Principles of whole-body continuously-moving-table MRI

Continuously-moving-table (CMT) imaging is a new and promising approach to virtually extend the field-of-view (FOV) in currently available MRI systems. It shows high potential to improve a number of applications that require a large FOV, such as whole-body contrast-enhanced angiography and contrast-optimized whole-body head-to-toe imaging. In this work, an overview of the different approaches to CMT imaging is given. Basic principles of two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) techniques are discussed, with emphasis on performance and image-artifact issues. Potential clinical applications and further desirable improvements are outlined.     

Trauma education and assessment

Trauma education has evolved over the past 30 years from an unstructured preceptorship to standardised courses offered worldwide. The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course has formed the backbone of trauma management philosophy and has spawned a series of courses aimed at specific patient populations and health care groups. Trauma education and assessment for advanced trainees has taken the form of formal clinical fellowships. In addition to clinical experience, a number of tools have been validated in aiding trauma education including use of videotape review and simulation technology. Future emphasis on development and validation of teaching and assessment techniques could improve trauma education and secondarily impact trauma outcomes worldwide.     

Status relations in school and their relevance for health in a life course perspective: findings from the Aberdeen children of the 1950's cohort study

In the class room a hierarchical structure of social relations typically develops in which the child's position is a marker of the view of the others, i.e. the extent to which he or she is an accepted and valued member of the group. The status distribution in the school class is likely to correspond to differences in personal characteristics, including behaviours and competencies, and to generate a differential distribution of perceived expectations, treatment, resources and emotions. We argue that these phenomena constitute parts in a developmental process which, through mediators such as self-view and subsequent life choices, may affect adult health. The purpose of this paper is to study whether and how peer status is associated with self-reported health in mid-life. Data was derived from a cohort study of individuals born in Aberdeen, Scotland, between 1950 and 1956. We use information about childhood circumstances, including peer status nominations, collected in the early 1960s, and information about adult circumstances derived from a postal questionnaire carried out among more than 6,000 individuals in 2001-2003. Multivariate analyses yielded a graded association between peer status and adult health problems in the form of limiting longstanding illness and less than good self-rated health. These associations could not be explained by socioeconomic circumstances or differences in individual behaviour and cognitive score in childhood. It was rather subsequent socioeconomic career that seemed to explain the association found among men. For women, a significant association remained, suggesting alternative pathways or mechanisms.     

Income inequality and population health: correlation and causality

A large literature now exists on the cross-national correlation between income inequality and population health, but existing studies suffer from sparse data, poor operationalization of income inequality, and the use of low-power statistical models. This paper sets out to estimate the ecological correlation between income inequality and indicators of population health in a very broad panel of countries, to demonstrate that this relationship is largely non-artifactual, and to test whether this relationship might be causal. Gini coefficients of national income inequality in 1970 and 1995 are correlated with life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and murder rates, controlling for national income per capita. In cross-sectional analyses, inequality is significantly correlated with life expectancy, infant mortality, and (inconsistently) the murder rate. The health correlations are shown to be not primarily due to the "convexity effect" of the non-linear relationship between individual income and individual health, which seems to account for no more than one-third of the relationship between inequality and health, and likely much less. Change in inequality 1970-1995 is significantly related to change in life expectancy and infant mortality, suggesting a causal relationship, but these correlations are not robust with respect to sample or controls. It can be concluded that there is a strong, consistent, statistically significant, non-artifactual correlation between national income inequality and population health, but though there is some evidence that this relationship is causal, the relative stability of income inequality over time in most countries makes causality difficult to test.     

The burden of mortality of obesity at middle and old age is small. A life table analysis of the US Health and Retirement Survey

The evidence of effect of overweight and obesity on mortality at middle and old age is conflicting. The increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes for overweight and obese individuals compared to normal weight is well documented, but the absolute risk of cardiovascular death has decreased spectacularly since the 1980s. We estimate the burden of mortality of obesity among middle and old aged adults in the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS), a US prospective longitudinal study. We calculate univariate and multivariate age-specific probabilities and proportional hazard ratios of death in relation to self-reported body mass index (BMI), smoking and education. The life table translates age specific adjusted event rates in survival times, dependent on risk factor distributions (smoking, levels of education and self reported BMI). 95% confidence intervals are calculated by bootstrapping. The highest life expectancy at age 55 was found in overweight (BMI 25-29.9), highly educated non smokers: 30.7 (29.5-31.9) years (men) and 33.2 (32.1-34.3) (women), slightly higher than a BMI 23-24.9 in both sexes. Smoking decreased the population life expectancy with 3.5 (2.7-4.4) years (men) and 1.8 (1.0-2.5) years (women). Less than optimal education cost men and women respectively 2.8 (2.1-3.6) and 2.6 (1.6-3.6) years. Obesity and low normal weight decreased population life expectancy respectively by 0.8 (0.2-1.3) and 0.8 (0.0-1.5) years for men and women in a contemporary, US population. The burden of mortality of obesity is limited, compared to smoking and low education.     

Association between number of siblings and cause-specific mortality in the Glasgow alumni cohort study

In the Glasgow University Alumni cohort, students with no siblings experienced higher respiratory disease mortality. This risk diminished after accounting for potential confounders. We did not find strong evidence of an association with all cause, coronary heart disease, stroke or stomach cancer mortality. Number of siblings is a proxy for other exposures and exploring its association with specific disease outcomes can help disentangle some of the pathways relating early life exposures to adult mortality.     

Progressive resistance training in breast cancer: a systematic review of clinical trials

Background Progressive resistance training (PRT) may be effective for targeting the sequelae of breast cancer and its treatment given the unique anabolic nature of this exercise modality. Therefore, our objectives were: (1) to systematically review studies that have prescribed PRT after breast cancer surgery, (2) to summarize the efficacy of PRT in this cohort, and (3) to delineate areas for future investigations. Method A systematic review using computerized databases was performed. Results The systematic review located 10 trials: Four uncontrolled trials, one controlled trial and five randomized controlled trials (RCTs). PRT was prescribed with aerobic training in 8/10 trials reviewed, and in isolation in 2/10 trials reviewed. Upper body PRT was prescribed in 7/10 trials, including 4/5 RCTs. No exacerbation of objectively measured or subjectively reported lymphedema symptoms was reported in any of these trials. Adverse events were rare, generally musculoskeletal in nature, and were managed effectively by conservative means. Overall, the studies we reviewed suggest that women surgically treated for breast cancer can derive health-related and clinical benefits by performing PRT after breast cancer surgery. Further research may be required to stimulate greater advocacy for PRT among oncologists, and in community care settings. Conclusions Robustly designed RCTs prescribing targeted PRT regimens throughout various phases of breast cancer treatment are warranted. RCTs with thorough, standardized reporting of interventions and adverse events are required to establish the efficacy of this intervention for the post-treatment management of breast cancer patients and survivors as a means to improve health status and quality of life.     

Success, regret, and the struggle for balance

The genesis of this article was a conversation between the authors: M.I., a senior faculty member, and J.C., his primary care doctor and a midcareer faculty member. It addresses the challenges facing physicians today as they struggle to strike the proper balance between career and personal life; it also addresses the potential toll to oneself and loved ones when career success is placed above all other concerns.     

Risk factors for a first-time drink-driving conviction among young men: a birth cohort study of all men born in Denmark in 1966

Using a complete birth cohort of all young men born in 1966 in Denmark (N = 43,403), the prevalence of a first-time drink-driving conviction among young men is estimated. More than 7% of the total male birth cohort was so convicted before the age of 27 years. In an examination of risk factors for a first-time drink-driving conviction, young adults coming from potentially vulnerable groups have an increased risk. Earlier criminal convictions of various types were also significant predictors of drink driving. Situational pressures also play a part and are controlled for, with the risk of a drink-driving conviction increased substantially in rural areas compared to metropolitan areas. The study concludes that disadvantages during adolescence, including parental substance abuse, having a teenage mother, and domestic violence, are associated with a first-time drink-driving conviction.     

南京市区儿童过敏性鼻炎及其生活质量相关问题问卷调查

目的了解南京市儿童过敏性鼻炎流行病特征患儿生活质量相关问题及家长对过敏性鼻炎认知程度。 方法2004年3~4月，南京军区南京总医院选择南京市区7所小学的三年级学生(9~10岁)为研究对象，设计“南京市儿童呼吸道疾病问卷调查表”，问卷内容包括基线指标(年龄、性别、病程、家族史、基础疾病、诱因、居住环境、治疗情况、上年度学习成绩)及生活质量相关问题(睡眠、性格、记忆等)。 结果(1)实际调查总数为1087份，应答989份，有效问卷942份。(2)南京市9~10岁儿童过敏性鼻炎现患率为5.1%(48/942)，男、女无统计学差异。持续性占45.8%(22/48)，其中轻度10例(20.8%)、中~重度12例(25.0%)；间歇性占54.2%(26/48)，其中轻度22例(45.8%)、中~重度4例(8.3%)。(3)鼻塞273例(273/942)，其中影响睡眠94例(34.5%)；鼻塞程度对学习成绩的影响有统计学意义；(4)过敏性鼻炎对睡眠状态、性格、记忆影响有统计学意义。(5)有家族史27.1%(13/48)。(6)发病诱因：粉尘或刺激性气体33.4%(16/48)、花粉37.5%(18/48)、宠物21%(10/48)。(7)仅4%(2/48)患儿家长了解鼻用糖皮质激素使用的个性化原则，无一位家长了解WHO ARIA指南中阶梯治疗方案。 结论鼻塞对学习成绩影响有显著意义，过敏性鼻炎对睡眠状态、性格、记忆等影响有显著意义。遗传和环境因素在过敏性鼻炎发病机制中有重要作用。家长对过敏性鼻炎认知程度较低。