826 research outputs found
COVID-19 related health inequality exists even in a city where disease incidence is relatively low: a telephone survey in Hong Kong
Background: We examined whether COVID-19 could exert inequalities in socioeconomic conditions and health in Hong Kong, where there has been a relatively low COVID-19 incidence.
Methods: 752 adult respondents from a previous random sample participated in a telephone survey from 20 April to 11 May 2020. We examined demographic and socioeconomic factors, worry of COVID-19, general health, economic activity, and personal protective equipment (PPE) and related hygiene practice by deprivation status. The associations between deprivation and negative COVID-19 related issues were analysed using binary logistic regressions, while the associations of these issues with health were analysed using linear regressions. Path analysis was conducted to determine the direct effect of deprivation, and the indirect effects via COVID-19 related issues, on health. Interactions between deprivation and the mediators were also tested.
Results: Deprived individuals were more likely to have job loss/instability, less reserves, less utilisation and more concerns of PPE. After adjustments for potential confounders, being deprived was associated with having greater risk of low reserve of face masks, being worried about the disease and job loss/instability. Being deprived had worse physical (β=−0.154, p<0.001) and mental health (β=−0.211, p<0.001) and had an indirect effect on mental health via worry and job loss/instability (total indirect effect: β=−0.027, p=0.017; proportion being mediated=11.46%). In addition, significant interaction between deprivation and change of economic activity status was observed on mental health-related quality of life.
Conclusion: Even if the COVID-19 incidence was relatively low, part of the observed health inequality can be explained by people’s concerns over livelihood and economic activity, which were affected by the containment measures. We should look beyond the incidence to address COVID-19 related health inequalities
Hypoxia causes transgenerational impairments in reproduction of fish
published_or_final_versio
Effect of cyclosporine on hepatic cytosolic estrogen and androgen receptor levels before and after partial hepatectomy
Estrogen and androgen receptors within the liver have been reported to modulate the hepatic regenerative response to partial hepatectomy. Moreover, cyclosporine has several untoward effects that might occur as a consequence of alterations in sex hormone activity. To evaluate these questions the following experiments were performed. Estrogen and androgen receptors in cytosol were quantitated in livers of rats treated with cyclosporine or olive oil vehicle before and after partial hepatectomy or a sham operation. Ornithine decarboxylase activity and thymidine kinase activity were assessed as indices of hepatic regeneration. Preoperative levels of estrogen receptor activity in the hepatic cytosol were significantly greater in rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to vehicle treated controls (P<0.01). In contrast, preoperative levels of androgen receptor activity in the cyclosporine-treated and vehicle-treated animals were similar. Following partial hepatectomy, a reduction in the activity of both sex hormone receptors in the hepatic cytosol was observed and was compatible with results described previously in normal animals. Unexpectedly the preoperative levels of ornithine decarboxylase (P<0.01) and thymidine kinase activity (P<0.01) were significantly greater in the rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to the vehicle treated controls. As expected, ornithine decarboxylase activity (at 6 hr) and thymidine kinase activity (at 24 hr) rose and peaked in response to a partial hepatectomy but were significantly greater (P<0.05) in the rats treated with cyclosporine as compared to the vehicle. These results show that cyclosporine treatment causes an increase in the hepatic content of estrogen receptor activity that is associated with an enhanced potential for a regenerative response. These effects of cyclosporine treatment on the sex hormone receptor levels in liver may explain the mechanisms responsible for some of the untoward effects of treatment with this agent. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation
Resonances in and
A partial wave analysis is presented of and
from a sample of 58M events in the BES II detector. The
is observed clearly in both sets of data, and parameters of the
Flatt\' e formula are determined accurately: (stat)
(syst) MeV/c, MeV/c, . The data also exhibit a strong peak
centred at MeV/c. It may be fitted with and a
dominant signal made from interfering with a smaller
component. There is evidence that the signal is
resonant, from interference with . There is also a state in with MeV/c and
MeV/c; spin 0 is preferred over spin 2. This state, , is
distinct from . The data contain a strong peak due to
. A shoulder on its upper side may be fitted by interference
between and .Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Submitted to Phys. Lett.
Measurement of the Branching Fraction of J/psi --> pi+ pi- pi0
Using 58 million J/psi and 14 million psi' decays obtained by the BESII
experiment, the branching fraction of J/psi --> pi+ pi- pi0 is determined. The
result is (2.10+/-0.12)X10^{-2}, which is significantly higher than previous
measurements.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, RevTex
Search for K_S K_L in psi'' decays
K_S K_L from psi'' decays is searched for using the psi'' data collected by
BESII at BEPC, the upper limit of the branching fraction is determined to be
B(psi''--> K_S K_L) < 2.1\times 10^{-4} at 90% C. L. The measurement is
compared with the prediction of the S- and D-wave mixing model of the
charmonia, based on the measurements of the branching fractions of J/psi-->K_S
K_L and psi'-->K_S K_L.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
First observation of psi(2S)-->K_S K_L
The decay psi(2S)-->K_S K_L is observed for the first time using psi(2S) data
collected with the Beijing Spectrometer (BESII) at the Beijing Electron
Positron Collider (BEPC); the branching ratio is determined to be
B(psi(2S)-->K_S K_L) = (5.24\pm 0.47 \pm 0.48)\times 10^{-5}. Compared with
J/psi-->K_S K_L, the psi(2S) branching ratio is enhanced relative to the
prediction of the perturbative QCD ``12%'' rule. The result, together with the
branching ratios of psi(2S) decays to other pseudoscalar meson pairs
(\pi^+\pi^- and K^+K^-), is used to investigate the relative phase between the
three-gluon and the one-photon annihilation amplitudes of psi(2S) decays.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
First Measurements of eta_c Decaying into K^+K^-2(pi^+pi^-) and 3(pi^+pi^-)
The decays of eta_c to K^+K^-2(pi^+pi^-) and 3(pi^+pi^-) are observed for the
first time using a sample of 5.8X10^7 J/\psi events collected by the BESII
detector. The product branching fractions are determined to be B(J/\psi-->gamma
eta_c)*B(eta_c-->K^+K^-pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-)=(1.21+-0.32+-
0.23)X10^{-4}, and (J/\psi-->gamma eta_c)*
B(eta_c-->pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-)= (2.59+-0.32+-0.48)X10^{-4}. The upper
limit for eta_c-->phi pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^- is also obtained as B(J/\psi-->gamma
eta_c)*B(eta_c--> phi pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^-)< 6.03 X10^{-5} at the 90% confidence
level.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Study of psi(2S) decays to X J/psi
Using J/psi -> mu^+ mu^- decays from a sample of approximately 4 million
psi(2S) events collected with the BESI detector, the branching fractions of
psi(2S) -> eta J/psi, pi^0 pi^0 J/psi, and anything J/psi normalized to that of
psi(2S) -> pi^+ pi^- J/psi are measured. The results are B(psi(2S) -> eta
J/psi)/B(psi(2S) -> pi^+ pi^- J/psi) = 0.098 \pm 0.005 \pm 0.010, B(psi(2S) ->
pi^0 pi^0 J/psi)/B(psi(2S) -> pi^+ pi^- J/psi) = 0.570 \pm 0.009 \pm 0.026, and
B(psi(2S) -> anything J/psi)/B(psi(2S) -> pi^+ pi^- J/psi) = 1.867 \pm 0.026
\pm 0.055.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure
No Evidence of Persisting Unrepaired Nuclear DNA Single Strand Breaks in Distinct Types of Cells in the Brain, Kidney, and Liver of Adult Mice after Continuous Eight-Week 50 Hz Magnetic Field Exposure with Flux Density of 0.1 mT or 1.0 mT
BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized in the literature that exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (50 or 60 Hz) may lead to human health effects such as childhood leukemia or brain tumors. In a previous study investigating multiple types of cells from brain and kidney of the mouse (Acta Neuropathologica 2004; 107: 257-264), we found increased unrepaired nuclear DNA single strand breaks (nDNA SSB) only in epithelial cells of the choroid plexus in the brain using autoradiographic methods after a continuous eight-week 50 Hz magnetic field (MF) exposure of adult mice with flux density of 1.5 mT. METHODS: In the present study we tested the hypothesis that MF exposure with lower flux densities (0.1 mT, i.e., the actual exposure limit for the population in most European countries, and 1.0 mT) shows similar results to those in the previous study. Experiments and data analysis were carried out in a similar way as in our previous study. RESULTS: Continuous eight-week 50 Hz MF exposure with 0.1 mT or 1.0 mT did not result in increased persisting unrepaired nDNA SSB in distinct types of cells in the brain, kidney, and liver of adult mice. MF exposure with 1.0 mT led to reduced unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in epithelial cells in the choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle in the brain (EC-CP) and epithelial cells of the cortical collecting duct in the kidney, as well as to reduced mtDNA synthesis in neurons of the caudate nucleus in the brain and in EC-CP. CONCLUSION: No evidence was found for increased persisting unrepaired nDNA SSB in distinct types of cells in the brain, kidney, and liver of adult mice after continuous eight-week 50 Hz magnetic field exposure with flux density of 0.1 mT or 1.0 mT
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