Human Health Risks from Tap Water Chlorine Disinfection Byproducts: An Ohio Study

The use of chlorine in the disinfection process for drinking water has resulted in the creation of disinfection byproducts in the potable water. These carcinogenic disinfection byproducts (DBP’s) pose a risk to consumers. Traveling through the water distribution system, stagnation of water in plumbing pipes, and the heating of the water in a hot water tank are all responsible for increasing the concentration of DBP’s. In this report, the existing concentrations of trihalomethanes (THM’s) and haloacetic acids (HAA’s) were gathered from the consumer confidence reports (CCR’s) of eight water treatment plants in five Ohio cities. These values were given assumed values of increased concentration due to the additional time to react after exiting the water treatment plant. These values were then used to calculate the chronic daily intake (CDI) for three paths of exposure; ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. The results indicate that Akron is the community with the greatest concentration of DBP’s and Columbus: Parson’s Ave contains the least. The difference in cancer risk between communities utilizing groundwater sources versus surface water sources is significant. The community utilizing a surface water source with the greatest cancer risk is Akron, Ohio with a value of 0.000569 per million. The community utilizing a groundwater source with the greatest cancer risk of DBP’s is Cincinnati: Bolton Water, Ohio with a value of 0.000173 per million. The highest cancer risk within the sample from a surface water source is around 3.3 times the risk from a groundwater source. Cutting shower time from ten minutes to five minutes decreased exposure in both the inhalation and dermal contact pathways. Drinking cold water instead of hot may not be worth the sacrifice

A Really Interesting Story: The Influence of Narrative in Linguistic Change

The intensifier system is well known for its perpetual recycling of fresh innovations; however, neither qualitative nor quantitative analyses have offered a consensus on which social factors are involved in the increased use of one variant at the expense of another, nor do we know much about sites of innovation. In this paper, we delve deep into the intensifier system by considering the distinction between narrative and non-narrative discourse contexts (Labov and Waletsky 1967) and using a “small-within-large” methodology wherein a subset of data from a broad sociolinguistic study is our foundation (Tagliamonte 2008). Our results reveal that narratives have significantly higher intensification rates than non-narratives, which we interpret as a linguistic resource to increase affective meaning when performing the identity work inherent in storytelling (Schiffrin 1996). Further, the statistically significant predictors for intensifier use in narratives are predominantly semantic, involving adjective type and emotional value with no significant social factors. Yet in non-narrative discourse, syntactic factors predominate and both gender and age are statistically significant effects. Partitioning the data by discourse context uncovers additional sociolinguistic bifurcation. Indeed, a more detailed examination of the interaction of speaker age and gender reveals how critical the narrative/non-narrative contrast is in the ebb and flow of changes within this system. While younger speakers of both genders show an increase in really in narratives, in non-narratives younger women exhibit a heightened usage compared to older women (4% vs. 21%). The results for very are equally suggestive: younger women use less very in both registers but there is a sharp decline in non-narratives in particular. This suggests that innovations rise first in narratives for all speakers and then diffuse to non-narratives lead by younger women. Taken together, the findings from this study support earlier observations that greater care should be placed on the discourse embedding linguistic variation and change (see e.g., Cheshire 2005 et seq). We have demonstrated that language change actually begins and ends in stories

COVID-19 e mulheres na área de turismo e hospitalidade: uma análise temática

The impact of COVID-19 on the tourism and hospitality industries is one of the most hotly debated studies in recent literature, but how women in the tourism and hospitality industries dealt with the pandemic has received insufficient attention. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore and investigate the impact of COVID-19 on women in the workforce, specifically in the hospitality and tourism industries in India. A qualitative study methodology was adopted, and in-depth interviews were conducted among 30 females, including employees, small-scale vendors, and entrepreneurs. A thematic analysis of the results was conducted using Nvivo-12. By using thematic analysis, twelve sub-themes were condensed into three main themes. The study addresses the main issues of women in the workforce in a time of uncertainty and crisis and highlights actions needed for the inclusive development of women in society.El impacto de COVID-19 en las industrias del turismo y la hostelería es uno de los estudios más debatidos en la literatura reciente, pero no se ha prestado suficiente atención a la forma en que las mujeres de las industrias del turismo y la hostelería afrontaron la pandemia. Por lo tanto, el propósito de esta investigación es explorar e investigar el impacto de COVID-19 en las mujeres en la fuerza de trabajo, específicamente en las industrias de la hospitalidad y el turismo en la India. Se adoptó una metodología de estudio cualitativo y se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad a 30 mujeres, entre las que había empleadas, pequeñas vendedoras y empresarias. Se realizó un análisis temático de los resultados utilizando Nvivo-12. Mediante el análisis temático, se condensaron doce subtemas en tres temas principales. El estudio aborda los principales problemas de las mujeres que trabajan en una época de incertidumbre y crisis y destaca las acciones necesarias para el desarrollo inclusivo de las mujeres en la sociedad.O impacto da COVID-19 nas indústrias do turismo e da hospitalidade é um dos estudos mais debatidos na literatura recente, mas como as mulheres nas indústrias do turismo e da hospitalidade lidaram com a pandemia recebeu atenção insuficiente. Portanto, o objetivo desta pesquisa é explorar e investigar o impacto da COVID-19 nas mulheres da força de trabalho, especificamente nas indústrias de hospitalidade e turismo na Índia. Foi adotada uma metodologia de estudo qualitativo, e foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade entre 30 mulheres, incluindo funcionários, vendedores em pequena escala e empresários. Uma análise temática dos resultados foi conduzida usando Nvivo-12. Usando a análise temática, doze subtemas foram condensados em três temas principais. O estudo aborda as principais questões das mulheres na força de trabalho em tempo de incerteza e crise e destaca as ações necessárias para o desenvolvimento inclusivo das mulheres na sociedade

Strengthening primary health care : Building the capacity of rural communities to access health funding

Present health funding models can place onerous pressures on rural health services. Staff may lack the time, resources, access to data, and the expertise needed to complete complex and lengthy funding submissions. This present study describes an innovative capacity-building approach to working with Victorian rural communities seeking to access health care funding through the Regional Health Services Program. This approach used several strategies: engaging stakeholders in targeted rural communities, developing an information kit and running a workshop on preparing submissions to the Regional Health Services Program, facilitating community consultations, and providing ongoing support with submissions. Six rural communities were supported in this way. Four have been funded to date, with a combined annual recurrent budget for new primary health care services of over $2.5 million. Each community has developed a service delivery model that meets the particular needs of their local area. This capacity-building approach is both effective and replicable to other health funding opportunities. The definitive version of this article is available at www3.interscience.wiley.co

Population-average mediation analysis for zero-inflated count outcomes

Mediation analysis is an increasingly popular statistical method for explaining causal pathways to inform intervention. While methods have increased, there is still a dearth of robust mediation methods for count outcomes with excess zeroes. Current mediation methods addressing this issue are computationally intensive, biased, or challenging to interpret. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new mediation methodology for zero-inflated count outcomes using the marginalized zero-inflated Poisson (MZIP) model and the counterfactual approach to mediation. This novel work gives population-average mediation effects whose variance can be estimated rapidly via delta method. This methodology is extended to cases with exposure-mediator interactions. We apply this novel methodology to explore if diabetes diagnosis can explain BMI differences in healthcare utilization and test model performance via simulations comparing the proposed MZIP method to existing zero-inflated and Poisson methods. We find that our proposed method minimizes bias and computation time compared to alternative approaches while allowing for straight-forward interpretations.Comment: 34 pages, 2 figures, 4 tables, 49 pages of Supplemental material, 2 supplemental figure

Polysialylated NCAM and EphrinA/EphA regulate synaptic development of gabaergic interneurons in prefrontal cortex

A novel function for the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was identified in ephrinA/EphA-mediated repulsion as an important regulatory mechanism for development of GABAergic inhibitory synaptic connections in mouse prefrontal cortex. Deletion of NCAM, EphA3, or ephrinA2/3/5 in null mutant mice increased the numbers and size of perisomatic synapses between GABAergic basket interneurons and pyramidal cells in the developing cingulate cortex (layers II/III). A functional consequence of NCAM loss was increased amplitudes and faster kinetics of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in NCAM null cingulate cortex. NCAM and EphA3 formed a molecular complex and colocalized with the inhibitory presynaptic marker vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) in perisomatic puncta and neuropil in the cingulate cortex. EphrinA5 treatment promoted axon remodeling of enhanced green fluorescent protein-labeled basket interneurons in cortical slice cultures and induced growth cone collapse in wild-type but not NCAM null mutant neurons. NCAM modified with polysialic acid (PSA) was required to promote ephrinA5-induced axon remodeling of basket interneurons in cortical slices, likely by providing a permissive environment for ephrinA5/EphA3 signaling. These results reveal a new mechanism in which NCAM and ephrinAs/EphA3 coordinate to constrain GABAergic interneuronal arborization and perisomatic innervation, potentially contributing to excitatory/inhibitory balance in prefrontal cortical circuitry. © 2012 The Author

Bacterial communities in penile skin, male urethra, and vaginas of heterosexual couples with and without bacterial vaginosis

© The Author(s), 2016. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Microbiome 4 (2016): 16, doi:10.1186/s40168-016-0161-6.The epidemiology of bacterial vaginosis (BV) suggests it is sexually transmissible, yet no transmissible agent has been identified. It is probable that BV-associated bacterial communities are transferred from male to female partners during intercourse; however, the microbiota of sexual partners has not been well-studied. Pyrosequencing analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA was used to examine BV-associated bacteria in monogamous couples with and without BV using vaginal, male urethral, and penile skin specimens. The penile skin and urethral microbiota of male partners of women with BV was significantly more similar to the vaginal microbiota of their female partner compared to the vaginal microbiota of non-partner women with BV. This was not the case for male partners of women with normal vaginal microbiota. Specific BV-associated species were concordant in women with BV and their male partners. In monogamous heterosexual couples in which the woman has BV, the significantly higher similarity between the vaginal microbiota and the penile skin and urethral microbiota of the male partner, supports the hypothesis that sexual exchange of BV-associated bacterial taxa is common.This work was supported by National Institute of Health Grant R01 AI079071-01A1

A Plasmodium falciparum S33 proline aminopeptidase is associated with changes in erythrocyte deformability

Infection with the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. One of the Striking features of this parasite is its ability to remodel and decrease the deformability of host red blood cells, a process that contributes to disease. To further understand the virulence of Pf we investigated the biochemistry and function of a putative Pf S33 proline aminopeptidase (PJPAP). Unlike other P. falciparum aminopeptidases, PJPAP contains a predicted protein export element that is non-syntenic with other human infecting Plasmodium species. Characterization of PJPAP demonstrated that it is exported into the host red blood cell and that it is a prolyl aminopeptidase with a preference for N-terminal proline substrates. In addition genetic deletion of this exopeptidase was shown to lead to an increase in the deformability of parasite-infected red cells and in reduced adherence to the endothelial cell receptor CD36 under flow conditions. Our studies suggest that PJPAP plays a role in the rigidification and adhesion of infected red blood cells to endothelial surface receptors, a role that may make this protein a novel target for anti-disease interventions strategies. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Polysialylated NCAM and EphrinA/EphA Regulate Synaptic Development of GABAergic Interneurons in Prefrontal Cortex

A novel function for the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was identified in ephrinA/EphA-mediated repulsion as an important regulatory mechanism for development of GABAergic inhibitory synaptic connections in mouse prefrontal cortex. Deletion of NCAM, EphA3, or ephrinA2/3/5 in null mutant mice increased the numbers and size of perisomatic synapses between GABAergic basket interneurons and pyramidal cells in the developing cingulate cortex (layers II/III). A functional consequence of NCAM loss was increased amplitudes and faster kinetics of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in NCAM null cingulate cortex. NCAM and EphA3 formed a molecular complex and colocalized with the inhibitory presynaptic marker vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) in perisomatic puncta and neuropil in the cingulate cortex. EphrinA5 treatment promoted axon remodeling of enhanced green fluorescent protein–labeled basket interneurons in cortical slice cultures and induced growth cone collapse in wild-type but not NCAM null mutant neurons. NCAM modified with polysialic acid (PSA) was required to promote ephrinA5-induced axon remodeling of basket interneurons in cortical slices, likely by providing a permissive environment for ephrinA5/EphA3 signaling. These results reveal a new mechanism in which NCAM and ephrinAs/EphA3 coordinate to constrain GABAergic interneuronal arborization and perisomatic innervation, potentially contributing to excitatory/inhibitory balance in prefrontal cortical circuitry