Changes in social norms during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic across 43 countries

The emergence of COVID-19 dramatically changed social behavior across societies and contexts. Here we study whether social norms also changed. Specifically, we study this question for cultural tightness (the degree to which societies generally have strong norms), specific social norms (e.g. stealing, hand washing), and norms about enforcement, using survey data from 30,431 respondents in 43 countries recorded before and in the early stages following the emergence of COVID-19. Using variation in disease intensity, we shed light on the mechanisms predicting changes in social norm measures. We find evidence that, after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, hand washing norms increased while tightness and punishing frequency slightly decreased but observe no evidence for a robust change in most other norms. Thus, at least in the short term, our findings suggest that cultures are largely stable to pandemic threats except in those norms, hand washing in this case, that are perceived to be directly relevant to dealing with the collective threat.

Perceptions of the appropriate response to norm violation in 57 societies

Norm enforcement may be important for resolving conflicts and promoting cooperation. However, little is known about how preferred responses to norm violations vary across cultures and across domains. In a preregistered study of 57 countries (using convenience samples of 22,863 students and non-students), we measured perceptions of the appropriateness of various responses to a violation of a cooperative norm and to atypical social behaviors. Our findings highlight both cultural universals and cultural variation. We find a universal negative relation between appropriateness ratings of norm violations and appropriateness ratings of responses in the form of confrontation, social ostracism and gossip. Moreover, we find the country variation in the appropriateness of sanctions to be consistent across different norm violations but not across different sanctions. Specifically, in those countries where use of physical confrontation and social ostracism is rated as less appropriate, gossip is rated as more appropriate.

Little is known about people’s preferred responses to norm violations across countries. Here, in a study of 57 countries, the authors highlight cultural similarities and differences in people’s perception of the appropriateness of norm violations.

ARE THYROID NODULES AN OBSTACLE TO MINIMAL INVASIVE PARATHYROID SURGERY? A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY FROM AN ENDEMIC GOITER REGION

Context

Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) procedure has become a widely accepted alternative to the standard four-gland exploration nowadays.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), who had been treated with thyroidectomy and bilateral neck exploration (BNE), rather than MIP alone, due to coexisting thyroid nodules and to determine the benefits of simultaneous thyroidectomy and the possible negative outcomes of not performing this additional procedure.

Design

There were 185 patients who were operated for PHPT at our clinic from January 2014 to November 2016.

Subjects and Methods

50 patients meet inclusion criteria: have thyroidectomy at the same time of parathyroid surgery, have concordant findings of parathyroid adenoma localization at preoperative MIBI-SPECT and the cervical US and have not had malignancy on fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).

Results

The mean age of the patients was 55.3±10.4, and female to male ratio was 7:1. All patients had parathyroidectomy with BNE and thyroidectomy: 11 (22%) patients had micropapillary thyroid cancer (mPTC), 2 (4%) had papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).

Conclusion

The results were inconclusive in clearly demonstrating which patients presenting with coexisted thyroid nodules should undergo thyroidectomy, rather than MIP, and which should be monitored for thyroid nodules after MIP. However, we consider that in cases who are not clearly indicated for thyroidectomy, MIP followed by monitoring of thyroid nodules can be the treatment approach.

IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VITAMIN D STATUS AND HYPOCALCEMIA AFTER TOTAL THYROIDECTOMY?

Context

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium metabolism through parathormone-dependent process. Deficiency of this important nutrient may be associated with hypocalcemia after thyroidectomy.

Objective

To evaluate the role of vitamin D in predicting hypocalcemia following total thyroidectomy.

Subjects and Methods

One hundred and fifty patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for benign or malignant thyroid disease were included in this prospective study. The association between preoperative vitamin D status and the development of hypocalcemia were investigated.

Results

Biochemical and symptomatic hypocalcemia were found in 28 (18.7%) and 22 (14.7%) patients, respectively. Preoperative vit D level was found significantly lower in patients with biochemical (p = 0.006) and clinical (p < 0.001) hypocalcemia in comparison to normocalcemic patients. The patients who had <10 ng/mL vit D level (severe deficiency) developed significantly more biochemical and clinical hypocalcemia than the patients with serum vit D level higher than 10 ng/mL (p = 0.030 and p < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Although postthyroidectomy hypocalcemia is multifactorial, vit D deficiency, particularly severe form, is significantly associated with the development of biochemical and clinical hypocalcemia. Vit D supplementation can prevent this unwanted complication in such patients.

Serum irisin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

OBJECTIVE

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is clinically heterogeneous endocrine disorders. Insulin resistance-related proteins play a role in the etiopathogenesis of PCOS. Irisin is a newly identified myokine which act like adipokines. Irisin has been shown to be associated with the insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to determine the serum levels of irisin in PCOS patients and evaluate the correlations with other metabolic and hormonal parameters.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty-five PCOS patients and 35 matched healthy controls were enrolled to study. Serum irisin levels, anthropometric, hormonal and metabolic parameters including HOMA-IR were measured. Linear regression analysis was employed to study the relationship between irisin and hormonal and metabolic parameters.

RESULTS

Serum irisin level in PCOS patients (mean value; 0.491±0.145 µg/mL) was significantly elevated when compared to control group (mean value 0.281±0.138 µg/mL) (p < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that serum irisin was positively associated with body mass index, luteinizing hormone, fasting insulin and total cholesterol in the overall patient population but not for PCOS group alone (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum irisin level of PCOS patients was high compared to that of healthy control subjects. In patients with PCOS, this situation may be due to insulin resistance, when there is leptin resistance or metabolic syndrome.

The determination of possible genetic damage to women undergoing in vitro fertilization due to infertility caused by the male factor

In this study, we aimed at determining possible genetic damage to women who were exposed to in vitro fertilization (IVF) due to infertility with male factor. Four different genotoxicity tests were used in human lymphocytes in this study with regard to chromosomal aberration (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE), micronucleus (MN), and comet tests. There was a statistically significant increase in sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test in the study group compared with the control group. In addition, a higher rate of MN frequency was determined only in the 21–30 age range study group compared with the control group in the same age range. On the other hand, MN frequency did not differ significantly between the control and total study groups. In addition, there was no significant difference between the control group and the study group in terms of mitotic (MI), replication (RI), and nuclear division (NDI) indices. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant increase for chromosomal aberration and DNA damage to the study groups. Our results showed that in vitro fertilization treatments have a weak risk at the genetic level in cultured human lymphocytes.