Age, gender, and cancer but not neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases strongly modulate systemic effect of the Apolipoprotein E4 allele on lifespan

Enduring interest in the Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism is ensured by its evolutionary-driven uniqueness in humans and its prominent role in geriatrics and gerontology. We use large samples of longitudinally followed populations from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) original and offspring cohorts and the Long Life Family Study (LLFS) to investigate gender-specific effects of the ApoE4 allele on human survival in a wide range of ages from midlife to extreme old ages, and the sensitivity of these effects to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders (ND). The analyses show that women's lifespan is more sensitive to the e4 allele than men's in all these populations. A highly significant adverse effect of the e4 allele is limited to women with moderate lifespan of about 70 to 95 years in two FHS cohorts and the LLFS with relative risk of death RR = 1.48 (p = 3.6×10(−6)) in the FHS cohorts. Major human diseases including CVD, ND, and cancer, whose risks can be sensitive to the e4 allele, do not mediate the association of this allele with lifespan in large FHS samples. Non-skin cancer non-additively increases mortality of the FHS women with moderate lifespans increasing the risks of death of the e4 carriers with cancer two-fold compared to the non-e4 carriers, i.e., RR = 2.07 (p = 5.0×10(−7)). The results suggest a pivotal role of non-sex-specific cancer as a nonlinear modulator of survival in this sample that increases the risk of death of the ApoE4 carriers by 150% (p = 5.3×10(−8)) compared to the non-carriers. This risk explains the 4.2 year shorter life expectancy of the e4 carriers compared to the non-carriers in this sample. The analyses suggest the existence of age- and gender-sensitive systemic mechanisms linking the e4 allele to lifespan which can non-additively interfere with cancer-related mechanisms

COVID-SCORE: A global survey to assess public perceptions of government responses to COVID-19 (COVID-SCORE-10)

Collection consists of an Excel file containing population parameters for each country (S1 Appendix), respondent characteristics (S2 Appendix), online questionnaire used for the study (S1 Study questionnaire) and STROBE checklist

The effects of cohousing model on people's health and wellbeing: a scoping review

Background: Housing is a social determinant of health. Extensive research has highlighted its adverse effects on health. However, less is known about the effects of cohousing typology on health, which has the potential to create lively social networks and healthy communities and environments. We report the findings of a scoping study designed to gather and synthesise all known evidence on the relationship between cohousing and wellbeing and health. Method: Using the scoping review method, we conducted a literature review in PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct and JSTOR in May 2019 and selected articles published from 1960 onwards, with no geographical limit and no design restrictions. Retrieved articles underwent three sequential screening phases. The results were described through a narrative synthesis of the evidence. Results: Of the 2560 articles identified, we selected 25 full-text articles analysing 77 experiences. All of them were conducted in high-income countries. Ten studies analysed the impact of cohousing on physical and mental health or quality of life and wellbeing. Eight of the 10 studies found a positive association. In addition, 22 studies analysed one or more psychosocial determinants of health (such as social support, sense of community and physical, emotional and economic security) and most found a positive association. Through these determinants, quality of life, wellbeing and health could be improved. However, the quality of the evidence was low. Discussion: The cohousing model could enhance health and wellbeing mediated by psychosocial determinants of health. However, extreme caution should be exercised in drawing any conclusions due to the dearth of data identified and the designs used in the included studies, with most being cross-sectional or qualitative studies, which precluded causal-based interpretations. Because housing is a major social determinant of health, more evidence is needed on the impact of this model on health through both psychosocial and material pathways

Social Capital, Rurality, and Accessibility: A Comparative Study Between Turkey and Italy

Over the past years, we have observed a growing interest among social scientists and policy makers in deepening their understanding of the importance of the social capital concept, against the background of a broad set of socio-economic experiences in various countries. The concept is popularly defined as a set of individual and societal gains embedded in social ties and networks. The extent to which societies produce and benefit from social capital depends, inter alia, on locational characteristics such as human capital accumulation, segregation, employment rates, the wellbeing of individuals, as well as daily and periodic mobility patterns in relation to the job/housing balance, commuting distances, and in a general sense, rural-urban differences. The aim of this chapter is to examine the impact of job accessibility on social capital at a regional scale, with special attention to rural areas. Job accessibility is considered as an indicator of spatial connectivity, and thus it can strongly relate to social capital. The associated analyses will be done by empirically studying Turkish and Italian provinces (on the basis of the European Union-NUTS3 level regions). A quantile regression model is employed to examine job accessibility and rurality in relation to social capital in 81 Turkish and 110 Italian provinces. In the analysis, social capital is measured by a community resilience index based on a set of relevant data on civic infrastructure, metropolitan stability, home ownership, and political participation. The empirical analysis is carried out for Italy and Turkey. In the last few decades, both countries have experienced a decline in rural livelihood and now have a similar percentage of rural population. Meanwhile, mainly due to the geographical and socio-economic structure, the two countries show different patterns and development characteristics of accessibility. The findings of this paper highlight these differences and similarities, and show social capital variations in response to accessibility and rurality in both Turkey and Italy