Search results for " Surveillance."
showing 10 items of 376 documents
Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern B.1.1.7, B.1.351 or P.1: data from seven EU/EEA countries, weeks 38/2020 to 10/2021
2021
COVID study groups - PORTUGAL: Portuguese Laboratory Network for the Diagnosis of COVID-19 and Public Health Department of the Health Administrative Regions, Physicians that provided data and samples from suspected cases and SARS-CoV-2 genetic characterization. INSA laboratory team for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Algarve Biomedical Center and Unilabs. We compared 19,207 cases of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7/S gene target failure (SGTF), 436 B.1.351 and 352 P.1 to non-variant cases reported by seven European countries. COVID-19 cases with these variants had significantly higher adjusted odds ratios for hospitalisation (B.1.1.7/SGTF: 1.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0-2.9; B.1.351: 3.6, 95…
Rapid sequencing and genetic analysis of the pandemic (H1N1)V influenza virus circulating in pigs in Italy
2011
will continue to pose challenge to public health and scientifi c community. General concern exists about possible mutation or reassortment between the H1N1pdm and infl uenza viruses circulating in human and animal, giving rise to more transmissible or pathogenic viruses. Emergence of resistance during antiviral treatment is a wellrecognised phenomenon in infl uenza viruses; surveillance for emergence of resistant viruses is of importance for monitoring this potential public health problem in the context of the H1N1 pandemic. Thus preparedness to identify new strains would require fast sequencing of the full genome of virus. Here we present an optimised workfl ow for rapid sequencing of the …
A practical framework for data management processes and their evaluation in population-based medical registries.
2013
We present a framework for data management processes in population-based medical registries. Existing guidelines lack the concreteness we deem necessary for them to be of practical use, especially concerning the establishment of new registries. Therefore, we propose adjustments and concretisations with regard to data quality, data privacy, data security and registry purposes.First, we separately elaborate on the issues to be included into the framework and present proposals for their improvements. Thereafter, we provide a framework for medical registries based on quasi-standard-operation procedures.The main result is a concise and scientifically based framework that tries to be both broad a…
Children as social actors negotiating their privacy in the digital commercial context
2023
This study advances research on children’s negotiation of online commercial privacy by identifying an act of digital agency by children that may serve their current needs but can also impact children negatively. Secondly, it identifies certain factors children consider while evaluating the trustworthiness of apps and websites before disclosing information online. Eight focus group discussions with children (13–16 years) in Finland’s capital region are analysed using thematic analysis. Our findings highlight that while children’s digital literacy education is needed, ensuring that education translates to children’s online practices is also essential. We also recommend increasing corporations…
Colonoscopic surveillance in inflammatory bowel disease: state of the art reduction of biopsies.
2011
Longstanding colitis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with an increased risk for intraepithelial neoplasia (IN). White light endoscopy (WLE) with 40–50 random biopsies has been promoted for surveillance but may miss a significant proportion of lesions. In addition, the yield of random biopsies to detect IN is low, and random biopsies are expensive, labor-intensive and distract from scrutinizing the colon. Chromoendoscopy with targeted biopsies has proven its superiority over WLE in multiple randomized trials. It has been incorporated into many national and international guidelines. Virtual chromoendoscopy techniques carry the potential to provide contrast enhancement withou…
Negotiating digital surveillance legislation in post-Snowden times : An argumentation analysis of Finnish political discourse
2019
Abstract In the digital era, when security agencies world-wide have been challenging basic democratic principles with massive data gathering, Finland has had a different approach: it has conducted no large-scale surveillance of citizens’ online activities. Now, however, the country is planning such a vast expansion of state surveillance that the constitution itself must be altered. The present article examines one key point in this legislative process to see how the new surveillance measures are argued for and criticized, and how the differing points of view are negotiated to ultimately enable political action. Drawing particularly on Fairclough and Fairclough’s (2012) approach to argumenta…
Association between MICA Gene Variants and the Risk of Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Hepatocellular Cancer in a Sicilian Population Sample
2018
There are currently no biomarkers that predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis. We investigated the relationships among major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I chain-related gene A (MICA) polymorphisms, plasma levels of soluble MICA (sMICA), and HCC risk in patients with HCV-related HCC. One hundred fifty-four HCV-related HCC patients, 93 HCV-related liver cirrhosis (LC) cases, and 244 healthy controls, all sampled from the native Sicilian population, were genotyped using the KASP™ single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping method. The MICA rs2596542 polymorphism showed that the G/G genotype was significantly more frequent…
Changing aetiological factors of hepatocellular carcinoma and their potential impact on the effectiveness of surveillance
2011
BACKGROUND: The aetiological factors of hepatocellular carcinoma may vary over time. AIMS: The study assessed the potential impact of the aetiological factors on the effectiveness of surveillance in real-world patients. METHODS: Multicentre, cross-sectional study enrolling consecutive hepatocellular carcinoma cases during a six month period. RESULTS: 1733 cases (1311 prevalent and 422 incident) were recruited (mean age 68.6 years; 46.1% cases over 70 years; 73.9% males; 95.3% with cirrhosis); 63.0% were hepatitis C virus positive and 23.7% were virus negative. Amongst incident HCCs, 34.5% were single ≤3cm and 54.4% met the Milan criteria; 61.6% were diagnosed during surveillance; virus nega…
Surveillance Program for Diagnosis of HCC in Liver Cirrhosis: Role of Ultrasound Echo Patterns
2017
International guidelines suggest ultrasound surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) early diagnosis in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients, but 40% of nodules <2 cm escape detection. We investigated the existence of an ultrasound pattern indicating a higher risk of developing HCC in patients under surveillance. 359 patients with LC (Child-Pugh A-B8) underwent ultrasound screening (median follow-up 54 months, range 12–90 months), liver function tests, alpha-fetoprotein assay, and portal hypertension evaluation. Echo patterns were homogeneous, bright liver, coarse, coarse small nodular pattern, and coarse large nodular pattern. During follow-up 13.9% developed HCC. At multivariate analys…
Revised annual post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) report on the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON 810 in 2013 from Monsanto Euro…
2015
Question number: EFSA-Q-2015-00432On request from: European Commission; Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA GMO Panel) assessed the results of the general surveillance activities contained in the revised annual post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) report for the 2013 growing season of maize MON 810 provided by Monsanto Europe S.A. The supplied data do not indicate any unanticipated adverse effects on human and animal health or the environment arising from the cultivation of maize MON 810 cultivation in 2013. Similar methodological shortcomings to those observed in previous annual PME…