scholarly journals Can a data driven obesity classification system identify those at risk of severe COVID-19 in the UK Biobank cohort study?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Clark ◽  
Michelle Morris ◽  
Nik Lomax ◽  
Mark Birkin
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Classification System ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

AbstractCOVID-19 is a disease that has been shown to have outcomes that vary by certain socio-demographic and socio-economic groups. It is increasingly important that an understanding of these outcomes should be derived not from the consideration of one aspect, but by a more multi-faceted understanding of the individual. In this study use is made of a recent obesity driven classification of participants in the United Kingdom Biobank (UKB) to identify trends in COVID-19 outcomes. This classification is informed by a recently created obesity systems map, and the COVID-19 outcomes are: undertaking a test, a positive test, hospitalisation and mortality. It is demonstrated that the classification is able to identify meaningful differentials in these outcomes. This more holistic approach is recommended for identification and prioritisation of COVID-19 risk and possible long-COVID determination.

Adolescent Police Stops, Self-Harm, and Attempted Suicide: Findings From the UK Millennium Cohort Study, 2012‒2019

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e9
Author(s):  
Dylan B. Jackson ◽  
Alexander Testa ◽  
Rebecca L. Fix ◽  
Tamar Mendelson
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
School Counselors ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Millennium Cohort Study ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Uk Millennium Cohort Study ◽  
The Uk

Objectives. To explore associations between police stops, self-harm, and attempted suicide among a large, representative sample of adolescents in the United Kingdom. Methods. Data were drawn from the 3 most recent sweeps of the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), from 2012 to 2019. The MCS is an ongoing nationally representative contemporary birth cohort of children born in the United Kingdom between September 2000 and January 2002 (n = 10 345). Weights were used to account for sample design and multiple imputation for missing data. Results. Youths experiencing police stops by the age of 14 years (14.77%) reported significantly higher rates of self-harm (incidence rate ratio = 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.35, 1.69) at age 17 years and significantly higher odds of attempted suicide (odds ratio = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.84, 2.76) by age 17 years. These patterns were largely consistent across examined features of police stops and generally did not vary by sociodemographic factors. In addition, 17.73% to 40.18% of associations between police stops and outcomes were explained by mental distress. Conclusions. Police-initiated encounters are associated with youth self-harm and attempted suicide. Youths may benefit when school counselors or social workers provide mental health screenings and offer counseling care following these events. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print September 23, 2021: e1–e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306434 )

scholarly journals Country-scale greenhouse gas budgets using shipborne measurements: a case study for the UK and Ireland

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 3043-3063 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole Helfter ◽  
Neil Mullinger ◽  
Massimo Vieno ◽  
Simon O'Doherty ◽  
Michel Ramonet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Central Region ◽  
Waste Treatment ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

Abstract. We present a mass balance approach to estimate the seasonal and annual budgets of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) of the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) and the Republic of Ireland from concentration measurements taken on a ferry along the east coast of the United Kingdom over a 3-year period (2015–2017). We estimate the annual emissions of CH4 to be 2.55±0.48 Tg, which is consistent with the combined 2.29 Tg reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by the individual countries. The net CO2 budget (i.e. including all anthropogenic and biogenic sources and sinks of CO2) is estimated at 881.0±125.8 Tg, with a net biogenic contribution of 458.7 Tg (taken as the difference between the estimated net emissions and the inventory value, which accounts for anthropogenic emissions only). The largest emissions for both gases were observed in a broad latitudinal band (52.5–54∘ N), which coincides with densely populated areas. The emissions of both gases were seasonal (maxima in winter and minima in summer), strongly correlated with natural gas usage and, to a lesser extent, also anti-correlated with mean air temperature. Methane emissions exhibited a statistically significant anti-correlation with air temperature at the seasonal timescale in the central region spanning 52.8–54.2∘ N, which hosts a relatively high density of waste treatment facilities. Methane emissions from landfills have been shown to sometimes increase with decreasing air temperature due to changes in the CH4-oxidising potential of the topsoil, and we speculate that the waste sector contributes significantly to the CH4 budget of this central region. This study brings independent verification of the emission budgets estimated using alternative products (e.g. mass balance budgets by aircraft measurements, inverse modelling, inventorying) and offers an opportunity to investigate the seasonality of these emissions, which is usually not possible.

scholarly journals Using the UK Biobank as a global reference of worldwide populations: application to measuring ancestry diversity from GWAS summary statistics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Privé
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Summary Statistics ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Reference Groups ◽  
Phenotypic Data ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Four Corners ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk

The UK Biobank project is a prospective cohort study with deep genetic and phenotypic data collected on almost 500,000 individuals from across the United Kingdom. Within this dataset, we carefully define 17 distinct ancestry groups from all four corners of the world. Using allele frequencies derived from these global reference groups, we are now able to effectively measure diversity from summary statistics of any genetic dataset. Measuring genetic diversity is an important problem because increasing genetic diversity is key to making new genetic discoveries, while also being a major source of confounding to be aware of in genetics studies.

scholarly journals Access to personal protective equipment in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom: results from a nationwide cohort study (UK-REACH)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher A Martin ◽  
Daniel Pan ◽  
Joshua Nazareth ◽  
Avinash Aujayeb ◽  
Luke Bryant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Primary Analysis ◽  
Questionnaire Response ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Objectives: To determine the prevalence and predictors of self-reported access to appropriate personal protective equipment (aPPE) for healthcare workers (HCWs) in the United Kingdom (UK) during the first UK national COVID-19 lockdown (March 2020) and at the time of questionnaire response (December 2020 - February 2021). Design: Two cross sectional analyses using data from a questionnaire-based cohort study. Setting: Nationwide questionnaire from 4th December 2020 to 28th February 2021. Participants: A representative sample of HCWs or ancillary workers in a UK healthcare setting aged 16 or over, registered with one of seven main UK healthcare regulatory bodies. Main outcome measure: Binary measure of self-reported aPPE (access all of the time vs access most of the time or less frequently) at two timepoints: the first national lockdown in the UK (primary analysis) and at the time of questionnaire response (secondary analysis). Results: 10,508 HCWs were included in the primary analysis, and 12,252 in the secondary analysis. 3702 (35.2%) of HCWs reported aPPE at all times in the primary analysis; 6806 (83.9%) reported aPPE at all times in the secondary analysis. After adjustment (for age, sex, ethnicity, migration status, occupation, aerosol generating procedure exposure, work sector, work region, working hours, night shift frequency and trust in employing organisation), older HCWs (per decade increase in age: aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.16 - 1.26, p<0.001) and those working in Intensive Care Units (1.61, 1.38 - 1.89, p<0.001) were more likely to report aPPE at all times. Those from Asian ethnic groups compared to White (0.77, 0.67 - 0.89, p<0.001), those in allied health professional (AHPs) and dental roles (vs those in medical roles; AHPs: 0.77, 0.68 - 0.87, p<0.001; dental: 0.63, 0.49 - 0.81, p<0.001), and those who saw a higher number of COVID-19 patients compared to those who saw none (≥21 patients 0.74, 0.61 - 0.90, p=0.003) were less likely to report aPPE at all times in the primary analysis. aPPE at all times was also not uniform across UK regions (reported access being better in South West and North East England than London). Those who trusted their employing organisation to deal with concerns about unsafe clinical practice, compared to those who did not, were twice as likely to report aPPE at all times (2.18, 1.97 - 2.40, p<0.001). With the exception of occupation, these factors were also significantly associated with aPPE at all times in the secondary analysis. Conclusions: We found that only a third of HCWs in the UK reported aPPE at all times during the period of the first lockdown and that aPPE had improved later in the pandemic. We also identified key sociodemographic and occupational determinants of aPPE during the first UK lockdown, the majority of which have persisted since lockdown was eased. These findings have important public health implications for HCWs, particularly as cases of infection and long-COVID continue to rise in the UK.

scholarly journals Recruiting individuals into the HTLV cohort study in the United Kingdom: clinical findings and challenges in the first six years, 2003 to 2009

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (46) ◽  
Author(s):  
L J Brant ◽  
C Cawley ◽  
K L Davison ◽  
G P Taylor ◽  
collective the HTLV National Register Steering Group
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Blood Donation ◽  
Spastic Paraparesis ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
T Lymphotropic Virus ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Multicentre Cohort Study ◽  
The Uk

Human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV) infection is rare in the United Kingdom (UK) and few studies are available worldwide. Following introduction of blood donation testing in 2002, a cohort of individuals could be identified and prospectively recruited to describe progression and onset of disease. Here we describe baseline characteristics of participants, and evaluate recruitment into the UK HTLV National Register over the first six years, from July 2003 to June 2009. A multicentre cohort study recruited participants from the UK blood services (recipients and donors) and specialist HTLV clinics. Almost half of the 148 participants recruited were blood donors, nine were blood transfusion recipients, 40 contacts and 29 clinic attendees (nine asymptomatic and 20 symptomatic). Most participants were HTLV-1 positive (n=115); 11 had HTLV-2 and 22 were HTLV-negative. Baseline self-completion questionnaires were received for 83%. The most commonly reported condition was a past operation/serious illness (69%). Twenty-six participants reported four or more possible signs/symptoms of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Recruitment into a study of a rare, long-term infection is challenging. This cohort will enable descriptions of HTLV-associated disease progression amongst people recruited from varying sources; it is the first prospective study of its kind in Europe.

Data protection in the United Kingdom: Part 1

1983 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Crook
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Computer Security ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Privacy Problem ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The United Kingdom Government is about to enact legisla tion for data protection. It is intended that this will safeguard the pnvacy of the individual which is seen to be threatened by the increasing use and capabilities of computerised personal information systems. There are also fears that the British computer and data processing industries will be at a disad vantage when competing in the international market without legislation equivalent to that already operating in other coun tries. The legislation will enable the UK to ratify the Council of Europe Data Protection Convention and to comply with the OECD Guidelines on Transborder Data Flow. Data protection is a valuable example of the interaction of information technology and society. This paper presents an overview of the issues involved. It examines what is meant by data privacy and how that privacy may be infringed by the use of both computerised and manual record systems. The impact of technology on the privacy problem is descnbed, including linkage of computer systems and the contribution of computer security. The need for legislation is discussed, both within the context of the international situation and of the early attempts at domestic legislation.

What Hope for Freedom of Information in the UK?

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew McDonald
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Data Protection ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Open Government ◽  
Freedom Of Information ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk

This chapter assesses freedom of information (FOI) in the United Kingdom. It discusses the terminology associated with FOI, namely, transparency and openness. FOI refers to access to non-personal information; the regulation of personal information is typically governed by privacy or data-protection laws. Some jurisdictions take an integrated approach to both categories of information, but this chapter focuses on information that does not relate primarily to the individual. The family of information statutes – encompassing FOI, privacy, official secrecy and the like – are known collectively as Access to Information laws. Finally, open government is a term close to openness, since both are concerned with systems and delivery.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Second COVID-19 Wave in India and the United Kingdom Using a Birth-Death Model

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narayanan C Viswanath
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Type I ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Susceptible Population ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Birth Death

Several countries have witnessed multiple waves of the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 21. The method in [8] is applied here to analyze the COVID-19 waves in India and the UK. For this, a birth-death model is fitted to the active and total cases data for 30 days periods called windows starting from 16th March 2020 up to 10th May 2021. Peculiarities of the parameters suggested a classification of the above windows into three categories: (i) whose fitted parameters predicted a rise in the number of active cases before a fall to zero, (ii) which predicted a decrease, without rising, in the active cases to zero and (iii) which predicted an increase in the active cases until the entire susceptible population gets infected. It follows that some of the type (iii) windows are of the same or lesser concern when compared to some type (i) windows. Further analysis of the type (iii) windows leads to the identification of those which could be indicators of the start of a new wave of the pandemic. The study thus proposes a method for using the present data for identifying pandemic waves in the near future.

scholarly journals Evidence of directional and stabilizing selection in contemporary humans

2017 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaleal S. Sanjak ◽  
Julia Sidorenko ◽  
Matthew R. Robinson ◽  
Kevin R. Thornton ◽  
Peter M. Visscher
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Human Evolution ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Linear And Nonlinear ◽  
The Uk

Modern molecular genetic datasets, primarily collected to study the biology of human health and disease, can be used to directly measure the action of natural selection and reveal important features of contemporary human evolution. Here we leverage the UK Biobank data to test for the presence of linear and nonlinear natural selection in a contemporary population of the United Kingdom. We obtain phenotypic and genetic evidence consistent with the action of linear/directional selection. Phenotypic evidence suggests that stabilizing selection, which acts to reduce variance in the population without necessarily modifying the population mean, is widespread and relatively weak in comparison with estimates from other species.

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