Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure in School-Aged Children Living in Rice and Aquacultural Farming Regions of Thailand

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are widely used in agricultural sectors in Thailand. Previous studies have documented that children residing in agricultural areas have higher exposure to OPs than children living in other residential areas. The objective of this study was to quantify urinary biomarkers of OP exposure and determine the environmental conditions and activities that predict their levels among children living in Central Thailand farming regions. In October 2011, 53 6–8-year-old participants were recruited from Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. Twenty-four lived in rice farming communities at Khlong Luang District where OPs are the pesticides used frequently. Twenty-nine participants, living in aquacultural farming communities at Lum Luk Ka District where OPs are not used, were recruited to serve as controls for pathways of exposure (e.g., residential, dietary) other than occupational/paraoccupational exposures encountered in rice farming. Household environments and participants’ activities were assessed using a parental structured interview. Urine samples (first morning voids) were collected from participants for OP urinary metabolite (i.e., dialkylphosphates [DAPs] and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol [TCPy]) measurements. The levels of most urinary OP metabolites were significantly higher in participants who lived in a rice farming community than those who lived in an aquacultural farming community (P < .05). The results from linear regression analysis revealed that the frequency of OP application on rice farms (∑DAP: P = .001; TCPy: P = .001) and living in a rice farming community (∑DAP: P = .009; TCPy: P < .001) were significant predictors of urinary DAP metabolite levels in participants. Increasing TCPy levels were significantly related to proximity to rice farm (P = .03), being with parent while working on a farm (P = .02), playing on a farm (P = .03), and the presence of observable dirt accumulated on the child’s body (P = .02). In conclusion, OP metabolite levels among children who live in rice farming communities were strongly influenced by farming activity, household environments, and child behaviors, suggesting that these are the primary pathways in which children living in these agricultural communities in Thailand were exposed to OPs.     

Characterization of circulating monocytes expressing HLA-DR or CD71 and related soluble factors for 2 weeks after severe, non-thermal injury

BACKGROUND: Severe injury is associated with changes in monocytes that may contribute to poor outcomes. Longitudinal characterization of monocyte response patterns after trauma may provide added insight into these immunological alterations. METHODS: Venous blood obtained seven times during post-injury days 1 through 13 from 61 patients with an injury severity score >20 was assessed by flow cytometry for monocytes (CD14+) expressing HLA-DR or CD71 (transferrin receptor) and for circulating levels of interleukin (IL) 1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, soluble CD14 (sCD14), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), thromboxane B(2) (TXB(2)), and endotoxin. Urine neopterin was measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography, expressed as a neopterin-creatinine ratio. RESULTS: Trauma patients had leucocytosis days 1 through 13, monocytosis days 5 through 13, reduced proportions of CD14+HLA-DR+ cells days 2 through 5, and elevated proportions of CD14+CD71+ cells days 1 through 13. Neopterin was elevated all days, peaking on day 10. sCD14 was elevated days 2 through 13, and there were sporadic elevations of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha, PGE(2), TXB(2), and endotoxin. Sepsis syndrome patients (n = 6) had larger and more prolonged reductions in CD14+HLA-DR+ cells and higher neopterin values, in comparison with uneventful patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Altered proportions of monocytes expressing HLA-DR and CD71 and elevated sCD14 and urine neopterin levels, for up to 2 weeks after severe injury, underscores an extended period of profound immunological effects. Additional studies to more fully assess temporal monocyte response patterns after severe injury, including activation, may be warranted.     

Preoperative education improves quality of patient care for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of preoperative education on patient satisfaction and cooperation during an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure. Risk reduction was also studied in terms of decreased meperidine administration. Subjects were preoperatively educated by the endoscopy nurse regarding the ERCP procedure and how to communicate with the nurse during the procedure. Forty-five patients with a mean age of 58 years participated in the study. Effective patient cooperation was achieved. All subjects were satisfied with the educational process and the ERCP team. These findings suggest preoperative education is a cost-effective intervention in enhance patient cooperation and patient satisfaction for patients undergoing ERCP.     

Diabetes as a Determinant of Mortality in Cystic Fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes is increasingly common in cystic fibrosis, but little information describing its influence on mortality exists. Using national U.K. data, in this study we document diabetes-specific mortality rates, estimate the impact of diabetes on survival, and estimate population-attributable fractions.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study identified 8,029 individuals aged 0–65 years from the U.K. Cystic Fibrosis Registry (1996–2005). A total of 5,892 patients were included in analyses of mortality rates, and 4,234 were included in analyses of risk factors. We calculated age-adjusted mortality rates using Poisson regression, standardized mortality ratios using the population of England and Wales, and relative risks using proportional hazards modeling.

RESULTS

During 17,672 person-years of follow-up, 393 subjects died. The age-adjusted mortality rate was 1.8 per 100 person-years (95% CI 1.6–2.0). The age-adjusted mortality rates per 100 person-years were 2.0 (1.8–2.4) in female subjects and 1.6 (1.4–1.9) in male subjects, and 4.2 (3.4–5.1) in individuals with diabetes vs. 1.5 (1.3–1.7) in those without diabetes. Independent risk factors for death included diabetes (hazard ratio 1.31 [95% CI 1.03–1.67], female sex (1.71 [1.36–2.14]) plus poorer pulmonary function, lower BMI, Burkholderia cepacia infection, absence of Staphylococcus aureus infection, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, liver disease, prior organ transplantation, and corticosteroid use.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with cystic fibrosis die earlier if they have diabetes, which, if delayed or better treated, might reasonably extend survival; this hypothesis merits testing.Cystic fibrosis is the most common autosomal recessive disease leading to premature death in white populations. Because of improvements in care, both survival, with a life expectancy to the mid-30s, and, as a consequence, the prevalence of complications have increased dramatically (1–3). The influence of birth year and sex on mortality has been described in the British cystic fibrosis population (2,4), but little is documented about the association between complications and specifically diabetes and mortality.The majority of patients with cystic fibrosis die of respiratory complications. In patients with cystic fibrosis, there is a high incidence of diabetes (5), which has been shown to increase the risk of death in the U.S. (6). Yet, little information exists worldwide to document the absolute mortality rates associated with diabetes in cystic fibrosis. Using national registry data, in this study we estimate the impact of diabetes on survival in adults and children with cystic fibrosis in Britain, taking into account recognized and potential risk factors for death. We document mortality rates, estimate the risk increase associated with diabetes, and calculate the population-attributable fraction (PAF) for diabetes associated with death.     

Scaling of catalytic cracking fluidized bed downer reactor based on CFD simulations—Part II: effect of reactor scale

The practical realization of the scaling up of gas–solid multiphase flow reactors with chemical reactions is hindered by chaotic flow behaviors and complex heat and mass transfers in the reactor. In addition, a law to scale up complex reaction mechanisms in multiphase flow systems has been rarely proposed in the existing literature. Thus, this study aims to investigate the scaling up of the catalytic cracking fluidized bed downer reactor based on the similitude method of chemical reaction performance. Three downer reactor scales with a height of 5, 15, and 30 m, were investigated. To anticipate the behavior of reactive flow, a Eulerian–Eulerian CFD model, two-fluid model, was constructed, which was combined with the kinetic theory of granular flow. A four-lump kinetic model was chosen to represent the mechanism of the catalytic cracking reaction of heavy oil from the pyrolysis of waste plastic. The CFD model accurately predicted the species composition distribution. The scaling law based on the geometric similarity, kinematic similarity, and chemical reaction similarity, was proposed. The catalytic cracking performance similarity of the downer reactor was obtained. With variances in the range of 10% and mean relative absolute error less than 5%, the axial and lateral distributions of chemical performance (heavy oil conversion, gasoline mass fraction, and gasoline selectivity) were found to be extremely similar.

The modified scaling law based on the similitude method for a catalytic cracking downer reactor was proposed for various reactor scales. An excellent similarity of chemical performance of complex catalytic cracking was obtained.     

Changes in risk behaviors among Thai men who have sex with men and transgender women enrolled in the test and treat cohort

The test-and-treat approach has the potential to reduce high-risk sexual behaviors by linking high-risk individuals to health education, although this has not been proven yet. We used longitudinal data from the Test and Treat Demonstration Project among Thai men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) who were not known to be HIV-positive to analyze changes in risk behaviors during the 24-month study period categorized by three groups: HIV-negative without seroconversion, seroconverters, and HIV-positive at enrollment. Five binary risk behavior outcomes – laboratory-diagnosed sexually transmitted infections (STIs); multiple sexual partners, unprotected anal intercourse, self-perceived HIV risk, and amphetamine-type stimulants use in the past month – were assessed. Among 689 participants, with a mean (SD) age of 23.1 (6.2) years, 165 participants were diagnosed with HIV: 115 at enrollment and 50 with seroconversions. HIV-positive participants at enrollment showed significant reductions in all five behavioral risk outcomes. Seroconverters demonstrated higher risks at enrollment than HIV-negative participants, and continued to practice high-risk behaviors even after seroconversion despite a significant reduction in self-perceived moderate-to-high HIV risk. Continuation of risk behaviors among seroconverters could negatively affect the ending AIDS goal, thus the integration of other effective preventive measures into HIV/STIs management programs are needed.     

Aza-BODIPY probe for selective visualization of cyclooxygenase-2 in cancer cells

AZB-IMC₂ was developed as a COX-2 specific probe that exhibited a brighter fluorescence signal in cancer cells that overexpress COX-2 compared to normal cells. Oxidative stress agent-treated inflamed cell lines inducing high COX-2 levels revealed an enhanced fluorescence signal. Inhibitory studies showed a markedly reduced fluorescence intensity in cancer cells. The results suggested that AZB-IMC₂ could be developed as a promising molecular tool for imaging guiding during surgery.

A bivalent indomethacin/Aza-BODIPY conjugate can selectively visualize the COX-2 enzyme in cancer and inflamed cells confirming its potential as a COX-2-specific biomarker in clinical applications.     

Scaling of a catalytic cracking fluidized bed downer reactor based on computational fluid dynamics simulations

Circulating fluidized bed downer reactors (downer reactors) exhibit good heat and mass transfer, and the flow behavior approaches the ideal plug flow. This reactor is superior for catalytic cracking reactions in which the intermediate is the desired product. However, the hydrodynamic behavior and reactor performance have mostly been investigated in small-scale or laboratory-scale reactors. The objective of this study was to investigate the up-scaling of the catalytic cracking of heavy oil in three downer reactors with heights of 5, 15, and 30 m, using computational fluid dynamics simulations. A two-fluid model with the kinetic theory of granular flow was used to predict the hydrodynamics and performance of the chemical reactions. The kinetics of catalytic cracking of heavy oil were described by a 4-lump kinetic model. The chemical performance similarity was identified by using radial and axial distributions of heavy oil conversion, gasoline mass fraction, and gasoline selectivity. The chemical performance similarity cannot be achieved by using the hydrodynamic similarity parameter . A modified up-scaling parameter was proposed, . The chemical performance similarity of identical catalytic cracking downer reactors can be achieved with deviation in the range of ±10% and mean relative absolute error of less than 5%.

Circulating fluidized bed downer reactors (downer reactors) exhibit good heat and mass transfer, and the flow behavior approaches the ideal plug flow.