Advanced paternal age effects in neurodevelopmental disorders?review of potential underlying mechanisms

Multiple epidemiological studies suggest a relationship between advanced paternal age (APA) at conception and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring, particularly with regard to increased risk for autism and schizophrenia. Conclusive evidence about how age-related changes in paternal gametes, or age-independent behavioral traits affect neural development is still lacking. Recent evidence suggests that the origins of APA effects are likely to be multidimensional, involving both inherited predisposition and de novo events. Here we provide a review of the epidemiological and molecular findings to date. Focusing on the latter, we present the evidence for genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underpinning the association between late fatherhood and disorder in offspring. We also discuss the limitations of the APA literature. We propose that different hypotheses relating to the origins of the APA effects are not mutually exclusive. Instead, multiple mechanisms likely contribute, reflecting the etiological complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders

Traditional use of the Andean flicker (Colaptes rupicola) as a galactagogue in the Peruvian Andes

This paper explores the use of the dried meat and feathers of the Andean Flicker (Colaptes rupicola) to increase the milk supply of nursing women and domestic animals in the Andes. The treatment is of preColumbian origin, but continues to be used in some areas, including the village in the southern Peruvian highlands where I do ethnographic research. I explore the factors giving rise to and sustaining the practice, relate it to other galactagogues used in the Andes and to the use of birds in ethnomedical and ethnoveterinary treatments in general, and situate it within the general tendency in the Andes and elsewhere to replicate human relations in the treatment of valuable livestock. The bird's use as a galactagogue appears to be motivated by both metaphorical associations and its perceived efficacy, and conceptually blends human and animal healthcare domains

Colorectal cancer prevention for low-income, sociodemographically-diverse adults in public housing: baseline findings of a randomized controlled trial

Background: This paper presents the study design, intervention components, and baseline data from Open Doors to Health, a study designed to address social contextual factors in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention for low-income, racial/ethnic minority populations. Methods: A cluster randomized design with 12 housing sites as the primary sampling units was used: 6 sites were assigned to a Peer-led plus Screening Access (PL) condition, and 6 were assigned to Screening Access only (SCR) condition. Study-related outcomes were CRC screening, physical activity (measured as mean steps/day), and multivitamin use. Results: At baseline (unweighted sample size = 1554), two-thirds self-reported that they were current with screening recommendations for CRC (corrected for medical records validation, prevalence was 52%), with half having received a colonoscopy (54%); 96% had health insurance. Mean steps per day was 5648 (se mean = 224), and on average 28% of the sample reported regular multivitamin use. Residents reported high levels of social support [mean = 4.40 (se = .03)] and moderately extensive social networks [mean = 2.66 (se = .02)]. Conclusion: Few studies have conducted community-based studies in public housing communities; these data suggest areas for improvement and future opportunities for intervention development and dissemination. Findings from the randomized trial will determine the effectiveness of the intervention on our health-related outcomes as well as inform future avenues of research

WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS IN NETWORK AND PRIVATE STORAGE TANKS IN INTERMITTENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

In countries suffering from chronic water shortages, water distribution systems are often operated on an intermittent basis. As a consequence, the network is involved by cyclical filling and emptying periods causing water quality degradation. During the emptying period, the distribution system is unpressurised and it may occur that pollutants move into the network. Moreover, the stagnation period can promote microbial growth. For this reason water is usually heavily chlorinated in order to maintain it potable. Due to intermittent water service users acquire private tanks, which are used for collecting water during serviced periods and distributing it when public service is not available. The tanks can greatly affect water quality and safety. The present paper aims to assess the water quality variation in a complex hydraulic system such as an intermittent distribution network with private tanks. The water quality parameters, such as residual chlorine concentration, were evaluated inside the network and at the point-of-use, downstream of the private tank, in order to evaluate the fate of disinfectants in the network and the potential risk for the users. A network simulation model was implemented, taking into account the private tanks filling and emptying process. The model was applied to one district in Palermo distribution network (Italy) where data were available both at the tap and in the network

Impact of rainfall data resolution in time and space on the urban flooding evaluation

ABSTRACT Climate change and the modification of urban environment increase the frequency and the impact of flooding rising the interest of researchers and practitioners on this topic. Usually flooding frequency analysis in urban areas are indirectly carried out by adopting advanced hydraulic models to simulate long historical rainfall series or design storms. However their results are affected by a grade of uncertainty which has been much investigated in recent years. One of the most critical source of uncertainty inherent to hydraulic model results is linked to the imperfect knowledge of the rainfall input data both in time and space. Several studies show that hydrological modelling in urban area needs that rainfall data have fine resolution in time and space. The present study aims to analyse the effect of the resolution of rainfall input both in space and in time. The analysis used flooding depths and damage as references to assess the impact of rainfall knowledge on urban flooding modelling results. To this aims, with regard to a case study, the maximum efficiency conditions for the model and the uncertainty affecting urban flooding modelling results were evaluated by the means of GLUE analysis and the added value provided by the adoption of finer temporal and spatial resolutions were assessed

PUMP AS TURBINE (PAT) IN INTERMITTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

A hydraulic model was performed in order to evaluate potential energy recovery resulting by the use of centrifugal pump as turbines (PAT) in the water distribution network characterized by the presence of private tanks. The model integrates the Enhanced Global Gradient Algorithm (EGGA) (Todini [1], Giustolisi et al. [2]), with a pressure driven model (Criminisi et al. [3]) that entails a more realistic representation of the influence of the private tanks filling and emptying process in the network behaviour. The model was applied to real case study: a district metered area in Palermo (Italy). Namely three different scenarios were analyzed and compared with the actual scenario (Scenario 0 - no PAT installed) to identify the system configuration with PAT that permit the major energy power recovery without penalizing the network hydraulic performances. The centralized solution with a single PAT installed downstream the inlet node of the analysed district was the best solution

Urban drainage and sustainable cities: how to achieve flood resilient societies?

This paper tries to describe the main developments of urban flood forecasting and modelling. Currently, several new technologies are available for flood monitoring, modelling and mitigation and several paradigms suggest the adoption of greener approaches to urban storm water management. These tools and new approaches can be easily adaptable to new developments where the entire urban drainage system can be suited to follow a more sustainable way to drain storm water. The challenge for the future is instead aimed to apply this new philosophy to existing urban areas where the application of new tools and technologies requires high costs and such approaches have to be prepared by constructing a flood resilient society by means of education and capillary information

CONFRONTO TRA UN MODELLO DINAMICO ED UNO STAZIONARIO NELLA VALUTAZIONE DELLE PERDITE REALI ED APPARENTI DI UNA RETE DI DISTRIBUZIONE

Nel presente articolo è stato applicato un modello dinamico di simulazione idraulica delle reti di distribuzione per la valutazione delle perdite idriche reali ed apparenti. Sono stati sviluppati uno modello di domanda al nodo che simula i serbatoi privati ed un modulo per la stima delle perdite apparenti. Le perdite reali sono state modellate attraverso una relazione generale che esprime la portata effluente dalla perdita come una funzione della pressione. I risultati ottenuti sono stati confrontati con le stime modellistiche basate su di un approccio stazionario