The Association of Urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Biomarkers and Markers of Inflammation, Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are potent atmospheric pollutants, released into air during incomplete combustion of fuel, industrial or domestic coal, wood, cigarette smoke and other organic materials. In addition to being carcinogenic, several animal studies have reported positive associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and inflammation, oxidative stress and the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Occupational studies have reported positive associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Moreover, there is evidence that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may cause disruption of the endocrine system. It is still not clear if lower background exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, independent of the adverse health effects of smoking, is associated with increased risk of inflammation, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in the general population. We examined participants from the merged National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-02, 2003-2004, and 2005-2006. Our exposures of interest were eight urinary monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and our outcomes were serum markers of systemic inflammation, including: serum C-reactive protein and total white blood cell count, diabetes mellitus and self-reported cardiovascular disease. Urinary biomarkers of the low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were found to be positively associated with serum C-reactive protein, total white blood cell count and diabetes mellitus independent of potential confounders. Levels of 1-hydroxypyrene, the urinary metabolite of the higher molecular weight PAH, pyrene, showed a less strong association with serum C-reactive protein and diabetes mellitus. The evidence on the association between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and self-reported cardiovascular disease was limited, only 1-hydroxynapthalene, summed biomarkers of low molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and 1- hydroxypyrene showed statistically significant positive associations with cardiovascular disease independent of potential confounders. In conclusion, this study provides evidence on the positive association of background exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and serum C-reactive protein, total white blood cell count, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Further prospective studies are needed to replicate or refute our findings

Cellulose Nanocrystals as \u27Green\u27 Emulsifiers Stabilized Crude Oil in Water Emulsions

This study examines the ability of CNC to stabilize crude o/w Pickering emulsions. The effects of concentration of CNC, ionic strength of the aqueous phase, volume fraction of crude oil to water, and the presence of divalent ions on the stability of crude o/w emulsions were examined. Emulsions stabilized with different concentrations of CNC vary from 0.1 to 1.0wt% were prepared and examined by visual assessment for creaming analysis and microscopic pictures to analyze droplet size and size distribution. Low concentration of CNC as 0.1wt% didn’t help with forming stable emulsions. As the concentration of CNC stabilized the emulsions increased, the stability of emulsions over time increased because of the ability of CNC particles to fully cover and pack the oil water interface and therefore prevent coalescence. Samples were analyzed and the change in stability of emulsions upon storage was studied by analyzing microscopic pictures and by visual assessment of creaming behavior through a period of time up to 32 hours. Emulsions were prepared with different ionic strength of NaCl varying from 0.3 to 1.9M. Solutions with higher ionic strength formed more stable emulsions against coalescence by decreasing droplet diameter and the rate of growth of droplets with time. On the other hand, higher ionic strength shofaster creaming and a more creamed aqueous phase. API brine and Synthetic seawater stabilized emulsions sholess stability of emulsions due to the presence of divalent ions Ca2+ and Mg2+ ,which may reduce repulsive forces between droplet and cause coalescence

Quality prediction in manufacturing system design.

Manufacturing system design can significantly affect the resulting product quality level. Therefore, the early prediction of product quality, as affected by manufacturing system configuration decisions, can enhance the manufacturer\u27s competitiveness through achieving higher quality levels at lower costs in a responsive manner. In this research, a conceptual framework is proposed for the proactive assessment of product quality in terms of the manufacturing system configuration parameters. A new comprehensive model that can be used in comparing different system configurations based on quality is developed using Analytic Hierarchy Process. In addition, a hierarchical fuzzy inference system is developed to model the ill-defined relation between manufacturing system design parameters and the resulting product quality. This model is capable of mapping the considered manufacturing system configuration parameters into a Configuration Capability Indicator (CCI), expressed in terms of sigma capability level, which can be compared to the benchmark Six Sigma capability. The developed models have been applied to several case studies (Test Parts ANC-90 and ANC-101, Cylinder Head Part Family, Gearbox Housing, Rack Bar Machining, and Siemens Jeep Intake Manifold) with different configuration scenarios for illustration and verification. The results demonstrate the capabilities of the CCI in comparing different system configurations from quality point of view and in supporting the decision-making during the early stages of manufacturing system development. The included application of the developed models emphasized that high quality levels can be achieved by investigating all the improvement opportunities and it is recommended that efforts should be directed in the first place to design the system with high defect prevention capability. This can be achieved by using highly capable processes, implementation of mistake proofing techniques, as well as minimizing variability due to parallel processing and variation stack up. Considering the relationship between quality and complexity, it has been concluded that the CCI represents the time-independent real complexity of a system configuration. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the product complexity adversely affects the resulting product quality. Therefore, it is recommended that high product quality levels can be achieved not only by using highly capable system configurations, but also by minimizing the product complexity during the design stage.Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2006 .N33. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: B, page: 4035. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2006

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish oil) and cardioprotective benefits

The omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found in seafood (especially fatty fish) and supplements. The lipid content and fatty acid profile vary greatly among different fish species. Fish oil supplements are generally safe, and the risk of toxicity with methylmercury, an environmental toxin found in fish, is minimal .A wide range of studies show an inverse relationship between marine n-3 fatty acids (EPA + DHA) consumption and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction and stroke.Omega-3 fatty acids are cardioprotective mainly due to the modulation of a number of known risk factors for CVD: improving endothelial function, lowering blood pressure and lowering triglycerides. In this review we examine the various studies that have evaluated the role of fish oil in cardiovascular disease

Morphological and molecular evaluation of some Egyptian pomegranate cultivars

Six Egyptian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars were characterized by fruit characteristics (physical and chemical) and two molecular markers; Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Genetic diversity of the pomegranate genotypes was evaluated. Physical fruit traits were determined (weight, volume and diameter), calyx [diameter, length (mm) and Carpels number], fruit firmness (Newton), peel as (weight and thickness), arils weight (g), volume of juice (ml), seeds [fresh and dry weight (g)], and color parameter of (fruit skin, internal peel, arils, juice and seeds). The chemical traits such as soluble solids contents (SSC), vitamin C content, anthocyanin content, pH, and titratable acidity (TA) were assessed and wide variations were observed in each of these traits among the studied cultivars. The genetic variability and relationships among six Egyptian pomegranate cultivars were tested using ISSR and AFLP analyses. The level of polymorphism across cultivars was 53 and 90.7% as revealed by ISSR and AFLP, respectively. ISSR and AFLP revealed different genetic similarities among the six pomegranate cultivars. Each analysis differs not only in its underlying principle, but also in their in-formativeness with regard to the type and amount of polymorphism detected. Genetic similarity matrices estimated from ISSR and AFLP data, showed similarity coefficients to range from 0.77 to 0.94 and 0.33 to 0.73, respectively. ISSR and AFLP characterized the six pomegranate cultivars by a large number of unique markers being 23 and 46 unique markers, respectively. The fruit weight ranged between 479.4 to 185 g of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and ʻAssuityʼ, the firmness was 79.98 of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and 71.84 Newton of ʻManfaloutyʼ cv. The fruit peel thickness varied from 0.6 mm ʻArabyʼ, ʻHegazyʼ and ʻWardiʼ to 0.3 mm ʻAssuityʼ. The arils weight ranged from 87.5 to 275 g of ʻAssuityʼ and ʻNab El Gamalʼ cvs. The percentage net of arils weight/ fruit weight was the highest (59.34% of ʻManfaloutyʼ cv). The juice volume ranged from 62.41 to 71.81 ml/100 g arils for ʻ Wardiʼ and ʻNab El Gamalʼ cvs. The SSC content ranged between 16.01 ʻHegazyʼ and 12.55% ʻAssuityʼ. V.C. content ranged from 3.21 to 14 mg. vitamin/100 ml juice of ʻNab El Gamalʼ and ʻAssuityʼ. The anthocyanin content ranged from 1.47 to 10.03 for ʻArabyʼ and ʻHegazyʼ. The pH values varied from 3.3 (Wardi) to 2.9 (Araby). The Egyptain cultivars of pomegranate have a wide variation in the morphological and chemical characteristics for many uses of fresh fruit and of industry purpose.Keywords: Morphological and chemical fruits characterization, pomegranate, inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR), DNA markers, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(2), pp. 226-237, 8 January, 201

Development of a risk response model to handle delays of construction projects in the United Arab Emirates.

Due to the complex nature of construction projects, delay risks are more widespread in the construction sector than elsewhere. This poses a problem for the industry, since it is already at risk because of the recent global economic recession. Indeed, the financial crisis in late 2008 arrested economic development in the construction sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the result that investors confidence in the sector is severely depressed. In this situation, effective risk response is urgently required, since it aims to ensure that all project objectives, including avoiding delays, are met. In itself, the risk response process is a core element of risk management and perhaps the most important area needs to be improved. The aim of the research work that underpins this thesis was to develop a model for effective risk response to help in controlling delay risks. First, the strengths and weaknesses of current risk response processes have been analysed through a comprehensive critical literature review. Common causes of delay risks have been identified and various traditional measures used for their control have been critically reviewed. The greatest deficiencies in all published measures of delay risks control in construction projects are related to the lack of risk response development and appropriate measures (preventative/mitigating), within the risk management process. From the literature review it was also possible to identify the most appropriate methodology to adopt for the current research. A robust research methodology was then outlined which involved a questionnaire survey, case studies and interviews to confirm the literature review results and to achieve the research objectives. The questionnaire was piloted with nine construction professionals in the UAE for its suitability with the envisaged sample. After the pilot the questionnaire was refined then administered in 35 construction, consultancy, and contracting companies, attracting 102 usable responses. The results of the questionnaire confirmed the literature review results. Accordingly, six case studies from three companies were identified and supplemented by face-to-face interview, documents and direct observations. This strategy allowed the research evidence to be triangulated and thus the researcher to be more confident in testing a particular concept or theory. From the results it emerged that most organisations have immature project management systems and poor risk response processes. Hence, 22 Key Success Factors (KSFs) of preventative measures and 15 KSFs of mitigation measures were identified to achieve risk response development by maturity levels in the pre-construction stage and in the construction stage, respectively. The analysis of the case studies revealed the great potential for employing five KSFs of mitigation measures in the risk response development to control delay risks. Having considered these outcomes a risk response development model to control delay risks has been outlined. The model has been carefully validated, both theoretically and in practical terms, through the discussions with interviewees from the selected case studies. The interviewees agreed on the practicality of the model to identify the risk response development, however it is recommended that the project risk event severity and the company capability would need to be taken into account, and the demand to format the test stage for the maturity levels at the transition stages (Disciplinary, Consistency, Integration, and Optimisation) to achieve the effectiveness and the transparency of the model. Based on the validation, it is anticipated that by developing the risk response model, the process itself will be more objective, particularly in delay risks control. The study brings forward findings that can be promoted as the means to enhance opportunities to control delay risks, and benefit practitioners in the UAE given that so far, there has been no model of risk response development by maturity levels for delay risks control. Moreover, one of the unique features of the study is the creation of new knowledge by focusing on the UAE. At the same time, the use of maturity modeling to handle construction delay risks provides new knowledge for a wider audience

Research Collaborator, how do i find thee?

Expert finding systems assist researchers to automatically find a particular research collaborator. The problem of these systems is that they identify experts based on content of documents linked to the experts (system–centered perspective) and neglect the human interaction perspective, which includes the factors that affect collaborator selection decision in real life. This study examined factors that might affect researchers\u27 decision to collaborate with a particular research collaborator in the university context. Moreover, it investigated how expert finding systems designers can integrate these factors with current expert finding systems in the university context to retrieve the suitable research collaborator. The contribution of this study is the proposed model of collaborator selection criteria which can be integrated with current expert finding systems to improve their effectiveness. The model is based on scientific and technical human capital (STHC) model and social capital theory (SCT)

El rumor en los medios de comunicación y redes sociales en Marruecos

54 páginas.Trabajo de Máster Oficial Interuniversitario en Comunicación y Educación Audiovisual (2021/22). Tutor: Ignacio Aguaded Gómez. Al final, se puede decir que he intentado, en la medida de lo posible, exponer los rumores en los medios y sitios web, la comunicación social, y el alcance de su impacto en la sociedad en general y en la sociedad marroquí en particular, a través del objetivo que motivó este estudio desde el principio y también a través de las cuestiones tribales básicas que nos hicieron proponernos investigar sobre este tema, y a través de algunos ejemplos reales de la realidad vivida y actual a través de los medios de comunicación actuales, que resultó ser el mayor porcentaje utilizado por los marroquíes, incluso a nivel mundial, además de su gran contribución a la difusión de rumores de manera significativa y amplia en medio de la encuesta que revelamos a través del estudio que realizamos y estamos buscando el porcentaje, de uso de esta categoría de medios, como el más popular, el más fácil de usar y el más agradable de usar, entre diferentes grupos de edad. El papel de la ciudadanía tuvo la mayor participación a través de su aporte y ayuda en la difusión de rumores, por lo que fue necesario incluir un conjunto de soluciones y propuestas que ayuden a superar estas peligrosas olas, y así liberar a la ciudadanía de restricciones y noticias falsas, así como los bolígrafos que se destacaron por su credibilidad para contribuir a enfrentar este flagelo electrónico que ha sido conocido a lo largo de los tiempos y que ha ido evolucionando con el devenir de los tiempos, al abordarlo difundiendo la verdad y asignando organismos especializados afiliados únicamente para investigar y detener la mentira y la sedición, con el fin de restaurar la credibilidad y la privacidad de cada una de las prensas por un lado y por otro lado para aquellos canales y páginas objetivo que contienen contenido significativo, Ayuda al público, especialmente a la juventud, a conocer la verdad, y por eso sembró el amor por el descubrimiento y la investigación sobre los hechos con un esfuerzo personal para construir una generación que defienda la verdad y elimine los rumores y quienes los difunden. , como dice Michael Medved: “son capaces de redefinir la normalidad.

An investigation into the reasons for low attendance at Glo Premier League Matches in Ghana: A focus on Accra Sports Stadium

Thesis submitted to the Department of Business Administration, Ashesi University College, in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, April 2013The football industry is one of the strongest industries in the world. It is capital intensive but boasts high revenues. Its impact on a nation is politically beneficial, socially beneficial and economically beneficial. The Ghanaian Professional League - Glo Premier League is one that is not living up to its potential. This research seeks to delve into the Glo Premier League and investigate the problems associated with it and that which causes the low stadium attendance at football matchesAshesi University Colleg