Displaying publications 81 - 100 of 369 in total

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  1. Marine debris: A review of impacts and global initiatives
    Agamuthu P, Mehran SB, Norkhairah A, Norkhairiyah A
    Waste Manag Res, 2019 Oct;37(10):987-1002.
    PMID: 31084415 DOI: 10.1177/0734242X19845041
    Marine debris, defined as any persistent manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment, has been highlighted as a contaminant of global environmental and economic concern. The five main categories of marine debris comprise of plastic, paper, metal, textile, glass and rubber. Plastics is recognised as the major constituent of marine debris, representing between 50% and 90% of the total marine debris found globally. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tonnes of consumer plastics end up in the world oceans annually, resulting in the presence of more than 100 million particles of macroplastics in only 12 regional seas worldwide, and with 51 trillion particles of microplastic floating on the ocean surface globally. The impacts of marine debris can be branched out into three categories; injury to or death of marine organisms, harm to marine environment and effects on human health and economy. Marine mammals often accidentally ingest marine debris because of its appearance that can easily be mistaken as food. Moreover, floating plastics may act as vehicles for chemicals and/or environmental contaminants, which may be absorbed on to their surface during their use and permanence into the environment. Additionally, floating plastics is a potential vector for the introduction of invasive species that get attached to it, into the marine environment. In addition, human beings are not excluded from the impact of marine debris as they become exposed to microplastics through seafood consumption. Moreover, landscape degradation owing to debris accumulation is an eyesore and aesthetically unpleasant, thus resulting in decreased tourism and subsequent income loss. There are a wide range of initiatives that have been taken to tackle the issue of marine debris. They may involve manual removal of marine debris from coastal and aquatic environment in form of programmes and projects organised, such as beach clean-ups by scientific communities, non-governmental organizations and the removal of marine litter from Europe's four regional seas, respectively. Other initiatives focus on assessment, reduction, prevention and management of marine debris under the umbrella of international (the United Nations Environment Programme/Mediterranean Action Plan, the Oslo/Paris Convention) and regional organisations - that is, the Helsinki Commission. There are also a number of international conventions and national regulations that encourage mitigation and management of marine debris. However, it is argued that these initiatives are short-term unsustainable solutions and the long-term sustainable solution would be adoption of circular economy. Similarly, four of the sustainable developmental goals have targets that promote mitigation of marine debris by efficient waste management and practice of 3R. As evident by the Ad Hoc Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics meeting, tackling the marine debris crisis is not a straightforward, one-size-fits-all solution, but rather an integrated and continuous effort required at local, regional and global level.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  2. Indications of Helicobacter pylori Eradication Treatment and Its Influence on Prescriptions and Effectiveness (Hp-EuReg)
    Martínez-Domínguez SJ, Nyssen OP, Lanas Á, Alfaro E, Jonaitis L, Mahmudov U, et al.
    Helicobacter, 2024;29(4):e13111.
    PMID: 39001621 DOI: 10.1111/hel.13111
    BACKGROUND: The influence of indications for Helicobacter pylori investigation on prescriptions and effectiveness is unknown. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of indications for H. pylori investigation on prescriptions, effectiveness, compliance, and tolerance.

    METHODS: International, prospective, non-interventional registry of the management of H. pylori infection by European gastroenterologists (Hp-EuReg). Treatment-näive patients registered from 2013 to 2023 at e-CRF AEG-REDCap were analyzed. The effectiveness was assessed by modified intention-to-treat analysis.

    RESULTS: Overall, 53,636 treatment-naïve cases from 34 countries were included. Most frequent indications were: dyspepsia with normal endoscopy (49%), non-investigated dyspepsia (20%), duodenal ulcer (11%), gastric ulcer (7.7%), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (2.6%). Therapy effectiveness varied by indication: duodenal ulcer (91%), gastric ulcer (90%), preneoplastic lesions (90%), dyspepsia with normal endoscopy (89%), GERD (88%), and non-investigated dyspepsia (87%). Bismuth-metronidazole-tetracycline and clarithromycin-amoxicillin-bismuth quadruple therapies achieved 90% effectiveness in all indications except GERD. Concomitant clarithromycin-amoxicillin-tinidazole/metronidazole reached 90% cure rates except in patients with non-investigated dyspepsia; whereas sequential clarithromycin-amoxicillin-tinidazole/metronidazole proved optimal (≥90%) in patients with gastric ulcer only. Adverse events were higher in patients treated for dyspepsia with normal endoscopy and duodenal ulcer compared with the remaining indications (23% and 28%, p 

    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  3. Fulltext Sleep Quality and Physical Activity as Predictors of Mental Wellbeing Variance in Older Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown: ECLB COVID-19 International Online Survey
    Trabelsi K, Ammar A, Masmoudi L, Boukhris O, Chtourou H, Bouaziz B, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Apr 19;18(8).
    PMID: 33921852 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084329
    BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 lockdown could engender disruption to lifestyle behaviors, thus impairing mental wellbeing in the general population. This study investigated whether sociodemographic variables, changes in physical activity, and sleep quality from pre- to during lockdown were predictors of change in mental wellbeing in quarantined older adults.

    METHODS: A 12-week international online survey was launched in 14 languages on 6 April 2020. Forty-one research institutions from Europe, Western-Asia, North-Africa, and the Americas, promoted the survey. The survey was presented in a differential format with questions related to responses "pre" and "during" the lockdown period. Participants responded to the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.

    RESULTS: Replies from older adults (aged >55 years, n = 517), mainly from Europe (50.1%), Western-Asia (6.8%), America (30%), and North-Africa (9.3%) were analyzed. The COVID-19 lockdown led to significantly decreased mental wellbeing, sleep quality, and total physical activity energy expenditure levels (all p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that the change in total PSQI score and total physical activity energy expenditure (F(2, 514) = 66.41 p < 0.001) were significant predictors of the decrease in mental wellbeing from pre- to during lockdown (p < 0.001, R2: 0.20).

    CONCLUSION: COVID-19 lockdown deleteriously affected physical activity and sleep patterns. Furthermore, change in the total PSQI score and total physical activity energy expenditure were significant predictors for the decrease in mental wellbeing.

    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  4. Fulltext Arteriovenous Malformation Hemorrhage in Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    Che Yusof R, Norhayati MN, Mohd Azman Y
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Oct 13;19(20).
    PMID: 36293763 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013183
    Hemorrhage of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare condition during pregnancy. This study was proposed to pool the proportion of AVM hemorrhage per pregnancy. A systematic review and meta-analysis with three databases were performed to review the studies published until April 2022. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used for risk assessment of data quality. The meta-analysis was conducted by a generic inverse variance of double arcsine transformation with a random model using Stata software. Twelve studies were included in this review. The pooled proportion of AVM hemorrhage per pregnancy was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.26). The subgroup analyses were carried out based on world regions and study designs, and the study duration with the highest proportion of each subgroup was Europe [0.35 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.79)], with retrospective review [0.18 (95% CI: 007, 0.32)] and 10 to 20 years of study duration [0.37 (95% CI: 0.06, 0.77)]. The AVM hemorrhage per pregnancy in this review was considered low. However, the conclusion must be carefully interpreted since this review had a small study limitation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  5. A review of heavy metals pollution in riverine sediment from various Asian and European countries: Distribution, sources, and environmental risk
    Zeb M, Khan K, Younas M, Farooqi A, Cao X, Kavil YN, et al.
    Mar Pollut Bull, 2024 Sep;206:116775.
    PMID: 39121593 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116775
    Riverine sediments are important reservoirs of heavy metals, representing both historical and contemporary anthropogenic activity within the watershed. This review has been conducted to examine the distribution of heavy metals in the surface sediment of 52 riverine systems from various Asian and European countries, as well as to determine their sources and environmental risks. The results revealed significant variability in heavy metal contamination in the world's riverine systems, with certain hotspots exhibiting concentrations that exceeded the permissible limits set by environmental quality standards. Among the studied countries, India has the highest levels of chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) contamination in its riverine systems, followed by Iran > Turkey > Spain > Vietnam > Pakistan > Malaysia > Taiwan > China > Nigeria > Bangladesh > Japan. Heavy metal pollution in the world's riverine systems was quantified using pollution evaluation indices. The Contamination Factor (CF) revealed moderate contamination (1 ≤ CF  Pakistan > Bangladesh > China > Taiwan > Japan and Iron, while the potential risks of ∑non-carcinogenic Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd, Co, Zn, and Mn for exposed human children and adults through ingestion and dermal contact were significantly influenced between acceptable to high risk, necessitating special attention from pollution control agencies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  6. Fulltext The Current Situation Regarding Long-Acting Insulin Analogues Including Biosimilars Among African, Asian, European, and South American Countries; Findings and Implications for the Future
    Godman B, Haque M, Leong T, Allocati E, Kumar S, Islam S, et al.
    Front Public Health, 2021;9:671961.
    PMID: 34249838 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.671961
    Background: Diabetes mellitus rates continue to rise, which coupled with increasing costs of associated complications has appreciably increased global expenditure in recent years. The risk of complications are enhanced by poor glycaemic control including hypoglycaemia. Long-acting insulin analogues were developed to reduce hypoglycaemia and improve adherence. Their considerably higher costs though have impacted their funding and use. Biosimilars can help reduce medicine costs. However, their introduction has been affected by a number of factors. These include the originator company dropping its price as well as promoting patented higher strength 300 IU/ml insulin glargine. There can also be concerns with different devices between the manufacturers. Objective: To assess current utilisation rates for insulins, especially long-acting insulin analogues, and the rationale for patterns seen, across multiple countries to inform strategies to enhance future utilisation of long-acting insulin analogue biosimilars to benefit all key stakeholders. Our approach: Multiple approaches including assessing the utilisation, expenditure and prices of insulins, including biosimilar insulin glargine, across multiple continents and countries. Results: There was considerable variation in the use of long-acting insulin analogues as a percentage of all insulins prescribed and dispensed across countries and continents. This ranged from limited use of long-acting insulin analogues among African countries compared to routine funding and use across Europe in view of their perceived benefits. Increasing use was also seen among Asian countries including Bangladesh and India for similar reasons. However, concerns with costs and value limited their use across Africa, Brazil and Pakistan. There was though limited use of biosimilar insulin glargine 100 IU/ml compared with other recent biosimilars especially among European countries and Korea. This was principally driven by small price differences in reality between the originator and biosimilars coupled with increasing use of the patented 300 IU/ml formulation. A number of activities were identified to enhance future biosimilar use. These included only reimbursing biosimilar long-acting insulin analogues, introducing prescribing targets and increasing competition among manufacturers including stimulating local production. Conclusions: There are concerns with the availability and use of insulin glargine biosimilars despite lower costs. This can be addressed by multiple activities.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe
  7. Fulltext Fruit and vegetable consumption in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma in a multi-centre, European cohort study
    Bamia C, Lagiou P, Jenab M, Aleksandrova K, Fedirko V, Trichopoulos D, et al.
    Br. J. Cancer, 2015 Mar 31;112(7):1273-82.
    PMID: 25742480 DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2014.654
    BACKGROUND: Vegetable and/or fruit intakes in association with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk have been investigated in case-control studies conducted in specific European countries and cohort studies conducted in Asia, with inconclusive results. No multi-centre European cohort has investigated the indicated associations.

    METHODS: In 486,799 men/women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition, we identified 201 HCC cases after 11 years median follow-up. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for HCC incidence for sex-specific quintiles and per 100 g d(-1) increments of vegetable/fruit intakes.

    RESULTS: Higher vegetable intake was associated with a statistically significant, monotonic reduction of HCC risk: HR (100 g d(-1) increment): 0.83; 95% CI: 0.71-0.98. This association was consistent in sensitivity analyses with no apparent heterogeneity across strata of HCC risk factors. Fruit intake was not associated with HCC incidence: HR (100 g d(-1) increment): 1.01; 95% CI: 0.92-1.11.

    CONCLUSIONS: Vegetable, but not fruit, intake is associated with lower HCC risk with no evidence for heterogeneity of this association in strata of important HCC risk factors. Mechanistic studies should clarify pathways underlying this association. Given that HCC prognosis is poor and that vegetables are practically universally accessible, our results may be important, especially for those at high risk for the disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe; Europe/epidemiology
  8. Fulltext Time perspective as a predictor of smoking status: findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Surveys in Scotland, France, Germany, China, and Malaysia
    Sansone G, Fong GT, Hall PA, Guignard R, Beck F, Mons U, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2013;13:346.
    PMID: 23587205 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-346
    Prior studies have demonstrated that time perspective-the propensity to consider short-versus long-term consequences of one's actions-is a potentially important predictor of health-related behaviors, including smoking. However, most prior studies have been conducted within single high-income countries. The aim of this study was to examine whether time perspective was associated with the likelihood of being a smoker or non-smoker across five countries that vary in smoking behavior and strength of tobacco control policies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  9. A contemporary review of seafood allergy
    Hajeb P, Selamat J
    Clin Rev Allergy Immunol, 2012 Jun;42(3):365-85.
    PMID: 22045217 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-011-8284-9
    Seafood is common item in the world diet; Asian countries have the highest rates of fish consumption in the world, which is higher than world average. Several studies have been conducted on the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of seafood allergy in different countries, and some of the fish and seafood allergens unique to those regions have been characterized. Review on published data showed that seafood allergy is very ubiquitous in some regions of the world. Fish and shellfish are the most common seafood that cause adverse allergic reactions among nations; the symptoms ranged from oral allergy syndromes to urticaria and anaphylaxis. The major identified allergens are parvalbumin in fish and tropomyosin in shellfish. Nevertheless, such studies are lacking from some regions with high fish and seafood consumption. Furthermore, the published data are mostly from small groups of populations, which large-scale epidemiological studies need to be performed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  10. [Encephalomyelitis caused by enterovirus type 71 in children]
    Koroleva GA, Lukashev AN, Khudiakova LV, Mustafina AN, Lashkevich VA
    Vopr. Virusol., 2010 Nov-Dec;55(6):4-10.
    PMID: 21381332
    Enterovirus type 71 (EV71) is a causative agent of large outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in Europe (Bulgaria, 1975; Hungary, 1978) and South-East Asia (Malaysia, 1977; Taiwan, 1998; Singapore, 2000-2007; People's Republic of China, 2007-2009). HFMD afflicted children less than 10 years of age and resulted in recovery within 3-7 days. In a small percentage of infants (aged 6 months to 3 years), HFMD was accompanied by acute neurological complications, such as serous meningitis, poliomyelitis-like syndrome (extremity pareses and muscle paralyses); brain stem encephalitis (myoclonic jerks, tremor, lethargy, swallowing and speech disorders, cardiopulmonary failure, pulmonary edema, shock, coma, death). X-ray study revealed pulmonary hemorrhages and edema. Mortality rates were as high as 82-94% in severe cases. Incapacitating motor, respiratory, and psychoemotional disorders persisted in some surviving children. Pathomorphologically, patients with central nervous system disease and cardiopulmonary failure were found to have acute inflammation of the grey matter of the brain stem (medulla oblongata, pons) and spinal cord. Inflammatory changes in the lung and myocardial tissues were negligible or absent. Fatal pulmonary edema was neurogenic in origin and resulted from damage to the respiratory and vasomotor centers of the brain stem.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  11. Fulltext Absence of Melaka-virus in European children with respiratory disease
    Schildgen V, Rüngeler E, Tillmann R, Schildgen O
    J Clin Virol, 2008 Jul;42(3):295-6.
    PMID: 18359270 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2008.02.003
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  12. Outbreak news. Avian influenza--spread of the virus to new countries
    Wkly. Epidemiol. Rec., 2006 Feb 24;81(8):69-70.
    PMID: 16671220
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  13. Ethnic variability in dementia: results from Singapore
    Ampil ER, Fook-Chong S, Sodagar SN, Chen CP, Auchus AP
    Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord, 2005 Oct-Dec;19(4):184-5.
    PMID: 16327344
    The diversity of Singapore's population affords a unique opportunity to study ethnic variability in the dementias. We sought to explore the effects of ethnicity on the frequency of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia in a large Singaporean sample. A total of 357 patients were studied: 190 with vascular dementia and 167 with Alzheimer disease. Vascular dementia was more common among Chinese and Malays, whereas Alzheimer disease was more common in Indians and Eurasians. Factors that may contribute to the observed ethnic variability in dementia etiologies include differential frequency of the ApoE-e4 allele, frequency of vascular risk factors, lifestyle choices, and cultural attitudes toward health care utilization.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/ethnology
  14. Fulltext The Association between Glyceraldehyde-Derived Advanced Glycation End-Products and Colorectal Cancer Risk
    Kong SY, Takeuchi M, Hyogo H, McKeown-Eyssen G, Yamagishi S, Chayama K, et al.
    Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2015 Dec;24(12):1855-63.
    PMID: 26404963 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0422
    BACKGROUND: A large proportion of colorectal cancers are thought to be associated with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle exposures, particularly energy excess, obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperglycemia. It has been suggested that these processes stimulate the production of toxic reactive carbonyls from sugars such as glyceraldehyde. Glyceraldehyde contributes to the production of a group of compounds known as glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end-products (glycer-AGEs), which may promote colorectal cancer through their proinflammatory and pro-oxidative properties. The objective of this study nested within a prospective cohort was to explore the association of circulating glycer-AGEs with risk of colorectal cancer.

    METHODS: A total of 1,055 colorectal cancer cases (colon n = 659; rectal n = 396) were matchced (1:1) to control subjects. Circulating glycer-AGEs were measured by a competitive ELISA. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate ORs and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusting for potential confounding factors, including smoking, alcohol, physical activity, body mass index, and diabetes status.

    RESULTS: Elevated glycer-AGEs levels were not associated with colorectal cancer risk (highest vs. lowest quartile, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.82-1.49). Subgroup analyses showed possible divergence by anatomical subsites (OR for colon cancer, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.57-1.22; OR for rectal cancer, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.14-3.19; Pheterogeneity = 0.14).

    CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, circulating glycer-AGEs were not associated with risk of colon cancer, but showed a positive association with the risk of rectal cancer.

    IMPACT: Further research is needed to clarify the role of toxic products of carbohydrate metabolism and energy excess in colorectal cancer development.

    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  15. Analyzing the relationships between travel mode indicators and the number of passenger transport fatalities at the city level
    Asadi-Shekari Z, Moeinaddini M, Sultan Z, Shah MZ, Hamzah A
    Traffic Inj Prev, 2016 08 17;17(6):650-5.
    PMID: 26890058 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2015.1136739
    OBJECTIVE: A number of efforts have been conducted on travel behavior and transport fatalities at the neighborhood or street level, and they have identified different factors such as roadway characteristics, personal indicators, and design indicators related to transport safety. However, only a limited number of studies have considered the relationship between travel behavior indicators and the number of transport fatalities at the city level. Therefore, this study explores this relationship and how to fill the mentioned gap in current knowledge.

    METHOD: A generalized linear model (GLM) estimates the relationships between different travel mode indicators (e.g., length of motorway per inhabitants, number of motorcycles per inhabitant, percentage of daily trips on foot and by bicycle, percentage of daily trips by public transport) and the number of passenger transport fatalities. Because this city-level model is developed using data sets from different cities all over the world, the impacts of gross domestic product (GDP) are also included in the model.

    CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results imply that the percentage of daily trips by public transport, the percentage of daily trips on foot and by bicycle, and the GDP per inhabitant have negative relationships with the number of passenger transport fatalities, whereas motorway length and the number of motorcycles have positive relationships with the number of passenger transport fatalities.

    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  16. Within-family discussion on harmful effects of smoking and intention to initiate smoking among European adolescents
    Masood M, Masood Y, Md Sabri BA, Younis LT, Yusof N, Reidpath D, et al.
    J Addict Med, 2015 Jul-Aug;9(4):261-5.
    PMID: 26241085 DOI: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000127
    OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to determine the impact of discussion within family about the harmful effects of smoking on intention to initiate smoking in the long term among nonsmoking adolescents.
    METHODS: Data from Global Youth Tobacco Survey for 25 European countries were used. The outcomes of interest were, therefore, the intention to initiate smoking 1 and 5 years after the survey. Discussion within family about harmful effect of smoking was the main predictor with age, sex, and smoking status of parents, friends, and classmates as covariates. The association between predictors and outcomes was assessed through multiple regression analysis.
    RESULTS: A total of 118,703 nonsmoking adolescents were included. Within-family discussion significantly reduced the odds of intention to initiate smoking 1 and 5 years later. Intention to initiate smoking also was significantly associated with the smoking status of friends, classmates, and parents, except for father's smoking status, which was not associated with intention to initiate 1 year later.
    CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that within-family discussion about the harmful effects of smoking may contribute to reduce the intention to start smoking among adolescents in the long term. Such a discussion was associated with reduced intention to smoke even when adjusting for parent/friend and classmate smoking.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/ethnology
  17. [Gastroenteritis due to Plesiomonas shigelloides--rare cases in the Western world]
    Knebel U, Sloot N, Eikenberg M, Borsdorf H, Höffler U, Riemann JF
    Med. Klin. (Munich), 2001 Feb 15;96(2):109-13.
    PMID: 11253281
    BACKGROUND: Plesiomonas shigelloides is a common pathogen in tropical regions, whereas it is rarely isolated in temperate climates. It is most often found in surface water and fish. During the last 10 years it was found to cause gastroenteritis 6 times in Ludwigshafen. Not all of these patients reported a trip to foreign countries.

    CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old male patient was hospitalized after a trip to Malaysia with strong greenish watery diarrhea and chills. On physical examination we saw a dehydrated patient in severely reduced general condition. The stool frequency was 30/d. The laboratory examinations only showed elevated parameters of inflammation. Plesiomonas shigelloides was cultivated in the stool cultures. With appropriate substitution of fluid and electrolytes, and antidiarrheal therapy the patient resumed a normal diet without any complications. Three days later his bowel movements were normal and his general condition was greatly improved. We withheld antibiotic therapy because of the noncomplicated course of illness.

    CONCLUSION: In Germany infections with Plesiomonas shigelloides are rare, an increase is observed because of increasing tourism to tropical regions. The course of infection is sometimes asymptomatic, but usually patients develop an acute gastroenteritis. Especially immunocompromised patients can show serious courses of infection. Plesiomonas shigelloides should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute gastroenteritis after journeys to tropical regions. Some of our patients, however, denied traveling to tropical regions. They also denied consuming seafood, which indicates a risk of infection in Germany. Still an infection with Plesiomonas shigelloides seems to be rare in northern European countries.

    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  18. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) allele distribution in the world. Is APOE*4 a 'thrifty' allele?
    Corbo RM, Scacchi R
    Ann. Hum. Genet., 1999 Jul;63(Pt 4):301-10.
    PMID: 10738542
    Apolipoprotein E (APOE = gene, apoE = protein) plays a central role in plasma lipoprotein metabolism and in lipid transport within tissues. The APOE shows a genetic polymorphism determined by three common alleles, APOE*2, APOE*3, APOE*4 and the product of the three alleles differs in several functional properties. APOE is involved in the development of certain pathological conditions. In particular, the APOE*4 allele is a risk factor for susceptibility to coronary artery disease (CAD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). In the present study we analyzed the APOE allele distribution in the world. The APOE*3 is the most frequent in all the human groups, especially in populations with a long-established agricultural economy like those of the Mediterranean basin (0.849-0.898). The frequency of APOE*4, the ancestral allele, remains higher in populations like Pygmies (0.407) and Khoi San (0.370), aborigines of Malaysia (0.240) and Australia (0.260), Papuans (0.368), some Native Americans (0.280), and Lapps (0.310) where an economy of foraging still exists, or food supply is (or was until the recent past) scarce and sporadically available. The APOE*2 frequency fluctuates with no apparent trend (0.145-0.02) and is absent in Native Americans. We suggest that the APOE*4, based on some functional properties it has and on its distribution among human populations, could be identified as a 'thrifty' allele. The exposure of APOE*4 to the contemporary environmental conditions (Western diet, longer lifespans) could have rendered it a susceptibility allele for CAD and AD. The absence of the association of APOE*4 with CAD and AD in Sub-Saharan Africans, and its presence in African Americans, seems to confirm this hypothesis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  19. Intrahepatic biliary lithiasis
    Noda A
    Trop Gastroenterol, 1991 Jan-Mar;12(1):3-14.
    PMID: 2058008
    It has been known that intrahepatic biliary lithiasis (IHBL) is prevalent in East Asia including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In contrast, the entity has drawn little attention in Europe and the United States where only scattered reports appear. IHBL can be placed in the category of the benign disease. Its distinctive clinical picture is an intractable course necessitating multiple surgical interventions because recurrence is usual, rather than exceptional. This is in distinct contrast to ordinal stones which originate in the gallbladder. Patients with IHBL do not rarely die of progressive hepatic damage resulting from longstanding obstructive jaundice, cholangitis, liver abscess, septicemia, and so forth.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/epidemiology
  20. Malignant melanomas in the Eur-African-Malay population of South Africa
    Isaacson C, Spector I
    Am J Dermatopathol, 1987 Apr;9(2):109-10.
    PMID: 3504109
    Malignant melanoma is common among the whites of South Africa. In the black population, the tumor is much less frequent and occurs predominantly on the lower limb--particularly the sole of the foot. This study brings to light the anomalous situation that among the Eur-African-Malay population (those of mixed ancestry), malignant melanoma has probably the lowest incidence in the world.
    Matched MeSH terms: Europe/ethnology
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