2-year Test Period Research Articles

A CLINICAL TRIAL USING METHYLATION AGE TO EVALUATE CURRENT ANTIAGING PRACTICES

Abstract Recent advances in the technology of ‘‘aging clocks’’ based on DNA methylation suggest that it may be possible to measure changes in the rate of human aging over periods as short as a year or two. To the extent that methylation (and other biomarkers) are valid surrogates for biological age, the testing of antiaging interventions has thus become radically cheaper, faster, and more practical. Together with colleagues at McGill University, I have initiated a clinical trial to evaluate some of the most popular antiaging strategies currently deployed by ‘‘early adopters’’ in the lay community of personal health activists. We are recruiting 5000 subjects, age 45–65, and interviewing them in detail about their diet, drugs and supplements, exercise, social, and other practices that plausibly contribute to modulate the rate of aging. They agree to submit saliva samples for analysis of methylation age at the beginning and end of a 2-year test period. Primary endpoint is the difference in methylation age over the course of 2 years. Results will be viewed as an exploratory study to identify synergistic combinations of age-retarding treatments. All data (redacted for privacy) will be open sourced, available to the scientific community and to the public.

Diagnostics and Eradication Therapy for MRSA Carriers in the Outpatient Sector: an Analysis of the Reimbursement Situation in the Light of Current Reimbursement Changes

Infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) occurs in both the inpatient and outpatient sector. The reimbursement for diagnostic services and eradication therapy in the outpatient sector was regulated for the first time on 01.04.2012 and after a 2-year test period, has been adopted into the standard range of care services. The aim of this retrospective study was to give an overview of the current situation in services and reimbursement in Germany and describe MRSA patients and their treatment in the outpatient sector. Secondary data, namely reimbursement data of the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians (KBV) und the Physicians' Association (KV) Mecklenburg-West Pomerania for the period 01/04/2012-31/03/2014 were analyzed. Results show that on the federal level, MRSA services amounting to € 3,235,870.18 have been reimbursed and that diagnostic costs exceed treatment costs. In Germany, 5,627 doctors invoiced services related to MRSA; 51,56% of these were general practitioners and 21,25% specialists in internal medicine working in general practice. In the KV Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, patients were elderly (average age 69,13), cost for services were on average 27,76 €, and 76,85% of the patients were treated within one quarter. On the whole, there were regional differences in the identification and eradication of MRSA in the outpatient setting. In order to provide an extended base for a more efficient resource allocation in the health care sector, in addition to analysis of MRSA eradication from the medical point of view, attention needs to be paid to patient flow between the out- and inpatient sectors, as well as economic aspects.

The Effects of Injury and Accidents on Self-rated Depression in Male Municipal Firefighters

ObjectivesThe present study aims to determine the causal relationship between self-rated depression and experiences of injury and accidents in municipal firefighters.MethodsA panel survey of 186 municipal firefighters measured with depressive symptoms according to the Beck's depression index (BDI) was conducted. The effects of job-related injuries and accidents were evaluated using self-administered questionnaires that were taken once in a 12-month period from 2005 to 2006. Firefighters were classified into the Depression Group or Control Group based on follow-up BDI results with a cutoff level that was set to having "over mild depression."ResultsThe depression Group was comprised of 17 (9.1%) workers, including 9 firefighters who met had sufficient BDI scores twice in the 2-year test period and newly sufficient BDI scores in the follow-up test. A significantly higher number of subjects in the Depression Group experienced injuries and accidents in the 2-year test period as compared to the Control Group (15.4% vs. 1.5%, p=0.04). Firefighters who experienced injuries and accidents in the 2-year test period had a 7.4 times higher risk of being in the Depression Group than those who had not. As compared to accidents, near-miss accidents revealed stronger risks related to being classified as in the Depression group (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 4.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-18.18 vs. Adjusted OR = 4.22, 95% CI = 1.08-16.58).ConclusionThe above results suggest that we should establish an effective program to promote mental health for groups at high risk for self-rated depression, including persons who have experienced consecutive injuries and accidents as well as near-miss injuries.

Dynamic leaching test of personal computer components

A dynamic leaching test (DLT) was developed and used to evaluate the leaching of toxic substances for electronic waste in the environment. The major components in personal computers (PCs) including motherboards, hard disc drives, floppy disc drives, and compact disc drives were tested. The tests lasted for 2 years for motherboards and 1.5 year for the disc drives. The extraction fluids for the standard toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP) were used as the DLT leaching solutions. A total of 18 elements including Ag, Al, As, Au, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ni, Pd, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, and Zn were analyzed in the DLT leachates. Only Al, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were commonly found in the DLT leachates of the PC components. Their leaching levels were much higher in TCLP extraction fluid than in SPLP extraction fluid. The toxic heavy metal Pb was found to continuously leach out of the components over the entire test periods. The cumulative amounts of Pb leached out of the motherboards in TCLP extraction fluid reached 2.0 g per motherboard over the 2-year test period, and that in SPLP extraction fluid were 75–90% less. The leaching rates or levels of Pb were largely affected by the content of galvanized steel in the PC components. The higher was the steel content, the lower the Pb leaching rate would be. The findings suggest that the obsolete PCs disposed of in landfills or discarded in the environment continuously release Pb for years when subjected to landfill leachate or rains.

Effects of rainfall events on waste-rock surface-water conditions and CO2 effluxes across the surfaces of two waste-rock piles

The influence of rainfall events on the surface-water conditions of waste rock and the resultant CO2 gas effluxes from waste-rock piles are of value in the development of a long-term management plan for these piles. However, data for the direct measurement of CO2 effluxes through field-scale waste-rock piles are lacking. This study investigated the influence of a short-term, multi-day (29 July to 5 August 2002) heavy rainfall event on waste-rock water conditions and CO2 effluxing from two large waste-rock piles at the Key Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan. The study also investigated spatial and temporal variation in CO2 effluxes in these waste-rock piles over a 2-year period (summer 2000 – summer 2002). Results showed that the impact of a heavy rainfall event on surface-water conditions and CO2 effluxes from these waste-rock piles is of relatively short duration. Results also showed that the CO2 effluxes were relatively uniform, both spatially and temporally (average covariance (CV) is 28%–39%), over the 2-year test period. This information can provide an important tool in the development of a long-term management plan for mine waste-rock piles. Key words: CO2 efflux, waste-rock piles, rainfall events, unsaturated zone.

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Rangeland Photography

Abstract Because of its perceived impracticality and expense, aerial photography from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) remains virtually unused as a rangeland management tool. This underuse suggested 2 objectives. The first was to develop a UAV from off-the-shelf components that could acquire low-altitude large-scale photography for rangeland documentation. The second was to assess the UAV flight characteristics. A remotely controlled UAV suitable for 35-mm photography was built in 56 hours at a cost of $1 480. In a 2-year test period, the UAV successfully completed 100+ sorties at elevations ranging from 10 m to 1 000 m above ground. The average distance required for takeoff is 18.2 m whereas landing requires an average of 22.5 m. Average UAV airspeed at takeoff is about 11.4 m·s −1 . Typical cruise speed during photograph acquisition is 13.8 m·s −1 , resulting in 6.9 mm of blur from forward-image motion. The UAV is an inexpensive tool for monitoring rangeland condition from an aerial perspective. It is currently being used to map squarrose knapweed ( Centaurea virgata Lam. ssp. squarrosa Gugl.) density at several rangeland sites in Utah.

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Rangeland Photography

Because of its perceived impracticality and expense, aerial photography from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) remains virtually unused as a rangeland management tool. This underuse suggested 2 objectives. The first was to develop a UAV from off-the-shelf components that could acquire low-altitude large-scale photography for rangeland documentation. The second was to assess the UAV flight characteristics. A remotely controlled UAV suitable for 35-mm photography was built in 56 hours at a cost of 1 480. In a 2-year test period, the UAV successfully completed 100+ sorties at elevations ranging from 10 m to 1 000 m above ground. The average distance required for takeoff is 18.2 m whereas landing requires an average of 22.5 m. Average UAV airspeed at takeoff is about 11.4 m s-1. Typical cruise speed during photograph acquisition is 13.8 m s-1, resulting in 6.9 mm of blur from forward-image motion. The UAV is an inexpensive tool for monitoring rangeland condition from an aerial perspective. It is currently being used to map squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata Lam. ssp. squarrosa Gugl.) density at several rangeland sites in Utah.

Autogenous healing and reinforcement corrosion of water-penetrated separation cracks in reinforced concrete

Depending on the crack width, the thickness of the structure, the water pressure, and the degree of acid of the water, long-term investigations have been performed over a period of 2 years with respect to the autogenous healing and reinforcement corrosion of water-penetrated separation cracks in reinforced concrete by the University of Kaiserslautern, supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). For the waters penetrating the cracks deionised water (neutral, pH=7.0), and boric acid treated deionised water with a pH-value of 6.1 and 5.2 (weakly acid waters) were used. A complete autogenous healing could not be observed. The water penetrating the cracks could hardly be measured with a pH-value of 7.0 at the end of the test. While naturally at the beginning of the test, no influence of the water-chemical degree of the acids could be determined, the existing flow-through quantities towards the end of the test period depended clearly on the crack width and the pH-value. With an increasing crack width and an increasing acid-degree larger flow-through quantities were measured. Depending on the pH-value and the crack width it was determined whether and to which extent corrosion developed at the reinforcing steel bars crossing the cracks. With a crack width of 0.1 mm, corrosion was not to be observed in any case. For the test specimens with a crack width of 0.2 mm a start of the corrosion was found depending on the pH-value. With an increasing width of the crack, an increasing corrosion development is to be expected for test specimens penetrated by acid water. For a crack width of 0.4 mm and a pH-value of 5.2, the highest corrosion development was to be observed, however, there were weakenings of the cross section not worth being mentioned even after a 2-year test period.

Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae): Parasitism by Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Cabbage

Cotesia plutellae Kurdjumov was evaluated as a potential biological control agent for diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), in cabbage in spring 1993 and 1994. The parasitoids were reared in a commercial insectary in Texas, delivered overnight via air express, and released 24-48 h after receipt in cabbage fields in Northeast Florida. In 1993, only adult parasitoids were released, but adults and cocoons were released in 1994. The numbers of C. plutellae released ranged from 456 per ha per wk in 1993 to 1,334 per ha per wk in 1994. Four consecutive releases were made each year beginning in early February. Parasitism of diamondback moth larvae by C. plutellae ranged from 3.6 to 10.9%, and the level of parasitism was related to the total numbers of parasitoids released. C. plutellae parasitoids were complimentary to the naturally occurring parasitoid Diadegma insulare (Cresson), and the combined mean seasonal parasitism of diamondback moth exceeded 34% in some fields. There was no evidence that C. plutellae became established in the general area although > 124,000 parasitoids were released over the 2-year test period.

Controlling continuously updated forest data by satellite remote sensing

Abstract A method has been developed for controlling the quality of continuously updated forest information by satellite remote sensing. In this work Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite data, used as an economic repetitive form of information, was combined with continuously updated field information. The aim was to direct field inspection on to areas where updating had been absent or erroneous. The multi-temporal Landsat TM image was radiometrically calibrated by band to band regression. In the change classification, changes between the acquisitions were detected by standwise linear nonparametric discrimination. The correct classification percentage was 98 on mineral soil and 91 on peat land. When comparing the image classification results to recorded treatments, 6·9 per cent of stands were recommended for field inspection within a 2-year test period due to unrecorded manmade or unexpected natural change. For a 10-year inventory cycle, this means a recommendation for inspection of only one third of the...

Fate of the new sulfonylurea amidosulfuron in soil

Degradation and phytotoxicity of 14C-labelled amidosulfuron influenced by the experimental factors soil texture and soil pH were investigated in 6 lysimeters under outdoor conditions during a 2-year test period. The results showed that the experimental factors did not clearly affect the fate of amidosulfuron in soil. A rapid loss of radioactivity in both test years was observed 3–5 months after application. At the end of the experimental period, approx. 30% of the total activity applied was still found in the 0–30 cm soil layers. The radioactive balance sheet prepared at the end of the experiment indicated that only small amounts of radioactivity were localized in plant material and percolate (in total 0.5% of the 14C applied). Most of the radioactivity determined in the soil was not extractable. Only in the 0–10 cm soil layer traces of intact amidosulfuron were detected at the end of the experiment. The calculated initial half-time mean value for the active ingredient was 14 days. The highest active ingredient (a.i.) concentration determined 3 months after application (2.3 μg/kg) did not damage rape the following sensitive crop seeded in the lysimeters. A bioassay system using lentil as test plant was established. Residue concentrations could be determined in a range from 0.5 to 1.7 μg/kg. Differences in bioavailability were found for freshly added a.i. in a concentration range of <1 μg/kg and for a.i. in the same concentration after aging under practical field conditions.

Relation of Code Dates to Retail Milk Supply

Milk from major dairies in Connecticut was examined three times over a 2-year period for flavor and bacterial counts immediately after bottling and after storage at 40 and 45°F to the end of the code period. The first two test periods were when processors established their own code periods which ranged from 7 to 14 d, but most were 9 to 12 d. The third test period was after a uniform code period of 10 d became effective, and some processors petitioned for an increase to 12 d. There was no marked improvement over the 2-year test period in keeping quality for milk stored at 40 (4.4°C) or 45°F (7.2°C) to the code date (last day of sale). In each test, all samples met bacterial standards after bottling but most did not meet the standard after refrigerated storage to the end of the code period. The amount of milk available to consumers meeting keeping quality and bacterial standards was calculated. In each test, after storage at 40°F over 90% of milk available for sale met keeping quality standards, but only 28 to 42% met bacterial standards. After storage at 45°F, 55 to 87% of milk available for sale met the keeping quality standard but less than 10% met the bacterial standard. Conclusions were that increasing the length of the code period would not be advantageous to consumers.

Testing Geopressured Geothermal Resource, Frio Formation, Texas Gulf Coast: ABSTRACT

Drilling of the first well designed to test geopressured geothermal resource for a sustained period of time was initiated in July 1978. Regional and site-specific geologic and engineering studies supportive of this site were conducted by the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology and Department of Petroleum Engineering/Center for Energy Studies with funds from the U.S. Department of Energy. The area sought during these studies needed reservoir volume of 3 cu mi (12.5 cu km), minimum permeability of 20 md, and fluid temperatures of 300°F (149°C). The Brazoria fairway, Brazoria and Galveston Counties, Texas, best met these specifications and the Austin Bayou Geothermal Prospect was developed in this fairway. Funds for drilling the Nos. 1 and 2 Pleasant Bay u geothermal test wells in the Austin Bayou Prospect were provided by DOE; the operator of the wells is General Crude Oil Co. The geopressured sandstone reservoirs are in the lower part of the Frio Formation between the depths of 14,000 and 17,000 ft (4,200 and 5,100 m). The sandstone units are at the top of at least seven progradational deltaic cycles; cumulative thickness of all permeable sandstone units is 250 to 300 ft (75 to 90 m). Each deltaic cycle is composed of a gradational vertical succession characterized by low-permeability prodelta and distal delta-front sandstone and shale at the base grading to permeable distributary-mouth-bar and delta-plain sandstone and shale at the top. Fluid will be produced from the 2 Pleasant Bayou well, stripped of methane and heat, then injected into Miocene sandstones at 6,000 to 7,000 ft (1,800 to 2,100 m) depth in the nearby 1 Pleasant Bayou disposal well. The produced water is expected to have salinities ranging from 50,000 to 80,000 ppm, temperature from 300 to 350°F (149 to 177°C), pressure from 10,000 to 15,000 psi (68,950 to 103,425 kPa) and 40 cu ft (1.2 cu m) of methane per barrel. The 2-year test period will evaluate the feasibility of long-term production of large quantities of water (ultimately 40,000 bbl/day) from geopressured reservoirs. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1595------------

Chronic toxicity study of cyclamate: Saccharin (10 : 1) in rats

Chronic rat feeding studies were conducted on a 10 : 1 cyclamate/saccharin (C/S) mixture to supplement previous investigations which had established the safety of the individual components. The test mixture was fed at dietary levels designed to furnish 500, 1120, and 2500 mg/kg body weight to groups of 35 male and 45 female rats. The protocol included observations of physical condition, growth response, food efficiency, blood, urine, and postmortem pathology. Reproduction and lactation performance was examined through 2 litters. Teratology was also investigated. Since conversion to cyclohexylamine (CHA) was found to occur in many of the rats, particularly in the higher dosage groups, it was included as an added insult in the diets of about half the animals during the last quarter of the 2-year test period. The only positive finding in these studies which proved to have crucial significance was the occurrence of papillary carcinomas in the bladders of 12 of the 70 rats fed the maximum dietary level of the mixture (equivalent to about 2500 mg/kg body weight) for periods ranging from 78 to 105 weeks (except for one earlier death). This finding was the principal reason for the removal of cyclamates from the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) group of non-nutritive sweeteners by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. In the opinion of the authors, the sequelae following this precipitate ban on cyclamates, prompted by a verbal report of the preliminary findings, warrant placing the study on record for the information of toxicologists and regulatory agencies throughout the world.

Laboratory and field studies of the southern house mosquito, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say, infected with the dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy), in Louisiana.

Tests were conducted in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, to determine the species and seasonal abundance of mosquitoes feeding on dogs and to identify the primary vectors of the dog heartworm, DIROFILARIA IMMITIS (Leidy). The southern house mosquito, CULEX PIPIENS QUINQUEFASCIATUS Say, accounted 91% of 11,248 mosquitoes captured in dog-baited traps during the 2-year test period. An average of 63.3 C. p. quinquefasciatus was captured per night with 1.45% containing D. immitis larvae. Mosquitoes which were naturally infected seemed to harbor smaller larval burdens than mosquitoes that were reared and infected under laboratory conditions. Naturally infected C. p. quinquefasciatus were found to harbor moderate to low D. immitis larval burdens. High natural infection rates of C. p. quinquefasciatus with D. immitis were correlated with high numbers of dogs being present in the immediate area of the trap locations. The population density of C. p. quinquefasciatus was proportional to high daily temperatures as long as the temperature did not remain excessively high or become too low. Constant high temperatures seemed to cause high mortality of adult C. p. quinquefasciatus and did not allow mosquitoes infected with D. immitis to survive long enough to reinfect dog hosts. CULEX PIPIENS QUINQUEFASCIATUS is an excellent intermediate host of D. immitis in the laboratory and survival of infected mosquitoes under natural conditions was seen to be sufficient to allow infection of dog hosts. The combined laboratory and field results indicate that those mosquitoes which are potentially infective in nature are those which carry medium to low larval burdens of D. immitis . Where polluted sites existed for C. p. quinquefasciatus breeding and dogs were available for blood meals, the incidence of dog heartworm was high. No other mosquito species captured during the course of this study seemed to be present in large enough numbers or to exhibit sufficient vector potential in nature to be important vectors of D. immitis .

2007. Cyclohexylamine excretion after cyclamate ingestion: Davis, T. R. A., Adler, N. & Opsahl, Jeanette C. (1969). Excretion of cyclohexylamine in subjects ingesting sodium cyclamate. Toxic. appl. Pharmac.15, 106

Chronic rat feeding studies were conducted on a 10 : 1 cyclamate/saccharin (C/S) mixture to supplement previous investigations which had established the safety of the individual components. The test mixture was fed at dietary levels designed to furnish 500, 1120, and 2500 mg/kg body weight to groups of 35 male and 45 female rats. The protocol included observations of physical condition, growth response, food efficiency, blood, urine, and postmortem pathology. Reproduction and lactation performance was examined through 2 litters. Teratology was also investigated. Since conversion to cyclohexylamine (CHA) was found to occur in many of the rats, particularly in the higher dosage groups, it was included as an added insult in the diets of about half the animals during the last quarter of the 2-year test period. The only positive finding in these studies which proved to have crucial significance was the occurrence of papillary carcinomas in the bladders of 12 of the 70 rats fed the maximum dietary level of the mixture (equivalent to about 2500 mg/kg body weight) for periods ranging from 78 to 105 weeks (except for one earlier death). This finding was the principal reason for the removal of cyclamates from the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) group of non-nutritive sweeteners by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.In the opinion of the authors, the sequelae following this precipitate ban on cyclamates, prompted by a verbal report of the preliminary findings, warrant placing the study on record for the information of toxicologists and regulatory agencies throughout the world.

Influence of Dichlobenil on Yield, Size, and Pigmentation of Cranberries

The influence of 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (dichlobenil) on yield, size, and pigmentation of cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait., var. Early Black) was studied. Data on the effect of fall and spring applications were collected over a 2-year test period and comparisons made. Yield increased and berry size decreased after 1 year from both fall and spring treatments. The slight increases in yield were attributed to good weed control and not to any direct effect of dichlobenil. Treatments of cranberries for 2 successive years (fall and spring) caused slight reductions in yield and berry size. Berries treated for 2 successive years with dichlobenil were analyzed for anthocyanin development. All applications considerably enhanced pigmentation, spring treatments having the greatest effect in this respect. Anthocyanin development increased with increase in the concentration of dichlobenil applied.