Studying International Migration in the Long(er) and Short(er) Duree: Contesting Some and Reconciling Other Disagreements Between the Structuration and Morphogenetic Approaches

The essay contests some and reconciles other disagreements between the structuration and morphogenesis approaches?the two models in present-day sociology which aim at bridging the macro-micro gap in social theorizing, but whose advocates have been either indifferent to or at open odds which each other instead of engaging in a close intellectual collaboration. The empirical illustrations of my arguments come from local statistical surveys and ethnographic studies conducted in Polish villages from the onset to the decline of mass transatlantic migration in the period 1870s-1930s

Composite meaning, flexible ranges, and multi-level conditions of conviviality: Exploring the polymorph

In this article, I present, first, a composite definition of conviviality whose constitutive components are conceived in terms of degrees rather than as present-or-absent conditions. Next, I offer a preliminary list of macro-, micro- and individual-level circumstances which co-shape conviviality into different arrangements and intensities. Within the framework of the structuration theory which informs my discussion, I then identify the characteristics of cultures of conviviality as different from the orientations and practices of the individuals who (re)create them, and I propose a distinction between the conditions contributing to the emergence of cultures of conviviality and the circumstances responsible for their endurance over time. In the last part of the article, I identify different goals of case-based investigations and propose some strategies of comparative analysis of the contributing circumstances and different forms and ?contents? of conviviality, and I illustrate it with examples taken from my previous studies of ground-level multiculturalism in different locations

A role for CDK9 in UV damage response

Comment on: Shchebet A, et al. Cell Cycle 2012; 2122-

Associations between sub-clinical markers of cardiometabolic risk and exposure to residential indoor air pollutants in healthy adults in Perth, Western Australia: A study protocol

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Background: A growing body of epidemiological and clinical evidence has implicated air pollution as an emerging risk factor for cardiometabolic disease. Whilst individuals spend up to two-thirds of daily time in their domestic residential environment, very few studies have been designed to objectively measure the sub-clinical markers of cardiometabolic risk with exposure to domestic indoor air pollutants. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate associations between the components of domestic indoor air quality and selected sub-clinical cardiometabolic risk factors in a cohort of healthy adults living in Perth,Western Australia. Methods: One hundred and eleven non-smoking adults (65% female) living in non-smoking households who were aged between 35-69 years were recruited for the project. Study subjects were invited to participate in all sections of the study, which included: Domestic indoor air monitoring along with the concurrent 24 h ambulatory monitoring of peripheral and central blood pressure and measures of central hemodynamic indices, standardized questionnaires on aspects relating to current health status and the domestic environment, a 24 h time-activity diary during the monitoring period, and clinic-based health assessment involving collection of blood and urine biomarkers for lipid and glucose profiles, as well as measures of renal function and an analysis of central pulse wave and pulse wave velocity. Results: This study provides a standardized approach to the study of sub-clinical cardiometabolic health effects that are related to the exposure to indoor air pollution. Conclusion: The findings of this study may provide direction for future research that will further contribute to our understanding of the relationship that exists between indoor air pollution and sub-clinical markers of cardiometabolic risk

Face Masks and Cough Etiquette Reduce the Cough Aerosol Concentration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in People with Cystic Fibrosis

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) generate Pseudomonas aeruginosa in droplet nuclei during coughing. The use of surgical masks has been recommended in healthcare settings to minimize pathogen transmission between patients with CF.To determine if face masks and cough etiquette reduce viable P. aeruginosa aerosolized during coughing.Twenty-five adults with CF and chronic P. aeruginosa infection were recruited. Participants performed six talking and coughing maneuvers, with or without face masks (surgical and N95) and hand covering the mouth when coughing (cough etiquette) in an aerosol-sampling device. An Andersen Cascade Impactor was used to sample the aerosol at 2 meters from each participant. Quantitative sputum and aerosol bacterial cultures were performed, and participants rated the mask comfort levels during the cough maneuvers.During uncovered coughing (reference maneuver), 19 of 25 (76%) participants produced aerosols containing P. aeruginosa, with a positive correlation found between sputum P. aeruginosa concentration (measured as cfu/ml) and aerosol P. aeruginosa colony-forming units. There was a reduction in aerosol P. aeruginosa load during coughing with a surgical mask, coughing with an N95 mask, and cough etiquette compared with uncovered coughing (P

Evaluating the Theoretical Background of STOFFENMANAGER® and the Advanced REACH Tool

STOFFENMANAGER® and the Advanced REACH Tool (ART) are recommended tools by the European Chemical Agency for regulatory chemical safety assessment. The models are widely used and accepted within the scientific community. STOFFENMANAGER® alone has more than 37 000 users globally and more than 310 000 risk assessment have been carried out by 2020. Regardless of their widespread use, this is the first study evaluating the theoretical backgrounds of each model. STOFFENMANAGER® and ART are based on a modified multiplicative model where an exposure base level (mg m−3) is replaced with a dimensionless intrinsic emission score and the exposure modifying factors are replaced with multipliers that are mainly based on subjective categories that are selected by using exposure taxonomy. The intrinsic emission is a unit of concentration to the substance emission potential that represents the concentration generated in a standardized task without local ventilation. Further information or scientific justification for this selection is not provided. The multipliers have mainly discrete values given in natural logarithm steps (…, 0.3, 1, 3, …) that are allocated by expert judgements. The multipliers scientific reasoning or link to physical quantities is not reported. The models calculate a subjective exposure score, which is then translated to an exposure level (mg m−3) by using a calibration factor. The calibration factor is assigned by comparing the measured personal exposure levels with the exposure score that is calculated for the respective exposure scenarios. A mixed effect regression model was used to calculate correlation factors for four exposure group [e.g. dusts, vapors, mists (low-volatiles), and solid object/abrasion] by using ~1000 measurements for STOFFENMANAGER® and 3000 measurements for ART. The measurement data for calibration are collected from different exposure groups. For example, for dusts the calibration data were pooled from exposure measurements sampled from pharmacies, bakeries, construction industry, and so on, which violates the empirical model basic principles. The calibration databases are not publicly available and thus their quality or subjective selections cannot be evaluated. STOFFENMANAGER® and ART can be classified as subjective categorization tools providing qualitative values as their outputs. By definition, STOFFENMANAGER® and ART cannot be classified as mechanistic models or empirical models. This modeling algorithm does not reflect the physical concept originally presented for the STOFFENMANAGER® and ART. A literature review showed that the models have been validated only at the ‘operational analysis’ level that describes the model usability. This review revealed that the accuracy of STOFFENMANAGER® is in the range of 100 000 and for ART 100. Calibration and validation studies have shown that typical log-transformed predicted exposure concentration and measured exposure levels often exhibit weak Pearson’s correlations (r is <0.6) for both STOFFENMANAGER® and ART. Based on these limitations and performance departure from regulatory criteria for risk assessment models, it is recommended that STOFFENMANAGER® and ART regulatory acceptance for chemical safety decision making should be explicitly qualified as to their current deficiencies.Peer reviewe

Indoor hospital air and the impact of ventilation on bioaerosols: a systematic review

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) continue to persist in hospitals, despite the use of increasingly strict infection control precautions. Opportunistic airborne transmission of potentially pathogenic bioaerosols may be one possible reason for this persistence. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review the concentrations and compositions of indoor bioaerosols in different areas within hospitals and the effects of different ventilation systems. Electronic databases (Medline and Web of Science) were searched to identify articles of interest. The search was restricted to articles published from 2000 to 2017 in English. Aggregate data was used to examine the differences in mean colony forming units per cubic metre (CFU/m3) between different hospital areas and ventilation types. A total of 36 journal articles met the eligibility criteria. The mean total bioaerosol concentrations in the different areas of the hospitals were highest in the inpatient facilities (77 CFU/m3, 95% confidence interval (CI), 55-108) compared with the restricted (4 CFU/m3, 95% CI, 10-15) and public areas (14 CFU/m3, 95% CI, 10-19). Hospital areas with natural ventilation had the highest total bioaerosol concentrations (201 CFU/m3, 95% CI, 135-300) compared with areas using conventional mechanical ventilation systems (20 CFU/m3, 95% CI, 16-24). Hospital areas using sophisticated mechanical ventilation systems (such as increased air changes per hour, directional flow and filtration systems) had the lowest total bioaerosol concentrations (9 CFU/m3, 95% CI, 7-13). Operating sophisticated mechanical ventilation systems in hospitals contributes to improved indoor air quality within hospitals, which assists in reducing the risk of airborne transmission of HAI