53 research outputs found
Obesity continues to be a major health risk for Danish seafarers and fishermen
Background. In addition to the well-known medical consequences of overweight, severe obesity
may also constitute a safety problem on board a ship in case of an emergency. The purpose of
this study was to determine the current extent of the problem of overweight among Danish
seafarers and fishermen and to follow-up the situation since a previous survey. The aim was to
identify the main target groups and determine the need for continuous intervention.
Material and methods. Data on height and weight were obtained from the mandatory health
examinations of seafarers and fishermen. A total of 2,101 seafarers were included in the study.
Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated for each individual seafarer. Data from two other surveys
were used as reference.
Results. A total of 1,379 (66%) of all tested subjects were overweight. Among the male officers
and ratings, the relative risk of being overweight was 1.33 (1.25–1.38) and 1.30 (1.22–1.38),
respectively. The relative risk for fishermen was 1.45 (1.25–1.66) and for maritime students and
trainees 1.44 (1.25–1.66). The female seafarers had a relative risk of being overweight of 1.42
(1.23–1.65). There were a statistical significantly increased number of overweight merchant
seafarers since 2001/2002.
Discussion. The study shows that Danish merchant seafarers have a major and significantly
increasing overweight problem. Among fishermen, overweight was even more frequent. Overweight
constitutes a threat not only to their health, but also to their career at sea. The larger than
expected incidence of overweight among new employees in the industry provides particular
cause for concern. The causes of the problem are complex and interventions need to be broad.
(Int Marit Health 2011; 62, 2: 98–103
Obesity continues to be a major health risk for Danish seafarers and fishermen
Background. In addition to the well-known medical consequences of overweight, severe obesity
may also constitute a safety problem on board a ship in case of an emergency. The purpose of
this study was to determine the current extent of the problem of overweight among Danish
seafarers and fishermen and to follow-up the situation since a previous survey. The aim was to
identify the main target groups and determine the need for continuous intervention.
Material and methods. Data on height and weight were obtained from the mandatory health
examinations of seafarers and fishermen. A total of 2,101 seafarers were included in the study.
Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated for each individual seafarer. Data from two other surveys
were used as reference.
Results. A total of 1,379 (66%) of all tested subjects were overweight. Among the male officers
and ratings, the relative risk of being overweight was 1.33 (1.25–1.38) and 1.30 (1.22–1.38),
respectively. The relative risk for fishermen was 1.45 (1.25–1.66) and for maritime students and
trainees 1.44 (1.25–1.66). The female seafarers had a relative risk of being overweight of 1.42
(1.23–1.65). There were a statistical significantly increased number of overweight merchant
seafarers since 2001/2002.
Discussion. The study shows that Danish merchant seafarers have a major and significantly
increasing overweight problem. Among fishermen, overweight was even more frequent. Overweight
constitutes a threat not only to their health, but also to their career at sea. The larger than
expected incidence of overweight among new employees in the industry provides particular
cause for concern. The causes of the problem are complex and interventions need to be broad.
(Int Marit Health 2011; 62, 2: 98–103
Equation of state and phonon frequency calculations of diamond at high pressures
The pressure-volume relationship and the zone-center optical phonon frequency
of cubic diamond at pressures up to 600 GPa have been calculated based on
Density Functional Theory within the Local Density Approximation and the
Generalized Gradient Approximation. Three different approaches, viz. a
pseudopotential method applied in the basis of plane waves, an all-electron
method relying on Augmented Plane Waves plus Local Orbitals, and an
intermediate approach implemented in the basis of Projector Augmented Waves
have been used. All these methods and approximations yield consistent results
for the pressure derivative of the bulk modulus and the volume dependence of
the mode Grueneisen parameter of diamond. The results are at variance with
recent precise measurements up to 140 GPa. Possible implications for the
experimental pressure determination based on the ruby luminescence method are
discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Gaussian Tunneling Model of c-Axis Twist Josephson Junctions
We calculate the critical current density for c-axis Josephson
tunneling between identical high temperature superconductors twisted an angle
about the c-axis. We model the tunneling matrix element squared as a
Gaussian in the change of wavevector q parallel to the junction, . The
obtained for the s- and extended-s-wave order parameters (OP's) are consistent
with the BiSrCaCuO data of Li {\it et al.}, but only
for strongly incoherent tunneling, . A -wave OP
is always inconsistent with the data. In addition, we show that the apparent
conventional sum rule violation observed by Basov et al. might be
understandable in terms of incoherent c-axis tunneling, provided that the OP is
not -wave.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
The Danish High Risk and Resilience Study-VIA 11: Study Protocol for the First Follow-Up of the VIA 7 Cohort -522 Children Born to Parents With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders or Bipolar Disorder and Controls Being Re-examined for the First Time at Age 11.
Introduction: Offspring of parents with severe mental illness have an increased risk of developing mental illnesses themselves. Familial high risk cohorts give a unique opportunity for studying the development over time, both the illness that the individual is predisposed for and any other diagnoses. These studies can also increase our knowledge of etiology of severe mental illness and provide knowledge about the underlying mechanisms before illness develops. Interventions targeting this group are often proposed due to the potential possibility of prevention, but evidence about timing and content is lacking. Method: A large, representative cohort of 522 7-year old children born to parents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or controls was established based on Danish registers. A comprehensive baseline assessment including neurocognition, motor functioning, psychopathology, home environment, sociodemographic data, and genetic information was conducted from January 1, 2013 to January 31, 2016. This study is the first follow-up of the cohort, carried out when the children turn 11 years of age. By assessing the cohort at this age, we will evaluate the children twice before puberty. All instruments have been selected with a longitudinal perspective and most of them are identical to those used at inclusion into the study at age 7. A diagnostic interview, motor tests, and a large cognitive battery are conducted along with home visits and information from teachers. This time we examine the children's brains by magnetic resonance scans and electroencephalograms. Measures of physical activity and sleep are captured by a chip placed on the body, while we obtain biological assays by collecting blood samples from the children. Discussion: Findings from the VIA 7 study revealed large variations across domains between children born to parents with schizophrenia, bipolar and controls, respectively. This study will further determine whether the children at familial risk reveal delayed developmental courses, but catch up at age 11, or whether the discrepancies between the groups have grown even larger. We will compare subgroups within each of the familial high risk groups in order to investigate aspects of resilience. Data on brain structure and physical parameters will add a neurobiological dimension to the study
Dynamic protein methylation in chromatin biology
Post-translational modification of chromatin is emerging as an increasingly important regulator of chromosomal processes. In particular, histone lysine and arginine methylation play important roles in regulating transcription, maintaining genomic integrity, and contributing to epigenetic memory. Recently, the use of new approaches to analyse histone methylation, the generation of genetic model systems, and the ability to interrogate genome wide histone modification profiles has aided in defining how histone methylation contributes to these processes. Here we focus on the recent advances in our understanding of the histone methylation system and examine how dynamic histone methylation contributes to normal cellular function in mammals
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