7 research outputs found
Archival influenza virus genomes from Europe reveal genomic variability during the 1918 pandemic
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the deadliest respiratory pandemic of the 20th century and determined the genomic make-up of subsequent human influenza A viruses (IAV). Here, we analyze both the first 1918 IAV genomes from Europe and the first from samples prior to the autumn peak. 1918 IAV genomic diversity is consistent with a combination of local transmission and long-distance dispersal events. Comparison of genomes before and during the pandemic peak shows variation at two sites in the nucleoprotein gene associated with resistance to host antiviral response, pointing at a possible adaptation of 1918 IAV to humans. Finally, local molecular clock modeling suggests a pure pandemic descent of seasonal H1N1 IAV as an alternative to the hypothesis of origination through an intrasubtype reassortment.Peer Reviewe
a comparative survey of migrant women from Turkey and German women in Berlin and women in Istanbul
Der Eintritt der Menopause stellt ein unumgängliches Ereignis im Laufe des
Lebens einer Frau dar. Gleichzeitig ist bekannt, dass das Erleben der
Wechseljahre weltweit variieren kann. Hinweise aus der internationalen
Literatur deuten darauf hin, dass u.a. der soziokulturelle Kontext der Frauen,
aber auch migrationsspezifische Erfahrungen hierbei eine wichtige Rolle
spielen können. In diesem Zusammenhang liegen bei Migrantinnen in Deutschland
bisher keine vertiefenden Untersuchungen vor. Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt
eine vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung geförderte
Querschnittsstudie dar und basiert auf einer quantitativen Datenerhebung
(validierter Fragebogen in deutscher und in türkischer Sprache,
Zufallsstichprobe). Ziel war es, die subjektive Wahrnehmung von
Wechseljahresbeschwerden (MRS II), die Informiertheit über die menopausale
Hormontherapie (HT) und die HT-Anwendung bei türkeistämmigen Migrantinnen in
Berlin (n=264) zu untersuchen. Durch den Vergleich mit deutschen Frauen in
Berlin (n=418) sowie Frauen in Istanbul (n=281) in korrespondierenden
Befragungskollektiven fanden migrationsspezifische Faktoren besondere
Berücksichtigung. Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen, dass soziodemographische
und psychosoziale Faktoren einen wesentlichen Einfluss auf die Wahrnehmung von
möglichen Wechseljahresbeschwerden haben. Gleichzeitig zeigte sich ein
migrationsspezifischer Effekt; türkeistämmige Migrantinnen gaben signifikant
häufiger starke Wechseljahresbeschwerden an als deutsche Frauen, aber auch als
Frauen gleicher Herkunft in Istanbul. Dabei gilt festzuhalten, dass
Migrationserfahrung allein keinesfalls mit einer höheren Beschwerdewahrnehmung
assoziiert sein muss, sondern dass diese durch weitere Faktoren, die sich aus
einer vergleichsweise schlechteren sozialen Lage ergeben können, mitbestimmt
ist. Zugleich zeigt sich bei den befragten türkeistämmigen Migrantinnen ein
erheblicher Informationsmangel hinsichtlich der Wechseljahre und der
menopausalen HT. Mangelnde Deutschkenntnisse, ein formal niedriger
Bildungsstatus und unzureichende Alphabetisierung bilden hier wesentliche
Informationsbarrieren. In diesem Zusammenhang stellen Ärzte/-innen offenbar
den wichtigsten Zugang zu Gesundheitsinformationen dar. Migrationsspezifische
Lebensanforderungen können das Erleben der Wechseljahre möglicherweise
entscheidend mit beeinflussen. In Bezug auf eine bevölkerungs- und
bedarfsgerechte Gesundheitsversorgung für Migrantinnen ist es erforderlich,
diese in ihrer gesundheitlichen Handlungskompetenz zu stärken. In diesem Sinne
sind weitere Untersuchungen über mögliche Gesundheitsrisiken, aber auch
gesundheitsfördernde Ressourcen bei Migrantinnen dringend erforderlich.The menopausal transition is a universal fact in women. Yet, its experience
and clinical presentation are variable in women all over the world. Cross-
cultural studies indicate that the experience of the menopausal phase seem to
be, among various factors, strongly impacted by socio-cultural and at the same
time by migration-related factors. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare
the menopausal experience and symptom reporting, information about menopausal
hormone therapy (HT) and its utilisation between migrant women from Turkey
(n=264) and German women (n=418) living in Berlin and women living in Istanbul
(n=281) aged 45-60 years. The study participants were recruited via snowball-
sampling and surveyed with a structured questionnaire in German and in Turkish
language. The analysis of the findings in this study disclosed similar symptom
patterns between women in Istanbul and migrant women from Turkey in Berlin,
and differing symptom patterns between the latter ones and German women in
Berlin. In all study groups the most commonly reported severe symptoms were
psychosomatic complaints, followed by physical complaints, vasomotor and
sexual complaints. Socio-demographic and psycho-social factors had a
considerable impact on symptom reporting. Yet severe menopausal symptoms were
most frequent in migrant women from Turkey in Berlin. Despite the highest
(current and past) HT-utilisation rate of all the three study groups the
majority of migrant women from Turkey in Berlin reported to be not at all or
only poorly informed about the menopausal HT. The findings in this study
indicate that migration related factors might be decisive regarding the
menopausal experience and coping with symptoms. Further research on risk
factors and health protective resources in migrant women may shed more light
on this topic. Nevertheless, the improvement of population tailored factual
information about menopause and treatment options of symptoms is an area of
great potential in both settings in order to empower women for own decision
making regarding their health situation and to strengthen coping with adverse
symptoms
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Measles virus and rinderpest virus divergence dated to the sixth century BCE
Many infectious diseases are thought to have emerged in humans after the Neolithic revolution. Although it is broadly accepted that this also applies to measles, the exact date of emergence for this disease is controversial. We sequenced the genome of a 1912 measles virus and used selection-aware molecular clock modeling to determine the divergence date of measles virus and rinderpest virus. This divergence date represents the earliest possible date for the establishment of measles in human populations. Our analyses show that the measles virus potentially arose as early as the sixth century BCE, possibly coinciding with the rise of large cities
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Archival influenza virus genomes from Europe reveal genomic variability during the 1918 pandemic.
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the deadliest respiratory pandemic of the 20th century and determined the genomic make-up of subsequent human influenza A viruses (IAV). Here, we analyze both the first 1918 IAV genomes from Europe and the first from samples prior to the autumn peak. 1918 IAV genomic diversity is consistent with a combination of local transmission and long-distance dispersal events. Comparison of genomes before and during the pandemic peak shows variation at two sites in the nucleoprotein gene associated with resistance to host antiviral response, pointing at a possible adaptation of 1918 IAV to humans. Finally, local molecular clock modeling suggests a pure pandemic descent of seasonal H1N1 IAV as an alternative to the hypothesis of origination through an intrasubtype reassortment