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Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and indoor air pollutants, but limited information available of the risks between schools located in suburban and urban areas. We therefore investigated the association of FeNO levels with indoor particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure in suburban and urban school areas. A comparative cross-sectional study was undertaken among secondary school students in eight schools located in the suburban and urban areas in the district of Hulu Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. A total of 470 school children (aged 14 years old) were randomly selected, their FeNO levels were measured, and allergic skin prick tests were conducted. The PM2.5, PM10, NO2, and carbon dioxide (CO2), temperature, and relative humidity were measured inside the classrooms. We found that the median of FeNO in the school children from urban areas (22.0 ppb, IQR = 32.0) were slightly higher as compared to the suburban group (19.5 ppb, IQR = 24.0). After adjustment of potential confounders, the two-level hierarchical multiple logistic regression models showed that the concentrations of PM2.5 were significantly associated with elevated of FeNO (>20 ppb) in school children from suburban (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.17–1.72) and urban (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.10–1.91) areas. Despite the concentrations of NO2 being below the local and international recommendation guidelines, NO2 was found to be significantly associated with the elevated FeNO levels among school children from suburban areas (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.06–1.17). The findings of this study support the evidence of indoor pollutants in the school micro-environment associated with FeNO levels among school children from suburban and urban areas.

Population sex ratio is a key demographic factor that influences population dynamics and persistence. Sex ratios can vary across ontogeny from embryogenesis to death and yet the conditions that shape changes in sex ratio across ontogeny are poorly understood. Here, we address this issue in amphibians, a clade for which sex ratios are generally understudied in wild populations. Ontogenetic sex ratio variation in amphibians is additionally complicated by the ability of individual tadpoles to develop a phenotypic (gonadal) sex opposite their genotypic sex. Because of sex reversal, the genotypic and phenotypic sex ratios of entire cohorts and populations may also contrast. Understanding proximate mechanisms underlying phenotypic sex ratio variation in amphibians is important given the role they play in population biology research and as model species in eco-toxicological research addressing toxicant impacts on sex ratios. While researchers have presumed that departures from a 50:50 sex ratio are due to sex reversal, sex-biased mortality is an alternative explanation that deserves consideration. Here, we use a molecular sexing approach to track genotypic sex ratio changes from egg mass to metamorphosis in two independent green frog (Rana clamitans) populations by assessing the genotypic sex ratios of multiple developmental stages at each breeding pond. Our findings imply that genotypic sex-biased mortality during tadpole development affects phenotypic sex ratio variation at metamorphosis. We also identified sex reversal in metamorphosing cohorts. However, sex reversal plays a relatively minor and inconsistent role in shaping phenotypic sex ratios across the populations we studied. Although we found that sex-biased mortality influences sex ratios within a population, our study cannot say at this time whether sex-biased mortality is responsible for sex ratio variation across populations. Our results illustrate how multiple processes shape sex ratio variation in wild populations and the value of testing assumptions underlying how we understand sex in wild animal populations.

While much has been explored about notions of both place and belonging in regard to community health of various populations, little is known of the phenomena specific to suburban dwelling seniors. More and more seniors are living in suburban neighborhoods, communities that do not tend well to the belonging needs of this population. This qualitative study sought the perspectives of suburban dwelling seniors about the role of belonging and community connection to their health and wellbeing. Informed by strengths-based approaches to community development and health, the study engaged people from three community groups of older adults in a Canadian suburb (a seniors’ recreational/social group, and two cultural groups) in group interviews concerning the topic. Discoveries included an understanding of belonging as both personal and social, and identification of facilitators and barriers to belonging at personal and systemic levels. Belonging was experienced through connection, contribution and cooperation. These findings are important to shape community engagement with seniors and to inform decision-making and program developments in areas of recreation, leisure, health services, community policing, city planning and other services.

A random digit dialing sample from Missouri (USA) was used to compare associations between psychosocial factors and Alzheimer&rsquo, s disease (AD) screening intention based on residential locale. Linear regression associations between demographics and five psychosocial constructs (dementia knowledge, perceived screening benefits, preventive health behaviors, perceived susceptibility, and self-efficacy) and screening intention were compared by residential locale. Participants (n = 932) had a mean age of 62 years (urban: n = 375, suburban: n = 319, rural: n = 238). African Americans more often lived in urban than suburban/rural neighborhoods, and more urban than suburban/rural residents reported insufficient income. Preventative health behaviors (e.g., dentist visits) were higher in urban and suburban versus rural participants. AD screening intention did not differ by residential locale. Among urban participants, self-efficacy to get screened was associated with screening intention. Among rural participants, dementia knowledge was associated with screening intention. Perceived screening benefits and perceived susceptibility to AD were associated with screening intention regardless of locale. Unlike urban participants, rural participants demonstrated greater screening intention with greater dementia knowledge. Our findings suggest that psychosocial factors associated with AD screening intention differ depending on residential locale. Strategies to increase dementia screening may need to account for regional variations to be maximally effective.

1.The spatial and trophic ecology of Afrotropical gecko populations are poorly known. Here, we report ecological observations on Brook’s House Gecko (Hemidactylus angulatus), a widespread gekkonid species, in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology campus, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.2. A total of 488 gecko individuals were recorded during the present study, in two surveyed habitat types: (i) plantationm trees (PTH) and (ii) buildings (BDH). In PTH, they were observed in 13 out of 15 species of trees present in the study area, with their (log) frequency of sightings being positively correlated to the (log) frequency of surveyed trees per species.3. The geckos used substantially the non-native ornamental trees of the PTH habitat. Pinus ponderosa and Elaeis guineensis were significantly preferred by geckos over all the other tree species.4. Geckos also used frequently the buildings (BDH habitat) at the university campus. There was no correlationbetween (log) area of each building and (log) number of observed lizards.5. We collected faeces from 51 gecko individuals in dry season and 66 in wet season. There were no significantdietary differences between seasons, with Diptera and adult Lepidoptera dominating in the diet.6. Dietary habits of geckos differed significantly between habitat types, with Araneae and Lepidoptera (larvae)being eaten much more frequently in BDH, and in Coleoptera and Isopoda that were eaten much more frequently in PTH The diversity dietary metrics (Shannon and Dominance indices) were very similar either between seasons or between habitats.7. Our independent set of analyses (diet diversity metrics; contingency tables on taxonomic dietary compositionand rank-abundance diagrams) showed that lizards exhibited a same feeding strategy in both wet and dry seasons as well as in the two habitat types, although the diet composition differed significantly between habitats.8. A “mixed” foraging strategy was apparently used by Hemidactylus angulatus at the study area, as also observed in other gekkonid species from elsewhere.

The achievement gap has been identified as a significant challenge faced by school districts across the nation and has been an item on the national agenda for quite some time. Students that are part of the identified disaggregated groups are not achieving at the same rate as their White and Asian counterparts. While urban schools have had to deal with disparities in student achievement across racial lines for decades, suburban districts are now faced with greater numbers of students who are not demonstrating success and achievement academically. As a result, school districts are challenged to design programs to meet the needs of students that have fallen into the gap; and they must come up with ways to fill the academic gaps that individual students have in order to demonstrate progress. In response to the achievement gap, districts are designing interventions and programs that specifically address the needs of these students. Data driven decision-making is a direct result of the progress that school districts and schools must show for every student and student group. This study identifies how the Ganton School District, a suburban district outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is addressing the achievement gap through district-level and building-level leadership. Efforts evidenced through programs and initiatives are identified that are having an impact on the success and academic achievement of black students that have fallen into the gap in the Ganton School District.

Background It has not been studied what happens to patient flow to EDs and other parts of local health care system if distances to ED services are manipulated as a part of health policy in urban areas. Methods The present work was an observational and quasi-experimental study with a control and it was based on before-after comparisons. The impact of terminating a geographically distant suburban primary care ED on patient flow to doctors in local public primary care EDs, office-hour primary care, secondary care EDs and in private primary care was studied. The effect of this intervention was compared with a primary care system where no similar intervention was performed. The number of monthly visits to doctors in different departments of health care was scored as the main measure of the study in each department studied (e.g. in primary care EDs, secondary care ED, office-hour public primary care and private primary care). Monthly mortality rates were also recorded. Results Increasing the distance to ED services by terminating a peripheral ED did not cause an increase in the use of local office-hour services in those areas whose local ED was terminated, although use of ED services decreased by 25% in these areas (P

Background: Prehypertension is common in China and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The present study estimated the current prevalence of prehypertension and its association with clustering of other modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs) among adults in suburban Beijing.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 19 003 suburban adults aged 18 to 76 years was carried out in 2007. Questionnaire data and information on blood pressure, anthropometric characteristics, and laboratory measurements were collected.Results: The age-standardized prevalence of prehypertension was 35.7% (38.2% in men and 31.8% in women) among adults in suburban Beijing. The prevalence of overweight/obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and physical inactivity was higher in participants with prehypertension (26.7%, 4.8%, 34.3%, and 60.4%, respectively) as compared with normotensive participants (15.9%, 2.7%, 20.5%, and 29.1%, respectively), and in participants with hypertension as compared with those with prehypertension. Overall, 85.3%, 49.8%, and 17.8% of prehypertensive men had 1 or more, 2 or more, and 3 or more CRFs (overweight/obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, current smoking, and physical inactivity). These proportions were higher than those in normotensive men (81.5%, 45.1%, and 13.4%) and lower than those in men with hypertension (91.7%, 56.4%, 19.2%). Similar results were found when women with prehypertension were compared with women who were normotensive or hypertensive.Conclusions: A high prevalence of prehypertension and clustering of other modifiable CRFs are common among prehypertensive adults in suburban Beijing. More-effective population-based lifestyle modifications are required to prevent progression to hypertension and reduce the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in China.

Author(s): Maestas, Jesse M.; Theimer, Tad C.; Hausig, Krista M.; Bergman, David L. | Abstract: Potentially fatal wildlife diseases like rabies are of increasing concern, due to human effects on the environment that could alter wildlife behavior and population dynamics in ways that increase disease prevalence. Wildlife population abundance is a key factor, affecting both disease outbreak and rate of disease spread, and understanding how population abundance changes across landscapes is crucial for developing predictive models to control and manage wildlife diseases. We investigated how urbanization in Flagstaff, AZ influenced skunk population abundance by simultaneously trapping 6 pairs of suburban and wildland study sites for 200 trap-nights between June and September 2011. The number of unique skunks captured at the 6 suburban locations ranged from 3-14 (mean = 6.5) while the number trapped at the 6 wildland sites ranged from 0-2 (mean = 0.5). We also reviewed data gathered as part of the trap-vaccinate-release (TVR) program carried out from 2004-2010 by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services to estimate population sizes and the percentage of the population vaccinated. Our estimates of the percentage of the population vaccinated in any one year ranged from 11%-23%, below percentages reported in the literature as necessary to prevent disease spread. Overall, these data indicate that the potential for disease spread was greatest within the suburban matrix and relatively low in surrounding wildlands and that intensified annual TVR programs would be necessary to maintain high enough percentages of immunized animals to achieve effective herd immunity.

Background Route environments can positively influence people's active commuting and thereby contribute to public health. The Active Commuting Route Environment Scale (ACRES) was developed to study active commuters' perceptions of their route environments. However, bicycle commuters represent a small portion of the population in many cities and thus are difficult to study using population-based material. Therefore, the aim of this study is to expand the state of knowledge concerning the criterion-related validity of the ACRES and the representativity using an advertisement-recruited sample. Furthermore, by comparing commuting route environment profiles of inner urban and suburban areas, we provide a novel basis for understanding the relationship between environment and bikeability. Methods Bicycle commuters from Greater Stockholm, Sweden, advertisement- (n = 1379) and street-recruited (n = 93), responded to the ACRES. Traffic planning and environmental experts from the Municipality of Stockholm (n = 24) responded to a modified version of the ACRES. The criterion-related validity assessments were based on whether or not differences between the inner urban and the suburban route environments, as indicated by the experts and by four existing objective measurements, were reflected by differences in perceptions of these environments. Comparisons of ratings between advertisement- and street-recruited participants were used for the assessments of representativity. Finally, ratings of inner urban and suburban route environments were used to evaluate commuting route environment profiles. Results Differences in ratings of the inner urban and suburban route environments by the advertisement-recruited participants were in accord with the existing objective measurements and corresponded reasonably well with those of the experts. Overall, there was a reasonably good correspondence between the advertisement- and street-recruited participants' ratings. Distinct differences in commuting route environment profiles were noted between the inner urban and suburban areas. Suburban route environments were rated as safer and more stimulating for bicycle-commuting than the inner urban ones. In general, the findings applied to both men and women. Conclusions The overall results show: considerable criterion-related validity of the ACRES; ratings of advertisement-recruited participants mirroring those of street-recruited participants; and a higher degree of bikeability in the suburban commuting route environments than in the inner urban ones.

This study investigated the dietary habits and food preferences of elementary school students. The survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire distributed to 4th and 5th grade elementary school students (400 boys and 400 girls) in urban and suburban areas of Daejeon. The results of this study were as follows: male students in urban areas ate breakfast, unbalanced diets, and dairy products more frequently than male students in suburban areas (p < 0.05). Female students in urban areas ate dairy products (p < 0.01) and fruits (p < 0.001) more frequently than female students in suburban areas. Students had the high preferences for boiled rice and noodles with black bean sauce, beef rib soup, steamed beef rib, steamed egg, beef boiled in soy sauce, egg roll, bulgogi, pork cutlet, deep-fried pork covered with sweet and sour starchy sauce, and honeyed juice mixed with fruit as a punch. All students preferred kimchi, although students in the suburban areas preferred kimchi-fried rice (p < 0.05), and those in the urban areas preferred bean-paste soup (p < 0.01). Students in suburban areas showed a greater preference for seasoned bean sprouts and Altari kimchi. All of the students preferred fruits, rice cake made with glutinous rice, and pizza among other foods. Overall, there were distinct differences in the eating habits and food preferences of elementary school students according to the place of residence.