Human Development and Pastoral Care in a Postmodern Age:Donald Capps, Erik H. Erikson, and Beyond

This article discusses Donald Capps’s use of Erik H. Erikson’s life-cycle theory as the basic psychological framework for his theory of pastoral care. Capps was attracted to Erikson’s existential-psychological model, his hermeneutic approach, and his religious sensitivity. Capps’s thought develops from first exploring biblical foundations for using Eriksonian theory for pastoral care to gradually embracing certain postmodern features. The article concludes with reflections on the usefulness of Erikson’s life-cycle theory and Capps’s work for contemporary pastoral care

Heart rate variability in association with frequent use of household sprays and scented products in SAPALDIA

Background: Household cleaning products are associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes, but the cardiovascular health effects are largely unknown.Objective: We determined if long-term use of household sprays and scented products at home was associated with reduced heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic cardiac dysfunction.Methods: We recorded 24-hr electrocardiograms in a cross-sectional survey of 581 Swiss adults, 1, 1-3, or 4-7 days/week, unexposed (reference)] of using cleaning sprays, air freshening sprays, and scented products.Results: Decreases in 24-hr SDNN and TP were observed with frequent use of all product types, but the strongest reductions were associated with air freshening sprays. Compared with unexposed participants, we found that using air freshening sprays 4-7 days/week was associated with 11% [95% confidence interval (CI): -20%, -2%] and 29% (95% CI: -46%, -8%) decreases in 24-hr SDNN and TP, respectively. Inverse associations of 24-SDNN and TP with increased use of cleaning sprays, air freshening sprays, and scented products were observed mainly in participants with obstructive lung disease (p > 0.05 for interactions).Conclusions: In predominantly older adult women, long-term frequent use of household spray and scented products was associated with reduced HRV, which suggests an increased risk of cardiovascular health hazards. People with preexisting pulmonary conditions may be more susceptibl

Microbial characteristics in homes of asthmatic and non-asthmatic adults in the ECRHS cohort

Microbial exposures in homes of asthmatic adults have been rarely investigated; specificities and implications for respiratory health are not well understood. The objectives of this study were to investigate associations of microbial levels with asthma status, asthma symptoms, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), and atopy. Mattress dust samples of 199 asthmatics and 198 control subjects from 7 European countries participating in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II study were analyzed for fungal and bacterial cell wall components and individual taxa. We observed trends for protective associations of higher levels of mostly bacterial markers. Increased levels of muramic acid, a cell wall component predominant in Gram-positive bacteria, tended to be inversely associated with asthma (OR's for different quartiles: II 0.71 [0.39-1.30], III 0.44 [0.23-0.82], and IV 0.60 [0.31-1.18] P for trend .07) and with asthma score (P for trend .06) and with atopy (P for trend .02). These associations were more pronounced in northern Europe. This study among adults across Europe supports a potential protective effect of Gram-positive bacteria in mattress dust and points out that this may be more pronounced in areas where microbial exposure levels are generally lower.Peer reviewe

Urinary pesticide mixture patterns and exposure determinants in the adult population from the Netherlands and Switzerland : Application of a suspect screening approach

INTRODUCTION: Non-occupational sources of pesticide exposure may include domestic pesticide usage, diet, occupational exposure of household members, and agricultural activities in the residential area. We conducted a study with the ambition to characterize pesticide mixture patterns in a sample of the adult population of the Netherlands and Switzerland, using a suspect screening approach and to identify related exposure determinants. METHODS: A total of 105 and 295 adults participated in the Dutch and Swiss studies, respectively. First morning void urine samples were collected and analyzed in the same laboratory. Harmonized questionnaires about personal characteristics, pesticide-related activities, and diet were administered. Detection rates and co-occurrence patterns were calculated to explore internal pesticide exposure patterns. Censored linear and logistic regression models were constructed to investigate the association between exposure and domestic pesticide usage, consumption of homegrown and organic foods, household members' exposure, and distance to agricultural and forest areas. RESULTS: From the 37 detected biomarkers, 3 (acetamiprid (-CH2), chlorpropham (4-HSA), and flonicamid (-C2HN)) were detected in ≥40% of samples. The most frequent combination of biomarkers (acetamiprid-flonicamid) was detected in 22 (5.5%) samples. Regression models revealed an inverse association between high organic vegetable and fruit consumption and exposure to acetamiprid, chlorpropham, propamocarb (+O), and pyrimethanil (+O + SO3). Within-individual correlations in repeated samples (summer/winter) from the Netherlands were low (≤0.3), and no seasonal differences in average exposures were observed in Switzerland. CONCLUSION: High consumption of organic fruit and vegetables was associated with lower pesticide exposure. In the two countries, detection rates and co-occurrence were typically low, and within-person variability was high. Our study results provide an indication for target biomarkers to include in future studies aimed at quantifying urinary exposure levels in European adult populations

Short-Term Changes in Respiratory Biomarkers after Swimming in a Chlorinated Pool

36 páginas, 3 figuras, 5 tablas.[BACKGROUND]: Swimming in chlorinated pools involves exposure to disinfection by-products (DBPs) and has been associated with impaired respiratory health.[OBJECTIVES]: We evaluated short-term changes in several respiratory biomarkers to explore mechanisms of potential lung damage related to swimming pool exposure.[METHODS]: We measured lung function and biomarkers of airway inflammation (fractional exhaled nitric oxide –FeNO- and 8 cytokines and 1 growth factor (VEGF) in exhaled breath condensate), oxidative stress (8-isoprostane in exhaled breath condensate), and lung permeability (surfactant protein D -SPD- and the Clara cell secretory protein -CC16- in serum) in 48 healthy non-smoking adults before and after swimming for 40 min in a chlorinated indoor swimming pool. We measured trihalomethanes in exhaled breath as a marker of individual exposure to DBPs. Energy expenditure during swimming, atopy and CC16 genotype (rs3741240) was also determined.[RESULTS]: Median serum CC16 levels increased from 6.01 to 6.21 μg/L (average increase 3.3%, paired Wilcoxon test p = 0.03), regardless of atopic status and CC16 genotype. This increase was explained both by energy expenditure and different markers of DBP exposure in multivariate models. FeNO was unchanged overall but tended to decrease among atopics. We found no significant changes in lung function, SP-D, 8-isoprostane, 8 cytokines and VEGF.[CONCLUSIONS]: A slight increase in serum CC16, a marker of lung epithelium permeability, was detected in healthy adults after swimming in an indoor chlorinated pool. Exercise and DBP exposure explained this association, without involving inflammatory mechanisms. Further research is needed to confirm the results, establish the clinical relevance of short-term serum CC16 changes, and evaluate the long-term health impacts.Work funded by the projects SAF2005-07643-C03-01; CP06/00341; CP01/3058; SAF2007-62719, FISCP06/00341 and FI06/00651.Peer reviewe

The relation between paracetamol use and asthma:a GA2LEN European case-control study

Studies from the UK and USA suggest that frequent use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) may increase the risk of asthma, but data across Europe are lacking. As part of a multicentric case-control study organised by the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN), it was examined whether or not frequent paracetamol use is associated with adult asthma across Europe. The network compared 521 cases with a diagnosis of asthma and reporting of asthma symptoms within the last 12 months with 507 controls with no diagnosis of asthma and no asthmatic symptoms within the last 12 months across 12 European centres. All cases and controls were selected from the same population, defined by age (2045 yrs) and place of residence. In a random effects meta-analysis, weekly use of paracetamol, compared with less frequent use, was strongly positively associated with asthma after controlling for confounders. There was no evidence for heterogeneity across centres. No association was seen between use of other analgesics and asthma. These data add to the increasing and consistent epidemiological evidence implicating frequent paracetamol use in asthma in diverse populations

Associations between proximity to livestock farms, primary health care visits and self-reported symptoms

BACKGROUND: Living in a neighbourhood with a high density of livestock farms has been associated with adverse respiratory health effects, but less is known about healthcare utilisation. This study aimed at investigating the associations between livestock exposure and primary health care visits and self-reported symptoms. In addition, we examined the potentially confounding effect of distance from home to general practice. METHODS: Contact data between 2006 and 2009 were obtained from electronic medical records of 54,777 persons registered within 16 general practices in an area with a high density of livestock farms in the Netherlands. Data on self-reported symptoms were used from a cross-sectional sample of 531 patients in 2010. Livestock presence in a 500 m radius from home was computed using Geographic Information System data. RESULTS: In general, livestock exposure was associated with fewer contacts and self-reported symptoms for respiratory and other conditions. The number of poultry within 500 m was positively associated with the number of contacts. A longer distance to general practice was associated with fewer contacts, but did not confound associations. CONCLUSIONS: People living close to livestock farms less often see their general practitioner and report symptoms

Physical properties of Pseudomonas and Rhizomucor miehei lipase-catalyzed transesterified blends of palm stearin:palm kernel olein

The physical properties of Pseudomonas and Rhizomucor miehei lipase-catalyzed transesterified blends of palm stearin:palm kernel olein (PS:PKO), ranging from 40% palm stearin to 80% palm stearin in 10% increments, were analyzed for their slip melting points (SMP), solid fat content (SFC), melting thermograms, and polymorphic forms. The Pseudomonas lipase caused a greater decrease in SMP (15°C) in the PS:PKO (40:60) blend than the R. miehei lipase (10.5°C). Generally, all transesterified blends had lower SMP than their unreacted blends. Pseudomonas lipase-catalyzed blends at 40:60 and 50:50 ratio also showed complete melting at 37°C and 40°C, respectively, whereas for the R. miehei lipase-catalyzed 40:60 blend, a residual SFC of 3.9% was observed at 40°C. Randomization of fatty acids by Pseudomonas lipase also led to a greater decrease in SFC than the rearrangement of fatty acids by R. miehei lipase. Differential scanning calorimetry results confirmed this observation. Pseudomonas lipase also successfully changed the polymorphic forms of the unreacted blends from a predominantly β form to that of an exclusively β′ form. Both β and β′ forms existed in the R. miehei lipase-catalyzed reaction blends, with β′ being the dominant form

Evaluating housing quality, health and safety using an Internet-based data collection and response system: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Typically housing and health surveys are not integrated together and therefore are not representative of population health or national housing stocks. In addition, the existing channels for distributing information about housing and health issues to the general public are limited. The aim of this study was to develop a data collection and response system that would allow us to assess the Finnish housing stock from the points of view of quality, health and safety, and also to provide a tool to distribute information about important housing health and safety issues.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data collection and response system was tested with a sample of 3000 adults (one per household), who were randomly selected from the Finnish Population Register Centre. Spatial information about the exact location of the residences (i.e. coordinates) was included in the database inquiry. People could participate either by completing and returning a paper questionnaire or by completing the same questionnaire via the Internet. The respondents did not receive any compensation for their time in completing the questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This article describes the data collection and response system and presents the main results of the population-based testing of the system. A total of 1312 people (response rate 44%) answered the questionnaire, though only 80 answered via the Internet. A third of the respondents had indicated they wanted feedback. Albeit a majority (>90%) of the respondents reported being satisfied or quite satisfied with their residence, there were a number of prevalent housing issues identified that can be related to health and safety.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The collected database can be used to evaluate the quality of the housing stock in terms of occupant health and safety, and to model its association with occupant health and well-being. However, it must be noted that all the health outcomes gathered in this study are self-reported. A follow-up study is needed to evaluate whether the occupants acted on the feedback they received. Relying solely on an Internet-based questionnaire for collecting data would not appear to provide an adequate response rate for random population-based surveys at this point in time.</p

Effectiveness of Air Filters and Air Cleaners in Allergic Respiratory Diseases: A Review of the Recent Literature

Air filtration is frequently recommended as a component of environmental control measures for patients with allergic respiratory disease. Residential air filtration can be provided by whole house filtration via the home’s heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system, by portable room air cleaners, or a combination of the two. Appliances to filter the sleep breathing zone also have been developed. High-efficiency whole house filtration, high-efficiency particulate air sleep zone air filtration, and high-efficiency particulate air room air cleaners all appear to provide various degrees of benefit. Recent studies of various types of filtration, used alone or as part of more comprehensive environmental control measures, are reviewed