Determinants Of Blood Lead Levels In An Adult Population From A Mining Area In Brazil

During the last fifty years the Ribeira river valley, Brazil, had been under the influence of the full activity of a huge lead refinery and mining along the riverside. The plant completely stopped all kind of industrial activities at the end of 1995, and part of the worker population and their families still remain living nearby in small communities. The objective of the present study was to assess the determinants of blood lead levels (BLL) in these mining areas, where residual environmental contamination from the past industrial activity still remains. Blood samples of 350 adults aged 15 to 70, residing in areas around the mine and the refinery were collected. A questionnaire was given in order to gather information on food habits, current and former residential places, occupational activities, among other variables. Blood lead concentrations were analysed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry using Zeeman background correction. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the independent contribution of selected variables in predicting BLL in those subjects. The following variables showed significant association with high BLL: residential area close to the lead refinery, former dwelling at the refinery village, male gender, smoking habits, and consume of fruits from home back yard.107I127130Berglund, M., Pedersen, N.L., Bjorkman, L., Vahter, M., (1999) Environ Res, 80, pp. 222-230Brody, D.J., Pirkle, J.L., Kramer, R.A., Flegal, K.M., Matte, T.D., Gunter, E.W., Paschal, D.C., (1994) JAMA, 27, pp. 277-283Hense, H.W., Filipiak, B., Novak, L., Stoeppler, M., (1992) Int J Epidem, 21Jakubowski, M., Trzcinka-Ochocka, M., Razniewska, G., Christensen, J.M., Starek, A., (1996) Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 68, pp. 193-198Kristal-Boneh, E., Froom, P., Yerushalmi, N., Ashkanazi, R., Pardo, A., Shine, R., Ribak, J., (1998) Am J Ind Med, 34, pp. 512-516Leroyer, A., Hemon, D., Nisse, C., Bazerques, J., Salomez, J.L., Haguenoer, (2001) Sci Total Environ, 267, pp. 87-99Liou, S.H., Wu, T.N., Chiang, H.C., Yang, G.Y., Yang, T., Wu, Y.Q., Lai, J.S., Chang, P.Y., (1996) Sci Total Environ, 180, pp. 211-219Mahaffey, K.R., (1995) Environ Health Perspect, 103, pp. 191-196Muldoon, S.B., Cauley, J.A., Kuller, L.H., Scott, S., Rohay, J., (1994) Am J Epidemiol, 139, pp. 599-608Ooi, P.L., Goh, K.T., Heng, B.H., Sam, C.T., Kong, K.H., Rajan, U., (1991) Rev Environ Health, 9, pp. 2017-2213Paoliello, M.M.B., Gutierrez, P.R., Turini, C.A., Matsuo, T., Mezzaroba, L., Barbosa, D.S., Alvarenga, A.L.P., Lobo, B., (2001) Pan Am J Public Health, 9, pp. 315-319Probst-Hensch, N., Braun-Fahrlaender, C., Bodenmann, A., Ackermann-Liebrich, U., (1993) Soz Praventivmed, 38, pp. 43-50Yang, J.S., Kang, S.K., Park, I.J., Rhee, K.Y., Moon, Y.H., Sohn, D.H., (1996) Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 68, pp. 199-20

Nutrition Ad Claims and Disclosures: Interaction and Mediation Effects for Consumer Evaluations of the Brand and the Ad

The effects of ad disclosure information on evaluations of the brand, the advertisement, and purchase intentions are postulated to vary across different ad claim types. In addition, consumers\u27 product health perceptions are hypothesized to mediate the effects of the disclosure information and ad claim type on brand and ad-related evaluations. Results from a between subjects\u27 experiment show that the health perception measure mediates the effect of the disclosure on brand and ad evaluations, but the interaction between the ad claim type and the disclosure is not mediated by the inclusion in the model of consumers\u27 product health perceptions

Consumer Generalization of Nutrient Content Claims in Advertising

Although considerable research exists on consumer processing of nutrition labeling and package claims, less is known about consumer interpretation of nutrient content claims in advertising. This is important because product advertising often provides a significant first step for consumers in learning new nutrition information. Yet, unlike package claims, Nutrition Facts Panels are often not available for consumers during the processing of such advertising claims. Therefore, the authors examine the following research questions: (1) Do consumers misinterpret (i. e., overgeneralize) common nutrient content claims in advertising? If so, under what conditions does this occur? and (2) Can various types of disclosure statements remedy this problem? To address these questions, the authors interview a total of 365 primary food shoppers in three geographically dispersed malls in the United States in a between-subjects experiment. Misleading generalizations, beyond those of control ad claims, are found for general and specific nutrient content claims. Ad disclosure type, ad claim type, and nutrition knowledge all separately influence nutrient content and disease risk measures. Evaluative disclosures reduce misleading generalizations to a greater extent than do absolute or relative disclosures. The authors offer implications for public policy and food marketers

On a class of inverse quadratic eigenvalue problem

AbstractIn this paper, we first give the representation of the general solution of the following inverse monic quadratic eigenvalue problem (IMQEP): given matrices Λ=diag{λ1,…,λp}∈Cp×p, λi≠λj for i≠j, i,j=1,…,p, X=[x1,…,xp]∈Cn×p, rank(X)=p, and both Λ and X are closed under complex conjugation in the sense that λ2j=λ̄2j−1∈C, x2j=x̄2j−1∈Cn for j=1,…,l, and λk∈R, xk∈Rn for k=2l+1,…,p, find real-valued symmetric matrices D and K such that XΛ2+DXΛ+KX=0. Then we consider a best approximation problem: given D̃,K̃∈Rn×n, find (Dˆ,Kˆ)∈SDK such that ‖(Dˆ,Kˆ)−(D̃,K̃)‖W=min(D,K)∈SDK‖(D,K)−(D̃,K̃)‖W, where ‖⋅‖W is a weighted Frobenius norm and SDK is the solution set of IMQEP. We show that the best approximation solution (Dˆ,Kˆ) is unique and derive an explicit formula for it

The Use of Marketing Knowledge in Formulating and Enforcing Consumer Protection Policy

The purpose of this first chapter of the handbook is to discuss how the findings and approaches offered by the marketing discipline are used in consumer protection policy

Happy Inconsistency: Health Claims Standards at the FTC and FDA

We live in a society increasingly preoccupied with healthy food. Restaurant menus now include "heart smart" options, network news programs run segments on teenage vegetarians, consumer groups denounce our beloved movie popcorn, and people dead set against the metric system count fat grams in their light beers. At the same time, of course, the percentage of obese people in our country has reached bulging proportions. In the face of all this, enterprising manufacturers see a way to improve the general welfare--and make a decent profit--by providing healthier foods. Educating the consumer about the benefits of a better diet is necessary to open up new market niches. Health sells, and manufacturers have been understandably eager to seize the day

Quaternary exhumation of the Carpathians: a record from the Orava-Nowy Targ intramontane basin, Western Carpathians, Polish Galicia and Slovakia

Quaternary exhumation of the Carpathians: a record from the Orava-Nowy Targ Intramontane Basin, Western Carpathians (Poland and Slovakia)The Neogene-Quaternary infill of the Orava-Nowy Targ Intramontane Basin comprises two tiers showing contrasting lithologies. The Neogene tier is largely composed of claystones and siltstones, whereas the Quaternary tier is dominated by gravels. The two sequences are separated by an erosional surface underlain by a regolith. Deposition of the Neogene sequence took place during subsidence of the basin. No prominent relief existed in the area of the present-day mountains actually surrounding the basin at that time. The regolith started to form at the onset of basin inversion. Still, no prominent relief existed in the present-day mountains. The onset of deposition of Quaternary gravels in the basin corresponds to acceleration of uplift of the surrounding mountains, which has been continuing until now. The Pieniny Klippen Belt has been subject to erosion, at least locally, from the deposition of the basal part of the Neogene sequence filling the Orava-Nowy Targ Basin until present times. In contrast, the Paleogene cover of the Tatra Mts was removed only during the Quaternary.</jats:p

Characterization of Legacy Sediment variations in accretion and carbon dynamics following dam removal in a recently restored tidal freshwater wetland

Damming disrupts the natural flow of sediment to adjoining water bodies resulting in the accumulation of Legacy Sediments (LS). While the impact of LS inputs has been well investigated in lotic Mid-Atlantic piedmont stream restorations, (i.e. milldam removal 1,2,3,4,5,), there have been few studies investigating LS following dam removal in low-gradient coastal plain streams. The objectives of this study were to quantify spatial and temporal variations of LS characteristics in a low-gradient tidal stream restoration within the lower James River watershed. Secondary objectives were to assess the current temporal and spatial variability in sediment deposition within the recently restored Kimages Creek wetlands and adjacent, unaltered wetlands of Harris Creek to investigate current sedimentation processes in a restoration setting

Destruction of single species biofi lms of Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae by dextranase, lactoferrin, and lysozyme

The aim of this work was to determine the destructive activity of dextranase, lactoferrin, and lysozyme, against single species biofi lms composed of either Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae or Escherichia coli using the MBEC Assay. Luminescence measurements based on quantitation of the ATP present were used to determine the amount of biofi lm elimination and correlated with quantity of live bacteria present in the sample. The data were analyzed employing a two-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-test. Treatments resulted in percentage reductions of E. coli biofi lms ranging from 73 to 98 %. Lactoferrin (40 &mu;g/ml) produced a signifi cantly higher-percentage reduction than lysozyme (10 &mu;g/ml) (P &lt; 0.05), no other signifi cant differences occurred. Similar treatments resulted in percentage reductions of K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae biofilms ranging from 51 to 100 %. Dextranase treatments produced a signifi cantly lower percentage reduction than all other materials (P &lt; 0.05), no other signifi cant differences occurred. No material was capable of complete destruction of both single species biofi lms; however, low concentrations of lactoferrin and lysozyme each removed 100 % of the K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae biofi lm. Low concentrations of lactoferrin or lysozyme might be benefi cial to prevent biofi lm formation by K. pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae. [Int Microbiol 2012; 15(4):183-187

Identification of Brush Species and Herbicide Effect Assessment in Southern Texas Using an Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS)

Cultivation and grazing since the mid-nineteenth century in Texas has caused dramatic changes in grassland vegetation. Among these changes is the encroachment of native and introduced brush species. The distribution and quantity of brush can affect livestock production and water holding capacity of soil. Still, at the same time, brush can improve carbon sequestration and enhance agritourism and real estate value. The accurate identification of brush species and their distribution over large land tracts are important in developing brush management plans which may include herbicide application decisions. Near-real-time imaging and analyses of brush using an Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS) is a powerful tool to achieve such tasks. The use of multispectral imagery collected by a UAS to estimate the efficacy of herbicide treatment on noxious brush has not been evaluated previously. There has been no previous comparison of band combinations and pixel- and object-based methods to determine the best methodology for discrimination and classification of noxious brush species with Random Forest (RF) classification. In this study, two rangelands in southern Texas with encroachment of huisache (Vachellia farnesianna [L.] Wight & Arn.) and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa Torr. var. glandulosa) were studied. Two study sites were flown with an eBee X fixed-wing to collect UAS images with four bands (Green, Red, Red-Edge, and Near-infrared) and ground truth data points pre- and post-herbicide application to study the herbicide effect on brush. Post-herbicide data were collected one year after herbicide application. Pixel-based and object-based RF classifications were used to identify brush in orthomosaic images generated from UAS images. The classification had an overall accuracy in the range 83–96%, and object-based classification had better results than pixel-based classification since object-based classification had the highest overall accuracy in both sites at 96%. The UAS image was useful for assessing herbicide efficacy by calculating canopy change after herbicide treatment. Different effects of herbicides and application rates on brush defoliation were measured by comparing canopy change in herbicide treatment zones. UAS-derived multispectral imagery can be used to identify brush species in rangelands and aid in objectively assessing the herbicide effect on brush encroachment