Search

High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered vacuum cleaners are recommended by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for cleaning lead-contaminated house dust. We performed a randomized field study to determine whether a conventional (non-HEPA) vacuum cleaner could achieve cleaning results comparable with those of a HEPA vacuum cleaner. We compared the lead loading reductions of these two vacuum cleaners in a total of 127 New Jersey homes of lead-exposed children. We used wet towelettes and a vacuum sampler to collect lead dust from carpets and upholstery before and after vacuum cleaning. The vacuum sampling data showed that the HEPA and non-HEPA vacuum cleaners resulted in 54.7% (p = 0.006) and 36.4% (p = 0.020) reductions in lead loading, respectively, when used on soiled carpets, although the overall difference in lead loading reduction between the two vacuum cleaners was not statistically significant (p = 0.293.). The wipe sampling data did not show any significant lead loading reduction for either of the vacuum cleaners, suggesting that both vacuum cleaners fail to clean the surfaces of carpet effectively, considering that wipe sampling media simulate surface contact. On upholstery, the wipe sampling data showed a significant reduction in lead loading for the non-HEPA vacuum cleaner (22.2%, p = 0.047). Even with the significant reduction, the postcleaning lead loadings on upholstery were similar to those on carpets. The similar lead loading results for carpets and upholstery indicate that soiled upholstery may be as important a source of childhood lead exposure as carpets. Key words: carpet, cleaning, HEPA, HUD, lead, upholstery, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, vacuum. Environ Health Perspect 110:1233-1237 (2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed prospectively the risk of increased incidence of respiratory symptoms after exposure to particular fungal genera in a susceptible population—namely, infants (n = 880) at high risk for developing asthma. Days of wheeze or persistent cough, information on maternal allergy, and asthma, socioeconomic variables, and housing characteristics were collected over the course of the infant's first year of life. Exposure to mold was assessed by airborne samples collected at one time early in the infant's life. Fungi were identified to genus level, recorded as colony-forming units per cubic meter (CFU/m³), and then categorized into four levels: 0 (undetectable), 1-499 CFU/m³ (low), 500-999 CFU/m³ (medium), and ≥ 1,000 CFU/m³ (high). Effects of mold on wheeze and persistent cough, adjusting for potential confounding factors, were examined with Poisson regression analyses. The two most commonly found genera were Cladosporium (in 62% of the homes) and Penicillium (41%). Cladosporium was associated with reported mold (p < 0.02) and water leaks (p < 0.003). Rate of persistent cough was associated with reported mold [Rate ratio (RR) = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.18-1.88]. The highest level of Penicillium was associated with higher rates of wheeze (RR = 2.15; 95% CI, 1.34-3.46) and persistent cough (RR = 2.06; 95% CI, 1.31-3.24) in models controlling for maternal history of asthma and allergy, socioeconomic status, season of mold sample, and certain housing characteristics, we conclude that infants in this high-risk group who are exposed to high levels of Penicillium are at significant risk for wheeze and persistent cough. Key words: asthma, fungi, indoor air, infants, mold, Penicillium, wheezing. Environ Health Perspect 110:A781-A786 (2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed organophosphorus pesticide exposure in 218 farm worker households in agricultural communities in Washington State to investigate the take-home pathway of pesticide exposure and to establish baseline exposure levels for a community intervention project. House dust samples (n = 156) were collected from within the homes, and vehicle dust samples (n = 190) were collected from the vehicles used by the farm workers to commute to and from work. Urine samples were obtained from a farm worker (n = 213) and a young child (n = 211) in each household. Dust samples were analyzed for six pesticides, and urine samples were analyzed for five dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites. Azinphosmethyl was detected in higher concentrations (p < 0.0001) than the other pesticides: geometric mean concentrations of azinphosmethyl were 0.53 μg/g in house dust and 0.75 μg/g in vehicle dust. Dimethyl DAP metabolite concentrations were higher than diethyl DAP metabolite concentrations in both child and adult urine (p < 0.0001). Geometric mean dimethyl DAP concentrations were 0.13 μmol/L in adult urine and 0.09 μmol/L in child urine. Creatinineadjusted geometric mean dimethyl DAP concentrations were 0.09 μmol/g in adult urine and 0.14 μmol/g in child urine. Azinphosmethyl concentrations in house dust and vehicle dust from the same household were significantly associated (r²= 0.41, p < 0.0001). Dimethyl DAP levels in child and adult urine from the same household were also significantly associated (r²= 0.18, p < 0.0001), and this association remained when the values were creatinine adjusted. The results of this work support the hypothesis that the take-home exposure pathway contributes to residential pesticide contamination in agricultural homes where young children are present. Key words: biologic monitoring, children, dialkylphosphate metabolites, dust, exposure, organophosphorus pesticides, takehome. Environ Health Perspect 110:A787-A792 (2002). [Online 12... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Nordic countries, housing is one of society's greatest users of resources. Making housing more sustainable will call for changes in buildings, management routines and residents' habits, each having its possibilities as well as a built in resistance against change. Households might play a key role in this change, directly as consumers, but also indirectly and jointly as pressure groups towards real estate owners, managers and local society. Making housing more sustainable can be seen as society's ‘sustainability challenge’ to the housing consumers. In this paper, the extent of this challenge is discussed for the households of the Nordic countries, for different types of ownership and building etc. Its realization is seen in a ten-year perspective and in relation to the acquisition, maintenance, operation and use of the dwellings. Preliminary results indicate that a move to a new dwelling will give the household an opportunity to influence many aspects of its environmental impacts, but that moving will have little direct effect on the environmental performance of the built environment as a whole. Furthermore, that the activities of daily living have a potential for improvement without the inertia of reconstructing the building stock. In the end, however, co-operation between households and other stakeholders of the building sector is often a prerequisite for change. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes several household terms such as home; hearth; body; sojourner;nostalgia; relic; niche; settle; citizen; neighbor; heaven; and homewell. In this article, the author presented the ethnological origin of the words. The author also defined these words according to its present uses and incorporated the importance of each word. There are some household terms in which the author presented according to personal experience. The author also stressed the biblical importance of these words.

Details of a method to isolate culturable bacteria and fungi from carpet dust were evaluated to isolate the greatest numbers of these agents, Four broad groups were evaluated: mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria and moderately hydrophilic and xerophilic fungi. Features studied included: 1) mixing time; 2) addition of glass beads; 3) length of time dust settled before suspensions were plated; 4) relative concentrations of microorganisms in the fibrous and fine dust fractions; and 5) storage temperature and period. The findings are preliminary because of the small number of samples, but a votexing time of at least 2 mia with glass beads gave the best results in terms of the highest estimate of the concentration of culturable bacteria or fungi. Microorganisms were retrievable from the upper portion of a suspending liquid for at least 30 min with little detectable change in concentration. Both bacteria and fungi were more abundant in the fine than the fibrous dust fraction. No significant losses were observed for samples stored up to 25 days at 5°C or 25°C This procedure optimized measurement of total concentration, but may not identify the range of genera and species in dust if microorganisms present in small numbers and as single units are underrepresented relative to those in clusters and aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA ‘healthy house’ was constructed in Sunbury, a suburb north of Melbourne, Australia, in early 1998. It was designed with a tight building envelope to minimise air infiltration and a ducted mechanical ventilation (and heat recovery) system providing a minimum ventilation rate of 0.35 air changes per hour. This system also included partial filtration and dehumidification of the air. Many (but not all) construction materials were selected to be low-VOC emission products (e.g. paint topcoat and lacquers, laminated flooring and cupboards). Total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations were approximately 4,000 μg·m–3 just after construction, decreasing by a double-exponential model to 300 μg·m–3 by 8 months, which is below the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) goal of 500 μg·m–3. Formaldehyde concentration was near the NHMRC goal of 130 μg·m–3 at construction, and also decreased by a double-exponential model, but to a long-term (months to years) concentration of 60 μg·m–3. Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, microbial pollutants and dust mite allergens were also monitored.Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe Acarex test is an easy, rapid and cost-effective means of assessing exposure to house dust mites. The present study was designed to evaluate the correlation between the Acarex test using a 4-point and a 7-point scale and the major allergens content (Der p1 + Der f1) of house dust samples measured by an ELISA technique and also to assess the validity of the test with regard to both sampling and reading of the colour scale. Some 719 house dust samples from patients’ homes were evaluated using the supplied 4-point scale (classes 0, 1, 2, 3) and again with interpolation of 3 intermediate scale points (classes 0.5, 1.5, 2.5) and Der p1 + Der f1 content using ELISA. Reliability of sampling was studied in 39 dwellings comparing results obtained by householders and technicians. Reproducibility of reading the colorimetric scale was evaluated in 3 trained technicians and 15 untrained people. The correlation between the Acarex and the ELISA results was 0.68 (p < 0.0001) with class 0 reliable for assessing low allergen levels, class 1 unable to discriminate, and classes 2 and 3 reflecting high allergen levels (class 3 identified 94.2% of samples with an allergen content greater than 10 μg·g–1). Discrepancies between Acarex scores for samples collected by patients and those collected by technicians did not exceed half a scale point. Reproducibility of reading by trained technicians gave intraindividual and interindividual coefficients of variation of 0% for classes 0 and 3 and about 20% or more for the other classes. On average readings by untrained participants had 42% discrepancies, mostly in classes 1 and 2. We conclude that the Acarex test is a useful home test whether used by patients or technicians; misclassifications of colour readings were less frequent at the scale extremes.Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study was motivated by a need to establish criteria for evaluating observations of moisture damage with respect to exposure and adverse health effects. The database used included information on moisture damage from 164 dwellings and questionnaire data collected from the occupants. Moisture damage observations were classified according to eleven variables characterising damage by, for example, size, duration and type of damaged material. Five health symptom scores were devised based on the questionnaire data. Visible mould associated with respiratory infections, irritative and skin symptoms. Damage <1 m2 in size was associated with general and skin symptoms, and >4 m2 in size associated with respiratory infections and skin symptoms. Damage of <3 years duration was associated with respiratory infections and damage that had existed for 3–10 years was associated with general, irritative and skin symptoms. Symptom scores were associated more frequently with damage to organic rather than inorganic materials. Criteria used to evaluate the association between the classification of moisture damage and symptom scores were excess risk compared to a two-category classification, dose responsiveness, and biological plausibility of the findings. Despite the complexity of interpretation, the results show that more accurate models of moisture damage with respect to exposure and adverse health effects can be established.Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's utopian thinking about the good city. It is a revisiting of a transactive model of social planning to which the practice of dialogue would be central. These concerns subsequently expanded into the author's interest in social learning and the traditions of radical insurgent planning. The article examines the microstructures of civil action, such as the household economy, culminating in a theory of empowerment and disempowerment. Inspired political leadership, leaders capable of articulating a common vision for the polity, building a strong consensus around this vision and mobilizing resources towards its realization. The author says that public accountability relates to the unforced, periodic election of political representatives and the right of citizens to be adequately informed about those who stand for elections, the standing government's performance record and the overall outcomes for the city. Moreover, governance should be transparent in its manner of operation and, as much as possible, be carried out in full view of citizen observers. Citizens should have the right to information, particularly about contracts between the city and private corporations.

• Economic, pro-social and pro-environmental factors can influence household participation in forest conservation programs. • Owning property titles, having large forested land, agricultural equipment and off-farm incomes favour participation. • Social networks, compliance with social norms of reciprocity, and a lack of trust in public institutions may increase participation. • Awareness of environmental problems and perception of the gains associated with conservation may increase participation. • Feeling some individual responsibility for environmental issues may increase participation in more restrictive agreements. The effectiveness of incentive-based conservation programs depends on how they influence and interact with multiple motivations of the participants. Here, we studied an incentive-based program for forest conservation in Bolivia – called "Reciprocal Watershared Agreements" – that mixes material compensations with pro-social and pro-environmental motivations as a way to reduce crowding-out of intrinsic motivations and to increase participation. Based on a sample of 470 households who were offered the program, we studied household characteristics that influenced (i) the probability of participation in the program, (ii) the intensity of the participation, measured as the area allocated in the agreement, and (iii) the modality of participation, measured as the probability of participation in the different types of agreements. We found that owning property titles, having large forested land with low conservation opportunity cost, agricultural equipment and off-farm incomes seem to favour participation. In addition, the probability of participation increases with some pro-social factors, such as a deeper or older integration into social networks, and greater compliance to social norms of reciprocity. We also found that a lack of trust in public institutions can increase both the likelihood and the intensity of participation, as can certain pro-environmental factors, such as awareness of environmental problems, knowledge about potential solutions to solve them and perception of the gains associated with the conservation of ecosystem services. Finally, we found that feeling some individual responsibility for environmental issues and some difficulty in performing pro-environmental options may increase participation into more restrictive agreements. Our results thus highlight the factors that could increase uptake and factors on which programs might focus in order to have a greater impact on pro-environmental behaviours. They also suggest that incentive-based program can be designed to take advantage of pro-social and pro-environmental motivations as strongly as of economic ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient cleaning may be a cause of the Sick Building Syndrome. Various improvements in cleaning methods have been tested in order to clarify whether they reduced the concentration of airborne dust, and the concentration of dust on surfaces, or whether the concentration of different microbiological components in the dust was reduced. The interventions were performed in an administration building, a school and a kindergarten. Dust measurements were performed on one day every week for a period of 28 weeks, using different interventions. The airborne dust concentration was measured by sampling on filters during the day. The concentration of surface dust was measured by the BM-Dustdetector foil sampling method. Dust samples were collected from the floors, after which analyses for different microbiological components were performed, Sampling from surfaces and the floor were performed prior to cleaning in order to ascertain the levels to which the room occupants had been exposed, One of the findings was a reduction in the dust concentration on the so-called easily accessible surfaces. Correlations between surface dust and airborne dust were also found. Furthermore, correlations between the measurements and other factors, such as activity during the day, and the climate, were obtained. Important findings of the study were the observations made on the relations between cleaning and dust in the indoor environment and the measuring methods applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the various strategies adopted in varying degrees of negative equity by households of Luton and Bristol in England. It is evident that simple measures of the numbers of households experiencing negative equity or the absolute or average amounts involved are fairly meaningless indicators of the extent of the problem. For a poor household with other forms of indebtedness and insecurity a very small shortfall between current property value and the outstanding mortgage can a major barrier to mobility or to the capacity to improve or repair a dwelling. But for a well-resourced household even a substantial amount of negative equity need not be a serious difficulty. It is an additional constraint for all households but a variety of choices remain open to those with rising real incomes, dwellings of a reasonable size and secure employment. For those with bargaining power in the labor market employers may be able to ameliorate difficulties of moving. For those with savings, or the capacity to save, there is scope to reduce negative equity regardless of house price inflation or to make the current dwelling more suited to changing needs. Aggregate statistics relating to estimates of numbers of households in negative equity conceal enormous variations in the nature and severity of the problems involved.

The homes of 120 patients with asthma, 57 in Vancouver and 63 in Winnipeg, were studied. The characteristics of the homes were assessed by a questionnaire. Dust samples were collected and the indoor relative humidity was measured four times during the year covering all four seasons in both cities. Mite allergen levels were determined using monoclonal antibodies against Der p I and Der ƒ I by the ELISA method. The mean levels of both mite allergens in mattress and floor samples in the homes in Vancouver and in Winnipeg were relatively low for all seasons. Mite allergen levels were found to be associated with city, season and individual home differences. They were significantly higher in Vancouver than in Winnipeg. Der p I and Der ƒ I in mattress samples in both cities and Der ƒ I in floor samples in Vancouver, varied by season. The indoor relative humidity level in the homes in Vancouver were also significantly higher than those in Winnipeg. There was, however, no significant association between the levels of indoor relative humidity and the levels of mite allergens after adjusting for variations in city, season and individual home. Although individual home differences were highly associated with mite allergen levels, only a few home characteristics were found to be related to mite allergen levels such as the type and the age of the home, the type of heating, the use of feather pillows and the number of occupants in the homes. Whether low levels of mite allergens are partially responsible for the relatively low prevalence of childhood asthma in Canada remains to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research aimed at renovating invasion barriots in Latin America. The article selected Las Colinas, Texas for analysis, as earlier comparative data were available. A random sample of 60 household heads were drawn in August-September 1971 and 58 formal interview schedules were completed. Those units that could not participate in the renovation project were excluded, as they were located in danger zones and areas reserved for public usage. The findings indicate that invasion barrio contains a heterogeneous population. The heterogeneity in family organization and income limited participation in the program. Only individuals that were relatively integrated into the larger society were successful participants. The participants in the project received substantial increases in some public services and improvements in some of housing conditions. To pay for these improvements families tended to change from a nuclear to an extended family structure. Furthermore, these previously property less household heads that had been living in rooming houses tended to become landlords renting rooms to outsiders.

The study quantifies the environmental risk factors for two diseases with different vectors and cycles of transmission: malaria and Chagas' disease in N.W. Argentina near the Bolivian border. This is the area within Argentina where malaria is still a serious health problem. Chagas' disease is to some extent present in many parts of the country. The field work for the study concerned 5903 people in 1466 dwellings. The study resulted in detailed maps of risk factors: particularly water quality and contacts with migrants from Bolivia in the case of malaria; and thatched roofs and dogs in the case of Chagas' disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interview and physical-examination data from a sample of Toronto women are used to examine the effect of three types of indicators of the quality of the household environment on mental and physical health. All three types of environmental constraints were found to cause modest decrements in health. Spatial problems appeared to affect only mental health, while housing deficiencies and household problems affected both mental and physical well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently published data from a sample of Bogotá, Colombia public housing residents show that apartment dwellers, but not house dwellers, reduced their fertility in a tight housing market. We propose that the utility-cost theory of fertility accounts for this finding, and, using this theory, we predict that (a) apartment residents will not decrease their fertility in an open housing market and (b) higher fertility will be associated with larger dwellings. Longitudinal data from a sample of Midwest urban blacks, Mexican-Americans, and other Americans support both predictions. The substantive implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to compare migration and residence patterns of Hmong villages in eastern Xieng Khouang, Laos, with traditional patterns recorded elsewhere. The villages studied are stable, primarily populated by nuclear family households, and have rapid population growth. The long history of Hmong residence in the district, lack of significant com- petition from other ethnic groups, local ecology, effects of the Indochina wars, and recent government policy are proposed to explain these patterns. Continued population growth of Hmong and neighbouring groups, coupled with government restrictions on forest access will necessitate significant demographic and economic changes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on some housing factors related to mental hygiene. The cause-and-effect assumption is that architects, builders and planners possess the ability to produce the effect desired by control or planned treatment of the dwelling. Adequate physical lay-out of the dwelling cannot cure mental ills already in existence but it may prevent their further development in the sense that physical lay-out does act as a reinforcing agent to personality trends already structured. Existing provisions for privacy and circulation in lay-out planning include separation by sex in sleeping rooms and direct access to toilet facilities. In this context, however, we mean by privacy something more than such standard provisions. The sentiment of self-respect, the respect for self as an individual with status, can hardly thrive when the person is continuously open to pressures of the presence of many others in the household. A wartime survey of sound in dwellings made by Dennis Chapman in England found that four-fifths of the persons interviewed were aware of sounds, one-quarter were troubled or annoyed by these sounds and one-fifth complained that the sounds disturbed their sleep.

The article focuses on the building design and its impact on the social change. Contemporary design and construction of buildings has its roots in past history as much as in meeting current needs. A pleasing instance of the impact is the extent to which the small residence of frame construction is no longer usually built with clapboarded sides. Modern social development has made it possible for families which previously would have put up with ordinary frame buildings, to purchase those with at least a part of the exterior in brick, stone, or stucco. No one causative factor can be entirely responsible for this change. But a survey of possible effective causes contributing to this result should be useful. Apparent atavisms appear in some modern dwellings. Another phase, within the economic factor, affects the modern trend in building. This is the steadily growing extent to which equipment not hitherto in general use, has become standard for the modern structure. The isolated modern tall building thus remains our best example, even when partly hidden amid the mistakes of past eclecticisms.

The article discusses the study which assessed the interactions between human beings and their micro-ecological environment in the context of malaria transmission and epidemics in Kenya. The study sampled malaria cases and their controls in local healthcare facilities and identified potential risk areas. It notes that the high incidences of malaria were attributed to poor living conditions and outdoor nocturnal activities.

Abstract: On March 3, 2007, a 2-year-old boy was hospitalized with eczema vaccinatum. His two siblings, one with eczema, were subsequently removed from the home. Swabs of household items obtained on March 13th were analyzed for orthopoxvirus DNA signatures with real-time PCR. Virus culture was attempted on positive specimens. Eight of 25 household samples were positive by PCR for orthopoxvirus; of these, three yielded viable vaccinia virus in culture. Both siblings were found to have serologic evidence of orthopoxvirus exposure. These findings have implications for smallpox preparedness, especially in situations where some household members are not candidates for vaccination. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Solid fuels for cooking (proxy for household air pollution) is associated with respiratory illness in girls but not boys. • Prenatal exposure to ambient PM 2.5 correlates with stunting in boys but not girls. • Postnatal exposure to ambient PM 2.5 is associated with stunting in both genders. • Biological and social factors partly explain these contrasting results. • To reduce the adverse influences of air pollution on child health, policies should prioritize girls and pregnant women. Reduction in health risks from household air pollution (HAP) and ambient air pollution (AAP) is critical for achieving sustainable development globally, especially in low-income countries. Children are at particularly high risk because their respiratory and immune systems are not fully developed. Previous studies have identified the adverse impacts of air pollution on child health. However, most studies do not focus on HAP and AAP simultaneously nor address differences in the timings and magnitudes of prenatal and postnatal exposures across genders. Therefore, this study examines how prenatal and postnatal exposures to ambient particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM 2.5) along with household use of solid fuels (a main cause of HAP) are correlated with child health in Bangladesh. We combine individual-level data from nationally representative surveys with satellite-based high-resolution data on ambient PM 2.5. We find that (1) the use of solid fuels is associated with respiratory illness among girls but not boys, (2) prenatal exposure to ambient PM 2.5 is associated with stunting in boys but not girls, and (3) postnatal exposure is associated with stunting in both genders. These results provide new evidence for heterogeneous influences of AAP and HAP on child health across gender and timing of exposure. The main policy implications are that interventions against HAP would be more effective by targeting girls, and interventions against AAP should also target pregnant women. In sum, our findings highlight the importance of protecting women from air pollution and achieving Target 3.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article comments on the research conducted by Henny Coolen entitled "The Meaning of Dwellings: An Ecological Perspective," wherein Coolen stated that from an ecological point of view, the meaning of dwellings lies in the functional relationships between human beings and their dwellings. Though the author supports the theoretical account of Coolen, he is concerned in the possibility that, in important respects, Coolen's methodology does not match well with his basic intention or theory.

A birth cohort study (LARS - Leipzig Allergy Risk Children Study) was used to investigate the influence of indoor mould exposure on T cell function in early childhood. T cell cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-4) were analysed in a sub-group of the LARS cohort (birth: n = 39, 6 months: n = 11, 12 months: n = 50, 36 months: n = 33). Mould burden was assessed by analysis of questionnaires completed at the birth of the child and measurement of indoor mould spores was carried out when the children were 3 years old. Children whose parents reported mould burden or dampness in their dwellings at the time of birth showed lower amounts of IFN-γ producing Th1 cells during the first year of life (significant at 12 months) in comparison to unexposed children. The capacity to produce IL-4 was not altered, however. When the children were 3 years old, an association between measured indoor mould and suppressed Th1 reactivity was observed. The data suggest that indoor mould exposure is associated with reduced Th1 reactivity in early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of household waste management have long been dominated by a positivist tradition, examining and quantifying discrete factors of analysis, such as convenience, adequate and appropriate information, and proper infrastructure. I argue that this approach has reached its limits, foreclosing deeper engagements with embedded social dynamics. This calls for a more interdisciplinary approach to theorising and studying household waste management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]