Labor Welfare Corporation

Abstract BackgroundPolygenic effects have been proposed to account for some disease phenotypes; these effects are calculated as a polygenic risk score (PRS). This score is correlated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related phenotypes, such as biomarker abnormalities and brain atrophy, and is associated with conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to AD. However, the AD PRS has been examined mainly in Europeans, and owing to differences in genetic structure and lifestyle, it is unclear whether the same relationships between the PRS and AD-related phenotypes exist in non-European populations. In this study, we calculated and evaluated the AD PRS in Japanese individuals using GWAS statistics from Europeans.MethodsIn this study, we calculated the AD PRS in 504 Japanese participants (145 cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants, 220 participants with late mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 139 patients with mild AD dementia) enrolled in the Japanese Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (J-ADNI) project. In order to evaluate the clinical value of this score, we (1) determined the polygenic effects on AD in the J-ADNI and validated it using two independent cohorts (a Japanese neuropathology (NP) cohort (n=565) and the North American ADNI (NA-ADNI) cohort (n=617)), (2) examined the AD-related phenotypes associated with the PRS, and (3) tested whether the PRS helps predict the conversion of MCI to AD.ResultsThe PRS using 131 SNPs had an effect independent ofAPOE. The PRS differentiated between CU participants and AD patients with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.755 when combined with theAPOEvariants. Similar AUC was obtained when PRS calculated by the NP and NA-ADNI cohorts was applied. In MCI patients, the PRS was associated with cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated-tau levels (β estimate = 0.235, p value = 0.026). MCI with a high PRS showed a significantly increased conversion to AD inAPOEε4 noncarriers with a hazard rate of 2.22.ConclusionsWe showed that the AD PRS is useful in the Japanese population, whose genetic structure is different from that of the European population. These findings suggest that the polygenicity of AD is partially common across ethnic differences.

Abstract This study examines the impact of capital inflows (FDI, ODA and Remittances) on economic growth in COMESA member countries. Applying System GMM estimation, the study finds a positive and significant relationship between capital inflows (except remittances) and GDP per capita growth, supporting the positive role capital inflows play in bridging the savings and investment gap, by providing finance for investment. However, remittances do not significantly influence GDP per capital growth. Remittances contribute positively to GDP per capita growth only when interacted with a variable for domestic financial depth. Examining whether capital inflows adversely affect economic growth, the study finds that except for the remittances whose effect is not significant, capital inflows (FDI, ODA and total inflows) leads to an appreciation of the REER, that may be detrimental to growth. The parameter for remittances does not significantly effect REER, implying that remittances are in most cases used to smoothen households’ consumptions during macroeconomic shocks and hence are counter-cyclical in nature. The study recommends, among others, financial sector reforms that will ensure increased depth of the domestic financial sector, capable of harnessing and providing efficient vehicles that can direct remittances for investment. JEL classification numbers: F15, F21, F24, F35, F43, F45. Keywords: Capital inflows, Economic Growth, COMESA.

This study aimed to examine and quantify obesity risk across different education levels during ageing using the dataset of a nationally representative longitudinal survey. A total of 45,391 observations of 9991 individuals aged ≥45 years were included in this study. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of ≥25, according to a guideline for Asians by the World Health Organization, and education level was grouped into three categories. Socio-demographics, lifestyles, and health conditions were used as covariates. Adjusted odds ratios and predicted probabilities of obesity were computed and adjusted for a complex survey design. With respect to gender, education level and age were significantly associated with obesity risk, and the association was stronger in women than in men. Furthermore, education level was negatively associated with obesity risk in the middle age in each gender. However, the association became positive in the old age, specifically among highly educated women. Therefore, policy efforts to reduce obesity risk and the resulting education gradients should be established based on studies considering their old age. Further longitudinal studies are required to examine whether these findings are valid in other socio-cultural or economic settings.

Many studies have reported that suicides tend to occur on Mondays. However, owing to a lack of controls, conclusive findings on the potential effects of a day of the week on suicides have been lacking. We analyzed public data for causes of death from 1997 to 2015 in the Republic of Korea. Accidental death was used as a control group. The probability of suicide on each day of the week according to age group was calculated. A total of 377,204 deaths (188,601 suicides and 188,603 accidental deaths) were used. The frequency of suicide was highest on Monday and decreased throughout the week until Saturday. Accidental death was highest on Saturday and showed no variations according to weekday. For people in their teens and 20s, the probabilities of suicide on Monday were 9% and 10% higher, respectively, than those on Sunday. As age increased, the differences in suicide probability according to the day of the week were attenuated. The so-called Blue Monday effect is real, particularly for people in their teens and 20s. Suicide prevention strategies that aim to attenuate the burden and stress of Mondays should be planned.

This study investigated the relationship between presenteeism and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among physical therapists (PTs) in the Republic of Korea. Questionnaires were given to 600 PTs in the Republic of Korea. General and occupational characteristics and the prevalence of presenteeism and absenteeism were self-reported on the questionnaire. Stepwise regression analyses were used to evaluate the effects of presenteeism and other variables on general and occupational characteristics. Of the 490 PTs who responded, 399 (81.4%) reported at least one WMSD. There was a low incidence rate of absenteeism, but work impairment scores indicate there was a high incidence of presenteeism. In the stepwise regression analyses, the incidence of WMSDs was highest in cases of presenteeism. The results of this study demonstrate that there is a high incidence rate of WMSDs in Republic of Korean PTs, that WMSDs are related to presenteeism and that PTs demonstrate high presenteeism and low absenteeism.

Because mutual funds are the largest equity holders and because the retirement assets that are managed by mutual funds have been growing, mutual fund managers may have more incentives to support management in order to attract and retain pension business. I explore whether pension business ties have an impact on voting behaviors of mutual funds by examining the link pension business ties between mutual funds and the firms to actual mutual fund voting outcomes. At the fund family level, I find a positive relation between pension ties and mutual funds’ voting support for management. This relation becomes stronger when there is a voting divergence among funds within the same families. At the individual fund level, I find that individual funds are more likely to vote with management if they are included as one of the investment options of the pension plan of their portfolio firms. This suggests that the SEC should at least consider the recent petition from the AFL-CIO proposing that the SEC require mutual funds to disclose business ties with the firms in which they invest.

A number of persons with an intractable disease (ID) experience work-related problems that could lead to job loss. The aim of this study was to ascertain perceptions regarding a range of work-related issues and corresponding support needs of individuals with an ID. Potential participants were people ages 15 to 64 with one of the 130 intractable chronic diseases designated in the Act to Comprehensively Support the Daily and Social Activities of Persons with Disabilities (Comprehensive Support for the Disabled Act). Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire. With the assistance of patients' organizations, 3,000 questionnaires were mailed to potential participants. Questions included demographic characteristics, family concerns, employment/supported employment, work accommodations, and other aspects of life. Responses were received from 889 (29.6%) participants, and respondents had 57 IDs. Forty-six-point-seven percent of respondents reported being unemployed due to fatigue and/or long-term treatment. Nearly half of the unemployed respondents reported that they had been unable to work despite their willingness to do so. Common requests for accommodation included flexible work hours, working at home, and job/workplace modifications. Only 30% of respondents knew about job training programs and supported work available for persons with disabilities. The results of the study are relevant for employees, employers, and occupational health/human resource professionals. The issue of reasonable accommodations for persons with an ID needs to be addressed in future research in order to promote continued work by those persons.

ObjectivesThe prevalence of depression in police officer is higher than in the general population. Police officers are often exposed to work place violence, long time work, shift work and other pcychosocial stressers. This study was conducted to evaluate the occupational factors associated with depressive symptomatology in police officer.MethodThe study sample was 7476 police officers. A structured questionnaire was used to assess exposures to violence, shift working with jobs, health behaviours and sociodemographic factors. Subjects with depressive symptomatology was who experienced depressive symptom for continuously for more than 2 weeks within last 1year. And chronic work place violence exposed subjects was who experienced threat or complaint from work related people more than 4 times per week.ResultsPrevalence of depressive symptom among subjects was 35.5% (n = 2622) and higher in subjects exposed to chronic violence. After adjusting covariates, the odds ratio of depression was 2.01 (95% CI; 1.80–2.25) for chronic work place violence exposed subjects (n = 2005, 27.11%), 1.20 (95% CI; 1.02–1.41) for shift working subjects (n = 6270, 85.68%).ConclusionsOur findings support the association workplace violence exposure between depressive symptomatology. Further study with more detailed work place violence exposure classification and measurement is need to confirm the association workplace violence and depressive symptomatology.