Early growth and adult health: focus on blood pressure, glucose tolerance status and body composition

Theory of developmental origins of adult health and disease proposes that experiences during critical periods of early development may have consequences on health throughout a lifespan. Thesis studies aimed to characterize associations between early growth and some components of the metabolic syndrome cluster. Participants belong to two epidemiological cohorts with data on birth measurements and, for the younger cohort, on serial recordings of weight and height during childhood. They were born as singletons between 1924-33 and 1934-44 in the Helsinki University Central Hospital, and 500 and 2003 of them, respectively, attended clinical studies at the age of 65-75 and 56-70 years, respectively. In the 65-75 year old men and women, the well-known inverse relationship between birth weight and systolic blood pressure (SBP) was confined to people who had established hypertension. Among them a 1-kg increase in birth weight was associated with a 6.4-mmHg (95% CI: 1.0 to 11.9) decrease in SBP. This relationship was further confined to people with the prevailing Pro12Pro polymorphism of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ2 (PPARγ2) gene. People with low birth weight were more likely to receive angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB, p=0.03), and, again, this relationship was confined to the carriers of the Pro12Pro (p=0.01 for interaction). These results suggest that the inverse association between birth weight and systolic BP becomes focused in hypertensive people because pathological features of BP regulation, associated with slow fetal growth, become self-perpetuating in adult life. Insulin resistance of the Pro12Pro carriers with low birth weight may interact with the renin-angiotensin system leading to raised BP levels. Habitual physical activity protected men and women who were small at birth, and thus at increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes, against glucose intolerance more strongly. Among subjects with birth weight ≤3000 g, the odds ratio (OR) for glucose intolerance was 5.2 (95% CI: 2.1 to 13) in those who exercised less than 3 times per week compared to regular exercisers; in those who scored their exercise light compared with moderate exercisers (defined as comparable to brisk walking) the OR was 3.5 (1.5 to 8.2). In the 56-70 year old men a 1 kg increase in birth weight corresponded to a 4.1 kg (95% CI: 3.1 to 5.1) and in women to a 2.9 kg (2.1 to 3.6) increase in adult lean mass. Rapid gain in body mass index (BMI), i.e. crossing from an original BMI percentile to a higher one, before the age of 2 years increased adult lean mass index (LMI, lean mass/height squared) without excess fat accumulation whereas rapid gain in BMI during later childhood, despite the concurrent rise in LMI, resulted in a relatively higher increase in adult body fat mass. These findings illustrate how genes, the environment and their interactions, early growth patterns, and adult lifestyle modify adult health risks which originate from early life.

Nicotine Dependence and Smoking Behaviour : A genetic and epidemiological study

The worldwide health burden caused by the tobacco epidemic highlights the importance of study-ing determinants of smoking behaviour and key factors sustaining nicotine dependence. Despite vast-ranging preventive efforts, smoking remains one of the most deleterious health behaviours, and its genetic and environmental factors warrant continuous investigation. The heritability of smoking behaviour and nicotine dependence has been suggested to be relatively high. Earlier smoking behaviour, nicotine dependence, socio-economic position and demographic factors have all been shown to be associated with smoking cessation. This thesis aimed to examine various aspects of smoking behaviour and nicotine dependence from an epidemiological and genetic per-spective. Data for Studies I and IV were obtained from the Older Finnish Twin Cohort, a postal health sur-vey conducted in 1975, 1981 and 1990 on same-sexed pairs and in 1996-1997 on male-female adult pairs. The number of ever-smoking participants was 8941 in Study I and 3069 in Study IV. Data for Studies II and III came from the Family Study of Cigarette Smoking - Vulnerability to Nicotine Addiction. This study is linked to the Older Finnish Twin Cohort with new data collec-tion during 2001-2006 that focused on smoking twin pairs and their family members. The meas-ures included intensive telephone interviews, blood samples and additional postal questionnaires. The numbers of ever-smoking participants was 1370 in Study II and 529 in Study III. Study I examined whether a genetic component underlies smoking behaviour among Finnish adults. Genetic factors were important in the amount smoked and smoking cessation, with about half of the phenotypic differences explained by genetic variance. A novel finding was that genetic influences on amount smoked and smoking cessation were largely independent of genetic influ-ences on age at initiation. This result has implications for defining phenotypes in the search for genes underlying smoking behaviour. Furthermore, even if smoking initiation is postponed to a later age, potential vulnerability to subsequent nicotine dependence cannot be completely inhib-ited. Study II investigated the effect of genetic and environmental factors on nicotine dependence, as measured by the novel multidimensional Nicotine Dependence Syndrome Scale (NDSS). This scale was validated in the Finnish data. The NDSS correlated highly with other established nico-tine dependence scales (FTND and DSM-IV), suggesting that this new scale would be a feasible and valid measure for identifying nicotine-dependent smokers among the ever-smoking popula-tion. About one-third of the phenotypic variation in nicotine dependence in this sample was ex-plained by genetic influences. Study III aimed at identifying chromosomal regions harbouring genes that influence smoking be-haviour and nicotine dependence. Linkage analysis of family data revealed that for smoker and nicotine dependence phenotypes as well as for co-morbidity between nicotine dependence and alcohol use signals on specific chromosome regions (chromosomes 2q33, 5q12, 5q34 7q21, 7q31, 10q25, 11p15, 20p13) exist. Results further support the hypothesis that smoking behaviour phe-notypes have a genetic background. Study IV examined associations of smoking behaviour, socio-economic position and transition of marital status with smoking cessation. Indicators of socio-economic position were important pre-dictors of smoking cessation even when adjusted for previous smoking behaviour. Getting married was associated with an increased probability of cessation in men, a finding confirmed among dis-cordant twin pairs. Thus, having a partner appears to have a positive impact on smoking cessation. In conclusion, nicotine dependence and smoking behaviour demonstrate significant genetic liabil-ity, but also substantial environmental influences among Finnish adults. Smoking initiation should be prevented or at least postponed to a later age. Although genetic factors are important in nicotine dependence and smoking behaviour, societal actions still have a primary role in tobacco control and smoking prevalence. Future studies should examine the complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors in nicotine dependence.

Associations among working conditions and behavioral risk factors : The Helsinki Health Study with International Comparisons

Adverse health behaviors as well as obesity are key risk factors for chronic diseases. Working conditions also contribute to health outcomes. It is possible that the effects of psychosocially strenuous working conditions and other work-related factors on health are, to some extent, explained by adverse behaviors. Previous studies about the associations between several working conditions and behavioral outcomes are, however, inconclusive. Moreover, the results are derived mostly from male populations, one national setting only, and with limited information about working conditions and behavioral risk factors. Thus, with an interest in employee health, this study was set to focus on behavioral risk factors among middle-aged employees. More specifically, the main aim was to shed light on the associations of various working conditions with health behaviors, weight gain, obesity, and symptoms of angina pectoris. In addition to national focus, international comparisons were included to test the associations across countries thereby aiming to produce a more comprehensive picture. Furthermore, a special emphasis was on gaining new evidence in these areas among women. The data derived from the Helsinki Health Study, and from collaborative partners at the Whitehall II Study, University College London, UK, and the Toyama University, Japan. In Helsinki, the postal questionnaires were mailed in 2000-2002 to employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40 60 years (n=8960). The questionnaire data covered e.g., socio-economic indicators and working conditions such as Karasek s job demands and job control, work fatigue, working overtime, work-home interface, and social support. The outcome measures consisted of smoking, drinking, physical activity, food habits, weight gain, obesity, and symptoms of angina pectoris. The international cohorts included comparable data. Logistic regression analysis was used. The models were adjusted for potential confounders such as age, education, occupational class, and marital status subject to specific aims. The results showed that working conditions were mostly unassociated with health behaviors, albeit some associations were found. Low job strain was associated with healthy food habits and non-smoking among women in Helsinki. Work fatigue, in turn, was related to drinking among men and physical inactivity among women. Work fatigue and working overtime were associated with weight gain in Helsinki among both women and men. Finally, work fatigue, low job control, working overtime, and physically strenuous work were associated with symptoms of angina pectoris among women in Helsinki. Cross-country comparisons confirmed mostly non-existent associations. High job strain was associated with physical inactivity and smoking, and passive work with physical inactivity and less drinking. Working overtime, in turn, related to non-smoking and obesity. All these associations were, however, inconsistent between cohorts and genders. In conclusion, the associations of the studied working conditions with the behavioral risk factors lacked general patters, and were, overall, weak considering the prevalence of psychosocially strenuous work and overtime hours. Thus, based on this study, the health effects of working conditions are likely to be mediated by adverse behaviors only to a minor extent. The associations of work fatigue and working overtime with weight gain and symptoms of angina pectoris are, however, of potential importance to the subsequent health and work ability of employees.

Epidemiological data of seasonal variation in mood and behaviour

The aim of this study was to measure seasonal variation in mood and behaviour. The dual vulnerability and latitude effect hypothesis, the risk of increased appetite, weight and other seasonal symptoms to develop metabolic syndrome, and perception of low illumination in quality of life and mental well-being were assessed. These variations are prevalent in persons who live in high latitudes and need balancing of metabolic processes to adapt to environmental changes due to seasons. A randomized sample of 8028 adults aged 30 and over (55% women) participated in an epidemiological health examination study, The Health 2000, applying the probability proportional to population size method for a range of socio-demographic characteristics. They were present in a face-to-face interview at home and health status examination. The questionnaires included the modified versions of the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) instrument 15D, and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The structured and computerized Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) as part of the interview was used to assess diagnoses of mental disorders, and, the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) criteria were assessed using all the available information to detect metabolic syndrome. A key finding was that 85% of this nationwide representative sample had seasonal variation in mood and behaviour. Approximately 9% of the study population presented combined seasonal and depressive symptoms with a significant association between their scores, and 2.6% had symptoms that corresponded to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in severity. Seasonal variations in weight and appetite are two important components that increase the risk of metabolic syndrome. Other factors such as waist circumference and major depressive disorder contributed to the metabolic syndrome as well. Persons reported of having seasonal symptoms were associated with a poorer quality of life and compromised mental well-being, especially if indoors illumination at home and/or at work was experienced as being low. Seasonal and circadian misalignments are suggested to associate with metabolic disorders, and could be remarked if individuals perceive low illumination levels at home and/or at work that affect the health-related quality of life and mental well-being. Keywords: depression, health-related quality of life, illumination, latitude, mental well-being, metabolic syndrome, seasonal variation, winter.

Fruit fly host status testing of a new passionfruit cultivar

Fruit fly host status testing of a new passionfruit cultivar.

Mile-a-minute (Mikania micrantha): its distribution, growth and physical and socio-economic impacts in Papua New Guinea

Mikania micrantha, Kunth. H.B.K (Asteraceae) or mile-a-minute is a weed of Neotropical origin in 17 Pacific Island countries. It is becoming increasingly regarded as an invasive weed in Papua New Guinea and is now the focus of an Australian Government-funded biological control program. As part of the program, growth rates, distribution and physical and socia-economic impacts were studied to obtain baseline data and to assist with the field release of biological control agents. Through public awareness campaigns and dedicated surveys, mikania has been reported in most lowland provinces. It is particularly widespread in East New Britain and West New Britain Province. In field trials, mikania grew more than 1 metre per month in open sunny areas but slightly slower when growing under cocoa. The weed invades a wide range of land types, impacting on plantations and food gardens, smothering pawpaw, young cocoa, banana, taro, young oil palms and ornamental plants. In socia-economic surveys, mikania was found to have severe impacts on crop production and income generated through reduced yields and high weeding costs. These studies suggest that there would be substantial benefits to the community if biological control of mikania is successful.

Common variants in TMPRSS6 are associated with iron status and erythrocyte volume

We report a genome-wide association study to iron status. We identify an association of SNPs in TPMRSS6 to serum iron (rs855791, combined P = 1.5 x 10(-20)), transferrin saturation (combined P = 2.2 x 10(-23)) and erythrocyte mean cell volume (MCV, combined P = 1.1 x 10(-10)). We also find suggestive evidence of association with blood hemoglobin levels (combined P = 5.3 x 10(-7)). These findings demonstrate the involvement of TMPRSS6 in control of iron homeostasis and in normal erythropoiesis.

African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) plantations in Australia - status, needs and progress

The Australian African mahogany estate comprises over 12,000 ha of industrial plantations, farm-forestry plots and trials, virtually all derived from Africa-sourced wild seed. However, the better trees have given high-value products such as veneers, high-grade boards and award-winning furniture. Collaborative conservation and improvement by the Northern Territory (NT) and Queensland governments since 2000 realised seed orchards, hedge gardens and genetic tests revealing promising clones and families. Private sector R&D since the mid 2000s includes silvicultural-management and wood studies, participatory testing of government material and establishing over 90 African provenances and many single-tree seedlots in multisite provenance and family trials. Recent, mainly public sector research included a 5-agency project of 2009-12 resulting in advanced propagation technologies and greater knowledge of biology, wood properties and processing. Operational priority in the short term should focus on developing seed production areas and ‘rolling front’ clonal seed orchards. R&D priorities should include: developing and implementing a collaborative improvement strategy based on pooled resources; developing non-destructive evaluation of select-tree wood properties, micropropagation (including field testing of material from this source) to ‘industry ready’ and a select-tree index; optimising seed production in orchards; advancing controlled pollination techniques; and maximising benefits from the progeny, clone and provenance trials. Australia leads the world in improvement and ex situ conservation of African mahogany based on the governments’ 13-year program and more recent industry inputs such that accumulated genetic resources total over 120 provenances and many families from 15 of the 19 African countries of its range. Having built valuable genetic resources, expertise, technologies and knowledge, the species is almost ‘industry ready’. The industry will benefit if it exploits the comparative advantage these assets provide. However the status of much of the diverse germplasm introduced since the mid 2000s is uncertain due to changes in ownership. Further, recent reductions of government investment in forestry R&D will be detrimental unless the industry fills the funding gaps. Expansion and sustainability of the embryonic industry must capitalise on past and current R&D, while initiating and sustaining critical new work through all-stakeholder collaboration.

Framing as status or benefits? Consumers’ reactions to hierarchical loyalty program communication

Purpose A fundamental aspect of hierarchical loyalty programs is that some consumers get rewards that others do not. Despite the widespread use of such programs, academics have long debated whether these benefits are outweighed by the potential negative impact of the differential treatment of customers. This study extends our understanding, examining the impact of message framing on consumers’ reactions to hierarchical loyalty structures. Design/methodology/approach Three online studies were conducted. Study 1 uses advertisements to manipulate the message frame’s emphasis (benefits vs. status). Study 2 manipulates consumers’ frame of thought by directing their attention to either changes in benefits or status. Finally, Study 3 uses the proposed framework to reconcile contradictory findings from past research. Findings Low-frequency customers who do not expect to qualify for a superior customer tier tend to reject hierarchical programs when thinking about status. In contrast, when these customers think about concrete rewards, loyalty program messages produce no negative reactions. High-frequency customers are positively affected by communication regardless of the type of benefits framed. Research limitations/implications All studies were done online potentially limiting the external validity of the results. Nevertheless, the impact of message framing on perceptions about the loyalty program seems to be quite robust across different studies and manipulations. Practical implications When communicating with low-frequency customers managers should avoid promising status; customers should instead be motivated based on concrete rewards. High-frequency customers are indifferent to alternative emphasis of communication frames. Originality/value Marketing academics have acknowledged the importance of being able to reward top customers without demotivating light and moderate users. Our research is the first to provide a solution to this issue.

Effects of living crown reduction on needle element status of Scots pine

A wide range of biotic and abiotic factors, operating over different time perspectives and intensities, cause defoliation and a rapid decrease in the crown size of trees. Scleroderris canker disease [Gremmeniella abietina (Lagerb.) Morelet] has caused widespread crown reduction and tree mortality in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L) in forests in Scandinavia during the last three decades. In the 1980's, attempts were made to show, on the basis of the higher foliar N and S concentrations of affected pines in the diseased area, that sulphur and nitrogen deposition predispose trees to G. abietina. Unfortunately, in many studies on defoliated trees, exceptionally high or low needle mineral nutrient concentrations are still often interpreted as one of the causes of tree injury and not, conversely, as the result. In this thesis, three different field experiments, with foliar analysis as the main study method, were conducted in order to asses the possible long-term effects of living crown reduction on the needle nutrient concentrations of Scots pine trees in southern Finland. The crown ratio and length of the living crown were used to estimate the amount of defoliation in the reduced canopies. The material for the partial studies was collected and a total of 968 foliar samples were analysed individually (15-17 elements/sample) on a total of 488 sample trees (140 diseased, 116 pruned and 232 control trees) during the years 1987-1996 in 13 Scots pine stands. All the three experiments of this thesis provided significant evidence that severe, disease-induced defoliation or artificial pruning of the living branches can induce long-lasting nutritional changes in the foliage of the recovering trees under the typical growing conditions for Scots pine. The foliar concentrations of all the 17 mineral nutrients/elements analysed were affected, to a varying degree, by artificial pruning during the following three years. Although Scots pine, as an evergreen conifer, is considered to have low induced chemical responses to defoliation, this study proved experimentally under natural forest conditions that severe artificial pruning or disease-induced defoliation of Scots pine trees may induce biologically significant changes in the concentrations of most of the important macro- and micronutrients, as well as of carbon, in refoliated needles. Concerning the studies in this thesis, I find the results significant in providing new information about the long-term effects of rapid living crown reduction on the foliar nutrient and element status of Scots pine trees. Key words: Foliar analysis, defoliation, needle loss, pruning, nutrients, Pinus sylvestris, Gremmeniella abietina

Fascinating and forgotten, the conservation status of marine elapid snakes

An assessment of marine elapid snakes found 9% of marine elapids are threatened with extinction, and an additional 6% are Near Threatened. A large portion (34%) is Data Deficient. An analysis of distributions revealed the greatest species diversity is found in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Three of the seven threatened species occur at Ashmore and Hibernia Reefs in the Timor Sea, while the remaining threatened taxa occur in the Philippines, Niue, and Solomon Islands. The majority of Data Deficient species are found in Southeast Asia. Threats to marine snakes include loss of coral reefs and coastal habitat, incidental bycatch in fisheries, as well as fisheries that target snakes for leather. The presence of two Critically Endangered and one Endangered species in the Timor Sea suggests the area is of particular conservation concern. More rigorous, long-term monitoring of populations is needed to evaluate the success of "conservation measures" for marine snake species, provide scientifically based guidance for determining harvest quotas, and to assess the populations of many Data Deficient species.

The conservation status of the world’s reptiles

Effective and targeted conservation action requires detailed information about species, their distribution, systematics and ecology as well as the distribution of threat processes which affect them. Knowledge of reptilian diversity remains surprisingly disparate, and innovative means of gaining rapid insight into the status of reptiles are needed in order to highlight urgent conservation cases and inform environmental policy with appropriate biodiversity information in a timely manner. We present the first ever global analysis of extinction risk in reptiles, based on a random representative sample of 1500 species (16% of all currently known species). To our knowledge, our results provide the first analysis of the global conservation status and distribution patterns of reptiles and the threats affecting them, highlighting conservation priorities and knowledge gaps which need to be addressed urgently to ensure the continued survival of the world’s reptiles. Nearly one in five reptilian species are threatened with extinction, with another one in five species classed as Data Deficient. The proportion of threatened reptile species is highest in freshwater environments, tropical regions and on oceanic islands, while data deficiency was highest in tropical areas, such as Central Africa and Southeast Asia, and among fossorial reptiles. Our results emphasise the need for research attention to be focussed on tropical areas which are experiencing the most dramatic rates of habitat loss, on fossorial reptiles for which there is a chronic lack of data, and on certain taxa such as snakes for which extinction risk may currently be underestimated due to lack of population information. Conservation actions specifically need to mitigate the effects of human-induced habitat loss and harvesting, which are the predominant threats to reptiles.

Rolling out the future: The current status of the Australian NBN and its impact for property

The future functioning of the digital economy is inextricably linked to the use of high-speed broadband networks. As evidenced by recent Australian federal election campaigns, a focus has been on the rollout of the physical networks. The research seeks to determine the effectiveness of the current NBN rollout as a measure of Australia’s progression towards a fully functioning digital economy. The author examines submissions to the recent RTIRC Telecommunications Review 2015 in order to ascertain the NBN’s current impact upon Australia’s digital economy.