparent toxicities. In this paper, the toxicity data of 61 compounds to Daphnia magna determined at three pH values were used to investigate the effect of pH on the discrimination of excess toxicity. The results show that the apparent toxicities are significantly less than the baseline level. Analysis on the effect of pH on bioconcentration factor (BCF) shows that the log BCF values are significantly over-estimated for the strongly ionizable compounds, leading to the apparent toxicities greatly less than the baseline toxicities and the toxic ratios greatly less than zero. A theoretical equation between the apparent toxicities and pH has been developed basing on the critical body residue (CBR). The apparent toxicities are non-linearly related to pH, but linearly to fraction of unionized form. The determined apparent toxicities are well fitted with the toxicities predicted by the equation. The toxicities in the unionized form calculated from the equation are close to, or greater than the baseline level for almost all the strongly ionizable compounds, which are very different from the apparent toxicities. The studied ionizable compounds can be either classified as baseline, less inert or reactive compounds in D. magna toxicity. Some ionizable compounds do not exhibit excess toxicity at a certain pH, due not to their poor reactivity with target molecules, but because of the ionization in water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alterations in welding process voltage affect the generation of ultrafine particles, fume composition, and pulmonary toxicity.

PubMed

Antonini, James M; Keane, Michael; Chen, Bean T; Stone, Samuel; Roberts, Jenny R; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Andrews, Ronnee N; Frazer, David G; Sriram, Krishnan

2011-12-01

The goal was to determine if increasing welding voltage changes the physico-chemical properties of the fume and influences lung responses. Rats inhaled 40 mg/m³ (3 h/day × 3 days) of stainless steel (SS) welding fume generated at a standard voltage setting of 25 V (regular SS) or at a higher voltage (high voltage SS) of 30 V. Particle morphology, size and composition were characterized. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed at different times after exposures to assess lung injury. Fumes collected from either of the welding conditions appeared as chain-like agglomerates of nanometer-sized primary particles. High voltage SS welding produced a greater number of ultrafine-sized particles. Fume generated by high voltage SS welding was higher in manganese. Pulmonary toxicity was more substantial and persisted longer after exposure to the regular SS fume. In summary, a modest raise in welding voltage affected fume size and elemental composition and altered the temporal lung toxicity profile.

Assessing potential dietary toxicity of heavy metals in selected vegetables and food crops*

PubMed Central

Islam, Ejaz ul; Yang, Xiao-e; He, Zhen-li; Mahmood, Qaisar

2007-01-01

Heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead, chromium and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. Their presence in the atmosphere, soil and water, even in traces can cause serious problems to all organisms, and heavy metal bioaccumulation in the food chain especially can be highly dangerous to human health. Heavy metals enter the human body mainly through two routes namely: inhalation and ingestion, ingestion being the main route of exposure to these elements in human population. Heavy metals intake by human populations through food chain has been reported in many countries. Soil threshold for heavy metal toxicity is an important factor affecting soil environmental capacity of heavy metal and determines heavy metal cumulative loading limits. For soil-plant system, heavy metal toxicity threshold is the highest permissible content in the soil (total or bioavailable concentration) that does not pose any phytotoxic effects or heavy metals in the edible parts of the crops does not exceed food hygiene standards. Factors affecting the thresholds of dietary toxicity of heavy metal in soil-crop system include: soil type which includes soil pH, organic matter content, clay mineral and other soil chemical and biochemical properties; and crop species or cultivars regulated by genetic basis for heavy metal transport and accumulation in plants. In addition, the interactions of soil-plant root-microbes play important roles in regulating heavy metal movement from soil to the edible parts of crops. Agronomic practices such as fertilizer and water managements as well as crop rotation system can affect bioavailability and crop accumulation of heavy metals, thus influencing the thresholds for assessing dietary toxicity of heavy metals in the food chain. This paper reviews the phytotoxic effects and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in vegetables and food crops and assesses soil heavy metal thresholds for potential dietary

Assessing potential dietary toxicity of heavy metals in selected vegetables and food crops.

PubMed

Islam, Ejaz ul; Yang, Xiao-e; He, Zhen-li; Mahmood, Qaisar

2007-01-01

Heavy metals, such as cadmium, copper, lead, chromium and mercury, are important environmental pollutants, particularly in areas with high anthropogenic pressure. Their presence in the atmosphere, soil and water, even in traces can cause serious problems to all organisms, and heavy metal bioaccumulation in the food chain especially can be highly dangerous to human health. Heavy metals enter the human body mainly through two routes namely: inhalation and ingestion, ingestion being the main route of exposure to these elements in human population. Heavy metals intake by human populations through food chain has been reported in many countries. Soil threshold for heavy metal toxicity is an important factor affecting soil environmental capacity of heavy metal and determines heavy metal cumulative loading limits. For soil-plant system, heavy metal toxicity threshold is the highest permissible content in the soil (total or bioavailable concentration) that does not pose any phytotoxic effects or heavy metals in the edible parts of the crops does not exceed food hygiene standards. Factors affecting the thresholds of dietary toxicity of heavy metal in soil-crop system include: soil type which includes soil pH, organic matter content, clay mineral and other soil chemical and biochemical properties; and crop species or cultivars regulated by genetic basis for heavy metal transport and accumulation in plants. In addition, the interactions of soil-plant root-microbes play important roles in regulating heavy metal movement from soil to the edible parts of crops. Agronomic practices such as fertilizer and water managements as well as crop rotation system can affect bioavailability and crop accumulation of heavy metals, thus influencing the thresholds for assessing dietary toxicity of heavy metals in the food chain. This paper reviews the phytotoxic effects and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in vegetables and food crops and assesses soil heavy metal thresholds for potential dietary

Factors Affecting Faculty Web Portal Usability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bringula, Rex P.; Basa, Roselle S.

2011-01-01

The study investigated the factors that might significantly affect web portal usability. Results of the study were intended to serve as inputs for faculty web portal development of the University of the East-Manila. Descriptive statistics utilized questionnaire data from 82 faculty members. The data showed that most of the respondents were…

Application of the target lipid model and passive samplers to characterize the toxicity of bioavailable organics in oil sands process-affected water.

PubMed

Redman, Aaron D; Parkerton, Thomas F; Butler, Josh David; Letinski, Daniel J; Frank, Richard A; Hewitt, L Mark; Bartlett, Adrienne J; Gillis, Patricia Leigh; Marentette, Julie R; Parrott, Joanne L; Hughes, Sarah A; Guest, Rodney; Bekele, Asfaw; Zhang, Kun; Morandi, Garrett; Wiseman, Steve B; Giesy, John P

2018-06-14

Oil sand operations in Alberta, Canada will eventually include returning treated process-affected waters to the environment. Organic constituents in oil sand process-affected water (OSPW) represent complex mixtures of nonionic and ionic (e.g. naphthenic acids) compounds, and compositions can vary spatially and temporally, which has impeded development of water quality benchmarks. To address this challenge, it was hypothesized that solid phase microextraction fibers coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) could be used as a biomimetic extraction (BE) to measure bioavailable organics in OSPW. Organic constituents of OSPW were assumed to contribute additively to toxicity, and partitioning to PDMS was assumed to be predictive of accumulation in target lipids, which were the presumed site of action. This method was tested using toxicity data for individual model compounds, defined mixtures, and organic mixtures extracted from OSPW. Toxicity was correlated with BE data, which supports the use of this method in hazard assessments of acute lethality to aquatic organisms. A species sensitivity distribution (SSD), based on target lipid model and BE values, was similar to SSDs based on residues in tissues for both nonionic and ionic organics. BE was shown to be an analytical tool that accounts for bioaccumulation of organic compound mixtures from which toxicity can be predicted, with the potential to aid in the development of water quality guidelines.

Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors

MedlinePlus

... Research News From NIH Low Calorie Diet Affects Aging-Related Factors Past Issues / Summer 2006 Table of ... project sponsored by the NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA) to learn more about the effects of ...

What Factors Affect Response to Ads? A Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rotzoll, Kim B.

The concept of "frame of reference" offers a perspective from which to examine the many factors which affect advertising response. The advertiser is interested in affecting two types of overt behavior. First, the individual is induced to select a particular stimulus (the advertisement) from competing stimuli (such as other people, noise,…

THERMOREGULATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON TOXICITY ASSESSMENT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, Christopher J.; Spencer, Pamela J.; Hotchkiss, Jon

2008-02-28

The thermoregulatory system of laboratory rodents is susceptible to a variety of chemical toxicants. Because temperature directly affects the reaction of virtually all biological processes, it is critical to consider how changes in the thermoregulatory response to a toxicant may affect physiological, behavioral, and pathological endpoints. Researchers in industry and government laboratories are often faced with addressing how changes in body temperature of their experimental subjects may affect the outcome of a particular toxicity test and/or screening panel. However, many toxicologists are either unaware of the importance or ignore the potential impact of a toxic-induced change in body temperature. Thismore » paper endeavors to summarize the importance of thermoregulation in the study of toxicology and propose recommendations for thermometry that researchers may utilize in their toxicological studies.« less

Cutaneous toxicity from epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors: would a subcutaneous desensitization be helpful? Case report.

PubMed

D'Alessio, Andrea; Cecchini, Sara; Di Mauro, Daniela; Geroli, Luca; Villa, Simonetta; Quadri, Antonello; Resta, Davide; Fortugno, Carmelo

2016-11-11

Cetuximab and panitumumab are monoclonal antibody inhibitors that bind the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) currently used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The main adverse event related to EGFR inhibitors (EGFR-Is) is cutaneous toxicity, which can cause dosage reduction and interruption of treatment. State-of-the-art management of skin toxicity associated with EGFR-Is therapy involves the topical administration of corticosteroids and oral antibiotics, but is not completely effective in the management of toxicity. Subcutaneous desensitization with increasing concentrations of monoclonal antibodies can induce a tolerance to drug administration and reduce cutaneous adverse effects. To our knowledge, this is the first case in which a reduction or a disappearance of skin toxicity caused by EGFR-Is through subcutaneous desensitization has been achieved. We present cases of 2 Caucasian patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon treated with EGFR-Is who developed severe cutaneous toxicity. A 73-year-old man presented grade 4 skin toxicity of the face and grade 3 skin toxicity of the trunk during treatment with cetuximab. A 68-year-old woman developed G2 rash on the face after the first administration of cetuximab. These patients underwent subcutaneous desensitization with increasing concentrations of EGFR-Is. After this procedure, patients restarted therapy at the optimal dosage with reduction or disappearance of skin toxicity. These cases suggest that by giving rising doses of antibody it is possible to obtain desensitization able to prevent severe cutaneous adverse events in patients treated with EGFR-Is.

Affective and Social Factors in a Project-Based Writing Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kathpalia, Sujata Surinder; Heah, Carmel

2011-01-01

Much of the work in academic writing has focused on the cognitive rather than the affective and social aspects involved in project-based writing. Emphasis in past research has been on skills and processes of writing rather than on affective factors such as motivation, attitudes, feelings or social factors involving intrapersonal and interpersonal…

Substrate-Related Factors Affecting Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocelluloses: Our Recent Understanding

Treesearch

Shao-Yuan Leu; J.Y. Zhu

2013-01-01

Enzymatic saccharification of cellulose is a key step in conversion of plant biomass to advanced biofuel and chemicals. Many substrate-related factors affect saccharification. Rather than examining the role of each individual factor on overall saccharification efficiency, this study examined how each factor affects the three basic processes of a heterogeneous...

Microbiologic factors affecting Clostridium difficile recurrence.

PubMed

Chilton, C H; Pickering, D S; Freeman, J

2018-05-01

Recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (rCDI) places a huge economic and practical burden on healthcare facilities. Furthermore, rCDI may affect quality of life, leaving patients in an rCDI cycle and dependant on antibiotic therapy. To discuss the importance of microbiologic factors in the development of rCDI. Literature was drawn from a search of PubMed from 2000 onwards with the search term 'recurrent Clostridium difficile infection' and further references cited within these articles. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews have shown that CDI and rCDI risk factors are similar. Development of rCDI is attendant on many factors, including immune status or function, comorbidities and concomitant treatments. Studies suggest that poor bacterial diversity is correlated with clinical rCDI. Narrow-spectrum gut microflora-sparing antimicrobials (e.g. surotomycin, cadazolid, ridinilazole) are in development for CDI treatment, while microbiota therapeutics (faecal microbiota transplantation, nontoxigenic C. difficile, stool substitutes) are increasingly being explored. rCDI can only occur when viable C. difficile spores are present, either within the gut lumen after infection or when reacquired from the environment. C. difficile spore germination can be influenced by gut environmental factors resulting from dysbiosis, and spore outgrowth may be affected stage by some antimicrobials (e.g. fidaxomicin, ramoplanin, oritavancin). rCDI is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals, requiring a multifaceted approach; optimized infection control to minimize reinfection; C. difficile-targeted antibiotics to minimize dysbiosis; and gut microflora restoration to promote colonization resistance. These elements should be informed by our understanding of the microbiologic factors involved in both C. difficile itself and the gut microbiome. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flavourings significantly affect inhalation toxicity of aerosol generated from electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

PubMed

Leigh, Noel J; Lawton, Ralph I; Hershberger, Pamela A; Goniewicz, Maciej L

2016-11-01

E-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are designed to deliver nicotine-containing aerosol via inhalation. Little is known about the health effects of flavoured ENDS aerosol when inhaled. Aerosol from ENDS was generated using a smoking machine. Various types of ENDS devices or a tank system prefilled with liquids of different flavours, nicotine carrier, variable nicotine concentrations and with modified battery output voltage were tested. A convenience sample of commercial fluids with flavour names of tobacco, piña colada, menthol, coffee and strawberry were used. Flavouring chemicals were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. H292 human bronchial epithelial cells were directly exposed to 55 puffs of freshly generated ENDS aerosol, tobacco smoke or air (controls) using an air-liquid interface system and the Health Canada intense smoking protocol. The following in vitro toxicological effects were assessed: (1) cell viability, (2) metabolic activity and (3) release of inflammatory mediators (cytokines). Exposure to ENDS aerosol resulted in decreased metabolic activity and cell viability and increased release of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, CXCL1, CXCL2 and CXCL10 compared to air controls. Cell viability and metabolic activity were more adversely affected by conventional cigarettes than most tested ENDS products. Product type, battery output voltage and flavours significantly affected toxicity of ENDS aerosol, with a strawberry-flavoured product being the most cytotoxic. Our data suggest that characteristics of ENDS products, including flavours, may induce inhalation toxicity. Therefore, ENDS users should use the products with caution until more comprehensive studies are performed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Factors affecting strategic plan implementation using interpretive structural modeling (ISM).

PubMed

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Tajik, Hamidreza; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba

2018-06-11

Purpose Strategic planning is the best tool for managers seeking an informed presence and participation in the market without surrendering to changes. Strategic planning enables managers to achieve their organizational goals and objectives. Hospital goals, such as improving service quality and increasing patient satisfaction cannot be achieved if agreed strategies are not implemented. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting strategic plan implementation in one teaching hospital using interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Design/methodology/approach The authors used a descriptive study involving experts and senior managers; 16 were selected as the study sample using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a questionnaire designed and prepared based on previous studies. Data were analyzed using ISM. Findings Five main factors affected strategic plan implementation. Although all five variables and factors are top level, "senior manager awareness and participation in the strategic planning process" and "creating and maintaining team participation in the strategic planning process" had maximum drive power. "Organizational structure effects on the strategic planning process" and "Organizational culture effects on the strategic planning process" had maximum dependence power. Practical implications Identifying factors affecting strategic plan implementation is a basis for healthcare quality improvement by analyzing the relationship among factors and overcoming the barriers. Originality/value The authors used ISM to analyze the relationship between factors affecting strategic plan implementation.

Boar management and semen handling factors affect the quality of boar extended semen.

PubMed

Lopez Rodriguez, Alfonso; Van Soom, Ann; Arsenakis, Ioannis; Maes, Dominiek

2017-01-01

Artificial insemination (AI) is the preferred method for reproduction in the majority of the intensive pig production systems Worldwide. To this end, fresh extended ready-to-use semen doses are either purchased from AI-centres or produced by boars kept on-farm. For profitable semen production, it is necessary to obtain a maximum amount of high quality semen from each boar. This paper reviews current knowledge on factors that may affect semen quality by influencing the boar or the semen during processing. Genetic markers could be used for early detection of boars with the highest fertility potential. Genetic selection for fast growth might jeopardize semen quality. Early detection of boars no longer fit for semen production might be possible by ultrasonography of the testes. Seasonal variation in sperm quality could be associated with changes in photoperiod and heat stress during summer. Comfortable housing, with appropiate bedding material to avoid locomotion problems is essential. In some areas, cooling systems may be necessary to avoid heat stress. The sperm quality can be manipulated by feeding strategies aiming, for instance, to increase sperm resistance to oxidative stress and extend storage duration. High collection frequency will negatively influence sperm quality. Also, if collection is not hygienically performed it will result in bacterial contamination of the semen doses. The concern over bacterial contamination has risen not only because of its negative effect on semen quality but also due to the detection of antimicrobial resistance in isolates from extended semen. Moreover, bacterial and viral pathogens must be monitored because they affect semen production and quality and constitute a risk of herd infection. During processing, boar sperm are submitted to many stress factors that can cause oxidative stress and capacitation-like changes potentially reducing their fertility potential. Dilution rate or dilution temperature affects the quality of the semen

Exploring paraprofessional and classroom factors affecting teacher supervision.

PubMed

Irvin, Dwight W; Ingram, Paul; Huffman, Jonathan; Mason, Rose; Wills, Howard

2018-02-01

Paraprofessionals serve a primary role in supporting students with disabilities in the classroom, which necessitates teachers' supervision as a means to improve their practice. Yet, little is known regarding what factors affect teacher supervision. We sought to identify how paraprofessional competence and classroom type affected the levels of teacher direction. We administered an adapted version of the Paraprofessional Needs, Knowledge & Tasks Survey and the Survey for Teachers Supervising Paraprofessionals to teachers supervising paraprofessionals in elementary schools. Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the link between paraprofessional competence and classroom factors affecting the level of teacher supervision. Our results indicated that when teachers perceived paraprofessionals as being more skilled, they provided more supervision, and when more supervision was provided the less they thought paraprofessionals should be doing their assigned tasks. Additionally, paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with mild disabilities received less supervision than paraprofessionals working in classrooms with more students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Those paraprofessionals in classrooms serving mostly children with mild disabilities were also perceived as having lower levels of skill competence than those serving in classrooms with students with more moderate-to-severe disabilities. By understanding the factors that affect teacher supervision, policy and professional development opportunities can be refined/developed to better support both supervising teachers and paraprofessionals and, in turn, improve the outcomes of children with disabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Immunological adjuvants. Determinant factors in the efficacy-toxicity ratio of the contemporary vaccines].

PubMed

Batista-Duharte, Alexander; Lastre, Miriam; Pérez, Oliver

2014-02-01

To achieve effective and safe vaccines for the prevention of not yet controlled or re-emergent infectious diseases, one of the more importance aspects is to have immunological adjuvants that allow inducing a protective immune response with an appropriate safety profile. Since 1926 the aluminium compounds have been used as adjuvants for human vaccines, and only in the last 10 years have some new products been registered. Although there an enormous quantity of proposed candidates, the toxicity is the main factor that has limited their introduction into the clinic. In this work the mechanism of action are updated, and the toxicity of the immunological adjuvants are revised, especially those that have obtained clinical approval or are close to getting it. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils.

PubMed

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-07-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO 3 - ) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L 16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L 16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO 3 - addition were the main factors affecting N 2 O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO 3 - and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time.

Ranking factors affecting emissions of GHG from incubated agricultural soils

PubMed Central

García-Marco, S; Ravella, S R; Chadwick, D; Vallejo, A; Gregory, A S; Cárdenas, L M

2014-01-01

Agriculture significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and there is a need to develop effective mitigation strategies. The efficacy of methods to reduce GHG fluxes from agricultural soils can be affected by a range of interacting management and environmental factors. Uniquely, we used the Taguchi experimental design methodology to rank the relative importance of six factors known to affect the emission of GHG from soil: nitrate (NO3−) addition, carbon quality (labile and non-labile C), soil temperature, water-filled pore space (WFPS) and extent of soil compaction. Grassland soil was incubated in jars where selected factors, considered at two or three amounts within the experimental range, were combined in an orthogonal array to determine the importance and interactions between factors with a L16 design, comprising 16 experimental units. Within this L16 design, 216 combinations of the full factorial experimental design were represented. Headspace nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations were measured and used to calculate fluxes. Results found for the relative influence of factors (WFPS and NO3− addition were the main factors affecting N2O fluxes, whilst glucose, NO3− and soil temperature were the main factors affecting CO2 and CH4 fluxes) were consistent with those already well documented. Interactions between factors were also studied and results showed that factors with little individual influence became more influential in combination. The proposed methodology offers new possibilities for GHG researchers to study interactions between influential factors and address the optimized sets of conditions to reduce GHG emissions in agro-ecosystems, while reducing the number of experimental units required compared with conventional experimental procedures that adjust one variable at a time. PMID:25177207

Effects of toxicants on community metabolism in pools

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitworth, Walter R.; Lane, Thomas H.

1969-01-01

Estimates of community metabolism of simulated natural environments were dcrivcd by diel oxygen techniques over a period of nine months. During this time, toxicants were added to some of the pools. "Natural" environmental factors and toxicants that did not affect the communities (0.02 mg/liter p,p' DDT; 0.1 mg/liter antimycin A; and 9.2 mg/liter KMnO,I) usually resulted in simultaneous changes, up or down, in both community photosynthesis and respiration. Concentrations (mg/liter) of 0.9 and 2.6 formalin, 10.0 nigrosine black, 10.0 and 2.0 malachite green, 0.1 Diquat, and 0,.5 and 5.0 CUSO.~ usually tlcprcsscd community oxygen production and increased community respiration for periods of 1 to 20 weeks.

Sex and interleukin-6 are prognostic factors for autoimmune toxicity following treatment with anti-CTLA4 blockade.

PubMed

Valpione, Sara; Pasquali, Sandro; Campana, Luca Giovanni; Piccin, Luisa; Mocellin, Simone; Pigozzo, Jacopo; Chiarion-Sileni, Vanna

2018-04-11

Ipilimumab is a licensed immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma patients and, in the US, as adjuvant treatment for high risk melanoma radically resected. The use of ipilimumab is associated with a typical but unpredictable pattern of side effects. The purpose of this study was to identify clinical features and blood biomarkers capable of predicting ipilimumab related toxicity. We performed a prospective study aimed at analyzing potential clinical and biological markers associated with immune-related toxicity in patients treated with ipilimumab (3 mg/kg, q3w). We enrolled 140 consecutive melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab for metastatic disease. The following prospectively collected data were utilized: patient characteristics, previous therapies, level of circulating biomarkers associated with tumour burden or immune-inflammation status (lactic dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, β2-microglobulin, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, S-100, alkaline phosphatase, transaminases) and blood cells subsets (leukocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations). Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis of data. Out of 140 patients, 36 (26%) experienced a severe adverse event, 33 (24%) discontinued treatment for severe toxicity. Among the immune-profile biomarkers analyzed, only interleukin-6 was associated with the risk of toxicity. Female patients had a further increase of immune-related adverse events. Low baseline interleukin-6 serum levels (OR = 2.84, 95% CI 1.34-6.03, P = 0.007) and sex female (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.06-2.16 P = 0.022) and were significant and independent risk factors for immune related adverse events. Baseline IL6 serum levels and female sex were significantly and independently associated with higher risk of severe toxicity and could be exploited in clinical practice to personalize toxicity surveillance in patients treated with ipilimumab.

Reviews on factors affecting fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sangshik; Jeong, Daeho; Sung, Hyokyung

2018-01-01

A variety of factors affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels, which include both extrinsic (i.e., loading type, R ratio, specimen type, surface condition, temperature, and environment) and intrinsic (i.e., chemical composition, grain size, microstructure, stacking fault energy) factors. Very often, the influence of extrinsic factors on the fatigue behavior is even greater than that of intrinsic factors, misleading the interpretation of fatigue data. The metallurgical factors influence the initiation and propagation behaviors of fatigue by altering the characteristics of slip that is prerequisite for fatigue damage accumulation. It is however not easy to separate the effect of each factor since they affect the fatigue behavior of high-Mn steels in complex and synergistic way. In this review, the fatigue data of high-Mn steels are summarized and the factors complicating the interpretation are discussed.

Review: Factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs.

PubMed

Larsen, M L V; Bertelsen, M; Pedersen, L J

2018-02-01

This review assesses factors affecting fouling in conventional pens for slaughter pigs. Fouling of the pen happens when pigs change their excretory behaviour from occurring in the designated dunging area to the lying area. This can result in a lower hygiene, bad air quality, extra work for the farmer, disturbance of the pigs' resting behaviour and an increase in agonistic interactions. A systematic search was conducted and results narrowed down to 21 articles. Four factors were found to affect fouling directly: insufficient space allowance, the flooring design of the pen, the thermal climate and pigs' earlier experience. Further, these primary factors are affected by secondary factors such as the shape of the pen, the weight of the pigs and especially the heat balance of the pigs, which is affected by several tertiary factors including, for example, temperature, humidity and draught. Results indicate that the most important factor to control when trying to prevent fouling of a pen is the pen climate. An appropriate climate may be accomplished through floor cooling in the designated lying area, sprinklers above the designated dunging area and by ensuring a more optimal ambient temperature curve that also fits the weight of the pigs in different stages of the production. All in all, fouling of the pen in conventional slaughter pigs is a multifactorial problem, but it is important to focus on increasing the comfortability, and especially the climate, of the designated lying area.

USEtox - The UNEP-SETAC toxicity model: recommended characterisation factors for human toxicity and freshwater ecotoxicity in Life Cycle Impact Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rosenbaum, Ralph K.; Bachmann, Till M.; Swirsky Gold, Lois

2008-02-03

Background, Aim and Scope. In 2005 a comprehensive comparison of LCIA toxicity characterisation models was initiated by the UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative, directly involving the model developers of CalTOX, IMPACT 2002, USES-LCA, BETR, EDIP, WATSON, and EcoSense. In this paper we describe this model-comparison process and its results--in particular the scientific consensus model developed by the model developers. The main objectives of this effort were (i) to identify specific sources of differences between the models' results and structure, (ii) to detect the indispensable model components, and (iii) to build a scientific consensus model from them, representing recommended practice. Methods. Amore » chemical test set of 45 organics covering a wide range of property combinations was selected for this purpose. All models used this set. In three workshops, the model comparison participants identified key fate, exposure and effect issues via comparison of the final characterisation factors and selected intermediate outputs for fate, human exposure and toxic effects for the test set applied to all models. Results. Through this process, we were able to reduce inter-model variation from an initial range of up to 13 orders of magnitude down to no more than 2 orders of magnitude for any substance. This led to the development of USEtox, a scientific consensus model that contains only the most influential model elements. These were, for example, process formulations accounting for intermittent rain, defining a closed or open system environment, or nesting an urban box in a continental box. Discussion. The precision of the new characterisation factors (CFs) is within a factor of 100-1000 for human health and 10-100 for freshwater ecotoxicity of all other models compared to 12 orders of magnitude variation between the CFs of each model respectively. The achieved reduction of inter-model variability by up to 11 orders of magnitude is a significant improvement

Association between serum ligands and the skin toxicity of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody in metastatic colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Takahashi, Naoki; Yamada, Yasuhide; Furuta, Koh; Nagashima, Kengo; Kubo, Akiko; Sasaki, Yusuke; Shoji, Hirokazu; Honma, Yoshitaka; Iwasa, Satoru; Okita, Natsuko; Takashima, Atsuo; Kato, Ken; Hamaguchi, Tetsuya; Shimada, Yasuhiro

2015-05-01

Skin toxicity is a known clinical signature used to predict the prognosis of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). There are no biological markers to predict skin toxicity before anti-EGFR antibody treatment in mCRC patients. Between August 2008 and August 2011, pretreatment serum samples were obtained from KRAS wild-type (WT) patients who received anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Serum levels of ligands were measured by ELISA. A total of 103 KRAS WT patients were enrolled in the study. Progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with a high grade (grade 2-3) of skin toxicity were significantly longer than those with a low grade (grade 0-1) of skin toxicity (median progression-free survival, 6.4 months vs 2.4 months, P < 0.001; median overall survival, 14.6 months vs 7.1 months, P = 0.006). There were significant differences in distribution of serum levels of epiregulin (EREG), amphiregulin (AREG), and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) between groups of low/high grade of skin toxicity (P < 0.048, P < 0.012, P < 0.012, respectively). In addition, serum levels of HGF, EREG, and AREG were inversely proportional to grades of skin toxicity as determined by the Cochran-Armitage test (P = 0.019, P = 0.047, P = 0.021, respectively). Our study indicated that serum levels such as HGF, EREG, and AREG may be significant markers to predict the grade of skin toxicity and the prognosis of anti-EGFR antibody treatment, which contribute to improvement of the management of skin toxicity and survival time in mCRC patients. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Biotic ligand modeling approach: Synthesis of the effect of major cations on the toxicity of metals to soil and aquatic organisms.

PubMed

Ardestani, Masoud M; van Straalen, Nico M; van Gestel, Cornelis A M

2015-10-01

The biotic ligand model (BLM) approach is used to assess metal toxicity, taking into account the competition of other cations with the free metal ions for binding to the biotic ligand sites of aquatic and soil organisms. The bioavailable fraction of metals, represented by the free metal ion, is a better measure than the total concentration for assessing their potential risk to the environment. Because BLMs are relating toxicity to the fraction of biotic ligands occupied by the metal, they can be useful for investigating factors affecting metal bioaccumulation and toxicity. In the present review, the effects of major cations on the toxicity of metals to soil and aquatic organisms were comprehensively studied by performing a meta-analysis of BLM literature data. Interactions at the binding sites were shown to be species- and metal-specific. The main factors affecting the relationships between toxicity and conditional binding constants for metal binding at the biotic ligand appeared to be Ca(2+) , Mg(2+) , and protons. Other important characteristics of the exposure medium, such as levels of dissolved organic carbon and concentrations of other cations, should also be considered to obtain a proper assessment of metal toxicity to soil and aquatic organisms. © 2015 SETAC.

Factors affecting the quality of life in childhood epilepsy in China.

PubMed

Yong, L; Chengye, J; Jiong, Q

2006-03-01

To explore the level of, and factors affecting the quality of life (QOL) in childhood epilepsy in China. At the Peking University First Hospital, we consecutively identified 418 parents whose children were with known epilepsy to complete a questionnaire, which included children's demographic characteristics, clinical message of epilepsy, QOL, familial message, parental symptoms of anxiety/depression. Significant (p<0.05) affecting factors of children's quality of life included current educational degree, mental development, age at diagnosis, age at onset, seizure frequency, duration, AED number; parental significant (p<0.05) affecting factors included anxiety, depression and health. On regression analysis, parental anxiety was the most important factor in explaining lower QOL in childhood epilepsy. AEDs, familial economic state, paternal career, seizure frequency were also significant factors. Parental anxiety outweighed the physical factors in determining QOL in childhood epilepsy. Recognition of this will be helpful for professionals to treat disease and improve the QOL of childhood epilepsy.

Factors affecting academic leadership in dermatology.

PubMed

Martires, Kathryn J; Aquino, Lisa L; Wu, Jashin J

2015-02-01

Although prior studies have examined methods by which to recruit and retain academic dermatologists, few have examined factors that are important for developing academic leaders in dermatology. This study sought to examine characteristics of dermatology residency programs that affect the odds of producing department or division chairs/chiefs and program directors (PDs). Data regarding program size, faculty, grants, alumni residency program attended, lectures, and publications for all accredited US dermatology residency programs were collected. Of the 103 programs examined, 46% had graduated at least 1 chair/chief, and 53% had graduated at least 1 PD. Results emphasize that faculty guidance and research may represent modifiable factors by which a dermatology residency program can increase its graduation of academic leaders.

Opioid growth factor (OGF) for hepatoblastoma: a novel non-toxic treatment.

PubMed

Rogosnitzky, Moshe; Finegold, Milton J; McLaughlin, Patricia J; Zagon, Ian S

2013-08-01

Hepatoblastoma is the most common liver malignancy in children, typically diagnosed before age 2. The survival rate for hepatoblastoma has increased dramatically in the last 30 years, but the typical chemotherapeutic agents used for treatment are associated with significant toxicity. In this report, the authors present two cases of hepatoblastoma treated with surgical resection and a novel biotherapeutic regimen that included opioid growth factor (OGF). Case #1 is an infant diagnosed with a large mass on prenatal ultrasound. After subsequent diagnosis of hepatoblastoma, she was treated with one course of neoadjuvant chemotherapy at approximately 1 week of age. Following significant complications from the chemotherapy (neutropenic fever, pneumonia and sepsis), the patient's parents declined further chemotherapy, and the infant was treated with surgical resection and opioid growth factor (OGF)/low dose naltrexone (LDN). She is currently at close to 10 years disease-free survival. Case #2 is a child diagnosed with a liver mass on ultrasound at 20 months of age, later biopsy-proven to represent hepatoblastoma. Due to existing co-morbidities including autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease and hypertension, and indications from the biopsy that the tumor might be insensitive to chemotherapy, the parents elected not to proceed with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The patient was treated with surgical resection and OGF/LDN, and is currently at more than 5 years disease-free survival. This case series highlights the need for less toxic treatment options than conventional chemotherapy. Modulation of the OGF-OGF receptor axis represents a promising safe and therapeutic avenue for effective treatment of hepatoblastoma.

NO3-/NH4+ ratios affect nutritional homeostasis and production of Tanzania guinea grass under Cu toxicity.

PubMed

de Souza Junior, João Cardoso; Nogueirol, Roberta Corrêa; Monteiro, Francisco Antonio

2018-05-01

Nitrogen (N) can alleviate metal toxicity. However, as of yet, there have been no studies showing the efficacy of NO 3 - /NH 4 + in mitigating Cu toxicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Cu toxicity on the nutritional and productive attributes of Panicum maximum cv. Tanzania as well as the role of NO 3 - and NH 4 + ratios in nutritional homeostasis. The experiment was conducted using 3 × 4 factorial treatments arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The treatments were three NO 3 - /NH 4 + ratios (100/0, 70/30, and 50/50) and four Cu rates (0.3, 250, 500, and 1000 μmol L -1 ) in nutrient solution. Copper concentrations in the diagnostic leaves (DL) were highest in plants grown under 70/30 NO 3 - /NH 4 + ratios and a Cu rate of 1000 μmol L -1 . In this combination, it was observed that DL had higher concentrations of NH 4 + , greater glutamine synthetase activity, lower chlorophyll concentration (SPAD value), and lower shoot dry mass, suggesting high disorders of nutritional homeostasis. Plants receiving N in the form of NO 3 - and 1000 Cu μmol L -1 showed that DL had lower concentrations of Cu, higher concentration of chlorophyll, higher NO 3 - concentration, higher nitrate reductase activity, and higher NO 3 - accumulation in the roots, suggesting a reduction in disorders of nutritional homeostasis. The disorders on mineral uptake, N assimilation, and biomass production caused by Cu toxicity are shown to be affected by NO 3 - /NH 4 + ratios, and N supply via NO 3 - allowed for better homeostasis of the forage grass.

78 FR 46418 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-31

... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity; Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

75 FR 62634 - Proposed Information Collection (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... (Obligation to Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... use of other forms of information technology. Title: Obligation to Report Factors Affecting... entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital status, and the beneficiary's number of...

Analysis of factors affecting employee satisfaction: A case study from Pakistan.

PubMed

Rukh, Lala; Choudhary, Muhammad Abbas; Abbasi, Saddam Akber

2015-01-01

Employee job satisfaction has been a research focal point throughout the world. It is a key factor when measuring the performance of an organization and individuals. A leading engineering goods manufacturing enterprise in Pakistan, has been used in this case study. In Pakistan, very limited research has been done with respect to factors affecting job satisfaction. Some research has been done in medical institutions, banks, universities and the information technology sector but large public sector organizations in Pakistan have not been studied. A theoretical foundation for researching factors affecting job satisfaction in large organizations is outlined. The objective of this research is to analyze various demographic, financial and non-financial factors affecting the satisfaction level of employees and to study the effects across different employee groups. This study is based on quantitative data analysis. The employees of the organization under study have been divided into 10 homogeneous groups based on their departments. Information on job related factors (affecting the satisfaction level) have been collected from subsamples of each group using a self-administered questionnaire. An overall sample of 250 (out of total 1100) employees has been selected. Before conducting the survey, reliability of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha. The normality of data was also examined using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test. Hypotheses devised to address the research questions were tested by using non-parametric Spearman correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The response rate was 73.2%. Research findings indicated the significant factors that affect the satisfaction level of employees. Median group differences existed between responses based on age, work experience, salary and designation (i.e. job position/rank) of employees. Job satisfaction was also positively and significantly associated with job related factors such as pay, promotion, relation with employees

Factors Affecting Successful Implementation of Hospital Information Systems.

PubMed

Farzandipur, Mehrdad; Jeddi, Fatemeh Rangraz; Azimi, Esmaeil

2016-02-01

Today, the use of information systems in health environments, like any other fields, is necessary and organizational managers are convinced to use these systems. However, managers' satisfaction is not the only factor in successfully implementing these systems and failed information technology projects (IT) are reported despite the consent of the directors. Therefore, this study aims to determine the factors affecting the successful implementation of a hospital information system. The study was carried out as a descriptive method in 20 clinical hospitals that the hospital information system (HIS) was conducted in them. The clinical and paraclinical users of mentioned hospitals are the study group. 400 people were chosen as samples in scientific method and the data was collected using a questionnaire consisted of three main human, managerial and organizational, and technological factors, by questionnaire and interview. Then the data was scored in Likert scale (score of 1 to 5) and were analyzed using the SPSS software. About 75 percent of the population were female, with average work experience of 10 years and the mean age was 30 years. The human factors affecting the success of hospital information system implementation achieved the mean score of 3.5, both organizational and managerial factors 2.9 and technological factors the mean of 3. Human factors including computer skills, perceiving usefulness and perceiving the ease of a hospital information system use are more effective on the acceptance and successful implementation of hospital information systems; then the technological factors play a greater role. It is recommended that for the successful implementation of hospital information systems, most of these factors to be considered.

Factors Affecting Open-Set Word Recognition in Adults with Cochlear Implants

PubMed Central

Holden, Laura K.; Finley, Charles C.; Firszt, Jill B.; Holden, Timothy A.; Brenner, Christine; Potts, Lisa G.; Gotter, Brenda D.; Vanderhoof, Sallie S.; Mispagel, Karen; Heydebrand, Gitry; Skinner, Margaret W.

2012-01-01

A monosyllabic word test was administered to 114 postlingually-deaf adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients at numerous intervals from two weeks to two years post-initial CI activation. Biographic/audiologic information, electrode position, and cognitive ability were examined to determine factors affecting CI outcomes. Results revealed that Duration of Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss, Age at Implantation, CI Sound-field Threshold Levels, Percentage of Electrodes in Scala Vestibuli, Medio-lateral Electrode Position, Insertion Depth, and Cognition were among the factors that affected performance. Knowledge of how factors affect performance can influence counseling, device fitting, and rehabilitation for patients and may contribute to improved device design. PMID:23348845

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students. PMID:26549046

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Introduction Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). Method This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Results Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. Conclusion The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

Factors affecting self-regulated learning in medical students: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Jouhari, Zahra; Haghani, Fariba; Changiz, Tahereh

2015-01-01

Clinical courses are required of all medical students and means that they must develop the key skill of self-regulation during learning. The ability to self-regulate learning strategies is affected by different factors. This study determined the views of medical students on the factors affecting self-regulated learning (SRL). This study uses a qualitative approach and the content analysis method. Nineteen medical students in their fourth, fifth, and sixth years of study at Isfahan University of Medical Science participated in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The students were selected using purposive sampling based on their overall grade point average (GPA). Five main themes were found to affect SRL. These themes included family with the two subthemes of family supervisory and supportive roles; peers with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting roles; instructors with the two subthemes of personal and educational instructor's characteristics; educational environment with the two subthemes of facilitator and inhibitor roles; and student with the two subthemes of facilitating and inhibiting personal factors. The outcomes of student understanding of the factors affecting self-regulation indicate that facilitating factors should be used on an individual basis to reduce the effect of inhibiting factors to improve self-regulation in students.

14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2011-01-01 2010-01-01 true Factors Affecting Standard Charges B Appendix B to Part 1215 Aeronautics and Space NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard...

Methods of Combinatorial Optimization to Reveal Factors Affecting Gene Length

PubMed Central

Bolshoy, Alexander; Tatarinova, Tatiana

2012-01-01

In this paper we present a novel method for genome ranking according to gene lengths. The main outcomes described in this paper are the following: the formulation of the genome ranking problem, presentation of relevant approaches to solve it, and the demonstration of preliminary results from prokaryotic genomes ordering. Using a subset of prokaryotic genomes, we attempted to uncover factors affecting gene length. We have demonstrated that hyperthermophilic species have shorter genes as compared with mesophilic organisms, which probably means that environmental factors affect gene length. Moreover, these preliminary results show that environmental factors group together in ranking evolutionary distant species. PMID:23300345

Estuarine sediment toxicity tests on diatoms: Sensitivity comparison for three species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno-Garrido, Ignacio; Lubián, Luis M.; Jiménez, Begoña; Soares, Amadeu M. V. M.; Blasco, Julián

2007-01-01

Experimental populations of three marine and estuarine diatoms were exposed to sediments with different levels of pollutants, collected from the Aveiro Lagoon (NW of Portugal). The species selected were Cylindrotheca closterium, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Navicula sp. Previous experiments were designed to determine the influence of the sediment particle size distribution on growth of the species assayed. Percentage of silt-sized sediment affect to growth of the selected species in the experimental conditions: the higher percentage of silt-sized sediment, the lower growth. In any case, percentages of silt-sized sediment less than 10% did not affect growth. In general, C. closterium seems to be slightly more sensitive to the selected sediments than the other two species. Two groups of sediment samples were determined as a function of the general response of the exposed microalgal populations: three of the six samples used were more toxic than the other three. Chemical analysis of the samples was carried out in order to determine the specific cause of differences in toxicity. After a statistical analysis, concentrations of Sn, Zn, Hg, Cu and Cr (among all physico-chemical analyzed parameters), in order of importance, were the most important factors that divided the two groups of samples (more and less toxic samples). Benthic diatoms seem to be sensitive organisms in sediment toxicity tests. Toxicity data from bioassays involving microphytobentos should be taken into account when environmental risks are calculated.

The acute toxicity of local anesthetics.

PubMed

Mather, Laurence E

2010-11-01

Systemic toxicity, usually from overdose or intravascular dose, is feared because it mainly affects the heart and brain, and may be acutely life-threatening. Pharmacological studies of local anesthetic toxicity have largely been reviewed primarily relating to the evaluation of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine during the past decade. This review/opinion focuses more on the principles and concepts underlying the main models used, from chemical pharmacological and pharmacokinetic perspectives. Research models required to produce pivotal toxicity data are discussed. The potencies for neural blockade and systemic toxicity are associated across virtually all models, with some deviations through molecular stereochemistry. These models show that all local anesthetics can produce direct cardiovascular system toxicity and CNS excitotoxicity that may further affect the cardiovascular system response. Whereas the longer-acting local anesthetics are more likely to cause cardiac death by malignant arrhythmias, the shorter-acting agents are more likely to cause cardiac contraction failure. In most models, equi-anesthetic doses of ropivacaine and levobupivacaine are less likely to produce serious toxicity than bupivacaine. Of the various models, this reviewer favors a whole-body large animal preparation because of the comprehensive data collection possible. The conscious sheep preparation has contributed more than any other, and may be regarded as the de facto 'standard' experimental model for concurrent study of local anesthetic toxicity ± pharmacokinetics, using experimental designs that can reproduce the toxicity seen in clinical accidents.

Factors Affecting Smoking Tendency and Smoking Intensity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Nissim Ben; Zion, Uri Ben

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure the relative effect of relevant explanatory variable on smoking tendency and smoking intensity. Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data collected by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics in 2003-2004, a probit procedure is estimated for analyzing factors that affect the probability of being a…

Accuracy of Chronic Aquatic Toxicity Estimates Determined from Acute Toxicity Data and Two Time–Response Models.

EPA Science Inventory

Traditionally, chronic toxicity in aquatic organisms and wildlife has been determined from either toxicity test data, acute to chronic ratios, or application of safety factors. A more recent alternative approach has been to estimate chronic toxicity by modeling the time course of...

Toxicity of contaminated sediments in dilution series with control sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, M.K.; Landrum, P.F.; Burton, G.A.; Klaine, S.J.; Crecelius, E.A.; Byl, T.D.; Gossiaux, Duane C.; Tsymbal, V.N.; Cleveland, L.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Sasson-Brickson, G.

1993-01-01

The use of dilutions has been the foundation of our approach for assessing contaminated water, and accordingly, it may be important to establish similar or parallel approaches for sediment dilutions. Test organism responses to dilution gradients can identify the degree of necessary sediment alteration to reduce the toxicity. Using whole sediment dilutions to represent the complex interactions of in situ sediments can identify the toxicity, but the selection of the appropriate diluent for the contaminated sediment may affect the results and conclusions drawn. Contaminated whole sediments were examined to evaluate the toxicity of dilutions of sediments with a diversity of test organisms. Dilutions of the contaminated sediments were prepared with differing diluents that varied in organic carbon content, particle size distribution, and volatile solids. Studies were conducted using four macroinvertebrates and a vascular, rooted plant. Responses by some test organisms followed a sigmoidal dose-response curve, but others followed a U-shaped curve. Initial dilutions reduced toxicity as expected, but further dilution resulted in an increase in toxicity. The type of diluent used was an important factor in assessing the sediment toxicity, because the control soil reduced toxicity more effectively than sand as a diluent of the same sediment. Using sediment chemical and physical characteristics as an indicator of sediment dilution may not be as useful as chemical analysis of contaminants, but warrants further investigation.

Factors in the Testing and Application of Algicides

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, George P.

1964-01-01

A review is presented of some of the factors affecting the laboratory testing and practical applications of chemicals toxic to algae. The basic factor demonstrated is that the amount of chemical required to inhibit the growth of algae is dependent on the amount of algae present and not on the volume of water in which the algae are dispersed. It is shown how a chemical can be tested for algistatic or algicidal properties, thus enabling one to decide how best to apply a particular chemical. The selectivity of chemicals and the development of resistance in algae towards certain chemicals is demonstrated. Also, it is shown how certain algae can appear to be resistant to chemical treatments because of their growth habit or their production of extracellular products which affect the toxicity of added chemicals. With a better understanding of how various factors can influence the effectiveness of toxic chemicals, it is hoped that the selection of a chemical and method of application to a particular problem will be more successful. Images FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3 FIG. 4 FIG. 5 FIG. 6 PMID:14170963

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database,more » genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression.« less

Identification of Factors That Affect Software Complexity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaiser, Javaid

A survey of computer scientists was conducted to identify factors that affect software complexity. A total of 160 items were selected from the literature to include in a questionnaire sent to 425 individuals who were employees of computer-related businesses in Lawrence and Kansas City. The items were grouped into nine categories called system…

INTERNATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN FACTORS AFFECTING LABOUR MOBILITY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SELLIER, F.; ZARKA, C.

THE GEOGRAPHICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND INTERFIRM MOBILITY, AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING THESE MOVEMENTS FOR WORKERS IN FRANCE, ITALY, GERMANY, AND SWEDEN IN THE PERIOD SINCE THE SECOND WORLD WAR ARE STUDIED. DATA OBTAINED FROM INDUSTRIAL SURVEYS AND GENERAL CENSUSES WERE USED TO COMPARE THE FOUR COUNTRIES WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE UNITED STATES.…

The effect of pH on the toxicity of fatty acids and fatty acid amides to rainbow trout gill cells.

PubMed

Bertin, Matthew J; Voronca, Delia C; Chapman, Robert W; Moeller, Peter D R

2014-01-01

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) expose aquatic organisms to multiple physical and chemical stressors during an acute time period. Algal toxins themselves may be altered by water chemistry parameters affecting their bioavailability and resultant toxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two abiotic parameters (pH, inorganic metal salts) on the toxicity of fatty acid amides and fatty acids, two classes of lipids produced by harmful algae, including the golden alga, Prymnesium parvum, that are toxic to aquatic organisms. Rainbow trout gill cells were used as a model of the fish gill and exposed to single compounds and mixtures of compounds along with variations in pH level and concentration of inorganic metal salts. We employed artificial neural networks (ANNs) and standard ANOVA statistical analysis to examine and predict the effects of these abiotic parameters on the toxicity of fatty acid amides and fatty acids. Our results demonstrate that increasing pH levels increases the toxicity of fatty acid amides and inhibits the toxicity of fatty acids. This phenomenon is reversed at lower pH levels. Exposing gill cells to complex mixtures of chemical factors resulted in dramatic increases in toxicity compared to tests of single compounds for both the fatty acid amides and fatty acids. These findings highlight the potential of physicochemical factors to affect the toxicity of chemicals released during algal blooms and demonstrate drastic differences in the effect of pH on fatty acid amides and fatty acids. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Challenges for the development of a biotic ligand model predicting copper toxicity in estuaries and seas.

PubMed

de Polo, Anna; Scrimshaw, Mark D

2012-02-01

An effort is ongoing to develop a biotic ligand model (BLM) that predicts copper (Cu) toxicity in estuarine and marine environments. At present, the BLM accounts for the effects of water chemistry on Cu speciation, but it does not consider the influence of water chemistry on the physiology of the organisms. We discuss how chemistry affects Cu toxicity not only by controlling its speciation, but also by affecting the osmoregulatory physiology of the organism, which varies according to salinity. In an attempt to understand the mechanisms of Cu toxicity and predict its impacts, we explore the hypothesis that the common factor linking the main toxic effects of Cu is the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), because it is a Cu target with multiple functions and salinity-dependent expression and activity. According to this hypothesis, the site of action of Cu in marine fish may be not only the gill, but also the intestine, because in this tissue CA plays an important role in ion transport and water adsorption. Therefore, the BLM of Cu toxicity to marine fish should also consider the intestine as a biotic ligand. Finally, we underline the need to incorporate the osmotic gradient into the BLM calculations to account for the influence of physiology on Cu toxicity. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

A Metasynthesis of Factors Affecting Self-Management of Chronic Illness

PubMed Central

SCHULMAN-GREEN, Dena; JASER, Sarah S.; PARK, Chorong; WHITTEMORE, Robin

2015-01-01

Aim To identify factors that may serve as facilitators and barriers to self-management described by adults living with chronic illness by conducting a qualitative metasynthesis. Background Self-management is an individuals’ active management of a chronic illness in collaboration with their family members and clinicians. Design Qualitative metasynthesis. Data Sources We analyzed studies (N=53) published between January 2000–May 2013 that described factors affecting self-management in chronic illness as reported by adults aged over 18 years with chronic illness. Review Methods Sandelowsi and Barroso approach to qualitative metasynthesis: literature search; quality appraisal; analysis; and synthesis of findings. Results Collectively, article authors reported on sixteen chronic illnesses, most commonly diabetes (N=28) and cardiovascular disease (N=20). Participants included men and women (mean age=57, range 18–94) from twenty countries representing diverse races and ethnicities. We identified five categories of factors affecting self-management: Personal/Lifestyle Characteristics; Health Status; Resources; Environmental Characteristics; and Health Care System. Factors may interact to affect self-management and may exist on a continuum of positive (facilitator) to negative (barrier). Conclusion Understanding factors that influence self-management may improve assessment of self-management among adults with chronic illness and may inform interventions tailored to meet individuals’ needs and improve health outcomes. PMID:26781649

Factors affecting post-pubertal penile size in patients with hypospadias.

PubMed

Moriya, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Michiko; Nishimura, Yoko; Kitta, Takeya; Kanno, Yukiko; Chiba, Hiroki; Kon, Masafumi; Shinohara, Nobuo

2016-09-01

To evaluate actual post-pubertal penile size and factors affecting it in hypospadias patients, we retrospectively reviewed medical charts. Hypospadias patients whose external genitalia were categorized into Tanner stage 5, and whose stretched penile length was evaluated at 15 years old or older from April 2008 to April 2015, were enrolled in the present study. Stretched penile length was measured by a single examiner. Actual post-pubertal stretched penile length and factors affecting the post-pubertal stretched penile length were estimated. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U test and univariate and multivariate linear regression models for the determination of independent factors. Thirty patients met the inclusion criteria. Median age at evaluation was 17.2 years. Thirteen and 17 had mild and severe hypospadias, respectively. Endocrinological abnormality was identified in 5. Multivariate analysis showed that the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality were significant factors affecting stretched penile length. Stretched penile length in 25 patients without endocrinological abnormality was significantly longer than that in those with endocrinological abnormality (p = 0.036). Among patients without endocrinological abnormality, stretched penile length in 13 with severe hypospadias was significantly shorter than that in 12 with mild hypospadias (p = 0.004). While the severity of hypospadias and endocrinological abnormality at post-pubertal evaluation were factors affecting post-pubertal penile size, stretched penile length in patients with severe hypospadias was shorter even in cases without endocrinological abnormality. These results suggest that severe hypospadias is not only a disorder of urethral development, but also a disorder of penile development.

Factors affecting rotator cuff healing.

PubMed

Mall, Nathan A; Tanaka, Miho J; Choi, Luke S; Paletta, George A

2014-05-07

Several studies have noted that increasing age is a significant factor for diminished rotator cuff healing, while biomechanical studies have suggested the reason for this may be an inferior healing environment in older patients. Larger tears and fatty infiltration or atrophy negatively affect rotator cuff healing. Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, double-row repairs, performing a concomitant acromioplasty, and the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) do not demonstrate an improvement in structural healing over mini-open rotator cuff repairs, single-row repairs, not performing an acromioplasty, or not using PRP. There is conflicting evidence to support postoperative rehabilitation protocols using early motion over immobilization following rotator cuff repair.

Factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations in yellow-bellied marmots.

PubMed

Armitage, K B

1991-01-01

1. Bound and total corticosteroid concentrations of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris) were lowest in May after emergence from hibernation and peaked in August prior to immergence. 2. Total corticosteroids were affected by age but not by sex or reproductive status. 3. There was no consistent relationship between measures of population density and concentrations of corticosteroids; when a significant relationship occurred, only 22-34% of the variation was explained. 4. Social status and social behavior were the major factors affecting corticosteroid concentrations.

Factors affecting Iran`s future. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sinai, J.

1993-05-28

This study examines the factors affecting Iran`s future by focusing on the demographic, economic, and military trends in Iran and their impact on the country`s national security objectives in the next decade. The paper also assesses the implications of an economic embargo on Iran and potential Iranian threats to regional and United States national interests.

Are Affective Factors a Good Predictor of Science Achievement? Examining the Role of Affective Factors Based on PISA 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozel, Murat; Caglak, Serdar; Erdogan, Mehmet

2013-01-01

This study investigated how affective factors like attitude and motivation contribute to science achievement in PISA 2006 using linear structural modeling. The data set of PISA 2006 collected from 4942 fifteen-year-old Turkish students (2290 females, 2652 males) was used for the statistical analyses. A total of 42 selected items on a four point…

Effect of pH and ionic strength on exposure and toxicity of encapsulated lambda-cyhalothrin to Daphnia magna.

PubMed

Son, Jino; Hooven, Louisa A; Harper, Bryan; Harper, Stacey L

2015-12-15

Encapsulation of pesticide active ingredients in polymers has been widely employed to control the release of poorly water-soluble active ingredients. Given the high dispersibility of these encapsulated pesticides in water, they are expected to behave differently compared to their active ingredients; however, our current understanding of the fate and effects of encapsulated pesticides is still limited. In this study, we employed a central composite design (CCD) to investigate how pH and ionic strength (IS) affect the hydrodynamic diameter (HDD) and zeta potential of encapsulated λ-cyhalothrin and how those changes affect the exposure and toxicity to Daphnia magna. R(2) values greater than 0.82 and 0.84 for HDD and zeta potential, respectively, irrespective of incubation time suggest those changes could be predicted as a function of pH and IS. For HDD, the linear factor of pH and quadratic factor of pH×pH were found to be the most significant factors affecting the change of HDD at the beginning of incubation, whereas the effects of IS and IS×IS became significant as incubation time increased. For zeta potential, the linear factor of IS and quadratic factor of IS×IS were found to be the most dominant factors affecting the change of zeta potential of encapsulated λ-cyhalothrin, irrespective of incubation time. The toxicity tests with D. magna under exposure conditions in which HDD or zeta potential of encapsulated λ-cyhalothrin was maximized or minimized in the overlying water also clearly showed the worst-case exposure condition to D. magna was when the encapsulated λ-cyhalothrin is either stable or small in the overlying water. Our results show that water quality could modify the fate and toxicity of encapsulated λ-cyhalothrin in aquatic environments, suggesting understanding their aquatic interactions are critical in environmental risk assessment. Herein, we discuss the implications of our findings for risk assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All

Factors affecting cardiac rehabilitation referral by physician specialty.

PubMed

Grace, Sherry L; Grewal, Keerat; Stewart, Donna E

2008-01-01

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is widely underutilized because of multiple factors including physician referral practices. Previous research has shown CR referral varies by type of provider, with cardiologists more likely to refer than primary care physicians. The objective of this study was to compare factors affecting CR referral in primary care physicians versus cardiac specialists. A cross-sectional survey of a stratified random sample of 510 primary care physicians and cardiac specialists (cardiologists or cardiovascular surgeons) in Ontario identified through the Canadian Medical Directory Online was administered. One hundred four primary care physicians and 81 cardiac specialists responded to the 26-item investigator-generated survey examining medical, demographic, attitudinal, and health system factors affecting CR referral. Primary care physicians were more likely to endorse lack of familiarity with CR site locations (P < .001), lack of standardized referral forms (P < .001), inconvenience (P = .04), program quality (P = .004), and lack of discharge communication from CR (P = .001) as factors negatively impacting CR referral practices than cardiac specialists. Cardiac specialists were significantly more likely to perceive that their colleagues and department would regularly refer patients to CR than primary care physicians (P < .001). Where differences emerged, primary care physicians were more likely to perceive factors that would impede CR referral, some of which are modifiable. Marketing CR site locations, provision of standardized referral forms, and ensuring discharge summaries are communicated to primary care physicians may improve their willingness to refer to CR.

Photocatalytic degradation kinetics of naphthenic acids in oil sands process-affected water: Multifactorial determination of significant factors.

PubMed

Leshuk, Tim; de Oliveira Livera, Diogo; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V; Vijayaraghavan, Sucharita; Wong, Timothy; Gu, Frank

2016-12-01

Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is generated as a byproduct of bitumen extraction in Canada's oil sands. Due to the water's toxicity, associated with dissolved acid extractable organics (AEO), especially naphthenic acids (NAs), along with base-neutral organics, OSPW may require treatment to enable safe discharge to the environment. Heterogeneous photocatalysis is a promising advanced oxidation process (AOP) for OSPW remediation, however, predicting treatment efficacy can be challenging due to the unique water chemistry of OSPW from different tailings ponds. The objective of this work was to study various factors affecting the kinetics of photocatalytic AEO degradation in OSPW. The rate of photocatalytic treatment varied significantly in two different OSPW sources, which could not be accounted for by differences in AEO composition, as studied by high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The effects of inorganic water constituents were investigated using factorial and response surface experiments, which revealed that hydroxyl (HO) radical scavenging by iron (Fe 3+ ) and bicarbonate (HCO 3 - ) inhibited the NA degradation rate. The effects of NA concentration and temperature on the treatment kinetics were also evaluated in terms of Langmuir-Hinshelwood and Arrhenius models; pH and temperature were identified as weak factors, while dissolved oxygen (DO) was critical to the photo-oxidation reaction. Accounting for all of these variables, a general empirical kinetic expression is proposed, enabling prediction of photocatalytic treatment performance in diverse sources of OSPW. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Radiologist's PACS Usage.

PubMed

Forsberg, Daniel; Rosipko, Beverly; Sunshine, Jeffrey L

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if any of the factors radiologist, examination category, time of week, and week effect PACS usage, with PACS usage defined as the sequential order of computer commands issued by a radiologist in a PACS during interpretation and dictation. We initially hypothesized that only radiologist and examination category would have significant effects on PACS usage. Command logs covering 8 weeks of PACS usage were analyzed. For each command trace (describing performed activities of an attending radiologist interpreting a single examination), the PACS usage variables number of commands, number of command classes, bigram repetitiveness, and time to read were extracted. Generalized linear models were used to determine the significance of the factors on the PACS usage variables. The statistical results confirmed the initial hypothesis that radiologist and examination category affect PACS usage and that the factors week and time of week to a large extent have no significant effect. As such, this work provides direction for continued efforts to analyze system data to better understand PACS utilization, which in turn can provide input to enable optimal utilization and configuration of corresponding systems. These continued efforts were, in this work, exemplified by a more detailed analysis using PACS usage profiles, which revealed insights directly applicable to improve PACS utilization through modified system configuration.

Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.

PubMed

Alban, Michael W; Pocknell, Victoria

2017-01-01

Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.

Factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation

Treesearch

Robert L. Jr. Nevel; Robert L. Jr. Nevel

1973-01-01

The continued use of hardwood flooring in urban rehabilitation is being threatened. A study of the influences that determine the choice of flooring indicates that economic, physical, or technological factors dominate. Most factors affecting the use of hardwood flooring are related to cost, availability, and compatibility. Of these factors, time and cost of installation...

High Efficiency InP Solar Cells from Low Toxicity Tertiarybutylphosphine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, Richard W., Jr.; Fatemi, Navid S.; Wilt, David M.; Jenkins, Phillip P.; Brinker, David J.; Scheiman, David A.

1994-01-01

Large scale manufacture of phosphide based semiconductor devices by organo-metallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) typically requires the use of highly toxic phosphine. Advancements in phosphine substitutes have identified tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) as an excellent precursor for OMVPE of InP. High quality undoped and doped InP films were grown using TBP and trimethylindium. Impurity doped InP films were achieved utilizing diethylzinc and silane for p and n type respectively. 16 percent efficient solar cells under air mass zero, one sun intensity were demonstrated with Voc of 871 mV and fill factor of 82.6 percent. It was shown that TBP could replace phosphine, without adversely affecting device quality, in OMVPE deposition of InP thus significantly reducing toxic gas exposure risk.

Factors Affecting Sleep Quality of Patients in Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Bihari, Shailesh; Doug McEvoy, R.; Matheson, Elisha; Kim, Susan; Woodman, Richard J.; Bersten, Andrew D.

2012-01-01

Introduction: Sleep disturbance is a frequently overlooked complication of intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Aim: To evaluate sleep quality among patients admitted to ICU and investigate environmental and non-environmental factors that affect sleep quality in ICU. Methods: Over a 22-month period, we consecutively recruited patients who spent ≥ 2 nights post-endotracheal extubation in ICU and who were orientated to time, place, and person on the day of discharge. Self-reported sleep quality, according to a modified Freedman questionnaire, which provided data on self-reported ICU sleep quality in ICU and environmental factors affecting sleep quality in the ICU, were collected. We also investigated non-environmental factors, such as severity of illness, ICU interventions, and medications that can affect sleep quality. Results: Fifty males and 50 females were recruited with a mean (± SD) age of 65.1 ± 15.2 years. APACHE II score at admission to ICU was 18.1 ± 7.5 with duration of stay 6.7 ± 6.5days. Self-reported sleep quality score at home (1 = worst; 10 = best) was 7.0 ± 2.2; this decreased to 4.0 ± 1.7 during their stay in ICU (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis with APACHE III as severity of illness (R2 = 0.25), factors [exp(b)(95% CI), p value] which significantly affected sleep in ICU were sex [0.37(0.19-0.72), p < 0.01], age and sex interaction [1.02(1.01-1.03), p < 0.01], bedside phone [0.92(0.87-0.97), p < 0.01], prior quality of sleep at home [1.30(1.05-1.62), p = 0.02], and use of steroids [0.82(0.69-0.98), p = 0.03] during the stay in ICU. Conclusion: Reduced sleep quality is a common problem in ICU with a multifactorial etiology. Citation: Bihari S; McEvoy RD; Kim S; Woodman RJ; Bersten AD. Factors affecting sleep quality of patients in intensive care unit. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(3):301-307. PMID:22701388

An Analysis of Factors That Affect the Educational Performance of Agricultural Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenway, Gina

2012-01-01

Many factors contribute to student achievement. This study focuses on three areas: how students learn, how student personality type affects performance, and how course format affects performance outcomes. The analysis sought to improve understanding of the direction and magnitude with which each of these factors impacts student success. Improved…

Assessment of Factor Affecting Institutional Performance: The Case of Wolaita Sodo University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shibru, Sintayehu; Bibiso, Mesfin; Ousman, Kedir

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore factors that affect institutional performance of Wolaita Sodo University. The study has identified middle level manager's perceptions toward institutional performance to indicate the key factors that seem to affect the performance of the university. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and…

Development of a toxicity identification evaluation procedure for characterizing metal toxicity in marine sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burgess, R.M.; Cantwell, M.G.; Pelletier, M.C.

2000-04-01

A multiagency effort is underway to develop whole sediment toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods. Whole sediment TIE methods will be critical tools for characterizing toxicity at hazardous waste sites and in the conduct of environmental risk assessments. The research approach is based on the predominance of three classes of toxicants in sediments: ammonia, nonpolar organic chemicals, and metals. Here the authors describe a procedure for characterizing acute toxicity caused by metals in whole marine sediments. The procedure involves adding a chelating resin to sediments, resulting in the sequestration of bioavailable metal while not stressing testing organisms. Within the testing chambers,more » the presence of resin resulted in statistically significant reductions in the overlying and interstitial water concentrations of five metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, and zinc) generally by factors of 40 and 200. Toxicity to both the amphipod Ampelisca abdita and mysid Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) of sediments spiked with the five metals was decreased by approximately a factor of four when resin was present. While very effective at reducing the concentrations and toxicity of metals, the resin has only minor ameliorative effects on the toxicity of ammonia and a representative nonpolar toxicant (Endosulfan). Resin and accumulated metal were easily isolated from the testing system following exposures allowing for the initiation of phase II TIE (identification) procedures. This procedure using the addition of a chelating resin provides an approach for determining the importance of metals to the toxicity of marine sediments. Work is continuing to validate the method with environmentally contaminated sediments.« less

Factors affecting onset of puberty in Denizli province in Turkey.

PubMed

Semiz, Serap; Kurt, Funda; Kurt, Devrim Tanil; Zencir, Mehmet; Sevinç, Ozgür

2009-01-01

The relationship between the possible factors affecting pubertal onset and pubertal timing was investigated in the Denizli province in Turkey. A total number of 3311 subjects (1562 girls, 1749 boys) aged 6-16.5 years participated in this study. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Pubertal stages were assessed according to methods of Marshall and Tanner. Testicular volume was determined using Prader orchidometer. Menarcheal age was recorded. All parents and students completed different questionnaires on demographic variables affecting pubertal timing such as socioeconomic conditions, psychosocial factors, exercise, nutritional status, chronic diseases, migration and birth weight. Using distribution percentiles of pubertal stages according to age, the relation between pubertal timing and factors affecting puberty was investigated. There was no significant association between exercise, birth weight, migration, chronic disease, and socioeconomic status and age of puberty onset. Menarcheal age of overweight and obese girls was significantly lower than that of girls with normal weight. In-family stress was the cause of early puberty in girls and of delayed puberty in boys.

Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth.

PubMed

Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

2017-01-01

Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction.

Nurse aide decision making in nursing homes: factors affecting empowerment.

PubMed

Chaudhuri, Tanni; Yeatts, Dale E; Cready, Cynthia M

2013-09-01

To evaluate factors affecting structural empowerment among nurse aides in nursing homes. Structural empowerment can be defined as the actual rather than perceived ability to make autonomous decisions within an organisation. Given the paucity of research on the subject, this study helps to close the gap by identifying factors that affect nurse aide empowerment, that is, decision-making among nurse aides. The data for the study come from self-administered questionnaires distributed to direct-care workers (nurse aides) in 11 nursing homes in a southern state in the USA. Ordinary least square regression models were estimated to analyse the effects of demographic predictors, personal factors (competency, emotional exhaustion and positive attitude) and structural characteristics (coworker and supervisor support, information availability and shared governance) on nurse aide decision-making. Findings suggest race among demographic predictors, emotional exhaustion among personal characteristics, and supervisor support, and shared governance among structural factors, significantly affect nurse aide decision-making. It is important to explore race as one of the central determinants of structural empowerment among nurse aides. In addition, the nature and type of emotional exhaustion that propels decision-making needs to be further examined. The study shows the importance of shared governance and supervisor support for fostering nurse aide empowerment. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plas...

Insecticide toxicity to oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) is influenced by environmental factors.

PubMed

Lin, Yuying; Jin, Tao; Zeng, Ling; Lu, Yongyue

2013-02-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of environmental factors (temperature, dose, dietary source, and feeding density) on the insecticide tolerance of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). The results indicated that the toxicities of trichlorphon and abamectin to B. dorsalis increased with an increase in temperature. At 15-35 degrees C, the toxicity of beta-cypermethrin decreased with an increase in temperature at low doses (0.82 and 1.86 mg/L), but was similar at a high dose (4.18 mg/L). These results demonstrated that the temperature coefficient of beta-cypermethrin was related to both temperature and dosage. The insecticide sensitivity of B. dorsalis reared on different dietary sources was significantly different. Trichlorphon sensitivity of B. dorsalis fed on banana was the highest with an LC50 of 1.61 mg/L, followed by on apple, carambola, semiartificial diet, pear, mango, guava, orange, and papaya. With an increasing feeding density, the sensitivity of B. dorsalis adults to trichlorphon increased, while the sensitivities of B. dorsalis adults to abamectin and beta-cypermethrin decreased. The differences between LC50 values of insects reared at densities of 10 and 13 eggs/g of semiartificial diet to trichlorphon, abamectin and beta-cypermethrin were not significant. This result suggested that representative toxicity could be obtained by using adults developed at a feeding density between 10-13 eggs/g of semiartificial diet. Adult body weight was positively correlated with the LC50 value of trichlorphon, but was negatively correlated with the toxicities of abamectin and beta-cypermethrin. These results suggested that the effects of adult body weight on the toxicity of insecticides were different among different chemicals.

The key factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, Derek

2018-01-01

Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The present study aimed to address this gap, using a mixed methods design. Qualitative interview data were collected from 60 Hong Kong junior secondary school students, who were asked to describe the nature of their interest in science lessons and the factors to which they attribute this. Teacher interviews, parent interviews, and classroom observations were conducted to triangulate student interview data. Five factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons were identified: situational influences in science lessons, individual interest in science, science self-concept, grade level, and gender. Quantitative data were then collected from 591 students using a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to test a hypothesised model, which provided an acceptable fit to the student data. The strongest factor affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons was science self-concept, followed by individual interest in science and situational influences in science lessons. Grade level and gender were found to be nonsignificant factors. These findings suggest that teachers should pay special attention to the association between academic self-concept and interest if they want to motivate students to learn science at school.

Biomarkers of skin toxicity induced by anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody treatment in colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Kubo, Akiko; Hashimoto, Hironobu; Takahashi, Naoki; Yamada, Yasuhide

2016-01-14

Skin toxicity is a common symptom of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody treatment and is also a predictive marker of its efficacy in colorectal cancer patients. However, severe skin disorders induced by such antibodies negatively impact on the quality of life of patients and decreases drug compliance during treatment. If we can predict the high-risk group susceptible to severe skin toxicity before treatment, we can undertake the early management of any arising skin disorders and formulate a more accurate prognosis for anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Previous studies have identified molecular markers of skin toxicity induced by anti-EGFR antibody, such as EGFR polymorphisms, the expression of inflammatory chemokines and serum levels of EGFR ligands. A clinical trial was undertaken involving the escalation of cetuximab doses, guided by the grade of skin toxicity observed, such as no or low-grade, in metastatic colorectal cancer (the EVEREST study). The dose escalation of cetuximab was confirmed by a safety profile and had the tendency to achieve a higher response rate in KRAS wild-type patients. A large, prospective randomized trial is now ongoing (EVEREST 2) and the results of this trial may contribute to personalized medicine in KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer patients.

Biomarkers of skin toxicity induced by anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody treatment in colorectal cancer

PubMed Central

Kubo, Akiko; Hashimoto, Hironobu; Takahashi, Naoki; Yamada, Yasuhide

2016-01-01

Skin toxicity is a common symptom of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody treatment and is also a predictive marker of its efficacy in colorectal cancer patients. However, severe skin disorders induced by such antibodies negatively impact on the quality of life of patients and decreases drug compliance during treatment. If we can predict the high-risk group susceptible to severe skin toxicity before treatment, we can undertake the early management of any arising skin disorders and formulate a more accurate prognosis for anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Previous studies have identified molecular markers of skin toxicity induced by anti-EGFR antibody, such as EGFR polymorphisms, the expression of inflammatory chemokines and serum levels of EGFR ligands. A clinical trial was undertaken involving the escalation of cetuximab doses, guided by the grade of skin toxicity observed, such as no or low-grade, in metastatic colorectal cancer (the EVEREST study). The dose escalation of cetuximab was confirmed by a safety profile and had the tendency to achieve a higher response rate in KRAS wild-type patients. A large, prospective randomized trial is now ongoing (EVEREST 2) and the results of this trial may contribute to personalized medicine in KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer patients. PMID:26811634

The protein transportation pathway from Golgi to vacuoles via endosomes plays a role in enhancement of methylmercury toxicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Gi-Wook; Murai, Yasutaka; Takahashi, Tsutomu; Naganuma, Akira

2014-07-01

Methylmercury causes serious damage to the central nervous system, but the molecular mechanisms of methylmercury toxicity are only marginally understood. In this study, we used a gene-deletion mutant library of budding yeast to conduct genome-wide screening for gene knockouts affecting the sensitivity of methylmercury toxicity. We successfully identified 31 genes whose deletions confer resistance to methylmercury in yeast, and 18 genes whose deletions confer hypersensitivity to methylmercury. Yeast genes whose deletions conferred resistance to methylmercury included many gene encoding factors involved in protein transport to vacuoles. Detailed examination of the relationship between the factors involved in this transport system and methylmercury toxicity revealed that mutants with loss of the factors involved in the transportation pathway from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) to the endosome, protein uptake into the endosome, and endosome-vacuole fusion showed higher methylmercury resistance than did wild-type yeast. The results of our genetic engineering study suggest that this vesicle transport system (proteins moving from the TGN to vacuole via endosome) is responsible for enhancing methylmercury toxicity due to the interrelationship between the pathways. There is a possibility that there may be proteins in the cell that enhance methylmercury toxicity through the protein transport system.

75 FR 80114 - Agency Information Collection (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-21

... (Obligation To Report Factors Affecting Entitlement) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... Report Factors Affecting Entitlement (38 CFR 3.204(a)(1), 38 CFR 3.256(a) and 38 CFR 3.277(b)). OMB... benefits must report changes in their entitlement factors. Individual factors such as income, marital...

Factors Affecting Students' Grades in Principles of Economics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Orhan; Bagheri, Fathollah; Tolin, Thomas

2009-01-01

Factors affecting students' grades in principles of microeconomics and macroeconomics students are analyzed from the data collected in two public universities. Results indicate that gender, number of hours worked, SAT scores, number of missed classes, recommending the course to a friend, instructors, being a junior, number of economics courses…

Systematic review of factors affecting pharmaceutical expenditures.

PubMed

Mousnad, Mohamed Awad; Shafie, Asrul Akmal; Ibrahim, Mohamed Izham

2014-06-01

To systematically identify the main factors contributing to the increase in pharmaceutical expenditures. A systematic search of published studies was conducted utilising major widely used electronic databases using the search terms 'factors,' 'financing,' 'pharmaceutical,' and 'expenditures.' To be included, the studies needed to: (1) measure at least one of the following outcomes: total growth in pharmaceutical expenditures, price growth or quantity growth; (2) mention a clear method for analysing the impact of factors affecting the increases in drug expenditures; (3) be written in English. Nonprimary articles that were published only as an abstract, a review, a commentary or a letter were excluded. From a total of 2039 studies, only 25 were included in the full review. The main determinant categories that were identified in the review were factors related to price, utilisation, therapeutic choice, demand and health care system. The major cost drivers were found to be changes in drug quantities and therapies as well as new drugs. It is important for policymakers to understand pharmaceutical spending trends and the factors that influence them in order to formulate effective cost containment strategies and design optimum drug policy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Influencing Pulmonary Toxicity in Children Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in the Setting of Total Body Irradiation-Based Myeloablative Conditioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abugideiri, Mustafa, E-mail: Mabugid@emory.edu; Nanda, Ronica H.; Butker, Charlotte

Purpose: This study evaluated factors associated with increased risk of pulmonary toxicity (PT) from any cause in pediatric patients after myeloablative conditioning, using total body irradiation (TBI), followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Methods and Materials: The records of 129 consecutive pediatric patients (range: 1-21 years of age) who underwent TBI-based myeloablative conditioning for hematologic malignancies at our institution between January 2003 and May 2014 were reviewed. Although total TBI doses ranged from 10.5 to 14 Gy, lung doses were limited to 10 Gy with partial transmission blocks. TBI dose rates ranged from 5.6 cGy/min to 20.9 cGy/min. PT was classified usingmore » clinical symptoms, radiographic evidence, and ventilatory defects on pulmonary function tests. Noninfectious (idiopathic) pneumonia syndrome (IPS) was characterized by patients exhibiting PT while demonstrating no signs of infection throughout the follow-up period. Results: PT from any cause developed in 70.5% of patients and was significantly associated with increased transplantation-related mortality (TRM) (P=.03) and decreased overall survival (OS) (P=.02). IPS developed in 23.3% of patients but was not associated with increased TRM (P=.6) or decreased OS (P=.5). Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) significantly affected PT (P=.001) but did not significantly influence the development of IPS (P=.4). Infection was a leading cause of PT (75.8%). TBI dose rate significantly affected development of overall PT (P=.02) and was the sole factor to significantly influence the incidence of IPS (P=.002). TBI total dose, dose per fraction, disease type, transplantation chemotherapy, age of patient, sex, and donor type did not significantly impact overall PT or IPS. Conclusions: A high incidence of PT was noted in this large series of homogeneously treated pediatric patients undergoing TBI for allogeneic HSCT. TBI dose rates affected overall PT and

Key factors affecting dying children and their families.

PubMed

Hinds, Pamela S; Schum, Lisa; Baker, Justin N; Wolfe, Joanne

2005-01-01

The death of a child alters the life and health of others immediately and for the rest of their lives. How a child dies influences parents' abilities to continue their role functions as well as siblings' abilities to make and maintain friendships, and may be the basis for health care providers' decisions to exit direct care roles. Thus, facilitating a "good death"-an obvious care priority for all involved with the dying child-ought also to be a priority for the health of bereaved families and affected health care providers. Making this a care priority is complicated by a serious lack of data, as details of the last hours or weeks of a dying child or adolescent's life are largely unknown. The purpose of this paper is to identify key factors that affect the course of dying children and adolescents and that of their bereaved survivors, and to link those key factors to needed research that could produce clinically relevant findings to improve the care of these patients. Key factors described here include suffering (physical, psychological, and spiritual), communication, decision making, prognostic ambiguities, ability of the seriously ill child to give assent to research participation, and educational preparation of health care providers to give competent end-of-life care.

Genetic factors affecting dental caries risk.

PubMed

Opal, S; Garg, S; Jain, J; Walia, I

2015-03-01

This article reviews the literature on genetic aspects of dental caries and provides a framework for the rapidly changing disease model of caries. The scope is genetic aspects of various dental factors affecting dental caries. The PubMed database was searched for articles with keywords 'caries', 'genetics', 'taste', 'diet' and 'twins'. This was followed by extensive handsearching using reference lists from relevant articles. The post-genomic era will present many opportunities for improvement in oral health care but will also present a multitude of challenges. We can conclude from the literature that genes have a role to play in dental caries; however, both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the aetiology of caries. Additional studies will have to be conducted to replicate the findings in a different population. Identification of genetic risk factors will help screen and identify susceptible patients to better understand the contribution of genes in caries aetiopathogenesis. Information derived from these diverse studies will provide new tools to target individuals and/or populations for a more efficient and effective implementation of newer preventive measures and diagnostic and novel therapeutic approaches in the management of this disease. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

Use of a Generalized Additive Model to Investigate Key Abiotic Factors Affecting Microcystin Cellular Quotas in Heavy Bloom Areas of Lake Taihu

PubMed Central

Tao, Min; Xie, Ping; Chen, Jun; Qin, Boqiang; Zhang, Dawen; Niu, Yuan; Zhang, Meng; Wang, Qing; Wu, Laiyan

2012-01-01

Lake Taihu is the third largest freshwater lake in China and is suffering from serious cyanobacterial blooms with the associated drinking water contamination by microcystin (MC) for millions of citizens. So far, most studies on MCs have been limited to two small bays, while systematic research on the whole lake is lacking. To explain the variations in MC concentrations during cyanobacterial bloom, a large-scale survey at 30 sites across the lake was conducted monthly in 2008. The health risks of MC exposure were high, especially in the northern area. Both Microcystis abundance and MC cellular quotas presented positive correlations with MC concentration in the bloom seasons, suggesting that the toxic risks during Microcystis proliferations were affected by variations in both Microcystis density and MC production per Microcystis cell. Use of a powerful predictive modeling tool named generalized additive model (GAM) helped visualize significant effects of abiotic factors related to carbon fixation and proliferation of Microcystis (conductivity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), water temperature and pH) on MC cellular quotas from recruitment period of Microcystis to the bloom seasons, suggesting the possible use of these factors, in addition to Microcystis abundance, as warning signs to predict toxic events in the future. The interesting relationship between macrophytes and MC cellular quotas of Microcystis (i.e., high MC cellular quotas in the presence of macrophytes) needs further investigation. PMID:22384128

Factors affecting sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, Graciana; Nkambule, Sizwe E.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to reduce the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by the year 2015 has been met as of 2010, but huge disparities exist. Some regions, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa are lagging behind it is also in this region where up to 30% of the rural schemes are not functional at any given time. There is need for more studies on factors affecting sustainability and necessary measures which when implemented will improve the sustainability of rural water schemes. The main objective of this study was to assess the main factors affecting the sustainability of rural water schemes in Swaziland using a Multi-Criteria Analysis Approach. The main factors considered were: financial, social, technical, environmental and institutional. The study was done in Lubombo region. Fifteen functional water schemes in 11 communities were studied. Data was collected using questionnaires, checklist and focused group discussion guide. A total of 174 heads of households were interviewed. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data and to calculate sustainability scores for water schemes. SPSS was also used to classify sustainability scores according to sustainability categories: sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable. The averages of the ratings for the different sub-factors studied and the results on the sustainability scores for the sustainable, partially sustainable and non-sustainable schemes were then computed and compared to establish the main factors influencing sustainability of the water schemes. The results indicated technical and social factors as most critical while financial and institutional, although important, played a lesser role. Factors which contributed to the sustainability of water schemes were: functionality; design flow; water fetching time; ability to meet additional demand; use by population; equity; participation in decision making on operation and

Factors Affecting Online Groupwork Interest: A Multilevel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Du, Jianxia; Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study is to examine the personal and contextual factors that may affect students' online groupwork interest. Using the data obtained from graduate students in an online course, both student- and group-level predictors for online groupwork interest were analyzed within the framework of hierarchical linear modeling…

Factors Affecting the Technology Readiness of Health Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myers, Stephanie E.

2010-01-01

Federal government policies are promoting diffusion of technologies into the healthcare system. If health professionals reject the new technologies planned for the healthcare system, it could result in costly failures, delays, and workforce problems. There is a lack of knowledge about factors that affect technology readiness (TR), defined as the…

Factors affecting receipt of chemotherapy in women with breast cancer

PubMed Central

Morimoto, Libby; Coalson, Jenna; Mowat, Fionna; O’Malley, Cynthia

2010-01-01

Aims: To review literature describing factors associated with receipt of chemotherapy for breast cancer, to better understand what factors are most relevant to women’s health and whether health disparities are apparent, and to assess how these factors might affect observational studies and outcomes research. Patterns of care for metastatic breast cancer, for which no standard-of-care exists, were of particular interest. Methods: Relevant studies written in English, Italian, French, or Spanish, published in 2000 or later, were identified through MEDLINE and reviewed. Review articles and clinical trials were excluded; all observational studies and surveys were considered. Articles were reviewed for any discussion of patient characteristics, hospital/physician/insurance characteristics, psychosocial characteristics, and clinical characteristics affecting receipt of chemotherapy by breast cancer patients. Results: In general, factors associated with increased likelihood of receiving chemotherapy included younger age, being Caucasian, having good general health and few co-morbidities, having more severe clinical disease, having responded well to previous treatment, and having breast cancer that is estrogen- or progesterone-receptor-negative. Many of the clinical factors found to increase the likelihood of receiving chemotherapy were consistent with current oncology guidelines. Of the relevant 19 studies identified, only six (32%) reported data specific to metastatic cancer; most studies aggregated women with stage I–IV for purposes of analysis. Conclusion: Studies of patterns of care in breast cancer treatment can help identify challenges in health care provided to particular subgroups of women and can aid researchers in designing studies that account for such factors in clinical and outcomes research. Although scarce, studies evaluating only women with metastatic breast cancer indicate that factors affecting decisions related to receipt of chemotherapy are similar

Impact of ozonation on naphthenic acids speciation and toxicity of oil sands process-affected water to Vibrio fischeri and mammalian immune system.

PubMed

Wang, Nan; Chelme-Ayala, Pamela; Perez-Estrada, Leonidas; Garcia-Garcia, Erick; Pun, Jonathan; Martin, Jonathan W; Belosevic, Miodrag; Gamal El-Din, Mohamed

2013-06-18

Oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is the water contained in tailings impoundment structures in oil sands operations. There are concerns about the environmental impacts of the release of OSPW because of its toxicity. In this study, ozonation followed by biodegradation was used to remediate OSPW. The impacts of the ozone process evolution on the naphthenic acids (NAs) speciation and acute toxicity were evaluated. Ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS) was used to preliminarily separate isomeric and homologous species. The results showed limited effects of the ozone reactor size on the treatment performance in terms of contaminant removal. In terms of NAs speciation, high reactivity of NAs with higher number of carbons and rings was only observed in a region of high reactivity (i.e., utilized ozone dose lower than 50 mg/L). It was also found that nearly 0.5 mg/L total NAs was oxidized per mg/L of utilized ozone dose, at utilized ozone doses lower than 50 mg/L. IMS showed that ozonation was able to degrade NAs, oxidized NAs, and sulfur/nitrogenated NAs. Complete removal of toxicity toward Vibrio fischeri was achieved after ozonation followed by 28-day biodegradation period. In vitro and in vivo assays indicated that ozonation reduced the OSPW toxicity to mice.

Accumulation of trace metals in sediments in a Mediterranean Lagoon: Usefulness of metal sediment fractionation and elutriate toxicity assessment.

PubMed

Zaaboub, Noureddine; Martins, Maria Virgínia Alves; Dhib, Amel; Béjaoui, Béchir; Galgani, François; El Bour, Monia; Aleya, Lotfi

2015-12-01

The authors investigated sediment quality in Bizerte Lagoon (Tunisia) focusing on geochemical characteristics, metal sediment fractionation and elutriate toxicity assessment. Nickel, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd partitioning in sediments was studied; accumulation and bioavailability were elucidated using enrichment factors, sequential extractions, redox potential, acid volatile sulfide and biotest procedures in toxicity evaluation. Results revealed an accumulation for Pb and Zn, reaching 99 and 460 mg kg(-1) respectively. In addition, the acid volatile sulfide values were high in both eastern and western lagoon areas, thus affecting metal availability. Mean enrichment factor values for Pb and Zn were 4.8 and 4.9, respectively, with these elements as the main contributors to the lagoon's moderate enrichment level. Toxicity levels were influenced by accumulation of Zn in different surface sediment areas. Core sediments were investigated in areas with the highest metal concentrations; metal fractionation and biotest confirmed that Zn contributes to sediment toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth

PubMed Central

Holland, Roberto; Gomes, João Eduardo; Cintra, Luciano Tavares Angelo; Queiroz, Índia Olinta de Azevedo; Estrela, Carlos

2017-01-01

Abstract Tissue repair is an essential process that reestablishes tissue integrity and regular function. Nevertheless, different therapeutic factors and clinical conditions may interfere in this process of periapical healing. This review aims to discuss the important therapeutic factors associated with the clinical protocol used during root canal treatment and to highlight the systemic conditions associated with the periapical healing process of endodontically treated teeth. The antibacterial strategies indicated in the conventional treatment of an inflamed and infected pulp and the modulation of the host's immune response may assist in tissue repair, if wound healing has been hindered by infection. Systemic conditions, such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, can also inhibit wound healing. The success of root canal treatment is affected by the correct choice of clinical protocol. These factors are dependent on the sanitization process (instrumentation, irrigant solution, irrigating strategies, and intracanal dressing), the apical limit of the root canal preparation and obturation, and the quality of the sealer. The challenges affecting the healing process of endodontically treated teeth include control of the inflammation of pulp or infectious processes and simultaneous neutralization of unpredictable provocations to the periapical tissue. Along with these factors, one must understand the local and general clinical conditions (systemic health of the patient) that affect the outcome of root canal treatment prediction. PMID:29069143

High-Grade Acute Organ Toxicity as a Positive Prognostic Factor in Primary Radiochemotherapy for Anal Carcinoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolff, Hendrik Andreas; Raus, Ismene; Jung, Klaus

Purpose: To test for a possible correlation between high-grade acute organ toxicity during primary radiochemotherapy and treatment outcome for patients with anal carcinoma. Methods and Materials: From 1991 to 2009, 72 patients with anal carcinoma were treated at our department (10 patients had stage I, 28 patients had stage II, 11 patients had stage IIIA, and 13 patients had stage IIIB cancer [Union Internationale Contre le Cancer criteria]). All patients received normofractionated (1.8 Gy/day, five times/week) whole-pelvis irradiation including iliac and inguinal lymph nodes with a cumulative dose of 50.4 Gy. Concomitant chemotherapy regimen consisted of two cycles of 5-fluorouracilmore » (1,000 mg/m{sup 2}total body surface area (TBSA)/day as continuous intravenous infusion on days 1-4 and 29-32) and mitomycin C (10 mg/m{sup 2}/TBSA, intravenously on days 1 and 29). Toxicity during treatment was monitored weekly, and any incidence of Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grade of {>=}3 for skin reaction, cystitis, proctitis, or enteritis was assessed as high-grade acute organ toxicity for later analysis. Results: We found significant correlation between high-grade acute organ toxicity and overall survival, locoregional control, and stoma-free survival, which was independent in multivariate analysis from other possible prognostic factors: patients with a CTC acute organ toxicity grade of {>=}3 had a 5-year overall survival rate of 97% compared to 30% in patients without (p < 0.01, multivariate analysis; 97% vs. 48%, p = 0.03 for locoregional control, and 95% vs. 59%, p = 0.05 for stoma-free survival). Conclusions: Our data indicate that normal tissue and tumor tissue may behave similarly with respect to treatment response, since high-grade acute organ toxicity during radiochemotherapy showed itself to be an independent prognostic marker in our patient population. This hypothesis should be further analyzed by using biomolecular and clinical levels in future clinical

Factors affecting outcome in ocular myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Mazzoli, Marco; Ariatti, Alessandra; Valzania, Franco; Kaleci, Shaniko; Tondelli, Manuela; Nichelli, Paolo F; Galassi, Giuliana

2018-01-01

50%-60% of patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG) progress to generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) within two years. The aim of our study was to explore factors affecting prognosis of OMG and to test the predictive role of several independent clinical variables. We reviewed a cohort of 168 Caucasian patients followed from September 2000 to January 2016. Several independent variables were considered as prognostic factors: gender, age of onset, results on electrophysiological tests, presence and level of antibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChR Abs), treatments, thymic abnormalities. The primary outcome was the progression to GMG and/or the presence of bulbar symptoms. Secondary outcomes were either achievement of sustained minimal manifestation status or worsening in ocular quantitative MG subscore (O-QMGS) or worsening in total QMG score (T-QMGS), assessed by Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) quantitative scores. Changes in mental and physical subscores of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed with SF-36 questionnaire. Variance analysis was used to interpret the differences between AChR Ab titers at different times of follow up among the generalized and non-generalized patients. Conversion to GMG occurred in 18.4% of patients; it was significantly associated with sex, later onset of disease and anti-AChR Ab positivity. Antibody titer above the mean value of 25.8 pmol/mL showed no significant effect on generalization. Sex and late onset of disease significantly affected T-QMGS worsening. None of the other independent variables significantly affected O-QMGS and HRQoL. Sex, later onset and anti-AChR Ab positivity were significantly associated with clinical worsening.

Factors affecting sexual function in menopause: A review article.

PubMed

Nazarpour, Soheila; Simbar, Masoumeh; Tehrani, Fahimeh Ramezani

2016-08-01

This study aimed to systematically review the articles on factors affecting sexual function during menopause. Searching articles indexed in Pubmed, Science Direct, Iranmedex, EMBASE, Scopus, and Scientific Information Database databases, a total number of 42 studies published between 2003 and 2013 were selected. Age, estrogen deficiency, type of menopause, chronic medical problems, partner's sex problems, severity of menopause symptoms, dystocia history, and health status were the physical factors influencing sexual function of menopausal women. There were conflicting results regarding the amount of androgens, hormonal therapy, exercise/physical activity, and obstetric history. In the mental-emotional area, all studies confirmed the impact of depression and anxiety. Social factors, including smoking, alcohol consumption, the quality of relationship with husband, partner's loyalty, sexual knowledge, access to health care, a history of divorce or the death of a husband, living apart from a spouse, and a negative understanding of women's health were found to affect sexual function; however, there were conflicting results regarding the effects of education, occupation, socioeconomic status, marital duration, and frequency of sexual intercourse. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modeling Population and Ecosystem Response to Sublethal Toxicant Exposure

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-09-30

Modeling Population and Ecosystem Response to Sublethal Toxicant Exposure Principal Investigator: Roger M. Nisbet Department of Ecology, Evolution...DATES COVERED 00-00-2000 to 00-00-2000 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Modeling Population and Ecosystem Response to Sublethal Toxicant Exposure 5a...those of real populations. We have also investigated how toxicants may affect the stability of the system. If the toxicant effect is primarily an

Analysis on factors affecting consumers decision on purchasing simple-type houses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumintang, A.; Sholichin, I.

2018-01-01

In line with the increase of the population and the need of comfortable houses, as affected by modernization era, the house demand is getting higher. Hence, conducting a research on consumers need and want in buying a house should be seriously attempted to succeed marketing activity. Using an analysis consumers’ behavior, the researcher will know few affecting factors related to consumers’ satisfaction in buying a house. Among other, the factors in question include: house price, house condition, facilities, location and accessability. The sample of this research was drawn from the residents of Graha Asri Housing, Taman Bulang Permai, and Sukodono Permai. Based on the analysis and discussion, some conclusions are made as follow: the factors and variables affecting the consumers’ decision on each choice of house is different and also the same variables on three sources of data include housing atmosphere, cleaning service, ease of access to shopping center, health clinics or hospitals, tourism spot, schools, and the bus station.

14 CFR Appendix B to Part 1215 - Factors Affecting Standard Charges

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM (TDRSS) Pt. 1215, App. B Appendix B to Part 1215—Factors Affecting Standard Charges Charges for services shall be determined by multiplying the factors below by the base rates for...

Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease: Birth Control Pills

MedlinePlus

... Heart Handbook for Women Other Factors That Affect Heart Disease Birth Control Pills Studies show that women who ... t had any more complications because of my heart disease." — Diane Pay attention to diabetes. Levels of glucose, ...

Reappraising factors affecting mourning dove perch coos

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sayre, M.W.; Atkinson, R.D.; Baskett, T.S.; Haas, G.H.

1978-01-01

Results confirmed pairing as the primary factor influencing perch-cooing rates of wild mourning doves (Zenaida macroura). Marked unmated males cooed at substantially higher rates (6.2x) than mated males, had greater probability of cooing (2.3x) during 3-minute periods, and continued cooing longer each morning than mated males. Population density was not a major factor affecting cooing. Unmated males cooed more frequently in the presence of other cooing doves (P < 0.05) than when alone, but the number of additional doves above 1 was unimportant. Cooing rates of both mated and unmated males on areas with dissimilar dove densities were not significantly different. Within limits of standard call-count procedure, weather exerted no detectable influence on cooing.

Organisational Factors Affecting Policy and Programme Decision Making in a Public Health Policy Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zardo, Pauline; Collie, Alex; Livingstone, Charles

2015-01-01

Organisational factors can affect the success of interventions aimed at increasing research use. Research is needed to identify organisational factors affecting research use in specific public health policy contexts. Qualitative interviews with decision makers from a specific public health context identified a range of organisational factors that…

Factors affecting dental service quality.

PubMed

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Raadabadi, Mehdi; Ravangard, Ramin; Baldacchino, Donia

2015-01-01

Measuring dental clinic service quality is the first and most important factor in improving care. The quality provided plays an important role in patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting dental service quality from the patients' viewpoint. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a dental clinic in Tehran between January and June 2014. A sample of 385 patients was selected from two work shifts using stratified sampling proportional to size and simple random sampling methods. The data were collected, a self-administered questionnaire designed for the purpose of the study, based on the Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model of service quality which consisted of two parts: the patients' demographic characteristics and a 30-item questionnaire to measure the five dimensions of the service quality. The collected data were analysed using SPSS 21.0 and Amos 18.0 through some descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, as well as analytical methods, including confirmatory factor. Results showed that the correlation coefficients for all dimensions were higher than 0.5. In this model, assurance (regression weight=0.99) and tangibility (regression weight=0.86) had, respectively, the highest and lowest effects on dental service quality. The Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model is suitable to measure quality in dental services. The variables related to dental services quality have been made according to the model. This is a pioneering study that uses Parasuraman and Zeithaml's model and CFA in a dental setting. This study provides useful insights and guidance for dental service quality assurance.

Exploring Factors that Affect Purchase Intention of Athletic Team Merchandise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Donghun; Trail, Galen T.; Lee, Cindy; Schoenstedt, Linda J.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test a structural model to determine which psychosocial constructs affected the purchase intention of athletic team merchandise (ATM). Results from the analyses indicated that the twelve-factor ATM model fit the data from collegiate athletic events well, explaining the various impact factors that lead to purchase…

Toxicity of naphthenic acid fraction components extracted from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected waters, and commercial naphthenic acid mixtures, to fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) embryos.

PubMed

Marentette, Julie R; Frank, Richard A; Bartlett, Adrienne J; Gillis, Patricia L; Hewitt, L Mark; Peru, Kerry M; Headley, John V; Brunswick, Pamela; Shang, Dayue; Parrott, Joanne L

2015-07-01

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are constituents of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). These compounds can be both toxic and persistent and thus are a primary concern for the ultimate remediation of tailings ponds in northern Alberta's oil sands regions. Recent research has focused on the toxicity of NAs to the highly vulnerable early life-stages of fish. Here we examined fathead minnow embryonic survival, growth and deformities after exposure to extracted NA fraction components (NAFCs), from fresh and aged oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), as well as commercially available NA mixtures. Commercial NA mixtures were dominated by acyclic O2 species, while NAFCs from OSPW were dominated by bi- and tricyclic O2 species. Fathead minnow embryos less than 24h old were reared in tissue culture plates terminating at hatch. Both NAFC and commercial NA mixtures reduced hatch success, although NAFCs from OSPW were less toxic (EC50=5-12mg/L, nominal concentrations) than commercial NAs (2mg/L, nominal concentrations). The toxicities of NAFCs from aged and fresh OSPW were similar. Embryonic heart rates at 2 days post-fertilization (dpf) declined with increasing NAFC exposure, paralleling patterns of hatch success and rates of cardiovascular abnormalities (e.g., pericardial edemas) at hatch. Finfold deformities increased in exposures to commercial NA mixtures, not NAFCs. Thus, commercial NA mixtures are not appropriate surrogates for NAFC toxicity. Further work clarifying the mechanisms of action of NAFCs in OSPW, as well as comparisons with additional aged sources of OSPW, is merited. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In situ and laboratory bioassays with Chironomus riparius larvae to assess toxicity of metal contamination in rivers: the relative toxic effect of sediment versus water contamination.

PubMed

Faria, Mafalda S; Lopes, Ricardo J; Nogueira, António J A; Soares, Amadeu M V M

2007-09-01

We used bioassays employing head capsule width and body length increase of Chironomus riparius larvae as end points to evaluate metal contamination in streams. Bioassays were performed in situ near an abandoned Portuguese goldmine in the spring of 2003 and 2004. Bioassays also were performed under laboratory conditions with water and sediment collected from each stream to verify if laboratory bioassays could detect in situ toxicity and to evaluate the relative contribution of sediment and water to overall toxicity. We used field sediments with control water and control sediments with field water to discriminate between metal contamination in water and sediment. Field water with dry and sieved, organic matter-free, and nontreated sediments was used to determine the toxicity of heavy metals that enter the organism through ingested material. In both in situ and laboratory bioassays, body length increase was significantly inhibited by metal contamination, whereas head capsule width was not affected. Body length increase was more affected by contaminated sediment compared to contaminated water. The lowest-effect level of heavy metals was observed in the dry and sieved sediment that prevented ingestion of sediment particles by larvae. These results suggest that body length increase of C. riparius larvae can be used to indicate the impact of metal contamination in rivers. Chironomus riparius larvae are more affected by heavy metals that enter the organism through ingested sediment than by heavy metals dissolved in the water column. Nevertheless, several factors, such as the particle size and organic matter of sediment, must be taken into account.

[Toxicity and influencing factors of liquid chlorine on chironomid larvae].

PubMed

Sun, Xing-Bin; Cui, Fu-Yi; Zhang, Jin-Song; Guo, Zhao-Hai; Xu, Feng; Liu, Li-Jun

2005-09-01

The excessive propagation of Chironomid larvae (red worm) in the sedimentation tanks is a difficult problem for the normal function of waterworks. The toxic effect of liquid chlorine on the different instar larvae of Chironomid was studied using distilled water as test sample. Furthermore, the effect of pH value, organic matter content, ammonia nitrogen, and algae content on toxicity of liquid chlorine was observed. The results show that the tolerance of Chironomid larvae to liquid chlorine is strengthened with the increase in instar. The 24h semi-lethal concentration (LC50) of liquid chlorine to the 4th instar larvae of Chironomid is 3.39 mg/L. Low pH value and high algae content are helpful to improve the toxic effect of liquid chlorine to Chironomid larvae. In neutral water body, the increase in organic matter content results in the decrease in the death rate of Chironomid larvae. The toxicity of liquid chlorine differs greatly in different concentrations of ammonia nitrogen. The death rate of the 4th instar larvae of Chironomid in raw water is higher by contrast with that in sedimentation tanks water for 24h disposal with various amount of liquid chlorine.

29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

29 CFR 784.118 - The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false The exemption is intended for work affected by natural...(a)(5) Exemption § 784.118 The exemption is intended for work affected by natural factors. As... that are controlled or materially affected by natural factors or elements, such as the vicissitudes of...

Formal Classroom Observations: Factors That Affect Their Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaidi, Zeba

2017-01-01

Formal class room observation is a very delicate topic in any educational institution. It involves a series of emotions and sentiments that come with the package. In this paper, the researcher will attempt to analyze the factors that affect the process in a relatively significant manner and thereby contribute greatly to the success or failure of…

Factors affecting patient compliance with compressive brace therapy for pectus carinatum.

PubMed

Kang, Du-Young; Jung, Junho; Chung, Sangho; Cho, Jinkyung; Lee, Sungsoo

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting patient compliance with brace therapy for pectus carinatum. Eighty-six pectus carinatum patients who started brace therapy from August 2008 to November 2011 were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: patients who wore the brace for ≥6 months (compliance group) or patients who wore the brace for <6 months (non-compliance group). Factors affecting patient compliance were assessed at the last day of follow-up with a multiple-choice questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised seven items: pain at compression site, skin problems on compression area, confidence in brace treatment, shame, discomfort, initial result of bracing treatment and total number of factors affecting patient compliance. Eighty-six patients completed the survey, including seven (8.1%) female patients and 79 (91.9%) male patients, with a mean age of 12.0 years at the time of treatment (range, 3-20 years). The initial result of the compression period (P <0.001) and total number of factors affecting patient compliance (P <0.05) were significant predictors of patient compliance. An initial successful result of the compression period may increase patient compliance during treatment for pectus carinatum. Additional efforts to decrease pain, skin problems, shame and discomfort, and to give confidence may be beneficial in increasing compliance with bracing treatment. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Carbon nanotubes affect the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles to denitrification in marine sediments by altering cellular internalization of nanoparticle

PubMed Central

Zheng, Xiong; Su, Yinglong; Chen, Yinguang; Wan, Rui; Li, Mu; Huang, Haining; Li, Xu

2016-01-01

Denitrification is an important pathway for nitrate transformation in marine sediments, and this process has been observed to be negatively affected by engineered nanomaterials. However, previous studies only focused on the potential effect of a certain type of nanomaterial on microbial denitrification. Here we show that the toxicity of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) to denitrification in marine sediments is highly affected by the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). It was found that the removal efficiency of total NOX−-N (NO3−-N and NO2−-N) in the presence of CuO NPs was only 62.3%, but it increased to 81.1% when CNTs appeared in this circumstance. Our data revealed that CuO NPs were more easily attached to CNTs rather than cell surface because of the lower energy barrier (3.5 versus 36.2 kT). Further studies confirmed that the presence of CNTs caused the formation of large, incompact, non-uniform dispersed, and more negatively charged CuO-CNTs heteroaggregates, and thus reduced the nanoparticle internalization by cells, leading to less toxicity to metabolism of carbon source, generation of reduction equivalent, and activities of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. These results indicate that assessing nanomaterial-induced risks in real circumstances needs to consider the “mixed” effects of nanomaterials. PMID:27279546

Factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents.

PubMed

Shashidhar, Saraswati; Rao, Chandrika; Hegde, Radhakrishna

2009-05-01

The present study aims at recognizing the social influence, study habits and health factors affecting scholastic performances of adolescents and to compare these factors among the adolescents between two categories of school. A total of 1230 adolescents (13-18 yrs) were screened. Data was collected by personal interview, using the teenage screening questionnaire, Trivandrum, between May 2004 and November 2005. A total 615 students from corporation and private schools were studied. 39.76% (489) were high achievers, 13.5% (166) were low achievers with p < 0.001. In the low achievers, 12.03% were from the corporation schools and 1.46% from private schools. The incidence of poor study habits and social factors were increased in low achievers of corporation schools. On multivariate analysis, the predictor variables for poor scholastic performance were adolescent having refractory error, not having help for study at home, not doing home work regularly, not solving question bank papers and reading only before examinations. It is feasible and worthwhile to identify the determinants of scholastic performance and plan intervention strategies at each school. The results of this study highlight the importance of implementing newer strategies, focusing on strict study patterns and creating the conducive school and home environment for study, so as to achieve better scholastic performances.

Factors affecting maintenance overlay ride quality : 1996 rideability status.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

In early 1996, the Virginia Transportation Research Council initiated a formal analysis of the factors affecting overlay ride quality. As part of that effort, a statewide, multi-year survey of the ride quality for both new overlays and pavement await...

Avoiding Toxic Levels of Essential Minerals: A Forgotten Factor in Deer Diet Preferences

PubMed Central

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Olguín, Augusto; Miranda, María; García, Andrés; Martínez, Alberto; Cassinello, Jorge; Miguel, Valentín; Gallego, Laureano

2015-01-01

Ungulates select diets with high energy, protein, and sodium contents. However, it is scarcely known the influence of essential minerals other than Na in diet preferences. Moreover, almost no information is available about the possible influence of toxic levels of essential minerals on avoidance of certain plant species. The aim of this research was to test the relative importance of mineral content of plants in diet selection by red deer (Cervus elaphus) in an annual basis. We determined mineral, protein and ash content in 35 common Mediterranean plant species (the most common ones in the study area). These plant species were previously classified as preferred and non-preferred. We found that deer preferred plants with low contents of Ca, Mg, K, P, S, Cu, Sr and Zn. The model obtained was greatly accurate identifying the preferred plant species (91.3% of correct assignments). After a detailed analysis of these minerals (considering deficiencies and toxicity levels both in preferred and non-preferred plants) we suggest that the avoidance of excessive sulphur in diet (i.e., selection for plants with low sulphur content) seems to override the maximization for other nutrients. Low sulphur content seems to be a forgotten factor with certain relevance for explaining diet selection in deer. Recent studies in livestock support this conclusion, which is highlighted here for the first time in diet selection by a wild large herbivore. Our results suggest that future studies should also take into account the toxicity levels of minerals as potential drivers of preferences. PMID:25615596

Avoiding toxic levels of essential minerals: a forgotten factor in deer diet preferences.

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Olguín, Augusto; Miranda, María; García, Andrés; Martínez, Alberto; Cassinello, Jorge; Miguel, Valentín; Gallego, Laureano

2015-01-01

Ungulates select diets with high energy, protein, and sodium contents. However, it is scarcely known the influence of essential minerals other than Na in diet preferences. Moreover, almost no information is available about the possible influence of toxic levels of essential minerals on avoidance of certain plant species. The aim of this research was to test the relative importance of mineral content of plants in diet selection by red deer (Cervus elaphus) in an annual basis. We determined mineral, protein and ash content in 35 common Mediterranean plant species (the most common ones in the study area). These plant species were previously classified as preferred and non-preferred. We found that deer preferred plants with low contents of Ca, Mg, K, P, S, Cu, Sr and Zn. The model obtained was greatly accurate identifying the preferred plant species (91.3% of correct assignments). After a detailed analysis of these minerals (considering deficiencies and toxicity levels both in preferred and non-preferred plants) we suggest that the avoidance of excessive sulphur in diet (i.e., selection for plants with low sulphur content) seems to override the maximization for other nutrients. Low sulphur content seems to be a forgotten factor with certain relevance for explaining diet selection in deer. Recent studies in livestock support this conclusion, which is highlighted here for the first time in diet selection by a wild large herbivore. Our results suggest that future studies should also take into account the toxicity levels of minerals as potential drivers of preferences.

The effect of biological and chemical factors on the uptake and toxicity of cadmium in the duckweed Lemna trisulca L

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huebert, D.B.

1992-01-01

The duckweed Lemna trisulca L. was grown in axenic cultures in a filter-sterilized medium. A portion of the medium was replaced regularly during experiments. The amount replaced doubled every two days. metal concentrations in the medium wee measured on the last day of experiments. The only organic compound added was FeEDTA at a concentration of 9 [mu]M. The chelating capacity of the medium was therefore minimal, defined and controlled. The nutrient medium and environmental conditions supported a doubling time of 1.6 to 2.4 days over a 14 day culture period. Under the above conditions, the EC50 (concentration at which amore » 50% effect is observed) for Cd and 0.99 [mu]M based on multiplication rate and 0.56 [mu]M based on final yield. The NOEC (no observable effect concentration) for Cd was between 120 and 150 [mu]g Cd/g dry wt. based on internal Cd, and 0.08 [mu]M based on external Cd. Internal Cd may be a superior estimate of toxicity because it avoids the problems associated with metal speciation in the external medium and allows for a comparison with field data. Lemna trisulca responded within 2 days to the addition of 0.64 [mu]M Cd. No tolerance to Cd was induced even after 6 weeks of exposure. The calculated response of L. trisulca to Cd may have been influenced by the multiplication rate of control cultures, which varied from 1.6 to 2.4 days. Calcium had no effect on Cd uptake or toxicity. Zinc antagonized Cd toxicity but had a variable effect on Cd uptake depending on its concentration. Zinc was about fifteen times less toxic than Cd. The uptake and toxicity of Cd and Zn were almost completely prevented when the level of available EDTA was in excess of the CD or Zn concentration. These data indicate that biological and chemical factors can profoundly influence the effect of toxicants on living organisms. These factors must be considered to ensure that toxicity studies are not confounded by effects extraneous to the actual effect of the toxicant.« less

External factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination.

PubMed

González-Méijome, José Manuel; Queirós, Antonio; Jorge, Jorge; Fernandes, Paulo; Cerviño, Alejandro; de Almeida, José Borges

2007-03-01

To analyze the factors affecting data acquisition during corneal topography examination with the Medmont E-300 videokeratoscope and to provide strategies to minimize their effects. Sixty eyes from thirty young adults were examined. A second observer registered incidences with the potential to affect data acquisition. Those factors were correlated with the difficulty of measurements as judged subjectively by the practitioner who performed the examination. Measurements of axial curvature were analyzed to evaluate the variability expressed as intrasession and intersession coefficient of variation and the standard error of the mean (SEM). The level of difficulty rated by the practitioner was in general low, with 70% of the eyes being easy or very easy to measure. For the remaining 30% of the eyes, corneal topography measurements were considered to be difficult (27%) or very difficult (3%). Of the external parameters investigated, only fixation instability (P<0.001, chi2) and the need for head repositioning (P=0.024, chi2) were associated significantly with a higher level of difficulty, as rated subjectively by the practitioner. Further analysis showed that some external factors, including those previously mentioned and others related to tear instability, affect the variability of measurements at certain corneal locations, particularly in the vertical meridian when related to tear instability and in the horizontal meridian when related to the need for head repositioning on the chin rest owing to physiognomy interferences with the keratoscope cone. Intersession SEM improved when three readings from each session were considered. The level of subjective difficulty found during videokeratoscopy examination is correlated strongly with fixation instability and the need for head reorientation in the chin rest, whereas tear-related events seem to be less relevant in the practitioner perception of test ease or difficulty. Those factors have relevance in measurement variability.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Mahesh, P A; Archana, S; Jayaraj, B S; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S K; Shashidhar, H P; Sunitha, B S; Prabhakar, A K

2012-10-01

Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients.

Factors affecting 30-month survival in lung cancer patients

PubMed Central

Mahesh, P.A.; Archana, S.; Jayaraj, B.S.; Patil, Shekar; Chaya, S.K.; Shashidhar, H.P.; Sunitha, B.S.; Prabhakar, A.K.

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Age adjusted incidence rate of lung cancer in India ranges from 7.4 to 13.1 per 100,000 among males and 3.9 to 5.8 per 100,000 among females. The factors affecting survival in lung cancer patients in India are not fully understood. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the factors affecting survival in patients diagnosed with lung cancer attending a tertiary care cancer institute in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Methods: Consecutive patients with primary lung cancer attending Bangalore Institute of Oncology, a tertiary care centre at Bangalore, between 2006 and 2009 were included. Demographic, clinical, radiological data were collected retrospectively from the medical records. Results: A total of 170 consecutive subjects (128 males, 42 females) diagnosed to have lung cancer; 151 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 19 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) were included. A higher proportion of never-smokers (54.1%) were observed, mostly presenting below the age of 60 yr. Most subjects were in stage IV and III at the time of diagnosis. More than 50 per cent of patients presented with late stage lung cancer even though the duration of symptoms is less than 2 months. The 30-month overall survival rates for smokers and never-smokers were 32 and 49 per cent, respectively. No significant differences were observed in 30 month survival based on age at presentation, gender and type of lung cancer. Cox proportional hazards model identified never-smokers and duration of symptoms less than 1 month as factors adversely affecting survival. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that lung cancer in Indians involved younger subjects and associated with poorer survival as compared to other ethnic population. Studies on large sample need to be done to evaluate risk factors in lung cancer patients. PMID:23168702

Factors affecting medication-order processing time.

PubMed

Beaman, M A; Kotzan, J A

1982-11-01

The factors affecting medication-order processing time at one hospital were studied. The order processing time was determined by directly observing the time to process randomly selected new drug orders on all three work shifts during two one-week periods. An order could list more than one drug for an individual patient. The observer recorded the nature, location, and cost of the drugs ordered, as well as the time to process the order. The time and type of interruptions also were noted. The time to process a drug order was classified as six dependent variables: (1) total time, (2) work time, (3) check time, (4) waiting time I--time from arrival on the dumbwaiter until work was initiated, (5) waiting time II--time between completion of the work and initiation of checking, and (6) waiting time III--time after the check was completed until the order left on the dumbwaiter. The significant predictors of each of the six dependent variables were determined using stepwise multiple regression. The total time to process a prescription order was 58.33 +/- 48.72 minutes; the urgency status of the order was the only significant determinant of total time. Urgency status also significantly predicted the three waiting-time variables. Interruptions and the number of drugs on the order were significant determinants of work time and check time. Each telephone interruption increased the work time by 1.72 minutes. While the results of this study cannot be generalized to other institutions, pharmacy managers can use the method of determining factors that affect medication-order processing time to identify problem areas in their institutions.

A Toxicologic Review of Quantum Dots: Toxicity Depends on Physicochemical and Environmental Factors

PubMed Central

Hardman, Ron

2006-01-01

As a growing applied science, nanotechnology has considerable global socioeconomic value, and the benefits afforded by nanoscale materials and processes are expected to have significant impacts on almost all industries and all areas of society. A diverse array of engineered nanoscale products and processes have emerged [e.g., carbon nanotubes, fullerene derivatives, and quantum dots (QDs)], with widespread applications in fields such as medicine, plastics, energy, electronics, and aerospace. With the nanotechnology economy estimated to be valued at $1 trillion by 2012, the prevalence of these materials in society will be increasing, as will the likelihood of exposures. Importantly, the vastness and novelty of the nanotechnology frontier leave many areas unexplored, or underexplored, such as the potential adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to novel nanomaterials. It is within this context that the need for understanding the potentially harmful side effects of these materials becomes clear. The reviewed literature suggests several key points: Not all QDs are alike; engineered QDs cannot be considered a uniform group of substances. QD absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity depend on multiple factors derived from both inherent physicochemical properties and environmental conditions; QD size, charge, concentration, outer coating bioactivity (capping material and functional groups), and oxidative, photolytic, and mechanical stability have each been implicated as determining factors in QD toxicity. Although they offer potentially invaluable societal benefits such as drug targeting and in vivo biomedical imaging, QDs may also pose risks to human health and the environment under certain conditions. PMID:16451849

A toxicologic review of quantum dots: toxicity depends on physicochemical and environmental factors.

PubMed

Hardman, Ron

2006-02-01

As a growing applied science, nanotechnology has considerable global socioeconomic value, and the benefits afforded by nanoscale materials and processes are expected to have significant impacts on almost all industries and all areas of society. A diverse array of engineered nanoscale products and processes have emerged [e.g., carbon nanotubes, fullerene derivatives, and quantum dots (QDs)], with widespread applications in fields such as medicine, plastics, energy, electronics, and aerospace. With the nanotechnology economy estimated to be valued at dollar 1 trillion by 2012, the prevalence of these materials in society will be increasing, as will the likelihood of exposures. Importantly, the vastness and novelty of the nanotechnology frontier leave many areas unexplored, or underexplored, such as the potential adverse human health effects resulting from exposure to novel nanomaterials. It is within this context that the need for understanding the potentially harmful side effects of these materials becomes clear. The reviewed literature suggests several key points: Not all QDs are alike; engineered QDs cannot be considered a uniform group of substances. QD absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity depend on multiple factors derived from both inherent physicochemical properties and environmental conditions; QD size, charge, concentration, outer coating bioactivity (capping material and functional groups), and oxidative, photolytic, and mechanical stability have each been implicated as determining factors in QD toxicity. Although they offer potentially invaluable societal benefits such as drug targeting and in vivo biomedical imaging, QDs may also pose risks to human health and the environment under certain conditions. Key words: environment, human health, nanomaterials, nanosized particles, nanotechnology, nanotoxicology, quantum dots, toxicology.

Toxic effects of fluoride on organisms.

PubMed

Zuo, Huan; Chen, Liang; Kong, Ming; Qiu, Lipeng; Lü, Peng; Wu, Peng; Yang, Yanhua; Chen, Keping

2018-04-01

Accumulation of excess fluoride in the environment poses serious health risks to plants, animals, and humans. This endangers human health, affects organism growth and development, and negatively impacts the food chain, thereby affecting ecological balance. In recent years, numerous studies focused on the molecular mechanisms associated with fluoride toxicity. These studies have demonstrated that fluoride can induce oxidative stress, regulate intracellular redox homeostasis, and lead to mitochondrial damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress and alter gene expression. This paper reviews the present research on the potential adverse effects of overdose fluoride on various organisms and aims to improve our understanding of fluoride toxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica affected growth, cadmium partitioning and chlorophyll fluorescence of sunflower under cadmium toxicity.

PubMed

Shahabivand, Saleh; Parvaneh, Azar; Aliloo, Ali Asghar

2017-11-01

Cadmium (Cd) pollution in the soil threatens the quality of environmental health, and deleteriously affects physiological activities of crops. Symbiosis of endophytic fungi with various plants is a promising manner to improving numerous plant characteristics and remediating heavy metal-polluted soils. In this pot experiment, the influence of root endophyte fungus Piriformospora indica on growth, physiological parameters and organs Cd accumulation in sunflower cv. Zaria plants under the toxic levels of Cd (0, 40, 80 and 120mg/kg soil) were studied. Increasing Cd concentration in the soil reduced growth parameters, chlorophyll (Chl) a and Chl b contents, and Fv/Fm and ETR (electron transport rate) values, but increased root, stem and leaf Cd accumulation, and proline content. The presence of P. indica significantly enhanced growth, Chl a, Chl b and proline contents, and Fv/Fm and ETR values. Compared to non-inoculated ones, P. indica-inoculated plants had higher Cd accumulation in root, whereas lower Cd accumulation in stem and leaf. The present study strongly supports the established ability of P. indica to alleviate Cd toxicity by improving the physiological status in sunflower. Furthermore, this endophyte fungus can be useful for Cd phyto-stabilization in sunflower roots in contaminated soils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in human melanocytes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chantarawong, Wipa; Inter Departmental Multidisciplinary Graduate Program in Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok; Takeda, Kazuhisa

Highlights: • In human melanocytes, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M and tyrosinase and their mRNAs. • In human melanoma cells, cadmium decreases the expression of MITF-M protein and tyrosinase mRNA. • Expression of MITF-H is less sensitive to cadmium toxicity in melanocyte-linage cells. • Cadmium does not decrease the expression of MITF-H in retinal pigment epithelial cells. • MITF-M is the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes. - Abstract: Dietary intake of cadmium is inevitable, causing age-related increase in cadmium accumulation in many organs, including hair, choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Cadmium has been implicated in themore » pathogenesis of hearing loss and macular degeneration. The functions of cochlea and retina are maintained by melanocytes and RPE, respectively, and the differentiation of these pigment cells is regulated by microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). In the present study, we explored the potential toxicity of cadmium in the cochlea and retina by using cultured human melanocytes and human RPE cell lines. MITF consists of multiple isoforms, including melanocyte-specific MITF-M and widely expressed MITF-H. Levels of MITF-M protein and its mRNA in human epidermal melanocytes and HMV-II melanoma cells were decreased significantly by cadmium. In parallel with the MITF reduction, mRNA levels of tyrosinase, the key enzyme of melanin biosynthesis that is regulated by MITF-M, were also decreased. In RPE cells, however, the levels of total MITF protein, constituting mainly MITF-H, were not decreased by cadmium. We thus identify MITF-M as the molecular target of cadmium toxicity in melanocytes, thereby accounting for the increased risk of disability from melanocyte malfunction, such as hearing and vision loss among people with elevated cadmium exposure.« less

In vitro toxicity testing with microplate cell cultures: Impact of cell binding.

PubMed

Gülden, Michael; Schreiner, Jeannine; Seibert, Hasso

2015-06-05

In vitro generated data on toxic potencies are generally based on nominal concentrations. However, cellular and extracellular binding and elimination processes may reduce the available free fraction of a compound. Then, nominal effective concentrations do not represent appropriate measures of toxic exposure in vitro and underestimate toxic potencies. In this study it was investigated whether cell binding can affect the availability of chemicals in microplate based toxicity assays. To this end the cytotoxicity of compounds like mercury chloride, digitonin and alcohol ethoxylates, accumulated by cells via different modes, was investigated in 96-well microplate cultures with varying concentrations of Balb/c 3T3 cells. The median effective nominal concentrations of all but one of the tested compounds depended linearly from the cell concentration. Applying a previously developed equilibrium distribution model cell concentration-independent median effective extracellular concentrations and cell burdens, respectively, could be calculated. The compounds were accumulated by the cells with bioconcentration factors, BCF, between 480 and ≥ 25,000. Cell binding of the alcohol ethoxylates was correlated with their lipophilicity. The results show that significant cell binding can occur even at the small cell volume fractions (∼ 1 × 10(-5) to 3 × 10(-3) L/L) encountered in microplate assays. To what extent cell binding affects the bioavailability depends on the BCF and the cell volume fraction. EC50 measurements in the presence of at least two different cell concentrations allow for excluding or detecting significant cell binding and for determining more appropriate measures of toxic exposure in vitro like median effective extracellular (free) concentrations or cell burdens. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching the Factors Affecting Resistance Using Pencil Leads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Küçüközer, Asuman

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to provide a way of teaching the factors that affect resistance using mechanical pencil leads and the brightness of the light given out by a light bulb connected to an electrical circuit. The resistance of a conductor is directly proportional to its length (L) and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area (A).…

Toxic Leadership in the Military Profession

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-15

affected by a small number of toxic leaders. However, most strategic leaders are viewed quite positively, and balance individual subordinate needs...and balance individual subordinate needs with meeting demanding mission requirements, despite a blistering operational tempo over the past 10 years...soldiers beneath them. To the toxic leader, all other individuals are slower, less competent, and less effective. If any of these three traits are

Culture and affect: the factor structure of the affective style questionnaire and its relation with depression and anxiety among Japanese.

PubMed

Ito, Masaya; Hofmann, Stefan G

2014-09-02

Affective styles are assumed to be one of the underlying processes of depression and anxiety maintenance. However, little is known about the effect of depression and anxiety and the cultural influence of the factor structure. Here, we examined the cross-cultural validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire and its incremental validity for the influence on depression and anxiety. Affective Style Questionnaire was translated into Japanese using standard back-translation procedure. Japanese university students (N = 1,041) served as participants. Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Rumination and Reflection Questionnaire, Brief COPE, Self-Construal Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were administered. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Affective Style Questionnaire comprised four factors: Concealing, Adjusting, Holding and Tolerating (CFI = .92, TLI = .90, RMSEA = .07). The measure's convergent and discriminant validity was substantiated by its association with various emotion regulation measures. Regression analyses showed that negative influence of Adjusting, Holding, Reappraisal (β = -.17, -.19, -.30) and positive influence of Suppression (β = .23) were observed on depression. For anxiety, Adjusting and Reappraisal was negatively influenced (β = -.29, and -.18). Reliability and validity of the Affective Style Questionnaire was partly confirmed. Further study is needed to clarify the culturally dependent aspects of affective styles.

Factors That Affect the Academic Success of Foreign Students at Cardinal Stritch University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annor, Peter

2010-01-01

There are limited studies in the literature on the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students in the United States. This ex post facto mixed method study investigated the factors that affect the academic success of foreign students at Cardinal Stitch University (CSU), a medium size, private university located in the Midwestern…

Looking under the Bonnet: Factors Affecting Student Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abbad, Muneer Mahmood; Morris, David; de Nahlik, Carmel

2009-01-01

The primary questions addressed in this paper are the following: what are the factors that affect students' adoption of an e-learning system and what are the relationships among these factors? This paper investigates and identifies some of the major factors affecting students' adoption of an e-learning system in a university in Jordan. E-learning…

Institutional and Managerial Factors Affecting International Student Recruitment Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Mitchell; Heaney, Joo-Gim; Cooper, Maxine

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate international student recruitment from an institutional perspective and to consider institutional factors that may affect recruitment. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study is undertaken in which education marketing practitioners are interviewed regarding aspects of international…

Flavoring Compounds Dominate Toxic Aldehyde Production during E-Cigarette Vaping.

PubMed

Khlystov, Andrey; Samburova, Vera

2016-12-06

The growing popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) raises concerns about the possibility of adverse health effects to primary users and people exposed to e-cigarette vapors. E-Cigarettes offer a very wide variety of flavors, which is one of the main factors that attract new, especially young, users. How flavoring compounds in e-cigarette liquids affect the chemical composition and toxicity of e-cigarette vapors is practically unknown. Although e-cigarettes are marketed as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes, several studies have demonstrated formation of toxic aldehydes in e-cigarette vapors during vaping. So far, aldehyde formation has been attributed to thermal decomposition of the main components of e-cigarette e-liquids (propylene glycol and glycerol), while the role of flavoring compounds has been ignored. In this study, we have measured several toxic aldehydes produced by three popular brands of e-cigarettes with flavored and unflavored e-liquids. We show that, within the tested e-cigarette brands, thermal decomposition of flavoring compounds dominates formation of aldehydes during vaping, producing levels that exceed occupational safety standards. Production of aldehydes was found to be exponentially dependent on concentration of flavoring compounds. These findings stress the need for a further, thorough investigation of the effect of flavoring compounds on the toxicity of e-cigarettes.

Psychological factors affecting medical condition: a new proposal for DSM-V.

PubMed

Fava, Giovanni A; Fabbri, Stefania; Sirri, Laura; Wise, Thomas N

2007-01-01

The DSM category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" had virtually no impact on clinical practice. However, several clinically relevant psychosomatic syndromes have been described in the literature: disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, and irritable mood. These syndromes, in addition to the DSM definition of hypochondriasis, can yield clinical specification in the category of "psychological factors affecting medical condition" and eliminate the need for the highly criticized DSM classification of somatoform disorders. This new classification is supported by a growing body of research evidence and is in line with psychosomatic medicine as a recognized subspecialty.

Stress modification of the toxicity of antimotion sickness drugs and Aspirin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shields, D.; Marra, C.; Goodwin, A.; Vernikos-Danellis, J.

1975-01-01

The effect of environmental temperature on the toxicity of cyclizine, trimethobenzamide, and Aspirin were studied in mice. LD-50s were compared at 30 C, 22 C, and 15 C. At 30 C the toxicity of all three drugs increased, with that to Aspirin being affected most. Cooling decreased the toxicity of cyclizine and had no significant effect on that of trimethobenzamide or aspirin. These findings indicate that alterations in environmental temperature markedly affect drug toxicity. They emphasize that such alterations, and particularly increases in temperature, do not have to be particularly drastic, but that 'mild' variations in the environment are effective in altering an animal's sensitivity to a drug.

Toxicity evaluation and prediction of toxic chemicals on activated sludge system.

PubMed

Cai, Bijing; Xie, Li; Yang, Dianhai; Arcangeli, Jean-Pierre

2010-05-15

The gaps of data for evaluating toxicity of new or overloaded organic chemicals on activated sludge system resulted in the requirements for methodology of toxicity estimation. In this study, 24 aromatic chemicals typically existed in the industrial wastewater were selected and classified into three groups of benzenes, phenols and anilines. Their toxicity on activated sludge was then investigated. Two indexes of IC(50-M) and IC(50-S) were determined respectively from the respiration rates of activated sludge with different toxicant concentration at mid-term (24h) and short-term (30min) time intervals. Experimental results showed that the group of benzenes was the most toxic, followed by the groups of phenols and anilines. The values of IC(50-M) of the tested chemicals were higher than those of IC(50-S). In addition, quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) models developed from IC(50-M) were more stable and accurate than those of IC(50-S). The multiple linear models based on molecular descriptors and K(ow) presented better reliability than single linear models based on K(ow). Among these molecular descriptors, E(lumo) was the most important impact factor for evaluation of mid-term toxicity. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Demographic and obstetric factors affecting women's sexual functioning during pregnancy.

PubMed

Abouzari-Gazafroodi, Kobra; Najafi, Fatemeh; Kazemnejad, Ehsan; Rahnama, Parvin; Montazeri, Ali

2015-08-19

Sexual desire and frequency of sexual relationships during pregnancy remains challenging. This study aimed to assess factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. This was a cross sectional study carried out at prenatal care clinics of public health services in Iran. An author-designed structured questionnaire including items on socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, the current pregnancy, and women's sexual functioning during pregnancy was used to collect data. The generalized linear model was performed in order to find out factors that affect women's sexual functioning during pregnancy. In all, 518 pregnant women participated in the study. The mean age of participants was 26.4 years (SD = 4.7). Overall 309 women (59.7%) scored less than mean on sexual functioning. The results obtained from generalized linear model demonstrated that that lower education, unwanted pregnancy, earlier stage of pregnancy, older age, and longer duration of marriage were the most important factors contributing to disturbed sexual functioning among couples. The findings suggest that sexual function during pregnancy might be disturbed due to several factors. Indeed issues on sexual relationship should be included as part of prenatal care and reproductive health programs for every woman.

Affect and Health Behavior Co-Occurrence: The Emerging Roles of Transdiagnostic Factors and Sociocultural Factors.

PubMed

Zvolensky, Michael J; Leventhal, Adam M

2016-01-01

The majority of scientific work addressing relations among affective states and health correlates has focused primarily on their co-occurrence and a limited range of health conditions. We have developed a Special Issue to highlight recent advances in this emerging field of work that addresses the nature and interplay between affective states and disorders, in terms of their impact and consequences from health status and behavior. This Special Issue is organized into three parts classified as (a) co-occurrence and interplay between (b) transdiagnostic factors and (c) sociocultural factors. It is hoped that this issue will (a) alert readers to the significance of this work at different levels of analysis, (b) illustrate the many domains currently being explored via innovative approaches, and (c) identify fecund areas for future systematic study. © The Author(s) 2016.

Prevalence, pathophysiological mechanisms and factors affecting urolithiasis.

PubMed

Khan, Aslam

2018-05-01

The formation of urinary stone, urolithiasis, is one the oldest known disease affecting human throughout different civilizations and times. The exact pathophysiological mechanism of urolithiasis is not yet clear, as these calculi are of various types and too complex for simple understanding. A single theory cannot explain its formation; therefore, different theories are presented in various times for its explanation like free particle, fixed particle, Randall's plaque theory. In addition, various factors and components are identified that play an important role in the formation of these urinary calculi. In this review, composition of kidney stones, its prevalence/incidence, explanation of pathophysiological mechanisms and role of various factors; urinary pH, uric acid, parathyroid hormone, citrate, oxalate, calcium and macromolecules; osteopontin, matrix Gla protein, kidney injury molecules, urinary prothrombin fragment-1, Tamm-Horsfall protein, inter-α-inhibitors, have been discussed in detail.

Factors that affect the development of nurses' competencies: a systematic review.

PubMed

Rizany, Ichsan; Hariyati, Rr Tutik Sri; Handayani, Hanny

2018-02-01

To investigate factors affecting the development of nursing competency based on a review of the literature. A systematic review was utilized. The articles were taken from the databases of Pro-Quest, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Scopus. They were retrieved using the following keywords: nursing competence, nurse competencies and clinical competence. Twenty-one papers were selected. Competence development is a continuous process of improving knowledge, attitudes and skills, and is influenced by a myriad of factors. Six factors were identified that affected the development of nursing competence in our systematic review: (1) work experience, (2) type of nursing environment, (3) educational level achieved, (4) adherence to professionalism, (5) critical thinking, and (6) personal factors. Work experience and education were shown to significantly influence the development of competency of nurses. Nurse managers need to support staffing competence through ongoing education, mentoring-preceptorship training, and case-reflection-discussion teaching programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Recruitment into Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Jon A.; Lewis, John E.; Katyal, Shalini

2010-01-01

Objective: The authors studied the factors affecting the recruitment into child and adolescent psychiatry training in the United States. Methods: Medical students (n = 154) and general and child and adolescent psychiatry residents (n = 111) completed a questionnaire to evaluate career choice in child psychiatry (n = 265). Results: Compared with…

Mercury toxicity reduced by selenium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1973-01-01

A methylmercury compound added to a tuna-corn-soya ration fed to Japanese quail was less toxic than an equivalent amount of the compound added to the basal corn-soya ration. Selenium present in the tuna is apparently the factor that reduces mercury toxicity, since it was also reduced or prevented by addition of selenium to the diets.

Acute anal toxicity after whole pelvic radiotherapy in patients with asymptomatic haemorrhoids: identification of dosimetric and patient factors.

PubMed

Jang, H; Baek, J G; Yoo, S-J

2015-06-01

Patients with asymptomatic haemorrhoids are known to be less tolerant of radiation doses lower than known tolerance doses. In the present study, the authors sought to identify the risk factors of acute haemorrhoid aggravation after whole pelvic radiotherapy (WPRT). The records of 33 patients with cervical, rectal or prostate cancer with asymptomatic haemorrhoids, which were confirmed by colonoscopy before the start of radiotherapy (RT), were reviewed. Acute anal symptoms, such as anal pain and bleeding, were observed up to 1 month after RT completion. Dosimetric and patient factors were analysed, and subgroup analyses were performed. The median induction dose for acute anal symptoms was 34.1 Gy (range, 28.8-50.4 Gy). Post-operative treatment intent showed more acute anal toxicity of patient factors (p = 0.04). In subgroup analysis, post-operative treatment intent and concurrent chemoradiotherapy were found to be related to acute anal symptoms (p < 0.01). Of the dosimetric factors, V10 tended to be related to acute anal symptoms (p = 0.08). This study indicates that asymptomatic haemorrhoid may deteriorate after low-dose radiation and that patient factors, such as treatment intent and concurrent chemotherapy, probably influence anal toxicity. In patients with asymptomatic haemorrhoids, WPRT requires careful dosimetry and clinical attention. The tolerance of anal canal tends to be ignored in patients with pelvic cancer who are undergoing WPRT. However, patients with asymptomatic haemorrhoids may be troubled by low radiation doses, and further studies are required.

Acute toxicity of ingested fluoride.

PubMed

Whitford, Gary Milton

2011-01-01

This chapter discusses the characteristics and treatment of acute fluoride toxicity as well as the most common sources of overexposure, the doses that cause acute toxicity, and factors that can influence the clinical outcome. Cases of serious systemic toxicity and fatalities due to acute exposures are now rare, but overexposures causing toxic signs and symptoms are not. The clinical course of systemic toxicity from ingested fluoride begins with gastric signs and symptoms, and can develop with alarming rapidity. Treatment involves minimizing absorption by administering a solution containing calcium, monitoring and managing plasma calcium and potassium concentrations, acid-base status, and supporting vital functions. Approximately 30,000 calls to US poison control centers concerning acute exposures in children are made each year, most of which involve temporary gastrointestinal effects, but others require medical treatment. The most common sources of acute overexposures today are dental products - particularly dentifrices because of their relatively high fluoride concentrations, pleasant flavors, and their presence in non-secure locations in most homes. For example, ingestion of only 1.8 ounces of a standard fluoridated dentifrice (900-1,100 mg/kg) by a 10-kg child delivers enough fluoride to reach the 'probably toxic dose' (5 mg/kg body weight). Factors that may influence the clinical course of an overexposure include the chemical compound (e.g. NaF, MFP, etc.), the age and acid-base status of the individual, and the elapsed time between exposure and the initiation of treatment. While fluoride has well-established beneficial dental effects and cases of serious toxicity are now rare, the potential for toxicity requires that fluoride-containing materials be handled and stored with the respect they deserve. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Genetic variability in drug transport, metabolism or DNA repair affecting toxicity of chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Lambrechts, Sandrina; Lambrechts, Diether; Despierre, Evelyn; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; Smeets, Dominiek; Debruyne, Philip R; Renard, Vincent; Vroman, Philippe; Luyten, Daisy; Neven, Patrick; Amant, Frédéric; Leunen, Karin; Vergote, Ignace

2015-02-27

This study aimed to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in DNA repair or metabolism of taxanes or platinum could predict toxicity or response to first-line chemotherapy in ovarian cancer. Twenty-six selected SNPs in 18 genes were genotyped in 322 patients treated with first-line paclitaxel-carboplatin or carboplatin mono-therapy. Genotypes were correlated with toxicity events (anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, neurotoxicity), use of growth factors and survival. The risk of anemia was increased for variant alleles of rs1128503 (ABCB1, C > T; p = 0.023, OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.07-2.71), rs363717 (ABCA1, A > G; p = 0.002, OR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.32-3.27) and rs11615 (ERCC1, T > C; p = 0.031, OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.04-2.50), while it was decreased for variant alleles of rs12762549 (ABCC2, C > G; p = 0.004, OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.33-0.81). Likewise, increased risk of thrombocytopenia was associated with rs4986910 (CYP3A4, T > C; p = 0.025, OR = 4.99, 95% CI = 1.22-20.31). No significant correlations were found for neurotoxicity. Variant alleles of rs2073337 (ABCC2, A > G; p = 0.039, OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.37-0.98), rs1695 (ABCC1, A > G; p = 0.017, OR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.33-0.90) and rs1799793 (ERCC2, G > A; p = 0.042, OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.98) associated with the use of colony stimulating factors (CSF), while rs2074087 (ABCC1, G > C; p = 0.011, OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.18-3.68) correlated with use of erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs). Homozygous carriers of the rs1799793 (ERCC2, G > A) G-allele had a prolonged platinum-free interval (p = 0.016). Our data reveal significant correlations between genetic variants of transport, hepatic metabolism, platinum related detoxification or DNA damage repair and toxicity or outcome in ovarian cancer.

A review of affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women.

PubMed

Shahhosseini, Zohreh; Gardeshi, Zeinab Hamzeh; Pourasghar, Mehdi; Salehi, Fariba

2014-12-01

Sex is a complex, important and sensitive issue in human being and interwoven with the whole of human existence. Given the serious changes in attitude, function and behavior in sex, the need to address sexual function, especially sexual satisfaction, is felt completely. Sexual satisfaction has a very important role in creating marital satisfaction and any defect in sexual satisfaction is significantly associated with risky sexual behaviors, serious mental illness, social crimes and ultimately divorce. The aim of this study was to explore affecting factors on sexual satisfaction in women based on an overview in scientific database. In this narrative review the researchers searched MEDLINE database, Google Scholar and Science Direct as well as Persian database like Scientific Information Database with search terms of sexual satisfaction and sexual function, restricted to English/ Persian language, during the 20 years ago. Then those articles written by renowned experts were selected. In this regard, 57 articles have been reviewed, which 30 articles related to this research have been extracted. The findings were divided in to four categories including: Demographic factors, Pathophysiological factors, Psychological factors and Sociocultural factors. Sexuality, especially sexual intimacy is sophisticated and yet elegant affair that the other persons has different definitions and different functions. Discrepancies in the results of the studies show that analysis of factors affecting sexual satisfaction regardless of the women's' sociocultural context, religious beliefs, and personal attitudes is undoubtedly inefficient, unscientific and irrational.

Factors affecting yearly and monthly visits to Taipei Zoo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Ai-Tsen; Lin, Yann-Jou

2018-02-01

This study investigated factors affecting yearly and monthly numbers of visits to Taipei Zoo. Both linear and nonlinear regression models were used to estimate yearly visits. The results of both models showed that the "opening effect" and "animal star effect" had a significantly positive effect on yearly visits, while a SARS outbreak had a negative effect. The number of years had a significant influence on yearly visits. Results showed that the nonlinear model had better explanatory power and fitted the variations of visits better. Results of monthly model showed that monthly visits were significantly influenced by time fluctuations, weather conditions, and the animal star effect. Chinese New Year, summer vacation, numbers of holidays, and animal star exhibitions increased the number of monthly visits, while the number of days with temperatures at or below 15 °C, the number of days with temperatures at or above 30 °C, and the number of rainy days had significantly negative effects. Furthermore, the model of monthly visits showed that the animal star effect could last for over two quarters. The results of this study clarify the factors affecting visits to an outdoor recreation site and confirm the importance of meteorological factors to recreation use.

A Qualitative Study of Factors Affecting Morale in Psychiatry Residency Training.

PubMed

Caravella, Rachel A; Robinson, Lee A; Wilets, Ilene; Weinberg, Michael; Cabaniss, Deborah L; Cutler, Janis L; Kymissis, Carisa; Arbuckle, Melissa R

2016-10-01

Resident morale is an important yet poorly understood aspect of the residency training experience. Despite implications for program quality, resident satisfaction, patient care, and recruitment, little is known about the variables influencing this complex phenomenon. This study sought to identify important factors affecting morale in psychiatry residency training. The authors conducted four semi-structured focus groups at a moderately sized, urban, psychiatry residency program during the 2013-2014 academic year. They used qualitative data analysis techniques, including grounded theory and content analysis, to identify key themes affecting resident morale across training levels. Twenty-seven residents participated in the focus groups with equal distribution across post-graduate years (PGY) 1-4. Five major conceptual categories affecting resident morale emerged: Sense of Community, Individual Motivators, Clinical Work, Feeling Cared For, and Trust in the Administration. Morale is an important topic in residency education. The qualitative results suggest that factors related to a Sense of Community and Individual Motivators generally enhanced resident morale whereas factors related to a lack of Feeling Cared For and Trust in the Administration tended to contribute to lower morale. The authors describe the possible interventions to promote stronger program morale suggested by these findings.

Acute radiotherapy toxicity in 57 dogs with gross and microscopic mast cell tumours.

PubMed

Blackwood, L; Tanis, J B; Harper, A; Amores-Fuster, I; Killick, D R; Finotello, R

2018-05-15

Mast cell tumours (MCTs) are commonly treated with radiation therapy, most often in a microscopic disease setting. Poorer outcomes are expected in patients with gross disease, and irradiation of gross disease may be associated with greater toxicity. The aim of this study was to compare acute radiation adverse events (AE) in dogs with gross and microscopic MCTs receiving radiotherapy. Fifty-seven dogs were included, 28 with gross disease and 29 with microscopic. In order to assess mucosal and skin toxicity, patients were assigned to 2 groups: head (29 patients, 14 patients with gross and 15 microscopic) and other sites (28 patients, 14 each). All were treated with external beam radiotherapy, and toxicity assessed at the end of treatment and 10 to 14 days later (first recheck). All patients developed some acute radiation toxicity by the end of the course. However, there was no difference in the severity of toxicity between gross and microscopic disease in either site group at either time point. The only variable associated with an increased frequency of grade 2 or 3 toxicity at the first recheck was the use of prednisolone prior to radiotherapy (P = .05). No other factors were identified which were associated with increased toxicity. For the head group, the site of highest grade toxicity was mucosa or, if included in the field, nasal planum, which was often more severely affected than the mucosa. No significant late toxicity was identified. Two dogs developed acute haematemesis during the radiotherapy course, but both completed the course without further events. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors affecting the overcrowding in outpatient healthcare

PubMed Central

Bahadori, Mohammadkarim; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Ravangard, Ramin; Raadabadi, Mehdi

2017-01-01

Background: The expansion of outpatient services and the desire to provide more outpatient care than inpatient care create some problems such as the overcrowding in the outpatient clinics. Given the importance of overcrowding in the outpatient clinics, this qualitative study aimed to determine the factors influencing the overcrowding in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: This was a qualitative study conducted in the specialty and subspecialty clinic of a hospital using content analysis method in the period of January to March 2014. The study population was all managers and heads of the outpatient wards. The studied sample consisted of 22 managers of the clinic wards who were selected using the purposive sampling method. The required data was collected using semi-structured interviews. The collected data was analyzed using conventional content analysis and the MAXQDA 10.0 software. Results: Three themes were identified as the main factors affecting the overcrowding including the internal positive factors, internal negative factors, and external factors. Conclusions: Despite the efforts made to eliminate overcrowding, and reduce waiting times and increase access to the services for patients, the problem of overcrowding still has remained unresolved. In addition, the use of some strategies such as clarifying the working processes of the clinic for staff and patients and the relationships between the clinic and other wards especially emergency department, as well as using a simple triage system on the patients’ arrival at the clinic are recommended. PMID:28546986

Recruitment and retention: factors that affect pericyte migration

PubMed Central

Aguilera, Kristina Y.

2013-01-01

Pericytes are critical for vascular morphogenesis and contribute to several pathologies, including cancer development and progression. The mechanisms governing pericyte migration and differentiation are complex and have not been fully established. Current literature suggests that platelet-derived growth factor/platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, sphingosine 1-phosphate/endothelial differentiation gene-1, angiopoietin-1/tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, angiopoietin-2/tyros-ine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains 2, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 1, transforming growth factor β/activin receptor-like kinase 5, Semaphorin-3A/Neuropilin, and matrix metalloproteinase activity regulate the recruitment of pericytes to nascent vessels. Interestingly, many of these pathways are directly affected by secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC). Here, we summarize the function of these factors in pericyte migration and discuss if and how SPARC might infuence these activities and thus provide an additional layer of control for the recruitment of vascular support cells. Additionally, the consequences of targeted inhibition of pericytes in tumors and the current understanding of pericyte recruitment in pathological environments are discussed. PMID:23912898

Factors Affecting Role Stress and Burnout among School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willingham, Wendy Elizabeth

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine factors affecting role stress and burnout among practicing school counselors as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) and the Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale. The MBI-ES utilizes three subscales to measure burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal…

Factors affecting species distribution predictions: A simulation modeling experiment

Treesearch

Gordon C. Reese; Kenneth R. Wilson; Jennifer A. Hoeting; Curtis H. Flather

2005-01-01

Geospatial species sample data (e.g., records with location information from natural history museums or annual surveys) are rarely collected optimally, yet are increasingly used for decisions concerning our biological heritage. Using computer simulations, we examined factors that could affect the performance of autologistic regression (ALR) models that predict species...

Motivational Factors Affecting Online Learning by Japanese MBA Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kikuchi, Hisayo

2006-01-01

In Japan, Internet based learning is still at an early stage. However, adult learners in Japanese society expect the development of flexible e-learning programs. This case study examines motivational factors affecting online learning in a Japanese and Australian MBA program, using observations, interviews and a questionnaire survey. The data were…

Analysis of extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting event related desynchronization production.

PubMed

Takata, Yohei; Kondo, Toshiyuki; Saeki, Midori; Izawa, Jun; Takeda, Kotaro; Otaka, Yohei; It, Koji

2012-01-01

Recently there has been an increase in the number of stroke patients with motor paralysis. Appropriate re-afferent sensory feedback synchronized with a voluntary motor intention would be effective for promoting neural plasticity in the stroke rehabilitation. Therefore, BCI technology is considered to be a promising approach in the neuro-rehabilitation. To estimate human motor intention, an event-related desynchronization (ERD), a feature of electroencephalogram (EEG) evoked by motor execution or motor imagery is usually used. However, there exists various factors that affect ERD production, and its neural mechanism is still an open question. As a preliminary stage, we evaluate mutual effects of intrinsic (voluntary motor imagery) and extrinsic (visual and somatosensory stimuli) factors on the ERD production. Experimental results indicate that these three factors are not always additively interacting with each other and affecting the ERD production.

New strategies in the assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions.

PubMed

Sirri, Laura; Fabbri, Stefania; Fava, Giovanni A; Sonino, Nicoletta

2007-12-01

In this article, we examine research that may lead to a better assessment of psychological factors affecting medical conditions. We performed a review of the psychosomatic literature using both Medline and manual searches. We selected papers that were judged to be relevant to new strategies of assessment, with particular reference to the use of the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research. We assessed 8 areas concerned with the assessment of psychological factors in the setting of medical disease: hypochondriasis, disease phobia, persistent somatization, conversion symptoms, illness denial, demoralization, irritable mood, and Type A behavior. A new subclassification of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed. [DSM-V]; not yet published) category of psychological factors affecting physical conditions appears to be feasible and may provide the clinician with better tools for identifying psychological distress.

Multifactorial analysis of factors affecting recurrence of stroke in Japan.

PubMed

Omori, Toyonori; Kawagoe, Masahiro; Moriyama, Michiko; Yasuda, Takeshi; Ito, Yasuhiro; Hyakuta, Takeshi; Nagatsuka, Kazuyuki; Matsumoto, Masayasu

2015-03-01

Data on factors affecting stroke recurrence are relatively limited. The authors examined potential factors affecting stroke recurrence, retrospectively. The study participants were 1087 patients who were admitted to stroke centers suffering from first-ever ischemic stroke and returned questionnaires with usable information after discharge. The authors analyzed the association between clinical parameters of the patients and their prognosis. Recurrence rate of during an average of 2 years after discharge was 21.3%, and there were differences among stroke subtypes. It was found that the disability level of the patients after discharge correlated well with the level at discharge (r s = 0.66). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the data shows that modified Rankin Scale score, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, gender, age, and family history had statistically significant impacts on stroke recurrence, and the impact was different depending on subtypes. These findings suggest that aggressive and persistent health education for poststroke patients and management of risk factors are essential to reduce stroke recurrence. © 2012 APJPH.

Residual toxicity after biodegradation: interactions among benzene, toluene, and chloroform.

PubMed

da Silva Nunes-Halldorson, Vânia; Steiner, Robert L; Smith, Geoffrey B

2004-02-01

A microbial enrichment originating from a pristine aquifer was found to aerobically biodegrade benzene and toluene, but not chloroform. This enrichment culture was used to study changes in pollutant toxicity as affected by biodegradative activity. Two assays for toxicity were used: (1) a 48-h acute toxicity test using the freshwater invertebrate Ceriodaphnia dubia and (2) microbial biodegradation activity as affected by the presence of mixed pollutants. At 20-ppm concentrations, toluene was significantly more toxic (99% mortality) to C. dubia than benzene (48% mortality) or chloroform (40% mortality). Also at 20-ppm concentrations, but before biodegradation, toluene was significantly more toxic (88% mortality) to C. dubia than benzene (33% mortality). After biodegradation of 98% of toluene and benzene, significant residual toxicity still remained in the bacterial supernatant: toluene-degraded supernatant caused 33% mortality in C. dubia and benzene-degraded supernatant caused 24% mortality. In the second toxicity assay, examining the effect of mixed pollutants on biodegradation activity, the presence of benzene slowed the biodegradation of toluene, but chloroform had no effect on either benzene or toluene biodegradation. Results indicate that significant toxicity remain after biodegradation and that halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons may have little or no effect on aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation at sites impacted by mixed pollutants.

A Hemorrhagic Factor (Apicidin) Produced by Toxic Fusarium Isolates from Soybean Seeds

PubMed Central

Park, Jun-Suk; Lee, Kyung-Rim; Kim, Jin-Cheol; Lim, Sun-Hee; Seo, Jeong-Ah; Lee, Yin-Won

1999-01-01

Fifty-two isolates of Fusarium species were obtained from soybean seeds from various parts of Korea and identified as Fusarium oxysporum, F. moniliforme, F. semitectum, F. solani, F. graminearum, or F. lateritium. These isolates were grown on autoclaved wheat grains and examined for toxicity in a rat-feeding test. Nine cultures were toxic to rats. One of these, a culture of Fusarium sp. strain KCTC 16677, produced apicidin, an antiprotozoal agent that caused toxic effects in rats (including body weight loss; hemorrhage in the stomach, intestines, and bladder; and finally death) when rats were fed diets supplemented with 0.05 and 0.1% apicidin. The toxin was toxic to brine shrimp (the 50% lethal concentration was 40 μg/ml) and was weakly cytotoxic to human and mouse tumor cell lines. PMID:9872769

Mathematics Performance and the Role Played by Affective and Background Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grootenboer, Peter; Hemmings, Brian

2007-01-01

In this article, we report on a study examining those factors which contribute to the mathematics performance of a sample of children aged between 8 and 13 years. The study was designed specifically to consider the potency of a number of mathematical affective factors, as well as background characteristics (viz., gender, ethnicity, and…

Factors Affecting Career Decision Making of Mexican and Mexican-American Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newlon, Betty J.; Borboa, Roman

The purpose of this research was to identify the self-reported factors affecting the career decision making of Mexican and Mexican-American students. It was hypothesized that the factor clusters would differ between the two sample populations, Mexican and Mexican-American. It was also hypothesized that these clusters would differ from six clusters…

Using Molecular Docking to Compare Toxicity of Reactive Chemicals to Freshwater and Marine Luminous Bacteria.

PubMed

Gao, Ya; Lin, Zhifen; Chen, Rui; Wang, Ting; Liu, Shushen; Yao, Zhifeng; Yin, Daqiang

2012-12-01

Vibrio fischeri is a marine luminous bacterium that has been widely used in toxicity bioassays, while Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 is a newly found freshwater species which is more suitable for the tests on freshwater samples. However, there is a sensitive difference between these two species due to the media, chemical modes of action and the tested species. It remains unclear how these factors induce toxicity changes in luminous bioassays. Therefore, by using molecular docking between reactive chemicals and the target proteins of Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 respectively, the sensitive difference was explored from the angle of amino acid residues that involved in the interactions. Mutation of amino acid residues was performed to investigate the role of these amino acids in the interactions and the most important amino acid residues in toxicity effect were found. The results suggested tat the most important amino acid residues in toxicity effect would affect the binding affinity between chemicals and target proteins of Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67, and then induce distinct toxic effect on them. As there are fewer toxicity data for freshwater Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 than for Vibrio fischeri, this study helps to take advantage of the plentiful toxicity data of Vibrio fischeri to predict toxicities of freshwater samples. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Industry Training: The Factors that Affect Demand. Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, A.; Roberts, P.; Noble, C.; Hayton, G.; Thorne, E.

A study was conducted in Australia, to determine the factors that affect demand for job training. The study consisted of 30 detailed industry case studies, an industry analysis, and a literature review. Each case study examined current training practices, training decision making in the business, and the determinants of training for the…

An Analysis of Factors Affecting Community College Students' Expectations on E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic-Cakmak, Ebru; Karatas, Sercin; Ocak, Mehmet Akif

2009-01-01

There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

Protectiveness of species sensitivity distribution hazard concentrations for acute toxicity used in endangered species risk assessment.

PubMed

Raimondo, Sandy; Vivian, Deborah N; Delos, Charles; Barron, Mace G

2008-12-01

A primary objective of threatened and endangered species conservation is to ensure that chemical contaminants and other stressors do not adversely affect listed species. Assessments of the ecological risks of chemical exposures to listed species often rely on the use of surrogate species, safety factors, and species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) of chemical toxicity; however, the protectiveness of these approaches can be uncertain. We comprehensively evaluated the protectiveness of SSD first and fifth percentile hazard concentrations (HC1, HC5) relative to the application of safety factors using 68 SSDs generated from 1,482 acute (lethal concentration of 50%, or LC50) toxicity records for 291 species, including 24 endangered species (20 fish, four mussels). The SSD HC5s and HCls were lower than 97 and 99.5% of all endangered species mean acute LC50s, respectively. The HC5s were significantly less than the concentrations derived from applying safety factors of 5 and 10 to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) toxicity data, and the HCls were generally lower than the concentrations derived from a safety factor of 100 applied to rainbow trout toxicity values. Comparison of relative sensitivity (SSD percentiles) of broad taxonomic groups showed that crustaceans were generally the most sensitive taxa and taxa sensitivity was related to chemical mechanism of action. Comparison of relative sensitivity of narrow fish taxonomic groups showed that standard test fish species were generally less sensitive than salmonids and listed fish. We recommend the use of SSDs as a distribution-based risk assessment approach that is generally protective of listed species.

QSTR of the toxicity of some organophosphorus compounds by using the quantum chemical and topological descriptors.

PubMed

Senior, Samir A; Madbouly, Magdy D; El massry, Abdel-Moneim

2011-09-01

Quantum chemical and topological descriptors of some organophosphorus compounds (OP) were correlated with their toxicity LD(50) as a dermal. The quantum chemical parameters were obtained using B3LYP/LANL2DZdp-ECP optimization. Using linear regression analysis, equations were derived to calculate the theoretical LD(50) of the studied compounds. The inclusion of quantum parameters, having both charge indices and topological indices, affects the toxicity of the studied compounds resulting in high correlation coefficient factors for the obtained equations. Two of the new four firstly supposed descriptors give higher correlation coefficients namely the Heteroatom Corrected Extended Connectivity Randic index ((1)X(HCEC)) and the Density Randic index ((1)X(Den)). The obtained linear equations were applied to predict the toxicity of some related structures. It was found that the sulfur atoms in these compounds must be replaced by oxygen atoms to achieve improved toxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors

PubMed Central

Tatarinova, Tatiana; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit

2015-01-01

Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content. PMID:26114113

Lengths of Orthologous Prokaryotic Proteins Are Affected by Evolutionary Factors.

PubMed

Tatarinova, Tatiana; Salih, Bilal; Dien Bard, Jennifer; Cohen, Irit; Bolshoy, Alexander

2015-01-01

Proteins of the same functional family (for example, kinases) may have significantly different lengths. It is an open question whether such variation in length is random or it appears as a response to some unknown evolutionary driving factors. The main purpose of this paper is to demonstrate existence of factors affecting prokaryotic gene lengths. We believe that the ranking of genomes according to lengths of their genes, followed by the calculation of coefficients of association between genome rank and genome property, is a reasonable approach in revealing such evolutionary driving factors. As we demonstrated earlier, our chosen approach, Bubble-sort, combines stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency as compared to other ranking methods. Application of Bubble Sort to the set of 1390 prokaryotic genomes confirmed that genes of Archaeal species are generally shorter than Bacterial ones. We observed that gene lengths are affected by various factors: within each domain, different phyla have preferences for short or long genes; thermophiles tend to have shorter genes than the soil-dwellers; halophiles tend to have longer genes. We also found that species with overrepresentation of cytosines and guanines in the third position of the codon (GC3 content) tend to have longer genes than species with low GC3 content.

A Study of the Technological, Instructional, and Motivational Factors Affecting PHR Certification Exam Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonner, David M.

2012-01-01

Although previous studies have considered the factors affecting other certification exam outcomes, they have not examined those that are related to performance on the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) exam. In response to that need, this study specifically investigates technology and training factors that affect self-efficacy and self-set…

[Factors affecting residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with renal calculus].

PubMed

Qiao, Mingzhou; Zhang, Haifang; Zhou, Chenlong

2015-11-24

To explore the factors affecting the residual stones after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in patients with renal calculus. A retrospective analysis was performed for 1 200 patients who were affected by renal calculus and treated with PCNL between Jan 2008 and May 2014 in People's Hospital of Anyang City. Among those patients, 16 were diagnosed as bilateral renal stone and had two successive operations. The size, location and number of stones, previous history of surgery, the degree of hydronephrosis, urinary infection were included in the univariate analysis. Significant factors in univariate analysis were included in the multivariate analysis to determine factors affecting stone residual. A total of 385 cases developed stone residual after surgery. The overall residual rate was 31.7%. In univariate analysis, renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.006), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.005), stone number more than 4 (P=0.002), the amount of bleeding more than 200 ml (P=0.025), operation time longer than 120 minutes (P=0.028) were associated with an increased rate of stone residual. When subjected to the Cox multivariate analysis, the independent risk factors for residual stones were renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus (P=0.049), stone size larger than 4 cm (P=0.038) and stone number more than 4 (P=0.018). Factors affecting the incidence of residual stones after PCNL are the size, location and number of stones. Larger size stone and the presence of renal pelvis combined with caliceal calculus are significantly associated with residual stones. Nevertheless, stone number less than 4 indicates an increased stone clearance rate.

Factors affecting decision-making of patients choosing acupuncture in a public hospital.

PubMed

Sayampanathan, Andrew Arjun; Koh, Thean Howe Bryan; Kong, Keng He; Low, Yin Peng

2015-11-01

With increasing evidence to support its practice, acupuncture has been integrated within many hospitals around the world. The purpose of this study is to understand the factors affecting decision making of patients as they select acupuncture treatment for their medical conditions and symptoms within a public hospital. A qualitative study consisting of in depth interviews with 14 patients was conducted. All patients attended an acupuncture clinic within a public hospital. Data collected was analysed via thematic analysis. Four main factor groups affecting decision making of patients were identified- factors affecting the level and value of patient-centric care, the confidence and trust patients place within the acupuncture service, the presence of collaborative efforts between acupuncturists and Western medicine practitioners, and the knowledge, culture and belief society has regarding the role of acupuncture and Western medicine. All participants interviewed had more than one factor group present as enablers toward their eventual selection of acupuncture for ailment management. It was also noted that although the majority of participants had sufficient knowledge regarding acupuncture, there were a select few who had misperceptions or no knowledge regarding certain aspects of acupuncture. There may be certain patterns in the way patients choose to utilise acupuncture services in public hospitals. Further studies should also be carried out in other public hospitals to analyse the factor groups identified further.

Factors that Affect Poverty Areas in North Sumatera Using Discriminant Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, D. H.; Bangun, P.; Sitepu, H. R.

2018-04-01

In Indonesia, especially North Sumatera, the problem of poverty is one of the fundamental problems that become the focus of government both central and local government. Although the poverty rate decreased but the fact is there are many people who are poor. Poverty happens covers several aspects such as education, health, demographics, and also structural and cultural. This research will discuss about several factors such as population density, Unemployment Rate, GDP per capita ADHK, ADHB GDP per capita, economic growth and life expectancy that affect poverty in Indonesia. To determine the factors that most influence and differentiate the level of poverty of the Regency/City North Sumatra used discriminant analysis method. Discriminant analysis is one multivariate analysis technique are used to classify the data into a group based on the dependent variable and independent variable. Using discriminant analysis, it is evident that the factor affecting poverty is Unemployment Rate.

Radiogenomics: a systems biology approach to understanding genetic risk factors for radiotherapy toxicity ?

PubMed Central

Herskind, Carsten; Talbot, Christopher J.; Kerns, Sarah L.; Veldwijk, Marlon R.; Rosenstein, Barry S.; West, Catharine M. L.

2016-01-01

Adverse reactions in normal tissue after radiotherapy (RT) limit the dose that can be given to tumour cells. Since 80% of individual variation in clinical response is estimated to be caused by patient-related factors, identifying these factors might allow prediction of patients with increased risk of developing severe reactions. While inactivation of cell renewal is considered a major cause of toxicity in early-reacting normal tissues, complex interactions involving multiple cell types, cytokines, and hypoxia seem important for late reactions. Here, we review ‘omics’ approaches such as screening of genetic polymorphisms or gene expression analysis, and assess the potential of epigenetic factors, posttranslational modification, signal transduction, and metabolism. Furthermore, functional assays have suggested possible associations with clinical risk of adverse reaction. Pathway analysis incorporating different ‘omics’ approaches may be more efficient in identifying critical pathways than pathway analysis based on single ‘omics’ data sets. Integrating these pathways with functional assays may be powerful in identifying multiple subgroups of RT patients characterized by different mechanisms. Thus ‘omics’ and functional approaches may synergize if they are integrated into radiogenomics ‘systems biology’ to facilitate the goal of individualised radiotherapy. PMID:26944314

Factors Other than GFR Affecting Serum Cystatin C Levels

PubMed Central

Stevens, Lesley A; Schmid, Christopher H.; Greene, Tom; Li, Liang; Beck, Gerald J; Joffe, Marshall; Froissart, Marc; Kusek, John; Zhang, Yaping (Lucy); Coresh, Josef; Levey, Andrew S

2015-01-01

Cystatin C is gaining acceptance as an endogenous filtration marker. Factors other than glomerular filtration rate (GFR) that affect the serum level have not been carefully studied. In a cross-sectional analysis of a pooled dataset of participants from clinical trials and a clinical population with chronic kidney disease (N=3418), we related serum levels of cystatin C and creatinine to clinical and biochemical variables after adjustment for GFR using errors-in-variables models to account for GFR measurement error. GFR was measured as urinary clearance of 125I-iothalamate and 15Cr-EDTA. Cystatin C was assayed at a single laboratory and creatinine was standardized to reference methods. Mean (SD) creatinine and cystatin C were 2.1 (1.1) mg/dL and 1.8 (0.8) mg/L, respectively. After adjustment for GFR, cystatin C was 4.3% lower for every 20 years of age, 9.2% lower for female sex but only 1.9% lower in blacks. Diabetes was associated with 8.5% higher levels of cystatin C and 3.9% lower levels of creatinine. Higher C-reactive protein and white blood cell count and lower serum albumin were associated with higher levels of cystatin C and lower levels of creatinine. Adjustment for age, sex and race had a greater effect on association of factors with creatinine than cystatin C. In conclusion, cystatin C is affected by factors other than GFR. Clinicians should consider these factors when interpreting the serum levels or GFR estimates from cystatin C. PMID:19119287

Slight temperature changes affect protein affinity and cellular uptake/toxicity of nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoudi, Morteza; Shokrgozar, Mohammad A.; Behzadi, Shahed

2013-03-01

It is known that what the cell actually ``sees'' at the nanoscale is an outer shell formed of `protein corona' on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs). The amount and composition of various proteins on the corona are strongly dependent on the biophysicochemical properties of NPs, which have been extensively studied. However, the effect of a small variation in temperature, due to the human circadian rhythm, on the composition of the protein corona and the affinity of various proteins to the surface of NPs, was ignored. Here, the effect of temperature on the composition of protein corona and the affinity of various proteins to the surface of NPs and, subsequently, cell responses to the protein coated NPs are probed. The results confirmed that cellular entrance, dispersion, and toxicity of NPs are strongly diverse with slight body temperature changes. This new finding can help scientists to maximise NP entrance to specific cells/organs with lower toxicity by adjusting the cellular/organ temperature.It is known that what the cell actually ``sees'' at the nanoscale is an outer shell formed of `protein corona' on the surface of nanoparticles (NPs). The amount and composition of various proteins on the corona are strongly dependent on the biophysicochemical properties of NPs, which have been extensively studied. However, the effect of a small variation in temperature, due to the human circadian rhythm, on the composition of the protein corona and the affinity of various proteins to the surface of NPs, was ignored. Here, the effect of temperature on the composition of protein corona and the affinity of various proteins to the surface of NPs and, subsequently, cell responses to the protein coated NPs are probed. The results confirmed that cellular entrance, dispersion, and toxicity of NPs are strongly diverse with slight body temperature changes. This new finding can help scientists to maximise NP entrance to specific cells/organs with lower toxicity by adjusting the cellular

Validating YouTube Factors Affecting Learning Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratama, Yoga; Hartanto, Rudy; Suning Kusumawardani, Sri

2018-03-01

YouTube is often used as a companion medium or a learning supplement. One of the educational places that often uses is Jogja Audio School (JAS) which focuses on music production education. Music production is a difficult material to learn, especially at the audio mastering. With tutorial contents from YouTube, students find it easier to learn and understand audio mastering and improved their learning performance. This study aims to validate the role of YouTube as a medium of learning in improving student’s learning performance by looking at the factors that affect student learning performance. The sample involves 100 respondents from JAS at audio mastering level. The results showed that student learning performance increases seen from factors that have a significant influence of motivation, instructional content, and YouTube usefulness. Overall findings suggest that YouTube has a important role to student learning performance in music production education and as an innovative and efficient learning medium.

Beyond Negative Pain-Related Psychological Factors: Resilience Is Related to Lower Pain Affect in Healthy Adults.

PubMed

Hemington, Kasey S; Cheng, Joshua C; Bosma, Rachael L; Rogachov, Anton; Kim, Junseok A; Davis, Karen D

2017-09-01

Resilience, a characteristic that enhances adaptation in response to stressful events, is a positive psychological factor that can predict and modulate health outcomes. However, resilience is rarely considered in pain research. Conversely, negative psychological factors (eg, anxiety, depression) are known to be related to the affective dimension of pain. It is critical to understand all potential psychological drivers of pain affect, a prominent component of chronic pain. We tested the hypothesis that higher resilience is associated with lower pain affect, above and beyond the predictive value of negative psychological factors. Healthy adults underwent psychophysical testing to acquire ratings of heat pain intensity and unpleasantness and completed the Resilience Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (trait form), Beck Depression Inventory, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Pain Vigilance and Attention Questionnaire. Multiple regression modeling (n = 68) showed resilience to be a negatively associated with pain affect (unpleasantness). Furthermore, in individuals with higher anxiety scores, resilience was protective against higher pain affect. This highlights the importance of resilience, a positive psychological factor, in the affective dimension of pain. This study is the first to assess a positive psychological factor and experimental pain affect, and has the potential to improve prediction of and treatment strategies for clinical pain. We report that resilience, a positive psychological factor, interacts with anxiety and is associated with heat pain affect (unpleasantness) in healthy individuals. Resilience may provide predictive value of chronic pain affect and treatment outcomes, and could be a target for behavioral therapy. Copyright © 2017 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A study of the factors affecting the range of airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biermann, David

1937-01-01

A study was made of the most important factors affecting the range of airplanes. Numerical examples are given showing the effects of different variables on the range of a two-engine airplane. The takeoff problems of long-range airplanes are analyzed.

An Empirically Derived Taxonomy of Factors Affecting Physicians' Willingness to Disclose Medical Errors

PubMed Central

Kaldjian, Lauris C; Jones, Elizabeth W; Rosenthal, Gary E; Tripp-Reimer, Toni; Hillis, Stephen L

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND Physician disclosure of medical errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues is important for patient safety, patient care, and professional education. However, the variables that may facilitate or impede disclosure are diverse and lack conceptual organization. OBJECTIVE To develop an empirically derived, comprehensive taxonomy of factors that affects voluntary disclosure of errors by physicians. DESIGN A mixed-methods study using qualitative data collection (structured literature search and exploratory focus groups), quantitative data transformation (sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis), and validation procedures (confirmatory focus groups and expert review). RESULTS Full-text review of 316 articles identified 91 impeding or facilitating factors affecting physicians' willingness to disclose errors. Exploratory focus groups identified an additional 27 factors. Sorting and hierarchical cluster analysis organized factors into 8 domains. Confirmatory focus groups and expert review relocated 6 factors, removed 2 factors, and modified 4 domain names. The final taxonomy contained 4 domains of facilitating factors (responsibility to patient, responsibility to self, responsibility to profession, responsibility to community), and 4 domains of impeding factors (attitudinal barriers, uncertainties, helplessness, fears and anxieties). CONCLUSIONS A taxonomy of facilitating and impeding factors provides a conceptual framework for a complex field of variables that affects physicians' willingness to disclose errors to institutions, patients, and colleagues. This taxonomy can be used to guide the design of studies to measure the impact of different factors on disclosure, to assist in the design of error-reporting systems, and to inform educational interventions to promote the disclosure of errors to patients. PMID:16918739

Risk factors for treatment-limiting toxicities in patients starting nevirapine-containing antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Kesselring, Anouk M; Wit, Ferdinand W; Sabin, Caroline A; Lundgren, Jens D; Gill, M John; Gatell, Jose M; Rauch, Andri; Montaner, Julio S; de Wolf, Frank; Reiss, Peter; Mocroft, Amanda

2009-08-24

This collaboration of seven observational clinical cohorts investigated risk factors for treatment-limiting toxicities in both antiretroviral-naive and experienced patients starting nevirapine-based combination antiretroviral therapy (NVPc). Patients starting NVPc after 1 January 1998 were included. CD4 cell count at starting NVPc was classified as high (>400/microl/>250/microl for men/women, respectively) or low. Cox models were used to investigate risk factors for discontinuations due to hypersensitivity reactions (HSR, n = 6547) and discontinuation of NVPc due to treatment-limiting toxicities and/or patient/physician choice (TOXPC, n = 10,186). Patients were classified according to prior antiretroviral treatment experience and CD4 cell count/viral load at start NVPc. Models were stratified by cohort and adjusted for age, sex, nadir CD4 cell count, calendar year of starting NVPc and mode of transmission. Median time from starting NVPc to TOXPC and HSR were 162 days [interquartile range (IQR) 31-737] and 30 days (IQR 17-60), respectively. In adjusted Cox analyses, compared to naive patients with a low CD4 cell count, treatment-experienced patients with high CD4 cell count and viral load more than 400 had a significantly increased risk for HSR [hazard ratio 1.45, confidence interval (CI) 1.03-2.03] and TOXPC within 18 weeks (hazard ratio 1.34, CI 1.08-1.67). In contrast, treatment-experienced patients with high CD4 cell count and viral load less than 400 had no increased risk for HSR 1.10 (0.82-1.46) or TOXPC within 18 weeks (hazard ratio 0.94, CI 0.78-1.13). Our results suggest it may be relatively well tolerated to initiate NVPc in antiretroviral-experienced patients with high CD4 cell counts provided there is no detectable viremia.

Factors Affecting Teen Involvement in Pennsylvania 4-H Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, Bart E.; Ewing, John C.; Bruce, Jacklyn A.

2010-01-01

The study reported here determined the factors that affect teen involvement in 4-H programming. The design of the study was descriptive and correlational in nature. Using a purposive sampling procedure, a survey questionnaire was distributed to all (N=214) 4-H members attending the 4-H State Leadership Conference. The major findings of the study…

[Factors affecting the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in inpatient units: perception of nurses].

PubMed

Citolino, Clairton Marcos Filho; Santos, Eduesley Santana; Silva, Rita de Cassia Gengo E; Nogueira, Lilia de Souza

2015-12-01

To identify, in the perception of nurses, the factors that affect the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in adult inpatient units, and investigate the influence of both work shifts and professional experience length of time in the perception of these factors. A descriptive, exploratory study conducted at a hospital specialized in cardiology and pneumology with the application of a questionnaire to 49 nurses working in inpatient units. The majority of nurses reported that the high number of professionals in the scenario (75.5%), the lack of harmony (77.6%) or stress of any member of staff (67.3%), lack of material and/or equipment failure (57.1%), lack of familiarity with the emergency trolleys (98.0%) and presence of family members at the beginning of the cardiopulmonary arrest assistance (57.1%) are factors that adversely affect the quality of care provided during CPR. Professional experience length of time and the shift of nurses did not influence the perception of these factors. The identification of factors that affect the quality of CPR in the perception of nurses serves as parameter to implement improvements and training of the staff working in inpatient units.

Evaluation of Metal Toxicity in Streams Affected by Abandoned Mine Lands, Upper Animas River Watershed, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Besser, John M.; Allert, Ann L.; Hardesty, Douglas K.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; May, Thomas W.; Wang, Ning; Leib, Kenneth J.

2001-01-01

Acid drainage from abandoned mines and from naturally-acidic rocks and soil in the upper Animas River watershed of Colorado generates elevated concentrations of acidity and dissolved metals in stream waters and deposition of metal-contaminated particulates in streambed sediments, resulting in both toxicity and habitat degradation for stream biota. High concentrations of iron (Fe), aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) occur in acid streams draining headwaters of the upper Animas River watershed, and high concentrations of some metals, especially Zn, persist in circumneutral reaches of the Animas River and Mineral Creek, downstream of mixing zones of acid tributaries. Seasonal variation of metal concentrations is reflected in variation in toxicity of stream water. Loadings of dissolved metals to the upper Animas River and tributaries are greatest during summer, during periods of high stream discharge from snowmelt and monsoonal rains, but adverse effects on stream biota may be greater during winter low-flow periods, when stream flows are dominated by inputs of groundwater and contain greatest concentrations of dissolved metals. Fine stream-bed sediments of the upper Animas River watershed also contain elevated concentrations of potentially toxic metals. Greatest sediment metal concentrations occur in the Animas River upstream from Silverton, where there are extensive deposits of mine and mill tailings, and in mixing zones in the Animas River and lower Mineral Creek, where precipitates of Fe and Al oxides also contain high concentrations of other metals. This report summarizes the findings of a series of toxicity studies in streams of the upper Animas River watershed, conducted on-site and in the laboratory between 1998 and 2000. The objectives of these studies were: (1) to determine the relative toxicity of stream water and fine stream-bed sediments to fish and invertebrates; (2) to determine the seasonal range of toxicity in stream

Factors Affecting Zebra Mussel Kill by the Bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daniel P. Molloy

2004-02-24

The specific purpose of this research project was to identify factors that affect zebra mussel kill by the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Test results obtained during this three-year project identified the following key variables as affecting mussel kill: treatment concentration, treatment duration, mussel siphoning activity, dissolved oxygen concentration, water temperature, and naturally suspended particle load. Using this latter information, the project culminated in a series of pipe tests which achieved high mussel kill inside power plants under once-through conditions using service water in artificial pipes.

Psychological Factor Affecting English Speaking Performance for the English Learners in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haidara, Youssouf

2016-01-01

In every learning situation or environment, human psychology plays a significant role. English speaking is a language skill that is highly affected by human psychology. This research aimed at describing the psychological factor that affects negatively the English speaking performance for the English learners in Indonesia. A descriptive qualitative…

The Key Factors Affecting Students' Individual Interest in School Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Derek

2018-01-01

Individual interest in school science lessons can be defined as a relatively stable and enduring personal emotion comprising affective and behavioural reactions to events in the regular science lessons at school. Little research has compared the importance of different factors affecting students' individual interest in school science lessons. The…

Predictive factors for survival and correlation to toxicity in advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients with concurrent chemoradiation.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Hyub; Ahn, Sung-Ja; Kim, Young-Chul; Kim, Kyu-Sik; Oh, In-Jae; Ban, Hee-Jung; Chung, Woong-Ki; Nam, Taek-Keun; Yoon, Mee Sun; Jeong, Jae-Uk; Song, Ju-Young

2016-02-01

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the standard treatment for locally advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer in patients with a good performance status and minimal weight loss. This study aimed to define subgroups with different survival outcomes and identify correlations with the radiation-related toxicities. We retrospectively reviewed 381 locally advanced Stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients with a good performance status or weight loss of <10% who received concurrent chemoradiotherapy between 2004 and 2011. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy was administered once daily, combined with weekly chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival comparison and Cox regression for multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using all variables with P values <0.1 from the univariate analysis. Median survival of all patients was 24 months. Age > 75 years, the diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide ≤80%, gross tumor volume ≥100 cm(3) and subcarinal nodal involvement were the statistically significant predictive factors for poor overall survival both in univariate and multivariate analyses. Patients were classified into four groups according to these four predictive factors. The median survival times were 36, 29, 18 and 14 months in Groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (P < 0.001). Rates of esophageal or lung toxicity ≥Grade 3 were 5.9, 14.1, 12.5 and 22.2%, respectively. The radiotherapy interruption rate differed significantly between the prognostic subgroups; 8.8, 15.4, 22.7 and 30.6%, respectively (P = 0.017). Severe toxicity and interruption of radiotherapy were more frequent in patients with multiple adverse predictive factors. To maintain the survival benefit in patients with concurrent chemoradiotherapy, strategies to reduce treatment-related toxicities need to be deeply considered. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Comparison of toxicity of class-based organic chemicals to algae and fish based on discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level.

PubMed

Li, Jin J; Tai, Hong W; Yu, Yang; Wen, Yang; Wang, Xiao H; Zhao, Yuan H

2015-07-01

Toxicity data to fish and algae were used to investigate excess toxicity between species. Results show that chemicals exhibiting excess toxicity to fish also show excess toxicity to algae for most of the compounds. This indicates that they share the same mode of action between species. Similar relationships between logKOW and toxicities to fish and algae for baseline and less inert compounds suggest that they have similar critical body residues in the two species. Differences in excess toxicity for some compounds suggest that there is a difference of physiological structure and metabolism between fish and algae. Some reactive compounds (e.g. polyamines) exhibit greater toxic effects for algae than those for fish because of relatively low bio-uptake potential of these hydrophilic compounds in fish as compared with that in algae. Esters exhibiting greater toxicity in fish than that in algae indicate that metabolism can affect the discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level. Algae growth inhibition is a very good surrogate for fish lethality. This is not only because overall toxicity sensitivity to algae is greater than that to fish, but also the excess toxicity calculated from algal toxicity can better reflect reactivity of compounds with target molecules than fish toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Affective changes during the postpartum period: Influences of genetic and experiential factors.

PubMed

Agrati, Daniella; Lonstein, Joseph S

2016-01-01

This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care". The postpartum period involves some truly transformational changes in females' socioemotional behaviors. For most female laboratory rodents and women, these changes include an improvement in their affective state, which has positive consequences for their ability to sensitively care for their offspring. There is heterogeneity among females in the likelihood of this positive affective change, though, and some women experience elevated anxiety or depression (or in rodents anxiety- or depression-related behaviors) after giving birth. We aim to contribute to the understanding of this heterogeneity in maternal affectivity by reviewing selected components of the scientific literatures on laboratory rodents and humans examining how mothers' physical contact with her infants, genetics, history of anxiety and depression and early-life and recent-life experiences contribute to individual differences in postpartum affective states. These studies together indicate that multiple biological and environmental factors beyond female maternal state shape affective responses during the postpartum period, and probably do so in an interactive manner. Furthermore, the similar capacity of some of these factors to modulate anxiety and depression in human and rodent mothers suggests cross-species conservation of mechanisms regulating postpartum affectivity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Soil Microbial Community Structure in Tomato Cropping Systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil and rhizosphere microbial communities in agroecosystems may be affected by soil, climate, plant species, and management. We identified some of the most important factors controlling microbial biomass and community structure in an agroecosystem utilizing tomato plants with the following nine tre...

AN OVERVIEW OF TOXICANT IDENTIFICATION IN SEDIMENTS AND DREDGED MATERIALS

EPA Science Inventory

The identification of toxicants affecting aquatic benthic systems is critical to sound assessment and management of our nation?s waterways. Identification of toxicants can be useful in designing effective sediment remediation plans and reasonable options for sediment disposal. K...

Deriving allowable daily intakes for systemic toxicants lacking chronic toxicity data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Layton, D.W.; Mallon, B.J.; Rosenblatt, D.H.

1987-03-01

The lack of human toxicological data for most chemical compounds makes it difficult to quickly assess health risks associated with exposure to contaminants at hazardous waste sites. It would therefore be advantageous to have a technique for estimating acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) of potentially toxic substances based on more widely available animal toxicity data. This article focuses on the use of LD50 data to derive provisional ADIs, and it suggests multiplying oral LD50 values (expressed in mg/kg of body wt) by a factor in the range of 5 X 10(-6) to 1 X 10(-5) day-1 to convert them to suchmore » ADIs. It is emphasized that these interim ADI values are no substitute for toxicity testing, but that such testing would most likely result in higher ADI estimates.« less

THE 2005 WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RE-EVALUATION OF HUMAN AND MAMMALIAN TOXIC EQUIVALENCY FACTORS FOR DIOXINS AND DIOXIN-LIKE COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

In June 2005 a WHO-IPCS expert meeting was held in Geneva during which the toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for dioxin like compounds, including some polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were re-evaluated. For this re-evaluation process the refined TEF database recently published by...

Factors affecting the reproductive success of dominant male meerkats.

PubMed

Spong, Göran F; Hodge, Sarah J; Young, Andrew J; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2008-05-01

Identifying traits that affect the reproductive success of individuals is fundamental for our understanding of evolutionary processes. In cooperative breeders, a dominant male typically restricts mating access to the dominant female for extended periods, resulting in pronounced variation in reproductive success among males. This may result in strong selection for traits that increase the likelihood of dominance acquisition, dominance retention and reproductive rates while dominant. However, despite considerable research on reproductive skew, few studies have explored the factors that influence these three processes among males in cooperative species. Here we use genetic, behavioural and demographic data to investigate the factors affecting reproductive success in dominant male meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Our data show that dominant males sire the majority of all offspring surviving to 1 year. A male's likelihood of becoming dominant is strongly influenced by age, but not by weight. Tenure length and reproductive rate, both important components of dominant male reproductive success, are largely affected by group size and composition, rather than individual traits. Dominant males in large groups have longer tenures, but after this effect is controlled, male tenure length also correlates negatively to the number of adult females in the group. Male reproductive rate also declines as the number of intra- and extra-group competitors increases. As the time spent in the dominant position and reproductive rate while dominant explain > 80% of the total variance in reproductive success, group composition thus has major implications for male reproductive success.

Factors affecting the employability in people with epilepsy.

PubMed

Wo, Monica Chen Mun; Lim, Kheng Seang; Choo, Wan Yuen; Tan, Chong Tin

2016-12-01

People with epilepsy (PWE) are negatively prejudiced in their ability to work. This study aimed to examine demographic, clinical and psychological factors associated with employability in PWE. This study recruited epilepsy patients from a neurology clinic in Malaysia. Employability was measured using employment ratio, with a ratio ≥90% (ER90) classified as high employability. Basic demographic data such as age, gender, marital status, religion, education level and household income was collected. Clinical measures consisted of age of seizure onset, seizure frequency, type of epilepsy, aura, polytherapy, nocturnal seizures and seizure control. Psychological measures included Work Self-Determination Index (WSDI), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Of 146 PWE, 64.4% had high employability. The participants were predominantly female (52%), Chinese (50.7%), single (50%), having tertiary education (55.5%) and focal epilepsy (72.6%). Clinically, only type of epilepsy was significantly correlated to employability of PWE. Employability of PWE was associated with ability to work (indicated by education level, work performance affected by seizures, ability to travel independently and ability to cope with stress at work) and family overprotection. The high employability group was found to have lower self-perceived stigma (ESS), higher self-determined motivation (WSDI), self-esteem (SES) and perceived social support (MSPSS), than the low employability group. Logistic regression analysis showed that tertiary education level (AOR 3.42, CI: 1.46-8.00), higher self-determination (WSDI, AOR 1.09, CI: 1.012-1.17), lower family overprotection (AOR 0.76, CI: 0.61-0.95), and generalised epilepsy (AOR 4.17, CI: 1.37-12.70) were significant predictors for higher employability in PWE. Ability to work (education level), clinical factor (type of epilepsy) and psychological factor (self-determined motivation and family

Evaluating trivalent chromium toxicity on wild terrestrial and wetland plants.

PubMed

Lukina, A O; Boutin, C; Rowland, O; Carpenter, D J

2016-11-01

Elevated chromium levels in soil from mining can impact the environment, including plants. Mining of chromium is concentrated in South Africa, several Asian countries, and potentially in Northern Ontario, Canada, raising concerns since chromium toxicity to wild plants is poorly understood. In the first experiment, concentration-response tests were conducted to evaluate effects of chromium on terrestrial and wetland plants. Following established guidelines using artificial soil, seeds of 32 species were exposed to chromium (Cr(3+)) at concentrations simulating contamination (0-1000 mg kg(-1)). This study found that low levels of chromium (250 mg kg(-1)) adversely affected the germination of 22% of species (33% of all families), while higher levels (500 and 1000 mg kg(-1)) affected 69% and 94% of species, respectively, from 89% of the families. Secondly, effects on seedbanks were studied using soil collected in Northern Ontario and exposed to Cr(3+) at equivalent concentrations (0-1000 mg kg(-1)). Effects were less severe in the seedbank study with significant differences only observed at 1000 mg kg(-1). Seeds exposed to Cr(3+) during stratification were greatly affected. Seed size was a contributing factor as was possibly the seed coat barrier. This study represents an initial step in understanding Cr(3+) toxicity on wild plants and could form the basis for future risk assessments. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Personal Factors that Affect the Satisfaction of Female Patients Undergoing Esthetic Suture after Typical Thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Kim, Hyo Young; Kim, Jung Won; Park, Jin Hyung; Kim, Jung Hun; Han, Yea Sik

2013-07-01

In esthetic surgery, understanding the factors that influence patient satisfaction is important for successful practice. We hypothesize that the factors that influence patient satisfaction include not only aesthetic and functional outcomes, but also personal factors such as the level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations regarding aesthetic outcome. One hundred patients who underwent esthetic closure after thyroidectomy were included in this study. In order to evaluate the individual characteristics of the patients, a preoperative survey was administered to the patients. We estimated the patient satisfaction six months postoperatively and assessed the aesthetic and functional outcomes using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale. According to the results of correlation analysis, level of familiarity with wound healing factors had a positive correlation with satisfaction. High expectations, pain, itching, and high observer scale score had negative correlations with satisfaction. The factors that were correlated with satisfaction were included in the multiple regression analysis. Level of familiarity with wound healing factors was found to have a positive relationship with satisfaction, while itching and observer scale were found to have a negative relationship with satisfaction. After excluding 10 patients who had hypertrophic scars, only level of familiarity with wound healing factors and expectations affected satisfaction. The level of familiarity with factors affecting wound healing and expectations were found to independently affect satisfaction. Improving patients' level of familiarity with wound healing factors and reducing their expectations by providing suitable preoperative education has the potential to improve patient satisfaction.

Arsenic in Drinking Water in Bangladesh: Factors Affecting Child Health

PubMed Central

Aziz, Sonia N.; Aziz, Khwaja M. S.; Boyle, Kevin J.

2014-01-01

The focus of this paper is to present an empirical model of factors affecting child health by observing actions households take to avoid exposure to arsenic in drinking water. Millions of Bangladeshis face multiple health hazards from high levels of arsenic in drinking water. Safe water sources are either expensive or difficult to access, affecting people’s individuals’ time available for work and ultimately affecting the health of household members. Since children are particularly susceptible and live with parents who are primary decision makers for sustenance, parental actions linking child health outcomes is used in the empirical model. Empirical results suggest that child health is significantly affected by the age and gender of the household water procurer. Adults with a high degree of concern for children’s health risk from arsenic contamination, and who actively mitigate their arsenic contaminated water have a positive effect on child health. PMID:24982854

Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists

PubMed Central

Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

2018-01-01

[Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists’ job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists’ satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The “high satisfaction” group included 157 subjects, and the group “low satisfaction” group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists’ job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions. PMID:29706706

Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction: questionnaire survey targeting first-year physical therapists.

PubMed

Kota, Munetsugu; Kudo, Hiroyuki; Okita, Kazuhiko

2018-04-01

[Purpose] The survey aimed to clarify the factors that affect physiotherapists' job satisfaction. [Subjects and Methods] To examine factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction using a cross-sectional study with a questionnaire survey. Subjects were 193 first-year physical therapists who participated in a newcomer orientation at Hiroshima Prefectural Physical Therapy Association. The questionnaire comprised items concerning physical therapists' satisfaction with their work, motives for becoming physical therapists, education in school, internships, the workplace, and comfort in the workplace. [Results] Subjects were divided into two groups according to their satisfaction with their occupation. The "high satisfaction" group included 157 subjects, and the group "low satisfaction" group included 36 subjects. Using logistic regression analysis, items concerning comfort in the workplace, motives for becoming physical therapists, and learning in school were analysed. [Conclusion] Factors affecting physical therapists' job satisfaction were primarily influenced by previous experience and working conditions.

Factors affecting wood energy consumption by U.S. households

Treesearch

Nianfu Song; Francisco X. Aguilar; Stephen R. Shifley; Michael E. Goerndt

2012-01-01

About 23% of energy derived from woody sources in the U.S. was consumed by households, of which 70% was used by households in rural areas in 2005. We investigated factors affecting household-level wood energy consumption in the four continental U.S. regions using data from the U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey. To account for a large number of zero...

Insights into influencing factor, degradation mechanism and potential toxicity involved in aqueous ozonation of oxcarbazepine (CHEM46939R1).

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Huang, Zhen-Xing; Miao, Heng-Feng; Ruan, Wen-Quan; Ji, Xiao-Ping; Sun, Fu-Bao; Zhao, Ming-Xing; Ren, Hong-Yan

2018-06-01

Oxcarbazepine (OXC), as a potent antiepileptic drug, is widely used in recent years, but its residue is potentially harmful to the environment. Although ozonation is a high-efficient technology for chemical oxidation during water treatment, it cannot completely mineralize organic matters, but partially transforms them into some unidentified by-products. In order to provide more insight into OXC ozonation process, the influencing factor, transformation mechanism and potential toxicity were comprehensively investigated in this study. The results showed that the optimal ozonation temperature was 20 °C with a pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant of 0.161 min -1 . The increase of pH significantly enhanced OXC degradation, while the presence of bicarbonate caused a remarkable negative effect, manifesting that hydroxyl radical (OH) oxidation should play an important role in OXC ozonation. Moreover, transformation mechanism was further elucidated based on the identification of ten OXC-related by-products using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS n , which mainly consisted of electrophilic substitution, N-heterocyclic ring cleavage and re-arrangement, hydroxylation, carbonylation, demethoxylation and deamidation, etc. The toxicity evaluation, using US Environmental Protection Agency Toxicity Estimation Software Tool (US-EPA TEST), suggested that most identified by-products were probably more toxic than OXC itself. Besides, further experiments, by measuring inhibitory effect of ozonated mixture on Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence, demonstrated that by-products with higher toxicity tended to be accumulated under a short reaction time. Taken together, the present investigation provided valuable information for further understanding OXC ozonation process, and suggested that special attention should be paid to the control and elimination of toxic transformation by-products in future studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The main factor affecting the competitiveness of Contractor Company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurisra; Malahayati, Nurul; Mahmuddin

2018-05-01

Contractor companies must have the competitive advantage to compete in maintaining the survival of the company. Problems arise because quite a lot of advantages can be used and these advantages must be used appropriately to produce competitiveness for the company to continue to compete and to win the competition. This study aims to determine the main factors affecting the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data collection was obtained through questionnaires distributed to 31 middle-class contractors in Banda Aceh. Data processing and analysis is done by using descriptive analysis. Based on the result of descriptive analysis, it can be concluded that the most important competitiveness factor with a mean score value 4.52 is the relationship, and the factor that has the highest mean score value is the relationship with the government of 4.97, while the result of the ranking analysis is obtained 25 factor that is critical to the competitiveness of medium-class contractors in Banda Aceh.

Factors Affecting the Formation of Food Preferences in Preschool Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alles-White, Monica L.; Welch, Patricia

1985-01-01

Identifies and discusses factors that affect the development of food preferences in preschool children, including familiarity, age, parents, peers, teachers, and programs designed to influence food habits. Makes recommendations to preschool and day care programs for creating an atmosphere conducive to trying new foods. (Author/DST)

Risk factors for injuries in landslide- and flood-affected populations in Uganda.

PubMed

Agrawal, Shreya; Gopalakrishnan, Tisha; Gorokhovich, Yuri; Doocy, Shannon

2013-08-01

The frequency of occurrence of natural disasters has increased over the past several decades, which necessitates a better understanding of human vulnerability, particularly in low-resource settings. This paper assesses risk factors for injury in the March 2010 floods and landslides in Eastern Uganda, and compares the effects of location, injury type, and severity. A stratified cluster survey of the disaster-affected populations was conducted five months after onset of the disasters. Probability proportional to size sampling was used to sample 800 households, including 400 affected by floods in Butaleja District and 400 affected by landslides in Bududa District. Flood- and landslide-affected populations were surveyed in July 2010 using a stratified cluster design. The odds of injury were 65% higher in the flood-affected groups than the landslide-affected groups in a logistic regression (OR = 0.35; 95% CI, 0.24-0.52; P < .001). The injury rate was greater in individuals under 42 years of age, and location of injury was a contributing factor. More people were injured in the flood-affected population as compared with the landslide-affected population, and injuries were more severe. This study illustrates differences between populations injured by flood and landslide disasters that occurred simultaneously in Eastern Uganda in 2010. In areas where landslides are prone to occur due to massive rainfalls or floods, preventative measures, such as early warning systems and evacuation, are more likely to increase the likelihood of people surviving, while for areas with massive floods, immediate and effective medical attention can save lives and improve injury outcomes.

Enrichment with Wood Blocks Does Not Affect Toxicity Assessment in an Exploratory Toxicology Model Using Sprague–Dawley Rats

PubMed Central

Ditewig, Amy C; Bratcher, Natalie A; Davila, Donna R; Dayton, Brian D; Ebert, Paige; Lesuisse, Philippe; Liguori, Michael J; Wetter, Jill M; Yang, Hyuna; Buck, Wayne R

2014-01-01

Environmental enrichment in rodents may improve animal well-being but can affect neurologic development, immune system function, and aging. We tested the hypothesis that wood block enrichment affects the interpretation of traditional and transcriptomic endpoints in an exploratory toxicology testing model using a well-characterized reference compound, cyclophosphamide. ANOVA was performed to distinguish effects of wood block enrichment separate from effects of 40 mg/kg cyclophosphamide treatment. Biologically relevant and statistically significant effects of wood block enrichment occurred only for body weight gain. ANOVA demonstrated the expected effects of cyclophosphamide on food consumption, spleen weight, and hematology. According to transcriptomic endpoints, cyclophosphamide induced fewer changes in gene expression in liver than in spleen. Splenic transcriptomic pathways affected by cyclophosphamide included: iron hemostasis; vascular tissue angiotensin system; hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis; complement activation; TGFβ-induced hypertrophy and fibrosis; monocytes, macrophages, and atherosclerosis; and platelet activation. Changes in these pathways due to cyclophosphamide treatment were consistent with bone marrow toxicity regardless of enrichment. In a second study, neither enrichment nor type of cage flooring altered body weight or food consumption over a 28-d period after the first week. In conclusion, wood block enrichment did not interfere with a typical exploratory toxicology study; the effects of ingested wood on drug level kinetics may require further consideration. PMID:24827566

Exploitation of deep-sea resources: the urgent need to understand the role of high pressure in the toxicity of chemical pollutants to deep-sea organisms.

PubMed

Mestre, Nélia C; Calado, Ricardo; Soares, Amadeu M V M

2014-02-01

The advent of industrial activities in the deep sea will inevitably expose deep-sea organisms to potentially toxic compounds. Although international regulations require environmental risk assessment prior to exploitation activities, toxicity tests remain focused on shallow-water model species. Moreover, current tests overlook potential synergies that may arise from the interaction of chemicals with natural stressors, such as the high pressures prevailing in the deep sea. As pressure affects chemical reactions and the physiology of marine organisms, it will certainly affect the toxicity of pollutants arising from the exploitation of deep-sea resources. We emphasize the need for environmental risk assessments based on information generated from ecotoxicological trials that mimic, as close as possible, the deep-sea environment, with emphasis to a key environmental factor - high hydrostatic pressure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting smoking in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Beratis, S; Katrivanou, A; Gourzis, P

2001-01-01

There is an increased frequency of smoking among patients with schizophrenia. However, it is unknown whether the smoking behavior of the patients is similar in all schizophrenia subtypes, as well as which is the relationship between smoking initiation and disease onset. Four hundred six patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia were interviewed to determine the smoking status in relationship to gender and schizophrenic subtype, and to other factors that could affect or be affected by smoking. The frequency of smoking among patients (58%) was significantly greater than in subjects from the general population (42%) (P =.000005). Male patients smoked significantly more frequently (70%) than the corresponding control subjects (50%) (P =.000006), whereas the difference failed to reach significance between female patients (41%) and control subjects (32%). Among male patients, the number of smokers was significantly greater than in the controls in the paranoid (77%), undifferentiated (72%), and residual (78%) subtypes, whereas there was no significant difference in the disorganized (44%) and catatonic (22%) subtypes. The findings show that the frequency of smoking in schizophrenia patients increases with increasing positive symptoms and decreases with increasing negative symptoms. Male and female smoking patients consumed approximately 10 cigarettes per day more than the corresponding control subjects (P <.000001). In 86% of the patients, smoking initiation occurred before the disease onset. Among patients who smoked, smoking initiation and disease onset occurred at age 18.7 +/- 4.4 and 24.1 +/- 6.1 years, respectively (P <.000001). It appears that smoking in schizophrenia is influenced by gender and subtype. However, the nature of this association remains uncertain because in the vast majority of the patients smoking initiation occurs earlier than the disease onset. Copyright 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company

Characteristics of suspended solids affect bifenthrin toxicity to the calanoid copepods Eurytemora affinis and Pseudodiaptomus forbesi.

PubMed

Parry, Emily; Lesmeister, Sarah; Teh, Swee; Young, Thomas M

2015-10-01

Bifenthrin is a pyrethroid pesticide that is highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates. The dissolved concentration is generally thought to be the best predictor of acute toxicity. However, for the filter-feeding calanoid copepods Eurytemora affinis and Pseudodiaptomus forbesi, ingestion of pesticide-bound particles could prove to be another route of exposure. The present study investigated bifenthrin toxicity to E. affinis and P. forbesi in the presence of suspended solids from municipal wastewater effluent and surface water of the San Francisco (CA, USA) Estuary. Suspended solids mitigated the toxicity of total bifenthrin to E. affinis and P. forbesi, but mortality was higher than what would be predicted from dissolved concentrations alone. The results indicate that the toxicity and bioavailability of particle-associated bifenthrin was significantly correlated with counts of 0.5-µm to 2-µm particle sizes. Potential explanations could include direct ingestion of bifenthrin-bound particles, changes in food consumption and feeding behavior, and physical contact with small particles. The complex interactions between pesticides and particles of different types and sizes demonstrate a need for future ecotoxicological studies to investigate the role of particle sizes on aquatic organisms. © 2015 SETAC.

Modeling Aquatic Toxicity through Chromatographic Systems.

PubMed

Fernández-Pumarega, Alejandro; Amézqueta, Susana; Farré, Sandra; Muñoz-Pascual, Laura; Abraham, Michael H; Fuguet, Elisabet; Rosés, Martí

2017-08-01

Environmental risk assessment requires information about the toxicity of the growing number of chemical products coming from different origins that can contaminate water and become toxicants to aquatic species or other living beings via the trophic chain. Direct toxicity measurements using sensitive aquatic species can be carried out but they may become expensive and ethically questionable. Literature refers to the use of chromatographic measurements that correlate to the toxic effect of a compound over a specific aquatic species as an alternative to get toxicity information. In this work, we have studied the similarity in the response of the toxicity to different species and we have selected eight representative aquatic species (including tadpoles, fish, water fleas, protozoan, and bacteria) with known nonspecific toxicity to chemical substances. Next, we have selected four chromatographic systems offering good perspectives for surrogation of the eight selected aquatic systems, and thus prediction of toxicity from the chromatographic measurement. Then toxicity has been correlated to the chromatographic retention factor. Satisfactory correlation results have been obtained to emulate toxicity in five of the selected aquatic species through some of the chromatographic systems. Other aquatic species with similar characteristics to these five representative ones could also be emulated by using the same chromatographic systems. The final aim of this study is to model chemical products toxicity to aquatic species by means of chromatographic systems to reduce in vivo testing.

Meta-analysis of Genome Wide Association Studies Identifies Genetic Markers of Late Toxicity Following Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Kerns, Sarah L; Dorling, Leila; Fachal, Laura; Bentzen, Søren; Pharoah, Paul D P; Barnes, Daniel R; Gómez-Caamaño, Antonio; Carballo, Ana M; Dearnaley, David P; Peleteiro, Paula; Gulliford, Sarah L; Hall, Emma; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Carracedo, Ángel; Sia, Michael; Stock, Richard; Stone, Nelson N; Sydes, Matthew R; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Ahmed, Shahana; Parliament, Matthew; Ostrer, Harry; Rosenstein, Barry S; Vega, Ana; Burnet, Neil G; Dunning, Alison M; Barnett, Gillian C; West, Catharine M L

2016-08-01

Nearly 50% of cancer patients undergo radiotherapy. Late radiotherapy toxicity affects quality-of-life in long-term cancer survivors and risk of side-effects in a minority limits doses prescribed to the majority of patients. Development of a test predicting risk of toxicity could benefit many cancer patients. We aimed to meta-analyze individual level data from four genome-wide association studies from prostate cancer radiotherapy cohorts including 1564 men to identify genetic markers of toxicity. Prospectively assessed two-year toxicity endpoints (urinary frequency, decreased urine stream, rectal bleeding, overall toxicity) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associations were tested using multivariable regression, adjusting for clinical and patient-related risk factors. A fixed-effects meta-analysis identified two SNPs: rs17599026 on 5q31.2 with urinary frequency (odds ratio [OR] 3.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08-4.69, p-value 4.16×10(-8)) and rs7720298 on 5p15.2 with decreased urine stream (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.90-3.86, p-value=3.21×10(-8)). These SNPs lie within genes that are expressed in tissues adversely affected by pelvic radiotherapy including bladder, kidney, rectum and small intestine. The results show that heterogeneous radiotherapy cohorts can be combined to identify new moderate-penetrance genetic variants associated with radiotherapy toxicity. The work provides a basis for larger collaborative efforts to identify enough variants for a future test involving polygenic risk profiling. Copyright © 2016 The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Companion of choice at birth: factors affecting implementation.

PubMed

Kabakian-Khasholian, Tamar; Portela, Anayda

2017-08-31

Two recent recommendations made by the World Health Organization confirm the benefits of companion of choice at birth on labour outcomes; however institutional practices and policies do not always support its implementation in different settings around the world. We conducted a review to determine factors that affect implementation of this intervention considering the perspectives and experiences of different stakeholders and other institutional, systemic barriers and facilitators. Forty one published studies were included in this review. Thirty one publications were identified from a 2013 Cochrane review on the effectiveness of companion of choice at birth. We also reviewed 10 qualitative studies conducted alongside the trials or other interventions on labour and birth companionship identified through electronic searches. The SURE (Supporting the Use of Research Evidence) framework was used to guide the thematic analysis of implementation factors. Women and their families expressed appreciation for the continuous presence of a person to provide support during childbirth. Health care providers were concerned about the role of the companion and possible interference with activities in the labour ward. Allocation of resources, organization of care, facility-related constraints and cultural inclinations were identified as implementation barriers. Prior to introducing companion of choice at birth, understanding providers' attitudes and sensitizing them to the evidence is necessary. The commitment of the management of health care facilities is also required to change policies, including allocation of appropriate physical space that respects women's privacy. Implementation research to develop models for different contexts which could be scaled up would be useful, including documentation of factors that affected implementation and how they were addressed. Future research should also focus on documenting the costs related to implementation, and on measuring the impact of

Soil properties affect the toxicities of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) to the enchytraeid worm Enchytraeus crypticus.

PubMed

Kuperman, Roman G; Checkai, Ronald T; Simini, Michael; Phillips, Carlton T; Kolakowski, Jan E; Lanno, Roman

2013-11-01

The authors investigated individual toxicities of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) to the potworm Enchytraeus crypticus using the enchytraeid reproduction test. Studies were designed to generate ecotoxicological benchmarks that can be used for developing ecological soil-screening levels for ecological risk assessments of contaminated soils and to identify and characterize the predominant soil physicochemical parameters that can affect the toxicities of TNT and RDX to E. crypticus. Soils, which had a wide range of physicochemical parameters, included Teller sandy loam, Sassafras sandy loam, Richfield clay loam, Kirkland clay loam, and Webster clay loam. Analyses of quantitative relationships between the toxicological benchmarks for TNT and soil property measurements identified soil organic matter content as the dominant property mitigating TNT toxicity for juvenile production by E. crypticus in freshly amended soil. Both the clay and organic matter contents of the soil modulated reproduction toxicity of TNT that was weathered and aged in soil for 3 mo. Toxicity of RDX for E. crypticus was greater in the coarse-textured sandy loam soils compared with the fine-textured clay loam soils. The present studies revealed alterations in toxicity to E. crypticus after weathering and aging TNT in soil, and these alterations were soil- and endpoint-specific. © 2013 SETAC.

Freshwater Sediment Characterization Factors of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Yubing; Laratte, Bertrand; Ionescu, Rodica Elena

2017-01-01

Wide use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is likely to result in the eventually accumulation of ENPs in sediment. The benthic organisms living in sediments may suffer relatively high toxic effects of ENPs. This study has selected copper oxide nanoparticles (nano-CuO) as a research object. To consider the impacts of spatial heterogeneity on ENPs toxicity, the characterization factor (CF) derived from life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology is used as an indicator in this study. A nano-specific fate model has been used to calculate the freshwater sediment fate factor (FF) of nano-CuO. A literature survey of the nano-CuO toxicology values has been performed to calculate the effect factor (EF). Seventeen freshwater sediment CFs of nano-CuO are proposed as recommended values for subcontinental regions. The region most likely to be affected by nano-CuO is northern Australia (CF of 21.01·103 CTUe, comparative toxic units) and the least likely is northern Europe and northern Canada (CF of 8.55·103 CTUe). These sediment CFs for nano-CuO could be used in the future when evaluating the ecosystem impacts of products containing nano-CuO by LCA method.

Effects of photoinduced toxicity of fluoranthene on amphibian embryos and larvae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hatch, A.C.; Burton, G.A. Jr.

1998-09-01

Embryos and newly hatched larvae of three amphibian species, the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), the northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens), and the African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis), were exposed to fluoranthene and ultraviolet (UV) light in two scenarios. Embryos were exposed in a laboratory setting from an early developmental stage through hatching under artificial UV light, and newly hatched larvae were exposed outdoors in varying sunlight intensity levels. Outdoor exposures indicated greater sensitivity in the toxic response than did laboratory exposures. In the laboratory, mortality and malformation of X. laevis were the most sensitive indicators of exposure. Xenopus laevis wasmore » also the most sensitive species tested to the effects of UV light alone. Hatching success of R. pipiens was monitored outdoors and was not a useful predictive endpoint in the determination of photoinduced toxicity; however, newly hatched larvae were sensitive to the effects of photoinduced toxicity. Amybstoma maculatum and X. laevis larvae were affected by low ({micro}g/L) concentrations of fluoranthene in sunlight. These findings suggest that low levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons could be acting synergistically with environmental factors such as UV light to place young amphibians at risk.« less

Executive Order 12898 and Social, Economic, and Sociopolitical Factors Influencing Toxic Release Inventory Facility Location in EPA Region 6: A Multi-Scale Spatial Assessment of Environmental Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Andrea Lisa

2013-01-01

Toxic Release Inventory facilities are among the many environmental hazards shown to create environmental inequities in the United States. This project examined four factors associated with Toxic Release Inventory, specifically, manufacturing facility location at multiple spatial scales using spatial analysis techniques (i.e., O-ring statistic and…

Local Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Mediates the Systemic Pathogenic Effects of Staphylococcus aureus Toxic Shock Syndrome.

PubMed

Breshears, Laura M; Gillman, Aaron N; Stach, Christopher S; Schlievert, Patrick M; Peterson, Marnie L

2016-01-01

Secreted factors of Staphylococcus aureus can activate host signaling from the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). The superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) contributes to mucosal cytokine production through a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)-mediated shedding of EGFR ligands and subsequent EGFR activation. The secreted hemolysin, α-toxin, can also induce EGFR signaling and directly interacts with ADAM10, a sheddase of EGFR ligands. The current work explores the role of EGFR signaling in menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS), a disease mediated by TSST-1. The data presented show that TSST-1 and α-toxin induce ADAM- and EGFR-dependent cytokine production from human vaginal epithelial cells. TSST-1 and α-toxin also induce cytokine production from an ex vivo porcine vaginal mucosa (PVM) model. EGFR signaling is responsible for the majority of IL-8 production from PVM in response to secreted toxins and live S. aureus. Finally, data are presented demonstrating that inhibition of EGFR signaling with the EGFR-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG1478 significantly increases survival in a rabbit model of mTSS. These data indicate that EGFR signaling is critical for progression of an S. aureus exotoxin-mediated disease and may represent an attractive host target for therapeutics.

The Synergistic Effect of Affective Factors on Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jack, Brady Michael; Lin, Huann-shyang; Yore, Larry D.

2014-01-01

This study investigates how affective and self-related factors impact participation in science learning and environmental awareness and responsibility. Using PISA 2006 datasets from Taiwan and Canada having similar level of science competency, the model for this study verifies and expands an earlier model by examining the relationships among…

Factors Affecting Educational Innovation with in Class Electronic Response Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Mark; Bell, Amani; Comerton-Forde, Carole; Pickering, Joanne; Blayney, Paul

2007-01-01

This paper reports the use of Rogers' diffusion of innovation perspective to understand the factors affecting educational innovation decisions, specifically in regard to in class electronic response systems. Despite decreasing costs and four decades of research showing strong student support, academic adoption is limited. Using data collected from…

Scrutinizing the Factors Affecting Fluency of English among Arab Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Ghazali, Fawzi

2017-01-01

This research study investigates the cognitive, psychological and personal factors affecting the accuracy and fluency of English language usage among Arab learners. Early research led by Chomsky (1965) and Krashen (1981) suggested that an individual's Language Acquisition Device once triggered at the appropriate time and supported with adequate…

Factors Affecting the Acceptability of Microforms as a Reading Medium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Herbert; Reynolds, Linda

Based on visits to representative microform users and an extensive survey of relevant literature, a study was undertaken to assess the relative importance of factors affecting the acceptability of microforms as reading mediums. The following variables were considered: (1) microform characteristics; (2) equipment design; (3) work station design;…

Environmental factors affecting understory diversity in second-growth deciduous forests

Treesearch

Cynthia D. Huebner; J.C. Randolph; G.R. Parker

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the most important nonanthropogenic factors affecting understory (herbs, shrubs and low-growing vines) diversity in forested landscapes of southern Indiana. Fourteen environmental variables were measured for 46 sites. Multiple regression analysis showed significant positive correlation between understory diversity and tree...

Factors Affecting School Choice: What Do Malaysian Chinese Parents Want?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siah, Poh Chua; Christina Ong, Sook Beng; Tan, Swee Mee; Sim, Chzia Poaw; Xian Thoo, Raphael Yi

2018-01-01

Aiming to explore factors affecting Malaysian Chinese parents in sending their children to either national secondary schools or Chinese independent schools, 494 parents were surveyed using a questionnaire. Results showed that parents who sent their children to Chinese independent schools have different priorities compared to those who sent theirs…

Risk factors affecting human traumatic tympanic membrane perforation regeneration therapy using fibroblast growth factor-2.

PubMed

Lou, Zhengcai; Yang, Jian; Tang, Yongmei; Xiao, Jian

2015-01-01

The use of growth factors to achieve closure of human traumatic tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs) has recently been demonstrated. However, pretreatment factors affecting healing outcomes have seldom been discussed. The objective of this study was to evaluate pretreatment factors contributing to the success or failure of healing of TMPs using fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). A retrospective cohort study of 99 patients (43 males, 56 females) with traumatic TMPs who were observed for at least 6 months after FGF-2 treatment between March 2011 and December 2012. Eleven factors considered likely to affect the outcome of perforation closure were evaluated statistically using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Each traumatic TMP was treated by direct application of FGF-2. Complete closure versus failure to close. In total, 99 patients were analyzed. The total closure rate was 92/99 (92.9%) at 6 months; the mean closure time was 10.59 ±  6.81 days. The closure rate did not significantly differ between perforations with or without inverted edges (100.0% vs. 91.4%, p = 0.087), among different size groups (p = 0.768), or among different periods of exposure to injury (p = 0.051). However, the closure rate was significantly different between the high- and low-dose FGF-2 groups (85.0% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.010) and between perforations where the umbo or malleus was or was not involved in perforation (85.4% vs. 98.3%, p = 0.012). Additionally, univariate logistic regression analysis tests showed that it was difficult to achieve healing of these perforations with a history of chronic otitis media or residual TM calcification (p = 0.006), the umbo or malleus was involved in perforation (p = 0.038), and with a high dose of FGF-2 (p = 0.035) compared with control groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only a history of chronic otitis media and residual TM calcification and perforation close to the

Factors affecting alkali jarosite precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutrizac, J. E.

1983-12-01

Several factors affecting the precipitation of the alkali jarosites (sodium jarosite, potassium jarosite, rubidium jarosite, and ammonium jarosite) have been studied systematically using sodium jarosite as the model. The pH of the reacting solution exercises a major influence on the amount of jarosite formed, but has little effect on the composition of the washed product. Higher temperatures significantly increase the yield and slightly raise the alkali content of the jarosites. The yield and alkali content both increase greatly with the alkali concentration to about twice the stoichiometric requirement but, thereafter, remain nearly constant. At 97 °C, the amount of product increases with longer retention times to about 15 hours, but more prolonged reaction times are without significant effect on the amount or composition of the jarosite. Factors such as the presence of seed or ionic strength have little effect on the yield or jarosite composition. The amount of precipitate augments directly as the iron concentration of the solution increases, but the product composition is nearly independent of this variable. A significant degree of agitation is necessary to suspend the product and to prevent the jarosite from coating the apparatus with correspondingly small yields. Once the product is adequately suspended, however, further agitation is without significant effect. The partitioning of alkali ions during jarosite precipitation was ascertained for K:Na, Na:NH4, K:NH4, and K:Rb. Potassium jarosite is the most stable of the alkali jarosites and the stability falls systematically for lighter or heavier congeners; ammonium jarosite is slightly more stable than the sodium analogue. Complete solid solubility among the various alkali jarosite-type compounds was established.

[Phosphorus availability in cropland soils of China and related affecting factors].

PubMed

Wang, Yong-Zhuang; Chen, Xin; Shi, Yi

2013-01-01

Soil phosphorus (P) availability directly determines cropland productivity. Based on the long-term fertilization experiments in different climatic zones of China, this paper summarized the P content, its availability, and the factors affecting the P transformation in China cropland soils. The total and available P contents in different types of China cropland soils were 0.31-1.72 g x kg(-1) and 0.1-228.8 mg x kg(-1), respectively. Soil parent material, soil physical and chemical prosperities, and fertilization practices were the main factors affecting the soil P availability. It was suggested that more attentions should be paid on the mixed application of organic manure and chemical fertilizers to improve the P availability of cropland soils and on the potential environmental impacts of this fertilization.

Factors affecting workplace bullying and lateral violence among clinical nurses in Korea: descriptive study.

PubMed

Oh, Hyunjin; Uhm, Dong Choon; Yoon, Young Joo

2016-04-01

Workplace bullying and lateral violence are serious issues affecting the work life of hospital nurses. The purpose of this study was to identify the selected individual and institutional characteristics for workplace bullying and lateral violence using a conceptual framework. A descriptive survey design was used. A convenience sample of 255 nurses in tertiary hospitals, who had a minimum of 6 months clinical experience, completed the survey. Regression analysis was used to determine factors significantly associated with workplace bullying and lateral violence. The Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised and the Lateral Violence scale were used to measure workplace bullying and lateral violence. A negative affect, individualism and working in hospital specialty units predicted workplace bullying. Individualism, a negative affect, affiliated hospital and working hours predicted verbal abuse whereas the place of employment was significantly associated with lateral violence. The results of this study identified factors that are associated with bullying and violence but did not fully support the conceptual framework. The individual characteristic negative affect was significantly associated with most types of workplace bullying and lateral violence bully whereas the place of employment was an important factor in lateral violence. Nurse managers need to be aware that both individual and institutional factors may impact levels of workplace bullying and lateral violence in their hospitals and need to prepare specific strategies to address these multiple factors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors affecting length of stay in teaching hospitals of a middle-income country

PubMed Central

Khosravizadeh, Omid; Vatankhah, Soudabeh; Bastani, Peivand; Kalhor, Rohollah; Alirezaei, Samira; Doosty, Farzane

2016-01-01

Introduction The length of stay (LOS) in hospitals is a widely used and important criteria for evaluating hospital performance. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting LOS in teaching hospitals of Qazvin Providence. Methods In this cross-sectional study, patients’ health records were randomly selected from archives in teaching hospitals of Qazvin in 2013. Data were collected through a data entry form and were analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U tests at the significant level of 0.05. Results The mean of hospital LOS was 5.45 ± 6.14 days. Age, employment, marital status, history of previous admission, patient condition at discharge, method of payment, and type of treatment had an impact on LOS (p<0.05). Other factors, including gender, place of residence, and type of admission, did not affect LOS. Conclusion Because hospitals consume a perceptible part of resources in a health system, controlled and optimized use of its resources help to save a lot. Therefore, this study showed many clinical and nonclinical factors affect LOS in evaluating these factors, which may reduce inappropriate hospital stays and decrease costs. PMID:27957301

Analysis of usability factors affecting purchase intention in online e-commerce sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdana, R. A.; Suzianti, A.

2017-03-01

The growing number of internet users plays a significant role in the emergence of a variety of online e-commerce sites to meet the needs of Indonesians. However, there are still some problems faced by the users in using e-commerce sites. Therefore, a research related to user experience on their purchase intention to foster e-commerce sites is required. This study is conducted to find out the relationship between usability factors on e-commerce users’ purchase intention using a case study by using SEM to analyse the usability of the website. The result of this study shows that credibility, readability and telepresence are usability factors that directly affect purchase intention, while simplicity, consistency and interactivity are usability factors that indirectly affect purchase intention. Therefore, we can conclude that Indonesian consumers are on the Early Majority phase in adopting Company A.

A Qualitative Analysis of Acute Skin Toxicity among Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Patients

PubMed Central

Schnur, Julie B.; Ouellette, Suzanne C.; DiLorenzo, Terry A.; Green, Sheryl; Montgomery, Guy H.

2013-01-01

Objectives One of the most common acute side effects of breast cancer radiotherapy is treatment induced skin changes, referred to as skin toxicity. Yet no research to date has focused expressly on skin toxicity-related quality of life in breast cancer radiotherapy patients. Therefore, our aim was to use qualitative approaches to better understand the impact of skin toxicity on quality of life. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 women (Stage 0-III breast cancer), during their last week of external beam radiotherapy. Each interview was transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was performed. Results Three themes were identified based on the interview responses: First, skin changes affect multiple dimensions of quality of life. They cause physical discomfort, body image disturbance, emotional distress, and impair both day-to-day functioning and satisfaction with radiation treatment. Second, individual differences affect women’s experiences. Generally African-American women, younger women, women who are not currently in a relationship, women who are being treated during the summer, and women who are more invested in their appearance are more distressed by skin toxicity. Third, women use a variety of symptom management strategies including self-medication, complementary/alternative medicine approaches, and psychological strategies. Conclusions Implications of results are: 1) Skin toxicity affects numerous dimensions of quality of life, and assessment approaches and psychosocial interventions should address this; 2) individual differences may affect the experience of skin toxicity, and should be considered in treatment and education approaches; and 3) participants’ own creativity and problem-solving should be used to improve the treatment experience. PMID:20238306

The Internal Structure of Positive and Negative Affect: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the PANAS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuccitto, Daniel E.; Giacobbi, Peter R., Jr.; Leite, Walter L.

2010-01-01

This study tested five confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models of the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) to provide validity evidence based on its internal structure. A sample of 223 club sport athletes indicated their emotions during the past week. Results revealed that an orthogonal two-factor CFA model, specifying error…

Factors affecting midwives' confidence in intrapartum care: a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Bedwell, Carol; McGowan, Linda; Lavender, Tina

2015-01-01

midwives are frequently the lead providers of care for women throughout labour and birth. In order to perform their role effectively and provide women with the choices they require midwives need to be confident in their practice. This study explores factors which may affect midwives' confidence in their practice. hermeneutic phenomenology formed the theoretical basis for the study. Prospective longitudinal data collection was completed using diaries and semi-structured interviews. Twelve midwives providing intrapartum care in a variety of settings were recruited to ensure a variety of experiences in different contexts were captured. the principal factor affecting workplace confidence, both positively and negatively, was the influence of colleagues. Perceived autonomy and a sense of familiarity could also enhance confidence. However, conflict in the workplace was a critical factor in reducing midwives' confidence. Confidence was an important, but fragile, phenomenon to midwives and they used a variety of coping strategies, emotional intelligence and presentation management to maintain it. this is the first study to highlight both the factors influencing midwives' workplace confidence and the strategies midwives employed to maintain their confidence. Confidence is important in maintaining well-being and workplace culture may play a role in explaining the current low morale within the midwifery workforce. This may have implications for women's choices and care. Support, effective leadership and education may help midwives develop and sustain a positive sense of confidence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specifying the non-specific factors underlying opioid analgesia: Expectancy, attention, and affect

PubMed Central

Atlas, Lauren Y.; Wielgosz, Joseph; Whittington, Robert A.; Wager, Tor D.

2013-01-01

Rationale Psychological processes such as expectancy, attention, and affect directly influence clinical outcomes. These factors are grouped together as “nonspecific” factors, or placebo effects, in the medical literature, and their individual contributions are rarely considered. The pain-reducing effects of analgesic treatments may reflect changes in these psychological factors, rather than pure drug effects on pain. Furthermore, drug effects may not be isolated by drug vs. placebo comparisons if drugs interact with relevant psychological processes. Objectives To determine whether the analgesic effects of opioid and placebo treatment are mediated by changes in attention, expectancy, or affect. Methods We crossed intravenous administration of a potent opioid analgesic, remifentanil, with information about drug delivery (treatment expectancy, or placebo) using a balanced placebo design. We measured drug and treatment expectancy effects on pain, attention, and responses to emotional images. We also examined interactions with cue-based expectations about noxious stimulation, or stimulus expectancy. Results Pain was additively influenced by treatment expectancy, stimulus expectancy, and drug concentration. Attention performance showed a small but significant interaction between drug and treatment expectancy. Finally, remifentanil enhanced responses to both positive and negative emotional images. Conclusions The pain-relieving effects of opioid drugs are unlikely to be mediated by changes in threat or affective processing. Standard open-label opioid administration influences multiple clinically relevant cognitive and emotional processes. Psychological factors can combine with drug effects to influence multiple outcomes in distinct ways. The influence of specific psychological factors should be considered when developing and testing pharmacological treatments. PMID:24096537

Concentration rather than dose defines the local brain toxicity of agents that are effectively distributed by convection-enhanced delivery.

PubMed

Zhang, Rong; Saito, Ryuta; Mano, Yui; Kanamori, Masayuki; Sonoda, Yukihiko; Kumabe, Toshihiro; Tominaga, Teiji

2014-01-30

Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) has been developed as a potentially effective drug-delivery strategy into the central nervous system. In contrast to systemic intravenous administration, local delivery achieves high concentration and prolonged retention in the local tissue, with increased chance of local toxicity, especially with toxic agents such as chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, the factors that affect local toxicity should be extensively studied. With the assumption that concentration-oriented evaluation of toxicity is important for local CED, we evaluated the appearance of local toxicity among different agents after delivery with CED and studied if it is dose dependent or concentration dependent. Local toxicity profile of chemotherapeutic agents delivered via CED indicates BCNU was dose-dependent, whereas that of ACNU was concentration-dependent. On the other hand, local toxicity for doxorubicin, which is not distributed effectively by CED, was dose-dependent. Local toxicity for PLD, which is extensively distributed by CED, was concentration-dependent. Traditional evaluation of drug induced toxicity was dose-oriented. This is true for systemic intravascular delivery. However, with local CED, toxicity of several drugs exacerbated in concentration-dependent manner. From our study, local toxicity of drugs that are likely to distribute effectively tended to be concentration-dependent. Concentration rather than dose may be more important for the toxicity of agents that are effectively distributed by CED. Concentration-oriented evaluation of toxicity is more important for CED. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intracellular haemolytic agents of Heterocapsa circularisquama exhibit toxic effects on H. circularisquama cells themselves and suppress both cell-mediated haemolytic activity and toxicity to rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis).

PubMed

Nishiguchi, Tomoki; Cho, Kichul; Yasutomi, Masumi; Ueno, Mikinori; Yamaguchi, Kenichi; Basti, Leila; Yamasaki, Yasuhiro; Takeshita, Satoshi; Kim, Daekyung; Oda, Tatsuya

2016-10-01

A harmful dinoflagellate, Heterocapsa circularisquama, is highly toxic to shellfish and the zooplankton rotifer Brachionus plicatilis. A previous study found that H. circularisquama has both light-dependent and -independent haemolytic agents, which might be responsible for its toxicity. Detailed analysis of the haemolytic activity of H. circularisquama suggested that light-independent haemolytic activity was mediated mainly through intact cells, whereas light-dependent haemolytic activity was mediated by intracellular agents which can be discharged from ruptured cells. Because H. circularisquama showed similar toxicity to rotifers regardless of the light conditions, and because ultrasonic ruptured H. circularisquama cells showed no significant toxicity to rotifers, it was suggested that live cell-mediated light-independent haemolytic activity is a major factor responsible for the observed toxicity to rotifers. Interestingly, the ultrasonic-ruptured cells of H. circularisquama suppressed their own lethal effect on the rotifers. Analysis of samples of the cell contents (supernatant) and cell fragments (precipitate) prepared from the ruptured H. circularisquama cells indicated that the cell contents contain inhibitors for the light-independent cell-mediated haemolytic activity, toxins affecting H. circularisquama cells themselves, as well as light-dependent haemolytic agents. Ethanol extract prepared from H. circularisquama, which is supposed to contain a porphyrin derivative that displays photosensitising haemolytic activity, showed potent toxicity to Chattonella marina, Chattonella antiqua, and Karenia mikimotoi, as well as to H. circularisquama at the concentration range at which no significant toxicity to rotifers was observed. Analysis on a column of Sephadex LH-20 revealed that light-dependent haemolytic activity and inhibitory activity on cell-mediated light-independent haemolytic activity existed in two separate fractions (f-2 and f-3), suggesting that both

Study on the factors affecting the quality of public bus transportation service in Bali Province using factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilawati, M.; Nilakusmawati, D. P. E.

2017-06-01

The volume of mobility flows are increasing day by day and the condition of the number of people using private transport modes contribute to traffic congestion. With the limited capacity of the road, one of the alternatives solution to reduce congestion is to optimize the use of public transport. The purposes of this study are to determine the factors that influence user’s satisfaction on the quality of public bus transportation service and determine variables that became identifier on the dominant factor affecting user’s satisfaction. The study was conducted for the public bus transportation between districts in the province of Bali, which is among the eight regencies and one municipality, using a questionnaire as a data collection instrument. Service variables determinant of user’s satisfaction in this study, described in 25 questions, which were analyzed using factor analysis. The results showed there were six factors that explain the satisfaction of users of public transport in Bali, with a total diversity of data that can be parsed by 61.436%. These factors are: Safety and comfort, Responsiveness, Capacity, Tangible, Safety, Reliability. The dominant factor affecting public transport user satisfaction is the safety and comfort, with the most influential variable is feeling concerned about the personal safety of users when on the bus.

A study of factors affecting the adoption of server virtualization technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hsin-Ke; Lin, Peng-Chun; Chiang, Chang-Heng; Cho, Chien-An

2018-04-01

It has become a trend that worldwide enterprises and organizations apply new technologies to improve their operations; besides, it has higher cost and less flexibility to construct and manage traditional servers, therefore the current mainstream is to use server virtualization technology. However, from these new technology organizations will not necessarily get the expected benefits because each one has its own level of organizational complexity and abilities to accept changes. The researcher investigated key factors affecting the adoption of virtualization technology through two phases. In phase I, the researcher reviewed literature and then applied the dimensions of "Information Systems Success Model" (ISSM) to generalize the factors affecting the adoption of virtualization technology to be the preliminary theoretical framework and develop a questionnaire; in phase II, a three-round Delphi Method was used to integrate the opinions of experts from related fields which were then gradually converged in order to obtain a stable and objective questionnaire of key factors so that these results were expected to provide references for organizations' adoption of server virtualization technology and future studies.

Factors Affecting Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes among Lebanese College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oweini, Ahmad; Houri, Ahmad

2006-01-01

This exploratory study aimed at assessing the variables that would positively affect the knowledge and attitude of a group of Lebanese college students regarding the environment, namely such factors as gender, age, previous hiking experience and living abroad. A purposeful sample of students attending the Lebanese American University, was asked to…

Factors Affecting Performance of Undergraduate Students in Construction Related Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olatunji, Samuel Olusola; Aghimien, Douglas Omoregie; Oke, Ayodeji Emmanuel; Olushola, Emmanuel

2016-01-01

Academic performance of students in Nigerian institutions has been of much concern to all and sundry hence the need to assess the factors affecting performance of undergraduate students in construction related discipline in Nigeria. A survey design was employed with questionnaires administered on students in the department of Quantity Surveying,…

A model for field toxicity tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kaiser, Mark S.; Finger, Susan E.

1996-01-01

Toxicity tests conducted under field conditions present an interesting challenge for statistical modelling. In contrast to laboratory tests, the concentrations of potential toxicants are not held constant over the test. In addition, the number and identity of toxicants that belong in a model as explanatory factors are not known and must be determined through a model selection process. We present one model to deal with these needs. This model takes the record of mortalities to form a multinomial distribution in which parameters are modelled as products of conditional daily survival probabilities. These conditional probabilities are in turn modelled as logistic functions of the explanatory factors. The model incorporates lagged values of the explanatory factors to deal with changes in the pattern of mortalities over time. The issue of model selection and assessment is approached through the use of generalized information criteria and power divergence goodness-of-fit tests. These model selection criteria are applied in a cross-validation scheme designed to assess the ability of a model to both fit data used in estimation and predict data deleted from the estimation data set. The example presented demonstrates the need for inclusion of lagged values of the explanatory factors and suggests that penalized likelihood criteria may not provide adequate protection against overparameterized models in model selection.

Factors affecting the implementation of childhood vaccination communication strategies in Nigeria: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Oku, Afiong; Oyo-Ita, Angela; Glenton, Claire; Fretheim, Atle; Eteng, Glory; Ames, Heather; Muloliwa, Artur; Kaufman, Jessica; Hill, Sophie; Cliff, Julie; Cartier, Yuri; Bosch-Capblanch, Xavier; Rada, Gabriel; Lewin, Simon

2017-02-15

The role of health communication in vaccination programmes cannot be overemphasized: it has contributed significantly to creating and sustaining demand for vaccination services and improving vaccination coverage. In Nigeria, numerous communication approaches have been deployed but these interventions are not without challenges. We therefore aimed to explore factors affecting the delivery of vaccination communication in Nigeria. We used a qualitative approach and conducted the study in two states: Bauchi and Cross River States in northern and southern Nigeria respectively. We identified factors affecting the implementation of communication interventions through interviews with relevant stakeholders involved in vaccination communication in the health services. We also reviewed relevant documents. Data generated were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. We used the SURE framework to organise the identified factors (barriers and facilitators) affecting vaccination communication delivery. We then grouped these into health systems and community level factors. Some of the commonly reported health system barriers amongst stakeholders interviewed included: funding constraints, human resource factors (health worker shortages, training deficiencies, poor attitude of health workers and vaccination teams), inadequate infrastructure and equipment and weak political will. Community level factors included the attitudes of community stakeholders and of parents and caregivers. We also identified factors that appeared to facilitate communication activities. These included political support, engagement of traditional and religious institutions and the use of organised communication committees. Communication activities are a crucial element of immunization programmes. It is therefore important for policy makers and programme managers to understand the barriers and facilitators affecting the delivery of vaccination communication so as to be able to implement

Toxicity of antifouling biocides to the intertidal harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus japonicus (Crustacea, Copepoda): effects of temperature and salinity.

PubMed

Kwok, K W H; Leung, K M Y

2005-01-01

Intertidal harpacticoid copepods are commonly used in eco-toxicity tests worldwide. They predominately live in mid-high shore rock pools and often experience a wide range of temperature and salinity fluctuation. Most eco-toxicity tests are conducted at fixed temperature and salinity and thus the influence of these environmental factors on chemical toxicity is largely unknown. This study investigated the combined effect of temperature and salinity on the acute toxicity of the copepod Tigriopus japonicus against two common biocides, copper (Cu) and tributyltin (TBT) using a 2 x 3 x 4 factorial design (i.e. two temperatures: 25 and 35 degrees C; three salinities: 15.0 per thousand, 34.5 per thousand and 45.0 per thousand; three levels of the biocide plus a control). Copper sulphate and tributyltin chloride were used as the test chemicals while distilled water and acetone were utilised as solvents for Cu and TBT respectively. 96 h-LC50s of Cu and TBT were 1024 and 0.149 microg l(-1) respectively (at 25 degrees C; 34.5 per thousand) and, based on these results, nominal biocide concentrations of LC0 (i.e. control), LC30, LC50 and LC70 were employed. Analysis of Covariance using 'concentration' as the covariate and both 'temperature' and 'salinity' as fixed factors, showed a significant interaction between temperature and salinity effects for Cu, mortality increasing with temperature but decreasing with elevated salinity. A similar result was revealed for TBT. Both temperature and salinity are, therefore, important factors affecting the results of acute eco-toxicity tests using these marine copepods. We recommend that such eco-toxicity tests should be conducted at a range of environmentally realistic temperature/salinity regimes, as this will enhance the sensitivity of the test and improve the safety margin in line with the precautionary principle.

Factors affecting early and long-term outcomes after completion pneumonectomy.

PubMed

Chataigner, Olivier; Fadel, Elie; Yildizeli, Bedrettin; Achir, Abdallah; Mussot, Sacha; Fabre, Dominique; Mercier, Olaf; Dartevelle, Philippe G

2008-05-01

To identify factors that affect operative mortality and morbidity and long-term survival after completion pneumonectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of consecutive patients who underwent completion pneumonectomy at our cardiothoracic surgery department from January 1996 to December 2005. We identified 69 patients, who accounted for 17.8% of all pneumonectomies during the study period; 22 had benign disease and 47 malignant disease (second primary lung cancer, n=19; local recurrence, n=17; or metastasis, n=11). There were 50 males and 19 females with a mean age of 60 years (range, 29-80 years). Postoperative mortality was 12% and postoperative morbidity 41%. Factors associated with postoperative mortality included obesity (p=0.005), coronary artery disease (p=0.03), removal of the right lung (p=0.02), advanced age (p=0.02), and renal failure (p<0.0001). Preoperative renal failure was the only significant risk factor for mortality by multivariate analysis (p=0.036). Bronchopleural fistula developed in seven patients (10%), with risk factors being removal of the right lung (p=0.04) and mechanical stump closure (p=0.03). Overall survival was 65% after 3 years and 46% after 5 years. Long-term survival was not affected by the reason for completion pneumonectomy. Although long-term survival was acceptable, postoperative mortality and morbidity rates remained high, confirming the reputation of completion pneumonectomy as a challenging procedure. Significant comorbidities and removal of the right lung were the main risk factors for postoperative mortality. Improved patient selection and better management of preoperative renal failure may improve the postoperative outcomes of this procedure, which offers a chance for prolonged survival.

Review of the photo-induced toxicity of environmental contaminants.

PubMed

Roberts, Aaron P; Alloy, Matthew M; Oris, James T

2017-01-01

Solar radiation is a vital component of ecosystem function. However, sunlight can also interact with certain xenobiotic compounds in a phenomenon known as photo-induced, photo-enhanced, photo-activated, or photo-toxicity. This phenomenon broadly refers to an interaction between a chemical and sunlight resulting in increased toxicity. Because most aquatic ecosystems receive some amount of sunlight, co-exposure to xenobiotic chemicals and solar radiation is likely to occur in the environment, and photo-induced toxicity may be an important factor impacting aquatic ecosystems. However, photo-induced toxicity is not likely to be relevant in all aquatic systems or exposure scenarios due to variation in important ecological factors as well as physiological adaptations of the species that reside there. Here, we provide an updated review of the state of the science of photo-induced toxicity in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and application of freshwater sediment-toxicity benchmarks for currently used pesticides

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nowell, Lisa H.; Norman, Julia E.; Ingersoll, Christopher G.; Moran, Patrick W.

2016-01-01

Sediment-toxicity benchmarks are needed to interpret the biological significance of currently used pesticides detected in whole sediments. Two types of freshwater sediment benchmarks for pesticides were developed using spiked-sediment bioassay (SSB) data from the literature. These benchmarks can be used to interpret sediment-toxicity data or to assess the potential toxicity of pesticides in whole sediment. The Likely Effect Benchmark (LEB) defines a pesticide concentration in whole sediment above which there is a high probability of adverse effects on benthic invertebrates, and the Threshold Effect Benchmark (TEB) defines a concentration below which adverse effects are unlikely. For compounds without available SSBs, benchmarks were estimated using equilibrium partitioning (EqP). When a sediment sample contains a pesticide mixture, benchmark quotients can be summed for all detected pesticides to produce an indicator of potential toxicity for that mixture. Benchmarks were developed for 48 pesticide compounds using SSB data and 81 compounds using the EqP approach. In an example application, data for pesticides measured in sediment from 197 streams across the United States were evaluated using these benchmarks, and compared to measured toxicity from whole-sediment toxicity tests conducted with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-d exposures) and the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-d exposures). Amphipod survival, weight, and biomass were significantly and inversely related to summed benchmark quotients, whereas midge survival, weight, and biomass showed no relationship to benchmarks. Samples with LEB exceedances were rare (n = 3), but all were toxic to amphipods (i.e., significantly different from control). Significant toxicity to amphipods was observed for 72% of samples exceeding one or more TEBs, compared to 18% of samples below all TEBs. Factors affecting toxicity below TEBs may include the presence of contaminants other than pesticides, physical

Dosimetric Factors and Toxicity in Highly Conformal Thoracic Reirradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Binkley, Michael S.; Hiniker, Susan M.; Chaudhuri, Aadel

Purpose: We determined cumulative dose to critical structures, rates of toxicity, and outcomes following thoracic reirradiation. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed our institutional database for patients treated between 2008 and 2014, who received thoracic reirradiation with overlap of 25% prescribed isodose lines. Patients received courses of hyperfractionated (n=5), hypofractionated (n=5), conventionally fractionated (n=21), or stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (n=51). Doses to critical structures were converted to biologically effective dose, expressed as 2 Gy per fraction equivalent dose (EQD2; α/β = 2 for spinal cord; α/β = 3 for other critical structures). Results: We identified 82 courses (44 for retreatment) in 38 patients reirradiated atmore » a median 16 months (range: 1-71 months) following initial RT. Median follow-up was 17 months (range: 3-57 months). Twelve- and 24-month overall survival rates were 79.6% and 57.3%, respectively. Eighteen patients received reirradiation for locoregionally recurrent non-small cell lung cancer with 12-month rates of local failure and regional recurrence and distant metastases rates of 13.5%, 8.1%, and 15.6%, respectively. Critical structures receiving ≥75 Gy EQD2 included spinal cord (1 cm{sup 3}; n=1), esophagus (1 cm{sup 3}; n=10), trachea (1 cm{sup 3}; n=11), heart (1 cm{sup 3}; n=9), aorta (1 cm{sup 3}; n=16), superior vena cava (1 cm{sup 3}; n=12), brachial plexus (0.2 cm{sup 3}; n=2), vagus nerve (0.2 cm{sup 3}; n=7), sympathetic trunk (0.2 cm{sup 3}; n=4), chest wall (30 cm{sup 3}; n=12), and proximal bronchial tree (1 cm{sup 3}; n=17). Cumulative dose-volume (D cm{sup 3}) toxicity following reirradiation data included esophagitis grade ≥2 (n=3, D1 cm{sup 3} range: 41.0-100.6 Gy), chest wall grade ≥2 (n=4; D30 cm{sup 3} range: 35.0-117.2 Gy), lung grade 2 (n=7; V20{sub combined-lung} range: 4.7%-21.7%), vocal cord paralysis (n=2; vagus nerve D0.2�

Factors Affecting 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Response to Vitamin D Supplementation

PubMed Central

Mazahery, Hajar; von Hurst, Pamela R.

2015-01-01

Sun exposure is the main source of vitamin D. Due to many lifestyle risk factors vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is becoming a worldwide health problem. Low 25(OH)D concentration is associated with adverse musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal health outcomes. Vitamin D supplementation is currently the best approach to treat deficiency and to maintain adequacy. In response to a given dose of vitamin D, the effect on 25(OH)D concentration differs between individuals, and it is imperative that factors affecting this response be identified. For this review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify those factors and to explore their significance in relation to circulating 25(OH)D response to vitamin D supplementation. The effect of several demographic/biological factors such as baseline 25(OH)D, aging, body mass index(BMI)/body fat percentage, ethnicity, calcium intake, genetics, oestrogen use, dietary fat content and composition, and some diseases and medications has been addressed. Furthermore, strategies employed by researchers or health care providers (type, dose and duration of vitamin D supplementation) and environment (season) are other contributing factors. With the exception of baseline 25(OH)D, BMI/body fat percentage, dose and type of vitamin D, the relative importance of other factors and the mechanisms by which these factors may affect the response remains to be determined. PMID:26121531

Factors Affecting Aerosol Radiative Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jingxu; Lin, Jintai; Ni, Ruijing

2016-04-01

Rapid industrial and economic growth has meant a large amount of aerosols in the atmosphere with strong radiative forcing (RF) upon the climate system. Over parts of the globe, the negative forcing of aerosols has overcompensated for the positive forcing of greenhouse gases. Aerosol RF is determined by emissions and various chemical-transport-radiative processes in the atmosphere, a multi-factor problem whose individual contributors have not been well quantified. In this study, we analyze the major factors affecting RF of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIOAs, including sulfate, nitrate and ammonium), primary organic aerosol (POA), and black carbon (BC). We analyze the RF of aerosols produced by 11 major regions across the globe, including but not limited to East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, North America, and Western Europe. Factors analyzed include population size, per capita gross domestic production (GDP), emission intensity (i.e., emissions per unit GDP), chemical efficiency (i.e., mass per unit emissions) and radiative efficiency (i.e., RF per unit mass). We find that among the 11 regions, East Asia produces the largest emissions and aerosol RF, due to relatively high emission intensity and a tremendous population size. South Asia produce the second largest RF of SIOA and BC and the highest RF of POA, in part due to its highest chemical efficiency among all regions. Although Southeast Asia also has large emissions, its aerosol RF is alleviated by its lowest chemical efficiency. The chemical efficiency and radiative efficiency of BC produced by the Middle East-North Africa are the highest across the regions, whereas its RF is lowered by a small per capita GDP. Both North America and Western Europe have low emission intensity, compensating for the effects on RF of large population sizes and per capita GDP. There has been a momentum to transfer industries to Southeast Asia and South Asia, and such transition is expected to continue in the coming years. The

Factors Affecting Aerosol Radiative Forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Lin, J.; Ni, R.

2016-12-01

Rapid industrial and economic growth has meant large amount of aerosols in the atmosphere with strong radiative forcing (RF) upon the climate system. Over parts of the globe, the negative forcing of aerosols has overcompensated for the positive forcing of greenhouse gases. Aerosol RF is determined by emissions and various chemical-transport-radiative processes in the atmosphere, a multi-factor problem whose individual contributors have not been well quantified. In this study, we analyze the major factors affecting RF of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIOAs, including sulfate, nitrate and ammonium), primary organic aerosol (POA), and black carbon (BC). We analyze the RFof aerosols produced by 11 major regions across the globe, including but not limited to East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, North America, and Western Europe. Factors analyzed include population size, per capita gross domestic production (GDP), emission intensity (i.e., emissionsper unit GDP), chemical efficiency (i.e., mass per unit emissions) and radiative efficiency (i.e., RF per unit mass). We find that among the 11 regions, East Asia produces the largest emissions and aerosol RF, due to relatively high emission intensity and a tremendous population size.South Asia produce the second largest RF of SIOA and BC and the highest RF of POA, in part due to its highest chemical efficiency among all regions. Although Southeast Asia also has large emissions,its aerosol RF is alleviated by its lowest chemical efficiency.The chemical efficiency and radiative efficiency of BC produced by the Middle East-North Africa are the highest across the regions, whereas its RF is loweredbyasmall per capita GDP.Both North America and Western Europe have low emission intensity, compensating for the effects on RF of large population sizes and per capita GDP. There has been a momentum to transfer industries to Southeast Asia and South Asia, and such transition is expected to continue in the coming years. The resulting

Blacks and the Toxics Crisis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, James H., Jr.; Oliver, Melvin L.

1989-01-01

Employs the case study approach to show how the Reagan Administration's assault on environmental policies more adversely affects blacks and other minority groups than whites. Reviews recent research that shows minorities heavily concentrated in dangerous occupations and communities where the risk of exposure to toxic pollutants is greatest. (JS)

Mothers recovering from cocaine addiction: factors affecting parenting skills.

PubMed

Coyer, S M

2001-01-01

To identify factors that may influence parenting by mothers who are recovering from cocaine addiction. Exploratory descriptive, with in-depth unstructured interviews. Interviews were conducted in the woman's home or in a treatment center. A convenience sample of 11 women recovering from cocaine addiction who were mothers of children 3 years of age and younger. A content analysis was used to analyze the interview data. Two themes, personal/psychologic factors and environmental/contextual factors, and four subthemes emerged. They identify issues that may affect parenting by mothers being treated for cocaine addiction. Subthemes included low self-esteem, difficulty developing a maternal identity, isolation from friends and family, and chronic life stress. This study provides a better understanding of the sources contributing to vulnerability in the parenting role for mothers recovering from cocaine addiction and will assist nurses in providing care for these mothers and their children.

Factors Affecting the Interest of Israeli Social Work Students in Working with Different Client Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krumer-Nevo, Michal; Weiss, Idit

2006-01-01

Employing a large-scale sample of 521 BSW students from 4 Israeli schools of social work, this research examines the factors affecting social work students' interest in working with a wide range of client groups. The results suggest that student interest in working with specific client groups is affected by factors related to desire for…

Factors Affecting English Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Hong Thi; Warren, Wendy; Fehring, Heather

2014-01-01

This paper reports part of a study that aims to explore factors affecting the efficacy of non-major English teaching and learning in Vietnamese higher education through an investigation of classroom practices. Eight non-participant class observations were conducted at HUTECH University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The study's findings show that…

The Impact of CLIL on Affective Factors and Vocabulary Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heras, Arantxa; Lasagabaster, David

2015-01-01

The aim of this article is twofold: to assess the effectiveness of a CLIL (content and language integrated learning) module on affective factors (motivation and self-esteem), and to test the purported blurring effect of CLIL on gender differences in foreign language learning. Forty-six students in their fourth year of compulsory secondary…

The Perspective of Gozitan Teachers on Factors Affecting Students' Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xuereb, Lorna; De Giovanni, Katya Sarah

2016-01-01

This study aims at exploring the impact of factors at pupil, teacher and school levels on students? academic achievement. Moreover, the main purpose was that of investigating which one of the three levels is most likely to affect students? educational accomplishment. A questionnaire was administered to 100 Gozitan teachers. Results were analysed…

77 FR 18862 - Brazil: Competitive Factors Affecting U.S. and Brazilian Agricultural Sales in Selected Third...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-28

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 332-524] Brazil: Competitive Factors Affecting U.S. and Brazilian Agricultural Sales in Selected Third Country Markets AGENCY: United States... Committee in investigation No. 332-524, Brazil: Competitive Factors In Brazil Affecting U.S. and Brazilian...

Heavy metal toxicity to bacteria - are the existing growth media accurate enough to determine heavy metal toxicity?

PubMed

Rathnayake, I V N; Megharaj, Mallavarapu; Krishnamurti, G S R; Bolan, Nanthi S; Naidu, Ravi

2013-01-01

A new minimal medium was formulated considering the limitations of the existing media for testing heavy metal sensitivity to bacteria. Toxicity of cadmium and copper to three bacteria was investigated in the new medium and compared with three other media commonly used to study the effect of the toxic metals. Based on speciation data arrived at using ion-selective electrodes, the available free-metal concentration in solution was highest in the MES-buffered medium. This finding was strongly supported by the estimated EC(50) values for the metals tested based on the toxicity bioassays. The free-ionic cadmium and copper concentrations in the medium provide more accurate determination of metal concentrations that affects the bacteria, than with most of other existing media. This will avoid doubts on other media and misleading conclusions relevant to the toxicity of heavy metals to bacteria and provides a better option for the study of metal-bacteria interactions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sediment toxicity testing with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita in Calcasieu Estuary, Louisiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Redmond, M.S.; Crocker, P.A.; McKenna, K.M.; Petrocelli, E.A.; Scott, K.J.; Demas, C.R.

1996-01-01

Discharges from chemical and petrochemical manufacturing facilities have contaminated portions of Louisiana's Calcasieu River estuary with a variety of organic and inorganic contaminants. As part of a special study, sediment toxicity testing was conducted to assess potential impact to the benthic community. Ten-day flow-through sediment toxicity tests with the amphipod Ampelisca abdita revealed significant toxicity at 68% (26 of 38) of the stations tested. A. abdita mortality was highest in the effluent-dominated bayous, which are tributaries to the Calcasieu River. Mortality was correlated with total heavy metal and total organic compound concentrations in the sediments. Ancillary experiments showed that sediment interstitial water salinity as low as 2.5 o/o-o did not significantly affect A. abdita's, response in the flow-through system; sediment storage for 7 weeks at 4??C did not significantly affect toxicity. Sediment toxicity to A. abdita was more prevalent than receiving water toxicity using three short-term chronic bioassays. Results suggest that toxicity testing using this amphipod is a valuable tool when assessing sediments containing complex contaminant mixtures and for assessing effects of pollutant loading over time. In conjunction with chemical analyses, the testing indicated that the effluent-dominated, brackish bayous (Bayou d'Inde and Bayou Verdine) were the portions of the estuary most impacted by toxicity.

Arsenic may be involved in fluoride-induced bone toxicity through PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway.

PubMed

Zeng, Qi-bing; Xu, Yu-yan; Yu, Xian; Yang, Jun; Hong, Feng; Zhang, Ai-hua

2014-01-01

Chronic exposure to combined fluoride and arsenic continues to be a major public health problem worldwide, affecting thousands of people. In recent years, more and more researchers began to focus on the interaction between the fluorine and the arsenic. In this study, the selected investigation site was located in China. The study group was selected from people living in fluoride-arsenic polluted areas due to burning coal. The total number of participants was 196; including the fluoride-arsenic anomaly group (130) and the fluoride-arsenic normal group (63). By observing the changes in gene and protein expression of PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway, the results show that fluoride can increase the expression levels of PTH, PKA, and AP1, but arsenic can only affect the expression of AP1; fluoride and arsenic have an interaction on the expression of AP1. Further study found that fluoride and arsenic can affect the mRNA expression level of c-fos gene (AP1 family members), and have an interaction on the expression of c-fos, but not c-jun. The results indicate that PTH/PKA/AP1 signaling pathway may play an important role in bone toxicity of fluoride. Arsenic can affect the expression of c-fos, thereby affecting the expression of transcription factor AP1, indirectly involved in fluoride-induced bone toxicity. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Bioaccumulation and toxicity of selenium compounds in the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda

PubMed Central

Umysová, Dáša; Vítová, Milada; Doušková, Irena; Bišová, Kateřina; Hlavová, Monika; Čížková, Mária; Machát, Jiří; Doucha, Jiří; Zachleder, Vilém

2009-01-01

Background Selenium is a trace element performing important biological functions in many organisms including humans. It usually affects organisms in a strictly dosage-dependent manner being essential at low and toxic at higher concentrations. The impact of selenium on mammalian and land plant cells has been quite extensively studied. Information about algal cells is rare despite of the fact that they could produce selenium enriched biomass for biotechnology purposes. Results We studied the impact of selenium compounds on the green chlorococcal alga Scenedesmus quadricauda. Both the dose and chemical forms of Se were critical factors in the cellular response. Se toxicity increased in cultures grown under sulfur deficient conditions. We selected three strains of Scenedesmus quadricauda specifically resistant to high concentrations of inorganic selenium added as selenite (Na2SeO3) – strain SeIV, selenate (Na2SeO4) – strain SeVI or both – strain SeIV+VI. The total amount of Se and selenomethionine in biomass increased with increasing concentration of Se in the culturing media. The selenomethionine made up 30–40% of the total Se in biomass. In both the wild type and Se-resistant strains, the activity of thioredoxin reductase, increased rapidly in the presence of the form of selenium for which the given algal strain was not resistant. Conclusion The selenium effect on the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda was not only dose dependent, but the chemical form of the element was also crucial. With sulfur deficiency, the selenium toxicity increases, indicating interference of Se with sulfur metabolism. The amount of selenium and SeMet in algal biomass was dependent on both the type of compound and its dose. The activity of thioredoxin reductase was affected by selenium treatment in dose-dependent and toxic-dependent manner. The findings implied that the increase in TR activity in algal cells was a stress response to selenium cytotoxicity. Our study provides a new

Factors affecting the stability of reverse shoulder arthroplasty: a biomechanical study.

PubMed

Clouthier, Allison L; Hetzler, Markus A; Fedorak, Graham; Bryant, J Tim; Deluzio, Kevin J; Bicknell, Ryan T

2013-04-01

Despite the success of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) in treating patients with painful pseudoparalytic shoulders, instability is a common complication and currently the factors affecting stability are not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate a number of factors as well as the interactions between factors to determine how they affect the stability of the prosthesis. These factors included: active arm posture (abduction and abduction plane angles), loading direction, glenosphere diameter and eccentricity, and humeral socket constraint. Force required to dislocate the joint, determined using a biomechanical shoulder simulator, was used as a measure of stability. A factorial design experiment was implemented to examine the factors and interactions. Actively increasing the abduction angle by 15° leads to a 30% increase in stability and use of an inferior-offset rather than a centered glenosphere improved stability by 17%. Use of a more constrained humeral socket also increased stability; but the effect was dependent on loading direction, with a 88% improvement for superior loading, 66% for posterior, 36% for anterior, and no change for inferior loading. Abduction plane angle and glenosphere diameter had no effect on stability. Increased glenohumeral abduction and the use of an inferior-offset glenosphere were found to increase the stability of RSA. Additionally, use of a more constrained humeral socket increased stability for anterior, posterior, and superior loading. These identified factor effects have the potential to decrease the risk of dislocation following RSA. Copyright © 2013 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Invasive infection caused Streptococcus group A and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome].

PubMed

Danilova, T A

2001-01-01

Modern data on the etiology and pathogenesis of invasive streptococcal infection and the syndrome of streptococcal toxic shock are presented. In the course of the last 10-15 years essential changes in the system of interaction of group A streptococci and the macroorganism have been noted. The growth of morbidity in severe invasive forms of streptococcal infection with different clinical manifestations, including the syndrome of toxic shock, is observed. Most often this disease develops in elderly people, making up a group of risk, but sometimes affects healthy young people. Different pathogenicity factors of streptococci, capable of inducing the development of infection, are analyzed. Special attention is given to superantigens: pyrogenic toxins and M-protein. The suggestion that the development of the disease is seemingly linked with the state of specific protective immunity is substantiated. In spite of achievements in the field of the microbiology and immunology of group A streptococci, the causes of the appearance and development of invasive streptococcal infection have not yet been determined.

Environmental phototoxicity: Solar ultraviolet radiation affects the toxicity of natural and man-made chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larson, R.A.; Berenbaum, M.R.

1988-04-01

Ultraviolet radiation appears to be toxic to all forms of unpigmented living cells, including bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, fish, birds, and mammals. In addition to the direct absorption of solar energy by cellular constituents, toxicity may occur because of the absorption of sunlight by xenobiotics (or by naturally occurring compounds outside the target cell); these may be converted by light or by subsequent light-promoted reactions that induce cellular damage. This article describes the phototoxicity of photodynamic dyes, light-activated synthetic herbicides, petroleum and its constituents, and naturally occurring chemicals from plants. Detoxification mechanisms are also discussed.

Factors affecting the palpability of breast lesion by self-examination.

PubMed

Lam, W W M; Chan, C P; Chan, C F; Mak, C C C; Chan, C F; Chong, K W H; Leung, M H J; Tang, M H

2008-03-01

This study aims to assess the accuracy of detection of breast lesion by breast self-examination and to assess different factors affecting the accuracy. All consecutive Chinese female patients, who attended our breast imaging unit in 2001, completed our questionnaire, had retrievable hard copy films, and had more than three years clinical follow-up, were recruited for this study. Different factors, such as age, menopausal status, previous experience of breastfeeding, family history of breast cancer, previous history of mastectomy or lumpectomy, hormonal therapy, oral contraceptive pills and previous history of mammography, were correlated with accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions retrospectively. The nature, size and location of the lesion, and breast size based on imaging, were also correlated with the accuracy in self-detection of breast lesions. A total of 163 questionnaires were analysed. 111 patients detected a breast lesion themselves and 24 of these lesions were false-positives. A total of 173 lesions (27 cancerous, 146 benign lesions) were documented by either ultrasonography and/or mammography, and confirmed by either histology or three-year clinical follow-up. The overall sensitivity in detecting both benign and malignant breast lesions was 71% when number of breast lesions was used as the denominator, and up to 78% sensitivity was achieved when number of patients was used as the denominator. History of mastectomy, and size and nature of the lesions were found to affect the accuracy of self-detection of breast lesions. Overall, breast self-examinations were effective in the detection of breast lesions and factors such as size of lesion, nature of the lesion and history of mastectomy affect the accuracy of the detections. Breast self-examination should be promoted for early detection of breast cancer.

Factors Affecting the Effectiveness and Use of Moodle: Students' Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damnjanovic, Vesna; Jednak, Sandra; Mijatovic, Ivana

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the factors affecting the effectiveness of Moodle from the students' perspective. The research hypotheses derived from the suggested extended Seddon model have been empirically validated using the responses to a survey on e-learning usage among 255 users. We tested the model across higher education…

Sediment toxicity in Savannah Harbor

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winger, P.V.; Lasier, P.J.

1995-01-01

Savannah Harbor, located near the mouth of the Savannah River, Georgia and South Carolina, is impacted by industrial and municipal effluents. Potential release of contaminants stored in harbor sediments through dredging and shipping operations requires that contaminated areas be identified for proper management of the system and protection of wildlife resources. During 1991, Hyalella azteca were exposed in 10-d static-renewal toxicity tests to pore-water and solid-phase sediment samples collected from 26 sites within Savannah Harbor. Pore-water toxicity was more pronounced than that for solidphase sediment. Toxicity and reduced leaf consumption demonstrated impaired sediment quality at specific sites within Savannah Harbor and Back River. Factors responsible for the decreased sediment quality were ammonia, alkalinity, and metal concentrations (cadmium, chromium, lead, molybdenum, and nickel). Elevated concentrations of metals and toxicities in Back River sediments indicated impacts from adjacent dredge-spoil areas.

Factors Affecting Conservation Practice Behavior of CRP Participants in Alabama

Treesearch

Okwudili Onianwa; Gerald Wheelock; Shannon Hendrix

1999-01-01

This study examines the factors that affect conservation practice choices of CRP farmers in Alabama. From over 9,000 contracts enrolled in the state between 1986 and 1995, 594 were randomly selected for the study. A multiple-regression analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results indicate that education, ratio ofcropland in CRP, farm size, gender, prior crop...

Factors Affecting the Retention Decisions of Female Surface Warfare Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. FACTORS AFFECTING THE RETENTION...Warfare Officers 6. AUTHOR(S) Clifton, Elizabeth A. 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Naval Postgraduate School ...for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 2003

Factors Affecting Lactoferrin Concentration in Human Milk: How Much Do We Know?

PubMed Central

Villavicencio, Aasith; Rueda, Maria S.; Turin, Christie G.; Ochoa, Theresa J.

2017-01-01

Lactoferrin (LF) is a breast milk glycoprotein with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. Its beneficial properties in infants, especially in those born preterm, are currently being studied in clinical trials. However, the maternal and nursing infant factors that may affect the concentration of LF in breast milk are still not clear. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the factors that may affect LF concentration. We used a 2-step approach to identify the eligible studies according to inclusion/exclusion criteria and to determine which studies would be considered. We included 70 qualified articles from 29 countries with publication dates ranging from 1976 to 2015. We described the correlation between LF concentration in breast milk and lactation stage; 10 maternal factors, such as race, parity, among others; and 2 infant factors, infections and prematurity. Colostrum has the highest LF levels, but they decrease with days postpartum. No other factor has been consistently associated with LF concentration. A major limitation of the majority of the published studies is the small sample size and the different methods used to measure LF concentration. Therefore, there is a need for large, multicenter studies with standardized study design, sample collection, and LF measurement methods to identify clinically significant factors associated with LF expression in breast milk, which will help promote exclusive breastfeeding in preterm infants. PMID:28075610

Factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Sanaa Abd El Azim

2011-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting assertiveness among student nurses. The study was carried out at Faculty of Nursing, Port-Said University, on 207 student nurses from four different grades. Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, consisted of 30 items, was used to measure the students' assertiveness level and a 12-item scale developed by Spreitzer was used to measure students' psychological empowerment. The study results showed that 60.4% of the students were assertive, while about half of the students were empowered. A positive relation between student assertiveness and psychological empowerment was detected. Moreover, positive relations regarding family income and students' assertiveness and psychological empowerment were determined. The study recommended introduction of specific courses aiming at enhancing the acquisition of assertiveness skills, in addition, nurse educators must motivate their students to express their opinion and personal rights and also they must pay attention for students' empowerment and enhance students' autonomy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Regional Per-Capita Carbon Emissions in China Based on an LMDI Factor Decomposition Model

PubMed Central

Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

2013-01-01

China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model–panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity. PMID:24353753

Factors affecting regional per-capita carbon emissions in China based on an LMDI factor decomposition model.

PubMed

Dong, Feng; Long, Ruyin; Chen, Hong; Li, Xiaohui; Yang, Qingliang

2013-01-01

China is considered to be the main carbon producer in the world. The per-capita carbon emissions indicator is an important measure of the regional carbon emissions situation. This study used the LMDI factor decomposition model-panel co-integration test two-step method to analyze the factors that affect per-capita carbon emissions. The main results are as follows. (1) During 1997, Eastern China, Central China, and Western China ranked first, second, and third in the per-capita carbon emissions, while in 2009 the pecking order changed to Eastern China, Western China, and Central China. (2) According to the LMDI decomposition results, the key driver boosting the per-capita carbon emissions in the three economic regions of China between 1997 and 2009 was economic development, and the energy efficiency was much greater than the energy structure after considering their effect on restraining increased per-capita carbon emissions. (3) Based on the decomposition, the factors that affected per-capita carbon emissions in the panel co-integration test showed that Central China had the best energy structure elasticity in its regional per-capita carbon emissions. Thus, Central China was ranked first for energy efficiency elasticity, while Western China was ranked first for economic development elasticity.

Nail toxicity induced by cancer chemotherapy.

PubMed

Gilbar, Peter; Hain, Alice; Peereboom, Veta-Marie

2009-09-01

To provide a comprehensive literature review of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity, including clinical presentation, implicated drugs and approaches for prevention and management. A search of MEDLINE and EMBASE (1966-2008) databases was conducted using the terms (and variations of the terms) antineoplastic agents, nails, nail toxicity, onycholysis, and paronychia. Bibliographies from selected articles were reviewed for appropriate references. The retrieved literature was reviewed to include all articles relevant to the clinical presentation, diagnosis, incidence, prevention, and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nail toxicity. Nail toxicity is a relatively uncommon adverse effect linked to a number of chemotherapeutic agents. Clinical presentation varies, depending on which nail structure is affected and the severity of the insult. Nail changes may involve all or some nails. Toxicity may be asymptomatic and limited to cosmetic concerns, however, more severe effects, involving pain and discomfort can occur. Taxanes and anthracyclines are the antineoplastic drug groups most commonly implicated. It is suggested that the administration schedule may influence the incidence of nail abnormalities, for example reported cases linked to the weekly administration of paclitaxel.Before instituting chemotherapy, patients should be educated regarding potential nail toxicities and strategies for prevention implemented. Management includes appropriate nail cutting, avoiding potential irritants, topical, or oral antimicrobials, and possibly cessation or dose reduction of the offending agent. Cryotherapy, through the application of frozen gloves or socks, has been beneficial in reducing docetaxel-induced nail toxicity and may be effective for other drugs.

Toxic releases and risk disparity: a spatiotemporal model of industrial ecology and social empowerment.

PubMed

Aoyagi, Hannah; Ogunseitan, Oladele A

2015-06-02

Information-based regulations (IBRs) are founded on the theoretical premise that public participation in accomplishing policy goals is empowered by open access to information. Since its inception in 1988, the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) has provided the framework and regulatory impetus for the compilation and distribution of data on toxic releases associated with industrial development, following the tenets of IBR. As TRI emissions are reputed to disproportionately affect low-income communities, we investigated how demographic characteristics are related to change in TRI emissions and toxicity risks between 1989 and 2002, and we sought to identify factors that predict these changes. We used local indicators of spatial association (LISA) maps and spatial regression techniques to study risk disparity in the Los Angeles urban area. We also surveyed 203 individuals in eight communities in the same region to measure the levels of awareness of TRI, attitudes towards air pollution, and general environmental risk. We discovered, through spatial lag models, that changes in gross and toxic emissions are related to community ethnic composition, poverty level, home ownership, and base 1989 emissions (R-square=0.034-0.083). We generated a structural equation model to explain the determinants of social empowerment to act on the basis of environmental information. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (HCFA) supports the theoretical model that individual empowerment is predicted by risk perception, worry, and awareness (Chi-square=63.315, p=0.022, df=42). This study provides strong evidence that spatiotemporal changes in regional-scale environmental risks are influenced by individual-scale empowerment mediated by IBRs.

Toxic Releases and Risk Disparity: A Spatiotemporal Model of Industrial Ecology and Social Empowerment

PubMed Central

Aoyagi, Hannah; Ogunseitan, Oladele A.

2015-01-01

Information-based regulations (IBRs) are founded on the theoretical premise that public participation in accomplishing policy goals is empowered by open access to information. Since its inception in 1988, the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) has provided the framework and regulatory impetus for the compilation and distribution of data on toxic releases associated with industrial development, following the tenets of IBR. As TRI emissions are reputed to disproportionately affect low-income communities, we investigated how demographic characteristics are related to change in TRI emissions and toxicity risks between 1989 and 2002, and we sought to identify factors that predict these changes. We used local indicators of spatial association (LISA) maps and spatial regression techniques to study risk disparity in the Los Angeles urban area. We also surveyed 203 individuals in eight communities in the same region to measure the levels of awareness of TRI, attitudes towards air pollution, and general environmental risk. We discovered, through spatial lag models, that changes in gross and toxic emissions are related to community ethnic composition, poverty level, home ownership, and base 1989 emissions (R-square = 0.034–0.083). We generated a structural equation model to explain the determinants of social empowerment to act on the basis of environmental information. Hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (HCFA) supports the theoretical model that individual empowerment is predicted by risk perception, worry, and awareness (Chi-square = 63.315, p = 0.022, df = 42). This study provides strong evidence that spatiotemporal changes in regional-scale environmental risks are influenced by individual-scale empowerment mediated by IBRs. PMID:26042368

[Factors affecting infant mortality (author's transl)].

PubMed

Chackiel, J

1982-04-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the differentials and detect factors affecting infant mortality on the basis of data obtained from the fertility surveys from those countries participating in the World Fertility Survey. In particular, this includes the surveys carried out in Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. 3 types of explanatory variables may be considered from the information available: 1) context variables related to the mother's environment; 2) socioeconomic variables based on the educational and economic characteristics of the mother and her last husband; and 3) biological factors (from each woman's pregnancy history) such as mother's age at birth of the child, order of birth, interbirth interval, etc. The countries, whether high or low mortality, present great differences in child mortality in most of the variables considered. In Panama and Costa Rica there are population sectors with infant mortality rates of around 100/1000 live births, whereas in Peru these are over 150/1000 (children from mothers without education, low agricultural strata, etc.). Besides presenting the differentials, a methodological test is made through the application to Costa Rica and Peru of the Proportional Hazards Model which permits analysis of the effects of variables when acting simultaneously upon mortality in early childhood. The variables which show the highest disparity in mortality level are: natural region among the context variables, education of mother among the socioeconomic variables, and interbirth interval and maternal age at birth of their children among the biological ones.

Surface interactions affect the toxicity of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles toward Paramecium.

PubMed

Li, Kungang; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Wen; Pu, Zhichao; Jiang, Lin; Chen, Yongsheng

2012-08-20

To better understand the potential impacts of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in the ecosystem, we investigated the acute toxicity of seven different types of engineered metal oxide NPs against Paramecium multimicronucleatum, a ciliated protozoan, using the 48 h LC(50) (lethal concentration, 50%) test. Our results showed that the 48 h LC(50) values of these NPs to Paramecium ranged from 0.81 (Fe(2)O(3) NPs) to 9269 mg/L (Al(2)O(3) NPs); their toxicity to Paramecium increased as follows: Al(2)O(3) < TiO(2) < CeO(2) < ZnO < SiO(2) < CuO < Fe(2)O(3) NPs. On the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory, interfacial interactions between NPs and cell membrane were evaluated, and the magnitude of interaction energy barrier correlated well with the 48 h LC(50) data of NPs to Paramecium; this implies that metal oxide NPs with strong association with the cell surface might induce more severe cytotoxicity in unicellular organisms.

Factors affecting rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic repair: osteoporosis as one of the independent risk factors.

PubMed

Chung, Seok Won; Oh, Joo Han; Gong, Hyun Sik; Kim, Joon Yub; Kim, Sae Hoon

2011-10-01

The prognostic factors associated with structural outcome after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair have not yet been fully determined. The hypothesis of this study was that bone mineral density (BMD) is an important prognostic factor affecting rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic cuff repair. Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Among 408 patients who underwent arthroscopic repair for full-thickness rotator cuff tear between January 2004 and July 2008, 272 patients were included whose postoperative cuff integrity was verified by computed tomography arthrography (CTA) or ultrasonography (USG) and simultaneously who were evaluated by various functional outcome instruments. The mean age at the time of operation was 59.5 ± 7.9 years. Postoperative CTA or USG was performed at a mean 13.0 ± 5.1 months after surgery, and the mean follow-up period was 37.2 ± 10.0 months (range, 24-65 months). The clinical, structural, and surgery-related factors affecting cuff integrity including BMD were analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analysis. Evaluation of postoperative cuff integrity was performed by musculoskeletal radiologists who were unaware of the present study. The failure rate of rotator cuff healing was 22.8% (62 of 272). The failure rate was significantly higher in patients with lower BMD (P < .001); older age (P < .001); female gender (P = .03); larger tear size (P < .001); higher grade of fatty infiltration (FI) of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and subscapularis (all P < .001); diabetes mellitus (P = .02); shorter acromiohumeral distance (P < .001); and associated biceps procedure (P < .001). However, in the multivariate analysis, only BMD (P = .001), FI of the infraspinatus (P = .01), and the amount of retraction (P = .03) showed a significant relationship with cuff healing failure following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Bone mineral density, as well as FI of the infraspinatus and amount of retraction, was an independent determining factor

Factors that affect the onset of action of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents

PubMed Central

Kim, Yong Byum; Sung, Tae-Yun

2017-01-01

Neuromuscular blockade plays an important role in the safe management of patient airways, surgical field improvement, and respiratory care. Rapid-sequence induction of anesthesia is indispensable to emergency surgery and obstetric anesthesia, and its purpose is to obtain a stable airway, adequate depth of anesthesia, and appropriate respiration within a short period of time without causing irritation or damage to the patient. There has been a continued search for new neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) with a rapid onset of action. Factors that affect the onset time include the potency of the NMBDs, the rate of NMBDs reaching the effect site, the onset time by dose control, metabolism and elimination of NMBDs, buffered diffusion to the effect site, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit affinity, drugs that affect acetylcholine (ACh) production and release at the neuromuscular junction, drugs that inhibit plasma cholinesterase, presynaptic receptors responsible for ACh release at the neuromuscular junction, anesthetics or drugs that affect muscle contractility, site and methods for monitoring neuromuscular function, individual variability, and coexisting disease. NMBDs with rapid onset without major adverse events are expected in the next few years, and the development of lower potency NMBDs will continue. Anesthesiologists should be aware of the use of NMBDs in the management of anesthesia. The choice of NMBD and determination of the appropriate dosage to modulate neuromuscular blockade characteristics such as onset time and duration of neuromuscular blockade should be considered along with factors that affect the effects of the NMBDs. In this review, we discuss the factors that affect the onset time of NMBDs. PMID:29046769

Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

2017-01-01

Background Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of ‘self’ and refers to the individual’s self-perception as a sexual creature. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. Methods English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Results Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. Conclusion As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals’ lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended. PMID:29038693

Bio-psycho-social factors affecting sexual self-concept: A systematic review.

PubMed

Potki, Robabeh; Ziaei, Tayebe; Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Moosazadeh, Mahmood; Shahhosseini, Zohreh

2017-09-01

Nowadays, it is believed that mental and emotional aspects of sexual well-being are the important aspects of sexual health. Sexual self-concept is a major component of sexual health and the core of sexuality. It is defined as the cognitive perspective concerning the sexual aspects of 'self' and refers to the individual's self-perception as a sexual creature. The aim of this study was to assess the different factors affecting sexual self-concept. English electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar as well as two Iranian databases including Scientific Information Database and Iranmedex were searched for English and Persian-language articles published between 1996 and 2016. Of 281 retrieved articles, 37 articles were finally included for writing this review article. Factors affecting sexual self-concept were categorized to biological, psychological and social factors. In the category of biological factors, age gender, marital status, race, disability and sexual transmitted infections are described. In the psychological category, the impact of body image, sexual abuse in childhood and mental health history are present. Lastly, in the social category, the roles of parents, peers and the media are discussed. As the development of sexual self-concept is influenced by multiple events in individuals' lives, to promotion of sexual self-concept, an integrated implementation of health policies is recommended.

Clinical trials involving cats: what factors affect owner participation?

PubMed

Gruen, Margaret E; Jiamachello, Katrina N; Thomson, Andrea; Lascelles, B Duncan X

2014-09-01

Clinical trials are frequently hindered by difficulties in recruiting eligible participants, increasing the timeline and limiting generalizability of results. In veterinary medicine, where proxy enrollment is required, no studies have detailed what factors influence owner participation in clinical trials involving cats. We aimed to investigate these factors through a survey of owners at first opinion practices. The survey was designed using feedback from a pilot study and input from clinical researchers. Owners were asked demographic questions and whether they would, would not, or were unsure about participating in a clinical trial with their cat. They then ranked the importance and influence of various factors on participation using a five-point Likert-type scale, and incentives from most to least encouraging. A total of 413 surveys were distributed to cat owners at four hospitals, two feline-only and two multi-species; 88.6% were completed. Data for importance and influence factors as well as incentive rankings were analyzed overall, and by hospital type, location and whether owners would consider participating. The most influential factors were trust in the organization, benefit to the cat and veterinarian recommendation. Importance and influence factors varied by willingness to participate. Ranked incentives were not significantly different across groups, with 'Free Services' ranked highest. This study provides a first look at what factors influence participation in clinical trials with cats. Given the importance placed in the recommendation of veterinarians, continued work is needed to determine veterinarian-related factors affecting clinical trial participation. The results provide guidance towards improved clinical trial design, promotion and education. © ISFM and AAFP 2014.

Factors affecting smartphone adoption for accessing information in medical settings.

PubMed

Tahamtan, Iman; Pajouhanfar, Sara; Sedghi, Shahram; Azad, Mohsen; Roudbari, Masoud

2017-06-01

This study aimed to acquire knowledge about the factors affecting smartphone adoption for accessing information in medical settings in Iranian Hospitals. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used to conduct this study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 medical residents and interns in 2013 to identify determinant factors for smartphone adoption. Afterwards, nine relationships were hypothesised. We developed a questionnaire to test these hypotheses and to evaluate the importance of each factor. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the causal relations between model parameters and to accurately identify determinant factors. Eight factors were identified in the qualitative phase of the study, including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, training, internal environment, personal experience, social impacts, observability and job related characteristics. Among the studied factors, perceived usefulness, personal experience and job related characteristics were significantly associated with attitude to use a smartphone which accounted for 64% of the variance in attitude. Perceived usefulness had the strongest impact on attitude to use a smartphone. The factors that emerged from interviews were consistent with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and some previous studies. TAM is a reliable model for understanding the factors of smartphone acceptance in medical settings. © 2017 Health Libraries Group.

Kombucha--toxicity alert.

PubMed

The Kombucha mushroom, also known as Manchurian mushroom, is a mail-order product touted to lower blood pressure and raise T-cell counts. No controlled trials have been conducted to test these claims. Aspergillus, a mold that may grow on the Kombucha mushroom, attacks the brain and may be fatal to persons with weakened immune systems. Reported toxicity reactions have included stomach problems and yeast infections. Taking Kombucha in combination with other drugs may affect the drugs potency.

Factors affecting mortality in elderly patients who underwent surgery for gastric cancer.

PubMed

Kayılıoglu, Selami Ilgaz; Göktug, Ufuk Utku; Dinc, Tolga; Sozen, Isa; Yavuz, Zeynep; Coskun, Faruk

2018-03-05

The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting overall mortality in patients over 60 years of age who underwent surgery for gastric cancer in our clinic. Data on histopathological diagnosis (tumor size, lymph node status, and number), pathological stage, serum albumin level, tumor markers, complete blood count, and demographic information of 109 patients over 60 years of age who had surgery for gastric cancer between January 2011 and July 2016 were obtained retrospectively from the patient files. In addition, the survival status of all patients were examined and recorded. Metastatic lymph node ratio (MLR), red cell distribution width platelet ratio (RPR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), plateletlymphocyte ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were calculated. On univariate analysis of independent parameters, pathological LN number (p = 0.001), MLR (p <0.001), T3 (p = 0.001) or T4 (p = 0,006) tumor stage according to TNM system, the presence of metastasis (p = 0.063), and male gender (p = 0.066) were found to affect overall mortality (OM). On multivariable Cox regression analysis of these results, MLR (p = 0.005) and T stage (p = 0.006) was determined to be a statistically significant and independent prognostic value. In patients over 60 years of age who underwent surgery for gastric cancer, the factors affecting mortality were determined to be the presence of metastases, number of pathological lymph nodes, and male gender. Metastatic lymph node ratio and T1&T2 stage were determined to be independent prognostic factors. Elderly, Gastric cancer, Mortality, Prognostic factor.

Control of exogenous factors affecting plasma homovanillic acid concentration.

PubMed

Davidson, M; Giordani, A B; Mohs, R C; Mykytyn, V V; Platt, S; Aryan, Z S; Davis, K L

1987-04-01

Measurements of plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) concentrations appear to be a valid research strategy in psychiatric disorders in which a central dopamine (DA) abnormality has been implicated. This study provides guidance about the control of some of the exogenous factors affecting pHVA concentrations. Fasting for 14 hours eliminates the dietary effects on pHVA in healthy human subjects. Changing position, walking for 30 minutes, or smoking two cigarettes has no effect on pHVA concentrations.

Factors Affecting Differential Equation Problem Solving Ability of Students at Pre-University Level: A Conceptual Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aisha, Bibi; Zamri, Sharifa NorulAkmar Syed; Abdallah, Nabeel; Abedalaziz, Mohammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Satti, Umbreen

2017-01-01

In this study, different factors affecting students' differential equations (DEs) solving abilities were explored at pre university level. To explore main factors affecting students' differential equations problem solving ability, articles for a 19-year period, from 1996 to 2015, were critically reviewed and analyzed. It was revealed that…

Merriam's turkey nest survival and factors affecting nest predation by mammals

Treesearch

Chad P. Lehman; Mark A. Rumble; Lester D. Flake; Daniel J. Thompson

2008-01-01

Nest success is an important parameter affecting population fluctuations of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Factors influencing mammalian predation on turkey nests are complicated and not well understood. Therefore, we assessed nest hazard risk by testing competing hypotheses of Merriam's turkey (M. g. merriami) nest...

Effect of subchronic zinc toxicity on rat salivary glands and serum composition.

PubMed

Mizari, Nazer; Hirbod-Mobarakeh, Armin; Shahinpour, Shervin; Ghalichi-Tabriz, Mostafa; Beigy, Maani; Yamini, Ali; Dehpour, Ahmad Reza

2012-11-01

Zinc plays an important role in a wide variety of metabolic processes in animal systems. The role of zinc in preservative treatment, fungicidal action and medicine, and addition of supplementary zinc have increased the probability of zinc toxicity, specially the chronic type. It is known that the composition and quantity of saliva influence the oral health. Regarding people's exposure to zinc in routine life and the importance of saliva, our purpose was to investigate the effects of oral zinc intoxication on secretory function in rat salivary glands and also on serum composition. In this study, there were five groups of female rats. Four groups received zinc acetate dehydrate through their drinking water. After 3 months of experiment, the chemical characteristics and flow rate of saliva and weight of salivary glands were determined. The effects of zinc on hematological and chemical factors of plasma were assessed too. Flow rate of submandibular glands was significantly lower in experimental groups and there were significant changes in Na(+), Ca(2+) and K(+) concentration both in saliva and in plasma. The serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glucose levels in the plasma and urine creatinine levels were also altered in experimental groups in comparison with the control group. Our results show that zinc toxicity will affect the quantity and quality of saliva probably through changes in the various neurologic pathways to the salivary glands or effects on acinar cells of the salivary glands. Furthermore, our results showed that zinc toxicity will affect the liver and renal function.

Factors that affect coseismic folds in an overburden layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Shaogang; Cai, Yongen

2018-03-01

Coseismic folds induced by blind thrust faults have been observed in many earthquake zones, and they have received widespread attention from geologists and geophysicists. Numerous studies have been conducted regarding fold kinematics; however, few have studied fold dynamics quantitatively. In this paper, we establish a conceptual model with a thrust fault zone and tectonic stress load to study the factors that affect coseismic folds and their formation mechanisms using the finite element method. The numerical results show that the fault dip angle is a key factor that controls folding. The greater the dip angle is, the steeper the fold slope. The second most important factor is the overburden thickness. The thicker the overburden is, the more gradual the fold. In this case, folds are difficult to identify in field surveys. Therefore, if a fold can be easily identified with the naked eye, the overburden is likely shallow. The least important factors are the mechanical parameters of the overburden. The larger the Young's modulus of the overburden is, the smaller the displacement of the fold and the fold slope. Strong horizontal compression and vertical extension in the overburden near the fault zone are the main mechanisms that form coseismic folds.

Multi-Level Family Factors and Affective and Behavioral Symptoms of Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Chinese Children

PubMed Central

Tang, Yixin; Lin, Xiuyun; Chi, Peilian; Zhou, Qing; Hou, Xiangning

2017-01-01

Given the important role of family environment in children's psychological development, the objective of this study was to examine the linkages between family factors at the whole, dyadic, and individual levels and two dimensions (affective and behavioral) of Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) symptoms in Chinese children. Participants comprised of 80 father-child dyads and 169 mother-child dyads from families with ODD children. The results indicated that multilevel family factors were differently associated with children's affective and behavioral ODD symptoms. All the family factors at the dyadic and individual levels were significantly associated with child affective ODD symptoms. However, only the most proximal factors (parent-child relationship and child emotion regulation, which were directly related to child) were significantly related to child behavioral ODD symptoms. The present study extends the current knowledge regarding the relationships between family factors and two dimensions of child ODD symptoms by testing the comprehensive multilevel family factors model. This study also recommends that future interventions for ODD children should consider the multi-level family factors to enhance intervention efficacy. PMID:28713321

Effects of arsenic toxicity on morphological characters in blackgram (Vigna mungo L.) during early growth stage.

PubMed

Shamim, M Z; Pandey, A

2017-07-31

Blackgram is an important pulse crop of the tropic and sub-tropic area and has been identified as a potential crop in many countries. In the south-East Asia arsenic toxicity in soil and water is one of the most environmental problems. Crop productivity is highly affected by cultivation in arsenic polluted soil or irrigation through arsenic polluted water. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of arsenic (As) on fresh shoot length, fresh shoot weight, fresh root length, fresh shoot weight and total fresh biomass, The results indicate that root length is more affected than shoot length due to arsenic toxicity. The fresh shoot weight observed was more affected than fresh root weight. This study indicates that arsenic toxicity causes the deleterious effect on blackgram growth. The toxic effect of blackgram depends on the genotypic variability. Some blackgram genotypes show very less toxic effect of arsenic due to its genetic makeup. Experimental findings of study indicate that longer root length and more shoot weight in arsenic stress condition may be tolerant blackgram genotype to arsenic toxicity.

Recurrent Streptococcus agalactiae Toxic Shock Syndrome Triggered by a Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitor.

PubMed

Yoshida, Masataka; Takazono, Takahiro; Tashiro, Masato; Saijo, Tomomi; Morinaga, Yoshitomo; Yamamoto, Kazuko; Nakamura, Shigeki; Imamura, Yoshifumi; Miyazaki, Taiga; Sawai, Toyomitsu; Nishino, Tomoya; Izumikawa, Koichi; Yanagihara, Katsunori; Mukae, Hiroshi; Kohno, Shigeru

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by group B streptococcus (GBS) is a rare, but lethal disease. We experienced a 45-year-old woman with pustular psoriasis who developed toxic shock-like syndrome during infliximab treatment. Surprisingly, similar episodes recurred three times in one year with restarting of infliximab treatments. In the third episode, GBS were detected in blood, urine, and vaginal secretion cultures. These episodes of shock syndrome were possibly due to GBS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of recurrent streptococcal toxic shock syndrome possibly caused by GBS which was induced by anti-TNF-α inhibitor therapy. The restarting of biological agents in patients with a history of toxic shock syndrome should therefore be avoided as much as possible.

DNA Repair Alterations in Children With Pediatric Malignancies: Novel Opportunities to Identify Patients at Risk for High-Grade Toxicities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruebe, Claudia E., E-mail: claudia.ruebe@uks.e; Fricke, Andreas; Schneider, Ruth

Purpose: To evaluate, in a pilot study, the phosphorylated H2AX ({gamma}H2AX) foci approach for identifying patients with double-strand break (DSB) repair deficiencies, who may overreact to DNA-damaging cancer therapy. Methods and Materials: The DSB repair capacity of children with solid cancers was analyzed compared with that of age-matched control children and correlated with treatment-related normal-tissue responses (n = 47). Double-strand break repair was investigated by counting {gamma}H2AX foci in blood lymphocytes at defined time points after irradiation of blood samples. Results: Whereas all healthy control children exhibited proficient DSB repair, 3 children with tumors revealed clearly impaired DSB repair capacities,more » and 2 of these repair-deficient children developed life-threatening or even lethal normal-tissue toxicities. The underlying mutations affecting regulatory factors involved in DNA repair pathways were identified. Moreover, significant differences in mean DSB repair capacity were observed between children with tumors and control children, suggesting that childhood cancer is based on genetic alterations affecting DSB repair function. Conclusions: Double-strand break repair alteration in children may predispose to cancer formation and may affect children's susceptibility to normal-tissue toxicities. Phosphorylated H2AX analysis of blood samples allows one to detect DSB repair deficiencies and thus enables identification of children at risk for high-grade toxicities.« less

Factors affecting compliance with measles vaccination in Lao PDR.

PubMed

Phimmasane, Maniphet; Douangmala, Somthana; Koffi, Paulin; Reinharz, Daniel; Buisson, Yves

2010-09-24

In line with WHO objectives, the Lao Government is committed to eliminate measles by 2012. Yet from 1992 to 2007, the annual incidence of measles remained high while the vaccination coverage showed a wide diversity across provinces. A descriptive study was performed to determine factors affecting compliance with vaccination against measles, which included qualitative and quantitative components. The qualitative study used a convenience sample of 13 persons in charge of the vaccination program, consisting of officials from different levels of the health care structure and members of vaccination teams. The quantitative study performed on the target population consisted of a matched, case-control survey conducted on a stratified random sample of parents of children aged 9-23 months. Overall, 584 individuals (292 cases and 292 controls) were interviewed in the three provinces selected because of low vaccination coverage. On the provision of services side (supply), the main problems identified were a lack of vaccine supply and diluent, a difficulty in maintaining the cold chain, a lack of availability and competence among health workers, a lack of coordination and a limited capacity to assess needs and make coherent decisions. In the side of the consumer (demand), major obstacles identified were poor knowledge about measles immunization and difficulties in accessing vaccination centers because of distance and cost. In multivariate analysis, a low education level of the father was a factor of non-immunization while the factors of good compliance were high incomes, spacing of pregnancies, a feeling that children must be vaccinated, knowledge about immunization age, presenting oneself to the hospital rather than expecting the mobile vaccination teams and last, immunization of other family members or friends' children. The main factors affecting the compliance with vaccination against measles in Laos involve both the supply side and the demand side. Obtaining an effective

Factors affecting sexual life during pregnancy in eastern Turkey.

PubMed

Eryilmaz, Gülşen; Ege, Emel; Zincir, Handan

2004-01-01

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study aiming to determine the factors affecting sexual life in pregnant women. The study was carried out in 238 women in Malatya, Turkey. It was found that 61.4% regarded coitus as a risk during pregnancy, 31.9% did not have any knowledge about this matter. In 81.5% sexual life was affected during pregnancy. The mean frequency of intercourse was 2.02 +/- 0.7/week before pregnancy and decreased to 1.51 +/- 0.6/week during pregnancy. The reasons for this decline are: exhaustion and fatigue (64.3%); waning of sexual desire (55.9%); harmful to the fetus (49.2%); causing abortions in early pregnancy (45%), and inducing preterm labor (34%). There was a significant relationship between changes in sexual life during pregnancy and the duration of marriage (chi2=10.8, p<0.05), education level (chi2=18.1, p<0.05), parity (chi2=11.1, p<0.05), and gravidity (chi2=6.8, p<0.05). The variables such as age, employment status, and number of abortions did not affect sexual life during pregnancy. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel

Tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors in the treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis.

PubMed

Woolridge, Katelyn F; Boler, Patrick L; Lee, Brian D

2018-01-01

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a rare, life-threatening adverse drug reaction for which there is no standardized or consistently effective treatment. Due to a greater understanding of disease pathogenesis and the identification of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α as a mediator of keratinocyte death, TNF-α antagonists have been used in the treatment of TEN. Specifically, infliximab and etanercept have been shown to be effective at halting disease progression. The objective of this study is to review published case reports and case series using anti-TNF-α medications in the treatment of TEN. Results of many of the articles reviewed support the use of TNF-α inhibitors in TEN in both adult and pediatric populations; however, the risks caused by these potent immunosuppressants must be weighed, and if administered, patients must be closely monitored for infections. Additional studies are needed to further characterize the role of TNF-α inhibition in the treatment of TEN.

Fish embryo toxicity test: identification of compounds with weak toxicity and analysis of behavioral effects to improve prediction of acute toxicity for neurotoxic compounds.

PubMed

Klüver, Nils; König, Maria; Ortmann, Julia; Massei, Riccardo; Paschke, Albrecht; Kühne, Ralph; Scholz, Stefan

2015-06-02

acute toxicity test or application of assessment factors while considering the very good fish embryo-acute fish toxicity correlation for other compounds.

Factors Affecting Husband Participation in Antenatal Care Attendance and Delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumaseuw, R.; Berliana, S. M.; Nursalam, N.; Efendi, F.; Pradanie, R.; Rachmawati, P. D.; Aurizki, G. E.

2018-02-01

The government has implemented several programs to prevent and reduce a mother’s mortality rate by enhancing active role of the family. The most responsible family member on maintaining the pregnancy and delivery process is the husband. The husband must be active to take care of his wife. Active participation of the husband in accompanying his wife during pregnancy and the delivery process is one of the substantial factors, which helps the husband to take decisions related to the health of his wife. This study aimed to identify variables and its trends, which significantly affect a husband’s participation in accompanying his wife during pregnancy and the delivery process. The data used in this study was from an Indonesian Demographic Health Survey 2012. The study used binary logistic regression as the analysis method. The result showed as many as 8,237 husbands accompanied their wife in antenatal care and the delivery process. The significant variables affecting the husband participation are the age of the wife, the education of wife, the education of the husband, the occupational status of the wife and the husband, the number of children, pregnancy status, and residency region. The possibility for a husband to accompany his wife is larger in several factors, such as the wife being between the ages of 21 - 35 years old, a husband who minimally graduated from junior high school, a working husband, as well as a wife, and the number of children less than and equal to two and the expected pregnancy. The government should consider those factors to create policy related women’s health and integrate the factors into various sectors.

Determination of Prognostic Factors for Vaginal Mucosal Toxicity Associated With Intravaginal High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy in Patients With Endometrial Cancer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bahng, Agnes Y.; Dagan, Avner; Bruner, Deborah W.

2012-02-01

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the patient- and treatment-related prognostic factors associated with vaginal toxicity in patients who received intravaginal high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy alone as adjuvant treatment for endometrial cancer. Secondary goals of this study included a quantitative assessment of optimal dilator use frequency and a crude assessment of clinical predictors for compliant dilator use. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 100 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer who underwent total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without lymph node dissection and adjuvant intravaginal brachytherapy between 1995 and 2009 at themore » Hospital of University of Pennsylvania. The most common treatment regimen used was 21 Gy in three fractions (71 patients). Symptoms of vaginal mucosal toxicity were taken from the history and physical exams noted in the patients' charts and were graded according to the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events v. 4.02. Results: The incidence of Grade 1 or asymptomatic vaginal toxicity was 33% and Grade 2-3 or symptomatic vaginal toxicity was 14%. Multivariate analysis of age, active length, and dilator use two to three times a week revealed odds ratios of 0.93 (p = 0.013), 3.96 (p = 0.008), and 0.17 (p = 0.032) respectively. Conclusion: Increasing age, vaginal dilator use of at least two to three times a week, and shorter active length were found to be significantly associated with a decreased risk of vaginal stenosis. Future prospective studies are necessary to validate our findings.« less

Oral Chromium Exposure and Toxicity

PubMed Central

Sun, Hong; Brocato, Jason

2015-01-01

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known carcinogen when inhaled. However, inhalational exposure to Cr(VI) affects only a small portion of the population, mainly by occupational exposures. In contrast, oral exposure to Cr(VI) is widespread and affects many people throughout the globe. In 2008, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) released a 2-year study demonstrating that ingested Cr(VI) was carcinogenic in rats and mice. The effects of Cr(VI) oral exposure is mitigated by reduction in the gut, however a portion evades the reductive detoxification and reaches target tissues. Once Cr(VI) enters the cell, it ultimately gets reduced to Cr(III), which mediates its toxicity via induction of oxidative stress during the reduction while Cr intermediates react with protein and DNA. Cr(III) can form adducts with DNA that may lead to mutations. This review will discuss the potential adverse effects of oral exposure to Cr(VI) by presenting up-to-date human and animal studies, examining the underlying mechanisms that mediate Cr(VI) toxicity, as well as highlighting opportunities for future research. PMID:26231506

Milking performance evaluation and factors affecting milking claw vacuum levels with flow simulator.

PubMed

Enokidani, Masafumi; Kawai, Kazuhiro; Shinozuka, Yasunori; Watanabe, Aiko

2017-08-01

Milking performance of milking machines that matches the production capability of dairy cows is important in reducing the risk of mastitis, particularly in high-producing cows. This study used a simulated milking device to examine the milking performance of the milking system of 73 dairy farms and to analyze the factors affecting claw vacuum. Mean claw vacuum and range of fluctuation of claw vacuum (claw vacuum range) were measured at three different flow rates: 5.7, 7.6 and 8.7 kg/min. At the highest flow rate, only 16 farms (21.9%) met both standards of mean claw vacuum ≥35 kPa and claw vacuum range ≤ 7 kPa, showing that milking systems currently have poor milking performance. The factors affecting mean claw vacuum were claw type, milk-meter and vacuum shut-off device; the factor affecting claw vacuum range was claw type. Examination of the milking performance of the milking system using a simulated milking device allows an examination of the performance that can cope with high producing cows, indicating the possibility of reducing the risk of mastitis caused by inappropriate claw vacuum. © 2016 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Factors that Affect Emergent Literacy Development When Engaging with Electronic Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmon, Lynda G.

2014-01-01

This article reviews extant literature with the purpose of identifying factors that affect the potential efficacy of electronic books to support literacy development during early childhood. Selection criteria include experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies from peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 with a target population…

Toxic oil syndrome: the perspective after 20 years.

PubMed

Posada de la Paz, M; Philen, R M; Borda, A I

2001-01-01

Toxic oil syndrome burst upon the scene in Spain in May of 1981, draining the resources of a newly evolving political and social medicine system. The vehicle of the causative toxic agent was identified as an illicit oil that had been diverted from industrial use and refined in order to remove the aniline denaturant, and that was sold in unlabeled 5-liter containers by itinerant salesmen. Over 20,000 people were ultimately affected, and over 1,200 deaths from all causes have been recorded in the affected cohort. The epidemiologic investigation of toxic oil syndrome involved all facets of investigative and analytical work; from visits to factories and interviewing workers, to sophisticated chemical and statistical analytical techniques. This investigation serves as a further illustration that data and information of all types, and from a wide range of fields, need to be systematically collected and evaluated in order to best resolve an epidemiologic mystery. Astute clinical observation of the patients, however, led to the hypothesis that toxic oil syndrome was a result of a toxic exposure. In this and other epidemics of unknown etiology, clinical observation and the intense scrutiny of patients' histories, signs, and symptoms by treating clinicians have often led to hypotheses that could be tested epidemiologically. When there are medical unknowns, the role of the astute clinician continues to be crucial. The toxic oil syndrome epidemic is an example of how even a developed country can be affected by a massive epidemic of environmental origin if failures occur in the systems that control and regulate the food supply or other consumer products. However, such failures could occur anywhere that large commercial networks operate on the regulatory edge, and if these business lack an in depth knowledge of the consequences of alterations in manufacturing conditions. Such was the case with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome as well, when apparently minor alterations in

Motivating Factors that Affect Enrolment and Student Performance in an ODL Engineering Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dadigamuwa, P. R.; Senanayake, Samans

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to determine the motivating factors for enrolling in an engineering study programme in open and distance learning (ODL) and the factors that affect the students' performance. The study was conducted with two convenient samples of students following distance learning courses in engineering technology, conducted by…

A review of genetic, biological, pharmacological, and clinical factors that affect carbohydrate-deficient transferrin levels.

PubMed

Fleming, Michael F; Anton, Raymond F; Spies, Claudia D

2004-09-01

Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is an alcohol biomarker recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This test is increasingly being used to detect and monitor alcohol use in a variety of health care, legal, and industrial settings. The goal of this study is to review the genetic, biological, pharmacological, and clinical factors that may affect CDT levels. A review of the literature identified 95 research articles that met the authors' criteria and reported potential interactions of a variety of factors on percent and total CDT levels. The review established 12 categories of variables that may affect CDT levels. These categories include (1) alcohol use, (2) genetic factors, (3) race, (4) gender, (5) age, (6) liver disease, (7) iron levels, (8) tobacco use, (9) medication such as estrogen and anticonvulsants, (10) metabolic factors such as body mass index and total body water, (11) chronic medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, and (12) surgical patients. There is evidence that %CDT levels are affected by alcohol use, end-stage liver disease, and genetic variants. In addition to these three factors, total CDT levels (CDTect) are also affected by factors that raise transferrin levels such as iron deficiency, chronic illnesses, and menopausal status. Other potential factors such as tobacco and age appear to be confounded by alcohol use. The roles of female gender, low body mass index, chronic inflammatory diseases, and medication on CDT levels require further study. False negatives are associated with female gender, episodic lower level alcohol use, and acute trauma with blood loss. This review suggests that a number of factors are associated with false-positive CDTect and %CDT levels. CDT offers great promise to assist physicians in the care of patients to detect and monitor heavy alcohol use.

Geriatric Assessment and Tools for Predicting Treatment Toxicity in Older Adults With Cancer.

PubMed

Li, Daneng; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Hurria, Arti

Cancer is a disease of older adults, and the majority of new cancer cases and deaths occur in people 65 years or older. However, fewer data are available regarding the risks and benefits of cancer treatment in older adults, and commonly used assessments in oncology fail to adequately evaluate factors that affect treatment efficacy and outcomes in the older patients. The geriatric assessment is a multidisciplinary evaluation that provides detailed information about a patient's functional status, comorbidities, psychological state, social support, nutritional status, and cognitive function. Among older patients with cancer, geriatric assessment has been shown to identify patients at risk of poorer overall survival, and geriatric assessment-based tools are significantly more effective in predicting chemotherapy toxicity than other currently utilized measures. In this review, we summarize the components of the geriatric assessment and provide information about existing tools used to predict treatment toxicity in older patients with cancer.

Physiological and molecular analysis of the interaction between aluminium toxicity and drought stress in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhong-Bao; Eticha, Dejene; Albacete, Alfonso; Rao, Idupulapati Madhusudana; Roitsch, Thomas; Horst, Walter Johannes

2012-01-01

Aluminium (Al) toxicity and drought are two major factors limiting common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) production in the tropics. Short-term effects of Al toxicity and drought stress on root growth in acid, Al-toxic soil were studied, with special emphasis on Al–drought interaction in the root apex. Root elongation was inhibited by both Al and drought. Combined stresses resulted in a more severe inhibition of root elongation than either stress alone. This result was different from the alleviation of Al toxicity by osmotic stress (–0.60 MPa polyethylene glycol) in hydroponics. However, drought reduced the impact of Al on the root tip, as indicated by the reduction of Al-induced callose formation and MATE expression. Combined Al and drought stress enhanced up-regulation of ACCO expression and synthesis of zeatin riboside, reduced drought-enhanced abscisic acid (ABA) concentration, and expression of NCED involved in ABA biosynthesis and the transcription factors bZIP and MYB, thus affecting the regulation of ABA-dependent genes (SUS, PvLEA18, KS-DHN, and LTP) in root tips. The results provide circumstantial evidence that in soil, drought alleviates Al injury, but Al renders the root apex more drought-sensitive, particularly by impacting the gene regulatory network involved in ABA signal transduction and cross-talk with other phytohormones necessary for maintaining root growth under drought. PMID:22371077

Recurrent Streptococcus agalactiae Toxic Shock Syndrome Triggered by a Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitor

PubMed Central

Yoshida, Masataka; Takazono, Takahiro; Tashiro, Masato; Saijo, Tomomi; Morinaga, Yoshitomo; Yamamoto, Kazuko; Nakamura, Shigeki; Imamura, Yoshifumi; Miyazaki, Taiga; Sawai, Toyomitsu; Nishino, Tomoya; Izumikawa, Koichi; Yanagihara, Katsunori; Mukae, Hiroshi; Kohno, Shigeru

2016-01-01

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by group B streptococcus (GBS) is a rare, but lethal disease. We experienced a 45-year-old woman with pustular psoriasis who developed toxic shock-like syndrome during infliximab treatment. Surprisingly, similar episodes recurred three times in one year with restarting of infliximab treatments. In the third episode, GBS were detected in blood, urine, and vaginal secretion cultures. These episodes of shock syndrome were possibly due to GBS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of recurrent streptococcal toxic shock syndrome possibly caused by GBS which was induced by anti-TNF-α inhibitor therapy. The restarting of biological agents in patients with a history of toxic shock syndrome should therefore be avoided as much as possible. PMID:27803422

Governing factors affecting the impacts of silver nanoparticles on wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Zhang, Chiqian; Hu, Zhiqiang; Li, Ping; Gajaraj, Shashikanth

2016-12-01

Silver nanoparticles (nanosilver or AgNPs) enter municipal wastewater from various sources, raising concerns about their potential adverse effects on wastewater treatment processes. We argue that the biological effects of silver nanoparticles at environmentally realistic concentrations (μgL -1 or lower) on the performance of a full-scale municipal water resource recovery facility (WRRF) are minimal. Reactor configuration is a critical factor that reduces or even mutes the toxicity of silver nanoparticles towards wastewater microbes in a full-scale WRRF. Municipal sewage collection networks transform silver nanoparticles into silver(I)-complexes/precipitates with low ecotoxicity, and preliminary/primary treatment processes in front of biological treatment utilities partially remove silver nanoparticles to sludge. Microbial functional redundancy and microbial adaptability to silver nanoparticles also greatly alleviate the adverse effects of silver nanoparticles on the performance of a full-scale WRRF. Silver nanoparticles in a lab-scale bioreactor without a sewage collection system and/or a preliminary/primary treatment process, in contrast to being in a full scale system, may deteriorate the reactor performance at relatively high concentrations (e.g., mgL -1 levels or higher). However, in many cases, silver nanoparticles have minimal impacts on lab-scale bioreactors, such as sequencing batch bioreactors (SBRs), especially when at relatively low concentrations (e.g., less than 1mgL -1 ). The susceptibility of wastewater microbes to silver nanoparticles is species-specific. In general, silver nanoparticles have higher toxicity towards nitrifying bacteria than heterotrophic bacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Teachers' Adoption of Educational Computer Games: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kebritchi, Mansureh

2010-01-01

Even though computer games hold considerable potential for engaging and facilitating learning among today's children, the adoption of modern educational computer games is still meeting significant resistance in K-12 education. The purpose of this paper is to inform educators and instructional designers on factors affecting teachers' adoption of…

Factors Affecting Participation of Displaced Workers in Retraining: A Literature Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dean, Gary J.

This document offers a selected review of literature relevant to retraining displaced workers. A description of the economic conditions leading to the displacement of workers, the nature and scope of the displaced worker problem, and factors potentially affecting displaced workers' participation in adult education and training programs is…

Factors Affecting Student Retention in Online Courses: Overcoming This Critical Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaytan, Jorge

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine what a panel of 15 experts would identify as critical factors affecting student retention in online courses that will serve as implications for educational leaders to guide their student retention strategies, online organizational structures, institutional policies, and online instructional activities. A…

Factors Affecting Bachelor's Degree Completion among Black Males with Prior Attrition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews-Whetstone, Rayna; Scott, Joyce A.

2015-01-01

Black males lag behind their female counterparts in bachelor's degree completion. This study examined why Black males leave higher education, eventually return, and complete their degrees. Researchers are aware of some of the challenges that Black males encounter in higher education, but there is little information factors affecting successful…

Factors Affecting Career Choice among Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center