Assessing respiratory inflammation among children living near to non-sanitary landfill using interleukin-6 (IL-6)

Aims: To determine the respiratory inflammation among children living near to non-sanitary municipal solid waste landfill area and the concentration of Interleukin-6 cytokine. Study Design: A cross-sectional comparative study design. Place and Duration of Study: Sample: Pajam, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, between September 2013 and April 2014. Methodology: A total of 72 children were randomly selected based on the inclusive and exclusive criteria. A set of pre-tested questionnaires were utilized to obtain socio-demographic information and to predict health risk faced by the respondents. Saliva samples of the respondents were collected and analyzed using Human Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Platinum ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) kit. Results: The PM10 concentration for the exposed group was higher than the unexposed group with the mean ± standard deviation (SD) of 152.31±31.07 μg/m3 and 87.77±30.77 μg/m3 respectively. The mean ± SD of the Interleukin-6 for the exposed group was slightly higher than the unexposed group with the mean ± SD of 6.34±1.95 pg/ml and 5.77±1.08 pg/ml respectively. The most common symptoms reported was sneezing and sore throat. There was no significant correlation between PM10 concentration and IL-6 in this study. Conclusion: The findings exhibit that there was no association between Interleukin-6 and PM10 concentration of the respondent. However, there are likely potential adverse health impacts arising from particulates exposure among exposed children in this study. Respondents are advised to have a medical check-up in order to determine respiratory health status thus elimination the risks of acquiring respiratory inflammation

Clinical Practice Patterns in Tic Disorders Among Movement Disorder Society Members

[Background] Tic disorders belong to the broad spectrum of pediatric and adult movement disorders. The wide variability in clinical presentations, applied assessment tools, and treatments are poorly understood.[Objectives] To map practices and knowledge base of movement disorder clinicians concerning clinical features, pathophysiology, and treatment approaches in tic disorders. [Methods] A 33-item survey was developed by the Tic Disorders and Tourette syndrome Study Group members of the Movement Disorder Society. The survey was distributed to the complete society membership and included responses from 346 members, 314 of whom reported treating tic disorders. [Results] Approximately one third of survey respondents (35%) frequently evaluated patients with tics. The data revealed widespread use of existing guidelines (about 70%) and screening for comorbid disorders (>90%). The most common investigations used to rule out secondary causes of tics were imaging (92%), laboratory tests (66%) and neurophysiology (38%). Functional tics were the second most common tic etiology following primary tics. Only 27% of respondents reported confidence in knowledge about tic pathogenesis. Top rated interventions to treat tics were psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) and treatment for neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Antipsychotics were ranked as the most effective pharmacologic tic intervention. Conclusions: The majority of movement disorders specialists do not frequently encounter tics. There was sparse knowledge about tic pathophysiology. Psychoeducation, CBIT, the treatment of neuropsychiatric comorbidities and use of antipsychotics emerged as the most common interventions to treat tics. These results provide insight into what will be needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tic disorders.CG is supported by the Freigeist Fellowship of the VolkswagenStiftung. He has served as ad hoc advisory board to Biomarin and received honoraria from the International Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders Society for educational activities

The mechanics of large-strain inhomogeneous deformation of polymeric materials under dynamic loading conditions

Dynamic tension and Taylor impact experiments were performed to study the high-rate inhomogeneous deformations in polymers under a range of conditions. The mechanics of deformation were examined utilizing finite element simulations together with a physically based constitutive model of large-strain high-rate deformation behaviour of polymers. The comparison of the numerical predictions with the high-speed photographic data and final deformed shapes demonstrates the effectiveness of the constitutive model in predicting the progression of complex inhomogeneous deformation events during impact loading scenarios

Reflection of P and SV waves at the free surface of a prestressed elastic half-space

The propagation of plane waves in a prestressed elastic solid with incremental elastic coefficients possessing orthotropic symmetry is discussed. Two types of plane waves, called quasi-P and quasi-S waves, are shown to exist. An expression for the group velocity of these waves is obtained. The velocities of quasi-P and quasi-S waves are found to depend on the angle of propagation. The reflection coefficients of these waves incident at the free surface of a prestressed elastic half-space are derived. Critical reflection of quasi-P and quasi-S waves has been discussed. It is found that while quasi-S waves always have critical reflection, quasi-P waves can have critical reflection only if incremental elastic coefficients satisfy a certain condition

On the existence of quasi-S waves in a prestressed elastic solid

The condition on the incremental elastic coefficients for the existence of real values of the phase velocity of quasi-S plane waves in a prestressed elastic solid is obtained. It is shown that if this condition is violated then quasi-S waves do not exist for a certain range of the angle of propagation

Stress−strain behavior of a polyurea and a polyurethane from low to high strain rates

International audienceno abstrac