Non-perceptible body current ELF effects as defined by electric shock safety data

Non-perceptible body currents that arise from contacting exposed conductors that are part of household appliances, are considered in the light of past electric shock safety studies. When these appliances are touched, the older, nongrounded appliances exhibited orders of magnitude greater in-tissue electric fields than the newer grounded appliances or other grounded, exposed, household conductors, such as water faucets.     

Integrated models of livestock systems for climate change studies. 1. Grazing systems

The potential impact of climate change by the year 2050 on British grazing livestock systems is assessed through the use of simulation models of farming systems. The submodels, consisting of grass production, livestock feeding, livestock thermal balance, the thermal balance of naturally ventilated buildings and a stochastic weather generator, are described. These are integrated to form system models for sheep, beef calves and dairy cows. They are applied to scenarios representing eastern (dry) lowlands, western (wet) lowlands and uplands. The results show that such systems should be able to adapt to the expected climatic changes. There is likely to be a small increase in grass production, possibly allowing an increase in total productivity in some cases.     

Predictors of caries in old age

This study measured the incidence of dental caries for one year and identified factors associated with the risk of caries in a sample of 156 elderly subjects. The subjects were examined at baseline and after one year to record the number of missing, filled and decayed teeth, to measure oral hygiene and flow of saliva, and to estimate the numbers of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli cultured from samples of saliva. All subjects were interviewed on both occasions for information on their use of medications and dental services and on their ingestion of sugar. At baseline the elders had a mean of 19 natural teeth with 5 decayed surfaces (DS), 38 filled surfaces and a mean Plaque Index (PI) of 1. The independent group, on average, had more teeth and fillings but a lower PI and less caries. At the end of the year more than two-thirds (71%) of the 98 institutionalised subjects and over half (59%) of the 58 independent subjects had at least one new decayed/filled surface (DFS). The mean net DFS increment per subject was 4.6 and 2.0 respectively. Regression analyses on multivariate models identified caries at baseline, residence in long term care facilities, high numbers of Lactobacilli, poor oral hygiene and frequent sugar consumption as the variables contributing most significantly to the risk of caries in old age.     

A study on body temperature regulation and residential thermal environments of the elderly—II. residential thermal environments at the kansai district

1. 1. An investigation was carried out on 3 male and 4 female elderly people, from 65 to 78 years ol.d The first survey was made in August and September of 1990 (in summer) and the second in January and February of 1991 (in winter).

2. 2. Matters for investigation were human subjects and thermal environmental elements of houses which were recorded by a portable thermo-recorder and a vinyl resin globe thermometer. Dry bulb temperatures at a height of 0.1 and 1.2 m and wet bulb and globe temperatures at 1.2 m high were recorded in the living room, bedroom, toilet etc., the thermo-recorders which measured air and wet bulb temperatures were kept out of the sun.

3. 3. Data was recorded constantly for 7 days at 20 min intervals. Plans of houses and furniture arrangement which influence the thermal conditions were drawn from video recordings. Physical and psychological surveys of individuals were carried out over 2 days of daily life.

4. 4. Subjects carried the thermo-recorders (YM1, YM2) on their side. Rectal, back of hand, sole of foot and ambient temperatures were measured every 2 min and with thermistor sensors. At the same time, behaviour and clothes, assessment of thermal sensation, comfort sensation and sensation of estimated room temperature were reported.

5. 5. Thermal radiation was measured with thermographs during the winter. Human activity was recorded every minute for 33 h. This report is the result of surveys in summer and winter.

6. 6. The following results were obtained: (i) the air conditioning is used sometimes in the houses of the elderly; (ii) thermal sensation range reported is narrow; (iii) skin surface temperatures of the elderly are relatively high and their range of change is narrow, and the range of rectal temperature in a day is narrow; (iv) high activity and excessive heating cause a rise of rectal temperature and the rectal temperatures are lower at rest time.

Development of a protocol for assessing time-weighted-average exposures of young children to power-frequency magnetic fields

A study was carried out in 1990 to guide the development of a protocol for assessing residential exposures of children to time-weighted-average (TWA) power-frequency magnetic fields. The principal goal of this dosimetry study was to determine whether area (i.e., spot and/or 24 h) measurements of power-frequency magnetic fields in the residences and in the schools and daycare centers of 29 children (4 months through 8 years of age) could be used to predict their measured personal 24-h exposures. TWA personal exposures, measured with AMEX-3D meters worn by subjects, were approximately log-normally distributed with both residential and nonresidential geometric means of 0.10 μT (1.0 mG). Between-subjects variability in residential personal exposure levels (geometric standard deviation of 2.4) was substantially greater than that observed for nonresidential personal exposure levels (1.4). The correlation between log-transformed residential and total personal exposure levels was 0.97. Time-weighted averages of the magnetic fields measured in children's bedrooms, family rooms, living rooms, and kitchens were highly correlated with residential personal exposure levels (r = 0.90). In general, magnetic field levels measured in schools and daycare centers attended by subjects were smaller and less variable than measured residential fields and were only weakly correlated with measured nonresidential personal exposures. The final measurement protocol, which will be used in a large US study examining the relationship between childhood leukemia and exposure to magnetic fields, contains the following elements: normal- and low-power spot magnetic field measurements in bedrooms occupied by subjects during the 5 years prior to the date of diagnosis for cases or the corresponding date for controls; spot measurements under normal and low power-usage conditions at the centers of the kitchen and the family room; 24-h magnetic-field recordings near subjects' beds; and wire coding using the Wertheimer-Leeper method. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

1 This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.

     

Oral health and dental care facilities in Maltese residential homes

Objectives: To establish oral health care practices, including the use of dental services, in the residential homes of Malta and Gozo by assessing the knowledge of home managers and assistance of care staff regarding residents’ oral health and hygiene; and evaluating the residents’ demand for dental treatment and residential home managers response to this demand. Subjects: A total population sample of licensed residential homes (38) in Malta and Gozo was used comprising all home managers in government (seven), church (20), and privately run (11) residential homes. Method: A 19‐question questionnaire was designed, piloted and sent to the home managers requesting them to report on the dental care provision for their elderly residents. The questionnaire was distributed by post, along with a reply‐paid envelope and an explanatory letter. A response deadline of 1 month was included. Results: An 87% response rate was achieved. Whilst the majority of home managers (64%) were aware of domiciliary dental services, there was no code of care practice for oral health. Routine dental check‐ups were not organised for residents of most homes. Although home staffs were generally given information about residents’ oral health and hygiene, the majority did not assist residents with oral hygiene. Home managers identified the following barriers to the use of dental services by residents: cost, communication problems with dental staff, journey to place of treatment, waiting time at the dental clinic, access to premises/clinic, lack of information on oral health and dental service availability, no one to accompany the person to the clinic, and health problems such as mobility, poor eyesight, hearing impairment and mental health status. Conclusion: Although most home managers appreciate the importance of oral health care for their residents, the residents still face many barriers to maintaining adequate oral health care and accessing dental services.     

County-level characteristics associated with incidence,late-stage incidence,and mortality from screenable cancers

BackgroundCancer screening differs by rurality and racial residential segregation, but the relationship between these county-level characteristics is understudied. Understanding this relationship and its implications for cancer outcomes could inform interventions to decrease cancer disparities.MethodsWe linked county-level information from national data sources: 2008–2012 cancer incidence, late-stage incidence, and mortality rates (for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer) from U.S. Cancer Statistics and the National Death Index; metropolitan status from U.S. Department of Agriculture; residential segregation derived from American Community Survey; and prevalence of cancer screening from National Cancer Institute’s Small Area Estimates. We used multivariable, sparse Poisson generalized linear mixed models to assess cancer incidence, late-stage incidence, and mortality rates by county-level characteristics, controlling for density of physicians and median household income.ResultsCancer incidence, late-stage incidence, and mortality rates were 6–18% lower in metropolitan counties for breast and colorectal cancer, and 2–4% lower in more segregated counties for breast and colorectal cancer. Generally, reductions in cancer associated with residential segregation were limited to non-metropolitan counties. Cancer incidence, late-stage incidence, and mortality rates were associated with screening, with rates for corresponding cancers that were 2–9% higher in areas with more breast and colorectal screening, but 2–15% lower in areas with more cervical screening.DiscussionLower cancer burden was observed in counties that were metropolitan and more segregated. Effect modification was observed by metropolitan status and county-level residential segregation, indicating that residential segregation may impact healthcare access differently in different county types. Additional studies are needed to inform interventions to reduce county-level disparities in cancer incidence, late-stage incidence, and mortality.     

Geographic origins and dietary transitions during the bronze age in the oman peninsula

The nature of the Bronze Age transition from the Umm an‐Nar (ca. 2700–2000 BC) to the Wadi Suq (ca. 2000–1300 BC) period in the Oman Peninsula has been highly debated by archaeologists, with some characterizing the latter as a time of cultural isolation, social collapse, and/or population replacement following the successful involvement of the area in widespread interregional exchange networks across Arabia and South Asia. The hypothesis that a substantial change in residential mobility, immigration, and diet took place in response to considerable societal changes as reflected by the archaeological record was tested using stable oxygen and carbon isotope analysis. Archaeological human dental enamel from individuals interred in six Umm an‐Nar (n = 100) and seven Wadi Suq (n = 16) communal tombs in the United Arab Emirates was used. Oxygen isotope data reveal largely homogeneous ratios indicative of a predominantly local population that acquired water from isotopically similar sources, although the presence of immigrants during both periods suggests that the region was not as isolated as previously held. Carbon isotope data exhibit a substantial temporal shift from an extremely varied to a more restricted diet, demonstrating that while considerable changes in subsistence strategies and social organization took place in the early second millennium BC, population continuity and sustained (although lessened) participation in pan‐Gulf trade systems best characterizes this regional transformation. Am J Phys Anthropol 152:353–369, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Capsular polysaccharides secreted by building façade colonisers: characterisation and adsorption to surfaces

Abstract

Exopolymers secreted by algal and cyanobacterial strains isolated from building façades were imaged by microscopy techniques. They were extracted and characterised to investigate their possible contribution to interactions with solid surfaces. The polymers were polysaccharides, with anionic and hydrophobic properties varying between the various strains. Capsular polysaccharides extracted from a strain of Klebsormidium flaccidum adsorbed in higher amounts on hydrophobic than on hydrophilic surfaces. These results tend to confirm the hypothesis that exopolymers are important in the colonisation process of microorganisms to surfaces.     

Oral health status of the elderly in a residential home in Turkey

Objectives: To determine the oral health status and treatment needs of elderly residents of a residential home in Ankara, Turkey. Background: Little is known about oral health problems of elderly living in the institutions. Methods: Among 216 elderly, 193 of them were interviewed and were clinically examined according to WHO criteria. Age, gender, educational and occupational status, oral hygiene practices, dental insurance, access to dental care and systemic diseases were recorded using a structured questionnaire. Coronal and root caries, periodontal disease, dental status and related treatment needs were assessed by two calibrated dentists. Results: The mean age of the subjects were 75.2 ± 8.3 in males, 79.1 ± 7.9 in females; 32.6% of subjects were dentate and the mean number of teeth was 3.7 ± 7.0 (median = 0). A functional dentition was present in 7.3% of subjects (≥20). The mean decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) was 29.3 ± 5.8 (median = 32) and mean root caries was 2.2 ± 3.1 (median = 1.0). The major reason for tooth extraction was dental caries. Of the subjects, 20.7% had at least one untreated coronal caries and 18.1% root caries. The assessment of periodontal status according to CPI revealed that only four persons had nine healthy sextants with the score of ‘0’. Edentulousness was 67.4% while 11.9% of them lacked denture in both jaws. Conclusion: The results illustrated poor dental health and showed extremely high demand for the dental health services programmes for the elderly living in these institutions.