scholarly journals A comparative study: rural versus urban children as regard exposure to organophosphorus pesticides using cholinesterase enzyme activity

Author(s):  
Yasmen A. Mohamed ◽  
Mohamed Hussien Meabed ◽  
Khadiga Mohamed Abougaba ◽  
Fatma Ali Sayed ◽  
Nermeen N. Welson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The uncontrolled long-term exposure to organophosphorus (OP) pesticides is hazardous to health especially in children. The present study aimed to determine the acetyl cholinesterase enzyme serum level in exposure and non-exposure children groups, to explore other clinical and laboratory outcomes of organophosphorus pesticides exposure on children living in rural versus urban areas, and to establish the hemotoxic alterations as a result of the exposure. A ninety clinically free children—forty-five from rural areas and forty-five children from urban areas—were assessed, and the clinical and laboratory effects of their exposure to organophosphorus pesticides were evaluated via measuring acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activity. Results Significant differences between the two areas of residence were found in weight %, visits to the field, eating vegetables without washing, presence of insecticides at home, and previous organophosphorus pesticides toxicity of the patients and their families. Eye, respiratory, cardiac, nervous, muscle, gastrointestinal, and urinary symptoms were more common in the rural residence group which shows more exposure to pesticides. The mean level of the AChE enzyme was less in the rural residence group than the other one, and it showed significant correlations with the anemia indicating parameters. A weak positive correlation was found with platelets count. Conclusions Chronic organophosphorus toxicity that is more prevalent in rural areas may result in many transient neglected symptoms, unrevealed acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) enzyme deficiency, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Acetyl cholinesterase enzyme serum level can be used as a screening test for organophosphorus pesticides exposure.

2007 ◽  
Vol 35 (69_suppl) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Clark ◽  
Mark A. Collinson ◽  
Kathleen Kahn ◽  
Kyle Drullinger ◽  
Stephen M. Tollman

Aim: To examine the hypothesis that circular labour migrants who become seriously ill while living away from home return to their rural homes to convalesce and possibly to die. Methods: Drawing on longitudinal data collected by the Agincourt health and demographic surveillance system in rural northeastern South Africa between 1995 and 2004, discrete time event history analysis is used to estimate the likelihood of dying for residents, short-term returning migrants, and long-term returning migrants controlling for sex, age, and historical period. Results: The annual odds of dying for short-term returning migrants are generally 1.1 to 1.9 times (depending on period, sex, and age) higher than those of residents and long-term returning migrants, and these differences are generally highly statistically significant. Further supporting the hypothesis is the fact that the proportion of HIV/TB deaths among short-term returning migrants increases dramatically as time progresses, and short-term returning migrants account for an increasing proportion of all HIV/TB deaths. Conclusions: This evidence strongly suggests that increasing numbers of circular labour migrants of prime working age are becoming ill in the urban areas where they work and coming home to be cared for and eventually to die in the rural areas where their families live. This shifts the burden of caring for them in their terminal illness to their families and the rural healthcare system with significant consequences for the distribution and allocation of health care resources.


Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin ◽  
Jean Lapegue ◽  
Jutta Gutberlet ◽  
Jan Franklin Adamowski ◽  
Caetano C. Dorea ◽  
...  

The use of closed-loop sanitation systems (CLSS), or reuse-oriented sanitation systems, has increased in recent years, and such systems have been successfully implemented in many parts of the world. However, no research has explored Traditional CLSS (T-CLSS) for a long-term humanitarian situation. This study explores the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of T-CLSS in peri-urban and rural contexts in three different provinces in Afghanistan (the first study of its kind in Afghanistan). Participatory research tools, such as transect walks, focus group discussions, smart community gatherings and interactive workshops, were applied to assess the SWOT associated with T-CLSS. The results indicate that T-CLSS has been practiced historically in both peri-urban and rural areas using local and traditional knowledge, skills and technologies. The socio-cultural acceptance of the system in both rural and peri-urban areas is an important strength of this established system. However, due to chronic development challenges in the study regions, T-CLSS may possibly lead to exposure to microbial contaminants. It is recommended that the feasibility of an improved CLSS be assessed and implemented in light of the issues that are inherent in the use of T-CLSS in Afghanistan.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S828-S828
Author(s):  
Na Sun ◽  
Cassandra Hua ◽  
Xiao Qiu ◽  
J Scott Brown

Abstract Loneliness is associated with depression among older adults. Limited research has examined the role of rurality in relationship to loneliness and depression; the extant research has mixed findings. The socioemotional selectivity theory states that as people age the quality of relationships become more important than the quantity (English & Carstensen, 2016). Individuals in rural areas may have a low quantity of relationships but deeper social ties within the community; thus, they may be less likely to become depressed over time. The association between loneliness and depression may be amplified for people in non-rural areas because they are surrounded by other people but lack close relationships that are most important during the aging process. This study examines the effect of living in rural areas on loneliness on predicting baseline depression and loneliness, as well as changes in these outcomes over time. Data are from the 2006-2014 waves of Health Retirement Study. Regression models examine the relationship between depression loneliness and rural residence controlling for health conditions and demographic characteristics. Latent curve models examine the disparity in trajectories of loneliness and depressive symptoms by urban and rural residence. Older adults who feel lonely (p<.001) and in urban areas (p<.0.05) are more likely to be depressed. Furthermore, the effect of loneliness on depression is weakened by rural residence (p<.05). It is salient to understand the protective effect of rural residency on depression among older adults in the U.S. We discuss implications for policy.


Author(s):  
Herbert Weinblatt ◽  
Erik Minge ◽  
Scott Petersen

Vehicle classification data are an important component of traffic-monitoring programs. Although most vehicle classification conducted in the United States is axle based, some applications could be supplemented or replaced by length-based data. The typically higher deployment cost and reliability issues associated with collecting axle-based data as compared with length-based data present a challenge. This paper reports on analyses of alternative length-based vehicle classification schemes and appropriate length bin boundaries. The primary analyses use data from a set of 13 Long-Term Pavement Performance weigh-in-motion sites, all in rural areas; additional analyses are conducted with data from 11 Michigan Department of Transportation weigh-in-motion sites located in rural and small urban areas and one site located in an urbanized area. For most states, the recommended length-based vehicle classification scheme is a four-bin scheme (motorcycles, short, medium, and long) with an optional very long bin recommended for use by states in which significant numbers of longer combination vehicles operate.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 55-72
Author(s):  
Ryota Nakamura ◽  
◽  
Takumi Kondo ◽  

This study analyzed the effects of access to safe drinking water on the nutritional status of children under the age of 59 months in urban and rural areas in Indonesia using the Indonesian Family Life Survey 5. Both piped water and packaged water were considered safe to drink. The descriptive statistics show that children in rural areas typically had insufficient access to safe drinking water and children who consumed safe drinking water had higher short- and long-term nutrition levels. To mitigate selection bias due to the non-random distribution of access to safe drinking water, a matching estimation was used to quantitatively determine the effects of access to safe drinking water on child nutrition. The provision of safe drinking water improved the short- and long-term nutritional status of children in rural areas but had no significant effect to that of children in urban areas. A simulation of this effect on child nutrition shows that in rural areas, improved access to safe drinking water decreases the stunting ratio by 13 percentage points and the wasting ratio by 6.1 percentage points. Additionally, both household income levels and community drinking water prices are important determinants of access to safe drinking water. Therefore, access to safe drinking water is necessary to improve the nutritional status of children in rural Indonesia, and community characteristics contribute to access.


Author(s):  
Annette L. Hanson

Gangs are a fact of life in jails and prisons. The extent and impact of gang activity on a facility will depend upon the size and geographic location of the facility. Smaller jails and prisons, or facilities in rural areas, are more likely to be involved with local or regional groups, also known as street gangs, while large facilities in urban areas will be affected more by nationally known or connected gangs. One survey of Florida prisoners found that inmates who were suspected or confirmed gang members were 35% more likely to commit violent acts than non-members. In a study of 2,158 male inmates in the Arizona Department of Corrections, gang-affiliated inmates were more than twice as likely as nonaffiliated inmates to commit an assault during the first three years of confinement Since institutional management often involves restriction of privileges, placement on long-term segregation, or transfer to a control unit prison, advocacy groups and individual inmates have filed suit against these policies based on First and Eighth Amendment, religious freedom, and anti-discrimination claims. Gang validation procedures themselves have been challenged as arbitrary and inaccurate, leading to inappropriate segregation or restrictions on prisoners who have exhibited no institutional violence. Psychiatrists need to be aware of the dynamics of gang leadership, membership or involvement when working with any gang member, as that will affect their ability and interest in collaborative treatment. These issues and best practices for intervention will be presented in this chapter.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liangwen Zhang ◽  
Sijia Fu ◽  
Ya Fang

There are a large number of disabled elderly people in China, which results in huge care and financial burdens to their families and society. However, China has not yet launched a unified long-term care insurance (LTCI) system. This study aims to predict the contribution rate of LTCI in China from 2020 to 2050 based on the long-term care (LTC) cost of the disabled elderly, aged 65 and over, in order to provide strong evidence for the establishment of a unified and sustainable national LTCI system in China. The simulations are based on data from the population census data, the Chinese statistical yearbook, and the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) database. Based on the International Labor Organization (ILO) financing model from the perspective of fund balance, an overall simulation model and a Monte Carlo simulation are used to estimate the contribution rate of LTCI for disabled elderly from 2020 to 2050 in China. The total financial demands will increase sharply from 538.0 billion yuan in 2020 to 8530.8 billion yuan in 2050. Of that total, 80.2% will be required in urban areas. In addition, the per capita financial demands of care in urban and rural areas in 2050 will be approximately six times and 11 times higher than in 2020, respectively. The predicted results show that the overall contribution rate of LTCI in China will increase sharply from 1.46% in 2020 to 5.14% in 2050, an increase of about 3.5 times. By comparison, the contribution rate in 2020 will be close to 1.33% in Japan in 2015 and 1.40% in Germany in 2010. According to the 1:1 payment proportion between employer and employee, each side bears 0.68% of the insurance premium. From 2020 to 2050, the financial demands of long-term care for disabled elderly in China will increase, especially in urban areas, and the burden of per capita financial demands in rural areas will increase significantly. The overall contribution rate of LTCI will increase linearly and the payment burden of policyholders will increase year by year. This study provides evidence of the need for the establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism for multiple financial supplies.


Oryx ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel M. Hema ◽  
Valy Ouattara ◽  
Gnoumou Parfait ◽  
Massimiliano Di Vittorio ◽  
Djidama Sirima ◽  
...  

AbstractTo explore the patterns of bushmeat trade in the Sahel we carried out a multidisciplinary study, focusing on Burkina Faso. We conducted baseline interview surveys to examine the variation in people's perceptions of bushmeat in relation to their place of residence (urban vs rural), sex and age. We also analysed the long-term (1985–2010) population dynamics of two ungulate species, the oribi Ourebia ourebi and the common duiker Sylvicapra grimmia, known to be among the main targets of the bushmeat trade locally. For the antelopes we chose as our study area a protected area (Nazinga Game Ranch) where poaching activities occur and are likely to represent a threat to the local wildlife. The results of the interviews underlined significant differences in bushmeat consumption between rural and urban areas. In particular, the probability of finding people who did not consume bushmeat increased in the urban area, where bushmeat is less available than in the rural areas. Sex and age did not have any effect on people's perceptions of bushmeat. In Burkina Faso bushmeat is still widely consumed, and this could be because the bushmeat trade is poorly controlled, with a lack of enforcement of the legislation. Long-term field surveys revealed that the oribi and the common duiker have declined significantly in Nazinga Game Ranch, suggesting that the bushmeat trade in Burkina Faso may have negative consequences in terms of the conservation outlook for these species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 448-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoxing Li ◽  
Jing Huang ◽  
Jinwei Wang ◽  
Minghui Zhao ◽  
Yang Liu ◽  
...  

BackgroundFine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an important environmental risk factor for cardiopulmonary diseases. However, the association between PM2.5 and risk of CKD remains under-recognized, especially in regions with high levels of PM2.5, such as China.MethodsTo explore the association between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and CKD prevalence in China, we used data from the China National Survey of CKD, which included a representative sample of 47,204 adults. We estimated annual exposure to PM2.5 before the survey date at each participant’s address, using a validated, satellite-based, spatiotemporal model with a 10 km×10 km resolution. Participants with eGFR <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or albuminuria were defined as having CKD. We used a logistic regression model to estimate the association and analyzed the influence of potential modifiers.ResultsThe 2-year mean PM2.5 concentration was 57.4 μg/m3, with a range from 31.3 to 87.5 μg/m3. An increase of 10 μg/m3 in PM2.5 was positively associated with CKD prevalence (odds ratio [OR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22 to 1.35) and albuminuria (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.32 to 1.47). Effect modification indicated these associations were significantly stronger in urban areas compared with rural areas, in males compared with females, in participants aged <65 years compared with participants aged ≥65 years, and in participants without comorbid diseases compared with those with comorbidities.ConclusionsThese findings regarding the relationship between long-term exposure to high ambient PM2.5 levels and CKD in the general Chinese population provide important evidence for policy makers and public health practices to reduce the CKD risk posed by this pollutant.


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