Divergences in the Euro Area: a Cause for Concern?

Evidence suggests that after a period of convergence in the early and mid-1990s, the euro area economies may have started diverging. As a consequence, the common monetary policy could become well-suited for a number of countries. This paper studies the extent and severity of the recent divergences, and discusses the capacity of exposed countries to compensate for nationally suboptimal monetary conditions through other policy channels. As a step toward developing an analytical framework for monitoring intra-euro area developments, we present a "convergence barometer" to monitor divergences, and a Taylor rule based "monetary thermometer" to compare the common monetary policy to benchmark optimal policy for individual countries. A main conclusion is that policymakers at the euro area level should be concerned about divergences, since automatic stabilisers alone may not be enough to restore a healthy equilibrium to potential "outlier" countries.euro; EMU; divergence; Taylor rule

Hypertension, kardiotoxicitet och njursvikt i samband med tyrosinkinashämmaren sunitinib

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from preexisting vascular network, is an essential process during tumor development. Growing tumors secrete different growth factors that induce angiogenesis, of which vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is predominant. Angiogenesis inhibitors act either by blocking the extracellular bindning of growth factor to its receptor by monoclonal antibodies or by blocking the intracellular signalling pathway by small-molecule agents. The small-molecule agent sunitinib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has antiangiogenic and antitumor activities due to the selective inhibition of several tyrosine kinase receptors. Sunitinib is approved for treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, renal cell carcinoma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Known side effects are hypertension, cardiotoxicity and renal damage. These toxic effects are due to sunitinibs "off-target" toxicity, which occurs when a tyrosine kinase inhibitor causes adverse effects via inhibiton of a kinase not intended to be a target of the drug. For example inhibition by sunitinib of AMPK, a kinase that plays key roles in maintaining metabolic homeostasis in the heart, accounts in part for the toxicity seen in cardiomyocytes exposed to sunitinib. By achieving a better understandning of what causes the side effects it could be possible to develop treatments that reduce off-target effects. Caloric restriction is one nonpharmacological approach that has been shown to have beneficial effects on the heart partly by activating sirtuins. Sirtuins regulate a diverse array of cellular functions, including metabolism, gene transcription, cell division and cellular stress response. The aim for this study was to investigate whether caloric restriction improves sunitinib-induced cardiovascular toxicity and renal damage in rats, and to study activated cellular pathways. In this study 40 spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and 10 normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used. They were divided into groups depending on treatment; I WKY control, II SHR control, III SHR + caloric restriction 70 %, IV SHR + sunitinib 3 mg/kg and V SHR sunitinib 3 mg/kg + caloric restriction 70 %. The follow-up period was eigth weeks. Blood pressure was messured weekly, metabolic cages were used week 4 and week 8 for urine samples, echocardiography was performed the last week and vascular response was studied at the end. The proteins Sirt1 and AMPK in heart were investigated by Western blot and the amount of the marker of macrofage ED1 in kidney by immunohistochemistry. Based on this study it was observed that the dose 3 mg/kg sunitinib was well tolerated in rats because it did not cause more extensive hypertension, worse hypertrophy or renal damage compared to untreated SHR groups. This study also showed that short-term caloric restriction has beneficial cardiovascular effects.Nybildning av blodkärl från tidigare existerande kärl, angiogenes, är ett väsentligt skede vid tumörtillväxt. Denna process regleras av bland annat tillväxtfaktorer, var av den vaskulära endoteliala tillväxtfaktorn har en central roll. Hämning av angiogenes kan ske antingen extracellulärt med hjälp av humaniserade monoklonala antikroppar eller intracellulärt med hjälp av småmolekylära hämmaren. Sunitinib är en småmolekylär multikinashämmare och inhiberar flera tyrosinkinasreceptorer som påverkar tumörtillväxten och metastasutvecklingen vid cancer. Sunitinibs främsta indikationer är gastrointestinala stromacellstumörer, metastaserad njurcellscancer och neuroendokrina tumörer i bukspottskörteln. Behandling med tyrosinkinashämmare orsakar biverkningar som hypertension, kardiotoxicitet och njursvikt, vilka antas bero på de hämmande effekterna på mål som inte är väsentliga för anti-cancer-aktiviteten ("off-target" biverkningar). Bland annat AMP-aktiverat proteinkinas (AMPK), ett kinas som upprätthåller metabolisk homeostas i hjärtat, inhiberas av sunitinib och antas framkalla kardiovaskulära biverkningar. För att reducera "off-target" biverkningar strävar man till att hitta alternativ som minskar de skadliga effekterna utan att den terapeutiska aktiviteten försvagas. Bland annat ett begränsat kaloriintag har uppvisat skyddande effekt på hjärtat via mekanismer sammankopplade till ökad resistens mot oxidativ stress, inflammation och mitokondriell dysfunktion, samt avtagande apoptos och autofagi. Detta sker delvis genom aktivering av enzymet Sirt1. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka ifall kaloribegränsning skyddar mot kardiovaskulära och renala biverkningar inducerade av sunitinib hos råttor. Dessutom studerades vilka signalkedjor i cellen som medverkar. I studien användes 40 spontant hypertensiva råttor samt 10 normotensiva Wistar-Kyoto råttor. Försöksdjuren delades in i fem grupper beroende på behandling; I WKY kontroll, II SHR kontroll, III SHR + kaloribegränsning 70 %, IV SHR + sunitinib 3 mg/kg och V SHR + sunitinib 3 mg/kg + kaloribegränsning 70 %. Behandlingsperioden var åtta veckor. Blodtrycket mättes varje vecka med svansmanchett, urinutsöndringen undersöktes vecka 4 och vecka 8 med metabolismburar, ultraljudsundersökning av hjärtat utfördes sista veckan och blodkärlens respons till acetylkolin och natriumnitroprussid studerades i samband med avlivning. Proteinerna Sirt1 och AMPK analyserades i hjärtat med Western blotting samt förekomsten av makrofagmarkören ED1 i njurarna med immunhistokemi. Studien visade att sunitinibdosen 3 mg/kg är mycket väl tolererbar hos råttor eftersom sunitinib inte orsakade högre blodtryck, kraftigare hypertrofi eller mer omfattande njurskada jämfört med obehandlade SHR- grupper. Utgående från resultaten kan man också konstatera att kaloribegränsningen har positiva kardiovaskulära effekter

Serum eosinophil cationic protein (S-ECP) in a population with low prevalence of atopy

AbstractThe study is a part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. A random sample (n=351) of 20–44-year olds and persons of the same age with asthma-like symptoms or current asthma medication according to a postal questionnaire (n=95) were studied. Interview was taken, methacholine challenge was done and ECP, total and specific IgE were measured from serum. The median S-ECP value was 8.0 μg/l in the random sample. The geometric mean of S-ECP was higher in subjects with, than without atopy (10.2. vs 8.9 μg/l, P<0.01) and in subjects with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) than in subjects without BHR (9.9 vs 8.0 μg/l,P <0.01). The levels correlated weakly to forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (r=0.13, P<0.01) and were not independently correlated with respiratory symptoms, asthma or FEV1 after adjusting for BHR, IgE, sensitisation and smoking. Our results indicate that the level of eosinophil activation is low in a population with a low prevalence of atopy, even when BHR is common

Accentuation of suicides but not homicides with rising latitudes of Greenland in the sunny months

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Seasonal variation in suicides has been shown in many countries. We assessed the seasonality and the variation with latitude in suicides and homicides, and the impact of alcohol on the seasonality in suicides.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Official computerized registers on causes of death in all Greenland during 1968–2002 were used. Sales data on beer from one of the major food store chains for July 2005–June 2006 were examined. Seasonal variation was assessed by Rayleigh's test for circular distributions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were a total of 1351 suicides and 308 homicides. The suicides rate varied from 4.2/100 000 person-years in 1971 to 128.4/100 000 person-years in 1987. The homicide rate varied from 2.1/100000 person-years in 1969–1970 to 34.8/100 000 person-years in 1988. Out of the 1351 suicides, 80.5% were committed by men and 19.5% by women. Median age was 25 years (n = 1351; Range 11–84 years). Violent methods of suicide were used in 95% of all cases (n = 1286). Out of the 308 homicide victims, 61% were men and 39% were women, and 13% were killed in multiple homicide events.</p> <p>There was a significant seasonal variation with peaks in June and troughs in the winter in all suicide cases (n = 1351, r = 0.07; Z = 7.58, p < 0.001), in violent suicides (n = 1286; r = 0.07; Z = 6.97; p < 0,001), in suicides in men (n = 1087; r = 0.07; Z = 5.39; p < 0.002) , and in women (n = 264; r = 0.10; Z = 2.36; p < 0.05), but not in homicides nor in consumption of beer. There was a bi-phasic seasonal variation in suicide victims where an alcohol-related condition was included in the death certificate</p> <p>Suicides were more concentrated in the summer months north of the Arctic Circle (n = 577, r = 0.09, Z = 4.45, p < 0.01) than south of it (n = 769, r = 0.07, Z = 3.76, p < 0.002) and most concentrated in North Greenland (n = 33; r = 0.35; Z = 4.11; p < 0.01), where 48% of suicides occurred during the period of constant light. When including astronomical twilight in the constant light period 82% occurred during this time.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There was a concentration of suicides but not homicides in the summer months in all Greenland. The concentration was most pronounced at high latitudes.</p

Uusien uskonnollisten yhteisöjen luonne : Tuomasyhteisö ja Vuorilinna

Only abstract. Paper copies of master’s theses are listed in the Helka database (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Electronic copies of master’s theses are either available as open access or only on thesis terminals in the Helsinki University Library.Vain tiivistelmä. Sidottujen gradujen saatavuuden voit tarkistaa Helka-tietokannasta (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Digitaaliset gradut voivat olla luettavissa avoimesti verkossa tai rajoitetusti kirjaston opinnäytekioskeilla.Endast sammandrag. Inbundna avhandlingar kan sökas i Helka-databasen (http://www.helsinki.fi/helka). Elektroniska kopior av avhandlingar finns antingen öppet på nätet eller endast tillgängliga i bibliotekets avhandlingsterminaler.Työssä tutkitaan uskonnollista yhteisöllisyyttä vallitsevana aikakautena: tarkastelemme uusia, karismaattisesti värittyneitä uskonnollisia yhteisöjä, niiden luonnetta ja asemaa uskonnollisella kentällä. Tutkimme yhteisöllisyyttä aikakauden ilmiönä, perehdymme tarkemmin ottaen siihen, mitä yhteisössä jäsenenä oleminen merkitsee yksilölle. Aikalaisdiagnostinen keskustelu on toiminut tutkimuksessa innoittajana.Keskeisimmät käyttämämme aikalaisdiagnostikot ovat Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck, Anthony Giddens ja Michel Maffesoli.Heidän lisäkseen sivuamme viime vuosisadan klassikoita, jotka ovat antaneet pohjaa myöhemmälle yhteisöllisyyttä sivuavalle pohdinnalle.Käsittelemme myös suomalaista, viimeaikaista yhteiskuntatieteellistä keskustelua.Työ koostuu teoreettisesta ja empiirisestä osiosta.Empiirisessä osiossa olemme keränneet tietoa Tuomasyhteisöstä ja Vuorilinnayhteisöstä.Olemme haastatelleet asiantuntijoina uskontotutkijoita, yhteisöjen pappeja sekä perustajajäseniä ja havainnoineet yhteisöjen tilaisuuksissa,sekä haastatelleet yhteisöjen jäseniä. Sekularisaatiotendenssi on yhteiskunnassa vahvasti läsnä, samalla kun eksistenssiä ja uskontoa sivuavat kysymykset ovat pinnalla.Suomalaisella uskonnollisella kentällä kuohuu: kirkolliset muutokset,kuten jumalanpalvelusuudistus,uskonnon välineellistyminen sekä kirkon rooli palvelujen ja psykologisten palkkioiden tarjoajana, ovat herättäneet ristiriitaisia tunteita. Kirkko on menettänyt suosiotaan ja uudet,karismaattisesti värittyneet yhteisöt ovat vallanneet alaa uskonnollisella kentällä. Yhteisöt ovat näkyvästi esillä julkisuudessa. Ne ovat tarkkoja julkisuuskuvastaan, sillä ne kilpailevat keskenään jäsenistä ja käyvät täten jatkuvaa olemassaolon taistelua yhteisöviidakossa.Julkisuuskuva vastaa harvoin yhteisön todellista luonnetta, ja onnellisuusmuurin taakse on vaikeata ulkopuolisen päästä.Jäsenillekin yhteisön luonne aukeaa usein vasta kuukausien jäsenyyden jälkeen. Yhteisöihin liittymällä tavoitellaan subjektiivisesti eri asioita: mielihyvää,toiminnallista elementtiä,kollektiivista yhteenkuuluvuutta,tai samankaltaisten kanssa oloa(hang around-mentaliteetti). Yhteisön on vastattava yksilön subjektiivisia haluja,usko ei ole ainoa tai tärkein syy yhteisöön hakeutumiselle. Yhteisöä ollaan valmiita vaihtamaan, mikäli sen ei katsota täyttävän odotuksia. Yhteisöihin hakeutumisesta muotoutuu osa yksilön elämänpoliittista suunnittelua.Yhteisöt ovat jatkuvasti muutostilassa ja niiden elinkaaren pituus vaihtelee. Ne joutuvat kohtaamaan jäsenensä yksilöinä, huomioimaan heidän tarpeensa, toiveensa ja odotuksensa. Yhteisöille on ominaista dynaamisuus ja refleksiivisyys. Yhteisöt kilpailevat funktionaalisuudestaan tarjoten palveluita, elämyksiä ja viihdettä. Yksilön toiveet ovat ambivalentteja: yhteisöistä haetaan kollektiivista yhteenkuuluvuutta ja sitoutumista, mutta se halutaan tehdä omilla ehdoilla, olemalla yksilöitä kollektiivisessa. Jatkuva hyvän olon tavoittelu ja aina tarkoituksenmukaisemman yhteisön etsiminen johtaa siihen, että yksilö vaeltaa loputtomasti yhteisöviidakossa. Yhteisöt puolestaan taiteilevat jäsentensä tarpeiden ja toiveiden, yksilöllisyyden sallimisen ja kollektiivisten siteiden luomisen ristivedossa

Ambient particulate pollution and the world-wide prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in children: Phase One of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)

Objectives: To investigate the effect of ambient particulate matter on variation in childhood prevalence of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. Methods: Prevalences of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema obtained in Phase One of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) were matched with city-level estimates of residential PM10 obtained from a World Bank model. Associations were investigated using binomial regression adjusting for GNP per capita and for clustering within country. For countries with more than one centre, a two stage meta-analysis was carried out. The results were compared with a meta-analysis of published multi-centre studies. Results: Annual concentrations of PM₁₀ at city level were obtained for 105 ISAAC centres in 51 countries. After controlling for GNP per capita, there was a weak negative association between PM₁₀ and various outcomes. For severe wheeze in 13-14-year-olds, the OR for a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀ was 0.92 (95 CI 0.84 to 1.00). In 24 countries with more than one centre, most summary estimates for within-country associations were weakly positive. For severe wheeze in 13-14-year-olds, the summary OR for a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM₁₀ was 1.01 (0.92 to 1.10). This result was close to a summary OR of 0.99 (0.91 to 1.06) obtained from published multi-centre studies. Conclusions: Modelled estimates of particulate matter at city level are imprecise and incomplete estimates of personal exposure to ambient air pollutants. Nevertheless, our results together with those of previous multi-centre studies, suggest that urban background PM₁₀ has little or no association with the prevalence of childhood asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis or eczema either within or between countries

Association and Linkage of Atopic Dermatitis with Chromosome 13q12–14 and 5q31–33 Markers

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects 10–20% of the population. Linkage of atopy, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and total serum IgE levels to several different chromosomal regions have been described extensively, but little is known about the genetic control of atopic dermatitis. We tested for the association and linkage between atopic dermatitis and five chromosomal regions: 5q31–33, 6p21.3, 12q15–24.1, 13q12–31, and 14q11.2/14q32.1–32.3. Marker analysis was performed in two Caucasian populations: (i) 192 unrelated German children with atopic dermatitis and 59 non-atopic children from a German birth cohort study (MAS'90), parental DNA was tested in 77 of 192 children with atopic dermatitis; (ii) 40 Swedish families with at least one family member with atopic dermatitis selected from the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Children. Evidence for linkage and allelic association for atopic dermatitis was observed for markers on chromosome 13q12–14 and 5q31–33

Early protective and risk factors for allergic rhinitis at age 4½ yr

Allergic heredity plays a major role in the development of allergic rhinitis. In addition the introduction of food may influence the risk of subsequent allergic disease. The aim of this study was to analyse early risk factors and protective factors for allergic rhinitis at preschool age. Data were obtained from a prospective, longitudinal study of a cohort of children born in the region of western Sweden in 2003 and 8,176 families (50% of the birth cohort) were randomly selected. The parents answered questionnaires at 6 and 12 months and at 4½ yr of age. The response rate at 4½ yr was 4,496, i.e. 83% of the 5,398 questionnaires distributed at 4½ yr. At 4½ yr of age, 5.5% reported symptoms of allergic rhinitis during the last year. In the multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for allergic rhinitis were: allergic sensitisation to food allergens at 4½ yr (OR 10.21; 95% confidence interval 4.22–24.73), recurrent wheeze at 4½ yr (3.33; 1.56–7.10), doctor-diagnosed eczema at 4½ yr (2.72; 1.62–4.55), parental rhinitis (2.21; 1.39–3.53), eczema first year (1.97; 1.19–3.26) and male gender (1.82; 1.13–2.94). The risk was reduced with fish introduction before 9 months (0.49; 0.29–0.82). In conclusion, we found that previous and present allergic disease, heredity and male gender increased the risk of allergic rhinitis at 4½ yr of age. The introduction of fish before the age of 9 months reduced the risk