49 CFR 526.3 - Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to domestic fleet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... UNDER THE AUTOMOBILE FUEL EFFICIENCY ACT OF 1980 § 526.3 Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to... the plan and for each model type of automobile sought to be included by the submitter in its domestic...

49 CFR 526.3 - Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to domestic fleet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... UNDER THE AUTOMOBILE FUEL EFFICIENCY ACT OF 1980 § 526.3 Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to... the plan and for each model type of automobile sought to be included by the submitter in its domestic...

49 CFR 526.3 - Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to domestic fleet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... UNDER THE AUTOMOBILE FUEL EFFICIENCY ACT OF 1980 § 526.3 Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to... the plan and for each model type of automobile sought to be included by the submitter in its domestic...

Domestic solid fuel combustion in an adult population in Nigeria: A cross sectional analysis of association with respiratory symptoms, quality of life and lung function.

PubMed

Obaseki, Daniel O; Awopeju, Olayemi F; Awokola, Babatunde I; Adeniyi, Bamidele O; Adefuye, Bolanle O; Ozoh, Obianuju B; Isiguzo, Godsent C; Amusa, Ganiyu A; Adewole, Olufemi O; Erhabor, Gregory E

2017-09-01

We examined the association of respiratory symptoms, health status, and lung function with the use of solid fuel (wood, charcoal, coal or crop residue) for cooking or heating in a predominantly non-smoking population. Using the protocol of the Burden of Obstructive Lung Diseases (BOLD) initiative, we collected representative population data using questionnaires and spirometry tests. We categorized solid fuel use into 'never user', 'ex user' and 'current user' based on responses to the survey. We developed regression models to evaluate the relation between use of solid fuel and the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, quality of life and lung function adjusting for confounding variables. Out of 1147 respondents with complete information on domestic fuel type, 33% were 'never-users', 19% were 'ex-users' while 48% reported current use of solid fuel for domestic cooking and/or indoor heating. Compared with never-users, current solid fuel users were more likely to report cough (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.9), cough or phlegm (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0, 2.5) and the association was stronger among women (OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3, 7.1 and OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 5.2, respectively). Current solid fuel users also had lower mental health status (coefficient: ?1.5, 95% CI: ?2.8, - 0.2) compared with the group of never-users. Current or previous domestic use of solid fuels for cooking or heating was not associated with higher prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction (FEV 1 /FVC < LLN). Using solid fuel for domestic cooking or heating was associated with a higher risk of cough or phlegm and a lower mental quality of life. However we found no significant effect in the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction in Ife, Nigeria. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Access to Power: Governance and Development in the Pakistani Electrical Power Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naqvi, Ijlal

This dissertation explores governance in Pakistan through a study of the state-run electrical power sector. At both the micro and macro level, the Pakistani power sector provides a lens into the heart of the Pakistani state and its governance institutions. This ethnographic and historical study offers an in-depth look at state operations in a developing country, situates the current Pakistani power crisis in a larger context of continuity through periods of dictatorship and democracy, and suggests how efforts to make state service delivery more responsive to citizens might be reconceived. A historical review of the Pakistani power sector establishes first and foremost that the current crisis is the product of longer-term processes for which the policy solutions currently being proposed (with the support of international donors and multilateral lenders) are inadequate. Depoliticized attempts at power sector reform have little to offer in light of the pervasively informal and negotiated nature of the fragmented Pakistani state. The institutions of power sector governance are mutually constituted by the formal rules and the informal---personal relationships, language, violence, money, and power. These rules of the game are as relevant to relations within and between public sector organizations as they are to the engagement of citizens with their state. The same rules apply at the margins of the state---informal squatter settlements---as at the core, though the resources brought to bear and the resultant outcomes are different. The internal incoherence of this state underscores the limitations of formal rules in determining outcomes, and the poor prospects for reform efforts that focus exclusively on the formal aspects of governance. To proactively engage with the question of political will leads away from top-down policy perspectives and counter to the depoliticizing tendencies that currently shape policy reforms. Instead, an energized and informed local participation

Response of microbial community structure to pre-acclimation strategies in microbial fuel cells for domestic wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Park, Younghyun; Cho, Hyunwoo; Yu, Jaechul; Min, Booki; Kim, Hong Suck; Kim, Byung Goon; Lee, Taeho

2017-06-01

Microbial community structures and performance of air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) inoculated with activated sludge from domestic wastewater were investigated to evaluate the effects of three substrate pre-acclimation strategies: 1, serial pre-acclimation with acetate and glucose before supplying domestic wastewater; 2, one step pre-acclimation with acetate before supplying domestic wastewater; and 3, direct supply of domestic wastewater without any pre-acclimation. Strategy 1 showed much higher current generation (1.4mA) and Coulombic efficiency (33.5%) than strategies 2 (0.7mA and 9.4%) and 3 (0.9mA and 10.3%). Pyrosequencing showed that microbial communities were significantly affected by pre-acclimation strategy. Although Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum with all strategies, Actinobacteria was abundant when MFCs were pre-acclimated with glucose after acetate. Not only anode-respiring bacteria (ARB) in the genus Geobacter but also non-ARB belonging to the family Anaerolinaceae seemed to play important roles in air-cathode MFCs to produce electricity from domestic wastewater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supporting Pakistani and Chinese families with young children: perspectives of mothers and health visitors.

PubMed

Hogg, R; de Kok, B; Netto, G; Hanley, J; Haycock-Stuart, E

2015-05-01

In the UK, public health nurses (health visitors) provide support and advice to families with young children, including those from minority ethnic communities. While the need for cultural sensitivity is being increasingly recognized, the factors which contribute to this sensitivity are poorly understood. The Pakistani and Chinese communities constitute the two largest minority ethnic groups in Scotland. This study explored Pakistani and Chinese women's experience of motherhood and of the health visiting service and public health nurses' experiences of working with Chinese and Pakistani mothers. Semi-structured individual interviews were carried out with 16 Pakistani and 15 Chinese mothers. Eight health visitors took part in two focus groups. The study was undertaken in an urban area of Scotland. Data were analysed thematically. Chinese and Pakistani mothers negotiate complex processes in order to ensure that their children maintain their own ethnic identity while fitting in with their peers in their adopted country. Health visitors were seen as supportive, although sometimes advice and information given was culturally inappropriate, and their role was often poorly understood. Health visitors were anxious to be sensitive to families' religious and cultural beliefs. Cultural sensitivity is an important factor in providing appropriate advice and help to Pakistani and Chinese families, and involves health visitors in considering views and practices on parenting which may differ across cultures, including their own. Family characteristics need to be understood on an individual basis, rather than making assumptions about clients' cultural norms and lifestyles. This is best achieved by exploring with mothers if they understand the advice and information they are being offered and also if it is appropriate to their cultural and religious beliefs. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

CONSANGUINITY, GENETICS AND DEFINITIONS OF KINSHIP IN THE UK PAKISTANI POPULATION.

PubMed

Bittles, A H; Small, N A

2016-11-01

Consanguineous marriage is a controversial topic in many Western societies, with attention mainly focused on the health of immigrant communities from Asia and Africa. In the UK consanguinity is especially prevalent in the Pakistani community, which now numbers over 1.1 million. Less attention has been paid to the influence of hereditary population stratification within Pakistani communities, in particular biraderi (literally brotherhood) membership, which denotes male lineages that largely govern marriage partner choice and hence the transmission of disease genes. The various roles played by biraderi and their relationship to other socio-occupational and kinship terms, such as caste, quom and zat, are often overlooked in health-based studies. The interchangeable use of these different kinship terms without rigorous definition can create identity uncertainty and hinders inter-study comparisons. Where feasible, standardization of terminology would be both desirable and beneficial, with biraderi the preferred default term to identify specific social and genetic relationships within the Pakistani diaspora.

Patterns of domestic exposure to carbon monoxide and particulate matter in households using biomass fuel in Janakpur, Nepal.

PubMed

Bartington, S E; Bakolis, I; Devakumar, D; Kurmi, O P; Gulliver, J; Chaube, G; Manandhar, D S; Saville, N M; Costello, A; Osrin, D; Hansell, A L; Ayres, J G

2017-01-01

Household Air Pollution (HAP) from biomass cooking fuels is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in low-income settings worldwide. In Nepal the use of open stoves with solid biomass fuels is the primary method of domestic cooking. To assess patterns of domestic air pollution we performed continuous measurement of carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) in 12 biomass fuel households in Janakpur, Nepal. We measured kitchen PM 2.5 and CO concentrations at one-minute intervals for an approximately 48-h period using the TSI DustTrak II 8530/SidePak AM510 (TSI Inc, St. Paul MN, USA) or EL-USB-CO data logger (Lascar Electronics, Erie PA, USA) respectively. We also obtained information regarding fuel, stove and kitchen characteristics and cooking activity patterns. Household cooking was performed in two daily sessions (median total duration 4 h) with diurnal variability in pollutant concentrations reflecting morning and evening cooking sessions and peak concentrations associated with fire-lighting. We observed a strong linear relationship between PM 2.5 measurements obtained by co-located photometric and gravimetric monitoring devices, providing local calibration factors of 4.9 (DustTrak) and 2.7 (SidePak). Overall 48-h average CO and PM 2.5 concentrations were 5.4 (SD 4.3) ppm (12 households) and 417.6 (SD 686.4) μg/m 3 (8 households), respectively, with higher average concentrations associated with cooking and heating activities. Overall average PM 2.5 concentrations and peak 1-h CO concentrations exceeded WHO Indoor Air Quality Guidelines. Average hourly PM 2.5 and CO concentrations were moderately correlated (r = 0.52), suggesting that CO has limited utility as a proxy measure for PM 2.5 exposure assessment in this setting. Domestic indoor air quality levels associated with biomass fuel combustion in this region exceed WHO Indoor Air Quality standards and are in the hazardous range for human health. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by

British-Pakistani women's perspectives of diabetes self-management: the role of identity.

PubMed

Majeed-Ariss, Rabiya; Jackson, Cath; Knapp, Peter; Cheater, Francine M

2015-09-01

To explore the effects of type 2 diabetes on British-Pakistani women's identity and its relationship with self-management. Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent and has worse outcomes among some ethnic minority groups. This may be due to poorer self-management and an inadequate match of health services to patient needs. The influence that type 2 diabetes has on British-Pakistani women's identity and subsequent self-management has received limited attention. An explorative qualitative study. Face-to-face semi-structured English and Urdu language interviews were conducted with a purposively selected heterogeneous sample of 15 British-Pakistani women with type 2 diabetes. Transcripts were analysed thematically. Four themes emerged: Perceived change in self emphasised how British-Pakistani women underwent a conscious adaptation of identity following diagnosis; Familiarity with ill health reflected women's adjustment to their changed identity over time; Diagnosis improves social support enabled women to accept changes within themselves and Supporting family is a barrier to self-management demonstrated how family roles were an aspect of women's identities that was resilient to change. The over-arching theme Role re-alignment enables successful self-management encapsulated how self-management was a continuous process where achievements needed to be sustained. Inter-generational differences were also noted: first generation women talked about challenges associated with ageing and co-morbidities; second generation women talked about familial and work roles competing with self-management. The complex nature of British-Pakistani women's self-identification requires consideration when planning and delivering healthcare. Culturally competent practice should recognise how generational status influences self-identity and diabetes self-management in ethnically diverse women. Health professionals should remain mindful of effective self-management occurring alongside, and being

Emission characteristics for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from solid fuels burned in domestic stoves in rural China

PubMed Central

SHEN, Guofeng; TAO, Shu; Chen, Yuanchen; Zhang, Yanyan; Wei, Siye; Xue, Miao; Wang, Bin; WANG, Rong; LV, Yan; LI, Wei; SHEN, Huizhong; HUANG, Ye; CHEN, Han

2014-01-01

Emission characterization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from residential combustion of crop residues, woody material, coal, and biomass pellets in domestic stoves in rural China are compared in term of emission factors (EFs), influencing factors, composition profiles, isomer ratios and phase distributions. The EFs of PAHs vary by two orders of magnitude among fuel types suggesting that a detailed fuel categorization is useful in the development of an emission inventory and potential in emission abatement of PAHs by replacing dirty fuels with relatively cleaner ones. The influence of fuel moisture in biomass burning is non-linear. Biofuels with very low moisture display relatively high emissions as do fuels with very high moisture. Bituminous coals and brushwood yield relatively large fractions of high molecular PAHs. The emission factor of Benzo(a)pyrene equivalent quantity for raw bituminous coal is as high as 52 mg/kg, which is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than the other fuels. For source diagnosis, high molecular weight isomers are more informative than low molecular weight ones and multiple ratios could be used together whenever possible. PMID:24245776

Pakistani and Bangladeshi Young Men: Re-Racialization, Class and Masculinity within the Neo-Liberal School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mac an Ghaill, Mairtin; Haywood, Chris

2014-01-01

This article explores Pakistani and Bangladeshi young men's experiences of schooling to examine what inclusion/exclusion means to them. Qualitative research was undertaken with 48 Pakistani and Bangladeshi young men living in areas of the West Midlands, England. The young men highlighted three key areas: the emergence of a schooling regime…

In-field measurements of PCDD/F emissions from domestic heating appliances for solid fuels.

PubMed

Hübner, C; Boos, R; Prey, T

2005-01-01

Within this project the emissions into the atmosphere of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/F) of 30 domestic heating appliances in Austrian households were tested. The appliances were single stoves (kitchen stove, continuous burning stove and tiled stove) and central heating boilers for solid fuels up to a nominal heat input of 50 kW. A main objective of this survey was to determine the PCDD/F emissions of domestic heating units under routine conditions. Therefore, the habitual combustion conditions used by the operators were not influenced. The original fuels and lightning supports were used and the operation of the units was carried out by the householders according to their usual practice. The data obtained were used to calculate in-field PCDD/F-emission factors. Most of the appliances have shown PCDD/F emissions within a concentration range of 0.01-0.3 ng TEQ/MJ. Modern fan-assisted wood heating boilers with afterburning and units for continuously burning of wood chips and wood pellets had the lowest emissions. High emissions were caused by unsuitable heating habits such as combustion of wastes and inappropriate operation of the appliances. There were only small differences between single stoves and central heating boilers or between wood and coal-fired appliances. The emission factors calculated are higher than those cited in literature, which are mainly derived from trials on test stands under laboratory conditions.

Entrepreneurial Attributes among Postgraduate Students of a Pakistani University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Akhtar; Topping, Keith J.; Tariq, Riaz H.

2010-01-01

This paper explores entrepreneurial attributes among the students of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, a public sector Pakistani university. Multistage sampling was employed to maximize the representation. Five hundred and twenty one master's level students from thirty departments returned completed questionnaires. Three factors emerged: self…

Different sex ratios of children born to Indian and Pakistani immigrants in Norway

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A low female-to-male ratio has been observed in different Asian countries, but this phenomenon has not been well studied among immigrants living in Western societies. In this study, we investigated whether a low female-to-male ratio exists among Indian and Pakistani immigrants living in Norway. In particular, we investigated whether the determination of sex via ultrasound examination, a common obstetric procedure that has been used in Norway since the early 1980 s, has influenced the female-to-male ratio among children born to parents of Indian or Pakistani origin. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of live births in mothers of Indian (n = 1597) and Pakistani (n = 5617) origin. Data were obtained from "Statistics Norway" and the female-to-male (F/M) sex ratio was evaluated among 21,325 children born, in increasing birth order, during three stratified periods (i.e., 1969-1986, 1987-1996, and 1997-2005). Results A significant low female-to-male sex ratio was observed among children in the third and fourth birth order (sex ratio 65; 95% CI 51-80) from mothers of Indian origin who gave birth after 1987. Sex ratios did not deviate from the expected natural variation in the Indian cohort from 1969 to 1986, and remained stable in the Pakistani cohort during the entire study period. However, the female-to-male sex ratio seemed less skewed in recent years (i.e., 1997-2005). Conclusion Significant differences were observed in the sex ratio of children born to mothers of Indian origin compared with children born to mothers of Pakistani origin. A skewed number of female births among higher birth orders (i.e., third or later) may partly reflect an increase in sex-selective abortion among mothers of Indian origin, although the numbers are too small to draw firm conclusions. Further research is needed to explain the observed differences in the female-to-male ratio among members of these ethnic groups who reside in Norway. PMID:20682027

Pakistani women's use of mental health services and the role of social networks: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative research.

PubMed

Kapadia, Dharmi; Brooks, Helen Louise; Nazroo, James; Tranmer, Mark

2017-07-01

Pakistani women in the UK are an at-risk group with high levels of mental health problems, but low levels of mental health service use. However, the rates of service use for Pakistani women are unclear, partly because research with South Asian women has been incorrectly generalised to Pakistani women. Further, this research has been largely undertaken within an individualistic paradigm, with little consideration of patients' social networks, and how these may drive decisions to seek help. This systematic review aimed to clarify usage rates, and describe the nature of Pakistani women's social networks and how they may influence mental health service use. Ten journal databases (ASSIA, CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, HMIC, IBSS, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Abstracts, Social Science Citation Index and Sociological Abstracts) and six sources of grey literature were searched for studies published between 1960 and the end of March 2014. Twenty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Ten studies (quantitative) reported on inpatient or outpatient service use between ethnic groups. Seven studies (four quantitative, three qualitative) investigated the nature of social networks, and four studies (qualitative) commented on how social networks were involved in accessing mental health services. Pakistani women were less likely than white (British) women to use most specialist mental health services. No difference was found between Pakistani and white women for the consultation of general practitioners for mental health problems. Pakistani women's networks displayed high levels of stigmatising attitudes towards mental health problems and mental health services, which acted as a deterrent to seeking help. No studies were found which compared stigma in networks between Pakistani women and women of other ethnic groups. Pakistani women are at a considerable disadvantage in gaining access to and using statutory mental health services, compared with white women; this, in part, is due to

A prospective study of social difficulties, acculturation and persistent depression in Pakistani women living in the UK.

PubMed

Chaudhry, N; Husain, N; Tomenson, B; Creed, F

2012-06-01

The reasons for the high prevalence of depressive disorders in women of Pakistani origin living in the UK are not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance of life events, chronic social difficulties and acculturation in a population-based sample of British Pakistani women. A cross-sectional and prospective cohort study of 18- to 65-year-old Pakistani women in UK was carried out. The Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry for diagnosis, the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule for social stress and an acculturation questionnaire were used. Depressive disorder at baseline was associated with older age, social isolation and marked difficulties involving health and close relationships. Depressive disorder at follow-up was associated with severity of depression at baseline, difficulties in close relationships and two aspects of acculturation, especially less acculturation in relation to use of the English language. Lack of acculturation, especially less familiarity with the English language, is an independent predictor of persistence of depression in Pakistani women in UK. This needs to be taken into consideration when planning treatment, which also needs to address the personal difficulties associated with persistent depression. The implication of this work is that women of Pakistani origin with depression should be encouraged to receive help in the use of English as one part of treatment that may prevent relapse.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Hydrogen Basics

Science.gov Websites

; Incentives Hydrogen Basics Hydrogen (H2) is an alternative fuel that can be produced from diverse domestic for domestic production, its fast filling time, and the fuel cell's high efficiency. In fact, a fuel

Workplace Learning in Pakistani Schools: A Myth or Reality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nawab, Ali

2011-01-01

Purpose: Literature on workplace learning emphasizes that learning should be continually generated and negotiated in the workplace. How does this concept unfold in the developing context? This paper aims at understanding teachers' workplace learning and the conditions which influence such learning in a private school of Pakistani context.…

A Quantitative Study of Empathy in Pakistani Medical Students: A Multicentered Approach.

PubMed

Tariq, Nabia; Rasheed, Tariq; Tavakol, Mohsen

2017-10-01

To examine the empathy level of undergraduate medical students in Pakistan. Three hypotheses are developed based on the literature review. (1) Female medical students have a higher level of empathy than do male students. (2) Empathy scores vary during the medical school years in Pakistani students. (3) Medical students interested in people-oriented specialties would score higher than the students interested in technology-oriented specialties. This is a quantitative inquiry approach using a cross-sectional design of 1453 students from 8 Pakistani medical schools, both private and state. The sample consists of 41.1% (n = 597) male students and 58.9% (n = 856) female students. Empirical data are collected using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), a well-validated self-administered questionnaire. The mean empathy score among students is 4.77 with a standard deviation of 0.72. The results show that there is no statistically significant association between the empathy scores and gender, t(1342.36) = -0.053, P = .95). There is a statistically significant difference between the empathy scores and the years of medical school, F(14, 1448) = 4.95, P = .01. Concerning the specialty interests, there is no statistically significant difference between the empathy score and specialty interests. The findings of this study showed that in Western countries, medical students performed better than Pakistani medical students on the empathy scale. This finding has important implications for Pakistani medical educators to improve the interpersonal skills of medical students in the context of patient care. Inconsistent with our expectations and experiences, our findings do not support that female medical students scored better than their male counterparts on the empathy scale. Because of the nature of a cross-sectional study, it is impossible to argue the decline of empathy during medical school training.

Genetic analysis of prolactin gene in Pakistani cattle.

PubMed

Uddin, Raza Mohy; Babar, Masroor Ellahi; Nadeem, Asif; Hussain, Tanveer; Ahmad, Shakil; Munir, Sadia; Mehboob, Riffat; Ahmad, Fridoon Jawad

2013-10-01

Prolactin (PRL) is a polypeptide hormone, secreted mainly by the anterior pituitary gland. It is involved in many endocrine activities. The key functions of PRL are related to reproduction and lactation in mammals. To ascertain the presence of polymorphisms in the bovine PRL gene (bPRL), the bPRL gene was sequenced. Five mutations were identified in exonic region and eleven in associated intronic regions in 100 cattle from four Pakistani cattle breeds. Haplotype of predicted amino acid changes represent a common alteration at codon 222 from R-Arginine into K-Lysine in all four breeds. Significant statistical variations were observed in the distribution of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in various cattle populations. However, on basis of present study, an association of these SNPs with milk performance traits in four Pakistani cow breeds cannot be truly replicated but at least can be effective DNA markers for some of the breeds studied. Linkage analysis between these SNPs on larger populations can be useful for the association with milk production traits. Furthermore, present study may be used for marker-assisted selection and management in cattle breeding program in local cattle breeds.

The eye as a window to a rare disease: ectopia lentis and homocystinuria, a Pakistani perspective.

PubMed

Shafique, Maeirah; Muzaffar, Waqar; Ishaq, Mazhar

2016-02-01

Non-traumatic ectopia lentis has been associated with genetic diseases in a European population; however, no data are present in regards to this in a Pakistani demographic. In third world countries such as Pakistan, due to the lack of screening tests, this disease has the potential to remain undiagnosed till a later age, at which point the eye through the finding of ectopia lentis has potential to lead to the right diagnosis. Our purpose was to investigate Pakistani patients presenting with ectopia lentis who have underlying homocystinuria and establish a relationship between the two. Additionally, we elicited various systemic and ophthalmic features in these settings. Ten Pakistani patients presenting with decreased vision and ectopia lentis with concomitant homocystinuria were included in the study. Assessment of systemic and ophthalmic features was performed. All patients presented with visual deterioration. All 20 (100 %) eyes had ectopia lentis, of which, 15 (75 %) eyes had inferior subluxation, whereas five (25 %) eyes had anterior subluxation of the crystalline lens. Ectopia lentis and homocystinuria appear to have a strong correlation in Pakistani population. Ectopia lentis has the potential to serve as an important clue to its diagnosis, which may in turn lead to decreased morbidity if diagnosed in a timely fashion.

Identities in the third space? Solidity, elasticity and resilience amongst young British Pakistani Muslims.

PubMed

Mythen, Gabe

2012-09-01

Over the last decade the issue of identity has been prevalent in discussions about British Muslims, with the events of 9/11 serving as a touchstone for media debates about religious, national and cultural affiliations. The 7/7 terrorist attacks in the UK led to young British Pakistanis being subjected to intense public and institutional scrutiny and wider political concerns being expressed about the failure of multiculturalism. Young British Pakistanis have thus had to negotiate and maintain their identities in an environment in which they have been defined as a threat to national security whilst simultaneously being pressurized to align with 'core British values'. Within this context, we convey the findings of a qualitative study involving British Pakistanis living in the North-west of England. In presenting the experiences and perspectives of participants, three interconnected processes salient to the maintenance of identity are delineated: solidity, elasticity and resilience. Having unpacked these processes, we draw upon Bhabha's third space thesis to explore the political potentiality of and the limits to hybridic identities. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2012.

A comparison of antenatal classifications of 'overweight' and 'obesity' prevalence between white British, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi pregnant women in England; analysis of retrospective data.

PubMed

Garcia, Rebecca; Ali, Nasreen; Guppy, Andy; Griffiths, Malcolm; Randhawa, Gurch

2017-04-11

Maternal obesity increases women's risk of poor birth outcomes, and statistics show that Pakistani and Bangladeshi women (who are born or settled) in the UK experience higher rates of perinatal mortality and congenital anomalies than white British or white Other women. This study compares the prevalence of maternal obesity in Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British women using standard and Asian-specific BMI metrics. Retrospective cross-sectional analysis using routinely recorded secondary data in Ciconia Maternity information System (CMiS), between 2008 and 2013. Mothers (n = 15,205) whose ethnicity was recorded as white British, Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Indian. Adjusted standardised residuals and Pearson Chi-square. Percentage of mothers stratified by ethnicity (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British) who are classified as overweight or obese using standard and revised World Health Organisation BMI thresholds. Compared to standard BMI thresholds, using the revised BMI threshold resulted in a higher prevalence of obesity: 22.8% of Indian and 24.3% of Bangladeshi and 32.3% of Pakistani women. Pearson Chi-square confirmed that significantly more Pakistani women were classified as 'obese' compared with white British, Indian or Bangladeshi women (χ 2  = 499,88 df = 9, p < 0.001). There are differences in the prevalence of obese and overweight women stratified by maternal ethnicity of white British, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi. Using revised anthropometric measures in Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women has clinical implications for identifying risks associated with obesity and increased complications in pregnancy.

Differences between 9-11 year old British Pakistani and White British girls in physical activity and behavior during school recess.

PubMed

Pollard, Tessa M; Hornby-Turner, Yvonne C; Ghurbhurrun, Adarshini; Ridgers, Nicola D

2012-12-18

School recess provides an important opportunity for children to engage in physical activity. Previous studies indicate that children and adults of South Asian origin are less active than other ethnic groups in the United Kingdom, but have not investigated whether activity differs within the shared school environment. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that British Pakistani girls aged 9-11 years are less active during recess than White British girls. In Study One, the proportion of recess spent by 137 White British (N = 70) and British Pakistani (N = 67) girls in sedentary behavior, moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) and vigorous activity (VPA) was determined using accelerometry. In Study Two, 86 White British (N = 48) and British Pakistani (N = 38) girls were observed on the playground using the System for Observing Children's Activity and Relationships during Play (SOCARP). Accelerometry data were collected during observations to allow identification of activities contributing to objectively measured physical activity. Accelerometry data indicated that British Pakistani girls spent 2.2% (95% CI: 0.2, 4.3) less of their total recess time in MVPA and 1.3% (95% CI: 0.2, 2.4) less in VPA than White British girls. Direct observation showed that British Pakistani girls spent 12.0% (95% CI: 2.9, 21.1) less playground time being very active, and 12.3% (95% CI: 1.7, 23.0) less time playing games. Time spent being very active according to direct observation data correlated significantly with accelerometer-assessed time spent in MVPA and VPA, and time spent playing games correlated significantly with accelerometer-assessed time spent in VPA, suggesting that differences in behavior observed in Study Two may have contributed to the differences in time spent in MVPA and VPA in Study One. British Pakistani girls were less active than White British girls during school recess. Recess has been identified as a potentially important target for the delivery of

Psychosocial factors and distress: a comparison between ethnic Norwegians and ethnic Pakistanis in Oslo, Norway.

PubMed

Syed, Hammad Raza; Dalgard, Odd Steffen; Dalen, Ingvild; Claussen, Bjørgulf; Hussain, Akthar; Selmer, Randi; Ahlberg, Nora

2006-07-10

In the Norwegian context, higher mental distress has been reported for the non-Western immigrants compared to the ethnic Norwegians and Western immigrants. This high level of distress is often related to different socio-economic conditions in this group. No efforts have been made earlier to observe the impact of changed psychosocial conditions on the state of mental distress of these immigrant communities due to the migration process. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate the association between psychological distress and psychosocial factors among Pakistani immigrants and ethnic Norwegians in Oslo, and to investigate to what extent differences in mental health could be explained by psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions. Data was collected from questionnaires as a part of the Oslo Health Study 2000-2001. 13581 Norwegian born (attendance rate 46%) and 339 ethnic Pakistanis (attendance rate 38%) in the selected age groups participated. A 10-item version of Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) was used as a measure of psychological distress. Pakistanis reported less education and lower employment rate than Norwegians (p < 0.005). The Pakistani immigrants also reported higher distress, mean HSCL score 1.53(1.48-1.59), compared to the ethnic Norwegians, HSCL score 1.30(1.29-1.30). The groups differed significantly (p < 0.005) with respect to social support and feeling of powerlessness, the Pakistanis reporting less support and more powerlessness. The expected difference in mean distress was reduced from 0.23 (0.19-0.29) to 0.07 (0.01-0.12) and 0.12 (0.07-0.18) when adjusted for socioeconomic and social support variables respectively. Adjusting for all these variables simultaneously, the difference in the distress level between the two groups was eliminated Poor social support and economic conditions are important mediators of mental health among immigrants. The public health recommendations/interventions should deal with both the economic conditions

Psychosocial factors and distress: a comparison between ethnic Norwegians and ethnic Pakistanis in Oslo, Norway

PubMed Central

Syed, Hammad Raza; Dalgard, Odd Steffen; Dalen, Ingvild; Claussen, Bjørgulf; Hussain, Akthar; Selmer, Randi; Ahlberg, Nora

2006-01-01

Background In the Norwegian context, higher mental distress has been reported for the non-Western immigrants compared to the ethnic Norwegians and Western immigrants. This high level of distress is often related to different socio-economic conditions in this group. No efforts have been made earlier to observe the impact of changed psychosocial conditions on the state of mental distress of these immigrant communities due to the migration process. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate the association between psychological distress and psychosocial factors among Pakistani immigrants and ethnic Norwegians in Oslo, and to investigate to what extent differences in mental health could be explained by psychosocial and socioeconomic conditions. Method Data was collected from questionnaires as a part of the Oslo Health Study 2000–2001. 13581 Norwegian born (attendance rate 46%) and 339 ethnic Pakistanis (attendance rate 38%) in the selected age groups participated. A 10-item version of Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL) was used as a measure of psychological distress. Results Pakistanis reported less education and lower employment rate than Norwegians (p < 0.005). The Pakistani immigrants also reported higher distress, mean HSCL score 1.53(1.48–1.59), compared to the ethnic Norwegians, HSCL score 1.30(1.29–1.30). The groups differed significantly (p < 0.005) with respect to social support and feeling of powerlessness, the Pakistanis reporting less support and more powerlessness. The expected difference in mean distress was reduced from 0.23 (0.19–0.29) to 0.07 (0.01–0.12) and 0.12 (0.07–0.18) when adjusted for socioeconomic and social support variables respectively. Adjusting for all these variables simultaneously, the difference in the distress level between the two groups was eliminated Conclusion Poor social support and economic conditions are important mediators of mental health among immigrants. The public health recommendations

Domestic Options to Offshore Oil and Gas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kash, Don E.

1983-01-01

The continuing controversey over offshore oil/gas has given impetus to searching for domestic energy alternatives. The need for and types of several alternative sources are discussed. Indicates that the United States needs to pursue both offshore and other domestic liquid-fuel sources if it is to avoid becoming increasingly dependent on imports.…

Factors associated with the process of adaptation among Pakistani adolescent females living in United States.

PubMed

Khuwaja, Salma A; Selwyn, Beatrice J; Mgbere, Osaro; Khuwaja, Alam; Kapadia, Asha; McCurdy, Sheryl; Hsu, Chiehwen E

2013-04-01

This study explored post-migration experiences of recently migrated Pakistani Muslim adolescent females residing in the United States. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty Pakistani Muslim adolescent females between the ages of 15 and 18 years living with their families in Houston, Texas. Data obtained from the interviews were evaluated using discourse analysis to identify major reoccurring themes. Participants discussed factors associated with the process of adaptation to the American culture. The results revealed that the main factors associated with adaptation process included positive motivation for migration, family bonding, social support networks, inter-familial communication, aspiration of adolescents to learn other cultures, availability of English-as-second-language programs, participation in community rebuilding activities, and faith practices, English proficiency, peer pressure, and inter-generational conflicts. This study provided much needed information on factors associated with adaptation process of Pakistani Muslim adolescent females in the United States. The results have important implications for improving the adaptation process of this group and offer potential directions for intervention and counseling services.

Effect of fuels and domestic heating appliance types on emission factors of selected organic pollutants.

PubMed

Šyc, Michal; Horák, Jiří; Hopan, František; Krpec, Kamil; Tomšej, Tomáš; Ocelka, Tomáš; Pekárek, Vladimír

2011-11-01

This study reports on the first complex data set of emission factors (EFs) of selected pollutants from combustion of five fuel types (lignite, bituminous coal, spruce, beech, and maize) in six different domestic heating appliances of various combustion designs. The effect of fuel as well as the effect of boiler type was studied. In total, 46 combustion runs were performed, during which numerous EFs were measured, including the EFs of particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), hexachlorobenzene (HxCBz), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans (PCDD/F), etc. The highest EFs of nonchlorinated pollutants were measured for old-type boilers with over-fire and under-fire designs and with manual stoking and natural draft. Emissions of the above-mentioned pollutants from modern-type boilers (automatic, downdraft) were 10 times lower or more. The decisive factor for emission rate of nonchlorinated pollutants was the type of appliance; the type of fuel plays only a minor role. Emissions of chlorinated pollutants were proportional mainly to the chlorine content in fuel, but the type of appliance also influenced the rate of emissions significantly. Surprisingly, higher EFs of PCDD/F from combustion of chlorinated bituminous coal were observed for modern-type boilers (downdraft, automatic) than for old-type ones. On the other hand, when bituminous coal was burned, higher emissions of HxCBz were found for old-type boilers than for modern-type ones.

Evolution of systemic hypertension in Pakistani population.

PubMed

Aziz, Kalim Uddin

2015-04-01

The prevalence of essential hypertension is alarmingly increasing in Pakistani population inspite of the demographics being of lower BMI and nutrition. In this review, the possible factors responsible for this increase are identified by reviewing the population studies conducted in Pakistan. The prevalence rate is about 3 - 4% in childhood and steeply rises near the middle age. The factors peculiar to Pakistan were increased genetic susceptibility, environmental factors such as gender, females gender, urbanization, obesity and sedentary life styles particularly in middle age, cultural practices promoting sedentary life style in female.

49 CFR 526.3 - Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to domestic fleet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... value added), provide the following information: (1) A description of the model type, including engine type and displacement, transmission class, car line designation, and fuel economy; (2) The projected U... actions (e.g., change from imported engine to domestically manufactured engine) which will increase the...

49 CFR 526.3 - Transfer of vehicle from non-domestic to domestic fleet.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... value added), provide the following information: (1) A description of the model type, including engine type and displacement, transmission class, car line designation, and fuel economy; (2) The projected U... actions (e.g., change from imported engine to domestically manufactured engine) which will increase the...

Social gradients in health for Pakistani and White British women and infants in two UK birth cohorts.

PubMed

Uphoff, Eleonora P; Pickett, Kate E; Wright, John

2016-10-01

This study aims to examine social gradients in low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth, smoking during pregnancy and maternal health for women and infants of Pakistani origin and White British women and infants in the UK. The sample included women and singleton infants from the Born in Bradford (BiB) study (n = 8181) and the first sweep of the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) (n = 8980). Social gradients in health for four measures of socioeconomic status (SES): maternal education, means-tested benefits, financial situation, and occupation of the father were analysed in multivariate regression models adjusting for maternal age and parity. For White British mothers and infants in the MCS sample, social gradients in health were observed for at least three out of four measures of SES for each health outcome (p for trend <.01). Similar trends were found for White British mothers and infants in the BiB sample, although these were less likely to be significant. There were few associations between measures of SES and outcomes in the Pakistani samples. The strongest evidence of a social gradient in health for Pakistani women was demonstrated with the self-reported measure of financial situation, in relation to mental health (p for trend <.001 in both cohorts). This study describes a lack of social gradients in health for Pakistani women and infants and discusses potential explanations for this finding.

U.S.-Pakistani Nuclear Relations: A Strategic Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

nuclear   renaissance  at  a  time   when  the   Fukushima   disaster  has  cooled  the...together,  these  trends  have   triggered   U.S.-­‐Pakistani  debate  in  four  key  subject  areas:    (1)   nuclear ...academic  literature  on  South  Asia,  but  Track  II  gatherings  have  explored   several  

Distribution of HLA-DQA1 alleles in Arab and Pakistani individuals from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Tahir, M A; al Khayat, A Q; al Shamali, F; Budowle, B; Novick, G E

1997-03-14

PCR-based typing of the HLA-DQA1 locus, using allele specific oligonucleotide (ASO) probes and reverse dot blot methodology was used to determine allelic distributions and construct a database for Arab and Pakistani individuals living in Dubai. Genotype and allelic frequencies were calculated, and the data were tested for departures from Hardy-Weinberg (HWE) equilibrium. The most frequent HLA-DQA1 alleles among Dubaian Arabs are DQA1 4 and 1.2. Among Pakistanis, the most frequent allele is also DQA1 4. No significant deviations from HWE were detected.

Fuel cell systems program plan, FY 1990

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1989-10-01

A principal goal of the Office of Fossil Energy is to increase the utilization of domestic fuels in an environmentally benign manner, through the development and transfer to the private sector of advanced energy conversion technology. Successful efforts to achieve this goal contribute to the stability and reliability of reasonably priced energy supplies, enhance the competitiveness of domestic fuels and energy technologies in domestic and international markets, and contribute to the development of cost effective strategies for control of acid rain and global warming. Several advanced energy conversion technologies are now under development by DOE which can help to achieve these objectives. Fuel cells are among those technologies. This report briefly describes fuel cell technology and the program plan of U.S. DOE fuel cell program.

Social and cultural construction of obesity among Pakistani Muslim women in North West England.

PubMed

Ludwig, Alison F; Cox, Peter; Ellahi, Basma

2011-10-01

The present qualitative study explored health perceptions, diet and the social construction of obesity and how this relates to the initiation and maintenance of a healthier diet in UK Pakistani women. Pakistani women in Greater Manchester participated in focus group and one-to-one discussions. Semi-structured interviews employing fictional vignettes and body shape images were used to explore the participants' beliefs and practices regarding diet, overweight/obesity and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Transcripts were analysed using phenomenological and sociological approaches. Interviews took place either in local community and Pakistani resource centres or in private homes. First- and second-generation women who were both active in the community and housebound. The women spoke English and/or Urdu. The fifty-five participants lacked the motivation to address weight gain and were unsure how to do so. There was a limited awareness of the link between weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Other barriers included the influence of Islam, culture and familial expectations on home cooking, perceptions that weight gain is inevitable (owing to ageing, childbirth or divine predestination) and the prioritisation of family concerns over individual lifestyle changes. As the findings of the present research did not correspond to existing educational and behaviour change models, a new Health Action Transition conceptual model is proposed. Health education programmes that aim to address obesity and its associated risks in the South Asian community must take into account the complex beliefs and practices and the multiple dimensions of religion, ethnic and social identity within this population. The present study provides further insight into these factors and proposes a novel model for use in designing and implementing education interventions for British Pakistani women.

A Two-Stage Microbial Fuel Cell and Anaerobic Fluidized Bed Membrane Bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR) System for Effective Domestic Wastewater Treatment

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for energy-efficient domestic wastewater treatment, but the effluent quality has typically not been sufficient for discharge without further treatment. A two-stage laboratory-scale combined treatment process, consisting of microbial fuel cells and an anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR), was examined here to produce high quality effluent with minimal energy demands. The combined system was operated continuously for 50 days at room temperature (∼25 °C) with domestic wastewater having a total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) of 210 ± 11 mg/L. At a combined hydraulic retention time (HRT) for both processes of 9 h, the effluent tCOD was reduced to 16 ± 3 mg/L (92.5% removal), and there was nearly complete removal of total suspended solids (TSS; from 45 ± 10 mg/L to <1 mg/L). The AFMBR was operated at a constant high permeate flux of 16 L/m2/h over 50 days, without the need or use of any membrane cleaning or backwashing. Total electrical energy required for the operation of the MFC-AFMBR system was 0.0186 kWh/m3, which was slightly less than the electrical energy produced by the MFCs (0.0197 kWh/m3). The energy in the methane produced in the AFMBR was comparatively negligible (0.005 kWh/m3). These results show that a combined MFC-AFMBR system could be used to effectively treat domestic primary effluent at ambient temperatures, producing high effluent quality with low energy requirements. PMID:24568605

Influence of ionic conductivity in bioelectricity production from saline domestic sewage sludge in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, Rengasamy; Selvam, Ammayaippan; Cheng, Ka Yu; Wong, Jonathan Woon-Chung

2016-01-01

This study aimed at manipulating ionic conductivity (EC) to harvest the maximum electrical energy from seawater-based domestic wastewater sewage sludge (SWS), unique to only a few cities, through microbial fuel cell (MFC). SWS has never been investigated as a MFC substrate before, and thus the influence of high in-situ EC on the energy recovery was unknown. In this study, the EC of the SWS was reduced through mixing it with fresh water-based domestic wastewater sewage sludge (FWS) or diluted 50% using deionized water while FWS and SWS were individually served as reference treatments. SWS:FWS mix (1:1) exhibited a maximum Coulombic efficiency of 28.6±0.5% at a COD removal of 59±3% while the peak power density was 20-fold higher than FWS. The improved performance was due to the lower ohmic internal resistance (36.8±4.2Ω) and optimal conductivity (12.8±0.2mScm(-1)). Therefore, dilution with FWS could enhance energy recovery from SWS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Continuing Bonds in Bereaved Pakistani Muslims: Effects of Culture and Religion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suhail, Kausar; Jamil, Naila; Oyebode, Jan; Ajmal, Mohammad Asir

2011-01-01

This study explores the bereavement process and continuing bond in Pakistani Muslims with the focus on how culture and religion influence these processes. Ten participants were interviewed and their transcribed interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Three main domains were identified from the narratives expressed by the…

Comparison of general health status, myocardial infarction, obesity, diabetes, and fruit and vegetable intake between immigrant Pakistani population in the Netherlands and the local Amsterdam population.

PubMed

Raza, Qaisar; Nicolaou, Mary; Dijkshoorn, Henriëtte; Seidell, Jacob C

2017-12-01

South Asians living in Western countries have shown higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and related non-communicable diseases as compared to the local populations. The aim of this study was to compare the general health status and prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI), diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight, obesity, and fruit and vegetable intake between Pakistani immigrants in the Netherlands and local Amsterdam population. A health survey was conducted in 2012-2013 among Pakistanis in the Netherlands. Results were compared with a health survey conducted among inhabitants of Amsterdam in 2012. One hundred and fifty-four Pakistanis from four big cities of the Netherlands and 7218 inhabitants of Amsterdam participated. The data for Amsterdam population were weighed on the basis of age, gender, city district, marital status, ethnicity and income level while the data for Pakistanis were weighed on the basis of age and gender to make both data-sets representative of their general population. Pakistanis reported a high prevalence of MI (3.3%), diabetes (11.4%), high blood pressure (14.4%), overweight (35.5%) and obesity (18.5%) while Amsterdam population reported the prevalence as 2.5% for MI, 6.8% for diabetes, 15.3% for high blood pressure, 28.1% for overweight and 11.1% for obesity. Pakistanis had a significantly higher level of MI (OR = 2.71; 95% CI: 1.19-6.14), diabetes (OR = 4.41; 95% CI: 2.66-7.33) and obesity (OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.53-4.12) after controlling for age, sex and educational level with Amsterdam population as the reference group. Pakistanis showed a higher intake of fruit and fruit juice as compared to Amsterdam population though the latter showed a higher intake of cooked vegetables. Higher prevalence of MI, diabetes and obesity among Pakistanis than Amsterdam population indicates the need for health scientists and policy-makers to develop interventions for tackling non-communicable diseases and its determinants among

Alternative Fuels Data Center

Science.gov Websites

with gasoline; natural gas and liquid fuels domestically produced from natural gas; propane; coal -derived liquid fuels; hydrogen; electricity; pure biodiesel (B100); fuels, other than alcohol, derived

Polymorphism analysis of prion protein gene in 11 Pakistani goat breeds

PubMed Central

Hassan, Mohammad Farooque; Khan, Sher Hayat; Babar, Masroor Ellahi; Yang, Lifeng; Ali, Tariq; Khan, Jamal Muhammad; Shah, Syed Zahid Ali; Zhou, Xiangmei; Hussain, Tanveer; Zhu, Ting; Hussain, Tariq; Zhao, Deming

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The association between caprine PrP gene polymorphisms and its susceptibility to scrapie has been investigated in current years. As the ORF of the PrP gene is extremely erratic in different breeds of goats, we studied the PrP gene polymorphisms in 80 goats which belong to 11 Pakistani indigenous goat breeds from all provinces of Pakistan. A total of 6 distinct polymorphic sites (one novel) with amino acid substitutions were identified in the PrP gene which includes 126 (A -> G), 304 (G -> T), 379 (A -> G), 414 (C -> T), 428 (A -> G) and 718 (C -> T). The locus c.428 was found highly polymorphic in all breeds as compare to other loci. On the basis of these PrP variants NJ phylogenetic tree was constructed through MEGA6.1 which showed that all goat breeds along with domestic sheep and Mauflon sheep appeared as in one clade and sharing its most recent common ancestors (MRCA) with deer species while Protein analysis has shown that these polymorphisms can lead to varied primary, secondary and tertiary structure of protein. Based on these polymorphic variants, genetic distance, multidimensional scaling plot and principal component analyses revealed the clear picture regarding greater number of substitutions in cattle PrP regions as compared to the small ruminant species. In particular these findings may pinpoint the fundamental control over the scrapie in Capra hircus on genetic basis. PMID:27388702

Muslim Spirituality, Religious Coping, and Reactions to Terrorism Among Pakistani University Students.

PubMed

Khan, Ziasma Haneef; Watson, P J; Chen, Zhuo

2016-12-01

Pakistani Muslim university students (N = 207) displayed Personal Distress, Public Distress, and Personal Defeat Reactions to Terrorism. All three reactions predicted poorer mental health with Personal Defeat being especially disturbed in its adjustment implications. In line with the assumptions of coping theory, scores on the Negative Religious Coping Scale correlated positively with Personal Distress and with Personal Defeat. However, Positive Religious Coping, the spirituality of Muslim Experiential Religiousness, and the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Personal Religious Orientations exhibited positive rather than the expected negative linkages with Personal Distress and Public Distress. Muslim Experiential Religiousness moderated associations of Positive and Negative Religious Coping with Public Distress. When spirituality was high, these relationships were negative. When spirituality was low, they became positive. These data documented the negative impacts that terrorism can have on Pakistanis and suggested that Muslim religious commitments may have an important role to play in resisting those influences.

Gender Discrimination in Death Reportage: Reconnoitering Disparities through a Comparative Analysis of Male and Female Paid Obituaries of Pakistani English Newspapers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaudhry, Sajid M.; Christopher, Anne A.; Krishnasamy, Hariharan A/L N.

2014-01-01

The study examines the issue of gender discrimination in the post death scenario of obituarial discourse. It aims to identify the way Pakistani newspaper obituaries recognize and project males and females after their deaths. A total of 601 paid obituaries published in a year's time span in Pakistani English newspapers were evaluated for the…

Effect of gradual transition of substrate on performance of flat-panel air-cathode microbial fuel cells to treat domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Park, Younghyun; Park, Seonghwan; Nguyen, Van Khanh; Kim, Jung Rae; Kim, Hong Suck; Kim, Byung Goon; Yu, Jaecheul; Lee, Taeho

2017-02-01

In order to confirm the effects of the low conductivity and biodegradability of wastewater, flat-panel air-cathode microbial fuel cells (FA-MFCs) were operated by supplying substrates with different volume ratios of domestic wastewater mixed with an artificial medium: the artificial medium only, 25% wastewater, 50% wastewater, 75% wastewater, 100% of wastewater with 500mg-COD/L by adding acetate, and raw domestic wastewater (230mg-COD/L). With the increase of wastewater ratio, the maximum power density and organic removal efficiency decreased from 187 to 60W/m 3 and 51.5 to 37.4%, respectively, but the Coulombic efficiency was maintained in the range of 18.0-18.9%. The FA-MFCs could maintain their low internal resistances and overcome the decreasing conductivity. The acetate concentration was more important than the total organics for power production. This study suggests that the FA-MFC configuration has great applicability for practical applications when supplied by domestic wastewater with low conductivity and biodegradability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antitumour and antioxidant potential of some selected Pakistani honeys.

PubMed

Noor, Nadia; Sarfraz, Raja Adil; Ali, Shaukat; Shahid, Muhammad

2014-01-15

Antitumour potential of honey is attributed to its excellent antioxidant activity which in turn depends on the geographical origin. The present study focuses on exploration of antioxidant and antitumour potential as well as total phenolic contents (TPC) of 58 Pakistani honeys involving spectrochemical techniques and potato disk assay. Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used to induce tumours in potato disks. All analysed honey samples exhibited 1.33±0.00-155.16±0.98mg/100g of TPC, 50% 2,2-diphenyl picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition, ⩾7.36±0.43-39.86±2.34mg/100g qurecitin equivalent antioxidant contents, ⩾13.69±0.91-65.50±1.37mg/100g ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant contents, 64.65±0.43-1780.74±11.79mM ferric reducing antioxidant power and 60% peroxide inhibition. Antitumour activity observed for 43 natural and 10 commercial samples was ⩾20%. Two samples from Faisalabad region showed 87.50±5.50% and 79.00±5.56% antitumour activity which were reference standard. It was concluded that Pakistani honeys possessed excellent antioxidant and antitumour potential overall. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences between 9–11 year old British Pakistani and White British girls in physical activity and behavior during school recess

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background School recess provides an important opportunity for children to engage in physical activity. Previous studies indicate that children and adults of South Asian origin are less active than other ethnic groups in the United Kingdom, but have not investigated whether activity differs within the shared school environment. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that British Pakistani girls aged 9–11 years are less active during recess than White British girls. Methods In Study One, the proportion of recess spent by 137 White British (N = 70) and British Pakistani (N = 67) girls in sedentary behavior, moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) and vigorous activity (VPA) was determined using accelerometry. In Study Two, 86 White British (N = 48) and British Pakistani (N = 38) girls were observed on the playground using the System for Observing Children’s Activity and Relationships during Play (SOCARP). Accelerometry data were collected during observations to allow identification of activities contributing to objectively measured physical activity. Results Accelerometry data indicated that British Pakistani girls spent 2.2% (95% CI: 0.2, 4.3) less of their total recess time in MVPA and 1.3% (95% CI: 0.2, 2.4) less in VPA than White British girls. Direct observation showed that British Pakistani girls spent 12.0% (95% CI: 2.9, 21.1) less playground time being very active, and 12.3% (95% CI: 1.7, 23.0) less time playing games. Time spent being very active according to direct observation data correlated significantly with accelerometer-assessed time spent in MVPA and VPA, and time spent playing games correlated significantly with accelerometer-assessed time spent in VPA, suggesting that differences in behavior observed in Study Two may have contributed to the differences in time spent in MVPA and VPA in Study One. Conclusions British Pakistani girls were less active than White British girls during school recess. Recess has been identified as

Comparative Study of Suicide Potential among Pakistani and American Psychiatric Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farooqi, Yasmin Nilofer

2004-01-01

This study compared suicide potential and suicide attempts in 50 Pakistani and 50 American psychiatric patients all of whom reported a positive history of suicide attempts during the past 1-5 years. It further explored the role of nationality, gender, diagnosis, and marital status in respondents' potential for suicide and suicide attempts. The…

Molecular and clinical studies of X-linked deafness among Pakistani families.

PubMed

Waryah, Ali M; Ahmed, Zubair M; Bhinder, Munir A; Binder, Munir A; Choo, Daniel I; Sisk, Robert A; Shahzad, Mohsin; Khan, Shaheen N; Friedman, Thomas B; Riazuddin, Sheikh; Riazuddin, Saima

2011-07-01

There are 68 sex-linked syndromes that include hearing loss as one feature and five sex-linked nonsyndromic deafness loci listed in the OMIM database. The possibility of additional such sex-linked loci was explored by ascertaining three unrelated Pakistani families (PKDF536, PKDF1132 and PKDF740) segregating X-linked recessive deafness. Sequence analysis of POU3F4 (DFN3) in affected members of families PKDF536 and PKDF1132 revealed two novel nonsense mutations, p.Q136X and p.W114X, respectively. Family PKDF740 is segregating congenital blindness, mild-to-profound progressive hearing loss that is characteristic of Norrie disease (MIM#310600). Sequence analysis of NDP among affected members of this family revealed a novel single nucleotide deletion c.49delG causing a frameshift and premature truncation (p.V17fsX1) of the encoded protein. These mutations were not found in 150 normal DNA samples. Identification of pathogenic alleles causing X-linked recessive deafness will improve molecular diagnosis, genetic counseling and molecular epidemiology of hearing loss among Pakistanis.

Continuing bonds in bereaved Pakistani Muslims: effects of culture and religion.

PubMed

Suhail, Kausar; Jamil, Naila; Oyebode, Jan; Ajmal, Mohammad Asir

2011-01-01

This study explores the bereavement process and continuing bond in Pakistani Muslims with the focus on how culture and religion influence these processes. Ten participants were interviewed and their transcribed interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Three main domains were identified from the narratives expressed by the participants: death and the process of grieving, continuing the link with the deceased, and influencing agents. The findings indicated that Pakistani Muslims maintained their link with the deceased through cultural and religious rituals, such as performing prayers, reciting holy verses, talking and dreaming about the deceased, doing charity, visiting graves, and arranging communal gatherings. The prime purpose of many of these practices was the forgiveness of the deceased. Grief reactions seemed to be determined by the nature of death, prior relationships with the deceased, reaction of society and gender of the bereaved. Religion provided a strong basis for coping and adjustment of the bereaved, through rationalizing and accepting the death. This study has important implications for counselors and family therapists who can use religious affliations to reduce the impact of loss and complicated bereavement.

Molecular and Clinical Studies of X-linked Deafness Among Pakistani Families

PubMed Central

Waryah, Ali M.; Ahmed, Zubair M.; Choo, Daniel I.; Sisk, Robert A.; Binder, Munir A.; Shahzad, Mohsin; Khan, Shaheen N.; Friedman, Thomas B.; Riazuddin, Sheikh; Riazuddin, Saima

2011-01-01

There are 68 sex-linked syndromes that include hearing loss as one feature and five sex-linked nonsyndromic deafness loci listed in the OMIM database. The possibility of additional such sex-linked loci was explored by ascertaining three unrelated Pakistani families (PKDF536, PKDF1132, PKDF740) segregating X-linked recessive deafness. Sequence analysis of POU3F4 (DFN3) in affected members of families PKDF536 and PKDF1132 revealed two novel nonsense mutations, p.Q136X and p.W114X, respectively. Family PKDF740 is segregating congenital blindness, mild to profound progressive hearing loss that is characteristic of Norrie disease (MIM#310600). Sequence analysis of NDP among affected members of this family revealed a novel single nucleotide deletion c.49delG causing a frameshift and premature truncation (p.V17fsX1) of the encoded protein. These mutations were not found in 150 normal DNA samples. Identification of pathogenic alleles causing X-linked recessive deafness will improve molecular diagnosis, genetic counseling, and molecular epidemiology of hearing loss among Pakistanis. PMID:21633365

Classical and Bayesian Seismic Yield Estimation: The 1998 Indian and Pakistani Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumway, R. H.

2001-10-01

- The nuclear tests in May, 1998, in India and Pakistan have stimulated a renewed interest in yield estimation, based on limited data from uncalibrated test sites. We study here the problem of estimating yields using classical and Bayesian methods developed by Shumway (1992), utilizing calibration data from the Semipalatinsk test site and measured magnitudes for the 1998 Indian and Pakistani tests given by Murphy (1998). Calibration is done using multivariate classical or Bayesian linear regression, depending on the availability of measured magnitude-yield data and prior information. Confidence intervals for the classical approach are derived applying an extension of Fieller's method suggested by Brown (1982). In the case where prior information is available, the posterior predictive magnitude densities are inverted to give posterior intervals for yield. Intervals obtained using the joint distribution of magnitudes are comparable to the single-magnitude estimates produced by Murphy (1998) and reinforce the conclusion that the announced yields of the Indian and Pakistani tests were too high.

Classical and Bayesian Seismic Yield Estimation: The 1998 Indian and Pakistani Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumway, R. H.

The nuclear tests in May, 1998, in India and Pakistan have stimulated a renewed interest in yield estimation, based on limited data from uncalibrated test sites. We study here the problem of estimating yields using classical and Bayesian methods developed by Shumway (1992), utilizing calibration data from the Semipalatinsk test site and measured magnitudes for the 1998 Indian and Pakistani tests given by Murphy (1998). Calibration is done using multivariate classical or Bayesian linear regression, depending on the availability of measured magnitude-yield data and prior information. Confidence intervals for the classical approach are derived applying an extension of Fieller's method suggested by Brown (1982). In the case where prior information is available, the posterior predictive magnitude densities are inverted to give posterior intervals for yield. Intervals obtained using the joint distribution of magnitudes are comparable to the single-magnitude estimates produced by Murphy (1998) and reinforce the conclusion that the announced yields of the Indian and Pakistani tests were too high.

Body size perceptions among Pakistani women in Norway participating in a controlled trial to prevent deterioration of glucose tolerance.

PubMed

Hussain, Aysha; Bjørge, Benedikte; Hjellset, Victoria T; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Wandel, Margareta

2010-06-01

South Asians are prone to diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular diseases, which can be prevented by a diet leading to weight reduction. Body size perceptions may influence compliance to dietary advice. The objective was to study body size perceptions among Pakistani immigrant women in Norway, enrolled in a controlled trial to prevent deterioration of glucose tolerance by focussing on diet and physical activity. Participants (n=198) were 25-62 years of age, 79.8% had BMI > 25 and mean BMI was 29.6. Data were collected by questionnaire interviews with Punjabi/Urdu speaking interviewers, and body weight and height were measured. This article is based on baseline data. Stunkard's Figure Rating Scale was used. The scale consists of nine figures, representing women with different body shapes, from very thin (1-2) to very obese (6-9). The women were asked which body size they thought would connote health and wealth. A significantly smaller body size was related to health (mean 2.9) than to wealth (mean 3.3), p<0.01, and both were smaller than their self-rated own body size (mean 5.7), p<0.01. The women perceived that Pakistanis in Norway prefer women to have a smaller body size (mean 3.4) than people in Pakistan (mean 4.5), but larger than Norwegians (mean 2.5). A discrepancy score was calculated between self-rated own body size and perceived body size preference among Pakistanis in Norway. BMI was positively associated, and level of education negatively associated, with the discrepancy score. The women related body size numbers to BMI similarly to what has been described for US women. In conclusion, body size preferences among Pakistani women in this study were within the range of normal weight. However, there was a large discrepancy between own self-rated body size and the perceived ideal for Pakistanis in Norway.

Validation of the self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ 20) in British Pakistani and White European population in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Husain, Nusrat; Chaudhry, Nasim; Rhouma, Abdulhakim; Sumra, Altaf; Tomenson, Barbara; Waheed, Waquas

2016-01-01

The incidence of depression is difficult to determine because of low clinical depression detection rates in the primary care setting. This low level of detection is a significantly greater problem in people from ethnic minority communities. The availability of culturally validated screening questionnaires might help to improve the detection and treatment of depression. The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the self-reporting questionnaire SRQ 20, (English and Urdu versions) in white Europeans and British Pakistanis and to determine the optimum cut-off scores for detecting depression. Validation of the English and Urdu versions of the SRQ was conducted with a sample of white Europeans and British Pakistani participants. The semi-structured Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) was used as the gold standard diagnostic interview, and receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate SRQ test performance. The SRQ was completed by 1856 participants out of whom 651 completed the SCAN interview. The SRQ sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values versus SCAN indicated a cut-off score of 7 as optimum for white Europeans and a cut-off score of 6 for British Pakistanis. This study focused on depression alone and did not take into consideration comorbid conditions such as anxiety which might have affected the way respondents answered the questions and contributed to comparatively lower optimum cut-off scores in British Pakistanis. The findings of this validation study provide evidence for high sensitivity and specificity of SRQ amongst both white Europeans and British Pakistanis. The SRQ can be used as a routine screening questionnaire for depression in English and Urdu speaking populations in the UK. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Describing differences in weight and length growth trajectories between white and Pakistani infants in the UK: analysis of the Born in Bradford birth cohort study using multilevel linear spline models.

PubMed

Fairley, Lesley; Petherick, Emily S; Howe, Laura D; Tilling, Kate; Cameron, Noel; Lawlor, Debbie A; West, Jane; Wright, John

2013-04-01

To describe the growth pattern from birth to 2 years of UK-born white British and Pakistani infants. Birth cohort. Bradford, UK. 314 white British boys, 383 Pakistani boys, 328 white British girls and 409 Pakistani girls. Weight and length trajectories based on repeat measurements from birth to 2 years. Linear spline multilevel models for weight and length with knot points at 4 and 9 months fitted the data well. At birth Pakistani boys were 210 g lighter (95% CI -290 to -120) and 0.5 cm shorter (-1.04 to 0.02) and Pakistani girls were 180 g lighter (-260 to -100) and 0.5 cm shorter (-0.91 to -0.03) than white British boys and girls, respectively. Pakistani infants gained length faster than white British infants between 0 and 4 months (+0.3 cm/month (0.1 to 0.5) for boys and +0.4 cm/month (0.2 to 0.6) for girls) and gained more weight per month between 9 and 24 months (+10 g/month (0 to 30) for boys and +30 g/month (20 to 40) for girls). Adjustment for maternal height attenuated ethnic differences in weight and length at birth, but not in postnatal growth. Adjustment for other confounders did not explain differences in any outcomes. Pakistani infants were lighter and had shorter predicted mean length at birth than white British infants, but gained weight and length quicker in infancy. By age 2 years both ethnic groups had similar weight, but Pakistani infants were on average taller than white British infants.

Role of ICT in Shaping the Future of Pakistani Higher Education System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaikh, Zaffar Ahmed; Khoja, Shakeel Ahmed

2011-01-01

This study examined the challenges faced by the Pakistani higher education system (HES) in integrating information and communication technology (ICT); it aimed at understanding ICT needs, measuring the increase in ICT demand, determining the relationship between ICT and HES performance, and understanding how the HES copes with the challenges of…

A PSFI-based analysis on the energy efficiency potential of China’s domestic passenger vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chuan; Ren, Huanhuan; Zhao, Dongchang

2017-01-01

In this article, China’s domestic passenger vehicles (excluding new energy vehicles) are categorized into two groups: local brand vehicles and vehicles manufactured by joint ventures. Performance-Size-Fuel economy Index (PSFI) will be applied to analyse the speed of technical progress and the future trends of these vehicles. In addition, a forecast on energy efficiency potential of domestic passenger vehicles from 2016 to 2020 will be made based on different Emphasis on Reducing Fuel Consumption (ERFC) scenarios. According to the study, if the process of technical progress continues at its current speed, domestic ICE passenger vehicles will hardly meet Phase IV requirements by 2020 even though companies contribute as much technical progress to fuel consumption reduction as possible.

Drug Issues Affecting Chinese, Indian and Pakistani People Living in Greater Glasgow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, A. J.; Heim, D.; Bakshi, N.; Davies, J. B.; Flatley, K. J.; Hunter, S. C.

2004-01-01

This paper describes research on drug issues affecting Chinese, Indian and Pakistani people living in Greater Glasgow. There were two strands: (i) a questionnaire-based survey of young people and focus groups; (ii) interviews with young people and adults. The primary aims were to gather prevalence data and to investigate perceptions about current…

Epidemiology, major risk factors and genetic predisposition for breast cancer in the Pakistani population.

PubMed

Shaukat, Uzma; Ismail, Muhammad; Mehmood, Nasir

2013-01-01

Occurrence of breast cancer is related to genetic as well as cultural, environmental and life-style factors. Variations in diversity of these factors among different ethnic groups and geographical areas emphasize the immense need for studies in all racial-ethnic populations. The incidence of breast cancer in Pakistan is highest in Asians after Jews in Israel and 2.5 times higher than that in neighboring countries like Iran and India, accounting for 34.6% of female cancers. The Pakistani population is deficient in information regarding breast cancer etiology and epidemiology, but efforts done so far had suggested consanguinity as a major risk factor for frequent mutations leading to breast cancer and has also shed light on genetic origins in different ethnic groups within Pakistan. World-wide research efforts on different ethnicities have enhanced our understanding of genetic predisposition to breast cancer but despite these discoveries, 75% of the familial risk of breast cancer remains unexplained, highlighting the fact that the majority of breast cancer susceptibility genes remain unidentified. For this purpose Pakistani population provides a strong genetic pool to elucidate the genetic etiology of breast cancer because of cousin marriages. In this review, we describe the known breast cancer predisposition factors found in the local Pakistani population and the epidemiological research work done to emphasize the importance of exploring factors/variants contributing to breast cance, in order to prevent, cure and decrease its incidence in our country.

Pakistani English Newspaper Paid Obituary Announcements: A Descriptive Analysis of the Transliterated Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaudhry, Sajid M.; Christopher, Anne A.; Krishnasamy, Hariharan A/L N.

2016-01-01

The study, qualitative and descriptive in nature, examines the use of transliteration in the paid Pakistani obituary announcements authored in the English language. Primarily, it identifies the frequently used transliterated vocabulary in these linguistic messages and reconnoiters the functional relationship that emerges in and between the textual…

Neither Friend Nor Foe. The Possibility of Pakistani-Soviet Rapprochement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

vich either superpower. This study vas prepared from research msterial available at the Library of Congress. ifr OONTBNTS Page Pain AS PBOLOCU...Pakistani pursuit of a moderate pro-Western and pro-Chinese stance as long as Islamabad does not directly challenge Moscow’s position in the region. iv...Korea, and the insurgency in Malaysia , was an assertive US policy determined to stop the perceived Soviet propensity to meddle internationally. 3. These

Understanding the Influence of the Pakistani Government in South Asia

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

that, “Jinnah, virtually alone, became the exponent of constitution making along secular lines. His vision involved the blending of multiple traditions...Hindu nor Sikh, but citizens of an all-embracing secular state, had little meaning for the vast majority who were now expected to adapt the Pakistani...to maintain ties to the United States Ayub Kahn began to move towards friendlier relations with China, a move that the United States would view as

The Effects of Immigration and Media Influence on Body Image Among Pakistani Men

PubMed Central

Saghir, Sheeba; Hyland, Lynda

2017-01-01

This study examined the role of media influence and immigration on body image among Pakistani men. Attitudes toward the body were compared between those living in Pakistan (n = 56) and those who had immigrated to the United Arab Emirates (n = 58). Results of a factorial analysis of variance demonstrated a significant main effect of immigrant status. Pakistani men living in the United Arab Emirates displayed poorer body image than those in the Pakistan sample. Results also indicated a second main effect of media influence.Those highly influenced by the media displayed poorer body image. No interaction effect was observed between immigrant status and media influence on body image. These findings suggest that media influence and immigration are among important risk factors for the development of negative body image among non-Western men. Interventions designed to address the negative effects of the media and immigration may be effective at reducing body image disorders and other related health problems in this population. PMID:28625116

The Effects of Immigration and Media Influence on Body Image Among Pakistani Men.

PubMed

Saghir, Sheeba; Hyland, Lynda

2017-07-01

This study examined the role of media influence and immigration on body image among Pakistani men. Attitudes toward the body were compared between those living in Pakistan ( n = 56) and those who had immigrated to the United Arab Emirates ( n = 58). Results of a factorial analysis of variance demonstrated a significant main effect of immigrant status. Pakistani men living in the United Arab Emirates displayed poorer body image than those in the Pakistan sample. Results also indicated a second main effect of media influence.Those highly influenced by the media displayed poorer body image. No interaction effect was observed between immigrant status and media influence on body image. These findings suggest that media influence and immigration are among important risk factors for the development of negative body image among non-Western men. Interventions designed to address the negative effects of the media and immigration may be effective at reducing body image disorders and other related health problems in this population.

Health-Related Quality of Life, Subjective Health Complaints, Psychological Distress and Coping in Pakistani Immigrant Women With and Without the Metabolic Syndrome : The InnvaDiab-DEPLAN Study on Pakistani Immigrant Women Living in Oslo, Norway.

PubMed

Hjellset, Victoria Telle; Ihlebæk, Camilla M; Bjørge, Benedikte; Eriksen, Hege R; Høstmark, Arne T

2011-08-01

The increasingly high number of immigrants from South-East Asia with The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is an important challenge for the public health sector. Impaired glucose is essential in MetS. The blood glucose concentration is not only governed by diet and physical activity, but also by psychological distress which could contribute to the development of MetS. The aim of this study is to describe health-related quality of life, subjective health complaints (SHC), psychological distress, and coping in Pakistani immigrant women, with and without MetS. As a part of an randomized controlled intervention study in Oslo, Norway, female Pakistani immigrants (n = 198) answered questionnaires regarding health related quality of life, SHC, psychological distress, and coping. Blood variables were determined and a standardized oral glucose tolerance test was performed. The participants had a high score on SHC and psychological distress. About 40% of the participants had MetS, and this group showed significantly lower general health, lower physical function, and more bodily pain, than those without MetS. Those with MetS also had more SHC, depressive symptoms, higher levels of somatisation, and scored significantly lower on the coping strategy of active problem solving. Pakistani immigrant women seem to have a high prevalence of SHC and psychological distress, especially those with MetS.

A winter survey of domestic heating among elderly patients.

PubMed Central

Morgan, R; Blair, A; King, D

1996-01-01

Elderly people have a greater need for domestic heating given the time they spend at home and the decline in the body thermoregulation that occurs with ageing. The use of domestic heating by 200 mentally competent newly admitted elderly in patients was evaluated by means of a questionnaire survey. Most patients (69%) were aware of the addition of value added tax (VAT) to their fuel bill and 31% said they had reduced the amount of heating they use because of this. A third of patients (29.5%) said they had difficulty keeping warm prior to this admission. The majority of patients said they could not manage to keep warm in the winter without financial hardship. In addition, 29% said they had reduced the amount spent on food in order to pay for fuel bills. This study suggests that cold may contribute to hospital admissions in elderly patients. This should have implications for government spending and taxation policy on domestic heating. PMID:8683507

A winter survey of domestic heating among elderly patients.

PubMed

Morgan, R; Blair, A; King, D

1996-02-01

Elderly people have a greater need for domestic heating given the time they spend at home and the decline in the body thermoregulation that occurs with ageing. The use of domestic heating by 200 mentally competent newly admitted elderly in patients was evaluated by means of a questionnaire survey. Most patients (69%) were aware of the addition of value added tax (VAT) to their fuel bill and 31% said they had reduced the amount of heating they use because of this. A third of patients (29.5%) said they had difficulty keeping warm prior to this admission. The majority of patients said they could not manage to keep warm in the winter without financial hardship. In addition, 29% said they had reduced the amount spent on food in order to pay for fuel bills. This study suggests that cold may contribute to hospital admissions in elderly patients. This should have implications for government spending and taxation policy on domestic heating.

Mandated fuel economy standards as a strategy for improving motor vehicle fuel economy.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-10-19

The major domestic motor vehicle manufacturers have projected that their new car fleet average fuel economy will meet the federal mandated fuel economy standard for 1985, of 27.5 miles per gallon. Assuming that these projections hold true, in one dec...

Clinical Presentation of Ulcerative Colitis in Pakistani Adults.

PubMed

Qureshi, Mustafa; Abbas, Zaigham

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the clinical presentation and severity of ulcerative colitis (UC) in Pakistani adult patients. An observational study. Data were obtained by reviewing the medical records of patients who visited a gastroenterology clinic between 2008 and 2012. There were 54 patients diagnosed as UC. The male to female ratio was 1:1. Mean age at diagnosis of UC was 38.7 ± 11.8 years (median 36.5, range 18-64). The predominant presenting symptoms were mucus diarrhea in 49 (90.7%), gross blood in stools in 42 (77.8%), abdominal pain or cramps in 40 (74.1%) and weight loss in 15 (27.7%). Left-sided colitis was present in 23 (42.6%), pancolitis in 15 (27.8%), extensive colitis in 11 (20.4%), and proctitis in five (9.2%). The severity of UC as judged by the Mayo scoring system showed that 68.5% were suffering from moderate to severe disease while 31.5% had mild disease. The extra-intestinal manifestation were found only in seven patients; arthritis in five patients and anterior uveitis in two patients. The arthritis was unilateral and the sites were knee joint in three patients and sacroiliac joint in two patients. Ulcerative colitis presents in our adult patients may present at any age with no gender preponderance. The disease severity is moderate to severe in the majority of patients and more than half of them have left-sided colitis or pancolitis at the time of presentation. Extraintestinal manifestations were not common. Qureshi M, Abbas Z. Clinical Presentation of Ulcerative Colitis in Pakistani Adults. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2015;5(2):127-130.

Development of Growth Charts of Pakistani Children Aged 4-15 Years Using Quantile Regression: A Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Khan, Nazeer; Siddiqui, Junaid S; Baig-Ansari, Naila

2018-01-01

Background Growth charts are essential tools used by pediatricians as well as public health researchers in assessing and monitoring the well-being of pediatric populations. Development of these growth charts, especially for children above five years of age, is challenging and requires current anthropometric data and advanced statistical analysis. These growth charts are generally presented as a series of smooth centile curves. A number of modeling approaches are available for generating growth charts and applying these on national datasets is important for generating country-specific reference growth charts. Objective To demonstrate that quantile regression (QR) as a viable statistical approach to construct growth reference charts and to assess the applicability of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 growth standards to a large Pakistani population of school-going children. Methodology This is a secondary data analysis using anthropometric data of 9,515 students from a Pakistani survey conducted between 2007 and 2014 in four cities of Pakistan. Growth reference charts were created using QR as well as the LMS (Box-Cox transformation (L), the median (M), and the generalized coefficient of variation (S)) method and then compared with WHO 2007 growth standards. Results Centile values estimated by the LMS method and QR procedure had few differences. The centile values attained from QR procedure of BMI-for-age, weight-for-age, and height-for-age of Pakistani children were lower than the standard WHO 2007 centile. Conclusion QR should be considered as an alternative method to develop growth charts for its simplicity and lack of necessity to transform data. WHO 2007 standards are not suitable for Pakistani children. PMID:29632748

Development of Growth Charts of Pakistani Children Aged 4-15 Years Using Quantile Regression: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Iftikhar, Sundus; Khan, Nazeer; Siddiqui, Junaid S; Baig-Ansari, Naila

2018-02-02

Background Growth charts are essential tools used by pediatricians as well as public health researchers in assessing and monitoring the well-being of pediatric populations. Development of these growth charts, especially for children above five years of age, is challenging and requires current anthropometric data and advanced statistical analysis. These growth charts are generally presented as a series of smooth centile curves. A number of modeling approaches are available for generating growth charts and applying these on national datasets is important for generating country-specific reference growth charts. Objective To demonstrate that quantile regression (QR) as a viable statistical approach to construct growth reference charts and to assess the applicability of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2007 growth standards to a large Pakistani population of school-going children. Methodology This is a secondary data analysis using anthropometric data of 9,515 students from a Pakistani survey conducted between 2007 and 2014 in four cities of Pakistan. Growth reference charts were created using QR as well as the LMS (Box-Cox transformation (L), the median (M), and the generalized coefficient of variation (S)) method and then compared with WHO 2007 growth standards. Results Centile values estimated by the LMS method and QR procedure had few differences. The centile values attained from QR procedure of BMI-for-age, weight-for-age, and height-for-age of Pakistani children were lower than the standard WHO 2007 centile. Conclusion QR should be considered as an alternative method to develop growth charts for its simplicity and lack of necessity to transform data. WHO 2007 standards are not suitable for Pakistani children.

Women's personal and indoor exposures to PM 2.5 in Mysore, India: Impact of domestic fuel usage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andresen, Penny Rechkemmer; Ramachandran, Gurumurthy; Pai, Pramod; Maynard, Andrew

In traditional societies, women are more likely to be adversely affected by exposures to fine particulates from domestic fuel combustion due to their role in the family as the primary cooks. In this study, 24-h gravimetric personal and indoor PM 2.5 exposures were measured for 15 women using kerosene and another 15 women using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as their main cooking fuel in Mysore, India. The women also answered a detailed questionnaire regarding their residential housing characteristics, health status, cooking practices and socioeconomic status. Repeated measurements were obtained during two seasons. The main objective of this study was to determine whether exposures to PM 2.5 differed according to fuel usage patterns. A repeated-measures general linear model (GLM) was used to analyze the data. Women using kerosene as their primary cooking fuel had significantly higher exposures. During summer, the arithmetic mean (± standard error) for kerosene users personal exposure was 111±13 and 71±15 μg m -3 for LPG users. Kerosene users had higher exposures in winter (177±21 μg m -3) compared to summer exposures. However, for LPG users there was no difference in their seasonal geometric mean exposures at 71±13 μg m -3. Indoor concentrations followed similar patterns. In summer, kerosene-using households had an arithmetic mean concentration of 98±9 μg m -3 and LPG-using households had an arithmetic mean concentration of 71±9 μg m -3. Winter concentrations were significantly higher than summer concentrations for kerosene users (155±13 μg m -3). Again, LPG users showed only slightly higher indoor concentrations (73±6 μg m -3) than kerosene users. Socioeconomic status, age, season and income were significant predictors of cooking fuel choice.

Pakistani Children in Sheffield and Their Perception and Use of Public Open Spaces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolley, Helen; ul Amin, Noor

1995-01-01

Examines urban public open spaces used by Pakistani children in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Results reveal that most children visit open spaces on a daily or weekly basis and that parks and playgrounds are preferred. Lists activities engaged in by the majority of children as well as reasons for not undertaking activities. (AIM)

Attitudes of Pakistani Medical Students Towards Psychiatry as a Prospective Career: A Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Syed, Ehsan Ullah; Siddiqi, Mohammad Naim; Dogar, Imtiaz; Hamrani, Mohammad Munir; Yousafzai, Abdul Wahab; Zuberi, Saman

2008-01-01

Objective: Pakistan is facing a shortage of psychiatrists; there are about 350 psychiatrists in a country of 150 million. Medical specialty choice surveys of medical students have approached this issue from various angles. The authors' objective is to explore the attitudes of Pakistani medical students toward psychiatry as their future career.…

Working of Ideology in the TV Commercials of Cold Drinks in Pakistani Media

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Madiha; Ahmad, Sofia; Ijaz, Nida; Batool, Sumera; Abid, Maratab

2015-01-01

The article aims at the analysis of the TV commercials of three carbonated cold drinks from Pakistani media. The analysis will be carried out using the three dimensional framework presented by Fairclough. Through the analysis, the ideological framing of the commercials will be brought to light. To achieve this purpose different techniques used by…

Developing a Research Instrument to Document Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes Regarding Breast Cancer and Early Detection Techniques for Pakistani Women: The Breast Cancer Inventory (BCI).

PubMed

Naqvi, Atta Abbas; Zehra, Fatima; Ahmad, Rizwan; Ahmad, Niyaz

2016-12-09

There is a general hesitation in participation among Pakistani women when it comes to giving their responses in surveys related to breast cancer which may be due to the associated stigma and conservatism in society. We felt that no research instrument was able to extract information from the respondents to the extent it was needed for the successful execution of our study. The need to develop a research instrument tailored for Pakistani women was based upon the fact that most Pakistani women come from a conservative background and sometimes view this topic as provocative and believe discussing publicly about it as inappropriate. Existing research instruments exhibited a number of weaknesses during literature review. Therefore, using them may not be able to extract information concretely. A research instrument was, thus, developed exclusively. It was coined as, "breast cancer inventory (BCI)" by a panel of experts for executing a study aimed at documenting awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of Pakistani women regarding breast cancer and early detection techniques. The study is still in the data collection phase. The statistical analysis involved the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett's test for sampling adequacy. In addition, reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were, also employed. This concept paper focuses on the development, piloting and validation of the BCI. It is the first research instrument which has high acceptability among Pakistani women and is able to extract adequate information from the respondents without causing embarrassment or unease.

A Generational Arc: Early Literacy Practices among Pakistani and Indian Heritage Language Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Sabine

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the attitudes towards reading in the home, handed down through the generations and experienced by the young children in four families of Pakistani and Indian origin. The children's families originally arrived in the UK in the 1960s, and this paper unpicks the stories and attitudinal changes in relation to both English and the…

Promoting smoking cessation in Pakistani and Bangladeshi men in the UK: pilot cluster randomised controlled trial of trained community outreach workers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Smoking prevalence is high among Pakistani and Bangladeshi men in the UK, but there are few tailored smoking cessation programmes for Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. The aim of this study was to pilot a cluster randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness of Pakistani and Bangladeshi smoking cessation outreach workers with standard care to improve access to and the success of English smoking cessation services. Methods A pilot cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in Birmingham, UK. Geographical lower layer super output areas were used to identify natural communities where more than 10% of the population were of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin. 16 agglomerations of super output areas were randomised to normal care controls vs. outreach intervention. The number of people setting quit dates using NHS services, validated abstinence from smoking at four weeks, and stated abstinence at three and six months were assessed. The impact of the intervention on choice and adherence to treatments, attendance at clinic appointments and patient satisfaction were also assessed. Results We were able to randomise geographical areas and deliver the outreach worker-based services. More Pakistani and Bangladeshi men made quit attempts with NHS services in intervention areas compared with control areas, rate ratio (RR) 1.32 (95%CI: 1.03-1.69). There was a small increase in the number of 4-week abstinent smokers in intervention areas (RR 1.30, 95%CI: 0.82-2.06). The proportion of service users attending weekly appointments was lower in intervention areas than control areas. No difference was found between intervention and control areas in choice and adherence to treatments or patient satisfaction with the service. The total cost of the intervention was £124,000; an estimated cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained of £8,500. Conclusions The intervention proved feasible and acceptable. Outreach workers expanded reach of smoking

Improving domestic wastewater treatment efficiency with constructed wetland microbial fuel cells: Influence of anode material and external resistance.

PubMed

Corbella, Clara; Puigagut, Jaume

2018-08-01

For the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the operation of constructed wetlands as microbial fuel cells (CW-MFCs) for both the improvement of wastewater treatment efficiency and the production of energy. However, there is still scarce information on design and operation aspects to maximize CW-MFCs efficiency, especially for the treatment of real domestic wastewater. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent of treatment efficiency improvement carried out by membrane-less MFCs simulating a core of a shallow un-planted horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland. The influence of the external resistance (50, 220, 402, 604 and 1000Ω) and the anode material (graphite and gravel) on treatment efficiency improvement were addressed. To this purpose, 6 lab-scale membrane-less MFCs were set-up and loaded in batch mode with domestic wastewater for 13weeks. Results showed that 220Ω was the best operation condition for maximising MFCs treatment efficiency, regardless the anode material employed. Gravel-based anode MFCs operated at closed circuit showed ca. 18%, 15%, 31% and 25% lower effluent concentration than unconnected MFCs to the COD, TOC, PO 4 -3 and NH 4 + -N, respectively. Main conclusion of the present work is that constructed wetlands operated as MFCs is a promising strategy to improve domestic wastewater treatment efficiency. However, further studies at pilot scale under more realistic conditions (such as planted systems operated under continuous mode) shall be performed to confirm the findings here reported. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring British Pakistani Mothers' Perception of Their Child with Disability: Insights from a UK Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizvi, Sana

2017-01-01

This research lends insight into disabling discourses on South Asian families of children with disabilities. It explores immigrant Pakistani maternal understanding of their children's disability, uniquely through an educational perspective, highlighting maternal roles which schools must acknowledge to improve outcomes for children. The findings of…

Domestic abuse and the duties of physicians: a case report.

PubMed

Hossain, Nazli; Khan, Sharmeen

2015-01-01

Domestic violence against women is a global issue. An earlier report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA, reported that injury caused by domestic violence was the second most common cause of death during pregnancy and in the postpartum period (1). The pregnancy-associated homicide ratio was found to be 1.7 per 100,000 deliveries and firearms were identified as the main source of injury. Domestic violence is more common in developing countries than in the developed world, and rural areas are worse affected than urban ones. The risk factors associated with intimate partner violence include husbands being unemloyed, belonging to a lower socioeconomic group, poor educational status, and alcohol and substance abuse. In a hospital-based study of 500 women, around 12.6% reported physical abuse by their spouses in index pregnancy (2). In another hospital-based study in which women were interviewed during the postpartum period, 23% reported physical abuse during index pregnancy (3). Death as a result of violence is not a new phenomenon. In 1994 the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 372 cases of domestic violence, due to which around 274 women died during an 8-month period. According to a report for the year 2012-13 around 389 cases of domestic violence were reported in the Pakistani media that year. The same report states that in 2013, more than 800 women committed suicide due to domestic violence. In 2013, the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Pakistan, passed The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, 2013, which imposes a fine of Rs 20,000 for violent offences against women. Such bills have not been passed in other provincial assemblies of the country. Other countries in South Asia (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan) have national laws which make provision for extending medical assistance to women who have suffered domestic violence (4). However, a lot remains to be done to translate these

Developing a Research Instrument to Document Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes Regarding Breast Cancer and Early Detection Techniques for Pakistani Women: The Breast Cancer Inventory (BCI)

PubMed Central

Naqvi, Atta Abbas; Zehra, Fatima; Ahmad, Rizwan; Ahmad, Niyaz

2016-01-01

There is a general hesitation in participation among Pakistani women when it comes to giving their responses in surveys related to breast cancer which may be due to the associated stigma and conservatism in society. We felt that no research instrument was able to extract information from the respondents to the extent it was needed for the successful execution of our study. The need to develop a research instrument tailored for Pakistani women was based upon the fact that most Pakistani women come from a conservative background and sometimes view this topic as provocative and believe discussing publicly about it as inappropriate. Existing research instruments exhibited a number of weaknesses during literature review. Therefore, using them may not be able to extract information concretely. A research instrument was, thus, developed exclusively. It was coined as, “breast cancer inventory (BCI)” by a panel of experts for executing a study aimed at documenting awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of Pakistani women regarding breast cancer and early detection techniques. The study is still in the data collection phase. The statistical analysis involved the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett’s test for sampling adequacy. In addition, reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were, also employed. This concept paper focuses on the development, piloting and validation of the BCI. It is the first research instrument which has high acceptability among Pakistani women and is able to extract adequate information from the respondents without causing embarrassment or unease. PMID:28933416

Biomass fuel exposure and respiratory diseases in India.

PubMed

Prasad, Rajendra; Singh, Abhijeet; Garg, Rajiv; Giridhar, Giridhar B

2012-10-01

One half of the world's population relies on biomass fuel as the primary source of domestic energy. Biomass fuel exposure causes a high degree of morbidity and mortality in humans. This is especially true in the context of developing countries, which account for 99% of the world's biomass fuel use. Biomass fuel consists of fire wood, dung cakes, agricultural crop residues such as straw, grass, and shrubs, coal fuels and kerosene. Together, they supply 75% of the domestic energy in India. An estimated three-quarters of Indian households use biomass fuel as the primary means for domestic cooking. Ninety percent of rural households and 32% of urban households cook their meals on a biomass stove. There are wide variations between the rural and urban households regarding the specific type of biomass fuel used. Globally, almost 2 million deaths per year are attributable to solid fuel use, with more than 99% of these occurring in developing countries. Biomass fuel accounts for 5-6% of the national burden of disease. Burning biomass fuels emits toxic fumes into the air that consist of small solid particles, carbon monoxide, polyorganic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and formaldehyde. Exposure to biomass fuels has been found to be associated with many respiratory diseases such as acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis, and asthma. Biomass fuel exposure is closely related to the burden of disease in India. Hopes are that future studies will examine the morbidity associated with biomass exposure and seek to prevent it. Concerted efforts to improve stove design and transition to high-efficiency low-emission fuels may reduce respiratory disease associated with biomass fuel exposure.

The Impact of Educational Change on School Leaders: Experiences of Pakistani School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razzaq, Jamila; Forde, Christine

2013-01-01

The Pakistani education system, like many other countries across the world, is going through a phase of concerted change in the first decade of the 21st century and school leaders are expected to play a crucial role in the management of this change programme. This article considers the impact of educational change on a group of school leaders who…

Maternal depression and infant growth and development in British Pakistani women: a cohort study

PubMed Central

Cruickshank, John Kennedy; Tomenson, Barbara; Khan, Sarah; Rahman, Atif

2012-01-01

Objectives Perinatal depression has been found to be a strong and independent risk factor for poor child growth and development in low-income South Asian populations. The authors aimed to study if there was a similar association in first and second-generation British women of Pakistani origin. Design A prospective cohort study. Setting The study was conducted in the North-West of England, in areas with high density of Pakistani-origin population. The subjects were recruited from Central Manchester Hospital in the City of Manchester and East Lancashire Hospital in Lancashire. Participants 704 physically healthy women were assessed in two phases (screening and detailed assessment of high scorers and a proportion of low scorers) during the third trimester of pregnancy to obtain at birth a cohort of 63 infants of depressed mothers and 173 infants of psychologically well mothers. Primary and secondary outcome measures All infants were weighed and measured at birth and 6 months, and their development was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development–Third Edition. Results There was no difference in the birth weight or weight and height at 6 months of infants of depressed mothers versus infants of psychologically well mothers. The only significant difference between the two groups was in the infants' adaptive behaviour; infants of depressed mothers scored significantly lower than those of psychologically well mothers (mean difference 4.6, t=2.81, df 195, p=0.006). The associations remained significant after adjustment for socio-demographic factors by multivariate analyses. Conclusions Prenatal depression is not associated with impaired growth in this sample of British Pakistani women. There is, however, an association of prenatal depression with parent-reported problems in the infants' adaptive behaviour. Further research is needed to understand various pathways through which maternal depression affects infant outcomes in low- and high-income settings. PMID

The Behavior Assessment Battery: a preliminary study of non-stuttering Pakistani grade-school children.

PubMed

Vanryckeghem, Martine; Mukati, Samad A

2006-01-01

In recent years, the importance of a multimodal approach to the assessment of the person who stutters (PWS) has become increasingly recognized. The Behavior Assessment Battery (BAB), which is a normed test procedure developed by G. Brutten, makes it possible to assess the multidimensional facets of this disorder. The emotional and speech-disruptive components that differentiate one who stutters from one who does not (PWNS) are evaluated by means of the Speech Situation Checklist (SSC), their use of behaviours secondary to stuttering are assessed through the Behavior Checklist (BCL) and the person's speech-related attitude is determined via the Communication Attitude Test (CAT). Each of these BAB tests has been shown to be a reliable and valid measure whose obtained normative data are essentially equivalent in Western countries. Because of the lack of normative data on children from non-Western cultures, the present preliminary study was aimed to investigate if the affective, behavioural and cognitive reports of non-stuttering Pakistani children on the BAB measures are like those of their Western peers. Forty-five non-stuttering Pakistani children between the ages of 8 and 11 were administered the SSC, BCL and CAT. As in previous studies, the mean score of the normally fluent children on each of the BAB tests fell into the lower end of the possible distribution of scores. Intercorrelations between the different tests were statistically significant. Although the BCL and CAT results were similar to those found in Western-based investigations, the emotional reaction and speech disruption scores on the SSC reported by Pakistani children sampled were numerically higher to an extent that is noteworthy. The latter finding suggests that this particular BAB measure might be affected by cultural differences. It points to the possibility that the norms of test procedures, such as the BAB, might not be fully appropriate for use in other than Western cultures.

UK-born Pakistani-origin infants are relatively more adipose than white British infants: findings from 8704 mother-offspring pairs in the Born-in-Bradford prospective birth cohort

PubMed Central

West, Jane; Lawlor, Debbie A; Fairley, Lesley; Bhopal, Raj; Cameron, Noel; McKinney, Patricia A; Sattar, Naveed; Wright, John

2013-01-01

Background Previous studies have shown markedly lower birth weight among infants of South Asian origin compared with those of White European origin. Whether such differences mask greater adiposity in South Asian infants and whether they persist across generations in contemporary UK populations is unclear. Our aim was to compare birth weight, skinfold thickness and cord leptin between Pakistani and White British infants and to investigate the explanatory factors, including parental and grandparental birthplace. Methods We examined the differences in birth weight and skinfold thickness between 4649 Pakistani and 4055 White British infants born at term in the same UK maternity unit and compared cord leptin in a subgroup of 775 Pakistani and 612 White British infants. Results Pakistani infants were lighter (adjusted mean difference −234 g 95% CI −258 to −210) and were smaller in both subscapular and triceps skinfold measurements. The differences for subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness (mean z-score difference −0.27 95% CI −0.34 to −0.20 and −0.23 95% CI −0.30 to −0.16, respectively) were smaller than the difference in birth weight (mean z-score difference −0.52 95% CI −0.58 to −0.47) and attenuated to the null with adjustment for birth weight (0.03 95% CI −0.03 to 0.09 and −0.01 95% CI −0.08 to 0.05, respectively). Cord leptin concentration (indicator of fat mass) was similar in Pakistani and White British infants without adjustment for birth weight, but with adjustment became 30% higher (95% CI 17% to 44%) among Pakistani infants compared with White British infants. The magnitudes of difference did not differ by generation. Conclusions Despite being markedly lighter, Pakistani infants had similar skinfold thicknesses and greater total fat mass, as indicated by cord leptin, for a given birth weight than White British infants. Any efforts to reduce ethnic inequalities in birth weight need to consider differences in adiposity and

Urban and rural comparison of vitamin D status in Pakistani pregnant women and neonates.

PubMed

Anwar, S; Iqbal, M P; Azam, I; Habib, A; Bhutta, S; Soofi, S B; Bhutta, Z A

2016-01-01

We undertook a cross-sectional study in rural Jehlum and urban Karachi to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Pakistani pregnant women and neonates and to assess any association of serum 25(OH) vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration with vitamin D binding protein (Gc) genotypes. Altogether, 390 women and 266 neonates were recruited from urban and rural sites, respectively. Serum 25(OH)D was measured by an immunoassay, while Gc genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism or PCR-RFLP. One-way analysis of variance or ANOVA and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. In urban Karachi, 99.5% of women and 97.3% of neonates were vitamin D deficient (< 50 nmol/L), while 89% of women and 82% of neonates were deficient in rural Jehlum. Gc genotypes were not associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations in both women and their neonates. We conclude that vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Pakistani women and their neonates, and Gc genotypes are not associated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations.

Contribution of GLC3A locus to Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Pakistani population.

PubMed

Bashir, Rasheeda; Sanai, Mahrukh; Azeem, Adnan; Altaf, Imran; Saleem, Faiza; Naz, Sadaf

2014-01-01

To check the contribution of GLC3A locus to primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. We enrolled twenty-nine sporadic cases and three families with multiple individuals affected with recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the year 2013. It was a genetic linkage study accomplished jointly in Department of Biotechnology of Lahore College for Women University and School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Samples from all affected individuals were checked for homozygosity for alleles of microsatellite markers spanning CYP1B1 at GLC3A locus. Genotyping was performed with fluorescently labeled primers by capillary electrophoresis. For familial cases, linkage was evaluated by checking the co-segregation of the phenotype with the genotypes. Two-point LOD score was calculated for each microsatellite marker with MLINK. Our study revealed that GLCA3 may contribute to glaucoma in 17% of the sporadic cases and patients in 2 of the 3 families. This data suggests that the GLC3A may make an important contribution to autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Genotyping and Sequencing of more families will be helpful to identify the common mutations in CYP1B1 in future.

Obesity and Minority--Changing Meanings of Big Bodies among Young Pakistani Obesity Patients in Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wathne, Kjetil; Mburu, Christina Brux; Middelthon, Anne-Lise

2015-01-01

Globally, paediatric obesity causes widespread concern, and the role of ethnicity is an important focus. Investigating how culture can mediate health-related behaviour through ideas about bodies, food and physical activity, while addressing a notion that the Pakistani community in Norway is particularly conservative and slow to change, this…

Addition of acetate improves stability of power generation using microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Stager, Jennifer L; Zhang, Xiaoyuan; Logan, Bruce E

2017-12-01

Power generation using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) must provide stable, continuous conversion of organic matter in wastewaters into electricity. However, when relatively small diameter (0.8cm) graphite fiber brush anodes were placed close to the cathodes in MFCs, power generation was unstable during treatment of low strength domestic wastewater. One reactor produced 149mW/m 2 before power generation failed, while the other reactor produced 257mW/m 2 , with both reactors exhibiting severe power overshoot in polarization tests. Using separators or activated carbon cathodes did not result in stable operation as the reactors continued to exhibit power overshoot based on polarization tests. However, adding acetate (1g/L) to the wastewater produced stable performance during fed batch and continuous flow operation, and there was no power overshoot in polarization tests. These results highlight the importance of wastewater strength and brush anode size for producing stable and continuous power in compact MFCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association of various reproductive rights, domestic violence and marital rape with depression among Pakistani women

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Depression among women is common in developing countries. Gender inequality can contribute to women's risk for depression. Lack of reproductive and sexual rights is an important marker of gender inequality and women do not have the freedom to express their reproductive and sexual needs in many parts of the world. Therefore we designed this study to determine the association of depression with lack of various reproductive rights and domestic violence among married women in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods A case-control study with 152 cases and 152 controls, which included women 15-48 years, recruited from two teaching hospitals from 1st June 2007 through 31st August 2007. The SRQ was administered to all subjects. A cut off score of 8 was used to confirm cases of depression diagnosed by physicians, and to exclude cases of depression from the controls. Self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the risk factors. Results 61% of the cases and 43% of the controls were ever abused by spouse and the frequency of marital rape was 33% in cases and 13% in controls. After adjusting for the effects of other variables in the model, less than 18 years of age at marriage (OR 2.00; 95% CI = 1.07, 3.7), decision for marriage by parents (OR 3.51; 95% CI = 1.67, 7.37), abuse by in laws (OR 4.91; 95% CI = 2.66, 9.06), ≤ 3 hours per day spent with husband (OR 2.33; 95% CI = 1.34, 4.08), frequency of intercourse ≤ 2 times per week (OR 1.85; 95% CI = 1.06, 3.22) and marital rape (OR 3.03; 95% CI = 1.50, 6.11) were associated with depression among women. Conclusion In our study depression in married women was associated with younger age at marriage, lack of autonomy in marriage decisions, marital rape and domestic abuse by in-laws. Efforts should be directed towards creating awareness about the reproductive and sexual rights of women in Pakistan. Physicians should be trained to screen and identify women who may be at risk for psychological distress as a result of denial

Association of various reproductive rights, domestic violence and marital rape with depression among Pakistani women.

PubMed

Ali, Faridah A; Israr, Syed M; Ali, Badar S; Janjua, Naveed Z

2009-12-01

Depression among women is common in developing countries. Gender inequality can contribute to women's risk for depression. Lack of reproductive and sexual rights is an important marker of gender inequality and women do not have the freedom to express their reproductive and sexual needs in many parts of the world. Therefore we designed this study to determine the association of depression with lack of various reproductive rights and domestic violence among married women in Karachi, Pakistan. A case-control study with 152 cases and 152 controls, which included women 15-48 years, recruited from two teaching hospitals from 1st June 2007 through 31st August 2007. The SRQ was administered to all subjects. A cut off score of 8 was used to confirm cases of depression diagnosed by physicians, and to exclude cases of depression from the controls. Self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the risk factors. 61% of the cases and 43% of the controls were ever abused by spouse and the frequency of marital rape was 33% in cases and 13% in controls. After adjusting for the effects of other variables in the model, less than 18 years of age at marriage (OR 2.00; 95% CI = 1.07, 3.7), decision for marriage by parents (OR 3.51; 95% CI = 1.67, 7.37), abuse by in laws (OR 4.91; 95% CI = 2.66, 9.06), domestic abuse by in-laws. Efforts should be directed towards creating awareness about the reproductive and sexual rights of women in Pakistan. Physicians should be trained to screen and identify women who may be at risk for psychological distress as a result of denial of reproductive rights so that they

14 CFR 121.281 - Fuel system independence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Fuel system independence. 121.281 Section... REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Special Airworthiness Requirements § 121.281 Fuel system independence. (a) Each airplane fuel system must be arranged so that the failure of any one...

Willingness to Communicate in English as a Second Language: A Case Study of Pakistani Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bukhari, Syeda Farzana; Cheng, Xiaoguang; Khan, Salman Ali

2015-01-01

Willingness to communicate (WTC) construct plays an important role in second language (L2) teaching and learning. Almost any second language learner is likely to respond to a direct question, but many will not continue or initiate communication. The present study investigates Pakistani undergraduate students' perception of their willingness to…

40 CFR 600.511-80 - Determination of domestic production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Regulations for Model Year 1978 Passenger Automobiles and for 1979 and Later Model Year Automobiles (Light Trucks and Passenger Automobiles)-Procedures for Determining Manufacturer's Average Fuel Economy and...) Except with advance approval of the Administrator, an automobile shall be considered domestically...

PREFACE: 3rd Italian-Pakistani Workshop on Relativistic Astrophysics (IPWRA2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Paolis, Francesco; Siddiqui, Azad A.

2012-03-01

The Third Italian-Pakistani Workshop on Relativistic Astrophysics was held at the Rectorate of the University of Salento in Lecce on June 20-22, 2011. It follows the first two editions of this Workshop held at the Department of Physics of the University of Salento on 20-22 June 2007 and at ICRA (International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics) in Pescara on 8-10 July 2009. The Proceedings of the first two editions of this Workshop have been published in two special issues of Nuovo Cimento B [1] and General Relativity and Gravitation [2], respectively. The workshop series, whose aim is that of discussing the different aspects (both theoretical and observational) of Relativistic Astrophysics, follows the signature, in 2006, of an agreement between the University of Salento, Italy and the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Pakistan, and aims at promoting scientific and academic cooperation between the parties. The organizing committee of this Workshop has decided to dedicate the present workshop's edition to the celebration of the 65th birthday of the founder of this series of meetings, Prof. Asghar Qadir, one of the greatest Pakistani scientists of any time and a renowned world expert in the theory of general relativity. Many of the Workshop's participants have either been students or collaborators of Asghar Qadir, or both. In Pakistan the words Relativity and Asghar Qadir are synonymous. It would not be entirely wrong to say that anybody who has anything to do with relativity in Pakistan is either his student or a student of one of his students. Asghar Qadir has inspired generations of researchers and teachers, and continues to be a source of inspiration for hard work and dedication. He is a mentor of Pakistani scientists and the equivalent in Pakistan of what John Archibald Wheeler has been in the US. Qadir and Wheeler An autographed picture of John Archibald Wheeler with a young Asghar Qadir Asghar had the rare privilege of being introduced

Relation of Home Chaos to Cognitive Performance and Behavioral Adjustment of Pakistani Primary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamama-tus-Sabah, Syeda; Gilani, Nighat; Wachs, Theodore D.

2011-01-01

Recent findings from Western developed countries have linked home chaos to children's cognitive performance and behavioral problems. In the present paper we test whether the same pattern of associations can be replicated in a non-Western developing country. Our sample was 203 Pakistani primary school children. To assess home chaos the Confusion,…

Pakistani Government Secondary Schools Students' Attitudes towards Communicative Language Teaching and Grammar Translation in Quetta, Balochistan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhammad, Zeeshan

2016-01-01

Students' attitudes towards an English language teaching approach play an important role for its implementation success or failure. This study measured Pakistani government school students' attitudes towards Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Grammar Translation (GT). A survey instrument was used to assess students' attitudes. Data were…

In silico analysis of a disease-causing mutation in PCDH15 gene in a consanguineous Pakistani family with Usher phenotype.

PubMed

Saleha, Shamim; Ajmal, Muhammad; Jamil, Muhammad; Nasir, Muhammad; Hameed, Abdul

2016-01-01

To map Usher phenotype in a consanguineous Pakistani family and identify disease-associated mutation in a causative gene to establish phenotype-genotype correlation. A consanguineous Pakistani family in which Usher phenotype was segregating as an autosomal recessive trait was ascertained. On the basis of results of clinical investigations of affected members of this family disease was diagnosed as Usher syndrome (USH). To identify the locus responsible for the Usher phenotype in this family, genomic DNA from blood sample of each individual was genotyped using microsatellite Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers for the known Usher syndrome loci. Then direct sequencing was performed to find out disease associated mutations in the candidate gene. By genetic linkage analysis, the USH phenotype of this family was mapped to PCDH15 locus on chromosome 10q21.1. Three different point mutations in exon 11 of PCDH15 were identified and one of them, c.1304A>C was found to be segregating with the disease phenotype in Pakistani family with Usher phenotype. This, c.1304A>C transversion mutation predicts an amino-acid substitution of aspartic acid with an alanine at residue number 435 (p.D435A) of its protein product. Moreover, in silico analysis revealed conservation of aspartic acid at position 435 and predicated this change as pathogenic. The identification of c.1304A>C pathogenic mutation in PCDH15 gene and its association with Usher syndrome in a consanguineous Pakistani family is the first example of a missense mutation of PCDH15 causing USH1 phenotype. In previous reports, it was hypothesized that severe mutations such as truncated protein of PCDH15 led to the Usher I phenotype and that missense variants are mainly responsible for non-syndromic hearing impairment.

A practical approach in porous medium combustion for domestic application: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. K.; Ibrahim, N. H.; Shamsuddin, K. A.; Abdullah, M. Z.; Zubair, M.

2018-05-01

Combustion in porous media has been widely studied. Many application involving the combustion of porous media has been reported in various way with most consider on numerical works and industrial application. Besides, recent application of porous medium combustion for domestic is the topic of interest among researchers. In this paper, a review was conducted on the combustion of porous media in term of practical application for domestic consumers. Details on the type of fuel used including bio fuel and their system have been search thoroughly. Most of the system have utilized compressed air system to provide lean combustion in domestic application. Some self-aspirating system of porous medium burner was also reported. The application of new technology such as cogeneration by using thermoelectric cells in tandem with porous medium combustion is also revised according to recent work which have already been published. Besides, the recent advances which include coating of porous material is also considered at the end of this paper.

Intimate partner violence against women and its related immigration stressors in Pakistani immigrant families in Germany

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of intimate partner violence against women and its related immigration stressors in Pakistani immigrant families in Germany. Drawing on 32 in-depth interviews with Pakistani women in three cities in Germany, we found that psychological violence was the commonly reported violence among the study participants. The data showed that the process of immigration exacerbated tensions between spouses because of various immigration stressors such as threats to cultural identity, children’s socialization, and social isolation. In order to cope with the stressful spousal relations, women applied various indigenous strategies, but avoided seeking help from the host country’s formal care-providing institutions. This study also debunks some stereotypes and popular media clichés about the “victimhood of women from conservative developing countries” and provides an understanding of the issue of intimate partner violence within an immigration context. Further research with a larger sample will be helpful to understand immigration-induced stress and intimate partner violence in immigrant families. PMID:23984223

Microalgae Feedstocks for Aviation Fuels

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

Wigmosta, Mark S.; Coleman, Andre; Venteris, Erik

There is significant global interest in developing, testing, and using alternative jet fuels for both commercial and military use in an effort to create a sustainable and stable fuel supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, the aviation industry is entirely dependent on a finite-supply of petroleum based fuel sourced in part by politically and economically unstable regions of the world. Commercial jet fuel use within the contiguous United States (CONUS) was 17.8 billion gallons per year (BGY) in 2009, while jet fuel use in 2010 by the U.S. Air Force (USAF), Navy, and Army was 1.5 BGY, 0.6 BGY,more » and 0.8 BGY, respectively (Carter et al., 2011). U.S. commercial and military aviation sectors have set ambitious near-term alternative fuel and environmental performance targets. This includes a tentative Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) goal of 1 BGY alternative fuel use by commercial aircraft by 2018. The USAF has set a target of 50% for USAF domestic aviation via alternative fuels by 2016 (0.73 BGY), and 50% of the Navy’s total energy consumption afloat (0.3 BGY) will come from alternative fuels by 2020 (Carter et al., 2011). If these targets become policy, at least 2 BGY of domestically-produced alternative jet fuel will be required by 2020. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 established production requirements for domestic alternative fuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). For example, 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel must be produced by 2022, of which 21 billion gallons shall be advanced biofuels. EISA defines advanced biofuels as non-corn starch derived biofuels having lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions 50% lower than gasoline. There a number of potential fuel pathways for meeting the RFS. One of these is biomass-based diesel, including jet fuel (Schnepf and Yacobucci, 2013). The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) has a stated goal in its 2013 Multi-Year Program Plan

Adverse social circumstances and depression in people of Pakistani origin in the UK.

PubMed

Husain, N; Creed, F; Tomenson, B

1997-11-01

The social origins of depression in people of Pakistani origin in the UK are not fully understood; they may not be the same as for the indigenous White population. Patients attending a GP's surgery were screened with the Personal Health Questionnaire to detect depressive illness, which was confirmed using the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule; the estimated prevalence of major depression was 42%. Forty-four people with depression and 33 non-depressed comparison subjects were successfully interviewed using the Life Event and Difficulty Schedule, either in Urdu or English. Seventy-five per cent of the sample were Pakistani born; 57% of cases and 33% of non-cases spoke English with difficulty. Seventy-five per cent of the cases and 36% of the non-cases had experienced an independent severe event and/or a major difficulty (P = 0.0015). Difficulties associated with depression were most commonly in the marital, health and housing categories; overt racial harassment and discrimination were rare. This is a preliminary study because of the small sample of GP attenders. The somatic presentation of depression in this population is clear. Acceptable forms of social support and help with marital, housing and employment problems will be needed to help relieve the depression in this population.

Contribution of GLC3A locus to Primary Congenital Glaucoma in Pakistani population

PubMed Central

Bashir, Rasheeda; Sanai, Mahrukh; Azeem, Adnan; Altaf, Imran; Saleem, Faiza; Naz, Sadaf

2014-01-01

Objectives: To check the contribution of GLC3A locus to primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Methods: We enrolled twenty-nine sporadic cases and three families with multiple individuals affected with recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the year 2013. It was a genetic linkage study accomplished jointly in Department of Biotechnology of Lahore College for Women University and School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Samples from all affected individuals were checked for homozygosity for alleles of microsatellite markers spanning CYP1B1 at GLC3A locus. Genotyping was performed with fluorescently labeled primers by capillary electrophoresis. For familial cases, linkage was evaluated by checking the co-segregation of the phenotype with the genotypes. Two-point LOD score was calculated for each microsatellite marker with MLINK. Results: Our study revealed that GLCA3 may contribute to glaucoma in 17% of the sporadic cases and patients in 2 of the 3 families. Conclusions: This data suggests that the GLC3A may make an important contribution to autosomal recessive primary congenital glaucoma in the Pakistani population. Genotyping and Sequencing of more families will be helpful to identify the common mutations in CYP1B1 in future. PMID:25674135

40 CFR 600.511-80 - Determination of domestic production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations for Model Year 1978 Passenger Automobiles and for 1979 and Later Model Year Automobiles (Light Trucks and Passenger Automobiles)-Procedures for Determining Manufacturer's Average Fuel Economy § 600... automobile shall be considered domestically produced in any model year if it is included within a...

40 CFR 600.511-08 - Determination of domestic production.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Determination of domestic production. 600.511-08 Section 600.511-08 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Procedures for...

New Insights on Water Buffalo Genomic Diversity and Post-Domestication Migration Routes From Medium Density SNP Chip Data.

PubMed

Colli, Licia; Milanesi, Marco; Vajana, Elia; Iamartino, Daniela; Bomba, Lorenzo; Puglisi, Francesco; Del Corvo, Marcello; Nicolazzi, Ezequiel L; Ahmed, Sahar S E; Herrera, Jesus R V; Cruz, Libertado; Zhang, Shujun; Liang, Aixin; Hua, Guohua; Yang, Liguo; Hao, Xingjie; Zuo, Fuyuan; Lai, Song-Jia; Wang, Shuilian; Liu, Ruyu; Gong, Yundeng; Mokhber, Mahdi; Mao, Yongjiang; Guan, Feng; Vlaic, Augustin; Vlaic, Bogdan; Ramunno, Luigi; Cosenza, Gianfranco; Ahmad, Ali; Soysal, Ihsan; Ünal, Emel Ö; Ketudat-Cairns, Mariena; Garcia, José F; Utsunomiya, Yuri T; Baruselli, Pietro S; Amaral, Maria E J; Parnpai, Rangsun; Drummond, Marcela G; Galbusera, Peter; Burton, James; Hoal, Eileen; Yusnizar, Yulnawati; Sumantri, Cece; Moioli, Bianca; Valentini, Alessio; Stella, Alessandra; Williams, John L; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo

2018-01-01

The domestic water buffalo is native to the Asian continent but through historical migrations and recent importations, nowadays has a worldwide distribution. The two types of water buffalo, i.e., river and swamp, display distinct morphological and behavioral traits, different karyotypes and also have different purposes and geographical distributions. River buffaloes from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Mozambique, Brazil and Colombia, and swamp buffaloes from China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil were genotyped with a species-specific medium-density 90K SNP panel. We estimated the levels of molecular diversity and described population structure, which revealed historical relationships between populations and migration events. Three distinct gene pools were identified in pure river as well as in pure swamp buffalo populations. Genomic admixture was seen in the Philippines and in Brazil, resulting from importations of animals for breed improvement. Our results were largely consistent with previous archeological, historical and molecular-based evidence for two independent domestication events for river- and swamp-type buffaloes, which occurred in the Indo-Pakistani region and close to the China/Indochina border, respectively. Based on a geographical analysis of the distribution of diversity, our evidence also indicated that the water buffalo spread out of the domestication centers followed two major divergent migration directions: river buffaloes migrated west from the Indian sub-continent while swamp buffaloes migrated from northern Indochina via an east-south-eastern route. These data suggest that the current distribution of water buffalo diversity has been shaped by the combined effects of multiple migration events occurred at different stages of the post-domestication history of the species.

New Insights on Water Buffalo Genomic Diversity and Post-Domestication Migration Routes From Medium Density SNP Chip Data

PubMed Central

Colli, Licia; Milanesi, Marco; Vajana, Elia; Iamartino, Daniela; Bomba, Lorenzo; Puglisi, Francesco; Del Corvo, Marcello; Nicolazzi, Ezequiel L.; Ahmed, Sahar S. E.; Herrera, Jesus R. V.; Cruz, Libertado; Zhang, Shujun; Liang, Aixin; Hua, Guohua; Yang, Liguo; Hao, Xingjie; Zuo, Fuyuan; Lai, Song-Jia; Wang, Shuilian; Liu, Ruyu; Gong, Yundeng; Mokhber, Mahdi; Mao, Yongjiang; Guan, Feng; Vlaic, Augustin; Vlaic, Bogdan; Ramunno, Luigi; Cosenza, Gianfranco; Ahmad, Ali; Soysal, Ihsan; Ünal, Emel Ö.; Ketudat-Cairns, Mariena; Garcia, José F.; Utsunomiya, Yuri T.; Baruselli, Pietro S.; Amaral, Maria E. J.; Parnpai, Rangsun; Drummond, Marcela G.; Galbusera, Peter; Burton, James; Hoal, Eileen; Yusnizar, Yulnawati; Sumantri, Cece; Moioli, Bianca; Valentini, Alessio; Stella, Alessandra; Williams, John L.; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo

2018-01-01

The domestic water buffalo is native to the Asian continent but through historical migrations and recent importations, nowadays has a worldwide distribution. The two types of water buffalo, i.e., river and swamp, display distinct morphological and behavioral traits, different karyotypes and also have different purposes and geographical distributions. River buffaloes from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Mozambique, Brazil and Colombia, and swamp buffaloes from China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil were genotyped with a species-specific medium-density 90K SNP panel. We estimated the levels of molecular diversity and described population structure, which revealed historical relationships between populations and migration events. Three distinct gene pools were identified in pure river as well as in pure swamp buffalo populations. Genomic admixture was seen in the Philippines and in Brazil, resulting from importations of animals for breed improvement. Our results were largely consistent with previous archeological, historical and molecular-based evidence for two independent domestication events for river- and swamp-type buffaloes, which occurred in the Indo-Pakistani region and close to the China/Indochina border, respectively. Based on a geographical analysis of the distribution of diversity, our evidence also indicated that the water buffalo spread out of the domestication centers followed two major divergent migration directions: river buffaloes migrated west from the Indian sub-continent while swamp buffaloes migrated from northern Indochina via an east-south-eastern route. These data suggest that the current distribution of water buffalo diversity has been shaped by the combined effects of multiple migration events occurred at different stages of the post-domestication history of the species. PMID:29552025

Performance of anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactors using effluents of microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Kim, Kyoung-Yeol; Yang, Wulin; Ye, Yaoli; LaBarge, Nicole; Logan, Bruce E

2016-05-01

Anaerobic fluidized membrane bioreactors (AFMBRs) have been mainly developed as a post-treatment process to produce high quality effluent with very low energy consumption. The performance of an AFMBR was examined using the effluent from a microbial fuel cell (MFC) treating domestic wastewater, as a function of AFMBR hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and organic matter loading rates. The MFC-AFMBR achieved 89 ± 3% removal of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), with an effluent of 36 ± 6 mg-COD/L over 112 days operation. The AFMBR had very stable operation, with no significant changes in COD removal efficiencies, for HRTs ranging from 1.2 to 3.8h, although the effluent COD concentration increased with organic loading. Transmembrane pressure (TMP) was low, and could be maintained below 0.12 bar through solids removal. This study proved that the AFMBR could be operated with a short HRT but a low COD loading rate was required to achieve low effluent COD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Counting Pakistanis in the Middle East: problems and policy implications.

PubMed

Stahl, C W; Farooq-i-azam

1990-01-01

"Using Pakistan as a case study, this article focuses on the difficulties of measuring both the outflow of workers over time and the stock abroad at any particular time. The various estimates of the number of Pakistanis in the Middle East are evaluated and an alternative estimate is provided based on hitherto unused data from two major surveys of returning workers. The alternative estimate differs substantially from the others, the difference being attributed principally to clandestine worker immigration. The concluding section discusses the policy implications of inaccurate information about the numbers of workers abroad and the likely effects of the current Persian Gulf crisis on Pakistan's economy." excerpt

Changes in food habits and motivation for healthy eating among Pakistani women living in Norway: results from the InnvaDiab-DEPLAN study.

PubMed

Johansen, Karianne S; Bjørge, Benedikte; Hjellset, Victoria Telle; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Råberg, Marte; Wandel, Margareta

2010-06-01

Pakistani women in Oslo have high risk of overweight and type 2 diabetes. The objective is to present the effect of an intervention study on Pakistani women's intentions to change dietary behaviour and changes made in dietary intake. The intervention group received culturally adapted lifestyle education, including diet and physical activity. The questionnaire, applied before and after the 7-month intervention, included FFQ and questions on intentions to change. Oslo, Norway. A total of 198 Pakistani women, aged 25-63 years, randomised into control and intervention groups. There was a shift in distribution of intentions to change the intake of selected foods in the intervention group after the intervention, resulting in significant differences between the groups. The daily intake of vegetables, fruits and fruit juice had increased (P = 0.043), and the intake of red meats (P = 0.001), full fat milk/yoghurt (P = 0.027) and sugar-rich drinks (P Pakistani women;s intentions to make their diet healthier, and also to induce some beneficial, however modest, self-reported changes in diet.

Acceptability of GM foods among Pakistani consumers.

PubMed

Ali, Akhter; Rahut, Dil Bahadur; Imtiaz, Muhammad

2016-04-02

In Pakistan majority of the consumers do not have information about genetically modified (GM) foods. In developing countries particularly in Pakistan few studies have focused on consumers' acceptability about GM foods. Using comprehensive primary dataset collected from 320 consumers in 2013 from Pakistan, this study analyzes the determinants of consumers' acceptability of GM foods. The data was analyzed by employing the bivariate probit model and censored least absolute deviation (CLAD) models. The empirical results indicated that urban consumers are more aware of GM foods compared to rural consumers. The acceptance of GM foods was more among females' consumers as compared to male consumers. In addition, the older consumers were more willing to accept GM food compared to young consumers. The acceptability of GM foods was also higher among wealthier households. Low price is the key factor leading to the acceptability of GM foods. The acceptability of the GM foods also reduces the risks among Pakistani consumers.

Acceptability of GM foods among Pakistani consumers

PubMed Central

Ali, Akhter; Rahut, Dil Bahadur; Imtiaz, Muhammad

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In Pakistan majority of the consumers do not have information about genetically modified (GM) foods. In developing countries particularly in Pakistan few studies have focused on consumers' acceptability about GM foods. Using comprehensive primary dataset collected from 320 consumers in 2013 from Pakistan, this study analyzes the determinants of consumers' acceptability of GM foods. The data was analyzed by employing the bivariate probit model and censored least absolute deviation (CLAD) models. The empirical results indicated that urban consumers are more aware of GM foods compared to rural consumers. The acceptance of GM foods was more among females' consumers as compared to male consumers. In addition, the older consumers were more willing to accept GM food compared to young consumers. The acceptability of GM foods was also higher among wealthier households. Low price is the key factor leading to the acceptability of GM foods. The acceptability of the GM foods also reduces the risks among Pakistani consumers. PMID:27494790

Reintegration of Pakistani return migrants from the Middle East in the domestic labour market.

PubMed

Arif, G M

1998-01-01

This study compared the unemployment rates among return migrants and nonmigrants and examined the reintegration pattern of returnees in the domestic labor market. The study utilized three data sets: the 1980 World Bank Survey of Return Migrant Households; the 1986 ILO/ARTEP Survey of Return Migrant Households; the 1991 Pakistan Integrated Household Survey. Findings showed that unemployment rates were much higher among return migrants than nonmigrants. Although this difference narrowed with the passage of time, even among those who returned to Pakistan at least 18 months prior to the surveys, more than 10% of workers were unemployed. The multivariate analysis further showed that returnees, irrespective of the period elapsed since their return, were more likely to be unemployed than nonmigrants. With respect to the reintegration pattern of return migrants, the study revealed that variables indicating their human capital, such as occupation and pre-migration and during-migration work experience, appear to have a greater influence on their post-return adjustment than the variables related to economic positions such as savings. The results also showed that the types of jobs unemployed returnees were looking for differed substantially from those held by employed return migrants. A possibility was that unemployed returnees could not save enough from their overseas earnings to become self-employed. Thus, provision of credit for self-employment seems to be the right way to accommodate these workers.

Influences of Religion and Culture on Continuing Bonds in a Sample of British Muslims of Pakistani Origin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hussein, Hanan; Oyebode, Jan R.

2009-01-01

This study considered the nature of continuing bonds with deceased relatives in a sample of Pakistani Muslims living in the United Kingdom. Ten participants were interviewed following a cultural psychology approach and transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Dreaming, talking with others about the deceased, following the…

Accelerating the domestication of forest trees in a changing world.

PubMed

Harfouche, Antoine; Meilan, Richard; Kirst, Matias; Morgante, Michele; Boerjan, Wout; Sabatti, Maurizio; Scarascia Mugnozza, Giuseppe

2012-02-01

In light of impending water and arable land shortages, population growth and climate change, it is more important than ever to examine how forest tree domestication can be accelerated to sustainably meet future demands for wood, biomass, paper, fuel and biomaterials. Because of long breeding cycles, tree domestication cannot be rapidly achieved through traditional genetic improvement methods alone. Integrating modern genetic and genomic techniques with conventional breeding will expedite tree domestication. Breeders will only embrace these technologies if they are cost-effective and readily accessible, and forest landowners will only adopt end-products that meet with regulatory approval and public acceptance. All parties involved must work together to achieve these objectives for the benefit of society. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health-related pregnancy characteristics between Pakistani and White British women in the Born in Bradford prospective cohort study: the influence of the woman's, her partner's and their parents’ place of birth

PubMed Central

West, J; Lawlor, D A; Fairley, L; Wright, J

2014-01-01

Objective To examine differences between Pakistani and White British women in relation to socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health-related pregnancy characteristics, and to determine whether these differences vary depending on the woman's, her partner's and both of their parents’ place of birth. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Bradford, UK Participants 3656 Pakistani and 3503 White British women recruited to the Born in Bradford study. Main outcome measures Socioeconomic position (employment status; level of education; receipt of benefits; housing tenure), lifestyle characteristics (body mass index (BMI) at the start of pregnancy; smoking during pregnancy) and health-related pregnancy characteristics (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; gestational diabetes; fasting glucose, postload glucose and fasting insulin at ∼27 weeks gestation). Results Fewer Pakistani women were employed (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.19), the difference being markedly less for UK born women. UK born Pakistani women were more likely, and South Asian born less likely, to be educated post 16 than White British women. Smoking was uncommon among Pakistani women, though the difference comparing UK born Pakistani women to White British women was less than for other groups. BMI was lower among Pakistani compared to White British women (adjusted mean difference −1.12, 95% CI −1.43 to −0.81), the difference being greatest when partners were UK born irrespective of the woman’s place of birth. Pakistani women had higher fasting and postload glucose (mean difference 0.20 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.24; 0.37, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.45), higher fasting insulin and were more likely to have gestational diabetes (GDM). Conclusions Our results suggest that some socioeconomic, lifestyle and pregnancy characteristics could be beginning to change in response to migration to the UK, with generally beneficial changes, that is, improving education and employment prospects, lower BMI and no

Early Onset Diabetes - Genetic And Hormonal Analysis In Pakistani Population.

PubMed

Wahid, Maryam; Kamran, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Mitochondrial DNA mutation and hormonal imbalance is involved in the pathogenesis of early onset diabetes but data is lacking in Pakistani population. The study was planned to delineate the clinical presentation of early onset diabetes with possible hormonal and genetic etiological factors and aascertain the possible etiological role of insulin and glucagon in these patients either on oral hypoglycaemic or subcutaneous insulin therapy. Retrospective, analytical case control study with conventional sampling technique carried at Centre for Research in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM) affiliated with the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College Rawalpindi from Dec 2006 to July 2011. Study included the patients (20-35 years of age) with early onset diabetes on oral hypoglycemic (n=240), insulin therapy (n=280), and compared with non-diabetic healthy controls (n=150). A fragment surrounding tRNALeu (UUR) gene was amplified by AmpliTaq from mtDNA which was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes. Then it was subjected to restriction endonucleases, ApaI for A3242G mutation and HaeIII for G3316A mutation detection. Plasma glucose, glycosylated Hb, osmolality, insulin and glucagon levels along with ABGs analysis was also done. Non diabetic controls comprised of 51% males and 49% females, diabetics on oral hypoglycemic 60% males and 40 % females and on insulin therapy 54% males and 46% females. Insulin dependent diabetics had statistically significant hyperglucagonemia, acidemia and bicarbonate deficit. MtDNA A3242G and G3316A mutations were not detected. relative hyperglucagonemia and acidemia in Insulin dependent diabetics was a potent threat leading to DKA. The absence of two mtDNA mutations in ND1 gene rules out the possibility of involvement of these mutations in early onset diabetes in Pakistani population.

Molecular genetic analysis of consanguineous Pakistani families with autosomal recessive hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

PubMed

Bibi, Nosheen; Ahmad, Saeed; Ahmad, Wasim; Naeem, Muhammad

2011-02-01

Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is an inherited disorder characterized by defective development of teeth, hairs and sweat glands. X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia is caused by mutations in the EDA gene, and autosomal forms of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia are caused by mutations in either the EDAR or the EDARADD genes. To study the molecular genetic cause of autosomal recessive hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in three consanguineous Pakistani families (A, B and C), genotyping of 13 individuals was carried out by using polymorphic microsatellite markers that are closely linked to the EDAR gene on chromosome 2q11-q13 and the EDARADD gene on chromosome 1q42.2-q43. The results revealed linkage in the three families to the EDAR locus. Sequence analysis of the coding exons and splice junctions of the EDAR gene revealed two mutations: a novel non-sense mutation (p.E124X) in the probands of families A and B and a missense mutation (p.G382S) in the proband of family C. In addition, two synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms were also identified. The finding of mutations in Pakistani families extends the body of evidence that supports the importance of EDAR for the development of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia. © 2010 The Authors. Australasian Journal of Dermatology © 2010 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Fuel gas from biodigestion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonald, R. C.; Wolverton, B. C.

1979-01-01

Biodigestion apparatus produces fuel gas (primarily methane) for domestic consumption, by anaerobic bacterial digestion of organic matter such as aquatic vegetation. System includes 3,786-1 cylindrical container, mechanical agitator, and simple safe gas collector for short term storage.

"Narrow-Minded and Oppressive" or a "Superior Culture"? Implications of Divergent Representations of Islam for Pakistani-American Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ghaffar-Kucher, Ameena

2015-01-01

Drawing on ethnographic data, this article examines the complex terrain that working-class Pakistani-American youth must negotiate in their daily lives. Specifically, the article illustrates how particular views of Islam and Americanization manifest in particular sites and within educational discourses, and the resulting dissonance that youth…

A Transnational Community of Pakistani Muslim Women: Narratives of Rights, Honor, and Wisdom in a Women's Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khurshid, Ayesha

2012-01-01

Using ethnographic data, this article explores how Muslim women teachers from low-income Pakistani communities employ the notion of "wisdom" to construct and perform their educated subjectivity in a transnational women's education project. Through Butler's performativity framework, I demonstrate how local and global discourses overlap to…

From Crop Domestication to Super-domestication

PubMed Central

Vaughan, D. A.; Balázs, E.; Heslop-Harrison, J. S.

2007-01-01

Research related to crop domestication has been transformed by technologies and discoveries in the genome sciences as well as information-related sciences that are providing new tools for bioinformatics and systems' biology. Rapid progress in archaeobotany and ethnobotany are also contributing new knowledge to understanding crop domestication. This sense of rapid progress is encapsulated in this Special Issue, which contains 18 papers by scientists in botanical, crop sciences and related disciplines on the topic of crop domestication. One paper focuses on current themes in the genetics of crop domestication across crops, whereas other papers have a crop or geographic focus. One feature of progress in the sciences related to crop domestication is the availability of well-characterized germplasm resources in the global network of genetic resources centres (genebanks). Germplasm in genebanks is providing research materials for understanding domestication as well as for plant breeding. In this review, we highlight current genetic themes related to crop domestication. Impressive progress in this field in recent years is transforming plant breeding into crop engineering to meet the human need for increased crop yield with the minimum environmental impact – we consider this to be ‘super-domestication’. While the time scale of domestication of 10 000 years or less is a very short evolutionary time span, the details emerging of what has happened and what is happening provide a window to see where domestication might – and can – advance in the future. PMID:17940074

Differences in the pregnancy gestation period and mean birth weights in infants born to Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British mothers in Luton, UK: a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data.

PubMed

Garcia, Rebecca; Ali, Nasreen; Guppy, Andy; Griffiths, Malcolm; Randhawa, Gurch

2017-08-11

To compare mean birth weights and gestational age at delivery of infants born to Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British mothers in Luton, UK. Retrospective analysis using routinely recorded secondary data in Ciconia Maternity information System, between 2008 and 2013. Luton, UK. Mothers whose ethnicity was recorded as white British, Bangladeshi, Pakistani or Indian and living in Luton, aged over 16, who had a live singleton birth over 24 weeks of gestation were included in the analysis (n=14 871). Primary outcome measures were mean birth weight and gestational age at delivery. After controlling for maternal age, smoking, diabetes, gestation age, parity and maternal height and body mass index at booking, a significant difference in infants' mean birth weight was found between white British and Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi infants, F(3, 12 287)=300.32, p<0.0001. The partial Eta-squared for maternal ethnicity was η 2 =0.067. The adjusted mean birth weight for white British infants was found to be 3377.89 g (95% CI 3365.34 to 3390.44); Indian infants, 3033.09 g (95% CI 3038.63 to 3103.55); Pakistani infants, 3129.49 g (95% CI 3114.5 to 3144.48); and Bangladeshi infants, 3064.21 g (95% CI 3041.36 to 3087.06). There was a significant association in preterm delivery found in primipara Indian mothers, compared with Indian mothers (Wald=8.192, df 1, p<0.005). Results show important differences in adjusted mean birth weight between Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British women. Moreover, an association was found between primipara Indian mothers and preterm delivery, when compared with Pakistani, Bangladeshi and white British women. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Differences in socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health-related pregnancy characteristics between Pakistani and White British women in the Born in Bradford prospective cohort study: the influence of the woman's, her partner's and their parents' place of birth.

PubMed

West, J; Lawlor, D A; Fairley, L; Wright, J

2014-06-19

To examine differences between Pakistani and White British women in relation to socioeconomic position, lifestyle and health-related pregnancy characteristics, and to determine whether these differences vary depending on the woman's, her partner's and both of their parents' place of birth. Prospective cohort study. Bradford, UK PARTICIPANTS: 3656 Pakistani and 3503 White British women recruited to the Born in Bradford study. Socioeconomic position (employment status; level of education; receipt of benefits; housing tenure), lifestyle characteristics (body mass index (BMI) at the start of pregnancy; smoking during pregnancy) and health-related pregnancy characteristics (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy; gestational diabetes; fasting glucose, postload glucose and fasting insulin at ∼27 weeks gestation). Fewer Pakistani women were employed (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.19), the difference being markedly less for UK born women. UK born Pakistani women were more likely, and South Asian born less likely, to be educated post 16 than White British women. Smoking was uncommon among Pakistani women, though the difference comparing UK born Pakistani women to White British women was less than for other groups. BMI was lower among Pakistani compared to White British women (adjusted mean difference -1.12, 95% CI -1.43 to -0.81), the difference being greatest when partners were UK born irrespective of the woman's place of birth. Pakistani women had higher fasting and postload glucose (mean difference 0.20 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.24; 0.37, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.45), higher fasting insulin and were more likely to have gestational diabetes (GDM). Our results suggest that some socioeconomic, lifestyle and pregnancy characteristics could be beginning to change in response to migration to the UK, with generally beneficial changes, that is, improving education and employment prospects, lower BMI and no evidence that being UK born has further increased the risk of GDM, but some

Food perceptions in terms of health among Norwegian-Pakistani women participating in a culturally adapted intervention.

PubMed

Råberg Kjøllesdal, Marte Karoline; Hjellset, Victoria Telle; Bjørge, Benedikte; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Wandel, Margareta

2011-10-01

To explore food perceptions in terms of health among Pakistani immigrant women, and if such perceptions could be altered through a culturally adapted intervention. The study is a culturally adapted lifestyle intervention aiming at reducing diabetes risk among Pakistani women, Oslo, Norway. There were 198 participants (25-62 years) recruited through a multi-recruitment strategy and randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. Data were collected through interviews with the help of a structured questionnaire with open-ended questions. Baseline data showed that many women emphasised vegetables (87%) and fish (52%) as important in a healthy diet, and perceived that the consumption of sugar (66%), oil (60%) and hard fat (39%) should be limited. After intervention, there was an increased proportion of women in the intervention group who perceived that consumption of sugar (p = 0.021) and white flour (p = 0.010) should be limited, in line with the emphasis of the intervention. Food perceptions in terms of health were generally in line with public dietary advice, however, with large variation among the women. A culturally adapted intervention had the potential to alter such perceptions.

DoD Mobility Fuels Guidelines Short-Term Issues,

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-06-01

built domestic plants . However, if no sub- stantial increase in domestic refinery capacity is forthcoming, this will encourage construction of new...from refinery investment. Under the Clean Air Act, refiners feel considerable uncertainty regarding fuel additives and refinery emissions . This has...II- 7 Market Structure ......... .................... II- 7 Refinery Capacity ........ .................... I- 9 Proposed Conversion to JP-8

Novel C8orf37 mutations cause retinitis pigmentosa in consanguineous families of Pakistani origin

PubMed Central

Ravesh, Zeinab; El Asrag, Mohammed E.; Weisschuh, Nicole; McKibbin, Martin; Reuter, Peggy; Watson, Christopher M.; Baumann, Britta; Poulter, James A.; Sajid, Sundus; Panagiotou, Evangelia S.; O’Sullivan, James; Abdelhamed, Zakia; Bonin, Michael; Soltanifar, Mehdi; Black, Graeme C.M.; Din, Muhammad Amin-ud; Toomes, Carmel; Ansar, Muhammad; Inglehearn, Chris F.; Wissinger, Bernd

2015-01-01

Purpose To investigate the molecular basis of retinitis pigmentosa in two consanguineous families of Pakistani origin with multiple affected members. Methods Homozygosity mapping and Sanger sequencing of candidate genes were performed in one family while the other was analyzed with whole exome next-generation sequencing. A minigene splicing assay was used to confirm the splicing defects. Results In family MA48, a novel homozygous nucleotide substitution in C8orf37, c.244–2A>C, that disrupted the consensus splice acceptor site of exon 3 was found. The minigene splicing assay revealed that this mutation activated a cryptic splice site within exon 3, causing a 22 bp deletion in the transcript that is predicted to lead to a frameshift followed by premature protein truncation. In family MA13, a novel homozygous null mutation in C8orf37, c.555G>A, p.W185*, was identified. Both mutations segregated with the disease phenotype as expected in a recessive manner and were absent in 8,244 unrelated individuals of South Asian origin. Conclusions In this report, we describe C8orf37 mutations that cause retinal dystrophy in two families of Pakistani origin, contributing further data on the phenotype and the spectrum of mutations in this form of retinitis pigmentosa. PMID:25802487

Barriers to healthy eating among Norwegian-Pakistani women participating in a culturally adapted intervention.

PubMed

Råberg Kjøllesdal, Marte K; Telle Hjellset, Victoria; Bjørge, Benedikte; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Wandel, Margareta

2010-11-01

To explore barriers to healthy dietary changes experienced by Pakistani immigrant women participating in a culturally adapted intervention, and whether these barriers were associated with intentions to change dietary behaviours. Participants were randomly assigned to control and intervention group. The 7-month intervention consisted of six educational group sessions on diet and physical activity, based on knowledge about Pakistani lifestyle and focusing on blood glucose control. Data on barriers for and intentions to healthy dietary changes were collected through an interview with help of a questionnaire. The article is based on data from follow-up assessments in the intervention group, comprising 82 women, aged 28-62 years, without a history of type 2 diabetes. The most important barriers to healthy dietary changes were preferences of children and other family members and perceived expectations during social gatherings. The perceived pressure from other family members was especially strong when the women were trying to change to more vegetables, lentils, and fish and to use less oil in food preparation. The barriers were inversely related to intentions to change. The women encountered various types of barriers when trying to change to healthier food habits, the most prominent being those related to the social dimensions of food consumption, as well as to awareness of the amount of oil used for cooking.

U.S. sent fuel shipment experience by rail

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

Colborn, K.

2007-07-01

As planning for the large scale shipment of spent nuclear fuel to Yucca Mountain proceeds to address these challenges, actual shipments of spent fuel in other venues continues to provide proof that domestic rail spent fuel shipments can proceed safely and effectively. This paper presents some examples of recently completed spent fuel shipments, and the shipment of large low-level radioactive waste shipments offering lessons learned that may be beneficial to the planning process for large scale spent fuel shipments in the US. (authors)

Genome-Wide Supported Risk Variants in MIR137, CACNA1C, CSMD1, DRD2, and GRM3 Contribute to Schizophrenia Susceptibility in Pakistani Population.

PubMed

Fatima, Ambrin; Farooq, Muhammad; Abdullah, Uzma; Tariq, Muhammad; Mustafa, Tanveer; Iqbal, Muhammad; Tommerup, Niels; Mahmood Baig, Shahid

2017-09-01

Schizophrenia is a chronic neuropsychiatric disease afflicting around 1.1% of the population worldwide. Recently, MIR137 , CACNA1C , CSMD1 , DRD2 , and GRM3 have been reported as the most robustly emerging candidates involved in the etiology of schizophrenia. In this case control study, we performed an association analysis of rs1625579 ( MIR137 ), rs1006737, rs4765905 ( CACNA1C ), rs10503253 ( CSMD1 ), rs1076560 ( DRD2 ), rs12704290, rs6465084, and rs148754219 ( GRM3 ) in Pakistani population. Schizophrenia was diagnosed on the basis of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th ed (DSM-IV). Detailed clinical information, family history of all patients and healthy controls were collected. RFLP based case control association study was performed in a Pakistani cohort of 508 schizophrenia patients and 300 healthy control subjects. Alleles and genotype frequencies were calculated using SPSS. A significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies for rs4765905, rs1076560 and rs6465084 were found between the patients and controls (p=0.000). This study provides substantial evidence supporting the role of CACNA1C , GRM3 and DRD2 as schizophrenia susceptibility genes in Pakistani population.

A collaborative exploration of the reasons for lower satisfaction with services among Bangladeshi and Pakistani social care users.

PubMed

Blake, Margaret; Bowes, Alison; Gill, Valdeep; Husain, Fatima; Mir, Ghazala

2017-05-01

This study explored underlying reasons for the expression of dissatisfaction with services among Bangladeshi and Pakistani social care users in England and investigated, using a collaborative approach, how these could be addressed. In-depth interviews were conducted in Birmingham, Leeds and London during 2012-2013 with 63 Bangladeshi, Pakistani and white British service users and 24 social care managers, social workers and care workers. A further 34 cognitive interviews were conducted within the same study. Following data analysis, three collaborative workshops involving service users and providers were held to validate the findings and to draw out policy and practice recommendations. Analysis of the cognitive interviews showed that higher dissatisfaction among Bangladeshi and Pakistani service users reported in social care surveys was not due to questionnaire design. Instead in-depth interviews showed that dissatisfaction across all three groups was expressed along the social care journey, including accessing care, communication with social workers and the nature of care received. While many issues were common to all three groups, cultural differences also emerged as affecting experiences of social care. These included misunderstandings about family roles in care; gender issues, especially relating to women; language and communication barriers, alongside the need for a more nuanced approach to ethnic 'matching'; and continuing limited cultural understanding among care workers. The collaborative workshops identified practical actions that could address some of the issues identified. These covered raising awareness of services within communities; improving support for informal carers; service user input to assessments; consistent and ongoing sharing of information; improving access; and more efforts to diversify and appropriately train the social care workforce. In conclusion, the paper presents the reality of dissatisfaction among these groups and argues for more

Social stress and depression during pregnancy and in the postnatal period in British Pakistani mothers: a cohort study.

PubMed

Husain, Nusrat; Cruickshank, Kennedy; Husain, Meher; Khan, Sarah; Tomenson, Barbara; Rahman, Atif

2012-11-01

Depressive disorders are common and disabling among perinatal women. The rates are high in ethnic minority groups. The causes are not known in British Pakistani women. The aim of this study was to estimate the rates, correlates and maintaining factors of perinatal depression in a Pakistani sample in UK. The design used was a cross-sectional two phase population based survey with a prospective cohort study. All women in 3rd trimester attending antenatal clinic were screened with the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). Women scoring 12 or more on EPDS and a random sample of low scorers were interviewed using the Schedules for Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) and the Life Events and Difficulties schedule (LEDS). Social support was assessed with the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). They were reassessed 6 months after the delivery using the same measures. The weighted prevalence of depression was 16.8%. Depressed mothers had more marked non health difficulties (housing, financial and marital). They had less social support and were socially isolated. Marked social isolation and marked non-health related difficulties were independent predictors of depression. Analyses of all the possible risk factors, comparing 26 persistent depressed with 27 depression resolved group showed significant differences in the MSPSS subscales between the two groups. The study lacked inter-rater reliability testing between the individuals carrying out diagnostic interviews. The study sample did not accurately represent the general population and information about the origins of depression in this group of mothers was limited. Depression in British Pakistani mothers is associated with social isolation, poor social support and severe and persistent social difficulties. The findings will have implications in planning suitable services for this group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alcohol and marijuana use while driving--an unexpected crash risk in Pakistani commercial drivers: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Mir, Mohammed Umer; Khan, Imran; Ahmed, Bilal; Abdul Razzak, Junaid

2012-02-27

A significant proportion of road traffic crashes are attributable to alcohol and marijuana use while driving globally. Sale and use of both substances is illegal in Pakistan and is not considered a threat for road traffic injuries. However literature hints that this may not be the case. We did this study to assess usage of alcohol and marijuana in Pakistani commercial drivers. A sample of 857 commercial bus and truck drivers was interviewed in October 2008 at the largest commercial vehicle station in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. Time location cluster sampling was used to select the subjects and a structured questionnaire was used to assess the basic demographic profile, substance abuse habits of the drivers while on the road, and reasons for usage of illicit substances while driving were recorded. Self reported information was collected after obtaining informed consent. Chi square and fisher exact tests were used to assess differences between groups and logistic regression was used to identify significant associations between driver characteristics and alcohol and marijuana use. Almost 10% of truck drivers use alcohol while driving on Pakistani roads. Marijuana use is almost 30% in some groups. Statistically different patterns of usage are seen between population subgroups based on age, ethnicity, education, and marital status. Regression analysis shows association of alcohol and marijuana use with road rage and error behaviours, and also with an increased risk of being involved in road crashes. The reported reasons for using alcohol or marijuana show a general lack of awareness of the hazardous nature of this practice among the commercial driver population. Alcohol and marijuana use is highly prevalent in Pakistani commercial drivers. The issue needs to be recognized by concerned authorities and methods such as random breath tests and sobriety check points need to be employed for proper law enforcement.

Social stress and depression during pregnancy and in the postnatal period in British Pakistani mothers: A cohort study

PubMed Central

Husain, Nusrat; Cruickshank, Kennedy; Husain, Meher; Khan, Sarah; Tomenson, Barbara; Rahman, Atif

2012-01-01

Background Depressive disorders are common and disabling among perinatal women. The rates are high in ethnic minority groups. The causes are not known in British Pakistani women. The aim of this study was to estimate the rates, correlates and maintaining factors of perinatal depression in a Pakistani sample in UK. The design used was a cross-sectional two phase population based survey with a prospective cohort study. Methods All women in 3rd trimester attending antenatal clinic were screened with the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). Women scoring 12 or more on EPDS and a random sample of low scorers were interviewed using the Schedules for Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) and the Life Events and Difficulties schedule (LEDS). Social support was assessed with the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). They were reassessed 6 months after the delivery using the same measures. Results The weighted prevalence of depression was 16.8%. Depressed mothers had more marked non health difficulties (housing, financial and marital). They had less social support and were socially isolated. Marked social isolation and marked non-health related difficulties were independent predictors of depression. Analyses of all the possible risk factors, comparing 26 persistent depressed with 27 depression resolved group showed significant differences in the MSPSS subscales between the two groups. Limitations The study lacked inter-rater reliability testing between the individuals carrying out diagnostic interviews. The study sample did not accurately represent the general population and information about the origins of depression in this group of mothers was limited. Conclusion Depression in British Pakistani mothers is associated with social isolation, poor social support and severe and persistent social difficulties. The findings will have implications in planning suitable services for this group. PMID:22608713

The midwife-woman relationship in a South Wales community: Experiences of midwives and migrant Pakistani women in early pregnancy.

PubMed

Goodwin, Laura; Hunter, Billie; Jones, Aled

2018-02-01

In 2015, 27.5% of births in England and Wales were to mothers born outside of the UK. Compared to their White British peers, minority ethnic and migrant women are at a significantly higher risk of maternal and perinatal mortality, along with lower maternity care satisfaction. Existing literature highlights the importance of midwife-woman relationships in care satisfaction and pregnancy outcomes; however, little research has explored midwife-woman relationships for migrant and minority ethnic women in the UK. A focused ethnography was conducted in South Wales, UK, including semi-structured interviews with 9 migrant Pakistani participants and 11 practising midwives, fieldwork in the local migrant Pakistani community and local maternity services, observations of antenatal appointments, and reviews of relevant media. Thematic data analysis was undertaken concurrently with data collection. The midwife-woman relationship was important for participants' experiences of care. Numerous social and ecological factors influenced this relationship, including family relationships, culture and religion, differing health-care systems, authoritative knowledge and communication of information. Marked differences were seen between midwives and women in the perceived importance of these factors. Findings provide new theoretical insights into the complex factors contributing to the health-care expectations of pregnant migrant Pakistani women in the UK. These findings may be used to create meaningful dialogue between women and midwives, encourage women's involvement in decisions about their health care and facilitate future midwifery education and research. Conclusions are relevant to a broad international audience, as achieving better outcomes for migrant and ethnic minority communities is of global concern. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Why the offline are offline: a survey of internet use by educated Pakistani adults.

PubMed

Shafique, Farzana; Mahmood, Khalid

2009-06-01

The study reported here explored the reasons for the relatively limited use of the Internet among educated Pakistani adults. A fairly large sample of Internet nonusers from different cities of the Punjab Province with at least secondary school education participated in a survey. Some graduate students and cyber café owners were also interviewed. The results of this study are reported in the main body of this paper, indicating that a variety of cultural, educational, and economic factors are responsible for this state of affairs.

To Assess Sleep Quality among Pakistani Junior Physicians (House Officers): A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Surani, A A; Surani, A; Zahid, S; Ali, S; Farhan, R; Surani, S

2015-01-01

Sleep deprivation among junior physicians (house officers) is of growing concern. In developed countries, duty hours are now mandated, but in developing countries, junior physicians are highly susceptible to develop sleep impairment due to long working hours, on-call duties and shift work schedule. We undertook the study to assess sleep quality among Pakistani junior physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted at private and public hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, from June 2012 to January 2013. The study population comprised of junior doctors (house physicians and house surgeons). A consecutive sample of 350 physicians was drawn from the above-mentioned study setting. The subject underwent two validated self-administered questionnaires, that is, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). A total of 334 physicians completely filled out the questionnaire with a response rate of 95.4% (334/350). Of 334 physicians, 36.8% (123/334) were classified as "poor sleepers" (global PSQI score > 5). Poor sleep quality was associated with female gender (P = 0.01), excessive daytime sleepiness (P < 0.01), lower total sleep time (P < 0.001), increased sleep onset latency (P < 0.001), and increased frequency of sleep disturbances (P < 0.001). Abnormal ESS scores (ESS > 10) were more prevalent among poor sleepers (P < 0.01) signifying increased level of daytime hypersomnolence. Sleep quality among Pakistani junior physicians is significantly poor. Efforts must be directed towards proper sleep hygiene education. Regulations regarding duty hour limitations need to be considered.

Association of APOE polymorphisms and stressful life events with dementia in a Pakistani population.

PubMed

Chaudhry, M; Hasnain, S; Snitz, B E; Wang, X; Rosenthal, S; Demirci, F Y; Kamboh, M I

2014-06-06

Dementia is a major public health problem worldwide. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major form of dementia and the APOE 4 allele is an established genetic risk factor for AD. Similarly, stressful life events are also associated with dementia. The objective of this study was to examine the association of APOE 4 and stressful life events with dementia in a Pakistani sample, which to our knowledge has not been reported previously. We also tested for an interaction between stressful life events and APOE 4 on dementia risk. A total of 176 subjects (61 cases and 115 controls) were recruited. All cases and healthy controls were interviewed to assess cognition, co-morbidities, history of stressful life events and demographics. Blood genotyping for the APOE polymorphism (E2/E3/E4) was performed. APOE 4 and stressful life events were each independently and significantly associated with the risk of dementia (APOE 4: P=0.00697; stressful life events: P=5.29E-09). However, we did not find a significant interaction between APOE 4 carrier status and stressful life events on risk of dementia (P=0.677). Although the sample size of this study was small, the established association of APOE 4 with dementia was confirmed the first time in a Pakistani sample. Furthermore, stressful life events were also found to be significantly associated with dementia in this population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Provision of Human Capital by Business Schools of Pakistan: A Need for the Sustainability of the Pakistani Banking Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nauman, Sarwat; Hussain, Nasreen

2017-01-01

Economic growth of Pakistan through the banking sector relies heavily on the human capital dispensed to them by the Pakistani business schools. A conceptual model of the continuous improvement cycle for building human capital is developed through a literature review, with the aim of helping to generate human capital. Six semistructured interviews…

Domestic Violence

MedlinePlus

f AQ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FAQ083 WOMEN’S HEALTH Domestic Violence • What is domestic violence? • What are the types of abuse? • How can ... are available to help abused women? What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is a pattern of threatening or ...

Material flow analysis of fossil fuels in China during 2000-2010.

PubMed

Wang, Sheng; Dai, Jing; Su, Meirong

2012-01-01

Since the relationship between the supply and demand of fossil fuels is on edge in the long run, the contradiction between the economic growth and limited resources will hinder the sustainable development of the Chinese society. This paper aims to analyze the input of fossil fuels in China during 2000-2010 via the material flow analysis (MFA) that takes hidden flows into account. With coal, oil, and natural gas quantified by MFA, three indexes, consumption and supply ratio (C/S ratio), resource consumption intensity (RCI), and fossil fuels productivity (FFP), are proposed to reflect the interactions between population, GDP, and fossil fuels. The results indicated that in the past 11 years, China's requirement for fossil fuels has been increasing continuously because of the growing mine productivity in domestic areas, which also leads to a single energy consumption structure as well as excessive dependence on the domestic exploitation. It is advisable to control the fossil fuels consumption by energy recycling and new energy facilities' popularization in order to lead a sustainable access to nonrenewable resources and decrease the soaring carbon emissions.

Brachypodium distachyon genomics for sustainable food and fuel production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Grasses are a vital source of food for humanity and are projected to be become an important source of renewable fuel. To provide food, feed and fuel for an ever expanding human population it will be necessary to improve existing grass crops (e.g. wheat, maize, rice) and domesticate perennial grasses...

Maintenance of changes in food intake and motivation for healthy eating among Norwegian-Pakistani women participating in a culturally adapted intervention.

PubMed

Helland-Kigen, Kaja Marie; Råberg Kjøllesdal, Marte Karoline; Hjellset, Victoria Telle; Bjørge, Benedikte; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Wandel, Margareta

2013-01-01

To investigate maintenance of changes in food intake and motivation for healthy eating at follow-up 2 data collection after a lifestyle intervention among Pakistani immigrant women. A culturally adapted lifestyle intervention, aiming at reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data collection including FFQ and questions on intentions to change dietary behaviour was completed at baseline, right after the 7 ± 1 month intervention (follow-up 1) and 2-3 years after baseline (follow-up 2). Oslo, Norway. Pakistani women (n =198), aged 25-60 years, randomized into control and intervention groups. From follow-up 1 to follow-up 2 there was a shift from action to maintenance stages for intention to reduce fat intake (P < 0.001), change type of fat (P = 0.001), increase vegetable intake (P < 0.001) and reduce sugar intake (P = 0.003) in the intervention group. The reduction in intakes of soft drinks with sugar, fruit drinks with sugar and red meats, and the increase in intakes of vegetables and fish from baseline to follow-up 1 were maintained (significant change from baseline) at follow-up 2 in the intervention group. The intake of vegetables was higher (P = 0.019) and the intake of fruit drinks with sugar lower (P = 0.023) in the intervention group compared with the control group at follow-up 2. The culturally adapted intervention had the potential of affecting intentions to change food behaviour among Pakistani immigrant women long after completion of the intervention and also of leading to long-term maintenance of beneficial changes in diet.

Heat recovery subsystem and overall system integration of fuel cell on-site integrated energy systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mougin, L. J.

1983-01-01

The best HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) subsystem to interface with the Engelhard fuel cell system for application in commercial buildings was determined. To accomplish this objective, the effects of several system and site specific parameters on the economic feasibility of fuel cell/HVAC systems were investigated. An energy flow diagram of a fuel cell/HVAC system is shown. The fuel cell system provides electricity for an electric water chiller and for domestic electric needs. Supplemental electricity is purchased from the utility if needed. An excess of electricity generated by the fuel cell system can be sold to the utility. The fuel cell system also provides thermal energy which can be used for absorption cooling, space heating and domestic hot water. Thermal storage can be incorporated into the system. Thermal energy is also provided by an auxiliary boiler if needed to supplement the fuel cell system output. Fuel cell/HVAC systems were analyzed with the TRACE computer program.

Pakistani Government Primary School Teachers and the English Textbooks of Grades 1-5: A Mixed Methods Teachers'-Led Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panezai, Sania Gul; Channa, Liaquat Ali

2017-01-01

Textbooks are the only available source/s of teaching and learning English in Pakistani public education system. Whether the textbooks serve their intended purposes as mentioned in the National Curriculum of English, the researchers conducted a mixed methods teachers'-led evaluation to investigate the effectiveness of English textbooks. The study…

Professorial Views of the Use of Diversity Experiences to Develop Students' Critical Thinking Skills in the Pakistani College Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tahir, Khazima

2017-01-01

This study explored the interplay of diversity experiences and critical thinking of Pakistani college students and determined how the classroom experience supported and exposed students to diversity and critical thinking. The researcher conducted teachers' interviews to gather data in a college in Pakistan. Teachers were asked to respond to a…

Scholars' Satisfaction with Digital Library Collection and Gaps in the Provision of Effective Information Resources and Services: A Pakistani Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khan, Amjid; Ahmed, Shamshad; Masrek, Mohamad Noorman

2014-01-01

The study aims to explore the researchers' satisfaction with digital library resources and services and how they improved the research culture in Pakistani universities. A descriptive survey method was employed to achieve objectives of this study. Using stratified random sampling, for this survey we selected 14 public sector universities of Khyber…

Corrosion Evaluation of RERTR Uranium Molybdenum Fuel

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

A K Wertsching

2012-09-01

As part of the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) mandate to replace the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel for low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, research into the development of LEU fuel for research reactors has been active since the late 1970’s. Originally referred to as the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program the new effort named Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) is nearing the goal of replacing the standard aluminum clad dispersion highly enriched uranium aluminide fuel with a new LEU fuel. The five domestic high performance research reactors undergoing this conversion are High Fluxmore » Isotope reactor (HFIR), Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Reactor, Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Reactor II (MITR-II). The design of these reactors requires a higher neutron flux than other international research reactors, which to this point has posed unique challenges in the design and development of the new mandated LEU fuel. The new design utilizes a monolithic fuel configuration in order to obtain sufficient 235U within the LEU stoichoimetry to maintain the fission reaction within the domestic test reactors. The change from uranium aluminide dispersion fuel type to uranium molybdenum (UMo) monolithic configuration requires examination of possible corrosion issues associated with the new fuel meat. A focused analysis of the UMo fuel under potential corrosion conditions, within the ATR and under aqueous storage indicates a slow and predictable corrosion rate. Additional corrosion testing is recommended for the highest burn-up fuels to confirm observed corrosion rate trends. This corrosion analysis will focus only on the UMo fuel and will address corrosion of ancillary components such as cladding only in terms of how it affects the fuel. The calculations and corrosion scenarios are weighted with a conservative bias

41 CFR 102-34.40 - Who must comply with motor vehicle fuel efficiency requirements?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... motor vehicle fuel efficiency requirements? 102-34.40 Section 102-34.40 Public Contracts and Property... with motor vehicle fuel efficiency requirements? (a) Executive agencies operating domestic fleets must comply with motor vehicle fuel efficiency requirements for such fleets. (b) This subpart does not apply...

Pakistan’s Domestic Political Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-19

Daily Times (Lahore), Aug. 29, 2005; Aamer Ahmed Khan, “Musharraf Under Fire After Local elections,” BBC News, Aug. 30, 2005; Husain Haqqani, “Hit... Ahmed serves as MMA president. Another long-standing Islamist party is the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam faction led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F). The JUI...Harper Collins India, 2000), p. 135. 37 Pakistani Ambassador to the United States Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, “Transition in Pakistan” (letter), New York

Influencing factors of domestic waste characteristics in rural areas of developing countries.

PubMed

Han, Zhiyong; Liu, Yong; Zhong, Min; Shi, Guozhong; Li, Qibin; Zeng, Dan; Zhang, Yu; Fei, Yongqiang; Xie, Yanhua

2018-02-01

Waste management in rural areas has become a major challenge for governments of developing countries. The success of waste management decisions directly lies in the accuracy and reliability of the data on which choices are based; many factors influence these data. Here, we examined the factors influencing domestic waste in rural areas of developing countries (RADIC), using both field surveys and by reviewing previous literature. The social factors included population, education and culture. There was a positive linear relationship between waste generation amount and population size (R 2  = 0.9405). Environmental education, training and demonstration projects played a positive role in improving people's awareness of the benefits of recycling and reducing waste. Traditional and national cultures, consumption and living habits contributed to variations in the generation and composition of domestic waste. Generally, practices related to conservation of and reverence for nature and green consumption encourage people to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in their daily life. Economic factors included household income and expenditure, energy and fuel structure, and types of industry that occurred in villages. A Kuznets inverted "U" curve relationship existed between domestic waste generation and people's income in rural areas of China. However, the waste generation rate had a linear relationship with the gross national income per capita in RADIC. The composition, bulk density and calorific value of domestic waste were variously affected by the energy and fuel structure and the types of industry that occurred. The natural factors included geography and climate (including rainfall, humidity, temperature and harvest seasons). The moisture content of waste was directly influenced by rainfall and humidity. Temperature affected waste characteristics by influencing residential heating modes. The waste characteristics were also influenced by the mixing of agricultural and

Material Flow Analysis of Fossil Fuels in China during 2000–2010

PubMed Central

Wang, Sheng; Dai, Jing; Su, Meirong

2012-01-01

Since the relationship between the supply and demand of fossil fuels is on edge in the long run, the contradiction between the economic growth and limited resources will hinder the sustainable development of the Chinese society. This paper aims to analyze the input of fossil fuels in China during 2000–2010 via the material flow analysis (MFA) that takes hidden flows into account. With coal, oil, and natural gas quantified by MFA, three indexes, consumption and supply ratio (C/S ratio), resource consumption intensity (RCI), and fossil fuels productivity (FFP), are proposed to reflect the interactions between population, GDP, and fossil fuels. The results indicated that in the past 11 years, China's requirement for fossil fuels has been increasing continuously because of the growing mine productivity in domestic areas, which also leads to a single energy consumption structure as well as excessive dependence on the domestic exploitation. It is advisable to control the fossil fuels consumption by energy recycling and new energy facilities' popularization in order to lead a sustainable access to nonrenewable resources and decrease the soaring carbon emissions. PMID:23365525

Myalgias or non-specific muscle pain in Arab or Indo-Pakistani patients may indicate vitamin D deficiency.

PubMed

Badsha, Humeira; Daher, Mirna; Ooi Kong, Kok

2009-08-01

The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/dl) among patients with fibromyalgia or muscle pain in a musculoskeletal clinic in the United Arab Emirates. Consecutive patients who were diagnosed with fibromyalgia and/or non-specific musculoskeletal pain (ICD-9 729.1) were screened for vitamin D deficiency. Patients were seen at follow-up after treatment with vitamin D was given. Improvement was assessed by a simple questionnaire. Patients (139) with muscle pain were seen in 2007. Average age was 40 +/- year; 95% were female; 69 (49%) were Arab, of whom 92% were veiled; 43 (30%) Indian of whom 11% were veiled; 23 (16%) were Caucasian; and four were East Asian (3%) and all wore western clothes. One hundred three (74%) of these patients had a low vitamin D level. Vitamin D deficiency was most common among Arab patients (86%) and Indo-Pakistani (87%) and least common among the Caucasians (8%) and was equally prevalent among veiled and non-veiled patients. Treatment resulted in clinical improvement in 90% of patients. Non-specific muscle pains among Arab and Indian-Pakistani populations may indicate vitamin D deficiency, and prompt treatment can result in resolution of symptoms.

Municipal solid waste generation in municipalities: Quantifying impacts of household structure, commercial waste and domestic fuel

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

Lebersorger, S.; Beigl, P., E-mail: peter.beigl@boku.ac.at

Waste management planning requires reliable data concerning waste generation, influencing factors on waste generation and forecasts of waste quantities based on facts. This paper aims at identifying and quantifying differences between different municipalities' municipal solid waste (MSW) collection quantities based on data from waste management and on socio-economic indicators. A large set of 116 indicators from 542 municipalities in the Province of Styria was investigated. The resulting regression model included municipal tax revenue per capita, household size and the percentage of buildings with solid fuel heating systems. The model explains 74.3% of the MSW variation and the model assumptions aremore » met. Other factors such as tourism, home composting or age distribution of the population did not significantly improve the model. According to the model, 21% of MSW collected in Styria was commercial waste and 18% of the generated MSW was burned in domestic heating systems. While the percentage of commercial waste is consistent with literature data, practically no literature data are available for the quantity of MSW burned, which seems to be overestimated by the model. The resulting regression model was used as basis for a waste prognosis model (Beigl and Lebersorger, in preparation).« less

Municipal solid waste generation in municipalities: quantifying impacts of household structure, commercial waste and domestic fuel.

PubMed

Lebersorger, S; Beigl, P

2011-01-01

Waste management planning requires reliable data concerning waste generation, influencing factors on waste generation and forecasts of waste quantities based on facts. This paper aims at identifying and quantifying differences between different municipalities' municipal solid waste (MSW) collection quantities based on data from waste management and on socio-economic indicators. A large set of 116 indicators from 542 municipalities in the Province of Styria was investigated. The resulting regression model included municipal tax revenue per capita, household size and the percentage of buildings with solid fuel heating systems. The model explains 74.3% of the MSW variation and the model assumptions are met. Other factors such as tourism, home composting or age distribution of the population did not significantly improve the model. According to the model, 21% of MSW collected in Styria was commercial waste and 18% of the generated MSW was burned in domestic heating systems. While the percentage of commercial waste is consistent with literature data, practically no literature data are available for the quantity of MSW burned, which seems to be overestimated by the model. The resulting regression model was used as basis for a waste prognosis model (Beigl and Lebersorger, in preparation). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Empirical Study of IT Use in Pakistani Civil Society Organizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeed, Saqib; Rohde, Markus; Wulf, Volker

As voulantary organizations are differnt from business and governmental organizations in terms of structure, working methodologies and decision making, we are interested in the specific IT requirements and technology use in this sector. In this paper we investigate the Pakistani civil society sector to analyze the involvement of technology in their work settings. The paper also discusses two successful virtual voulantary organizations to highlight the potential of new media. The findings suggest that lack of technological and financial resources hinder them to adopt innovative solutions. The technological use is mostly limited, but the realization of its importance and urge to establish ICT infrastructures exist. So there is need for appropriating technology so that this sector in collaboration with government institutions can serve the public in a better way in new knowledge society.

Perceptions of risk factors for diabetes among Norwegian-Pakistani women participating in a culturally adapted intervention.

PubMed

Råberg Kjøllesdal, Marte K; Hjellset, Victoria T; Bjørge, Benedikte; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Wandel, Margareta

2011-06-01

To explore perceptions of diabetes risk factors among Pakistani immigrant women, as part of their explanatory model of the disease, and the changes in these perceptions after a culturally adapted intervention. Intervention study, carried out in Oslo, Norway, comprising 198 women. At baseline, about 75% of the women perceived sugar to be a risk factor for diabetes, about 30% mentioned physical inactivity and stress and close to 20% mentioned overweight. Twelve per cent could not identify any risk factors. When asked about foods to include in a diet to prevent diabetes, vegetables were mentioned by 45%, while 33% did not know any foods to include. Among those attending ≥60% of the educational sessions, the proportions mentioning little physical activity (p<0.001), overweight (p=0.001) and family history (p=0.007) as risk factors increased. Furthermore, the proportions mentioning legumes (p=0.001), fish (p<0.001), fibre (p=0.035) or vegetables (p=0.015) as important in a diet to prevent diabetes increased, and the proportion not knowing any food to include was reduced to 10% (p=0.004). Except for little physical activity, similar changes in responses were not registered in the control group. There is a need for improved knowledge about diabetes prevention among Pakistani immigrant women, and a culturally adapted intervention may contribute to this.

Animal evolution during domestication: the domesticated fox as a model.

PubMed

Trut, Lyudmila; Oskina, Irina; Kharlamova, Anastasiya

2009-03-01

We review the evolution of domestic animals, emphasizing the effect of the earliest steps of domestication on its course. Using the first domesticated species, the dog (Canis familiaris), for illustration, we describe the evolutionary peculiarities during the historical domestication, such as the high level and wide range of diversity. We suggest that the process of earliest domestication via unconscious and later conscious selection of human-defined behavioral traits may accelerate phenotypic variations. The review is based on the results of a long-term experiment designed to reproduce early mammalian domestication in the silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) selected for tameability or amenability to domestication. We describe changes in behavior, morphology and physiology that appeared in the fox during its selection for tameability, which were similar to those observed in the domestic dog. Based on the data of the fox experiment and survey of relevant data, we discuss the developmental, genetic and possible molecular genetic mechanisms underlying these changes. We ascribe the causative role in evolutionary transformation of domestic animals to the selection for behavior and to the neurospecific regulatory genes it affects.

Animal evolution during domestication: the domesticated fox as a model

PubMed Central

Trut, Lyudmila; Oskina, Irina; Kharlamova, Anastasiya

2009-01-01

Summary We review the evolution of domestic animals, emphasizing the effect of the earliest steps of domestication on its course. Using the first domesticated species, the dog (Canis familiaris) as an illustration, we describe the evolutionary specificities of the historical domestication, such as the high level and wide range of diversity. We suggest that the process of earliest domestication via unconscious and later conscious selection of human-defined behavioral traits may accelerate phenotypic variations. The review is based on the results of the long-term experiment designed to reproduce early mammalian domestication in the silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) selected for tameability, or amenability to domestication. We describe changes in behavior, morphology and physiology that appeared in the fox during its selection for tameability and that were similar to those observed in the domestic dog. Based on the experimental fox data and survey of relevant data, we discuss the developmental, genetic and possible molecular-genetic mechanisms of these changes. We assign the causative role in evolutionary transformation of domestic animals to selection for behavior and to the neurospecific regulatory genes it affects. PMID:19260016

The domestication of fire: the relationship between biomass fuel, fossil fuel and burns.

PubMed

Albertyn, R; Rode, H; Millar, A J W; Peck, M D

2012-09-01

Primitive man's discovery and use of fire had a tremendous impact on modern development. It changed lifestyles, and brought with it new fuel sources and cooking methods. It also introduced devastation, injury, pain, disfigurement, and loss of life, and the need to continuously develop management, training and prevention programs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Usher syndrome in four siblings from a consanguineous family of Pakistani origin.

PubMed

Trop, I; Schloss, M D; Polomeno, R; Der Kaloustian, V

1995-04-01

Usher syndrome is a heterogeneous group of disorders of autosomal recessive inheritance characterized by retinitis pigmentosa and congenital sensorineural hearing loss. Two types are accepted clinically: type I is associated with profound congenital deafness with progressive pigmentary retinopathy and total loss of vestibular function. Type II is a milder form, with moderate-to-profound hearing loss and a milder form of retinitis pigmentosa. Vestibular function is preserved. A total of five loci have been identified as accounting for the two distinct phenotypic presentations. We describe a consanguineous family of Pakistani origin whose four children all are affected with Usher syndrome type I. DNA analysis showed non-linkage to any of the loci already identified as tightly linked to the Usher syndrome type I.

Perceived Breastfeeding Support Assessment Tool (PBSAT): development and testing of psychometric properties with Pakistani urban working mothers.

PubMed

Hirani, Shela Akbar Ali; Karmaliani, Rozina; Christie, Thomas; Parpio, Yasmin; Rafique, Ghazala

2013-06-01

breast feeding is an essential source of nutrition among young babies; however, in Pakistan a gradual decline in prevalence of breast feeding, especially among urban working mothers, has been reported. Previous studies among Pakistani urban working mothers have revealed that ensuring exclusivity and continuation of breast feeding is challenging if social and/or workplace environmental support is minimal or absent. This problem indicated a crucial need to assess availability of breast-feeding support for Pakistani urban working mothers by using a comprehensive, reliable, and validated tool in their national language (Urdu). to develop and test the psychometric properties of the 'Perceived Breastfeeding Support Assessment Tool' (PBSAT) that can gauge Pakistani urban working mothers' perceptions about breast-feeding support. this methodological research was undertaken in five phases. During phase I, a preliminary draft of the PBSAT was developed by using the Socio-ecological model, reviewing literature, and referring to two United States based tools. In Phase II, the instrument was evaluated by seven different experts, and, in Phase III, the instrument was revised, translated, and back translated. In Phase IV, the tool was pilot tested among 20 participants and then modified on the basis of statistical analysis. In Phase V, the refined instrument was tested on 200 breast-feeding working mothers recruited through purposive sampling from the government and private health-care settings in Karachi, Pakistan. Approvals were received from the Ethical Review Committees of the identified settings. the 29-item based PBSAT revealed an acceptable inter-rater reliability of 0.95, and an internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.85. A construct validity assessment through Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed that the PBSAT has two dimensions, 'workplace environmental support' (12 items; α=0.86) and 'social environmental support' (17 items; α=0.77). the

Revisiting the Link Between Economic Distress, Race, and Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Leguizamon, J Sebastian; Leguizamon, Susane; Howden, Wesley

2017-06-01

Male unemployment may decrease the incidence of domestic violence, due to loss of economic power in the relationship, or increase the incidence of domestic violence, due to emotional outbursts fueled by increased stress. We hypothesize that Black men may face a greater loss of expected future earnings after an unemployment shock due to a more unfavorable labor market relative to White men. Consequently, we would expect that Black men would, on net, exhibit a greater reduction (or a smaller increase) in incidences of domestic violence following an employment shock. This study uses mass layoff events reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) at the county level ( N = 3,377) for the years 2003-2008. Mass layoff events occur when a firm lays off at least 50 workers and are uncorrelated with individual-level characteristics ( N = 28,939 events, affecting N = 5,337,481 individuals). Domestic violence data are taken from the National Archive of Criminal Justice and defined as occurring when an accused perpetrator is charged, but not necessarily convicted. We use a multivariate regression model to estimate how differences in the change in reported incidences of domestic violence by race correlate with changes in mass layoffs by race. We control for the poverty rate, real per capita income, percent Black, percent women, and percent of females laid off. The standard errors are clustered at the county level and include county and time dummies to account for regional and time specific trends. We observe that an increase in the number of Blacks subject to a mass layoff event do exert a negative associated influence on domestic violence while layoffs of White men exert a positive influence. Our results shed light on how the influence of economic uncertainty on incidences of domestic violence has been found to be positive in some previous research but negative in other research.

Perspectives of UK Pakistani women on their behaviour change to prevent type 2 diabetes: qualitative study using the theory domain framework.

PubMed

Penn, Linda; Dombrowski, Stephan U; Sniehotta, Falko F; White, Martin

2014-07-08

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a debilitating disease, highly prevalent in UK South Asians, and preventable by lifestyle intervention. The 'New life, New you' (NLNY) physical activity (PA) and dietary intervention for T2D prevention was culturally adapted to better engage minority ethnic populations and tested for feasibility. To investigate Pakistani female participants' perspectives of their behaviour change and of salient intervention features. A community-based 8-week programme of group delivered PA sessions with behavioural counselling and dietary advice, culturally adapted for ethnic minority populations, in an area of socioeconomic deprivation. Participants to NLNY were recruited through screening events in community venues across the town. Interviews were conducted with 20 Pakistani female NLNY participants, aged 26-45 (mean 33.5) years, from different parts of town. Within the a priori Theoretical Domains Framework (intentions and goals, reinforcement, knowledge, nature of the activity, social role and identity, social influences, capabilities and skills, regulation and decision, emotion and environment), we identified the importance of social factors relating to participants' own PA and dietary behaviour change. We also identified cross-cutting themes as collateral benefits of the intervention including participants' 'psychological health'; 'responsibility' (for others' health, especially family members included in the new PA and diet regimes) and 'inclusion' (an ethos of accommodating differences). Our findings suggest that culturally adapted interventions for Pakistani women at risk of T2D, delivered via group PA sessions with counselling and dietary advice, may encourage their PA and dietary behaviour change, and have collateral health and social benefits. The NLNY intervention appeared to be acceptable. We plan to evaluate recruitment, retention and likely effect of the intervention on participant behaviour prior to definitive evaluation. Published by the

Molecular Genetic Analysis of Pakistani Families With Autosomal Recessive Congenital Cataracts by Homozygosity Screening

PubMed Central

Chen, Jianjun; Wang, Qiwei; Cabrera, Patricia E.; Zhong, Zilin; Sun, Wenmin; Jiao, Xiaodong; Chen, Yabin; Govindarajan, Gowthaman; Naeem, Muhammad Asif; Khan, Shaheen N.; Ali, Muhammad Hassaan; Assir, Muhammad Zaman; Rahman, Fawad Ur; Qazi, Zaheeruddin A.; Riazuddin, Sheikh; Akram, Javed; Riazuddin, S. Amer; Hejtmancik, J. Fielding

2017-01-01

Purpose To identify the genetic origins of autosomal recessive congenital cataracts (arCC) in the Pakistani population. Methods Based on the hypothesis that most arCC patients in consanguineous families in the Punjab areas of Pakistan should be homozygous for causative mutations, affected individuals were screened for homozygosity of nearby highly informative microsatellite markers and then screened for pathogenic mutations by DNA sequencing. A total of 83 unmapped consanguineous families were screened for mutations in 33 known candidate genes. Results Patients in 32 arCC families were homozygous for markers near at least 1 of the 33 known CC genes. Sequencing the included genes revealed homozygous cosegregating sequence changes in 10 families, 2 of which had the same variation. These included five missense, one nonsense, two frame shift, and one splice site mutations, eight of which were novel, in EPHA2, FOXE3, FYCO1, TDRD7, MIP, GALK1, and CRYBA4. Conclusions The above results confirm the usefulness of homozygosity mapping for identifying genetic defects underlying autosomal recessive disorders in consanguineous families. In our ongoing study of arCC in Pakistan, including 83 arCC families that underwent homozygosity mapping, 3 mapped using genome-wide linkage analysis in unpublished data, and 30 previously reported families, mutations were detected in approximately 37.1% (43/116) of all families studied, suggesting that additional genes might be responsible in the remaining families. The most commonly mutated gene was FYCO1 (14%), followed by CRYBB3 (5.2%), GALK1 (3.5%), and EPHA2 (2.6%). This provides the first comprehensive description of the genetic architecture of arCC in the Pakistani population. PMID:28418495

HVDC Transmission an Outlook and Significance for Pakistani Power Sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Muhammad; Wang, Zhixin; Wang, Jinjian; Baloach, Mazhar H.; Longxin, Bao; Hua, Qing

2018-04-01

Recently a paradigm shift in the power sector is observed, i.e., countries across the globe have deviated their attention to distributed generation rather than conventional centralized bulk generation. Owing to the above narrative, distributed energy resources e.g., wind and PV have gained the adequate attention of governments and researchers courtesy to their eco-friendly nature. On the contrary, the increased infiltration of distributed generation to the power system has introduced many technical and economical glitches such as long-distance transmission, transmission lines efficiency, control capability and cost etc. To mitigate these complications, the utility of high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission has emerged as a possible solution. In this context, this paper includes a brief discussion on the fundamentals HVDC and its significance in Pakistani power sector. Furthermore, the potential of distributed energy resources for Pakistan is also the subject matter of this paper, so that significance of HVDC transmission can effectively be deliberated.

Fuel properties of biodiesel from alternative feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Defined as monoalkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids prepared from plant oils, animal fats, or other lipids, advantages of biodiesel over conventional petroleum diesel fuel include derivation from renewable and domestic feedstocks, superior lubricity and biodegradability, higher cetane number and f...

Brachdactyly Instigated as a Result of Mutation in GDF5 and NOG Genes in Pakistani Population.

PubMed

Khan, Samiullah; Mudassir, Muhammad; Khan, Naqab; Marwat, Asmatullah

2018-01-01

Brachdactyly a genetic disorder associated with the abnormal development of metacarpals, phalanges or both which results in the shortening of hands and feet. Mutations in the contributing genes has been recognized with the majority of the investigated syndromic form of brachdactyly. The current study was proposed to examine mutation in NOG and GDF5 genes in a Pakistani family. Poly Acrylamide Gel Electrophoresis and Polymerase Chain Reaction was used for the genomic screening and linkage analysis to observe the mutation in genes. The samples were collected from Luckki Marwat district, KPK, while the research study was conducted in the department of Biochemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. After survey, family was identified with brachdactyly type A2 and investigated a heterozygous arginine to glutamine exchange in the growth demarcation factor 5 in all the victim persons. Different types of skeletal dysplasia resulted due to mutation in the GDF5 genes. Novel GDF5 genes mutations were reported with distinct limb malformation and sequencing of coding region revealed that the mildly affected individuals were heterozygous while the harshly affected individuals were homozygous. The current study reported the genetic variability and concluded that the Brachdacytyly type A2 and type B2 resulted due to mutation in GDF5 and NOG genes respectively. A new subtype of brachydactyly (BDB2) was instigated as a result of novel mutations in NOG. The mutation has been reported for the first time in Pakistani population and especially in Pushtoon ethnic population.

The politics of combating the organ trade: lessons from the Israeli and Pakistani experience.

PubMed

Efrat, A

2013-07-01

Israel and Pakistan--two major participants in the global organ trade--enacted legislative prohibitions on the trade at roughly the same time. The article highlights three influences that brought about this change of policy in both countries: advocacy by local physicians coupled with media coverage and reinforced by the international medical community. The analysis also explains why the two countries have differed with respect to the enforcement of the organ-trade prohibition. The insights from the Israeli and Pakistani cases will be of use for the transplant community's efforts against organ trafficking. © Copyright 2013 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Domestic violence.

PubMed

Bennett, B

1997-01-01

This article explores the usefulness of white feminist domestic intervention to Aboriginal women who are victims of domestic violence. The discussion opens with a brief history of Aboriginal society before the age of colonization, followed by a summary of feminist intervention to fight domestic violence and the reactions of the Aboriginal women and communities towards this. It also presents a brief description of works conducted overseas where more appropriate frameworks are being used in intervening against domestic violence such as anti-racist social work. Towards the end, this paper explores some future possibilities for workers, in both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal societies.

From wild animals to domestic pets, an evolutionary view of domestication.

PubMed

Driscoll, Carlos A; Macdonald, David W; O'Brien, Stephen J

2009-06-16

Artificial selection is the selection of advantageous natural variation for human ends and is the mechanism by which most domestic species evolved. Most domesticates have their origin in one of a few historic centers of domestication as farm animals. Two notable exceptions are cats and dogs. Wolf domestication was initiated late in the Mesolithic when humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers. Those wolves less afraid of humans scavenged nomadic hunting camps and over time developed utility, initially as guards warning of approaching animals or other nomadic bands and soon thereafter as hunters, an attribute tuned by artificial selection. The first domestic cats had limited utility and initiated their domestication among the earliest agricultural Neolithic settlements in the Near East. Wildcat domestication occurred through a self-selective process in which behavioral reproductive isolation evolved as a correlated character of assortative mating coupled to habitat choice for urban environments. Eurasian wildcats initiated domestication and their evolution to companion animals was initially a process of natural, rather than artificial, selection over time driven during their sympatry with forbear wildcats.

Risk assessment of Pakistani individuals for diabetes (RAPID).

PubMed

Riaz, Musarrat; Basit, Abdul; Hydrie, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal; Shaheen, Fariha; Hussain, Akhtar; Hakeem, Rubina; Shera, Abdus Samad

2012-12-01

To develop and evaluate a risk score to predict people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes in Pakistan. Cross sectional data regarding primary prevention of diabetes in Pakistan. Diabetes risk score was developed by using simple parameters namely age, waist circumference, and family history of diabetes. Odds ratios of the model were used to assign a score value for each variable and the diabetes risk score was calculated as the sum of those scores. We externally validated the score using two data from 1264 subjects and 856 subjects aged 25 years and above from two separate studies respectively. Validating this score using the first data from the second screening study gave an area under the receive operator characteristics curve [AROC] of 0.758. A cut point of 4 had a sensitivity of 47.0% and specificity of 88% and in the second data AROC is 0.7 with 44% sensitivity and 89% specificity. A simple diabetes risk score, based on a set of variables can be used for the identification of high risk individuals for early intervention to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes in Pakistani population. Copyright © 2012 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES, GENDER SPECIFIC AND TRADITIONAL FACTORS FOR FIRST ONSET ANGINA IN A SAMPLE OF PAKISTANI WOMEN.

PubMed

Rafique, Rafia; Anjum, Afifa

2015-01-01

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) occurs to a greater extent in developed than developing countries like Pakistan. Our understanding of risk factors leading to this disease in women, are largely derived from studies carried out on samples obtained from developed countries. Since prevalence of CHD in Pakistan is growing, it seems pertinent to infer risk and protective factors prevalent within the Pakistani women. This case control study investigated the role of psychological, traditional and gender specific risk and protective factors for Angina in a sample of Pakistani women aged between 35-65 years. Female patients admitted with first episode of Angina fulfilling the study inclusion/exclusion criteria were recruited within the first three days of stay in the hospital. One control per case matched on age was recruited. Translated versions of standardized tools: Life Orientation Test (LOT), The Hope Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were used to measure the psychological variables. Information on medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, family history of IHD, presence and absence of menopause and use of oral contraceptive pills was obtained from the participants. Body Mass Index for cases and controls was calculated separately with the help of height and weight recorded for the participants. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that depression, anxiety and stress are risk factors, were as optimism and hope are protective predictors of Angina. 64% and 85% of variance in Angina were attributed to psychological factors. Menopause, diabetes and hypertension are significantly associated with the risk of Angina, explaining 37% and 49% of variance in Angina. The study provides evidence for implementation of gender specific risk assessment and preventive strategies for Angina. The study gives directions for large scale prospective, epidemiological, longitudinal as well as interventional studies, to be tailored

Highly durable, coking and sulfur tolerant, fuel-flexible protonic ceramic fuel cells.

PubMed

Duan, Chuancheng; Kee, Robert J; Zhu, Huayang; Karakaya, Canan; Chen, Yachao; Ricote, Sandrine; Jarry, Angelique; Crumlin, Ethan J; Hook, David; Braun, Robert; Sullivan, Neal P; O'Hayre, Ryan

2018-05-01

Protonic ceramic fuel cells, like their higher-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell counterparts, can directly use both hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels to produce electricity at potentially more than 50 per cent efficiency 1,2 . Most previous direct-hydrocarbon fuel cell research has focused on solid-oxide fuel cells based on oxygen-ion-conducting electrolytes, but carbon deposition (coking) and sulfur poisoning typically occur when such fuel cells are directly operated on hydrocarbon- and/or sulfur-containing fuels, resulting in severe performance degradation over time 3-6 . Despite studies suggesting good performance and anti-coking resistance in hydrocarbon-fuelled protonic ceramic fuel cells 2,7,8 , there have been no systematic studies of long-term durability. Here we present results from long-term testing of protonic ceramic fuel cells using a total of 11 different fuels (hydrogen, methane, domestic natural gas (with and without hydrogen sulfide), propane, n-butane, i-butane, iso-octane, methanol, ethanol and ammonia) at temperatures between 500 and 600 degrees Celsius. Several cells have been tested for over 6,000 hours, and we demonstrate excellent performance and exceptional durability (less than 1.5 per cent degradation per 1,000 hours in most cases) across all fuels without any modifications in the cell composition or architecture. Large fluctuations in temperature are tolerated, and coking is not observed even after thousands of hours of continuous operation. Finally, sulfur, a notorious poison for both low-temperature and high-temperature fuel cells, does not seem to affect the performance of protonic ceramic fuel cells when supplied at levels consistent with commercial fuels. The fuel flexibility and long-term durability demonstrated by the protonic ceramic fuel cell devices highlight the promise of this technology and its potential for commercial application.

An important missing source of atmospheric carbonyl sulfide: Domestic coal combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Qianqian; Zhang, Chenglong; Mu, Yujing; Cheng, Ye; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Liu, Chengtang; Song, Min; Tian, Di; Liu, Pengfei; Liu, Junfeng; Xue, Chaoyang; Ye, Can

2016-08-01

Carbonyl sulfide (COS), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions generated from prevailing domestic coal stoves fueled with raw bituminous coal were studied under alternation cycles of flaming and smoldering combustion. The measurements in the laboratory and the farmer's house indicated that COS and CO emissions mainly occurred under the condition of flame extinguishment after coal loading, whereas SO2 emissions were mainly generated through combustion with flame. The COS emission factors for the domestic stoves in the laboratory and the farmer's house were recorded as 0.57 ± 0.10 g COS kg-1 and 1.43 ± 0.32 g COS kg-1, being approximately a factor of 50 and 125 greater than that generated from coal power plants, respectively. Based on the COS emission factors measured in this study, COS emission from only domestic coal combustion in China would be at least 30.5 ± 5.6 Gg S yr-1 which was 1 magnitude greater than the current COS estimation from the total coal combustion in China.

SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF METHANOL FROM COMBINED WIND TURBINE AND FUEL CELL POWER

EPA Science Inventory

The paper examines an integrated use of ultra-clean wind turbines and high temperature fuel cells to produce methanol, especially for transportation purposes. The principal utility and application of the process is the production of transportation fuel from domestic resources to ...

Public stigma associated with mental illnesses in Pakistani university students: a cross sectional survey

PubMed Central

Zubair, Muhammad; Ghulam, Hamzah; Wajih Ullah, Muhammad; Zubair Tariq, Muhammad

2014-01-01

Background. The objectives of the study were to explore the knowledge and attitudes of Pakistani university students toward mental illnesses. People with mental illnesses are challenged not only by their symptoms but also by the prejudices associated with their illness. Acknowledging the stigma of mental illness should be the first essential step toward devising an appropriate treatment plan. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the University of Punjab, Lahore, CMH Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore, and University of Sargodha, Sub-campus Lahore, from February to May 2014. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographics, general knowledge of psychiatric illnesses, and Community Attitudes towards Mental Illnesses (CAMI) Scale. The questionnaire was distributed to 650 participants enrolled in different disciplines (Social Sciences, Medicine and Formal Sciences). Results. Response rate was 81% (527/650 respondents). Mean age was 20.98 years. Most of the students (331, 62.8%) had an urban background and studied Social Sciences (238, 45.2%). Four hundred and eighteen respondents (79.3%) considered religion very important and most respondents considered psychiatrists (334, 63.4%) and spiritual leaders (72, 13.7%) to be best able to treat mental illnesses. One hundred and sixty nine respondents (32.1%) considered black magic to be a cause of mental illness. Only 215 (41%) respondents had ever read an article on mental illnesses. Multiple regression analysis revealed study discipline, exposure, perceived causes of mental illnesses and superstitions to be significantly associated with attitudes towards mental illnesses (p < .05). Conclusion. Although low awareness and exposure were found in this sample of Pakistani university students, their attitude towards mental illnesses was generally positive. Most respondents gave supernatural explanations for mental illnesses but only a few believed that spiritual leaders can play a

Specific and quantitative detection of Human polyomaviruses BKPyV and JCPyV in the healthy Pakistani population.

PubMed

Hussain, Iqra; Tasneem, Fareeda; Umer, Muhammed; Pervaiz, Ayesha; Raza, Muslim; Arshad, Muhammad Imran; Shahzad, Naveed

2017-04-24

The BK Polyomavirus (BKPyV) and JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) infections are widespread in human population and have been associated with severe kidney and brain disorders, respectively. The viruses remain latent primarily in reno-urinary tract, reactivating only in case of a compromised immune system. The seroepidemiology and molecular prevalence of BKPyV and JCPyV have been widely studied both in healthy and immunocompromised patients worldwide. However, data regarding the prevalence of these viruses in the immunocompetent or apparently healthy Pakistani population is lacking. Herein, we present the first ever report on quantitative prevalence of BKPyV and JCPyV in the peripheral blood of a randomly selected cohort of healthy Pakistani population. A total of 266 whole blood samples were examined. The subjects were divided into three age groups: ≤ 25 years (young), 26-50 years (middle) and ≥ 51 years (elder). Absolute real time PCR assay was designed to quantify the BKPyV and JCPyV viral copy numbers in the range of 10 6 to 10 0 copies/mL. Overall, BKPyV was detected in 27.1% (72/266) individuals while JCPyV in 11.6% (31/266) indicating significant difference (p < 0.005) in the distribution of these two viruses. The prevalence of BKPyV significantly decreased from 51% (49/96) in young age group to 8.2% (7/85) in eldest age group. Whereas, JCPyV positivity rate slightly increased from 8.3% (8/96) in young age group to 11.8% (10/85) in elder age group. The median viral load was calculated as 6.2 log and 3.38 log copies/mL of blood for BKPyV and JCPyV, respectively. Notably, no significant difference in viral load of either of the subtypes was found between different age groups. The current study provides an important baseline data on the prevalence and viral load of circulating BKPyV and JCPyV in Pakistani population. The prevalence and viral load of BKPyV was comparatively higher than JCPyV. The prevalence of BKPyV significantly decreased with increase in

Breast-feeding and maternal mental well-being among Bangladeshi and Pakistani women in north-east England.

PubMed

Noor, Sayeda Z; Rousham, Emily K

2008-05-01

To explore the relationship between infant feeding and maternal mental well-being among women of Bangladeshi and Pakistani ethnicity; and to explore the sources of advice, information and support available to women before and after childbirth. A cross-sectional survey of infant feeding and maternal well-being via structured interviews conducted in the home. Home visits within two inner-city wards of Newcastle upon Tyne. Eighty-six women of South Asian ethnicity. Enjoyment of everyday activities was higher among women who breast-fed only (P = 0.028); whereas feeling sad or crying during pregnancy was lower among breast-feeding women (P = 0.005), as was not sleeping well (P = 0.003) and feeling that everything was too much (P = 0.039), compared with women who used formula or mixed feeding. Women who breast-fed only had better mean mood scores than those who formula-fed or those who both breast-fed and formula-fed (P < 0.001). Mean mood responses were also significantly associated with the mother's level of understanding of English and number of years in education (P = 0.005 and P = 0.003, respectively). The association between method of feeding and maternal mood remained strong after controlling for the effects of English language and maternal education. The study suggests that breast-feeding may be an important mediator of maternal mental well-being after childbirth. Community-based programmes tailored to the needs of Bangladeshi and Pakistani women which support breast-feeding and encourage exclusive breast-feeding may be of benefit.

Improved oxidative stability of biodiesel fuels : antioxidant research and development.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

Biodiesel is a domestic, renewable fuel that is gaining wide acceptance, especially in Europe. : When blended with conventional petroleum diesel, biodiesel reduces hydrocarbon, particulate : and carbon monoxide emissions, while having minimal to no e...

Parenting and Infant Temperament amongst Pakistani Women Living in the UK According to Country of Birth: Results from the Born in Bradford Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prady, Stephanie L.; Kiernan, Kathleen; Fairley, Lesley; Wright, John

2013-01-01

Some parenting behaviours and child characteristics can result in future behavioural problems. Relatively little is known about parenting behaviours in Pakistani-origin women, and how the timing of migration to the United Kingdom might affect such behaviours. We analysed differences in parenting behaviours and six-month infant temperament by…

Soybean-derived biofuels and home heating fuels.

PubMed

Mushrush, George W; Wynne, James H; Willauer, Heather D; Lloyd, Christopher L

2006-01-01

It is environmentally enticing to consider replacing or blending petroleum derived heating fuels with biofuels for many reasons. Major considerations include the soaring worldwide price of petroleum products, especially home heating oil, the toxicity of the petroleum-derived fuels and the environmental damage that leaking petroleum tanks afford. For these reasons, it has been suggested that domestic renewable energy sources be considered as replacements, or at the least, as blending stocks for home heating fuels. If recycled soy restaurant cooking oils could be employed for this purpose, this would represent an environmental advantage. Renewable plant sources of energy tend to be less toxic than their petroleum counterparts. This is an important consideration when tank leakage occurs. Home fuel oil storage tanks practically always contain some bottom water. This water environment has a pH value that factors into heating fuel stability. Therefore, the question is: would the biofuel help or exacerbate fuel stability and furnace maintenance issues?

Splice-site mutations identified in PDE6A responsible for retinitis pigmentosa in consanguineous Pakistani families

PubMed Central

Khan, Shahid Y.; Ali, Shahbaz; Naeem, Muhammad Asif; Khan, Shaheen N.; Husnain, Tayyab; Butt, Nadeem H.; Qazi, Zaheeruddin A.; Akram, Javed; Riazuddin, Sheikh; Ayyagari, Radha; Hejtmancik, J. Fielding

2015-01-01

Purpose This study was conducted to localize and identify causal mutations associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in consanguineous familial cases of Pakistani origin. Methods Ophthalmic examinations that included funduscopy and electroretinography (ERG) were performed to confirm the affectation status. Blood samples were collected from all participating individuals, and genomic DNA was extracted. A genome-wide scan was performed, and two-point logarithm of odds (LOD) scores were calculated. Sanger sequencing was performed to identify the causative variants. Subsequently, we performed whole exome sequencing to rule out the possibility of a second causal variant within the linkage interval. Sequence conservation was performed with alignment analyses of PDE6A orthologs, and in silico splicing analysis was completed with Human Splicing Finder version 2.4.1. Results A large multigenerational consanguineous family diagnosed with early-onset RP was ascertained. An ophthalmic clinical examination consisting of fundus photography and electroretinography confirmed the diagnosis of RP. A genome-wide scan was performed, and suggestive two-point LOD scores were observed with markers on chromosome 5q. Haplotype analyses identified the region; however, the region did not segregate with the disease phenotype in the family. Subsequently, we performed a second genome-wide scan that excluded the entire genome except the chromosome 5q region harboring PDE6A. Next-generation whole exome sequencing identified a splice acceptor site mutation in intron 16: c.2028–1G>A, which was completely conserved in PDE6A orthologs and was absent in ethnically matched 350 control chromosomes, the 1000 Genomes database, and the NHLBI Exome Sequencing Project. Subsequently, we investigated our entire cohort of RP familial cases and identified a second family who harbored a splice acceptor site mutation in intron 10: c.1408–2A>G. In silico analysis suggested that these

Association of food security status with overweight and dietary intake: exploration of White British and Pakistani-origin families in the Born in Bradford cohort.

PubMed

Yang, T C; Sahota, P; Pickett, K E; Bryant, M

2018-04-24

Food insecurity has been associated with dietary intake and weight status in UK adults and children although results have been mixed and ethnicity has not been explored. We aimed to compare prevalence and trajectories of weight and dietary intakes among food secure and insecure White British and Pakistani-origin families. At 12 months postpartum, mothers in the Born in Bradford cohort completed a questionnaire on food security status and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) assessing their child's intake in the previous month; at 18 months postpartum, mothers completed a short-form FFQ assessing dietary intake in the previous 12 months. Weights and heights of mothers and infants were assessed at 12-, 24-, and 36-months postpartum, with an additional measurement of children taken at 4-5 years. Associations between food security status and dietary intakes were assessed using Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney for continuous variables and χ 2 or Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables. Quantile and logistic regression were used to determine dietary intakes adjusting for mother's age. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess longitudinal changes in body mass index (BMI) in mothers and BMI z-scores in children. At 12 months postpartum, White British mothers reported more food insecurity than Pakistani-origin mothers (11% vs 7%; p < 0.01) and more food insecure mothers were overweight. Between 12 and 36 months postpartum, BMI increased more among food insecure Pakistani-origin mothers (β = 0.77 units, [95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.40, 1.10]) than food secure (β = 0.44 units, 95% CI: 0.33, 0.55). This was also found in Pakistani-origin children (BMI z-score: food insecure β = 0.40 units, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.59; food secure β = 0.25 units, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.29). No significant increases in BMI were observed for food secure or insecure White British mothers while BMI z-score increased by 0.17 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.21) for food secure White

A laboratory fuel efficiency and emissions comparison between Tanzanian traditional and improved biomass cooking stoves and alternative fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, B. R.; Maggio, J. C.; Paterson, K.

2010-12-01

Large amounts of aerosols are emitted from domestic biomass burning globally every day. Nearly three billion people cook in their homes using traditional fires and stoves. Biomass is the primary fuel source which results in detrimental levels of indoor air pollution as well as having a strong impact on climate change. Variations in emissions occur depending on the combustion process and stove design as well as the condition and type of fuel used. The three most commonly used fuels for domestic biomass burning are wood, charcoal, and crop residue. In addition to these commonly used fuels and because of the increased difficulty of obtaining charcoal and wood due to a combination of deforestation and new governmental restrictions, alternative fuels are becoming more prevalent. In the Republic of Tanzania a field campaign was executed to test previously adopted and available traditional and improved cooking stoves with various traditional and alternative fuels. The tests were conducted over a two month period and included four styles of improved stoves, two styles of traditional cooking methods, and eight fuel types. The stoves tested include a sawdust stove, ceramic and brick insulated metal stoves, and a mud stove. A traditional three-stone fire was also tested as a benchmark by which to compare the other stoves. Fuel types tested include firewood, charcoal (Acacia), sawdust, pressed briquettes, charcoal dust briquettes, and carbonized crop residue. Water boiling tests were conducted on each stove with associated fuel types during which boiling time, water temperature, CO, CO2, and PM2.5μm emissions were recorded. All tests were conducted on-site in Arusha, Tanzania enabling the use of local materials and fuels under local conditions. It was found that both stove design and fuel type play a critical role in the amount of emissions produced. The most influential design aspect affecting emissions was the size of the combustion chamber in combination with air intake

Azolla domestication towards a biobased economy?

PubMed

Brouwer, Paul; Bräutigam, Andrea; Külahoglu, Canan; Tazelaar, Anne O E; Kurz, Samantha; Nierop, Klaas G J; van der Werf, Adrie; Weber, Andreas P M; Schluepmann, Henriette

2014-05-01

Due to its phenomenal growth requiring neither nitrogen fertilizer nor arable land and its biomass composition, the mosquito fern Azolla is a candidate crop to yield food, fuels and chemicals sustainably. To advance Azolla domestication, we research its dissemination, storage and transcriptome. Methods for dissemination, cross-fertilization and cryopreservation of the symbiosis Azolla filiculoides-Nostoc azollae are tested based on the fern spores. To study molecular processes in Azolla including spore induction, a database of 37 649 unigenes from RNAseq of microsporocarps, megasporocarps and sporophytes was assembled, then validated. Spores obtained year-round germinated in vitro within 26 d. In vitro fertilization rates reached 25%. Cryopreservation permitted storage for at least 7 months. The unigene database entirely covered central metabolism and to a large degree covered cellular processes and regulatory networks. Analysis of genes engaged in transition to sexual reproduction revealed a FLOWERING LOCUS T-like protein in ferns with special features induced in sporulating Azolla fronds. Although domestication of a fern-cyanobacteria symbiosis may seem a daunting task, we conclude that the time is ripe and that results generated will serve to more widely access biochemicals in fern biomass for a biobased economy. No claim to original European Union works. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Domestic Violence

MedlinePlus

Domestic violence is a type of abuse. It usually involves a spouse or partner, but it can also ... a child, elderly relative, or other family member. Domestic violence may include Physical violence that can lead to ...

Improved oxidative stability of biodiesel fuels : antioxidant research and development : [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-03-21

Biodiesel is a domestic, renewable fuel that is gaining wide acceptance, : especially in Europe. When blended with conventional petroleum diesel, biodiesel : reduces hydrocarbon, particulate and carbon monoxide emissions, while having minimal : to no...

Survival analysis and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus in Pakistani patients.

PubMed

Rabbani, Malik Anas; Habib, H B; Islam, M; Ahmad, B; Majid, S; Saeed, W; Shah, S M A; Ahmad, A

2009-08-01

To aim of this study is to analyse the survival rate and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Pakistani population. A total of 198 patients with SLE diagnosed between 1992 and 2005 were reviewed retrospectively. Clinical features at presentation, subsequent evolving features, autoantibody profile, damage scores and mortality data were obtained. Prognostic factors for survival were studied by statistical analysis. Of 198 SLE patients studied, 174 were women and 24 were men. The women to men ratio was 7.2:1. Mean age at presentation was 31 years (range 14-76). Mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 2.8 years. Mean duration of follow-up was 34.21 months (+/-33.69). Mean disease duration was 15.6 years. At diagnosis, arthritis, malar rash, oral ulcers and alopecia were the commonest features. During the follow-up, the prevalence of nephritis, arthritis, neurological and hematological disease increased significantly. About 76% (n = 151) of the patients had organ damage at the time of data analysis, and renal disease was the commonest cause. Univariate analysis revealed that renal disease (P = 0.000), seizures (P = 0.048), pleural involvement (P = 0.019), alopecia (P = 0.000) and discoid lesions (P = 0.005) were predictors for damage. Multivariate model, however, revealed that only renal disease was independent risk factor for damage (P = 0.002). During the study period, 47 patients (24%) died (five due to disease-related complications and rest as a result of infections). The 3-, 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year survival rates of our cohort were 99, 80, 77, 75 and 75%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that renal involvement (P = 0.002) and infections (P = 0.004) were independent risk factors for mortality. The survival of our Pakistani SLE patients was significantly lower compared to that of the Caucasian series reported in last decade. Nephritis not only contributes to organ damage but also acts a major determinant for survival

Characterization of High-Value Bioactives in Some Selected Varieties of Pakistani Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

PubMed Central

Zubair, Muhammad; Anwar, Farooq; Ashraf, Muhammad; Uddin, Md. Kamal

2012-01-01

The present study reports the composition and variation of fatty acids, sterols, tocopherols and γ-oryzanol among selected varieties namely Basmati Super, Basmati 515, Basmati 198, Basmati 385, Basmati 2000, Basmati 370, Basmati Pak, KSK-139, KS-282 and Irri-6 of Pakistani rice (Oryza sativa L). Oil content extracted with n-hexane from different varieties of brown rice seed (unpolished rice) ranged from 1.92% to 2.72%. Total fatty acid contents among rice varieties tested varied between 18240 and 25840 mg/kg brown rice seed. The rice tested mainly contained oleic (6841–10952 mg/kg) linoleic (5453–7874 mg/kg) and palmitic acid (3613–5489 mg/kg). The amounts of total phytosterols (GC and GC-MS analysis), with main contribution from β-sitosterol (445–656 mg/kg), campesterol (116–242 mg/kg), Δ5-avenasterol (89–178 mg/kg) and stigmasterol (75–180 mg/kg) were established to be 739.4 to 1330.4 mg/kg rice seed. The content of α-, γ- and δ-tocopherols as analyzed by HPLC varied from 39.0–76.1, 21.6–28.1 and 6.5–16.5 mg/kg rice seed, respectively. The amounts of different γ-oryzanol components (HPLC data), identified as cycloartenyl ferulate, 24-methylene cycloartanyl ferulate, campesteryl ferulate and β-sitosteryl ferulate, were in the range of 65.5–103.6, 140.2–183.1, 29.8–45.5 and 8.6–10.4 mg/kg rice seed, respectively. Overall, the concentration of these bioactives was higher in the Basmati rice cultivars showing their functional food superiority. In conclusion, the tested varieties of Pakistani rice, especially the Basmati cultivars, can provide best ingredients for functional foods. PMID:22605998

Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs.

PubMed

Lewejohann, Lars; Pickel, Thorsten; Sachser, Norbert; Kaiser, Sylvia

2010-03-25

Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus), starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment.In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all perform worse than their wild relatives in tests of spatial

Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus), starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment. In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Results Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. Conclusion The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all perform worse than their wild

Detection of human papillomavirus in normal oral cavity in a group of Pakistani subjects using real-time PCR.

PubMed

Gichki, Abdul Samad; Buajeeb, Waranun; Doungudomdacha, Sombhun; Khovidhunkit, Siribang-on Pibooniyom

2012-01-01

Since there is evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) may play some role in oral carcinogenesis, we investigated the presence of HPV in a group of Pakistani subjects with normal oral cavity using real-time PCR analysis. Two-hundred patients attending the Dental Department, Sandaman Provincial Hospital, Balochistan, Pakistan, were recruited. After interview, oral epithelial cells were collected by scraping and subjected to DNA extraction. The HPV-positive DNA samples were further analyzed using primer sets specific for HPV-16 and -18. It was found that out of 200 DNA samples, 192 were PCR-positive for the β-globin gene and these were subsequently examined for the presence of HPV DNA. Among these, 47 (24.5%) were HPV-positive with the virus copy number ranged between 0.43-32 copies per 1 μg of total DNA (9-99 copies per PCR reaction). There were 4 and 11 samples containing HPV-16 and -18, respectively. Additionally, one sample harbored both types of HPV. Among the investigated clinical parameters, smoking habit was associated with the presence of HPV (p=0.001) while others indicated no significant association. The prevalence of HPV in normal oral cavity in our Pakistani subjects appears to be comparable to other studies. However, the association between the presence of HPV and smoking warrants further investigations whether both of these factors can cooperate in inducing oral cancer in this group of patients.

Sunflower domestication alleles support single domestication center in eastern North America

PubMed Central

Blackman, Benjamin K.; Scascitelli, Moira; Kane, Nolan C.; Luton, Harry H.; Rasmussen, David A.; Bye, Robert A.; Lentz, David L.; Rieseberg, Loren H.

2011-01-01

Phylogenetic analyses of genes with demonstrated involvement in evolutionary transitions can be an important means of resolving conflicting hypotheses about evolutionary history or process. In sunflower, two genes have previously been shown to have experienced selective sweeps during its early domestication. In the present study, we identified a third candidate early domestication gene and conducted haplotype analyses of all three genes to address a recent, controversial hypothesis about the origin of cultivated sunflower. Although the scientific consensus had long been that sunflower was domesticated once in eastern North America, the discovery of pre-Columbian sunflower remains at archaeological sites in Mexico led to the proposal of a second domestication center in southern Mexico. Previous molecular studies with neutral markers were consistent with the former hypothesis. However, only two indigenous Mexican cultivars were included in these studies, and their provenance and genetic purity have been questioned. Therefore, we sequenced regions of the three candidate domestication genes containing SNPs diagnostic for domestication from large, newly collected samples of Mexican sunflower landraces and Mexican wild populations from a broad geographic range. The new germplasm also was genotyped for 12 microsatellite loci. Our evidence from multiple evolutionarily important loci and from neutral markers supports a single domestication event for extant cultivated sunflower in eastern North America. PMID:21844335

The Normalization of Cannabis Use Among Bangladeshi and Pakistani Youth: A New Frontier for the Normalization Thesis?

PubMed

Williams, Lisa; Ralphs, Rob; Gray, Paul

2017-03-21

The Asian population in Britain has grown, representing the second largest ethnic group; Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Indian nationalities are prevalent (Jivraj, 2012 ; Office for National Statistics, 2013 ). Yet, we know relatively little about the nature and extent of their substance use. Jayakody et al. ( 2006 ) argue ethnic minority groups may be influenced by the norms and values of the dominant culture. Given recreational drug use has undergone a process of normalization in Britain (Aldridge et al., 2011 ; Parker et al., 1998 , 2002 ), we explore the degree to which this is occurring in a Bangladeshi and Pakistani community of Muslim faith in Northern England; a group typically assumed to reject substance use because of robust religious and cultural values. To examine the extent, frequency, and nature of substance use, and associated attitudes. A cross-sectional study collecting qualitative data from a sample (N = 43) of adolescents accessing a drug service and a range of professionals working with them during 2014. We also present analyses of routinely collected quantitative client data. Adolescent interviewees reported extensive personal experience smoking skunk cannabis, and professionals working in the community confirmed many young Asians smoked it. Its consumption appeared to be accommodated into the daily lives of young people and the supply of it also showed signs of acceptance. Skunk cannabis may be undergoing a process of normalization within some Asian communities in Britain. Our study has significant implications for the normalization thesis, finding evidence for normalization within a subpopulation that is typically perceived to resist this trend.

Effect of six type II diabetes susceptibility loci and an FTO variant on obesity in Pakistani subjects

PubMed Central

Shabana; Ullah Shahid, Saleem; Wah Li, Ka; Acharya, Jayshree; Cooper, Jackie A; Hasnain, Shahida; Humphries, Stephen E

2016-01-01

The aim of the current study was to analyze the effect of six type II diabetes GWAS loci rs3923113 (GRB14), rs16861329 (ST6GAL1), rs1802295 (VPS26A), rs7178572 (HMG20A), rs2028299 (AP3S2) and rs4812829 (HNF4A), and an FTO polymorphism (rs9939609) on obesity. The probable mechanism of action of these SNPs was analyzed by studying their association with various biochemical and anthropometric parameters. A total of 475 subjects (obese=250, controls=225) were genotyped by TaqMan assay and their lipid profile was determined. Allele/genotype frequencies and an unweighted/weighted gene score were calculated. The effect of the gene score on anthropometric and biochemical parameters was analyzed. The minor allele frequencies of all variants were comparable to that reported in the original studies and were associated with obesity in these Pakistani subjects. Subjects with 9 risk alleles differ from those with <3 and overall there is no significant effect (P-value for trend 0.26). None of the SNPs were associated with any of the serum lipid traits. We are the first to report the association of these T2D SNPs with obesity. In the Pakistani population the reported effect of six SNPs for obesity is similar to that reported for T2D and having a combination of risk alleles on obesity can be considerable. The mechanism of this effect is unclear, but appears not to be mediated by changing serum lipid chemistry. PMID:26395551

Molecular diversity of Pakistani mango (Mangifera indica L.) varieties based on microsatellite markers.

PubMed

Nazish, T; Shabbir, G; Ali, A; Sami-Ul-Allah, S; Naeem, M; Javed, M; Batool, S; Arshad, H; Hussain, S B; Aslam, K; Seher, R; Tahir, M; Baber, M

2017-04-05

Understanding the genetic diversity of different Pakistani mango varieties is important for germplasm management and varietal characterization. Microsatellites are efficient and highly polymorphic markers for comparative genome mapping, and were used in the present study to determine the genetic relatedness and variability among 15 indigenous mango cultivars (Mangifera indica L.). Overall, 181 bands were produced using 12 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. Out of the 12 primers used, 10 were polymorphic and two were monomorphic. Genetic relatedness among cultivars was assessed by constructing a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group method of arithmetic means. The accessions exhibited coefficients of similarity ranging from 75 to 100%, indicating the frequent use of only a few parent cultivars and the presence of inbreeding. The primers used in the present study were found to be valuable for identifying genetic relationships among mango cultivars.

Integrating separation and conversion - Conversion of biorefinery process streams to biobased chemicals and fuels

Treesearch

Joseph J. Bozell; Berenger Biannic; Diana Cedeno; Thomas Elder; Omid Hosseinaei; Lukas Delbeck; Jae-Woo Kim; C.J. O' Lenick; Timothy Young

2014-01-01

Abstract The concept of the integrated biorefinery is critical to developing a robust biorefining industry in the USA.Within this model, the biorefinery will produce fuel as a highvolume output addressing domestic energy needs and biobased chemical products (high-value organics) as an output providing necessary economic support for fuel production. This paper will...

Future US energy demands based upon traditional consumption patterns lead to requirements which significantly exceed domestic supply

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Energy consumption in the United States has risen in response to both increasing population and to increasing levels of affluence. Depletion of domestic energy reserves requires consumption modulation, production of fossil fuels, more efficient conversion techniques, and large scale transitions to non-fossile fuel energy sources. Widening disparity between the wealthy and poor nations of the world contributes to trends that increase the likelihood of group action by the lesser developed countries to achieve political and economic goals. The formation of anticartel cartels is envisioned.

Oligohydramnios in a pregnant Pakistani woman with Plasmodium vivax malaria.

PubMed

Binello, Nicolò; Brunetti, Enrico; Cattaneo, Federico; Lissandrin, Raffaella; Malfitano, Antonello

2014-04-23

In the Western world, the diagnosis and management of Plasmodium vivax malaria in pregnant women can be challenging, and the pathogenesis of adverse outcomes for both the mother and the foetus is still poorly known. The authors describe the case of a 29-year-old Pakistani woman at the 29th week of her second pregnancy, who was admitted to the Hospital following the abrupt onset of fever. At the time of admission, she had been living in Italy without travelling to any malaria-endemic areas for eight months. She was diagnosed with vivax malaria after a thin blood smear revealed the presence of plasmodial trophozoites and gametocytes and treated accordingly. Due to the onset of oligohydramnios, she underwent caesarian section at the 31st week of pregnancy with no further complications. Histological examination of the placenta showed no evidence of plasmodial infection, but was inconclusive. It is unclear whether oligohydramnios is a complication of pregnancy-related Plasmodium vivax malaria. Given the long latency of hypnozoites, every febrile pregnant patient with a previous stay in an endemic area should be screened for malaria with a thick and a thin blood smear.

Screening for mutations in two exons of FANCG gene in Pakistani population.

PubMed

Aymun, Ujala; Iram, Saima; Aftab, Iram; Khaliq, Saba; Nadir, Ali; Nisar, Ahmed; Mohsin, Shahida

2017-06-01

Fanconi anemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of genetic instability. It is both molecularly and clinically, a heterogeneous disorder. Its incidence is 1 in 129,000 births and relatively high in some ethnic groups. Sixteen genes have been identified among them mutations in FANCG gene are most common after FANCA and FANCC gene mutations. To study mutations in exon 3 and 4 of FANCG gene in Pakistani population. Thirty five patients with positive Diepoxybutane test were included in the study. DNA was extracted and amplified for exons 3 and 4. Thereafter Sequencing was done and analyzed for the presence of mutations. No mutation was detected in exon 3 whereas a carrier of known mutation c.307+1 G>T was found in exon 4 of the FANCG gene. Absence of any mutation in exon 3 and only one heterozygous mutation in exon 4 of FANCG gene points to a different spectrum of FA gene pool in Pakistan that needs extensive research in this area.

RATIONALIZED AND COMPLEMENTARY FINDINGS OF SILYMARIN (MILK THISTLE) IN PAKISTANI HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS.

PubMed

Ashraf, Muhammad; Abid, Farah; Riffat, Sualeha; Bashir, Sajid; Iqbal, Javed; Sarfraz, Muhammad; Afzal, Attia; Zaheer, Muhammad

2015-01-01

The aim of the work was to examine the influence of gender on pharmacokinetics of silymarin; a basic constituent of medicinal herb "milk thistle" (Silybum marianum). The presented work is the extension of published work of Usman et al. (16). The comparative parallel design pharmacokinetic study was conducted in Pakistani healthy volunteers (male and female) receiving a single 200 mg oral dose of silymarin. Sixteen subjects (8 males and 8 females) were enrolled and completed the 12 h study. Blood screening was done on HPLC and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by APO, 3.2 Ver. software using non-compartmental and two compartment model approaches. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was observed in almost all calculated pharmacokinetic parameters of silymarin in male and female. Clinically, the silymarin has been underestimated in the previous study. Gender based clinical investigations should be directed in the future on other flavono-lignans of 'milk thistle' as well.

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: an interpretative phenomenological analyses.

PubMed

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-12-19

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health.

19 CFR 123.13 - Foreign repairs to domestic locomotives and other domestic railroad equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... domestic railroad equipment. 123.13 Section 123.13 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... International Traffic § 123.13 Foreign repairs to domestic locomotives and other domestic railroad equipment. A report of the first arrival in the United States of a domestic locomotive or other railroad equipment...

Fuel quality processing study, volume 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Syverson, H. T.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, R. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-04-01

A fuel quality processing study to provide a data base for an intelligent tradeoff between advanced turbine technology and liquid fuel quality, and also, to guide the development of specifications of future synthetic fuels anticipated for use in the time period 1985 to 2000 is given. Four technical performance tests are discussed: on-site pretreating, existing refineries to upgrade fuels, new refineries to upgrade fuels, and data evaluation. The base case refinery is a modern Midwest refinery processing 200,000 BPD of a 60/40 domestic/import petroleum crude mix. The synthetic crudes used for upgrading to marketable products and turbine fuel are shale oil and coal liquids. Of these syncrudes, 50,000 BPD are processed in the existing petroleum refinery, requiring additional process units and reducing petroleum feed, and in a new refinery designed for processing each syncrude to produce gasoline, distillate fuels, resid fuels, and turbine fuel, JPGs and coke. An extensive collection of synfuel properties and upgrading data was prepared for the application of a linear program model to investigate the most economical production slate meeting petroleum product specifications and turbine fuels of various quality grades. Technical and economic projections were developed for 36 scenarios, based on 4 different crude feeds to either modified existing or new refineries operated in 2 different modes to produce 7 differing grades of turbine fuels. A required product selling price of turbine fuel for each processing route was calculated. Procedures and projected economics were developed for on-site treatment of turbine fuel to meet limitations of impurities and emission of pollutants.

Fuel quality processing study, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Syverson, H. T.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, R. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-01-01

A fuel quality processing study to provide a data base for an intelligent tradeoff between advanced turbine technology and liquid fuel quality, and also, to guide the development of specifications of future synthetic fuels anticipated for use in the time period 1985 to 2000 is given. Four technical performance tests are discussed: on-site pretreating, existing refineries to upgrade fuels, new refineries to upgrade fuels, and data evaluation. The base case refinery is a modern Midwest refinery processing 200,000 BPD of a 60/40 domestic/import petroleum crude mix. The synthetic crudes used for upgrading to marketable products and turbine fuel are shale oil and coal liquids. Of these syncrudes, 50,000 BPD are processed in the existing petroleum refinery, requiring additional process units and reducing petroleum feed, and in a new refinery designed for processing each syncrude to produce gasoline, distillate fuels, resid fuels, and turbine fuel, JPGs and coke. An extensive collection of synfuel properties and upgrading data was prepared for the application of a linear program model to investigate the most economical production slate meeting petroleum product specifications and turbine fuels of various quality grades. Technical and economic projections were developed for 36 scenarios, based on 4 different crude feeds to either modified existing or new refineries operated in 2 different modes to produce 7 differing grades of turbine fuels. A required product selling price of turbine fuel for each processing route was calculated. Procedures and projected economics were developed for on-site treatment of turbine fuel to meet limitations of impurities and emission of pollutants.

Life-Cycle Evaluation of Domestic Energy Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bando, Shigeru; Hihara, Eiji

Among the growing number of environmental issues, the global warming due to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide CO2, is the most serious one. In order to reduce CO2 emissions in energy use, it is necessary to reduce primary energy consumption, and to replace energy sources with alternatives that emit less CO2.One option of such ideas is to replace fossil gas for water heating with electricity generated by nuclear power, hydraulic power, and other methods with low CO2 emission. It is also important to use energy efficiently and to reduce waste heat. Co-generation system is one of the applications to be able to use waste heat from a generator as much as possible. The CO2 heat pump water heaters, the polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and the micro gas turbines have high potential for domestic energy systems. In the present study, the life-cycle cost, the life-cycle consumption of primary energy and the life-cycle emission of CO2 of these domestic energy systems are compare. The result shows that the CO2 heat pump water heaters have an ability to reduce CO2 emission by 10%, and the co-generation systems also have another ability to reduce primary energy consumption by 20%.

PAH emissions from old and new types of domestic hot water boilers.

PubMed

Horak, Jiri; Kubonova, Lenka; Krpec, Kamil; Hopan, Frantisek; Kubesa, Petr; Motyka, Oldrich; Laciok, Vendula; Dej, Milan; Ochodek, Tadeas; Placha, Daniela

2017-06-01

Five different domestic heating boilers (automatic, over-fire, with down-draft combustion and gasification) and three types of fuel (lignite, wood and mixed fuel) were examined in 25 combustion tests and correlated with the emissions of particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), total organic carbon (TOC) and 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs with MW = 178-278 g/mol) focusing on particle phase. However, the distribution of 12 PAHs in gas phase was considered as well due to the presence mainly of lighter PAHs in gas phase. The PAHs, as well as the CO and TOC, are the indicators of incomplete combustion, and in this study PAH emission increased significantly with increasing emissions of CO and TOC. The PAHs were mainly detected on PM 2.5 , their contents were increasing linearly with increasing PM 2.5 emissions. The highest emission factors of PAHs were measured for boilers of old construction, such as over-fire boiler (5.8-929 mg/kg) and boiler with down-draft combustion (3.1-54.1 mg/kg). Modern types of boilers produced much lower emissions of PAHs, in particular, automatic boiler (0.3-3.3 mg/kg) and gasification boilers (0.2-6.7 mg/kg). In general, the inefficient combustion at reduced output of boilers generated 1.4-17.7 times more emissions of PAHs than the combustion at nominal output of boilers. It is recommended to operate boilers at nominal output with sufficient air supply and to use the proper fuel to minimise PAHs emissions from domestic heating appliances. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Domestic and Domesticating Education in the Late Victorian City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heggie, Vanessa

2011-01-01

This article explores the various types of domestic education, particularly cookery, available in Manchester between 1870 and 1902. The work of the two local School Boards and the Manchester School of Domestic Economy are shown as part of a complicated network of provision--a mixed economy of welfare, including enthusiastic philanthropists and…

Assessment of bio-fuel options for solid oxide fuel cell applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jiefeng

Rising concerns of inadequate petroleum supply, volatile crude oil price, and adverse environmental impacts from using fossil fuels have spurred the United States to promote bio-fuel domestic production and develop advanced energy systems such as fuel cells. The present dissertation analyzed the bio-fuel applications in a solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit from environmental, economic, and technological perspectives. Life cycle assessment integrated with thermodynamics was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emission, fossil energy consumption) of producing bio-fuels from waste biomass. Landfill gas from municipal solid wastes and biodiesel from waste cooking oil are both suggested as the promising bio-fuel options. A nonlinear optimization model was developed with a multi-objective optimization technique to analyze the economic aspect of biodiesel-ethanol-diesel ternary blends used in transportation sectors and capture the dynamic variables affecting bio-fuel productions and applications (e.g., market disturbances, bio-fuel tax credit, policy changes, fuel specification, and technological innovation). A single-tube catalytic reformer with rhodium/ceria-zirconia catalyst was used for autothermal reformation of various heavy hydrocarbon fuels (e.g., diesel, biodiesel, biodiesel-diesel, and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel) to produce a hydrogen-rich stream reformates suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cell systems. A customized mixing chamber was designed and integrated with the reformer to overcome the technical challenges of heavy hydrocarbon reformation. A thermodynamic analysis, based on total Gibbs free energy minimization, was implemented to optimize the operating environment for the reformations of various fuels. This was complimented by experimental investigations of fuel autothermal reformation. 25% biodiesel blended with 10% ethanol and 65% diesel was determined to be viable fuel for use on a truck travelling with

The economic value of transportation energy contingency planning: An objective model for analyzing the economics of domestic renewable energy for supply augmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaten, Richard Jay

1998-12-01

Petroleum provides 90% of transportation energy needs. Domestic production is decreasing and global demand is increasing. Risk of escalating prices and supply interruptions are compounded by environmental and military externalities and lost opportunities from the failure to develop alternative domestic resources. Within the context of "energy contingency planning" municipalities should evaluate crisis mitigation strategies. Supply augmentation using domestic renewable fuels is proposed to avert future financial liabilities. A method for calculating the economic value of this strategy is demonstrated. An objective function and associated constraints represent the cost of preparing for each of three possible scenarios: status quo, inflationary and crisis. Constraints ensure that municipal fuel needs are met. Environmental costs may be included. Optimal solutions determine the fuel supply mix for each scenario. A 3 x 3 matrix presents the range of actual costs resulting from preparing for each scenario and subsequent three possible outcomes. The distribution of probabilities of the outcomes is applied to the cost matrix and an "expected value" of preparing for each scenario is calculated. An unanticipated crisis outcome results in. The expected value of the cost of preparing for a crisis is cast as an insurance premium against potential economic liability. Policy makers accept the crisis preparation fuel mix if: (a) they agree with the calculated penalty cost, or (b) they accept the burden of the insurance premium. Green Bay Wisconsin was chosen as a sample municipality. Results show that a perceived 10% chance of crisis requires an annual tax of 4.00 per household to avert economic impacts of 50 million. At a perceived 50% chance of crisis preparing for the crisis would begin to save the municipality money.

Preface for small-molecule activation: Carbon-containing fuels

DOE PAGES

Fujita, Etsuko; Goldman, Alan S.

2015-06-01

For millennia, human transportation was fueled largely through the consumption of biomass (by humans or domestic animals) and to a lesser extent by wind. The 19th century saw a major shift to coal-fueled transportation, with trains and ships powered by steam engines. A second major shift in the fueling of transportation occurred in the 20th century, this time to petroleum. Thus, this transition was not driven by the cost or ease of obtaining energy from oil wells vs. coal mines – indeed, the cost of petroleum has always been higher than coal on a per-unit-energy basis – but rather bymore » the tremendous technical advantages of powering engines with liquids, specifically liquid hydrocarbons.« less

Phylogenetic analysis of Sicilian goats reveals a new mtDNA lineage.

PubMed

Sardina, M T; Ballester, M; Marmi, J; Finocchiaro, R; van Kaam, J B C H M; Portolano, B; Folch, J M

2006-08-01

The mitochondrial hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) sequence of 67 goats belonging to the Girgentana, Maltese and Derivata di Siria breeds was partially sequenced in order to present the first phylogenetic characterization of Sicilian goat breeds. These sequences were compared with published sequences of Indian and Pakistani domestic goats and wild goats. Mitochondrial lineage A was observed in most of the Sicilian goats. However, three Girgentana haplotypes were highly divergent from the Capra hircus clade, indicating that a new mtDNA lineage in domestic goats was found.

Comparative methylomics between domesticated and wild silkworms implies possible epigenetic influences on silkworm domestication

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In contrast to wild species, which have typically evolved phenotypes over long periods of natural selection, domesticates rapidly gained human-preferred agronomic traits in a relatively short-time frame via artificial selection. Under domesticated conditions, many traits can be observed that cannot only be due to environmental alteration. In the case of silkworms, aside from genetic divergence, whether epigenetic divergence played a role in domestication is an unanswered question. The silkworm is still an enigma in that it has two DNA methyltransferases (DNMT1 and DNMT2) but their functionality is unknown. Even in particular the functionality of the widely distributed DNMT1 remains unknown in insects in general. Results By embryonic RNA interference, we reveal that knockdown of silkworm Dnmt1 caused decreased hatchability, providing the first direct experimental evidence of functional significance of insect Dnmt1. In the light of this fact and those that DNA methylation is correlated with gene expression in silkworms and some agronomic traits in domesticated organisms are not stable, we comprehensively compare silk gland methylomes of 3 domesticated (Bombyx mori) and 4 wild (Bombyx mandarina) silkworms to identify differentially methylated genes between the two. We observed 2-fold more differentiated methylated cytosinces (mCs) in domesticated silkworms as compared to their wild counterparts, suggesting a trend of increasing DNA methylation during domestication. Further study of more domesticated and wild silkworms narrowed down the domesticates’ epimutations, and we were able to identify a number of differential genes. One such gene showing demethyaltion in domesticates correspondently displays lower gene expression, and more interestingly, has experienced selective sweep. A methylation-increased gene seems to result in higher expression in domesticates and the function of its Drosophila homolog was previously found to be essential for cell volume

The goat domestication process inferred from large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of wild and domestic individuals

PubMed Central

Naderi, Saeid; Rezaei, Hamid-Reza; Pompanon, François; Blum, Michael G. B.; Negrini, Riccardo; Naghash, Hamid-Reza; Balkız, Özge; Mashkour, Marjan; Gaggiotti, Oscar E.; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo; Kence, Aykut; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Taberlet, Pierre

2008-01-01

The emergence of farming during the Neolithic transition, including the domestication of livestock, was a critical point in the evolution of human kind. The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first domesticated ungulates. In this study, we compared the genetic diversity of domestic goats to that of the modern representatives of their wild ancestor, the bezoar, by analyzing 473 samples collected over the whole distribution range of the latter species. This partly confirms and significantly clarifies the goat domestication scenario already proposed by archaeological evidence. All of the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups found in current domestic goats have also been found in the bezoar. The geographic distribution of these haplogroups in the wild ancestor allowed the localization of the main domestication centers. We found no haplotype that could have been domesticated in the eastern half of the Iranian Plateau, nor further to the east. A signature of population expansion in bezoars of the C haplogroup suggests an early domestication center on the Central Iranian Plateau (Yazd and Kerman Provinces) and in the Southern Zagros (Fars Province), possibly corresponding to the management of wild flocks. However, the contribution of this center to the current domestic goat population is rather low (1.4%). We also found a second domestication center covering a large area in Eastern Anatolia, and possibly in Northern and Central Zagros. This last domestication center is the likely origin of almost all domestic goats today. This finding is consistent with archaeological data identifying Eastern Anatolia as an important domestication center. PMID:19004765

Assessment of potential toxicity of a smokeless tobacco product (naswar) available on the Pakistani market.

PubMed

Zakiullah; Saeed, Muhammad; Muhammad, Naveed; Khan, Saeed Ahmad; Gul, Farah; Khuda, Fazli; Humayun, Muhammad; Khan, Hamayun

2012-07-01

'Naswar' is a smokeless tobacco product (STP) widely used in Pakistan. It has been correlated with oral and oesophageal cancer in recent clinical studies. The toxic effects associated with STPs have been associated with trace level contaminants present in these products. The toxin levels of Pakistani naswar are reported for the first time in this study. A total of 30 Pakistani brands of naswar were tested for a variety of toxic constituents and carcinogens such as cadmium, arsenic, lead and other carcinogenic metals, nitrite and nitrate, and nicotine and pH. The average values of all the toxins studied were well above their allowable limits, making the product a health risk for consumers. Calculated lifetime cancer risk from cadmium and lead was 1 lac (100,000) to 10 lac (1,000,000) times higher than the minimum 10E-4 (0.00001) to 10E-6 (0.000001), which is the 'target range' for potentially hazardous substances, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Similarly, the level of arsenic was in the range of 0.15 to 14.04 μg/g, the average being 1.25 μg/g. The estimated average bioavailable concentration of arsenic is 0.125-0.25 μg/g, which is higher than the allowable standard of 0.01 μg/g. Similarly, the average minimum daily intake of chromium and nickel was 126.97 μg and 122.01 μg, as compared to allowable 30-35 μg and 35 μg, respectively; a 4-5 times higher exposure. However, beryllium was not detected in any of the brands studied. The pH was highly basic, averaging 8.56, which favours the formation of tobacco specific amines thus making the product potentially toxic. This study validates clinical studies correlating incidence of cancer with naswar use in Pakistan. This study shows that the production, packaging, sale and consumption of naswar should be regulated so as to protect the public from the health hazards associated with its consumption.

Rationale for continuing R&D in direct coal conversion to produce high quality transportation fuels

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

Srivastava, R.D.; McIlvried, H.G.; Gray, D.

1995-12-31

For the foreseeable future, liquid hydrocarbon fuels will play a significant role in the transportation sector of both the United States and the world. Factors favoring these fuels include convenience, high energy density, and the vast existing infrastructure for their production and use. At present the U.S. consumes about 26% of the world supply of petroleum, but this situation is expected to change because of declining domestic production and increasing competition for imports from countries with developing economies. A scenario and time frame are developed in which declining world resources will generate a shortfall in petroleum supply that can bemore » allieviated in part by utilizing the abundant domestic coal resource base. One option is direct coal conversion to liquid transportation fuels. Continued R&D in coal conversion technology will results in improved technical readiness that can significantly reduce costs so that synfuels can compete economically in a time frame to address the shortfall.« less

Synthetic fuels for ground transportation with special emphasis on hydrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, J. J.

1975-01-01

The role of various synthetic fuels, for ground transportation in the United States, was examined for the near term (by 1985) and the longer term applications (1985-2000 and beyond 2000). Feasible options include synthetic oil, methanol, electric propulsion, and hydrogen. It is concluded that (1) the competition during the next 50 years will be for the fuels of all types, rather than among the fuels; (2) extensive domestic oil and gas exploration should be initiated concurrent with the development of several alternate fuels and related ancillaries; and (3) hydrogen, as an automotive fuel, seems to be equivalent to gasoline for optimum fuel to air mixtures. As a pollution free, high energy density fuel, hydrogen deserves consideration as the logical replacement for the hydrocarbons. Several research and development requirements, essential for the implementation of hydrogen economy for ground transportation, were identified. Extensive engineering development and testing activities should be initiated to establish hydrogen as the future automotive fuel, followed by demonstration projects and concerted efforts at public education.

Cultural adaptation of preschool PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) curriculum for Pakistani children.

PubMed

Inam, Ayesha; Tariq, Pervaiz N; Zaman, Sahira

2015-06-01

Cultural adaptation of evidence-based programmes has gained importance primarily owing to its perceived impact on the established effectiveness of a programme. To date, many researchers have proposed different frameworks for systematic adaptation process. This article presents the cultural adaptation of preschool Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum for Pakistani children using the heuristic framework of adaptation (Barrera & Castro, 2006). The study was completed in four steps: information gathering, preliminary adaptation design, preliminary adaptation test and adaptation refinement. Feedbacks on programme content suggested universality of the core programme components. Suggested changes were mostly surface structure: language, presentation of materials, conceptual equivalence of concepts, training needs of implementation staff and frequency of programme delivery. In-depth analysis was done to acquire cultural equivalence. Pilot testing of the outcome measures showed strong internal consistency. The results were further discussed with reference to similar work undertaken in other cultures. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: An interpretative phenomenological analyses

PubMed Central

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-01-01

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health. PMID:24369779

Core questions in domestication research

PubMed Central

Zeder, Melinda A.

2015-01-01

The domestication of plants and animals is a key transition in human history, and its profound and continuing impacts are the focus of a broad range of transdisciplinary research spanning the physical, biological, and social sciences. Three central aspects of domestication that cut across and unify this diverse array of research perspectives are addressed here. Domestication is defined as a distinctive coevolutionary, mutualistic relationship between domesticator and domesticate and distinguished from related but ultimately different processes of resource management and agriculture. The relative utility of genetic, phenotypic, plastic, and contextual markers of evolving domesticatory relationships is discussed. Causal factors are considered, and two leading explanatory frameworks for initial domestication of plants and animals, one grounded in optimal foraging theory and the other in niche-construction theory, are compared. PMID:25713127

When domestic goes capital: Juror decision making in capital murder trials involving domestic homicide.

PubMed

Richards, Tara N; Smith, M Dwayne; Fogel, Sondra J; Bjerregaard, Beth

2015-08-01

Prior research suggests that homicide cases involving familial offenders and victims are subject to a "domestic discount" that reduces sentencing severity. However, the operation of a domestic discount in regard to death penalty sentencing has been rarely examined. The current research uses a near-population of jury decisions in capital murder trials conducted in North Carolina from 1991 to 2009 (n = 800), and a series of logistic regression analyses to determine whether there is (a) a direct effect between offender-victim relationship (e.g., domestic, friend/acquaintance, and stranger) and jury decision making, and/or (b) whether domestic offender-victim relationship (as well as other offender-victim relationships) moderates the effect of legal and extralegal case characteristics on jury assessment of the death penalty. Our findings revealed no empirical support for a "domestic discount" whereby juries are less likely to impose death sentences in cases involving domestic homicides. However, substantial differences in predictors of death sentencing were found across offender-victim dyads; most notably, domestic homicide cases demonstrated the most legalistic model of jury decisions to impose death sentences. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The Middle East. Domestic sufficiency of fossil fuel resources

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

Swegle, John A.; Kessinger, Samuel E.

In this paper, we’ve compared energy production and consumption across the broader Middle East, paying special attention to three different countries; Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil producers (second in the CIA World Factbook ranking of crude oil producing countries), with a growing population in the mid-range (47th in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook, and fifth among the nations in this region), a large GDP and GDP per capita (15th in the world, second in this region in GDP, and 21st in GDP per capita in the world, just behind the US at 19th); Qatar,more » the world’s fourth largest producer of natural gas, with a small native population (and a relatively large foreign labor contingent) that is very wealthy (with the world’s highest GDP per capita, more than twice that of the US); and Egypt, the most populous nation in the region (with the world’s 16th largest population), but relatively poor (with a GDP per capita of about a fifth that of the US and a twelfth that of Qatar); Egypt is a significant energy producer – 29th in the world in crude oil production and 17th in natural gas production – but production has stalled or declined in recent years, and domestic consumption has overtaken production.« less

Selection signature in domesticated animals.

PubMed

Pan, Zhang-yuan; He, Xiao-yun; Wang, Xiang-yu; Guo, Xiao-fei; Cao, Xiao-han; Hu, Wen-ping; Di, Ran; Liu, Qiu-yue; Chu, Ming-xing

2016-12-20

Domesticated animals play an important role in the life of humanity. All these domesticated animals undergo same process, first domesticated from wild animals, then after long time natural and artificial selection, formed various breeds that adapted to the local environment and human needs. In this process, domestication, natural and artificial selection will leave the selection signal in the genome. The research on these selection signals can find functional genes directly, is one of the most important strategies in screening functional genes. The current studies of selection signal have been performed in pigs, chickens, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs and other domestic animals, and found a great deal of functional genes. This paper provided an overview of the types and the detected methods of selection signal, and outlined researches of selection signal in domestic animals, and discussed the key issues in selection signal analysis and its prospects.

14 CFR 121.198 - Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero... AND OPERATIONS OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Airplane Performance Operating Limitations § 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights...

14 CFR 121.198 - Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero... AND OPERATIONS OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Airplane Performance Operating Limitations § 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights...

14 CFR 121.198 - Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero... AND OPERATIONS OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Airplane Performance Operating Limitations § 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights...

14 CFR 121.198 - Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero... AND OPERATIONS OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Airplane Performance Operating Limitations § 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights...

14 CFR 121.198 - Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero... AND OPERATIONS OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: DOMESTIC, FLAG, AND SUPPLEMENTAL OPERATIONS Airplane Performance Operating Limitations § 121.198 Cargo service airplanes: Increased zero fuel and landing weights...

Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing of domestic horses reveals incorporation of extensive wild horse diversity during domestication

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background DNA target enrichment by micro-array capture combined with high throughput sequencing technologies provides the possibility to obtain large amounts of sequence data (e.g. whole mitochondrial DNA genomes) from multiple individuals at relatively low costs. Previously, whole mitochondrial genome data for domestic horses (Equus caballus) were limited to only a few specimens and only short parts of the mtDNA genome (especially the hypervariable region) were investigated for larger sample sets. Results In this study we investigated whole mitochondrial genomes of 59 domestic horses from 44 breeds and a single Przewalski horse (Equus przewalski) using a recently described multiplex micro-array capture approach. We found 473 variable positions within the domestic horses, 292 of which are parsimony-informative, providing a well resolved phylogenetic tree. Our divergence time estimate suggests that the mitochondrial genomes of modern horse breeds shared a common ancestor around 93,000 years ago and no later than 38,000 years ago. A Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) reveals a significant population expansion beginning 6,000-8,000 years ago with an ongoing exponential growth until the present, similar to other domestic animal species. Our data further suggest that a large sample of wild horse diversity was incorporated into the domestic population; specifically, at least 46 of the mtDNA lineages observed in domestic horses (73%) already existed before the beginning of domestication about 5,000 years ago. Conclusions Our study provides a window into the maternal origins of extant domestic horses and confirms that modern domestic breeds present a wide sample of the mtDNA diversity found in ancestral, now extinct, wild horse populations. The data obtained allow us to detect a population expansion event coinciding with the beginning of domestication and to estimate both the minimum number of female horses incorporated into the domestic gene pool and the time depth of the

Screening of subclinical hypothyroidism during gestational diabetes in Pakistani population.

PubMed

Fatima, Syeda Sadia; Rehman, Rehana; Butt, Zoya; Asif Tauni, Maida; Fatima Munim, Tazeen; Chaudhry, Bushra; Khan, Taseer Ahmed

2016-01-01

The increased prevalence of adverse effects of altered thyroid functions in pregnancy inspired us to study the frequency of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) and the relationship with glycaemic control and foetal weight in pregnant females with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Pakistani population. Five hundred and eight pregnant females were enrolled and grouped as per the International Diabetes Association criteria into GDM (n = 208) and healthy control (n = 300). Random blood glucose (RBG), thyroid function tests, anthropometric analysis and foetal ultra sound scans were performed on all study subjects. Data were analysed using Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test wherever applicable. Spearman correlation and multiple regression analysis were performed. p values of <0.05 was considered significant. A total of 61.5% GDM subjects depicted SCH with normal circulating T4 and T3 versus 6.0% healthy controls (p-value < 0.001). Moreover, TSH remained independently associated with RBG (r = 0.109; p < 0.05), poor glycaemic control (r = 0.227; p < 0.001) and negatively associated with foetal growth (r = -0.206; p < 0.001). The detection of high TSH with normal T3 and T4 in females with GDM strongly emphasises the need of thyroid screening as a routine in all antenatal clinics.

Domestic violence screening in pregnancy.

PubMed

Bunn, Mikiko Yazawa; Higa, Nicole A; Parker, Willie J; Kaneshiro, Bliss

2009-11-01

Domestic violence is an important health concern that has been shown to have adverse effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes. The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of prenatal screening for domestic violence in a hospital-based resident clinic setting with screening practices in private obstetric offices in Honolulu, Hawai'i and to explore physician attitudes towards domestic violence screening during pregnancy. A retrospective chart review was conducted at Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i in women who delivered between 2003 and 2004. A 6 item written survey was also given to all attending and resident physicians with obstetric privileges. Descriptive statistics including frequency measures were generated and chi square tests were used to compare categorical variables. A total of 270 charts were reviewed. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between the number of antepartum patients from the resident clinic (2.4 percent) and antepartum patients from private obstetric practices (39.3 percent) that were screened for domestic violence. While the majority of respondents (77.6%) to the domestic violence survey were aware that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends domestic violence screening in pregnancy most respondents (69.0 percent) indicated that they "never or rarely" screened their patients for domestic violence. Despite professional recommendations and an awareness of these recommendations, between 2003 and 2004, routine prenatal screening for domestic violence was markedly lacking for patients in this study population.

Nuclear fuels policy. Report of the Atlantic Council's Nuclear Fuels Policy Working Group

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

Not Available

1976-01-01

This Policy Paper recommends the actions deemed necessary to assure that future U.S. and non-Communist countries' nuclear fuels supply will be adequate, considering the following: estimates of modest growth in overall energy demand, electrical energy demand, and nuclear electrical energy demand in the U.S. and abroad, predicated upon the continuing trends involving conservation of energy, increased use of electricity, and moderate economic growth (Chap. I); possibilities for the development and use of all domestic resources providing energy alternatives to imported oil and gas, consonant with current environmental, health, and safety concerns (Chap. II); assessment of the traditional energy sources whichmore » provide current alternatives to nuclear energy (Chap. II); evaluation of realistic expectations for additional future energy supplies from prospective technologies: enhanced recovery from traditional sources and development and use of oil shales and synthetic fuels from coal, fusion and solar energy (Chap. II); an accounting of established nuclear technology in use today, in particular the light water reactor, used for generating electricity (Chap. III); an estimate of future nuclear technology, in particular the prospective fast breeder (Chap. IV); current and projected nuclear fuel demand and supply in the U.S. and abroad (Chaps. V and VI); the constraints encountered today in meeting nuclear fuels demand (Chap. VII); and the major unresolved issues and options in nuclear fuels supply and use (Chap. VIII). The principal conclusions and recommendations (Chap. IX) are that the U.S. and other industrialized countries should strive for increased flexibility of primary energy fuel sources, and that a balanced energy strategy therefore depends on the secure supply of energy resources and the ability to substitute one form of fuel for another.« less

COPD and chronic bronchitis risk of indoor air pollution from solid fuel: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kurmi, Om P; Semple, Sean; Simkhada, Padam; Smith, W Cairns S; Ayres, Jon G

2010-03-01

Over half the world is exposed daily to the smoke from combustion of solid fuels. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the main contributors to the global burden of disease and can be caused by biomass smoke exposure. However, studies of biomass exposure and COPD show a wide range of effect sizes. The aim of this systematic review was to quantify the impact of biomass smoke on the development of COPD and define reasons for differences in the reported effect sizes. A systematic review was conducted of studies with sufficient statistical power to calculate the health risk of COPD from the use of solid fuel, which followed standardised criteria for the diagnosis of COPD and which dealt with confounding factors. The results were pooled by fuel type and country to produce summary estimates using a random effects model. Publication bias was also estimated. There were positive associations between the use of solid fuels and COPD (OR=2.80, 95% CI 1.85 to 4.0) and chronic bronchitis (OR=2.32, 95% CI 1.92 to 2.80). Pooled estimates for different types of fuel show that exposure to wood smoke while performing domestic work presents a greater risk of development of COPD and chronic bronchitis than other fuels. Despite heterogeneity across the selected studies, exposure to solid fuel smoke is consistently associated with COPD and chronic bronchitis. Efforts should be made to reduce exposure to solid fuel by using either cleaner fuel or relatively cleaner technology while performing domestic work.

Syngas Conversion to Hydrocarbon Fuels through Mixed Alcohol Intermediates

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

Dagle, Robert A.; Lebarbier, Vanessa M.; Albrecht, Karl O.

2013-05-13

Synthesis gas (syngas) can be used to synthesize a variety of fuels and chemicals. Domestic transportation and military operational interests have driven continued focus on domestic syngas-based fuels production. Liquid transportation fuels may be made from syngas via four basic processes: 1) higher alcohols, 2) Fischer-Tropsch (FT), 3) methanol-to-gasoline (MTG), and 4) methanol-to-olefins (MTO) and olefins-to-gasoline/distillate (MOGD). Compared to FT and higher alcohols, MTG and MTO-MOGD have received less attention in recent years. Due to the high capital cost of these synthetic fuel plants, the production cost of the finished fuel cannot compete with petroleum-derived fuel. Pacific Northwest National Laboratorymore » has recently evaluated one way to potentially reduce capital cost and overall production cost for MTG by combining the methanol and MTG syntheses in a single reactor. The concept consists of mixing the conventional MTG catalyst (i.e. HZSM-5) with an alcohol synthesis catalyst. It was found that a methanol synthesis catalyst, stable at high temperature (i.e. Pd/ZnO/Al2O3) [1], when mixed with ZSM-5, was active for syngas conversion. Relatively high syngas conversion can be achieved as the equilibrium-driven conversion limitations for methanol and dimethyl ether are removed as they are intermediates to the final hydrocarbon product. However, selectivity control was difficult to achieve as formation of undesirable durene and light hydrocarbons was problematic [2]. The objective of the present study was thus to evaluate other potential composite catalyst systems and optimize the reactions conditions for the conversion of syngas to hydrocarbon fuels, through the use of mixed alcohol intermediates. Mixed alcohols are of interest as they have recently been reported to produce higher yields of gasoline compared to methanol [3]. 1. Lebarbier, V.M., Dagle, R.A., Kovarik, L., Lizarazo-Adarme, J.A., King, D.L., Palo, D.R., Catalyst Science & Technology

Domestic fuelwood use in Louisiana

Treesearch

Victor A. Rudis

1986-01-01

A telephone survey of Louisiana households and commercial vendors of domestic fuelwood was conducted in 1984 to assess domestic fuelwood use and sources of production.Twenty-two percent of the households surveyed used fuelwood during the 1983-84 heating season.Domestic fuelwood production amounted to 981,000 m3, an amount comparable to 10% of Louisiana's 1982...

Knowledge, attitude and practices amongst the Pakistani females towards breast cancer screening programme.

PubMed

Sarwar, Muhammad Zeeshan; Hassan Shah, Syed Farazul; Yousaf, Muhammad Rehan; Ahmad, Qamar Ashfaq; Khan, Sadaqat Ali

2015-10-01

To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices amongst Pakistani females towards breast screening programmes. The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2013 to July2014 at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, and comprised attendants and patients who visited out-patients department and/or were treated as in-patients. The questionnaire contained 25 open and close-ended questions regarding knowledge and attitude, along with 7 questions regarding practices. Data was analysed using SPSS 17. There were 1184 women with a mean age of 32.7±8.6 years. The mean score was 12.7±4.9. Positive family history of breast cancer was reported by 156(13.2%) women; 420(35.5%) believed advancing age was a risk factor; 1041(87.9%) never had breast self-examination; 1106(93.4%) never had a clinical breast examination; and 1171(98.9%) never had screening mammogram. The knowledge and practices regarding breast cancer screening, breast self-examination and mammogram among women were not good. The knowledge about breast cancer risk factors was very poor and showed an alarming attitude towards practices.

Novel mutations of endothelin-B receptor gene in Pakistani patients with Waardenburg syndrome.

PubMed

Jabeen, Raheela; Babar, Masroor Ellahi; Ahmad, Jamil; Awan, Ali Raza

2012-01-01

Mutations in EDNRB gene have been reported to cause Waardenburg-Shah syndrome (WS4) in humans. We investigated 17 patients with WS4 for identification of mutations in EDNRB gene using PCR and direct sequencing technique. Four genomic mutations were detected in four patients; a G to C transversion in codon 335 (S335C) in exon 5 and a transition of T to C in codon (S361L) in exon 5, a transition of A to G in codon 277 (L277L) in exon 4, a non coding transversion of T to A at -30 nucleotide position of exon 5. None of these mutations were found in controls. One of the patients harbored two novel mutations (S335C, S361L) in exon 5 and one in Intronic region (-30exon5 A>G). All of the mutations were homozygous and novel except the mutation observed in exon 4. In this study, we have identified 3 novel mutations in EDNRB gene associated with WS4 in Pakistani patients.

Effect of culturally appropriate health education on glycaemic control and knowledge of diabetes in British Pakistani women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Hawthorne, K

2001-06-01

Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem in people of South Asian origin. It is associated with severe complications if it is not adequately controlled. This paper is a secondary assessment of 105 British Pakistani women within a larger randomized controlled trial of 200 Pakistani patients with diabetes. The trial used one-to-one structured diabetes health education, delivered by a linkworker with pictorial flashcards as a visual aid. Earlier published results from this study have shown that the women in the study knew less about diabetes and had poorer glycaemic control than men, which is why this assessment was performed to see what happened to them when they received appropriate health education. All patients were assessed before and 6 months after intervention by questionnaire and haemoglobin A1c blood tests to measure their overall blood sugar control. Nearly everyone improved their knowledge scores after 6 months in the intervention group, with women showing a catch-up improvement such that they equalled men. Multiple regression analysis found that glycaemic control improved in women receiving health education. Although this method of health education improved knowledge and glycaemic control in women in this sample, illiterate women did not do as well as their literate peers, continuing to score less on knowledge parameters. They also did not show an improvement in glycaemic control. Further work is needed to discover methods that will reach this sizeable subsection of the community.

GATE Center for Automotive Fuel Cell Systems at Virginia Tech

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

Nelson, Douglas

2011-09-30

The Virginia Tech GATE Center for Automotive Fuel Cell Systems (CAFCS) achieved the following objectives in support of the domestic automotive industry: Expanded and updated fuel cell and vehicle technologies education programs; Conducted industry directed research in three thrust areas development and characterization of materials for PEM fuel cells; performance and durability modeling for PEM fuel cells; and fuel cell systems design and optimization, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid fuel cell vehicles; Developed MS and Ph.D. engineers and scientists who are pursuing careers related to fuel cells and automotive applications; Published research results that provide industry with new knowledge whichmore » contributes to the advancement of fuel cell and vehicle systems commercialization. With support from the Dept. of Energy, the CAFCS upgraded existing graduate course offerings; introduced a hands-on laboratory component that make use of Virginia Tech's comprehensive laboratory facilities, funded 15 GATE Fellowships over a five year period; and expanded our program of industry interaction to improve student awareness of challenges and opportunities in the automotive industry. GATE Center graduate students have a state-of-the-art research experience preparing them for a career to contribute to the advancement fuel cell and vehicle technologies.« less

Domestic Violence - Multiple Languages

MedlinePlus

... Are Here: Home → Multiple Languages → All Health Topics → Domestic Violence URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/languages/ ... V W XYZ List of All Topics All Domestic Violence - Multiple Languages To use the sharing features on ...

Ethnomedicinal and phytochemical review of Pakistani medicinal plants used as antibacterial agents against Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Medicinal plants have always been part of human culture and have the potential to cure different diseases caused by microorganisms. In Pakistan, biologists are mainly focusing on plants’ antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli due to its increasing resistance to antibiotics. In total, extracts from 34 ethnomedicinally valuable Pakistani plants were reported for in-vitro anti-E. coli activities. Mostly methanolic extracts of medicinal plants were used in different studies, which have shown comparatively higher inhibitory activities against E. coli than n-hexane and aqueous extracts. It has been found that increasing concentration (mg/ml) of methanolic extract can significantly increase (p < 0.01) anti-E. coli activities. Not all medicinal plants are extracted in solvents others than above, which should also be tested against E. coli. Moreover, medicinal plant species must be fully explored phytochemically, which may lead to the development of new drugs. PMID:25135359

Develop and test fuel cell powered on-site integrated total energy systems: Phase 3: Full-scale power plant development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The development of a commercially viable and cost-effective phospheric acid fuel cell powered on-site integrated energy system (OS/IES) is described. The fuel cell offers energy efficients in the range of 35-40% of the higher heating value of available fuels in the form of electrical energy. In addition, by utilizing the thermal energy generated for heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC), a fuel cell OS/IES could provide total energy efficiencies in the neighborhood of 80%. Also, the Engelhard fuel cell OS/IES offers the important incentive of replacing imported oil with domestically produced methanol, including coal-derived methanol.

Evidence of long-term gene flow and selection during domestication from analyses of Eurasian wild and domestic pig genomes.

PubMed

Frantz, Laurent A F; Schraiber, Joshua G; Madsen, Ole; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Cagan, Alex; Bosse, Mirte; Paudel, Yogesh; Crooijmans, Richard P M A; Larson, Greger; Groenen, Martien A M

2015-10-01

Traditionally, the process of domestication is assumed to be initiated by humans, involve few individuals and rely on reproductive isolation between wild and domestic forms. We analyzed pig domestication using over 100 genome sequences and tested whether pig domestication followed a traditional linear model or a more complex, reticulate model. We found that the assumptions of traditional models, such as reproductive isolation and strong domestication bottlenecks, are incompatible with the genetic data. In addition, our results show that, despite gene flow, the genomes of domestic pigs have strong signatures of selection at loci that affect behavior and morphology. We argue that recurrent selection for domestic traits likely counteracted the homogenizing effect of gene flow from wild boars and created 'islands of domestication' in the genome. Our results have major ramifications for the understanding of animal domestication and suggest that future studies should employ models that do not assume reproductive isolation.

Dynamic Relationship between Gross Domestic Product and Domestic Investment in Rwanda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ocaya, Bruno; Ruranga, Charles; Kaberuka, William

2012-01-01

This study uses a VAR model to analyse the dynamic relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) and domestic investment (DI) in Rwanda for the period 1970 to 2011. Several selection lag criteria chose a maximum lag of one, and a bivariate VAR(1) model specification in levels was adopted. Unit root tests show that both GDP and DI series are…

Locus-specific view of flax domestication history

PubMed Central

Fu, Yong-Bi; Diederichsen, Axel; Allaby, Robin G

2012-01-01

Crop domestication has been inferred genetically from neutral markers and increasingly from specific domestication-associated loci. However, some crops are utilized for multiple purposes that may or may not be reflected in a single domestication-associated locus. One such example is cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), the earliest oil and fiber crop, for which domestication history remains poorly understood. Oil composition of cultivated flax and pale flax (L. bienne Mill.) indicates that the sad2 locus is a candidate domestication locus associated with increased unsaturated fatty acid production in cultivated flax. A phylogenetic analysis of the sad2 locus in 43 pale and 70 cultivated flax accessions established a complex domestication history for flax that has not been observed previously. The analysis supports an early, independent domestication of a primitive flax lineage, in which the loss of seed dispersal through capsular indehiscence was not established, but increased oil content was likely occurred. A subsequent flax domestication process occurred that probably involved multiple domestications and includes lineages that contain oil, fiber, and winter varieties. In agreement with previous studies, oil rather than fiber varieties occupy basal phylogenetic positions. The data support multiple paths of flax domestication for oil-associated traits before selection of the other domestication-associated traits of seed dispersal loss and fiber production. The sad2 locus is less revealing about the origin of winter tolerance. In this case, a single domestication-associated locus is informative about the history of domesticated forms with the associated trait while partially informative on forms less associated with the trait. PMID:22408732

Pakistani medical students' specialty preference and the influencing factors.

PubMed

Rehman, Anis; Rehman, Tariq; Shaikh, Muhammad Ateeb; Yasmin, Haleema; Asif, Ammara; Kafil, Hina

2011-07-01

To elucidate the specialty preferences of Pakistani medical students and the factors which influence medical students to make the decision regarding which specialty to pursue. Both basic sciences and clinical students from four medical colleges of Pakistan, i.e., Dow Medical College, Sindh Medical College, Liaquat National Medical College and Muhammad Medical College, were included in the cross-sectional survey during the period of July 2008 to Jan' 2009. After ethical acceptance, data was collected using convenient sampling technique. The questionnaire covered the following demographic details: 13 common specialties and 15 influencing factors. Questionnaires included in the analysis were 771. Most students gave preference to surgery and its associated sub-specialties (50.3%) followed by internal medicine (26.8%), paediatrics (23.2%), dermatology (16.7%), gynaecology and obstetrics (16.7%), psychiatry (13.1%), radiology (10.8%), ENT (8.8%), anaesthesiology (8.7%), administrative medicine (8.6%), orthopaedics (8.2%), ophthalmology (7.5%), and laboratory medicine (6.1%). The highly considered factors (regarding specialties) chosen by 70% of the medical students were: applicable to respective personalities of the individuals, prestige and respect, international opportunities, and time commitment. Surgical-skills, job availability, financial rating, academic performance, and a role model were moderately influencing factors. Hospital environment, parents, general practice, peer-pressure and personal health were the least influential. This trend suggests competition in surgery and its sub-specialties along with internal medicine, paediatrics, dermatology, gynaecology and obstetrics. Specialty suited to personality, time commitment, prestige/respect and international opportunity, influenced more than 70% of the students.

Fuel for the Future: Biodiesel - A Case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutterbach, Márcia T. S.; Galvão, Mariana M.

High crude oil prices, concern over depletion of world reserves, and growing apprehension about the environment, encouraged the search for alternative energy sources that use renewable natural resources to reduce or replace traditional fossil fuels such as diesel and gasoline (Hill et al., 2006). Among renewable fuels, biodiesel has been attracting great interest, especially in Europe and the United States. Biodiesel is defined by the World Customs Organization (WCO) as 'a mixture of mono-alkyl esters of long-chain [C16-C18] fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, which is a domestic renewable fuel for diesel engines and which meets the US specifications of ASTM D 6751'. Biodiesel is biodegradable and non toxic, produces 93% more energy than the fossil energy required for its production, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 40% compared to fossil diesel (Peterson and Hustrulid, 1998; Hill et al., 2006) and stimulates agriculture.

Combined carbon mesh and small graphite fiber brush anodes to enhance and stabilize power generation in microbial fuel cells treating domestic wastewater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shijia; He, Weihua; Yang, Wulin; Ye, Yaoli; Huang, Xia; Logan, Bruce E.

2017-07-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) need to have a compact architecture, but power generation using low strength domestic wastewater is unstable for closely-spaced electrode designs using thin anodes (flat mesh or small diameter graphite fiber brushes) due to oxygen crossover from the cathode. A composite anode configuration was developed to improve performance, by joining the mesh and brushes together, with the mesh used to block oxygen crossover to the brushes, and the brushes used to stabilize mesh potentials. In small, fed-batch MFCs (28 mL), the composite anode produced 20% higher power densities than MFCs using only brushes, and 150% power densities compared to carbon mesh anodes. In continuous flow tests at short hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 2 or 4 h) using larger MFCs (100 mL), composite anodes had stable performance, while brush anode MFCs exhibited power overshoot in polarization tests. Both configurations exhibited power overshoot at a longer HRT of 8 h due to lower effluent CODs. The use of composite anodes reduced biomass growth on the cathode (1.9 ± 0.2 mg) compared to only brushes (3.1 ± 0.3 mg), and increased coulombic efficiencies, demonstrating that they successfully reduced oxygen contamination of the anode and the bio-fouling of cathode.

Testing and preformance measurement of straight vegetable oils as an alternative fuel for diesel engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshminarayanan, Arunachalam

Rising fuel prices, growing energy demand, concerns over domestic energy security and global warming from greenhouse gas emissions have triggered the global interest in bio-energy and bio-fuel crop development. Backlash from these concerns can result in supply shocks of traditional fossil fuels and create immense economic pressure. It is thus widely argued that bio-fuels would particularly benefit developing countries by off-setting their dependencies on imported petroleum. Domestically, the transportation sector accounts for almost 40% of liquid fuel consumption, while on-farm application like tractors and combines for agricultural purposes uses close to an additional 18%. It is estimated that 40% of the farm budget can be attributed to the fuel costs. With the cost of diesel continuously rising, farmers are now looking at using Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) as an alternative fuel by producing their own fuel crops. This study evaluates conventional diesel compared to the use of SVO like Camelina, Canola and Juncea grown on local farms in Colorado for their performance and emissions on a John Deere 4045 Tier-II engine. Additionally, physical properties like density and viscosity, metal/mineral content, and cold flow properties like CFPP and CP of these oils were measured using ASTM standards and compared to diesel. It was found that SVOs did not show significant differences compared to diesel fuel with regards to engine emissions, but did show an increase in thermal efficiency. Therefore, this study supports the continued development of SVO production as a viable alternative to diesel fuels, particularly for on-farm applications. The need for providing and developing a sustainable, economic and environmental friendly fuel alternative has taken an aggressive push which will require a strong multidisciplinary education in the field of bio-energy. Commercial bio-energy development has the potential to not only alleviate the energy concerns, but also to give renewed

Clean and Secure Energy from Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Resources

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

Spinti, Jennifer; Birgenheier, Lauren; Deo, Milind

This report summarizes the significant findings from the Clean and Secure Energy from Domestic Oil Shale and Oil Sands Resources program sponsored by the Department of Energy through the National Energy Technology Laboratory. There were four principle areas of research; Environmental, legal, and policy issues related to development of oil shale and oil sands resources; Economic and environmental assessment of domestic unconventional fuels industry; Basin-scale assessment of conventional and unconventional fuel development impacts; and Liquid fuel production by in situ thermal processing of oil shale Multiple research projects were conducted in each area and the results have been communicated viamore » sponsored conferences, conference presentations, invited talks, interviews with the media, numerous topical reports, journal publications, and a book that summarizes much of the oil shale research relating to Utah’s Uinta Basin. In addition, a repository of materials related to oil shale and oil sands has been created within the University of Utah’s Institutional Repository, including the materials generated during this research program. Below is a listing of all topical and progress reports generated by this project and submitted to the Office of Science and Technical Information (OSTI). A listing of all peer-reviewed publications generated as a result of this project is included at the end of this report; Geomechanical and Fluid Transport Properties 1 (December, 2015); Validation Results for Core-Scale Oil Shale Pyrolysis (February, 2015); and Rates and Mechanisms of Oil Shale Pyrolysis: A Chemical Structure Approach (November, 2014); Policy Issues Associated With Using Simulation to Assess Environmental Impacts (November, 2014); Policy Analysis of the Canadian Oil Sands Experience (September, 2013); V-UQ of Generation 1 Simulator with AMSO Experimental Data (August, 2013); Lands with Wilderness Characteristics, Resource Management Plan Constraints, and Land

Indoor air pollution from solid fuel and tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lin, H-H; Suk, C-W; Lo, H-L; Huang, R-Y; Enarson, D A; Chiang, C-Y

2014-05-01

To conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between indoor air pollution and tuberculosis (TB). We searched for English or Chinese articles using PubMed and EMBASE up to 28 February 2013. We aimed to identify randomised controlled trials and observational epidemiological studies that reported the association between domestic use of solid fuel and TB. Two reviewers independently extracted the information from included studies and assessed the risk of bias of these studies using pre-defined criteria. The effect sizes of eligible studies were pooled using a random-effects model; the heterogeneity across studies was quantified using I(2) statistics. We identified 15 studies on solid fuel use and active TB and one on solid fuel use and latent tuberculous infection. The summary odds ratios from case-control and cross-sectional studies were respectively 1.17 (95%CI 0.83 - 1.65) and 1.62 (95%CI 0.89 - 2.93), with substantial between-study heterogeneity (I(2) 56.2% and 80.5%, respectively). Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis did not identify any study-level factors that could explain the heterogeneity observed. The level of evidence for the association between domestic use of solid fuels and TB was very low. High-quality studies are badly needed to clarify this association and to estimate the magnitude of the problem.

Plant domestication slows pest evolution.

PubMed

Turcotte, Martin M; Lochab, Amaneet K; Turley, Nash E; Johnson, Marc T J

2015-09-01

Agricultural practices such as breeding resistant varieties and pesticide use can cause rapid evolution of pest species, but it remains unknown how plant domestication itself impacts pest contemporary evolution. Using experimental evolution on a comparative phylogenetic scale, we compared the evolutionary dynamics of a globally important economic pest - the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) - growing on 34 plant taxa, represented by 17 crop species and their wild relatives. Domestication slowed aphid evolution by 13.5%, maintained 10.4% greater aphid genotypic diversity and 5.6% higher genotypic richness. The direction of evolution (i.e. which genotypes increased in frequency) differed among independent domestication events but was correlated with specific plant traits. Individual-based simulation models suggested that domestication affects aphid evolution directly by reducing the strength of selection and indirectly by increasing aphid density and thus weakening genetic drift. Our results suggest that phenotypic changes during domestication can alter pest evolutionary dynamics. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

The dynamic model on the impact of biodiesel blend mandate (B5) on Malaysian palm oil domestic demand: A preliminary finding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal; Applanaidu, Shri-Dewi; Sapiri, Hasimah

2014-12-01

Over the last ten years, world biofuels production has increased dramatically. The biodiesel demand is driven by the increases in fossil fuel prices, government policy mandates, income from gross domestic product and population growth. In the European Union, biofuel consumption is mostly driven by blending mandates in both France and Germany. In the case of Malaysia, biodiesel has started to be exported since 2006. The B5 of 5% blend of palm oil based biodiesel into diesel in all government vehicles was implemented in February 2009 and it is expected to be implemented nationwide in the nearest time. How will the blend mandate will project growth in the domestic demand of palm oil in Malaysia? To analyze this issue, a system dynamics model was constructed to evaluate the impact of blend mandate implementation on the palm oil domestic demand influence. The base run of simulation analysis indicates that the trend of domestic demand will increase until 2030 in parallel with the implementation of 5 percent of biodiesel mandate. Finally, this study depicts that system dynamics is a useful tool to gain insight and to experiment with the impact of changes in blend mandate implementation on the future growth of Malaysian palm oil domestic demand sector.

Police attitudes toward domestic violence offenders.

PubMed

Logan, T K; Shannon, Lisa; Walker, Robert

2006-10-01

Police attitudes are important in facilitating a sense of safety and comfort in women seeking justice-system support for protection from partner violence. This study examined police attitudes toward sanctions and treatment for domestic violence offenders compared with other violent and nonviolent offenders. In addition, police attitudes toward domestic violence offenders who do and do not use substances were examined. Officers from one city police department (n = 315) participated in a survey. Results indicate there is a trend toward attitudes that treatment, rather than sanctions, was more appropriate for domestic violence offenders. In addition, officers rated the use of sanctions higher for domestic violence offenders who abuse alcohol or drugs compared with domestic violence offenders who did not abuse alcohol or drugs. Understanding police attitudes toward domestic violence offenders may have implications for police training and victim services in facilitating the use of the justice system in protecting women from partner violence.

Multi-perpetrator domestic violence.

PubMed

Salter, Michael

2014-04-01

A significant proportion of reports of domestic violence against women involve multiple perpetrators. Although the number of perpetrators has been consistently identified as a measure of abuse severity, only a minority of studies of domestic violence examine the role of multiple offenders. Data on multi-perpetrator domestic violence (MDV) is frequently removed from analysis in domestic violence studies, or multi-perpetrator incidents are treated as single-perpetrator incidents. However, the available research links MDV to negative mental and physical health outcomes, intimate partner homicide, homelessness among women, and severe mental illness and suicidality. This article reviews the available prevalence data on MDV and draws together research on the contexts in which MDV takes place. It highlights two groups that are particularly vulnerable to MDV: (1) girls and women partnered to members of gangs and organized crime groups and (2) girls and women in some ethnic minority communities. While discussions of honor in relation to domestic violence are often racialized in Western media, this article highlights the cross-cultural role of masculine honor in collective violence against women in the working class and impoverished communities of majority cultures as well as in migrant and ethnic minority communities. It is clear that such complex forms of violence present a range of challenges for intervention and treatment and the article emphasizes the need for specialized and coordinated modes of investigation, support, and care.

Status and Outlook for the U.S. Non-Automotive Fuel Cell Industry: Impacts of Government Policies and Assessment of Future Opportunities

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

Greene, David L.; Duleep, K. G.; Upreti, Girish

Non-Automotive Fuel Cell Industry, Government Policy and Future Opportunities. Fuel cells (FCs)are considered essential future energy technologies by developed and developing economies alike. Several countries, including the United States, Japan, Germany,and South Korea have established publicly funded R&D and market transformation programs to develop viable domestic FC industries for both automotive and nonautomotive applications.

Description of 2005-10 domestic water use for selected U.S. cities and guidance for estimating domestic water use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kenny, Joan F.; Juracek, Kyle E.

2012-01-01

Domestic water-use and related socioeconomic and climatic data for 2005-10 were used in an analysis of 21 selected U.S. cities to describe recent domestic per capita water use, investigate variables that potentially affect domestic water use, and provide guidance for estimating domestic water use. Domestic water use may be affected by a combination of several factors. Domestic per capita water use for the selected cities ranged from a median annual average of 43 to 177 gallons per capita per day (gpcd). In terms of year-to-year variability in domestic per capita water use for the selected cities, the difference from the median ranged from ± 7 to ± 26 percent with an overall median variability of ± 14 percent. As a percentage of total annual water use, median annual domestic water use for the selected cities ranged from 33 to 71 percent with an overall median of 57 percent. Monthly production and water sales data were used to calculate daily per capita water use rates for the lowest 3 consecutive months (low-3) and the highest 3 consecutive months (high-3) of usage. Median low-3 domestic per capita water use for 16 selected cities ranged from 40 to 100 gpcd. Median high-3 domestic per capita water use for 16 selected cities ranged from 53 to 316 gpcd. In general, the median domestic water use as a percentage of the median total water use for 16 selected cities was similar for the low-3 and high-3 periods. Statistical analyses of combined data for the selected cities indicated that none of the socioeconomic variables, including cost of water, were potentially useful as determinants of domestic water use at the national level. However, specific socioeconomic variables may be useful for the estimation of domestic water use at the State or local level. Different socioeconomic variables may be useful in different States. Statistical analyses indicated that specific climatic variables may be useful for the estimation of domestic water use for some, but not all, of the

Chemical composition of particles from traditional burning of Pakistani wood species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahid, Imran; Kistler, Magdalena; Mukhtar, Azam; Ramirez-Santa Cruz, Carlos; Bauer, Heidi; Puxbaum, Hans

2015-11-01

Total particulate matter (TPM) emitted during burning of three types of Pakistani wood (eucalyptus camaldulensis, local name Safeeda; acacia nilotica, local name Kikar, Babul; dalbergia sissoo, Shisham, Tali) in a traditional brick stove were collected and analyzed for anhydrosugars, sugar alcohols, trace metals, soluble ions and carbonaceous species. This is a first study reporting anhydrosugars in wood smoke particles emitted during traditional burning of common wood types in Pakistan. Carbonaceous species showed the highest contribution to the particulate matter. Although the total carbon (TC) contribution was similar for all burnings (64.8-70.2%), the EC/OC ratio varied significantly, from 0.2 to 0.3 for Accacia and Dalbergia to 0.7-0.8 for Eucalyptus and Wood-mix. Among inorganic constituents potassium chloride and silicon were found at levels higher than 1%. The levoglucosan concentrations ranged from 3.0 to 6.6% (average 5.6%) with the highest value for Accacia and lowest value for the wood-mix. The high levoglucosan/mannosan ratios of 20-28 were typical for hardwood. The ratio between levoglucosan and galactosan varied stronger and was found to be around 13-20 for Accacia, Eucalyptus and Wood mix, and 43 for Dalbergia. The determined levoglucosan concentrations allowed assessing the conversion factor for calculation of biomass smoke contribution to ambient particulate matter levels in Pakistan.

Risk and reproductive decisions: British Pakistani couples’ responses to genetic counselling

PubMed Central

Shaw, Alison

2011-01-01

How far does ethnicity/culture/religion mediate couples’ responses to genetic risk? This paper examines the responses of 51 British Pakistani couples referred to a genetics clinic in southern England to counselling about recurrence risks for genetic problems in children. It is based on fieldwork conducted between 2000 and 2004 that combined participant observation of genetics consultations with interviews in respondents’ homes. Interviews were conducted with 62 adults in connection with these 51 cases, of which 32 were followed through two or more clinical consultations and 12 through more than one pregnancy. Risk responses were categorized as: taking the risk; postponing; exploring risk management or dismissing the risk as irrelevant to current circumstances. Responses were cross-referenced for associations with the severity of the condition, number of affected and unaffected children, availability of a prenatal test, age, gender, and migration history. I found that most couples were initially risk-takers who already had an unaffected child or children. Couples caring for living children with severe conditions were more likely to postpone. However, the risk responses of 15 couples changed over time, most towards and some away from risk management, reflecting changes in couples’ appreciation of the severity of the condition and their subsequent reproductive experiences. The study highlights the diversity and dynamism of responses within one ethnic group and challenges stereotypes about cultural and religious responses to genetic risk. PMID:21641705

Patient safety awareness among Undergraduate Medical Students in Pakistani Medical School.

PubMed

Kamran, Rizwana; Bari, Attia; Khan, Rehan Ahmed; Al-Eraky, Mohamed

2018-01-01

To measure the level of awareness of patient safety among undergraduate medical students in Pakistani Medical School and to find the difference with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Lahore (UOL), Pakistan from January to March 2017, and comprised final year medical students. Data was collected using a questionnaire 'APSQ- III' on 7 point Likert scale. Eight questions were reverse coded. Survey was anonymous. SPSS package 20 was used for statistical analysis. Questionnaire was filled by 122 students, with 81% response rate. The best score 6.17 was given for the 'team functioning', followed by 6.04 for 'long working hours as a cause of medical error'. The domains regarding involvement of patient, confidence to report medical errors and role of training and learning on patient safety scored high in the agreed range of >5. Reverse coded questions about 'professional incompetence as an error cause' and 'disclosure of errors' showed negative perception. No significant differences of perceptions were found with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error (p= >0.05). Undergraduate medical students at UOL had a positive attitude towards patient safety. However, there were misconceptions about causes of medical errors and error disclosure among students and patient safety education needs to be incorporated in medical curriculum of Pakistan.

Of Domestic and Wild Guinea Pigs: Studies in Sociophysiology, Domestication, and Social Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachser, Norbert

Among mammals a majority of each individual's daily expectations, motivations, and behaviors are directed to encounters with conspecifics. Therefore the knowledge of the genesis, control, and consequences of social interactions is crucial for understanding their social life. We present here our research on the sociophysiology, domestication, and social evolution of wild (Cavia aperea and Galea musteloides) and domestic (Cavia aperea f. porcellus) guinea pigs, which summarizes general rules for many group-living mammals. It is shown that social interactions have consequences not only for the individuals' reproductive success but also for their degrees of stress and welfare. The way in which individuals interact is controlled not only by the present environment but also by the previous social experiences which they have gathered during their behavioral development. Furthermore, the study of ontogeny does not begin at birth, because prenatal social factors acting on pregnant females can also affect the way in which the offspring will interact when adult. In addition, to understand the genesis of interactions between domesticated animals implies knowledge of the behavioral and physiological changes which occurred during the process of domestication. Finally, understanding the social interactions among individuals of the wild ancestor of the domesticated form requires knowledge of how their behavior patterns were brought about by natural selection during the process of social evolution.

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU... ORDER CODE Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexual assault, or inflicting the fear of imminent physical harm...

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU... ORDER CODE Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexual assault, or inflicting the fear of imminent physical harm...

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2012-04-01 2011-04-01 true Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU OF... Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexual assault, or inflicting the fear of imminent physical harm, bodily...

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU... ORDER CODE Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexual assault, or inflicting the fear of imminent physical harm...

Demographic history and gene flow during silkworm domestication

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Gene flow plays an important role in domestication history of domesticated species. However, little is known about the demographic history of domesticated silkworm involving gene flow with its wild relative. Results In this study, four model-based evolutionary scenarios to describe the demographic history of B. mori were hypothesized. Using Approximate Bayesian Computation method and DNA sequence data from 29 nuclear loci, we found that the gene flow at bottleneck model is the most likely scenario for silkworm domestication. The starting time of silkworm domestication was estimated to be approximate 7,500 years ago; the time of domestication termination was 3,984 years ago. Using coalescent simulation analysis, we also found that bi-directional gene flow occurred during silkworm domestication. Conclusions Estimates of silkworm domestication time are nearly consistent with the archeological evidence and our previous results. Importantly, we found that the bi-directional gene flow might occur during silkworm domestication. Our findings add a dimension to highlight the important role of gene flow in domestication of crops and animals. PMID:25123546

Characterizing bread wheat genotypes of Pakistani origin for grain zinc biofortification potential.

PubMed

Rehman, Abdul; Farooq, Muhammad; Nawaz, Ahmad; Al-Sadi, Abdullah M; Al-Hashmi, Khalid S; Nadeem, Faisal; Ullah, Aman

2018-03-15

Zinc (Zn) is essential for all life forms and its deficiency is a major issue of malnutrition in humans. This study was carried out to characterize 28 wheat genotypes of Pakistani origin for grain zinc biofortification potential, genetic diversity and relatedness. There was low genetic differentiation among the tested genotypes. However, they differed greatly in yield-related traits, grain mineral (Zn, calcium (Ca) and protein) concentrations and Zn bioavailability. Zinc application increased the concentration of Zn in wheat grain (32.1%), embryo (19.8%), aleurone (47%) and endosperm (23.7%), with an increase in bioavailable Zn (22.2%) and a reduction in phytate concentration (6.8%). Application of Zn also enhanced grain protein and Ca concentrations. Among wheat genotypes, Blue Silver had the highest concentration of Zn in grain, embryo, aleurone and endosperm, with high bioavailable Zn, while Kohinoor-83 had low phytate concentration. Wheat genotypes of Pakistan are genetically less diverse owing to continuous focus on the development of high-yielding varieties only. Therefore genetically diverse wheat genotypes with high endospermic Zn concentration and better grain yield should be used in breeding programs approaches, aiming at improving Zn bioavailability. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Construct validation of emotional labor scale for a sample of Pakistani corporate employees.

PubMed

Akhter, Noreen

2017-02-01

To translate, adapt and validate emotional labour scale for Pakistani corporate employees. This study was conducted in locale of Rawalpindi and Islamabad from October 2014 to December 2015, and comprised customer service employees of commercial banks and telecommunication companies. It comprised of two independent parts. Part one had two steps. Step one involved translation and adaptation of the instrument. In the second step psychometric properties of the translated scale were established by administering it to customer services employees from commercial banks and the telecommunication sector. Data of the pilot study was analysed by using exploratory factor analysis to extract the initial factor of emotional labour. Part two comprised the main study. Commercial bank employees were included in the sample by using convenient sampling technique. SPSS 20 was used for data analysis. There were 145 participants in the first study and 495 in the second study . Exploratory factor analysis initially generated three-factor model of emotional labour which was further confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis suggesting that emotional labour had three distinct dimensions, i.e. surface acting, deep acting and genuine expressions of emotions. The emotional labour scale was found to be a valid and reliable measure.

The Role of Attitudes to, and the Frequency of, Domestic Violence Encounters in the Healthcare Professionals' Handling of Domestic Violence Cases.

PubMed

Zorjan, Saša; Smrke, Urška; Šprah, Lilijana

2017-09-01

Domestic violence is recognized as a public health problem with a high prevalence in the general population. Healthcare professionals play an important role in the recognition and treatment of domestic violence. Hence, conducting research on factors that facilitate or inhibit appropriate actions by healthcare professionals is of the upmost importance. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between healthcare professionals' attitudes toward the acceptability of domestic violence and their responses when dealing with victims of domestic violence. The sample consisted of 322 healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, nursing staff and other healthcare workers; 85.2% female), who completed a questionnaire, assessing their attitudes towards domestic violence, experience, behaviour and perceived barriers in recognizing and treating domestic violence in the health care sector. The study was cross-sectional and used availability sampling. The results showed no significant differences in domestic violence acceptability attitudes when comparing groups of healthcare professionals who reported low or high frequency of domestic violence cases encounters. Furthermore, we found that domestic violence acceptability attitudes were negatively associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was high and medium. However, the attitudes were not associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was low. The results highlight the important role of attitudes in action taking of healthcare professionals when it comes to domestic violence. This indicates the need for educational interventions that specifically target healthcare professionals' attitudes towards domestic violence.

Sustainable Transportation Fuels from Natural Gas (H{sub 2}), Coal and Biomass

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

Huffman, Gerald

2012-12-31

This research program is focused primarily on the conversion of coal, natural gas (i.e., methane), and biomass to liquid fuels by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), with minimum production of carbon dioxide. A complementary topic also under investigation is the development of novel processes for the production of hydrogen with very low to zero production of CO{sub 2}. This is in response to the nation's urgent need for a secure and environmentally friendly domestic source of liquid fuels. The carbon neutrality of biomass is beneficial in meeting this goal. Several additional novel approaches to limiting carbon dioxide emissions are also being explored.

31 CFR 515.320 - Domestic bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Domestic bank. 515.320 Section 515.320... Domestic bank. The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not a national of a designated foreign country; any bank or trust company...

31 CFR 515.320 - Domestic bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 515.320 Section 515... § 515.320 Domestic bank. The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not a national of a designated foreign country; any bank or trust...

31 CFR 535.320 - Domestic bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance:Treasury 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Domestic bank. 535.320 Section 535.320....320 Domestic bank. (a) The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not Iran or an Iranian entity: any bank or trust company...

31 CFR 500.320 - Domestic bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 500.320 Section 500... § 500.320 Domestic bank. The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not a national of any designated foreign country: Any bank or trust...

31 CFR 535.320 - Domestic bank.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 535.320 Section 535... § 535.320 Domestic bank. (a) The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not Iran or an Iranian entity: any bank or trust company...

Domestic competitiveness in secondary wood industries

Treesearch

Matthew Bumgardner; Urs Buehlmann; Albert Schuler; Rich Christianson

2004-01-01

As imports capture a substantial portion of the domestic wood furniture market, there is much speculation and concern as to the future of this and related industries. This study sought to obtain an industry perspective of trends in domestic manufacturing and importing, and to identify factors that might enhance domestic competitiveness. A mail survey was conducted...

Optimization of Domestic-Size Renewable Energy System Designs Suitable for Cold Climate Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akpan, Itoro Etim; Sasaki, Masafumi; Endoh, Noboru

Five different kinds of domestic-size renewable energy system configurations for very cold climate regions were investigated. From detailed numerical modeling and system simulations, it was found that the consumption of fuel oil for the auxiliary boiler in residential-type households can almost be eliminated with a renewable energy system that incorporates photovoltaic panel arrays for electricity generation and two storage tanks: a well-insulated electric water storage tank that services the hot water loads, and a compact boiler/geothermal heat pump tank for room heating during very cold seasons. A reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) of about 28% was achieved for this system compared to an equivalent conventional system. The near elimination of the use of fuel oil in this system makes it very promising for very cold climate regions in terms of energy savings because the running cost is not so dependent on the unstable nature of global oil prices.

The dead end of domestic violence: spotlight on children's narratives during forensic investigations following domestic homicide.

PubMed

Katz, Carmit

2014-12-01

The current study provides an in-depth exploration of the narratives of children who witnessed their father killing their mother. This exploration was conducted using a thematic analysis of the children's forensic interviews based on seven investigative interviews that were conducted with children following the domestic homicide. Investigative interviews were selected for study only for substantiated cases and only if the children disclosed the domestic homicide. All of the investigative interviews were conducted within 24h of the domestic homicide. Thematic analysis revealed the following four key categories: the domestic homicide as the dead end of domestic violence, what I did when daddy killed mommy, that one time that daddy killed mommy, and mommy will feel better and will go back home. The discussion examines the multiple layers of this phenomenon as revealed in the children's narratives and its consequences for professionals within the legal and clinical contexts. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional Profile of Women Victims of Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Avdibegovic, Esmina; Brkic, Maja; Sinanovic, Osman

2017-06-01

Research indicates that women victims of domestic violence show significant cognitive changes, emotional numbing, and avoidance of interpersonal relationships. The aim of this research was to analyze emotional profile of women victims of domestic violence, and to determine the relationship between dimensions of emotions and frequency of women exposure to domestic violence. The research was conducted on the sample of 169 women, 111 were victims of domestic violence and 58 were women who did not experience domestic violence. Plutchik's Emotions Profile Index (EPI) was used for measuring of the emotion profile, and the Modified Inventory of Domestic Violence for measuring experiences of different types of violence. Basic socio-demographic data were also collected. Significant differences between women victims of domestic violence and women who did not experience domestic violence were found in a few dimensions of emotional profile. Women victims of domestic violence had higher results in the dimensions of deprivation/depression and aggression/destruction, while women who did not experience domestic violence had higher results in dimensions of reproduction and incorporation. Aggression was in significant negative correlation with reproduction, incorporation and self protection, whereas it was significant positive correlation with deprivation and opposition. There were significant and positive correlation between the dimensions of aggression and deprivation and frequency of all three forms of domestic violence and age of women. According to results obtained in this research, it can be concluded that women victims of domestic violence have significantly more intensive negative emotional dimensions in comparison to women who were not abused. Women victims of domestic violence with higher frequency of abuse describe themselves as more sad, apathetic, lonely, angry, quarrelsome and less sociable. Prominence of negative emotions, deprivation and aggression, can be factor of

Toward understanding dog evolutionary and domestication history.

PubMed

Galibert, Francis; Quignon, Pascale; Hitte, Christophe; André, Catherine

2011-03-01

Dog domestication was probably started very early during the Upper paleolithic period (~35,000 BP), thus well before any other animal or plant domestication. This early process, probably unconscious, is called proto-domestication to distinguish it from the real domestication process that has been dated around 14,000 BC. Genomic DNA analyses have shown recently that domestication started in the Middle East and rapidly expanded into all human populations. Nowadays, the dog population is fragmented in several hundreds of breeds well characterized by their phenotypes that offer a unique spectrum of polymorphism. More recent studies detect genetic signatures that will be useful to highlight breed history as well as the impact of domestication at the DNA level. Copyright © 2011 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Hydraulic fracturing near domestic groundwater wells.

PubMed

Jasechko, Scott; Perrone, Debra

2017-12-12

Hydraulic fracturing operations are generating considerable discussion about their potential to contaminate aquifers tapped by domestic groundwater wells. Groundwater wells located closer to hydraulically fractured wells are more likely to be exposed to contaminants derived from on-site spills and well-bore failures, should they occur. Nevertheless, the proximity of hydraulic fracturing operations to domestic groundwater wells is unknown. Here, we analyze the distance between domestic groundwater wells (public and self-supply) constructed between 2000 and 2014 and hydraulically fractured wells stimulated in 2014 in 14 states. We show that 37% of all recorded hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014 exist within 2 km of at least one recently constructed (2000-2014) domestic groundwater well. Furthermore, we identify 11 counties where most ([Formula: see text]50%) recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014. Our findings suggest that understanding how frequently hydraulic fracturing operations impact groundwater quality is of widespread importance to drinking water safety in many areas where hydraulic fracturing is common. We also identify 236 counties where most recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more recorded oil and gas wells producing during 2014. Our analysis identifies hotspots where both conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells frequently exist near recorded domestic groundwater wells that may be targeted for further water-quality monitoring.

Hydraulic fracturing near domestic groundwater wells

PubMed Central

Jasechko, Scott; Perrone, Debra

2017-01-01

Hydraulic fracturing operations are generating considerable discussion about their potential to contaminate aquifers tapped by domestic groundwater wells. Groundwater wells located closer to hydraulically fractured wells are more likely to be exposed to contaminants derived from on-site spills and well-bore failures, should they occur. Nevertheless, the proximity of hydraulic fracturing operations to domestic groundwater wells is unknown. Here, we analyze the distance between domestic groundwater wells (public and self-supply) constructed between 2000 and 2014 and hydraulically fractured wells stimulated in 2014 in 14 states. We show that 37% of all recorded hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014 exist within 2 km of at least one recently constructed (2000–2014) domestic groundwater well. Furthermore, we identify 11 counties where most (>50%) recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more hydraulically fractured wells stimulated during 2014. Our findings suggest that understanding how frequently hydraulic fracturing operations impact groundwater quality is of widespread importance to drinking water safety in many areas where hydraulic fracturing is common. We also identify 236 counties where most recorded domestic groundwater wells exist within 2 km of one or more recorded oil and gas wells producing during 2014. Our analysis identifies hotspots where both conventional and unconventional oil and gas wells frequently exist near recorded domestic groundwater wells that may be targeted for further water-quality monitoring. PMID:29180405

The Role of Attitudes to, and the Frequency of, Domestic Violence Encounters in the Healthcare Professionals’ Handling of Domestic Violence Cases

PubMed Central

Zorjan, Saša; Smrke, Urška; Šprah, Lilijana

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Domestic violence is recognized as a public health problem with a high prevalence in the general population. Healthcare professionals play an important role in the recognition and treatment of domestic violence. Hence, conducting research on factors that facilitate or inhibit appropriate actions by healthcare professionals is of the upmost importance. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward the acceptability of domestic violence and their responses when dealing with victims of domestic violence. Methods The sample consisted of 322 healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, nursing staff and other healthcare workers; 85.2% female), who completed a questionnaire, assessing their attitudes towards domestic violence, experience, behaviour and perceived barriers in recognizing and treating domestic violence in the health care sector. The study was cross-sectional and used availability sampling. Results The results showed no significant differences in domestic violence acceptability attitudes when comparing groups of healthcare professionals who reported low or high frequency of domestic violence cases encounters. Furthermore, we found that domestic violence acceptability attitudes were negatively associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was high and medium. However, the attitudes were not associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was low. Conclusions The results highlight the important role of attitudes in action taking of healthcare professionals when it comes to domestic violence. This indicates the need for educational interventions that specifically target healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards domestic violence. PMID:28713445

Potential External (non-DOE) Constraints on U.S. Fuel Cycle Options

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

Steven J. Piet

2012-07-01

The DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) Program will be conducting a screening of fuel cycle options in FY2013 to help focus fuel cycle R&D activities. As part of this screening, performance criteria and go/no-go criteria are being identified. To help ensure that these criteria are consistent with current policy, an effort was initiated to identify the status and basis of potentially relevant regulations, laws, and policies that have been established external to DOE. As such regulations, laws, and policies may be beyond DOE’s control to change, they may constrain the screening criteria and internally-developed policy. This report contains a historicalmore » survey and analysis of publically available domestic documents that could pertain to external constraints on advanced nuclear fuel cycles. “External” is defined as public documents outside DOE. This effort did not include survey and analysis of constraints established internal to DOE.« less

Fueled By Wealth, Funneled By Politics: The Dominance of Domestic Drivers of Arms Procurement in Southeast Asia

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

in driving arms procurements in Malaysia , Indonesia, and Singapore: availability of resources, domestic politics, external threats, and force...could incite more frequent excursions toward competitive arms dynamics. 14. SUBJECT TERMS Malaysia , Indonesia, Singapore, Southeast Asia, arms...This thesis investigates the following four factors to determine which are most powerful in driving arms procurements in Malaysia , Indonesia, and

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAW AND ORDER COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexua...

Dissolution of Material and Test reactor Fuel in an H-Canyon Dissolver

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

Daniel, W. E.; Rudisill, T. S.; O'Rourke, P. E.

2017-01-26

In an amended record of decision for the management of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) at the Savannah River Site, the US Department of Energy has authorized the dissolution and recovery of U from 1000 bundles of Al-clad SNF. The SNF is fuel from domestic and foreign research reactors and is typically referred to as Material Test Reactor (MTR) fuel. Bundles of MTR fuel containing assemblies fabricated from U-Al alloys (or other U compounds) are currently dissolved using a Hg-catalyzed HNO3 flowsheet. Since the development of the existing flowsheet, improved experimental methods have been developed to more accurately characterize the offgasmore » composition and generation rate during laboratory dissolutions. Recently, these new techniques were successfully used to develop a flowsheet for the dissolution of High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) fuel. Using the data from the HFIR dissolution flowsheet development and necessary laboratory experiments, the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested to define flowsheet conditions for the dissolution of MTR fuels. With improved offgas characterization techniques, SRNL will be able define the number of bundles of fuel which can be charged to an H-Canyon dissolver with much less conservatism.« less

Domestic violence and child nutrition in Liberia.

PubMed

Sobkoviak, Rudina M; Yount, Kathryn M; Halim, Nafisa

2012-01-01

Domestic violence against women is endemic globally and is an important social problem in its own right. A compounding concern is the impact of domestic violence against mothers on the nutritional status of their children. Liberia is an apt setting to examine this understudied topic, given the poor nutritional status of young children, high rate of domestic violence against women, and prolonged period of conflict that included systematic sexual violence against women. We expected that maternal exposure to domestic violence would predict lower anthropometric z-scores and higher odds of stunting, wasting, and underweight in children less than five years. Using data from 2467 mother-child dyads in the 2007 Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS) undertaken between December 24, 2006 and April 19, 2007, we conducted descriptive and multivariate analyses to examine the total, unadjusted and adjusted associations of maternal exposure to domestic violence with these anthropometric measures in children. Maternal reports of sexual domestic violence in the prior year predicted lower adjusted z-scores for height-for-age and weight-for-height as well as higher odds of stunting and underweight. The findings underscore the needs to (1) enhance and enforce conventional and customary laws to prevent the occurrence of domestic violence; (2) treat maternal survivors of domestic violence and screen their children for nutritional deficits; (3) heighten awareness of the intergenerational implications especially of recent sexual domestic violence; and (4) clarify the biological and behavior pathways by which domestic violence may influence child growth, thereby mitigating early growth failure and its adverse implications into adulthood. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addressing key issues in the consanguinity-related risk of autosomal recessive disorders in consanguineous communities: lessons from a qualitative study of British Pakistanis.

PubMed

Darr, A; Small, N; Ahmad, W I U; Atkin, K; Corry, P; Modell, B

2016-01-01

Currently, there is no consensus regarding services required to help families with consanguineous marriages manage their increased genetic reproductive risk. Genetic services for communities with a preference for consanguineous marriage in the UK remain patchy, often poor. Receiving two disparate explanations of the cause of recessive disorders (cousin marriage and recessive inheritance) leads to confusion among families. Further, the realisation that couples in non-consanguineous relationships have affected children leads to mistrust of professional advice. British Pakistani families at-risk for recessive disorders lack an understanding of recessive disorders and their inheritance. Such an understanding is empowering and can be shared within the extended family to enable informed choice. In a three-site qualitative study of British Pakistanis, we explored family and health professional perspectives on recessively inherited conditions. Our findings suggest, firstly, that family networks hold strong potential for cascading genetic information, making the adoption of a family-centred approach an efficient strategy for this community. However, this is dependent on provision of high-quality and timely information from health care providers. Secondly, families' experience was of ill-coordinated and time-starved services, with few having access to specialist provision from Regional Genetics Services; these perspectives were consistent with health professionals' views of services. Thirdly, we confirm previous findings that genetic information is difficult to communicate and comprehend, further complicated by the need to communicate the relationship between cousin marriage and recessive disorders. A communication tool we developed and piloted is described and offered as a useful resource for communicating complex genetic information.

[Healthcare aspects of domestic abuse].

PubMed

Kórász, Krisztián

2015-03-08

The paper reviews the forms of domestic abuse, its causes, prevalence and possible consequences. British and Hungarian Law, guidelines and the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in relation to dealing with domestic abuse in their practice is also addressed within the paper.

Evolutionary domestication in Drosophila subobscura.

PubMed

Simões, P; Rose, M R; Duarte, A; Gonçalves, R; Matos, M

2007-03-01

The domestication of plants and animals is historically one of the most important topics in evolutionary biology. The evolutionary genetic changes arising from human cultivation are complex because of the effects of such varied processes as continuing natural selection, artificial selection, deliberate inbreeding, genetic drift and hybridization of different lineages. Despite the interest of domestication as an evolutionary process, few studies of multicellular sexual species have approached this topic using well-replicated experiments. Here we present a comprehensive study in which replicated evolutionary trajectories from several Drosophila subobscura populations provide a detailed view of the evolutionary dynamics of domestication in an outbreeding animal species. Our results show a clear evolutionary response in fecundity traits, but no clear pattern for adult starvation resistance and juvenile traits such as development time and viability. These results supply new perspectives on the confounding of adaptation with other evolutionary mechanisms in the process of domestication.

Emissions of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls from uncontrolled burning of garden and domestic waste (backyard burning).

PubMed

Hedman, Björn; Näslund, Morgan; Nilsson, Calle; Marklund, Stellan

2005-11-15

To assess emissions of dioxins (chlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans) and PCB from uncontrolled domestic combustion of waste ("backyard burning"), test combustions in barrels and open fires were monitored. The waste fuels used were garden waste, paper, paper and plastic packaging, refuse-derived fuel (RDF), PVC, and electronic scrap. Combustions including PVC and electronic scrap emitted several orders of magnitude more dioxins than the other waste fuels. Emissions from the other fuels had considerable variations, but the levels were difficult to relate to waste composition. Emission factors of PCDD/F and PCB from the backyard burning ranged from 2.2 to 13 000 ng (WHO-TEQ)/kg. The levels found in ash usually were less than 5% of the total. For assessment of total emissions of dioxins and PCB from backyard burning of low and moderately contaminated wastes, an emission factor range of 4-72 ng (WHO-TEQ)/kg is suggested. These figures implythat combusting waste in the backyard could contribute substantially to total emissions, even if the amounts of fuel involved are equivalent to just a few tenths of a percent of the amounts combusted in municipal waste incinerators.

Hopeful Thinking: Conceptualizing a Future beyond Domestic Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zombil, Henri

2017-01-01

Domestic violence is a continuing public health problem. Immigrant women facing domestic violence have additional challenges in dealing with domestic violence and accessing services. Hopeful thinking has been identified as a strategy for intervening and surviving beyond domestic violence. The purpose of this multiple descriptive case study was to…

Domestic Violence Training Program for Residents

PubMed Central

Kripke, Elana Nudel; Steele, George; O'Brien, Mary K.; Novack, Dennis H.

1998-01-01

Domestic violence is occurring in epidemic proportions in the United States. Recent surveys have shown there is a need for educational programs for health care professionals. This report presents the results of a domestic violence workshop developed to increase knowledge and improve attitudes and skills in working with victims of domestic violence. The results of the workshop, measured by preintervention and postintervention attitude, knowledge, and skills surveys, are promising. There was a significant improvement in knowledge, self-assessed skills, and attitudes after the workshop. Although the full magnitude of the changes was not sustained over time, there was still significant improvement after 6 months in knowledge and attitude. Rates of detection and documentation did not change. Future educational programs will need to address maintaining routine screening for domestic violence in the primary care setting and to highlight more clearly the role of health care professionals in the detection and treatment of domestic violence. PMID:9844082

The effect of the composition of plutonium loaded on the reactivity change and the isotopic composition of fuel produced in a fast reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blandinskiy, V. Yu.

2014-12-01

This paper presents the results of a numerical investigation into burnup and breeding of nuclides in metallic fuel consisting of a mixture of plutonium and depleted uranium in a fast reactor with sodium coolant. The feasibility of using plutonium contained in spent nuclear fuel from domestic thermal reactors and weapons-grade plutonium is discussed. It is shown that the largest production of secondary fuel and the least change in the reactivity over the reactor lifetime can be achieved when employing plutonium contained in spent nuclear fuel from a reactor of the RBMK-1000 type.

Comparative shotgun proteomic analysis of wild and domesticated Opuntia spp. species shows a metabolic adaptation through domestication.

PubMed

Pichereaux, Carole; Hernández-Domínguez, Eric E; Santos-Diaz, Maria Del Socorro; Reyes-Agüero, Antonio; Astello-García, Marizel; Guéraud, Françoise; Negre-Salvayre, Anne; Schiltz, Odile; Rossignol, Michel; Barba de la Rosa, Ana Paulina

2016-06-30

The Opuntia genus is widely distributed in America, but the highest richness of wild species are found in Mexico, as well as the most domesticated Opuntia ficus-indica, which is the most domesticated species and an important crop in agricultural economies of arid and semiarid areas worldwide. During domestication process, the Opuntia morphological characteristics were favored, such as less and smaller spines in cladodes and less seeds in fruits, but changes at molecular level are almost unknown. To obtain more insights about the Opuntia molecular changes through domestication, a shotgun proteomic analysis and database-dependent searches by homology was carried out. >1000 protein species were identified and by using a label-free quantitation method, the Opuntia proteomes were compared in order to identify differentially accumulated proteins among wild and domesticated species. Most of the changes were observed in glucose, secondary, and 1C metabolism, which correlate with the observed protein, fiber and phenolic compounds accumulation in Opuntia cladodes. Regulatory proteins, ribosomal proteins, and proteins related with response to stress were also observed in differential accumulation. These results provide new valuable data that will help to the understanding of the molecular changes of Opuntia species through domestication. Opuntia species are well adapted to dry and warm conditions in arid and semiarid regions worldwide, and they are highly productive plants showing considerable promises as an alternative food source. However, there is a gap regarding Opuntia molecular mechanisms that enable them to grow in extreme environmental conditions and how the domestication processes has changed them. In the present study, a shotgun analysis was carried out to characterize the proteomes of five Opuntia species selected by its domestication degree. Our results will help to a better understanding of proteomic features underlying the selection and specialization under

Reproductive Isolation during Domestication[W

PubMed Central

Dempewolf, Hannes; Hodgins, Kathryn A.; Rummell, Sonja E.; Ellstrand, Norman C.; Rieseberg, Loren H.

2012-01-01

It has been hypothesized that reproductive isolation should facilitate evolution under domestication. However, a systematic comparison of reproductive barrier strength between crops and their progenitors has not been conducted to test this hypothesis. Here, we present a systematic survey of reproductive barriers between 32 economically important crop species and their progenitors to better understand the role of reproductive isolation during the domestication process. We took a conservative approach, avoiding those types of reproductive isolation that are poorly known for these taxa (e.g., differences in flowering time). We show that the majority of crops surveyed are isolated from their progenitors by one or more reproductive barriers, despite the fact that the most important reproductive barrier in natural systems, geographical isolation, was absent, at least in the initial stages of domestication for most species. Thus, barriers to reproduction between crops and wild relatives are closely associated with domestication and may facilitate it, thereby raising the question whether reproductive isolation could be viewed as a long-overlooked “domestication trait.” Some of the reproductive barriers observed (e.g., polyploidy and uniparental reproduction), however, may have been favored for reasons other than, or in addition to, their effects on gene flow. PMID:22773750

Domestic Violence Among Pregnant Women.

PubMed

Habib, Sadia; Abbasi, Nasreen; Khan, Bushra; Danish, Nargis; Nazir, Quratulain

2018-01-01

Domestic violence during pregnancy is an important social & health issue in all societies. In Muslim world and particularly underdeveloped countries, domestic violence is often under reported. It is the need of hour to encourage reporting of such events & implementation of research-based policies for prevention of women abuse & support of the victims of domestic violence (DV). The objective of this study was to highlight this neglected social problem of our society & to identify at risk population. This is a cross sectional study conducted at Ayub Teaching Hospital & Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad (January 2014 to December. 2016). Pregnant women were inquired regarding history of abuse by husband and sociodemographic characteristics were noted in a Performa to analyse the risk factors for domestic violence. The overall prevalence was found to be 35%. Out of 1000 pregnant women, 270 (27%) suffered from simple violence and 60 (6%) were victims of grievous assault. Violence among pregnant women is found to be more prevalent among residents of urban areas, women of older age being uneducated & belonging to poor socioeconomic status. Domestic violence during pregnancy is a common & often neglected psychosocial health problem. High risk population needs to be identified so that preventive strategies can be planned & implemented.

A pipeline strategy for grain crop domestication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In recent decades, in the interest of diversifying the global food system, improving human nutrition, or making agriculture more sustainable, there have been many proposals for domesticating or completing the domestication of wild plants or semi-domesticated “orphan” crops. However, very few new cro...

Comparative life-cycle air emissions of coal, domestic natural gas, LNG, and SNG for electricity generation.

PubMed

Jaramillo, Paulina; Griffin, W Michael; Matthews, H Scott

2007-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that in the coming decades the United States' natural gas (NG) demand for electricity generation will increase. Estimates also suggest that NG supply will increasingly come from imported liquefied natural gas (LNG). Additional supplies of NG could come domestically from the production of synthetic natural gas (SNG) via coal gasification-methanation. The objective of this study is to compare greenhouse gas (GHG), SOx, and NOx life-cycle emissions of electricity generated with NG/LNG/SNG and coal. This life-cycle comparison of air emissions from different fuels can help us better understand the advantages and disadvantages of using coal versus globally sourced NG for electricity generation. Our estimates suggest that with the current fleet of power plants, a mix of domestic NG, LNG, and SNG would have lower GHG emissions than coal. If advanced technologies with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) are used, however, coal and a mix of domestic NG, LNG, and SNG would have very similar life-cycle GHG emissions. For SOx and NOx we find there are significant emissions in the upstream stages of the NG/ LNG life-cycles, which contribute to a larger range in SOx and NOx emissions for NG/LNG than for coal and SNG.

Risk and reproductive decisions: British Pakistani couples' responses to genetic counselling.

PubMed

Shaw, Alison

2011-07-01

How far does ethnicity/culture/religion mediate couples' responses to genetic risk? This paper examines the responses of 51 British Pakistani couples referred to a genetics clinic in southern England to counselling about recurrence risks for genetic problems in children. It is based on fieldwork conducted between 2000 and 2004 that combined participant observation of genetics consultations with interviews in respondents' homes. Interviews were conducted with 62 adults in connection with these 51 cases, of which 32 were followed through two or more clinical consultations and 12 through more than one pregnancy. Risk responses were categorized as: taking the risk; postponing; exploring risk management or dismissing the risk as irrelevant to current circumstances. Responses were cross-referenced for associations with the severity of the condition, number of affected and unaffected children, availability of a prenatal test, age, gender, and migration history. I found that most couples were initially risk-takers who already had an unaffected child or children. Couples caring for living children with severe conditions were more likely to postpone. However, the risk responses of 15 couples changed over time, most towards and some away from risk management, reflecting changes in couples' appreciation of the severity of the condition and their subsequent reproductive experiences. The study highlights the diversity and dynamism of responses within one ethnic group and challenges stereotypes about cultural and religious responses to genetic risk. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient safety awareness among Undergraduate Medical Students in Pakistani Medical School

PubMed Central

Kamran, Rizwana; Bari, Attia; Khan, Rehan Ahmed; Al-Eraky, Mohamed

2018-01-01

Objective: To measure the level of awareness of patient safety among undergraduate medical students in Pakistani Medical School and to find the difference with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Lahore (UOL), Pakistan from January to March 2017, and comprised final year medical students. Data was collected using a questionnaire ‘APSQ- III’ on 7 point Likert scale. Eight questions were reverse coded. Survey was anonymous. SPSS package 20 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Questionnaire was filled by 122 students, with 81% response rate. The best score 6.17 was given for the ‘team functioning’, followed by 6.04 for ‘long working hours as a cause of medical error’. The domains regarding involvement of patient, confidence to report medical errors and role of training and learning on patient safety scored high in the agreed range of >5. Reverse coded questions about ‘professional incompetence as an error cause’ and ‘disclosure of errors’ showed negative perception. No significant differences of perceptions were found with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error (p= >0.05). Conclusion: Undergraduate medical students at UOL had a positive attitude towards patient safety. However, there were misconceptions about causes of medical errors and error disclosure among students and patient safety education needs to be incorporated in medical curriculum of Pakistan. PMID:29805398

Emotional Intelligence of Women Who Experience Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos; Łuczak, Joanna

2016-03-01

Violence in family constitutes serious social and psychological problem with harmful consequences leading, among others, to changes in emotional functioning of victim and, secondarily, also perpetrator. The aim of this study was to examine emotional intelligence of women experiencing domestic violence. INTE, i.e. Polish version of "Assessing Emotional Scale" by Schutte, was used to study two groups of women. Study (criterion) group included 40 women aged 23-47 years (mean age 35.28) using assistance of Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence. Reference (control) group was well-matched in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and consisted of 140 women not experiencing domestic violence. Study women experiencing domestic violence have significantly lower scores on all INTE indicators (general score, Factor I and Factor II). Women not experiencing domestic violence achieved significantly higher scores on Factor I than on Factor II. In this group all INTE components (general score, Factor I, Factor II) are positively correlated, whereas in group of women experiencing domestic violence there is no significant correlation between Factor I and Factor II and coefficients are lower. Emotional intelligence of study women experiencing domestic violence is lower than emotional intelligence of women not experiencing domestic violence. Their abilities and skills making up emotional intelligence are also less developed. The internal structure of emotional intelligence of study women experiencing domestic violence differs from emotional intelligence of women not experiencing domestic violence. It seems advisable to consider emotional intelligence in the process of providing women experiencing domestic violence with psychosocial help.

Effect of domestic violence training

PubMed Central

Zaher, Eman; Keogh, Kelly; Ratnapalan, Savithiri

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To describe and evaluate the effectiveness of domestic violence education in improving physicians’ knowledge, recognition, and management of abused women. Data sources The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, and EMBASE were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000, and November 1, 2012. This search was supplemented by manual searches for relevant articles using a combined text-word and MeSH-heading search strategy. Study selection Randomized controlled trials were selected that used educational interventions among physicians and provided data on the effects of the interventions. Synthesis Nine randomized controlled trials were included that described different educational approaches with various outcome measures. Three studies examined the effects of educational interventions among postgraduate trainee physicians and found an increase in knowledge but no change in behaviour with regard to identifying victims of domestic violence. Six studies examined educational interventions for practising physicians. Three of these studies used multifaceted physician training that combined education with system support interventions to change physician behaviour, such as increasing general awareness of domestic violence with brochures and posters, providing aids to remind physicians how to identify victims, facilitating physician access to victim support services, and providing audits and feedback. Multifaceted educational interventions included interactive workshops, Web-based learning, and experiential training. Another study used focus-group discussions and training, and showed improved domestic violence reporting among physicians. The remaining 2 studies showed improved perceptions of practising physicians’ self-efficacy using problem-based online learning. Conclusion It was difficult to determine the most effective educational strategy, as the educational interventions and the outcome measures varied

The complex history of the domestication of rice.

PubMed

Sweeney, Megan; McCouch, Susan

2007-11-01

Rice has been found in archaeological sites dating to 8000 bc, although the date of rice domestication is a matter of continuing debate. Two species of domesticated rice, Oryza sativa (Asian) and Oryza glaberrima (African) are grown globally. Numerous traits separate wild and domesticated rices including changes in: pericarp colour, dormancy, shattering, panicle architecture, tiller number, mating type and number and size of seeds. Genetic studies using diverse methodologies have uncovered a deep population structure within domesticated rice. Two main groups, the indica and japonica subspecies, have been identified with several subpopulations existing within each group. The antiquity of the divide has been estimated at more than 100 000 years ago. This date far precedes domestication, supporting independent domestications of indica and japonica from pre-differentiated pools of the wild ancestor. Crosses between subspecies display sterility and segregate for domestication traits, indicating that different populations are fixed for different networks of alleles conditioning these traits. Numerous domestication QTLs have been identified in crosses between the subspecies and in crosses between wild and domesticated accessions of rice. Many of the QTLs cluster in the same genomic regions, suggesting that a single gene with pleiotropic effects or that closely linked clusters of genes underlie these QTL. Recently, several domestication loci have been cloned from rice, including the gene controlling pericarp colour and two loci for shattering. The distribution and evolutionary history of these genes gives insight into the domestication process and the relationship between the subspecies. The evolutionary history of rice is complex, but recent work has shed light on the genetics of the transition from wild (O. rufipogon and O. nivara) to domesticated (O. sativa) rice. The types of genes involved and the geographic and genetic distribution of alleles will allow scientists to

Health impacts of domestic coal use in China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Finkelman, R.B.; Belkin, H.E.; Zheng, B.

1999-01-01

Domestic coal combustion has had profound adverse effects on the health of millions of people worldwide. In China alone several hundred million people commonly burn raw coal in unvented stoves that permeate their homes with high levels of toxic metals and organic compounds. At least 3,000 people in Guizhou Province in southwest China are suffering from severe arsenic poisoning. The primary source of the arsenic appears to be consumption of chili peppers dried over fires fueled with high-arsenic coal. Coal samples in the region were found to contain up to 35,000 ppm arsenic. Chili peppers dried over high-arsenic coal fires adsorb 500 ppm arsenic on average. More than 10 million people in Guizhou Province and surrounding areas suffer from dental and skeletal fluorosis. The excess fluorine is caused by eating corn dried over burning briquettes made from high-fluorine coals and high-fluorine clay binders. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formed during coal combustion are believed to cause or contribute to the high incidence of esophageal and lung cancers in parts of China. Domestic coal combustion also has caused selenium poisoning and possibly mercury poisoning. Better knowledge of coal quality parameters may help to reduce some of these health problems. For example, information on concentrations and distributions of potentially toxic elements in coal may help delineate areas of a coal deposit to be avoided. Information on the modes of occurrence of these elements and the textural relations of the minerals and macerals in coal may help predict the behavior of the potentially toxic components during coal combustion.

Health impacts of domestic coal use in China

PubMed Central

Finkelman, Robert B.; Belkin, Harvey E.; Zheng, Baoshan

1999-01-01

Domestic coal combustion has had profound adverse effects on the health of millions of people worldwide. In China alone several hundred million people commonly burn raw coal in unvented stoves that permeate their homes with high levels of toxic metals and organic compounds. At least 3,000 people in Guizhou Province in southwest China are suffering from severe arsenic poisoning. The primary source of the arsenic appears to be consumption of chili peppers dried over fires fueled with high-arsenic coal. Coal samples in the region were found to contain up to 35,000 ppm arsenic. Chili peppers dried over high-arsenic coal fires adsorb 500 ppm arsenic on average. More than 10 million people in Guizhou Province and surrounding areas suffer from dental and skeletal fluorosis. The excess fluorine is caused by eating corn dried over burning briquettes made from high-fluorine coals and high-fluorine clay binders. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons formed during coal combustion are believed to cause or contribute to the high incidence of esophageal and lung cancers in parts of China. Domestic coal combustion also has caused selenium poisoning and possibly mercury poisoning. Better knowledge of coal quality parameters may help to reduce some of these health problems. For example, information on concentrations and distributions of potentially toxic elements in coal may help delineate areas of a coal deposit to be avoided. Information on the modes of occurrence of these elements and the textural relations of the minerals and macerals in coal may help predict the behavior of the potentially toxic components during coal combustion. PMID:10097053

Child-Visiting and Domestic Abuse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepard, Melanie

1992-01-01

Explains problems with child visiting in cases of domestic abuse. Data on domestic abuse, child care concerns, and child adjustment problems were collected from 25 mothers and 22 fathers at a child visiting program serving separated and abusive families. Psychological abuse of mothers correlated with child adjustment problems. (BB)

Domestic violence and mental health in older adults.

PubMed

Knight, Lucy; Hester, Marianne

2016-10-01

Domestic violence affects every age group and is present throughout the life span, but, while the mental health impact of domestic violence is clearly established in working age adults, less is known about the nature and impact of domestic violence among older adults. This review, therefore, aimed to synthesize findings on the prevalence, nature, and impact of domestic violence among older adults, and its identification and management. Electronic searches were conducted of Medline, PsycINFO, Cinahl, and Embase to identify studies reporting on the mental health and domestic violence in older adults. Findings suggested that, although prevalence figures are variable, the likely lifetime prevalence for women over the age of 65 is between 20-30%. Physical abuse is suggested to decrease with age, but rates of emotional abuse appear to be stable over the lifespan. Among older adults, domestic violence is strongly associated with physical and mental health problems, and the scarce research comparing the impact of domestic violence across the age cohorts suggests that the physical health of older victims may be more severely affected than younger victims. In contrast, there is evidence that older victims may experience less psychological distress in response to domestic violence than younger victims. Internationally, evidence on the management of domestic violence in older adults is sparse. Findings suggest, however, that identification of domestic violence is poor among older adults, and there are very limited options for onwards referral and support.

Determinants of domestic violence against women in Ghana.

PubMed

Owusu Adjah, Ebenezer S; Agbemafle, Isaac

2016-05-02

The prevalence of domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to identify factors that increased the likelihood of an event of domestic violence as reported by ever married Ghanaian women. Data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) was analysed using a multivariate logistic model and risk factors were obtained using the forward selection procedure. Of the 1524 ever married women in this study, 33.6 % had ever experienced domestic violence. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 35 % for women who reside in urban areas. Risk of domestic violence was 41 % higher for women whose husbands ever experienced their father beating their mother. Women whose mother ever beat their father were three times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose mother did not beat their father. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 48 % less likely for women whose husbands had higher than secondary education as compared to women whose husbands never had any formal education. Women whose husbands drink alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose husbands do not drink alcohol. Place of residence, alcohol use by husband and family history of violence do increase a woman's risk of ever experiencing domestic violence. Higher than secondary education acted as a protective buffer against domestic violence. Domestic violence against women is still persistent and greater efforts should be channelled into curtailing it by using a multi-stakeholder approach and enforcing stricter punishments to perpetrators.

Experience of dietary advice among Pakistani-born persons with type 2 diabetes in Oslo.

PubMed

Fagerli, Rønnaug Aa; Lien, Marianne E; Wandel, Margareta

2005-12-01

Experience and implementation of dietary advice are influenced by various factors including ethnic, cultural and religious background. The aim is to explore how ethnic minority persons with diabetes experience dietary advice given by Norwegian health-workers, which strategies they have in response to the advice and how they explain their actions. In-depth interviews were performed with 15 Pakistani-born persons with type 2 diabetes living in Oslo. The analyses are based on the principles of Giorgi's interpretation of phenomenology. The participants expressed great concern to follow the advice. However, narratives about constraints were numerous. These concerned different life-situational factors, but more importantly they were related to communication problems arising from discontinuities between universalising medical knowledge and lay knowledge, as well as between different types of culturally defined lay knowledge. As a consequence, advice was generally experienced as inadequately based on the participant's food-cultural background, leaving the person with diabetes to do the translation between different levels of knowledge. In general health-workers would benefit from expanding their knowledge of the many positive aspects of their patients' cultural background, and apply their knowledge thereafter, whether it concerns (food)-culture or the impact of religion in everyday life.

Select Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Plant Design for Safeguards and Security by Design (SSBD) per Used Fuel Campaign

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

Demuth, Scott Francis; Sprinkle, James K.

As preparation to the year-end deliverable (Provide SSBD Best Practices for Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant) for the Work Package (FT-15LA040501–Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage), the initial step was to select a generic dry-storage pilot plant design for SSBD. To be consistent with other DOE-NE Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D) activities, the Used Fuel Campaign was engaged for the selection of a design for this deliverable. For the work Package FT-15LA040501–“Safeguards and Security by Design for Extended Dry Storage”, SSBD will be initiated for the Generic Dry-Storage Pilot Scale Plant described by the layout ofmore » Reference 2. SSBD will consider aspects of the design that are impacted by domestic material control and accounting (MC&A), domestic security, and international safeguards.« less

Resilience in Women who Experience Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos; Łuczak, Joanna

2018-03-01

Violence in the family constitutes a serious social and psychological problem with harmful consequences leading, among others, to changes in the psychological functioning of the victim and, secondarily, also the perpetrator. The aim of this study was to examine resilience in women experiencing domestic violence. The "Ego Resiliency Scale" (ERS) was used to study the group of women suffering domestic violence. The study group included 52 women aged 30-65 years (mean age: 40.15) using assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence. They most often reported suffering psychological and physical violence, with the husband or intimate partner being the most common perpetrator. Study women experiencing domestic violence obtained significantly lower scores on the ERS. The lowest scores on the ERS were achieved by women suffering paternal violence, while the highest - by women experiencing violence on the part of the intimate partner. Resilience of study women suffering domestic violence was lower than resilience of the general population, i.e. individuals not experiencing domestic violence. Suffered violence inflicted by the father exerted the greatest adverse impact on resilience. It seems advisable to consider resilience in the process of providing women experiencing domestic violence with psychosocial help.

Risk Factors for Domestic Violence in Curacao

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Wijk, N. Ph. L.; de Bruijn, J. G. M.

2012-01-01

One out of three people (25% of men, 38% of women) in Curacao have experienced some form of domestic violence at some point in their adult lives. The most significant risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao are the female gender, a young age, low education, and experiencing domestic violence victimization in childhood. Divorce, single…

Three generation production biotechnology of biomass into bio-fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Chaocheng

2017-08-01

The great change of climate change, depletion of natural resources, and scarcity of fossil fuel in the whole world nowadays have witnessed a sense of urgency home and abroad among scales of researchers, development practitioners, and industrialists to search for completely brand new sustainable solutions in the area of biomass transforming into bio-fuels attributing to our duty-that is, it is our responsibility to take up this challenge to secure our energy in the near future with the help of sustainable approaches and technological advancements to produce greener fuel from nature organic sources or biomass which comes generally from organic natural matters such as trees, woods, manure, sewage sludge, grass cuttings, and timber waste with a source of huge green energy called bio-fuel. Biomass includes most of the biological materials, livings or dead bodies. This energy source is ripely used industrially, or domestically for rather many years, but the recent trend is on the production of green fuel with different advance processing systems in a greener. More sustainable method. Biomass is becoming a booming industry currently on account of its cheaper cost and abundant resources all around, making it fairly more effective for the sustainable use of the bio-energy. In the past few years, the world has witnessed a remarkable development in the bio-fuel production technology, and three generations of bio-fuel have already existed in our society. The combination of membrane technology with the existing process line can play a vital role for the production of green fuel in a sustainable manner. In this paper, the science and technology for sustainable bio-fuel production will be introduced in detail for a cleaner world.

Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication.

PubMed

Montague, Michael J; Li, Gang; Gandolfi, Barbara; Khan, Razib; Aken, Bronwen L; Searle, Steven M J; Minx, Patrick; Hillier, LaDeana W; Koboldt, Daniel C; Davis, Brian W; Driscoll, Carlos A; Barr, Christina S; Blackistone, Kevin; Quilez, Javier; Lorente-Galdos, Belen; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Alkan, Can; Thomas, Gregg W C; Hahn, Matthew W; Menotti-Raymond, Marilyn; O'Brien, Stephen J; Wilson, Richard K; Lyons, Leslie A; Murphy, William J; Warren, Wesley C

2014-12-02

Little is known about the genetic changes that distinguish domestic cat populations from their wild progenitors. Here we describe a high-quality domestic cat reference genome assembly and comparative inferences made with other cat breeds, wildcats, and other mammals. Based upon these comparisons, we identified positively selected genes enriched for genes involved in lipid metabolism that underpin adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. We also found positive selection signals within genes underlying sensory processes, especially those affecting vision and hearing in the carnivore lineage. We observed an evolutionary tradeoff between functional olfactory and vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the cat and dog genomes, with an expansion of the feline chemosensory system for detecting pheromones at the expense of odorant detection. Genomic regions harboring signatures of natural selection that distinguish domestic cats from their wild congeners are enriched in neural crest-related genes associated with behavior and reward in mouse models, as predicted by the domestication syndrome hypothesis. Our description of a previously unidentified allele for the gloving pigmentation pattern found in the Birman breed supports the hypothesis that cat breeds experienced strong selection on specific mutations drawn from random bred populations. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how the process of domestication altered the ancestral wildcat genome and build a resource for future disease mapping and phylogenomic studies across all members of the Felidae.

Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication

PubMed Central

Li, Gang; Gandolfi, Barbara; Khan, Razib; Aken, Bronwen L.; Searle, Steven M. J.; Minx, Patrick; Hillier, LaDeana W.; Koboldt, Daniel C.; Davis, Brian W.; Driscoll, Carlos A.; Barr, Christina S.; Blackistone, Kevin; Quilez, Javier; Lorente-Galdos, Belen; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Alkan, Can; Thomas, Gregg W. C.; Hahn, Matthew W.; Menotti-Raymond, Marilyn; O’Brien, Stephen J.; Wilson, Richard K.; Lyons, Leslie A.; Murphy, William J.; Warren, Wesley C.

2014-01-01

Little is known about the genetic changes that distinguish domestic cat populations from their wild progenitors. Here we describe a high-quality domestic cat reference genome assembly and comparative inferences made with other cat breeds, wildcats, and other mammals. Based upon these comparisons, we identified positively selected genes enriched for genes involved in lipid metabolism that underpin adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. We also found positive selection signals within genes underlying sensory processes, especially those affecting vision and hearing in the carnivore lineage. We observed an evolutionary tradeoff between functional olfactory and vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the cat and dog genomes, with an expansion of the feline chemosensory system for detecting pheromones at the expense of odorant detection. Genomic regions harboring signatures of natural selection that distinguish domestic cats from their wild congeners are enriched in neural crest-related genes associated with behavior and reward in mouse models, as predicted by the domestication syndrome hypothesis. Our description of a previously unidentified allele for the gloving pigmentation pattern found in the Birman breed supports the hypothesis that cat breeds experienced strong selection on specific mutations drawn from random bred populations. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how the process of domestication altered the ancestral wildcat genome and build a resource for future disease mapping and phylogenomic studies across all members of the Felidae. PMID:25385592

10 CFR 51.23 - Temporary storage of spent fuel after cessation of reactor operation-generic determination of no...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Temporary storage of spent fuel after cessation of reactor operation-generic determination of no significant environmental impact. 51.23 Section 51.23 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS FOR DOMESTIC LICENSING AND RELATED...

76 FR 36512 - USDA Increases the Domestic Sugar Overall Allotment Quantity, Reassigns Domestic Cane Sugar...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-22

... Allotment Quantity, Reassigns Domestic Cane Sugar Allotments, and Increases the Fiscal Year 2011 Raw Sugar... of surplus sugar under domestic cane sugar allotments of 120,000 short tons raw value (STRV) to imports; and an increase in the fiscal year (FY) 2011 raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of the same amount...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1 - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... loss account. 1.904(g)-1 Section 1.904(g)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... States § 1.904(g)-1 Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account. [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.904(g)-1T. [T.D. 9371, 72 FR 72599, Dec. 21, 2007] ...

STR Profiling for Discrimination between Wild and Domestic Swine Specimens and between Main Breeds of Domestic Pigs Reared in Belarus.

PubMed

Rębała, Krzysztof; Rabtsava, Alina A; Kotova, Svetlana A; Kipen, Viachaslau N; Zhurina, Natalja V; Gandzha, Alla I; Tsybovsky, Iosif S

2016-01-01

A panel comprising 16 short tandem repeats (STRs) and a gender-specific amelogenin marker was worked out and tested for robustness in discrimination between wild and domestic swine subspecies encountered in Europe, between regional populations of wild boars and between main breeds of domestic pigs reared in Belarus. The STR dataset comprised 310 wild boars, inhabiting all administrative regions of Belarus, and 313 domestic pigs, representing three local and three cosmopolitan lines. Additionally, a total of 835 wild boars were genotyped for the presence of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) alleles specific for domestic pigs. Correctness of assignment of STR profiles to appropriate populations was measured by log-likelihood ratios (log-LRs). All samples were correctly identified as wild boars or domestic pigs with average log-LR of 42.4 (LR = 2.6×1018). On the other hand, as many as 50 out of 835 (6.0%) genotyped wild boars from Belarus possessed MC1R alleles specific to domestic pigs, demonstrating supremacy of our STR profiling system over traditional differentiation between wild boars and domestic pigs, based on single binary markers. Mean log-LRs for allocation of wild boars to their regions of origin and of domestic pigs to appropriate breeds were 2.3 (LR = 9.7) and 13.4 (LR = 6.6×105), respectively. Our results demonstrate the developed STR profiling system to be a highly efficient tool for differentiation between wild and domestic swine subspecies and between diverse breeds of domestic pigs as well as for verification of genetic identity of porcine specimens for the purpose of forensic investigations of wildlife crimes, assurance of veterinary public health, parentage control in animal husbandry, food safety management and traceability of livestock products.

STR Profiling for Discrimination between Wild and Domestic Swine Specimens and between Main Breeds of Domestic Pigs Reared in Belarus

PubMed Central

Rębała, Krzysztof; Rabtsava, Alina A.; Kotova, Svetlana A.; Kipen, Viachaslau N.; Zhurina, Natalja V.; Gandzha, Alla I.; Tsybovsky, Iosif S.

2016-01-01

A panel comprising 16 short tandem repeats (STRs) and a gender-specific amelogenin marker was worked out and tested for robustness in discrimination between wild and domestic swine subspecies encountered in Europe, between regional populations of wild boars and between main breeds of domestic pigs reared in Belarus. The STR dataset comprised 310 wild boars, inhabiting all administrative regions of Belarus, and 313 domestic pigs, representing three local and three cosmopolitan lines. Additionally, a total of 835 wild boars were genotyped for the presence of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) alleles specific for domestic pigs. Correctness of assignment of STR profiles to appropriate populations was measured by log-likelihood ratios (log-LRs). All samples were correctly identified as wild boars or domestic pigs with average log-LR of 42.4 (LR = 2.6×1018). On the other hand, as many as 50 out of 835 (6.0%) genotyped wild boars from Belarus possessed MC1R alleles specific to domestic pigs, demonstrating supremacy of our STR profiling system over traditional differentiation between wild boars and domestic pigs, based on single binary markers. Mean log-LRs for allocation of wild boars to their regions of origin and of domestic pigs to appropriate breeds were 2.3 (LR = 9.7) and 13.4 (LR = 6.6×105), respectively. Our results demonstrate the developed STR profiling system to be a highly efficient tool for differentiation between wild and domestic swine subspecies and between diverse breeds of domestic pigs as well as for verification of genetic identity of porcine specimens for the purpose of forensic investigations of wildlife crimes, assurance of veterinary public health, parentage control in animal husbandry, food safety management and traceability of livestock products. PMID:27851802

A population genetics view of animal domestication.

PubMed

Larson, Greger; Burger, Joachim

2013-04-01

The fundamental shift associated with the domestication of plants and animals allowed for a dramatic increase in human population sizes and the emergence of modern society. Despite its importance and the decades of research devoted to studying it, questions regarding the origins and processes of domestication remain. Here, we review recent theoretical advances and present a perspective that underscores the crucial role that population admixture has played in influencing the genomes of domestic animals over the past 10000 years. We then discuss novel approaches to generating and analysing genetic data, emphasising the importance of an explicit hypothesis-testing approach for the inference of the origins and subsequent evolution and demography of domestic animals. By applying next-generation sequencing technology alongside appropriate biostatistical methodologies, a substantially deeper understanding of domestication is on the horizon. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 65544 - Standard Format and Content of License Applications for Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facilities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

...The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is issuing a revision to regulatory guide (RG) 3.39, ``Standard Format and Content of License Applications for Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facilities.'' This guide endorses the standard format and content for license applications and integrated safety analysis (ISA) summaries described in the current version of NUREG-1718, ``Standard Review Plan for the Review of an Application for a Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility,'' as a method that the NRC staff finds acceptable for meeting the regulatory requirements of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 70, ``Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material'' for mixed oxide fuel fabrication facilities.

Minority ethnic community participation in needs assessment and service development in primary care: perceptions of Pakistani and Bangladeshi people about psychological distress.

PubMed

Kai, Joe; Hedges, Clive

1999-03-01

OBJECTIVES: To promote community participation in exploring perceptions of psychological distress amongst Pakistani and Bangladeshi people, in order to develop appropriate services. DESIGN: Training and facilitation of resident community members (as community project workers), to define and conduct qualitative research involving semistructured interviews in their own communities, informing primary care led commissioning and service decision making. Setting A socio-economically disadvantaged inner-city locality in the UK. Participants One-hundred and four South Asian people (49 of Pakistani and 55 of Bangladeshi origin), interviewed by 13 resident community members. RESULTS: All community project workers completed training leading to a National Vocational Qualification, and successfully executed the research. Most study respondents located their main sources of stress within pervasive experience of racism and socio-economic disadvantage. They were positive about 'talking' and neutral listening as helpful, but sought strategies beyond non-directive counselling services that embraced practical welfare advice and social support. The roles of primary health care professionals were believed to be restricted to physical ill health rather than personal distress. The importance of professionals' sex, age, ethnicity and social status were emphasized as affecting open communication. Practical recommendations for the re-orientation and provision of services were generated and implemented in response to the findings, through dialogue with a primary care commissioning group, Health and Local Authority, and voluntary agencies. CONCLUSIONS: The work illustrates the feasibility and value of a community participation approach to research and service development in addressing a challenging and neglected area of minority ethnic health need. It offers one model for generating responsive service change in the context of current health policy in the UK, whilst also imparting skills and

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1 - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... loss account. 1.904(g)-1 Section 1.904(g)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... the United States § 1.904(g)-1 Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account. [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.904(g)-1T. [T.D. 9371, 72 FR 72599, Dec. 21, 2007] ...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1 - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... loss account. 1.904(g)-1 Section 1.904(g)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... the United States § 1.904(g)-1 Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account. (a... accounts for purposes of section 904(g). Section 1.904(g)-2 provides rules for recapturing the balance in...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1 - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... loss account. 1.904(g)-1 Section 1.904(g)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... the United States § 1.904(g)-1 Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account. [Reserved] For further guidance, see § 1.904(g)-1T. [T.D. 9371, 72 FR 72599, Dec. 21, 2007] ...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1 - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... loss account. 1.904(g)-1 Section 1.904(g)-1 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... the United States § 1.904(g)-1 Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account. (a... accounts for purposes of section 904(g). Section 1.904(g)-2 provides rules for recapturing the balance in...

Private Domestic-Well Characteristics and the Distribution of Domestic Withdrawals among Aquifers in the Virginia Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Jason P.; McFarland, Randolph E.; Banks, R. Brent

2008-01-01

A comprehensive analysis of private domestic wells and self-supplied domestic ground-water withdrawals in the Coastal Plain Physiographic Province of Virginia indicates that the magnitudes of these withdrawals and their effects on local and regional ground-water flow are larger and more important than previous reports have stated. Self-supplied ground-water withdrawals for domestic use in the Virginia Coastal Plain are estimated to be approximately 40 million gallons per day, or about 28 percent of all ground-water withdrawals in the area. Contrary to widely held assumptions, only 22 percent of domestic wells in the Virginia Coastal Plain are completed in the shallow, unconfined surficial aquifer to which the water is returned directly by home septic systems. Fifty-three percent of the wells are completed in six deeper confined aquifers, and the remaining 25 percent are completed in the Potomac aquifer and confining zone, the deepest units in the confined system. Assuming an equal rate of withdrawal per well, 78 percent of domestic ground-water withdrawal, or about 30 million gallons per day, is removed from the regional confined ground-water system. Domestic ground-water withdrawal from an estimated 200,000 private wells supplies more than 15 percent of the population of the area and provides almost the entire source of water in some rural counties. The geographic distribution of these withdrawals is dependent on the self-supplied population and is highly variable. Domestic-well characteristics vary spatially as well, primarily because of geographic differences in depths to particular aquifers, but also because of well-drilling practices that are influenced by geographic, regulatory, and socioeconomic factors. Domestic ground-water withdrawals in the Virginia Coastal Plain were characterized as part of a larger study to analyze the regional ground-water flow system. Characterizing the withdrawals required differentiation of the withdrawals among the aquifers in

Energy Security Role of Biofuels in Evolving Liquid Fuel Markets

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

Brown, Maxwell; Uria-Martinez, Rocio; Leiby, Paul N.

We explore the role of biofuels in mitigating the negative impacts of oil supply shocks on fuel markets under a range of oil price trajectories and biofuel blending mandate levels. Using a partial equilibrium model of US biofuels production and petroleum fuels trade, we discuss the adjustments in light-duty vehicle fuel mix, fuel prices, and renewable identification number (RIN) prices following each shock as well as the distribution of shock costs across market participants. Ethanol is used as both a complement (blend component in E10) and a substitute (in E15 and E85 blends) to gasoline. Results show that, during oilmore » supply shocks, the role of ethanol as a substitute dominates and allows some mitigation of the shock. As US petroleum imports decrease with growing US oil production, the net economic welfare effect of sudden oil price changes and the energy security role of biofuels becomes less clear than it has been in the past. Although fuel consumers lose when oil price increases due to an external shock, domestic fuel producers gain. In some cases, depending on import share and supply and demand elasticities, we show that the gain to producers could more than offset consumer losses. However, in most cases evaluated here, sudden oil-price increases remain costly.« less

Genetic architecture of domestication-related traits in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Strong directional selection occurred during the domestication of maize from its wild ancestor teosinte, reducing its genetic diversity, particularly at genes controlling domestication-related traits. Nevertheless, variability for some domestication-related traits is maintained in maize. The genet...

Domestic violence victims in a hospital emergency department.

PubMed

Roberts, G L; O'Toole, B I; Lawrence, J M; Raphael, B

1993-09-06

To determine the prevalence and predictors of domestic violence victims among attenders at the emergency department at Royal Brisbane Hospital in 1991. Cross-sectional study in which randomly selected nursing shifts were used to screen attenders. Of all attenders at the emergency department, 14.1% disclosed a history of domestic violence. Women were more likely than men to disclose domestic violence ("raw" relative risk, 2.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.83-2.91; relative risk adjusted for age and history of child abuse, 4.50; 95% CI, 3.02-6.71). The greatest risks for being an adult victim of domestic violence were being female and having experienced abuse as a child. Most of those who had experienced domestic violence within the last 24 hours (1.1% of attenders) came to the department after-hours when social work staff were unavailable for referral. The prevalence and risk factors have implications for the training of doctors and nurses in domestic violence problems and for the provision of adequate resources to deal with the psychosocial aspects of domestic violence.

Determinants of Antenatal Psychological Distress in Pakistani Women

PubMed Central

DIN, Zia ud; AMBREEN, Sadaf; IQBAL, Zafar; IQBAL, Mudassar; AHMAD, Summiya

2016-01-01

Introduction An increasing number of evidence has demonstrated that poor antenatal psychological health can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Studies conducted in various countries demonstrated a wide range of factors associated with psychological distress during pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2011 and December 2012 in Peshawar, north-west Pakistan. A total of 230 women in their third trimester of pregnancy fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The antenatal psychological health status of women was measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Relevant data regarding health and demographic–socioeconomic status were collected through personal interviews using standardized questionnaires. Results Overall, 45% (n=104) of women exhibited symptoms for composite depression, anxiety, and stress (composite DAS). In the univariate analysis, maternal age, husband support, monthly income, family size, stressful life events, lack of confidence, domestic violence, and pregnancy-related concerns were strongly associated with antenatal composite DAS (p<0.01). The association of maternal composite DAS symptoms with age, monthly income, family size, and lack of confidence remained significant in the multivariate analysis (p<0.01). Conclusion A major proportion of women exhibited symptoms of antenatal composite DAS, and various factors were found to be related to their psychological distress. A young maternal age, low husband support, low income, large family size, adverse life events, lack of confidence, pregnancy-related concerns, and domestic violence were stronger determinants of poor antenatal psychological status. The study findings concluded that policymakers at the government level should launch special intervention programs to improve maternal perinatal mental and psychological health at the community level. PMID:28360788

Storytelling and story testing in domestication.

PubMed

Gerbault, Pascale; Allaby, Robin G; Boivin, Nicole; Rudzinski, Anna; Grimaldi, Ilaria M; Pires, J Chris; Climer Vigueira, Cynthia; Dobney, Keith; Gremillion, Kristen J; Barton, Loukas; Arroyo-Kalin, Manuel; Purugganan, Michael D; Rubio de Casas, Rafael; Bollongino, Ruth; Burger, Joachim; Fuller, Dorian Q; Bradley, Daniel G; Balding, David J; Richerson, Peter J; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Larson, Greger; Thomas, Mark G

2014-04-29

The domestication of plants and animals marks one of the most significant transitions in human, and indeed global, history. Traditionally, study of the domestication process was the exclusive domain of archaeologists and agricultural scientists; today it is an increasingly multidisciplinary enterprise that has come to involve the skills of evolutionary biologists and geneticists. Although the application of new information sources and methodologies has dramatically transformed our ability to study and understand domestication, it has also generated increasingly large and complex datasets, the interpretation of which is not straightforward. In particular, challenges of equifinality, evolutionary variance, and emergence of unexpected or counter-intuitive patterns all face researchers attempting to infer past processes directly from patterns in data. We argue that explicit modeling approaches, drawing upon emerging methodologies in statistics and population genetics, provide a powerful means of addressing these limitations. Modeling also offers an approach to analyzing datasets that avoids conclusions steered by implicit biases, and makes possible the formal integration of different data types. Here we outline some of the modeling approaches most relevant to current problems in domestication research, and demonstrate the ways in which simulation modeling is beginning to reshape our understanding of the domestication process.

Domestic violence and post-traumatic stress disorder severity for participants of a domestic violence rehabilitation program.

PubMed

Gerlock, April A

2004-06-01

Domestic violence has been a long-standing problem for our nation's active duty and military veterans. The purpose of this article is to describe participants of a domestic violence program, the program design to help lessen attrition, and the completers and noncompleters of the program. There was a significant relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and domestic violence severity for the sample. PTSD severity was also related to reports of domestic violence in the family of origin. Completers and noncompleters were compared on demographic and violence variables and on nine research measures. Completers were more likely younger than 35 years old, employed, had higher self-ratings of relationship mutuality, lower levels of stress and post-traumatic stress, and were regularly court monitored. The results of a logistic regression significantly predicted completers and noncompleters based on age, relationship mutuality, PTSD, and court-monitored status (model chi2 statistic of 31.08, p = 0.0000).

Origin of mitochondrial DNA diversity of domestic yaks

PubMed Central

Guo, Songchang; Savolainen, Peter; Su, Jianping; Zhang, Qian; Qi, Delin; Zhou, Jie; Zhong, Yang; Zhao, Xinquan; Liu, Jianquan

2006-01-01

Background The domestication of plants and animals was extremely important anthropologically. Previous studies have revealed a general tendency for populations of livestock species to include deeply divergent maternal lineages, indicating that they were domesticated in multiple, independent events from genetically discrete wild populations. However, in water buffalo, there are suggestions that a similar deep maternal bifurcation may have originated from a single population. These hypotheses have rarely been rigorously tested because of a lack of sufficient wild samples. To investigate the origin of the domestic yak (Poephagus grunnies), we analyzed 637 bp of maternal inherited mtDNA from 13 wild yaks (including eight wild yaks from a small population in west Qinghai) and 250 domesticated yaks from major herding regions. Results The domestic yak populations had two deeply divergent phylogenetic groups with a divergence time of > 100,000 yrs BP. We here show that haplotypes clustering with two deeply divergent maternal lineages in domesticated yaks occur in a single, small, wild population. This finding suggests that all domestic yaks are derived from a single wild gene pool. However, there is no clear correlation of the mtDNA phylogenetic clades and the 10 morphological types of sampled yaks indicating that the latter diversified recently. Relatively high diversity was found in Qinghai and Tibet around the current wild distribution, in accordance with previous suggestions that the earliest domestications occurred in this region. Conventional molecular clock estimation led to an unrealistic early dating of the start of the domestication. However, Bayesian estimation of the coalescence time allowing a relaxation of the mutation rate are better in agreement with a domestication during the Holocene as supported by archeological records. Conclusion The information gathered here and the previous studies of other animals show that the demographic histories of domestication

Domestic Violence: Issues and Dynamics. Informal Series No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Oyley, Vincent, Ed.

The proceedings from the Toronto Conference present an overview of domestic violence, the roles of the police and judicial system, male/female relationships in domestic violence, the clinical treatment of domestic violence, domestic violence and education, social services, and a bibliography on battered wives. The multi-dimensionality of, and the…

Current perspectives and the future of domestication studies

PubMed Central

Larson, Greger; Piperno, Dolores R.; Allaby, Robin G.; Purugganan, Michael D.; Andersson, Leif; Arroyo-Kalin, Manuel; Barton, Loukas; Climer Vigueira, Cynthia; Denham, Tim; Dobney, Keith; Doust, Andrew N.; Gepts, Paul; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Gremillion, Kristen J.; Lucas, Leilani; Lukens, Lewis; Marshall, Fiona B.; Olsen, Kenneth M.; Pires, J. Chris; Richerson, Peter J.; Rubio de Casas, Rafael; Sanjur, Oris I.; Thomas, Mark G.; Fuller, Dorian Q.

2014-01-01

It is difficult to overstate the cultural and biological impacts that the domestication of plants and animals has had on our species. Fundamental questions regarding where, when, and how many times domestication took place have been of primary interest within a wide range of academic disciplines. Within the last two decades, the advent of new archaeological and genetic techniques has revolutionized our understanding of the pattern and process of domestication and agricultural origins that led to our modern way of life. In the spring of 2011, 25 scholars with a central interest in domestication representing the fields of genetics, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geoarchaeology, and archaeology met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center to discuss recent domestication research progress and identify challenges for the future. In this introduction to the resulting Special Feature, we present the state of the art in the field by discussing what is known about the spatial and temporal patterns of domestication, and controversies surrounding the speed, intentionality, and evolutionary aspects of the domestication process. We then highlight three key challenges for future research. We conclude by arguing that although recent progress has been impressive, the next decade will yield even more substantial insights not only into how domestication took place, but also when and where it did, and where and why it did not. PMID:24757054

Prevalence of Domestic Violence in an Inpatient Female Population

PubMed Central

McKenzie, Katherine C; Burns, Risa B; McCarthy, Ellen P; Freund, Karen M

1998-01-01

Studies have evaluated the prevalence of domestic violence in populations of patients in emergency and primary care settings, but there are little data on patients admitted to hospitals. We undertook a study to evaluate the prevalence of domestic violence among female inpatients. Of 131 consecutive female patients between the ages of 18 and 60 admitted to a nontrauma urban teaching hospital asked to complete a self-administered survey about domestic violence, 101 completed the questionnaire. Twenty-six percent of the respondents reported being in an abusive relationship at one time. Two patients felt that domestic violence contributed to their current reason for admission. No respondents were asked about domestic violence by health care providers. Domestic violence is an uncommon but important precipitant to nontrauma hospital admissions. Physicians should query all female inpatients about domestic assault. PMID:9565394

Genetic analysis of safflower domestication

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an oilseed crop in the Compositae (a.k.a. Asteraceae) that is valued for its oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Here, we present an analysis of the genetic architecture of safflower domestication and compare our findings to those from sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), an independently domesticated oilseed crop within the same family. We mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying 24 domestication-related traits in progeny from a cross between safflower and its wild progenitor, Carthamus palaestinus Eig. Also, we compared QTL positions in safflower against those that have been previously identified in cultivated x wild sunflower crosses to identify instances of colocalization. Results We mapped 61 QTL, the vast majority of which (59) exhibited minor or moderate phenotypic effects. The two large-effect QTL corresponded to one each for flower color and leaf spininess. A total of 14 safflower QTL colocalized with previously reported sunflower QTL for the same traits. Of these, QTL for three traits (days to flower, achene length, and number of selfed seed) had cultivar alleles that conferred effects in the same direction in both species. Conclusions As has been observed in sunflower, and unlike many other crops, our results suggest that the genetics of safflower domestication is quite complex. Moreover, our comparative mapping results indicate that safflower and sunflower exhibit numerous instances of QTL colocalization, suggesting that parallel trait transitions during domestication may have been driven, at least in part, by parallel genotypic evolution at some of the same underlying genes. PMID:24502326

Mutagenicity assessment of aerosols in emissions from domestic combustion processes.

PubMed

Canha, Nuno; Lopes, Isabel; Vicente, Estela Domingos; Vicente, Ana M; Bandowe, Benjamin A Musa; Almeida, Susana Marta; Alves, Célia A

2016-06-01

Domestic biofuel combustion is one of the major sources of regional and local air pollution, mainly regarding particulate matter and organic compounds, during winter periods. Mutagenic and carcinogenic activity potentials of the ambient particulate matter have been associated with the fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and their oxygenated (OPAH) and nitrogenated (NPAH) derivatives. This study aimed at assessing the mutagenicity potential of the fraction of this polycyclic aromatic compound in particles (PM10) from domestic combustion by using the Ames assays with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. Seven biofuels, including four types of pellets and three agro-fuels (olive pit, almond shell and shell of pine nuts), were tested in an automatic pellet stove, and two types of wood (Pinus pinaster, maritime pine, and Eucalyptus globulus, eucalypt) were burned in a traditional wood stove. For this latter appliance, two combustion phases-devolatilisation and flaming/smouldering-were characterised separately. A direct-acting mutagenic effect for the devolatilisation phase of pine combustion and for both phases of eucalypt combustion was found. Almond shell revealed a weak direct-acting mutagenic effect, while one type of pellets, made of recycled wastes, and pine (devolatilisation) presented a cytotoxic effect towards strain TA100. Compared to the manually fired appliance, the automatic pellet stove promoted lower polyaromatic mutagenic emissions. For this device, only two of the studied biofuels presented a weak mutagenic or cytotoxic potential.

Causes of short stature in Pakistani children found at an Endocrine Center

PubMed Central

Jawa, Ali; Riaz, Syed Hunain; Khan Assir, Muhammad Zaman; Afreen, Bahjat; Riaz, Amna; Akram, Javed

2016-01-01

Background and Objective: Short stature is defined as height below 3rd centile. Causes of short stature can range from familial, endocrine disorders, chronic diseases to chromosomal disorders. Most common cause in literature being idiopathic short stature. Early detection and management of remedial disorders like malnutrition and vitamin D deficiency, Endocrine disorders like growth hormone deficiency & hypothyroidism can lead to attainment of expected height. Pakistani data shows idiopathic short stature as the most common cause of short stature. Our study aimed at detecting causes of short stature in children/adolescents at an Endocrine referral center. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at WILCARE Center for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Lahore on 70 well-nourished children/adolescents. The patients had been evaluated clinically, biochemically and radiologically as needed. Biochemical testing included hormonal testing as well to detect endocrine causes. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS 20.0. Results: Leading cause of short stature in our population was Growth Hormone (GH) deficiency seen in 48 out of 70 (69%) patients. Second most common endocrine abnormality seen in these patients was Vitamin D deficiency [44 out of 70 patients (63%)]. Primary hypothyroidism; pan-hypopituitarism & adrenal insufficiency were other endocrine causes. The weight for age was below 3rd percentile in 57 (81%) patients, with no association with other major causes. Conclusion: Growth hormone and Vitamin D deficiency constitute one of the major causes of short stature among well-nourished children with short stature in Pakistan. PMID:28083018

Domestic Violence during Pregnancy in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahapatro, Meerambika; Gupta, R. N.; Gupta, Vinay; Kundu, A. S.

2011-01-01

Domestic violence can result in many negative health consequences for women's health and well-being. Studies on domestic violence illustrate that abused women in various settings had increased health problems such as injury, chronic pain, gastrointestinal, and gynecological signs including sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and…

Toxoplasmosis in wild and domestic animals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is widely distributed in wild and domestic animals. The present chapter reviews toxoplasmosis in wild and domestic animals. Coverage in wild animal species is limited to confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis, cases with parasite isolation, cases with parasite detection by PCR, and exper...

A test for paedomorphism in domestic pig cranial morphology

PubMed Central

Owen, Joseph; Vidarsdottir, Una Strand; Dobney, Keith

2017-01-01

Domestic animals are often described as paedomorphic, meaning that they retain juvenile characteristics into adulthood. Through a three-dimensional landmark-based geometric morphometric analysis of cranial morphology at three growth stages, we demonstrate that wild boar (n = 138) and domestic pigs (n = 106) (Sus scrofa) follow distinct ontogenetic trajectories. With the exception of the size ratio between facial and neurocranial regions, paedomorphism does not appear to be the primary pattern describing the observed differences between wild and domestic pig cranial morphologies. The cranial phenotype of domestic pigs instead involves developmental innovation during domestication. This result questions the long-standing assumption that domestic animal phenotypes are paedomorphic forms of their wild counterparts. PMID:28794276

A preliminary assessment of the feasibility of deriving liquid and gaseous fuels from grown and waste organics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, R. W.; Reynolds, T. W.; Hsu, Y.-Y.

1976-01-01

An estimate is obtained of the yearly supply of organic material for conversion to fuels, the energy potential is evaluated, and the fermentation and pyrolysis conversion processes are discussed. An investigation is conducted of the estimated cost of fuel from organics and the conclusions of an overall evaluation are presented. It is found that climate, land availability and economics of agricultural production and marketing, food demand, fertilizer shortage, and water availability combine to cast doubts on the feasibility of producing grown organic matter for fuel, in competition with food, feed, or fiber. Less controversial is the utilization of agricultural, industrial, and domestic waste as a conversion feedstock. The evaluation of a demonstration size system is recommended.

Storytelling and story testing in domestication

PubMed Central

Gerbault, Pascale; Allaby, Robin G.; Boivin, Nicole; Rudzinski, Anna; Grimaldi, Ilaria M.; Pires, J. Chris; Climer Vigueira, Cynthia; Dobney, Keith; Gremillion, Kristen J.; Barton, Loukas; Arroyo-Kalin, Manuel; Purugganan, Michael D.; Rubio de Casas, Rafael; Bollongino, Ruth; Burger, Joachim; Fuller, Dorian Q.; Bradley, Daniel G.; Balding, David J.; Richerson, Peter J.; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Larson, Greger; Thomas, Mark G.

2014-01-01

The domestication of plants and animals marks one of the most significant transitions in human, and indeed global, history. Traditionally, study of the domestication process was the exclusive domain of archaeologists and agricultural scientists; today it is an increasingly multidisciplinary enterprise that has come to involve the skills of evolutionary biologists and geneticists. Although the application of new information sources and methodologies has dramatically transformed our ability to study and understand domestication, it has also generated increasingly large and complex datasets, the interpretation of which is not straightforward. In particular, challenges of equifinality, evolutionary variance, and emergence of unexpected or counter-intuitive patterns all face researchers attempting to infer past processes directly from patterns in data. We argue that explicit modeling approaches, drawing upon emerging methodologies in statistics and population genetics, provide a powerful means of addressing these limitations. Modeling also offers an approach to analyzing datasets that avoids conclusions steered by implicit biases, and makes possible the formal integration of different data types. Here we outline some of the modeling approaches most relevant to current problems in domestication research, and demonstrate the ways in which simulation modeling is beginning to reshape our understanding of the domestication process. PMID:24753572

The domestication of Amazonia before European conquest.

PubMed

Clement, Charles R; Denevan, William M; Heckenberger, Michael J; Junqueira, André Braga; Neves, Eduardo G; Teixeira, Wenceslau G; Woods, William I

2015-08-07

During the twentieth century, Amazonia was widely regarded as relatively pristine nature, little impacted by human history. This view remains popular despite mounting evidence of substantial human influence over millennial scales across the region. Here, we review the evidence of an anthropogenic Amazonia in response to claims of sparse populations across broad portions of the region. Amazonia was a major centre of crop domestication, with at least 83 native species containing populations domesticated to some degree. Plant domestication occurs in domesticated landscapes, including highly modified Amazonian dark earths (ADEs) associated with large settled populations and that may cover greater than 0.1% of the region. Populations and food production expanded rapidly within land management systems in the mid-Holocene, and complex societies expanded in resource-rich areas creating domesticated landscapes with profound impacts on local and regional ecology. ADE food production projections support estimates of at least eight million people in 1492. By this time, highly diverse regional systems had developed across Amazonia where subsistence resources were created with plant and landscape domestication, including earthworks. This review argues that the Amazonian anthrome was no less socio-culturally diverse or populous than other tropical forested areas of the world prior to European conquest. © 2015 The Author(s).

Cerebellar Abiotrophy Across Domestic Species.

PubMed

Scott, Erica Yuki; Woolard, Kevin Douglas; Finno, Carrie J; Murray, James D

2018-06-01

Cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the cerebellum and occurs in multiple species. Although CA is well researched in humans and mice, domestic species such as the dog, cat, sheep, cow, and horse receive little recognition. This may be due to few studies addressing the mechanism of CA in these species. However, valuable information can still be extracted from these cases. A review of the clinicohistologic phenotype of CA in these species and determining the various etiologies of CA may aid in determining conserved and required pathways necessary for proper cerebellar development and function. This review outlines research approaches of studies of CA in domestic species, compared to the approaches used in mice, with the objective of comparing CA in domestic species while identifying areas for further research efforts.

Strong signatures of selection in the domestic pig genome.

PubMed

Rubin, Carl-Johan; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Martinez Barrio, Alvaro; Maqbool, Khurram; Sayyab, Shumaila; Schwochow, Doreen; Wang, Chao; Carlborg, Örjan; Jern, Patric; Jørgensen, Claus B; Archibald, Alan L; Fredholm, Merete; Groenen, Martien A M; Andersson, Leif

2012-11-27

Domestication of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and subsequent selection have resulted in dramatic phenotypic changes in domestic pigs for a number of traits, including behavior, body composition, reproduction, and coat color. Here we have used whole-genome resequencing to reveal some of the loci that underlie phenotypic evolution in European domestic pigs. Selective sweep analyses revealed strong signatures of selection at three loci harboring quantitative trait loci that explain a considerable part of one of the most characteristic morphological changes in the domestic pig--the elongation of the back and an increased number of vertebrae. The three loci were associated with the NR6A1, PLAG1, and LCORL genes. The latter two have repeatedly been associated with loci controlling stature in other domestic animals and in humans. Most European domestic pigs are homozygous for the same haplotype at these three loci. We found an excess of derived nonsynonymous substitutions in domestic pigs, most likely reflecting both positive selection and relaxed purifying selection after domestication. Our analysis of structural variation revealed four duplications at the KIT locus that were exclusively present in white or white-spotted pigs, carrying the Dominant white, Patch, or Belt alleles. This discovery illustrates how structural changes have contributed to rapid phenotypic evolution in domestic animals and how alleles in domestic animals may evolve by the accumulation of multiple causative mutations as a response to strong directional selection.

Strong signatures of selection in the domestic pig genome

PubMed Central

Rubin, Carl-Johan; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Barrio, Alvaro Martinez; Maqbool, Khurram; Sayyab, Shumaila; Schwochow, Doreen; Wang, Chao; Carlborg, Örjan; Jern, Patric; Jørgensen, Claus B.; Archibald, Alan L.; Fredholm, Merete; Groenen, Martien A. M.; Andersson, Leif

2012-01-01

Domestication of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and subsequent selection have resulted in dramatic phenotypic changes in domestic pigs for a number of traits, including behavior, body composition, reproduction, and coat color. Here we have used whole-genome resequencing to reveal some of the loci that underlie phenotypic evolution in European domestic pigs. Selective sweep analyses revealed strong signatures of selection at three loci harboring quantitative trait loci that explain a considerable part of one of the most characteristic morphological changes in the domestic pig—the elongation of the back and an increased number of vertebrae. The three loci were associated with the NR6A1, PLAG1, and LCORL genes. The latter two have repeatedly been associated with loci controlling stature in other domestic animals and in humans. Most European domestic pigs are homozygous for the same haplotype at these three loci. We found an excess of derived nonsynonymous substitutions in domestic pigs, most likely reflecting both positive selection and relaxed purifying selection after domestication. Our analysis of structural variation revealed four duplications at the KIT locus that were exclusively present in white or white-spotted pigs, carrying the Dominant white, Patch, or Belt alleles. This discovery illustrates how structural changes have contributed to rapid phenotypic evolution in domestic animals and how alleles in domestic animals may evolve by the accumulation of multiple causative mutations as a response to strong directional selection. PMID:23151514

Domestication affects the structure, development and stability of biobehavioural profiles.

PubMed

Kaiser, Sylvia; Hennessy, Michael B; Sachser, Norbert

2015-01-01

Domestication is an evolutionary process during which the biobehavioural profile (comprising e.g. social and emotional behaviour, cognitive abilities, as well as hormonal stress responses) is substantially reshaped. Using a comparative approach, and focusing mainly on the domestic and wild guinea pig, an established model system for the study of domestication, we review (a) how wild and domestic animals of the same species differ in behaviour, emotion, cognition, and hormonal stress responses, (b) during which phases of life differences in biobehavioural profiles emerge and (c) whether or not animal personalities exist in both the wild and domestic form. Concerning (a), typical changes with domestication include increased courtship, sociopositive and maternal behaviours as well as decreased aggression and attentive behaviour. In addition, domestic animals display more anxiety-like and less risk-taking and exploratory behaviour than the wild form and they show distinctly lower endocrine stress responsiveness. There are no indications, however, that domestic animals have diminished cognitive abilities relative to the wild form. The different biobehavioural profiles of the wild and domestic animals can be regarded as adaptations to the different environmental conditions under which they live, i.e., the natural habitat and artificial man-made housing conditions, respectively. Concerning (b), the comparison of infantile, adolescent and adult wild and domestic guinea pigs shows that the typical biobehavioural profile of the domestic form is already present during early phases of life, that is, during early adolescence and weaning. Thus, differences between the domestic and the wild form can be attributed to genetic alterations resulting from artificial selection, and likely to environmental influences during the pre- and perinatal phase. Interestingly, the frequency of play behaviour does not differ between the domestic and wild form early in life, but is significantly

Molecular outcomes, clinical consequences, and genetic diagnosis of Oculocutaneous Albinism in Pakistani population.

PubMed

Shahzad, Mohsin; Yousaf, Sairah; Waryah, Yar M; Gul, Hadia; Kausar, Tasleem; Tariq, Nabeela; Mahmood, Umair; Ali, Muhammad; Khan, Muzammil A; Waryah, Ali M; Shaikh, Rehan S; Riazuddin, Saima; Ahmed, Zubair M

2017-03-07

Nonsyndromic oculocutaneous Albinism (nsOCA) is clinically characterized by the loss of pigmentation in the skin, hair, and iris. OCA is amongst the most common causes of vision impairment in children. To date, pathogenic variants in six genes have been identified in individuals with nsOCA. Here, we determined the identities, frequencies, and clinical consequences of OCA alleles in 94 previously unreported Pakistani families. Combination of Sanger and Exome sequencing revealed 38 alleles, including 22 novel variants, segregating with nsOCA phenotype in 80 families. Variants of TYR and OCA2 genes were the most common cause of nsOCA, occurring in 43 and 30 families, respectively. Twenty-two novel variants include nine missense, four splice site, two non-sense, one insertion and six gross deletions. In vitro studies revealed retention of OCA proteins harboring novel missense alleles in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of transfected cells. Exon-trapping assays with constructs containing splice site alleles revealed errors in splicing. As eight alleles account for approximately 56% (95% CI: 46.52-65.24%) of nsOCA cases, primarily enrolled from Punjab province of Pakistan, hierarchical strategies for variant detection would be feasible and cost-efficient genetic tests for OCA in families with similar origin. Thus, we developed Tetra-primer ARMS assays for rapid, reliable, reproducible and economical screening of most of these common alleles.

28 CFR 80.4 - Issuer or domestic concern.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issuer or domestic concern. 80.4 Section 80.4 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT OPINION PROCEDURE § 80.4 Issuer or domestic concern. The request must be submitted by an issuer or domestic concern...

Genetics of alternative splicing evolution during sunflower domestication.

PubMed

Smith, Chris C R; Tittes, Silas; Mendieta, J Paul; Collier-Zans, Erin; Rowe, Heather C; Rieseberg, Loren H; Kane, Nolan C

2018-06-11

Alternative splicing enables organisms to produce the diversity of proteins necessary for multicellular life by using relatively few protein-coding genes. Although differences in splicing have been identified among divergent taxa, the shorter-term evolution of splicing is understudied. The origins of novel splice forms, and the contributions of alternative splicing to major evolutionary transitions, are largely unknown. This study used transcriptomes of wild and domesticated sunflowers to examine splice differentiation and regulation during domestication. We identified substantial splicing divergence between wild and domesticated sunflowers, mainly in the form of intron retention. Transcripts with divergent splicing were enriched for seed-development functions, suggesting that artificial selection impacted splicing patterns. Mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with 144 differential splicing cases revealed primarily trans -acting variation affecting splicing patterns. A large proportion of identified QTLs contain known spliceosome proteins and are associated with splicing variation in multiple genes. Examining a broader set of wild and domesticated sunflower genotypes revealed that most differential splicing patterns in domesticated sunflowers likely arose from standing variation in wild Helianthus annuus and gained frequency during the domestication process. However, several domesticate-associated splicing patterns appear to be introgressed from other Helianthus species. These results suggest that sunflower domestication involved selection on pleiotropic regulatory alleles. More generally, our findings indicate that substantial differences in isoform abundances arose rapidly during a recent evolutionary transition and appear to contribute to adaptation and population divergence.

Domestic violence in Iranian infertile women

PubMed Central

Sheikhan, Zohre; Ozgoli, Giti; Azar, Mahyar; Alavimajd, Hamid

2014-01-01

Background: Millions of men and women suffer from infertility worldwide. In many cultures, infertile women are at risk of social and emotional problems. Infertility may affect the public health in many countries. Domestic violence is the intentional use of physical force, power or threat against oneself, another person or another group or community which leads to injury, death, mental harm, lack of development or deprivation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of domestic violence against infertile women who referred to the infertility centres of Tehran, Iran in 2011. Methods: This was cross- sectional descriptive study conducted on 400 infertile women who were selected through convenient sampling method. The questionnaire used in this study included two sections: a demographic section with questions about demographic characteristics of the infertile women and their husbands; and the domestic violence questionnaire with questions about physical, emotional and sexual violence. Data were analysed by SPSS16; descriptive statistics, Spearman’s test, t- test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: Four hundred women with the average age of 30.50 ± 6.16 years participated in the study; of whom, 34.7% experienced domestic violence physical violence (5.3%), emotional violence (74.3%) and sexual violence (47.3%). Domestic violence was significantly associated with unwanted marriage, number of IVFs, drug abuse, emotional status of the women, smoking and addiction or drug abuse of the spouse, mental and physical diseases of the husband (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Many of the current problems in this society, particularly in families are due to the transition of the society from a traditional model to a modern one. The majority of the infertile women experience violence in Iran. Domestic violence against infertile women is a problem that should not be ignored. Clinicians should identify abused women. Providing

Prevalence of Domestic Violence Among Trauma Patients.

PubMed

Joseph, Bellal; Khalil, Mazhar; Zangbar, Bardiya; Kulvatunyou, Narong; Orouji, Tahereh; Pandit, Viraj; O'Keeffe, Terence; Tang, Andrew; Gries, Lynn; Friese, Randall S; Rhee, Peter; Davis, James W

2015-12-01

Domestic violence is an extremely underreported crime and a growing social problem in the United States. However, the true burden of the problem remains unknown. To assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients. A 6-year (2007-2012) retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained National Trauma Data Bank. Trauma patients who experienced domestic violence and who presented to trauma centers participating in the National Trauma Data Bank were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes (995.80-995.85, 995.50, 995.52-995.55, and 995.59) and E codes (E967.0-E967.9). Patients were stratified by age into 3 groups: children (≤18 years), adults (19-54 years), and elderly patients (≥55 years). Trend analysis was performed on April 10, 2014, to assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence over the years. Trauma patients presenting to trauma centers participating in the National Trauma Data Bank. To assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients. A total of 16 575 trauma patients who experienced domestic violence were included. Of these trauma patients, 10 224 (61.7%) were children, 5503 (33.2%) were adults, and 848 (5.1%) were elderly patients. The mean (SD) age was 15.9 (20.6), the mean (SD) Injury Severity Score was 10.9 (9.6), and 8397 (50.7%) were male patients. Head injuries (46.8% of patients) and extremity fractures (31.2% of patients) were the most common injuries. A total of 12 515 patients (75.1%) were discharged home, and the overall mortality rate was 5.9% (n = 980). The overall reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients was 5.7 cases per 1000 trauma center discharges. The prevalence of domestic violence increased among children (14.0 cases per 1000 trauma center discharges in 2007 to 18.5 case per 1000 trauma center discharges in 2012; P = .001) and adults (3.2 cases per 1000 discharges in 2007 to 4.5 cases per

Domestic violence: recognition, intervention, and prevention.

PubMed

Smith, M; Martin, F

1995-02-01

Domestic violence is a significant social and health problem that has received intensive recent publicity in the lay media. Nurses should play a major role in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions. Intensified health promotion and public policy initiatives can reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the future.

Convergent genomic signatures of domestication in sheep and goats.

PubMed

Alberto, Florian J; Boyer, Frédéric; Orozco-terWengel, Pablo; Streeter, Ian; Servin, Bertrand; de Villemereuil, Pierre; Benjelloun, Badr; Librado, Pablo; Biscarini, Filippo; Colli, Licia; Barbato, Mario; Zamani, Wahid; Alberti, Adriana; Engelen, Stefan; Stella, Alessandra; Joost, Stéphane; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo; Negrini, Riccardo; Orlando, Ludovic; Rezaei, Hamid Reza; Naderi, Saeid; Clarke, Laura; Flicek, Paul; Wincker, Patrick; Coissac, Eric; Kijas, James; Tosser-Klopp, Gwenola; Chikhi, Abdelkader; Bruford, Michael W; Taberlet, Pierre; Pompanon, François

2018-03-06

The evolutionary basis of domestication has been a longstanding question and its genetic architecture is becoming more tractable as more domestic species become genome-enabled. Before becoming established worldwide, sheep and goats were domesticated in the fertile crescent 10,500 years before present (YBP) where their wild relatives remain. Here we sequence the genomes of wild Asiatic mouflon and Bezoar ibex in the sheep and goat domestication center and compare their genomes with that of domestics from local, traditional, and improved breeds. Among the genomic regions carrying selective sweeps differentiating domestic breeds from wild populations, which are associated among others to genes involved in nervous system, immunity and productivity traits, 20 are common to Capra and Ovis. The patterns of selection vary between species, suggesting that while common targets of selection related to domestication and improvement exist, different solutions have arisen to achieve similar phenotypic end-points within these closely related livestock species.

Savannah River Site Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Final Environmental Impact Statement

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

N /A

The proposed DOE action considered in this environmental impact statement (EIS) is to implement appropriate processes for the safe and efficient management of spent nuclear fuel and targets at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken County, South Carolina, including placing these materials in forms suitable for ultimate disposition. Options to treat, package, and store this material are discussed. The material included in this EIS consists of approximately 68 metric tons heavy metal (MTHM) of spent nuclear fuel 20 MTHM of aluminum-based spent nuclear fuel at SRS, as much as 28 MTHM of aluminum-clad spent nuclear fuel from foreign andmore » domestic research reactors to be shipped to SRS through 2035, and 20 MTHM of stainless-steel or zirconium-clad spent nuclear fuel and some Americium/Curium Targets stored at SRS. Alternatives considered in this EIS encompass a range of new packaging, new processing, and conventional processing technologies, as well as the No Action Alternative. A preferred alternative is identified in which DOE would prepare about 97% by volume (about 60% by mass) of the aluminum-based fuel for disposition using a melt and dilute treatment process. The remaining 3% by volume (about 40% by mass) would be managed using chemical separation. Impacts are assessed primarily in the areas of water resources, air resources, public and worker health, waste management, socioeconomic, and cumulative impacts.« less

Rabies virus and canine distemper virus in wild and domestic carnivores in Northern Kenya: are domestic dogs the reservoir?

PubMed

Prager, K C; Mazet, Jonna A K; Dubovi, Edward J; Frank, Laurence G; Munson, Linda; Wagner, Aaron P; Woodroffe, Rosie

2012-12-01

Rabies virus (RV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) can cause significant mortality in wild carnivore populations, and RV threatens human lives. We investigated serological patterns of exposure to CDV and RV in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas), spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) and African lions (Panthera leo), over a 10-year period, in a Kenyan rangeland to assess the role domestic dogs may play in the transmission dynamics of these two important canid pathogens. Observed patterns of RV exposure suggested that repeated introduction, rather than maintenance, occurred in the wild carnivore species studied. However, RV appeared to have been maintained in domestic dogs: exposure was more likely in domestic dogs than in the wild carnivores; was detected consistently over time without variation among years; and was detected in juveniles (≤1-year-old) as well as adults (>1-year-old). We conclude that this domestic dog population could be a RV reservoir. By contrast, the absence of evidence of CDV exposure for each carnivore species examined in the study area, for specific years, suggested repeated introduction, rather than maintenance, and that CDV may require a larger reservoir population than RV. This reservoir could be a larger domestic dog population; another wildlife species; or a "metareservoir" consisting of multiple interconnected carnivore populations. Our findings suggest that RV risks to people and wild carnivores might be controlled by domestic dog vaccination, but that CDV control, if required, would need to target the species of concern.

Domestication and cereal feeding developed domestic pig-type intestinal microbiota in animals of suidae.

PubMed

Ushida, Kazunari; Tsuchida, Sayaka; Ogura, Yoshitoshi; Toyoda, Atsushi; Maruyama, Fumito

2016-06-01

Intestinal microbiota are characterized by host-specific microorganisms, which have been selected through host-microbe interactions under phylogenetic evolution and transition of feeding behavior by the host. Although many studies have focused on disease-related intestinal microbiota, the origin and evolution of host-specific intestinal microbiota have not been well elucidated. Pig is the ideal mammal model to reveal the origin and evolution of host-specific intestinal microbiota because their direct wild ancestor and close phylogenetic neighbors are available for comparison. The pig has been recognized as a Lactobacillus-type animal. We analyzed the intestinal microbiota of various animals in Suidae: domestic pigs, wild boars and Red river hogs to survey the origin and evolution of Lactobacillus-dominated intestinal microbiota by metagenomic approach and following quantitative PCR confirmation. The metagenomic datasets were separated in two clusters; the wild animal cluster being characterized by a high abundance of Bifidobacterium, whereas the domesticated (or captured) animal cluster by Lactobacillus. In addition, Enterobacteriaceae were harbored as the major family only in domestic Sus scrofa. We conclude that domestication may have induced a larger Enterobacteriaceae population in pigs, and the introduction of modern feeding system further caused the development of Lactobacillus-dominated intestinal microbiota, with genetic and geographical factors possibly having a minor impact. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Orbital fractures due to domestic violence: an epidemiologic study.

PubMed

Goldberg, Stuart H.; McRill, Connie M.; Bruno, Christopher R.; Ten Have, Tom; Lehman, Erik

2000-09-01

Domestic violence is an important cause of orbital fractures in women. Physicians who treat patients with orbital fractures may not suspect this mechanism of injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between domestic violence and orbital fractures. A medical center-based case-control study with matching on age and site of admission was done. Medical center databases were searched using ICD-9 codes to identify all cases of orbital fractures encountered during a three-year period. Medical records of female patients age 13 and older were reviewed along with those of age, gender and site of admission matched controls. A stratified exact test was employed to test the association between domestic violence and orbital fracture. Among 41 adult female cases with orbital fractures treated at our medical center, three (7.3%) reported domestic violence compared to zero among the matched controls (p = 0.037). We believe that domestic violence may be under-reported in both orbital fracture cases and controls. This may result in an underestimate of the orbital fracture versus domestic violence association. Domestic violence is a serious women's health and societal problem. Domestic violence may have a variety of presentations, including illnesses and injuries. Orbital fracture is an identifiable manifestation of domestic violence. Domestic violence is more likely to be detected in adult female hospital patients with orbital fracture than in matched controls with any other diagnosis. Physicians who treat patients with orbital fractures should be familiar with this mechanism of injury.

Human tuberculosis predates domestication in ancient Syria.

PubMed

Baker, Oussama; Lee, Oona Y-C; Wu, Houdini H T; Besra, Gurdyal S; Minnikin, David E; Llewellyn, Gareth; Williams, Christopher M; Maixner, Frank; O'Sullivan, Niall; Zink, Albert; Chamel, Bérénice; Khawam, Rima; Coqueugniot, Eric; Helmer, Daniel; Le Mort, Françoise; Perrin, Pascale; Gourichon, Lionel; Dutailly, Bruno; Pálfi, György; Coqueugniot, Hélène; Dutour, Olivier

2015-06-01

The question of pre-neolithic tuberculosis is still open in paleopathological perspective. One of the major interests is to explore what type of infection could have existed around the early stage of animal domestication. Paleopathological lesions evoking skeletal TB were observed on five human skeletons coming from two PPNB sites in Syria, which belongs to the geographical cradle of agriculture. These sites represent respectively pre-domestication phase (Dja'de el Mughara, Northern Syria, 8800-8300 BCE cal.) and early domestication phase (Tell Aswad, Southern Syria, 8200-7600 BCE cal.). MicroCT scan analyses were performed on two specimens (one per site) and revealed microscopic changes in favor of TB infection. Detection of lipid biomarkers is positive for two specimens (one per site). Initial molecular analysis further indicates the presence of TB in one individual from Dja'de. Interestingly, no morphological evidence of TB was observed on animal remains of wild and newly domesticated species, discovered in these sites. These observations strongly suggest the presence of human tuberculosis before domestication and at its early stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Outsourcing of Domestic Tasks and Time-Saving Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Lippe, Tanja; Tijdens, Kea; de Ruijter, Esther

2004-01-01

The increased participation of women in paid labor has changed the organization of domestic work. This article deals with a strategy to cope with remaining domestic duties; to what extent are domestic tasks outsourced, what are the main determinants, and does it indeed save time spent on housework? Five outsourcing options are investigated:…

Children's Witnessing of Adult Domestic Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edleson, Jeffrey L.

1999-01-01

Expands common definitions of how children witness adult domestic violence through a review of 31 research articles. A variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive-functioning problems among children were found to be associated with exposure to domestic violence. Factors that appear to moderate the impact of witnessing violence (child abuse,…

Evolutionary Genomics of Peach and Almond Domestication

PubMed Central

Velasco, Dianne; Hough, Josh; Aradhya, Mallikarjuna; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The domesticated almond [Prunus dulcis (L.) Batsch] and peach [P. persica (Mill.) D. A. Webb] originated on opposite sides of Asia and were independently domesticated ∼5000 yr ago. While interfertile, they possess alternate mating systems and differ in a number of morphological and physiological traits. Here, we evaluated patterns of genome-wide diversity in both almond and peach to better understand the impacts of mating system, adaptation, and domestication on the evolution of these taxa. Almond has around seven times the genetic diversity of peach, and high genome-wide FST values support their status as separate species. We estimated a divergence time of ∼8 MYA (million years ago), coinciding with an active period of uplift in the northeast Tibetan Plateau and subsequent Asian climate change. We see no evidence of a bottleneck during domestication of either species, but identify a number of regions showing signatures of selection during domestication and a significant overlap in candidate regions between peach and almond. While we expected gene expression in fruit to overlap with candidate selected regions, instead we find enrichment for loci highly differentiated between the species, consistent with recent fossil evidence suggesting fruit divergence long preceded domestication. Taken together, this study tells us how closely related tree species evolve and are domesticated, the impact of these events on their genomes, and the utility of genomic information for long-lived species. Further exploration of this data will contribute to the genetic knowledge of these species and provide information regarding targets of selection for breeding application, and further the understanding of evolution in these species. PMID:27707802

ALDB: a domestic-animal long noncoding RNA database.

PubMed

Li, Aimin; Zhang, Junying; Zhou, Zhongyin; Wang, Lei; Liu, Yujuan; Liu, Yajun

2015-01-01

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their important roles in many biological processes. Domestic animals constitute a unique resource for understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variation and are ideal models relevant to diverse areas of biomedical research. With improving sequencing technologies, numerous domestic-animal lncRNAs are now available. Thus, there is an immediate need for a database resource that can assist researchers to store, organize, analyze and visualize domestic-animal lncRNAs. The domestic-animal lncRNA database, named ALDB, is the first comprehensive database with a focus on the domestic-animal lncRNAs. It currently archives 12,103 pig intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs), 8,923 chicken lincRNAs and 8,250 cow lincRNAs. In addition to the annotations of lincRNAs, it offers related data that is not available yet in existing lncRNA databases (lncRNAdb and NONCODE), such as genome-wide expression profiles and animal quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of domestic animals. Moreover, a collection of interfaces and applications, such as the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), the Generic Genome Browser (GBrowse) and flexible search functionalities, are available to help users effectively explore, analyze and download data related to domestic-animal lncRNAs. ALDB enables the exploration and comparative analysis of lncRNAs in domestic animals. A user-friendly web interface, integrated information and tools make it valuable to researchers in their studies. ALDB is freely available from http://res.xaut.edu.cn/aldb/index.jsp.

75 FR 43522 - Notice of Supplemental Determination for Renewable Fuels Produced Under the Final RFS2 Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-26

...] Canola oil 2005 Diesel Fuel type biodiesel baseline Net Domestic Agriculture (w/o land 8 use change) Net... approach. 2. Models Used The proposed analysis EPA has prepared for canola oil biodiesel uses the same set... gallons) covers the range of production likely by 2022. We believe that this modeled change in canola oil...

12 CFR 613.3100 - Domestic lending.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Domestic lending. 613.3100 Section 613.3100... Financing for Banks Operating Under Title III of the Farm Credit Act § 613.3100 Domestic lending. (a... of cooperatives. A bank for cooperatives or an agricultural credit bank may lend to a cooperative...

Empowering Women with Domestic Violence Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anczewska, Marta; Roszczynska-Michta, Joanna; Waszkiewicz, Justyna; Charzynska, Katarzyna; Czabala, Czeslaw

2012-01-01

It is generally held that it has been only recently that domestic violence gained appropriate attention as a major social problem. However several approaches, drawn from different theories are applicable in explaining the origin of this negative phenomenon. It is well recognized that trauma of domestic violence has destructive impact on somatic…

Molecular mechanisms involved in convergent crop domestication.

PubMed

Lenser, Teresa; Theißen, Günter

2013-12-01

Domestication has helped to understand evolution. We argue that, vice versa, novel insights into evolutionary principles could provide deeper insights into domestication. Molecular analyses have demonstrated that convergent phenotypic evolution is often based on molecular changes in orthologous genes or pathways. Recent studies have revealed that during plant domestication the causal mutations for convergent changes in key traits are likely to be located in particular genes. These insights may contribute to defining candidate genes for genetic improvement during the domestication of new plant species. Such efforts may help to increase the range of arable crops available, thus increasing crop biodiversity and food security to help meet the predicted demands of the continually growing global population under rapidly changing environmental conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao.

PubMed

van Wijk, N Ph L; de Bruijn, J G M

2012-10-01

One out of three people (25% of men, 38% of women) in Curacao have experienced some form of domestic violence at some point in their adult lives. The most significant risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao are the female gender, a young age, low education, and experiencing domestic violence victimization in childhood. Divorce, single parenthood, and unemployment increase the risk for women, but not for men. These findings are consistent with current literature on the subject. Further research on the context, nature, and severity of domestic violence in the Caribbean is necessary. Studies should preferably combine the strengths of national crime surveys and family conflict studies: nationally representative samples (including men and women) and questionnaires that include all possible experiences of psychological, physical, and sexual assaults by current and former partners, family, and friends.

Domestic violence and the criminal justice system: an overview.

PubMed

Erez, Edna

2002-01-01

It is only recently that domestic violence has been considered a violation of the law. Although men have battered, abused and mistreated their wives or intimate partners for a long time, historically, wife or partner abuse has been viewed as a "normal" part of marriage or intimate relationships. Only towards the end of the twentieth century, in the 1970 s, has domestic violence been defined a crime, justifying intervention by the criminal justice system. This article surveys the history of domestic violence as a criminal offense, and the justice system response to woman battering incidents. It first discusses the definition of the offense including debates around the offense definition, and the prevalence and reported frequency of the behavior termed woman battering. It then reviews the legal and social changes over time that have altered the criminal justice system s approach to domestic violence. Next it outlines the responses of the police, and the prosecution of domestic violence. The article also discusses research findings related to domestic violence and the criminal justice system, along with current controversies concerning the justice approach to domestic violence, its law enforcement, and related unfolding trends in the movement to address domestic violence through the criminal justice system.

Attitudes of University Students Towards Domestic Violence Against Women.

PubMed

Aktaş, Demet

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of university students towards domestic violence against women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on students attending the School of Nursing and School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at a university in Turkey. The study was conducted between February 2015 and May 2015. The study was conducted on 415 volunteer students without resorting to the sampling selection method. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and The Scale of Attitude Toward Domestic Violence. The data were analysed using frequencies, means, standard deviations, independent t-tests and ANOVA. The mean of attitude scores of university students toward domestic violence were 23.13 ± 6.66 and were affected by variables such as gender, and whether the questions should be asked to women who experienced domestic violence such as: "Does your partner have justified reasons for applying domestic violence against women?" and "Should domestic violence against women be shared by others?" and "Does domestic violence against women bother you?" (p.

Obstetric outcome in pregnant women subjected to domestic violence.

PubMed

Ameh, N; Shittu, S O; Abdul, M A

2009-06-01

To determine the prevalence of domestic violence and its relationship to adverse obstetric outcomes amongst pregnant women who deliver at a tertiary level hospital in Zaria, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study involving 310 women who delivered at the labour ward. Questionnaires were administered to parturient women. Details of their socio-demographic characteristics and obstetric outcome were compiled and the relationship to experiences of domestic violence studied. The prevalence of domestic violence was 28.4%. There was positive relationship between domestic violence during pregnancy, non-supervision of pregnancy and poor attendances to antenatal clinic (p<0.05). There was however, no statistically significant relationship between domestic violence, and complications of labour and neonatal outcome (p>0.05). The prevalence of domestic violence in pregnancy is high in this environment. Poor attendances to the antenatal clinic is a significant association.

State employment protection statutes for victims of domestic violence: public policy's response to domestic violence as an employment matter.

PubMed

Swanberg, Jennifer E; Ojha, Mamta U; Macke, Caroline

2012-02-01

Evidence indicates that domestic violence has negative consequences on victims' employment; yet employers lag in recognizing this as a workplace issue. To address the problem, some states have established several policy solutions. To understand the scope of the public sector's response to domestic violence as a workplace issue, a content analysis of state-level employment protection policies for domestic violence victims (N = 369) was conducted. Results indicate three broad policy categories: (a) policies that offer work leave for victims; (b) policies that aim to reduce employment discrimination of domestic violence victims; and (c) policies that aim to increase awareness and safety in the workplace. Subcategories emerged within each of these three categories. Implementation of employment protection policies varies significantly across states. Implications for workplaces, practitioners, and policy leaders are discussed.

Same-Sex Domestic Violence: Prevalence, Unique Aspects, and Clinical Implications.

PubMed

Stiles-Shields, Colleen; Carroll, Richard A

2015-01-01

Domestic violence is a significant public health issue. Prevalence rates for same-sex domestic violence vary because of methodological issues related to recruitment and definitions of sexual orientation. However, such prevalence rates are currently considered to be similar to slightly greater than other-sex prevalence rates. Research has identified differences between same-sex domestic violence and other-sex domestic violence, including internalized and externalized stressors associated with being a sexual minority that interact with domestic violence to create or exacerbate vulnerabilities, higher risk for complex trauma experiences, and difficulties accessing services. This review provides a critical review of the literature, focusing upon empirical findings regarding same-sex domestic violence.

20 CFR 404.1057 - Domestic service in the employer's home.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Domestic service in the employer's home. 404... Domestic service in the employer's home. (a) Payments for domestic service—(1) The applicable dollar... domestic service in the employer's private home if the cash pay in that calendar year is less than the...

20 CFR 404.1057 - Domestic service in the employer's home.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Domestic service in the employer's home. 404... Domestic service in the employer's home. (a) Payments for domestic service—(1) The applicable dollar... domestic service in the employer's private home if the cash pay in that calendar year is less than the...

20 CFR 404.1057 - Domestic service in the employer's home.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Domestic service in the employer's home. 404... Domestic service in the employer's home. (a) Payments for domestic service—(1) The applicable dollar... domestic service in the employer's private home if the cash pay in that calendar year is less than the...

College Students' Beliefs About Domestic Violence: A Replication and Extension.

PubMed

Wagers, Shelly M; Wareham, Jennifer; Boots, Denise Paquette

2017-12-01

In recent decades, significant effort and money have been spent to change social and legal responses to domestic violence and affect public perceptions. A small body of research has examined individuals' opinions about what behaviors are considered domestic violence. Using a sample of college students, the present study examined a modified version of a somewhat popular instrument used to measure beliefs about domestic violence, extending previous work done by Carlson and Worden. Results indicated beliefs about domestic violence are multidimensional, depending on the nature of the behavior and, in part, the gender of the perpetrator. Opinions about the lawfulness of these behaviors fit the same factor structure as beliefs about domestic violence. Demographic characteristics, current relationship status, secondhand experiences with domestic violence, and perceived prevalence of domestic violence in the community are generally not related to beliefs about domestic violence or the lawfulness of these behaviors. However, attributions of blame on the victim are negatively related to domestic violence beliefs and lawfulness. Moreover, lawfulness is a key covariate for domestic violence beliefs. In addition, results also indicate that the gender of the perpetrator is an important variable affecting student's beliefs about sexual assault behaviors. Results from this study support the prevailing ideas behind the Battered Women's Movement that enacting policies and educational programs deeming domestic violence socially, morally, and legally wrong could shift long-standing sociocultural beliefs about men's use of violence against women. Implications of this study for research and policy specific to college students are discussed.

An Integrated Hypothesis on the Domestication of Bactris gasipaes

PubMed Central

Dufour, Dominique; van Zonneveld, Maarten; Escobar Salamanca, Andrés Felipe; Giraldo Toro, Andrés; Rivera, Andrés; Salazar Duque, Hector; Suárez Baron, Harold; Gallego, Gerardo; Scheldeman, Xavier; Gonzalez Mejia, Alonso

2015-01-01

Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) has had a central place in the livelihoods of people in the Americas since pre-Columbian times, notably for its edible fruits and multi-purpose wood. The botanical taxon includes both domesticated and wild varieties. Domesticated var gasipaes is believed to derive from one or more of the three wild types of var. chichagui identified today, although the exact dynamics and location of the domestication are still uncertain. Drawing on a combination of molecular and phenotypic diversity data, modeling of past climate suitability and existing literature, we present an integrated hypothesis about peach palm’s domestication. We support a single initial domestication event in south western Amazonia, giving rise to var. chichagui type 3, the putative incipient domesticate. We argue that subsequent dispersal by humans across western Amazonia, and possibly into Central America allowed for secondary domestication events through hybridization with resident wild populations, and differential human selection pressures, resulting in the diversity of present-day landraces. The high phenotypic diversity in the Ecuadorian and northern Peruvian Amazon suggest that human selection of different traits was particularly intense there. While acknowledging the need for further data collection, we believe that our results contribute new insights and tools to understand domestication and dispersal patterns of this important native staple, as well as to plan for its conservation. PMID:26658881

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1T - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... loss account (temporary). 1.904(g)-1T Section 1.904(g)-1T Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... Without the United States § 1.904(g)-1T Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account... reductions from such accounts for purposes of section 904(g). Section 1.904(g)-2T provides rules for...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1T - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... loss account (temporary). 1.904(g)-1T Section 1.904(g)-1T Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... Without the United States § 1.904(g)-1T Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account... reductions from such accounts for purposes of section 904(g). Section 1.904(g)-2T provides rules for...

26 CFR 1.904(g)-1T - Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... loss account (temporary). 1.904(g)-1T Section 1.904(g)-1T Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... United States § 1.904(g)-1T Overall domestic loss and the overall domestic loss account (temporary). (a... accounts for purposes of section 904(g). Section 1.904(g)-2T provides rules for recapturing the balance in...

Domestication of the donkey: Timing, processes, and indicators

PubMed Central

Rossel, Stine; Marshall, Fiona; Peters, Joris; Pilgram, Tom; Adams, Matthew D.; O'Connor, David

2008-01-01

Domestication of the donkey from the African wild ass transformed ancient transport systems in Africa and Asia and the organization of early cities and pastoral societies. Genetic research suggests an African origin for the donkey, but pinpointing the timing and location of domestication has been challenging because donkeys are uncommon in the archaeological record and markers for early phases of animal domestication are hard to determine. We present previously undescribed evidence for the earliest transport use of the donkey and new paleopathological indicators for early phases of donkey domestication. Findings are based on skeletal data from 10 ≈5,000-year-old ass skeletons recently discovered entombed in an early pharaonic mortuary complex at Abydos, Middle Egypt, and a concurrent study of 53 modern donkey and African wild ass skeletons. Morphometric studies showed that Abydos metacarpals were similar in overall proportions to those of wild ass, but individual measurements varied. Midshaft breadths resembled wild ass, but midshaft depths and distal breadths were intermediate between wild ass and domestic donkey. Despite this, all of the Abydos skeletons exhibited a range of osteopathologies consistent with load carrying. Morphological similarities to wild ass show that, despite their use as beasts of burden, donkeys were still undergoing considerable phenotypic change during the early Dynastic period in Egypt. This pattern is consistent with recent studies of other domestic animals that suggest that the process of domestication is slower and less linear than previously thought. PMID:18332433

77 FR 45246 - Domestic Mail Manual; Incorporation by Reference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-31

... POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR Part 111 Domestic Mail Manual; Incorporation by Reference AGENCY: Postal... Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) dated June 24, 2012, and...) 268-3789. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The most recent issue of the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) is dated...

76 FR 62291 - National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2011

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-07

... domestic violence are at a higher risk for failure in school, emotional disorders, and substance abuse, and... National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2011 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recognize the significant achievements we have made...

Domestic Violence and Vagal Reactivity to Peer Provocation

PubMed Central

Katz, Lynn Fainsilber

2007-01-01

This paper examined whether individual differences in children’s vagal reactivity to peer provocation was related to domestic violence within the family. It also examined the question of whether conduct-problem children who show vagal augmentation to peer provocation come from families with high levels of domestic violence. During the peer provocation, children were expecting to interact with a difficult peer while vagal reactivity was assessed. Groups were divided into children who showed vagal augmentation and vagal suppression to the stressful peer interaction. Findings indicated that conduct-problem children who showed vagal augmentation to interpersonal challenge came from families with the highest levels of domestic violence. Vagal augmentation was also associated with a greater number of conduct-related problems for those children exposed to high levels of domestic violence. Discussion highlights the role of individual differences in physiological reactivity in understanding children’s behavior problems in relation to domestic violence. PMID:17118516

Toxic metals distribution in different components of Pakistani and imported cigarettes by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer.

PubMed

Kazi, T G; Jalbani, N; Arain, M B; Jamali, M K; Afridi, H I; Sarfraz, R A; Shah, A Q

2009-04-15

It was extensively investigated that a significant flux of toxic metals, along with other toxins, reaches the lungs through smoking. In present study toxic metals (TMs) (Al, Cd, Ni and Pb) were determined in different components of Pakistani local branded and imported cigarettes, including filler tobacco (FT), filter (before and after normal smoking by a single volunteer) and ash by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer (ETAAS). Microwave-assisted digestion method was employed. The validity and accuracy of methodology were checked by using certified sample of Virginia tobacco leaves (ICHTJ-cta-VTL-2). The percentages (%) of TMs in different components of cigarette were calculated with respect to their total contents in FT of all branded cigarettes before smoking, while smoke concentration has been calculated by subtracting the filter and ash contents from the filler tobacco content of each branded cigarette. The highest percentage (%) of Al was observed in ash of all cigarettes, with range 97.3-99.0%, while in the case of Cd, a reverse behaviour was observed, as a range of 15.0-31.3% of total contents were left in the ash of all branded cigarettes understudy.

Challenging Domestic Violence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarlett, Chris

2002-01-01

In Britain, a Women's Aid program offers practical support and assistance to abused women. Survivors of domestic abuse can benefit from the opportunity afforded by an objective appraisal of the social context of their personal experiences, facilitated by trained volunteers. (JOW)

Homicides of law enforcement officers responding to domestic disturbance calls.

PubMed

Kercher, Cassandra; Swedler, David I; Pollack, Keshia M; Webster, Daniel W

2013-10-01

To describe the law enforcement officer (LEO), encounter, perpetrator and victim characteristics of domestic disturbance-related LEO homicides in the USA from 1996 to 2010. Narrative text analysis was conducted on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual report 'Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted'. Potential cases were confirmed if the narrative included the term 'domestic disturbance' or a domestic disturbance situation was described. 116 LEOs were killed while responding to domestic disturbance calls. Ninety-five per cent of these homicides were committed with a firearm. Sixty-seven per cent of LEOs were wearing body armour when killed; however, 52% received the fatal wound to the head/neck. Sixty-one per cent of suspects had a criminal history mentioned within the narratives and perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) were more likely to be killed by LEOs than suspects involved in other forms of domestic violence. Victims of the domestic disturbance were killed in 21% of the IPV-related LEO homicide cases as opposed to only 5% of other domestic disturbance calls. A firearm was the most common weapon used in the murder of a domestic disturbance victim (86%). This study describes domestic disturbance-related LEO homicides. Future research in this area should further examine the dangers unique to domestic disturbance calls. A longitudinal analysis could provide greater understanding of the injury and mortality risks faced by LEOs, in order to inform homicide prevention among law enforcement.

Genetic Changes Accompanying the Domestication of Pisum sativum: Is there a Common Genetic Basis to the ‘Domestication Syndrome’ for Legumes?

PubMed Central

Weeden, Norman F.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims The changes that occur during the domestication of crops such as maize and common bean appear to be controlled by relatively few genes. This study investigates the genetic basis of domestication in pea (Pisum sativum) and compares the genes involved with those determined to be important in common bean domestication. Methods Quantitative trait loci and classical genetic analysis are used to investigate and identify the genes modified at three stages of the domestication process. Five recombinant inbred populations involving crosses between different lines representing different stages are examined. Key Results A minimum of 15 known genes, in addition to a relatively few major quantitative trait loci, are identified as being critical to the domestication process. These genes control traits such as pod dehiscence, seed dormancy, seed size and other seed quality characters, stem height, root mass, and harvest index. Several of the genes have pleiotropic effects that in species possessing a more rudimentary genetic characterization might have been interpreted as clusters of genes. Very little evidence for gene clustering was found in pea. When compared with common bean, pea has used a different set of genes to produce the same or similar phenotypic changes. Conclusions Similar to results for common bean, relatively few genes appear to have been modified during the domestication of pea. However, the genes involved are different, and there does not appear to be a common genetic basis to ‘domestication syndrome’ in the Fabaceae. PMID:17660515

Clinical Utility of a Coronary Heart Disease Risk Prediction Gene Score in UK Healthy Middle Aged Men and in the Pakistani Population

PubMed Central

Beaney, Katherine E.; Cooper, Jackie A.; Ullah Shahid, Saleem; Ahmed, Waqas; Qamar, Raheel; Drenos, Fotios; Crockard, Martin A.; Humphries, Steve E.

2015-01-01

Background Numerous risk prediction algorithms based on conventional risk factors for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) are available but provide only modest discrimination. The inclusion of genetic information may improve clinical utility. Methods We tested the use of two gene scores (GS) in the prospective second Northwick Park Heart Study (NPHSII) of 2775 healthy UK men (284 cases), and Pakistani case-control studies from Islamabad/Rawalpindi (321 cases/228 controls) and Lahore (414 cases/219 controls). The 19-SNP GS included SNPs in loci identified by GWAS and candidate gene studies, while the 13-SNP GS only included SNPs in loci identified by the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D consortium. Results In NPHSII, the mean of both gene scores was higher in those who went on to develop CHD over 13.5 years of follow-up (19-SNP p=0.01, 13-SNP p=7x10-3). In combination with the Framingham algorithm the GSs appeared to show improvement in discrimination (increase in area under the ROC curve, 19-SNP p=0.48, 13-SNP p=0.82) and risk classification (net reclassification improvement (NRI), 19-SNP p=0.28, 13-SNP p=0.42) compared to the Framingham algorithm alone, but these were not statistically significant. When considering only individuals who moved up a risk category with inclusion of the GS, the improvement in risk classification was statistically significant (19-SNP p=0.01, 13-SNP p=0.04). In the Pakistani samples, risk allele frequencies were significantly lower compared to NPHSII for 13/19 SNPs. In the Islamabad study, the mean gene score was higher in cases than controls only for the 13-SNP GS (2.24 v 2.34, p=0.04). There was no association with CHD and either score in the Lahore study. Conclusion The performance of both GSs showed potential clinical utility in European men but much less utility in subjects from Pakistan, suggesting that a different set of risk loci or SNPs may be required for risk prediction in the South Asian population. PMID:26133560

Antimicrobial activity of the bioactive components of essential oils from Pakistani spices against Salmonella and other multi-drug resistant bacteria

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The main objective of this study was the phytochemical characterization of four indigenous essential oils obtained from spices and their antibacterial activities against the multidrug resistant clinical and soil isolates prevalent in Pakistan, and ATCC reference strains. Methods Chemical composition of essential oils from four Pakistani spices cumin (Cuminum cyminum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), cardamom (Amomum subulatum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) were analyzed on GC/MS. Their antibacterial activities were investigated by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and Thin-Layer Chromatography-Bioautographic (TLC-Bioautographic) assays against pathogenic strains Salmonella typhi (D1 Vi-positive), Salmonella typhi (G7 Vi-negative), Salmonella paratyphi A, Escherichia coli (SS1), Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus licheniformis (ATCC 14580). The data were statistically analyzed by using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) method to find out significant relationship of essential oils biological activities at p <0.05. Results Among all the tested essential oils, oil from the bark of C. verum showed best antibacterial activities against all selected bacterial strains in the MIC assay, especially with 2.9 mg/ml concentration against S. typhi G7 Vi-negative and P. fluorescens strains. TLC-bioautography confirmed the presence of biologically active anti-microbial components in all tested essential oils. P. fluorescens was found susceptible to C. verum essential oil while E. coli SS1 and S. aureus were resistant to C. verum and A. subulatum essential oils, respectively, as determined in bioautography assay. The GC/MS analysis revealed that essential oils of C. cyminum, C. verum, A. subulatum, and S. aromaticum contain 17.2% cuminaldehyde, 4.3% t-cinnamaldehyde, 5.2% eucalyptol and 0.73% eugenol, respectively. Conclusions Most of the essential oils included in this study possessed good antibacterial

78 FR 61811 - National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-04

... Proclamation Since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) nearly 20 years ago, our Nation's... National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we stand with domestic abuse survivors, celebrate our Nation's.... Although we have made substantial progress in reducing domestic violence, one in four women and one in...

76 FR 48722 - Domestic Mail Manual; Incorporation by Reference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-09

... POSTAL SERVICE 39 CFR PART 111 Domestic Mail Manual; Incorporation by Reference AGENCY: Postal... 5, 2011, of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM... the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) was issued on July 5, 2011. This Issue of the DMM contains all Postal...

Frameshift mutation in the APOA5 gene causing hypertriglyceridemia in a Pakistani family: Management and considerations for cardiovascular risk.

PubMed

Thériault, Sébastien; Don-Wauchope, Andrew; Chong, Michael; Lali, Ricky; Morrison, Katherine M; Paré, Guillaume

2016-01-01

We report a novel homozygous apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) frameshift mutation (c.G425del-C, p.Arg143AlafsTer57) identified in a 12-year-old boy of Pakistani origin with severe hypertriglyceridemia (up to 35 mmol/L) and type V hyperlipoproteinemia. The patient did not respond to fibrate therapy, but his condition improved under a very low fat diet, although compliance was suboptimal. Heterozygous status was detected in both parents (consanguineous union) and one sibling, all showing moderate hypertriglyceridemia (between 5 and 10 mmol/L). There was a significant family history of premature cardiovascular disease. The index case was also diagnosed with a coronary artery anomaly. Considering the recently reported association of rare mutations in APOA5 with the risk of early myocardial infarction, we discuss the implications of these findings for the young man and his family. Copyright © 2016 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The potential role of genetic assimilation during maize domestication

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Sarah; Holst, Irene; Hufford, Matthew B.; Winter, Klaus; Piperno, Dolores; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

Domestication research has largely focused on identification of morphological and genetic differences between extant populations of crops and their wild relatives. Little attention has been paid to the potential effects of environment despite substantial known changes in climate from the time of domestication to modern day. In recent research, the exposure of teosinte (i.e., wild maize) to environments similar to the time of domestication, resulted in a plastic induction of domesticated phenotypes in teosinte. These results suggest that early agriculturalists may have selected for genetic mechanisms that cemented domestication phenotypes initially induced by a plastic response of teosinte to environment, a process known as genetic assimilation. To better understand this phenomenon and the potential role of environment in maize domestication, we examined differential gene expression in maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) and teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) between past and present conditions. We identified a gene set of over 2000 loci showing a change in expression across environmental conditions in teosinte and invariance in maize. In fact, overall we observed both greater plasticity in gene expression and more substantial changes in co-expressionnal networks in teosinte across environments when compared to maize. While these results suggest genetic assimilation played at least some role in domestication, genes showing expression patterns consistent with assimilation are not significantly enriched for previously identified domestication candidates, indicating assimilation did not have a genome-wide effect. PMID:28886108

Domestic outsourcing and multitasking: How much do they really contribute?

PubMed

Sullivan, Oriel; Gershuny, Jonathan

2013-09-01

The bulk of responsibility for domestic work and childcare in heterosexual couples falls on women. But the means they find to cope with this load, and how these means relate to the factors underpinning the division of labor are not often studied. Two much-cited ways of reducing overall work time are purchasing domestic assistance (outsourcing) and the multitasking of domestic/caring tasks. Using UK 2000/2001 time-use data (N=4196 couples), we find domestic outsourcing is related to having dependent children and to partners' resources, but has little impact on the total domestic/caring workload of either partner. Nor can outsourcing account for the reduction in women's unpaid labor with increasing economic resources. Wives spend more time multitasking than husbands, but their proportion of multitasked domestic time is similar, and is not affected by resources or dependent children. Domestic multitasking seems to be more related to opportunity (time at home) than to time pressure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Earliest evidence for commensal processes of cat domestication.

PubMed

Hu, Yaowu; Hu, Songmei; Wang, Weilin; Wu, Xiaohong; Marshall, Fiona B; Chen, Xianglong; Hou, Liangliang; Wang, Changsui

2014-01-07

Domestic cats are one of the most popular pets globally, but the process of their domestication is not well understood. Near Eastern wildcats are thought to have been attracted to food sources in early agricultural settlements, following a commensal pathway to domestication. Early evidence for close human-cat relationships comes from a wildcat interred near a human on Cyprus ca. 9,500 y ago, but the earliest domestic cats are known only from Egyptian art dating to 4,000 y ago. Evidence is lacking from the key period of cat domestication 9,500-4,000 y ago. We report on the presence of cats directly dated between 5560-5280 cal B.P. in the early agricultural village of Quanhucun in Shaanxi, China. These cats were outside the wild range of Near Eastern wildcats and biometrically smaller, but within the size-range of domestic cats. The δ(13)C and δ(15)N values of human and animal bone collagen revealed substantial consumption of millet-based foods by humans, rodents, and cats. Ceramic storage containers designed to exclude rodents indicated a threat to stored grain in Yangshao villages. Taken together, isotopic and archaeological data demonstrate that cats were advantageous for ancient farmers. Isotopic data also show that one cat ate less meat and consumed more millet-based foods than expected, indicating that it scavenged among or was fed by people. This study offers fresh perspectives on cat domestication, providing the earliest known evidence for commensal relationships between people and cats.

Earliest evidence for commensal processes of cat domestication

PubMed Central

Hu, Yaowu; Hu, Songmei; Wang, Weilin; Wu, Xiaohong; Marshall, Fiona B.; Chen, Xianglong; Hou, Liangliang; Wang, Changsui

2014-01-01

Domestic cats are one of the most popular pets globally, but the process of their domestication is not well understood. Near Eastern wildcats are thought to have been attracted to food sources in early agricultural settlements, following a commensal pathway to domestication. Early evidence for close human–cat relationships comes from a wildcat interred near a human on Cyprus ca. 9,500 y ago, but the earliest domestic cats are known only from Egyptian art dating to 4,000 y ago. Evidence is lacking from the key period of cat domestication 9,500–4,000 y ago. We report on the presence of cats directly dated between 5560–5280 cal B.P. in the early agricultural village of Quanhucun in Shaanxi, China. These cats were outside the wild range of Near Eastern wildcats and biometrically smaller, but within the size-range of domestic cats. The δ13C and δ15N values of human and animal bone collagen revealed substantial consumption of millet-based foods by humans, rodents, and cats. Ceramic storage containers designed to exclude rodents indicated a threat to stored grain in Yangshao villages. Taken together, isotopic and archaeological data demonstrate that cats were advantageous for ancient farmers. Isotopic data also show that one cat ate less meat and consumed more millet-based foods than expected, indicating that it scavenged among or was fed by people. This study offers fresh perspectives on cat domestication, providing the earliest known evidence for commensal relationships between people and cats. PMID:24344279

A solar fuels roadmap for Australia - study outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinkley, James T.; McNaughton, Robbie K.; Hayward, Jennifer A.; Lovegrove, Keith

2017-06-01

This paper summarises the key findings and recommendations of a 3.5 year study into the research, development and demonstration priorities to establish a solar fuels industry in Australia. While Australia has one of the best solar resources in the world, it also has an abundance of conventional fuels such as coal and natural gas. The country is heavily dependent on fossil fuels for its primary energy supply and international trade, and is seeking pathways to reduce emissions intensity. While renewable electricity will be able to displace fossil fuels in the electricity sector, this only addresses about 16% of energy consumption by end use. Concentrating solar fuels (CSF) are produced either in full or in part from concentrated solar energy, and can provide either complete or partial reduction of the CO2 emissions associated with energy consumption. Our study reviewed the various potential solar thermal technology pathways and feedstocks available to produce a range of CSF products such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and synthetic gasoline or diesel. We conducted what we believe to be the broadest and most sophisticated evaluation of the many options to identify those that are most prospective, including an evaluation of the expected final fuel costs. The study identified the following opportunities for CSF: • Australia: substitution of imported liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel) with synthetic CSF options would provide fuel security through the utilization of domestic resources. Ammonia is also a potentially attractive CSF product as it is produced in large quantities for fertilisers and explosives. • Export markets: Australia has significant trading relationships with many Asian countries in the energy domain, and CSF fuels could provide a long term future to enable such relationships to continue - or grow - in a carbon constrained world. Japan in particular is considering how to transition to a hydrogen economy, and could be a customer for CSF hydrogen or

Decline of genetic diversity in ancient domestic stallions in Europe

PubMed Central

Benecke, Norbert; Döhle, Hans-Jürgen; Gonzalez, Javier; Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Trinks, Alexandra

2018-01-01

Present-day domestic horses are immensely diverse in their maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA, yet they show very little variation on their paternally inherited Y chromosome. Although it has recently been shown that Y chromosomal diversity in domestic horses was higher at least until the Iron Age, when and why this diversity disappeared remain controversial questions. We genotyped 16 recently discovered Y chromosomal single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 96 ancient Eurasian stallions spanning the early domestication stages (Copper and Bronze Age) to the Middle Ages. Using this Y chromosomal time series, which covers nearly the entire history of horse domestication, we reveal how Y chromosomal diversity changed over time. Our results also show that the lack of multiple stallion lineages in the extant domestic population is caused by neither a founder effect nor random demographic effects but instead is the result of artificial selection—initially during the Iron Age by nomadic people from the Eurasian steppes and later during the Roman period. Moreover, the modern domestic haplotype probably derived from another, already advantageous, haplotype, most likely after the beginning of the domestication. In line with recent findings indicating that the Przewalski and domestic horse lineages remained connected by gene flow after they diverged about 45,000 years ago, we present evidence for Y chromosomal introgression of Przewalski horses into the gene pool of European domestic horses at least until medieval times. PMID:29675468

Decline of genetic diversity in ancient domestic stallions in Europe.

PubMed

Wutke, Saskia; Sandoval-Castellanos, Edson; Benecke, Norbert; Döhle, Hans-Jürgen; Friederich, Susanne; Gonzalez, Javier; Hofreiter, Michael; Lõugas, Lembi; Magnell, Ola; Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Morales-Muñiz, Arturo; Orlando, Ludovic; Reissmann, Monika; Trinks, Alexandra; Ludwig, Arne

2018-04-01

Present-day domestic horses are immensely diverse in their maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA, yet they show very little variation on their paternally inherited Y chromosome. Although it has recently been shown that Y chromosomal diversity in domestic horses was higher at least until the Iron Age, when and why this diversity disappeared remain controversial questions. We genotyped 16 recently discovered Y chromosomal single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 96 ancient Eurasian stallions spanning the early domestication stages (Copper and Bronze Age) to the Middle Ages. Using this Y chromosomal time series, which covers nearly the entire history of horse domestication, we reveal how Y chromosomal diversity changed over time. Our results also show that the lack of multiple stallion lineages in the extant domestic population is caused by neither a founder effect nor random demographic effects but instead is the result of artificial selection-initially during the Iron Age by nomadic people from the Eurasian steppes and later during the Roman period. Moreover, the modern domestic haplotype probably derived from another, already advantageous, haplotype, most likely after the beginning of the domestication. In line with recent findings indicating that the Przewalski and domestic horse lineages remained connected by gene flow after they diverged about 45,000 years ago, we present evidence for Y chromosomal introgression of Przewalski horses into the gene pool of European domestic horses at least until medieval times.

Talking about domestic abuse: Crucial conversations for health visitors.

PubMed

Bradbury-Jones, Caroline

2015-12-01

Domestic abuse is a serious problem across the world and it is considered a public health issue. Nurses play a crucial role in recognising and responding to domestic abuse but they sometimes lack confidence in dealing with the issue. In this article, two recently completed studies are used to extract lessons for health visiting practice. The first study investigated primary healthcare professionals' beliefs about domestic abuse. Many healthcare professionals were confident in dealing with domestic abuse. However, there was disinclination among some to discuss the issue. People who experience abuse rarely discuss it unless asked. So the study highlighted a potential dynamic of silence between health professionals and abused people in their care. The second study investigated student nurses and student midwives experiences of learning about domestic abuse. The student nurses had learned less than the student midwives. They had not been taught about domestic abuse in university and many had not had the opportunity to learn about it in clinical placement. They reported reluctance among some mentors to discuss the issue with them, with a resulting silencing of the issue. Both of these studies have important lessons for health visiting practice regarding opening up crucial conversations about domestic abuse.

Evolutionary genomics of peach and almond domestication

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The domesticated almond [Prunus dulcis (L.) Batsch] and peach [P. persica (Mill.) D. A. Webb] originate on opposite sides of Asia and were independently domesticated approximately 5000 years ago. While interfertile, they possess alternate mating systems and di er in a number of morphological and ph...

21 CFR 1312.29 - Domestic release prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Domestic release prohibited. 1312.29 Section 1312... OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES Exportation of Controlled Substances § 1312.29 Domestic release prohibited. An exporter or a forwarding agent acting for an exporter must either deliver the controlled...

Service Learning in Domestic and International Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Kari Knutson; Gonzalez, Amber M.

2009-01-01

This paper examines pre-service teacher outcomes associated with service learning in domestic and international settings. One group of upper-division undergraduate level pre service teachers participated in supervised experiences in domestic settings. A second group of upper-division undergraduate level pre-service teachers participated in…

Teaching about Domestic Violence: Strategies for Empowerment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Saundra

1993-01-01

Offers the author's experiences in teaching a college-level domestic violence sociology course, presenting specific strategies and a description of the syllabus. The course presents a feminist analysis of domestic violence and examines how the patriarchal structure and ideology of society create and perpetuate violence. (SLD)

Biomass fuel combustion and health*

PubMed Central

de Koning, H. W.; Smith, K. R.; Last, J. M.

1985-01-01

Biomass fuels (wood, agricultural waste, and dung) are used by about half the world's population as a major, often the only, source of domestic energy for cooking and heating. The smoke emissions from these fuels are an important source of indoor air pollution, especially in rural communities in developing countries. These emissions contain important pollutants that adversely affect health—such as suspended particulate matter and polycyclic organic matter which includes a number of known carcinogens, such as benzo[a]pyrene, as well as gaseous pollutants like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Exposure to large amounts of smoke may present a health risk that is of a similar order of magnitude to the risk from tobacco smoke. The effects on health arising from exposure to air pollution are reviewed, based on what has been reported in the literature so far. Further and more detailed information on exposures and on the epidemiological aspects is urgently required. The persons most frequently affected are women who do the cooking for households in rural villages; they suffer from impaired health due to prolonged and repeated contact with these harmful pollutants. When they are pregnant, the developing fetus may also be exposed and this leads to the risk of excess deaths. In the developing countries, exposure to biomass fuel emissions is probably one of the most important occupational health hazards for women. A conservatively estimated 300-400 million people worldwide, mostly in the rural areas of developing countries, are affected by these problems. PMID:3872729

On human self-domestication, psychiatry, and eugenics

PubMed Central

Brüne, Martin

2007-01-01

The hypothesis that anatomically modern homo sapiens could have undergone changes akin to those observed in domesticated animals has been contemplated in the biological sciences for at least 150 years. The idea had already plagued philosophers such as Rousseau, who considered the civilisation of man as going against human nature, and eventually "sparked over" to the medical sciences in the late 19th and early 20th century. At that time, human "self-domestication" appealed to psychiatry, because it served as a causal explanation for the alleged degeneration of the "erbgut" (genetic material) of entire populations and the presumed increase of mental disorders. Consequently, Social Darwinists emphasised preventing procreation by people of "lower genetic value" and positively selecting favourable traits in others. Both tendencies culminated in euthanasia and breeding programs ("Lebensborn") during the Nazi regime in Germany. Whether or not domestication actually plays a role in some anatomical changes since the late Pleistocene period is, from a biological standpoint, contentious, and the currently resurrected debate depends, in part, on the definitional criteria applied. However, the example of human self-domestication may illustrate that scientific ideas, especially when dealing with human biology, are prone to misuse, particularly if "is" is confused with "ought", i.e., if moral principles are deduced from biological facts. Although such naturalistic fallacies appear to be banned, modern genetics may, at least in theory, pose similar ethical problems to medicine, including psychiatry. In times during which studies into the genetics of psychiatric disorders are scientifically more valued than studies into environmental causation of disorders (which is currently the case), the prospects of genetic therapy may be tempting to alter the human genome in patients, probably at costs that no-one can foresee. In the case of "self-domestication", it is proposed that human

Elevated Proportions of Deleterious Genetic Variation in Domestic Animals and Plants

PubMed Central

Rubin, Carl-Johan; Carneiro, Miguel; Axelsson, Erik; Andersson, Leif

2018-01-01

Abstract A fraction of genetic variants segregating in any population are deleterious, which negatively impacts individual fitness. The domestication of animals and plants is associated with population bottlenecks and artificial selection, which are predicted to increase the proportion of deleterious variants. However, the extent to which this is a general feature of domestic species is unclear. Here, we examine the effects of domestication on the prevalence of deleterious variation using pooled whole-genome resequencing data from five domestic animal species (dog, pig, rabbit, chicken, and silkworm) and two domestic plant species (rice and soybean) compared with their wild ancestors. We find significantly reduced genetic variation and increased proportion of nonsynonymous amino acid changes in all but one of the domestic species. These differences are observable across a range of allele frequencies, both common and rare. We find proportionally more single nucleotide polymorphisms in highly conserved elements in domestic species and a tendency for domestic species to harbor a higher proportion of changes classified as damaging. Our findings most likely reflect an increased incidence of deleterious variants in domestic species, which is most likely attributable to population bottlenecks that lead to a reduction in the efficacy of selection. An exception to this pattern is displayed by European domestic pigs, which do not show traces of a strong population bottleneck and probably continued to exchange genes with wild boar populations after domestication. The results presented here indicate that an elevated proportion of deleterious variants is a common, but not ubiquitous, feature of domestic species. PMID:29325102

Risk factors for lung cancer in the Pakistani population.

PubMed

Luqman, Muhammad; Javed, Muhammad Mohsin; Daud, Shakeela; Raheem, Nafeesa; Ahmad, Jamil; Khan, Amin-Ul-Haq

2014-01-01

Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world and both incidence and mortality rates are continuing to rise in Pakistan. However, epidemiological studies to identify common lung cancer determinants in the Pakistani population have been limited. In this retrospective case-control study, 400 cases and 800 controls were enrolled from different hospitals of all provinces of Pakistan. Information about socio-demographic, occupational, lifestyle and dietary variables was extracted by questionnaire from all subjects. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. and dose-response associations were also assessed for suitable factors. Strong associations were observed for smoking (OR=9.4, 95%CI=6.9-12.8), pesticide exposure (OR=5.1, 95%CI=3.1-8.3), exposure to diesel exhaust (OR=3.1, 95%CI=2.1-4.5), red meat consumption (OR=2.9, 95%CI=1.8-4.7) and chicken consumption (OR=2.8, 95%CI=1.7-49). Other associated factors observed were welding fumes (OR=2.5, 95%CI=1.0-6.5), sedentary living (OR=2.0, 95%CI=1.6-2.6), family history (OR=2.0, 95%CI=0.8-4.9), wood dust (OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.2- 3.1), tea consumption (OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.2-2.6), coffee consumption (OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.1-2.8), alcoholism (OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.1-2.5) and asbestos exposure(OR=1.5, 95%CI=0.5-4.4). Consumption of vegetables (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.2-0.4), juices (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.3-0.4), fruits (OR=0.7, 95%CI=0.5-0.9) and milk (OR=0.6, 95%CI=0.5- 0.8) showed reduction in risk of lung cancer. Strongest dose-response relationships were observed for smoking (?2=333.8, p≤0.0000001), pesticide exposure (?2=50.9, p≤0.0000001) and exposure to diesel exhaust (?2=51.8, p≤0.0000001). Smoking, pesticide exposure, diesel exhaust and meat consumption are main lung cancer determinants in Pakistan. Consuming vegetables, fruits, milk and juices can reduce the risk of lung cancer risk, as in other countries.

Second-Generation Prisoners and the Transmission of Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Will, Joanna L; Loper, Ann B; Jackson, Shelly L

2016-01-01

Adult inmates who experienced the incarceration of a parent, known as "second-generation prisoners," experience unique challenges and are at heightened risk for experiencing other adversities throughout the life span. Our study investigated one specific, and previously unexplored, type of adversity--domestic violence--within a sample of 293 incarcerated adults. We examined the relation between generation status (first- or second-generation prisoners), childhood exposure to domestic violence, and participation in adult relationship violence prior to incarceration. Results indicate that prisoners who had been exposed to domestic violence in childhood were more likely to engage in intimate partner violence resulting in inflicted and received injury. Relative to first-generation prisoners, second-generation prisoners reported more childhood domestic violence exposure and were more likely to have been injured by a relationship partner. However, this relation between second-generation status and injury victimization was mediated by domestic violence exposure. These results support an intergenerational pattern of domestic violence and suggest that second-generation prisoners are a unique population worthy of future investigation and mental health intervention. © The Author(s) 2014.

Pathobiology of avian influenza in domestic ducks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Domestic ducks are an important source of food and income in many parts of the world. The susceptibility of domestic ducks to avian influenza (AI) viruses varies depending on many factors, including the species and the age of the ducks, the virus strain, and management practices. Although wild wat...

Cultural perceptions and the productive roles of rural Pakistani women.

PubMed

Ibraz, T S

1992-01-01

The roles of rural Pakistani women in agricultural production are described with numerous examples from a village study by Anwar and Bilquees, and the author's research in a Punjabi village (Rajpur) to show cultural perceptions of women and their work, and the nature of productive activities inside the house and outside on the farm. The cultural perceptions are related to the image of women as dependent/private wives and mothers. A broad definition of production is used to include activities, such as churning milk which generates income and saves expenditures and making butter which fulfills household needs and is sold in the market for cash. Rajpur is a village engaged in social change. Men seek work outside the villages, and women take on work previously assumed by men. Women contribute considerably to the year-round production and processing of major crops. The productive labor of women by major crop type and activity type are described and charted. Tending livestock is performed exclusively by men. Handicraft activity at home reduces expenditure for buying these items in the local markets. Most women were unaware of the savings and "indirect" income their work contributed to the household. Work for wages is viewed as men's work. Women's mobility beyond the fields and home is still limited; market activity must be conducted with a male present and women do not earn cash. The division of labor is conceived by men for women because of women's cultural identity. Women are perceived as "chase daughters/sisters, fertile wives, and nurturing mothers." There are punishments or social rewards for proper behavior. Women in their private domain are expected to "look good within the house," which is viewed as a feminine world. The outside world is masculine. Women are also seen as lacking reasoning ability and their motherhood roles limit their capability to cope with external affairs. There is great value attached to the invisibility of women physically, socially, and

Domestic violence and abuse: an exploration and evaluation of a domestic abuse nurse specialist role in acute health care services.

PubMed

McGarry, Julie

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of clinical staff in responding to disclosure of domestic violence and abuse, and to evaluate the effectiveness of training and support provided by a dedicated Domestic Abuse Nurse Specialist across one acute National Health Service Trust in the UK. The impact of domestic violence and abuse is well documented and is far reaching. Health care professionals have a key role to play in the effective identification and management of abuse across a range of settings. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the constituents of effective support for practitioners within wider nonemergency hospital-based services. A qualitative approach semi-structured interviews (n = 11) with clinical staff based in one acute care Trust in the UK. Interviews were informed by an interview guide and analysed using the Framework approach. The organisation of the nurse specialist role facilitated a more cohesive approach to management at an organisational level with training and ongoing support identified as key facets of the role by practitioners. Time constraints were apparent in terms of staff training and this raises questions with regard to the status continuing professional development around domestic violence and abuse. Domestic violence and abuse continues to exert a significant and detrimental impact on the lives and health of those who encounter abuse. Health care services in the UK and globally are increasingly on the frontline in terms of identification and management of domestic violence and abuse. This is coupled with the growing recognition of the need for adequate support structures to be in place to facilitate practitioners in providing effective care for survivors of domestic violence and abuse. This study provides an approach to the expansion of existing models and one which has the potential for further exploration and application in similar settings. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-02-28

problem in the following areas: • Ongoing victim safety programs Domestic Violence is an offense against the institutional values of the Military Services...All the courses have a family advocacy briefing. The Marine Corps has instituted a Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program in a train-the- trainer...medicine, primary care, and obstetrics /gynecology. • Require NPSP nurses to have domestic violence awareness education within 90 days of their hiring

The Rice Paradox: Multiple Origins but Single Domestication in Asian Rice

PubMed Central

Choi, Jae Young; Platts, Adrian E.; Fuller, Dorian Q.; Hsing (邢禹依), Yue-Ie; Wing, Rod A.

2017-01-01

Abstract The origin of domesticated Asian rice (Oryza sativa) has been a contentious topic, with conflicting evidence for either single or multiple domestication of this key crop species. We examined the evolutionary history of domesticated rice by analyzing de novo assembled genomes from domesticated rice and its wild progenitors. Our results indicate multiple origins, where each domesticated rice subpopulation (japonica, indica, and aus) arose separately from progenitor O. rufipogon and/or O. nivara. Coalescence-based modeling of demographic parameters estimate that the first domesticated rice population to split off from O. rufipogon was O. sativa ssp. japonica, occurring at ∼13.1–24.1 ka, which is an order of magnitude older then the earliest archeological date of domestication. This date is consistent, however, with the expansion of O. rufipogon populations after the Last Glacial Maximum ∼18 ka and archeological evidence for early wild rice management in China. We also show that there is significant gene flow from japonica to both indica (∼17%) and aus (∼15%), which led to the transfer of domestication alleles from early-domesticated japonica to proto-indica and proto-aus populations. Our results provide support for a model in which different rice subspecies had separate origins, but that de novo domestication occurred only once, in O. sativa ssp. japonica, and introgressive hybridization from early japonica to proto-indica and proto-aus led to domesticated indica and aus rice. PMID:28087768

Domestication and Breeding of Jatropha curcas L.

PubMed

Montes, Juan M; Melchinger, Albrecht E

2016-12-01

Jatropha curcas L. (jatropha) has a high, untapped potential to contribute towards sustainable production of food and bioenergy, rehabilitation of degraded land, and reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Tremendous progress in jatropha domestication and breeding has been achieved during the past decade. This review: (i) summarizes current knowledge about the domestication and breeding of jatropha; (ii) identifies and prioritizes areas for further research; and (iii) proposes strategies to exploit the full genetic potential of this plant species. Altogether, the outlook is promising for accelerating the domestication of jatropha by applying modern scientific methods and novel technologies developed in plant breeding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

32 CFR 635.30 - Establishing domestic violence Memoranda of Understanding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Establishing domestic violence Memoranda of... Establishing domestic violence Memoranda of Understanding. (a) Coordination between military law enforcement..., especially concerning domestic violence investigations, arrests, and prosecutions involving military...

Communicative Differences between Domestic versus Foreign Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Punyanunt-Carter, Narissra; Wrench, Jason S.; Carter, Stacy L.; Linden, Daniel

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate college students' perceptions of their foreign and domestic classroom instructors. Two hundred and eleven college students participated in the study. The potential participants were approached and offered extra credit to participate, and all needed to have at least one domestic instructor and one…

43 CFR 6.7 - Domestic patent protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Domestic patent protection. 6.7 Section 6.7 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior PATENT REGULATIONS Inventions by Employees § 6.7 Domestic patent protection. (a) The Solicitor, upon determining that an invention coming...

43 CFR 6.7 - Domestic patent protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Domestic patent protection. 6.7 Section 6.7 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior PATENT REGULATIONS Inventions by Employees § 6.7 Domestic patent protection. (a) The Solicitor, upon determining that an invention coming...

43 CFR 6.7 - Domestic patent protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2012-10-01 2011-10-01 true Domestic patent protection. 6.7 Section 6.7 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior PATENT REGULATIONS Inventions by Employees § 6.7 Domestic patent protection. (a) The Solicitor, upon determining that an invention coming within...

43 CFR 6.7 - Domestic patent protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 43 Public Lands: Interior 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Domestic patent protection. 6.7 Section 6.7 Public Lands: Interior Office of the Secretary of the Interior PATENT REGULATIONS Inventions by Employees § 6.7 Domestic patent protection. (a) The Solicitor, upon determining that an invention coming...

The use of polar organic compounds to estimate the contribution of domestic solid fuel combustion and biogenic sources to ambient levels of organic carbon and PM2.5 in Cork Harbour, Ireland.

PubMed

Kourtchev, Ivan; Hellebust, Stig; Bell, Jennifer M; O'Connor, Ian P; Healy, Robert M; Allanic, Arnaud; Healy, David; Wenger, John C; Sodeau, John R

2011-05-01

PM(2.5) samples collected at Cork Harbour, Ireland during summer, autumn, late autumn and winter, 2008-2009 were analyzed for polar organic compounds that are useful markers for aerosol source characterization. The determined compounds include tracers for biomass burning primary particles, fungal spores, markers for secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from isoprene, α-/β-pinene, and d-limonene. Seasonal and temporal variations and other characteristic features of the detected tracers are discussed in terms of aerosol sources and processes. The biogenic species were detected only during the summer period where the contributions of isoprene SOA and fungal spores to the PM(2.5) organic carbon (OC) were estimated to be 1.6% and 1% respectively. The biomass burning markers, and in particular levoglucosan, were present in all samples and attributed to the combustion of cellulose-containing fuels including wood, peat, bituminous and smokeless coal. The contribution of domestic solid fuel (DSF) burning to the measured OC mass concentration was estimated at 10.8, 50, 66.4 and 74.9% for summer, autumn, late autumn and winter periods, respectively, based on factors derived from a series of burning experiments on locally available fuels. Application of an alternative approach, namely principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR), to the measured concentrations of the polar organic marker compounds used in conjunction with real-time air quality data provided similar trends and estimates for DSF combustion during all seasons except summer. This study clearly demonstrates that, despite the ban on the sale of bituminous coal in Cork and other large urban areas in Ireland, DSF combustion is still the major source of OC during autumn and winter periods and also makes a significant contribution to PM(2.5) levels. The developed marker approach for estimating the contribution of DSF combustion to ambient OC concentrations can, in principle, also be applied to other

The prevalence of domestic violence against pregnant women in Perak, Malaysia.

PubMed

Jahanfar, Shayesteh; Kamarudin, Ellizza Bt; Sarpin, Mohammad Alavi B; Zakaria, Nordin B; Abdul Rahman, Raihan Bt; Samsuddin, Rinni Damayanti Bt

2007-07-01

Domestic violence during pregnancy is a key issue in maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. This cross-sectional study aimed at obtaining the prevalence of domestic violence amongst pregnant women who attended Ipoh General Hospital in Perak, Malaysia and to determine the risk factors associated with domestic violence during pregnancy. The prevalence of domestic violence was low (4.5%). Comparison between the two groups of subjects with or without domestic violence did not show any significant difference in terms of risk factors. The effect of domestic violence on pregnancy should be investigated comprehensively in a multicentral or community-based study using a culturally sensitive questionnaire. With the estimated low prevalence of domestic violence in this study, the need for screening it in health-care services in Malaysia is yet to be determined.

A Clear Success for International Transport of Plutonium and MOX Fuels

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

Blachet, L.; Jacot, P.; Bariteau, J.P.

2006-07-01

An Agreement between the United States and Russia to eliminate 68 metric tons of surplus weapons-grade plutonium provided the basis for the United States government and its agency, the Department of Energy (DOE), to enter into contracts with industry leaders to fabricate mixed oxide (MOX) fuels (a blend of uranium oxide and plutonium oxide) for use in existing domestic commercial reactors. DOE contracted with Duke, COGEMA, Stone and Webster (DCS), a limited liability company comprised of Duke Energy, COGEMA Inc. and Stone and Webster to design a Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility (MFFF) which would be built and operated atmore » the DOE Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. During this same time frame, DOE commissioned fabrication and irradiation of lead test assemblies in one of the Mission Reactors to assist in obtaining NRC approval for batch implementation of MOX fuel prior to the operations phase of the MFFF facility. On February 2001, DOE directed DCS to initiate a pre-decisional investigation to determine means to obtain lead assemblies including all international options for manufacturing MOX fuels. This lead to implementation of the EUROFAB project and work was initiated in earnest on EUROFAB by DCS on November 7, 2003. (authors)« less

Domestic Communications Satellites.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Network Project Notebook, 1972

1972-01-01

The June, 1972 Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision allowed an "open skies" policy in regard to domestic communication satellites and raised Liberal opposition to a situation where exclusive and unchecked communications power is now in the hands of private entrepreneurs, primarily the big Defense Department oriented…

Ancient genomic changes associated with domestication of the horse.

PubMed

Librado, Pablo; Gamba, Cristina; Gaunitz, Charleen; Der Sarkissian, Clio; Pruvost, Mélanie; Albrechtsen, Anders; Fages, Antoine; Khan, Naveed; Schubert, Mikkel; Jagannathan, Vidhya; Serres-Armero, Aitor; Kuderna, Lukas F K; Povolotskaya, Inna S; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Lepetz, Sébastien; Neuditschko, Markus; Thèves, Catherine; Alquraishi, Saleh; Alfarhan, Ahmed H; Al-Rasheid, Khaled; Rieder, Stefan; Samashev, Zainolla; Francfort, Henri-Paul; Benecke, Norbert; Hofreiter, Michael; Ludwig, Arne; Keyser, Christine; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Ludes, Bertrand; Crubézy, Eric; Leeb, Tosso; Willerslev, Eske; Orlando, Ludovic

2017-04-28

The genomic changes underlying both early and late stages of horse domestication remain largely unknown. We examined the genomes of 14 early domestic horses from the Bronze and Iron Ages, dating to between ~4.1 and 2.3 thousand years before present. We find early domestication selection patterns supporting the neural crest hypothesis, which provides a unified developmental origin for common domestic traits. Within the past 2.3 thousand years, horses lost genetic diversity and archaic DNA tracts introgressed from a now-extinct lineage. They accumulated deleterious mutations later than expected under the cost-of-domestication hypothesis, probably because of breeding from limited numbers of stallions. We also reveal that Iron Age Scythian steppe nomads implemented breeding strategies involving no detectable inbreeding and selection for coat-color variation and robust forelimbs. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Domestic violence screening practices of obstetrician-gynecologists.

PubMed

Horan, D L; Chapin, J; Klein, L; Schmidt, L A; Schulkin, J

1998-11-01

To ascertain the current knowledge base and screening practices of obstetrician-gynecologists in the area of domestic violence. We mailed a survey to 189 ACOG Fellows who are members of the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network. Questionnaires were also mailed to a random sample of 1250 nonmember Fellows. Obstetrician-gynecologists are aware of the nature of domestic violence and are familiar with common symptomatology that may be associated with domestic violence. For pregnant patients, 39% of respondents routinely screen at the first prenatal visit; 27% of respondents routinely screen nonpregnant patients at the initial visit. Screening is most likely to occur when the obstetrician-gynecologist suspects a patient is being abused, both during pregnancy (68%) and when the patient is not pregnant (72%). Only 30% of obstetrician-gynecologists received training on domestic violence during medical school; 37% received such instruction during residency training. The majority (67%) have received continuing education on the subject. Years since training and personal experiences with intimate-partner violence were associated with increased screening practices. Routine screening of all women for domestic violence has been recommended by ACOG for more than a decade. The majority of obstetrician-gynecologists screen both pregnant and nonpregnant patients when they suspect abuse. However, with universal screening, more female victims of violence can be identified and can receive needed services.

Domestication impacts on plant–herbivore interactions: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Poveda, Katja

2017-01-01

For millennia, humans have imposed strong selection on domesticated crops, resulting in drastically altered crop phenotypes compared with wild ancestors. Crop yields have increased, but a long-held hypothesis is that domestication has also unintentionally decreased plant defences against herbivores. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a phylogenetically controlled meta-analysis comparing insect herbivore resistance and putative plant defence traits between crops and their wild relatives. Our database included 2098 comparisons made across 73 crops in 89 studies. We found that domestication consistently reduced plant resistance to herbivores, although the magnitude of the effects varied across plant organs and depended on how resistance was measured. However, domestication had no consistent effects on the specific plant defence traits underlying resistance, including secondary metabolites and physical feeding barriers. The values of these traits sometimes increased and sometimes decreased during domestication. Consistent negative effects of domestication were observed only when defence traits were measured in reproductive organs or in the plant organ that was harvested. These results highlight the complexity of evolution under domestication and the need for an improved theoretical understanding of the mechanisms through which agronomic selection can influence the species interactions that impact both the yield and sustainability of our food systems. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Human influences on evolution, and the ecological and societal consequences’. PMID:27920379

77 FR 1319 - Regulation of Fuels and Fuel Additives: 2012 Renewable Fuel Standards

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-09

... of the Domestic Aggregate Compliance Approach E. Assessment of the Canadian Aggregate Compliance Approach II. Projection of Cellulosic Volume and Assessment of Biomass-Based Diesel and Advanced Biofuel... Price for Cellulosic Biofuel Waiver Credits B. Assessment of the Domestic Aggregate Compliance Approach...

Domestic violence and the role of the parish nurse.

PubMed

Routson, Janet L; Hinton, Sharon T

2010-01-01

Domestic violence is physical, sexual, or psychological violence within intimate relationships. The identification of victims--adults, children, elders, males, or females-is problematic. Parish nurses are in an ideal position to identify and help those experiencing domestic violence. The Initial Domestic Violence Assessment Guideline (2010 J. Routson) provides parameters for the parish nurse to gather data and design helpful interventions.

Patterns, structures and regulations of domestic water cycle systems in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Junying; Wang, Hao; Wang, Jianhua; Qin, Dayong

2010-05-01

Domestic water cycle systems serving as one critical component of artificial water cycle at the catchment's scale, is so closely related to public healthy, human rights and social-economic development, and has gained the highest priority in strategic water resource and municipal infrastructure planning. In this paper, three basic patterns of domestic water cycle systems are identified and analyzed, including rural domestic water system (i.e. primary level), urban domestic water system (i.e. intermediate level) and metropolitan domestic water system (i.e. senior level), with different "abstract-transport-consume-discharge" mechanisms and micro-components of water consumption (such as drinking, cooking, toilet flushing, showering or cleaning). The rural domestic water system is general simple with three basic "abstract-consume-discharge" mechanisms and micro-components of basic water consumption such as drinking, cooking, washing and sanitation. The urban domestic water system has relative complex mechanisms of "abstract-supply-consume-treatment-discharge" and more micro-components of water consumption such as bath, dishwashing or car washing. The metropolitan domestic water system (i.e. senior level) has the most complex mechanisms by considering internal water reuse, external wastewater reclamation, and nutrient recycling processes. The detailed structures for different water cycle pattern are presented from the aspects of water quantity, wastewater quality and nutrients flow. With the speed up of urbanization and development of social-economy in China, those three basic patterns are interacting, transforming and upgrading. According to the past experiences and current situations, urban domestic water system (i.e. intermediate level) is the dominant pattern based on indicator of system number or system scale. The metropolitan domestic water system (i.e. senior level) is the idealized model for the future development and management. Current domestic water system

Domestic Violence against Married Women in Cambodia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yount, Kathryn M.; Carrera, Jennifer S.

2006-01-01

We evaluate the effects of marital resources and early-life experiences on recent domestic violence and attitudes about wife abuse among 2,074 married Cambodian women. Household standard of living was negatively associated with physical domestic violence. Women with 8-13 fewer years of schooling than their husbands more often experienced physical…

State Employment Protection Statutes for Victims of Domestic Violence: Public Policy's Response to Domestic Violence as an Employment Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanberg, Jennifer E.; Ojha, Mamta U.; Macke, Caroline

2012-01-01

Evidence indicates that domestic violence has negative consequences on victims' employment; yet employers lag in recognizing this as a workplace issue. To address the problem, some states have established several policy solutions. To understand the scope of the public sector's response to domestic violence as a workplace issue, a content analysis…

Fuel flexible fuel injector

DOEpatents

Tuthill, Richard S; Davis, Dustin W; Dai, Zhongtao

2015-02-03

A disclosed fuel injector provides mixing of fuel with airflow by surrounding a swirled fuel flow with first and second swirled airflows that ensures mixing prior to or upon entering the combustion chamber. Fuel tubes produce a central fuel flow along with a central airflow through a plurality of openings to generate the high velocity fuel/air mixture along the axis of the fuel injector in addition to the swirled fuel/air mixture.

Domestic Violence: Intersection of Culture, Gender and Context.

PubMed

Tonsing, Jenny C

2016-04-01

This study examines South Asian women's experience of domestic violence in Hong Kong. Despite the proliferation of literature on domestic violence, this issue remain unexplored in the discourse of domestic violence in Hong Kong. A qualitative research approach through face to face interview with 14 women was employed. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Findings from this study highlight the importance of considering the social and cultural influence on how women perceived and construct their experiences of abuse.Implications for practice and policies are highlighted.

Indirect Self-Destructiveness in Women who Experience Domestic Violence.

PubMed

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos; Łuczak, Joanna

2018-01-02

Lives of people experiencing domestic or/and intimate partner violence abound in many unpleasant events and physical and psychological suffering, which affects their psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to explore indirect self-destructiveness as a generalised behavioural tendency and its manifestations in women experiencing domestic violence. The "Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale" (CS-DS) was used to study two groups of women: 52 women aged 30-65 years (mean age: 40.15) using assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence (V group) and 150 well-matched women not experiencing domestic violence (NV group). Women suffering domestic violence (V) obtained significantly higher scores than women not experiencing domestic violence (NV) for both the general index and a majority of CS-DS subscales; it was only for the A1 (Transgression and Risk) subscale that they achieved somewhat lower scores. Correlation coefficients between particular CS-DS subscales in the V group were higher than in the NV group; there were also certain differences in coefficients between the groups. Subscale factor analysis results were different too: only one factor was isolated in the V group while two were distinguished in the NV group. It can be inferred from the results that the intensity of indirect self-destructiveness as a generalised behavioural tendency as well as of most its categories was higher in women experiencing domestic violence. Tendencies and categories of indirectly self-destructive behaviours in women suffering domestic violence were more closely connected with one another, and the internal coherence of indirect self-destructiveness in those women might also be higher.

A prospective analysis of Brazilian biofuel economy: Land use, infrastructure development and fuel pricing policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nunez Amortegui, Hector Mauricio

Being the two largest ethanol producers in the world, transportation fuel policies in Brazil and the U.S. affect not only their domestic markets but also the global food and biofuel economy. Hence, the complex biofuel policy climate in these countries leaves the public with unclear conclusions about the prospects for supply and trade of agricultural commodities and biofuels. In this dissertation I develop a price endogenous mathematical programming model to simulate and analyze the impacts of biofuel policies in Brazil and the U.S. on land use in these countries, agricultural commodity and transportation fuel markets, trade, and global environment. The model maximizes the social surplus represented by the sum of producers' and consumers' surpluses, including selected agricultural commodity markets and fuel markets in the U.S., Brazil, Argentina, China, and the Rest-of-the-World (ROW), subject to resource limitations, material balances, technical constraints, and policy restrictions. Consumers' surplus is derived from consumption of agricultural commodities and transportation fuels by vehicles that generate vehicle-kilometers-traveled (VKT). While in the other regional components aggregate supply and demand functions are assumed for the commodities included in the analysis, the agricultural supply component is regionally disaggregated for Brazil and the U.S., and the transportation fuel sector is regionally disaggregated for Brazil. The U.S. agricultural supply component includes production of fourteen major food/feed crops, including soybeans, corn and wheat, and cellulosic biofuel feedstocks. The Brazil component includes eight major annual crops, including soybeans, corn, wheat, and rice, and sugarcane as the energy crop. A particular emphasis is given to the beef-cattle production in Brazil and the potential for livestock semi-intensification in Brazilian pasture grazing systems as a prospective pathway for releasing new croplands. In the fuel sector of both

The Evolutionary Origin and Genetic Makeup of Domestic Horses

PubMed Central

Librado, Pablo; Fages, Antoine; Gaunitz, Charleen; Leonardi, Michela; Wagner, Stefanie; Khan, Naveed; Hanghøj, Kristian; Alquraishi, Saleh A.; Alfarhan, Ahmed H.; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A.; Der Sarkissian, Clio; Schubert, Mikkel; Orlando, Ludovic

2016-01-01

The horse was domesticated only 5.5 KYA, thousands of years after dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The horse nonetheless represents the domestic animal that most impacted human history; providing us with rapid transportation, which has considerably changed the speed and magnitude of the circulation of goods and people, as well as their cultures and diseases. By revolutionizing warfare and agriculture, horses also deeply influenced the politico-economic trajectory of human societies. Reciprocally, human activities have circled back on the recent evolution of the horse, by creating hundreds of domestic breeds through selective programs, while leading all wild populations to near extinction. Despite being tightly associated with humans, several aspects in the evolution of the domestic horse remain controversial. Here, we review recent advances in comparative genomics and paleogenomics that helped advance our understanding of the genetic foundation of domestic horses. PMID:27729493

The Evolutionary Origin and Genetic Makeup of Domestic Horses.

PubMed

Librado, Pablo; Fages, Antoine; Gaunitz, Charleen; Leonardi, Michela; Wagner, Stefanie; Khan, Naveed; Hanghøj, Kristian; Alquraishi, Saleh A; Alfarhan, Ahmed H; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A; Der Sarkissian, Clio; Schubert, Mikkel; Orlando, Ludovic

2016-10-01

The horse was domesticated only 5.5 KYA, thousands of years after dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The horse nonetheless represents the domestic animal that most impacted human history; providing us with rapid transportation, which has considerably changed the speed and magnitude of the circulation of goods and people, as well as their cultures and diseases. By revolutionizing warfare and agriculture, horses also deeply influenced the politico-economic trajectory of human societies. Reciprocally, human activities have circled back on the recent evolution of the horse, by creating hundreds of domestic breeds through selective programs, while leading all wild populations to near extinction. Despite being tightly associated with humans, several aspects in the evolution of the domestic horse remain controversial. Here, we review recent advances in comparative genomics and paleogenomics that helped advance our understanding of the genetic foundation of domestic horses. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

Domestic Violence and Aging: Teaching about Their Intersection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilke, Dina J.; Vinton, Linda

2003-01-01

Discusses how women's issues, domestic violence, aging, and elder abuse all relate to social work education and then suggests how they can be integrated together into the social work curriculum through teaching about elder domestic violence. (EV)

CFD analysis of NOx reduction by domestic natural gas added to coal combustion

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

Bar-Ziv, E.; Yasur, Y.; Chudnovsky, B.

2004-07-01

To date, Israel's electrical energy has been based only on imported fuels. However, with the recently discovered natural gas in the Ashqulon shores, Israel can examine the benefits to its energy resources, environment, and economy of blending its domestic natural gas with imported coal. As for using natural gas, the proposal is to burn it in existing IEC coal-fired boilers in order to significantly reduce NOx emission by reburning. An important aspect is to provide retrofitting in existing IEC boilers by replacing a fraction of the coal by natural gas. This would allow the purchase of coal with a widemore » range of parameters, which is less expensive. Hence, mixed gas-coal burning would benefit Israel. The authors have made numerical simulations in order to study the optimal conditions of operation and evaluate the economic as well as environmental benefits. Indeed, extensive simulations have shown that there is a significant reduction of NOx emission, as expected, with the addition of relatively small amounts of natural gas. Experiments will now be carried out in a test facility that will provide accurate physicochemical properties of the mixed fuel for more reliable simulations. 19 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less

Reston virus in domestic pigs in China.

PubMed

Pan, Yangyang; Zhang, Wen; Cui, Li; Hua, Xiuguo; Wang, Meng; Zeng, Qiaoying

2014-05-01

Historically, Reston virus (RESTV) has been found to be associated with outbreaks of disease only in nonhuman primates. Its spread to domestic pigs was reported for the first time in 2008. In this study, we report the discovery, molecular detection, and phylogenetic analysis of Reston virus (RESTV) in domestic pigs in China. A total of 137 spleen specimens from pigs that died after showing typical clinical signs of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), and for which infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was confirmed by RT-PCR, were collected from three farms in Shanghai from February to September 2011. Of these samples, 2.92 % (4/137) were found to be positive for RESTV. All of the positive piglets were under the age of 8 weeks and were co-infected with PRRSV. Sequences were found that shared 96.1 %-98.9 % sequence similarity with those of two RESTV variants that had been discovered previously in domestic pigs and cynomolgus macaques from the Philippines. We therefore conclude that RESTV was present in domestic pigs in Shanghai, China.

Archaeological data reveal slow rates of evolution during plant domestication.

PubMed

Purugganan, Michael D; Fuller, Dorian Q

2011-01-01

Domestication is an evolutionary process of species divergence in which morphological and physiological changes result from the cultivation/tending of plant or animal species by a mutualistic partner, most prominently humans. Darwin used domestication as an analogy to evolution by natural selection although there is strong debate on whether this process of species evolution by human association is an appropriate model for evolutionary study. There is a presumption that selection under domestication is strong and most models assume rapid evolution of cultivated species. Using archaeological data for 11 species from 60 archaeological sites, we measure rates of evolution in two plant domestication traits--nonshattering and grain/seed size increase. Contrary to previous assumptions, we find the rates of phenotypic evolution during domestication are slow, and significantly lower or comparable to those observed among wild species subjected to natural selection. Our study indicates that the magnitudes of the rates of evolution during the domestication process, including the strength of selection, may be similar to those measured for wild species. This suggests that domestication may be driven by unconscious selection pressures similar to that observed for natural selection, and the study of the domestication process may indeed prove to be a valid model for the study of evolutionary change. © 2010 The Author(s). Evolution© 2010 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

The ecology of domestic violence: the role of alcohol outlet density.

PubMed

Livingston, Michael

2010-11-01

Studies have consistently found positive associations between the density of alcohol outlets and levels of violence in areas. Few studies have examined whether this relationship holds for domestic violence. This study assesses whether alcohol outlet density is related to domestic violence and whether this relationship is due to alcohol availability or to co-occurring economic disadvantage and social disorganisation. Cross-sectional data on family incidents, liquor outlets and socio-demographic characteristics were obtained for 217 postcodes in Melbourne, Australia. These data were used to construct models assessing the association between alcohol outlet density and domestic violence, both with and without controlling for socio-demographic factors. Models were tested for spatial autocorrelation, and spatial- error models were developed to control for its influence. Outlet density was significantly associated with rates of domestic violence, even controlling for socio-demographic factors. The density of hotels (pubs) was positively associated with domestic violence rates and the density of restaurants and bars was negatively associated with domestic violence. Socio-economic disadvantage was also associated with domestic violence rates. The density of packaged liquor outlets was not associated with rates of domestic violence. The results present a mixed picture, and further study is required to develop a clearer understanding of the links between alcohol availability and domestic violence.

Domestic Violence against Married Women in Edirne

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tokuc, Burcu; Ekuklu, Galip; Avcioglu, Serap

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence and risk factors of domestic violence against married women in Edirne, Turkey. This is a cross-sectional study which included a representative sample of the married women living in the Provincial Center of Edirne. The total past year prevalence of some forms of physical domestic violence is 34% in…

Domestic Violence and Poverty: Some Women's Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slabbert, Ilze

2017-01-01

Purpose: Domestic violence poses a major challenge to social workers. Low-income families are significantly more likely to have to contend with domestic violence, as poverty can act as a fuelling factor in this type of conflict. The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of low-income abused women. Method: A…

Engineering genomes of domestic pigs for agricultural applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The breeding of domestic animals has a longstanding and successful history, starting with domestication several thousand years ago. Modern animal breeding strategies predominantly based on population genetics, artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) technologies have led to significan...

7 CFR 70.14 - Squabs and domesticated game birds; eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Squabs and domesticated game birds; eligibility. 70.14 Section 70.14 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING... Products General § 70.14 Squabs and domesticated game birds; eligibility. Squabs and domesticated game...