Full Catch-up Research Articles

Multi-layered measures for mitigating effects of COVID-19 pandemic on national breast cancer screening programme.

e22501 Background: The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disturbance in the operation of breast cancer screening programmes worldwide with delays in screening examinations. The 2021 Dutch study Effects of cancer screening restart strategies after COVID-19 disruption describes 4 strategies to reduce the impact of the pandemic on 10-year breast cancer mortality, where a full-catch up strategy with increased screening capacities that allow successful reduction of backlog in 6 months after the restart, was recognized as the most effective. In March 2020, the Slovenian Breast Cancer Screening Programme DORA suspended all screening activities and lost 50 working screening days. When planning the restart of the programme, measures for providing a safe environment with a special protocol were implemented nationwide. The capacity of the programme was increased with measures like working during the summer, additional screening terms and extending working hours. Focus was placed on communication activities to promote a safe screening environment. With centralized planning, invitation letters with prefixed appointment are sent, additionally information about safety measures and a questionnaire were included to enable rescheduling of women with risk factors for COVID-19 infection beforehand. The aim of our study was to compare pre-pandemic and pandemic screening programme quality and activity indicators in order to determine, whether the measures for reducing the impact of the pandemic were effective. Material and Methods: Data for the period 2019–2021 was obtained from the programme's screening registry. Regularly controlled indicators for pre-pandemic and pandemic period were compared. Results: With the full catch-up strategy, screening results in the pandemic period reach the pre-pandemic levels. Conclusions: In Slovenian screening programme it was possible to completely reduce the backlog of screening examinations and achieve indicators’ levels that were observed before the pandemic due to robust screening infrastructure. With the successful implementation of a full catch-up strategy it is expected that the COVID-19 pandemic will not have a significant if any effect on breast cancer mortality in the screening population of Slovenia.[Table: see text]

Fighting Terrorism: Empirics on Policy Harmonisation

Abstract This paper models the feasibility of common policy initiatives against global terrorism, as well as timelines for their enforcement. The empirical evidence is based on 78 developing countries for the period 1984-2008. Domestic, transnational, unclear and total terrorism variables are used. Absolute (or unconditional) and conditional catch-ups are estimated using Generalised Method of Moments. We establish consistently that, the rate of catch-up is higher in domestic terrorism relative to transnational terrorism. The time to full catch-up required for the implementation of common policies without distinction of nationality is found to be in a horizon of 13-20 years for domestic terrorism and 24-28 years for transnational terrorism. Hence, from a projection date of 2009, in spite of decreasing cross-country differences in terrorists’ attacks, there is still a long way to go before feasible common policy initiatives can be fully implemented without distinction of nationality. The paper is original by its contribution to the empirics of conflict resolution through decreasing cross-country differences in terrorism tendencies. Policy implications are discussed.

The Comparative Economics of Catch-Up in Output Per Worker, Total Factor Productivity and Technological Gain in Sub-Saharan Africa

After investigating the effect of external financial flows on total factor productivity and technological gain, we use the beta catch-up and sigma convergence to compare dispersions in output per worker, total factor productivity and technological gain in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the years 1980-2010. The comparative evidence is articulated with income levels, years of schooling, and health factors. We find; first, a positive association between foreign direct investment, trade openness, foreign aid, remittances and total factor productivity. However, when foreign direct investment is interacted with schooling, it is direct effect becomes negative on total factor productivity. Second, beta catch-up is between 19.22% and 19.70% per annum with corresponding time to full catch-up of 25.38 years and 26.01 years respectively. Third, we find sigma-convergence among low-income nations and upper-middle income nations separately, but not for the entire sample together. Fourth, schooling in SSA is not yet a significant source of technology, but it can make external financial inflows more effective. Policies to induce external financial flows are not enough for development if absorptive capacity is low. More policy implications are discussed.

Can personality traits and intelligence compensate for background disadvantage? Predicting status attainment in adulthood.

This study investigated the interplay of family background and individual differences, such as personality traits and intelligence (measured in a large U.S. representative sample of high school students; N = 81,000) in predicting educational attainment, annual income, and occupational prestige 11 years later. Specifically, we tested whether individual differences followed 1 of 3 patterns in relation to parental socioeconomic status (SES) when predicting attained status: (a) the independent effects hypothesis (i.e., individual differences predict attainments independent of parental SES level), (b) the resource substitution hypothesis (i.e., individual differences are stronger predictors of attainments at lower levels of parental SES), and (c) the Matthew effect hypothesis (i.e., "the rich get richer"; individual differences are stronger predictors of attainments at higher levels of parental SES). We found that personality traits and intelligence in adolescence predicted later attained status above and beyond parental SES. A standard deviation increase in individual differences translated to up to 8 additional months of education, $4,233 annually, and more prestigious occupations. Furthermore, although we did find some evidence for both the resource substitution and the Matthew effect hypotheses, the most robust pattern across all models supported the independent effects hypothesis. Intelligence was the exception, the interaction models being more robust. Finally, we found that although personality traits may help compensate for background disadvantage to a small extent, they do not usually lead to a "full catch-up" effect, unlike intelligence. This was the first longitudinal study of status attainment to test interactive models of individual differences and background factors.

Fighting Terrorism: Empirics on Policy Harmonization

This paper models the feasibility of common policy initiatives against global terrorism, as well as timelines for their enforcement. The empirical evidence is based on 78 developing countries for the period 1984-2008. Employed terrorism dynamics are domestic, transnational, unclear and total terrorism. Absolute (or unconditional) and conditional catch-ups are modeled using Generalised Methods of Moments. We establish consistently that, the rate of catch-up is higher in domestic terrorism relative to transnational terrorism. The time to full catch-up required for the implementation of common policies without distinction of nationality is found to be in a horizon of 13.34-19.92 years for domestic terrorism and 24.67-27.88 years for transnational terrorism. Hence, from a projection date of 2009, in spite of decreasing cross-country differences in terrorists’ attacks, there is still a long way to go before feasible common policy initiatives can be fully implemented without distinction of nationality. The paper is original by its contribution to the empirics of conflict resolution through decreasing cross-country differences in terrorism tendencies. Policy implications are discussed.

Characteristics of 5-year-olds who catch-up with MMR: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study

ObjectivesTo examine predictors of partial and full measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination catch-up between 3 and 5 years.DesignSecondary data analysis of the nationally representative Millennium Cohort Study (MCS).SettingChildren born...

A Brief Future of Time in the Monopoly of Scientific Knowledge

This seminal paper provides global empirical evidence on catch-up processes in scientific and technical publications. Its purpose is to model the future of scientific knowledge monopoly in order to understand whether the impressive growth experienced by latecomers in the industry has been accompanied by a similar catch-up in scientific capabilities and knowledge contribution. The empirical evidence is based on 41 catch-up panels which together consist of 99 countries. The richness of the dataset allows us to disaggregate countries into fundamental characteristics based on income-levels (high-income, lower-middle-income, upper-middle-income and low-income), legal-origins (English common-law, French civil-law, German civil-law and, Scandinavian civil-law) and, regional proximity (South Asia, Europe & Central Asia, East Asia & the Pacific, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean and, Sub-Saharan Africa). Three main issues are investigated: the presence or not of catch-up processes, the speed of the catch-up processes and, the time needed for full (100%) catch-up. The findings based on absolute and conditional catch-up patterns broadly show that advanced countries will continue to dominate in scientific knowledge contribution. Policy implications are discussed.

Performance of skilled migrants in the U.S.: A dynamic approach

The initial occupational placements of male immigrants in the U.S. labor market vary significantly by country of origin even when education and other individual factors are taken into account. Does the heterogeneity persist over time? Using data from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 censuses, this paper finds that the performance of migrants from countries with lower initial occupational placement levels improves at a higher rate compared with that of migrants originating from countries with higher initial performance levels. Nevertheless, the magnitude of convergence suggests that full catch-up is unlikely. Country specific attributes affect the immigrants' occupational placement primarily through their effect on initial performance and they lose significance when initial occupational levels are controlled for in the estimation.

Innovation and imitation in a model of North–South trade

This paper analyzes the growth and welfare effects of trade openness within a North–South framework that predicts the observed intra-industry trade and the North–South specialization over different quality vintages within product lines. The model is used to re-examine the relationship between the innovation in the North and the imitation lag of the South and to address the implications of the (weak) international Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection. When the imitation technology is modeled as a function of increasing complexity of targeted products, opening to trade increases the growth rate and welfare of both regions, but results in a larger North–South quality gap. While a full catch-up is possible with no protection of ideas flow, but also with no trade, the quality gap is always positive under full economic integration including trade in goods. Stronger IPR protection increases the gap and has a negative effect on the world growth rate and welfare.

Global and Regional Differences in Brain Anatomy of Young Children Born Small for Gestational Age

In children who are born small for gestational age (SGA), an adverse intrauterine environment has led to underdevelopment of both the body and the brain. The delay in body growth is (partially) restored during the first two years in a majority of these children. In addition to a negative influence on these physical parameters, decreased levels of intelligence and cognitive impairments have been described in children born SGA. In this study, we used magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain anatomy in 4- to 7-year-old SGA children with and without complete bodily catch-up growth and compared them to healthy children born appropriate for gestational age. Our findings demonstrate that these children strongly differ on brain organisation when compared with healthy controls relating to both global and regional anatomical differences. Children born SGA displayed reduced cerebral and cerebellar grey and white matter volumes, smaller volumes of subcortical structures and reduced cortical surface area. Regional differences in prefrontal cortical thickness suggest a different development of the cerebral cortex. SGA children with bodily catch-up growth constitute an intermediate between those children without catch-up growth and healthy controls. Therefore, bodily catch-up growth in children born SGA does not implicate full catch-up growth of the brain.

Maintenance/Submaximum Feeding Schedules for Reducing Solid Wastes and Improving Feed Conversion in Aquaculture

Maintenance feeding (MF) followed by higher submaximum feeding was evaluated to reduce waste feed, fecal solids, and feed conversion ratios (FCRs) in aquaculture. Individually housed juvenile hybrid bluegills constituted a control and two treatments. Controls were fed daily at maximum consumption indicated by a lead control group. In feeding cycle 1 (FC1), treatments (T1 and T2) received 14 d of MF followed by higher submaximum feeding for 28 d at 75% (SM75) and 100% (SM100) of control ration. FC2 followed with 7 d of MF in T1 and T2, followed by 28 d of SM75 and SM100, respectively. Over the 77-d experiment, controls wasted 38.34% of feed provided; SM100 (10.64%) and SM75 (3.84%) wasted significantly less. Mean FCRs were controls (1.60), SM100 (0.98), SM75 (0.80); treatments were significantly below controls. Mean feces produced per feed consumed (%) were controls (5.54), SM100 (4.00), and SM75 (3.81). Treatments were significantly below controls by approximately 30%. Control and treatment SGRs did not differ; full catch-up growth occurred in treatments. Feeding hybrid bluegills on cycles of MF followed by higher submaximum feeding reduced waste feed and feces while improving FCRs. Maintenance/submaximum feeding may be applicable in aquaculture for reducing feed costs and improving effluent quality without reducing growth.

EFFECT OF THE FIRST EPISODE OF ACUTE INFECTION ON THE WEIGHT CATCH‐UP GROWTH OF CHILDREN PREDOMINANTLY BREASTFED.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the first episode of Acute Infection (AI) on the weight catch‐up growth (CG) in children from 0 to 12 months of age, predominantly breastfed.Methods: 78 children were followed monthly from birth to 12 months of age. The velocity of weight gain was calculated (VWG) before, during and after the first episode of AI and it was standardized by age and sex relative to a reference population of exclusively breastfed children. The standardized adjusted means VWG (SVWG) were compared among the three periods by lineal regression models for longitudinal data.Results: The SVWG during disease was modified by the duration of the event. The SVGW of the period after the event did not made up for full catch‐up growth (p=0.086). The resulting deficit of weight was of 37,9 ± 19,4 g.Conclusions: The children did not recover their expected weight after the first episode of AI in the follow up interval.

Health not Wealth: Enlarging the EMU

Economic health not wealth should be the decisive criterion when considering the prospects of the Central and East European (CEE) candidates for EU membership and the capacity of the EU to enlarge. Viewed this way the outlook is promising. The CEE countries are still very poor, compared to most of the existing EU members, but they are also much more dynamic. Growth rates are generally expected to remain around 4-5 per cent in CEE for the foreseeable future, compared to about 2-3 per cent for the EU. This still implies that full catch-up in terms of GDP per capita will take decades, rather than years, but full catch-up is not the relevant criterion if one is concerned about enlargement. Experience in the EU has shown that problems are much more likely to arise from established rich member countries with stagnant economies (Belgium in the 1980s and Germany today) than poor, but more dynamic states (such as Portugal and Ireland today). The fact that most of the so-called 'periphery' is now growing more strongly than the 'core' confirms that EU integration benefits poorer countries even more.

Long-Term Results with Growth Hormone Therapy in Idiopathic Hypopituitarism

More than 30 years after its introduction, growth hormone (GH) treatment is well established in children with GH deficiency. Nevertheless, the long-term results of this therapy, expressed as height, are generally considered unsatisfactory. We report on results obtained in a group of GH-deficient children who were treated with daily injections of recombinant GH within the first 5 years of life and who reached an adult height very close to their target height. The full catch-up growth to the target height demonstrated in these patients suggests that replacement therapy should be started early and continued until adulthood. Height at onset of puberty is an important variable which might significantly influence the adult height. The significant and prolonged influence of birth weight on growth response to GH therapy underlines the important role of fetal growth in planning early treatment of GH-deficient children.

Catch-up growth in early treated patients with growth hormone deficiency. Dutch Growth Hormone Working Group.

Catch-up growth of 26 children with growth hormone deficiency during four years of growth hormone treatment, which was started young (< 3 years), was compared with that of 16 children with coeliac disease on a gluten free diet. In children with growth hormone deficiency mean (SD) height SD score increased from -4.3 (1.8) to -1.9 (1.4) and in patients with coeliac disease from -1.8 (0.9) to -0.1 (0.8). Height SD score after four years correlated positively with injection frequency and height SD score at start of treatment in children with growth hormone deficiency. All patients with coeliac disease reached a height above -2 SD scores after four years, while the height of 26% of children with growth hormone deficiency on daily injections and of 86% of children on 2 or 4 injections/week was still below -2 SD scores. In patients with growth hormone deficiency on daily injections with an initial height SD score between -2 and -4 catch-up was similar to that of patients with coeliac disease with a comparable initial height deficit. Growth hormone deficient children with an initial height SD score < -4 did not reach full catch-up growth within four years. In conclusion, catch-up growth in early treated children with growth hormone deficiency over four years is adequate provided that daily injections are given and the initial height SD score is not less than -4.

Natural growth in children born small for gestational age with and without catch‐up growth

This first report from a population-based postnatal growth study of 3650 healthy Swedish subjects born at full term provides new reference values for height and weight and shows that over the last 20 years there has been a small secular trend in height (0.2-0.4 SDS over the whole age range) in Sweden in both boys and girls. Within this cohort, 111 (3.1%) were of low birth weight (below -2 SDS) and 141 (3.5%) were of low birth length (below -2 SDS); 54 (1.5%) were both light and short at birth. Of the children born small for gestational age, 87% showed full catch-up growth within 2 years of life. They attained puberty at a normal or early age and reached a mean final height of -0.7 SDS. The remaining subgroup of 13% born small for gestational age remained below -2 SDS throughout childhood and reached puberty somewhat early. Their mean final height was -1.7 SDS. The current data set is too small to identify possible background factors, but it is being expanded with this objective in mind.

Growth in Children Born Small for Gestational Age (SGA)

From a population-based postnatal growth study of 3, 650 healthy Swedish subjects born at full term a cohort of 111 (3.1%) of low birth weight (below -2 SDS) and of 141 (3.5%) of low birth length (below -2 SDS) were selected; 54 (1.5%) were both light and short at birth. Of these children born small for gestational age, 87 % showed full catch-up growth within 2 years of life. They attained puberty at a normal or early age and reached a mean final height of -0.7 SDS. The remaining subgroup of 13 % born small for gestational age remained below -2 SDS throughout childhood and also reached puberty somewhat early. Their mean final height was -1.7 SDS.

The effect of sodium repletion on growth and protein turnover in sodium-depleted rats

This study examines the consequences of sodium chloride supplementation to young rats previously made salt deficient by feeding them a sodium-deficient, chloride-replete diet. Salt-deficient rats received the test diet and distilled water for 10 days. As in our previous studies, rats cared for in this manner grew more slowly than rats fed the identical diet but allowed to drink 37 mM sodium chloride. On day 11, half of the salt-depleted animals received 37 mM sodium chloride in their drinking water. Sodium-deficient and supplemented rats were studied 1,2,5-6 and 11-12 days later. Urinary sodium rapidly rose from undetectable of 46 mEq/l urine within 1 day of supplementation and there was no further increase the next day, suggesting that extracellular fluid volumes were rapidly repleted. Food intake increased in the supplemented rats compared with the deficient animals but the difference in food intake equalled only 2.25 g/day for the first 2 days of supplementation. Over the last 12 days of the study, the slopes of both weight and length gains were equal in both the supplemented and the control group and significantly higher than those in the deficient rats. Over the course of the study, full catchup was not obtained in either length or weight. In addition to total weight and length gains, liver and kidney weights increased proportionately and by 5-6 days of supplementation were equivalent to the weights seen in the control group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

34 EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FOR CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CONTROL OF CATCH-UP GROWTH

In rats permanent stunting follows neonatal head-irradiation (Head-X); during the post-weaning period full catch-up growth (CU) occurs after fasting (F); failure of CU occurs after cortisone treatment (C); and superimposition of F or C on Head-X results in similar responses in the stunting after Head-X. In this study growth hormone (GH) secretory profiles were determined in rats treated with Head-X, F or C. Superior vena cava blood was sampled at 15 min intervals during the light phase in chronically cannulated undisturbed animals. Sampling duration was 9 h in Head-X, 6 h in F, and 12 h in C. The results, expressed as area units/15 min under the curve of plasma GH concentration vs. time, are as follows:

Continuous subcutaneous infusion of growth hormone (CSIGH) in GH deficiency

In contrast to the sustained acceleration of growth observed in pituitary hypersecretion in GH, full catch-up growth is rarely attained in GH deficiency with conventional GH Rx (0.1 U/kg IM 3x/wk). Since circulating GH levels are very low for all but 24-30 hr per wk during conventional Rx, we examined the feasibility and metabolic effects of CSIGH using a small infusion pump. Somatomedin-C (SM-C), oral glucose tolerance (GT) and free fatty acids were determined in 7 untreated deficient children before and after 85 hrs of CSIGH (2.1 μU/kg/hr ≃ 0.3 U/kg/wk). CSIGH maintained serum GH at 3-9 ng/ml and produced a modest increase in fasting (0 min) G and I. Glucose tolerance was impaired despite 2-fold higher I levels (*p<0.05).