A field-deployable digital acoustic measurement system

A field deployable digital acoustic measurement system was developed to support acoustic research programs at the Langley Research Center. The system digitizes the acoustic inputs at the microphone, which can be located up to 1000 feet from the van which houses the acquisition, storage, and analysis equipment. Digitized data from up to 12 microphones is recorded on high density 8mm tape and is analyzed post-test by a microcomputer system. Synchronous and nonsynchronous sampling is available with maximum sample rates of 12,500 and 40,000 samples per second respectively. The high density tape storage system is capable of storing 5 gigabytes of data at transfer rates up to 1 megabyte per second. System overall dynamic range exceeds 83 dB

Design and evaluation of a filter spectrometer concept for facsimile cameras

The facsimile camera is an optical-mechanical scanning device which was selected as the imaging system for the Viking '75 lander missions to Mars. A concept which uses an interference filter-photosensor array to integrate a spectrometric capability with the basic imagery function of this camera was proposed for possible application to future missions. This paper is concerned with the design and evaluation of critical electronic circuits and components that are required to implement this concept. The feasibility of obtaining spectroradiometric data is demonstrated, and the performance of a laboratory model is described in terms of spectral range, angular and spectral resolution, and noise-equivalent radiance

Prevalence of working smoke alarms in local authority inner city housing: randomised controlled trial

Objectives To identify which type of smoke alarm is most likely to remain working in local authority inner city housing, and to identify an alarm tolerated in households with smokers. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting Two local authority housing estates in inner London. Participants 2145 households. Intervention Installation of one of five types of smoke alarm (ionisation sensor with a zinc battery; ionisation sensor with a zinc battery and pause button; ionisation sensor with a lithium battery and pause button; optical sensor with a lithium battery; or optical sensor with a zinc battery). Main outcome measure Percentage of homes with any working alarm and percentage in which the alarm installed for this study was working after 15 months. Results 54.4% (1166/2145) of all households and 45.9% (465/1012) of households occupied by smokers had a working smoke alarm. Ionisation sensor, lithium battery, and there being a smoker in the household were independently associated with whether an alarm was working (adjusted odds ratios 2.24 (95% confidence interval 1.75 to 2.87), 2.20 (1.77 to 2.75), and 0.62 (0.52 to 0.74)). The most common reasons for non-function were missing battery (19%), missing alarm (17%), and battery disconnected (4%). Conclusions Nearly half of the alarms installed were not working when tested 15 months later. Type of alarm and power source are important determinants of whether a household had a working alarm

Androgenic alopecia; the risk–benefit ratio of Finasteride

Finasteride is currently approved and largely used as a therapeutic option for androgenetic alopecia. Apparently a safe drug and effective at the onset of its application, several concerns have since appeared over the years regarding the frequency and magnitude of finasteride adverse effects, which in some cases appear irreversible even after drug termination. This paper discusses the use of finasteride for androgenic alopecia from two distinct perspectives. On the one hand, androgenic alopecia is a condition that especially affects a person’s self-image and esteem, aspects that are subjectively-constructed and thus relative and changeable. On the other hand, this condition involves a multifactorial etiology, with androgens being only partly responsible. Because androgens have important and unique physiological roles within the body, any procedure that results in androgenic suppression should be advised with caution. Furthermore, adverse effects induced by finasteride are neither fully documented nor easily treated. Finally, as alternative therapeutic approaches (such as topical finasteride) become available, the oral administration of finasteride for androgenic alopecia should, in our opinion, be reevaluated. Due to such concerns, a detailed and informed discussion should take place with patients considering therapy with finasteride for androgenic alopecia

Aromatic hydrocarbons as ozone precursors before and after outbreak of the 2008 financial crisis in the Pearl River Delta region, south China

In the second half of 2008 China's highly industrialized Pearl River Delta (PRD) region was hard-hit by the financial crisis (FC). This study reports volatile organic compounds measured in the PRD during November-December in both 2007 before the FC and 2008 after the FC. While total mixing ratios of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) on average were only about 7% lower from 40.2 ppbv in 2007 to 37.5 ppbv in 2008, their ozone formation potentials (OFPs) dropped about 30%, resulting from about 55% plummet of aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs) against a greater than 20% increase of total alkanes/alkenes. The elevated alkanes and alkenes in 2008 could be explained by greater emissions from vehicle exhausts and LPG combustion due to rapid increase of vehicle numbers and LPG consumption; the drop of AHs could be explained by reduced emissions from industries using AH-containing solvents due to the influence of the FC, as indicated by much lower ratios of toluene to benzene and of xylenes/ trichloroethylene/tetrachloroethylene to carbon monoxide (CO) in 2008. Source apportionment by positive matrix factorization (PMF) also revealed much less contribution of industry solvents to total anthropogenic NMHCs and particularly to toluene and xylenes in 2008 than in 2007. Based on PMF reconstructed source contributions, calculated OFPs by industrial emissions were responsible for 40.8% in 2007 in contrast to 18.4% in 2008. Further investigation into local industry output statistics suggested that the plummet of AHs in 2008 should be attributed to small enterprises, which contributed largely to ambient AHs due to their huge numbers and non-existent emission treatment, but were much more influenced by the FC. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved

Therapeutic Considerations Related to Finasteride Administration in Male Androgenic Alopecia and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Finasteride has been used extensively until now as a relative efficient therapeutic option for male androgenic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Unfortunately, over time several concerns appeared regarding the frequency and magnitude of adverse effects, which in some cases have been even irreversible. Herein we review the recent literature on this topic, trying to clarify the current safety profile of Finasteride for these two therapeutic indications. We concluded that Finasteride could be retained as a therapeutic approach for male androgenic alopecia, based on two important reasons. First, a synergistic action between a partial inhibitor of 5α-reductase (Finasteride) and another compound (like Minoxidil) are preferable to a complete suppression of 5α-reductase (see Dutasteride), in order to preserve the important physiological roles of dihydrotestosterone. Second, Finasteride side effects can currently be addressed in part prior to the onset of the therapy, by using information about the patient such as hand preference and sexual orientation to predict the risk of adverse effects

Attitudinal Determinants of Aberrant Driving Behaviors in Pakistan

The aberrant behavior of drivers is regarded as the most significant contributory factor to traffic accidents in Pakistan. This research was conducted on the premise that personal attitudes were key determinants of driving behaviors. Consequently, the research attempted to identify the key sociocognitive determinants of aberrant driving. To do this, a quantitative study that used an attitudinal questionnaire (inspired by the theory of planned behavior and a modified driver behavior questionnaire) was conducted in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The study obtained self-reports of attitudes, norms, perceived control, and opinions of drivers regarding a number of intentional road traffic violations and enforcement. The responses to the statements in the questionnaires were first factor analyzed to identify underlying attitudinal and behavioral constructs. Later, following a cluster analysis technique, the attitudinal constructs were used to classify drivers into four distinct groups: the autonomous, the opportunists, the regulators, and the risk averse. Sociodemographic characteristics and behavioral constructs of these groups were also studied. The results indicated that the behaviors of drivers could be interpreted in relation to their attitudes and were partly influenced by the drivers’ sociodemographic characteristics. Attitudes toward enforcement and compliance with rules specifically appeared to be the strongest determinants of Pakistani drivers’ behavior. In particular, the results indicate that being affluent, female, and a student negatively influenced driving behaviors

\u3ci\u3eDrosophila\u3c/i\u3e Model for Potential Plasticizer Induced Hyperactivity

Plasticizing additives such as phthalates, are known to cause disruptions in human nervous systems linked to neurological disorders, thus with the Drosophila activity monitoring (DAM) system test can be conducted to consider whether the flies are exhibiting hyperactivity (Hlisníková et al., 2021). Drosophila is a useful model for exposure of metabolic compounds followed by general and specific assays of their effects. Our experiments propose a link between exposure to phthalates and hyperactivity between humans that can be investigated with flies as a model for testing hyperactivity (Praveena et al., 2020). The link that is proposed is a cross-sectional study that collected urine samples of children and then scored kids based on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Kim et al., 2009). The DAM system is a method in which flies are individually monitored for activity during the day and night to notice any differences in general activity, locomotion, and circadian rhythms. The general activities of the flies would be examined alongside a baseline of Drosophila activity, alongside flies induced with glucose to measure any differences in hyperactivity. The addition of glucose is to give a baseline of what hyperactive flies will look like in their sleep cycle and movements in the DAM system We hypothesize a significant increase in hyperactivity in phthalate-exposed flies over both high-glucose and normal flies because phthalates are disrupters in the nervous system, thus may cause signs of hyperactivity when administered to the flies

The postfinasteride syndrome; an overview

As a 5-α reductase inhibitor, Finasteride has proven effective in ameliorating two conditions documented to be androgen dependent, namely male androgenic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therapeutic results are maintained as long as the drug is administered, with treatment cessation generally leading to the return of symptomatology for each condition. In addition, during the therapeutic phase, several adverse effects have been reported, some of which persist long or indefinitely after treatment cessation, known as “post-finasteride syndrome.” Herein we present and discuss the most common finasteride side effects, along with a psycho-neuroendocrine rationale that could explain the persistence of many adverse effects after treatment cessation. Moreover, we argue that finasteride adverse effects occurring during finasteride administration should be delineated from postfinasteride side effects (encountered after treatment cessation), suggesting the need to be addressed separately within a therapeutic perspective. Until a tailored therapeutic approach of postfinasteride syndrome becomes available, we have noted that hand preference and sexual orientation seem to be useful as possible predicting factors for finasteride side effects and postfinasteride syndrome. Finally, even though finasteride administration is considered relatively safe, literature data urges prudence. Specifically, recent studies report that some subjects receiving finasteride develop severe depressive episodes including suicidal thoughts, in part due to persistent sexual side effects

Preliminary evidence of increased striatal dopamine in a nonhuman primate model of maternal immune activation.

Women exposed to a variety of viral and bacterial infections during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child with autism, schizophrenia or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) models are powerful translational tools to investigate mechanisms underlying epidemiological links between infection during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders. Our previous studies documenting the emergence of aberrant behavior in rhesus monkey offspring born to MIA-treated dams extends the rodent MIA model into a species more closely related to humans. Here we present novel neuroimaging data from these animals to further explore the translational potential of the nonhuman primate MIA model. Nine male MIA-treated offspring and 4 controls from our original cohort underwent in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) scanning at approximately 3.5-years of age using [18F] fluoro-l-m-tyrosine (FMT) to measure presynaptic dopamine levels in the striatum, which are consistently elevated in individuals with schizophrenia. Analysis of [18F]FMT signal in the striatum of these nonhuman primates showed that MIA animals had significantly higher [18F]FMT index of influx compared to control animals. In spite of the modest sample size, this group difference reflects a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.998). Nonhuman primates born to MIA-treated dams exhibited increased striatal dopamine in late adolescence-a hallmark molecular biomarker of schizophrenia. These results validate the MIA model in a species more closely related to humans and open up new avenues for understanding the neurodevelopmental biology of schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders associated with prenatal immune challenge