Spatiotemporal clustering analysis and risk assessments of human cutaneous anthrax in China, 2005–2012

Objective To investigate the epidemic characteristics of human cutaneous anthrax (CA) in China, detect the spatiotemporal clusters at the county level for preemptive public health interventions, and evaluate the differences in the epidemiological characteristics within and outside clusters. Methods CA cases reported during 2005–2012 from the national surveillance system were evaluated at the county level using space-time scan statistic. Comparative analysis of the epidemic characteristics within and outside identified clusters was performed using using the χ2 test or Kruskal-Wallis test. Results The group of 30–39 years had the highest incidence of CA, and the fatality rate increased with age, with persons ≥70 years showing a fatality rate of 4.04%. Seasonality analysis showed that most of CA cases occurred between May/June and September/October of each year. The primary spatiotemporal cluster contained 19 counties from June 2006 to May 2010, and it was mainly located straddling the borders of Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces. In these high-risk areas, CA cases were predominantly found among younger, local, males, shepherds, who were living on agriculture and stockbreeding and characterized with high morbidity, low mortality and a shorter period from illness onset to diagnosis. Conclusion CA was geographically and persistently clustered in the Southwestern China during 2005–2012, with notable differences in the epidemic characteristics within and outside spatiotemporal clusters; this demonstrates the necessity for CA interventions such as enhanced surveillance, health education, mandatory and standard decontamination or disinfection procedures to be geographically targeted to the areas identified in this study.

A risk perspective on human resource management: A review and directions for future research

Arguing the value of effective HRM practice has long been a focus in the HRM literature. However, there is also a case for identifying the risks presented by inappropriate or absent HRM practices. Although risk management has been established in the broader management literature for over two decades, human resource related risks have not featured as prominently as other types of risks. HRM as a discipline has a role to play in addressing this situation and raising awareness of human resource issues as risks for the organization. A review of papers published since the year 2000 in a broad range of high quality management journals, identifies that limited research has thus far taken a risk management perspective on human resources. Although the HRM and risk management disciplines stand to benefit from drawing the two areas together, this review concludes that further research and development of the phenomenon of human resource risk management is needed.

Regulation of oxidative-stress responsive genes by arecoline in human keratinocytes

Background and Objective: Arecoline, an arecanut alkaloid present in the saliva of betel quid chewers, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory oral diseases, including oral submucous fibrosis and periodontitis. To understand the molecular b asis of arecoline action in epithelial changes associated with these diseases, we investigated the effects of arecoline on human keratinocytes with respect to cell growth regulation and the expression of stress-responsive genes.Material and Methods:Human keratinocyte cells (of the HaCaT cell line) were treated with arecoline, following which cell viability was assessed using the Trypan Blue dye-exclusion assay, cell growth and proliferation were analyzed using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine incorporation assays, cell cycle arrest and generation of reactive oxygen species were examined using flow cytometry, and gene expression changes were investigated using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique. The role of oxidative stress, muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways were studied using specific inhibitors. Western blot analysis was performed to study p38 MAPK activation.Results:Arecoline induced the generation of reactive oxygen species and cell cycle arrest at the G1/G0 phase in HaCaT cells without affecting the expression of p21/Cip1. Arecoline-induced epithelial cell death at higher concentrations was caused by oxidative trauma without eliciting apoptosis. Sublethal concentrations of arecoline upregulated the expression of the following stress-responsive genes: heme oxygenase-1; ferritin light chain; glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase; glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit; and glutathione reductase.Additionally, there was a dose-dependent induction of interleukin-1alfa mRNA by arecoline via oxidative stress and p38 MAPK activation. Conclusion:our data highlight the role of oxidative stress in arecoline-mediated cell death, gene regulation and inflammatory processes in human keratinocytes.

Nutrition and bone metabolism : In vivo effects of inorganic phosphate on rats and in vitro effects of bioactive tripeptides on human osteoblasts

Nutrition affects bone health throughout life. To optimize peak bone mass development and maintenance, it is important to pay attention to the dietary factors that enhance and impair bone metabolism. In this study, the in vivo effects of inorganic dietary phosphate and the in vitro effects of bioactive tripeptides, IPP, VPP and LKP were investigated. Dietary phosphate intake is increased through the use of convenience foods and soft drinks rich in phosphate-containing food additives. Our results show that increased dietary phosphate intake hinders mineral deposition in cortical bone and diminishes bone mineral density (BMD) in the aged skeleton in a rodent model (Study I). In the growing skeleton (Study II), increased phosphate intake was observed to reduce bone material and structural properties, leading to diminished bone strength. Studies I and II revealed that a low Ca:P ratio has negative effects on the mature and growing rat skeleton even when calcium intake is sufficient. High dietary protein intake is beneficial for bone health. Protein is essential for bone turnover and matrix formation. In addition, hydrolysis of proteins in the gastrointestinal tract produces short peptides that possess a biological function beyond that of being tissue building blocks. The effects of three bioactive tripeptides, IPP, VPP and LKP, were assessed in short- and long-term in vitro experiments. Short-term treatment (24 h) with tripeptide IPP, VPP or LKP influenced osteoblast gene expression (Study III). IPP in particular, regulates genes associated with cell differentiation, cell growth and cell signal transduction. The upregulation of these genes indicates that IPP enhances osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Long-term treatment with IPP enhanced osteoblast gene expression in favour of bone formation and increased mineralization (Study IV). The in vivo effects of IPP on osteoblast differentiation might differ since eating frequency drives food consumption, and protein degradation products, such as bioactive peptides, are available periodically, not continuously as in this study. To sum up, Studies I and II raise concern about the appropriate amount of dietary phosphate to support bone health as excess is harmful. Studies III and IV in turn, support findings of the beneficial effects of dietary protein on bone and provide a mechanistic explanation since cell proliferation and osteoblast function were improved by treatment with bioactive tripeptide IPP.

Is Human-X Chromosome Inactivation A Sex-Determining Device

The evolutionary function of X chromosome inactivation is thought to be dosage compensation. However, there is, at present, little evidence to suggest that most X chromosome-linked genes require such compensation. Another view--that X chromosome inactivation may be related to sex determination--is examined here. Consider a hypothetical DNA sequence regulating a major structural gene concerned with the determination of maleness. If this regulatory sequence occurs in both X and Y chromosomes and if its copy number in the Y chromosome is significantly greater than in the X chromosome, then the male-determining properties of the Y chromosome could be attributed to this higher copy number. On the other hand, if the Y chromosome has the same copy number of this sequence as the X chromosome, it is difficult to see how determination of two sexes would occur under such circumstances because XX and XY genomes would then be indistinguishable in this regard. Such a situation seems to occur in the human species with respect to the banded krait minor satellite, a repetitious DNA sequence associated with sex determination. This apparent difficulty may be resolved if X chromosome inactivation renders regulatory as well as structural genes nonfunctional and thereby brings about a significant reduction in the effective copy number of X chromosome-linked DNA sequences concerned with sex determination. It is suggested that X chromosome inactivation brings about, in this manner, a critical inequality between XX and XY embryos and that sex determination in humans is a consequence of this inequality. An analogous situation appears to exist in certain insects in which inactivation of a haploid set of chromosomes (and presumably, therefore, a 50% reduction in the effective copy number of most genes) is associated with maleness. If this line of reasoning is correct, it would suggest that sex determination may be the primary function of X chromosome inactivation.

Hanging drop: An in vitro air toxic exposure model using human lung cells in 2D and 3D structures

Using benzene as a candidate air toxicant and A549 cells as an in vitro cell model, we have developed and validated a hanging drop (HD) air exposure system that mimics an air liquid interface exposure to the lung for periods of 1 h to over 20 days. Dose response curves were highly reproducible for 2D cultures but more variable for 3D cultures. By comparing the HD exposure method with other classically used air exposure systems, we found that the HD exposure method is more sensitive, more reliable and cheaper to run than medium diffusion methods and the CULTEX (R) system. The concentration causing 50% of reduction of cell viability (EC50) for benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene and o-xylene to A549 cells for 1 h exposure in the HD system were similar to previous in vitro static air exposure. Not only cell viability could be assessed but also sub lethal biological endpoints such as DNA damage and interleukin expressions. An advantage of the HD exposure system is that bioavailability and cell concentrations can be derived from published physicochemical properties using a four compartment mass balance model. The modelled cellular effect concentrations EC50(cell) for 1 h exposure were very similar for benzene, toluene and three xylenes and ranged from 5 to 15 mmol/kg(dry weight) which corresponds to the intracellular concentration of narcotic chemicals in many aquatic species, confirming the high sensitivity of this exposure method. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of pooled samples to assess human exposure to parabens, benzophenone-3 and triclosan in Queensland, Australia

Parabens, benzophenone-3 and triclosan are common ingredients used as preservatives, ultraviolet radiation filters and antimicrobial agents, respectively. Human exposure occurs through consumption of processed food and use of cosmetics and consumer products. The aim of this study was to provide a preliminary characterisation of exposure to selected personal care product chemicals in the general Australian population. De-identified urine specimens stratified by age and sex were obtained from a community-based pathology laboratory and pooled (n= 24 pools of 100). Concentrations of free and total (sum of free plus conjugated) species of methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl paraben, benzophenone-3 and triclosan were quantified using isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry; with geometric means 232, 33.5, 60.6, 4.32, 61.5 and 87.7. ng/mL, respectively. Age was inversely associated with paraben concentration, and females had concentrations approximately two times higher than males. Total paraben and benzophenone-3 concentrations are significantly higher than reported worldwide, and the average triclosan concentration was more than one order of magnitude higher than in many other populations. This study provides the first data on exposure of the general Australian population to a range of common personal care product chemical ingredients, which appears to be prevalent and warrants further investigation.

Enrichment and identification of glycoproteins in human saliva using lectin magnetic bead arrays

Aberrant glycosylation of proteins is a hallmark of tumorigenesis, and could provide diagnostic value in cancer detection. Human saliva is an ideal source of glycoproteins due to the relatively high proportion of glycosylated proteins in the salivary proteome. Moreover, saliva collection is non-invasive, technically straightforward and the sample collection and storage is relatively easy. Although, differential glycosylation of proteins can be indicative of disease states, identification of differential glycosylation from clinical samples is not trivial. To facilitate salivary glycoprotein biomarker discovery, we optimised a method for differential glycoprotein enrichment from human saliva based on lectin magnetic bead arrays (saLeMBA). Selected lectins from distinct reactivity groups were used in the saLeMBA platform to enrich salivary glycoproteins from healthy volunteer saliva. The technical reproducibility of saLeMBA was analysed with LC-MS/MS to identify the glycosylated proteins enriched by each lectin. Our saLeMBA platform enabled robust glycoprotein enrichment in a glycoprotein- and lectin-specific manner consistent with known protein-specific glycan profiles. We demonstrated that saLeMBA is a reliable method to enrich and detect glycoproteins present in human saliva.

The effect of ongoing blood loss on human serum concentrations of perfluorinated acids

Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) have been detected in serum at low concentrations in background populations. Higher concentrations haven been observed in adult males compared to females, with a possible explanation that menstruation offers females an additional elimination route. In this study, we examined the significance of blood loss as an elimination route of PFAAs. Pooled serum samples were collected from individuals undergoing a medical procedure involving ongoing blood withdrawal called venesection. Concentrations from male venesection patients were approximately 40% lower than males in the general population for perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). A simple pharmacokinetic model was used to test the hypothesis that blood loss could explain why adult males have higher concentrations of PFAAs than females, and why males undergoing venesections had lower concentrations compared to males in the general population. The model application generally supported these hypotheses showing that venesection might reduce blood serum concentrations by 37% (PFOA) and 53% (PFOS) compared to the observed difference of 44% and 37%. Menstruation was modeled to show a 22% reduction in PFOA serum concentrations compared to a 24% difference in concentrations between males and females in the background population. Uncertainties in the modeling and the data are identified and discussed.

NMR Spectroscopy of Multi-domain Proteins : Immunoglobulin-like Domains of Human Filamin A

Proteins are complex biomacromolecules playing fundamental roles in the physiological processes of all living organisms. They function as structural units, enzymes, transporters, process regulators, and signal transducers. Defects in protein functions often derive from genetic mutations altering the protein structure, and impairment of essential protein functions manifests itself as pathological conditions. Proteins operate through interactions, and all protein functions depend on protein structure. In order to understand biological mechanisms at the molecular level, one has to know the structures of the proteins involved. This thesis covers structural and functional characterization of human filamins. Filamins are actin-binding and -bundling proteins that have numerous interaction partners. In addition to their actin-organizing functions, filamins are also known to have roles in cell adhesion and locomotion, and to participate in the logistics of cell membrane receptors, and in the coordination of intracellular signaling pathways. Filamin mutations in humans induce severe pathological conditions affecting the brain, bones, limbs, and the cardiovascular system. Filamins are large modular proteins composed of an N-terminal actin-binding domain and 24 consecutive immunoglobulin-like domains (IgFLNs). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a versatile method of gaining insight into protein structure, dynamics and interactions. NMR spectroscopy was employed in this thesis to study the atomic structure and interaction mechanisms of C-terminal IgFLNs, which are known to house the majority of the filamin interaction sites. The structures of IgFLN single-domains 17 and 23 and IgFLN domain pairs 16-17 and 18-19 were determined using NMR spectroscopy. The structures of domain pairs 16 17 and 18 19 both revealed novel domain domain interaction modes of IgFLNs. NMR titrations were employed to characterize the interactions of filamins with glycoprotein Ibα, FilGAP, integrin β7 and dopamine receptors. Domain packing of IgFLN domain sextet 16 21 was further characterized using residual dipolar couplings and NMR relaxation analysis. This thesis demonstrates the versatility and potential of NMR spectroscopy in structural and functional studies of multi-domain proteins.

Human health risk of toxic chemical pollutants generated from traffic and land use activities

The research project developed a quantitative approach to assess the risk to human health from heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban stormwater based on traffic and land use factors. The research outcomes are expected to strengthen the scientifically robust management and reuse of urban stormwater. The innovative methodology developed can be applied to evaluate human health risk in relation to toxic chemical pollutants in urban stormwater runoff and for the development of effective risk mitigation strategies.

Beasts on Fields. Human-Wildlife Conflicts in Nature-Culture Borderlands

Human-wildlife conflicts are today an integral part of the rural development discourse. In this research, the main focus is on the spatial explanation which is not a very common approach in the reviewed literature. My research hypothesis is based on the assumption that human-wildlife conflicts occur when a wild animal crosses a perceived borderline between the nature and culture and enters into the realms of the other. The borderline between nature and culture marks a perceived division of spatial content in our senses of place. The animal subject that crosses this border becomes a subject out of place meaning that the animal is then spatially located in a space where it should not be or where it does not belong according to tradition, custom, rules, law, public opinion, prevailing discourse or some other criteria set by human beings. An appearance of a wild animal in a domesticated space brings an uncontrolled subject into that space where humans have previously commanded total control of all other natural elements. A wild animal out of place may also threaten the biosecurity of the place in question. I carried out a case study in the Liwale district in south-eastern Tanzania to test my hypothesis during June and July 2002. I also collected documents and carried out interviews in Dar es Salaam in 2003. I studied the human-wildlife conflicts in six rural villages, where a total of 183 persons participated in the village meetings. My research methods included semi-structured interviews, participatory mapping, questionnaire survey and Q- methodology. The rural communities in the Liwale district have a long-history of co-existing with wildlife and they still have traditional knowledge of wildlife management and hunting. Wildlife conservation through the establishment of game reserves during the colonial era has escalated human-wildlife conflicts in the Liwale district. This study shows that the villagers perceive some wild animals differently in their images of the African countryside than the district and regional level civil servants do. From the small scale subsistence farmers point of views, wild animals continue to challenge the separation of the wild (the forests) and the domestics spaces (the cultivated fields) by moving across the perceived borders in search of food and shelter. As a result, the farmers may loose their crops, livestock or even their own lives in the confrontations of wild animals. Human-wildlife conflicts in the Liwale district are manifold and cannot be explained simply on the basis of attitudes or perceived images of landscapes. However, the spatial explanation of these conflicts provides us some more understanding of why human-wildlife conflicts are so widely found across the world.

The effects of human induced disturbances on the sediment geochemistry of Baltic Sea embayments with a focus on eutrophication history

Historical sediment nutrient concentrations and heavy-metal distributions were studied in five embayments in the Gulf of Finland and an adjacent lake. The main objective of the study was to examine the response of these water bodies to temporal changes in human activities. Sediment cores were collected from the sites and dated using 210Pb and 137Cs. The cores were analyzed for total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), organic phosphorus (OP), inorganic phosphorus (IP), biogenic silica (BSi), loss on ignition (LOI), grain size, Cu, Zn, Al, Fe, Mn, K, Ca, Mg and Na. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to summarize the trends in the geochemical variables and to compare trends between the different sites. The links between the catchment land use and sediment geochemical data were studied using a multivariate technique of redundancy analysis (RDA). Human activities produce marked geochemical variations in coastal sediments. These variations and signals are often challenging to interpret due to various sedimentological and post-depositional factors affecting the sediment profiles. In general, the sites studied here show significant upcore increases in sedimentation rates, TP and TN concentrations. Also Cu, which is considered to be a good indicator of anthropogenic influence, showed clear increases from 1850 towards the top part of the cores. Based on the RDA-analysis, in the least disturbed embayments with high forest cover, the sediments are dominated by lithogenic indicators Fe, K, Al and Mg. In embayments close to urban settlement, the sediments have high Cu concentrations and a high sediment Fe/Mn ratio. This study suggests that sediment accumulation rates vary significantly from site to site and that the overall sedimentation can be linked to the geomorphology and basin bathymetry, which appear to be the major factors governing sedimentation rates; i.e. a high sediment accumulation rate is not characteristic either to urban or to rural sites. The geochemical trends are strongly site specific and depend on the local geochemical background, basin characteristics and anthropogenic metal and nutrient loading. Of the studied geochemical indicators, OP shows the least monotonic trends in all studied sites. When compared to other available data, OP seems to be the most reliable geochemical indicator describing the trophic development of the study sites, whereas Cu and Zn appear to be good indicators for anthropogenic influence. As sedimentation environments, estuarine and marine sites are more complex than lacustrine basins with multiple sources of sediment input and more energetic conditions in the former. The crucial differences between lacustrine and estuarine/coastal sedimentation environments are mostly related to Fe. P sedimentation is largely governed by Fe redox-reactions in estuarine environments. In freshwaters, presence of Fe is clearly linked to the sedimentation of other lithogenic metals, and therefore P sedimentation and preservation has a more direct linkage to organic matter sedimentation.