COVID-19 burden differed by city districts and ethnicities during the pre-vaccination era in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Background: During the first wave of COVID-19 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, a disproportional number of COVID-19 hospitalizations occurred in individuals with an ethnic minority background and in individuals living in city districts with a lower socioeconomic status (SES). In this study, we assessed whether these disparities continued throughout the second wave, when SARS-CoV-2 testing was available to anyone with symptoms but prior to the availability of COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: Surveillance data on all notified SARS-CoV-2 cases in Amsterdam between 15 June 2020 and 20 January 2021 were matched to municipal registration data to obtain the migration background of cases. Crude and directly age- and sex-standardized rates (DSR) of confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and deaths per 100,000 population were calculated overall, and by city districts, and migration backgrounds. Rate differences (RD) and rate ratios (RR) were calculated to compare DSR between city districts and migration backgrounds. We used multivariable Poisson regression to assess the association of city districts, migration backgrounds, age, and sex with rates of hospitalization. Results: A total of 53,584 SARS-CoV-2 cases (median age 35 years [IQR = 25-74]) were notified, of whom 1,113 (2.1%) were hospitalized and 297 (0.6%) deceased. DSR of notified infections, hospitalization, and deaths per 100,000 population were higher in lower SES peripheral city districts (South-East/North/New-West) than higher SES central districts (Central/West/South/East), with almost a 2-fold higher hospitalization DSR in peripheral compared to central districts (RR = 1.86, 95%CI = 1.74-1.97). Individuals with a non-European migration background also had a higher COVID-19 burden, particularly with respect to hospitalization rates, with a 4.5-fold higher DSR for individuals with a non-European background compared to ethnic-Dutch (RR 4.51, 95%CI = 4.37-4.65). City districts, migration backgrounds, male gender, and older age were independently associated with COVID-19 hospitalization rates. Discussion: Individuals with a non-European background and individuals living in city districts with lower SES continued to independently have the highest COVID-19 burden in the second wave of COVID-19 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes carried by plastic waste from mangrove wetlands of the South China Sea.

Plastic waste can carry organisms such as bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) over long distances. However, only few studies have been conducted on the occurrence of ARGs in plastic waste from mangrove wetlands. This study evaluated the distribution characteristics and ecological risks of plastic waste from mangroves in the coastal areas of the South China Sea. The correlation between anthropogenic activity levels and abundance of ARGs in mangroves was evaluated. Transparent and white were the common colors of plastic waste in mangroves. The main shapes of plastic waste were foam and film. The predominant types of plastic waste order were as follows: polyethylene (30.18 %) > polypropylene (27.51 %) > polystyrene (23.59 %). The living area (LA) mangroves had the highest polymer hazard and pollution load indices of 329.09 and 10.03, respectively. The abundance of ARGs (5.08 × 108 copies/g) on the plastic surface in LA mangroves was significantly higher than that of the other mangrove areas. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between ARGs and intI1 on the plastic surface in mangroves. Correlation analysis between the ARGs and intI1 showed that most of the ARGs were correlated with intI1 except for msbA. In LA mangroves, sociometric and environmental factors showed significant correlations with the absolute abundances of the four ARGs and intI1, indicating that anthropogenic activities may lead to changes in the amount of ARGs on plastic surfaces. Furthermore, the ARG storage of plastic waste from different mangroves was as follows: protected areas (3.12 × 1017 copies) > living areas (2.99 × 1017 copies) > aquaculture pond areas (2.88 × 1017 copies). The higher ARG storage of LA mangroves, with the smallest area, greatly increased its ecological risk. The results of this study can provide basic data for processes that influence the distribution of plastic waste and ARGs in mangroves.

The Association Between Living Area in Childhood and Respiratory Disease Mortality in Adulthood.

Objective: No studies have examined the association between characteristics of urban areas and future respiratory disease mortality. We examined whether the type of living area during childhood was associated with all-cause and respiratory disease mortality in adulthood. Methods: A total of 81,413 Japanese participants aged 40-79 years old completed a lifestyle questionnaire including the type of childhood living areas. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to calculate the multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and respiratory disease mortality. Results: Living in large city areas in childhood was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality [HR = 1.05 (95% CI, 1.01-1.10)], but not with respiratory disease mortality [HR = 1.04 (95% CI, 0.92-1.18)] compared to rural and remote areas. The excess risk of all-cause and respiratory disease mortality was primarily found in industrial areas among men; the respective multivariable HRs were 1.28 (95% CI, 1.00-1.64) and 1.90 (95% CI: 1.10-3.29). Conclusion: Eliminating childhood health hazards associated with living in industrial areas suggested to reduce the risk of mortality from respiratory diseases in adulthood.

Where and How Extensive Are the Living Areas of the Elderly? An Empirical Study on 'Ageing in Place' in Three Small and Medium-Sized Japanese Cities.

The policies regarding the elderly in advanced countries are based on the notion of 'ageing in place'. The question arises, where and how extensive can the 'place' be? Is there a method of estimating a senior's living area? The purpose of this study was to determine the common characteristics of the living areas of seniors in three small and medium-sized Japanese cities. The basic methodology involved a comparative analysis involving these cities. We used case studies to cross tabulate interviews regarding the daily outings of participants, some of whom needed long-term care while others did not. The data covered a total of 727 participants, 307 of whom needed long-term care and 420 requiring none. Comparative analysis revealed the common characteristics of living areas for seniors in these cities, i.e., two-layered living areas of healthy seniors; fewer outings on foot due to frailty; the average moving time via transportation is approximately 12 min; and living areas overlap districts where hospitals and stores are located. The results indicate that we can roughly estimate the living areas of seniors in any neighborhood to investigate accessibility to nearby hospitals and stores.

Differences in the Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Frailty in Five Japanese Residential Areas.

This study aimed to examine area differences in the prevalence of and factors associated with frailty. This cross-sectional study included metropolitan (eastern and western areas), suburban (districts A and B), and rural areas of Japan (n = 9182, woman 50.9%). Frailty was defined by using a standardized questionnaire comprising three subcategories (fall, nutritional status, and social activities). The prevalence of frailty in the five areas was 14.2% to 30.6% for men and 11.5% to 21.4% for women. The areas with a high frailty prevalence had a significantly lower nutritional status or social activity, or both. Compared to the western metropolitan area, among men, the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) of frailty was significantly higher in the eastern metropolitan area and lower in suburban district A, and among women, the eastern metropolitan and rural areas had significantly higher APRs. Area-stratified multiple Poisson regression analysis showed that age, bone and joint disease, and a subjective economic status were associated with frailty in most areas and that some factors were area-specific, i.e., living alone (for men living in metropolitan areas) and underweight (for women living in suburban areas). The frailty prevalence differed by area, even after multivariable adjustment. Area-specific characteristics and factors associated with frailty may result in area differences.

An investigation of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and their infants in Giresun province located in the Black Sea region of Turkey.

The aim of this study is to investigate vitamin D deficiency and the associated risk factors in pregnant women and their infants in the Black Sea region of Turkey. One hundred and twenty healthy pregnant women in the last trimester and their healthy newborn pairs were observed between June and August 2017 in Giresun province. The serum 25(OH)D3 and calcium levels were measured through the samples collected from maternal and neonatal cord blood. The effects of maternal lifestyle on the maternal vitamin D levels were assessed by multiple regression analysis. The mean concentrations of 25(OH)D3 were found to be 9.54 ± 6.35 ng/mL and 11.16 ± 6.52 ng/mL in the maternal and neonatal cord blood sera, respectively. Vitamin D deficiency (≤20 ng/mL) and severe vitamin D deficiency (≤5 ng/mL) were observed in between 94.2% and 24.2% of mothers and 90% and 10% of infants, respectively. The clothing style, the consumption of milk/dairy products and antenatal multivitamin supplement usage were found as significant factors on the serum vitamin D levels. Even during the Summer months, the vitamin D deficiency in mothers and infants was observed at high rates in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. As a result, it has been concluded that routine maternal serum 25(OH)D3 measurements for clinical follow-up, vitamin D supplementation and regular consumption of dairy products should be recommended. Impact Statement What is already known on this subject? Vitamin D deficiency is a very important risk factor to be considered for maternal and infant health. In a large number of studies, it has been observed that the risk of a vitamin D deficiency in women during their pregnancy was found to be higher, depending on the various strong influences such as the demographic and maternal lifestyles. What the results of this study add? A vitamin D deficiency associated with the demographic and lifestyle factors of pregnant women and their infants was investigated in Giresun province, located in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. The results of this study add that a vitamin D deficiency in the maternal and in the infants may be observed at high rates in regions with mostly rainy weather, even during the Summer months. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? The vitamin D levels in infants can be determined indirectly by looking at the vitamin D levels in third trimester pregnancies. Furthermore, it is suggested as a non-invasive method to determine vitamin D levels by taking advantage of the maternal level, without measuring the vitamin D levels of infants. Thus, this will be effective to reduce health costs and to prevent the possible diseases affecting the future life of infants. Routine maternal serum 25(OH)D3 measurements for clinical follow-up, vitamin D supplementation and the regular consumption of dairy products should be recommended to pregnant women with risk factors, even in the Summer in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. In addition, further studies are needed to investigate the vitamin D deficiency associated with the demographic and lifestyle factors of pregnant women and their infants, especially for the different locations of Turkey.

Aspectos do uso territorial por onça parda (Puma concolor), através de monitoramento via satélite, na região do Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro, MG / Aspects of territorial use of the Cougar (Puma concolor), by satelite monitoring, in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro, MG

Objetivou-se com o presente estudo monitorar o comportamento do uso territorial de um macho de onça parda, capturado no Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro (PESB), por meio da telemetria, usando colar de GPS via Satélite Globalstar. O monitoramento de doze meses resultou na transmissão via satélite de 328 localizações, as quais sugerem que a área utilizada por esse felino seja de aproximadamente 610km2, sendo esta a maior área já descrita para a espécie. Foi possível observar que apenas 20% das localizações ocorreram dentro da área do PESB. O comportamento territorial observado neste trabalho mostra a vulnerabilidade do animal a ações antrópicas, como a caça, atropelamentos e o contato com patógenos entre animais silvestres e domésticos. Observou-se também que duas rodovias configuram barreiras artificiais para o deslocamento do animal, possivelmente impedindo o fluxo gênico entre o PESB e dois outros importantes parques. Com os dados levantados é possível a sugestão de ações de manejo, como a criação de uma conectividade efetiva entre o PESB, o Parque Estadual do Rio Doce e o Parque Nacional do Caparaó, o que poderia contribuir para o intercâmbio genético entre as populações e, dessa forma, favorecer a conservação não somente da onça parda.

We aimed to study the territorial behavior of a male cougar, captured in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro (PESB), using a GPS collar and the Globalstar Satellite. Monitoring the animal for nine months we obtained 328 locations. The data suggest that the area used by this feline is approximately 610km2, the largest area described for this specie. It was also possible to observe that only 20% of the locations of the animal occurred within the PESB area. The territorial behavior observed in this study shows the vulnerability of the animal to human activities such as hunting, road kill and contact with pathogens from domestic animals. It was also observed that two roads constitute artificial barriers for animal movement, possibly preventing gene flow between the PESB and two other parks. The creation of an effective connectivity between the PESB, the Parque Estadual do Rio Doce and the Parque Nacional do Caparaó is critical to ensure genetic exchange between the animal populations and thereby promote their conservation.

Air microorganisms in soldier living quarters of an underground tunnel during air-tight survival training:investigation and analysis / 军事医学

Objective To investigate the distribution of air microorganisms in soldies′living quarters of one under-ground tunnel during airtight survival training .Methods Anderson sampling was carried out in Area A and Area B ( living quarters) and Area C (a toilet) at designated time and place.After sampling, the culture and identification of microorgan-isms were finished .Results ①In the living quarters of the whole underground tunnel , the total number of bacteria ranged from 125 to 37 800/m3,but it was 2692, 1844 and 2199/m3, respectively in Area A, B and C.The mean number of bac-teria was 2245/m3 .The number of fungi ranged from 0 to 10 017/m3 .The total number of fungi of Area A , B and C was 1064 , 883 and 1011/m3 .The mean number was 986/m3 .②The number of bacteria in the living areas presented three fea-tures:the total bacteria showed overall three peaksin Area A and B, buttwin peaksin Area C.In Area A and B, the number of bacteria exhibited low colony at first but fluctuated heavily later .In Area C, it decreased gradually to the mini-mum,and the fungi showed a wavy and irregular trend .③The air microbial species included cocci ( Micrococcus, Coriolis of Staphylococcus aureus, S.epidermidis and S.equorum) , bacilli ( Acinetobacter baumannii, A.lwoffii and Alcaligenes faeca-lis),and fungi (Mucor and Saccharomyces).Conclusion Although the content of microorganisms was up to the military hygiene standards , it was higher than in the same kind of tunnels .Themulti peakphenomenon of microbial distribution suggests that the change of air microorganisms in tunnels has its own characteristics .Most of the air microorganisms are con-ditioned pathogens that may cause illness if they are not under control .

Timing of puberty in Iranian girls according to their living area: a national study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the timing of puberty between various geographic locations and different ethnicities. METHODS: This national survey was conducted in 20 provinces in Iran. Healthy Iranian girls were selected from public schools using cluster random sampling. A total number of 30 clusters including 7493 girls, aged 6.0-20 years, were selected. In order to compare different areas, the national classification of the provinces based on climate, ethnicity, geographic locations, and socioeconomic variables were used. Accordingly, there are 11 regions in Iran. Analysis of variance was used to compare the mean ages of menarche, pubarche, and thelarche in different regions. RESULTS: Tehranian girls, with 11.99 ± 1.35 years (mean ± SD), had the lowest age of menarche which was statistically significantly. The second region with lowest age at menarche was Fars (12.40 ± 1.27 years). The mean age at breast bud stage (B2) was significantly lower in Ghazvin-Zanjan region (8.97 ± 1.45 years). In Fars region, the mean age at B2 stage of breast development (11.01 ± 1.88 years) was higher than other regions except for Mazendran-Guilan and Tehran-related cities. The mean age at public hair development at Tanner stage 2 (PH2) in Kordestan-Lorestan-Ilam region (10.70 ± 1.23 years) was significantly higher than other regions. CONCLUSIONS: We found significant differences in the age of pubertal stages of girls living in various regions with different ethnicity and geographic characteristics. Considering the impact of pubertal age on general health, more studies should be done about the lifestyle and environmental factors affecting the onset of puberty.

Lead Levels in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood / 대한산업의학회지

This study was conducted to evaluate the blood lead levels in 141 pregnant women who were not occupationally exposed to lead and their umbilical cord, arid to identify some differences in blood lead levels by living area. ; The subjects-were all delivered at St. Benedict Hospital in Pusan and the blood lead levels were measured by graphite furance atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The summarized results were as follows. 1. The geometric mean lead levels in maternal and cord blood were 8.0+/-1.8microgram/dl, 5.0+/-0.6lmicrogram/dl respectively. 2. Lead levels in maternal (8.7+/-1.7microgram/dl) and cord blood(5.4+/-0.7microgram/dl) of industrial area(n=24) were higher than residential area(n= 124) which were 7.9+/-1.7microgram/dl and 5.0+/-0.6microgram/dl respectively (p<0.05). 3. Maternal blood lead concentration was significantly correlated to cord blood lead concentration (r=0.6090, p<0.001), but other variables (maternal age, paternal smoking, birth weight, etc) were not correlated.