Environmental tobacco smoke exposure among infants, children and young people: now is no time to relax

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The Gift of Life: New Laws, Old Dilemmas, and the Future of Organ Procurement

In Ohio, the recent enactment of the required request law has already helped grieving families to grapple with a loved one\u27s death. Here and across the nation, modifications to organ donation statutes may provide the impetus to change the way a seemingly willing, but apprehensive population views organ donation. But the statutes governing this area are only one component of the fascinating concept of giving life through death. Because a wealth of material already exists detailing narrow aspects of this area, the purpose of this comment is to present the reader with an informative overview of organ donation as it currently exists. Part I of this comment discusses the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act and Ohio\u27s organ donation statute; Part II addresses the problems confronted in defining death; Part III examines the donation-transplant process; and, Part IV focuses on the future

The Edward\u27s Decision: The End of Creationism in Our Public Schools?

Although many previous cases addressing this issue have gained national attention perhaps no other issue since the famous Scope\u27s monkey trial has raised as much controversy as Louisiana\u27s adoption of the Creationism Act. Now, one thing is certain; when Susie\u27s dad asks her what she learned in school today, she most certainly won\u27t reply that she learned about creationism in science class. The Supreme Court\u27s recent ruling\u27 has insured that the separation between church and state in our public schools will remain. This casenote attempts to examine that ruling, its relationship to similar cases and its impact in the future of the public school\u27s curriculu

Tobacco exposure inhibits SPLUNC1-dependent antimicrobial activity

Background: Tobacco smoke exposure impairs the lung´s innate immune response, leading to an increased risk of chronic infections. SPLUNC1 is a secreted, multifunctional innate defense protein that has antimicrobial activity against Gram negative organisms. We hypothesize that tobacco smoke-induced SPLUNC1 dysfunction contributes to the observed defect in innate immunity in tobacco smokers and that this dysfunction can be used as a potential biomarker of harm. Methods: We collected sputum from never-smokers and otherwise healthy smokers. We performed Western blotting to determine SPLUNC1 levels and determined antimicrobial activity against nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae. An in vitro exposure model was utilized to measure the effect of tobacco exposure on human bronchial epithelial culture (HBEC) antimicrobial activity against H. influenzae. The direct effects of cigarette and little cigar smoke exposure on SPLUNC1 function was determined using 24 h growth measurements and LPS binding assays. Results: H. influenzae growth in cigarette smoker´s sputum was significantly greater compared to never-smokers sputum over 24 h. HBEC supernatants and lysates contained significantly higher numbers of H. influenzae following chronic cigarette and little cigar smoke exposure compared to air-exposed controls. Furthermore, SPLUNC1´s antimicrobial activity and LPS-binding capability against both H. influenzae and P. aeruginosa was attenuated following cigarette and little cigar exposure. Conclusions: These data suggest that cigarette and little cigar exposure impairs SPLUNC1´s antimicrobial ability and that this inhibition may serve as a novel biomarker of harm that can be used to assess the toxicity of commercial tobacco products.Fil: Moore, Patrick J.. University of North Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Sesma, Juliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Alexis, Neil E.. University of North Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Tarran, Robert. University of North Carolina; Estados Unido

The sustainability in fashion: a systematic literature review on slow fashion

A reflexive movement around the universe of fashion shows alternatives to combat unrestrained consumption. The weakening of textile resources found in nature, and the devaluation of local production, seeking significantly, attributes that are applicable amid problematization caused since obtaining products. fashion items until their disposal. The slow fashion movement appears as a counterpoint to the fast-fashion model, seeking to add value in a rational way to clothing items in the globalized market, inserting sustainability as the main propagator of this dynamic that grows in a dizzying way over time. Thus, the objective of this research is to identify how slow fashion has been discussed in academic research. For this, a systematic literature search was carried from its first publication, in 2008, until the year 2019. The research is classified as descriptive with a qualitative-quantitative approach. As a result, 105 papers were obtained, ranging from articles in journals and congresses to master\u27s thesis and doctoral dissertations. It is a review of literature on how this topic is being disseminated amid the informational flow of fashion and its easy democratic access and debate, as well as the systematization of data that prove its existence and its interfaces that are relevant in business competitive level. About the results, we identified mostly qualitative research, focusing on the conceptual development of the area until at least mid-2017, with a change to practice during the year 2019, with exponential growth in recent years, especially in countries like Brazil and United States. It was also possible to define the term movement to characterize slow fashion, as well as to determine a holistic concept that better defines the vision of researchers in the area, with special focus on the works of Kate Fletcher. With this review, the necessary knowledge is exposed to deal with the subject in question and expand this theme in other areas that are appropriate to it

Seasonal Change in Countermovement Jump Performance in NCAA Women’s Golfers

Background of Study: The countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) task has been reported to have positive associations with golf-specific performance variables. Additionally, the CMJ is commonly used to assess neuromuscular fatigue in athletic populations. Objective: Thus, this investigation sought to examine the changes in CMJ performance throughout a competitive season in NCAA collegiate women’s golfers. Methods: Using a longitudinal study design, six collegiate women golfers completed three sessions (pre, mid, and post) of CMJ testing during the spring competition period. During each testing session, two successful jump trials were collected using a portable force platform sampling at 1000 Hz. During each trial, an arm swing was restricted by the use of a dowel placed across the upper back. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine if differences were present between testing sessions. Results: Propulsive net impulse significantly increased from pre to mid (p 0.05) and pre to post (p 0.05). No other variables showed a statistically significant change over the duration of the study, though moderate effect size increases were in countermovement depth from pre to mid-testing (0.73) and jump height from pre to post-testing (0.72). Conclusions: These findings support previous findings of an increase in vertical jump performance over the course of a season in collegiate golfers, though strategies for maximal performance may shift

Systematic comparison of bacterial feeding strains for increased yield of Caenorhabditis elegans males by RNA interference-induced non-disjunction

AbstractRare Caenorhabditis elegans males arise when sex chromosome non-disjunction occurs during meiosis in self-fertilizing hermaphrodites. Non-disjunction is a relatively rare event, and males are typically observed at a frequency of less than one in five hundred wild-type animals. Males are required for genetic crosses and phenotypic analysis, yet current methods to generate large numbers of males can be cumbersome. Here, we identify RNAi reagents (dsRNA-expressing bacteria) with improved effectiveness for eliciting males. Specifically, we used RNAi to systematically reduce the expression of over two hundred genes with meiotic chromosome segregation functions, and we identified a set of RNAi reagents that robustly and reproducibly elicited male progeny

Síntomas músculo esqueléticos y percepción de calidad de vida en salud en trabajadores de una curtiembre.

The individual perception of quality of life in relation to health (QLH) may be related to physical disorders such as musculoskeletal disorders (MED), which may be a risk factor triggering diseases, creating economic impact due to absenteeism work. Objective: Establish the relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) and perceived QLH among workers at a tannery. Methodology: Observational descriptive study in 56 workers in a tannery, Valle del Cauca. Two questionnaires were used in the date’s recollection: The Nordic to identify the presence of MSS and the SF-36 to assess the QLH. Potential associations between QLH dimensions and MSS were explored. Results: MSS most prevalent was pain in neck (60.7%), followed by back pain (58.9%) and wrist pain (48.2%). QLH dimensions more affected were Healt transition (53.6%), General Health (26.8%) and Body Pain (19.6%). A high risk workers relationated with Mental Health, the MED prevalence were Lumbar Pain (32,1%), Wrist Pain (26,8%) and Shoulder Pain (23,2%). A medium and high risk workers relationated with Physical Health were Lumbar Pain (23,2%), Neck Pain (19,6%) and Shoulder Pain (14,3%). Conclusion: According to the results the study establishes relationship between the presence of MSS and QLH.La percepción individual de calidad de vida en relación a la salud (CVS) puede estar relacionada con alteraciones físicas como desórdenes musculo esqueléticos (DME), lo cual puede convertirse en un factor de riesgo desencadenante de enfermedades profesionales, generando repercusiones económicas relacionadas con el ausentismo laboral. Objetivo: Establecer la relación entre los síntomas músculo esqueléticos (SME) y la percepción de CVS en los trabajadores de una Curtiembre. Metodología: Estudio observacional descriptivo en 56 trabajadores de una Curtiembre del Valle del Cauca. Para la recolección de datos se utilizaron los cuestionarios: Nórdico, que identifica presencia de SME; y el SF-36, que evalúa la CVS. Se exploró la relación de las dimensiones de calidad de vida y los SME. Resultados: El DME de mayor prevalencia fue Dolor a Nivel de Cuello (60,7%), seguido por Dolor Lumbar (58,9%) y Dolor en Muñecas (48,2%). Las dimensiones más afectadas de la CVS fueron: Transición en Salud (53,6%), Salud General (26,8%) y Dolor Corporal (19,6%). En los trabajadores con riesgo Alto en las esferas relacionadas con la Salud Mental, los SME de mayor prevalencia fueron de Dolor Lumbar (32,1%), Dolor en Muñecas (26,8%) y Dolor en Hombros (23,2%). Se presentó mayor prevalencia de Dolor Lumbar (23,2%), seguido de Dolor en Cuello (19,6%) y Dolor en Hombros (14,3%) en Riesgo Medio y Alto en las esferas relacionadas con la Salud Física. Conclusiones: Según estos resultados existe una relación entre los SME y la percepción de CVS

Coronary Artery Remodeling in a Model of Left Ventricular Pressure Overload is Influenced by Platelets and Inflammatory Cells

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is usually accompanied by intensive interstitial and perivascular fibrosis, which may contribute to arrhythmogenic sudden cardiac death. The mechanisms underlying the development of cardiac fibrosis are incompletely understood. To investigate the role of perivascular inflammation in coronary artery remodeling and cardiac fibrosis during hypertrophic ventricular remodeling, we used a well-established mouse model of LVH (transverse aortic constriction [TAC]). Three days after pressure overload, macrophages and T lymphocytes accumulated around and along left coronary arteries in association with luminal platelet deposition. Consistent with these histological findings, cardiac expression of IL-10 was upregulated and in the systemic circulation, platelet white blood cell aggregates tended to be higher in TAC animals compared to sham controls. Since platelets can dynamically modulate perivascular inflammation, we investigated the impact of thrombocytopenia on the response to TAC. Immunodepletion of platelets decreased early perivascular T lymphocytes\u27 accumulation and altered subsequent coronary artery remodeling. The contribution of lymphocytes were examined in Rag1(-/-) mice, which displayed significantly more intimal hyperplasia and perivascular fibrosis compared to wild-type mice following TAC. Collectively, our studies support a role of early perivascular accumulation of platelets and T lymphocytes in pressure overload-induced inflammation

An app-, web- and social support-based weight loss intervention for adults with obesity: the HelpMeDoIt! feasibility RCT

Background: Finding solutions to rising levels of obesity continues to be a major public health focus. Social support has an important role in successful weight loss, and digital interventions can reach a large proportion of the population at low cost. Objective: To develop and assess the feasibility and acceptability of an application (app), web- and social support-based intervention in supporting adults with obesity to achieve weight loss goals. Design: Stage 1 – intervention development phase involved three focus groups (n = 10) with users, and think-aloud interviews and field testing with another group (n = 28). Stage 2 – the intervention and evaluation methods were explored in a feasibility randomised controlled trial with economic and process evaluation. Setting: Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK. Participants: Adults with a body mass index of ≥ 30kg/m2 who owned a smartphone and were interested in losing weight were randomised 2 : 1 (intervention : control) and followed up at 12 months. Recruitment took place in April–October 2016. Interventions: The intervention group had access to HelpMeDoIt! for 12 months. This encouraged them to (1) set goals, (2) monitor progress and (3) harness social support by inviting ‘helpers’ from their existing social network. The control group received a healthy lifestyle leaflet. Main outcome measures: Data from stage 1 informed the intervention design. Key measures in stage 2 assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and trial methods against prespecified progression criteria. Three primary outcomes were explored: body mass index, diet and physical activity. Secondary outcomes included weight, waist and hip circumference, social support, self-efficacy, motivation, mental health, health-related quality of life, NHS resource use, participant-borne costs and intervention costs. Qualitative interviews with participants (n = 26) and helpers (n = 9) explored the feasibility and acceptability of the trial methods and intervention. Results: Stage 1 produced (1) a website that provided evidence-based information for lifestyle change and harnessing social support, and (2) an app that facilitated goal-setting, self-monitoring and supportive interaction between participants and their helper(s). Progression criteria were met, demonstrating that the intervention and trial methods were feasible and acceptable. A total of 109 participants (intervention, n = 73; control, n = 36) were recruited, with 84 participants (77%: intervention, 71%; control, 89%) followed up at 12 months. Data were successfully collected for most outcome measures (≥ 82% completion). Participants and helpers were generally positive, although helper engagement with the app was low. Of the 54 (74%) participants who downloaded the app, 48 (89%) used it twice or more, 28 helpers enrolled via the app, and 19 (36%) participants interacted with their helper(s) via the app. Interview data indicated that HelpMeDoIt! prompted support from helpers that often occurred without the helpers using the app. Limitations: Early technical problems meant that some participants and helpers had difficulty accessing the app. Ethical constraints meant that we were unable to contact helpers directly for interview. Conclusions: The HelpMeDoIt! study demonstrated that a weight loss intervention delivered via an app and a website is feasible and acceptable. Progression criteria were met, supporting further evaluation of the intervention. Future work: To further explore (1) the motivation and engagement of helpers, (2) the programme theory and (3) the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN85615983. Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research programme and will be published in full in Public Health Research; Vol. 8, No. 3. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information