Monitoring wood decay in poles by the vibroacoustic method

Despite recent advances in the development of new materials, wood continues to be used globally for the support of overhead cable networks used by telecommunications and electrical utility companies. As a natural material, wood is subject to decay and will eventually fail, causing disruption to services and danger to public and company personnel. The traditional method of testing poles for decay involves hitting them with a hammer and listening to the sound that results. However, evidence suggests that a large number of poles are replaced unnecessarily and a significant number of poles continue to fail unexpectedly in service. Therefore, a more accurate method for assessing the structural integrity of wooden poles is required. The underlying physical principles behind the 'pole tester's approach' have been identified and used in the development of a decay meter to enable objective monitoring of decay in wooden poles

Synthesis and crystal structure of an oxorhenium(V) complex containing a tridentate imidazole ligand

The reaction of equimolar amounts of (n-Bu4N)[ReOCl4] and 2-(1-ethanolthiomethyl)-1-methylimidazole (Htmi) in acetonitrile yielded cis-[ReOCl2(tmi)]. An X-ray diffraction study shows that tmiˉ coordinates as a uninegative N,S,O-tridentate ligand to give distorted octahedral geometry around the rhenium(V) ion. The three donor atoms occupy a triangular face in an octahedron, with the alcoholate oxygen coordinated trans to the oxo group.   KEY WORDS: Oxorhenium(V), N,S,O-tridentate, Imidazole  Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2007, 21(1), 75-81

A cis-dibromorhenium(V) iminophenolato complex

The complex cis-[ReOBr2(msa)(PPh3)](1) was prepared from trans-[ReOBr3(PPh3)2] and 2-(1-iminoethyl)phenol (Hmsa) in acetonitrile. An X-ray crystallographic study shows that the two bromides are coordinated cis to each other in the equatorial plane cis to the oxo group. DFT calculations on 1 and its trans isomer show that the energy difference between the HOMO and LUMO in the cis isomer is smaller than that in the trans.  KEY WORDS: Rhenium(V), Iminophenol, cis-Dibromo, Crystal structure   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2008, 22(2), 247-252

Development and Interim Evaluation of WeCare Indiana: a Community-tailored Text Messaging Intervention to Reduce Infant Mortality in East Central Indiana

poster abstractBackground: Text messaging is an effective way to distribute health information and reduce risky health behaviors.1,2 In 2014, the East Central Indiana Fetal and Infant Mortality Program of the Delaware County Health Department developed a community-based text messaging intervention program called “WeCare Indiana” as an innovative approach to promote positive pregnancy outcomes. This abstract reports the interim evaluation of health promotional text messages for prenatal clients. Methods: The program was developed using a community-collaborative model. Over 200 prenatal and infant health text messages were reviewed and evaluated by community representatives. Messages included information regarding fetal and infant development, health promotion, and risk prevention strategies with links to local resources. Prenatal messages were then reviewed by prenatal clients for their relevance, clarity, and likelihood to change healthrelated behavior during pregnancy. The program was promoted locally and currently has 98 enrollees. A 4-month interim program evaluation was developed to assess program awareness, reasons for enrolling or not enrolling, and overall satisfaction with text message content. A convenience sample of prenatal clients at a Federally Qualified Health Center participated in the evaluation process. Results: Of the 43 prenatal clients that participated, 10 (23%) clients had heard about the health messaging service. Of those participants, 6 (60%) had chosen to enroll in the program. Enrollees reported hearing about the program through word of mouth, posters, fliers, health care providers, and social media. Reasons given for not enrolling included lack of awareness or interest, technical difficulties, and procrastination. All enrollees reported that the messages were helpful. Conclusions: An effort to reduce fetal and infant mortality in East Central Indiana led to the development and evaluation of community-tailored health messages. The evaluation results will be used to encourage client awareness and enrollment in the program

T-cell responses against rhinovirus species A and C in asthmatic and healthy children

Background Infections by rhinovirus (RV) species A and C are the most common causes of exacerbations of asthma and a major cause of exacerbations of other acute and chronic respiratory diseases. Infections by both species are prevalent in pre-school and school-aged children and, particularly for RV-C, can cause severe symptoms and a need for hospitalization. While associations between RV infection and asthma are well established, the adaptive immune-mechanisms by which RV infections influence asthma exacerbations are yet to be defined. Objective The aim of this study was to characterize and compare T-cell responses between RV-A and RV-C and to test the hypothesis that T-cell responses would differ between asthmatic children and healthy controls. Methods A multi-parameter flow cytometry assay was used to characterize the in vitro recall T-cell response against RV-A and RV-C in PBMCs from children with acute asthma (n = 22) and controls (n = 26). The responses were induced by pools of peptides containing species-specific VP1 epitopes of RV-A and RV-C. Results Regardless of children's clinical status, all children that responded to the in vitro stimulation (>90%) had a similar magnitude of CD4+ T-cell responses to RV-A and RV-C. However, asthmatic children had a significantly lower number of circulating regulatory T cells (Tregs), and healthy controls had significantly more Tregs induced by RV-A than RV-C. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance The comparable recall memory T-cell responses in asthmatic and control children to both RV-A and RV-C show that differences in the antibody and inflammatory responses previously described are likely to be due to regulation, with a demonstrated candidate being reduced regulatory T-cells. The reduced Treg numbers demonstrated here could explain the asthmatic's inability to appropriately control immunopathological responses to RV infections

A sub-field scale critical source area index for legacy phosphorus management using high resolution data

AbstractDiffuse phosphorus (P) mitigation in agricultural catchments should be targeted at critical source areas (CSAs) that consider source and transport factors. However, development of CSA identification needs to consider the mobilisation potential of legacy soil P sources at the field scale, and the control of (micro)topography on runoff generation and hydrological connectivity at the sub-field scale. To address these limitations, a ‘next generation’ sub-field scale CSA index is presented, which predicts the risk of dissolved P losses in runoff from legacy soil P. The GIS-based CSA Index integrates two factors; mobile soil P concentrations (water extractable P; WEP) and a hydrologically sensitive area (HSA) index. The HSA Index identifies runoff-generating-areas using high resolution LiDAR Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), a soil topographic index (STI) and information on flow sinks and effects on hydrological connectivity. The CSA Index was developed using four intensively monitored agricultural catchments (7.5–11km2) in Ireland with contrasting agri-environmental conditions. Field scale soil WEP concentrations were estimated using catchment and land use specific relationships with Morgan P concentrations. In-stream total reactive P (TRP) concentrations and discharge were measured sub-hourly at catchment outlet bankside analysers and gauging stations during winter closed periods for fertiliser spreading in 2009–14, and hydrograph/loadograph separation methods were used to estimate TRP loads and proportions from quickflow (surface runoff). A strong relationship between TRP concentrations in quickflow and soil WEP concentrations (r2=0.73) was used to predict dissolved P concentrations in runoff at the field scale, which were then multiplied by the HSA Index to generate sub-field scale CSA Index maps. Evaluation of the tool showed a very strong relationship between the total CSA Index value within the HSA and the total TRP load in quickflow (r2=0.86). Using a CSA Index threshold value of ≥0.5, the CSA approach identified 1.1–5.6% of catchment areas at highest risk of legacy soil P transfers, compared with 4.0–26.5% of catchment areas based on an existing approach that uses above agronomic optimum soil P status. The tool could be used to aid cost-effective targeting of sub-field scale mitigation measures and best management practices at delivery points of CSA pathways to reduce dissolved P losses from legacy P stores and support sustainable agricultural production

Improving the identification of hydrologically sensitive areas using LiDAR DEMs for the delineation and mitigation of critical source areas of diffuse pollution

AbstractIdentifying critical source areas (CSAs) of diffuse pollution in agricultural catchments requires the accurate identification of hydrologically sensitive areas (HSAs) at highest propensity for generating surface runoff and transporting pollutants. A new GIS-based HSA Index is presented that improves the identification of HSAs at the sub-field scale by accounting for microtopographic controls. The Index is based on high resolution LiDAR data and a soil topographic index (STI) and also considers the hydrological disconnection of overland flow via topographic impediment from flow sinks. The HSA Index was applied to four intensive agricultural catchments (~7.5–12km2) with contrasting topography and soil types, and validated using rainfall-quickflow measurements during saturated winter storm events in 2009–2014. Total flow sink volume capacities ranged from 8298 to 59,584m3 and caused 8.5–24.2% of overland-flow-generating-areas and 16.8–33.4% of catchment areas to become hydrologically disconnected from the open drainage channel network. HSA maps identified ‘breakthrough points’ and ‘delivery points’ along surface runoff pathways as vulnerable points where diffuse pollutants could be transported between fields or delivered to the open drainage network, respectively. Using these as proposed locations for targeting mitigation measures such as riparian buffer strips reduced potential costs compared to blanket implementation within an example agri-environment scheme by 66% and 91% over 1 and 5years respectively, which included LiDAR DEM acquisition costs. The HSA Index can be used as a hydrologically realistic transport component within a fully evolved sub-field scale CSA model, and can also be used to guide the implementation of ‘treatment-train’ mitigation strategies concurrent with sustainable agricultural intensification