Health expectancies in Japan: Gender differences and policy implications for women

SUMMARY. Based on prospective observation of elderly people in the community in Japan, we compared the time-course of development and progression of physical disability between women and men. Men experienced disability at a younger age and at a faster rate than did women. The duration of time spent with disability in women was twice as long as in men. Consequently, women consume about two-thirds of the total resources of formal caregiving services in Japan. Women in Japan are increasingly educated, postponing marriage to higher ages, and less likely to care for parents in the home. Given these changes in family structure and social norms, the capacit

Thyroid Health Monitoring After Nuclear Accidents : IARC Expert Group on Thyroid Health Monitoring After Nuclear Accidents

This Technical Publication contains the forward-looking recommendations of a multidisciplinary, international Expert Group on long-term strategies for thyroid health monitoring after a nuclear power plant accident. As a basis for the recommendations, this publication also summarizes the available scientific evidence on thyroid cancer and experiences from past nuclear accidents. The recommendations are intended to specifically address whether thyroid health monitoring should be implemented in a resident population in the vicinity of a nuclear accident and, if so, how such thyroid health monitoring should be prepared for and implemented in the context of general emergency preparedness for and response to nuclear accidents. This publication was developed with the intention to serve as a reference primarily for the government officials, policy-makers, and health professionals who would be involved in the decision-making, planning, or implementation of thyroid health monitoring in case of a nuclear accident. Because such decision-making may also involve considerations other than the scientific evidence, these recommendations should be used as a reference; the final decision should be made by the government, the relevant authorities, and the society affected by the nuclear accident. This Technical Publication consists of five chapters: the executive summary (Chapter 1), the introduction (Chapter 2), the Expert Group’s recommendations and considerations related to thyroid health monitoring in the context of preparedness for and response to nuclear accidents (Chapter 3), summaries and syntheses of the scientific evidence base used by the Expert Group when developing the recommendations (Chapter 4), and the identified gaps in scientific knowledge (Chapter 5).4

Association between body mass index and cardiovascular disease mortality in east Asians and south Asians: pooled analysis of prospective data from the Asia Cohort Consortium

Objective: To evaluate the association between body mass index and mortality from overall cardiovascular disease and specific subtypes of cardiovascular disease in east and south Asians. Design: Pooled analyses of 20 prospective cohorts in Asia, including data from 835 082 east Asians and 289 815 south Asians. Cohorts were identified through a systematic search of the literature in early 2008, followed by a survey that was sent to each cohort to assess data availability. Setting: General populations in east Asia (China, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, and Korea) and south Asia (India and Bangladesh). Participants: 1 124 897 men and women (mean age 53.4 years at baseline). Main outcome measures: Risk of death from overall cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, and (in east Asians only) stroke subtypes. Results: 49 184 cardiovascular deaths (40 791 in east Asians and 8393 in south Asians) were identified during a mean follow-up of 9.7 years. East Asians with a body mass index of 25 or above had a raised risk of death from overall cardiovascular disease, compared with the reference range of body mass index (values 22.5-24.9; hazard ratio 1.09 (95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.15), 1.27 (1.20 to 1.35), 1.59 (1.43 to 1.76), 1.74 (1.47 to 2.06), and 1.97 (1.44 to 2.71) for body mass index ranges 25.0-27.4, 27.5-29.9, 30.0-32.4, 32.5-34.9, and 35.0-50.0, respectively). This association was similar for risk of death from coronary heart disease and ischaemic stroke; for haemorrhagic stroke, the risk of death was higher at body mass index values of 27.5 and above. Elevated risk of death from cardiovascular disease was also observed at lower categories of body mass index (hazard ratio 1.19 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.39) and 2.16 (1.37 to 3.40) for body mass index ranges 15.0-17.4 and less than 15.0, respectively), compared with the reference range. In south Asians, the association between body mass index and mortality from cardiovascular disease was less pronounced than that in east Asians. South Asians had an increased risk of death observed for coronary heart disease only in individuals with a body mass index greater than 35 (hazard ratio 1.90, 95% confidence interval 1.15 to 3.12). Conclusions: Body mass index shows a U shaped association with death from overall cardiovascular disease among east Asians: increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease is observed at lower and higher ranges of body mass index. A high body mass index is a risk factor for mortality from overall cardiovascular disease and for specific diseases, including coronary heart disease, ischaemic stroke, and haemorrhagic stroke in east Asians. Higher body mass index is a weak risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular disease in south Asians

Burden of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Related to Tobacco Smoking among Adults Aged ≥45 Years in Asia: A Pooled Analysis of 21 Cohorts

Background:Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for many diseases. We sought to quantify the burden of tobacco-smoking-related deaths in Asia, in parts of which men's smoking prevalence is among the world's highest.Methods and Findings:We performed pooled analyses of data from 1,049,929 participants in 21 cohorts in Asia to quantify the risks of total and cause-specific mortality associated with tobacco smoking using adjusted hazard ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. We then estimated smoking-related deaths among adults aged ≥45 y in 2004 in Bangladesh, India, mainland China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan-accounting for ∼71% of Asia's total population. An approximately 1.44-fold (95% CI = 1.37-1.51) and 1.48-fold (1.38-1.58) elevated risk of death from any cause was found in male and female ever-smokers, respectively. In 2004, active tobacco smoking accounted for approximately 15.8% (95% CI = 14.3%-17.2%) and 3.3% (2.6%-4.0%) of deaths, respectively, in men and women aged ≥45 y in the seven countries/regions combined, with a total number of estimated deaths of ∼1,575,500 (95% CI = 1,398,000-1,744,700). Among men, approximately 11.4%, 30.5%, and 19.8% of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases, respectively, were attributable to tobacco smoking. Corresponding proportions for East Asian women were 3.7%, 4.6%, and 1.7%, respectively. The strongest association with tobacco smoking was found for lung cancer: A 3- to 4-fold elevated risk, accounting for 60.5% and 16.7% of lung cancer deaths, respectively, in Asian men and East Asian women aged ≥45 y.Conclusions:Tobacco smoking is associated with a substantially elevated risk of mortality, accounting for approximately 2 million deaths in adults aged ≥45 y throughout Asia in 2004. It is likely that smoking-related deaths in Asia will continue to rise over the next few decades if no effective smoking control programs are implemented.Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary. © 2014 Zheng et al

De la synthèse d'images expressive aux effets bande déssinée (vers un outil d'aide à la création artistique)

Nous présentons un système d'aide à la création artistique permettant de produire une grande variété de stylisations d'images 2D fixes pour l'obtention d'effets de type bande dessinée . Ce système confère à l'utilisateur un rôle important dans le contrôle de la stylisation. A partir d'une analyse artistique, nous proposons un système reposant sur les principaux critères artistiques importants dans le processus de réalisation d'une illustration. Nous proposons des modèles répondant aux attentes des artistes. Nous présentons un premier modèle géne rant semi-automatiquement une carte de profondeur permettant de styliser des images tout en évitant des problèmes de profondeur. Elle permet également de produire des atmosphères utilisées par les artistes pour provoquer des effets psychologiques sur l'observateur. Nous proposons ensuite deux modèles montrant l'intérêt d'harmoniser les images et utilisant le contraste de quantité défini par Johannes Itten. Le premier, permet de garantir une telle harmonie dans des images de type photographies ou illustrations ; le second propose, par extension, une aide au coloriage d'esquisses fondée sur la même harmonie, consistant à obtenir des images harmonieuses dès les premières étapes de création. Notre dernier modèle traite des effets lumineux contenus dans les images. Il permet de styliser les différents types d'effets lumineux en les déplaçant, en les déformant ou en leur donnant un style particulier élaboré à partir de courants artistiques reconnus. Nous concluons par les apports de notre outil et nous présentons des améliorations possibles ainsi que nos projets pour le futur.We present a tool for assisting artistic creation which produce a wide variety of image stylizations with comics effects. The system gives to the user an important role in the control of stylization. Starting from an artistic analysis, we propose a system based on the most important criteria in the artistic process of picture creation. We present models coming up to artists expectations. First, we present a model semi-automatically generating a depth map to stylize images while avoiding depth problems. It can also produce atmospheres used by artists to induce specific psychological effects to the observer. Then, we propose two models showing the interest of harmonizing images and using the contrast of quantity defined by Johannes Itten. The first one ensures this harmony in images like photographs or illustrations; based on the same harmony, the second one offers, by extension, a coloring aid for sketches to obtain harmonious images at the early stages of creation. Our last model deals with the effects of light contained in the images. It allows to stylize different kinds of lighting effects by moving, reshaping or giving them a style developed from well-known artistic movements. We conclude with our tool contributions and we present possible improvements as well as our plans for the future.ST DENIS-BU PARIS8 (930662101) / SudocSudocFranceF