Interrelationships and Causal Linkages Between Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors

The purpose of this study was to examine interrelationship and causal linkages between socioeconomic and environmental variables in OECD countries. To aid this study, a LISREL modelling tool was implemented. The findings of the study indicated that gross public debt increases with deterioration in air quality in North America, Asia and the Pacific, Central, Eastern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe. Energy consumption contributes to deterioration of air quality in all regions. Economic growth, measured by growth in GDP, accelerates deterioration of air quality in all regions except in Southern and Eastern regions of Western Europe. Increases in energy consumption and economic growth contribute to declines in gross public debt in most OECD countries. Spending for environmental protection contributes to reduced emission of CO2 in all regions of Europe except Asia/Pacific and North America. Expenditure for environmental protection causes increases in public debt in all regions. However, environmental expenditure exerts positive impact on economic growth in Asia/Pacific and Central Europe. Spending in environmental protection is associated with reduction in emissions of most pollutants except in North America and Asia/Pacific and Southern regions of Western Europe. The findings also indicated that in regions where emission of SO2 is the greatest, harvesting of forests increased while fish catches declined. Emission of NOx is associated with increases in agricultural production in most regions, except in Southern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe and North America. Emission of VOCs contributed to reduction in agricultural production in most regions except in Central regions of Western Europe. In summary, economic growth tends to significantly contribute to energy consumption and deterioration of air quality. However, the later can be improved through aggressive spending in environmental protection. Therefore, it is imperative to identify a strategy that would balance economic growth and energy consumption with improved environmental qualityInterrelationship; causal linkages; socioeconomic; environmental; OECD; LISREL; modeling; air quality; energy consumption; environmental protection; emission; SO2; NOx; VOCs; economic growth; human health

Interrelationships and Causal Linkages Between Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors

The purpose of this study was to examine interrelationship and causal linkages between socioeconomic and environmental variables in OECD countries. To aid this study, a LISREL modelling tool was implemented. The findings of the study indicated that gross public debt increases with deterioration in air quality in North America, Asia and the Pacific, Central, Eastern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe. Energy consumption contributes to deterioration of air quality in all regions. Economic growth, measured by growth in GDP, accelerates deterioration of air quality in all regions except in Southern and Eastern regions of Western Europe. Increases in energy consumption and economic growth contribute to declines in gross public debt in most OECD countries. Spending for environmental protection contributes to reduced emission of CO2 in all regions of Europe except Asia/Pacific and North America. Expenditure for environmental protection causes increases in public debt in all regions. However, environmental expenditure exerts positive impact on economic growth in Asia/Pacific and Central Europe. Spending in environmental protection is associated with reduction in emissions of most pollutants except in North America and Asia/Pacific and Southern regions of Western Europe. The findings also indicated that in regions where emission of SO2 is the greatest, harvesting of forests increased while fish catches declined. Emission of NOx is associated with increases in agricultural production in most regions, except in Southern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe and North America. Emission of VOCs contributed to reduction in agricultural production in most regions except in Central regions of Western Europe. In summary, economic growth tends to significantly contribute to energy consumption and deterioration of air quality. However, the later can be improved through aggressive spending in environmental protection. Therefore, it is imperative to identify a strategy that would balance economic growth and energy consumption with improved environmental qualit

Interrelationships and Causal Linkages Between Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors

The purpose of this study was to examine interrelationship and causal linkages between socioeconomic and environmental variables in OECD countries. To aid this study, a LISREL modelling tool was implemented. The findings of the study indicated that gross public debt increases with deterioration in air quality in North America, Asia and the Pacific, Central, Eastern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe. Energy consumption contributes to deterioration of air quality in all regions. Economic growth, measured by growth in GDP, accelerates deterioration of air quality in all regions except in Southern and Eastern regions of Western Europe. Increases in energy consumption and economic growth contribute to declines in gross public debt in most OECD countries. Spending for environmental protection contributes to reduced emission of CO2 in all regions of Europe except Asia/Pacific and North America. Expenditure for environmental protection causes increases in public debt in all regions. However, environmental expenditure exerts positive impact on economic growth in Asia/Pacific and Central Europe. Spending in environmental protection is associated with reduction in emissions of most pollutants except in North America and Asia/Pacific and Southern regions of Western Europe. The findings also indicated that in regions where emission of SO2 is the greatest, harvesting of forests increased while fish catches declined. Emission of NOx is associated with increases in agricultural production in most regions, except in Southern and Atlantic regions of Western Europe and North America. Emission of VOCs contributed to reduction in agricultural production in most regions except in Central regions of Western Europe. In summary, economic growth tends to significantly contribute to energy consumption and deterioration of air quality. However, the later can be improved through aggressive spending in environmental protection. Therefore, it is imperative to identify a strategy that would balance economic growth and energy consumption with improved environmental qualit

Dog breeds and conformations predisposed to osteosarcoma in the UK: a VetCompass study

Background: Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone neoplasia that has high welfare consequences for affected dogs. Awareness of breed and canine conformational risk factors for osteosarcoma can assist with earlier diagnosis and improved clinical management. Study of osteosarcoma in dogs also offers translational value for humans. Anonymised clinical data within VetCompass on dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK were searched for osteosarcoma cases. Descriptive statistics reported overall and breed-specific prevalence. Risk factor analysis used multivariable logistic regression modelling. Results: From 905,552 study dogs, 331 osteosarcoma cases were confirmed yielding a one-year period prevalence of 0.037% (95% CI: 0.033-0.041). Breeds with the highest annual prevalence were the Scottish Deerhound (3.28%, 95% CI 0.90-8.18), Leonberger (1.48%, 95% CI 0.41- 3.75), Great Dane (0.87%, 95% CI 0.43- 1.55) and Rottweiler (0.84%, 95% CI 0.64-1.07). The median age at diagnosis was 9.64 years (IQR: 7.97-11.41). Following multivariable modelling, 11 breeds showed increased odds of osteosarcoma compared with crossbred dogs. Breeds with the highest odds included Scottish Deerhound (OR 118.40, 95% CI 41.12-340.95), Leonberger (OR 55.79, 95% CI 19.68-158.15), Great Dane (OR 34.24, 95% CI 17.81-65.83) and Rottweiler (OR 26.67, 95% CI 18.57-38.29). Compared with breeds with mesocephalic skull conformation, breeds with dolichocephalic skull conformation (OR 2.72, 95% CI 2.06-3.58) had increased odds while breeds with brachycephalic skull conformation showed reduced odds (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.32-0.80). Chondrodystrophic breeds had 0.10 times the odds (95% CI 0.06-0.15) compared with non-chondrodystrophic breeds. Increasing adult bodyweight was associated with increasing odds of osteosarcoma. Conclusions: The current study cements the concept that breed, bodyweight and longer leg or longer skull length are all strong risk factors for osteosarcoma in dogs. With this awareness, veterinarians can update their clinical suspicion and judgement, breeders can select towards lower-risk animals, and researchers can robustly define more useful study populations for fundamental and translational bioscience

Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial

Background Previous evidence indicates that adjuvant, short-course androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improves metastasis-free survival when given with primary radiotherapy for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the value of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy is unclear. Methods RADICALS-HD was an international randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of ADT used in combination with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to radiotherapy alone (no ADT) or radiotherapy with 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT), using monthly subcutaneous gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue injections, daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as distant metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. Standard survival analysis methods were used, accounting for randomisation stratification factors. The trial had 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 80% to 86% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·67). Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00541047. Findings Between Nov 22, 2007, and June 29, 2015, 1480 patients (median age 66 years [IQR 61–69]) were randomly assigned to receive no ADT (n=737) or short-course ADT (n=743) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 121 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 9·0 years (IQR 7·1–10·1), metastasis-free survival events were reported for 268 participants (142 in the no ADT group and 126 in the short-course ADT group; HR 0·886 [95% CI 0·688–1·140], p=0·35). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 79·2% (95% CI 75·4–82·5) in the no ADT group and 80·4% (76·6–83·6) in the short-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 121 (17%) of 737 participants in the no ADT group and 100 (14%) of 743 in the short-course ADT group (p=0·15), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Metastatic disease is uncommon following postoperative bed radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. Adding 6 months of ADT to this radiotherapy did not improve metastasis-free survival compared with no ADT. These findings do not support the use of short-course ADT with postoperative radiotherapy in this patient population

Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial

Background Previous evidence supports androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with primary radiotherapy as initial treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the use and optimal duration of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy remains uncertain. Methods RADICALS-HD was a randomised controlled trial of ADT duration within the RADICALS protocol. Here, we report on the comparison of short-course versus long-course ADT. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after previous radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to add 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT) or 24 months of ADT (long-course ADT) to radiotherapy, using subcutaneous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (monthly in the short-course ADT group and 3-monthly in the long-course ADT group), daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. The comparison had more than 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 75% to 81% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·72). Standard time-to-event analyses were used. Analyses followed intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00541047 . Findings Between Jan 30, 2008, and July 7, 2015, 1523 patients (median age 65 years, IQR 60–69) were randomly assigned to receive short-course ADT (n=761) or long-course ADT (n=762) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 138 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 8·9 years (7·0–10·0), 313 metastasis-free survival events were reported overall (174 in the short-course ADT group and 139 in the long-course ADT group; HR 0·773 [95% CI 0·612–0·975]; p=0·029). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 71·9% (95% CI 67·6–75·7) in the short-course ADT group and 78·1% (74·2–81·5) in the long-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 105 (14%) of 753 participants in the short-course ADT group and 142 (19%) of 757 participants in the long-course ADT group (p=0·025), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Compared with adding 6 months of ADT, adding 24 months of ADT improved metastasis-free survival in people receiving postoperative radiotherapy. For individuals who can accept the additional duration of adverse effects, long-course ADT should be offered with postoperative radiotherapy. Funding Cancer Research UK, UK Research and Innovation (formerly Medical Research Council), and Canadian Cancer Society