The association between green space and cause-specific mortality in urban New Zealand: an ecological analysis of green space utility

<b>Background:</b> There is mounting international evidence that exposure to green environments is associated with health benefits, including lower mortality rates. Consequently, it has been suggested that the uneven distribution of such environments may contribute to health inequalities. Possible causative mechanisms behind the green space and health relationship include the provision of physical activity opportunities, facilitation of social contact and the restorative effects of nature. In the New Zealand context we investigated whether there was a socioeconomic gradient in green space exposure and whether green space exposure was associated with cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular disease and lung cancer). We subsequently asked what is the mechanism(s) by which green space availability may influence mortality outcomes, by contrasting health associations for different types of green space. <b>Methods:</b> This was an observational study on a population of 1,546,405 living in 1009 small urban areas in New Zealand. A neighbourhood-level classification was developed to distinguish between usable (i.e., visitable) and non-usable green space (i.e., visible but not visitable) in the urban areas. Negative binomial regression models were fitted to examine the association between quartiles of area-level green space availability and risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease (n = 9,484; 1996 - 2005) and from lung cancer (n = 2,603; 1996 - 2005), after control for age, sex, socio-economic deprivation, smoking, air pollution and population density. <b>Results:</b> Deprived neighbourhoods were relatively disadvantaged in total green space availability (11% less total green space for a one standard deviation increase in NZDep2001 deprivation score, p < 0.001), but had marginally more usable green space (2% more for a one standard deviation increase in deprivation score, p = 0.002). No significant associations between usable or total green space and mortality were observed after adjustment for confounders. <b>Conclusion</b> Contrary to expectations we found no evidence that green space influenced cardiovascular disease mortality in New Zealand, suggesting that green space and health relationships may vary according to national, societal or environmental context. Hence we were unable to infer the mechanism in the relationship. Our inability to adjust for individual-level factors with a significant influence on cardiovascular disease and lung cancer mortality risk (e.g., diet and alcohol consumption) will have limited the ability of the analyses to detect green space effects, if present. Additionally, green space variation may have lesser relevance for health in New Zealand because green space is generally more abundant and there is less social and spatial variation in its availability than found in other contexts

Magnetothermal instability in laser plasmas including hydrodynamic effects

The impact of both density gradients and hydrodynamics on the evolution of the field compressing magnetothermal instability is considered [J. J. Bissell et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 175001 (2010)]. Hydrodynamic motion is found to have a limited effect on overall growth-rates; however, density gradients are shown to introduce an additional source term corresponding to a generalised description of the field generating thermal instability [D. Tidman and R. Shanny, Phys. Fluids 17, 1207 (1974)]. The field compressing and field generating source terms are contrasted, and the former is found to represent either the primary or sole instability mechanism for a range of conditions, especially those with Hall parameter v > 101. The generalised theory is compared to numerical simulation in the context of a recent nano-second gas-jet experiment [D. H. Froula et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 135001 (2007)] and shown to be in good agreement: exhibiting peak growth-rates and wavelengths of order 10 ns1 and 50 lm, respectively. The instability’s relevance to other experimental conditions, including those in inertial confinement fusion (I.C.F.) hohlraums, is also discussed

Geodetic VLBI Observations of EGRET Blazars

We present VLBI observations of the EGRET quasars 0202+149, CTA 26, and 1606+106, as well as additional analysis of VLBI observations of 1156+295 presented in Piner & Kingham (1997b). We have produced 8 and 2 GHz VLBI images at 11 epochs, 8 epochs, and 12 epochs, spanning the years 1989 to 1996, of 0202+149, CTA 26, and 1606+106 respectively. The VLBI data have been taken from the Washington VLBI correlator's geodetic database. We have measured the apparent velocities of the jet components and find that CTA 26 and 1606+106 are superluminal sources, with average apparent speeds of 8.9 and 2.9 h^{-1}c respectively (H_{0}=100h km s^{-1} Mpc^{-1}, q_{0}=0.5). The components in 0202+149 are stationary, and we identify this source as a compact F double. These sources all have apparently bent jets, and we detected non-radial motion of components in CTA 26 and 1156+295. We have not yet detected any components emerging subsequent to the gamma-ray flares in CTA 26, 1156+295, and 1606+106, and we derive lower limits on the ejection times of any such components. The misalignment angle distribution of the EGRET sources is compared to the distribution for blazars as a whole, and we find that EGRET sources belong preferentially to neither the aligned nor the misaligned population. We also compare the average values for the apparent velocities and Doppler beaming factors for the EGRET and non-EGRET blazars, and find no significant differences. We thus find no indication, within the measurement errors, that EGRET blazars are any more strongly beamed than their counterparts which have not been detected in gamma-rays.Comment: 47 pages, including 13 figures; accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Prognostic significance of early recurrence: a conditional survival analysis in patients with resected colorectal liver metastasis

AbstractBackgroundFor patients undergoing liver resection for colorectal metastases, specific clinico‐pathological variables have been shown to be prognostic at baseline. This study analyses how the prognostic capability of these variables changes in a conditional survival model.MethodsRetrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent an R0 resection of colorectal liver metastases from 1994 to 2004 at a single institution.ResultsIn total, 807 patients were identified, with an 87‐month median follow‐up for survivors. Five‐ and 10‐year disease‐specific survivals (DSS) were 68% and 55%, respectively. The probability of further survival increased as the survival time increased. For 3‐year survivors (n = 504), DSS were no longer significantly different between patients with a low (0–2) or high (3–5) clinical risk score (CRS, P = 0.19). On multivariate analysis, independent predictors of DSS for 3‐year survivors were recurrence within the first 3 years after a liver resection, a pre‐operative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) >200 ng/ml and disease‐free interval <12 months prior to the diagnosis of liver metastasis. However, for those patients who were recurrence free at 1 year, no clinico‐pathological variables retained prognostic significance.DiscussionAfter 3 years of DSS and 1 year of recurrence‐free survival, baseline clinico‐pathological variables have a limited ability to predict future survival. Early post‐operative recurrence appears to be the most useful single clinical feature in estimating conditional DSS

Mutation location on the RAS oncogene affects pathologic features and survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136316/1/cncr30351_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136316/2/cncr30351.pd

A rare case of an aldosterone secreting metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma in a 31-year-old male

We report a rare synchronous presentation of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A 31-year-old male first presented with a large left adrenal mass that was identified during the workup for refractory hypertension due to hyperaldosteronism. The mass was removed surgically with pathology showing ACC. The patient was then treated with adjuvant radiation therapy and mitotane chemotherapy. Four months post ACC resection, metastatic ACC to the right upper lung and PTC in the left lobe of the thyroid were found in surveillance imaging. He subsequently developed pulmonary, contralateral adrenal and brain metastases from his ACC. Li Fraumeni syndrome and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type I (MEN I) were considered, but testing of both P53 and menin genes showed no mutation. We also performed a review of the literature and found three similar cases, however gene mutation analysis was not performed.

Assessment of the Degree of Willingness to Change from Motorized Travel Modes to Walking or Cycling

This paper presents an analysis of the degree of willingness to change from motorized travel modes to walking or cycling. The aim of the analysis is to reduce uncertainty between stated willingness to change and real shifts from car or transit to nonmotorized transportation modes. Data were collected in the city of Valencia, Spain, through a novel data collection effort based on multiple survey methods. Respondents traveling by car or transit were asked about their willingness to change to walking or cycling under the implementation of improvement measures to be selected. Then a hypothetical scenario was presented to respondents who stated a willingness to change; in the scenario, the previously selected measures were implemented and respondents were supposed to be cycling or walking. In addition, the costs of their usual travel mode were gradually reduced until they gave up cycling or walking. Those who decided to keep on walking or cycling were assumed to have a strong willingness to change. A statistical analysis performed with Heckman's sample selection model permitted identification of demographic, socioeconomic, and travel-related factors influencing the degree of willingness to change. Results revealed that car users presented a stronger willingness to switch to walking or cycling than transit users. In addition, older respondents showed a stronger willingness to change to both walking and cycling. Work- and school-related journeys were less associated with walking than noncommuting journeys, but they were more related to cycling. Policy implications of the results are highlighted.Ferrer, S.; Ruiz Sánchez, T. (2013). Assessment of the Degree of Willingness to Change from Motorized Travel Modes to Walking or Cycling. Transportation Research Record. (2382):112-120. doi:10.3141/2382-13S112120238

The Effect of Histopathological Growth Patterns of Colorectal Liver Metastases on the Survival Benefit of Adjuvant Hepatic Arterial Infusion Pump Chemotherapy

Background: Histopathological growth patterns (HGPs) are a prognostic biomarker in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Desmoplastic HGP (dHGP) is associated with liver-only recurrence and superior overall survival (OS), while non-dHGP is associated with multi-organ recurrence and inferior OS. This study investigated the predictive value of HGPs for adjuvant hepatic arterial infusion pump (HAIP) chemotherapy in CRLM. Methods: Patients undergoing resection of CRLM and perioperative systemic chemotherapy in two centers were included. Survival outcomes and the predictive value of HAIP versus no HAIP per HGP group were evaluated through Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression methods, respectively. Results:We included 1233 patients. In the dHGP group (n = 291, 24%), HAIP chemotherapy was administered in 75 patients (26%). In the non-dHGP group (n = 942, 76%), HAIP chemotherapy was administered in 247 patients (26%). dHGP was associated with improved overall survival (OS, HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.32–0.73, p &lt; 0.001). HAIP chemotherapy was associated with improved OS (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.45–0.82, p &lt; 0.001). No interaction could be demonstrated between HGP and HAIP on OS (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.72–2.32, p = 0.40).Conclusions: There is no evidence that HGPs of CRLM modify the survival benefit of adjuvant HAIP chemotherapy in patients with resected CRLM.</p