Consumption in the G20 nations causes particulate air pollution resulting in two million premature deaths annually

G20の消費がPM2.5の排出を通じて年200万人の早期死亡者を生むことを推計. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-11-05.Worldwide exposure to ambient PM₂.₅ causes over 4 million premature deaths annually. As most of these deaths are in developing countries, without internationally coordinated efforts this polarized situation will continue. As yet, however, no studies have quantified nation-to-nation consumer responsibility for global mortality due to both primary and secondary PM2.5 particles. Here we quantify the global footprint of PM₂.₅-driven premature deaths for the 19 G20 nations in a position to lead such efforts. G20 consumption in 2010 was responsible for 1.983 [95% Confidence Interval: 1.685–2.285] million premature deaths, at an average age of 67, including 78.6 [71.5–84.8] thousand infant deaths, implying that the G20 lifetime consumption of about 28 [24–33] people claims one life. Our results indicate that G20 nations should take responsibility for their footprint rather than focusing solely on transboundary air pollution, as this would expand opportunities for reducing PM2.5-driven premature mortality. Given the infant mortality footprint identified, it would moreover contribute to ensuring infant lives are not unfairly left behind in countries like South Africa, which have a weak relationship with G20 nations

Association between mental health and academic performance among university undergraduates: The interacting role of lifestyle behaviors

Abstract Objectives Impaired mental health status tends to be associated with poor academic performance, but few prospective studies have examined the association between mental health and academic performance among undergraduates while considering the interacting roles of multiple lifestyle behaviors. Participants and Methods A total of 1823 Japanese undergraduate students (67% men) were followed up for 4 years. Their mental health status was measured by the six‐item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). We defined poor academic performance as a grade point average (GPA) <2.0. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the relationship between the students' mental health status and the incident risk of poor academic performance. Results Our analyses revealed that impaired mental health status in the first semester of university study significantly predicted an increased incident risk of poor academic performance during the overall undergraduate period. This association remained significant when the health lifestyle behaviors were adjusted, and the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for poor academic performance was 1.62 (1.18–2.23). This significant association disappeared in the low‐lifestyle‐behavior‐risk group. Conclusion Impaired mental health status in the first semester significantly predicts an increased incident risk of poor academic performance during the undergraduate period

Psychophysiological Effects of Performing the Sport in Out of Ordinary Life

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pyschophysiological effects of sport which was performed in out of the ordinary student life. We chose the skiing as such type of the sport, and determined the changes in body weight, blood pressure, heart rate and degree of psychological stress during the staying the ski ground for three days. The 21 males (19.5+-3.7yrs) and 18 females (19.1+-0.7yrs) students were participated in this study. These students had a lower physical fitness relatively as compared with the other students of same age. The body weight (male students) were decreased in first day, and it was not recovered in following third day. These changes in body weight may be due to the more rapid increment of their physical activities for three days than that of usual daily life. The changes of mean heart rates during the skiing revealed that this kind of sport was performed in high intensity of physical activity for these students. However, skiing may not be contributed to the mental stressor negatively for them because of the maintenance of low blood pressure in resting states during three days. Moreover, we evaluated the degree of psychological stress and changes of mood state by using questionnaire chart. From these results, not only the decrement of psychological stress but also increasing the quality of life were found during the three days. In addition, increased scores of mood state which shows the feeling of \u22pleasantation\u22, \u22relaxation\u22 and \u22satisfaction\u22 were also found after skiing

Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome in Japanese Children and Adolescents: Risk Factors and Pollen Sensitisation

Pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS) is caused by cross-reactivity with pollen; however, not all-pollen-sensitised individuals develop PFAS, and studies on the characteristics of PFAS development are limited in Japan. We investigated the prevalence and risk factors for the development of PFAS in Japanese children and adolescents sensitised to pollen and their association with pollen-specific IgE levels. The characteristics of PFAS were investigated in patients with allergies aged 3–18 years who visited Dokkyo Medical University Hospital between January 2016 and December 2019. Specific IgE levels for alder, Japanese cedar, ragweed, and orchard grass were measured in patients sensitised to any of the pollens. Patients were categorised into preschool (G1), elementary school (G2), and middle-high school (G3) groups. Overall, 600 patients were enrolled. The prevalence of PFAS was 8.5% in G1, 20% in G2, and 36.3% in G3. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated strong associations between the risk of developing PFAS and older age (odds ratio (OR), 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06–1.19; P<0.001), seasonal allergy rhinitis (OR, 6.93; 95% CI, 1.59–30.34; P=0.010), and alder sensitisation (OR, 6.20; 95% CI, 2.66–14.49; P<0.001). Spearman’s correlation revealed statistically significant positive correlation between each pollen-specific IgE level; high pollen-specific IgE levels were also a risk factor. The OR for being sensitised to all four species was 36.83 (95% CI, 8.93–151.83, P<0.001) when compared with Japanese cedar alone. Alder was most relevant, with an alder-specific IgE level cutoff value of 2.54 UA/mL. The sensitivity was 78.9%, and the specificity was 70.9%. In conclusion, preschool children develop PFAS with alder sensitisation, and higher pollen-specific IgE levels and increased number of pollen sensitisations are risk factors for developing PFAS

移動・滞在型スポーツの生理・心理学的効果

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pyschophysiological effects of sport which was performed in out of the ordinary student life. We chose the skiing as such type of the sport, and determined the changes in body weight, blood pressure, heart rate and degree of psychological stress during the staying the ski ground for three days. The 21 males (19.5+-3.7yrs) and 18 females (19.1+-0.7yrs) students were participated in this study. These students had a lower physical fitness relatively as compared with the other students of same age. The body weight (male students) were decreased in first day, and it was not recovered in following third day. These changes in body weight may be due to the more rapid increment of their physical activities for three days than that of usual daily life. The changes of mean heart rates during the skiing revealed that this kind of sport was performed in high intensity of physical activity for these students. However, skiing may not be contributed to the mental stressor negatively for them because of the maintenance of low blood pressure in resting states during three days. Moreover, we evaluated the degree of psychological stress and changes of mood state by using questionnaire chart. From these results, not only the decrement of psychological stress but also increasing the quality of life were found during the three days. In addition, increased scores of mood state which shows the feeling of "pleasantation", "relaxation" and "satisfaction" were also found after skiing

The Effect of Athletic Club Experiences on the Psychological Ability to Cope in Daily Life

This study was conducted to examine how athletic experiences might affect psychological coping ability in daily life. The subjects were college students, 315 males and 108 females. The survey items determined athletic club experiences from elementary school on, and whether or not the subject liked sports. 52 questions also evaluated their psychological coping ability. The following is a summary of the main results. 1) There were significant differences between male subjects who had experienced athletic involvement while they were students either in elementary school or college and those who hadn\u27t. Those who had athletic experience were superior in life-volitional factors (patience, aggressiveness, drive for self-realization, drive for success) and cooperation. No significant difference was noted for female students. 2) A superior psychological coping ability was noted in those who have or had participated in an athletic club over an extended period. Cooperative ability was common to all subjects with continued athletic club experience. As the length of the experience increased, so did the ability in life-volitional factors and judgement. 3) So far as the amount of actual physical exertion involved, significance was noted only in the amount of exertion during elementary school. The greater the exertion, the better the rating in life- volitional factors, mental stability and concentration, and cooperative ability. The exception was patience. Increased physical exertion, regardless of the age of occurrence, directly increased patience. 4) A superior coping ability was noted among both males and females who said they like sports \u22very much.\u22 Significant differences were noted in life-volitional factors and self confidence.男子大学生315名，女子大学生108名を対象として，小学校時代から現在(大学)までのスポーツクラブ経験，スポーツクラブ所属の継続性，スポーツクラブでの運動量および運動の好き嫌いと日常生活における心理的対処能力の関係を分析し，スポーツクラブ経験の心理的効果を考察した。おもな結果は，次のとおりである。1)過去，現在のスポーツクラブ経験との関係では，男子は小学校時代と大学での所属の有無に顕著な差がみられた。その効果の共通点は忍耐力，積極性，自己実現意欲，競争意欲，協調性でスポーツクラブ経験者は優れていた。しかし，女子にはどの年代においても顕著な差は認められなかった。2)スポーツクラブ所属の継続性との関係では，過去・現在において長期にわたってスポーツクラブを経験した者ほど優れた傾向がみられた。また，過去(小・中・高まで)の継続性の比較より現在を含めての継続者のほうが優れている傾向がみられた。また，スポーツクラブ継続者は共通して協調性に優れ，所属経験がさらに長くなるほど忍耐力，積極性，自己実現意欲，競争意欲，判断力にも優れた傾向がみられた。3)スポーツクラブでの運動量との関係では，小学校時代での運動量にのみ顕著な差がみられた。その内容は運動量の多い者ほど忍耐力，自己実現意欲，競争意欲，自己コントロール能力，リラックス能力，自信，協調性に優れていることが示された。そのほか，忍耐力についてはどの年代でも運動量の多い者ほど優れている傾向がみられた。4)運動の好き嫌いとの関係では，男女とも好意的態度を示す者ほど優れており，忍耐力，積極性，自己実現意欲，競争意欲，自信で顕著な差が認められた。そのほか男子では自己コントロール能力，リラックス能力，集中力，自信，決断力，判断力でも優れ，顕著な差が認められた。5)スポーツクラブ経験が日常生活の心理的対処能力に最も影響を及ぼしている条件は，第1には小学校という早い時期に経験し，しかも運動量も多いこと，第2に小学校から，中学，高校，大学と長期間経験し，なおかつ，大学でも経験していること，第3に，過去の体験から形成されている運動に対する好意的態度ということができる