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Background: Cancer risk is associated with serum iron levels. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether haematological parameters reflect serum iron levels and may also be associated with cancer risk. Methods: We studied 1564 men and 1769 women who were enrolled in the Busselton Health Study, Western Australia. Haematological parameters evaluated included haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RCDW). Statistical analyses included t-tests for quantitative variables, chi-square tests for categorical variables and Cox proportional hazards regression modelling for cancer incidence and death. Results: There was marginal evidence of an association between MCV (as a continuous variable) and non-skin cancer incidence in women (HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.013, 1.302; p=0.030) but the hazard ratio was attenuated to non-significance after adjustment for serum ferritin (SF), iron and transferrin saturation (TS) (HR 1.11, 95% CI 0.972, 1.264; p=0.126). There was strong evidence of an association between MCHC and prostate cancer incidence in men; the estimated hazard ratio for an increase of one SD (0.5) in MCHC was 1.27 (95% CI 1.064, 1.507; p=0.008). These results remained significant after further adjustment for SF and iron; the estimated hazard ratio for an increase of one SD (0.5) in MCHC was 1.25 (p=0.014, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.48). Conclusions: The MCHC and MCV were associated with cancer incidence in a Western Australian population, although only MCHC remained associated with prostate cancer after adjusting with serum iron and TS (circulating iron) and SF (storage iron). Haematological parameters are thus of limited utility in population profiling for future cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: There is limited longitudinal evidence confirming the role of neighborhood environment attributes in encouraging people to walk more or if active people simply choose to live in activity-friendly neighborhoods. Natural experiments of policy changes to create more walkable communities provide stronger evidence for a causal effect of neighborhood environments on residents' walking. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate longitudinal associations between objective and perceived neighborhood environment measures and neighborhood recreational walking. METHODS: We analyzed longitudinal data collected over 8 yr (four surveys) from the RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) Study (Perth, Australia, 2003-2012). At each time point, participants reported the frequency and total minutes of recreational walking/week within their neighborhood and neighborhood environment perceptions. Objective measures of the neighborhood environment were generated using a Geographic Information System (GIS). RESULTS: Local recreational walking was influenced by objectively measured access to a medium-/large-size park, beach access, and higher street connectivity, which was reduced when adjusted for neighborhood perceptions. In adjusted models, positive perceptions of access to a park and beach, higher street connectivity, neighborhood esthetics, and safety from crime were independent determinants of increased neighborhood recreational walking. Local recreational walking increased by 9 min/wk (12% increase in frequency) for each additional perceived neighborhood attribute present. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide urban planners and policy makers with stronger causal evidence of the positive impact of well-connected neighborhoods and access to local parks of varying sizes on local residents' recreational walking and health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP823.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of sibling age, gender and dog ownership on children's independent mobility and how this varies according to the destination visited. METHODS: Parents reported whether their child had an older sibling; if the child and older sibling were of the same gender; the number of older siblings; if they owned a dog; and whether their child was allowed to independently travel to school, friends' or family house, park/oval/sporting field and local shop. Data were analysed for 181 children aged 8-15 years. RESULTS: The strongest significant sibling effect for independently mobility to school, local shop and ≥3 destinations was for having an older sibling of the same gender (p≤0.05). For independent mobility to a friend's house and park, the strongest significant sibling effect was for having one older sibling (p≤0.05). Dog ownership was associated with increased odds of being independently mobile to ≥3 destinations (OR=2.43; 95%CI=1.03-5.74). CONCLUSIONS: Parents may be more likely to grant children licence to travel to local places if they are accompanied by an older sibling or the family dog. IMPLICATIONS: Understanding the effects of siblings and dog ownership on children's independent mobility will assist in identifying strategies through which independent mobility can be encouraged.

© 2016 American Society for Nutrition.Background: Although the carcinogenic potential of iron has been shown, evidence from observational studies that have linked serum iron variables and cancer outcomes has been inconsistent. Objective: We investigated whether higher iron concentrations increased risk of cancer outcomes. Design: A prospective examination of iron biomarkers as independent risk factors for cancer was assessed in 1597 men and 1795 women aged 25-79 y who participated in the 1994/1995 Busselton Health Survey and had relevant data, no history of cancer before the survey, and serum ferritin concentrations $20 mg/L. Follow-up for incident cancers and death from cancer was available to 2010. Proportional hazards regression modeling was performed to investigate if iron status predicted cancer incidence and mortality. Results: After adjustments for age, smoking, drinking, anthropometric and biochemical variables, or menopausal status (breast cancer), higher serum iron concentrations and transferrin saturation were associated with increased risks of incident nonskin cancer [HR for iron: 1.83 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.76; P , 0.01); HR for transferrin saturation: 1.68 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.38; P , 0.01)] including breast cancer [HR for iron: 2.45 (95% CI:1.12, 5.34; P , 0.05); HR for transferrin saturation: 1.90 (95% CI:1.02, 3.56; P , 0.05)] in women. Transferrin saturation was also associated with a greater risk of cancer death (HR: 2.48; 95% CI: 1.28, 4.82; P , 0.01). In men, higher iron concentrations were associated with reduced risks of incident nonskin cancer (HR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.99; P , 0.05) including colorectal cancer (HR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.95; P , 0.05). There was no association between serum iron and colorectal cancer risk in women. Serum ferritin was not associated with cancer risk or cancer death. Conclusions: Higher transferrin saturation or serum iron concentrations were associated with increased nonskin cancer risk and increased risk of cancer deat

Campiello is a system supporting the exchange of information among communities living in art cities, with the goal of turning local inhabitants and tourists into active participants in the creation of knowledge. In order to provide accessibility to all the members of the communities, Campiello adopts multiple interfaces. The paper presents the experience with the use of Campiello in Venice with focus on how its interfaces support access to the underlying community knowledge.

BACKGROUND: Relationships between context-specific measures of the physical and social environment and children's independent mobility to neighborhood destination types were examined. METHODS: Parents in RESIDE's fourth survey reported whether their child (8-15 years; n = 181) was allowed to travel without an adult to school, friend's house, park and local shop. Objective physical environment measures were matched to each of these destinations. Social environment measures included neighborhood perceptions and items specific to local independent mobility. RESULTS: Independent mobility to local destinations ranged from 30% to 48%. Independent mobility to a local park was less likely as the distance to the closest park (small and large size) increased and less likely with additional school grounds (P < .05). Independent mobility to school was less likely as the distance to the closest large park increased and if the neighborhood was perceived as unsafe (P < .05). Independent mobility to a park or shops decreased if parenting social norms were unsupportive of children's local independent movement (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Independent mobility appears dependent upon the specific destination being visited and the impact of neighborhood features varies according to the destination examined. Findings highlight the importance of access to different types and sizes of urban green space for children's independent mobility to parks.

Context - Iron overload predisposes to diabetes and higher ferritin levels have been associated with diabetes. However, it is unclear whether ferritin reflects differences in iron-related parameters between diabetic and nondiabetic persons. We examined associations of serum ferritin, iron and transferrin saturation with Type 2 diabetes in adults without genetic predisposition to iron overload. Design, participants and measurements - Cross-sectional analysis of community-dwelling men and women aged 17–97 years from the Busselton Health Survey, Western Australia. Men and women carrying genotypes associated with haemochromatosis (C282Y/C282Y or C282Y/H63D) were excluded. Serum ferritin, iron and transferrin saturation were assayed. Results - There were 1834 men (122 with diabetes, 6·6%) and 2351 women (141 with diabetes, 6%). In men, higher serum ferritin was associated with diabetes after adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, cardiovascular history, body mass index (BMI), waist, blood pressure, lipids, C-reactive protein (CRP), adiponectin, alanine transaminase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) [odds ratio (OR): 1·29 per 1 unit increase log ferritin, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1·01–1·65, P = 0·043]. In women, higher serum ferritin was associated with diabetes [fully adjusted OR: 1·31 per 1 unit increase log ferritin, 95% CI = 1·04–1·63, P = 0·020; 1·84 for tertile (T) 3 vs T1, 95% CI = 1·09–3·11]. Neither iron levels nor transferrin saturation were associated with diabetes risk in men or women. Higher ferritin was not associated with insulin resistance in nondiabetic adults. Conclusions - In adults, higher ferritin levels are independently associated with prevalent diabetes while iron and transferrin saturation are not. Ferritin is a robust biomarker for diabetes risk, but further investigation is needed to clarify whether this relationship is mediated via iron metabolism.

The design of urban environments has the potential to enhance the health and well-being of residents by impacting social determinants of health including access to public transport, green space and local amenities. Commencing in 2003, RESIDE is a longitudinal natural experiment examining the impact of urban planning on active living in metropolitan Perth, Western Australia. Participants building homes in new housing developments were surveyed before relocation (n = 1813; 34·6% recruitment rate); and approximately 12 months later (n = 1437). Changes in perceived and objective neighbourhood characteristics associated with walking following relocation were examined, adjusted for changes in demographic, intrapersonal, interpersonal and baseline reasons for residential location choice. Self-reported walking was measured using the Neighbourhood Physical Activity Questionnaire. Following relocation, transport-related walking declined overall (p < 0.001) and recreational walking increased (p < 0.001): access to transport- and recreational destinations changed in similar directions. However, in those with increased access to destinations, transport-related walking increased by 5.8 min/week for each type of transport-related destination that increased (p = 0.045); and recreational walking by 17.6 min/week for each type of recreational destination that increased (p = 0.070). The association between the built environment and recreational walking was partially mediated by changes in perceived neighbourhood attractiveness: when changes in 'enjoyment' and 'attitude' towards local walking were removed from the multivariate model, recreational walking returned to 20.1 min/week (p = 0.040) for each type of recreational destination that increased. This study provides longitudinal evidence that both transport and recreational-walking behaviours respond to changes in the availability and diversity of local transport- and recreational destinations, and demonstrates the potential of local

Background: Up to 25% of older people in the USA and other Western countries are anaemic by World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. The objective of this study was to examine the long-term relationships of haemoglobin concentration with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a community-based sample of Australian adults surveyed in 1978. Methods: A community survey of 2,194 adults aged 40+ years in Busselton, Western Australia in 1978 with mortality follow-up to 2001. Cox regression models were used to investigate the relationships of haemoglobin as a continuous measure and anaemia by WHO criteria (women <12 g/dl (7.5 mmol/l); men <13 g/dl (8.1 mmol/l)) with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality. Results: Anaemia was predominantly mild (>10 g/dl) and normocytic. There was an increased risk of death from all causes and from cancer for men with low haemoglobin. Cancers were predominantly of the prostate and genito-urinary organs, and to a lesser extent the gastrointestinal tract. There was no increased risk of all cause or cancer death in women. Conclusion: Mild, normocytic anaemia is associated with survival reductions in middle-aged and older men, where it often occurs with prostate, gastrointestinal and other cancers, and should be investigated to exclude treatable causes.

This paper describes how virtual enterprises (VEs) can be modelled using the AGORA multi-agent architecture, designed for modelling and supporting cooperative work among distributed entities. The model consists of a structure of AGORAs and agents, where AGORAs are facilitators of cooperative work for agents and the agents represent the partners of the VE, the cooperative mechanisms and the service providers. The distributed and goal-oriented nature of the VE provides a strong motivation for the use of agents to model VEs. The main advantages of this approach are that the structure of AGORAs provides a homogeneous modelling environment throughout the life cycle of the VE, traceability of the VE activities and a history of the VE. In addition to these, it is important to point out that, agents being computational entities, the resulting model provides an easy and efficient passage from the model to the computational support that is required by the VE., QC 20100525 NR 20140804