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Despite interest in the clinical implications of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), previous studies on the association of sTfR with mortality in the general population are lacking. Therefore, we analysed the association between sTfR and all-cause mortality in the general United States adult population. We conducted a prospective cohort study using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2003 to 2010. A total of 5403 premenopausal nonpregnant females were analysed in this study. The mean age was 34.2 years (range 20.0–49.9 years). Participants were divided into log(sTfR) tertiles. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was chronic kidney disease (CKD) development (composite of estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and/or random urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g). During a median 8.7 years of follow-up, 103 (1.9%) participants died. Compared with the reference group (log(sTfR) 0.45–0.57), the highest tertile of log(sTfR) was associated with all-cause mortality (log(sTfR) > 0.57, hazard ratio [HR] 1.77 [95% CI 1.05–2.98]) in a multivariable hazards model including covariates such as haemoglobin and ferritin. Patients in the highest tertile of log(sTfR) also had an increased risk of CKD relative to those in the reference tertile. High sTfR was associated with all-cause mortality and CKD regardless of anaemia and iron storage status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few large-scale studies have been conducted to show the joint effects of mortality associated with physical activity and sedentarism. Therefore, we examined the relationship between all-cause mortality and behavioral patterns among adults in the United States. Data of 17,730 non-institutionalized US civilians aged ≥20 years were extracted from the 2007–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We set the criteria for metabolic equivalents as 600 according to the WHO guideline, and sedentary time as 300 min/day according to the median. The Cox proportional hazards model was adjusted for demographic and lifestyle characteristics. During the 58.54±28.18 months follow-up, all-cause mortality rate was 4% and heart-related and cancer mortality rate was 1%. Participants in the high metabolic equivalents and low sedentary time group had a lower risk of all-cause (hazard ratio = 0.41, 95% confidence interval = 0.34–0.50), cardiovascular (hazard ratio = 0.36; 95% confidence interval = 0.23–0.55), and cancer (hazard ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval = 0.37–0.83) mortality, compared to those in the low metabolic equivalents and high sedentary time group. Sufficient physical activity and less sedentary behavior reduce all-cause and cause-specific mortality in adults in the United States, especially cardiovascular mortality among the elderly. Additional nationwide policies to improve behavioral patterns among adults need to be implemented in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We analyzed 68 green and blue mussels collected from Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and the USA during 2003 and 2007, to elucidate the occurrence and widespread distributions of emerging pollutants, synthetic musks and benzotriazole UV stabilizers (BUVSs) in Asia–Pacific coastal waters. Synthetic musks and BUVSs were detected in mussels from all countries, suggesting their ubiquitous contamination and widespread distribution. High concentrations of musks and BUVSs were detected in mussels from Japan and Korea, where the levels were comparable or greater than those of PCBs, DDTs and PBDEs. Significant correlations were found between the concentrations of HHCB and AHTN, and also between the concentrations of UV-327 and UV-328, which suggest similar sources and compositions of these compounds in commercial and industrial products. To our knowledge, this is the first study of large-scale monitoring of synthetic musks and BUVSs in Asia–Pacific coastal waters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The number of different screens that people confront is increasing. One potentially important difference in the psychological impact of screen displays is their size; new screens are both larger and smaller than older ones. A between-subjects experiment (n = 38) assessed viewer's attention and arousal in response to three different size screens (56-inch, 13-inch, and 2-inch picture heights). Viewers responded to video images from television and film that displayed different emotions (# video segments = 60). Attention was measured by heart rate deceleration in response to the onset of pictures, and arousal was measured by skin conductance aggregated during viewing. Results showed that the largest screen produced greater heart rate deceleration than the medium and small screens. The large screen also produced greater skin conductance than the medium and small screens. For skin conductance, screen size also interacted with the emotional content of the stimuli such that the most arousing pictures (e.g., pictures of violence and sex) showed the highest levels of arousal on the large screen compared to the medium and small screens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We sought to verify, using computed tomography (CT) examinations of infants, which the left ventricle (LV) is compressed and abdominal compression avoided by using the chest compression landmarks recommended by the 2010 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)., Methods: Using CT examinations of 63 infants performed between March 2002 and July 2011, we retrospectively measured the distance between the INL and the xiphoid process, and the distance of the lower third (LT) of the sternum. The distances between LV maximal diameter (LVMD) and xiphoid processes were also measured to determine whether LVs would be compressed by chest compressions. These distances were compared with the finger placements by 20 adults, when placed on infant mannequins for simulated two-finger or two-thumb infant CPR., Results: The mean distances of the INL and the LT of the sternum were 32 ± 8 mm and 12 ± 2 mm from the xiphoid, respectively. The LVMD was placed 15 ± 6 mm from the xiphoid process. When we overlaid the width of adult finger placement (a mean of 28 mm for two-finger technique, and 23 mm for two-thumb technique), the LV was compressed in 57 patients (90.5%) and 59 patients (93.7%), respectively. The upper abdomen was compressed in 22 patients (34.9%) by the two-finger technique and in 16 patients (25.3%) by the two-thumb technique with the range of 0.3-10.8mm., Conclusion: When applying the 2010 AHA Guidelines for infant CPR, recommended finger placement allows for adequate compression of the LV in more than 90% of patients. In 23-35% of infants, the upper abdomen is compressed from 0.3mm to 10.7 mm., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To estimate future demand for institutional long-term care (LTC) by Koreans, the intention to use LTC facilities was estimated, and the underlying influencing factors were explored. Data from the Korean National Survey of LTC Need in the Elderly compiled in 2001 were used, and 1,850 people aged 65 and older who were classified as the targets for LTC in the survey and for whom complete data were available were sampled. The following influencing variables were selected based on Anderson's service-use model: demographics, social structural factors, family and community resources, and felt and assessed needs. The result shows that, of all the participants, 18.8% intended to use LTC facilities. A stronger intention was related to younger age, Christian religion, fewer children, lower family income, higher chronic comorbidity, and more education. The rapid industrialization of Korea has lead to a transition from the traditional family-centered mode of caregiving to a nontraditional one, but the intention to use LTC facilities is still lower than in Western developed countries. Regarding family resources, the effect of extended families comprising three or more generations is not as significant as expected, but children continue to be regarded as the main resources for LTC. The recent introduction of nontraditional religions to Korea has had a positive effect on intention to use LTC facilities, suggesting that cultural factors influence their use.