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PubMed2001

[Principles and advanced techniques for better internetpresentations in obstetrics and gynecology].

Internet presentations are common tools for better medical communication and better scientific work. Meanwhile a great number of gynecological and obstetrical institutions present data via the world wide web within a wide range of quality and performance. Specific HTML editors offer quick and easy presentations, but only advanced internet techniques enable interesting multimedia presentations. N-tier applications are the future standard and we must integrate them in general informatical systems. New Concepts, actual tools and general problems will be discussed and new principles similar to actual E commerce techniques are able to solve our special medical demands.

Computer Security↗
PubMed2006

[Structure, methodology and ethics of German commissions on living organ donation].

Living organ donation is a medically established and morally acceptable method of transplantation. According to German Transplantation Law, an expert review by a local "Commission on Living Donation" (Lebendspendekommission, LSK) is required before transplantation. The legal task of this review is to ensure a voluntary decision by the donor and to rule out illegal trading of organs. Results from a national survey among all LSKs show that the process of review and assessment varies considerably among German LSKs. Most of them carry out a compulsory hearing of every potential donor, but this is omitted by some LSKs in a number of cases. Only 60% of all LSKs feel confident to determine donors' free will and protect their self-determination. Only 33% claim to be able to recognise illegal trading of organs. The LSKs even disagree on the exact borderline between legal incentives and illegal commerce. An expansion of living donation by financial incentives, pool-donation or crossover donation is supported only by a minority of German LSKs. The article argues in favour of establishing national standards for the process of LSK-reviews in order to foster procedural ethics and trustworthiness in the field of living organ donation.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2004

Confronting the epidemic: the need for global solutions.

The growth in the global epidemic of obesity is fundamentally linked to economic factors. The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity has occurred during a period when the real cost of the main components of many processed foods has declined significantly,partly due to state subsidies in the protected markets of Western economies. It is suggested that the vigorous promotion of foods high in fats and sugars, and intensive marketing to children, have aggravated the problems of obesity. The metabolic syndrome, a recent feature of the epidemic, now is a marker for the health impact of obesity both in the US and other countries. The IOTF suggests that global populations will continue to become progressively heavier if present consumption forecasts are sustained, with obesity imposing a burden of social and economic costs that no country, least of all developing countries with limited resources, can afford. Commitments to deliver effective action are needed from non-health sectors such as culture and education, commerce and trade, development,planning, and transport. Only a comprehensive and integrated international approach, based on an effective implementation of the WHO global strategy on diet, physical activity and health, offers any real hope of arresting the public health catastrophe unfolding throughout the world.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Recalls of foods containing undeclared allergens reported to the US Food and Drug Administration, fiscal year 1999.

BACKGROUND: Food recalls can play a role in preventing or reducing the number of allergic reactions that may occur after a product containing an undeclared allergen has been introduced into commerce. OBJECTIVE: We sought to summarize the US Food and Drug Administration's records of recalls classified for fiscal year 1999 involving foods containing undeclared allergens. METHODS: Food and Drug Administration food recall records were reviewed for fiscal year 1999 to identify recalls that occurred because of the undeclared presence of one or more of the following allergens: milk, eggs, fish, wheat, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. Each record was reviewed to determine the recalled product, the undeclared allergen present, the reason for recall, and reported adverse events. RESULTS: Of 659 total food products classified for recall during fiscal year 1999, 236 (36%) products were recalled because they contained one or more undeclared allergens. Consumers were the party most often responsible for identifying that an undeclared allergen was present in a product (56% of recalled products). A total of 34 consumers reported allergic reactions after consumption of the recalled products. Three principal factors contributed to the presence of undeclared allergens in the recalled products: ingredient-statement omissions and errors (51% of all recalled products); manufacturing equipment cross-contact (40%); and errors by ingredient suppliers or manufacturing firm employees (5%). CONCLUSION: The presence of undeclared allergens in food products represents one of the more common reasons for food-product recall in the United States. A number of well-recognized allergens may be introduced into foods as a result of several different factors.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

Traffic-based feedback on the web.

Usage data at a high-traffic web site can expose information about external events and surges in popularity that may not be accessible solely from analyses of content and link structure. We consider sites that are organized around a set of items available for purchase or download, consider, for example, an e-commerce site or collection of online research papers, and we study a simple indicator of collective user interest in an item, the batting average, defined as the fraction of visits to an item's description that result in an acquisition of that item. We develop a stochastic model for identifying points in time at which an item's batting average experiences significant change. In experiments with usage data from the Internet Archive, we find that such changes often occur in an abrupt, discrete fashion, and that these changes can be closely aligned with events such as the highlighting of an item on the site or the appearance of a link from an active external referrer. In this way, analyzing the dynamics of item popularity at an active web site can help characterize the impact of a range of events taking place both on and off the site.

Biological Warfare↗
PubMed2001

Multiple maternal origins and weak phylogeographic structure in domestic goats.

Domestic animals have played a key role in human history. Despite their importance, however, the origins of most domestic species remain poorly understood. We assessed the phylogenetic history and population structure of domestic goats by sequencing a hypervariable segment (481 bp) of the mtDNA control region from 406 goats representing 88 breeds distributed across the Old World. Phylogeographic analysis revealed three highly divergent goat lineages (estimated divergence >200,000 years ago), with one lineage occurring only in eastern and southern Asia. A remarkably similar pattern exists in cattle, sheep, and pigs. These results, combined with recent archaeological findings, suggest that goats and other farm animals have multiple maternal origins with a possible center of origin in Asia, as well as in the Fertile Crescent. The pattern of goat mtDNA diversity suggests that all three lineages have undergone population expansions, but that the expansion was relatively recent for two of the lineages (including the Asian lineage). Goat populations are surprisingly less genetically structured than cattle populations. In goats only approximately 10% of the mtDNA variation is partitioned among continents. In cattle the amount is >/=50%. This weak structuring suggests extensive intercontinental transportation of goats and has intriguing implications about the importance of goats in historical human migrations and commerce.

Animals↗
PubMed2024

Solving the 250-year-old mystery of the origin and global spread of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica.

The origin of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is enigmatic, in part because it is ubiquitous worldwide in human-built structures but absent from any natural habitats. The first historical records of this species are from ca. 250 years ago (ya) from central Europe (hence its name). However, recent research suggests that the center of diversity of the genus is Asian, where its closest relatives are found. To solve this paradox, we sampled genome-wide markers of 281 cockroaches from 17 countries across six continents. We confirm that B. germanica evolved from the Asian cockroach Blattella asahinai approximately 2,100 ya, probably by adapting to human settlements in India or Myanmar. Our genomic analyses reconstructed two primary global spread routes, one older, westward route to the Middle East coinciding with various Islamic dynasties (~1,200 ya), and another younger eastward route coinciding with the European colonial period (~390 ya). While Europe was not central to the early domestication and spread of the German cockroach, European advances in long-distance transportation and temperature-controlled housing were likely important for the more recent global spread, increasing chances of successful dispersal to and establishment in new regions. The global genetic structure of German cockroaches further supports our model, as it generally aligns with geopolitical boundaries, suggesting regional bridgehead populations established following the advent of international commerce.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

A risk assessment for exposure to grunerite asbestos (amosite) in an iron ore mine.

The potential for health risks to humans exposed to the asbestos minerals continues to be a public health concern. Although the production and use of the commercial amphibole asbestos minerals-grunerite (amosite) and riebeckite (crocidolite)-have been almost completely eliminated from world commerce, special opportunities for potentially significant exposures remain. Commercially viable deposits of grunerite asbestos are very rare, but it can occur as a gangue mineral in a limited part of a mine otherwise thought asbestos-free. This report describes such a situation, in which a very localized seam of grunerite asbestos was identified in an iron ore mine. The geological occurrence of the seam in the ore body is described, as well as the mineralogical character of the grunerite asbestos. The most relevant epidemiological studies of workers exposed to grunerite asbestos are used to gauge the hazards associated with the inhalation of this fibrous mineral. Both analytical transmission electron microscopy and phase-contrast optical microscopy were used to quantify the fibers present in the air during mining in the area with outcroppings of grunerite asbestos. Analytical transmission electron microscopy and continuous-scan x-ray diffraction were used to determine the type of asbestos fiber present. Knowing the level of the miner's exposures, we carried out a risk assessment by using a model developed for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Asbestos, Amosite↗
PubMed2002

The HIV/AIDS pandemic, African traditional values and the search for a vaccine in Africa.

The response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa has so far ignored important traditional African values and attitudes toward disease and commerce. These values and attitudes are significantly different from the libertarian, market-driven, profit-oriented values and practices of important sectors of the Western world. To deal with this epidemic, the world should consider respect for, and possibly even adoption of those African values, which provide for people in genuine need, irrespective of their ability to pay. HIV/AIDS vaccine research indigenous to Africa is also not always taken seriously, and struggles to find adequate funding for such research within or outside of the continent have been extremely difficult. A better appreciation of knowledge systems and values indigenous to the African experience is important in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

AIDS Vaccines↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The design of shift systems.

All shift systems have advantages and drawbacks. There is no single 'optimum shift system' which can be used in industry or commerce at all work places. However, there are shift systems which are more favourable, and others which are less favourable, in the context of physiological, psychological, and social recommendations for the design of shift systems. This article discusses the following recommendations: (1) Nightwork should be reduced as much as possible. If this is not possible, quickly rotating shift systems are preferable to slowly rotating ones. Permanent nightwork does not seem to be advisable for the majority of shiftworkers. (2) Extended workdays (9-12 h) should only be contemplated, if the nature of work and the workload are suitable; the shift system is designed to minimize the accumulation of fatigue; there are adequate arrangements for cover of absentees; overtime will not be added; toxic exposure is limited; and if it is likely that a complete recovery after work and a high acceptance of the working time arrangement are possible. (3) An early start for the morning shift should be avoided. In all shiftsystems flexible working time arrangements are realizable. The highest flexibility is possible in 'time autonomous groups'. (4) Quick changeovers (e.g., from night to afternoon shift at the same day or from afternoon to morning shift) must be avoided. The number of consecutive working days should be limited to 5-7 days. Every shift system should include some free weekends with at least two successive full days off. (5) The forward rotation of shifts (phase delay, clockwise rotation) would seem to be recommendable at least in continuous shift systems. Besides the design of a shift system, implementation strategy is of particular importance for the acceptance of the shift system.

Circadian Rhythm↗
PubMed1996

A structural equations model of stress, locus of control, social support, psychiatric symptoms, and propensity to leave a job.

The main effects of (a) job stress on psychiatric symptoms and propensity to leave a job and of (b) psychiatric symptoms on propensity to leave a job and the (c) moderating effects of locus of control and social support on the relationships of job stress to psychiatric symptoms and propensity to leave a job were examined. Data collected with questionnaires completed by 526 members of the Chamber of Commerce in a southern state were analyzed using LISREL 7 (Jöreskog & Sörbom, 1988). The results indicate that role overload and role insufficiency positively influenced psychiatric symptoms and that role insufficiency, role ambiguity, and role conflict positively influenced propensity to leave a job. Overall, the moderating effects of locus of control on the relationships of stress variables to psychiatric symptoms and propensity to leave a job were significant, but similar moderating effects for social support were not.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

From low to high fertility in Sulawesi (Indonesia) during the colonial period: explaining the 'first fertility transition'.

This paper examines the past transition from low to high fertility which, in Indonesia as elsewhere, preceded the return to lower birth rates. Data from two parts of the island of Sulawesi where fertility rose during the colonial period are used to explain both why it rose, and why it was originally low. Economic conditions, it is argued, were the most important factors, affecting fertility via the supply of income and the demand for labour. Two schematic models of the 'first fertility transition' are proposed. In areas with low population densities and area-extensive forms of agriculture responsive to commercial stimuli, birth rates rose as the growth of commerce raised levels of prosperity, facilitated marriage, and undermined institutions such as debt-slavery which had previously acted to restrict marital fertility. In densely populated areas with labour-intensive agriculture and heavy state taxation in labour, fertility rose in response to demands for women's (and possibly child) labour that did not necessarily lead to gains in income.

Amenorrhea↗
PubMed1986

Changing horses in mid-stream: job and life satisfactions for veterinarians.

The differential nature of job activities related to four areas of veterinary work, club or private practice, industry or commerce, Animal Health and Meat Divisions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, were investigated using a ten factor rating scale. The same scale was used to measure these veterinarians; non-job activities. Significant differences were found in average levels of job satisfaction. Meat Division veterinarians, for example, rated their jobs as offering little discretion or control over what, when and how they do things, lacking variety in activities, requiring less mental effort and giving them little control over the speed at which they work. These veterinarians also had the lowest level of job satisfaction. Non-job activities are seen to compensate for non-satisfactory aspects of a job, and levels of life satisfaction among veterinarians was not related to being in a specific area of practice. Certain job and non-job activities, however, are related to the degree of mental well-being in a veterinarian.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relevance of animal carcinogenesis findings to human cancer predictions and prevention.

Use of laboratory animals to identify carcinogenic potential of chemicals, mixtures, and other agents has a modern history of greater than 40 years from which much useful scientific and public health information can be derived. While laboratory animals differ from humans in some respects that may affect responses to hazardous exposures, use of such models is based on experimental evidence indicating that there are more genetic, genomic, physiological, biochemical, and metabolic similarities than differences among mammalian species. Issues of concordance of responses between rodent species and between rodents and humans as well as repeatability and site-specificity are important considerations in evaluating laboratory animal carcinogenicity results. Variables in experimental design such as animal strain, diet, route of exposure, and study, duration as well as single-site versus multisite carcinogenic responses all influence interpretation and intelligent use of study data. Similarities and differences in site-specific laboratory animal and corresponding human cancers should also be considered in study evaluation. Recent attempts to explore genetically engineered mice and to humanize the mouse for more relevant identification of carcinogen hazard identification have yielded mixed results. In the end we are confronted by the realization that virtually all animal cancer models are useful but imperfect surrogates for humans. Assuming the percentage of chemicals currently in commerce that are estimated to be potent animal or human carcinogens is quite low, the task of identifying agents with significant carcinogenic potential is daunting and important. The biological conundrum of scientific debate regarding the relevance of carcinogenicity studies in laboratory animals is likely to continue. Nonetheless public health considerations must take precedence when deciding human safety issues.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Toxicity assessment of industrial chemicals and airborne contaminants: transition from in vivo to in vitro test methods: a review.

Exposure to occupational and environmental contaminants is a major contributor to human health problems. Inhalation of gases, vapors, aerosols, and mixtures of these can cause a wide range of adverse health effects, ranging from simple irritation to systemic diseases. Despite significant achievements in the risk assessment of chemicals, the toxicological database, particularly for industrial chemicals, remains limited. Considering there are approximately 80,000 chemicals in commerce, and an extremely large number of chemical mixtures, in vivo testing of this large number is unachievable from both economical and practical perspectives. While in vitro methods are capable of rapidly providing toxicity information, regulatory agencies in general are still cautious about the replacement of whole-animal methods with new in vitro techniques. Although studying the toxic effects of inhaled chemicals is a complex subject, recent studies demonstrate that in vitro methods may have significant potential for assessing the toxicity of airborne contaminants. In this review, current toxicity test methods for risk evaluation of industrial chemicals and airborne contaminants are presented. To evaluate the potential applications of in vitro methods for studying respiratory toxicity, more recent models developed for toxicity testing of airborne contaminants are discussed.

Aerosols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malaysia mental health country profile.

Malaysia is a tropical country in the heart of south east Asia with a population of 24 million people of diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds living in harmony in 330,000 km(2) of land on the Asian mainland and Borneo. Malaysia, which lies on the crossroads of trade between east and west Asia, has an ancient history as a centre of trading attracting commerce between Europe, west Asia, India and China. It has had influences from major powers that dominated the region throughout its history. Today the country, after independence in 1957, has embarked on an ambitious development project to make it a developed country by 2020. In this effort the economy has changed from one producing raw material to one manufacturing consumer goods and services and the colonial health system has been overhauled and social systems strengthened to provide better services for its people. The per capita income, which was under 1,000 US dollars at independence, has now passed 4,000 US dollars and continues to grow, with the economy largely based on strong exports that amount to over 100 billion US dollars. The mental health system that was based on institutional care in four mental hospitals at independence from British colonial rule in 1957 with no Malaysian psychiatrists is today largely based on over 30 general hospital psychiatric units spread throughout the country. With three local postgraduate training programmes in psychiatry and 12 undergraduate departments of psychiatry in the country--all started after independence--there is now a healthy development of mental health services. This is being supplemented by a newly established primary care mental health service that covers community mental health by integrating mental health into primary health care. Mental health care at the level of psychiatrists rests with about 140 psychiatrists most of whom had undertaken a four-year masters course in postgraduate psychiatry in Malaysia since 1973. However, there continues to be severe shortages of other professionals such as clinical psychologists and social workers in mental health services. There are a few specialists, and specialized services in child, adolescent, forensic, rehabilitative, liaison or research fields of mental health. In the area of services for women and children, as well as the disabled in the community, there are strong efforts to improve the care and provide services that are in keeping with a caring society. New legislation on these are being passed every year and the setting up of a Ministry for Women's Affairs is one such move in recent years. Mental health in Malaysia has been slow in developing but has in the past decade seen important strides to bring it on par with other branches of medicine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

The brave new world of FDA nutrition regulation--some thoughts about current trends and long-term effects.

This article reviews long-term trends at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning regulation of nutrition, and considers how these trends may affect products of the food industry in the decades ahead. Among the topics discussed are the FDA's rules concerning the provision of basic, standard format nutrition information ("nutrition labeling") on food products. These rules have changed dramatically over the past 50 years from a period when no information was required to a period when information was required only if a nutrient claim was made or if a nutrient was added to the product to the new FDA regulations that become effective in 1994, which require standardized nutrition labeling on most food products in interstate commerce. There have also been important shifts in the procedures concerning government regulation of nutrition-related labeling. In general, previously a food company was free to provide truthful and nonmisleading labeling claims about the nutrition content of a food product, leaving it to FDA to police the market and to take regulatory action against any labeling that the agency deemed either to be false or misleading or to constitute an unauthorized drug claim. In contrast, under new FDA regulations, it will become automatically illegal to use any "health claim" or "nutrient content claim" in food labeling unless the claim has been approved in advance by an FDA regulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cholesterol↗
PubMed2003

A perspective on environmental models and QSARs.

A general review is presented of the roles of QSARs and mass balance models as tools for assessing the environmental fate and effects of chemicals of commerce. It is argued that all such chemicals must be assessed using a consistent and transparent methodology that uses chemical property data derived from QSARs, or experimental determinations when possible and applies evaluative or region-specific environmental models. These data and models enable an assessment to be made of the key chemical features of persistence, bioaccumulation, potential for long-range transport and toxicity. The other key feature is quantity used or discharged to the environment. A taxonomy of environmental models is presented in which it is suggested that rather than develop a single comprehensive model, the aim should be to establish a set of coordinated and consistent models treating evaluative and real environmental systems at a variety of scales from local to global and including food web models, organism-specific models and human exposure and pharmacokinetic models. The concentrations derived from these models can then be compared with levels judged to be of toxic significance. A brief account is given of perceived QSAR needs in terms of partitioning, reactivity, transport and toxicity data to support these models.

Animals↗