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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Caffeine in Boston Harbor seawater.

Caffeine has been detected in Boston Harbor seawater with concentrations ranging from 140 to 1600 ng l(-1), and in Massachusetts Bay seawater at concentrations from 5.2 to 71 ng l(-1). Sources of caffeine appear to be anthropogenic with higher concentrations in the seawater of Boston's inner harbor and in freshwater sources to the harbor. Charles River water and Deer Island sewage treatment plant effluent, the two major sources of freshwater to the harbor, contained 370 and 6700 ng l(-1) of caffeine, respectively, in 1998. Sewage influent and effluent concentrations appear to be consistent with consumption estimates of caffeinated beverages for the Boston area and total organic carbon removal targets for treated sewage. Caffeine was inversely correlated to salinity in a transect from the mouth of Boston Harbor to Stellwagen Basin, indicating it may be a useful chemical tracer of anthropogenic inputs to marine systems.

Beverages↗

PubMed1981

The Phoenix and the Eagle: The founding of the Boston and Massachusetts Medical Societies in 1780 and 1781.

In 1780 and 1781, amidst war, revolution, and the building of a nation, Massachusetts experienced a burst of institutional creativity. Out of this came the Boston and Massachusetts medical societies. These societies succeeded in bringing together Boston's diversified and contentious medical men (old and new, Whig and Tory) into an institutionalized and more professionally conscious community of physicians. The Boston Medical Society had a direct role in the founding of the Massachusetts Medical Society and an indirect role in the founding of the Harvard Medical School. The three major early goals of the Massachusetts Medical Society were to examine candidates for medical practice, to promote and disseminate medical and scientific knowledge, and to achieve a sense of collegiality and good will among its members. Boston's physicians during the Revolution benefited greatly from the presence of French military doctors.

Boston↗

PubMed2003

Emission and fate assessment of methyl tertiary butyl ether in the Boston area airshed using a simple multimedia box model: comparison with urban air measurements.

Expected urban air concentrations of the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) were calculated using volatile emissions estimates and screening transport models, and these predictions were compared with Boston, MA, area urban air measurements. The total volatile flux of MTBE into the Boston primary metropolitan statistical area (PMSA) airshed was calculated based on estimated automobile nontailpipe emissions and the Universal Quasi-Chemical Functional-Group Activity Coefficient computed abundance of MTBE in gasoline vapor. The fate of MTBE in the Boston PMSA was assessed using both the European Union System for the Evaluation of Substances, which is a steady-state multimedia box model, and a simple airshed box model. Both models were parameterized based on the meteorological conditions observed during air sampling in the Boston area. Measured average urban air concentrations of 0.1 and 1 microg/m3 MTBE during February and September of 2000, respectively, were comparable to corresponding model predictions of 0.3 and 1 microg/m3 and could be essentially explained from estimated temperature-dependent volatile emissions rates, observed average wind speed (the airshed flushing rate), and reaction with ambient tropospheric hydroxyl radical (*OH), within model uncertainty. These findings support the proposition that one can estimate gasoline component source fluxes and use simple multimedia models to screen the potential impact of future proposed gasoline additives on urban airsheds.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mental health and illness in Boston's children and adolescents: one city's experience and its implications for mental health policy makers.

In 1999, the Boston Public Heath Commission used data from a variety of sources to explore the level of mental health disturbance in Boston's children and adolescents. Data for 1997 from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed that about 20% of Boston public high school students had ever experienced suicidal ideation, while approximately 10% had actually attempted suicide. About one in five teenage respondents to the Boston Youth Survey said they were frequently depressed. While females were more likely to report depression, males were more likely to report isolation and less likely to consider counseling. Medicaid claims data revealed differences by gender and age, with males using psychiatric emergency and Medicaid mental health services more than females, and 10- to 15-year-olds using these services more than other age groups. Emergency room injury surveillance and death certificate data indicated that among children and adolescents, females were twice as likely to attempt suicide as males, although males were more likely to complete a suicide. This data analysis helped pinpoint areas of need and has proven useful in the development of a child and adolescent mental health action agenda. Efforts to date have included expansion of surveillance, legislative advocacy, coalition building, and new services. Key indicators including suicidal ideation and attempts, service utilization, and service capacity have been chosen as markers for future improvement.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2007

Resuscitation and ventilation strategies for extremely preterm infants: a comparison study between two neonatal centers in Boston and Stockholm.

AIM: To evaluate if different resuscitation and ventilatory styles exist between two neonatal units, and if the less aggressive approach has a beneficiary effect on BPD outcome. METHOD: Inborn infants delivered at a gestational age <28 weeks were retrospectively studied (Boston = 70 and Stockholm = 102). Data were collected from birth to discharge or to 40 weeks. RESULTS: The study groups were similar with regard to gestational age, birth weight, gender and CRIB score, whereas SNAPPE-II score was greater in Stockholm and prenatal steroids were given less frequently in Boston. In Stockholm, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was applied in the delivery room for 56% of the infants and the prevalence of infants not requiring intubation or mechanical ventilation (MV) during the first week of life was 22%. In Boston all infants were initially intubated. Subsequently, CPAP was used less often, and higher mean airway pressures (MAWPs) were applied during the first 4 weeks of life. Mortality and moderate/severe BPD at 36 weeks were similar; however, at 40 weeks oxygen supplementation was more frequent in Boston. Site was a predictor for moderate/severe BPD or death at 40 weeks. CONCLUSION: Practice style differences exist and the less aggressive approach with more CPAP administration was successful. It did not decrease the risk for BPD at 36 weeks; however, at 40 weeks, fewer infants were on oxygen support, and a strong association was found between site, MAWP or MV with pulmonary morbidity indicating that CPAP could have a beneficiary role in outcome.

Boston↗

PubMed2006

The air quality impacts of road closures associated with the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.

BACKGROUND: The Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Boston, Massachusetts in 2004 provided an opportunity to evaluate the impacts of a localized and short-term but potentially significant change in traffic patterns on air quality, and to determine the optimal monitoring approach to address events of this nature. It was anticipated that the road closures associated with the DNC would both influence the overall air pollution level and the distribution of concentrations across the city, through shifts in traffic patterns. METHODS: To capture these effects, we placed passive nitrogen dioxide badges at 40 sites around metropolitan Boston before, during, and after the DNC, with the goal of capturing the array of hypothesized impacts. In addition, we continuously measured elemental carbon at three sites, and gathered continuous air pollution data from US EPA fixed-site monitors and traffic count data from the Massachusetts Highway Department. RESULTS: There were significant reductions in traffic volume on the highway with closures north of Boston, with relatively little change along other highways, indicating a more isolated traffic reduction rather than an across-the-board decrease. For our nitrogen dioxide samples, while there was a relatively small change in mean concentrations, there was significant heterogeneity across sites, which corresponded with our a priori classifications of road segments. The median ratio of nitrogen dioxide concentrations during the DNC relative to non-DNC sampling periods was 0.58 at sites with hypothesized traffic reductions, versus 0.88 for sites with no changes hypothesized and 1.15 for sites with hypothesized traffic increases. Continuous monitors measured slightly lower concentrations of elemental carbon and nitrogen dioxide during road closure periods at monitors proximate to closed highway segments, but not for PM2.5 or further from major highways. CONCLUSION: We conclude that there was a small but measurable influence of DNC-related road closures on air quality patterns in the Boston area, and that a low-cost monitoring study combining passive badges for spatial heterogeneity and continuous monitors for temporal heterogeneity can provide useful insight for community air quality assessments.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2001

Trends in blood lead levels among children--Boston, Massachusetts, 1994-1999.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and national childhood blood lead surveillance data from 19 states indicated that average blood lead levels (BLLs) in young children decreased during the late 1990s (1-3). The proportion of children tested who had BLLs >10 microg/dL declined from 10.5% in 1996 to 7.6% in 1998, although the proportion was higher in certain counties (3). To determine whether a similar decline had occurred in Boston, Massachusetts, where a high proportion of children are tested each year, and whether any changes were similar in high- and low-risk neighborhoods, CDC, in collaboration with the Boston Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (BCLPPP) performed an analysis of BLLs among children aged 6-72 months in Boston during 1994-1999. The results indicate that BLLs in Boston declined during this period, but because of the geographic variation in lead exposure, continued surveillance will be necessary to eliminate childhood lead poisonings.

Boston↗

PubMed1975

Ethylisocyanide equilibria of hemoglobins M Iwate, M Boston, M Hyde Park, M Saskatoon, and M Milwaukee-I in half-ferric and fully reduced states.

The ethylisocyanide equilibria of all the five known hemoglobins M, namely Hb M Iwate (alpha287 Tyrbeta2), Hb M Boston (alpha258 Tyrbeta2), Hb M Hyde Park (alpha2beta292 Tyr), Hb M Saskatoon (alpha2beta263 tyr), and Hb M Milwaukee-I (alpha2beta267 Glu), were studied both in the half-ferric and fully reduced heme states. In the half-ferric state, no heme-heme interaction was observed for Hb M Iwate, Hb M Boston, and Hb M Hyde Park, but Hb M Saskatoon and Hb M Milwaukee-I show small but definite heme-heme interaction with Hill's n of 1.3. The beta chain mutants, Hb M Hyde Park and Hb M Saskatoon, have almost normal affinity for ethylisocyanide and a normal Bohr effect, whereas the alpha chain mutants, Hb M Iwate and Hb M Boston, have abnormally low affinity and almost no Bohr effect. Hb M Milwaukee-I showed a large Bohr effect and low affinity. These results are consistent qualitatively with those on oxygen equilibria reported previously. In the fully reduced state, in which all four hemes were in the ferrous state and capable of binding ethylisocyanide distinct differences were found in the extent of heme-heme interaction. Namely, the n values for proximal histidine mutants, Hb M Iwate and Hb M Hyde Park, were 1.1 and 1.0, respectively, whereas the distal histidine mutants, Hb M Boston and Hb M Saskatoon, showed high n values of 2.4 and 1.6, respectively. Hb M Milwaukee-I also exhibited a high n value of 2.0 The ethylisocyanide affinity of the four histidine mutants was high compared with that of Hb A, while that for Hb M Milwaukee-I was almost normal. All five Hbs M had approximately normal magnitudes of Bohr effect. In the half-ferric state, the proximal and distal histidine mutants of the same chain showed similar affinity for ethylisocyanide and Bohr effect, rather different from those of the mutants of the opposite chain. These differences seem to be derived from the difference of abnormal bonding of ferric iron to tyrosine or glutamic acid. On the other hand, the reduction of iron, which abolished the abnormal bonding and made all of the chains capable of binding ligand, extinguished the differences of alpha and beta chains, and the effect of amino acid side chains close to iron on ligand binding properties became clear. Proximal histidine, which is considered to trigger the transition between the T and R states, seems to be essential to the heme-heme interaction.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1999

The immediate effect of a Boston brace on lung volumes and pulmonary compliance in mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is known to result in lung volume and pulmonary compliance reduction. Boston brace treatment of IS is an additional factor causing restrictive respiratory syndrome due to external chest wall compression. Nevertheless, the immediate effect of Boston bracing on the pulmonary compliance of scoliotic patients has not been studied systematically. Spirometric and plethysmographic lung volumes, static lung compliance (C(ST)(L)) and specific lung compliance (C(ST)(L)/functional residual capacity) of 15 scoliotic adolescents (14 females and 1 male, of mean age 14.1+/-1.67 years, with mean Cobb angle 24.1 degrees+/-7.88 degrees) were recorded twice, in a random sequence: once without the Boston brace (nBB) and once immediately after wearing the brace (BB). Our findings showed that bracing reduced vital capacity, residual volume, functional residual capacity (FRC), total lung capacity, and forced expiratory volume in 1s in a proportional and significant way (P < 0.001). C(ST)(L) was also significantly reduced (P < 0.001), but C(ST)(L)/FRC remained unaltered. All BB and nBB indices were highly correlated. We concluded that Boston bracing in IS patients results in an immediate, predictable, and uniform reduction of lung volumes and pulmonary compliance. The reduction of C(ST)(L) under bracing conditions was related to the decrease of lung volume; the C(ST)(L)/FRC remained unaltered.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

The effects of wearing the Boston II gas-permeable contact lens on central corneal curvature.

Keratometric readings on 132 different eyes were examined from the patient records. Sixty eyes had previously worn polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) lenses and then were refitted with the Boston II gas-permeable contact lens. The remaining 72 eyes had never worn contact lenses and these too were fitted with the Boston II lens. The Boston II contact lens is a nonhydrophilic contact lens composed of methylmethacrylate-dimethylitaconate-siloxanyl copolymer with a reported Dk value of 14.6 X 10(-11) ml O2 cm2/s ml mm Hg (35 degrees C). The mean and SD of the keratometric readings and the amount of corneal toricity found were calculated for each set of progress reports. The data in this study indicate that an alignment-fitting Boston II gas-permeable contact lens does not cause curvature changes in corneas during the first three months of wear.

Contact Lenses↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Boston brace in thoracic scoliosis. A preliminary report.

The Boston Brace has been reserved mainly for treating scoliosis curves with an apex below T9 while the Milwaukee superstructure has been recommended as the choice of treatment for higher thoracic curves. This paper is an analysis of the preliminary result of treatment of 300 thoracic curves with an apex of T9 or higher treated with the Boston underarm brace from 1975 through 1979. Preliminary success of Boston Bracing for thoracic curves is dependent upon placement of the thoracic pad adjacent to the ribs at the apex of the convexity and a high axillary crutch on the concave side of the curve. Boston Bracing of thoracic curves appeared initially favorable at apices T9, T8, T7, and possibly T6. Higher thoracic curves are difficult to control, and should be treated with the standard Milwaukee type brace with uprights.

Braces↗

PubMed1996

Three-dimensional effect of the Boston brace on the thoracic spine and rib cage.

STUDY DESIGN: Three-dimensional reconstructions of the spine and rib cage were done and compared just before and 1 month after initiation of treatment with a Boston brace in a group of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. OBJECTIVES: To document the immediate changes in shape of the thoracic spine and rib cage induced by the original Boston brace design. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The effect of the Boston brace has been well documented in the frontal plane but is poorly understood in the other planes of deformity. METHODS: Three-dimensional reconstructions were obtained with and without the brace using a stereoradiographic technique in a group of 40 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Several geometric indices of the spine and rib cage were compared using Student t tests. RESULTS: The brace produced significant curve correction of the spinal deformity in the frontal plane at the expense of a significant reduction of thoracic kyphosis in the sagittal plane, as well as in the plane of minimum deformity. No significant effect on rotation of the thoracic apical vertebra, on the rib hump, or on frontal balance could be documented, but changes were noted in the sagittal orientation of the rib cage and in the sagittal balance of the spine. CONCLUSIONS: The original Boston brace does not completely correct the three-dimensional deformities associated with thoracic idiopathic scoliosis, although it reduces Cobb angles in the frontal plane.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Molecular characterization of Italian chromosomes carrying the Lepore Boston gene.

Hemoglobin Lepore Boston is characterized by abnormal non-alpha-chains that are the product of a fusion delta beta gene originated from an unequal crossing over between misaligned delta and beta genes. The investigation of the restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of the beta-globin gene cluster in 18 Italian Lepore Boston chromosomes indicates that the hybrid gene is linked to two RFLP patterns. The majority of chromosomes show a pattern which corresponds to haplotype V and a minority to haplotype I according to Orkin's classification. A single Hb Lepore Boston homozygote was homozygous for haplotype V. The two haplotypes differ only for a single site 3' to the beta cluster. Our data allow the speculation that in Italy the Lepore Boston gene might be the result of multiple recombination events.

Chromosome Deletion↗

PubMed2000

Quantification of pork belly and boston butt quality attribute preferences of South Korean customers.

U.S. packers must have quantitative criteria for selection of pork bellies and Boston butts for export to South Korea. Pork bellies (IMPS 409A) and Boston butts (IMPS 409A, 406B, 407) were selected from normal production in a U.S. pork packing plant and transported to Seoul, South Korea, via seafreighter in refrigerated containers (frozen < -5 degrees C) or via air freight (fresh > 0 degrees C; frozen < -5 degrees C). Participants at the Seoul Food Show were surveyed about their preferences for specific quality attributes of these cuts. Bellies were selected to differ in seam fat content (low = < 20%, moderate = 20 to 40%, high = > 40% extractable fat), lean color (pale = L* > 50, medium = L* 48-50, dark = L* < 48), weight (3.36, 4.04, or 5.36 kg), state of refrigeration and packaging (frozen, poly-wrapped; chilled, poly-wrapped; frozen, vacuum-packaged; chilled, vacuum-packaged), shape (round, wavy, square), and belly thickness (3.81, 4.32, or 4.90 cm). Boston butts were selected to differ in USDA marbling score (Slight, Small, Modest, Moderate, and Slightly Abundant), seam fat content (low = < 10%, moderate = 10 to 20% fat, high = > 20% extractable fat), lean color (pale = L* > 44, medium = L* 40-42, dark = L* < 38), weight (2.91, 3.82, or 4.66 kg), state of refrigeration and packaging (frozen, poly-wrapped; chilled, poly-wrapped; frozen, vacuum-packaged; chilled, vacuum-packaged), and shape (square, oblong, round). In Seoul, pork subprimals were tempered (if frozen), sliced, and arrayed by quality attribute and category in a retail display case. Over 4 d of testing, attendees (n = 210) of the food show were asked to rate the displayed samples for each quality attribute on a standardized ballot. Mid-weight (3.82 kg) Boston butts that displayed Moderate or higher USDA marbling scores with moderate amounts of seam fat, Japanese lean color scores of 2 or 4, round geometric shape, and that were vacuum-packaged and transported to Korea in the freshly chilled state best characterized the quality attribute preferences of respondents. Pork bellies that exhibited moderate amounts of seam fat, Japanese lean color scores of 3, square shape, belly thickness of 3.94 cm, approximate weight of 4.04 kg, and that were vacuum-packaged and transported to Korea in the freshly chilled state best met the quality needs of South Korean customers.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

[Oxygen-binding properties of blood in hemoglobinosis M Boston detected in the USSR for the first time].

Hemoglobin M-Boston comprising 30% of the total blood Hb was detected in two members of a Russian family. The stages of its identification were described. An analysis was made of probands' whole blood oxy-Hb dissociation curves. At pO2 = 100 mm Hg oxygenation of Hb M-Boston beta-chains was 44% only, while mutant alpha-chains were completely oxidated. Despite a significant decrease in arterial blood oxygen content arteriovenous variation by O2 content at pO2 differential from 100 to 40 mm Hg is within the normal level due to various directions of changes in P50 and Hill's coefficient of probands' whole blood. The authors consider that pronounced cyanosis in Hb M-Boston carriers is not the consequence of tissue hypoxia but is caused by a higher content of nonfunctioning Hb M-Boston that changes the blood color.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1984

Boston thoracic brace in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. Initial correction.

The Boston thoracic brace, i.e., a Boston brace with axillary support, was used to treat thoracic scoliosis in 44 patients. The mean initial correction for curves with the apex at T8-T9 was 15.9 degrees +/- 6.1 degrees (54%). This was a great and significant improvement over results obtained with both the Boston brace and the Boston Milwaukee brace. This degree of correction confirms earlier observations that the increased efficiency of the brace outweighs the disadvantages of the axillary component and encourages further efforts in the direction of nonsurgical treatment of the early stages of scoliosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms and effect on quality of life in a racially and ethnically diverse random sample: the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have focused on men, with few studies including minority populations. The Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey is designed to study the prevalence and impact of LUTS among both men and women in a racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse population. METHODS: The BACH Survey used a stratified 2-stage cluster design to randomly sample 5506 adults aged 30 to 79 from the city of Boston, Mass (2301 men, 3205 women, 1770 blacks, 1877 Hispanics, and 1859 whites). Data were obtained using interviewer and self-administered questionnaires. The presence of LUTS was defined as an American Urological Association symptom index score of 8 or above. Quality of life was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12), and a measure of bother was based on the interference of urinary symptoms with various activities. Analyses were weighted to the Boston population using SUDAAN version 9.0 statistical software. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of LUTS was 18.7% and increased with age (10.5% at age 30-39 years to 25.5% at age 70-79 years) but did not differ by sex or race/ethnicity. Quality of life was significantly reduced among those with LUTS, as measured by the bother of symptoms and the SF-12 component scores. Prevalence of prescription medication use for urinary symptoms was low even among participants with LUTS, with more than 90% of participants reporting no medication use. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based, racially and ethnically diverse random sample, LUTS were common among both men and women and increased substantially with age. Lower urinary tract symptoms had a negative impact on quality of life across age, sex, and race/ethnic groups.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Maternal height, pregnancy estriol and birth weight in reference to breast cancer risk in Boston and Shanghai.

Birth weight has been positively associated with breast cancer risk in adult life and is positively associated with the principal pregnancy estrogen estriol. Birth weight is lower among Chinese women than among Caucasian women, but paradoxically, pregnancy estriol levels are higher among the former than the latter. We studied a cohort of 317 Caucasian pregnant women in Boston, MA, and 339 Chinese pregnant women in Shanghai, China. We investigated whether maternal height, which is inversely associated with pregnancy estriol levels, interacts with this hormone in relation to birth weight, thus accommodating the apparently contradictory ecologic and analytic evidence concerning the role of pregnancy estrogens on breast cancer risk in the offspring. In both Boston and Shanghai, there was a positive association of pregnancy estriol with birth weight among taller women, whereas among shorter women the association was essentially null. The relevant interaction terms were highly significant in Boston (p approximately 0.006), whereas in Shanghai, where pregnant women were generally shorter, the interaction term was suggestive (p approximately 0.14). We conclude that maternal height should be considered an important risk factor for breast cancer in the offspring since it is a crucial determinant of birth weight, both directly and through positive interaction with the principal pregnancy estrogen estriol.

Birth Weight↗