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BSTRACT: The continuous availability of ground water to riparian phreatophytic vegetation results in large evapotranspiration (ET) losses in summer. Chemical or physical eradication of this vegetation can have undesirable environmental side effects. Spraying phreatophyte foliage with a nontoxic antitranspirant (AT) may reduce transpiration without eradication. Transpiration rate per unit leaf area was similar for several phreatophyte species, but ET per unit land area of phreatophytes depneds more on stand density than species. The mean ET for saltcedar in June was 8.1 mm/day measured by Bowen ratio, compared with 7.9 mm by lysimeters. ATs and growth-retardants reduced transpiration by over 50 percent in laboratory tests where foliage was thoroughly sprayed. In the field AT sprayed by a back-pack mistblower reduced ET by 20-35 percent initially and 10 percent after a month. No ET reduction occurred when AT was sprayed by helicopter on saltcedar, because excessive droplet size and heavy salt deposits on the foliage resulted in poor spray adherence. Wax-based AT was relatively nontoxic to fish and wildlife. Dissolved oxygen could be reduced for aquatic life, but further AT dilution in streams and ponds would minimize this. Helicopter spraying may affect bird nests and egg hatchability. Although ATs significantly reduce ET, their high cost and spraying difficulties preclude current use on phreatophytes. With improvement they may economically help to conserve water in riparian areas in future years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients present with a mixture of respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, heavy breathing, coughing and odour intolerance. If these patients are diagnosed as asthma, it might sometimes be a false diagnosis. Concepts such as sensory hyperreactivity, hyperventilation, asthma-like symptoms, odour intolerance and dysfunctional breathing are used to refer to these patients. Non-respiratory symptoms such as headache, fatigue and bloating are sometimes also part of the clinical picture. Our aim was to use factor analysis to increase our understanding of breathing-related symptoms in a general-population frame., Methods: A respiratory questionnaire was answered by 10 108 subjects in a general-population sample. Items aiming to identify individuals with breathing-related symptoms and asthma were included. We used factor analysis with Varimax rotation to extract discriminatory components (i.e. groups of symptoms), based on the questionnaire items. The aim was to find groups of items (factors) as distinct as possible, still allowing overlap and showing the importance of each item in the separated factor., Results: Five distinct factors were identified in the factor analysis, representing dysfunctional breathing, odour intolerance, asthma, bronchitis and a group with mixed symptoms, respectively. These five factors explained 55% of the variance., Conclusions: Based on our findings, we conclude that non-asthmatic breathing-related symptoms may be separated into at least two categories in a general population, odour intolerance and dysfunctional breathing. These two categories seem to be two distinct groups of subjects with breathing-related symptoms and may represent different clinical entities separated from asthma and bronchitis., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Aim: To study the association between intrauterine exposure to tobacco smoke and behavioural disorders in preschool children, primarily symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity but also hostile-aggressive and anxious-fearful symptoms., Methods: We conducted a follow-up study in 1355 singletons born to Danish-speaking mothers. Information on smoking habits during pregnancy and other lifestyle factors was obtained from self-administered questionnaires filled in during second and third trimester. Approximately 3.5 years later, the parents provided information on their child's behaviour using the self-administered Preschool Behaviour Questionnaire. The children were categorized into three not mutually exclusive behaviour groups: hyperactive - distractible (13.6%), hostile-aggressive (4.6%), and anxious-fearful (6.4%) children., Results: Compared with children of non-smokers, children born to women who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day had a 60% increased risk of hyperactivity and distractibility perceived by the parents (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.0-2.3; P < 0.05). The results were adjusted for maternal lifestyle factors and socioeconomic characteristics. Additional adjustment for perinatal factors and parental psychiatric hospitalization did not change the results substantially (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.1-2.6). We found no statistically significant association between maternal smoking in pregnancy and hostile-aggressive and anxious-fearful behaviour in the offspring., Conclusion: Exposure to tobacco smoke in utero was associated with hyperactive-distractible behaviour in preschool children.

The majority of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) genital infections are asymptomatic. We wanted to evaluate the acceptance of HSV-2 antibody testing among people attending an STD clinic and to estimate, after counselling, the percentage of recognized and unrecognized HSV-2 infections. First visitors to an STD clinic were invited to participate by answering a questionnaire and taking a blood test for HSV-2 antibodies. HSV-2 seropositive individuals, who were unaware of having genital herpes, were offered an HSV-2 counselling visit and follow-up. Of 1769 patients offered testing, 57% accepted. Of 152 (15%) HSV-2 seropositive individuals, 41% had a self-reported history of genital herpes, approximately 30% had genital symptoms and 30% had no genital symptoms. The percentage of patients reporting genital symptoms was much higher in HSV-2 seropositives (45%) without a history of genital herpes than in an HSV-2 seronegative group (28%). HSV-2 antibody testing should be performed generously in all cases of uncharacteristic genital symptoms.

The objective of this study was to examine whether social risk factors adjusted for gender and some well-known perinatal risk factors were related to parental descriptions of deviant behaviour in 3(1/2)-year-old children. The study was a prospective cohort study of 1345 mothers enrolled during early pregnancy. Parents answered a questionnaire and children's behavioural difficulties were categorized into the following groups; "hyperactive-distractible", "hostile-aggressive" and "anxious-fearful" following a modified Behar scale. The male gender was found to be related to a description of all kinds of deviant behaviour. Having a family member experiencing employment difficulties was the factor most closely related to "hyperactive-distractible" behaviour. Familial stress due to lack of time, experience of divorce and mothers in excess of 35 years at childbirth were found to be related to "hostile-aggressive" behaviour, but male gender was the most closely related. Social disadvantage was not found to be related to "anxious-fearful" behaviour.

In a cross-sectional study, the occurrence of a self-reported history of labial herpes was evaluated. The study population comprised a stratified random sample of 5,000 individuals, aged 0-60 y, from south-west Sweden. A questionnaire, together with written and photographic descriptions of labial herpes lesions, was sent to the participants. Of 5,000 questionnaires sent out, 3597 (72%) were returned. In answer to the question "Have you ever had herpes?" the point estimate was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.1%-28.1%) and for the question "Have you had herpes in the last 2 y?" it was 19.4 (95% CI 18.0-20.8). The proportion of individuals who had had herpes was higher for the older age groups. About 5% of children aged < or = 5 y had experienced labial herpes. Herpes was more frequently reported by females than males: odds ratio 1.29 (95% CI 1.10-1.51). Compared to previous studies in Sweden, our data do not indicate that the occurrence of labial herpes lesions has decreased.