Is hypercholesterolaemia common among Hong Kong Chinese?

There is growing concern that coronary heart disease (CHD) is becoming more common and that hypercholesterolaemia may be an important problem among Hong Kong Chinese. This study aims at finding out the prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia among adult patients in general practice. 1113 Chinese patients aged 21 to 60 attending a Government general outpatient clinic were randomly sampled. The demographic data and information on other CHD risk factors were obtained from each participant. All participants had their cholesterol measured by the Reflotron. The reflotron cholesterol results were validated and calibrated against laboratory results. The survey showed 10% of the sample had blood cholesterol > 6.2mmol/l, and 32% had borderline hypercholesterolaemia between 5.2 to 6.2mmol/l. Less than 1% of the people had cholesterol levels above 7.8mmol/l. Age had the most significant effect on cholesterol level especially in females after 40. One in four females over 50 had blood cholesterol levels > 6.2mmol/l. Twentyone percent of the sample had > 2 other CHD risk factors, over half of them had cholesterol >5.2mmol/l. The main problem among Hong Kong Chinese is borderline hypercholesterolaemia which is most significant in people with additional CHD risk factors. Cholesterol screening will be more costeffective if directed to people known to have other CHD risk factors but may not be worthwhile for the low risk group.published_or_final_versio

Determination of APTT factor sensitivity - the misguiding guideline.

INTRODUCTION: The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) has produced a guideline detailing how to determine the activated partial thromboplastin time's (APTT) sensitivity to clotting factor deficiencies, by mixing normal and deficient plasmas. Using the guideline, we determined the factor sensitivity of two APTT reagents. METHODS: APTTs were performed using Actin FS and Actin FSL on a Sysmex CS-5100 analyser. The quality of factor-deficient and reference plasmas from three commercial sources was assessed by assaying each of the clotting factors within the plasmas and by performing thrombin generation tests (TGT). RESULTS: Testing samples from 50 normal healthy subjects gave a two-standard deviation range of 21.8-29.2 s for Actin FS and 23.5-29.3 s for Actin FSL. The upper limits of these ranges were subsequently used to determine APTT factor sensitivity. Assay of factor levels within the deficient plasmas demonstrated that they were specifically deficient in a single factor, with most other factors in the range 50-150 iu/dL (Technoclone factor VII-deficient plasma has 26 iu/dL factor IX). APTTs performed on mixtures of normal and deficient plasmas gave diverse sensitivity to factor deficiencies dependent on the sources of deficient plasma. TGT studies on the deficient plasmas revealed that the potential to generate thrombin was not solely associated with the levels of their component clotting factors. CONCLUSION: Determination of APTT factor sensitivity in accordance with the CLSI guideline can give inconsistent and misleading results

Plasma factor XIII level variations during menstrual cycle

Factor XIII (FXIII) has an important role in the control of bleeding through fibrin cross-linking; however, its effect within the menstrual cycle is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine changes in FXIII activity during the normal menstrual cycle and correlate FXIII activity with menstrual blood loss. A total of 32 healthy normal women of reproductive age were recruited. Menstrual blood loss was measured using the pictorial blood-assessment chart (PBAC). A bleeding score questionnaire was also completed. Blood samples were taken during the menstrual, proliferative, periovulatory, secretory and premenstrual phase for assessment of FXIII level. The mean ± SD FXIII level was lowest during menstrual and periovulatory phases (114 ± 23 and 114 ± 21 IU/dl, respectively). Mean FXIII level during the secretory and premenstrual phases were higher than the menstrual phase (P = 0.036). Mean secretory phase FXIII was also significantly higher compared with the periovulatory phase (P = 0.02). There was no significant correlation between FXIII level during the menstrual phase and age (P = 0.53) or PBAC score (P = 0.53). There were no significant differences in FXIII level during the menstrual phase between women with PBAC scores of at least 100 (n = 14; mean 116 IU/dl) and women with PBAC scores less than 100 (n = 18; mean 113 IU/dl). There was no correlation between FXIII level and bleeding score. FXIII activity was lower during menstrual and periovulatory phases of the cycle. However, the small difference between mean values (8 IU/dl) would be unlikely to have a significant impact on diagnosis of FXIII deficiency and clinical management

Large-scale latitudinal and vertical distributions of NMHCs and selected halocarbons in the troposphere over the Pacific Ocean during the March-April 1999 Pacific Exploratory Mission (PEM-Tropics B)

Nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and selected halocarbons were measured in whole air samples collected over the remote Pacific Ocean during NASA's Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission-Tropics B (PEM-Tropics B) in March and early April 1999. The large-scale spatial distributions of NMHCs and C2Cl4 reveal a much more pronounced north-south interhemispheric gradient, with higher concentrations in the north and lower levels in the south, than for the late August to early October 1996 PEM-Tropics A experiment. Strong continental outflow and winter-long accumulation of pollutants led to seasonally high Northern Hemisphere trace gas levels during PEM-Tropics B. Observations of enhanced levels of Halon 1211 (from developing Asian nations such as the PRC) and CH3Cl (from SE Asian biomass burning) support a significant southern Asian influence at altitudes above 1 km and north of 10° N. By contrast, at low altitude over the North Pacific the dominance of urban/industrial tracers, combined with low levels of Halon 1211 and CH3Cl, indicate a greater influence from developed nations such as Japan, Europe, and North America. Penetration of air exhibiting aged northern hemisphere characteristics was frequently observed at low altitudes over the equatorial central and western Pacific south to ∼5° S. The relative lack of southern hemisphere biomass burning sources and the westerly position of the South Pacific convergence zone contributed to significantly lower PEM-Tropics B mixing ratios of the NMHCs and CH3Cl south of 10° S compared to PEM-Tropics A. Therefore the trace gas composition of the South Pacific troposphere was considerably more representative of minimally polluted tropospheric conditions during PEM-Tropics B. Copyright 2001 by the American Geophysical Union

NMHCs and halocarbons in Asian continental outflow during the Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) Field Campaign: Comparison with PEM-West B

We present an overview of the spatial distributions of nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and halocarbons observed over the western north Pacific as part of the NASA GTE Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE‐P) airborne field campaign (February–April 2001). The TRACE‐P data are compared with earlier measurements from the Pacific Rim during the Pacific Exploratory Mission‐West B (PEM‐West B), which took place in February–March 1994, and with emission inventory data for 2000. Despite the limited spatial and temporal data coverage inherent to airborne sampling, mean levels of the longer‐lived NMHCs (including ethane, ethyne, and benzene) were remarkably similar to our results during the PEM‐West B campaign. By comparison, mixing ratios of the fire extinguisher Halon‐1211 (CF2ClBr) increased by about 50% in the period between 1994 and 2001. Southern China (south of 35°N), and particularly the Shanghai region, appears to have been a substantial source of Halon‐1211 during TRACE‐P. Our previous analysis of the PEM‐West B data employed methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3) as a useful industrial tracer. However, regulations have reduced its emissions to the extent that its mixing ratio during TRACE‐P was only one‐third of that measured in 1994. Methyl chloroform mixing ratio “hot spots,” indicating regions downwind of continuing emissions, included outflow from the vicinity of Shanghai, China, but particularly high emission ratios relative to CO were observed close to Japan and Korea. Tetrachloroethene (C2Cl4) levels have also decreased significantly, especially north of 25°N, but this gas still remains a useful indicator of northern industrial emissions. Methyl bromide (CH3Br) levels were systematically 1–2 pptv lower from 1994 to 2001, in accord with recent reports. However, air masses that had been advected over Japan and/or South Korean port cities typically exhibited elevated levels of CH3Br. As a consequence, emissions of CH3Br from Japan and Korea calculated employing CH3Br/CO ratios and scaled to CO emission inventory estimates, were almost as large as for all of south China (south of 35°N). Total east Asian emissions of CH3Br and CH3Cl were estimated to be roughly 4.7 Gg/yr and 167 Gg/yr, respectively, in 2001

Profiles of physical, emotional and psychosocial wellbeing in the Lothian birth cohort 1936

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Physical, emotional, and psychosocial wellbeing are important domains of function. The aims of this study were to explore the existence of separable groups among 70-year olds with scores representing physical function, perceived quality of life, and emotional wellbeing, and to characterise any resulting groups using demographic, personality, cognition, health and lifestyle variables.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify possible groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results suggested there were 5 groups. These included High (n = 515, 47.2% of the sample), Average (n = 417, 38.3%), and Poor Wellbeing (n = 37, 3.4%) groups. The two other groups had contrasting patterns of wellbeing: one group scored relatively well on physical function, but low on emotional wellbeing (Good Fitness/ Low Spirits,n = 60, 5.5%), whereas the other group showed low physical function but relatively well emotional wellbeing (Low Fitness/Good Spirits, n = 62, 5.7%). Salient characteristics that distinguished all the groups included smoking and drinking behaviours, personality, and illness.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite there being some evidence of these groups, the results also support a largely one-dimensional construct of wellbeing in old age—for the domains assessed here—though with some evidence that some individuals have uneven profiles.</p

The Roosevelt – Rondon expedition marmoset (Mico marcai) : unveiling the conservation status of a data deficient species

The Roosevelt-Rondon Expedition marmoset, Mico marcai, was collected in 1914 and to date, all information on this species comes from three skins brought back by the Expedition and two additional skins collected in the 1990s. It is no surprise then that M.marcai has been classified as Data Deficient (DD). Given that Mico marcai’s suspected range sits on the path of the advancing Brazilian “Arc-of-Deforestation”, it is urgent that relevant data be collected to assess this taxon. Here we present the first comprehensive field data on the distribution, population size and threats on M. marcai with the goal of removing the species from the DD category. From 2012 to 2015, we surveyed for the species in 11 localities, in and around the Marmelos-Aripuanã interfluve, and estimated density using distance sampling on 10 transects. We also used spatial predictive modelling to project the amount of habitat that will be lost within its range in 18 years under different deforestation scenarios. We found marmosets in 14 localities and calculated its Extent of Occurrence to be 31,073 km2. We walked 271 km and detected 30 marmoset groups, allowing us to estimate their density to be 8.31 individuals/km2 and a total population of 258,217.71 individuals. By a “Business as usual” scenario, 20,181 km2 of habitat will be lost in three marmoset generations (~18 years), compromising 33% of the species’ range. Accordingly, M. marcai should be classified as globally Vulnerable under category A3c. Following our study, we propose the Amazonian marmosets, genus Mico, should undergo similar re-assessment as their ranges all fall in the path of the Arc-of-Deforestation. Keywords: Amazonian marmosets, Conservation Status, Data Deficient, Habitat Loss, Southern Amazoni

Positive and negative well-being and objectively measured sedentary behaviour in older adults: evidence from three cohorts

Background: Sedentary behaviour is related to poorer health independently of time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether wellbeing or symptoms of anxiety or depression predict sedentary behaviour in older adults. Method: Participants were drawn from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936) (n = 271), and the West of Scotland Twenty-07 1950s (n = 309) and 1930s (n = 118) cohorts. Sedentary outcomes, sedentary time, and number of sit-to-stand transitions, were measured with a three-dimensional accelerometer (activPAL activity monitor) worn for 7 days. In the Twenty-07 cohorts, symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed in 2008 and sedentary outcomes were assessed ~ 8 years later in 2015 and 2016. In the LBC1936 cohort, wellbeing and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed concurrently with sedentary behaviour in 2015 and 2016. We tested for an association between wellbeing, anxiety or depression and the sedentary outcomes using multivariate regression analysis. Results: We observed no association between wellbeing or symptoms of anxiety and the sedentary outcomes. Symptoms of depression were positively associated with sedentary time in the LBC1936 and Twenty-07 1950s cohort, and negatively associated with number of sit-to-stand transitions in the LBC1936. Meta-analytic estimates of the association between depressive symptoms and sedentary time or number of sit-to-stand transitions, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, long-standing illness, and education, were β = 0.11 (95% CI = 0.03, 0.18) and β = − 0.11 (95% CI = − 0.19, −0.03) respectively. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that depressive symptoms are positively associated with sedentary behavior. Future studies should investigate the causal direction of this association

ADC Nonlinearity Correction for the Majorana Demonstrator

Imperfections in analog-to-digital conversion (ADC) cannot be ignored when signal digitization requirements demand both wide dynamic range and high resolution, as is the case for the Majorana Demonstrator 76Ge neutrinoless double-beta decay search. Enabling the experiment's high-resolution spectral analysis and efficient pulse shape discrimination required careful measurement and correction of ADC nonlinearities. A simple measurement protocol was developed that did not require sophisticated equipment or lengthy data-taking campaigns. A slope-dependent hysteresis was observed and characterized. A correction applied to digitized waveforms prior to signal processing reduced the differential and integral nonlinearities by an order of magnitude, eliminating these as dominant contributions to the systematic energy uncertainty at the double-beta decay Q value

Rapid tests and urine sampling techniques for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children under five years: a systematic review

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common sources of infection in children under five. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is important to reduce the risk of renal scarring. Rapid, cost-effective, methods of UTI diagnosis are required as an alternative to culture. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to determine the diagnostic accuracy of rapid tests for detecting UTI in children under five years of age. Results: The evidence supports the use of dipstick positive for both leukocyte esterase and nitrite (pooled LR+ = 28.2, 95% CI: 17.3, 46.0) or microscopy positive for both pyuria and bacteriuria (pooled LR+ = 37.0, 95% CI: 11.0, 125.9) to rule in UTI. Similarly dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite (Pooled LR- = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.26) or microscopy negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria (Pooled LR- = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.23) can be used to rule out UTI. A test for glucose showed promise in potty-trained children. However, all studies were over 30 years old. Further evaluation of this test may be useful. Conclusion: Dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite or microscopic analysis negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria of a clean voided urine, bag, or nappy/pad specimen may reasonably be used to rule out UTI. These patients can then reasonably be excluded from further investigation, without the need for confirmatory culture. Similarly, combinations of positive tests could be used to rule in UTI, and trigger further investigation