Does autonomic function link social position to coronary risk? The Whitehall II study.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory and clinical studies suggest that the autonomic nervous system responds to chronic behavioral and psychosocial stressors with adverse metabolic consequences and that this may explain the relation between low social position and high coronary risk. We sought to test this hypothesis in a healthy occupational cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study comprised 2197 male civil servants 45 to 68 years of age in the Whitehall II study who were undergoing standardized assessments of social position (employment grade) and the psychosocial, behavioral, and metabolic risk factors for coronary disease previously found to be associated with low social position. Five-minute recordings of heart rate variability (HRV) were used to assess cardiac parasympathetic function (SD of N-N intervals and high-frequency power [0.15 to 0.40 Hz]) and the influence of sympathetic and parasympathetic function (low-frequency power [0.04 to 0.15 Hz]). Low employment grade was associated with low HRV (age-adjusted trend for each modality, P< or =0.02). Adverse behavioral factors (smoking, exercise, alcohol, and diet) and psychosocial factors (job control) showed age-adjusted associations with low HRV (P<0.03). The age-adjusted mean low-frequency power was 319 ms2 among those participants in the bottom tertile of job control compared with 379 ms2 in the other participants (P=0.004). HRV showed strong (P<0.001) linear associations with components of the metabolic syndrome (waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting and 2-hour postload glucose). The social gradient in prevalence of metabolic syndrome was explained statistically by adjustment for low-frequency power, behavioral factors, and job control. CONCLUSIONS: Chronically impaired autonomic function may link social position to different components of coronary risk in the general population

Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein as predictors of cognitive decline in late midlife

Objective: Peripheral inflammatory markers are elevated in patients with dementia. In order to assess their etiologic role, we examined whether interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measured in midlife predict concurrently assessed cognition and subsequent cognitive decline. Methods: Mean value of IL-6 and CRP, assessed on 5,217 persons (27.9% women) in 1991- 1993 and 1997-1999 in the Whitehall II longitudinal cohort study, were categorized into tertiles to examine 10-year decline (assessments in 1997-1999, 2002-2004, and 2007-2009) in standardized scores (mean = 0, SD = 1) of memory, reasoning, and verbal fluency using mixed models. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered in 2002-2004 and 2007- 2009; decline ≥3 points was modeled with logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for baseline age, sex, education, and ethnicity; further analyses were also adjusted for smoking, obesity, Framingham cardiovascular risk score, and chronic diseases (cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and depression). Results: In cross-sectional analysis, reasoning was 0.08 SD (95%confidence interval [CI] -0.14, 20.03) lower in participants with high compared to low IL-6. In longitudinal analysis, 10-year decline in reasoning was greater (ptrend = 0.01) among participants with high IL-6 (-0.35; 95% CI -0.37, -0.33) than those with low IL-6 (-0.29; 95% CI -0.31, -0.27). In addition, participants with high IL-6 had 1.81 times greater odds ratio of decline in MMSE (95%CI 1.20, 2.71). CRP was not associated with decline in any test. Conclusions: Elevated IL-6 but not CRP in midlife predicts cognitive decline; the combined crosssectional and longitudinal effects over the 10-year observation period corresponded to an age effect of 3.9 years. © 2014 American Academy of Neurology

X-Ray Emission Line Spectroscopy of Cataclysmic Variables. II. Temperatures and Densities from Line Ratios in the Chandra HETG Band

We summarize the results of a line-by-line fitting analysis of the available spectra obtained using the Chandra High-Energy Transmission Grating. We confirm the existence of broad ionization and electron temperature ranges and high number densities in cataclysmic variables (CVs) of all subtypes. Temperatures range from ~0.4 keV to ~5-10 keV or more with a broad range detected in any given CV. In other words, single-temperature models do not describe the line emission. Number densities also cover a broad range, from 10^(12) to >10^(16) cm^(–3). We demonstrate that much of the plasma is in a nonequilibrium state; the Fe emission, however, may arise from plasma in the ionization equilibrium

Gender-specific associations of short sleep duration with prevalent and incident hypertension : the Whitehall II Study

Sleep deprivation (5 hour per night) was associated with a higher risk of hypertension in middle-aged American adults but not among older individuals. However, the outcome was based on self-reported diagnosis of incident hypertension, and no gender-specific analyses were included. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations of sleep duration with prevalent and incident hypertension in a cohort of 10 308 British civil servants aged 35 to 55 years at baseline (phase 1: 1985-1988). Data were gathered from phase 5 (1997-1999) and phase 7 (2003-2004). Sleep duration and other covariates were assessed at phase 5. At both examinations, hypertension was defined as blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or regular use of antihypertensive medications. In cross-sectional analyses at phase 5 (n5766), short duration of sleep (5 hour per night) was associated with higher risk of hypertension compared with the group sleeping 7 hours, among women (odds ratio: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.13 to 3.58), independent of confounders, with an inverse linear trend across decreasing hours of sleep (P0.003). No association was detected in men. In prospective analyses (mean follow-up: 5 years), the cumulative incidence of hypertension was 20.0% (n740) among 3691 normotensive individuals at phase 5. In women, short duration of sleep was associated with a higher risk of hypertension in a reduced model (age and employment) (6 hours per night: odds ratio: 1.56 [95% CI: 1.07 to 2.27]; 5 hour per night: odds ratio: 1.94 [95% CI: 1.08 to 3.50] versus 7 hours). The associations were attenuated after accounting for cardiovascular risk factors and psychiatric comorbidities (odds ratio: 1.42 [95% CI: 0.94 to 2.16]; odds ratio: 1.31 [95% CI: 0.65 to 2.63], respectively). Sleep deprivation may produce detrimental cardiovascular effects among women. (Hypertension. 2007;50:694-701.) Key Words: sleep duration blood pressure hypertension gender differences confounders comorbiditie

Autonomous support for microorganism research in space

A preliminary design for performing on-orbit, autonomous research on microorganisms and cultured cells/tissues is presented. An understanding of gravity and its effects on cells is crucial for space exploration as well as for terrestrial applications. The payload is designed to be compatible with the COMmercial Experiment Transported (COMET) launch vehicle, an orbiter middeck locker interface, and with Space Station Freedom. Uplink/downlink capabilities and sample return through controlled reentry are available for all carriers. Autonomous testing activities are preprogrammed with inflight reprogrammability. Sensors for monitoring temperature, pH, light, gravity levels, vibration, and radiation are provided for environmental regulation and experimental data collection. Additional experiment data acquisition includes optical density measurement, microscopy, video, and file photography. Onboard full data storage capabilities are provided. A fluid transfer mechanism is utilized for inoculation, sampling, and nutrient replenishment of experiment cultures. In addition to payload design, representative experiments were developed to ensure scientific objectives remained compatible with hardware capabilities. The project is defined to provide biological data pertinent to extended duration crewed space flight including crew health issues and development of a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). In addition, opportunities are opened for investigations leading to commercial applications of space, such as pharmaceutical development, modeling of terrestrial diseases, and material processing

Psychological wellbeing and aortic stiffness: longitudinal study

This study investigated 2 distinct aspects of positive wellbeing: affective wellbeing and eudaimonia with progression of aortic stiffness, an index of subclinical cardiovascular disease. A total of 4754 participants (mean age 65.3 years, 3466 men, and 1288 women) from the Whitehall II cohort study provided data on affective and eudaimonic wellbeing using subscales from the control, autonomy, self-realization and pleasure-19 questionnaire. Aortic stiffness was measured by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) at baseline (2008–2009) and 5 years later (2012–2013). Linear mixed models were used to measure the effect of affective and eudaimonic wellbeing on baseline PWV and 5-year PWV longitudinal change. A 1-SD higher eudaimonic wellbeing was associated with lower baseline PWV in men (β=−0.100 m/s [95% CI=−0.169 to −0.032]), independent of social, behavioral, and biological factors. This association persisted over 5 years. No such association was found in women (β=−0.029 m/s [95% CI=−0.126 to 0.069]). We did not find any association of positive wellbeing with change in PWV over time in either men or women. In older men, higher levels of eudaimonic wellbeing were associated with lower long-term levels of arterial stiffness. These findings support the notion that the pattern of association between positive wellbeing and cardiovascular health outcomes involves eudaimonic rather than affective wellbeing and is sexspecific

Changes Over Time in Absolute and Relative Socioeconomic Differences in Smoking: A Comparison of Cohort Studies From Britain, Finland, and Japan

INTRODUCTION: Socioeconomic differences in smoking over time and across national contexts are poorly understood. We assessed the magnitude of relative and absolute social class differences in smoking in cohorts from Britain, Finland and Japan over 5-7 years. METHODS: The British Whitehall II study (n=4350), Finnish Helsinki Health Study (n=6328), and Japanese Civil Servants Study (n=1993) all included employed men and women aged 35-68 at baseline in 1997-2002. Follow-up was in 2003-2007 (mean follow-up 5.1, 6.5 and 3.6 years, respectively). Occupational social class (managers, professionals and clerical employees) was measured at baseline. Current smoking and covariates (age, marital status, body mass index and self-rated health) were measured at baseline and follow-up. We assessed relative social class differences using the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) and absolute differences using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII). RESULTS: Social class differences in smoking were found in Britain and Finland, but not in Japan. Age-adjusted relative differences at baseline ranged from RII 3.08 (95% confidence interval 1.99-4.78) among Finnish men to 2.32 (1.24-4.32) among British women, with differences at follow-up greater by 8-58%. Absolute differences remained stable and varied from SII 0.27 (0.15-0.40) among Finnish men to 0.10 (0.03-0.16) among British women. Further adjustment for covariates had modest effects on inequality indices. CONCLUSIONS: Large social class differences in smoking persisted among British and Finnish men and women, with widening tendencies in relative differences over time. No differences could be confirmed among Japanese men or women

High-speed camera characterization of voluntary eye blinking kinematics

This is the final version of the article originally published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface here: http://rsif.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/10/85/20130227.full.pdf+html?sid=65b57db1-37cf-492f-bf3c-b08f2a8c818d.Blinking is vital to maintain the integrity of the ocular surface and its characteristics such as blink duration and speed can vary significantly, depending on the health of the eyes. The blink is so rapid that special techniques are required to characterize it. In this study, a high-speed camera was used to record and characterize voluntary blinking. The blinking motion of 25 healthy volunteers was recorded at 600 frames per second. Master curves for the palpebral aperture and blinking speed were constructed using palpebral aperture versus time data taken from the high-speed camera recordings, which show that one blink can be divided into four phases; closing, closed, early opening and late opening. Analysis of data from the high-speed camera images was used to calculate the palpebral aperture, peak blinking speed, average blinking speed and duration of voluntary blinking and compare it with data generated by other methods previously used to evaluate voluntary blinking. The advantages of the high-speed camera method over the others are discussed, thereby supporting the high potential usefulness of the method in clinical research

What will the cardiovascular disease slowdown cost? Modelling the impact of CVD trends on dementia, disability, and economic costs in England and Wales from 2020-2029.

To model the health impact and economic costs of the recent slowing of the historical decline in cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence

Lunar surface mechanical properties — Surveyor 1

Engineering telemetry data and lunar surface photographs by Surveyor 1 have been evaluated for information on the mechanical properties of the lunar surface material at the Surveyor 1 landing site. Based primarily on photographic evidence, estimates of soil density, cohesion, and other soil characteristics are presented. Also, the mechanisms in which the lunar material is believed to have failed under the footpad impacts are discussed. Because dynamic soil reactions cannot be interpreted directly from the available data, a comparative study using computer-simulated landings was initiated. Preliminary results of this study, which is still in progress, are presented