Cardiovascular risk profile and frailty in a population-based study of older British men.

BACKGROUND: Frailty in older age is known to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the extent to which frailty is associated with the CVD risk profile has been little studied. Our aim was to examine the associations of a range of cardiovascular risk factors with frailty and to assess whether these are independent of established CVD. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of a socially representative sample of 1622 surviving men aged 71-92 examined in 2010-2012 across 24 British towns, from a prospective study initiated in 1978-1980. Frailty was defined using the Fried phenotype, including weight loss, grip strength, exhaustion, slowness and low physical activity. RESULTS: Among 1622 men, 303 (19%) were frail and 876 (54%) were pre-frail. Compared with non-frail, those with frailty had a higher odds of obesity (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.38 to 2.99), high waist circumference (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.67 to 3.17), low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.47 to 3.54) and hypertension (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.27 to 2.54). Prevalence of these factors was also higher in those with frailty (prevalence in frail vs non-frail groups was 46% vs 31% for high waist circumference, 20% vs 11% for low HDL and 78% vs 65% for hypertension). Frail individuals had a worse cardiovascular risk profile with an increased risk of high heart rate, poor lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)), raised white cell count (WCC), poor renal function (low estimated glomerular filtration rate), low alanine transaminase and low serum sodium. Some risk factors (HDL-C, hypertension, WCC, FEV1, renal function and albumin) were also associated with being pre-frail. These associations remained when men with prevalent CVD were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was associated with increased risk of a range of cardiovascular factors (including obesity, HDL-C, hypertension, heart rate, lung function, renal function) in older people; these associations were independent of established CVD

Octupole Deformation in the Odd-Odd Nucleus 224-Ac

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

DFG-Forschungsprojekt "Krustensplitter" : 3D-Makro-Geschwindigkeitsbestimmungen und 3D-Tiefenmigration des seismischen 3D-Costa-Rica-Datensatzes

Thema des Gemeinschaftsprojektes: Dreidimensionale Detailabbildungen prominenter reflexionsseismischer Strukturen am aktiven Kontinentalrand vor Costa Rica Förderungszeitraum insgesamt vom 01.07.1996 bis 31.12.199

Assessing the case for mandatory folate fortification : policy-making in the face of scientific uncertainties

This paper presents the view that policymakers face scientific uncertainties in assessing the case for mandatory folate fortification as a policy response to epidemiological evidence of the relationship between folate and neural tube defects. Moreover, the resolution of these uncertainties is confounded by the under-resourced state of nutrition information systems in Australia and New Zealand. The uncertainties relate to potential risks and benefits associated with the intervention for the target group and the population in general. These risks and benefits reflect the mismatch between evidence and policy that arises when addressing a presumed genetic abnormality in at-risk individuals with an intervention that is population-wide in its scope. There is an urgent need to conduct ongoing national nutrition surveys and monitor and evaluate policy interventions to strengthen the capacity of nutrition information systems to inform decision-making for this current, and future, public health nutrition policy.<br /

Determinants of serum zinc in a random population sample of four Belgian towns with different degrees of environmental exposure to cadmium

This report investigated the distribution of serum zinc and the factors determining serum zinc concentration in a large random population sample. The 1977 participants (959 men and 1018 women), 20–80 years old, constituted a stratified random sample of the population of four Belgian districts, representing two areas with low and two with high environmental exposure to cadmium. For each exposure level, a rural and an urban area were selected. The serum concentration of zinc, frequently used as an index for zinc status in human subjects, was higher in men (13.1 μmole/L, range 6.5–23.0 μmole/L) than in women (12.6 μmole/L, range 6.3–23.2 μmole/L). In men, 20% of the variance of serum zinc was explained by age (linear and squared term, R = 0.29), diurnal variation (r = 0.29), and total cholesterol (r = 0.16). After adjustment for these covariates, a negative relationship was observed between serum zinc and both blood (r = −0.10) and urinary cadmium (r = −0.14). In women, 11% of the variance could be explained by age (linear and squared term, R = 0.15), diurnal variation in serum zinc (r = 0.27), creatinine clearance (r = −0.11), log γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (r = 0.08), cholesterol (r = 0.07), contraceptive pill intake (r = −0.07), and log serum ferritin (r = 0.06). Before and after adjustment for significant covariates, serum zinc was, on average, lowest in the two districts where the body burden of cadmium, as assessed by urinary cadmium excretion, was highest. These results were not altered when subjects exposed to heavy metals at work were excluded from analysis

Supplemental Information 1: Code

Using a mathematical model with realistic demography, we analyze a large outbreak of measles in Muyinga sector in rural Burundi in 1988–1989. We generate simulated epidemic curves and age × time epidemic surfaces, which we qualitatively and quantitatively compare with the data. Our findings suggest that supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) should be used in places where routine vaccination cannot keep up with the increasing numbers of susceptible individuals resulting from population growth or from logistical problems such as cold chain maintenance. We use the model to characterize the relationship between SIA frequency and SIA age range necessary to suppress measles outbreaks. If SIAs are less frequent, they must expand their target age range

The Role of Research in Viral Disease Eradication and Elimination Programs: Lessons for Malaria Eradication

Using their experiences from, and analysis of, global campaigns to eradicate smallpox, poliomyelitis, and measles, Myron Levine and colleagues derive lessons for malaria eradication

Untersuchung und Vergleich von zwei verschiedenen 3D-Prestack-Migrationsverfahren als Two Pass-Verfahren zur Ableitung eines 3D-Makrogeschwindigkeitsfeldes

In dieser Arbeit werden vom Prinzip her zwei verschiedene 3D-Prestack-Migrationsverfahren fuer 3D-seismische Daten mit oder ohne Anwendung des 3D-DMO-Verfahrens als Two Pass-Verfahren entwickelt und miteinander verglichen. Das wesentliche Ziel des Two Pass-Prozesses ist es, ein zuverlaessiges 3D-Makrogeschwindigkeitsfeld aus den 3D-Prestack-Daten fuer die Weiterverarbeitung, z.B. fuer die 3D-Poststack-Tiefenmigration, abzuleiten. Im 1. Schritt (First Pass) wird auf alle 3D-seismischen Daten in y-Richtung eine partielle Zeitmigration durchgefuehrt. Jede seismische Zeitreihe wird mindestens einmal prozessiert und auf eine ausgewaehlte 2D-Linie "projiziert". Damit sollen alle 3D-Seiteneffekte in der ausgewaehlten 2D-Linie eliminiert sein. Im 2. Schritt (Second Pass) wird die Summe aller auf der 2D-Linie vorhandenen Daten und der auf die 2D-Linie projizierten Daten nach CMP-Punkten und Offsets sortiert und nach eventuellen Korrekturen wie normale 2D-Prestack-Daten behandelt. Eine 2D-Prestack-Tiefenmigrations-Analyse (z.B. nach der 2D-Fokussierungsanalyse) auf diese 2D-Daten ergibt eine 2D-Tiefensektion und ein 2D-Makrogeschwindigkeitsfeld, wobei beide einen vertikalen Schnitt durch das 3D-Tiefenmodell bzw. durch das 3D-Makrogeschwindigkeitsfeld darstellen