30 research outputs found
Syrian women's perceptions and experiences of ultrasound screening in pregnancy: Implications for antenatal policy
No full textUltrasound scanning is firmly embedded in antenatal maternity care around the world. This paper reports on a qualitative study carried out in 2003 of 30 Syrian women's perceptions and experiences of routine ultrasound in pregnancy. It was part of a larger study of the experiences of pregnancy and childbirth of 500 women from Damascus and its suburbs who had recently given birth to healthy newborns. The women had had multiple scans during pregnancy and accepted its use uncritically nearly all the time. The scans gave them reassurance that the baby was healthy, the pregnancy was progressing well and allowed them to learn the sex of the baby. The women also reacted positively to the antenatal educational messages that were conveyed using scans. However, we found the excessive use of this technology worrying. We believe private doctors, who attend 80percent of pregnant women, use ultrasound primarily to attract women to their clinics and increase their income. We recommend that maternity care in Syria should be better regulated; that women and their doctors should be made aware of the essential components of antenatal care; that national guidelines for antenatal care should be developed and that Syrian women should be empowered to ask questions about pregnancy and childbirth and the care they receive. © 2005 Reproductive Health Matters. All rights reserved.Bashour H, 2005, BIRTH-ISS PERINAT C, V32, P20, DOI 10.1111-j.0730-7659.2005.00333.x; BASHOUR H, PATTERNS DETERMINANT; BRICKER L, 2003, COCHRANE LIB; Clement S., 1998, PSYCHOL PERSPECTIVES, P7; Efrat Z, 1999, ULTRASOUND OBST GYN, V13, P305, DOI 10.1046-j.1469-0705.1999.13050305.x; *EHO, 2002, WHO ANT CAR RAND TRI; Enkin MW, 2000, GUIDE EFFECTIVE CARE; Garcia J, 2002, BIRTH-ISS PERINAT C, V29, P225, DOI 10.1046-j.1523-536X.2002.00198.x; HAFEZ R, CHILDBIRTH ITS DISCO; HYDE B, 1986, SOC SCI MED, V22, P587, DOI 10.1016-0277-9536(86)90026-2; KAMEL HS, 1999, J OBSTETRIC GYNAECOL, V25, P433; Lee W, 2004, OBSTET GYNECOL, V103, P333, DOI 10.1097-01.AOG.0000109522.51314.5c; Leithner K, 2004, ULTRASOUND OBST GYN, V23, P240, DOI 10.1002-uog.978; NEILSON JP, 2003, COCHRAN LIB; Nzeh DA, 1996, E AFR MED J, V73, P225; *ROY COLL OBST GYN, 2002, ULTR IM MAN GYN COND; *SYR CENTR BUR STA, 2002, PAN AR PROJ FAM SURV; *SYR MIN HLTH, 2000, TRAIN GUID REPR HLTH; *SYR MIN HLTH, 2003, STAT REP REPR HLTH S; *SYR SOC OBST, 2004, STUD UND REPR HLTH S; Tautz S, 2000, SOC SCI MED, V50, P689, DOI 10.1016-S0277-9536(99)00321-4; THORPE K, 1993, SOC SCI MED, V36, P311, DOI 10.1016-0277-9536(93)90015-V; *UNICEF, 2004, STAT WORLDS CHILDR N; VILLAR J, 1999, WHO REPROD HLTH LIB26232
Why alief is not a legitimate psychological category
No full textWe defend the view that belief is a psychological category against a recent attempt to recast it as a normative one. Tamar Gendler has argued that to properly understand how beliefs function in the regulation and production of action, we need to contrast beliefs with a class of psychological states and processes she calls aliefs. We agree with Gendler that affective states as well as habits and instincts deserve more attention than they receive in the contemporary philosophical psychology literature. But we argue that it is a serious error to align beliefs with the norm of rationality, while building a contrasting category whose members are characterized primarily by their failure to measure up to that normative standard, since these latter ones cannot constitute a distinct psychological category. First, we demonstrate that Gendler gets unwarranted conclusions about the existence of aliefs from belief-discordant cases. Next, we argue that the concept of alief is insufficiently clear. Aliefs cannot be distinguished from other types of states, such as beliefs. Also, when grouping many states under the category of aliefs, Gendler overlooks important differences between phenomena that are clearly distinct, such as habits and instincts. Aliefs simply do not constitute a legitimate psychological category.Aristotle, 1998, NICOMACHEAN ETHICS; BenYami H, 1997, PHILOS QUART, V47, P84, DOI 10.1111-1467-9213.00049; Damasio A., 1994, DESCARTES ERROR EMOT; DEIGH J, 1994, ETHICS, V104, P824, DOI 10.1086-293657; DESOUSA R, 1971, REV METAPHYS, V35, P52; Gendler Tamar Szabo, 2007, MIDWEST STUD PHILOS, V31, P68, DOI 10.1111-j.1475-4975.2007.00154.x; GENDLER TS, 2008, J PHILOS, V105, P643; Gendler TS, 2008, MIND LANG, V23, P552, DOI 10.1111-j.1468-0017.2008.00352.x; Gilbert DT, 1999, DUAL-PROCESS THEORIES IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, P3; Greene JD, 2001, SCIENCE, V293, P2105, DOI 10.1126-science.1062872; Hume David, 1978, TREATISE HUMAN NATUR; Koenigs M, 2007, NATURE, V446, P908, DOI 10.1038-nature05631; Pascal B., 1958, PENSEES; Plato, 1992, REPUBLIC; Plato, 1998, PHAEDRUS; Thagard P, 2006, DIALOGUE-CAN PHILOS, V45, P151; Thomson Judith Jarvis, 1985, YALE LAW J, V94, P1396; VELLEMAN J. D., 2000, POSSIBILITY PRACTICA, P24422
Selenium levels in Lebanese environment
No full textVery limited research has been conducted on selenium (Se) in Lebanese soils and forage crops but no work has been done on Se in water and locally produced vegetables and grains. This research was conducted in order to quantify Se levels and its availability in agricultural soils, vegetables and grains in Lebanon. Sixty-six (66) soil samples were collected from 33 selected sites in Lebanon: the Bekaa Valley, coastal and mountainous regions. Thirteen (13) different plant types (86 samples) were sampled from the same locations. Also, 13 spring water and 10 bottled water samples were collected. Soil samples were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties. Selenium was extracted from soils with: deionized-distilled water (Soluble-Se), KH2PO4-0.1M (MKP-Se) and concentrated (HNO3+HCl) mixture (acid-Se). Plant Se was extracted by acid digestion on a hotplate. Selenium concentrations were measured by the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrophotometer (ICP-MS). The values of Soluble-Se, MKP-Se and acid-Se ranged between 47 and 142, 147 and 400, and 1749 and 4713μg-kg, respectively, with average values of 95, 306, and 3118μg-kg and at a ratio of 1:3:30. Thus, Se extracted with deionized-distilled water is a good indicator for Se availability in the studied soils. The average Se concentration in plants was in the following order: radishandgt;lettuceandgt;cucumberandgt;cabbageandgt;parsleyandgt;alfalfaandgt;onion (leaves)andgt;broccoliandgt;tomatoandgt;mintandgt;chickpeasandgt;wheatandgt;onion (bulbs). The Se levels in water samples were in the safe range (less than 50μg-L) and ranged between 2.14 and 17.6μg-L. The levels of Se in the three soil extractants were positively correlated with each other and with organic matter content, salinity and phosphorus (P). Selenium levels in plant samples were positively correlated at a 0.01 significance level with clay and P content. © 2010.Al-Saleh Iman A., 1999, Journal of Environmental Pathology Toxicology and Oncology, V18, P37; Bashour I, 2007, METHODS ANAL SOILS A; BISBJERG B, 1969, PLANT SOIL, V31, P287, DOI 10.1007-BF01373572; CHAO TT, 1989, SOIL SCI SOC AM J, V53, P385; Dhillon KS, 2005, AUST J SOIL RES, V43, P639, DOI 10.1071-SR04166; ELRASHIDI MA, 1987, SOIL SCI, V144, P141, DOI 10.1097-00010694-198708000-00008; FAO, 1992, SOILS B, V65; Fordyce F. M., 2005, ESSENTIALS MED GEOLO, P373; GONDI F, 1992, BIOL TRACE ELEM RES, V35, P299, DOI 10.1007-BF02783773; Hawkesford MJ, 2007, J CEREAL SCI, V46, P282, DOI 10.1016-j.jcs.2007.02.006; JOHNSON CC, 2004, CR04016N BRIT GEOL S; Kabata Pendias A., 2001, TRACE ELEMENTS SOILS, P241; Lteif A, 2005, PLANT NUTR FOOD SECU, P716; McNeal J.M., 1989, SSSA SPECIAL PUBLICA, V23, P1; Mikkelsen R.L., 1989, SPEC PUB SOIL SCI SO, V23, P65; [NAS NRC], 1983, SEL NUTR; Oldfield JE, 1999, WORLD ATLAS SELENIUM; Selim HM, 2001, HEAVY METALS RELEASE, P191; Tan KH, 1989, SOIL SAMPLING PREPAR; Terry N, 2000, ANNU REV PLANT PHYS, V51, P401, DOI 10.1146-annurev.arplant.51.1.401; Wang MC, 2003, CHEMOSPHERE, V52, P585, DOI 10.1016-S0045-6535(03)00240-60
Effect of postnatal home visits on maternal-infant outcomes in Syria: A randomized controlled trial
No full textObjective: Early postpartum home visiting is universal in many Western countries. Studies from developing countries on the effects of home visits are rare. In Syria, where the postpartum period is rather ignored, this study aimed to assess whether a community-based intervention of postnatal home visits has an effect on maternal postpartum morbidities; infant morbidity; uptake of postpartum care; use of contraceptive methods; and on selected neonatal health practices. Design: A randomized controlled trial was carried out in Damascus. Three groups of new mothers were randomly allocated to receive either 4 postnatal home visits (A), one visit (B), or no visit (C). Sample: A total of 876 women were allocated and followed up. Intervention: Registered midwives with special training made a one or a series of home visits providing information, educating, and supporting women. Results: A significantly higher proportion of mothers in Groups A and B reported exclusively breastfeeding their infants (28.5percent and 30percent, respectively) as compared with Group C (20percent), who received no visits. There were no reported differences between groups in other outcomes. Conclusions: While postpartum home visits significantly increased exclusive breastfeeding, other outcomes did not change. Further studies framed in a nonbiomedical context are needed. Other innovative approaches to improve postnatal care in Syria are needed. © 2008, Blackwell Publishing, Inc.BarnesBoyd C, 1996, PUBLIC HEALTH NURS, V13, P201, DOI 10.1111-j.1525-1446.1996.tb00241.x; BASHOUR H, 2007, IN PRESS E MEDITERRA; Kabakian-Khasholian T, 2005, BJOG-INT J OBSTET GY, V112, P1315, DOI 10.1111-j.1471-0528.2004.00507.x; CARTY EM, 1990, BIRTH-ISS PERINAT C, V17, P199, DOI 10.1111-j.1523-536X.1990.tb00021.x; CASSEL J, 1976, AM J EPIDEMIOL, V104, P107; Eaton AP, 2001, PEDIATRICS, V107, P400, DOI 10.1542-peds.107.2.400; HOUSE JS, 1988, SCIENCE, V241, P540, DOI 10.1126-science.3399889; Hung CH, 2001, J ADV NURS, V36, P676, DOI 10.1046-j.1365-2648.2001.02032.x; JOSEPH S, 1993, ETHOS, V21, P452, DOI 10.1525-eth.1993.21.4.02a00040; Norr KF, 2003, PUBLIC HEALTH NURS, V20, P190, DOI 10.1046-j.0737-1209.2003.20306.x; Quinlivan JA, 2003, LANCET, V361, P893, DOI 10.1016-S0140-6736(03)12770-5; Ransjo-Arvidson AB, 1998, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, V52, P385; *SYR BUR CENTR STA, 2001, REP SYR FAM SURV PAN; Vallely L., 2005, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, V5, DOI 10.1186-1471-2393-5-1; Waldenström U, 1987, Scand J Caring Sci, V1, P51; *WHO, 2005, MAT NEWB MORT MORB; *WHO, 1998, MAT NEWB HLTH; Wiggins M, 2005, J EPIDEMIOL COMMUN H, V59, P288, DOI 10.1136-jech.2004.02180822303
Antibiotic uptake by plants from manure-amended soils
No full textAntibiotics are extensively given to livestock to promote growth and reduce diseases. Therefore, animal manure often contains antibiotics. Once manure is applied to agricultural land to improve soil productivity, crops would be exposed to antibiotics which may persist in soils from a few to several hundred days. The objective of this study was to evaluate the uptake of gentamicin and streptomycin by carrot (Daucus carota), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and radish (Rhaphanus sativus) from manure-amended soil. The treatments were 0, 0.5 and 1 mg of antibiotic kg-1 of soil. Two pot experiments were carried out in the greenhouse. The first was conducted on the three crops and the second exclusively on radish. In radish, the increase in the concentrations of gentamicin was significant between the 0 and both of 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1 treatments, but not significant between the 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg-1. The average values were 35.5, 60.0 and 57.4 μg kg-1 for the 0, 0.5 and 1 mg kg-1 rates, respectively. However, the increase in streptomycin concentration in radish was not significant between the three treatments, and the average values were, 12.1, 15.2 and 17.4 μg kg-1 for the 0, 0.5 and 1 mg kg-1 rates, respectively. In carrot roots and lettuce leaves no significant increase in the concentrations of gentamicin or streptomycin was observed between the treatments. The three crops absorbed relatively higher amounts of gentamicin (small molecule) than streptomycin (large molecule). Generally the levels of antibiotics in plant tissue increased with increasing the antibiotic concentration in the manure (1 mg kg-1 andgt; 0.5 mg kg-1). © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.Bashour I., 2007, METHODS ANAL SOILS A, P40; Boxall Alistair B. A., 2008, P123; Boxall ABA, 2006, J AGR FOOD CHEM, V54, P2288, DOI 10.1021-jf053041t; Choueiri M., 2008, THESIS AM U BEIRUT L; Dolliver H, 2007, J ENVIRON QUAL, V36, P1224, DOI 10.2134-jeq2006.0266; Kong WD, 2007, ENVIRON POLLUT, V147, P187, DOI 10.1016-j.envpol.2006.08.016; Kumar K, 2005, J ENVIRON QUAL, V34, P2082, DOI 10.2134-jeq2005.0026; MacDougall C., 2011, GOODMAN GILMANS PHAR, P1155; Sarmah AK, 2006, CHEMOSPHERE, V65, P725, DOI 10.1016-j.chemosphere.2006.03.02612
Airway Stents in Interventional Pulmonology
No full textAirway stents, first developed in the 1980s, have become fundamental in managing a multitude of airway pathologies and complications within the field of interventional pulmonology. The primary function of an airway stent is to re-establish airway patency and integrity when obstruction, stenosis, anastomotic dehiscence, or fistulae develop as a result of various malignant or benign conditions. Nevertheless, airway stents are foreign bodies that can result in complications. In this review article, we will discuss airway stents and their ongoing role in the management of several malignant and benign diseases. We will describe indications for airway stenting and review the elements that must be taken into consideration for optimal patient and stent selection. Given the prevalence of data regarding therapeutic bronchoscopy and airway stenting in malignant airway obstruction, much of the discussion in this review will focus on stent placement for that indication. We will also review the data as it pertains to safety, efficacy, and complications after stent placement, and conclude with a discussion of the future applications and research avenues related to airway stents
Water productivity: A basic tool for sustainable irrigation
No full textThe rapid population, economic and standard of living growth with the global climate changes is increasing the per capita demand on water. This increase in water demand is resulting in less available fresh water supply for agriculture. To sustain irrigated agriculture, better water management is necessary at all levels. Water supply in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) is unequally distributed in space and time. This region has among the lowest per capita water supply in the world. On the other hand, the intensive extraction and use of water without proper planning and provisions for the protection of their water resource has led to serious water pollution. Agriculture consumes 70-80percent of water in this region. This leads to a fundamental problem for water-short countries that should manage between their renewable water resources and their capacity for food production. Water-short countries do import food commodities, which has imbedded water called virtual water. The aim of this paper is to present a model with the general objective to maximize water productivity (monitory units per cubic meter of water). The mathematical model resulted in a maximum water productivity of 6.92 -m3, second a decrease in on farm crop prices by 10, 20 and 40percent caused decreases in the objective function value by 4.8percent, 9.66percent and 20.29percent respectively, while an increase in prices increased the objective function value and third an imposition of certain crops in the project area decreased water productivity.Allan J. A., 2003, VIRTUAL WATER ELIMIN; ALLAN JA, 1997, BRIT ASS FEST SCI U; Bouwer H, 2000, AGR WATER MANAGE, V45, P217, DOI 10.1016-S0378-3774(00)00092-5; *COUNC AGR SCI TEC, 1988, 113 AM IOW; MOUKARZEL SN, 2005, P SEM WAT GOV ROL ST; NIMAH MN, 2001, LAND, P119; OKI T, 2003, PHYS CHEM EARTH; RODEGRANT MW, 2002, P INT FOOD POL RES I20
Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen on relapse-free survival among patients with breast cancer achieving a pathologic complete response: an early step in the de-escalation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy
No full textSulfate-Driven Elemental Sparing Is Regulated at the Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Levels in a Filamentous Cyanobacterium
No full textABSTRACT
Sulfur is an essential nutrient that can exist at growth-limiting concentrations in freshwater environments. The freshwater cyanobacterium
Fremyella diplosiphon
(also known as
Tolypothrix
sp. PCC 7601) is capable of remodeling the composition of its light-harvesting antennae, or phycobilisomes, in response to changes in the sulfur levels in its environment. Depletion of sulfur causes these cells to cease the accumulation of two forms of a major phycobilisome protein called phycocyanin and initiate the production of a third form of phycocyanin, which possesses a minimal number of sulfur-containing amino acids. Since phycobilisomes make up approximately 50% of the total protein in these cells, this elemental sparing response has the potential to significantly influence the fitness of this species under low-sulfur conditions. This response is specific for sulfate and occurs over the physiological range of sulfate concentrations likely to be encountered by this organism in its natural environment.
F. diplosiphon
has two separate sulfur deprivation responses, with low sulfate levels activating the phycobilisome remodeling response and low sulfur levels activating the chlorosis or bleaching response. The phycobilisome remodeling response results from changes in RNA abundance that are regulated at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. The potential of this response, and the more general bleaching response of cyanobacteria, to provide sulfur-containing amino acids during periods of sulfur deprivation is examined.
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Additional file 1: of Effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen on relapse-free survival among patients with breast cancer achieving a pathologic complete response: an early step in the de-escalation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy
No full textFigure S1. Five-year RFS by duration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. (PPTX 72 kb
