128 research outputs found
The role of public open space in the transformation of the American suburbs
Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1993.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-94).Since the 1950s the economic and social importance of the suburban phenomenon in America has been rapidly increasing. Despite the radical transformations of metropolitan life over the past two decades, little attention has been paid to the contemporary suburban-metropolitan phenomenon by the architectural and planning professions. Especially neglected has been one aspect of the suburban organization--the role of suburban public space, its influence on the social environment in the suburbs, and its architectural characteristics. The goal of this thesis is to contribute to a better understanding of this issue and to suggest possible solutions. The thesis examines public open space as a potential center of community life in the suburbs, a place which can bring people together and encourage informal social interaction. The theoretical discussion in the first part of the thesis studies the social and economic reasons for the present deficiency of this type of public space in the suburbs. It examines the changes of life-styles and cultural values in society and the nature of contemporary community life, and evaluates the role of informal social interaction in the suburban neighborhoods. The second part of the thesis explores some of the main issues of the physical organization of public open spaces in the suburban neighborhoods and proposes guidelines for their architectural design.by Dorothea Tabacova.M.S
Pregnancy Loss and Maternal Methemoglobin Levels: An Indirect Explanation of the Association of Environmental Toxics and Their Adverse Effects on the Mother and the Fetus
The aim of this epidemiologic study was to point out a relationship between the exposure to products of coal combustion, and complications in pregnancy where one third of causes of stillbirth are still unknown. In the town of Labin (Croatia) a coal-powered thermoelectric power plant is the single major air polluter. We compared the records of miscarriages, premature births and stillbirths in two periods: the control and the exposure period. Data on reproductive loss was based on the records of pregnant women visiting for regular monthly pregnancy checkups. At the time of the epidemiological prospective study, 260 women (n = 138 in the clean period and n = 122 in the dirty period) were considered representative. The data were processed using Chi square and correlation tests. The frequencies of miscarriages and stillbirths were significantly lower in the control than in the exposure period (p < 0.05). Methemoglobinemia and stillbirths recorded over the âexposureâ period are significantly higher than in the âcontrolâ period (p = 0.0205). The level of methemoglobin in the bloodstream is an worthy biomarker, predictor and precursor of environmental toxicsâ adverse effects on the mother and fetus, and can indirectly explain the unrecognized level of fetal methemoglobin. Methemoglobin and heme, having prooxidant properties, also cause the early and late endothelial dysfunction of vital organs. Despite our retrospective epidemiological study findings, we emphasize that the rate of reproductive loss represents a hypothetical risk, which needs to be confirmed with further fetal clinical and anatomopatholgical researches about the effects of methemoglobin catabolism products on the fetal CNS
In-utero exposure to antihypertensive medication and neonatal and child health outcomes:A systematic review
Background: Although medication is generally avoided
wherever possible during pregnancy, pharmacotherapy is
required for the treatment of pregnancy associated
hypertension, which remains a leading cause of maternal
and fetal morbidity and mortality. The long-term effects to
the child of in-utero exposure to antihypertensive agents
remains largely unknown.
Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically
review published studies on adverse outcomes to the child
associated with in-utero exposure to antihypertensive
medications.
Methods: OVID, Scopus, EBSCO Collections, the Cochrane
Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for
relevant publications published between January 1950 and
October 2016 and a total of 688 potentially eligible studies
were identified.
Results: Following review, 47 primary studies were eligible
for inclusion. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme
checklist was used to assess study quality. Five studies
were of excellent quality; the remainder were either
mediocre or poor. Increased risk of low birth weight, low
size for gestational age, preterm birth, and congenital
defects following in-utero exposure to all antihypertensive
agents were identified. Two studies reported an increased
risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder following
exposure to labetalol, and an increased risk of sleep
disorders following exposure to methyldopa and clonidine.
Conclusion: The current systematic review demonstrates a
paucity of relevant published high-quality studies. A small
number of studies suggest possible increased risk of
adverse child health outcomes; however, most published
studies have methodological weaknesses and/or lacked
statistical power thus preventing any firm conclusions
being drawn
Brain iron accumulation in unexplained fetal and infant death victims with smoker mothers-The possible involvement of maternal methemoglobinemia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Iron is involved in important vital functions as an essential component of the oxygen-transporting heme mechanism. In this study we aimed to evaluate whether oxidative metabolites from maternal cigarette smoke could affect iron homeostasis in the brain of victims of sudden unexplained fetal and infant death, maybe through the induction of maternal hemoglobin damage, such as in case of methemoglobinemia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Histochemical investigations by Prussian blue reaction were made on brain nonheme ferric iron deposits, gaining detailed data on their localization in the brainstem and cerebellum of victims of sudden death and controls. The Gless and Marsland's modification of Bielschowsky's was used to identify neuronal cell bodies and neurofilaments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Our approach highlighted accumulations of blue granulations, indicative of iron positive reactions, in the brainstem and cerebellum of 33% of victims of sudden death and in none of the control group. The modified Bielschowsky's method confirmed that the cells with iron accumulations were neuronal cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We propose that the free iron deposition in the brain of sudden fetal and infant death victims could be a catabolic product of maternal methemoglobinemia, a biomarker of oxidative stress likely due to nicotine absorption.</p
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