Household endotoxin reduction in the Louisa Environmental Intervention Project for rural childhood asthma

Endotoxin exacerbates asthma. We designed the Louisa Environmental Intervention Project (LEIP) and assessed its effectiveness in reducing household endotoxin and improving asthma symptoms in rural Iowa children. Asthmatic school children (N = 104 from 89 homes) of Louisa and Keokuk counties in Iowa (aged 5-14 years) were recruited and block-randomized to receive extensive (education + professional cleaning) or educational interventions. Environmental sampling collection and respiratory survey administration were done at baseline and during three follow-up visits. Mixed-model analyses were used to assess the effect of the intervention on endotoxin levels and asthma symptoms in the main analysis and of endotoxin reduction on asthma symptoms in exploratory analysis. In the extensive intervention group, dust endotoxin load was significantly reduced in post-intervention visits. The extensive compared with the educational intervention was associated with significantly decreased dust endotoxin load in farm homes and less frequent nighttime asthma symptoms. In exploratory analysis, dust endotoxin load reduction from baseline was associated with lower total asthma symptoms score (Odds ratio: 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.29-0.92). In conclusion, the LEIP intervention reduced household dust endotoxin and improved asthma symptoms. However, endotoxin reductions were not sustained post-intervention by residents.     

Characteristics and nutritional value of biscuits fortified with debittered salmon (Salmo salar) frame hydrolysate

Effect of debittered salmon frame hydrolysate (DSFH) at various levels (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 g/100 g) on physicochemical, textural, sensory and nutritional properties of biscuits was investigated. The highest thickness was obtained for the sample with 25 g/100 g DSFH (P < 0.05). There was no difference in diameter among all the biscuit samples (P > 0.05). The samples added with DSFH had lower weight, water activity and moisture content than the control (CONT, without DSFH) (P < 0.05). DSFH at 15 g/100 g showed no detrimental effect on sensory properties of resulting biscuits (DSFH-15). The DSFH-15 biscuit showed reduction in cutting force and fracturability. Scanning electron microscopic and cross-sectional images showed that DSFH-15 biscuit had more porous structure, compared to the CONT. The biscuits fortified with 15 g/100 g DSFH had higher protein but had lower energy value, fat and carbohydrate content than the CONT.     

住宅设计的分析与研究

总结了住宅设计的发展,概括了住宅各个功能区的特点。通过设计的实例说明了各不同功能区的设计,成果可供进一步的研究参考。     

从稳态到动态的空气调节

分析传统空调所提供的稳态参数微气候环境不一定能达到人的舒适和健康的要求,提出符合人本身生理习惯的空调送风方式应该是动态空气调节.认为个人可调节和适宜的环境渐变能同时保证舒适和健康两方面需要.     

住宅设计的误区

文章列举了目前住宅设计中存在的问题,反映了当前设计领域的一些现象,阐述了建筑师应当辨证地看待这一现象,对其有一个正确的认识,担负起历史责任.     

太钢4号高炉喷煤站应用MFD—Ⅲ型布袋除尘器的实践

太钢４号高炉喷煤站从１９９０年起采用ＭＦＤ－Ⅲ型脉动反吹式布袋除尘器。这种除尘器采用脉动式反吹清灰设施，合理布置布袋间距，布袋支撑骨架及选用针呢材质的布袋，过滤面积大，反吹清灰效果好，设备运行平稳，除尘效率高达９９．８％，排放浓度小于１０ｍｇ／ｍ＾３，故障率低。     

Religion and spirituality: Linkages to physical health.

Evidence is presented that bears on 9 hypotheses about the link between religion or spirituality and mortality, morbidity, disability, or recovery from illness. In healthy participants, there is a strong, consistent, prospective, and often graded reduction in risk of mortality in church/service attenders. This reduction is approximately 25% after adjustment for confounders. Religion or spirituality protects against cardiovascular disease, largely mediated by the healthy lifestyle it encourages. Evidence fails to support a link between depth of religiousness and physical health. In patients, there are consistent failures to support the hypotheses that religion or spirituality slows the progression of cancer or improves recovery from acute illness but some evidence that religion or spirituality impedes recovery from acute illness. The authors conclude that church/service attendance protects healthy people against death. More methodologically sound studies are needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The traditional Yemeni window and natural lighting

The traditional Yemeni window is considered to be one of the most important elements that characterize the yemeni architecture. The beauty of the traditional Yemeni window comes from its four main components which combined the functions of view, lighting, ventilation, protection, and privacy. These functions can be controlled by the occupants according to their social and environmental needs. The four main components are the lower part (Taqah), the fanlight (Qamariyah), the wooden external overhang (Konnah), and the small vent (Shaquos). Since fanlights provide natural lighting during day-time, the area of the lower part can be reduced and its exterior shutters can be closed without the need for artificial lighting. The internal natural lighting that is provided by the upper and lower parts of the window was investigated to see its quality. In this investigation, there were two main goals. The first is the contribution and quality of the internal light provided by the Qamariyah when shutters are closed. The second is the effect of the internal simple white cloth curtains, in the lower part, in the internal light quality. Visual measurements were taken in a typical room of a traditional house of the Old City of Sana'a, Yemen. From the findings, it was found that the fanlights (Qamariyat) provide low and soft homogeneous internal lighting which was as low as 22 lux average. However, the occupants have the ability to increase level of lighting to as high as 600 or 700 lux. This can be done simply by deciding which shutter to open and how many of them to be opened. In this paper, the methodology and findings will be presented and discussed.     

Does the use of Solar Home Systems (SHS) contribute to climate protection?

The paper addresses planners and decision-makers in the field of international development cooperation and also institutions concerned with the impacts of project- and technology promotion. The primary aim of the dissemination of Solar Home Systems (SHS) in off grid areas in developing countries is to improve the living conditions of the population in a cost–effective manner. A large-scale dissemination is essential both for significant contributions to development and for climate effectiveness. However, the contribution of SHS to climate protection is disputed. This analysis presents the most important parameters affecting the contribution of SHS to climate protection and quantifies the influence of those parameters. The case considered presupposes the commercial dissemination of SHS. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are affected by the marketing decisions of the supplier of SHS. With regard to the impact on GHG emissions, a comparison is made between traditional lighting with petroleum lamps and the use of dry cell batteries to operate small devices (baseline case) on the one hand and SHSs on the other. The comparison shows GHG savings of around 9 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent GHG emissions within a 20-year period of use of one single 50 Wp SHS compared with the baseline case. The result is robust with respect to variations in GHG-affecting variables. Petroleum consumption and dry cell batteries dominate GHG emissions balances to such an extent that scarcely any importance can be attached to GHG emissions from the transportation and manufacture of SHS. Therefore, it is permissible to use simplified GHG inventories which ignore the GHG emissions arising from the transportation and manufacture of SHS. Therefore the conclusion is, if SHS are commercially disseminated and used cost efficiently to substitute kerosene and dry cell batteries they reduce GHG emissions effectively. In that case SHS can make a significant contribution to climate protection by the dissemination of large numbers.     

健康长江评价指标体系与标准研究

科学的指标体系和标准是评价河流健康状况的技术依据。根据科学性、代表性、创新性等原则，运用主成分分析法和聚类分析法．构建了健康长江评价指标体系，包括河岸稳定性、河床稳定性等19个定量指标和水系连通性、河岸栖息地状况和珍稀水生动物存活状况3个定性指标；给出了相应指标的量化评价方法，并通过国内外相关研究成果的综合分析．提出了健康长江的评价标准及分类标准，为维持河流健康理论发展提供了新方法。