Childhood socioeconomic position and objectively measured physical capability levels in adulthood: a systematic review and meta-analysis

<p><b>Background:</b> Grip strength, walking speed, chair rising and standing balance time are objective measures of physical capability that characterise current health and predict survival in older populations. Socioeconomic position (SEP) in childhood may influence the peak level of physical capability achieved in early adulthood, thereby affecting levels in later adulthood. We have undertaken a systematic review with meta-analyses to test the hypothesis that adverse childhood SEP is associated with lower levels of objectively measured physical capability in adulthood.</p> <p><b>Methods and Findings:</b> Relevant studies published by May 2010 were identified through literature searches using EMBASE and MEDLINE. Unpublished results were obtained from study investigators. Results were provided by all study investigators in a standard format and pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. 19 studies were included in the review. Total sample sizes in meta-analyses ranged from N = 17,215 for chair rise time to N = 1,061,855 for grip strength. Although heterogeneity was detected, there was consistent evidence in age adjusted models that lower childhood SEP was associated with modest reductions in physical capability levels in adulthood: comparing the lowest with the highest childhood SEP there was a reduction in grip strength of 0.13 standard deviations (95% CI: 0.06, 0.21), a reduction in mean walking speed of 0.07 m/s (0.05, 0.10), an increase in mean chair rise time of 6% (4%, 8%) and an odds ratio of an inability to balance for 5s of 1.26 (1.02, 1.55). Adjustment for the potential mediating factors, adult SEP and body size attenuated associations greatly. However, despite this attenuation, for walking speed and chair rise time, there was still evidence of moderate associations.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> Policies targeting socioeconomic inequalities in childhood may have additional benefits in promoting the maintenance of independence in later life.</p&gt

Women Born Preterm or with Inappropriate Weight for Gestational Age Are at Risk of Subsequent Gestational Diabetes and Pre-Eclampsia

Introduction: Low birthweight, which can be caused by inappropriate intrauterine growth or prematurity, is associated with development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as well as pre-eclampsia later in life, but the relative effects of prematurity and inappropriate intrauterine growth remain uncertain. Methods: Through nation-wide registries we identified all Danish mothers in the years 1989–2007. Two separate cohorts consisting mothers born 1974–1977 (n = 84219) and 1978–1981 (n = 32376) were studied, due to different methods o

Anthropogenic contributions to global carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide and organosulfides fluxes

Previous studies of the global sulfur cycle have focused almost exclusively on oxidized species and just a few sulfides. This focus is expanded here to include a wider range of reduced sulfur compounds. Inorganic sulfides tend to be bound into sediments, and sulfates are present both in sediments and the oceans. Sulfur can adopt polymeric forms that include S-S bonds. This review examines the global anthropogenic sources of reduced sulfur, updating emission inventories and widening the consideration of industrial sources. It estimates the anthropogenic fluxes of key sulfides to the atmosphere (units Gg S a-1) as: carbonyl sulfide (total 591: mainly from pulp and pigment 171, atmospheric oxidation of carbon disulfide 162, biofuel and coal combustion, 133, natural 898 Gg S a-1), carbon disulfide (total 746: rayon 395, pigment 205, pulp 78, natural 330 Gg S a-1), methanethiol (total 2119: pulp 1680, manure 330, rayon and wastewater 102, natural 6473 Gg S a-1), dimethyl sulfide (total 2197: pulp 1462, manure 660 and rayon 36, natural 31 657 Gg S a-1), dimethyl disulfide (total 1103: manure 660, pulp 273; natural 1081 Gg S a-1). The study compares the magnitude of the natural sources: marine, vegetation and soils, volcanoes and rain water with the key anthropogenic sources: paper industry, rayon-cellulose manufacture, agriculture and pigment production. Industrial sources could be reduced by better pollution control, so their impact may lessen over time. Anthropogenic emissions dominate the global budget of carbon disulfide, and some aromatic compounds such as thiophene, with emissions of methanethiol and dimethyl disufide also relatively important. Furthermore, industries related to coal and bitumen are key sources of multi-ringed thiophenes, while food production and various wastes may account for the release of significant amounts of dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide