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PubMed1989

Application of PHYCON 6600 to achieve sustained release of an antitumor drug (carmofur).

This study attempted to develop sustained release implantable dosage forms based on PHYCON 6600, a new silicone gel. The solid gel is prepared at ambient temperature by polymerization of two basic components (PHYCON A and PHYCON B solutions) for about 1 h. The application we explored was the use of implantable PHYCON-drug composites in tumor therapy. Carmofur (1-hexylcarbamoyl-5-fluorouracil, HCFU) was chosen as a practical antitumor drug. Using an in vitro dissolution test, near zero-order release rate was observed over a period of about 35 days. The amount of drug released by the 'burst phenomenon' was found to be less than the HCFU toxic dose. In vivo studies of antitumor activity were carried out by measuring the lifespan of lymphoma-inoculated mice (ILS). The increase in lifespan (38.5%) following intraperitoneal administration of the PHYCON formulations was similar to that (36.4%) following injection of the drug alone for 5 days. Our results suggest that the injectable and implantable sustained release formulations of the antitumor drug in PHYCON might be suitable for tumor chemotherapy.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The water budget myth revisited: why hydrogeologists model.

Within the ground water community, the idea persists that if one can estimate the recharge to a ground water system, one then can determine the size of a sustainable development. Theis addressed this idea in 1940 and showed it to be wrong-yet the myth continues. The size of a sustainable ground water development usually depends on how much of the discharge from the system can be "captured" by the development. Capture is independent of the recharge; it depends on the dynamic response of the aquifer system to the development. Ground water models were created to study the response dynamics of ground water systems; it is one of the principal reasons hydrogeologists model.

Models, Theoretical↗
PubMed2005

Sustained ventricular tachycardia induced by dobutamine stress echocardiography: a prospective study.

AIMS: To investigate the prognostic significance and electrophysiological characteristics of dobutamine stress echo (DSE)-induced sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). METHODS: In our department, 3022 DSE studies were carried out on 2688 patients, aged 54.7 +/- 11.8 years, over a 3.5 year period. Patients with DSE-induced VT were studied by means of coronary angiography and electrophysiological testing, and were followed-up for 17.8 +/- 9.3 months. RESULTS: During DSE, nine patients (0.3%) developed sustained monomorphic VT. Four patients had coronary artery disease, one developed spontaneous right coronary artery (RCA) dissection during DSE, one patient had peripartum cardiomyopathy and the remainder had normal coronary arteries. Logistic regression analysis did not identify clinical parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, documentation of an ischaemic response or the presence of non-viable myocardial segments during DSE, that could predict the occurrence of DSE-induced VT. Monomorphic VT was inducible by electrophysiological testing in two patients with CAD and reduced LVEF. During follow-up, only these two patients developed VT. CONCLUSION: Sustained monomorphic VT is a rare complication of DSE, with no predictive value for the identification of patients with coronary artery disease and no prognostic significance in patients with normal coronary arteries. No predictors of its occurrence were identified.

Coronary Angiography↗
PubMed2006

Environmental analysis in the selection of alternative corridors in a long-distance linear project: a methodological proposal.

A linear engineering project--i.e. a pipeline--has a potential long- and short-term impact on the environment and on the inhabitants therein. We must find better, less expensive, and less time-consuming ways to obtain information on the environment and on any modifications resulting from anthropic activity. We need scientifically sound, rapid and affordable assessment and monitoring methods. Construction companies, industries and the regulating government organisms lack the resources needed to conduct long-term basic studies of the environment. Thus there is a need to make the necessary adjustments and improvements in the environmental data considered useful for this development project. More effective and less costly methods are generally needed. We characterized the landscape of the study area, situated in the center and north-east of Argentina. Little is known of the ecology of this region and substantial research is required in order to develop sustainable uses and, at the same time, to develop methods for reducing impacts, both primary and secondary, resulting from anthropic activity in this area. Furthermore, we made an assessment of the environmental impact of the planned linear project, applying an ad hoc impact index, and we analyzed the different alternatives for a corridor, each one of these involving different sections of the territory. Among the alternative corridors considered, this study locates the most suitable ones in accordance with a selection criterion based on different environmental and conservation aspects. We selected the corridor that we considered to be the most compatible--i.e. with the least potential environmental impact--for the possible construction and operation of the linear project. This information, along with suitable measures for mitigating possible impacts, should be the basis of an environmental management plan for the design process and location of the project. We pointed out the objectivity and efficiency of this methodological approach, along with the possibility of integrating the information in order to allow for the application thereof in this type of study.

Argentina↗
PubMed2006

Population growth, human development, and deforestation in biodiversity hotspots.

Human population and development activities affect the rate of deforestation in biodiversity hotspots. We quantified the effect of human population growth and development on rates of deforestation and analyzed the relationship between these causal factors in the 1980s and 1990s. We compared the averages of population growth, human development index (HDI, which measures income, health, and education), and deforestation rate and computed correlations among these variables for countries that contain biodiversity hotspots. When population growth was high and HDI was low there was a high rate of deforestation, but when HDI was high, rate of deforestation was low, despite high population growth. The correlation among variables was significant for the 1990s but not for the 1980s. The relationship between population growth and HDI had a regional pattern that reflected the historical process of development. Based on the changes in HDI and deforestation rate over time, we identified two drivers of deforestation: policy choice and human-development constraints. Policy choices that disregard conservation may cause the loss of forests even in countries that are relatively developed. Lack of development in other countries, on the other hand, may increase the pressure on forests to meet the basic needs of the human population. Deforestation resulting from policy choices may be easier to fix than deforestation arising from human development constraints. To prevent deforestation in the countries that have such constraints, transfer of material and intellectual resources from developed countries may be needed. Popular interest in sustainable development in developed countries can facilitate the transfer of these resources.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Analysis on the environmental problems accompanying the high-speed urbanization of small towns in China.

The environmental problems accompanying the rapid urbanization of many small towns like Keqiao, Shaoxing County of China and their countermeasures are presented. To settle these problems rationally as well as effectively will not only conduce to boost the environmental quality and life quality of cities, but also help to promote the development of regional economy and the realization of sustainable development.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Anthropocybernetic modeling--from population demography to the concept of values.

The "Values" model was conceived to integrate complex systems variables including genetic, memetic and demographic variables. Their respective integration in the "Values" model algorithm should enable us to better predict and estimate possible developments within complex anthropological systems such as human communities. The aim of this investigation was to test the ability of the "Values" model to approximately simulate the development and interaction of population size, kinship coefficient, environment and values within an imaginary population. The purpose of our research is to establish a basic model that could be used to simulate the behavior of complex anthropological systems, compare such simulations to available historical data for validation, predict demographic, socio-cultural, psychological and biological developments and finally set guidelines or suggestions for sustainable development of investigated communities.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Intersectoral approaches to dengue vector control.

Medical entomology in the context of urban vector control, especially for dengue, can be likened to the tail of a dog. Vertically structured Aedes aegypti campaigns such as run by Gorgas and Soper earlier this century relied on sufficient legislative backing for vector control to ensure that the tail was capable of wagging the dog. Under these conditions, especially where individual rights do not intrude, vertical programs will be successful. The global expansion of dengue, dengue hemorrhagic fever and its vectors, plus growing trends towards urban/periurban living indicate a more serious scenario than at present. In 1987, the Brundtland Report: "Our Common Future" decried sectoralism in problem solving. Following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, the resulting Commission on Sustainable Development has promoted the intersectoral message of health, environment and development. The WHO/FAO/UNEP/UNCHS Panel of Experts on Environmental Management for Vector Control has promoted this for some time and is attempting to build multidisciplinary projects against urban vector borne disease. Adequate solid waste management and recycling will reduce numbers of water bearing containers infested with Aedes aegypti and provision of reliable piped water supplies will impact heavily on infested water storage containers. Both should be encouraged as viable control options. For much of the world, vertical programs have been reported as prohibitively expensive, and unacceptable intrusion on human rights and thus unsustainable in the modern economic context. However there are successful modern examples.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aedes↗
PubMed2003

Biodiversity conservation and resource tenure regimes: a case study from northeast Cambodia.

The management of tropical protected areas is a contentious issue in resource management and often leads to an unproductive polarization of viewpoints supporting either "protectionist" or "sustainable development" paradigms. This paper argues for a context-driven approach whereby effective management requires inputs from both paradigms in different situations. A key element of context is understanding long-practiced resource tenures and their ability to meet future conservation and livelihood goals. Different types of tenure arrangements are often required for different resources. This approach is illustrated by analysis of Virachey National Park in NE Cambodia. This park encompasses part of the ancestral territory of ethnic Brao people, who rely upon swidden agriculture, fish, terrestrial wildlife, and various nontimber forest products (NTFPs) for their livelihoods. These people have developed a mix of resource tenure regimes to promote sustainable use and to maximize local benefits. In the face of contemporary pressures, some of these traditional approaches are effective, while others are not. The paper suggests avenues for building on long-established management practices of the Brao to achieve park management goals while enhancing the welfare of the Brao people. A mix of private ownership, common property management, and central government involvement may be required to maximize benefits to local people and ensure long-term protection of biodiversity.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Biocultural diversity in the sustainability of developing-country food systems.

The policy implications of a model of contemporary food systems for developing countries that integrates nutrition, reduction of disease risk, culture, income generation, and biodiversity are reviewed within a theoretical and empirical examination of the relevance of nutrition to the priorities put forward at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002. Agricultural, health, economic, and social policies with local reach are necessary responses to the increase in noncommunicable disease associated with the globalization of food systems. Nutrition offers a nexus for the changes in individual behavior and motivation essential for fundamental shifts in production and consumption patterns. Mutual consideration of biocultural diversity and nutrition can guide policy, research, promotion, and applied action in developing countries. Benefits from enhanced use of biodiversity must legitimately flow to the undernourished poor, while potential negative consequences must be minimized and mitigated. Quality and quantity of food need not be mutually exclusive. Functions related to energy density, glycemic control, oxidative stress, and immunostimulation define important research priorities. Tests of the hypothesis that biodiversity equates with dietary diversity and health might combine quantitative indicators of dietary and biological diversity with nutrition and health outcomes. Biodiversity, where it is part of traditional agricultural and food systems, can be best conserved and enhanced through rational use within a broad-based developmental focus on small-scale and low-input production. The fact that traditional systems, once lost, are hard to recreate underlines the imperative for timely documentation, compilation, and dissemination of eroding knowledge of biodiversity and the use of food culture for promoting positive behaviors.

Biodiversity↗
PubMed2001

Ecological approaches to rural development projects.

Most rural development projects include ecological considerations, and most conservation projects include some reference to sustainable development. However, conservation projects frequently fail because they do not incorporate local communities' perceptions and needs. Many development projects are also unsuccessful because they are not based on adequate ecological assessment. We focus here on the most important ecological issues to be addressed in order to place development projects in an ecosystem context. Such projects should incorporate updated and precise ecological concepts and methods. Some key ecological issues in development projects are the relationships between ecosystem functions, services, and sustainability, the concept of loose connectivity, the distinct and complementary concepts of ecosystem resistance and resilience, and the links between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. We claim that an ecologically sound development project maximizes the preservation and improvement of ecosystem services, especially for local communities. We pose a series of questions aimed at placing rural development projects in an ecosystem context and suggest ways of organizing this information.

Ecology↗
PubMed2001

A sustainable approach to planning housing and social care: if not now, when?

The publication of Supporting People (Department of Social Security 1998) has given urgency to discussions around needs analysis, planning, user voice and the development of 'normal' housing for people with support needs. This paper explores a project, which aimed to design a collaborative model for identifying supported housing needs. We provide an overview of the research background, local imperatives and findings, and point to the probability of increasing conflict between the policy of developing 'sustainable communities' and the development of housing for people with support needs.

City Planning↗
PubMed2006

Development of a new approach to cumulative effects assessment: a northern river ecosystem example.

If sustainable development of Canadian waters is to be achieved, a realistic and manageable framework is required for assessing cumulative effects. The objective of this paper is to describe an approach for aquatic cumulative effects assessment that was developed under the Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative. The approach is based on a review of existing monitoring practices in Canada and the presence of existing thresholds for aquatic ecosystem health assessments. It suggests that a sustainable framework is possible for cumulative effects assessment of Canadian waters that would result in integration of national indicators of aquatic health, integration of national initiatives (e.g., water quality index, environmental effects monitoring), and provide an avenue where long-term monitoring programs could be integrated with baseline and follow-up monitoring conducted under the environmental assessment process.

Canada↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The journey from safe yield to sustainability.

Safe-yield concepts historically focused attention on the economic and legal aspects of ground water development. Sustainability concerns have brought environmental aspects more to the forefront and have resulted in a more integrated outlook. Water resources sustainability is not a purely scientific concept, but rather a perspective that can frame scientific analysis. The evolving concept of sustainability presents a challenge to hydrologists to translate complex, and sometimes vague, socioeconomic and political questions into technical questions that can be quantified systematically. Hydrologists can contribute to sustainable water resources management by presenting the longer-term implications of ground water development as an integral part of their analyses.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMed2002

Initial clinical experience with distal protection using the FilterWire in patients undergoing coronary artery and saphenous vein graft percutaneous intervention.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) and native coronary arteries may be associated with embolization of particulate debris into the distal microcirculation. The FilterWire uses a polyurethane filter bag contained on a radiopaque loop to trap embolic debris during native vessel and SVG intervention. The objectives of this study were to assess the feasibility and safety of the FilterWire during PCI and to examine the size and content of the particulate debris captured during SVG and native vessel intervention. Early angiographic, in-hospital, and 30-day clinical outcomes were reviewed in 35 patients with 36 lesions treated with the FilterWire during PCI. Lesions were located in 22 (61%) native coronary arteries and in 14 (39%) SVGs. Multivessel coronary artery disease was present in 75% of patients. Lesions were complex (ACC/AHA complexity B2 or C) in 81% of cases. The FilterWire was successfully delivered and deployed distal to the site of coronary intervention in 92% of lesions, including 95% of native vessels and 82% of SVG lesions. Embolic debris was entrapped in 82% of these cases. The average particulate debris had a mean major axis of 490 microm (range, 45-3,302 microm) and minor axis of 226 microm (range, 33-1,677 microm). Although reduced flow was common (36.1%) when the FilterWire was in place, there were no sustained episodes of abrupt closure and only one (2.8%) patient developed sustained no-reflow after FilterWire removal. Distal branch vessel embolization was found in four (11.1%) cases. Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 5 (14%) of 35 patients treated with the device, although 2 of these patients were evolving an acute myocardial infarction at the time of the procedure; in patients meeting the prospectively defined inclusion criteria, the major adverse cardiac event was 6%. These results suggest that the FilterWire is a feasible and safe method of collecting particulate debris released during SVG and native vessel coronary intervention. Its benefit over conventional therapy and other distal protection devices is currently under study.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

The evolving implications of health and sustainability in China.

Sustainability in the context of China is an immediate and massive concept. A society of 1.3 billion has economic growth of 9-10% and a dramatic rise in life expectancy. It has rapidly-accumulating material wealth, major lifestyle changes and growing inequalities. It is putting great pressure on natural resources such as water and air quality. The Chinese Government's new 5-year plan uses the term 'sustainable development' as an important social goal for the first time. Sustainability requires a global effort and Sino-European partnerships are important.

China↗
PubMed2001

Linkages between FAO agroclimatic data resources and the development of GIS models for control of vector-borne diseases.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is the largest specialized UN Agency dealing with agriculture, forestry and fishery, particularly in the developing countries. One of its technical services, placed under the Sustainable Development Department, has the responsibility to provide information on environment and natural resources as related to food and agriculture. It includes, among others, expertise in remote sensing, geographic information systems and agrometeorology, production of global environmental digital datasets, meteorological and remote sensing data collection and analysis at near real-time, development of methodologies, models and tools for data standardization, collection, spatialization, analysis and dissemination, networking and information sharing, development of integrated information management systems. Some experience has also been gained in the use of climatic digital datasets for spatial modeling of crop pests and diseases. The description of mapping the distribution of the Western Corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera) in Europe as a function of environmental conditions is presented as well as the global assessment of environmental potential constraints based on processing of digital datasets. A simple spatial interpolation routine is briefly explained.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Percutaneous myocardial laser revascularization in patients with refractory angina pectoris.

This study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of percutaneous myocardial laser revascularization (PMLR). Seventy-three patients with stable angina pectoris (class III or IV) who were unsuitable for conventional revascularization and had evidence of reversible ischemia by thallium-201 scintigraphy, ejection fraction of > or =25%, and myocardial wall thickness > or =8 mm were randomized to optimal medical therapy alone (n = 37) or PMLR with optimal medical therapy (n = 36). Patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months. The primary end point was exercise time. Secondary end points included angina scores, left ventricular ejection fraction, quality of life, changes in medical therapy, and hospitalizations. All 36 patients randomized to PMLR underwent the procedure successfully with no periprocedure deaths. One patient developed sustained ventricular tachycardia that required electrical cardioversion, and 1 patient developed cardiac tamponade that required surgical drainage. At 12 months, exercise times improved by 109 seconds in the PMLR group but decreased by 62 seconds in the control group (p <0.01). Angina scores improved by 2 classes in 36% of PMLR-treated patients at 12 months compared with 0% of the control patients (p <0.01). We conclude that PMLR is a relatively safe procedure that provides patients with symptomatic angina relief and improvement in exercise capacity and quality of life.

Adult↗