The generation of haploid gametes by meiosis is a highly conserved process for sexually reproducing organisms that, in almost all cases, involves the extensive breakage of chromosomes. These ...chromosome breaks occur during meiotic prophase and are essential for meiotic recombination as well as the subsequent segregation of homologous chromosomes. However, their formation and repair must be carefully monitored and choreographed with nuclear dynamics and the cell division program to avoid the creation of aberrant chromosomes and defective gametes. It is becoming increasingly clear that an intricate checkpoint-signaling network related to the canonical DNA damage response is deeply interwoven with the meiotic program and preserves order during meiotic prophase. This meiotic checkpoint network (MCN) creates a wide range of dependent relationships controlling chromosome movement, chromosome pairing, chromatin structure, and double-strand break (DSB) repair. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the MCN. We discuss commonalities and differences in different experimental systems, with a particular emphasis on the emerging design principles that control and limit cross talk between signals to ultimately ensure the faithful inheritance of chromosomes by the next generation.
In this perspective article, the basic theory and applications of the “Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules” have been presented with examples from different categories of weak and hydrogen bonded ...molecular systems.
Graphical Abstract
In this perspective article, the basic theory and applications of the “Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules” have been presented with examples from different categories of weak and hydrogen bonded molecular systems.
Whether non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are diseases of poverty or affluence in low-and-middle income countries has been vigorously debated. Most analyses of NCDs have used self-reported data, which ...is biased by differential access to healthcare services between groups of different socioeconomic status (SES). We sought to compare self-reported diagnoses versus standardised measures of NCD prevalence across SES groups in India.
We calculated age-adjusted prevalence rates of common NCDs from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. We compared self-reported diagnoses to standardized measures of disease for five NCDs. We calculated wealth-related and education-related disparities in NCD prevalence by calculating concentration index (C), which ranges from -1 to +1 (concentration of disease among lower and higher SES groups, respectively).
NCD prevalence was higher (range 5.2 to 19.1%) for standardised measures than self-reported diagnoses (range 3.1 to 9.4%). Several NCDs were particularly concentrated among higher SES groups according to self-reported diagnoses (Csrd) but were concentrated either among lower SES groups or showed no strong socioeconomic gradient using standardized measures (Csm): age-standardised wealth-related C: angina Csrd 0.02 vs. Csm -0.17; asthma and lung diseases Csrd -0.05 vs. Csm -0.04 (age-standardised education-related Csrd 0.04 vs. Csm -0.05); vision problems Csrd 0.07 vs. Csm -0.05; depression Csrd 0.07 vs. Csm -0.13. Indicating similar trends of standardized measures detecting more cases among low SES, concentration of hypertension declined among higher SES (Csrd 0.19 vs. Csm 0.03).
The socio-economic patterning of NCD prevalence differs markedly when assessed by standardized criteria versus self-reported diagnoses. NCDs in India are not necessarily diseases of affluence but also of poverty, indicating likely under-diagnosis and under-reporting of diseases among the poor. Standardized measures should be used, wherever feasible, to estimate the true prevalence of NCDs.
Groundwater chemistry of mining region of East Singhbhum district having complex contaminant sources were investigated based on heavy metals loads and other hydrochemical constituents. This study ...aimed to identify the degree of heavy metals exposure and their potential health risk to local population. The results of hydrochemical analysis showed that Na+, K+, and Ca2+ ions are the dominant cations in the groundwater, while HCO3−, F− and Cl− ions dominate the anionic part of the groundwater. The weathering process was considered the dominant factor to determine the major ionic composition in the study area. Compositional analysis for heavy metal has identified that groundwater of the study area is contaminated by Cd, Pb and Cr elements. Source of these metals have been identified as an anthropogenic inputs from mining activities and mineral processing units. Health risk analysis of individual heavy metal for chronic daily intake (CDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) was found in the order of Cr > As > Cd > Pb which is indicating high health risk for the population. In addition, Hazard Index (HI) analysis for heavy metals was found significantly high (>1) which is considered as a threat for human population because they have the tendency to accumulate in the body and cause variety of diseases like kidney problem, dysfunction of liver and renal cortex as well as cancer.
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•Lithological and anthropogenic sources have controlled the groundwater chemistry.•Critical load of Cd, Pb and Cr elements were found with high human health risk.•Enrichment of metals controlled water chemometrics, geology and land use practices.•Mining and industrial process are responsible for critical load of heavy metals.
A psychological disorder called 'Internet addiction' has newly emerged along with a dramatic increase of worldwide Internet use. However, few studies have used population-level samples nor taken into ...account contextual factors on Internet addiction.
We identified 57,857 middle and high school students (13-18 year olds) from a Korean nationally representative survey, which was surveyed in 2009. To identify associated factors with addictive Internet use, two-level multilevel regression models were fitted with individual-level responses (1st level) nested within schools (2nd level) to estimate associations of individual and school characteristics simultaneously. Gender differences of addictive Internet use were estimated with the regression model stratified by gender. Significant associations were found between addictive Internet use and school grade, parental education, alcohol use, tobacco use, and substance use. Female students in girls' schools were more likely to use Internet addictively than those in coeducational schools. Our results also revealed significant gender differences of addictive Internet use in its associated individual- and school-level factors.
Our results suggest that multilevel risk factors along with gender differences should be considered to protect adolescents from addictive Internet use.
Anaemia in low-income and middle-income countries Balarajan, Yarlini, MRCP; Ramakrishnan, Usha, PhD; Özaltin, Emre, MSc ...
The Lancet (British edition),
12/2011, Letnik:
378, Številka:
9809
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Anaemia affects a quarter of the global population, including 293 million (47%) children younger than 5 years and 468 million (30%) non-pregnant women. In addition to anaemia's adverse health ...consequences, the economic effect of anaemia on human capital results in the loss of billions of dollars annually. In this paper, we review the epidemiology, clinical assessment, pathophysiology, and consequences of anaemia in low-income and middle-income countries. Our analysis shows that anaemia is disproportionately concentrated in low socioeconomic groups, and that maternal anaemia is strongly associated with child anaemia. Anaemia has multifactorial causes involving complex interaction between nutrition, infectious diseases, and other factors, and this complexity presents a challenge to effectively address the population determinants of anaemia. Reduction of knowledge gaps in research and policy and improvement of the implementation of effective population-level strategies will help to alleviate the anaemia burden in low-resource settings.
To understand the full impact of stunting in childhood it is important to consider the long-run effects of undernutrition on the outcomes of adults who were affected in early life. Focusing on the ...costs of stunting provides a means of evaluating the economic case for investing in childhood nutrition.
We review the literature on the association between stunting and undernutrition in childhood and economic outcomes in adulthood. At the national level, we also evaluate the evidence linking stunting to economic growth. Throughout, we consider randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental approaches and observational studies.
Long-run evaluations of two randomized nutrition interventions indicate substantial returns to the programmes (a 25% and 46% increase in wages for those affected as children, respectively). Cost-benefit analyses of nutrition interventions using calibrated return estimates report a median return of 17.9:1 per child. Assessing the wage premium associated with adult height, we find that a 1-cm increase in stature is associated with a 4% increase in wages for men and a 6% increase in wages for women in our preferred set of studies which attempt to address unobserved confounding and measurement error. In contrast, the evidence on the association between economic growth and stunting is mixed.
Countries with high rates of stunting, such as those in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, should scale up policies and programmes aiming to reduce child undernutrition as cost-beneficial investments that expand the economic opportunities of their children, better allowing them and their countries to reach their full potential. However, economic growth as a policy will only be effective at reducing the prevalence of stunting when increases in national income are directed at improving the diets of children, addressing gender inequalities and strengthening the status of women, improving sanitation and reducing poverty and inequities.
Social capital is frequently indicated as a determinant of population health. Despite an increase in the frequency of public health studies including such measures, our understanding of social ...capital's effects on health remains unclear. In 2008, a systematic review of the “first decade” of research on social capital and health was published in the textbook Social Capital and Health. Our study intends to update and expand upon this original review to account for developments in the literature over the second decade of research on social capital and health.
We employed a systematic review of empirical studies investigating the relationship between measures of social capital and physical health outcomes published between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2018. To identify potential studies, we conducted searches of PubMed, Embase, and PsychINFO databases in January 2019 using combinations of “social capital” and “physical health” search terms.
We identified 1,608 unique articles and reviewed 145 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. The most frequently examined health condition was self-reported health (57%), followed by mortality (12%), cardiovascular diseases (10%), obesity (7%), diabetes (6%), infectious diseases (5%), and cancers (3%). Of these studies, 127 (88%) reported at least partial support for a protective association between social capital and health. However, only 41 (28%) reported exclusively positive findings. The majority (59%) of results were mixed, suggesting a nuanced relationship between social capital and health. This finding could also be indicative of differences in study design, which showed substantial variation.
Despite limitations in the literature, our review chronicles an evolution in the field of social capital and health in terms of size and sophistication. Overall, these studies suggest that social capital may be an important protective factor for some physical health outcomes, but further research is needed to confirm and clarify these findings.
•Systematic review of studies linking social capital to physical health.•Growing size and sophistication of social capital and health literature exists.•Literature largely supports association between social capital and self-rated health.•Mixed evidence and nuanced findings for other measures of physical health.•Ample opportunities exist for improving understanding of the complex relationships between social capital and physical health.
In India, despite improvements in access to health care, inequalities are related to socioeconomic status, geography, and gender, and are compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with more than ...three-quarters of the increasing financial burden of health care being met by households. Health-care expenditures exacerbate poverty, with about 39 million additional people falling into poverty every year as a result of such expenditures. We identify key challenges for the achievement of equity in service provision, and equity in financing and financial risk protection in India. These challenges include an imbalance in resource allocation, inadequate physical access to high-quality health services and human resources for health, high out-of-pocket health expenditures, inflation in health spending, and behavioural factors that affect the demand for appropriate health care. Use of equity metrics in monitoring, assessment, and strategic planning; investment in development of a rigorous knowledge base of health-systems research; development of a refined equity-focused process of deliberative decision making in health reform; and redefinition of the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of key actors are needed to try to achieve equity in health care in India. The implementation of these principles with strengthened public health and primary-care services will help to ensure a more equitable health care for India's population. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
In light of the opioid epidemic in the United States, there is growing concern about the use of opioids in Sweden as it may lead to misuse and overuse and, in turn, severe public health problems. ...However, little is known about the distribution of opioid use across different demographic and socioeconomic dimensions in the Swedish general population. Therefore, we applied an intersectional Multilevel Analysis of Individual Heterogeneity and Discriminatory Accuracy (MAIHDA), to obtain an improved mapping of the risk heterogeneity of and socioeconomic inequalities in opioid prescription receipt.
Using data from 6,846,106 residents in Sweden aged 18 and above, we constructed 72 intersectional strata from combinations of gender, age, income, cohabitation status, and presence or absence of psychological distress. We modelled the absolute risk (AR) of opioid prescription receipt in a series of multilevel logistic regression models distinguishing between additive and interaction effects. By means of the Variance Partitioning Coefficient (VPC) and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), we quantified the discriminatory accuracy (DA) of the intersectional strata for discerning those who received opioid prescriptions from those who did not. The AR of opioid prescription receipt ranged from 2.77% (95% CI 2.69-2.86) among low-income men aged 18-34, living alone, without psychological distress, to 28.25% (95% CI 27.95-28.56) among medium-income women aged 65 and older, living alone, with psychological distress. In a model that conflated both additive and interaction effects, the intersectional strata had a fair DA for discerning opioid users from non-users (VPC = 13.2%, AUC = 0.68). However, in the model that decomposed total effects into additive and interaction effects, the VPC was very low (0.42%) indicating the existence of small interaction effects for a number of the intersectional strata.
The intersectional MAIHDA approach aligns with the aims of precision public health, through improving the evidence base for health policy by increasing understanding of both health inequalities and individual heterogeneity. This approach is particularly relevant for socioeconomically conditioned outcomes such as opioid prescription receipt. We have identified intersections of social position within the Swedish population at greater risk for opioid prescription receipt.
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