Psychological determinants of motorcycle helmet use among young adults in Cambodia

Cambodian accident statistics show that motivating motorcyclists to make proper use of a safety helmet is a top priority for road safety policy makers. Yet, currently there is no insight whatsoever in the psychological precursors of helmet use in Cambodia. As such, it remains unclear which variables to target by interventions aimed at promoting the use of safety helmets. Therefore, this study adopted a socio-cognitive perspective towards the examination of helmet use in a sample of Cambodian young adults (N = 344). Two theoretical models, i.e., Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour were combined and further complemented with two norm-related variables, i.e., descriptive- and personal norm. Based on the results, two important conclusions can be drawn. Firstly, the sample investigated in this study is clearly favourably disposed towards the use of helmets while riding. Secondly, in decreasing order, helmet use behaviour was found to be determined by the following five key-determinants: perceived behavioural control over a specific set of inhibiting situational factors (i.e., mostly when driving short distances, at night, or when dressed up to go out), perceived behavioural control in general, perceived susceptibility, personal norm, and behavioural intentions. Policy makers are recommended to reevaluate their current behavioural change methods for young adults being favourably disposed towards the use of safety helmets. Rather than focussing on motivation-oriented methods, there is a need for strategies that (1) stimulate the translation of good intentions into the desirable behaviour and (2) encourage young adults not to relapse in case they are exposed to risk facilitating circumstances. These implications will be discussed more in detail.

Urban Form at the Edge : Proceedings from ISUF 2013 [Volume 1]

Urban morphology as a field of study has developed primarily in Europe and North America, and more recently emerging as a recurrent topic in China and South America. As a counterpoint to this centric view, the ISUF 2013 conference explored aspects of ‘urban form at the edge’. In particular the conference examined ‘off centre areas’ such as India, Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and Australasia which require innovative approaches to the study of traditional, as well as post-colonial and contemporary, morphologies. Broader interpretations of urban form at the edge focus on minor centres and suburbia, with their developing and transilient character; edge cities and regional centres; and new technologies and approaches that are developing alongside established methods, tools and theories of urban morphology...

Structuring representations of continuous data through investigations in grade 1

The study of data modelling with elementary students involves the analysis of a developmental process beginning with children’s investigations of meaningful contexts: visualising, structuring, and representing data and displaying data in simple graphs (English, 2012; Lehrer & Schauble, 2005; Makar, Bakker, & Ben-Zvi, 2011). A 3-year longitudinal study investigated young children’s data modelling, integrating mathematical and scientific investigations. One aspect of this study involved a researcher-led teaching experiment with 21 mathematically able Grade 1 students. The study aimed to describe explicit developmental features of students’ representations of continuous data...

The spectrum of HIV-1 related cancers in South Africa

Despite the high prevalence of infection by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in South Africa, information on its association with cancer is sparse. Our study was carried out to examine the relationship between HIV and a number of cancer types or sites that are common in South Africa. A total of 4,883 subjects, presenting with a cancer or cardiovascular disease at the 3 tertiary referral hospitals in Johannesburg, were interviewed and had blood tested for HIV. Odds ratios associated with HIV infection were calculated by using unconditional logistic regression models for 16 major cancer types where data was available for 50 or more patients. In the comparison group, the prevalence of HIV infection was 8.3% in males and 9.1% in females. Significant excess risks associated with HIV infection were found for Kaposi's sarcoma (OR=21.9, 95% CI=12.5–38.6), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (OR=5.0, 95%CI=2.7–9.5), vulval cancer (OR=4.8, 95%CI=1.9–12.2) and cervical cancer (OR=1.6, 95%CI=1.1–2.3) but not for any of the other major cancer types examined, including Hodgkin disease, multiple myeloma and lung cancer. In Johannesburg, South Africa, HIV infection was associated with significantly increased risks of Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and cancers of the cervix and the vulva. The relative risks for Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with HIV infection were substantially lower than those found in the West.

Microparticle-mediated gene delivery for the enhanced expression of a 19-KDa fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 of Plasmodium falciparum

The 19 kDa carboxyl-terminal fragment of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP119) is a major component of the invasion-inhibitory response in individual immunity to malaria. A novel ultrasonic atomization approach for the formulation of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles of malaria DNA vaccines encoding MSP119 is presented here. After condensing the plasmid DNA (pDNA) molecules with a cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI), a 40 kHz ultrasonic atomization frequency was used to formulate PLGA microparticles at a flow rate of 18 mL h1. High levels of gene expression and moderate cytotoxicity in COS-7 cells were achieved with the condensed pDNA at a nitrogen to phosphate (N/P) ratio of 20, thus demonstrating enhanced cellular uptake and expression of the transgene. The ability of the microparticles to convey pDNA was examined by characterizing the formulated microparticles. The microparticles displayed Z-average hydrodynamic diameters of 1.50-2.10 lm and zeta potentials of 17.8-23.2 mV. The encapsulation efficiencies were between 78 and 83%, and 76 and 85% of the embedded malaria pDNA molecules were released under physiological conditions in vitro. These results indicate that PLGA-mediated microparticles can be employed as potential gene delivery systems to antigen-presenting cells in the prevention of malaria.

Néstor-Guillermo Progeria Syndrome: a biochemical insight into Barrier-to-Autointegration Factor 1, alanine 12 threonine mutation

Background Premature aging syndromes recapitulate many aspects of natural aging and provide an insight into this phenomenon at a molecular and cellular level. The progeria syndromes appear to cause rapid aging through disruption of normal nuclear structure. Recently, a coding mutation (c.34G > A [p.A12T]) in the Barrier to Autointegration Factor 1 (BANF1) gene was identified as the genetic basis of Néstor-Guillermo Progeria syndrome (NGPS). This mutation was described to cause instability in the BANF1 protein, causing a disruption of the nuclear envelope structure. Results Here we demonstrate that the BANF1 A12T protein is indeed correctly folded, stable and that the observed phenotype, is likely due to the disruption of the DNA binding surface of the A12T mutant. We demonstrate, using biochemical assays, that the BANF1 A12T protein is impaired in its ability to bind DNA while its interaction with nuclear envelope proteins is unperturbed. Consistent with this, we demonstrate that ectopic expression of the mutant protein induces the NGPS cellular phenotype, while the protein localizes normally to the nuclear envelope. Conclusions Our study clarifies the role of the A12T mutation in NGPS patients, which will be of importance for understanding the development of the disease.

A method for optimal fit of patient-specific fracture fixation plates

Anatomically pre-contoured fracture fixation plates are a treatment option for bone fractures. A well-fitting plate can be used as a tool for anatomical reduction of the fractured bone. However, recent studies showed that some plates fit poorly for many patients due to considerable shape variations between bones of the same anatomical site. Therefore, the plates have to be manually fitted and deformed by surgeons to fit each patient optimally. The process is time-intensive and labor-intensive, and could lead to adverse clinical implications such as wound infection or plate failure. This paper proposes a new iterative method to simulate the patient-specific deformation of an optimally fitting plate for pre-operative planning purposes. We further demonstrate the validation of the method through a case study. The proposed method involves the integration of four commercially available software tools, Matlab, Rapidform2006, SolidWorks, and ANSYS, each performing specific tasks to obtain a plate shape that fits optimally for an individual tibia and is mechanically safe. A typical challenge when crossing multiple platforms is to ensure correct data transfer. We present an example of the implementation of the proposed method to demonstrate successful data transfer between the four platforms and the feasibility of the method.

Crystal structures of the co-crystalline adduct 5-(4-bromophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine--4-nitrobenzoic acid (1/1) and the salt 2-amino-5-(4-bromophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-3-ium 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate

The structures of the 1:1 co-crystalline adduct C8H6BrN3S . C7H5NO4 (I) and the salt C8H7BrN3S+ C7H3N2O7- (II) from the interaction of 5-(4-bromophenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine with 4-nitrobenzoic acid and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, respectively, have been determined. The primary inter-species association in both (I) and (II) is through duplex R2/2(8) (N-H...O/O-H...O) or (N-H...O/N-H...O) hydrogen bonds, respectively, giving heterodimers. In (II), these are close to planar [dihedral angles between the thiadiazole ring and the two phenyl rings are 2.1(3)deg. (intra) and 9.8(2)deg. (inter)], while in (I) these angles are 22.11(15) and 26.08(18)deg., respectively. In the crystal of (I), the heterodimers are extended into a one-dimensional chain along b through an amine N-...N(thiadiazole) hydrogen bond but in (II), a centrosymmetric cyclic heterotetramer structure is generated through N-H...O hydrogen bonds to phenol and nitro O-atom acceptors and features, together with the primary R2/2(8) interaction, conjoined R4/6(12), R2/1(6) and S(6) ring motifs. Also present in (I) are pi--pi interactions between thiadiazole rings [minimum ring centroid separation, 3.4624(16)deg.] as well as short Br...O(nitro) interactions in both (I) and (II) [3.296(3)A and 3.104(3)A, respectively].

Crystal structure of N,N-diethylbenzene-1,4-diaminium dinitrate

In the structure of the title compound, (C10H18N2)2+, 2(NO3)-, the nitrate salt of 4-(N,N-diethylamino)aniline, the two ethyl groups lie almost perpendicular to the plane of the benzene ring [ring to ethyl C-C-N-C torsion angles, -59.5(2) and 67.5(3)deg.]. The aminium groups of the cation form inter-species N-H...O hydrogen bonds with the nitro O-atoms of both anions giving one-dimensional chains extending along c and are extended into a two-dimensional network structure lying parallel to (010). Weak C-H...O hydrogen-bonding associations are also present.

The synthesis, characterization, X-ray structure and magnetism of dinuclear-based bis[μ-(1,1,3,3-tetracyano-2-ethoxypropenido-κ2N,N′) (1,1,3,3-tetracyano-2-ethoxypropenido-κN)(2,2′-bipyridine)copper(II)] organized in alternating chains via semi-coordinating Cu–N distances

The monoanionic ligand 1,1,3,3 tetracyano-2 ethoxypropenide (tcnoet) is reported with its Cu(II)–bpy complex of formula [Cu2(µ-tcnoet)2(tcnoet)2(bpy)2]. The structure has been determined using X-ray diffraction and features an alternating chain with bridging tcnoet ligands. One ligand acts as a bidentate, dinucleating ligand with one short Cu–N and one medium Cu–N bond, whereas the other tcnoet is largely monodentate, albeit with a very weak interdimer Cu–N bond. Despite the arrangement in dinuclear units, further arranged into linear chains through the non-bridging tcnoet ligand, the compound shows no significant magnetic exchange, as deduced from magnetic susceptibility down to 4 K. Ligand-field, IR and EPR spectra in the solid state and in frozen solution are reported and are consistent with the overall structure.