Death of the high street: identification, prevention, reinvention

Location is of paramount importance within the retail sector, yet defining locational obsolescence remains overlooked, despite significant concerns over the viability of parts of the complex sector. This paper reviews the existing literature and, through this, explores retail locational obsolescence, including the multi-spatial nature of the driving forces that range from the global economy, local markets and submarkets, to individual property-specific factors; and, crucially, the need to disentangle locational obsolescence from other important concepts such as depreciation and functional obsolescence that are often mistakenly used. Through this, a conceptual model, definition and diagnostic criteria are presented to guide future studies, policy development and the allocation of resources. Importantly, three stages are presented to enable the operationalization of the model, essential to future academic and industry studies as well as the ongoing development of policy in this economically important, complex and contentious area.

The effects of diesel exhaust pollution on floral volatiles and the consequences for honey bee olfaction

There is growing evidence of a substantial decline in pollinators within Europe and North America, most likely caused by multiple factors such as diseases, poor nutrition, habitat loss, insecticides, and environmental pollution. Diesel exhaust could be a contributing factor to this decline, since we found that diesel exhaust rapidly degrades floral volatiles, which honey bees require for flower recognition. In this study, we exposed eight of the most common floral volatiles to diesel exhaust in order to investigate whether it can affect volatile mediated plant-pollinator interaction. Exposure to diesel exhaust altered the blend of common flower volatiles significantly: myrcene was considerably reduced, β-ocimene became undetectable, and β-caryophyllene was transformed into its cis-isomer isocaryophyllene. Proboscis extension response (PER) assays showed that the alterations of the blend reduced the ability of honey bees to recognize it. The chemically reactive nitrogen oxides fraction of diesel exhaust gas was identified as capable of causing degradation of floral volatiles.

Mediated action and sexual risk: Searching for 'culture' in discourses of homosexuality and AIDS prevention in China

This paper examines the concept of ‘culture’ and its relationship to HIV prevention. Culture is here seen as the interaction between human beings and the various ‘cultural tools’ they appropriate when taking action. Among these tools are ways of speaking which encode certain meanings, ideologies and social practices. When individuals take action with regard to AIDS, what they do is mediated through voices which they borrow strategically from their environ- ment. The textual tools that are available and the ways individuals adapt and combine them work to either limit or amplify their participation in HIV prevention. What are traditionally seen as ‘cultures’ or ‘sub-cultures’, or worse, ‘risk groups’, are, in this perspective, viewed as ‘communities of practice’, groups of individuals who share particular cultural tools and ways of using them. This conceptual framework is applied to recent discourses of homosexuality and AIDS prevention in China. An instance of ‘of� cial’ discourse in the form of an AIDS education pamphlet for ‘gays’ is analysed for the voices it contains and how these voices are strategically marshalled by the authors and mixed with other voices in ways which amplify participation in AIDS prevention for some and limit it for others. This ‘offical’ discourse is then compared to the discourse of homosexually active Chinese men recently interviewed in Beijing and Fuzhou to examine which of these of� cial voices and other voices they appropriate, and how they adapt these voices in responding to HIV.

Impact of a nutritional counseling program on prevention of HAART-related metabolic and morphologic abnormalities

The advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) improved HIV infection prognosis. However, adverse metabolic and morphologic effects emerged, highlighting a lack of investigation into the role of nutritional interventions among this population. The present study evaluated the impact of a nutritional counseling program on prevention of morphologic and metabolic changes in patients living with HIV/AIDS receiving HAART. A 12-month randomized clinical trial was conducted with 53 adults of both genders in use of HAART. Subjects were allocated to either an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). Nutritional counseling was based on the promotion of a healthy diet pattern. Anthropometrical, biochemical, blood pressure, and food intake variables were assessed on four separate occasions. Sub scapular skin-fold results showed a significant tendency for increase between time 1 (Mean IG = 14.9 mm; CG = 13.6 mm), time 3 (Mean IG = 16.7 mm; CG = 18.2 mm), and time 4 (Mean IG = 16.4 mm; CG = 17.7 mm). Lipid percentage intake presented a greater increase among controls (time 1 mean = 26.3%, time 4 mean = 29.6%) than among IG subjects (time 1 mean = 29.1%, time 4 mean = 28.9%). Moreover, participants allocated to the IG presented an increase in dietetic fiber intake of almost 10 grams. The proposed nutritional counseling program proved to be effective in improving diet by reducing fat consumption and increasing fiber intake.

Galactic outflows and the pollution of the galactic environment by supernovae

We here explore the effects of the SN explosions into the halo of star-forming galaxies like the Milky Way. Successive randomly distributed and clustered SNe explosions cause the formation of hot superbubbles that drive either fountains or galactic winds above the galactic disk, depending on the amount and concentration of energy that is injected by the SNe. In a galactic fountain, the ejected gas is re-captured by the gravitational potential and falls back onto the disk. From 3D non-equilibrium radiative cooling hydrodynamical simulations of these fountains, we find that they may reach altitudes up to about 5 kpc in the halo and thus allow for the formation of the so called intermediate-velocity-clouds (IVCs) which are often observed in the halos of disk galaxies. The high-velocity-clouds that are also observed but at higher altitudes (of up to 12 kpc) require another mechanism to explain their production. We argue that they could be formed either by the capture of gas from the intergalactic medium and/or by the action of magnetic fields that are carried to the halo with the gas in the fountains. Due to angular momentum losses to the halo, we find that the fountain material falls back to smaller radii and is not largely spread over the galactic disk. Instead, the SNe ejecta fall nearby the region where the fountain was produced, a result which is consistent with recent chemical models of the galaxy. The fall back material leads to the formation of new generations of molecular clouds and to supersonic turbulence feedback in the disk. (C) 2009 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the development of summer thunderstorms in the city of Sao Paulo: Mean meteorological characteristics and pollution effect

This study investigates how the summer thunderstorms developed over the city of Sao Paulo and if the pollution might affect its development or characteristics during the austral summer (December-January-February-March, DJFM months). A total of 605 days from December 1999 to March 2004 was separated as 241 thunderstorms days (TDs) and 364 non-thunderstorm days (NTDs). The analyses are performed by using hourly measurements of air temperature (T), web-bulb temperature (Tw), surface atmospheric pressure (P), wind velocity and direction, rainfall and thunder and lightning observations collected at the Meteorological Station of the University of Sao Paulo in conjunction with aerosol measurements obtained by AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network), and the NCEP-DOE (National Centers for Environmental Prediction Department of Energy) reanalysis and radiosondes. The wind diurnal cycle shows that for TDs the morning flow is from the northwest rotating to the southeast after 16: 00 local time (LT) and it remains from the east until the night. For the NTDs, the wind is well characterized by the sea-breeze circulation that in the morning has the wind blowing from the northeast and in the afternoon from the southeast. The TDs show that the air temperature diurnal cycle presents higher amplitude and the maximum temperature of the day is 3.2 degrees C higher than in NTDs. Another important factor found is the difference between moisture that is higher during TDs. In terms of precipitation, the TDs represent 40% of total of days analyzed and those days are responsible for more than 60% of the total rain accumulation during the summer, for instance 50% of the TDs had more than 15.5mm day(-1) while the NTDs had 4 mm day(-1). Moreover, the rainfall distribution shows that TDs have higher rainfall rate intensities and an afternoon precipitation maximum; while in the NTDs there isn`t a defined precipitation diurnal cycle. The wind and temperature fields from NCEP reanalysis concur with the local weather station and radiosonde observations. The NCEP composites show that TDs are controlled by synoptic circulation characterized by a pre-frontal situation, with a baroclinic zone situated at southern part of Sao Paulo. In terms of pollution, this study employed the AERONET data to obtain the main aerosol characteristics in the atmospheric column for both TDs and NTDs. The particle size distribution and particle volume size distribution have similar concentrations for both TDs and NTDs and present a similar fine and coarse mode mean radius. In respect to the atmospheric loading, the aerosol optical depth (AOD) at different frequencies presented closed mean values for both TDs and NTDs that were statistically significant at 95% level. The spectral dependency of those values in conjunction with the Angstrom parameter reveal the higher concentration of the fine mode particles that are more likely to be hygroscopic and from urban areas. In summary, no significant aerosol effect could be found on the development of summer thunderstorms, suggesting the strong synoptic control by the baroclinic forcing for deep convective development. (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier B. V.

Donor bone marrow cells play a role in the prevention of accelerated graft rejection induced by semi-allogeneic spleen cells in transplantation

Spleen or spleen plus bone marrow cells from (BALB/c x C57Bl/6)F1 donors were transferred into BALB/c recipients 21 days before skin or cardiac transplantation. Prolonged graft survival was observed on recipients treated with the mixture of donor-derived cells as compared to those treated with spleen cells alone. We evaluated the expression of CD45RB and CD44 by splenic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells 7 and 21 days after donor cell transfer. The populations of CD8(+)CD45RB(low) and CD8(+)CD44(high) cells were significantly decreased in mice pre-treated with donor spleen and bone marrow cells as compared to animals treated with spleen cells only, although these cells expanded in both groups when compared to an earlier time-point. No differences were observed regarding CD4+ T cell population when recipients of donor-derived cells were compared. An enhanced production of IL-10 was observed seven days after transplantation in the supernatants of spleen cell cultures of mice treated with spleen and bone marrow cells. Taken together these data suggest that donor-derived bone marrow cells modulate the sensitization of the recipient by semi-allogeneic spleen cells in part by delaying the generation of activated/memory CD8(+) T cells leading to enhanced graft survival. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short terms effects of air pollution from biomass burning in mucociliary clearance of Brazilian sugarcane cutters

Nasal mucociliary system is the first line of defense of the upper airways and may be affected acutely by exposure to particulate matter (PM) from biomass burning. Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a consistent association between levels of air pollution from biomass burning with increases in hospitalization for respiratory diseases and mortality. To determine the acute effects of exposure to particulate matter from biomass burning in nasal mucociliary transport by saccharin transit time (STT) test, we studied thirty-three non-smokers and twelve light smokers sugarcane cutters in two periods: pre-harvest season and 4 h after harvest at the first day after biomass burning. Lung function, exhaled carbon monoxide (CO), nasal symptoms questionnaire and mucociliary clearance (MC) were assessed. Exhaled CO was increased in smokers compared to non-smokers but did not change significantly after harvest. In contrast, SIT was similar between smokers and non-smokers and decreased significantly after harvest in both groups (p < 0.001). Exposure to PM from biomass burning did not influence nasal symptoms. Our results suggest that acute exposure to particulate matter from sugarcane burned affects mucociliary clearance in smokers and non-smokers workers in the absence of symptoms. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Riskfaktorer och prevention vid trycksårsamt sjuksköterskans roll i omvårdnaden : En systematisk litteraturstudie

Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att beskriva riskfaktorer som påverkade uppkomsten av trycksår samt de vanligaste förekommande preventiva åtgärderna. Vidare var syftet att beskriva sjuksköterskans roll vid förebyggandet samt behandlingen av trycksår. De vetenskapliga artiklar (n=21) som ingick i studien söktes manuellt samt datoriserat via databaserna Blackwell Synergy, CHINAL, Elin@Dalarna och Elsiever. Inklusionskriterierna var att de skulle vara vetenskapliga samt av kvalitativ och kvantitativ design. Även litteraturstudier inkluderades. Artiklarna skulle vara publicerade 1990 eller senare och vara svensk eller engelskspråkiga. Resultatet visade att patienter med lågt nutritionsstatus och låga serum albuminvärden riskerade att utveckla trycksår. En annan stor riskgrupp var patienter i peri- och postoperativa skeden där operationstiden kraftigt inverkade på uppkomsten av sår. Även anestesiformen spelade roll. Trycksåren uppkom vanligen på hälarna och korsbenet. I preventativt syfte var evidensbaserade mätskalor viktiga. Även trycksårsreducerande madrasser visade sig vara betydelsefulla. Vidare framkom att hälso- och sjukvårdspersonalen visade ett svalt intresse för trycksår och att kvalitetssäkringen var bristfällig. Sjuksköterskan hade främst en informerande roll inom trycksårspreventionen. Såren rengjordes lämpligast med fysiologisk koksaltlösning och omlades med våt omläggning. Resultatet visade även att smärtanalyser i högre grad borde involveras i trycksårsbehandlingen.

Malnutrition hos äldre patienter på sjukhus : Metoder för bedömning av nutritionsstatus samt sjuksköterskans rutiner och attityder i samband med prevention

Syftet med studien var att beskriva subjektiva multifaktoriella metoder som sjuksköterskor kan använda för att identifiera äldre patienter med malnutrition och patienter med risk för att utveckla malnutriion. Syftet var vidare att redogöra för vilka undersökningar som sjuksköterskor i kliniskt arbete använder för att bedöma patienters nutrionsstatus med samt att belysa sjuksköterskors attityder till prevention av malnutritionstillstånd. Studien genomfördes som en systematisk litteraturstudie. De vetenskapliga artiklar (n=17) som ingick i studiens resultat söktes i databaserna ELIN@Dalarna och CINAHL. De sökord som användes var malnutrition, nutrition, undernutrition, elderly, screening, assessment, MNA, SGA, nurses och attitudes i olika kombinationer. Genom analys och granskning av de vetenskapliga artiklarna framkom det i resultatet att SGA, MNA, Simplified Model Malnourishment och NUFFE var subjektiva multifaktoriella metoder som sjuksköterskor kan använda för identifiering av äldre patienter med malnutrition eller risk för malnutrition. Den vanligaste undersökningen som sjuksköterskor bedömde patienters nutritionsstatus med var vägning. Andra undersökningar var mätning, BMI, intervju om normal vikt och viktförlust, observation av patienten, kostregistrering samt nutritionsplan i journalen. Sjuksköterskor upplevde att sjukhusledningen inte förväntade sig att bedömning av patienters nutritionsstatus skulle ske vid inskrivning samt att ansvarsfördelningen mellan sjuksköterskor och läkare var oklar. Det förekom att sjuksköterskor var ointresserade av behandling av malnutrition, men majoriteten var mycket intresserade. Många sjuksköterskor kände att deras kunskaper inom nutrition var otillräckliga för arbetet.

Fallolyckor bland äldre - Konsekvenser och prevention

Syftet med studien var att undersöka konsekvenserna avseende fallolyckor bland äldre, samt att undersöka vilka preventiva metoder som presenteras i internationell vetenskaplig litteratur. Metod: Studien genomfördes som en systematisk litteraturstudie. Databassökningen gjordes i Blackwell Synergy och ELIN@Dalarna. De vetenskapliga artiklarna som ingick i studien var skrivna på svenska eller engelska samt publicerade mellan åren 1999 och 2007. Artiklarnas vetenskapliga kvalitet bedömdes utifrån granskningsmallar. I resultatet som grundar sig på 20 artiklar framkom det att hos dem som fallit under studieperioden och som föll igen inom en tremånadersperiod var risken att avlida i samband med det andra fallet 95 procent. Vanliga konsekvenser efter ett fall var höftfrakturer och andra kroppsliga skador samt även fysiska funktionsnedsättningar och imobilitet. Resultatet visade även att socialpsykologiska konsekvenser var vanligt förekommande där dominerande känslor var rädsla, ångest, kraft- och orkeslöshet, förlorad eller minskad självständighet, depression samt förlorad självkontroll. Kvinnor föll oftare, var oftare rädda och hade mer ångest, dessutom fick de oftare höftfrakturer och komplikationer i samband med fallet jämfört med männen. Multidisciplinära preventionsprogram minskade fallolyckorna signifikant. Tidig prevention hos riskgrupper var viktigt. Balansträningsprogram som exempelvis Tai Chi Chuan visade sig ha positiv effekt på balansen och minskade risken att falla. Slutsats: Fallolyckor bland äldre är ett växande problem inte bara i Sverige utan i stora delar av världen. Eftersom fallförebyggande åtgärder är ett komplext område med många faktorer som har betydelse för utfallet krävs det ett samarbete mellan många aktörer men framförallt mellan kommun och landsting. Prevention måste struktureras för bästa resultat lämpligen genom att använda en färdigställd lokal preventionsplan. De samhällsekonomiska vinsterna lokalt, regionalt och nationellt skulle bli stora om det preventiva arbetet prioriterades och effektiviserades.