scholarly journals Assessment of COVID-19 intervention strategies in the Nordic countries using genomic epidemiology

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Duchene ◽  
Leo Featherstone ◽  
Birgitte Freiesleben de Blasio ◽  
Edward C Holmes ◽  
Jon Bohlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Response Measure ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Genomic Epidemiology ◽  
Rapid Deployment ◽  
Country Specific

Abstract We explored how the duration, size and number of virus transmission clusters, defined as country-specific monophyletic groups in a SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree, differed between the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. Our results suggest that although geographical connectivity, population density and openness influence the spread and the size of SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters, the differing country-specific intervention strategies had the largest impact. We also found a significant positive association between the size and duration of transmission clusters in the Nordic countries, suggesting that the rapid deployment of contact tracing is a key response measure in reducing virus transmission.

scholarly journals Assessment of COVID-19 intervention strategies in the Nordic countries using genomic epidemiology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Duchene ◽  
Leo Featherstone ◽  
Birgitte Freiesleben de Blasio ◽  
Edward C. Holmes ◽  
Jon Bohlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positive Association ◽  
Intervention Strategies ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Genomic Epidemiology ◽  
Effective Contact ◽  
Country Specific

AbstractThe Nordic countries, defined here as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland, are known for their comparable demographics and political systems. Since these countries implemented different COVID-19 intervention strategies, they provide a natural laboratory for examining how COVID-19 policies and mitigation strategies affected the propagation, evolution and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We explored how the duration, the size and number of transmission clusters, defined as country-specific monophyletic groups in a SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree, differed between the Nordic countries. We found that Sweden had the largest number of COVID-19 transmission clusters followed by Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Moreover, Sweden and Denmark had the largest, and most enduring, transmission clusters followed by Norway, Finland and Iceland. In addition, there was a significant positive association between transmission cluster size and duration, suggesting that the size of transmission clusters could be reduced by rapid and effective contact tracing. Thus, these data indicate that to reduce the general burden of COVID-19 there should be a focus on limiting dense gatherings and their subsequent contacts to keep the number, size and duration of transmission clusters to a minimum. Our results further suggest that although geographical connectivity, population density and openness influence the spread and the size of SARS-CoV-2 transmission clusters, country-specific intervention strategies had the largest single impact.

Perceived Overprotection and Its Association With Quality of Life in Dementia

GeroPsych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 125-134
Author(s):  
Mechthild Niemann-Mirmehdi ◽  
Andreas Häusler ◽  
Paul Gellert ◽  
Johanna Nordheim
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Patient Autonomy ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract. To date, few studies have focused on perceived overprotection from the perspective of people with dementia (PwD). In the present examination, the association of perceived overprotection in PwD is examined as an autonomy-restricting factor and thus negative for their mental well-being. Cross-sectional data from the prospective DYADEM study of 82 patient/partner dyads (mean age = 74.26) were used to investigate the association between overprotection, perceived stress, depression, and quality of life (QoL). The analyses show that an overprotective contact style with PwD has a significant positive association with stress and depression, and has a negative association with QoL. The results emphasize the importance of avoiding an overprotective care style and supporting patient autonomy.

The Nexus Between Urbanisation and Human Empowerment: Income Group Based Findings of Bidirectional Causality

2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-15
Author(s):  
Christos Kollias ◽  
Panayiotis Tzeremes
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Income Group ◽  
Academic Discourse ◽  
Access To Education ◽  
Democratic Institutions ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Public Action ◽  
Income Groups ◽  
Democratic Rule

Abstract The economic and social drivers of democratisation and the emergence and establishment of democratic institutions are longstanding themes of academic discourse. Within this broad body of literature, it has been argued that the process of urbanisation is also conducive to the emergence and consolidation of democracy through a number of different channels. Cities offer better access to education and facilitate organised public action and the demand for more democratic rule and respect of human rights. The nexus between urbanisation and human rights is the theme that is taken up in the present paper. Using a sample of 123 countries for the period 1981–2011, the paper examines empirically the association between urbanisation and human empowerment using the Cingranelli-Richards Index. In broad terms, the findings reported herein do not point to a strong nexus across all income groups. Nevertheless, there is evidence suggesting the presence of such a statistically significant positive association in specific cases.

Empirical analysis on corporate environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1061-1082 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merve Acar ◽  
Hüseyin Temiz
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Performance ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Corporate Environmental Performance ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Environmental Disclosure ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Environmental Disclosures

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the association between environmental performance of firms and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure in emerging markets.Design/methodology/approachWe used tobit regression OLS and t-test methods to reveal the association between environmental performance and the level of voluntary environmental disclosure.FindingsWe find a significant positive association between the level of discretionary environmental disclosures and corporate environmental performance. The result is in line with the arguments of economics disclosure theory that argues environmentally good performers disclose more.Practical implicationsMany of the environmentally good firms in Turkey are also listed in the “BIST Sustainability Index,” and this situation can be the result of the relative power of external regulations. Accordingly, it can be suggested to increase the community and governmental pressures for environmental reporting but also gives importance to increase intrinsic motivations for companies to engage in disclosure practices.Originality/valueThis study shed light on relation between environmental performance and environmental disclosure in an emerging market context. Also, it is revisited that the relation between environmental performance and the level of environmental disclosure by testing two different predictions on the level of environmental disclosures.

scholarly journals Can Anhedonia Be Considered a Suicide Risk Factor? A Review of the Literature

Medicina ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonanni ◽  
Gualtieri ◽  
Lester ◽  
Falcone ◽  
Nardella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Affective Disorders ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Schizophrenia Spectrum

Background and Objectives: At present, data collected from the literature about suicide and anhedonia are controversial. Some studies have shown that low levels of anhedonia are associated with serious suicide attempts and death by suicide, while other studies have shown that high levels of anhedonia are associated with suicide. Materials and Methods: For this review, we searched PubMed, Medline, and ScienceDirect for clinical studies published from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2018 with the following search terms used in the title or in the abstract: “anhedonia AND suicid*.” We obtained a total of 155 articles; 133 items were excluded using specific exclusion criteria, the remaining 22 articles included were divided into six groups based on the psychiatric diagnosis: mood disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other diagnoses, attempted suicides, and others (healthy subjects). Results: The results of this review reveal inconsistencies. Some studies reported that high anhedonia scores were associated with suicidal behavior (regardless of the diagnosis), while other studies found that low anhedonia scores were associated with suicidal behavior, and a few studies reported no association. The most consistent association between anhedonia and suicidal behavior was found for affective disorders (7 of 7 studies reported a significant positive association) and for PTSD (3 of 3 studies reported a positive association). In the two studies of patients with schizophrenia, one found no association, and one found a negative association. For patients who attempted suicide (undiagnosed), one study found a positive association, one a positive association only for depressed attempters, and one a negative association. Conclusions: We found the most consistent positive association for patients with affective disorders and PTSD, indicating that the assessment of anhedonia may be useful in the evaluation of suicidal risk.

scholarly journals Autophagic Markers in Chordomas: Immunohistochemical Analysis and Comparison with the Immune Microenvironment of Chordoma Tissues

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2169
Author(s):  
Georgia Karpathiou ◽  
Maroa Dridi ◽  
Lila Krebs-Drouot ◽  
François Vassal ◽  
Emmanuel Jouanneau ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tumor Cell ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Immunohistochemical Analysis ◽  
Vascular Density ◽  
Immune Microenvironment ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Sequestosome 1 ◽  
Cell Expression

Chordomas are notably resistant to chemotherapy. One of the cytoprotective mechanisms implicated in chemoresistance is autophagy. There are indirect data that autophagy could be implicated in chordomas, but its presence has not been studied in chordoma tissues. Sixty-one (61) chordomas were immunohistochemically studied for autophagic markers and their expression was compared with the expression in notochords, clinicopathological data, as well as the tumor immune microenvironment. All chordomas strongly and diffusely expressed cytoplasmic p62 (sequestosome 1, SQSTM1/p62), whereas 16 (26.2%) tumors also showed nuclear p62 expression. LC3B (Microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3B) tumor cell expression was found in 44 (72.1%) tumors. Autophagy-related 16‑like 1 (ATG16L1) was also expressed by most tumors. All tumors expressed mannose-6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (M6PR/IGF2R). LC3B tumor cell expression was negatively associated with tumor size, while no other parameters, such as age, sex, localization, or survival, were associated with the immunohistochemical factors studied. LC3B immune cell expression showed a significant positive association with programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)+ immune cells and with a higher vascular density. ATG16L1 expression was also positively associated with higher vascular density. Notochords (n = 5) showed different immunostaining with a very weak LC3B and M6PR expression, and no p62 expression. In contrast to normal notochords, autophagic factors such as LC3B and ATG16L1 are often present in chordomas, associated with a strong and diffuse expression of p62, suggesting a blocked autophagic flow. Furthermore, PD-L1+ immune cells also express LC3B, suggesting the need for further investigations between autophagy and the immune microenvironment.

scholarly journals Association between Health Practice and Food Stockpiling for Disaster

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1414
Author(s):  
Moeka Harada ◽  
Rie Kobayashi ◽  
Jun Oka ◽  
Nobuyo Tsuboyama-Kasaoka
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Food Shortage ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Health Practices ◽  
Health Practice ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Good Score

In this study investigated the association between health practices and food stockpiling for disasters in predicted areas with a high risk of food shortage due to the Nankai Trough earthquake. A survey was conducted during 18–20 December 2019 using a self-administered web-based questionnaire. In total, 1200 individuals registered with an online survey company participated in the study. The association between health practices and food stockpiling status was analyzed (n = 998). 59.1% of participants had a poor Breslow’s seven health practice scores (BHPS), 32.9% had a moderate score, and 8.0% had a good score. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher BHPS had a significantly higher prevalence of food stockpiling. Additionally, the interrupted group had the highest percentage of participants with low BHPS. Lower BHPS was significantly associated with interrupted stockpiled in the adjusted models. Among the seven health practices, the odds ratio of the “eating breakfast” practice was high. There was a significant positive association between higher health practice scores and food stockpiling for disasters in areas with a high risk of food shortage due to the predicted earthquake. Particularly, it was clarified that individuals who had fewer good health practices were associated with ending up interrupting food stockpiling.

scholarly journals Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor Expression in Breast Cancer and Its Association with Carbonic Anhydrase IX and Immune Checkpoints

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1022
Author(s):  
Shawn C. Chafe ◽  
Nazia Riaz ◽  
Samantha Burugu ◽  
Dongxia Gao ◽  
Samuel C. Y. Leung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Carbonic Anhydrase ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Carcinoma Cells ◽  
Carbonic Anhydrase Ix ◽  
Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor ◽  
Colony Stimulating Factor ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Stimulating Factor

Purpose: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and hypoxia modulate the tumour immune microenvironment. In model systems, hypoxia-induced carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) has been associated with G-CSF and immune responses, including M2 polarization of macrophages. We investigated whether these associations exist in human breast cancer specimens, their relation to breast cancer subtypes, and clinical outcome. Methods: Using validated protocols and prespecified scoring methodology, G-CSF expression on carcinoma cells and CD163 expression on tumour-associated macrophages were assayed by immunohistochemistry and applied to a tissue microarray series of 2960 primary excision specimens linked to clinicopathologic, biomarker, and outcome data. Results: G-CSFhigh expression showed a significant positive association with ER negativity, HER2 positivity, presence of CD163+ M2 macrophages, and CAIX expression. In univariate analysis, G-CSFhigh phenotype was associated with improved survival in non-luminal cases, although the CAIX+ subset had a significantly adverse prognosis. A significant positive association was observed between immune checkpoint biomarkers on tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes and both G-CSF- and CAIX-expressing carcinoma cells. Immune checkpoint biomarkers correlated significantly with favourable prognosis in G-CSFhigh/non-luminal cases independent of standard clinicopathological features. Conclusions: The prognostic associations linking G-CSF to immune biomarkers and CAIX strongly support their immunomodulatory roles in the tumour microenvironment.

scholarly journals Can sonographic features of microcalcification predict thyroid nodule malignancy? a prospective observational study

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrdad Nabahati ◽  
Rahele Mehraeen ◽  
Zoleika Moazezi ◽  
Naser Ghaemian
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Nodule ◽  
Roc Analysis ◽  
Thyroid Nodules ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Needle Aspiration ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Irregular Margin ◽  
Benign Nodules

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of microcalcification, as well as its associated sonographic features, for prediction of thyroid nodule malignancy. We prospectively assessed the patients with thyroid nodule, who underwent ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration during 2017–2020 in Babol, northern Iran. The ultrasonographic characteristics of the nodules, as well as their cytological results, were recorded. We used regression analysis to evaluate the relation between sonographic findings and nodule malignancy. A receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis was also used to estimate the ability of ultrasound to predict the characteristic features of malignancy, as estimated by the area under the curve (AUC). Results Overall, 1129 thyroid nodules were finally included in the study, of which 452 (40%) had microcalcification. A significant positive association was found between nodule malignancy and microcalcification in both univariate (OR=3.626, 95% CI 2.258–5.822) and multivariable regression analyses (OR=1.878, 95% CI 1.095–3.219). In the nodules with microcalcification, significant positive relations were seen between malignancy and hypoechogenicity (OR=3.833, 95% CI 1.032–14.238), >5 microcalcification number (OR=3.045, 95% CI 1.328–6.982), irregular margin (OR=3.341, 95% CI 1.078–10.352), and lobulated margin (OR=5.727, 95% CI 1.934–16.959). The ROC analysis indicated that AUC for hypoechogenicity, >5 microcalcification number, irregular margin, and lobulated margin were 60%, 62%, 55%, and 60%, respectively, in predicting malignant thyroid nodules. Conclusion The findings indicated that microcalcification can be a potential predictor of thyroid nodule malignancy. Also, the presence of irregular or lobulated margins, multiple intranodular microcalcification (>5 microcalcifications), and/or hypoechogenicity can improve the ability of microcalcification in distinguishing malignant from benign nodules.

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