Sociotechnical systems, risk management, and public health: comparing the North Battleford and Walkerton outbreaks

Accidents in different complex sociotechnical systems are rarely compared using the same theoretical framework for risk management. We conducted a comparative analysis of two Canadian public health disasters involving drinking water distribution systems, the North Battleford Cryptosporidium parvum outbreak in April 2001 and the Walkerton E. coli outbreak in May 2000. Both accidents resulted from a complex interaction between all levels of a complex sociotechnical system. However, the low-level physical and individual factors differed in the two cases, whereas, the high-level governmental and regulatory factors tended to be the same. These findings may have implications for the design of public policies to minimize risk in complex sociotechnical systems.     

Epithelial marker genes are expressed in cultured embryonic rat lung and in vivo with similar spatial and temporal patterns

Explants of embryonic lung are often used to characterize lung growth, bronchial tree pattern, and cell differentiation. Most investigators culture lungs for 3-7 days in defined media lacking, e.g., added growth factors or hormones. If growth and differentiation are comparable to that in vivo, these cultures show considerable promise for identifying developmental regulatory molecules and target genes, and for elucidating molecular responses. We used in situ hybridization and RT-PCR to compare times and sites of expression of mRNAs of six epithelial genes in cultured and uncultured fetal rat lungs. These genes, expressed in distal lung of adult rats, are surfactant proteins (SP) A, B, and C; LAR, a receptor-type tyrosine phosphatase; Clara cell secretory protein (CC10, CCSP); and T1alpha. SP-A, SF-B, LAR, and CC10 are expressed by both Clara and Type II cells in adult animals. SP-C and T1alpha are unique markers for Type II and Type I cells, respectively. SP-C, LAR, and T1alpha are expressed before the lung is explanted (Day 13.5); SP-A, -B, and CC10 mRNAs are first detected later. The onset of expression is similar in vivo and in vitro. Although the patterns of expression differ for each mRNA, their sites of expression in culture match those in vivo relative to the bronchial tree. The explanted embryonic lung appears to be an excellent experimental model.     

Ni/Pillared Clays as Catalysts for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of Nitrogen Oxides by Propene

Different and alternative methods for the preparation of Ni/pillared clays based on impregnation and encapsulation procedures are reported. Several nickel precursors and metal loadings are considered in order to evaluate their influence on the structural, textural and catalytic properties of the resulting solids. The behaviour of the optimum solids as catalysts has been proved in the selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides with propene, and the relevance of the oxidant nature was checked by changing the composition of the oxidant mixture. Of all the factors studied, the nature of the nickel precursors appears as the most important one, owing to the formation of different active nickel species during the synthesis procedure.     

Pervasive 2007: It's about the User

Pervasive computing is as much about the user as it is about the technology. So, the Fifth International Conference on Pervasive Computing emphasized desirability rather than just feasibility. Featured themes included user benefits, human-computer interaction, group and social interactions, context awareness, finding and positioning people and objects, and personal privacy.     

Prostate enlargement in mice due to fetal exposure to low doses of estradiol or diethylstilbestrol and opposite effects at high doses

On the basis of results of studies using high doses of estrogens, exposure to estrogen during fetal life is known to inhibit prostate development. However, it is recognized in endocrinology that low concentrations of a hormone can stimulate a tissue, while high concentrations can have the opposite effect. We report here that a 50% increase in free-serum estradiol in male mouse fetuses (released by a maternal Silastic estradiol implant) induced a 40% increase in the number of developing prostatic glands during fetal life; subsequently, in adulthood, the number of prostatic androgen receptors per cell was permanently increased by 2-fold, and the prostate was enlarged by 30% (due to hyperplasia) relative to untreated males. However, as the free serum estradiol concentration in male fetuses was increased from 2- to 8-fold, adult prostate weight decreased relative to males exposed to the 50% increase in estradiol. As a model for fetal exposure to man-made estrogens, pregnant mice were fed diethylstilbestrol (DES) from gestation days 11 to 17. Relative to controls, DES doses of 0.02, 0.2, and 2.0 ng per g of body weight per day increased adult prostate weight, whereas a 200-ng-per-g dose decreased adult prostate weight in male offspring. Our findings suggest that a small increase in estrogen may modulate the action of androgen in regulating prostate differentiation, resulting in a permanent increase in prostatic androgen receptors and prostate size. For both estradiol and DES, prostate weight first increased then decreased with dose, resulting in an inverted-U dose-response relationship.     

Ultrasound‐activated Knoevenagel condensation of malononitrile with carbonylic compounds catalysed by alkaline‐doped saponites

α,β‐Unsaturated nitriles have been synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation of a carbonylic compound with malononitrile, assisted by sonochemical irradiation. Two alkaline‐promoted clays (Li⁺‐ and Cs⁺‐exchanged saponites) have been employed as catalysts. The influence of the carbonylic compound (benzaldehyde or cyclohexanone) and the use of a solvent on the catalytic activity have been studied. Remarkable increase in the conversion values has been found when the reaction is activated by ultrasound, as compared with the thermal activation. In this green, solvent‐free procedure, α,β‐unsaturated nitriles have been produced in very high yields (97%) when the Cs⁺‐saponite is used as catalyst. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Bioactivity of antifouling paints based on organotin toxicants

This paper discusses the bioactivity of antifouling paints based on organotin toxicants, such as tributyltin fluoride (TBTF) and triphenyltin fluoride (TPTF). These compounds were used alone or mixed as the main toxicant in formulations. The use of TPTF or mixtures of TPTF and TBTF, with vinyl binders, led to paints with satisfactory bioactivity during a 24 months immersion period. With the same binders, TBTF alone provided only 12 months of antifouling protection. The correlation coefficients calculated from the fouling attachment values and the rosin content in the binder showed that the bioactivity of the tested formulations depended on the solubility of the toxicant in sea water and on the composition and solubility of the binders.     

Bedload Transport in Alluvial Channels

Hydraulic, sediment, land-use, and rock-erosivity data of 22 alluvial streams were used to evaluate conditions of bedload transport and the performance of selected bedload-transport equations. Transport categories of transport-limited (TL), partially transport-limited (PTL), and supply-limited (SL) were identified by a semiquantitative approach that considers hydraulic constraints on sediment movement and the processes that control sediment availability at the basin scale. Equations by Parker et al. in 1982, Schoklitsch in 1962, and Meyer-Peter and Muller in 1948 adequately predicted sediment transport in channels with TL condition, whereas the equations of Bagnold in 1980, and Schoklitsch, in 1962, performed well for PTL and SL conditions. Overall, the equation of Schoklitsch predicted well the measured bedload data for eight of 22 streams, and the Bagnold equation predicted the measured data in seven streams.     

Importance of the choice of the profile model for ap-n junction in the location of deep levels

The energy levels introduced by Pt in silicon have been measured in a non-abruptp ⁺-n junction using constant-capacitance thermal-emission rate measurements and a numerical simulation of high frequency-capacitance. Two levels have been detected with activation energies of:E _c -E _T = 0.22 eV with acceptor character andE _T -E _v = 0.34 eV with donor character. The sample preparation and diffusion of Pt is similar to previous works in which an acceptor levelE _c -E _T = 0.34 eV was found instead of or besides a donorlike levelE _T -E _v = 0.34 eV. Our numerical calculation of the shallow-impurity profile points to the existence of a gradual transition near the metallurgical junction for these samples. We have demonstrated that the well-known model of an abrupt junction is not appropriate for these types of junctions, and could lead to errors in the location attributed to the detected levels. Simulation of the electrical behavior leads to the non-existence of the acceptor levelE _c −E _T = 0.34 eV located in then-side of the junction.     

Comparative antagonism of kainate-activated kainate and AMPA receptors in hippocampal neurons

Native kainate receptors expressed by cultured hippocampal cells were studied in the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique by using a fast perfusion system. About 80% of the neurons expressed kainate receptors independently of the time in culture (0-4 days), which coincided with the number of cells immunoreactive for a monoclonal antibody against the GluR5/6/7 subunits. Three types of cells were considered: neurons in which the rapid application of kainate induced a rapidly desensitizing current, cells in which kainate induced a more slowly rising, non-desensitizing, response and those in which a mixture of both responses was apparent. Steady responses induced by 300 microM kainate were inhibited by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 0.92 microM). CNQX was less potent in blocking transient kainate-induced responses (IC50 = 6.1 microM). Responses to kainate, whether steady or transient, were also inhibited by NS102, showing poor selectivity for the transient response (IC50 = 4.1 and 2.2 microM respectively). The new alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole (AMPA) receptor antagonist NS394 was very potent in inhibiting steady kainate-induced currents (IC50 = 0.45 microM), but was even more effective in preventing peak responses (IC50 = 0.13 microM). In contrast, cyclothiazide did not affect transient kainate-induced responses but did potentiate current induced by activation of AMPA receptors by AMPA or kainate. These results demonstrate the lack of complete selectivity amongst some available competitive antagonists for AMPA and kainate receptors, and indicate that kainate receptors expressed by hippocampal cells lack the cyclothiazide modulatory site present at AMPA receptors. In addition, the present data support the idea that low-affinity kainate binding sites in the brain correspond to receptor channels selectively activated by kainate.