scholarly journals Sex-specific deaths in Norway and Sweden during the COVID-19 pandemic: Did mandates make a difference?

2021 ◽  
pp. 140349482110100
Author(s):  
Ralph Catalano
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Risky Behavior ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Female Mortality ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Societal Expectations ◽  
Male To Female

Aims: To determine whether differences between Norway’s and Sweden’s attempts to contain SARS-CoV-2 infection coincided with detectably different changes in their all-cause mortality sex ratios. Measuring temporal variation in the all-cause mortality sex ratio before and during the pandemic in populations exposed to different constraints on risky behavior would allow us to better anticipate changes in the ratio and to better understand its association with infection control strategies. Methods: I apply time Box–Jenkins modeling to 262 months of pre-pandemic mortality sex ratios to arrive at counterfactual values of 10 intra-pandemic ratios. I compare counterfactual to observed values to determine if intra-pandemic ratios differed detectably from those expected as well as whether the Norwegian and Swedish differences varied from each other. Results: The male to female mortality sex ratio in both Norway and Sweden increased during the pandemic. I, however, find no evidence that the increase differed between the two countries despite their different COVID-19 containment strategies. Conclusion: Societal expectations of who will die during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely be wrong if they assume pre-pandemic mortality sex ratios because the intra-pandemic ratios appear, at least in Norway and Sweden, detectably higher. The contribution of differences in policies to reduce risky behavior to those higher ratios appears, however, small.

Variations in eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) sex-ratios from three Virginia estuaries: protandry, growth and demographics

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana M. Harding ◽  
Eric N. Powell ◽  
Roger Mann ◽  
Melissa J. Southworth
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Shell Length ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Eastern Oyster ◽  
Reproductive Capacity ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Population Demographics ◽  
Disease Mortality ◽  
Predominantly Female ◽  
Male To Female

Oyster population reproductive capacity and dynamics are controlled at the most basic level by the observed sex-ratios. Since oysters are sequential, protandric hermaphrodites the population sex-ratio is related to the demographics (shell length, age, and biomass). Oysters were collected from June through to August 2008 at twelve bars in the James, Rappahannock and Great Wicomico Rivers, Virginia, USA. Bars were aggregated into five groups on the basis of similar age–length relationships. Sex-ratios (fraction female), age–length, and biomass–length relationships were determined for each group. The fraction female increased within increasing shell length, age, and biomass at all sites. Simultaneous hermaphrodites were rarely observed. Group specific differences in shell length (SL, mm) and age (yr) for the timing of the protandric shift were observed with the earliest shift from male to female occurring at ~60 mm SL and ~1.6 yr. The proportion of females observed in the larger or older individuals was at least 70–80%. Sex-ratios from summer 2008 were used to develop sex–length, sex–age, and sex–biomass keys that were applied to autumn-survey data from 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. In these years, sex-ratios by shell length and age were strongly biased towards males while the sex-ratio by biomass was strongly biased towards females. Disease mortality compounds natural and fishing mortality resulting in age/size specific cropping yielding truncated population demographics and an earlier protandric shift in populations on the extremes of the range examined. Regardless of location, market (>76 mm SL) oysters are predominantly female.

scholarly journals Sex ratio influences the motivational salience of facial attractiveness

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 20140148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda C. Hahn ◽  
Claire I. Fisher ◽  
Lisa M. DeBruine ◽  
Benedict C. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Facial Attractiveness ◽  
Mating Effort ◽  
Key Press ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Motivational Salience ◽  
Human Mating ◽  
Male To Female

The sex ratio of the local population influences mating-related behaviours in many species. Recent experiments show that male-biased sex ratios increase the amount of financial resources men will invest in potential mates, suggesting that sex ratios influence allocation of mating effort in humans. To investigate this issue further, we tested for effects of cues to the sex ratio of the local population on the motivational salience of attractiveness in own-sex and opposite-sex faces. We did this using an effort-based key-press task, in which the motivational salience of facial attractiveness was assessed in samples of faces in which the ratio of male to female images was manipulated. The motivational salience of attractive opposite-sex, but not own-sex, faces was greater in the own-sex-biased (high competition for mates) than in the opposite-sex-biased (low competition for mates) condition. Moreover, this effect was not modulated by participant sex. These results present new evidence that sex ratio influences human mating-related behaviours. They also present the first evidence that the perceived sex ratio of the local population may modulate allocation of mating effort in women, as well as men.

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIATION IN ABUNDANCE, SEX RATIO, AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF CONNECTICUT RHAGIONIDAE (DIPTERA)

1987 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65
Author(s):  
Chris T. Maier ◽  
Donald W. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Temporal Variation ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
The State ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Emergence Traps ◽  
Relative Abundances ◽  
Malaise Traps

AbstractRhagionids were studied principally by capturing adults in emergence traps at Southington (1979) and in Malaise traps at Hamden (1980–1983) and Guilford, CT (1983–1985). Most captures of Chrysopilus rotundipennis Loew, C. thoracicus (Fabr.), Rhagio mystaceus (Say), and Symphoromyia hirta Johnson occurred during a 2- to 5-week period. Mean capture dates for sexes differed significantly in only a few cases. Based on percentage of total captured, S. hirta and R. mystaceus ranked first and second at Hamden whereas C. rotundipennis and S. hirta had these respective ranks at Guilford. The sex ratio of C. ornatus (Say) adults in emergence traps did not depart significantly from 1.0, but most rhagionids captured in Malaise traps had skewed sex ratios. Based on percentage and quotient of similarity, faunas at Hamden and Guilford shared many species, but relative abundances of species common at one or both sites were very different. In this study, we found 14 rhagionid species, including 4 not previously recorded from Connecticut. A total of 16 species are now recorded from the state.

scholarly journals The Age Pattern of the Male- to- Female Ratio in Mortality from COVID-19 Mirrors that of Cardiovascular Disease but not Cancer in the General Population

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ila Nimgaonkar ◽  
Linda Valeri ◽  
Ezra S. Susser ◽  
Sabiha Hussain ◽  
Jag Sunderram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
General Population ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Adult Life ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Us ◽  
Male To Female

Background: Males are at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19. Older age and cardiovascular disease are also associated with COVID-19 mortality. We compared the male-to-female (sex) ratios in mortality by age for COVID-19 with cardiovascular mortality and cancer mortality in the general population. Methods: We obtained data from official government sources in the US and five European countries: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. We analyzed COVID-19 deaths by sex and age in these countries and similarly analyzed their deaths from cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease or stroke) and cancer, the two leading age-related causes of death in middle-to-high income countries. Findings: In both the US and European countries, the sex ratio of deaths from COVID-19 exceeded one throughout adult life. The sex ratio increased up to a peak in midlife, and then declined markedly in later life. This pattern was also observed for the sex ratio of deaths from cardiovascular disease, but not cancer, in the general populations of the US and European countries. Interpretation: The sex ratios of deaths from COVID-19 and from cardiovascular disease exhibit similar patterns across the adult life course. The underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, but could stem partially from sex-related biological differences that underlie the similar pattern for cardiovascular disease. These include, we propose, comparatively longer telomeres in females, ovarian hormones, and X chromosome mosaicism.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a home-based 7-day infection control strategy for healthcare workers following high-risk exposure to severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): A cohort study

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Carla Benea ◽  
Laura Rendon ◽  
Jesse Papenburg ◽  
Charles Frenette ◽  
Ahmed Imacoudene ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Risk Exposure ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Respiratory Coronavirus ◽  
Second Wave

Abstract Objective: Evidence-based infection control strategies are needed for healthcare workers (HCWs) following high-risk exposure to severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, we evaluated the negative predictive value (NPV) of a home-based 7-day infection control strategy. Methods: HCWs advised by their infection control or occupational health officer to self-isolate due to a high-risk SARS-CoV-2 exposure were enrolled between May and October 2020. The strategy consisted of symptom-triggered nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 RNA testing from day 0 to day 7 after exposure and standardized home-based nasopharyngeal swab and saliva testing on day 7. The NPV of this strategy was calculated for (1) clinical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis from day 8–14 after exposure, and for (2) asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detected by standardized nasopharyngeal swab and saliva specimens collected at days 9, 10, and 14 after exposure. Interim results are reported in the context of a second wave threatening this essential workforce. Results: Among 30 HCWs enrolled, the mean age was 31 years (SD, ±9), and 24 (80%) were female. Moreover, 3 were diagnosed with COVID-19 by day 14 after exposure (secondary attack rate, 10.0%), and all cases were detected using the 7-day infection control strategy: the NPV for subsequent clinical COVID-19 or asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detection by day 14 was 100.0% (95% CI, 93.1%–100.0%). Conclusions: Among HCWs with high-risk exposure to SARS-CoV-2, a home-based 7-day infection control strategy may have a high NPV for subsequent COVID-19 and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 detection. Ongoing data collection and data sharing are needed to improve the precision of the estimated NPV, and here we report interim results to inform infection control strategies in light of a second wave threatening this essential workforce.

scholarly journals Sex Ratios in a Warming World: Thermal Effects on Sex-Biased Survival, Sex Determination, and Sex Reversal

2021 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-164
Author(s):  
Suzanne Edmands
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Determination ◽  
Heat Tolerance ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Sex Reversal ◽  
Survival Sex ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
Warming World ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

Abstract Rising global temperatures threaten to disrupt population sex ratios, which can in turn cause mate shortages, reduce population growth and adaptive potential, and increase extinction risk, particularly when ratios are male biased. Sex ratio distortion can then have cascading effects across other species and even ecosystems. Our understanding of the problem is limited by how often studies measure temperature effects in both sexes. To address this, the current review surveyed 194 published studies of heat tolerance, finding that the majority did not even mention the sex of the individuals used, with <10% reporting results for males and females separately. Although the data are incomplete, this review assessed phylogenetic patterns of thermally induced sex ratio bias for 3 different mechanisms: sex-biased heat tolerance, temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), and temperature-induced sex reversal. For sex-biased heat tolerance, documented examples span a large taxonomic range including arthropods, chordates, protists, and plants. Here, superior heat tolerance is more common in females than males, but the direction of tolerance appears to be phylogenetically fluid, perhaps due to the large number of contributing factors. For TSD, well-documented examples are limited to reptiles, where high temperature usually favors females, and fishes, where high temperature consistently favors males. For temperature-induced sex reversal, unambiguous cases are again limited to vertebrates, and high temperature usually favors males in fishes and amphibians, with mixed effects in reptiles. There is urgent need for further work on the full taxonomic extent of temperature-induced sex ratio distortion, including joint effects of the multiple contributing mechanisms.

scholarly journals Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Five Colombian Hospitals in 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s273-s273
Author(s):  
Christian Pallares ◽  
María Virginia Villegas Botero
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
International Standards ◽  
International Consensus ◽  
Stewardship Program ◽  
And Training

Background: More than 50% of antibiotics used in hospitals are unnecessary or inappropriate. The antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are coordinated efforts to promote the rational and effective use of antibiotics including appropriate selection, dosage, administration, and duration of therapy. When an ASP integrates infection control strategies, it is possible to decrease the transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Methods: In 2018, 5 Colombian hospitals were selected to implement an ASP. Private and public hospitals from different cities were included in the study, ranging from 200 to 700 beds. Our team, consisting of an infectious disease and hospital epidemiologist, visited each hospital to establish the baseline of their ASP program, to define the ASP outcomes according to each hospital’s needs, and to set goals for ASP outcomes in the following 6–12 months. Follow-up was scheduled every 2 months through Skype video conference. The baseline diagnosis or preintervention evaluation was done using a tool adapted from previous reports (ie, international consensus and The Joint Commission international standards). Documentation related to ASPs, such as microbiological profiles, antimicrobial guidelines (AMG) and indicators for the adherence to them as well as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) prevention through protocols, were written and/or updated. Prevention and infection control requirements and protocols were also updated, and cleaning and antiseptic policies were created. Training in rational use of antibiotic, infection control and prevention, and cleaning and disinfection were carried out with the healthcare workers in each institution. Results: Before the intervention, the development of the ASP according to the tool was 27% (range, 5%–47%). The lowest institutional scores were the item related to ASP feedback and reports (11% on average), followed by education and training (14%), defined ASP responsibilities (23%), ASP function according to priorities (26%), and AMR surveillance (27%). After the intervention, the ASP development increased to 57% (range, 39%–81%) in the hospitals. The highest scores achieved were for education and training (90%), surveillance (75%), and the activities of the infection control committee (70%). The items that made the greatest contribution to ASP development were the individual antibiogram, including the bacteria resistance profile, and the development of the AMG based on the local epidemiology in each hospital. Conclusions: The implementation of an ASP should include training and education as well as defining outcomes according to the hospital’s needs. Once the strategy is implemented, follow-up is key to achieving the goals.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

scholarly journals Sex Chromosome Meiotic Drive in Stalk-Eyed Flies

Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. 1169-1180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daven C Presgraves ◽  
Emily Severance ◽  
Gerald S Willrinson
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Sex Chromosome ◽  
Sex Ratios ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Meiotic Drive ◽  
Operational Sex Ratio ◽  
Genetic Modifiers ◽  
Ratio Distortion ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sex Ratio Distortion

Meiotically driven sex chromosomes can quickly spread to fixation and cause population extinction unless balanced by selection or suppressed by genetic modifiers. We report results of genetic analyses that demonstrate that extreme female-biased sex ratios in two sister species of stalk-eyed flies, Cyrtodiopsis dalmanni and C. whitei, are due to a meiotic drive element on the X chromosome (Xd). Relatively high frequencies of Xd in C. dalmanni and C. whitei (13–17% and 29%, respectively) cause female-biased sex ratios in natural populations of both species. Sex ratio distortion is associated with spermatid degeneration in male carriers of Xd. Variation in sex ratios is caused by Y-linked and autosomal factors that decrease the intensity of meiotic drive. Y-linked polymorphism for resistance to drive exists in C. dalmanni in which a resistant Y chromosome reduces the intensity and reverses the direction of meiotic drive. When paired with Xd, modifying Y chromosomes (Ym) cause the transmission of predominantly Y-bearing sperm, and on average, production of 63% male progeny. The absence of sex ratio distortion in closely related monomorphic outgroup species suggests that this meiotic drive system may predate the origin of C. whitei and C. dalmanni. We discuss factors likely to be involved in the persistence of these sex-linked polymorphisms and consider the impact of Xd on the operational sex ratio and the intensity of sexual selection in these extremely sexually dimorphic flies.

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