Mobility in a Globalised World 2014

The term mobility has different meanings in the following science disciplines. In economics, mobility is the ability of an individual or a group to improve their economic status in relation to income and wealth within their lifetime or between generations. In information systems and computer science, mobility is used for the concept of mobile computing, in which a computer is transported by a person during normal use. Logistics creates by the design of logistics networks the infrastructure for the mobility of people and goods. Electric mobility is one of today’s solutions from engineering perspective to reduce the need of energy resources and environmental impact. Moreover, for urban planning, mobility is the crunch question about how to optimise the different needs for mobility and how to link different transportation systems. In this publication we collected the ideas of practitioners, researchers, and government officials regarding the different modes of mobility in a globalised world, focusing on both domestic and international issues

Particulate matter exposure during pregnancy is associated with birth weight, but not gestational age, 1962-1992: a cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to air pollutants is suggested to adversely affect fetal growth, but the evidence remains inconsistent in relation to specific outcomes and exposure windows.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using birth records from the two major maternity hospitals in Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England between 1961 and 1992, we constructed a database of all births to mothers resident within the city. Weekly black smoke exposure levels from routine data recorded at 20 air pollution monitoring stations were obtained and individual exposures were estimated via a two-stage modeling strategy, incorporating temporally and spatially varying covariates. Regression analyses, including 88,679 births, assessed potential associations between exposure to black smoke and birth weight, gestational age and birth weight standardized for gestational age and sex.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant associations were seen between black smoke and both standardized and unstandardized birth weight, but not for gestational age when adjusted for potential confounders. Not all associations were linear. For an increase in whole pregnancy black smoke exposure, from the 1^st(7.4 μg/m³) to the 25^th(17.2 μg/m³), 50^th(33.8 μg/m³), 75^th(108.3 μg/m³), and 90^th(180.8 μg/m³) percentiles, the adjusted estimated decreases in birth weight were 33 g (SE 1.05), 62 g (1.63), 98 g (2.26) and 109 g (2.44) respectively. A significant interaction was observed between socio-economic deprivation and black smoke on both standardized and unstandardized birth weight with increasing effects of black smoke in reducing birth weight seen with increasing socio-economic disadvantage.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The findings of this study progress the hypothesis that the association between black smoke and birth weight may be mediated through intrauterine growth restriction. The associations between black smoke and birth weight were of the same order of magnitude as those reported for passive smoking. These findings add to the growing evidence of the harmful effects of air pollution on birth outcomes.</p

Gay Men’s (Non)Monogamy Ideals and Lived Experience

The current qualitative study uses a queer-feminist lens to examine variations in ideals and lived experience related to (non)monogamy among a convenience sample of 43 gay men in the U.S., primarily from the southeast. Data were collected in 2003 using in-person and online interviews and focus groups. The specific research questions were: (1) how is (non)monogamy characterized as an ideal?; and (2) what are the lived experiences of gay men doing (non)monogamy in their relationships? Results demonstrated (non)monogamy practices were differentiated by levels of emotional closeness, sex/physical contact, and how (non)monogamy was negotiated, each of which were on an independent continuum. Among this sample, points on the emotional closeness continuum ranged from ambiguity about whether emotional closeness could exist with another outside of the current relationship to being able to exist among multiple people simultaneously. The sex/physical contact continuum ranged from sex only with the current partner to sex with multiple partners. Finally, variations of how (non)monogamy was negotiated between partners ranged from ambiguous to explicit communication of rules and boundaries that also were fluid and open to consistent renegotiation by the partners. Most participants (72.1 %) held an ideal similar to traditional notions of monogamy, whereas other participants’ ideals were more flexible in terms of openness to (non)monogamy practices. However, the lived experiences of (non)monogamy were more varied and comprised of nine variations with the three most common being ambiguously open (22 %), semi-open unspecified (17 %), and monogamy unspecified (15 %)

L-selectin and skin damage in systemic sclerosis.

L-selectin ligands are induced on the endothelium of inflammatory sites. L-selectin expression on neutrophils and monocytes may mediate the primary adhesion of these cells at sites of inflammation by mediating the leukocyte-leukocyte interactions that facilitate their recruitment. L-selectin retains functional activity in its soluble form. Levels of soluble L-selectin have been reported as both elevated and lowered in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). This preliminary study seeks to discern amongst these disparate results and to discover whether there is an association between L-selectin concentrations in plasma and skin damage in SSc patients.Nineteen cases with limited systemic sclerosis (lSSc) and 11 cases with diffuse systemic sclerosis (dSSc) were compared on a pairwise basis to age- and sex-matched controls. Criteria of the American College of Rheumatology were used to diagnose SSc. Skin involvement was assessed using the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). We find no association between mRSS and plasma L-selectin concentration in lSSc cases (p = 0.9944) but a statistically significant negative correlation in dSSc cases (R(2) = 73.11 per cent, p = 0.0008). The interpretation of the slope for dSSc cases is that for each increase of 100 ng/ml in soluble L-selectin concentration, the mRSS drops 4.22 (95 per cent CI: 2.29, 6.16). There was also a highly statistically significant negative correlation between sL-selectin and disease activity (p = 0.0007) and severity (p = 0.0007) in dSSc cases but not in lSSc cases (p = 0.2596, p = 0.7575, respectively).No effective treatments exist for skin damage in SSc patients. Nor is there a laboratory alternative to the modified Rodnan skin score as is the case for other organs within the body. Modulation of circulating L-selectin is a promising target for reducing skin damage in dSSc patients. Plasma levels of soluble L-selectin could serve as an outcome measure for dSSc patients in clinical trials

Notched boxplots of mRSS and sL-selectin.

<p>If the notches overlap in a pairwise comparison then the difference is significant at the 5% level for the individual test. (A) Notched boxplot of mRSS. (B) Notched boxplot of sL-selectin.</p

Scatterplot of mRSS and sL-selectin indicating drug prescribed for dSSc cases only.

<p>There are separate least squares regression lines for dSSc cases receiving cyclophosphamide (CYC) only, methotrexate (MTX) only, and neither.</p

Scatterplot of mRSS and sL-selectin for lSSc and dSSc cases.

<p>There are separate least squares regression lines for each of lSSc and dSSc cases.</p

The effect of repeated exposure to particulate air pollution (PMI10) on the bone marrow. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001; 163(1

Studies have shown that exposure to ambient particulate matter is related to an increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. The present study was designed to measure the effect of repeated exposure to urban air particles (PM 10 ) on the rate of production and release of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood. Rabbits exposed to PM 10 (5 mg) twice a week for 3 wk, were given a bolus of 5 Ј -bromo-2 Ј -deoxyuridin