Cross-Country Variation in Adult Skills Inequality: Why Are Skill Levels and Opportunities so Unequal in Anglophone Countries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Andy; Green, Francis; Pensiero, Nicola

2015-01-01

This article examines cross-country variations in adult skills inequality and asks why skills in Anglophone countries are so unequal. Drawing on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's recent Survey of Adult Skills and other surveys, it investigates the differences across countries and country groups in inequality in both…

On Kedlaya-type inequalities for weighted means.

PubMed

Páles, Zsolt; Pasteczka, Paweł

2018-01-01

In 2016 we proved that for every symmetric, repetition invariant and Jensen concave mean [Formula: see text] the Kedlaya-type inequality [Formula: see text] holds for an arbitrary [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] stands for the arithmetic mean). We are going to prove the weighted counterpart of this inequality. More precisely, if [Formula: see text] is a vector with corresponding (non-normalized) weights [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] denotes the weighted mean then, under analogous conditions on [Formula: see text], the inequality [Formula: see text] holds for every [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] such that the sequence [Formula: see text] is decreasing.

Solutions to variational inequalities of parabolic type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yuanguo

2006-09-01

The existence of strong solutions to a kind of variational inequality of parabolic type is investigated by the theory of semigroups of linear operators. As an application, an abstract semi permeable media problem is studied.

Power allocation for SWIPT in K-user interference channels using game theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Zhigang; Liu, Ying; Liu, Xiaoqing; Li, Shan; Chen, Xianya

2018-12-01

A simultaneous wireless information and power transfer system in interference channels of multi-users is considered. In this system, each transmitter sends one data stream to its targeted receiver, which causes interference to other receivers. Since all transmitter-receiver links want to maximize their own average transmission rate, a power allocation problem under the transmit power constraints and the energy-harvesting constraints is developed. To solve this problem, we propose a game theory framework. Then, we convert the game into a variational inequalities problem by establishing the connection between game theory and variational inequalities and solve the variational inequalities problem. Through theoretical analysis, the existence and uniqueness of Nash equilibrium are both guaranteed by the theory of variational inequalities. A distributed iterative alternating optimization water-filling algorithm is derived, which is proved to converge. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm reaches fast convergence and achieves a higher sum rate than the unaided scheme.

A graph-based approach to inequality assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palestini, Arsen; Pignataro, Giuseppe

2016-08-01

In a population consisting of heterogeneous types, whose income factors are indicated by nonnegative vectors, policies aggregating different factors can be represented by coalitions in a cooperative game, whose characteristic function is a multi-factor inequality index. When it is not possible to form all coalitions, the feasible ones can be indicated by a graph. We redefine Shapley and Banzhaf values on graph games to deduce some properties involving the degrees of the graph vertices and marginal contributions to overall inequality. An example is finally provided based on a modified multi-factor Atkinson index.

Primer vector theory and applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jezewski, D. J.

1975-01-01

A method developed to compute two-body, optimal, N-impulse trajectories was presented. The necessary conditions established define the gradient structure of the primer vector and its derivative for any set of boundary conditions and any number of impulses. Inequality constraints, a conjugate gradient iterator technique, and the use of a penalty function were also discussed.

7 CFR 1779.20 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., inequities within the proposed project's service area for the same type service proposed will be remedied by the owner on, or before, completion of the project. Inequities are defined as unjustified variations... necessarily constitute inequities. ...

American lookback option with fixed strike price—2-D parabolic variational inequality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaoshan; Yi, Fahuai; Wang, Lihe

In this paper we study a 2-dimensional parabolic variational inequality with financial background. We define a suitable weak formula and obtain existence and uniqueness of the problem. Moreover we analyze the behaviors of the free boundary surface.

Uniform Test Assembly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belov, Dmitry I.

2008-01-01

In educational practice, a test assembly problem is formulated as a system of inequalities induced by test specifications. Each solution to the system is a test, represented by a 0-1 vector, where each element corresponds to an item included (1) or not included (0) into the test. Therefore, the size of a 0-1 vector equals the number of items "n"…

[Formula: see text]-convergence, complete convergence, and weak laws of large numbers for asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text].

PubMed

Ko, Mi-Hwa

2018-01-01

In this paper, based on the Rosenthal-type inequality for asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text], we establish results on [Formula: see text]-convergence and complete convergence of the maximums of partial sums are established. We also obtain weak laws of large numbers for coordinatewise asymptotically negatively associated random vectors with values in [Formula: see text].

Evolution of Earnings and Rates of Returns to Education in Mexico.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Acevedo, Gladys

This paper reviews the factors and mechanisms that have been driving inequality in Mexico and finds that educational inequality accounts for by far the largest share of Mexico's variation in earnings inequality. More specifically, it examines the expansion in earnings inequality with emphasis on the role of education, establishes an analytical…

Educational inequalities in self-rated health across US states and European countries.

PubMed

Präg, Patrick; Subramanian, S V

2017-07-01

The US shows a distinct health disadvantage when compared to other high-income nations. A potential lever to reduce this disadvantage is to improve the health situation of lower socioeconomic groups. Our objective is to explore how the considerable within-US variation in health inequalities compares to the health inequalities across other Western countries. Representative survey data from 44 European countries and the US federal states were obtained from the fourth wave of the European Values Study (EVS) and the 2008 wave of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Using binary logistic regression, we analyze different forms of educational inequalities in self-rated health (SRH), adjusted for age and sex. The extent of educational inequalities in SRH varies considerably over European countries and US states; with US states in general showing greater inequality, however, differences between US states and European countries are less clear than commonly assumed. The US has considerable differences in educational inequalities in SRH across geographic locations. To understand the reasons for the US health disadvantage, comparative research has to take into account the vast variation in health inequalities within the US.

Area-level income inequality and oral health among Australian adults—A population-based multilevel study

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background A lack of evidence exists on the association between area-level income inequality and oral health within Australia. This study examined associations between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes (inadequate dentition (<21 teeth) and poor self-rated oral health) among Australian adults. Variations in the association between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes according to area-level mean income were also assessed. Finally, household-income gradients in oral health outcomes according to area-level income inequality were compared. Methods For the analyses, data on Australian dentate adults (n = 5,165 nested in 435 Local Government Areas (LGAs)) was obtained from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey-2013. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression models with random intercept and fixed slopes were fitted to test associations between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes, examine variations in associations according to area-level mean income, and examine variations in household-income gradients in outcomes according to area-level income inequality. Covariates included age, sex, LGA-level mean weekly household income, geographic remoteness and household income. Results LGA-level income inequality was not associated with poor self-rated oral health and inversely associated with inadequate dentition (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.87) after adjusting for covariates. Inverse association between income inequality and inadequate dentition at the individual level was limited to LGAs within the highest tertile of mean weekly household income. Household income gradients in both outcomes showed poorer oral health at lower levels of household income. The household income gradients for inadequate dentition varied according to the LGA-level income inequality. Conclusion Findings suggest that income inequality at the LGA-level in Australia is not positively associated with poorer oral health outcomes. Inverse association between income inequality and inadequate dentition is likely due to the contextual differences between Australia and other high-income countries. PMID:29364943

Area-level income inequality and oral health among Australian adults-A population-based multilevel study.

PubMed

Singh, Ankur; Harford, Jane; Antunes, José Leopoldo Ferreira; Peres, Marco A

2018-01-01

A lack of evidence exists on the association between area-level income inequality and oral health within Australia. This study examined associations between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes (inadequate dentition (<21 teeth) and poor self-rated oral health) among Australian adults. Variations in the association between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes according to area-level mean income were also assessed. Finally, household-income gradients in oral health outcomes according to area-level income inequality were compared. For the analyses, data on Australian dentate adults (n = 5,165 nested in 435 Local Government Areas (LGAs)) was obtained from the National Dental Telephone Interview Survey-2013. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression models with random intercept and fixed slopes were fitted to test associations between area-level income inequality and oral health outcomes, examine variations in associations according to area-level mean income, and examine variations in household-income gradients in outcomes according to area-level income inequality. Covariates included age, sex, LGA-level mean weekly household income, geographic remoteness and household income. LGA-level income inequality was not associated with poor self-rated oral health and inversely associated with inadequate dentition (OR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.87) after adjusting for covariates. Inverse association between income inequality and inadequate dentition at the individual level was limited to LGAs within the highest tertile of mean weekly household income. Household income gradients in both outcomes showed poorer oral health at lower levels of household income. The household income gradients for inadequate dentition varied according to the LGA-level income inequality. Findings suggest that income inequality at the LGA-level in Australia is not positively associated with poorer oral health outcomes. Inverse association between income inequality and inadequate dentition is likely due to the contextual differences between Australia and other high-income countries.

7 CFR 3575.20 - Eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... that, when feasible and legally possible, inequities within the proposed project's service area for the..., completion of the project. Inequities are defined as unjustified variations in availability, adequacy, or... under different financing, rates, terms, or conditions do not necessarily constitute inequities. ...

Evolutionary variational-hemivariational inequalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carl, Siegfried; Le, Vy K.; Motreanu, Dumitru

2008-09-01

We consider an evolutionary quasilinear hemivariational inequality under constraints represented by some closed and convex subset. Our main goal is to systematically develop the method of sub-supersolution on the basis of which we then prove existence, comparison, compactness and extremality results. The obtained results are applied to a general obstacle problem. We improve the corresponding results in the recent monograph [S. Carl, V.K. Le, DE Motreanu, Nonsmooth Variational Problems and Their Inequalities. Comparison Principles and Applications, Springer Monogr. Math., Springer, New York, 2007].

Combined-probability space and certainty or uncertainty relations for a finite-level quantum system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehrawat, Arun

2017-08-01

The Born rule provides a probability vector (distribution) with a quantum state for a measurement setting. For two settings, we have a pair of vectors from the same quantum state. Each pair forms a combined-probability vector that obeys certain quantum constraints, which are triangle inequalities in our case. Such a restricted set of combined vectors, called the combined-probability space, is presented here for a d -level quantum system (qudit). The combined space is a compact convex subset of a Euclidean space, and all its extreme points come from a family of parametric curves. Considering a suitable concave function on the combined space to estimate the uncertainty, we deliver an uncertainty relation by finding its global minimum on the curves for a qudit. If one chooses an appropriate concave (or convex) function, then there is no need to search for the absolute minimum (maximum) over the whole space; it will be on the parametric curves. So these curves are quite useful for establishing an uncertainty (or a certainty) relation for a general pair of settings. We also demonstrate that many known tight certainty or uncertainty relations for a qubit can be obtained with the triangle inequalities.

Ghost circles in lattice Aubry-Mather theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mramor, Blaz; Rink, Bob

Monotone lattice recurrence relations such as the Frenkel-Kontorova lattice, arise in Hamiltonian lattice mechanics, as models for ferromagnetism and as discretization of elliptic PDEs. Mathematically, they are a multi-dimensional counterpart of monotone twist maps. Such recurrence relations often admit a variational structure, so that the solutions x:Z→R are the stationary points of a formal action function W(x). Given any rotation vector ω∈R, classical Aubry-Mather theory establishes the existence of a large collection of solutions of ∇W(x)=0 of rotation vector ω. For irrational ω, this is the well-known Aubry-Mather set. It consists of global minimizers and it may have gaps. In this paper, we study the parabolic gradient flow {dx}/{dt}=-∇W(x) and we will prove that every Aubry-Mather set can be interpolated by a continuous gradient-flow invariant family, the so-called 'ghost circle'. The existence of these ghost circles is known in dimension d=1, for rational rotation vectors and Morse action functions. The main technical result of this paper is therefore a compactness theorem for lattice ghost circles, based on a parabolic Harnack inequality for the gradient flow. This implies the existence of lattice ghost circles of arbitrary rotation vectors and for arbitrary actions. As a consequence, we can give a simple proof of the fact that when an Aubry-Mather set has a gap, then this gap must be filled with minimizers, or contain a non-minimizing solution.

Where do inmmigrants fare worse? Modeling workplace wage gap variation with longitudinal employer-employee data.

PubMed

Tomaskovic-Devey, Donald; Hällsten, Martin; Avent-Holt, Dustin

2015-01-01

The authors propose a strategy for observing and explaining workplace variance in categorically linked inequalities. Using Swedish economy-wide linked employer-employee panel data, the authors examine variation in workplace wage inequalities between native Swedes and non-Western immigrants. Consistent with relational inequality theory, the authors' findings are that immigrant-native wage gaps vary dramatically across workplaces, even net of strong human capital controls. The authors also find that, net of observed and fixed-effect controls for individual traits, workplace immigrant-native wage gaps decline with increased workplace immigrant employment and managerial representation and increase when job segregation rises. These results are stronger in high-inequality workplaces and for white-collar employees: contexts in which one expects status-based claims on organizational resources, the central causal mechanism identified by relational inequality theory, to be stronger. The authors conclude that workplace variation in the non-Western immigrant-native wage gaps is contingent on organizational variationin the relative power of groups and the institutional context in which that power is exercised.

State-level variations in income-related inequality in health and health achievement in the US.

PubMed

Xu, Ke Tom

2006-07-01

The objective of this study was to examine state-level variations in income-related inequality in health and overall health achievement in the US. Data that were representative of the US and each state in 2001 were extracted from the Current Population Survey 2001. Income-related inequality in health and health achievement were measured by Health Concentration and Health Achievement Indices, respectively. Significant variations were found across states in income-related inequality in health and health achievement. In particular, states in the south and east regions, on average, experienced a higher degree of health inequality and lower health achievement. About 80% of the state-level variation in health achievement could be explained by demographics, economic structure and performance, and state and local government spending and burden. In contrast, medical care resource indicators were not found to contribute to health achievement in states. States with better health achievement were more urbanized, had lower proportions of minority groups, females and the elderly, fewer individuals below the poverty line, larger primary industry, and lower unemployment rates. Also, per capita state and local government spending, particularly the proportion spent on public health, was positively associated with better health achievement. Because of the direct implications of health level and distribution in resource allocation and social norms, states with a lower level of health achievement need to prioritize efforts in increasing and reallocating resources to diminish health inequality and to improve population health.

Genetic variation in arthropod vectors of disease-causing organisms: obstacles and opportunities.

PubMed Central

Gooding, R H

1996-01-01

An overview of the genetic variation in arthropods that transmit pathogens to vertebrates is presented, emphasizing the genetics of vector-pathogen relationships and the biochemical genetics of vectors. Vector-pathogen interactions are reviewed briefly as a prelude to a discussion of the genetics of susceptibility and refractoriness in vectors. Susceptibility to pathogens is controlled by maternally inherited factors, sex-linked dominant alleles, and dominant and recessive autosomal genes. There is widespread interpopulation (including intercolony) and temporal variation in susceptibility to pathogens. The amount of biochemical genetic variation in vectors is similar to that found in other invertebrates. However, the amount varies widely among species, among populations within species, and temporally within populations. Biochemical genetic studies show that there is considerable genetic structuring of many vectors at the local, regional, and global levels. It is argued that genetic variation in vectors is critical in understanding vector-pathogen interactions and that genetic variation in vectors creates both obstacles to and opportunities for application of genetic techniques to the control of vectors. PMID:8809462

Post universal health coverage trend and geographical inequalities of mortality in Thailand.

PubMed

Aungkulanon, Suchunya; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj; Shibuya, Kenji; Bundhamcharoen, Kanitta; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi

2016-11-22

Thailand has achieved remarkable improvement in health status since the achievement of universal health coverage in 2002. Health equity has improved significantly. However, challenges on health inequity still remain.This study aimed to determine the trends of geographical inequalities in disease specific mortality in Thailand after the country achieved universal health coverage. National vital registration data from 2001 to 2014 were used to calculate age-adjusted mortality rate and standardized mortality ratio (SMR). To minimize large variations in mortality across administrative districts, the adjacent districts were systematically grouped into "super-districts" by taking into account the population size and proximity. Geographical mortality inequality among super-districts was measured by the coefficient of variation. Mixed effects modeling was used to test the difference in trends between super-districts. The overall SMR steadily declined from 1.2 in 2001 to 0.9 in 2014. The upper north and upper northeast regions had higher SMR whereas Greater Bangkok achieved the lowest SMR. Decreases in SMR were mostly seen in Greater Bangkok and the upper northern region. Coefficient of variation of SMR rapidly decreased from 20.0 in 2001 to 12.5 in 2007 and remained close to this value until 2014. The mixed effects modelling revealed significant differences in trends of SMR across super-districts. Inequality in mortality declined among adults (≥15 years old) but increased in children (0-14 years old). A declining trend in inequality of mortality was seen in almost all regions except Greater Bangkok where the inequality in SMR remained high throughout the study period. A decline in the adult mortality inequality across almost all regions of Thailand followed universal health coverage. Inequalities in child mortality rates and among residents of Greater Bangkok need further exploration.

Social Inequalities in Body Weight and Physical Activity: Exploring the Role of Fitness Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaren, Lindsay; Rock, Melanie J.; McElgunn, Jamie

2012-01-01

Fitness centers are a viable option for physical activity, particularly in climates with significant weather variation. Due to variation in economic and social expressions of exclusivity, fitness centers may have some relation to social inequalities in physical inactivity and related health outcomes; thus, our objective was to explore this…

The global impact of income inequality on health by age: an observational study.

PubMed

Dorling, Danny; Mitchell, Richard; Pearce, Jamie

2007-10-27

To explore whether the apparent impact of income inequality on health, which has been shown for wealthier nations, is replicated worldwide, and whether the impact varies by age. Observational study. 126 countries of the world for which complete data on income inequality and mortality by age and sex were available around the year 2002 (including 94.4% of world human population). Data on mortality were from the World Health Organization and income data were taken from the annual reports of the United Nations Development Programme. Mortality in 5-year age bands for each sex by income inequality and income level. At ages 15-29 and 25-39 variations in income inequality seem more closely correlated with mortality worldwide than do variations in material wealth. This relation is especially strong among the poorest countries in Africa. Mortality is higher for a given level of overall income in more unequal nations. Income inequality seems to have an influence worldwide, especially for younger adults. Social inequality seems to have a universal negative impact on health.

Changes in income inequality and the health of immigrants.

PubMed

Hamilton, Tod G; Kawachi, Ichiro

2013-03-01

Research suggests that income inequality is inversely associated with health. This association has been documented in studies that utilize variation in income inequality across countries or across time from a single country. The primary criticism of these approaches is their inability to account for potential confounders that are associated with income inequality. This paper uses variation in individual experiences of income inequality among immigrants within the United States (U.S.) to evaluate whether individuals who moved from countries with greater income inequality than the U.S. have better health than those who migrated from countries with less income in equality than the U.S. Utilizing individual-level (March Current Population Survey) and country-level data (the United Nations Human Development Reports), we show that among immigrants who have resided in the U.S. between 6 and 20 years, self-reported health is more favorable for the immigrants in the former category (i.e., greater income inequality) than those in the latter (i.e., lower income inequality). Results also show that self-reported health is better among immigrants from more developed countries and those who have more years of education, are male, and are married. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Health Inequalities in Global Context

PubMed Central

Beckfield, Jason; Olafsdottir, Sigrun

2017-01-01

The existence of social inequalities in health is well established. One strand of research focuses on inequalities in health within a single country. A separate and newer strand of research focuses on the relationship between inequality and average population health across countries. Despite the theorization of (presumably variable) social conditions as “fundamental causes” of disease and health, the cross-national literature has focused on average, aggregate population health as the central outcome. Controversies currently surround macro-structural determinants of overall population health such as income inequality. We advance and redirect these debates by conceptualizing inequalities in health as cross-national variables that are sensitive to social conditions. Using data from 48 World Values Survey countries, representing 74% of the world’s population, we examine cross-national variation in inequalities in health. The results reveal substantial variation in health inequalities according to income, education, sex, and migrant status. While higher socioeconomic position is associated with better self-rated health around the globe, the size of the association varies across institutional context, and across dimensions of stratification. There is some evidence that education and income are more strongly associated with self-rated health than sex or migrant status. PMID:29104292

Changes in income inequality and the health of immigrants

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Tod G.; Kawachi, Ichiro

2016-01-01

Research suggests that income inequality is inversely associated with health. This association has been documented in studies that utilize variation in income inequality across countries or across time from a single country. The primary criticism of these approaches is their inability to account for potential confounders that are associated with income inequality. This paper uses variation in individual experiences of income inequality among immigrants within the United States (U.S.) to evaluate whether individuals who moved from countries with greater income inequality than the U.S. have better health than those who migrated from countries with less income in equality than the U.S. Utilizing individual-level (March Current Population Survey) and country-level data (the United Nations Human Development Reports), we show that among immigrants who have resided in the U.S. between 6 and 20 years, self-reported health is more favorable for the immigrants in the former category (i.e., greater income inequality) than those in the latter (i.e., lower income inequality). Results also show that self-reported health is better among immigrants from more developed countries and those who have more years of education, are male, and are married. PMID:23352417

Impacts of Climate Change on Inequities in Child Health.

PubMed

Bennett, Charmian M; Friel, Sharon

2014-12-03

This paper addresses an often overlooked aspect of climate change impacts on child health: the amplification of existing child health inequities by climate change. Although the effects of climate change on child health will likely be negative, the distribution of these impacts across populations will be uneven. The burden of climate change-related ill-health will fall heavily on the world's poorest and socially-disadvantaged children, who already have poor survival rates and low life expectancies due to issues including poverty, endemic disease, undernutrition, inadequate living conditions and socio-economic disadvantage. Climate change will exacerbate these existing inequities to disproportionately affect disadvantaged children. We discuss heat stress, extreme weather events, vector-borne diseases and undernutrition as exemplars of the complex interactions between climate change and inequities in child health.

7 CFR 1780.11 - Service area requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... that inequities exist within the applicants service area for the same type service proposed (i.e., water or waste disposal) such inequities will be remedied by the applicant prior to loan or grant approval or included as part of the project. Inequities are defined as unjustified variations in...

7 CFR 1780.11 - Service area requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... that inequities exist within the applicants service area for the same type service proposed (i.e., water or waste disposal) such inequities will be remedied by the applicant prior to loan or grant approval or included as part of the project. Inequities are defined as unjustified variations in...

The Stealth Inequities of School Funding: How State and Local School Finance Systems Perpetuate Inequitable Student Spending

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Bruce D.; Corcoran, Sean P.

2012-01-01

In the education world, the existence of funding inequities has long been a known fact, but the sources of these inequities have not always been obvious. Typically, local property tax variation has been blamed as the sole, or at least primary, cause of inequalities and called for greater state funding as the solution. In practice, however, it is…

On the existence of touch points for first-order state inequality constraints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seywald, Hans; Cliff, Eugene M.

1993-01-01

The appearance of touch points in state constrained optimal control problems with general vector-valued control is studied. Under the assumption that the Hamiltonian is regular, touch points for first-order state inequalities are shown to exist only under very special conditions. In many cases of practical importance these conditions can be used to exclude touch points a priori without solving an optimal control problem. The results are demonstrated on a simple example.

A dynamic unilateral contact problem with adhesion and friction in viscoelasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocou, Marius; Schryve, Mathieu; Raous, Michel

2010-08-01

The aim of this paper is to study an interaction law coupling recoverable adhesion, friction and unilateral contact between two viscoelastic bodies of Kelvin-Voigt type. A dynamic contact problem with adhesion and nonlocal friction is considered and its variational formulation is written as the coupling between an implicit variational inequality and a parabolic variational inequality describing the evolution of the intensity of adhesion. The existence and approximation of variational solutions are analysed, based on a penalty method, some abstract results and compactness properties. Finally, some numerical examples are presented.

On convergence of solutions to variational-hemivariational inequalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Biao; Liu, Zhenhai; Migórski, Stanisław

2018-06-01

In this paper we investigate the convergence behavior of the solutions to the time-dependent variational-hemivariational inequalities with respect to the data. First, we give an existence and uniqueness result for the problem, and then, deliver a continuous dependence result when all the data are subjected to perturbations. A semipermeability problem is given to illustrate our main results.

Extreme throat initial data set and horizon area-angular momentum inequality for axisymmetric black holes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dain, Sergio; Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics

2010-11-15

We present a formula that relates the variations of the area of extreme throat initial data with the variation of an appropriate defined mass functional. From this expression we deduce that the first variation, with fixed angular momentum, of the area is zero and the second variation is positive definite evaluated at the extreme Kerr throat initial data. This indicates that the area of the extreme Kerr throat initial data is a minimum among this class of data. And hence the area of generic throat initial data is bounded from below by the angular momentum. Also, this result strongly suggestsmore » that the inequality between area and angular momentum holds for generic asymptotically flat axially symmetric black holes. As an application, we prove this inequality in the nontrivial family of spinning Bowen-York initial data.« less

Has the economic crisis widened the intraurban socioeconomic inequalities in mortality? The case of Barcelona, Spain.

PubMed

Maynou, Laia; Saez, Marc; Lopez-Casasnovas, Guillem

2016-02-01

There is considerable evidence demonstrating socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, some of which focuses on intraurban inequalities. However, all the studies assume that the spatial variation of inequalities is stable over the time. We challenge this assumption and propose two hypotheses: (i) have spatial variations in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality at an intraurban level changed over time? and (ii) as a result of the economic crisis, has the gap between such disparities widened? In this paper, our objective is to assess the effect of the economic recession on the spatio-temporal variation of socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). We used a spatio-temporal ecological design to analyse mortality inequalities at small area level in Barcelona. Mortality data and socioeconomic indicators correspond to the years 2005 and 2008-2011. We specified spatio-temporal ecological mixed regressions for both men and women using two indicators, neighbourhood and year. We allowed the coefficients of the socioeconomic variables to differ according to the levels and explicitly took into account spatio-temporal adjustment. For men and women both absolute and, above all, relative risks for mortality have increased since 2009. In relative terms, this means that the risk of dying has increased much more in the most economically deprived neighbourhoods than in the more affluent ones. Although the geographical pattern in relative risks for mortality in neighbourhoods in Barcelona remained very stable between 2005 and 2011, socioeconomic inequalities in mortality at an intraurban level have surged since 2009. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

SOCIOECONOMIC VARIATIONS IN INDUCED ABORTION IN TURKEY.

PubMed

Ankara, Hasan Giray

2017-01-01

This study aimed to identify the levels of, and socioeconomic variations in, income-related inequality in induced abortion among Turkish women. The study included 15,480 ever-married women of reproductive age (15-49) from the 2003 and 2008 waves of the Turkish Demographic and Health Survey. The measured inequalities in abortion levels and their changes over time were decomposed into the percentage contributions of selected socioeconomic factors using ordinary least square analysis and concentration indices were calculated. The inequalities and their first difference (difference in inequalities between 2003 and 2008) were decomposed using the approaches of Wagstaff et al. (2003). Higher socioeconomic characteristics (such as higher levels of wealth and education and better neighbourhood) were found to be associated with higher rates of abortion. Inequality analyses indicated that although deprived women become more familiar with abortion over time, abortion was still more concentrated among affluent women in the 2008 survey. The decomposition analyses suggested that wealth, age, education and level of regional development were the most important contributors to income-related inequality in abortion. Therefore policies that (i) increase the level of wealth and education of deprived women, (ii) develop deprived regions of Turkey, (iii) improve knowledge about family planning and, especially (iv) enhance the accessibility of family planning services for deprived and/or rural women, may be beneficial for reducing socioeconomic variations in abortion in the country.

Trends in Life Expectancy and Lifespan Variation by Educational Attainment: United States, 1990-2010.

PubMed

Sasson, Isaac

2016-04-01

The educational gradient in life expectancy is well documented in the United States and in other low-mortality countries. Highly educated Americans, on average, live longer than their low-educated counterparts, who have recently seen declines in adult life expectancy. However, limiting the discussion on lifespan inequality to mean differences alone overlooks other dimensions of inequality and particularly disparities in lifespan variation. The latter represents a unique form of inequality, with higher variation translating into greater uncertainty in the time of death from an individual standpoint, and higher group heterogeneity from a population perspective. Using data from the National Vital Statistics System from 1990 to 2010, this is the first study to document trends in both life expectancy and S25--the standard deviation of age at death above 25--by educational attainment. Among low-educated whites, adult life expectancy declined by 3.1 years for women and by 0.6 years for men. At the same time, S25 increased by about 1.5 years among high school-educated whites of both genders, becoming an increasingly important component of total lifespan inequality. By contrast, college-educated whites benefited from rising life expectancy and record low variation in age at death, consistent with the shifting mortality scenario. Among blacks, adult life expectancy increased, and S25 plateaued or declined in nearly all educational attainment groups, although blacks generally lagged behind whites of the same gender on both measures. Documenting trends in lifespan variation can therefore improve our understanding of lifespan inequality and point to diverging trajectories in adult mortality across socioeconomic strata.

Growing gaps: The importance of income and family for educational inequalities in mortality among Swedish men and women 1990-2009.

PubMed

Östergren, Olof

2015-08-01

Although absolute levels of mortality have decreased among Swedish men and women in recent decades, educational inequalities in mortality have increased, especially among women. The aim of this study is to disentangle the role of income and family type in educational inequalities in mortality in Sweden during 1990-2009, focusing on gender differences. Data on individuals born in Sweden between the ages of 30 and 74 years were collected from total population registries, covering a total of 529,275 deaths and 729 million person-months. Temporary life expectancies (age 30-74 years) by education were calculated using life tables, and rate ratios were estimated with Poisson regression with robust standard errors. Temporary life expectancy improved among all groups except low educated women. Relative educational inequalities in mortality (RRs) increased from 1.79 to 1.98 among men and from 1.78 to 2.10 among women. Variation in family type explained some of the inequalities among men, but not among women, and did not contribute to the trend. Variation in income explained a larger part of the educational inequalities among men compared to women and also explained the increase in educational inequalities in mortality among men and women. Increasing educational inequalities in mortality in Sweden may be attributed to the increase in income inequalities in mortality. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

A modified two-layer iteration via a boundary point approach to generalized multivalued pseudomonotone mixed variational inequalities.

PubMed

Saddeek, Ali Mohamed

2017-01-01

Most mathematical models arising in stationary filtration processes as well as in the theory of soft shells can be described by single-valued or generalized multivalued pseudomonotone mixed variational inequalities with proper convex nondifferentiable functionals. Therefore, for finding the minimum norm solution of such inequalities, the current paper attempts to introduce a modified two-layer iteration via a boundary point approach and to prove its strong convergence. The results here improve and extend the corresponding recent results announced by Badriev, Zadvornov and Saddeek (Differ. Equ. 37:934-942, 2001).

Social inequality and ethnic differences in smoking in New Zealand.

PubMed

Barnett, Ross; Moon, Graham; Kearns, Robin

2004-07-01

This study tests a generalisation of the 'Wilkinson' thesis that the greater a nation's income inequality, the poorer the average national health status. We consider the effect of socio-economic inequality upon ethnic variations in smoking in New Zealand. Analysis of Maori and Pakeha (New Zealanders of European descent) smoking rates from the 1996 Census is conducted for 73 Territorial Local Authority areas in New Zealand, disaggregated by gender and rural-urban location. Partial correlation is used to control for absolute levels of deprivation and examine the independent effect of ethnic social inequality upon smoking rates. The level of social inequality between Maori and Pakeha has an independent effect on Maori smoking rates. Pakeha smoking rates by contrast are more sensitive to variations in absolute rather than relative deprivation. The effect of inequality is greatest for Maori women, especially among urban residents. By contrast, among Maori men the effects are greatest in rural areas. The results provide some qualified support for the Wilkinson thesis and suggest that policies which address fundamental issues of social inequality will play a small, but significant, role in helping to reduce high smoking rates amongst Maori. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Ltd.

Income inequality and child maltreatment in the United States.

PubMed

Eckenrode, John; Smith, Elliott G; McCarthy, Margaret E; Dineen, Michael

2014-03-01

To examine the relation between county-level income inequality and rates of child maltreatment. Data on substantiated reports of child abuse and neglect from 2005 to 2009 were obtained from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System. County-level data on income inequality and children in poverty were obtained from the American Community Survey. Data for additional control variables were obtained from the American Community Survey and the Health Resources and Services Administration Area Resource File. The Gini coefficient was used as the measure of income inequality. Generalized additive models were estimated to explore linear and nonlinear relations among income inequality, poverty, and child maltreatment. In all models, state was included as a fixed effect to control for state-level differences in victim rates. Considerable variation in income inequality and child maltreatment rates was found across the 3142 US counties. Income inequality, as well as child poverty rate, was positively and significantly correlated with child maltreatment rates at the county level. Controlling for child poverty, demographic and economic control variables, and state-level variation in maltreatment rates, there was a significant linear effect of inequality on child maltreatment rates (P < .0001). This effect was stronger for counties with moderate to high levels of child poverty. Higher income inequality across US counties was significantly associated with higher county-level rates of child maltreatment. The findings contribute to the growing literature linking greater income inequality to a range of poor health and well-being outcomes in infants and children.

Quasilinear parabolic variational inequalities with multi-valued lower-order terms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carl, Siegfried; Le, Vy K.

2014-10-01

In this paper, we provide an analytical frame work for the following multi-valued parabolic variational inequality in a cylindrical domain : Find and an such that where is some closed and convex subset, A is a time-dependent quasilinear elliptic operator, and the multi-valued function is assumed to be upper semicontinuous only, so that Clarke's generalized gradient is included as a special case. Thus, parabolic variational-hemivariational inequalities are special cases of the problem considered here. The extension of parabolic variational-hemivariational inequalities to the general class of multi-valued problems considered in this paper is not only of disciplinary interest, but is motivated by the need in applications. The main goals are as follows. First, we provide an existence theory for the above-stated problem under coercivity assumptions. Second, in the noncoercive case, we establish an appropriate sub-supersolution method that allows us to get existence, comparison, and enclosure results. Third, the order structure of the solution set enclosed by sub-supersolutions is revealed. In particular, it is shown that the solution set within the sector of sub-supersolutions is a directed set. As an application, a multi-valued parabolic obstacle problem is treated.

Negativity and tight constraints of multiqubit entanglement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jeong San

2018-01-01

We provide a characterization of multiqubit entanglement constraints in terms of negativity. By using the square of convex-roof extended negativity (SCREN) and the Hamming weight of the binary vector related with the distribution of subsystems, we show that the α th power of SCREN provides a class of monogamy inequalities of multiqubit entanglement in a tight way for α ≥1 . We further show that the β th power of SCREN also provides a class of tight polygamy inequalities for 0 ≤β ≤1 .

Ethnic Inequality

PubMed Central

Alesina, Alberto; Michalopoulos, Stelios; Papaioannou, Elias

2015-01-01

This study explores the consequences and origins of between-ethnicity economic inequality across countries. First, combining satellite images of nighttime luminosity with the historical homelands of ethnolinguistic groups we construct measures of ethnic inequality for a large sample of countries. We also compile proxies of overall spatial inequality and regional inequality across administrative units. Second, we uncover a strong negative association between ethnic inequality and contemporary comparative development; the correlation is also present when we condition on regional inequality, which is itself related to under-development. Third, we investigate the roots of ethnic inequality and establish that differences in geographic endowments across ethnic homelands explain a sizable fraction of the observed variation in economic disparities across groups. Fourth, we show that ethnic-specific inequality in geographic endowments is also linked to under-development. PMID:27330223

Inequality for All: The Challenge of Unequal Opportunity in American Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, William; McKnight, Curtis

2012-01-01

"Inequality for All" makes an important contribution to current debates about economic inequalities and the growing achievement gap, particularly in mathematics and science education. The authors argue that the greatest source of variation in opportunity to learn is not between local communities, or even schools, but between classrooms.…

Educational inequalities in parental care time: Cross-national evidence from Belgium, Denmark, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Gracia, Pablo; Ghysels, Joris

2017-03-01

This study uses time-diary data for dual-earner couples from Belgium, Denmark, Spain, and the United Kingdom to analyze educational inequalities in parental care time in different national contexts. For mothers, education is significantly associated with parenting involvement only in Spain and the United Kingdom. In Spain these differences are largely explained by inequalities in mothers' time and monetary resources, but not in the United Kingdom, where less-educated mothers disproportionally work in short part-time jobs. For fathers, education is associated with parenting time in Denmark, and particularly in Spain, while the wife's resources substantially drive these associations. On weekends, the educational gradient in parental care time applies only to Spain and the United Kingdom, two countries with particularly large inequalities in parents' opportunities to engage in parenting. The study shows country variations in educational inequalities in parenting, suggesting that socioeconomic resources, especially from mothers, shape important variations in parenting involvement. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Inequalities in health: approaches by health authorities in an English health region.

PubMed

McCarron, P; Yates, B

2000-06-01

In 1995 the Department of Health published Variations in health: what can the Department of Health do? This recommended that health authorities should have a comprehensive plan for identifying and tackling variations in health. We investigated how health authorities in the South and West Region were taking forward this work. Semi-structured interviews and reviews of documentation were conducted in all health authorities in the South and West Region of England. All health authorities viewed tackling inequalities in health as important; however, explicit strategies did not exist and Health of the Nation targets were a vehicle for determining priorities of inequalities. Explicit corporate commitment was often weak. Analyses were being conducted to determine the magnitude of local health inequalities and to assist in designing appropriate interventions. The importance of alliance working was highlighted; much work was being done although success was variable. Efforts are being made throughout the South and West region to tackle inequalities in health. Although strategic vision at the corporate level was often lacking, there was evidence of commitment to taking the inequalities agenda forward within public health directorates. Strengthening of primary care and alliance working roles is essential. Recent national strategy documents, forthcoming legislation, and a review of health inequalities recognize the health effects of inequalities and require health authorities to collaborate with local partners to tackle these, and will offer opportunities to improve corporate commitment and alliance working. Uptake and success of these opportunities will have a major influence on progress in tackling health inequalities.

Sensitivity analysis for parametric generalized implicit quasi-variational-like inclusions involving P-[eta]-accretive mappings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazmi, K. R.; Khan, F. A.

2008-01-01

In this paper, using proximal-point mapping technique of P-[eta]-accretive mapping and the property of the fixed-point set of set-valued contractive mappings, we study the behavior and sensitivity analysis of the solution set of a parametric generalized implicit quasi-variational-like inclusion involving P-[eta]-accretive mapping in real uniformly smooth Banach space. Further, under suitable conditions, we discuss the Lipschitz continuity of the solution set with respect to the parameter. The technique and results presented in this paper can be viewed as extension of the techniques and corresponding results given in [R.P. Agarwal, Y.-J. Cho, N.-J. Huang, Sensitivity analysis for strongly nonlinear quasi-variational inclusions, Appl. MathE Lett. 13 (2002) 19-24; S. Dafermos, Sensitivity analysis in variational inequalities, Math. Oper. Res. 13 (1988) 421-434; X.-P. Ding, Sensitivity analysis for generalized nonlinear implicit quasi-variational inclusions, Appl. Math. Lett. 17 (2) (2004) 225-235; X.-P. Ding, Parametric completely generalized mixed implicit quasi-variational inclusions involving h-maximal monotone mappings, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 182 (2) (2005) 252-269; X.-P. Ding, C.L. Luo, On parametric generalized quasi-variational inequalities, J. Optim. Theory Appl. 100 (1999) 195-205; Z. Liu, L. Debnath, S.M. Kang, J.S. Ume, Sensitivity analysis for parametric completely generalized nonlinear implicit quasi-variational inclusions, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 277 (1) (2003) 142-154; R.N. Mukherjee, H.L. Verma, Sensitivity analysis of generalized variational inequalities, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 167 (1992) 299-304; M.A. Noor, Sensitivity analysis framework for general quasi-variational inclusions, Comput. Math. Appl. 44 (2002) 1175-1181; M.A. Noor, Sensitivity analysis for quasivariational inclusions, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 236 (1999) 290-299; J.Y. Park, J.U. Jeong, Parametric generalized mixed variational inequalities, Appl. Math. Lett. 17 (2004) 43-48].

Nonlinearly preconditioned semismooth Newton methods for variational inequality solution of two-phase flow in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Haijian; Sun, Shuyu; Yang, Chao

2017-03-01

Most existing methods for solving two-phase flow problems in porous media do not take the physically feasible saturation fractions between 0 and 1 into account, which often destroys the numerical accuracy and physical interpretability of the simulation. To calculate the solution without the loss of this basic requirement, we introduce a variational inequality formulation of the saturation equilibrium with a box inequality constraint, and use a conservative finite element method for the spatial discretization and a backward differentiation formula with adaptive time stepping for the temporal integration. The resulting variational inequality system at each time step is solved by using a semismooth Newton algorithm. To accelerate the Newton convergence and improve the robustness, we employ a family of adaptive nonlinear elimination methods as a nonlinear preconditioner. Some numerical results are presented to demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. A comparison is also included to show the superiority of the proposed fully implicit approach over the classical IMplicit Pressure-Explicit Saturation (IMPES) method in terms of the time step size and the total execution time measured on a parallel computer.

No association between gender inequality and peak HIV prevalence in developing countries - an ecological study.

PubMed

Kenyon, Chris R; Buyze, Jozefien

2015-01-01

The prevalence of both gender inequality and HIV prevalence vary considerably both within all developing countries and within those in sub-Saharan Africa. We test the hypothesis that the extent of gender inequality is associated with national peak HIV prevalence. Linear regression was used to test the association between national peak HIV prevalence and three markers of gender equality - the gender-related development index (GDI), the gender empowerment measure (GEM), and the gender inequality index (GII). No evidence was found of a positive relationship between gender inequality and HIV prevalence, either in the analyses of all developing countries or those limited to Africa. In the bivariate analyses limited to Africa, there was a positive association between the two measures of gender "equality" and peak HIV prevalence (GDI: coefficient 28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.1-46.8; GEM: coefficient 54.8, 95% CI 20.5-89.1). There was also a negative association between the marker of gender "inequality" and peak HIV prevalence (GII: coefficient -66.9, 95% CI -112.8 to -21.0). These associations all disappeared on multivariate analyses. We could not find any evidence to support the hypothesis that variations in the extent of gender inequality explain variations in HIV prevalence in developing countries.

Dynamic contact problem with adhesion and damage between thermo-electro-elasto-viscoplastic bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadj ammar, Tedjani; Saïdi, Abdelkader; Azeb Ahmed, Abdelaziz

2017-05-01

We study of a dynamic contact problem between two thermo-electro-elasto-viscoplastic bodies with damage and adhesion. The contact is frictionless and is modeled with normal compliance condition. We derive variational formulation for the model and prove an existence and uniqueness result of the weak solution. The proof is based on arguments of evolutionary variational inequalities, parabolic inequalities, differential equations, and fixed point theorem.

A result on differential inequalities and its application to higher order trajectory derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gunderson, R. W.

1973-01-01

A result on differential inequalities is obtained by considering the adjoint differential equation of the variational equation of the right side of the inequality. The main theorem is proved using basic results on differentiability of solutions with respect to initial conditions. The result is then applied to the problem of determining solution behavior using comparison techniques.

Generation of vector beams using a double-wedge depolarizer: Non-quantum entanglement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samlan, C. T.; Viswanathan, Nirmal K.

2016-07-01

Propagation of horizontally polarized Gaussian beam through a double-wedge depolarizer generates vector beams with spatially varying state of polarization. Jones calculus is used to show that such beams are maximally nonseparable on the basis of even (Gaussian)-odd (Hermite-Gaussian) mode parity and horizontal-vertical polarization state. The maximum nonseparability in the two degrees of freedom of the vector beam at the double wedge depolarizer output is verified experimentally using a modified Sagnac interferometer and linear analyser projected interferograms to measure the concurrence 0.94±0.002 and violation of Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt form of Bell-like inequality 2.704±0.024. The investigation is carried out in the context of the use of vector beams for metrological applications.

A Novel Finite-Sum Inequality-Based Method for Robust H∞ Control of Uncertain Discrete-Time Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Systems With Interval-Like Time-Varying Delays.

PubMed

Zhang, Xian-Ming; Han, Qing-Long; Ge, Xiaohua

2017-09-22

This paper is concerned with the problem of robust H∞ control of an uncertain discrete-time Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy system with an interval-like time-varying delay. A novel finite-sum inequality-based method is proposed to provide a tighter estimation on the forward difference of certain Lyapunov functional, leading to a less conservative result. First, an auxiliary vector function is used to establish two finite-sum inequalities, which can produce tighter bounds for the finite-sum terms appearing in the forward difference of the Lyapunov functional. Second, a matrix-based quadratic convex approach is employed to equivalently convert the original matrix inequality including a quadratic polynomial on the time-varying delay into two boundary matrix inequalities, which delivers a less conservative bounded real lemma (BRL) for the resultant closed-loop system. Third, based on the BRL, a novel sufficient condition on the existence of suitable robust H∞ fuzzy controllers is derived. Finally, two numerical examples and a computer-simulated truck-trailer system are provided to show the effectiveness of the obtained results.

Boundedness and almost Periodicity in Time of Solutions of Evolutionary Variational Inequalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pankov, A. A.

1983-04-01

In this paper existence theorems are obtained for the solutions of abstract parabolic variational inequalities, which are bounded with respect to time (in the Stepanov and L^\\infty norms). The regularity and almost periodicity properties of such solutions are studied. Theorems are also established concerning their solvability in spaces of Besicovitch almost periodic functions. The majority of the results are obtained without any compactness assumptions. Bibliography: 30 titles.

Regional income inequality model based on theil index decomposition and weighted variance coeficient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitepu, H. R.; Darnius, O.; Tambunan, W. N.

2018-03-01

Regional income inequality is an important issue in the study on economic development of a certain region. Rapid economic development may not in accordance with people’s per capita income. The method of measuring the regional income inequality has been suggested by many experts. This research used Theil index and weighted variance coefficient in order to measure the regional income inequality. Regional income decomposition which becomes the productivity of work force and their participation in regional income inequality, based on Theil index, can be presented in linear relation. When the economic assumption in j sector, sectoral income value, and the rate of work force are used, the work force productivity imbalance can be decomposed to become the component in sectors and in intra-sectors. Next, weighted variation coefficient is defined in the revenue and productivity of the work force. From the quadrate of the weighted variation coefficient result, it was found that decomposition of regional revenue imbalance could be analyzed by finding out how far each component contribute to regional imbalance which, in this research, was analyzed in nine sectors of economic business.

Clausius inequality beyond the weak-coupling limit: the quantum Brownian oscillator.

PubMed

Kim, Ilki; Mahler, Günter

2010-01-01

We consider a quantum linear oscillator coupled at an arbitrary strength to a bath at an arbitrary temperature. We find an exact closed expression for the oscillator density operator. This state is noncanonical but can be shown to be equivalent to that of an uncoupled linear oscillator at an effective temperature T*(eff) with an effective mass and an effective spring constant. We derive an effective Clausius inequality deltaQ*(eff)< or =T*(eff)dS , where deltaQ*(eff) is the heat exchanged between the effective (weakly coupled) oscillator and the bath, and S represents a thermal entropy of the effective oscillator, being identical to the von-Neumann entropy of the coupled oscillator. Using this inequality (for a cyclic process in terms of a variation of the coupling strength) we confirm the validity of the second law. For a fixed coupling strength this inequality can also be tested for a process in terms of a variation of either the oscillator mass or its spring constant. Then it is never violated. The properly defined Clausius inequality is thus more robust than assumed previously.

Optimal impulsive manoeuvres and aerodynamic braking

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jezewski, D. J.

1985-01-01

A method developed for obtaining solutions to the aerodynamic braking problem, using impulses in the exoatmospheric phases is discussed. The solution combines primer vector theory and the results of a suboptimal atmospheric guidance program. For a specified initial and final orbit, the solution determines: (1) the minimum impulsive cost using a maximum of four impulses, (2) the optimal atmospheric entry and exit-state vectors subject to equality and inequality constraints, and (3) the optimal coast times. Numerical solutions which illustrate the characteristics of the solution are presented.

Quasi-static responses and variational principles in gradient plasticity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Quoc-Son

2016-12-01

Gradient models have been much discussed in the literature for the study of time-dependent or time-independent processes such as visco-plasticity, plasticity and damage. This paper is devoted to the theory of Standard Gradient Plasticity at small strain. A general and consistent mathematical description available for common time-independent behaviours is presented. Our attention is focussed on the derivation of general results such as the description of the governing equations for the global response and the derivation of related variational principles in terms of the energy and the dissipation potentials. It is shown that the quasi-static response under a loading path is a solution of an evolution variational inequality as in classical plasticity. The rate problem and the rate minimum principle are revisited. A time-discretization by the implicit scheme of the evolution equation leads to the increment problem. An increment of the response associated with a load increment is a solution of a variational inequality and satisfies also a minimum principle if the energy potential is convex. The increment minimum principle deals with stables solutions of the variational inequality. Some numerical methods are discussed in view of the numerical simulation of the quasi-static response.

Ethnic variation in cancer patients’ ratings of information provision, communication and overall care

PubMed Central

Trenchard, Lorna; Mc Grath-Lone, Louise; Ward, Helen

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective. Ethnic inequalities in cancer patient experience exist but variation within broad ethnic categories is under-explored. This study aimed to describe variation by ethnic sub-category in experiences of information provision and communication (key domains of patient experience) using National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) data. Design. The NCPES 2012–2013 contained responses from 68,737 cancer patients treated at 155 NHS Trusts in England. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate associations between ethnicity and patients’ ratings of overall care, information provision and communication. Results. Variation by and within broad ethnic categories was evident. Non-White patients (particularly Asian patients (ORadj:0.78; 95%CI:0.67-0.90, p=0.001)) were less likely than White patients to receive an understandable explanation of treatment side effects. Among Asian patients, those of Bangladeshi ethnicity were least likely to receive an understandable explanation. Conclusions. Effective communication and information provision are important to ensure patients are well informed, receive the best possible care and have a positive patient experience. However, ethnic inequalities exist in cancer patients’ experiences of information provision and communication with variation evident both between and within broad ethnic categories. Further work to understand the causes of this variation is required to address ethnic inequalities at practice and policy level. PMID:26853061

Ethnic variation in cancer patients' ratings of information provision, communication and overall care.

PubMed

Trenchard, Lorna; Mc Grath-Lone, Louise; Ward, Helen

2016-10-01

Ethnic inequalities in cancer patient experience exist but variation within broad ethnic categories is under-explored. This study aimed to describe variation by ethnic sub-category in experiences of information provision and communication (key domains of patient experience) using National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) data. The NCPES 2012-2013 contained responses from 68,737 cancer patients treated at 155 NHS Trusts in England. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate associations between ethnicity and patients' ratings of overall care, information provision and communication. Variation by and within broad ethnic categories was evident. Non-White patients (particularly Asian patients (ORadj:0.78; 95%CI:0.67-0.90, p=0.001)) were less likely than White patients to receive an understandable explanation of treatment side effects. Among Asian patients, those of Bangladeshi ethnicity were least likely to receive an understandable explanation. Effective communication and information provision are important to ensure patients are well informed, receive the best possible care and have a positive patient experience. However, ethnic inequalities exist in cancer patients' experiences of information provision and communication with variation evident both between and within broad ethnic categories. Further work to understand the causes of this variation is required to address ethnic inequalities at practice and policy level.

[Social inequalities in the mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in Italy].

PubMed

Costa, G; Cadum, E; Faggiano, F; Cardano, M; Demaria, M

1999-06-01

Social inequalities in cardiovascular disease mortality are described in this paper focusing on the results of the Studio Longitudinale Torinese (SLT), an investigation that links census data with the statistical data that are currently available. The overall results confirm that cardiovascular disease mortality is higher in less-advantaged socioeconomic groups, irrespectively of the social indicator used: education, social class, housing quality, job security. Stratified data shows less important inequalities among ischemic heart disease as compared to cerebrovascular mortality. The differences are even more complex when the age groups in the two genders are analyzed, revealing cohort effects. Overall, the results agree with the previous survey carried out by ISTAT on 1981 Italian mortality, which confirmed the variations in inequalities according to geographical areas, gender and age. Differences in access to the health system are likely to be related to the differences detected for geographical areas, while differences in personal history and attitude towards health-associated behavior should explain age and gender variations in inequalities. Equity must be included in the evaluation of preventive programs and health-care models. Epidemiological and social research should be encouraged to better understand the factors that influence inequalities in cardiovascular disease mortality and in the health status of the population at large.

Geographical variation in cancer survival in England, 1991–2006: an analysis by Cancer Network

PubMed Central

Quaresma, Manuela; Coleman, Michel P; Gordon, Emma; Forman, David; Rachet, Bernard

2011-01-01

Background Reducing geographical inequalities in cancer survival in England was a key aim of the Calman–Hine Report (1995) and the NHS Cancer Plan (2000). This study assesses whether geographical inequalities changed following these policy developments by analysing the trend in 1-year relative survival in the 28 cancer networks of England. Methods Population-based age-standardised relative survival at 1 year is estimated for 1.4 million patients diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus, stomach, colon, lung, breast (women) or cervix in England during 1991–2006 and followed up to 2007. Regional and deprivation-specific life tables are built to adjust survival estimates for differences in background mortality. Analysis is divided into three calendar periods: 1991–5, 1996–2000 and 2001–6. Funnel plots are used to assess geographical variation in survival over time. Results One-year relative survival improved for all cancers except cervical cancer. There was a wide geographical variation in survival with generally lower estimates in northern England. This north–south divide became less marked over time, although the overall number of cancer networks that were lower outliers compared with the England value remained stable. Breast cancer was the only cancer for which there was a marked reduction in geographical inequality in survival over time. Conclusion Policy changes over the past two decades coincided with improved relative survival, without an increase in geographical variation. The north–south divide in relative survival became less pronounced over time but geographical inequalities persist. The reduction in geographical inequality in breast cancer survival may be followed by a similar trend for other cancers, provided government recommendations are implemented similarly. PMID:21321064

The less healthy urban population: income-related health inequality in China.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Kanavos, Panos

2012-09-18

Health inequality has been recognized as a problem all over the world. In China, the poor usually have less access to healthcare than the better-off, despite having higher levels of need. Since the proportion of the Chinese population living in urban areas increased tremendously with the urbanization movements, attention has been paid to the association between urban/rural residence and population health. It is important to understand the variation in health across income groups, and in particular to take into account the effects of urban/rural residence on the degree of income-related health inequalities. This paper empirically assesses the magnitude of rural/urban disparities in income-related adult health status, i.e., self-assessed health (SAH) and physical activity limitation, using Concentration Indices. It then uses decomposition methods to unravel the causes of inequalities and their variations across urban and rural populations. Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2006 are used. The study finds that the poor are less likely to report their health status as "excellent or good" and are more likely to have physical activity limitation. Such inequality is more pronounced for the urban population than for the rural population. Results from the decomposition analysis suggest that, for the urban population, 76.47 per cent to 79.07 per cent of inequalities are driven by non-demographic/socioeconomic-related factors, among which income, job status and educational level are the most important factors. For the rural population, 48.19 per cent to 77.78 per cent of inequalities are driven by non-demographic factors. Income and educational attainment appear to have a prominent influence on inequality. The findings suggest that policy targeting the poor, especially the urban poor, is needed in order to reduce health inequality.

The less healthy urban population: income-related health inequality in China

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health inequality has been recognized as a problem all over the world. In China, the poor usually have less access to healthcare than the better-off, despite having higher levels of need. Since the proportion of the Chinese population living in urban areas increased tremendously with the urbanization movements, attention has been paid to the association between urban/rural residence and population health. It is important to understand the variation in health across income groups, and in particular to take into account the effects of urban/rural residence on the degree of income-related health inequalities. Methods This paper empirically assesses the magnitude of rural/urban disparities in income-related adult health status, i.e., self-assessed health (SAH) and physical activity limitation, using Concentration Indices. It then uses decomposition methods to unravel the causes of inequalities and their variations across urban and rural populations. Data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 2006 are used. Results The study finds that the poor are less likely to report their health status as “excellent or good” and are more likely to have physical activity limitation. Such inequality is more pronounced for the urban population than for the rural population. Results from the decomposition analysis suggest that, for the urban population, 76.47 per cent to 79.07 per cent of inequalities are driven by non-demographic/socioeconomic-related factors, among which income, job status and educational level are the most important factors. For the rural population, 48.19 per cent to 77.78 per cent of inequalities are driven by non-demographic factors. Income and educational attainment appear to have a prominent influence on inequality. Conclusion The findings suggest that policy targeting the poor, especially the urban poor, is needed in order to reduce health inequality. PMID:22989200

Inequality in income and mortality in the United States: analysis of mortality and potential pathways.

PubMed

Kaplan, G A; Pamuk, E R; Lynch, J W; Cohen, R D; Balfour, J L

1996-04-20

To examine the relation between health outcomes and the equality with which income is distributed in the United States. The degree of income inequality, defined as the percentage of total household income received by the less well off 50% of households, and changes in income inequality were calculated for the 50 states in 1980 and 1990. These measures were then examined in relation to all cause mortality adjusted for age for each state, age specific deaths, changes in mortalities, and other health outcomes and potential pathways for 1980, 1990, and 1989-91. Age adjusted mortality from all causes. There was a significant correlation (r = -0.62 [corrected], P < 0.001) between the percentage of total household income received by the less well off 50% in each state and all cause mortality, unaffected by adjustment for state median incomes. Income inequality was also significantly associated with age specific mortalities and rates of low birth weight, homicide, violent crime, work disability, expenditures on medical care and police protection, smoking, and sedentary activity. Rates of unemployment, imprisonment, recipients of income assistance and food stamps, lack of medical insurance, and educational outcomes were also worse as income inequality increased. Income inequality was also associated with mortality trends, and there was a suggestion of an impact of inequality trends on mortality trends. Variations between states in the inequality of the distribution of income are significantly associated with variations between states in a large number of health outcomes and social indicators and with mortality trends. These differences parallel relative investments in human and social capital. Economic policies that influence income and wealth inequality may have an important impact on the health of countries.

Is the relative increase in income inequality related to tooth loss in middle-aged adults?

PubMed

Goulart, Mariél de Aquino; Vettore, Mario Vianna

2016-01-01

To assess whether Brazilian middle-aged adults living in cities that experienced a relative increase on income inequality were more likely to have severe tooth loss and lack a functional dentition. Data on Brazilian adults aged 35-44 years from state capitals and Federal District from the 2010 Brazilian Oral Health Survey (SBBrasil 2010) were analyzed. Clinically assessed tooth loss outcomes were severe tooth loss (<9 remaining natural teeth) and lack of functional dentition (<21 natural teeth). Income inequality was assessed by Gini Index in 1991, 2000, and 2003 using tertiles of distribution. Variation in Gini Index was assessed by changes in the tertiles distribution between years. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (95 percent CI) between variation in income inequality and tooth loss outcomes adjusting for individual socio-demographic characteristics. Prevalence of severe tooth loss and lack of functional dentition was 4.8 percent and 21.2 percent, respectively. Individuals living in cities with moderate and high increase in income inequality between 1991 and 2003 were more likely to have severe tooth loss and lack a functional dentition in 2010 compared with those living in cities with stable income inequality in the same period. Relationships between low family income and both tooth loss outcomes were significantly attenuated by relative increases in income inequality. Relative increases in income inequality were significantly associated with severe tooth loss and lack of a functional dentition in Brazilian middle-aged adults. © 2015 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Inequalities in the distribution of pharmacists' wage-and-salary earnings: indicators and their development.

PubMed

Carvajal, Manuel J; Armayor, Graciela M

2013-01-01

Disparities in wages and salaries can be viewed as the dispersion of a statistical distribution that responds to observed and unobserved characteristics, and reflects socioeconomic phenomena such as the interplay of supply and demand, availability of information, and efficiency of markets in their search for equilibrium. The aim of this study was to explore the nature of inequality in the distribution of pharmacists' wage-and-salary earnings and establish the extent to which inequality primarily occurred because of variation between/among groups or within groups of pharmacists in several classifications of human-capital and job-related preference variables. Data were collected through the use of a survey questionnaire mailed to registered pharmacists in South Florida, USA. Five indicators of inequality (the log earnings variance, the coefficient of variation, the lower median share, the 90-10 decile ratio, and the Gini coefficient) were estimated for eight human-capital classifications and eight job-related classifications. A one-way ANOVA model was applied to the groups in each classification to compare variation between/among versus within pharmacy groups. Pharmacists' wage-and-salary earnings were more evenly distributed than most income distributions discussed in the literature. They were more equitably distributed for full-time pharmacists than for all pharmacists in the data set. All five-inequality indicators behaved similarly. Notable differences were observed between/among groups within the gender, age group, marital status, number of children, academic degree, and type of primary pharmacy activity classifications. Inequalities in wages and salaries have been identified both between/among and within pharmacist groups in several classifications using five commonly accepted indicators. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decomposition-aggregation stability analysis. [for large scale dynamic systems with application to spinning Skylab control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siljak, D. D.; Weissenberger, S.; Cuk, S. M.

1973-01-01

This report presents the development and description of the decomposition aggregation approach to stability investigations of high dimension mathematical models of dynamic systems. The high dimension vector differential equation describing a large dynamic system is decomposed into a number of lower dimension vector differential equations which represent interconnected subsystems. Then a method is described by which the stability properties of each subsystem are aggregated into a single vector Liapunov function, representing the aggregate system model, consisting of subsystem Liapunov functions as components. A linear vector differential inequality is then formed in terms of the vector Liapunov function. The matrix of the model, which reflects the stability properties of the subsystems and the nature of their interconnections, is analyzed to conclude over-all system stability characteristics. The technique is applied in detail to investigate the stability characteristics of a dynamic model of a hypothetical spinning Skylab.

Invariant features of spatial inequality in consumption: The case of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Arnab; Chakrabarti, Anindya S.; Ghosh, Asim; Chakraborti, Anirban; Nandi, Tushar K.

2016-01-01

We study the distributional features and inequality of consumption expenditure across India, for different states, castes, religion and urban-rural divide. We find that even though the aggregate measures of inequality are fairly diversified across states, the consumption distributions show near identical statistics, once properly normalized. This feature is seen to be robust with respect to variations in sociological and economic factors. We also show that state-wise inequality seems to be positively correlated with growth which is in accord with the traditional idea of Kuznets' curve. We present a brief model to account for the invariance found empirically and show that better but riskier technology draws can create a positive correlation between inequality and growth.

The health of European populations: introduction to the special supplement on the 2014 European Social Survey (ESS) rotating module on the social determinants of health.

PubMed

Beckfield, Jason; Balaj, Mirza; McNamara, Courtney L; Huijts, Tim; Bambra, Clare; Eikemo, Terje A

2017-02-01

This introduction summarizes the main findings of the Supplement 'Social inequalities in health and their determinants' to the European Journal of Public Health. The 16 articles that constitute this supplement use the new ESS (2014) health module data to analyze the distribution of health across European populations. Three main themes run across these articles: documentation of cross-national variation in the magnitude and patterning of health inequalities; assessment of health determinants variation across populations and in their contribution to health inequalities; and the examination of the effects of health outcomes across social groups. Social inequalities in health are investigated from an intersectional stance providing ample evidence of inequalities based on socioeconomic status (occupation, education, income), gender, age, geographical location, migrant status and their interactions. Comparison of results across these articles, which employ a wide range of health outcomes, social determinants and social stratification measures, is facilitated by a shared theoretical and analytical approach developed by the authors in this supplement. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Measurement of inequity in health care with heterogeneous response of use to need.

PubMed

Van de Poel, Ellen; Van Doorslaer, Eddy; O'Donnell, Owen

2012-07-01

We propose a method of measuring and decomposing inequity in health care utilisation that allows for heterogeneity in the use-need relationship. This makes explicit inequity that derives from unequal treatment response to variation in need, as well as that due to differential effects of non-need determinants. Under plausible conditions concerning heterogeneity in the use-need relationship and the distribution of need, existing methods that impose homogeneity will underestimate pro-rich inequity. This prediction is confirmed for four middle-income Asian countries. In those countries, around one half of the observed socioeconomic inequality is due to utilisation being more responsive to need among the higher wealth and urban dwelling individuals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Jensen's Inequality Predicts Effects of Environmental Variation

Treesearch

Jonathan J. Ruel; Matthew P. Ayres

1999-01-01

Many biologists now recognize that environmental variance can exert important effects on patterns and processes in nature that are independent of average conditions. Jenson's inequality is a mathematical proof that is seldom mentioned in the ecological literature but which provides a powerful tool for predicting some direct effects of environmental variance in...

Configuration optimization of space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Felippa, Carlos; Crivelli, Luis A.; Vandenbelt, David

1991-01-01

The objective is to develop a computer aid for the conceptual/initial design of aerospace structures, allowing configurations and shape to be apriori design variables. The topics are presented in viewgraph form and include the following: Kikuchi's homogenization method; a classical shape design problem; homogenization method steps; a 3D mechanical component design example; forming a homogenized finite element; a 2D optimization problem; treatment of volume inequality constraint; algorithms for the volume inequality constraint; object function derivatives--taking advantage of design locality; stiffness variations; variations of potential; and schematics of the optimization problem.

Measuring correlations in non-separable vector beams using projective measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, Keerthan; Viswanathan, Nirmal K.

2017-09-01

Doubts regarding the completeness of quantum mechanics as raised by Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen(EPR) have predominantly been resolved by resorting to a measurement of correlations between entangled photons which clearly demonstrate violation of Bell's inequality. This article is an attempt to reconcile incompatibility of hidden variable theories with reality by demonstrating experimentally a violation of Bell's inequality in locally correlated systems whose two degrees of freedom, the spin and orbital angular momentum, are maximally correlated. To this end we propose and demonstrate a linear, achromatic modified Sagnac interferometer to project orbital angular momentum states which we combine with spin projections to measure correlations.

Numerical radius and zero pattern of matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikiforov, Vladimir

2008-01-01

Let A be an n×n complex matrix and r be the maximum size of its principal submatrices with no off-diagonal zero entries. Suppose A has zero main diagonal and x is a unit n-vector. Then, letting ||A|| be the Frobenius norm of A, we show that2[less-than-or-equals, slant](1-1/2r-1/2n)||A||2. This inequality is tight within an additive term O(rn-2). If the matrix A is Hermitian, then2[less-than-or-equals, slant](1-1/r)||A||2. This inequality is sharp; moreover, it implies the Turán theorem for graphs.

Gender inequalities in mental wellbeing in 26 European countries: do welfare regimes matter?

PubMed

Dreger, Stefanie; Gerlinger, Thomas; Bolte, Gabriele

2016-10-01

Nature and extent of welfare regimes and social policies are important determinants of health and health inequalities. This study examines the association of gender and mental wellbeing in European countries and investigates whether type of welfare regime plays a role in this association. Data of 19 366 women and 14 338 men of the third round of the European Quality of Life Survey (2011-12) was used to analyse mental wellbeing, assessed by the World Health Organization 5-Mental Wellbeing Index. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the association between gender and good mental wellbeing first at country-level, and secondly the between country variation was analysed and welfare regimes were included as explanatory variables. We observed cross-national variation in good mental wellbeing. At country levels gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were observed in 7 out of 26 countries. In analyses considering all countries together gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were identified independent of further individual socio-demographic variables and independent of the welfare regimes that people lived in [women vs. men: OR = 0.76; (95% CI = 0.71-0.81)]. Gender inequalities in good mental wellbeing were not modified by welfare regimes. There are cross-national differences in good mental wellbeing between European countries. Gender inequalities with a lower prevalence of good mental wellbeing among women are common in European countries. This study suggests that welfare regimes do not modify these gender inequalities in mental wellbeing. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Do Socioeconomic Inequalities in Neonatal Mortality Reflect Inequalities in Coverage of Maternal Health Services? Evidence from 48 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

McKinnon, Britt; Harper, Sam; Kaufman, Jay S

2016-02-01

To examine socioeconomic and health system determinants of wealth-related inequalities in neonatal mortality rates (NMR) across 48 low- and middle-income countries. We used data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 2006 and 2012. Absolute and relative inequalities for NMR and coverage of antenatal care, facility-based delivery, and Caesarean delivery were measured using the Slope Index of Inequality and Relative Index of Inequality, respectively. Meta-regression was used to assess whether variation in the magnitude of NMR inequalities was associated with inequalities in coverage of maternal health services, and whether country-level economic and health system factors were associated with mean NMR and socioeconomic inequality in NMR. Of the three maternal health service indicators examined, the magnitude of socioeconomic inequality in NMR was most strongly related to inequalities in antenatal care. NMR inequality was greatest in countries with higher out-of-pocket health expenditures, more doctors per capita, and a higher adolescent fertility rate. Determinants of lower mean NMR (e.g., higher government health expenditures and a greater number of nurses/midwives per capita) differed from factors associated with lower NMR inequality. Reducing the financial burden of maternal health services and achieving universal coverage of antenatal care may contribute to a reduction in socioeconomic differences in NMR. Further investigation of the mechanisms contributing to these cross-national associations seems warranted.

Inequality of Size and Size Increment in Pinus banksiana in Relation to Stand Dynamics and Annual Growth Rate

PubMed Central

Metsaranta, Juha M.; Lieffers, Victor J.

2008-01-01

Background and Aims Changes in size inequality in tree populations are often attributed to changes in the mode of competition over time. The mode of competition may also fluctuate annually in response to variation in growing conditions. Factors causing growth rate to vary can also influence competition processes, and thus influence how size hierarchies develop. Methods Detailed data obtained by tree-ring reconstruction were used to study annual changes in size and size increment inequality in several even-aged, fire-origin jack pine (Pinus banksiana) stands in the boreal shield and boreal plains ecozones in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, by using the Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients. Key Results The inequality of size was related to variables reflecting long-term stand dynamics (e.g. stand density, mean tree size and average competition, as quantified using a distance-weighted absolute size index). The inequality of size increment was greater and more variable than the inequality of size. Inequality of size increment was significantly related to annual growth rate at the stand level, and was higher when growth rate was low. Inequality of size increment was usually due primarily to large numbers of trees with low growth rates, except during years with low growth rate when it was often due to small numbers of trees with high growth rates. The amount of competition to which individual trees were subject was not strongly related to the inequality of size increment. Conclusions Differences in growth rate among trees during years of poor growth may form the basis for development of size hierarchies on which asymmetric competition can act. A complete understanding of the dynamics of these forests requires further evaluation of the way in which factors that influence variation in annual growth rate also affect the mode of competition and the development of size hierarchies. PMID:18089583

Inequality of size and size increment in Pinus banksiana in relation to stand dynamics and annual growth rate.

PubMed

Metsaranta, Juha M; Lieffers, Victor J

2008-03-01

Changes in size inequality in tree populations are often attributed to changes in the mode of competition over time. The mode of competition may also fluctuate annually in response to variation in growing conditions. Factors causing growth rate to vary can also influence competition processes, and thus influence how size hierarchies develop. Detailed data obtained by tree-ring reconstruction were used to study annual changes in size and size increment inequality in several even-aged, fire-origin jack pine (Pinus banksiana) stands in the boreal shield and boreal plains ecozones in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, by using the Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients. The inequality of size was related to variables reflecting long-term stand dynamics (e.g. stand density, mean tree size and average competition, as quantified using a distance-weighted absolute size index). The inequality of size increment was greater and more variable than the inequality of size. Inequality of size increment was significantly related to annual growth rate at the stand level, and was higher when growth rate was low. Inequality of size increment was usually due primarily to large numbers of trees with low growth rates, except during years with low growth rate when it was often due to small numbers of trees with high growth rates. The amount of competition to which individual trees were subject was not strongly related to the inequality of size increment. Differences in growth rate among trees during years of poor growth may form the basis for development of size hierarchies on which asymmetric competition can act. A complete understanding of the dynamics of these forests requires further evaluation of the way in which factors that influence variation in annual growth rate also affect the mode of competition and the development of size hierarchies.

Nations' income inequality predicts ambivalence in stereotype content: how societies mind the gap.

PubMed

Durante, Federica; Fiske, Susan T; Kervyn, Nicolas; Cuddy, Amy J C; Akande, Adebowale Debo; Adetoun, Bolanle E; Adewuyi, Modupe F; Tserere, Magdeline M; Ramiah, Ananthi Al; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Barlow, Fiona Kate; Bonn, Gregory; Tafarodi, Romin W; Bosak, Janine; Cairns, Ed; Doherty, Claire; Capozza, Dora; Chandran, Anjana; Chryssochoou, Xenia; Iatridis, Tilemachos; Contreras, Juan Manuel; Costa-Lopes, Rui; González, Roberto; Lewis, Janet I; Tushabe, Gerald; Leyens, Jacques-Philippe; Mayorga, Renée; Rouhana, Nadim N; Castro, Vanessa Smith; Perez, Rolando; Rodríguez-Bailón, Rosa; Moya, Miguel; Morales Marente, Elena; Palacios Gálvez, Marisol; Sibley, Chris G; Asbrock, Frank; Storari, Chiara C

2013-12-01

Income inequality undermines societies: The more inequality, the more health problems, social tensions, and the lower social mobility, trust, life expectancy. Given people's tendency to legitimate existing social arrangements, the stereotype content model (SCM) argues that ambivalence-perceiving many groups as either warm or competent, but not both-may help maintain socio-economic disparities. The association between stereotype ambivalence and income inequality in 37 cross-national samples from Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Asia, and Africa investigates how groups' overall warmth-competence, status-competence, and competition-warmth correlations vary across societies, and whether these variations associate with income inequality (Gini index). More unequal societies report more ambivalent stereotypes, whereas more equal ones dislike competitive groups and do not necessarily respect them as competent. Unequal societies may need ambivalence for system stability: Income inequality compensates groups with partially positive social images. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Nations’ Income Inequality Predicts Ambivalence in Stereotype Content: How Societies Mind the Gap

PubMed Central

Durante, Federica; Fiske, Susan T.; Kervyn, Nicolas; Cuddy, Amy J. C.; Akande, Adebowale (Debo); Adetoun, Bolanle E.; Adewuyi, Modupe F.; Tserere, Magdeline M.; Ramiah, Ananthi Al; Mastor, Khairul Anwar; Barlow, Fiona Kate; Bonn, Gregory; Tafarodi, Romin W.; Bosak, Janine; Cairns, Ed; Doherty, Claire; Capozza, Dora; Chandran, Anjana; Chryssochoou, Xenia; Iatridis, Tilemachos; Contreras, Juan Manuel; Costa-Lopes, Rui; González, Roberto; Lewis, Janet I.; Tushabe, Gerald; Leyens, Jacques-Philippe; Mayorga, Renée; Rouhana, Nadim N.; Castro, Vanessa Smith; Perez, Rolando; Rodríguez-Bailón, Rosa; Moya, Miguel; Morales Marente, Elena; Palacios Gálvez, Marisol; Sibley, Chris G.; Asbrock, Frank; Storari, Chiara C.

2013-01-01

Income inequality undermines societies: the more inequality, the more health problems, social tensions, and the lower social mobility, trust, life expectancy. Given people’s tendency to legitimate existing social arrangements, the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) argues that ambivalence—perceiving many groups as either warm or competent, but not both—may help maintain socio-economic disparities. The association between stereotype ambivalence and income inequality in 37 cross-national samples from Europe, the Americas, Oceania, Asia, and Africa investigates how groups’ overall warmth-competence, status-competence, and competition-warmth correlations vary across societies, and whether these variations associate with income inequality (Gini index). More unequal societies report more ambivalent stereotypes, while more equal ones dislike competitive groups and do not necessarily respect them as competent. Unequal societies may need ambivalence for system stability: income inequality compensates groups with partially positive social images. PMID:23039178

Stationarity and Inequality from the Mississippi to the Kissimmee: Climatic Control of Temporal Patterns in Catchment Discharge and Solute Export

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawitz, J. W.

2011-12-01

What are the relative contributions of climatic variability, land management, and local geomorphology in determining the temporal dynamics of streamflow and the export of solutes from watersheds to receiving water bodies? A simple analytical framework is introduced for characterizing the temporal inequality of stream discharge and solute export from catchments using Lorenz diagrams and the associated Gini coefficient. These descriptors are used to illustrate a broad range of observed flow variability with a synthesis of multi-decadal flow data from 22 rivers in Florida. The analytical framework is extended to comprehensively link variability in flows and loads to climatically-driven inputs in terms of these inequality-based metrics. Further, based on a synthesis of data from the basins of the Baltic Sea, the Mississippi River, the Kissimmee River and other tributaries to Lake Okeechobee, FL, it is shown that inter-annual variations in exported loads for geogenic constituents, and for total N and total P, are dominantly controlled by discharge. Emergence of this consistent pattern across diverse managed catchments is attributed to the anthropogenic legacy of accumulated nutrient sources generating memory, similar to ubiquitously present sources for geogenic constituents. Multi-decadal phosphorus load data from 4 of the primary tributaries to Lake Okeechobee and sodium and nitrate load data from 9 of the Hubbard Brook, NH long-term study site catchments are used to examine the relation between inequality of climatic inputs, river flows and catchment loads. The intra-annual loads to Lake Okeechobee are shown to be highly unequal, such that 90% of annual load is delivered in as little as 15% of the time. Analytic expressions are developed for measures of inequality in terms of parameters of the lognormal distribution under general conditions that include intermittency. In cases where climatic variability is high compared to that of concentrations (chemostatic conditions), such as for P in the Lake Okeechobee basin and Na in Hubbard Brook, the temporal inequality of rainfall and flow are strong surrogates for load inequality. However, in cases where variability of concentrations is high compared to that of flows (chemodynamic conditions), such as for nitrate in the Hubbard Brook catchments, load inequality is greater than rainfall or flow inequality. The measured degree of correspondence between climatic, flow, and load inequality for these data sets are shown to be well described using the general inequality framework introduced here. Important implications are that (1) variations in hydro-climatic or anthropogenic forcing can be used to robustly predict inter-annual variations in flows and loads, (2) water quality problems in receiving inland and coastal waters may persist until the accumulated storages of nutrients have been substantially depleted, and (3) remedial measures designed to intercept or capture exported flows and loads must be designed with consideration of the intra-annual inequality.

Maintaining or Disrupting Inequality: Diversity Statements in the University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkl, Linda

2012-01-01

The purpose of my study was to identify whether university Diversity Statements aid in maintaining or disrupting inequality in the university. Using critical discourse analysis, I analyzed an initial sample of eleven Diversity Statements to develop a list of common themes found within the diversity statements. Using a maximum variation method, I…

Seasonal Dynamics of Academic Achievement Inequality by Socioeconomic Status and Race/Ethnicity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, David M.; Cooc, North; McIntyre, Joe; Gomez, Celia J.

2016-01-01

Early studies examining seasonal variation in academic achievement inequality generally concluded that socioeconomic test score gaps grew more over the summer than the school year, suggesting schools served as "equalizers." In this study, we analyze seasonal trends in socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic test score gaps using…

Income Inequality and Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States

PubMed Central

Bloome, Deirdre

2015-01-01

Is there a relationship between family income inequality and income mobility across generations in the United States? As family income inequality rose in the United States, parental resources available for improving children’s health, education, and care diverged. The amount and rate of divergence also varied across US states. Researchers and policy analysts have expressed concern that relatively high inequality might be accompanied by relatively low mobility, tightening the connection between individuals’ incomes during childhood and adulthood. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and various government sources, this paper exploits state and cohort variation to estimate the relationship between inequality and mobility. Results provide very little support for the hypothesis that inequality shapes mobility in the United States. The inequality children experienced during youth had no robust association with their economic mobility as adults. Formal analysis reveals that offsetting effects could underlie this result. In theory, mobility-enhancing forces may counterbalance mobility-reducing effects. In practice, the results suggest that in the US context, the intergenerational transmission of income may not be very responsive to changes in inequality. PMID:26388653

A novel neural network for variational inequalities with linear and nonlinear constraints.

PubMed

Gao, Xing-Bao; Liao, Li-Zhi; Qi, Liqun

2005-11-01

Variational inequality is a uniform approach for many important optimization and equilibrium problems. Based on the sufficient and necessary conditions of the solution, this paper presents a novel neural network model for solving variational inequalities with linear and nonlinear constraints. Three sufficient conditions are provided to ensure that the proposed network with an asymmetric mapping is stable in the sense of Lyapunov and converges to an exact solution of the original problem. Meanwhile, the proposed network with a gradient mapping is also proved to be stable in the sense of Lyapunov and to have a finite-time convergence under some mild condition by using a new energy function. Compared with the existing neural networks, the new model can be applied to solve some nonmonotone problems, has no adjustable parameter, and has lower complexity. Thus, the structure of the proposed network is very simple. Since the proposed network can be used to solve a broad class of optimization problems, it has great application potential. The validity and transient behavior of the proposed neural network are demonstrated by several numerical examples.

Exploring the Motivations for Punishment: Framing and Country-Level Effects.

PubMed

Bone, Jonathan E; McAuliffe, Katherine; Raihani, Nichola J

2016-01-01

Identifying the motives underpinning punishment is crucial for understanding its evolved function. In principle, punishment of distributional inequality could be motivated by the desire to reciprocate losses ('revenge') or by the desire to reduce payoff asymmetries between the punisher and the target ('inequality aversion'). By separating these two possible motivations, recent work suggests that punishment is more likely to be motivated by disadvantageous inequality aversion than by a desire for revenge. Nevertheless, these findings have not consistently replicated across different studies. Here, we suggest that considering country of origin-previously overlooked as a possible source of variation in responses-is important for understanding when and why individuals punish one another. We conducted a two-player stealing game with punishment, using data from 2,400 subjects recruited from the USA and India. US-based subjects punished in response to losses and disadvantageous inequality, but seldom invested in antisocial punishment (defined here as punishment of non-stealing partners). India-based subjects, on the other hand, punished at higher levels than US-based subjects and, so long as they did not experience disadvantageous inequality, punished stealing and non-stealing partners indiscriminately. Nevertheless, as in the USA, when stealing resulted in disadvantageous inequality, India-based subjects punished stealing partners more than non-stealing partners. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that variation in punitive behavior varies across societies, and support the idea that punishment might sometimes function to improve relative status, rather than to enforce cooperation.

Priorities and needs for research on urban interventions targeting vector-borne diseases: rapid review of scoping and systematic reviews.

PubMed

Bermudez-Tamayo, Clara; Mukamana, Olive; Carabali, Mabel; Osorio, Lyda; Fournet, Florence; Dabiré, Kounbobr Roch; Turchi Marteli, Celina; Contreras, Adolfo; Ridde, Valéry

2016-12-01

This paper highlights the critical importance of evidence on vector-borne diseases (VBD) prevention and control interventions in urban settings when assessing current and future needs, with a view to setting policy priorities that promote inclusive and equitable urban health services. Research should produce knowledge about policies and interventions that are intended to control and prevent VBDs at the population level and to reduce inequities. Such interventions include policy, program, and resource distribution approaches that address the social determinants of health and exert influence at organizational and system levels.

Measurement of gender inequality in neighbourhoods of Québec, Canada

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Few studies have measured gender inequality at levels lower than the country. We sought to develop neighbourhood indicators of gender inequality, and assess their ability to capture variability in gender inequality across Québec, Canada. Methods Aggregate 2001 census data for 11,564 neighbourhoods were obtained for men and women. Twelve indicators of gender inequality representing demographic/household characteristics, education, income, work/leisure, and political participation were selected. Neighbourhood-level gender inequality scores were computed for each indicator, and examined across parts of Québec (metropolitan areas, mid-sized cities, rural areas). Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the ability of indicators to capture heterogeneity in gender inequality across neighbourhoods. Results Male-dominant neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to be present for average employment income, labour force participation, employment rate, and employment in managerial positions. Female-dominant gender inequality tended to be present for divorce, single-headed households, and participation in unpaid housework, child and elderly care. Neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to vary across metropolitan areas, mid-sized cities, and rural areas. Gender inequality scores also varied within these geographic areas. For example, there was greater income-related gender inequality in high than low income neighbourhoods. Monte Carlo simulations suggested that the variation in gender inequality across neighbourhoods was greater than expected with chance alone. Conclusion Neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to be present in Québec, and varied across parts of the province. Greater awareness of and research on neighbourhood-level gender inequality may be warranted to inform gender policies in Québec and other nations. PMID:22087586

Measurement of gender inequality in neighbourhoods of Québec, Canada.

PubMed

Tamambang, Lum; Auger, Nathalie; Lo, Ernest; Raynault, Marie-France

2011-11-16

Few studies have measured gender inequality at levels lower than the country. We sought to develop neighbourhood indicators of gender inequality, and assess their ability to capture variability in gender inequality across Québec, Canada. Aggregate 2001 census data for 11,564 neighbourhoods were obtained for men and women. Twelve indicators of gender inequality representing demographic/household characteristics, education, income, work/leisure, and political participation were selected. Neighbourhood-level gender inequality scores were computed for each indicator, and examined across parts of Québec (metropolitan areas, mid-sized cities, rural areas). Monte Carlo simulations were used to assess the ability of indicators to capture heterogeneity in gender inequality across neighbourhoods. Male-dominant neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to be present for average employment income, labour force participation, employment rate, and employment in managerial positions. Female-dominant gender inequality tended to be present for divorce, single-headed households, and participation in unpaid housework, child and elderly care. Neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to vary across metropolitan areas, mid-sized cities, and rural areas. Gender inequality scores also varied within these geographic areas. For example, there was greater income-related gender inequality in high than low income neighbourhoods. Monte Carlo simulations suggested that the variation in gender inequality across neighbourhoods was greater than expected with chance alone. Neighbourhood-level gender inequality tended to be present in Québec, and varied across parts of the province. Greater awareness of and research on neighbourhood-level gender inequality may be warranted to inform gender policies in Québec and other nations.

Socioeconomic position, macroeconomic environment and overweight among adolescents in 35 countries.

PubMed

Due, P; Damsgaard, M T; Rasmussen, M; Holstein, B E; Wardle, J; Merlo, J; Currie, C; Ahluwalia, N; Sørensen, T I A; Lynch, J; Borraccino, A; Borup, I; Boyce, W; Elgar, F; Gabhainn, S N; Krølner, R; Svastisalee, C; Matos, M C; Nansel, T; Al Sabbah, H; Vereecken, C; Valimaa, R

2009-10-01

It is important to understand levels and social inequalities in childhood overweight within and between countries. This study examined prevalence and social inequality in adolescent overweight in 35 countries, and associations with macroeconomic factors. International cross-sectional survey in national samples of schools. A total of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds from 35 countries in Europe and North America in 2001-2002 (N=162 305). The main outcome measure was overweight based on self-reported height and weight (body mass index cut-points corresponding to body mass index of 25 kg/m(2) at the age of 18 years). Measures included family and school affluence (within countries), and average country income and economic inequality (between countries). There were large variations in adolescent overweight, from 3.5% in Lithuanian girls to 31.7% in boys from Malta. Prevalence of overweight was higher among children from less affluent families in 21 of 24 Western and 5 of 10 Central European countries. However, children from more affluent families were at higher risk of overweight in Croatia, Estonia and Latvia. In Poland, Lithuania, Macedonia and Finland, girls from less affluent families were more overweight whereas the opposite was found for boys. Average country income was associated with prevalence and inequality in overweight when considering all countries together. However, economic inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient was differentially associated with prevalence and socioeconomic inequality in overweight among the 23-high income and 10-middle income countries, with a positive relationship among the high income countries and a negative association among the middle income countries. The direction and magnitude of social inequality in adolescent overweight shows large international variation, with negative social gradients in most countries, but positive social gradients, especially for boys, in some Central European countries. Macroeconomic factors are associated with the heterogeneity in prevalence and social inequality of adolescent overweight.

Socioeconomic position, macroeconomic environment and overweight among adolescents in 35 countries

PubMed Central

Due, P; Damsgaard, MT; Rasmussen, M; Holstein, BE; Wardle, J; Merlo, J; Currie, C; Ahluwalia, N; Sørensen, TIA; Lynch, J

2012-01-01

Objective It is important to understand levels and social inequalities in childhood overweight within and between countries. This study examined prevalence and social inequality in adolescent overweight in 35 countries, and associations with macroeconomic factors. Design International cross-sectional survey in national samples of schools. Subjects A total of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds from 35 countries in Europe and North America in 2001–2002 (N = 162 305). Measurements The main outcome measure was overweight based on self-reported height and weight (body mass index cut-points corresponding to body mass index of 25 kg/m2 at the age of 18 years). Measures included family and school affluence (within countries), and average country income and economic inequality (between countries). Results There were large variations in adolescent overweight, from 3.5% in Lithuanian girls to 31.7% in boys from Malta. Prevalence of overweight was higher among children from less affluent families in 21 of 24 Western and 5 of 10 Central European countries. However, children from more affluent families were at higher risk of overweight in Croatia, Estonia and Latvia. In Poland, Lithuania, Macedonia and Finland, girls from less affluent families were more overweight whereas the opposite was found for boys. Average country income was associated with prevalence and inequality in overweight when considering all countries together. However, economic inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient was differentially associated with prevalence and socioeconomic inequality in overweight among the 23-high income and 10-middle income countries, with a positive relationship among the high income countries and a negative association among the middle income countries. Conclusion The direction and magnitude of social inequality in adolescent overweight shows large international variation, with negative social gradients in most countries, but positive social gradients, especially for boys, in some Central European countries. Macroeconomic factors are associated with the heterogeneity in prevalence and social inequality of adolescent overweight. PMID:19621018

A problem in non-linear Diophantine approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrap, Stephen; Hussain, Mumtaz; Kristensen, Simon

2018-05-01

In this paper we obtain the Lebesgue and Hausdorff measure results for the set of vectors satisfying infinitely many fully non-linear Diophantine inequalities. The set is associated with a class of linear inhomogeneous partial differential equations whose solubility depends on a certain Diophantine condition. The failure of the Diophantine condition guarantees the existence of a smooth solution.

Measuring inequality: tools and an illustration.

PubMed

Williams, Ruth F G; Doessel, D P

2006-05-22

This paper examines an aspect of the problem of measuring inequality in health services. The measures that are commonly applied can be misleading because such measures obscure the difficulty in obtaining a complete ranking of distributions. The nature of the social welfare function underlying these measures is important. The overall object is to demonstrate that varying implications for the welfare of society result from inequality measures. Various tools for measuring a distribution are applied to some illustrative data on four distributions about mental health services. Although these data refer to this one aspect of health, the exercise is of broader relevance than mental health. The summary measures of dispersion conventionally used in empirical work are applied to the data here, such as the standard deviation, the coefficient of variation, the relative mean deviation and the Gini coefficient. Other, less commonly used measures also are applied, such as Theil's Index of Entropy, Atkinson's Measure (using two differing assumptions about the inequality aversion parameter). Lorenz curves are also drawn for these distributions. Distributions are shown to have differing rankings (in terms of which is more equal than another), depending on which measure is applied. The scope and content of the literature from the past decade about health inequalities and inequities suggest that the economic literature from the past 100 years about inequality and inequity may have been overlooked, generally speaking, in the health inequalities and inequity literature. An understanding of economic theory and economic method, partly introduced in this article, is helpful in analysing health inequality and inequity.

Variance Function Regression in Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort Models: Applications to the Study of Self-Reported Health

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hui; Yang, Yang; Land, Kenneth C.

2012-01-01

Two long-standing research problems of interest to sociologists are sources of variations in social inequalities and differential contributions of the temporal dimensions of age, time period, and cohort to variations in social phenomena. Recently, scholars have introduced a model called Variance Function Regression for the study of the former problem, and a model called Hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort regression has been developed for the study of the latter. This article presents an integration of these two models as a means to study the evolution of social inequalities along distinct temporal dimensions. We apply the integrated model to survey data on subjective health status. We find substantial age, period, and cohort effects, as well as gender differences, not only for the conditional mean of self-rated health (i.e., between-group disparities), but also for the variance in this mean (i.e., within-group disparities)—and it is detection of age, period, and cohort variations in the latter disparities that application of the integrated model permits. Net of effects of age and individual-level covariates, in recent decades, cohort differences in conditional means of self-rated health have been less important than period differences that cut across all cohorts. By contrast, cohort differences of variances in these conditional means have dominated period differences. In particular, post-baby boom birth cohorts show significant and increasing levels of within-group disparities. These findings illustrate how the integrated model provides a powerful framework through which to identify and study the evolution of variations in social inequalities across age, period, and cohort temporal dimensions. Accordingly, this model should be broadly applicable to the study of social inequality in many different substantive contexts. PMID:22904570

Individual Income, Area Deprivation, and Health: Do Income-Related Health Inequalities Vary by Small Area Deprivation?

PubMed

Siegel, Martin; Mielck, Andreas; Maier, Werner

2015-11-01

This paper aims to explore potential associations between health inequalities related to socioeconomic deprivation at the individual and the small area level. We use German cross-sectional survey data for the years 2002 and 2006, and measure small area deprivation via the German Index of Multiple Deprivation. We test the differences between concentration indices of income-related and small area deprivation related inequalities in obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Our results suggest that small area deprivation and individual income both yield inequalities in health favoring the better-off, where individual income-related inequalities are significantly more pronounced than those related to small area deprivation. We then apply a semiparametric extension of Wagstaff's corrected concentration index to explore how individual-level health inequalities vary with the degree of regional deprivation. We find that the concentration of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes among lower income groups also exists at the small area level. The degree of deprivation-specific income-related inequalities in the three health outcomes exhibits only little variations across different levels of multiple deprivation for both sexes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Absolute and relative educational inequalities in depression in Europe.

PubMed

Dudal, Pieter; Bracke, Piet

2016-09-01

To investigate (1) the size of absolute and relative educational inequalities in depression, (2) their variation between European countries, and (3) their relationship with underlying prevalence rates. Analyses are based on the European Social Survey, rounds three and six (N = 57,419). Depression is measured using the shortened Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Education is coded by use of the International Standard Classification of Education. Country-specific logistic regressions are applied. Results point to an elevated risk of depressive symptoms among the lower educated. The cross-national patterns differ between absolute and relative measurements. For men, large relative inequalities are found for countries including Denmark and Sweden, but are accompanied by small absolute inequalities. For women, large relative and absolute inequalities are found in Belgium, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Results point to an empirical association between inequalities and the underlying prevalence rates. However, the strength of the association is only moderate. This research stresses the importance of including both measurements for comparative research and suggests the inclusion of the level of population health in research into inequalities in health.

Primer Vector Optimization: Survey of Theory, New Analysis and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guzman, J. J.; Mailhe, L. M.; Schiff, C.; Hughes, S. P.; Folta, D. C.

2002-01-01

In this paper, a summary of primer vector theory is presented. The applicability of primer vector theory is examined in an effort to understand when and why the theory can fail. For example, since the Calculus of Variations is based on "small" variations, singularities in the linearized (variational) equations of motion along the arcs must be taken into account. These singularities are a recurring problem in analyse that employ small variations. Two examples, the initialization of an orbit and a line of apsides rotation, are presented. Recommendations, future work, and the possible addition of other optimization techniques are also discussed.

Cross-cultural variation in the association between family's socioeconomic status and adolescent alcohol use.

PubMed

Gomes de Matos, Elena; Kraus, Ludwig; Hannemann, Tessa-Virginia; Soellner, Renate; Piontek, Daniela

2017-11-01

This study estimates cross-country variation in socioeconomic disparities in adolescent alcohol use and identifies country-level characteristics associated with these disparities. The association between socioeconomic status (family wealth and parental education) and alcohol use (lifetime use and episodic heavy drinking) of 15- to 16-year-olds from 32 European countries was investigated. Country-level characteristics were national income, income inequality and per capita alcohol consumption. Multilevel modelling was applied. Across countries, lifetime use was lower in wealthy than in less wealthy families (odds ratio [OR] (girls)  = 0.95, OR (boys)  = 0.94). The risk of episodic heavy drinking, in contrast, was higher for children from wealthier families (OR (girls)  = 1.04, OR (boys)  = 1.08) and lower when parents were highly educated (ORs = 0.95-0.98). Socioeconomic disparities varied substantially between countries. National wealth and income inequality were associated with cross-country variation of disparities in lifetime use in few comparisons, such that among girls, the (negative) effect of family wealth was greatest in countries with unequally distributed income (OR = 0.86). Among boys, the (negative) effect of family wealth was greatest in low-income countries (OR = 1.00), and the (positive) effect of mothers' education was greatest in countries with high income inequality (OR = 1.11). Socioeconomic disparities in adolescent alcohol use vary across European countries. Broad country-level indicators can explain this variation only to a limited extent, but results point towards slightly greater socioeconomic disparities in drinking in countries of low national income and countries with a high income inequality. [Gomes de Matos E, Kraus L, Hannemann T-V, Soellner R, Piontek D. Cross-cultural variation in the association between family's socioeconomic status and adolescent alcohol use. © 2017 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

The wider determinants of inequalities in health: a decomposition analysis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The common starting point of many studies scrutinizing the factors underlying health inequalities is that material, cultural-behavioural, and psycho-social factors affect the distribution of health systematically through income, education, occupation, wealth or similar indicators of socioeconomic structure. However, little is known regarding if and to what extent these factors can assert systematic influence on the distribution of health of a population independent of the effects channelled through income, education, or wealth. Methods Using representative data from the German Socioeconomic Panel, we apply Fields' regression based decomposition techniques to decompose variations in health into its sources. Controlling for income, education, occupation, and wealth, we assess the relative importance of the explanatory factors over and above their effect on the variation in health channelled through the commonly applied measures of socioeconomic status. Results The analysis suggests that three main factors persistently contribute to variance in health: the capability score, cultural-behavioural variables and to a lower extent, the materialist approach. Of the three, the capability score illustrates the explanatory power of interaction and compound effects as it captures the individual's socioeconomic, social, and psychological resources in relation to his/her exposure to life challenges. Conclusion Models that take a reductionist perspective and do not allow for the possibility that health inequalities are generated by factors over and above their effect on the variation in health channelled through one of the socioeconomic measures are underspecified and may fail to capture the determinants of health inequalities. PMID:21791075

Are health inequalities really not the smallest in the Nordic welfare states? A comparison of mortality inequality in 37 countries.

PubMed

Popham, Frank; Dibben, Chris; Bambra, Clare

2013-05-01

Research comparing mortality by socioeconomic status has found that inequalities are not the smallest in the Nordic countries. This is in contrast to expectations given these countries' policy focus on equity. An alternative way of studying inequality has been little used to compare inequalities across welfare states and may yield a different conclusion. We used average life expectancy lost per death as a measure of total inequality in mortality derived from death rates from the Human Mortality Database for 37 countries in 2006 that we grouped by welfare state type. We constructed a theoretical 'lowest mortality comparator country' to study, by age, why countries were not achieving the smallest inequality and the highest life expectancy. We also studied life expectancy as there is an important correlation between it and inequality. On average, Nordic countries had the highest life expectancy and smallest inequalities for men but not women. For both men and women, Nordic countries had particularly low younger age mortality contributing to smaller inequality and higher life expectancy. Although older age mortality in the Nordic countries is not the smallest. There was variation within Nordic countries with Sweden, Iceland and Norway having higher life expectancy and smaller inequalities than Denmark and Finland (for men). Our analysis suggests that the Nordic countries do have the smallest inequalities in mortality for men and for younger age groups. However, this is not the case for women. Reducing premature mortality among older age groups would increase life expectancy and reduce inequality further in Nordic countries.

Are health inequalities really not the smallest in the Nordic welfare states? A comparison of mortality inequality in 37 countries

PubMed Central

Popham, Frank; Dibben, Chris; Bambra, Clare

2013-01-01

Background Research comparing mortality by socioeconomic status has found that inequalities are not the smallest in the Nordic countries. This is in contrast to expectations given these countries’ policy focus on equity. An alternative way of studying inequality has been little used to compare inequalities across welfare states and may yield a different conclusion. Methods We used average life expectancy lost per death as a measure of total inequality in mortality derived from death rates from the Human Mortality Database for 37 countries in 2006 that we grouped by welfare state type. We constructed a theoretical ‘lowest mortality comparator country’ to study, by age, why countries were not achieving the smallest inequality and the highest life expectancy. We also studied life expectancy as there is an important correlation between it and inequality. Results On average, Nordic countries had the highest life expectancy and smallest inequalities for men but not women. For both men and women, Nordic countries had particularly low younger age mortality contributing to smaller inequality and higher life expectancy. Although older age mortality in the Nordic countries is not the smallest. There was variation within Nordic countries with Sweden, Iceland and Norway having higher life expectancy and smaller inequalities than Denmark and Finland (for men). Conclusions Our analysis suggests that the Nordic countries do have the smallest inequalities in mortality for men and for younger age groups. However, this is not the case for women. Reducing premature mortality among older age groups would increase life expectancy and reduce inequality further in Nordic countries. PMID:23386671

Measuring Gender (In)Equality: Introducing the Gender, Institutions and Development Data Base (GID). OECD Development Centre Working Paper No. 247

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jutting, Johannes P.; Morrisson, Christian; Dayton-Johnson, Jeff; Drechsler, Denis

2006-01-01

Efforts to establish, test and analyse hypotheses regarding cross-country variations in women's economic status are hampered by the lack of a readily accessible and easily used information resource on the various dimensions of gender inequality. Addressing this gap, this paper introduces the Gender, Institutions and Development data base (GID)…

Testing quantum contextuality of continuous-variable states

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKeown, Gerard; Paternostro, Mauro; Paris, Matteo G. A.

2011-06-15

We investigate the violation of noncontextuality by a class of continuous-variable states, including variations of entangled coherent states and a two-mode continuous superposition of coherent states. We generalize the Kochen-Specker (KS) inequality discussed by Cabello [A. Cabello, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 210401 (2008)] by using effective bidimensional observables implemented through physical operations acting on continuous-variable states, in a way similar to an approach to the falsification of Bell-Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequalities put forward recently. We test for state-independent violation of KS inequalities under variable degrees of state entanglement and mixedness. We then demonstrate theoretically the violation of a KS inequality for anymore » two-mode state by using pseudospin observables and a generalized quasiprobability function.« less

Inequality, income, and poverty: comparative global evidence.

PubMed

Fosu, Augustin Kwasi

2010-01-01

Objectives. The study seeks to provide comparative global evidence on the role of income inequality, relative to income growth, in poverty reduction.Methods. An analysis-of-covariance model is estimated using a large global sample of 1980–2004 unbalanced panel data, with the headcount measure of poverty as the dependent variable, and the Gini coefficient and PPP-adjusted mean income as explanatory variables. Both random-effects and fixed-effects methods are employed in the estimation.Results. The responsiveness of poverty to income is a decreasing function of inequality, and the inequality elasticity of poverty is actually larger than the income elasticity of poverty. Furthermore, there is a large variation across regions (and countries) in the relative effects of inequality on poverty.Conclusion. Income distribution plays a more important role than might be traditionally acknowledged in poverty reduction, though this importance varies widely across regions and countries.

Social inequalities in obesity and overweight in 11 OECD countries.

PubMed

Devaux, Marion; Sassi, Franco

2013-06-01

Evidence of inequalities in obesity and overweight is available mostly from national studies. This article provides a broad international comparison of inequalities by education level and socio-economic status, in men and women and over time. Data from national health surveys of 11 OECD countries were used. The size of inequalities was assessed on the basis of absolute and relative inequality indexes. A regression-analysis approach was used to assess differences between social groups in trends over time. Of the countries examined, USA and England had the highest rates of obesity and overweight. Large social inequalities were consistently detected in all countries, especially in women. Absolute inequalities were largest in Hungary and Spain with a difference of 11.6 and 10% in obesity rates in men, and 18.3 and 18.9% in women, respectively, across the education spectrum. Relative inequalities were largest in France and Sweden with poorly educated men 3.2 and 2.8 times as likely to be obese as men with the highest education (18 and 17 times for women in Spain and Korea, respectively). Pro-poor inequalities in overweight were observed for men in USA, Canada, Korea, Hungary, Australia and England. Inequalities remained virtually stable during the last 15 years, with only small variations in England, Korea, Italy and France. Large and persistent social inequalities in obesity and overweight by education level and socio-economic status exist in OECD countries. These are consistently larger in women than in men.

Gender obesity inequities are huge but differ greatly according to environment and socio-economics in a North African setting: a national cross-sectional study in Tunisia.

PubMed

El Ati, Jalila; Traissac, Pierre; Delpeuch, Francis; Aounallah-Skhiri, Hajer; Béji, Chiraz; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; Bougatef, Souha; Kolsteren, Patrick; Maire, Bernard; Ben Romdhane, Habiba

2012-01-01

Southern Mediterranean countries have experienced a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity whose consequences for gender related health inequities have been little studied. We assessed gender obesity inequalities and their environmental and socio-economic modifiers among Tunisian adults. Cross-sectional survey in 2005; national, 3 level random cluster sample of 35-70 years Tunisians (women: n = 2964, men: n = 2379). Overall adiposity was assessed by BMI = weight(kg)/height(m)(2) and obesity was BMI≥30, WHtR = waist circumference to height ratio defined abdominal obesity as WHtR≥0.6. Gender obesity inequality measure was women versus men Prevalence Proportion Odds-Ratio (OR); models featuring gender x covariate interaction assessed variation of gender obesity inequalities with area (urban versus rural), age, marital status or socio-economic position (profession, education, household income proxy). BMI was much higher among women (28.4(0.2)) versus men (25.3(0.1)), P<0.0001) as was obesity (37.0% versus 13.3%, OR = 3.8[3.1-7.4], P<0.0001) and abdominal obesity (42.6% versus 15.6%, 4.0[3.3-4.8], P<0.0001). Gender obesity inequalities (women versus men adjusted OR) were higher in urban (OR = 3.3[1.3-8.7]) than rural (OR = 2.0[0.7-5.5]) areas. These gender obesity inequalities were lower for subjects with secondary education or more (OR = 3.3[1.3-8.6]), than among those with no schooling (OR = 6.9[2.0-23.3]). They were also lower for those with upper/intermediate profession (OR = 1.4[0.5-4.3]) or even employees/workers OR = 2.3[1.0-5.4] than those not professionaly active at all (OR = 3.3[1.3-8.6]). Similar results were observed for addominal obesity. The huge overall gender obesity inequities (women much more corpulent than men) were higher in urban settings, but lower among subjects of higher education and professional activity. Reasons for gender inequalities in obesity and their variation with socio-economic position should be sought so that appropriate policies to reduce these inequalities can be implemented in Tunisia and similar settings.

GNSS Single Frequency, Single Epoch Reliable Attitude Determination Method with Baseline Vector Constraint.

PubMed

Gong, Ang; Zhao, Xiubin; Pang, Chunlei; Duan, Rong; Wang, Yong

2015-12-02

For Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) single frequency, single epoch attitude determination, this paper proposes a new reliable method with baseline vector constraint. First, prior knowledge of baseline length, heading, and pitch obtained from other navigation equipment or sensors are used to reconstruct objective function rigorously. Then, searching strategy is improved. It substitutes gradually Enlarged ellipsoidal search space for non-ellipsoidal search space to ensure correct ambiguity candidates are within it and make the searching process directly be carried out by least squares ambiguity decorrelation algorithm (LAMBDA) method. For all vector candidates, some ones are further eliminated by derived approximate inequality, which accelerates the searching process. Experimental results show that compared to traditional method with only baseline length constraint, this new method can utilize a priori baseline three-dimensional knowledge to fix ambiguity reliably and achieve a high success rate. Experimental tests also verify it is not very sensitive to baseline vector error and can perform robustly when angular error is not great.

Regional inequalities in premature mortality in Great Britain

PubMed Central

Laroze, Denise; Neumayer, Eric

2018-01-01

Premature mortality exhibits strong spatial patterns in Great Britain. Local authorities that are located further North and West, that are more distant from its political centre London and that are more urban tend to have a higher premature mortality rate. Premature mortality also tends to cluster among geographically contiguous and proximate local authorities. We develop a novel analytical research design that relies on spatial pattern recognition to demonstrate that an empirical model that contains only socio-economic variables can eliminate these spatial patterns almost entirely. We demonstrate that socioeconomic factors across local authority districts explain 81 percent of variation in female and 86 percent of variation in male premature mortality in 2012–14. As our findings suggest, policy-makers cannot hope that health policies alone suffice to significantly reduce inequalities in health. Rather, it requires strong efforts to reduce the inequalities in socio-economic factors, or living conditions for short, in order to overcome the spatial disparities in health, of which premature mortality is a clear indication. PMID:29489918

Who are Your Joneses? Socio-Specific Income Inequality and Trust.

PubMed

Stephany, Fabian

2017-01-01

Trust is a good approach to explain the functioning of markets, institutions or society as a whole. It is a key element in almost every commercial transaction over time and might be one of the main explanations of economic success and development. Trust diminishes the more we perceive others to have economically different living realities. In most of the relevant contributions, scholars have taken a macro perspective on the inequality-trust linkage, with an aggregation of both trust and inequality on a country level. However, patterns of within-country inequality and possibly influential determinants, such as perception and socioeconomic reference, remained undetected. This paper offers the opportunity to look at the interplay between inequality and trust at a more refined level. A measure of (generalized) trust emerges from ESS 5 survey which asks "... generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people? ". With the use of 2009 EU-SILC data, measurements of income inequality are developed for age-specific groups of society in 22 countries. A sizable variation in inequality measures can be noticed. Even in low inequality countries, like Sweden, income imbalances within certain age groups have the potential to undermine social trust.

Income inequality and obesity prevalence among OECD countries.

PubMed

Su, Dejun; Esqueda, Omar A; Li, Lifeng; Pagán, José A

2012-07-01

Using recent pooled data from the World Health Organization Global Infobase and the World Factbook compiled by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States, this study assesses the relation between income inequality and obesity prevalence among 31 OECD countries through a series of bivariate and multivariate linear regressions. The United States and Mexico well lead OECD countries in both obesity prevalence and income inequality. A sensitivity analysis suggests that the inclusion or exclusion of these two extreme cases can fundamentally change the findings. When the two countries are included, the results reveal a positive correlation between income inequality and obesity prevalence. This correlation is more salient among females than among males. Income inequality alone is associated with 16% and 35% of the variations in male and female obesity rates, respectively, across OECD countries in 2010. Higher levels of income inequality in the 2005-2010 period were associated with a more rapid increase in obesity prevalence from 2002 to 2010. These associations, however, virtually disappear when the US and Mexico have been excluded from the analysis. Findings from this study underscore the importance of assessing the impact of extreme cases on the relation between income inequality and health outcomes. The potential pathways from income inequality to the alarmingly high rates of obesity in the cases of the US and Mexico warrant further research.

A life course perspective on how racism may be related to health inequities.

PubMed

Gee, Gilbert C; Walsemann, Katrina M; Brondolo, Elizabeth

2012-05-01

Recent studies show that racism may influence health inequities. As individuals grow from infancy into old age, they encounter social institutions that may create new exposures to racial bias. Yet, few studies have considered this idea fully. We suggest a framework that shows how racism and health inequities may be viewed from a life course perspective. It applies the ideas of age-patterned exposures, sensitive periods, linked lives, latency period, stress proliferation, historic period, and cohorts. It suggests an overarching idea that racism can structure one's time in asset-building contexts (e.g., education) or disadvantaged contexts (e.g., prison). This variation in time and exposure can contribute to racial inequities in life expectancy and other health outcomes across the life course and over generations.

A Life Course Perspective on How Racism May Be Related to Health Inequities

PubMed Central

Walsemann, Katrina M.; Brondolo, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Recent studies show that racism may influence health inequities. As individuals grow from infancy into old age, they encounter social institutions that may create new exposures to racial bias. Yet, few studies have considered this idea fully. We suggest a framework that shows how racism and health inequities may be viewed from a life course perspective. It applies the ideas of age-patterned exposures, sensitive periods, linked lives, latency period, stress proliferation, historic period, and cohorts. It suggests an overarching idea that racism can structure one’s time in asset-building contexts (e.g., education) or disadvantaged contexts (e.g., prison). This variation in time and exposure can contribute to racial inequities in life expectancy and other health outcomes across the life course and over generations. PMID:22420802

Economic inequality is linked to biased self-perception.

PubMed

Loughnan, Steve; Kuppens, Peter; Allik, Jüri; Balazs, Katalin; de Lemus, Soledad; Dumont, Kitty; Gargurevich, Rafael; Hidegkuti, Istvan; Leidner, Bernhard; Matos, Lennia; Park, Joonha; Realo, Anu; Shi, Junqi; Sojo, Victor Eduardo; Tong, Yuk-Yue; Vaes, Jeroen; Verduyn, Philippe; Yeung, Victoria; Haslam, Nick

2011-10-01

People's self-perception biases often lead them to see themselves as better than the average person (a phenomenon known as self-enhancement). This bias varies across cultures, and variations are typically explained using cultural variables, such as individualism versus collectivism. We propose that socioeconomic differences among societies--specifically, relative levels of economic inequality--play an important but unrecognized role in how people evaluate themselves. Evidence for self-enhancement was found in 15 diverse nations, but the magnitude of the bias varied. Greater self-enhancement was found in societies with more income inequality, and income inequality predicted cross-cultural differences in self-enhancement better than did individualism/collectivism. These results indicate that macrosocial differences in the distribution of economic goods are linked to microsocial processes of perceiving the self.

A Search for Vector Magnetic Field Variations Associated with the M-Class Flares of 1991 June 10 in AR 6659

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hagyard, Mona J.; Stark, B. A.; Venkatakrishnan, P.

1998-01-01

A careful analysis of a 6-hour time sequence of vector magnetograms of AR 6659, observed on 1991 June 10 with the MSFC vector magnetograph, has revealed only minor changes in the vector magnetic field azimuths in the vicinity of two M-class flares, and the association of these changes with the flares is not unambiguous. In this paper we present our analysis of the data which includes comparison of vector magnetograms prior to and during the flares, calculation of distributions of the rms variation of the azimuth at each pixel in the field of view of the active region, and examination of the variation with time of the azimuths at every pixel covered by the main flare emissions as observed with the H-alpha telescope coaligned with the vector magnetograph. We also present results of an analysis of evolutionary changes in the azimuth over the field of view of the active region.

Country- and individual-level socioeconomic determinants of depression: multilevel cross-national comparison.

PubMed

Rai, Dheeraj; Zitko, Pedro; Jones, Kelvyn; Lynch, John; Araya, Ricardo

2013-03-01

The prevalence and correlates of depression vary across countries. Contextual factors such as country-level income or income inequalities have been hypothesised to contribute to these differences. To investigate associations of depression with socioeconomic factors at the country level (income inequality, gross national income) and individual (education, employment, assets and spending) level, and to investigate their relative contribution in explaining the cross-national variation in the prevalence of depression. Multilevel study using interview data of 187 496 individuals from 53 countries participating in the World Health Organization World Health Surveys. Depression prevalence varied between 0.4 and 15.7% across countries. Individual-level factors were responsible for 86.5% of this variance but there was also reasonable variation at the country level (13.5%), which appeared to increase with decreasing economic development of countries. Gross national income or country-level income inequality had no association with depression. At the individual level, fewer material assets, lower education, female gender, economic inactivity and being divorced or widowed were associated with increased odds of depression. Greater household spending, unlike material assets, was associated with increasing odds of depression (adjusted analysis). The variance of depression prevalence attributable to country-level factors seemed to increase with decreasing economic development of countries. However, country-level income inequality or gross national income explained little of this variation, and individual-level factors appeared more important than contextual factors as determinants of depression. The divergent relationship of assets and spending with depression emphasise that different socioeconomic measures are not interchangeable in their associations with depression.

Is the social volcano still dormant? Trends in Chinese attitudes toward inequality.

PubMed

Whyte, Martin King; Im, Dong-Kyun

2014-11-01

Data from two China national surveys, in 2004 and 2009, focusing on popular attitudes toward current inequalities and mobility opportunities, are compared to examine two key questions: (1) Did the continued rise in income gaps and the impact within China of the global financial crisis lead to rising popular anger about the unfairness of current inequality patterns in 2009? and (2) Did the social contours of attitudes toward current inequalities shift over the five years between surveys? Through systematic comparisons of data from both surveys, we conclude that there is no general increase in anger about inequalities in the 2009 survey, and that the predictors of variations in these attitudes had changed relatively little, with the unexpectedly positive views of villagers still visible in 2009, although a bit muted. Trends in Chinese society between 2004 and 2009, and in the personal experience of survey respondents, are used to explain why popular acceptance of current inequalities remains widespread, despite continuing increases in China's income gaps. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Educational inequalities in mortality and associated risk factors: German--versus French-speaking Switzerland.

PubMed

Faeh, David; Bopp, Matthias

2010-09-22

Between the French- and German-speaking areas of Switzerland, there are distinct differences in mortality, similar to those between Germany and France. Assessing corresponding inequalities may elucidate variations in mortality and risk factors, thereby uncovering public health potential. Our aim was to analyze educational inequalities in all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the two Swiss regions and to compare this with inequalities in behavioural risk factors and self-rated health. The Swiss National Cohort, a longitudinal census-based record linkage study, provided mortality and survival time data (3.5 million individuals, 40-79 years, 261,314 deaths, 1990-2000). The Swiss Health Survey 1992/93 provided cross-sectional data on risk factors. Inequalities were calculated as percentage of change in mortality rate (survival time, hazard ratio) or risk factor prevalence (odds ratio) per year of additional education using multivariable Cox and logistic regression. Significant inequalities in mortality were found for all causes of death in men and for most causes in women. Inequalities were largest in men for causes related to smoking and alcohol use and in women for circulatory diseases. Gradients in all-cause mortality were more pronounced in younger and middle-aged men, especially in German-speaking Switzerland. Mortality inequalities tended to be larger in German-speaking Switzerland whereas inequalities in associated risk factors were generally more pronounced in French-speaking Switzerland. With respect to inequalities in mortality and associated risk factors, we found characteristic differences between German- and French-speaking Switzerland, some of which followed gradients described in Europe. These differences only partially reflected inequalities in associated risk factors.

Socioeconomic differences in emotional symptoms among adolescents in the Nordic countries: recommendations on how to present inequality.

PubMed

Nielsen, Line; Damsgaard, Mogens Trab; Meilstrup, Charlotte; Due, Pernille; Madsen, Katrine Rich; Koushede, Vibeke; Holstein, Bjørn Evald

2015-02-01

This comparative study examines absolute and relative socioeconomic differences in emotional symptoms among adolescents using standardised data from five Nordic countries and gives recommendations on how to present socioeconomic inequality. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) international cross-sectional study from 2005/2006 provided data on 29,642 11-15-year-old adolescents from nationally random samples in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The outcome was daily emotional symptoms. Family Affluence Scale (FAS) was used as indicator of socioeconomic position. We applied four summary measures of inequality: Prevalence Difference, Odds Ratio, Slope Index of Inequality and Relative Index of Inequality, and presented the socioeconomic inequality by a graphical illustration of the prevalence of emotional symptoms, the size of the FAS groups and the summary indices of inequality in each country. The prevalence of emotional symptoms ranged from 8.1% in Denmark to 13.2% in Iceland. There were large country variations in the size of the low FAS-group ranging from 2% in Iceland to 12% in Finland. The largest absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities were found in Iceland and the smallest in Finland for girls and in Denmark for boys. Emotional symptoms were more common among nordic adolescents from low affluence families this association appeared in the study of both absolute and relative inequality. A comprehensive presentation of socioeconomic inequality should include the prevalence of the health outcome, the size of the socioeconomic groups, and the regression line representing the summary indices of inequality. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Dynamic history-dependent variational-hemivariational inequalities with applications to contact mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migórski, Stanislaw; Ogorzaly, Justyna

2017-02-01

In the paper we deliver a new existence and uniqueness result for a class of abstract nonlinear variational-hemivariational inequalities which are governed by two operators depending on the history of the solution, and include two nondifferentiable functionals, a convex and a nonconvex one. Then, we consider an initial boundary value problem which describes a model of evolution of a viscoelastic body in contact with a foundation. The contact process is assumed to be dynamic, and the friction is described by subdifferential boundary conditions. Both the constitutive law and the contact condition involve memory operators. As an application of the abstract theory, we provide a result on the unique weak solvability of the contact problem.

A parabolic variational inequality arising from the valuation of strike reset options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhou; Yi, Fahuai; Dai, Min

A strike reset option is an option that allows its holder to reset the strike price to the prevailing underlying asset price at a moment chosen by the holder. The pricing model of the option can be formulated as a one-dimensional parabolic variational inequality, or equivalently, a free boundary problem, where the free boundary just corresponds to the optimal reset strategy adopted by the holder of the option. This paper is concerned with the theoretical analysis of the model. The existence and uniqueness of the solution are established. Furthermore, we study properties of the free boundary. The monotonicity and C smoothness of the free boundary are proven in some situations.

Calibration of Lévy Processes with American Options

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achdou, Yves

We study options on financial assets whose discounted prices are exponential of Lévy processes. The price of an American vanilla option as a function of the maturity and the strike satisfies a linear complementarity problem involving a non-local partial integro-differential operator. It leads to a variational inequality in a suitable weighted Sobolev space. Calibrating the Lévy process may be done by solving an inverse least square problem where the state variable satisfies the previously mentioned variational inequality. We first assume that the volatility is positive: after carefully studying the direct problem, we propose necessary optimality conditions for the least square inverse problem. We also consider the direct problem when the volatility is zero.

Middle-Class Consensus, Social Capital and the Mechanics of Economic Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

Michael, Social Capital and Regional Mobility, Nr. 4/2002. "* Schdfer, Wolf, EU-Erweiterung: Anmerkungen zum Balassa - Samuelson -Effekt, Nr. 3/2002...variations, while the argument of both the present paper and most of the previous literature on inequality and growth refers to long-run growth effects of...Diskussionsbeitriige zur Finanzwissenschaft " Josten, Stefan, Crime, Inequality, and Economic Growth. A Classical Argument for Distributional Equality

National Income and Income Inequality, Family Affluence and Life Satisfaction among 13 Year Old Boys and Girls: A Multilevel Study in 35 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Kate Ann; Torsheim, Torbjorn; Vollebergh, Wilma; Richter, Matthias; Davies, Carolyn A.; Schnohr, Christina W.; Due, Pernille; Currie, Candace

2011-01-01

Adolescence is a critical period where many patterns of health and health behaviour are formed. The objective of this study was to investigate cross-national variation in the relationship between family affluence and adolescent life satisfaction, and the impact of national income and income inequality on this relationship. Data from the 2006…

Health care capacity and allocations among South Africa's provinces: infrastructure-inequality traps after the end of apartheid.

PubMed

Stuckler, David; Basu, Sanjay; McKee, Martin

2011-01-01

We assessed the determinants of health care funding allocations among South Africa's provinces and their effects on health care from 1996 through 2007. We performed multivariate regression of funding allocation data against measures of disease burden and health system infrastructure by province. Disease burden was increasingly negatively correlated with funding allocations and explained less than one quarter of the variation in allocations among provinces. Nearly three quarters of the variation in allocations was explained by preexisting hospital infrastructure and health care workers. The density of private hospitals in the preceding year was associated with greater government allocations (b(private) = 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08, 0.15), but public hospital density in the preceding year was not (b(public) = 0.05; 95% CI = -0.02, 0.11). Greater allocations were associated with a higher number of doctors (b = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.34, 0.75) but fewer nurses (b = -0.37; 95% CI = -0.72,-0.25) in the same year. Regions with a greater capacity to spend funds received more funding and created more infrastructure than those with greater health needs. Historical infrastructure inequalities may have created an infrastructure-inequality trap, in which the distribution of funds to those with greater "absorptive capacity" exacerbates inequalities.

Causes of intraspecific variation in body size among trematode metacercariae.

PubMed

Saldanha, I; Leung, T L F; Poulin, R

2009-09-01

Inequalities in body size among adult helminths can result in inequalities in reproductive output, with consequences for population dynamics and genetics. These inequalities can result from growth differences among larval worms inside intermediate hosts that persist into the adult stage. Here, we investigate the effects of both host body size and intensity of infection on the sizes of metacercariae of the trematode Maritrema novaezealandensis (Microphallidae) inside their second intermediate host, the isopod Paridotea ungulata (Idoteidae). Among the more than 1500 metacercariae recovered and individually measured, there was no relationship between the mean diameter of metacercarial cysts per isopod and isopod body length. However, intensity of infection correlated negatively with the mean diameter of cysts within an isopod, i.e. metacercariae in crowded infections attained smaller sizes on average. In contrast, the variability in cyst sizes per isopod, measured as the coefficient of variation, was independent of both isopod body length and infection intensity. Our results show that a disproportionate number of relatively small metacercariae come from the relatively few hosts in which a large fraction of all metacercariae are aggregated. The combination of aggregation and intensity-dependent growth generates inequalities in sizes among metacercariae that will be passed on to adult worm populations in definitive hosts.

A Class of time-fractional hemivariational inequalities with application to frictional contact problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Shengda; Migórski, Stanisław

2018-03-01

In this paper a class of elliptic hemivariational inequalities involving the time-fractional order integral operator is investigated. Exploiting the Rothe method and using the surjectivity of multivalued pseudomonotone operators, a result on existence of solution to the problem is established. Then, this abstract result is applied to provide a theorem on the weak solvability of a fractional viscoelastic contact problem. The process is quasistatic and the constitutive relation is modeled with the fractional Kelvin-Voigt law. The friction and contact conditions are described by the Clarke generalized gradient of nonconvex and nonsmooth functionals. The variational formulation of this problem leads to a fractional hemivariational inequality.

On orthogonal projectors induced by compact groups and Haar measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niezgoda, Marek

2008-02-01

We study the difference of two orthogonal projectors induced by compact groups of linear operators acting on a vector space. An upper bound for the difference is derived using the Haar measures of the groups. A particular attention is paid to finite groups. Some applications are given for complex matrices and unitarily invariant norms. Majorization inequalities of Fan and Hoffmann and of Causey are rediscovered.

Variation in Educational Outcomes and Policies across Countries and of Schools within Countries. NBER Working Paper No. 16293

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Richard B.; Machin, Stephen; Viarengo, Martina

2010-01-01

This study examines the variation in educational outcomes across and within countries using the TIMSS mathematics tests. It documents the wide cross-country variation in the level and dispersion of test scores. Countries with the highest test scores are those with the least inequality in scores, which suggests a "virtuous" equity-efficiency…

Intergenerational Wealth Transmission and the Dynamics of Inequality in Small-Scale Societies*

PubMed Central

Mulder, Monique Borgerhoff; Bowles, Samuel; Hertz, Tom; Bell, Adrian; Beise, Jan; Clark, Greg; Fazzio, Ila; Gurven, Michael; Hill, Kim; Hooper, Paul L.; Irons, William; Kaplan, Hillard; Leonetti, Donna; Low, Bobbi; Marlowe, Frank; McElreath, Richard; Naidu, Suresh; Nolin, David; Piraino, Patrizio; Quinlan, Rob; Schniter, Eric; Sear, Rebecca; Shenk, Mary; Smith, Eric Alden; von Rueden, Christopher; Wiessner, Polly

2009-01-01

Small-scale human societies range from foraging bands with a strong egalitarian ethos to more economically stratified agrarian and pastoral societies. We explain this variation in inequality using a dynamic model in which a population’s long-run steady-state level of inequality depends on the extent to which its most important forms of wealth are transmitted within families across generations. We estimate the degree of intergenerational transmission of three different types of wealth (material, embodied, and relational) as well as the extent of wealth inequality in 21 historical and contemporary populations. We show that intergenerational transmission of wealth and wealth inequality are substantial among pastoral and small-scale agricultural societies (on a par with or even exceeding the most unequal modern industrial economies) and quite limited among horticultural and foraging peoples (equivalent to the most egalitarian of modern industrial populations). Differences in the technology by which a people derive their livelihood and in the institutions and norms making up the economic system jointly contribute to this pattern. PMID:19900925

Lagged Associations of Metropolitan Statistical Area- and State-Level Income Inequality with Cognitive Function: The Health and Retirement Study.

PubMed

Kim, Daniel; Griffin, Beth Ann; Kabeto, Mohammed; Escarce, José; Langa, Kenneth M; Shih, Regina A

2016-01-01

Much variation in individual-level cognitive function in late life remains unexplained, with little exploration of area-level/contextual factors to date. Income inequality is a contextual factor that may plausibly influence cognitive function. In a nationally-representative cohort of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined state- and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level income inequality as predictors of individual-level cognitive function measured by the 27-point Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) scale. We modeled latency periods of 8-20 years, and controlled for state-/metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level and individual-level factors. Higher MSA-level income inequality predicted lower cognitive function 16-18 years later. Using a 16-year lag, living in a MSA in the highest income inequality quartile predicted a 0.9-point lower TICS-m score (β = -0.86; 95% CI = -1.41, -0.31), roughly equivalent to the magnitude associated with five years of aging. We observed no associations for state-level income inequality. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses using propensity score methods. Among older Americans, MSA-level income inequality appears to influence cognitive function nearly two decades later. Policies reducing income inequality levels within cities may help address the growing burden of declining cognitive function among older populations within the United States.

Lagged Associations of Metropolitan Statistical Area- and State-Level Income Inequality with Cognitive Function: The Health and Retirement Study

PubMed Central

Kim, Daniel; Griffin, Beth Ann; Kabeto, Mohammed; Escarce, José; Langa, Kenneth M.; Shih, Regina A.

2016-01-01

Purpose Much variation in individual-level cognitive function in late life remains unexplained, with little exploration of area-level/contextual factors to date. Income inequality is a contextual factor that may plausibly influence cognitive function. Methods In a nationally-representative cohort of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined state- and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level income inequality as predictors of individual-level cognitive function measured by the 27-point Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) scale. We modeled latency periods of 8–20 years, and controlled for state-/metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-level and individual-level factors. Results Higher MSA-level income inequality predicted lower cognitive function 16–18 years later. Using a 16-year lag, living in a MSA in the highest income inequality quartile predicted a 0.9-point lower TICS-m score (β = -0.86; 95% CI = -1.41, -0.31), roughly equivalent to the magnitude associated with five years of aging. We observed no associations for state-level income inequality. The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses using propensity score methods. Conclusions Among older Americans, MSA-level income inequality appears to influence cognitive function nearly two decades later. Policies reducing income inequality levels within cities may help address the growing burden of declining cognitive function among older populations within the United States. PMID:27332986

Welfare states, the Great Recession and health: Trends in educational inequalities in self-reported health in 26 European countries.

PubMed

Leão, Teresa; Campos-Matos, Inês; Bambra, Clare; Russo, Giuliano; Perelman, Julian

2018-01-01

Although socioeconomic inequalities in health have long been observed in Europe, few studies have analysed their recent patterning. In this paper, we examined how educational inequalities in self-reported health have evolved in different European countries and welfare state regimes over the last decade, which was troubled by the Great Recession. We used cross-sectional data from the EU-SILC survey for adults from 26 European countries, from 2005 to 2014 (n = 3,030,595). We first calculated education-related absolute (SII) and relative (RII) inequalities in poor self-reported health by country-year, adjusting for age, sex, and EU-SILC survey weights. We then regressed the year- and country-specific RII and SII on a yearly time trend, globally and by welfare regime, adjusting for country fixed effects. We further adjusted the analysis for the economic cycle using GDP growth, unemployment, and income inequality. Overall, absolute inequalities persisted and relative inequalities slightly widened (betaRII = 0.0313, p<0.05). There were substantial differences by welfare regime: Anglo-Saxon countries experienced the largest increase in absolute inequalities (betaSII = 0.0032, p<0.05), followed by Bismarkian countries (betaSII = 0.0024, p<0.001), while they reduced in Post-Communist countries (betaSII = -0.0022, p<0.001). Post-Communist countries also experienced a widening in relative inequalities (betaRII = 0.1112, p<0.001), which were found to be stable elsewhere. Adjustment for income inequality only explained such trend in Anglo-Saxon countries. Educational inequalities in health have overall persisted across European countries over the last decade. However, there is considerable variation across welfare regimes, possibly related to underpinning social safety nets and to austerity measures implemented during this 10-year period.

Welfare states, the Great Recession and health: Trends in educational inequalities in self-reported health in 26 European countries

PubMed Central

Campos-Matos, Inês; Bambra, Clare; Russo, Giuliano

2018-01-01

Background Although socioeconomic inequalities in health have long been observed in Europe, few studies have analysed their recent patterning. In this paper, we examined how educational inequalities in self-reported health have evolved in different European countries and welfare state regimes over the last decade, which was troubled by the Great Recession. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the EU-SILC survey for adults from 26 European countries, from 2005 to 2014 (n = 3,030,595). We first calculated education-related absolute (SII) and relative (RII) inequalities in poor self-reported health by country-year, adjusting for age, sex, and EU-SILC survey weights. We then regressed the year- and country-specific RII and SII on a yearly time trend, globally and by welfare regime, adjusting for country fixed effects. We further adjusted the analysis for the economic cycle using GDP growth, unemployment, and income inequality. Results Overall, absolute inequalities persisted and relative inequalities slightly widened (betaRII = 0.0313, p<0.05). There were substantial differences by welfare regime: Anglo-Saxon countries experienced the largest increase in absolute inequalities (betaSII = 0.0032, p<0.05), followed by Bismarkian countries (betaSII = 0.0024, p<0.001), while they reduced in Post-Communist countries (betaSII = -0.0022, p<0.001). Post-Communist countries also experienced a widening in relative inequalities (betaRII = 0.1112, p<0.001), which were found to be stable elsewhere. Adjustment for income inequality only explained such trend in Anglo-Saxon countries. Conclusions Educational inequalities in health have overall persisted across European countries over the last decade. However, there is considerable variation across welfare regimes, possibly related to underpinning social safety nets and to austerity measures implemented during this 10-year period. PMID:29474377

Socioeconomic deprivation and cancer survival in Germany: an ecological analysis in 200 districts in Germany.

PubMed

Jansen, Lina; Eberle, Andrea; Emrich, Katharina; Gondos, Adam; Holleczek, Bernd; Kajüter, Hiltraud; Maier, Werner; Nennecke, Alice; Pritzkuleit, Ron; Brenner, Hermann

2014-06-15

Although socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival have been demonstrated both within and between countries, evidence on the variation of the inequalities over time past diagnosis is sparse. Furthermore, no comprehensive analysis of socioeconomic differences in cancer survival in Germany has been conducted. Therefore, we analyzed variations in cancer survival for patients diagnosed with one of the 25 most common cancer sites in 1997-2006 in ten population-based cancer registries in Germany (covering 32 million inhabitants). Patients were assigned a socioeconomic status according to the district of residence at diagnosis. Period analysis was used to derive 3-month, 5-year and conditional 1-year and 5-year age-standardized relative survival for 2002-2006 for each deprivation quintile in Germany. Relative survival of patients living in the most deprived district was compared to survival of patients living in all other districts by model-based period analysis. For 21 of 25 cancer sites, 5-year relative survival was lower in the most deprived districts than in all other districts combined. The median relative excess risk of death over the 25 cancer sites decreased from 1.24 in the first 3 months to 1.16 in the following 9 months to 1.08 in the following 4 years. Inequalities persisted after adjustment for stage. These major regional socioeconomic inequalities indicate a potential for improving cancer care and survival in Germany. Studies on individual-level patient data with access to treatment information should be conducted to examine the reasons for these socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival in more detail. © 2013 UICC.

Local Geographic Variation of Public Services Inequality: Does the Neighborhood Scale Matter?

PubMed Central

Wei, Chunzhu; Cabrera-Barona, Pablo; Blaschke, Thomas

2016-01-01

This study aims to explore the effect of the neighborhood scale when estimating public services inequality based on the aggregation of social, environmental, and health-related indicators. Inequality analyses were carried out at three neighborhood scales: the original census blocks and two aggregated neighborhood units generated by the spatial “k”luster analysis by the tree edge removal (SKATER) algorithm and the self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm. Then, we combined a set of health-related public services indicators with the geographically weighted principal components analyses (GWPCA) and the principal components analyses (PCA) to measure the public services inequality across all multi-scale neighborhood units. Finally, a statistical test was applied to evaluate the scale effects in inequality measurements by combining all available field survey data. We chose Quito as the case study area. All of the aggregated neighborhood units performed better than the original census blocks in terms of the social indicators extracted from a field survey. The SKATER and SOM algorithms can help to define the neighborhoods in inequality analyses. Moreover, GWPCA performs better than PCA in multivariate spatial inequality estimation. Understanding the scale effects is essential to sustain a social neighborhood organization, which, in turn, positively affects social determinants of public health and public quality of life. PMID:27706072

Measuring Geographic Inequalities: Dealing with Multiple Health Resources by Data Envelopment Analysis.

PubMed

Dlouhý, Martin

2018-01-01

The existence of geographic differences in health resources, health expenditures, the utilization of health services, and health outcomes have been documented by a lot of studies from various countries of the world. In a publicly financed health system, equal access is one of the main objectives of the national health policy. That is why inequalities in the geographic allocation of health resources are an important health policy issue. Measures of inequality express the complexity of variation in the observed variable by a single number, and there is a variety of inequality measures available. The objective of this study is to develop a measure of the geographic inequality in the case of multiple health resources. The measure uses data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is a non-parametric method of production function estimation, to transform multiple resources into a single virtual health resource. The study shows that the DEA originally developed for measuring efficiency can be used successfully to measure inequality. For the illustrative purpose, the inequality measure is calculated for the Czech Republic. The values of separate Robin Hood Indexes (RHIs) are 6.64% for physicians and 3.96% for nurses. In the next step, we use combined RHI for both health resources. Its value 5.06% takes into account that the combinations of two health resources serve regional populations.

What type of rural? Assessing the variations in life expectancy at birth at small area-level for a small population province using classes of locally defined settlement types.

PubMed

Terashima, Mikiko; Read Guernsey, Judith; Andreou, Pantelis

2014-02-13

Although efforts have been made to articulate rural-urban health inequalities in recent years, results have been inconsistent due to different geographical scales used in these studies. Small-area level investigations of health inequalities will likely show more detailed pictures of health inequalities among diverse rural communities, but they are difficult to conduct, particularly in a small population region. The objectives of this study were: 1) to compare life expectancy at birth for females and males across small-areas classified by locally defined settlement types for a small province in Canada; 2) to assess whether any of the settlement types explains variations in life expectancy over and above the extent of socioeconomic disadvantage and social isolation; and 3) to examine variations in life expectancies within a (larger) area unit used as the basis of health inequality investigations in previous studies. Seven settlement types were determined for the 'community' units based on population per-kilometre-road density and settlement forms. Mean life expectancies at birth for both genders were compared by settlement type, both for the entire province and within the Halifax Regional Municipality--the province's only census designated metropolitan area, but also contains rural settlements. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the statistical associations between life expectancy and the settlement types, adjusting for indicators of community-level deprivation. While types of communities considered as 'rural' generally had lower life expectancy for both genders, the effects of living in any settlement type were attenuated once adjusted for socioeconomic deprivation and social isolation. An exception was the village and settlement cluster type, which had additionally negative effects on health for females. There were some variations observed within the Halifax Regional Municipality, suggesting the importance of further investigating a variety of health and disease outcomes at smaller area-levels than those employed in previous studies. This paper highlighted the importance of further articulating the differences in the characteristics of rural at finer area-levels and the differential influence they may have on health. Further efforts are desirable to overcome various data challenges in order to extend the investigation of health inequalities to hard-to-study provinces.

On the convergence of difference approximations to scalar conservation laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osher, S.; Tadmor, E.

1985-01-01

A unified treatment of explicit in time, two level, second order resolution, total variation diminishing, approximations to scalar conservation laws are presented. The schemes are assumed only to have conservation form and incremental form. A modified flux and a viscosity coefficient are introduced and results in terms of the latter are obtained. The existence of a cell entropy inequality is discussed and such an equality for all entropies is shown to imply that the scheme is an E scheme on monotone (actually more general) data, hence at most only first order accurate in general. Convergence for total variation diminishing-second order resolution schemes approximating convex or concave conservation laws is shown by enforcing a single discrete entropy inequality.

Generalized vector calculus on convex domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Om P.; Xu, Yufeng

2015-06-01

In this paper, we apply recently proposed generalized integral and differential operators to develop generalized vector calculus and generalized variational calculus for problems defined over a convex domain. In particular, we present some generalization of Green's and Gauss divergence theorems involving some new operators, and apply these theorems to generalized variational calculus. For fractional power kernels, the formulation leads to fractional vector calculus and fractional variational calculus for problems defined over a convex domain. In special cases, when certain parameters take integer values, we obtain formulations for integer order problems. Two examples are presented to demonstrate applications of the generalized variational calculus which utilize the generalized vector calculus developed in the paper. The first example leads to a generalized partial differential equation and the second example leads to a generalized eigenvalue problem, both in two dimensional convex domains. We solve the generalized partial differential equation by using polynomial approximation. A special case of the second example is a generalized isoperimetric problem. We find an approximate solution to this problem. Many physical problems containing integer order integrals and derivatives are defined over arbitrary domains. We speculate that future problems containing fractional and generalized integrals and derivatives in fractional mechanics will be defined over arbitrary domains, and therefore, a general variational calculus incorporating a general vector calculus will be needed for these problems. This research is our first attempt in that direction.

The finite element method scheme for a solution of an evolution variational inequality with a nonlocal space operator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glazyrina, O. V.; Pavlova, M. F.

2016-11-01

We consider the parabolic inequality with monotone with respect to a gradient space operator, which is depended on integral with respect to space variables solution characteristic. We construct a two-layer differential scheme for this problem with use of penalty method, semidiscretization with respect to time variable method and the finite element method (FEM) with respect to space variables. We proved a convergence of constructed mothod.

Health Care Capacity and Allocations Among South Africa's Provinces: Infrastructure–Inequality Traps After the End of Apartheid

PubMed Central

Basu, Sanjay; McKee, Martin

2011-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the determinants of health care funding allocations among South Africa's provinces and their effects on health care from 1996 through 2007. Methods. We performed multivariate regression of funding allocation data against measures of disease burden and health system infrastructure by province. Results. Disease burden was increasingly negatively correlated with funding allocations and explained less than one quarter of the variation in allocations among provinces. Nearly three quarters of the variation in allocations was explained by preexisting hospital infrastructure and health care workers. The density of private hospitals in the preceding year was associated with greater government allocations (bprivate = 0.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.08, 0.15), but public hospital density in the preceding year was not (bpublic = 0.05; 95% CI = −0.02, 0.11). Greater allocations were associated with a higher number of doctors (b = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.34, 0.75) but fewer nurses (b = −0.37; 95% CI = −0.72,−0.25) in the same year. Conclusions. Regions with a greater capacity to spend funds received more funding and created more infrastructure than those with greater health needs. Historical infrastructure inequalities may have created an infrastructure–inequality trap, in which the distribution of funds to those with greater “absorptive capacity” exacerbates inequalities. PMID:21148716

The quest for a non-vector psyllid: Natural variation in acquisition and transmission of the huanglongbing pathogen 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' by Asian citrus psyllid isofemale lines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Genetic variability in insect vectors is valuable to study vector competence determinants and to select non-vector populations that may help reduce the spread of vector-borne pathogens. We collected and tested vector competency of 15 isofemale lines of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) Diaphorina citri, v...

Educational inequalities in general and mental health: differential contribution of physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and diet.

PubMed

Kurtze, Nanna; Eikemo, Terje A; Kamphuis, Carlijn B M

2013-04-01

Behavioural, material and psychosocial risk factors may explain educational inequalities in general health. To what extent these risk factors have similar or different contributions to educational inequalities in mental health is unknown. Data were derived from the Norwegian Survey of Level of Living from 2005, comprising 5791 respondents aged ≥ 25 years. The study objectives were addressed by means of a series of logistic regression analyses in which we examined: (i) educational inequalities in self-reported general and mental health; (ii) the associations between behavioural, material and psychosocial risk factors and general and mental health, controlled for sex, age and education; and (iii) the contribution of risk factors to the observed health gradients. The lower educated were more likely to be in poor health [odds ratio (OR): 3.46 (95% confidence interval, CI: 2.84-4.21)] and to be in poor mental health [OR: 1.41 (95% CI: 1.12-1.78)] than the highest educated. The joint contribution of behavioural, material and psychosocial risk factors explained all the variations of mental health inequalities, whereas these were able to explain ~40% of the inequalities in general health. Both behavioural and material risk factors contributed substantially to the explanation of general and mental health inequalities, whereas the psychosocial risk factor (i.e. having close persons to communicate with) only seemed to make a larger difference for the explanation of mental health inequalities. Policies and interventions to reduce health inequalities should have a broad focus. Combined strategies should be applied to improve physical activity, decrease smoking and improve material and psychosocial conditions among lower educated groups, to achieve the true potential of reducing inequalities in both general and mental health.

General stochastic variational formulation for the oligopolistic market equilibrium problem with excesses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbagallo, Annamaria; Di Meglio, Guglielmo; Mauro, Paolo

2017-07-01

The aim of the paper is to study, in a Hilbert space setting, a general random oligopolistic market equilibrium problem in presence of both production and demand excesses and to characterize the random Cournot-Nash equilibrium principle by means of a stochastic variational inequality. Some existence results are presented.

Innovative technologies and social inequalities in health: A scoping review of the literature

PubMed Central

Jensen, Magnus Rom; Solhaug, Solvor; Krokstad, Steinar

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to systematically review the range, nature, and extent of current research activity exploring the influence of innovative health-related technologies on social inequalities in health, with specific focus on a deeper understanding of the variables used to measure this connection and the pathways leading to the (re)production of inequalities. A review process was conducted, based on scoping review techniques, searching literature published from January 1, 1996 to November 25, 2016 using MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI web of science. Search, sorting, and data extraction processes were conducted by a team of researchers and experts using a dynamic, reflexive examination process. Of 4139 studies collected from the search process, a total of 33 were included in the final analysis. Results of this study include the classification of technologies based on how these technologies are accessed and used by end users. In addition to the factors and mechanisms that influence unequal access to technologies, the results of this study highlight the importance of variations in use that importantly shape social inequalities in health. Additionally, focus on health care services technologies must be accompanied by investigating emerging technologies influencing healthy lifestyle, genomics, and personalized devices in health. Findings also suggest that choosing one measure of social position over another has important implications for the interpretation of research results. Furthermore, understanding the pathways through which various innovative health technologies reduce or (re)produce social inequalities in health is context dependent. In order to better understand social inequalities in health, these contextual variations draw attention to the need for critical distinctions between technologies based on how these various technologies are accessed and used. The results of this study provide a comprehensive starting point for future research to further investigate how innovative technologies may influence the unequal distribution of health as a human right. PMID:29614114

Widespread inequalities in smoking & smokeless tobacco consumption across wealth quintiles in States of India: Need for targeted interventions.

PubMed

Thakur, J S; Prinja, Shankar; Bhatnagar, Nidhi; Rana, Saroj Kumar; Sinha, Dhirendra Narain; Singh, Poonam Khetarpal

2015-06-01

India is a large country with each State having distinct social, cultural and economic characteristics. Tobacco epidemic is not uniform across the country. There are wide variations in tobacco consumption across age, sex, regions and socio-economic classes. This study was conducted to understand the wide inequalities in patterns of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption across various States of India. Analysis was conducted on Global Adult Tobacco Survey, India (2009-2010) data. Prevalence of both forms of tobacco use and its association with socio-economic determinants was assessed across States and Union Territories of India. Wealth indices were calculated using socio-economic data of the survey. Concentration index of inequality and one way ANOVA assessed economic inequality in tobacco consumption and variation of tobacco consumption across quintiles. Multiple logistic regression was done for tobacco consumption and wealth index adjusting for age, sex, area, education and occupation. Overall prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption was 13.9 per cent (14.6, 13.3) and 25.8 per cent (26.6, 25.0), respectively. Prevalence of current smoking varied from 1.6 per cent (richest quintile in Odisha) to 42.2 per cent (poorest quintile in Meghalaya). Prevalence of current smokeless tobacco consumption varied from 1.7 per cent (richest quintile in Jammu and Kashmir) to 59.4 per cent (poorest quintile in Mizoram). Decreasing odds of tobacco consumption with increasing wealth was observed in most of the States. Reverse trend of tobacco consumption was observed in Nagaland. Significant difference in odds of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption with wealth quintiles was observed. Concentration index of inequality was significant for smoking tobacco -0.7 (-0.62 to-0.78) and not significant for smokeless tobacco consumption -0.15 (0.01 to-0.33) INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our analysis indicate that tobacco control policy and public health interventions need to consider widespread socio-economic inequities in tobacco consumption across the States in India.

Socioeconomic variation in the burden of chronic conditions and health care provision – analyzing administrative individual level data from the Basque Country, Spain

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Chronic diseases are posing an increasing challenge to society, with the associated burden falling disproportionally on more deprived individuals and geographical areas. Although the existence of a socioeconomic health gradient is one of the main concerns of health policy across the world, health information systems commonly do not have reliable data to detect and monitor health inequalities and inequities. The objectives of this study were to measure the level of socioeconomic-related inequality in prevalence of chronic diseases and to investigate the extent and direction of inequities in health care provision. Methods A dataset linking clinical and administrative information of the entire population living in the Basque Country, Spain (over 2 million individuals) was used to measure the prevalence of 52 chronic conditions and to quantify individual health care costs. We used a concentration-index approach to measure the extent and direction of inequality with respect to the deprivation of the area of residence of each individual. Results Most chronic diseases were found to be disproportionally concentrated among individuals living in more deprived areas, but the extent of the imbalance varies by type of disease and sex. Most of the variation in health care utilization was explained by morbidity burden. However, even after accounting for differences in morbidity, pro-poor horizontal inequity was present in specialized outpatient care, emergency department, prescription, and primary health care costs and this fact was more apparent in females than males; inpatient costs exhibited an equitable distribution in both sexes. Conclusions Analyses of comprehensive administrative clinical information at the individual level allow the socioeconomic gradient in chronic diseases and health care provision to be measured to a level of detail not possible using other sources. This frequently updated source of information can be exploited to monitor trends and evaluate the impact of policy reforms. PMID:24053211

Innovative technologies and social inequalities in health: A scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Weiss, Daniel; Rydland, Håvard T; Øversveen, Emil; Jensen, Magnus Rom; Solhaug, Solvor; Krokstad, Steinar

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to systematically review the range, nature, and extent of current research activity exploring the influence of innovative health-related technologies on social inequalities in health, with specific focus on a deeper understanding of the variables used to measure this connection and the pathways leading to the (re)production of inequalities. A review process was conducted, based on scoping review techniques, searching literature published from January 1, 1996 to November 25, 2016 using MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI web of science. Search, sorting, and data extraction processes were conducted by a team of researchers and experts using a dynamic, reflexive examination process. Of 4139 studies collected from the search process, a total of 33 were included in the final analysis. Results of this study include the classification of technologies based on how these technologies are accessed and used by end users. In addition to the factors and mechanisms that influence unequal access to technologies, the results of this study highlight the importance of variations in use that importantly shape social inequalities in health. Additionally, focus on health care services technologies must be accompanied by investigating emerging technologies influencing healthy lifestyle, genomics, and personalized devices in health. Findings also suggest that choosing one measure of social position over another has important implications for the interpretation of research results. Furthermore, understanding the pathways through which various innovative health technologies reduce or (re)produce social inequalities in health is context dependent. In order to better understand social inequalities in health, these contextual variations draw attention to the need for critical distinctions between technologies based on how these various technologies are accessed and used. The results of this study provide a comprehensive starting point for future research to further investigate how innovative technologies may influence the unequal distribution of health as a human right.

Socioeconomic variation in the burden of chronic conditions and health care provision--analyzing administrative individual level data from the Basque Country, Spain.

PubMed

Orueta, Juan F; García-Álvarez, Arturo; Alonso-Morán, Edurne; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Nuño-Solinis, Roberto

2013-09-22

Chronic diseases are posing an increasing challenge to society, with the associated burden falling disproportionally on more deprived individuals and geographical areas. Although the existence of a socioeconomic health gradient is one of the main concerns of health policy across the world, health information systems commonly do not have reliable data to detect and monitor health inequalities and inequities. The objectives of this study were to measure the level of socioeconomic-related inequality in prevalence of chronic diseases and to investigate the extent and direction of inequities in health care provision. A dataset linking clinical and administrative information of the entire population living in the Basque Country, Spain (over 2 million individuals) was used to measure the prevalence of 52 chronic conditions and to quantify individual health care costs. We used a concentration-index approach to measure the extent and direction of inequality with respect to the deprivation of the area of residence of each individual. Most chronic diseases were found to be disproportionally concentrated among individuals living in more deprived areas, but the extent of the imbalance varies by type of disease and sex. Most of the variation in health care utilization was explained by morbidity burden. However, even after accounting for differences in morbidity, pro-poor horizontal inequity was present in specialized outpatient care, emergency department, prescription, and primary health care costs and this fact was more apparent in females than males; inpatient costs exhibited an equitable distribution in both sexes. Analyses of comprehensive administrative clinical information at the individual level allow the socioeconomic gradient in chronic diseases and health care provision to be measured to a level of detail not possible using other sources. This frequently updated source of information can be exploited to monitor trends and evaluate the impact of policy reforms.

Color TV: total variation methods for restoration of vector-valued images.

PubMed

Blomgren, P; Chan, T F

1998-01-01

We propose a new definition of the total variation (TV) norm for vector-valued functions that can be applied to restore color and other vector-valued images. The new TV norm has the desirable properties of 1) not penalizing discontinuities (edges) in the image, 2) being rotationally invariant in the image space, and 3) reducing to the usual TV norm in the scalar case. Some numerical experiments on denoising simple color images in red-green-blue (RGB) color space are presented.

The cultural production of health inequalities: a cross-sectional, multilevel examination of 52 countries.

PubMed

Mansyur, Carol Leler; Amick, Benjamin C; Harrist, Ronald B; Franzini, Luisa; Roberts, Robert E

2009-01-01

In a 2001 report, the U.S. National Institutes of Health called for more integration of the social sciences into health-related research, including research guided by theories and methods that take social and cultural systems into consideration. Based on a theoretical framework that integrates Hofstede's cultural dimensions with sociological theory, the authors used multilevel modeling to explore the association of culture with structural inequality and health disparities. Their results support the idea that cultural dimensions and social structure, along with economic development, may account for much of the cross-national variation in the distribution of health inequalities. Sensitivity tests also suggest that an interaction between culture and social structure may confound the relationship between income inequality and health. It is necessary to identify important cultural and social structural characteristics before we can achieve an understanding of the complex, dynamic systems that affect health, and develop culturally sensitive interventions and policies. This study takes a step toward identifying some of the relevant cultural and structural influences. More research is needed to explore the pathways leading from the sociocultural environment to health inequalities.

Dual and mixed nonsymmetric stress-based variational formulations for coupled thermoelastodynamics with second sound effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Balázs

2018-03-01

Some new dual and mixed variational formulations based on a priori nonsymmetric stresses will be developed for linearly coupled irreversible thermoelastodynamic problems associated with second sound effect according to the Lord-Shulman theory. Having introduced the entropy flux vector instead of the entropy field and defining the dissipation and the relaxation potential as the function of the entropy flux, a seven-field dual and mixed variational formulation will be derived from the complementary Biot-Hamilton-type variational principle, using the Lagrange multiplier method. The momentum-, the displacement- and the infinitesimal rotation vector, and the a priori nonsymmetric stress tensor, the temperature change, the entropy field and its flux vector are considered as the independent field variables of this formulation. In order to handle appropriately the six different groups of temporal prescriptions in the relaxed- and/or the strong form, two variational integrals will be incorporated into the seven-field functional. Then, eliminating the entropy from this formulation through the strong fulfillment of the constitutive relation for the temperature change with the use of the Legendre transformation between the enthalpy and Gibbs potential, a six-field dual and mixed action functional is obtained. As a further development, the elimination of the momentum- and the velocity vector from the six-field principle through the a priori satisfaction of the kinematic equation and the constitutive relation for the momentum vector leads to a five-field variational formulation. These principles are suitable for the transient analyses of the structures exposed to a thermal shock of short temporal domain or a large heat flux.

Are differential consumption patterns in health-related behaviours an explanation for persistent and widening social inequalities in health in England?

PubMed

Stait, Emma; Calnan, Michael

2016-10-18

During the last two decades, differential consumption patterns in health-related behaviours have increasingly been highlighted as playing an important role in explaining persistent and widening health inequalities. This period has also seen government public health policies in England place a greater emphasis on changing 'lifestyle' behaviours, in an attempt to tackle social inequalities in health. The aim of this study was to empirically examine the variation in health-related behaviour in relation to socio-economic position, in the English adult population, to determine the nature of this relationship and whether it has changed over time. The study population was derived from the Health Survey for England between 2001 and 2012 (n = 56,468). The relationships between health-related behaviour (smoking, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption and physical activity) and three socioeconomic indicators (educational level, occupational social class and equivilised household income) were analysed using log bi-nomial regression. The study found that each of the three socio-economic indicators were statistically related to smoking, fruit and vegetable consumption and alcohol intake, with the strongest relationship found for smoking. For physical activity, no relationship was found in 2003 by education or income and in 2008 by occupation. Statistical analysis showed that the difference between those at the highest and lowest end of the socio-economic indicators had widened in relation to smoking, as measured by educational level, occupation and household income. A similar trend was also found for physical activity as measured by educational level and household income. However, for fruit and vegetable intake and alcohol consumption, the relationship between health-related behaviour and socio-economic position had narrowed over time as measured by education and income. The findings provided only partial support for the thesis that socio-economic variations in health-related behaviours may be significant in explaining widening health inequalities. The significance of socio-economic variations in health-related behaviours might reflect both materialist and cultural explanations for socio-economic inequalities although it was not possible to separate and estimate the relative importance of these effects.

Measuring Geographic Inequalities: Dealing with Multiple Health Resources by Data Envelopment Analysis

PubMed Central

Dlouhý, Martin

2018-01-01

The existence of geographic differences in health resources, health expenditures, the utilization of health services, and health outcomes have been documented by a lot of studies from various countries of the world. In a publicly financed health system, equal access is one of the main objectives of the national health policy. That is why inequalities in the geographic allocation of health resources are an important health policy issue. Measures of inequality express the complexity of variation in the observed variable by a single number, and there is a variety of inequality measures available. The objective of this study is to develop a measure of the geographic inequality in the case of multiple health resources. The measure uses data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is a non-parametric method of production function estimation, to transform multiple resources into a single virtual health resource. The study shows that the DEA originally developed for measuring efficiency can be used successfully to measure inequality. For the illustrative purpose, the inequality measure is calculated for the Czech Republic. The values of separate Robin Hood Indexes (RHIs) are 6.64% for physicians and 3.96% for nurses. In the next step, we use combined RHI for both health resources. Its value 5.06% takes into account that the combinations of two health resources serve regional populations. PMID:29541631

Proceedings of the Dundee Conference (10th) Held in Dundee, Scotland on July 1988. Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-01

a priori inequalities with applications to R J Knops boundary value problems 40 Singular systems of differential equations V G Sigiilito S L...Stochastic functional differential equations S E A Mohammed 100 Optimal control of variational inequalities 125 Ennio de Giorgi Colloquium V Barbu P Kr e...location of the period-doubled bifurcation point varies slightly with Zc [ 3 ]. In addition, no significant effect is found if a smoother functional

Carryover effects of larval exposure to different environmental bacteria drive adult trait variation in a mosquito vector

PubMed Central

Dickson, Laura B.; Jiolle, Davy; Minard, Guillaume; Moltini-Conclois, Isabelle; Volant, Stevenn; Ghozlane, Amine; Bouchier, Christiane; Ayala, Diego; Paupy, Christophe; Moro, Claire Valiente; Lambrechts, Louis

2017-01-01

Conditions experienced during larval development of holometabolous insects can affect adult traits, but whether differences in the bacterial communities of larval development sites contribute to variation in the ability of insect vectors to transmit human pathogens is unknown. We addressed this question in the mosquito Aedes aegypti, a major arbovirus vector breeding in both sylvatic and domestic habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa. Targeted metagenomics revealed differing bacterial communities in the water of natural breeding sites in Gabon. Experimental exposure to different native bacterial isolates during larval development resulted in significant differences in pupation rate and adult body size but not life span. Larval exposure to an Enterobacteriaceae isolate resulted in decreased antibacterial activity in adult hemolymph and reduced dengue virus dissemination titer. Together, these data provide the proof of concept that larval exposure to different bacteria can drive variation in adult traits underlying vectorial capacity. Our study establishes a functional link between larval ecology, environmental microbes, and adult phenotypic variation in a holometabolous insect vector. PMID:28835919

An Application of Variational Theory to an Integrated Walrasian Model of Exchange, Consumption and Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donato, M. B.; Milasi, M.; Vitanza, C.

2010-09-01

An existence result of a Walrasian equilibrium for an integrated model of exchange, consumption and production is obtained. The equilibrium model is characterized in terms of a suitable generalized quasi-variational inequality; so the existence result comes from an original technique which takes into account tools of convex and set-valued analysis.

Income-related inequality in health and health care utilization in Chile, 2000-2009.

PubMed

Vásquez, Felipe; Paraje, Guillermo; Estay, Manuel

2013-02-01

To measure and explain income-related inequalities in health and health care utilization in the period 2000 - 2009 in Chile, while assessing variations within the country and determinants of inequalities. Data from the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey for 2000, 2003, and 2009 were used to measure inequality in health and health care utilization. Income-related inequality in health care utilization was assessed with standardized concentration indices for the probability and total number of visits to specialized care, generalized care, emergency care, dental care, mental health care, and hospital care. Self-assessed health status and physical limitations were used as proxies for health care need. Standardization was performed with demographic and need variables. The decomposition method was applied to estimate the contribution of each factor used to calculate the concentration index, including ethnicity, employment status, health insurance, and region of residence. In Chile, people in lower-income quintiles report worse health status and more physical limitations than people in higher quintiles. In terms of health service utilization, pro-rich inequities were found for specialized and dental visits with a slight pro-rich utilization for general practitioners and all physician visits. All pro-rich inequities have decreased over time. Emergency room visits and hospitalizations are concentrated among lower-income quintiles and have increased over time. Higher education and private health insurance contribute to a pro-rich inequity in dentist, general practitioner, specialized, and all physician visits. Income contributes to a pro-rich inequity in specialized and dentist visits, whereas urban residence and economic activity contribute to a pro-poor inequity in emergency room visits. The pattern of health care utilization in Chile is consistent with policies implemented in the country and in the intended direction. The significant income inequality in the use of specialized and dental services, which favor the rich, deserves policy makers' attention and further investigation related to the quality of these services.

Robust resolution enhancement optimization methods to process variations based on vector imaging model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xu; Li, Yanqiu; Guo, Xuejia; Dong, Lisong

2012-03-01

Optical proximity correction (OPC) and phase shifting mask (PSM) are the most widely used resolution enhancement techniques (RET) in the semiconductor industry. Recently, a set of OPC and PSM optimization algorithms have been developed to solve for the inverse lithography problem, which are only designed for the nominal imaging parameters without giving sufficient attention to the process variations due to the aberrations, defocus and dose variation. However, the effects of process variations existing in the practical optical lithography systems become more pronounced as the critical dimension (CD) continuously shrinks. On the other hand, the lithography systems with larger NA (NA>0.6) are now extensively used, rendering the scalar imaging models inadequate to describe the vector nature of the electromagnetic field in the current optical lithography systems. In order to tackle the above problems, this paper focuses on developing robust gradient-based OPC and PSM optimization algorithms to the process variations under a vector imaging model. To achieve this goal, an integrative and analytic vector imaging model is applied to formulate the optimization problem, where the effects of process variations are explicitly incorporated in the optimization framework. The steepest descent algorithm is used to optimize the mask iteratively. In order to improve the efficiency of the proposed algorithms, a set of algorithm acceleration techniques (AAT) are exploited during the optimization procedure.

Is Exposure to Income Inequality a Public Health Concern? Lagged Effects of Income Inequality on Individual and Population Health

PubMed Central

Mellor, Jennifer M; Milyo, Jeffrey

2003-01-01

Objective To examine the health consequences of exposure to income inequality. Data Sources Secondary analysis employing data from several publicly available sources. Measures of individual health status and other individual characteristics are obtained from the March Current Population Survey (CPS). State-level income inequality is measured by the Gini coefficient based on family income, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau and Al-Samarrie and Miller (1967). State-level mortality rates are from the Vital Statistics of the United States; other state-level characteristics are from U.S. census data as reported in the Statistical Abstract of the United States. Study Design We examine the effects of state-level income inequality lagged from 5 to 29 years on individual health by estimating probit models of poor/fair health status for samples of adults aged 25–74 in the 1995 through 1999 March CPS. We control for several individual characteristics, including educational attainment and household income, as well as regional fixed effects. We use multivariate regression to estimate the effects of income inequality lagged 10 and 20 years on state-level mortality rates for 1990, 1980, 1970, and 1960. Principal Findings Lagged income inequality is not significantly associated with individual health status after controlling for regional fixed effects. Lagged income inequality is not associated with all cause mortality, but associated with reduced mortality from cardiovascular disease and malignant neoplasms, after controlling for state fixed-effects. Conclusions In contrast to previous studies that fail to control for regional variations in health outcomes, we find little support for the contention that exposure to income inequality is detrimental to either individual or population health. PMID:12650385

Using quantile regression to examine the effects of inequality across the mortality distribution in the U.S. counties

PubMed Central

Yang, Tse-Chuan; Chen, Vivian Yi-Ju; Shoff, Carla; Matthews, Stephen A.

2012-01-01

The U.S. has experienced a resurgence of income inequality in the past decades. The evidence regarding the mortality implications of this phenomenon has been mixed. This study employs a rarely used method in mortality research, quantile regression (QR), to provide insight into the ongoing debate of whether income inequality is a determinant of mortality and to investigate the varying relationship between inequality and mortality throughout the mortality distribution. Analyzing a U.S. dataset where the five-year (1998–2002) average mortality rates were combined with other county-level covariates, we found that the association between inequality and mortality was not constant throughout the mortality distribution and the impact of inequality on mortality steadily increased until the 80th percentile. When accounting for all potential confounders, inequality was significantly and positively related to mortality; however, this inequality–mortality relationship did not hold across the mortality distribution. A series of Wald tests confirmed this varying inequality–mortality relationship, especially between the lower and upper tails. The large variation in the estimated coefficients of the Gini index suggested that inequality had the greatest influence on those counties with a mortality rate of roughly 9.95 deaths per 1000 population (80th percentile) compared to any other counties. Furthermore, our results suggest that the traditional analytic methods that focus on mean or median value of the dependent variable can be, at most, applied to a narrow 20 percent of observations. This study demonstrates the value of QR. Our findings provide some insight as to why the existing evidence for the inequality–mortality relationship is mixed and suggest that analytical issues may play a role in clarifying whether inequality is a robust determinant of population health. PMID:22497847

On the estimation of the domain of attraction for discrete-time switched and hybrid nonlinear systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kit Luk, Chuen; Chesi, Graziano

2015-11-01

This paper addresses the estimation of the domain of attraction for discrete-time nonlinear systems where the vector field is subject to changes. First, the paper considers the case of switched systems, where the vector field is allowed to arbitrarily switch among the elements of a finite family. Second, the paper considers the case of hybrid systems, where the state space is partitioned into several regions described by polynomial inequalities, and the vector field is defined on each region independently from the other ones. In both cases, the problem consists of computing the largest sublevel set of a Lyapunov function included in the domain of attraction. An approach is proposed for solving this problem based on convex programming, which provides a guaranteed inner estimate of the sought sublevel set. The conservatism of the provided estimate can be decreased by increasing the size of the optimisation problem. Some numerical examples illustrate the proposed approach.

Inequalities in reported cancer patient experience by socio-demographic characteristic and cancer site: evidence from respondents to the English Cancer Patient Experience Survey.

PubMed

Saunders, C L; Abel, G A; Lyratzopoulos, G

2015-01-01

Patient experience is a critical dimension of cancer care quality. Understanding variation in experience among patients with different cancers and characteristics is an important first step for designing targeted improvement interventions. We analysed data from the 2011/2012 English Cancer Patient Experience Survey (n = 69,086) using logistic regression to explore inequalities in care experience across 64 survey questions. We additionally calculated a summary measure of variation in patient experience by cancer, and explored inequalities between patients with cancers treated by the same specialist teams. We found that younger and very old, ethnic minority patients and women consistently reported worse experiences across questions. Patients with small intestine/rarer lower gastrointestinal, multiple myeloma and hepatobiliary cancers were most likely to report negative experiences whereas patients with breast, melanoma and testicular cancer were least likely (top-to-bottom odds ratio = 1.91, P < 0.0001). There were also inequalities in experience among patients with cancers treated by the same specialty for five of nine services (P < 0.0001). Specifically, patients with ovarian, multiple myeloma, anal, hepatobiliary and renal cancer reported notably worse experiences than patients with other gynaecological, haematological, gastrointestinal and urological malignancies respectively. Initiatives to improve cancer patient experience across oncology services may be suitably targeted on patients at higher risk of poorer experience. © 2014 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Genetic Variation of North American Triatomines (Insecta: Hemiptera: Reduviidae): Initial Divergence between Species and Populations of Chagas Disease Vector

PubMed Central

Espinoza, Bertha; Martínez-Ibarra, Jose Alejandro; Villalobos, Guiehdani; De La Torre, Patricia; Laclette, Juan Pedro; Martínez-Hernández, Fernando

2013-01-01

The triatomines vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi are principal factors in acquiring Chagas disease. For this reason, increased knowledge of domestic transmission of T. cruzi and control of its insect vectors is necessary. To contribute to genetic knowledge of North America Triatominae species, we studied genetic variations and conducted phylogenetic analysis of different triatomines species of epidemiologic importance. Our analysis showed high genetic variations between different geographic populations of Triatoma mexicana, Meccus longipennis, M. mazzottii, M. picturatus, and T. dimidiata species, suggested initial divergence, hybridation, or classifications problems. In contrast, T. gerstaeckeri, T. bolivari, and M. pallidipennis populations showed few genetics variations. Analysis using cytochrome B and internal transcribed spacer 2 gene sequences indicated that T. bolivari is closely related to the Rubrofasciata complex and not to T. dimidiata. Triatoma brailovskyi and T. gerstaeckeri showed a close relationship with Dimidiata and Phyllosoma complexes. PMID:23249692

Media coverage of the Zika crisis in Brazil: The construction of a 'war' frame that masked social and gender inequalities.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Barbara; Hartley, Sarah; Nerlich, Brigitte; Jaspal, Rusi

2018-03-01

Between 2015 and 2016, Zika became an epidemic of global concern and the focus of intense media coverage. Using a hybrid model of frame and social representations theory, we examine how the Zika outbreak was reported in two major newspapers in Brazil: O Globo and Folha de São Paulo. The analysis of 186 articles published between December 2015 and May 2016 reveals a dominant 'war' frame supported by two sub-frames: one focused on eradicating the vector (mosquito) and another on controlling microcephaly, placing the burden of prevention on women. Scientific uncertainties about the virus and its relationship to microcephaly coupled with political uncertainties in Brazil increased the power of the war frame. This frame gave prominence and legitimacy to certain representations of disease management during the crisis, masking social and gender inequalities. We show how the cartography of the disease overlaps with that of poverty and regional inequality in Brazil to argue that addressing socio-economic aspects is essential, but normally neglected, in media communications during disease outbreaks like Zika. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Status competition, inequality, and fertility: implications for the demographic transition

PubMed Central

Kaplan, Hillard S.; Hooper, Paul L.

2016-01-01

The role that social status plays in small-scale societies suggests that status may be important for understanding the evolution of human fertility decisions, and for understanding how such decisions play out in modern contexts. This paper explores whether modelling competition for status—in the sense of relative rank within a society—can help shed light on fertility decline and the demographic transition. We develop a model of how levels of inequality and status competition affect optimal investment by parents in the embodied capital (health, strength, and skills) and social status of offspring, focusing on feedbacks between individual decisions and socio-ecological conditions. We find that conditions similar to those in demographic transition societies yield increased investment in both embodied capital and social status, generating substantial decreases in fertility, particularly under conditions of high inequality and intense status competition. We suggest that a complete explanation for both fertility variation in small-scale societies and modern fertility decline will take into account the effects of status competition and inequality. PMID:27022077

The condition of a finite Markov chain and perturbation bounds for the limiting probabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, C. D., Jr.

1979-01-01

The inequalities bounding the relative error the norm of w- w squiggly/the norm of w are exhibited by a very simple function of E and A. Let T denote the transition matrix of an ergodic chain, C, and let A = I - T. Let E be a perturbation matrix such that T squiggly = T - E is also the transition matrix of an ergodic chain, C squiggly. Let w and w squiggly denote the limiting probability (row) vectors for C and C squiggly. The inequality is the best one possible. This bound can be significant in the numerical determination of the limiting probabilities for an ergodic chain. In addition to presenting a sharp bound for the norm of w-w squiggly/the norm of w an explicit expression for w squiggly will be derived in which w squiggly is given as a function of E, A, w and some other related terms.

A sequential linear optimization approach for controller design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horta, L. G.; Juang, J.-N.; Junkins, J. L.

1985-01-01

A linear optimization approach with a simple real arithmetic algorithm is presented for reliable controller design and vibration suppression of flexible structures. Using first order sensitivity of the system eigenvalues with respect to the design parameters in conjunction with a continuation procedure, the method converts a nonlinear optimization problem into a maximization problem with linear inequality constraints. The method of linear programming is then applied to solve the converted linear optimization problem. The general efficiency of the linear programming approach allows the method to handle structural optimization problems with a large number of inequality constraints on the design vector. The method is demonstrated using a truss beam finite element model for the optimal sizing and placement of active/passive-structural members for damping augmentation. Results using both the sequential linear optimization approach and nonlinear optimization are presented and compared. The insensitivity to initial conditions of the linear optimization approach is also demonstrated.

Incarceration and Relative Poverty in Cross-National Perspective: The Moderating Roles of Female Employment and the Welfare State

PubMed Central

Gottlieb, Aaron

2017-01-01

A growing body of scholarship explores how incarceration contributes to inequality. The majority of this scholarship focuses on individual-level outcomes or aggregate outcomes within the United States. Despite substantial cross-national variation in incarceration rates, we know little about whether these differences contribute to cross-national variation in inequality outcomes. Using data from the period 1971–2010 from 15 advanced democracies, this study begins to fill this gap by exploring whether cross-national differences in incarceration rates help to explain cross-national differences in relative poverty rates. Although this research finds no average association, this null association obscures the important moderating role of country context. The association between incarceration and relative poverty is contingent upon a country’s female employment rate and welfare state generosity. PMID:29104322

Social inequality, ethnicity and cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Cooper, R S

2001-10-01

Epidemiological research on cardiovascular risk factors has led to important advances in prevention science by providing insights that have now resulted in substantial reductions in mortality. This research used the variation in risk among individuals as the guide to causal exposures. Large differentials remain among socio-demographic groups, however, and the causes of these differentials may be distinctly different from those observed at the individual level. Vital statistics and census data from the US and selected regions were used in an ecologic analysis. In 1996 heart disease mortality in the US varied from 156/100 000 among African-American women to 51/100 000 among Asian women; similar differentials were observed for men. Income equality was correlated with heart disease mortality among the 47 largest US cities (r = -0.4; P = 0.006). Independent of income equality, racial segregation was also associated with risk of death from cardiovascular disease in this sample of cities. Social processes generate marked differentials in heart disease mortality among demographic groups. In the US, death rates are currently 2-3 times higher among African Americans compared to Asians. Broadly speaking, this variation results from their separate cultural legacies, based on well-recognized lifestyle factors and dietary patterns. Ecological comparisons across cities that share similar lifestyle patterns suggest that income inequality and patterns of racial discrimination are each associated with large variation in mortality in a similar manner. Racism and social inequality can be conceptualized as social causes of excess cardiovascular mortality that may not be measurable at the individual level.

Perspectives on differing health outcomes by city: accounting for Glasgow's excess mortality.

PubMed

Fraser, Simon Ds; George, Steve

2015-01-01

Several health outcomes (including mortality) and health-related behaviors are known to be worse in Scotland than in comparable areas of Europe and the United Kingdom. Within Scotland, Greater Glasgow (in West Central Scotland) experiences disproportionately poorer outcomes independent of measurable variation in socioeconomic status and other important determinants. Many reasons for this have been proposed, particularly related to deprivation, inequalities, and variation in health behaviors. The use of models (such as the application of Bradford Hill's viewpoints on causality to the different hypotheses) has provided useful insights on potentially causal mechanisms, with health behaviors and inequalities likely to represent the strongest individual candidates. This review describes the evolution of our understanding of Glasgow's excess mortality, summarizes some of the key work in this area, and provides some suggestions for future areas of exploration. In the context of demographic change, the experience in Glasgow is an important example of the complexity that frequently lies behind observed variations in health outcomes within and between populations. A comprehensive explanation of Glasgow's excess mortality may continue to remain elusive, but is likely to lie in a complex and difficult-to-measure interplay of health determinants acting at different levels in society throughout the life course. Lessons learned from the detailed examination of different potentially causative determinants in Scotland may provide useful methodological insights that may be applied in other settings. Ongoing efforts to unravel the causal mechanisms are needed to inform public health efforts to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes in Scotland.

Sociodemographic variation in the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with stage IV lung, oesophageal, stomach and pancreatic cancer: evidence from population-based data in England during 2013-2014.

PubMed

Henson, Katherine E; Fry, Anna; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Peake, Michael; Roberts, Keith J; McPhail, Sean

2018-05-10

Sociodemographic inequalities in cancer treatment have been generally described, but there is little evidence regarding patients with advanced cancer. Understanding variation in the management of these patients may provide insights into likely mechanisms leading to inequalities in survival. We identified 50,232 patients with stage IV lung, oesophageal, pancreatic and stomach cancer from the English national cancer registry. A generalised linear model with a Poisson error structure was used to explore variation in radiotherapy and chemotherapy within 6 months from diagnosis by age, sex, deprivation, ethnicity, cancer site, comorbidity and, additionally, performance status. There was substantial variation by cancer site, large gradients by age, and non-trivial associations with comorbidity and deprivation. After full adjustment, more deprived patients were consistently least likely to be treated with chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy and radiotherapy combined compared with less deprived patients with equally advanced disease stage (treatment rate ratio: 0.82 95% CI (0.78, 0.87) for CT, 0.78 95% CI (0.71, 0.85) for CTRT p < 0.0001). There was marked variation in the management of patients with stage IV cancer. Routinely collected data could be used for surveillance across all cancers to help reduce treatment variation and optimise outcomes among patients with advanced cancer.

Variation in Content Coverage by Classroom Composition: An Analysis of Advanced Math Course Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Covay, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Everyone knows that there is racial inequality in achievement returns from advanced math; however, they do not know why black students and white students taking the same level of math courses are not leaving with the same or comparable skill levels. To find out, the author examines variation in course coverage by the racial composition of the…

Variation in Educational Outcomes and Policies across Countries and of Schools within Countries. CEE DP 117

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Richard B.; Machin, Stephen J.; Viarengo, Martina G.

2010-01-01

The motivation for this paper is to increase individuals' understanding of the way in which inequality in educational outcomes and in the relation between measures of backgrounds is related to levels and dispersion of educational performance of young persons. The article thus sheds light on the international variation in the importance of…

Are some areas more equal than others? Socioeconomic inequality in potentially avoidable emergency hospital admissions within English local authority areas.

PubMed

Sheringham, Jessica; Asaria, Miqdad; Barratt, Helen; Raine, Rosalind; Cookson, Richard

2017-04-01

Objectives Reducing health inequalities is an explicit goal of England's health system. Our aim was to compare the performance of English local administrative areas in reducing socioeconomic inequality in emergency hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive chronic conditions. Methods We used local authority area as a stable proxy for health and long-term care administrative geography between 2004/5 and 2011/12. We linked inpatient hospital activity, deprivation, primary care, and population data to small area neighbourhoods (typical population 1500) within administrative areas (typical population 250,000). We measured absolute inequality gradients nationally and within each administrative area using neighbourhood-level linear models of the relationship between national deprivation and age-sex-adjusted emergency admission rates. We assessed local equity performance by comparing local inequality against national inequality to identify areas significantly more or less equal than expected; evaluated stability over time; and identified where equity performance was steadily improving or worsening. We then examined associations between change in socioeconomic inequalities and change in within-area deprivation (gentrification). Finally, we used administrative area-level random and fixed effects models to examine the contribution of primary care to inequalities in admissions. Results Data on 316 administrative areas were included in the analysis. Local inequalities were fairly stable between consecutive years, but 32 areas (10%) showed steadily improving or worsening equity. In the 21 improving areas, the gap between most and least deprived fell by 3.9 admissions per 1000 (six times the fall nationally) between 2004/5 and 2011/12, while in the 11 areas worsening, the gap widened by 2.4. There was no indication that measured improvements in local equity were an artefact of gentrification or that changes in primary care supply or quality contributed to changes in inequality. Conclusions Local equity performance in reducing inequality in emergency admissions varies both geographically and over time. Identifying this variation could provide insights into which local delivery strategies are most effective in reducing such inequalities.

Individual health and the visibility of village economic inequality: Longitudinal evidence from native Amazonians in Bolivia.

PubMed

Undurraga, Eduardo A; Nica, Veronica; Zhang, Rebecca; Mensah, Irene C; Godoy, Ricardo A

2016-12-01

Mounting evidence suggests that income inequality is associated with worse individual health. But does the visibility of inequality matter? Using data from a horticultural-foraging society of native Amazonians in Bolivia (Tsimane'), we examined whether village inequality in resources and behaviors with greater cultural visibility is more likely to bear a negative association with health than village inequality in less conspicuous resources. We draw on a nine-year annual panel (2002-2010) from 13 Tsimane' villages for our main analysis, and an additional survey to gauge the cultural visibility of resources. We measured inequality using the Gini coefficient. We tested the robustness of our results using a shorter two-year annual panel (2008-2009) in another 40 Tsimane' villages and an additional measure of inequality (coefficient of variation, CV). Behaviors with low cultural visibility (e.g., household farm area planted with staples) were less likely to be associated with individual health, compared to more conspicuous behaviors (e.g., expenditures in durable goods, consumption of domesticated animals). We find some evidence that property rights and access to resources matter, with inequality of privately-owned resources showing a larger effect on health. More inequality was associated with improved perceived health - maybe due to improved health prospects from increasing wealth - and worse anthropometric indicators. For example, a unit increase in the Gini coefficient of expenditures in durable goods was associated with 0.24 fewer episodes of stress and a six percentage-point lower probability of reporting illness. A one-point increase in the CV of village inequality in meat consumption was associated with a 4 and 3 percentage-point lower probability of reporting illness and being in bed due to illness, and a 0.05 SD decrease in age-sex standardized arm-muscle area. In small-scale, rural societies at the periphery of market economies, nominal economic inequality in resources bore an association with individual health, but did not necessarily harm perceived health. Economic inequalities in small-scale societies apparently matter, but a thick cultural tapestry of reciprocity norms and kinship ties makes their effects less predictable than in industrial societies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Individual health and the visibility of village economic inequality: Longitudinal evidence from native Amazonians in Bolivia

PubMed Central

Undurraga, Eduardo A.; Nica, Veronica; Zhang, Rebecca; Mensah, Irene C.; Godoy, Ricardo A.

2016-01-01

Mounting evidence suggests that income inequality is associated with worse individual health. But does the visibility of inequality matter? Using data from a horticultural-foraging society of native Amazonians in Bolivia (Tsimane’), we examined whether village inequality in resources and behaviors with greater cultural visibility are more likely to bear a negative association with health than village inequality in less conspicuous resources. We draw on a nine-year annual panel (2002–2010) from 13 Tsimane’ villages for our main analysis, and an additional survey to gauge the cultural visibility of resources. We measured inequality using the Gini coefficient. We tested the robustness of our results using a shorter two-year annual panel (2008–2009) in another 40 Tsimane’ villages and another measure of inequality (coefficient of variation, CV). Behaviors with low cultural visibility (e.g., household farm area planted with staples) were less likely to be associated with individual health, compared to more conspicuous behaviors (e.g., expenditures in durable goods, consumption of domesticated animals). We find some evidence that property rights and access to resources matter, with inequality of privately-owned resources showing a larger effect on health. More inequality was associated with improved perceived health – maybe due to improved health prospects from increasing wealth – and worse anthropometric indicators. For example, a unit increase in the Gini coefficient of expenditures in durable goods was associated with 0.24 fewer episodes of stress and a six percentage-point lower probability of reporting illness. A one-point increase in the CV of village inequality in meat consumption was associated with a 4 and 3 percentage-point lower probability of reporting illness and being in bed due to illness, and a 0.05 SD decrease in age-sex standardized arm-muscle area. In small-scale, rural societies at the periphery of market economies, nominal economic inequality in resources bore an association with individual health, but did not necessarily harm perceived health. Economic inequalities in small-scale societies apparently matter, but a thick cultural tapestry of reciprocity norms and kinship ties makes their effects less predictable than in industrial societies. PMID:27398876

Are some areas more equal than others? Socioeconomic inequality in potentially avoidable emergency hospital admissions within English local authority areas

PubMed Central

Asaria, Miqdad; Barratt, Helen; Raine, Rosalind; Cookson, Richard

2016-01-01

Objectives Reducing health inequalities is an explicit goal of England’s health system. Our aim was to compare the performance of English local administrative areas in reducing socioeconomic inequality in emergency hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive chronic conditions. Methods We used local authority area as a stable proxy for health and long-term care administrative geography between 2004/5 and 2011/12. We linked inpatient hospital activity, deprivation, primary care, and population data to small area neighbourhoods (typical population 1500) within administrative areas (typical population 250,000). We measured absolute inequality gradients nationally and within each administrative area using neighbourhood-level linear models of the relationship between national deprivation and age–sex-adjusted emergency admission rates. We assessed local equity performance by comparing local inequality against national inequality to identify areas significantly more or less equal than expected; evaluated stability over time; and identified where equity performance was steadily improving or worsening. We then examined associations between change in socioeconomic inequalities and change in within-area deprivation (gentrification). Finally, we used administrative area-level random and fixed effects models to examine the contribution of primary care to inequalities in admissions. Results Data on 316 administrative areas were included in the analysis. Local inequalities were fairly stable between consecutive years, but 32 areas (10%) showed steadily improving or worsening equity. In the 21 improving areas, the gap between most and least deprived fell by 3.9 admissions per 1000 (six times the fall nationally) between 2004/5 and 2011/12, while in the 11 areas worsening, the gap widened by 2.4. There was no indication that measured improvements in local equity were an artefact of gentrification or that changes in primary care supply or quality contributed to changes in inequality. Conclusions Local equity performance in reducing inequality in emergency admissions varies both geographically and over time. Identifying this variation could provide insights into which local delivery strategies are most effective in reducing such inequalities. PMID:28429977

Optical simulation of a Popescu-Rohrlich Box

PubMed Central

Chu, Wen-Jing; Zong, Xiao-Lan; Yang, Ming; Pan, Guo-Zhu; Cao, Zhuo-Liang

2016-01-01

It is well known that the fair-sampling loophole in Bell test opened by the selection of the state to be measured can lead to post-quantum correlations. In this paper, we make the selection of the results after measurement, which opens the fair- sampling loophole too, and thus can lead to post-quantum correlations. This kind of result-selection loophole can be realized by pre- and post-selection processes within the “two-state vector formalism”, and a physical simulation of Popescu-Rohrlich (PR) box is designed in linear optical system. The probability distribution of the PR has a maximal CHSH value 4, i.e. it can maximally violate CHSH inequality. Because the “two-state vector formalism” violates the information causality, it opens the locality loophole too, which means that this kind of results selection within “two-state vector formalism” leads to both fair- sampling loophole and locality loophole, so we call it a comprehensive loophole in Bell test. The comprehensive loophole opened by the results selection within “two-state vector formalism” may be another possible explanation of why post-quantum correlations are incompatible with quantum mechanics and seem not to exist in nature. PMID:27329203

Optical simulation of a Popescu-Rohrlich Box.

PubMed

Chu, Wen-Jing; Zong, Xiao-Lan; Yang, Ming; Pan, Guo-Zhu; Cao, Zhuo-Liang

2016-06-22

It is well known that the fair-sampling loophole in Bell test opened by the selection of the state to be measured can lead to post-quantum correlations. In this paper, we make the selection of the results after measurement, which opens the fair- sampling loophole too, and thus can lead to post-quantum correlations. This kind of result-selection loophole can be realized by pre- and post-selection processes within the "two-state vector formalism", and a physical simulation of Popescu-Rohrlich (PR) box is designed in linear optical system. The probability distribution of the PR has a maximal CHSH value 4, i.e. it can maximally violate CHSH inequality. Because the "two-state vector formalism" violates the information causality, it opens the locality loophole too, which means that this kind of results selection within "two-state vector formalism" leads to both fair- sampling loophole and locality loophole, so we call it a comprehensive loophole in Bell test. The comprehensive loophole opened by the results selection within "two-state vector formalism" may be another possible explanation of why post-quantum correlations are incompatible with quantum mechanics and seem not to exist in nature.

Inequalities in body size among mermithid nematodes parasitizing earwigs.

PubMed

Maure, Fanny; Poulin, Robert

2016-12-01

Variation among body sizes of adult parasitic worms determines the relative genetic contribution of individuals to the next generation as it affects the effective parasite population size. Here, we investigate inequalities in body size and how they are affected by intensity of infection in Mermis nigrescens (Mermithidae: Nematoda) parasitizing the European earwig Forficula auricularia in New Zealand. Among a population of pre-adult worms prior to their emergence from the host, we observed only modest inequalities in body length; however, among worms sharing the same individual host, inequalities in body sizes decreased with increasing intensity of infection. Thus, the more worms occurred in a host, the more the second-longest, third-longest and even fourth-longest worms approached the longest worm in body length. This pattern, also known from another mermithid species, suggests that worms sharing the same host may have infected it roughly simultaneously, when the host encountered a clump of eggs in the environment. Thus, the life history and mode of infection of the parasite may explain the modest inequalities in the sizes achieved by pre-adult worms, which are lower than those reported for endoparasitic helminths of vertebrates.

Assessing levels and trends of child health inequality in 88 developing countries: from 2000 to 2014

PubMed Central

Li, Zhihui; Li, Mingqiang; Subramanian, S. V.; Lu, Chunling

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Reducing child mortality was one of the Millennium Development Goals. In the current Sustainable Development Goals era, achieving equity is prioritized as a major aim. Objective: This study aims to provide a comprehensive and updated picture of inequalities in child health intervention coverage and child health outcomes by wealth status, as well as their trends between 2000 and 2014. Methods: Using data from Demographic Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, we adopted three measures of inequality, including one absolute inequality indicator and two relative inequality indicators, to estimate the level and trends of inequalities in three child health outcome variables and 17 intervention coverages in 88 developing countries. Results: While improvements in child health outcomes and coverage of interventions have been observed between 2000 and 2014, large inequalities remain. There was a high level of variation between countries’ progress toward reducing child health inequalities, with some countries significantly improving, some deteriorating, and some remaining statistically unchanged. Among child health interventions, the least equitable one was access to improved sanitation (The absolute difference in coverages between the richest quintile and the poorest quintile reached 49.5% [42.7, 56.2]), followed by access to improved water (34.1% [29.5, 38.6]), and skilled birth attendant (SBA) (34.1% [28.8, 39.4]). The most equitable intervention coverage was insecticide-treated bed net for children (1.0% [−3.9, 5.9]), followed by oral rehydration therapy for diarrhea ((8.0% [5.2, 10.8]), and vitamin A supplement (8.4% [5.1, 11.7]). These findings were robust to various inequality measurements. Conclusions: Although child health outcomes and coverage of interventions have improved largely over the study period for almost all wealth quintiles, insufficient progress was made in reducing child health inequalities between the poorest and richest wealth quintiles. Future efforts should focus on reaching the poorest children by increasing investments toward expanding the coverage of interventions in resource-limited settings. PMID:29228888

Country-level predictors of vaccination coverage and inequalities in Gavi-supported countries.

PubMed

Arsenault, Catherine; Johri, Mira; Nandi, Arijit; Mendoza Rodríguez, José M; Hansen, Peter M; Harper, Sam

2017-04-25

Important inequalities in childhood vaccination coverage persist between countries and population groups. Understanding why some countries achieve higher and more equitable levels of coverage is crucial to redress these inequalities. In this study, we explored the country-level determinants of (1) coverage of the third dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis- (DTP3) containing vaccine and (2) within-country inequalities in DTP3 coverage in 45 countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We used data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2005 and 2014. We measured national DTP3 coverage and the slope index of inequality in DTP3 coverage with respect to household wealth, maternal education, and multidimensional poverty. We collated data on country health systems, health financing, governance and geographic and sociocultural contexts from published sources. We used meta-regressions to assess the relationship between these country-level factors and variations in DTP3 coverage and inequalities. To validate our findings, we repeated these analyses for coverage with measles-containing vaccine (MCV). We found considerable heterogeneity in DTP3 coverage and in the magnitude of inequalities across countries. Results for MCV were consistent with those from DTP3. Political stability, gender equality and smaller land surface were important predictors of higher and more equitable levels of DTP3 coverage. Inequalities in DTP3 coverage were also lower in countries receiving more external resources for health, with lower rates of out-of-pocket spending and with higher national coverage. Greater government spending on heath and lower linguistic fractionalization were also consistent with better vaccination outcomes. Improving vaccination coverage and reducing inequalities requires that policies and programs address critical social determinants of health including geographic and social exclusion, gender inequality and the availability of financial protection for health. Further research should investigate the mechanisms contributing to these associations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weak variations of Lipschitz graphs and stability of phase boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabovsky, Yury; Kucher, Vladislav A.; Truskinovsky, Lev

2011-03-01

In the case of Lipschitz extremals of vectorial variational problems, an important class of strong variations originates from smooth deformations of the corresponding non-smooth graphs. These seemingly singular variations, which can be viewed as combinations of weak inner and outer variations, produce directions of differentiability of the functional and lead to singularity-centered necessary conditions on strong local minima: an equality, arising from stationarity, and an inequality, implying configurational stability of the singularity set. To illustrate the underlying coupling between inner and outer variations, we study in detail the case of smooth surfaces of gradient discontinuity representing, for instance, martensitic phase boundaries in non-linear elasticity.

Le Chatelier's principle with multiple relaxation channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, R.; Levine, R. D.

1986-05-01

Le Chatelier's principle is discussed within the constrained variational approach to thermodynamics. The formulation is general enough to encompass systems not in thermal (or chemical) equilibrium. Particular attention is given to systems with multiple constraints which can be relaxed. The moderation of the initial perturbation increases as additional constraints are removed. This result is studied in particular when the (coupled) relaxation channels have widely different time scales. A series of inequalities is derived which describes the successive moderation as each successive relaxation channel opens up. These inequalities are interpreted within the metric-geometry representation of thermodynamics.

The role of remote sensing and GIS for spatial prediction of vector-borne diseases transmission: a systematic review.

PubMed

Palaniyandi, M

2012-12-01

There have been several attempts made to the appreciation of remote sensing and GIS for the study of vectors, biodiversity, vector presence, vector abundance and the vector-borne diseases with respect to space and time. This study was made for reviewing and appraising the potential use of remote sensing and GIS applications for spatial prediction of vector-borne diseases transmission. The nature of the presence and the abundance of vectors and vector-borne diseases, disease infection and the disease transmission are not ubiquitous and are confined with geographical, environmental and climatic factors, and are localized. The presence of vectors and vector-borne diseases is most complex in nature, however, it is confined and fueled by the geographical, climatic and environmental factors including man-made factors. The usefulness of the present day availability of the information derived from the satellite data including vegetation indices of canopy cover and its density, soil types, soil moisture, soil texture, soil depth, etc. is integrating the information in the expert GIS engine for the spatial analysis of other geoclimatic and geoenvironmental variables. The present study gives the detailed information on the classical studies of the past and present, and the future role of remote sensing and GIS for the vector-borne diseases control. The ecological modeling directly gives us the relevant information to understand the spatial variation of the vector biodiversity, vector presence, vector abundance and the vector-borne diseases in association with geoclimatic and the environmental variables. The probability map of the geographical distribution and seasonal variations of horizontal and vertical distribution of vector abundance and its association with vector -borne diseases can be obtained with low cost remote sensing and GIS tool with reliable data and speed.

Low Lunar Orbit Design via Graphical Manipulation of Eccentricity Vector Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, Mark S.; Sweetser, Theodore H.; Roncoli, Ralph B.

2012-01-01

Low lunar orbits, such as those used by GRAIL and LRO, experience predictable variations in the evolution of their eccentricity vectors. These variations are nearly invariant with respect to the initial eccentricity and argument of periapse and change only in the details with respect to the initial semi-major axis. These properties suggest that manipulating the eccentricity vector evolution directly can give insight into orbit maintenance designs and can reduce the number of propagations required. A trio of techniques for determining the desired maneuvers is presented in the context of the GRAIL extended mission.

[Intelligence and the explanation for socio-economic inequalities in health].

PubMed

Huisman, M; Mackenbach, J P

2007-05-12

Attention is increasingly being paid to the role of cognitive ability to explain socio-economic inequalities in health. The universal socio-economic gradient in health, where each rung lower on the socio-economic ladder implies worse health, has still not been satisfactorily explained scientifically. Because cognitive ability is related to a multitude of social outcomes in a similarly graded manner, hypothesising that cognitive ability plays a major role in health inequalities by socio-economic status is appealing. Recent empirical studies have shown that at least part of socio-economic health inequalities can indeed be explained by differences in cognitive ability. However, this does not imply that we should be pessimistic about future attempts to break the chain that links socio-economic status and cognitive ability with health. During some life stages, environmental factors may be able to influence cognitive ability. Interventions may therefore be targeted in order to optimize these effects. In addition, there is evidence that cognitive ability is correlated with health-related behaviours such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity. Therefore, another opportunity for reducing health inequalities related to cognitive ability and socio-economic status would be to develop tailored interventions to improve health-related behaviours in disadvantaged groups. However, the first priority is to further investigate the role of cognitive ability in health inequalities by examining various health outcomes, different age groups and variations across the life course.

Inequity in cardiovascular care in the English National Health Service (NHS): a scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Asthana, Sheena; Moon, Graham; Gibson, Alex; Bailey, Trevor; Hewson, Paul; Dibben, Chris

2018-05-01

There is a general understanding that socioeconomically disadvantaged people are also disadvantaged with respect to their access to NHS care. Insofar as considerable NHS funding has been targeted at deprived areas, it is important to better understand whether and why socioeconomic variations in access and utilisation exist. Exploring this question with reference to cardiovascular care, our aims were to synthesise and evaluate evidence relating to access to and/or use of English NHS services around (i) different points on the care pathway (i.e. presentation, primary management and specialist management) and (ii) different dimensions of inequality (socioeconomic, age- and gender-related, ethnic or geographical). Restricting our search period from 2004 to 2016, we were concerned to examine whether, compared to earlier research, there has been a change in the focus of research examining inequalities in cardiac care and whether the pro-rich bias reported in the late 1990s and early 2000s still applies today. We conducted a scoping study drawing on Arksey & O'Malley's framework. A total of 174 studies were included in the review and appraised for methodological quality. Although, in the past decade, there has been a shift in research focus away from gender and age inequalities in access/use and towards socioeconomic status and ethnicity, evidence that deprived people are less likely to access and use cardiovascular care is very contradictory. Patterns of use appear to vary by ethnicity; South Asian populations enjoying higher access, black populations lower. By contrast, female gender and older age are consistently associated with inequity in cardiovascular care. The degree of geographical variation in access/use is also striking. Finally, evidence of inequality increases with stage on the care pathway, which may indicate that barriers to access arise from the way in which health professionals are adjudicating health needs rather than a failure to seek help in the first place. © 2016 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Widespread inequalities in smoking & smokeless tobacco consumption across wealth quintiles in States of India: Need for targeted interventions

PubMed Central

Thakur, J.S.; Prinja, Shankar; Bhatnagar, Nidhi; Rana, Saroj Kumar; Sinha, Dhirendra Narain; Singh, Poonam Khetarpal

2015-01-01

Background & objectives: India is a large country with each State having distinct social, cultural and economic characteristics. Tobacco epidemic is not uniform across the country. There are wide variations in tobacco consumption across age, sex, regions and socio-economic classes. This study was conducted to understand the wide inequalities in patterns of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption across various States of India. Methods: Analysis was conducted on Global Adult Tobacco Survey, India (2009-2010) data. Prevalence of both forms of tobacco use and its association with socio-economic determinants was assessed across States and Union Territories of India. Wealth indices were calculated using socio-economic data of the survey. Concentration index of inequality and one way ANOVA assessed economic inequality in tobacco consumption and variation of tobacco consumption across quintiles. Multiple logistic regression was done for tobacco consumption and wealth index adjusting for age, sex, area, education and occupation. Results: Overall prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption was 13.9 per cent (14.6, 13.3) and 25.8 per cent (26.6, 25.0), respectively. Prevalence of current smoking varied from 1.6 per cent (richest quintile in Odisha) to 42.2 per cent (poorest quintile in Meghalaya). Prevalence of current smokeless tobacco consumption varied from 1.7 per cent (richest quintile in Jammu and Kashmir) to 59.4 per cent (poorest quintile in Mizoram). Decreasing odds of tobacco consumption with increasing wealth was observed in most of the States. Reverse trend of tobacco consumption was observed in Nagaland. Significant difference in odds of smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption with wealth quintiles was observed. Concentration index of inequality was significant for smoking tobacco -0.7 (-0.62 to-0.78) and not significant for smokeless tobacco consumption -0.15 (0.01to-0.33) Interpretation & conclusions: The findings of our analysis indicate that tobacco control policy and public health interventions need to consider widespread socio-economic inequities in tobacco consumption across the States in India. PMID:26205022

Socio-economic inequity in demand for insecticide-treated nets, in-door residual house spraying, larviciding and fogging in Sudan.

PubMed

Onwujekwe, Obinna; Malik, El-Fatih Mohamed; Mustafa, Sara Hassan; Mnzava, Abraham

2005-12-15

In order to optimally prioritize and use public and private budgets for equitable malaria vector control, there is a need to determine the level and determinants of consumer demand for different vector control tools. To determine the demand from people of different socio-economic groups for indoor residual house-spraying (IRHS), insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), larviciding with chemicals (LWC), and space spraying/fogging (SS) and the disease control implications of the result. Ratings and levels of willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the vector control tools were determined using a random cross-sectional sample of 720 householdes drawn from two states. WTP was elicited using the bidding game. An asset-based socio-economic status (SES) index was used to explore whether WTP was related to SES of the respondents. IRHS received the highest proportion of highest preferred rating (41.0%) followed by ITNs (23.1%). However, ITNs had the highest mean WTP followed by IRHS, while LWC had the least. The regression analysis showed that SES was positively and statistically significantly related to WTP across the four vector control tools and that the respondents' rating of IRHS and ITNs significantly explained their levels of WTP for the two tools. People were willing to pay for all the vector-control tools, but the demand for the vector control tools was related to the SES of the respondents. Hence, it is vital that there are public policies and financing mechanisms to ensure equitable provision and utilisation of vector control tools, as well as protecting the poor from cost-sharing arrangements.

Fast Combinatorial Algorithm for the Solution of Linearly Constrained Least Squares Problems

DOEpatents

Van Benthem, Mark H.; Keenan, Michael R.

2008-11-11

A fast combinatorial algorithm can significantly reduce the computational burden when solving general equality and inequality constrained least squares problems with large numbers of observation vectors. The combinatorial algorithm provides a mathematically rigorous solution and operates at great speed by reorganizing the calculations to take advantage of the combinatorial nature of the problems to be solved. The combinatorial algorithm exploits the structure that exists in large-scale problems in order to minimize the number of arithmetic operations required to obtain a solution.

Association of Income Inequality With Pediatric Hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions.

PubMed

Bettenhausen, Jessica L; Colvin, Jeffrey D; Berry, Jay G; Puls, Henry T; Markham, Jessica L; Plencner, Laura M; Krager, Molly K; Johnson, Matthew B; Queen, Mary Ann; Walker, Jacqueline M; Latta, Grant M; Riss, Robert R; Hall, Matt

2017-06-05

The level of income inequality (ie, the variation in median household income among households within a geographic area), in addition to family-level income, is associated with worsened health outcomes in children. To determine the influence of income inequality on pediatric hospitalization rates for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) and whether income inequality affects use of resources per hospitalization for ACSCs. This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis used the 2014 State Inpatient Databases of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project of 14 states to evaluate all hospital discharges for patients aged 0 to 17 years (hereafter referred to as children) from January 1 through December 31, 2014. Using the 2014 American Community Survey (US Census), income inequality (Gini index; range, 0 [perfect equality] to 1.00 [perfect inequality]), median household income, and total population of children aged 0 to 17 years for each zip code in the 14 states were measured. The Gini index for zip codes was divided into quartiles for low, low-middle, high-middle, and high income inequality. Rate, length of stay, and charges for pediatric hospitalizations for ACSCs. A total of 79 275 hospitalizations for ACSCs occurred among the 21 737 661 children living in the 8375 zip codes in the 14 included states. After adjustment for median household income and state of residence, ACSC hospitalization rates per 10 000 children increased significantly as income inequality increased from low (27.2; 95% CI, 26.5-27.9) to low-middle (27.9; 95% CI, 27.4-28.5), high-middle (29.2; 95% CI, 28.6-29.7), and high (31.8; 95% CI, 31.2-32.3) categories (P < .001). A significant, clinically unimportant longer length of stay was found for high inequality (2.5 days; 95% CI, 2.4-2.5 days) compared with low inequality (2.4 days; 95% CI, 2.4-2.5 days; P < .001) zip codes and between charges ($765 difference among groups; P < .001). Children living in areas of high income inequality have higher rates of hospitalizations for ACSCs. Consideration of income inequality, in addition to income level, may provide a better understanding of the complex relationship between socioeconomic status and pediatric health outcomes for ACSCs. Efforts aimed at reducing rates of hospitalizations for ACSCs should consider focusing on areas with high income inequality.

Application of satellite data in variational analysis for global cyclonic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Achtemeier, G. L.

1987-01-01

The research goal was a variational data assimilation method that incorporates as dynamical constraints, the primitive equations for a moist, convectively unstable atmosphere and the radiative transfer equation. Variables to be adjusted include the three-dimensional vector wind, height, temperature, and moisture from rawinsonde data, and cloud-wind vectors, moisture, and radiance from satellite data. This presents a formidable mathematical problem. In order to facilitate thorough analysis of each of the model components, four variational models that divide the problem naturally according to increasing complexity are defined. Each model is summarized.

The impact of primary healthcare in reducing inequalities in child health outcomes, Bogotá – Colombia: an ecological analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Colombia is one of the countries with the widest levels of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Bogotá, its capital, faces serious problems of poverty, social disparities and access to health services. A Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy was implemented in 2004 to improve health care and to address the social determinants of such inequalities. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the PHC strategy to reducing inequalities in child health outcomes in Bogotá. Methods An ecological analysis with localities as the unit of analysis was carried out. The variable used to capture the socioeconomic status and living standards was the Quality of Life Index (QLI). Concentration curves and concentration indices for four child health outcomes (infant mortality rate (IMR), under-5 mortality rate, prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under-5, and vaccination coverage for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) were calculated to measure socioeconomic inequality. Two periods were used to describe possible changes in the magnitude of the inequalities related with the PHC implementation (2003 year before - 2007 year after implementation). The contribution of the PHC intervention was computed by a decomposition analysis carried out on data from 2007. Results In both 2003 and 2007, concentration curves and indexes of IMR, under-5 mortality rate and acute malnutrition showed inequalities to the disadvantage of localities with lower QLI. Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccinations were more prevalent among localities with higher QLI in 2003 but were higher in localities with lower QLI in 2007. The variation of the concentration index between 2003 and 2007 indicated reductions in inequality for all of the indicators in the period after the PHC implementation. In 2007, PHC was associated with a reduction in the effect of the inequality that affected disadvantaged localities in under-5 mortality (24%), IMR (19%) and acute malnutrition (7%). PHC also contributed approximately 20% to inequality in DPT coverage, favoring the poorer localities. Conclusion The PHC strategy developed in Bogotá appears to be contributing to reductions of the inequality associated with socioeconomic and living conditions in child health outcomes. PMID:23145972

The impact of primary healthcare in reducing inequalities in child health outcomes, Bogotá-Colombia: an ecological analysis.

PubMed

Mosquera, Paola A; Hernández, Jinneth; Vega, Román; Martínez, Jorge; Labonte, Ronald; Sanders, David; San Sebastián, Miguel

2012-11-13

Colombia is one of the countries with the widest levels of socioeconomic and health inequalities. Bogotá, its capital, faces serious problems of poverty, social disparities and access to health services. A Primary Health Care (PHC) strategy was implemented in 2004 to improve health care and to address the social determinants of such inequalities. This study aimed to evaluate the contribution of the PHC strategy to reducing inequalities in child health outcomes in Bogotá. An ecological analysis with localities as the unit of analysis was carried out. The variable used to capture the socioeconomic status and living standards was the Quality of Life Index (QLI). Concentration curves and concentration indices for four child health outcomes (infant mortality rate (IMR), under-5 mortality rate, prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under-5, and vaccination coverage for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus) were calculated to measure socioeconomic inequality. Two periods were used to describe possible changes in the magnitude of the inequalities related with the PHC implementation (2003 year before - 2007 year after implementation). The contribution of the PHC intervention was computed by a decomposition analysis carried out on data from 2007. In both 2003 and 2007, concentration curves and indexes of IMR, under-5 mortality rate and acute malnutrition showed inequalities to the disadvantage of localities with lower QLI. Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT) vaccinations were more prevalent among localities with higher QLI in 2003 but were higher in localities with lower QLI in 2007. The variation of the concentration index between 2003 and 2007 indicated reductions in inequality for all of the indicators in the period after the PHC implementation. In 2007, PHC was associated with a reduction in the effect of the inequality that affected disadvantaged localities in under-5 mortality (24%), IMR (19%) and acute malnutrition (7%). PHC also contributed approximately 20% to inequality in DPT coverage, favoring the poorer localities. The PHC strategy developed in Bogotá appears to be contributing to reductions of the inequality associated with socioeconomic and living conditions in child health outcomes.

Estimating life expectancies for US small areas: a regression framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Congdon, Peter

2014-01-01

Analysis of area mortality variations and estimation of area life tables raise methodological questions relevant to assessing spatial clustering, and socioeconomic inequalities in mortality. Existing small area analyses of US life expectancy variation generally adopt ad hoc amalgamations of counties to alleviate potential instability of mortality rates involved in deriving life tables, and use conventional life table analysis which takes no account of correlated mortality for adjacent areas or ages. The alternative strategy here uses structured random effects methods that recognize correlations between adjacent ages and areas, and allows retention of the original county boundaries. This strategy generalizes to include effects of area category (e.g. poverty status, ethnic mix), allowing estimation of life tables according to area category, and providing additional stabilization of estimated life table functions. This approach is used here to estimate stabilized mortality rates, derive life expectancies in US counties, and assess trends in clustering and in inequality according to county poverty category.

The Gender Gap in High School Physics: Considering the Context of Local Communities

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives We focus on variation in gender inequality in physics course-taking, questioning the notion of a ubiquitous male advantage. We consider how inequality in high school physics is related to the context of students’ local communities, specifically the representation of women in STEM occupations in the labor force. Methods This study uses nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and its education component, the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Transcript Study (AHAA). Results Approximately half of schools are characterized by either gender equality or even a small female advantage in enrollment in this traditionally male subject. Furthermore, variation in the gender gap in physics is related to the percent of women who are employed in STEM occupations within the community. Conclusion Our study suggests that communities differ in the extent to which traditionally gendered status expectations shape beliefs and behaviors. PMID:25605978

A Statistical Model of the Fluctuations in the Geomagnetic Field from Paleosecular Variation to Reversal

PubMed

Camps; Prevot

1996-08-09

The statistical characteristics of the local magnetic field of Earth during paleosecular variation, excursions, and reversals are described on the basis of a database that gathers the cleaned mean direction and average remanent intensity of 2741 lava flows that have erupted over the last 20 million years. A model consisting of a normally distributed axial dipole component plus an independent isotropic set of vectors with a Maxwellian distribution that simulates secular variation fits the range of geomagnetic fluctuations, in terms of both direction and intensity. This result suggests that the magnitude of secular variation vectors is independent of the magnitude of Earth's axial dipole moment and that the amplitude of secular variation is unchanged during reversals.

Pu239 Cross-Section Variations Based on Experimental Uncertainties and Covariances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sigeti, David Edward; Williams, Brian J.; Parsons, D. Kent

2016-10-18

Algorithms and software have been developed for producing variations in plutonium-239 neutron cross sections based on experimental uncertainties and covariances. The varied cross-section sets may be produced as random samples from the multi-variate normal distribution defined by an experimental mean vector and covariance matrix, or they may be produced as Latin-Hypercube/Orthogonal-Array samples (based on the same means and covariances) for use in parametrized studies. The variations obey two classes of constraints that are obligatory for cross-section sets and which put related constraints on the mean vector and covariance matrix that detemine the sampling. Because the experimental means and covariances domore » not obey some of these constraints to sufficient precision, imposing the constraints requires modifying the experimental mean vector and covariance matrix. Modification is done with an algorithm based on linear algebra that minimizes changes to the means and covariances while insuring that the operations that impose the different constraints do not conflict with each other.« less

Socio-economic inequality in multiple health complaints among adolescents: international comparative study in 37 countries.

PubMed

Holstein, Bjørn E; Currie, Candace; Boyce, Will; Damsgaard, Mogens T; Gobina, Inese; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Hetland, Jørn; de Looze, Margaretha; Richter, Matthias; Due, Pernille

2009-09-01

To use comparable data from many countries to examine 1) socio-economic inequality in multiple health complaints among adolescents, 2) whether the countries' absolute wealth and economic inequality was associated with symptom load among adolescents, and 3) whether the countries' absolute wealth and economic inequality explained part of the individual level socio-economic variation in health complaints. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) international study from 2005/06 provided data on 204,534 11-, 13- and 15-year old students from nationally random samples of schools in 37 countries in Europe and North America. The outcome measure was prevalence of at least two daily health complaints, measured by the HBSC Symptom Check List. We included three independent variables at the individual level (sex, age group, family affluence measured by the Family Affluence Scale FAS) and two macro level measures on the country's economic situation: wealth measured by Gross National Product (GNP) and distribution of income measured by the Gini coefficient. There was a significant socio-economic variation in health complaints in 31 of the 37 countries. The overall OR (95 % CI) for 2+ daily health complaints for all countries was 1.31 (1.27-1.36) in the medium versus high FAS group and 2.07 (2.00-2.14) in the low versus high FAS group. This socio-economic gradient in health complaints attenuated somewhat in the multilevel models which included macro level data. There was no association between GNP and health complaints. The OR for high symptom load was 1.35 (1.08-1.69) per 10 % increase in Gini coefficient. The socio-economic gradient in health complaints at the individual level was somewhat attenuated in the multilevel models which included macro level data. There was a significant association between low FAS and high level of health complaints in 30 of 37 countries. Health complaints increased significantly by increasing income inequality in the country.

Fast Integer Ambiguity Resolution for GPS Attitude Determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lightsey, E. Glenn; Crassidis, John L.; Markley, F. Landis

1999-01-01

In this paper, a new algorithm for GPS (Global Positioning System) integer ambiguity resolution is shown. The algorithm first incorporates an instantaneous (static) integer search to significantly reduce the search space using a geometric inequality. Then a batch-type loss function is used to check the remaining integers in order to determine the optimal integer. This batch function represents the GPS sightline vectors in the body frame as the sum of two vectors, one depending on the phase measurements and the other on the unknown integers. The new algorithm has several advantages: it does not require an a-priori estimate of the vehicle's attitude; it provides an inherent integrity check using a covariance-type expression; and it can resolve the integers even when coplanar baselines exist. The performance of the new algorithm is tested on a dynamic hardware simulator.

The socioeconomic gradient of secondhand smoke exposure in children: evidence from 26 low-income and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Hajizadeh, Mohammad; Nandi, Arijit

2016-12-01

To provide the first analysis of socioeconomic inequalities in children's daily exposure to indoor smoking in households in 26 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We used nationally representative household samples (n=369 654) collected through the Demographic Health Surveys between 2010 and 2014 to calculate daily exposure to secondhand smoke (ESHS) among children aged 0-5 years. The relative and absolute concentration (RC and AC) indices were used to quantify wealth-based inequalities in daily ESHS in each country and in urban and rural areas in each country. We decomposed total socioeconomic inequalities in ESHS into within-group and between-group (rural-urban) inequalities to identify the sources of wealth-based inequality in ESHS in LMICs. We observed substantial variation across countries in the prevalence of daily ESHS among children. Children's ESHS was higher in rural areas compared to urban areas in the majority of the countries. The RC and AC demonstrated that daily ESHS was concentrated among poorer children in almost all countries (RC, median=-0.179, IQR=0.186 and AC, median=-0.040, IQR=0.055). The concentration of ESHS among poorer children was greater in urban relative to rural areas. The decomposition of the overall socioeconomic inequality in daily ESHS revealed that wealth-based differences in ESHS within urban and rural areas were the main contributor to socioeconomic inequalities in most countries (median=46%, IQR=32%). Special attention should be given to reduce ESHS among children from rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged households as social inequalities in ESHS might contribute to social inequalities in health over the life course. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Gender based within-household inequality in childhood immunization in India: changes over time and across regions.

PubMed

Singh, Ashish

2012-01-01

Despite India's substantial economic growth in the past two decades, girls in India are discriminated against in access to preventive healthcare including immunizations. Surprisingly, no study has assessed the contribution of gender based within-household discrimination to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children. This study therefore has two objectives: to estimate the gender based within-household inequality (GWHI) in immunization status of Indian children and to examine the inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the GWHI. The present study used households with a pair of male-female siblings (aged 1-5 years) from two rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992-93 and 2005-06). The overall inequality in the immunization status (after controlling for age and birth order) of children was decomposed into within-households and between-households components using Mean log deviation to obtain the GWHI component. The analysis was conducted at the all-India level as well as for six specified geographical regions and at two time points (1992-93 and 2005-06). Household fixed-effects models for immunization status of children were also estimated. Findings from household fixed effects analysis indicated that the immunization scores of girls were significantly lower than that of boys. The inequality decompositions revealed that, at the all-India level, the absolute level of GWHI in immunization status decreased from 0.035 in 1992-93 to 0.023 in 2005-06. However, as a percentage of total inequality, it increased marginally (15.5% to 16.5%). In absolute terms, GWHI decreased in all the regions except in the North-East. But, as a percentage of total inequality it increased in the North-Eastern, Western and Southern regions. The main conclusions are the following: GWHI contributes substantially to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children; and though the overall inequality in immunization status declined in all the regions, the changes in GWHI were mixed.

Japanese encephalitis: the vectors, ecology and potential for expansion.

PubMed

Pearce, James C; Learoyd, Tristan P; Langendorf, Benjamin J; Logan, James G

2018-05-01

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a viral disease predominantly located in South East Asia and commonly associated with transmission between amplifying hosts, such as pigs, and the mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus, where human infection represents a dead end in the life cycle of the virus. The expansion of JE beyond an Asiatic confine is dependent on a multitude of complex factors that stem back to genetic subtype variation. A complex interplay of the genetic variation and vector competencies combine with variables such as geography, climate change and urbanization. Our understanding of JE is still at an early stage with long-term longitudinal vector surveillance necessary to better understand the dynamics of JE transmission and to characterize the role of potential secondary vectors such as Cx. pipiens and Cx. bitaeniorhynchus. The authors review the vectors indicated in transmission and the ecological, genetic and anthropological factors that affect the disease's range and epidemiology. Monitoring for the presence of JE virus in mosquitoes in general can be used to estimate levels of potential JE exposure, intensity of viral activity and genetic variation of JEV throughout surveyed areas. Increased surveillance and diagnosis of viral encephalitis caused by genotype 5 JE virus is required in particular, with the expansion in epidemiology and disease prevalence in new geographic areas an issue of great concern. Additional studies that measure the impact of vectors (e.g. bionomics and vector competence) in the transmission of JEV and that incorporate environmental factors (e.g. weekly rainfall) are needed to define the roles of Culex species in the viral pathogenesis during outbreak and non-outbreak years.

Perspectives on differing health outcomes by city: accounting for Glasgow’s excess mortality

PubMed Central

Fraser, Simon DS; George, Steve

2015-01-01

Several health outcomes (including mortality) and health-related behaviors are known to be worse in Scotland than in comparable areas of Europe and the United Kingdom. Within Scotland, Greater Glasgow (in West Central Scotland) experiences disproportionately poorer outcomes independent of measurable variation in socioeconomic status and other important determinants. Many reasons for this have been proposed, particularly related to deprivation, inequalities, and variation in health behaviors. The use of models (such as the application of Bradford Hill’s viewpoints on causality to the different hypotheses) has provided useful insights on potentially causal mechanisms, with health behaviors and inequalities likely to represent the strongest individual candidates. This review describes the evolution of our understanding of Glasgow’s excess mortality, summarizes some of the key work in this area, and provides some suggestions for future areas of exploration. In the context of demographic change, the experience in Glasgow is an important example of the complexity that frequently lies behind observed variations in health outcomes within and between populations. A comprehensive explanation of Glasgow’s excess mortality may continue to remain elusive, but is likely to lie in a complex and difficult-to-measure interplay of health determinants acting at different levels in society throughout the life course. Lessons learned from the detailed examination of different potentially causative determinants in Scotland may provide useful methodological insights that may be applied in other settings. Ongoing efforts to unravel the causal mechanisms are needed to inform public health efforts to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes in Scotland. PMID:26124684

Reduced basis technique for evaluating the sensitivity coefficients of the nonlinear tire response

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K.; Tanner, John A.; Peters, Jeanne M.

1992-01-01

An efficient reduced-basis technique is proposed for calculating the sensitivity of nonlinear tire response to variations in the design variables. The tire is modeled using a 2-D, moderate rotation, laminated anisotropic shell theory, including the effects of variation in material and geometric parameters. The vector of structural response and its first-order and second-order sensitivity coefficients are each expressed as a linear combination of a small number of basis vectors. The effectiveness of the basis vectors used in approximating the sensitivity coefficients is demonstrated by a numerical example involving the Space Shuttle nose-gear tire, which is subjected to uniform inflation pressure.

Cloning and expression of soluble truncated variants of Borrelia OspA, OspB and Vmp7

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, J.J.; Barbour, A.G.

1996-11-05

A method is provided for preparing soluble recombinant variations of Borrelia lipoproteins such as Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein A (OspA) and outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The method includes synthesizing a set of oligonucleotide primers, amplifying the template DNA utilizing the PCR, purifying the amplification products, cloning the amplification products into a suitable expression vector, transforming a suitable host utilizing the cloned expression vector, cultivating the transformed host for protein production and subsequently isolating and purifying the resulting protein. Also provided are soluble, recombinant variations of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface proteinmore » A (OspA), outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The expression vectors harboring DNA encoding the recombinant variations, pET9-OspA, pET9-OspB and pET9-Vmp7, as well as the E. coli host BL21(DE3)/pLysS transformed with each of these vectors, are also disclosed. 38 figs.« less

Cloning and expression of soluble truncated variants of Borrelia OspA, OspB and Vmp7

DOEpatents

Dunn, John J.; Barbour, Alan G.

1996-11-05

A method is provided herein for preparing soluble recombinant variations of Borrelia lipoproteins such as Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein A (OspA) and outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The method includes synthesizing a set of oligonucleotide primers, amplifying the template DNA utilizing the PCR, purifying the amplification products, cloning the amplification products into a suitable expression vector, transforming a suitable host utilizing the cloned expression vector, cultivating the transformed host for protein production and subsequently isolating and purifying the resulting protein. Also provided are soluble, recombinant variations of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein A (OspA), outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The expression vectors harboring DNA encoding the recombinant variations, pET9-OspA, pET9-OspB and pET9-Vmp7, as well as the E. coli host BL21(DE3)/pLysS transformed with each of these vectors, are also disclosed.

Cloning and expression of soluble truncated variants of Borrelia OspA, OspB and Vmp7

DOEpatents

Dunn, J.J.; Barbour, A.G.

1996-11-05

A method is provided for preparing soluble recombinant variations of Borrelia lipoproteins such as Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein A (OspA) and outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The method includes synthesizing a set of oligonucleotide primers, amplifying the template DNA utilizing the PCR, purifying the amplification products, cloning the amplification products into a suitable expression vector, transforming a suitable host utilizing the cloned expression vector, cultivating the transformed host for protein production and subsequently isolating and purifying the resulting protein. Also provided are soluble, recombinant variations of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein A (OspA), outer surface protein B (OspB), and B. hermsii variable major protein 7 (Vmp7). The expression vectors harboring DNA encoding the recombinant variations, pET9-OspA, pET9-OspB and pET9-Vmp7, as well as the E. coli host BL21(DE3)/pLysS transformed with each of these vectors, are also disclosed. 38 figs.

Health of midlife and older adults in China: the role of regional economic development, inequality, and institutional setting.

PubMed

Ding, Xuejie; Billari, Francesco C; Gietel-Basten, Stuart

2017-11-01

To document the association between economic development, income inequality, and health-related public infrastructure, and health outcomes among Chinese adults in midlife and older age. We use a series of multi-level regression models with individual-level baseline data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS). Provincial-level data are obtained both from official statistics and from CHARLS itself. Multi-level models are estimated with different subjective and objective health outcomes. Economic growth is associated with better self-rated health, but also with obesity. Better health infrastructure tends to be negatively associated with health outcomes, indicating the likely presence of reverse causality. No supportive evidence is found for the hypothesis that income inequality leads to worse health outcomes. Our study shows that on top of individual characteristics, provincial variations in economic development, income inequality, and health infrastructure are associated with a range of health outcomes for Chinese midlife and older adults. Economic development in China might also bring adverse health outcomes for this age group; as such specific policy responses need to be developed.

[Inequality in the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among schoolchildren from urban and rural schools].

PubMed

Barra, Marco; Bustos, Luis; Ossa, Ximena

2016-07-01

Parasitic infections in children reflect social inequalities throughout the world, especially in urban and rural territories. To assess inequalities in the prevalence of infections by protozoa and intestinal helminths and associated factors in children of different geographical areas from the commune of Puerto Montt. Cross-sectional study carried out in 103 students from one urban and two rural schools in the commune of Puerto Montt. A socio-demographic survey was applied and the presence parasitic infections was evaluated in serial stool samples. The prevalence of Protozoan and intestinal helminthic infections were 37.5 and 68.1% in urban and rural areas respectively. A regression analysis showed that the differences between rural and urban children, disappear when the results are adjusted by family income and the quality of sewage disposal. In urban children, the prevalence of parasitic infections increases along with the decrease in family income. Income and sanitary conditions rather than being or urban or rural origin explain the variations in rates of childhood parasitic infections. Infections with protozoa and intestinal helminths are an indicator of social inequality in health.

Influence of vectors' risk-spreading strategies and environmental stochasticity on the epidemiology and evolution of vector-borne diseases: the example of Chagas' disease.

PubMed

Pelosse, Perrine; Kribs-Zaleta, Christopher M; Ginoux, Marine; Rabinovich, Jorge E; Gourbière, Sébastien; Menu, Frédéric

2013-01-01

Insects are known to display strategies that spread the risk of encountering unfavorable conditions, thereby decreasing the extinction probability of genetic lineages in unpredictable environments. To what extent these strategies influence the epidemiology and evolution of vector-borne diseases in stochastic environments is largely unknown. In triatomines, the vectors of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, juvenile development time varies between individuals and such variation most likely decreases the extinction risk of vector populations in stochastic environments. We developed a simplified multi-stage vector-borne SI epidemiological model to investigate how vector risk-spreading strategies and environmental stochasticity influence the prevalence and evolution of a parasite. This model is based on available knowledge on triatomine biodemography, but its conceptual outcomes apply, to a certain extent, to other vector-borne diseases. Model comparisons between deterministic and stochastic settings led to the conclusion that environmental stochasticity, vector risk-spreading strategies (in particular an increase in the length and variability of development time) and their interaction have drastic consequences on vector population dynamics, disease prevalence, and the relative short-term evolution of parasite virulence. Our work shows that stochastic environments and associated risk-spreading strategies can increase the prevalence of vector-borne diseases and favor the invasion of more virulent parasite strains on relatively short evolutionary timescales. This study raises new questions and challenges in a context of increasingly unpredictable environmental variations as a result of global climate change and human interventions such as habitat destruction or vector control.

Vectors as Epidemiological Sentinels: Patterns of Within-Tick Borrelia burgdorferi Diversity

PubMed Central

Walter, Katharine S.; Carpi, Giovanna; Evans, Benjamin R.; Caccone, Adalgisa; Diuk-Wasser, Maria A.

2016-01-01

Hosts including humans, other vertebrates, and arthropods, are frequently infected with heterogeneous populations of pathogens. Within-host pathogen diversity has major implications for human health, epidemiology, and pathogen evolution. However, pathogen diversity within-hosts is difficult to characterize and little is known about the levels and sources of within-host diversity maintained in natural populations of disease vectors. Here, we examine genomic variation of the Lyme disease bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), in 98 individual field-collected tick vectors as a model for study of within-host processes. Deep population sequencing reveals extensive and previously undocumented levels of Bb variation: the majority (~70%) of ticks harbor mixed strain infections, which we define as levels Bb diversity pre-existing in a diverse inoculum. Within-tick diversity is thus a sample of the variation present within vertebrate hosts. Within individual ticks, we detect signatures of positive selection. Genes most commonly under positive selection across ticks include those involved in dissemination in vertebrate hosts and evasion of the vertebrate immune complement. By focusing on tick-borne Bb, we show that vectors can serve as epidemiological and evolutionary sentinels: within-vector pathogen diversity can be a useful and unbiased way to survey circulating pathogen diversity and identify evolutionary processes occurring in natural transmission cycles. PMID:27414806

Implementation of a new fuzzy vector control of induction motor.

PubMed

Rafa, Souad; Larabi, Abdelkader; Barazane, Linda; Manceur, Malik; Essounbouli, Najib; Hamzaoui, Abdelaziz

2014-05-01

The aim of this paper is to present a new approach to control an induction motor using type-1 fuzzy logic. The induction motor has a nonlinear model, uncertain and strongly coupled. The vector control technique, which is based on the inverse model of the induction motors, solves the coupling problem. Unfortunately, in practice this is not checked because of model uncertainties. Indeed, the presence of the uncertainties led us to use human expertise such as the fuzzy logic techniques. In order to maintain the decoupling and to overcome the problem of the sensitivity to the parametric variations, the field-oriented control is replaced by a new block control. The simulation results show that the both control schemes provide in their basic configuration, comparable performances regarding the decoupling. However, the fuzzy vector control provides the insensitivity to the parametric variations compared to the classical one. The fuzzy vector control scheme is successfully implemented in real-time using a digital signal processor board dSPACE 1104. The efficiency of this technique is verified as well as experimentally at different dynamic operating conditions such as sudden loads change, parameter variations, speed changes, etc. The fuzzy vector control is found to be a best control for application in an induction motor. Copyright © 2014 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social justice, epidemiology and health inequalities.

PubMed

Marmot, Michael

2017-07-01

A lifetime spent studying how social determinants of health lead to health inequalities has clarified many issues. First is that social stratification is an appropriate topic of study for epidemiologists. To ignore it would be to ignore a major source of variation in health in society. Not only is the social gradient in health appropriate to study but we have made progress both in understanding its causes and what can be done to address them. Post-modern 'critical theory' raises questions about the social construction of science. Given the attack on science by politicians of bad faith, it is important to recognise that epidemiology and public health have a crucial role to play in providing evidence to improve health of society and reduce inequalities. Evidence gives grounds for optimism that progress can be made both in improving the health of the worst-off in society and narrowing health inequalities. Theoretical debates about 'inequality of what' have been helpful in clarifying theories that drive further gathering of evidence. While it is important to consider alternative explanations of the social gradient in health-principal among them reverse causation-evidence strongly supports social causation. Social action is by its nature political. It is, though, a vital function to provide the evidence that underpins action.

High resolution schemes and the entropy condition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osher, S.; Chakravarthy, S.

1983-01-01

A systematic procedure for constructing semidiscrete, second order accurate, variation diminishing, five point band width, approximations to scalar conservation laws, is presented. These schemes are constructed to also satisfy a single discrete entropy inequality. Thus, in the convex flux case, convergence is proven to be the unique physically correct solution. For hyperbolic systems of conservation laws, this construction is used formally to extend the first author's first order accurate scheme, and show (under some minor technical hypotheses) that limit solutions satisfy an entropy inequality. Results concerning discrete shocks, a maximum principle, and maximal order of accuracy are obtained. Numerical applications are also presented.

Global inequalities in assessment of migrant and ethnic variations in health.

PubMed

Bhopal, R; Rafnsson, S

2012-03-01

This paper briefly recaps the role of migration in creating multi-ethnic societies, the main types of migration and/or ethnicity studies, and the power and potential of such studies. Next, the paper examines whether opportunities are being grasped globally, and whether information systems exist to grasp these opportunities. The paper concludes that there are massive global inequalities in the use of migration status and ethnicity as epidemiological variables, to the detriment of global health. A strategic approach to improve matters is outlined. Copyright © 2012 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A low-energy compatible SU(4)-type model for vector leptoquarks of mass ≤ 1 TeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blumhofer, A.; Lampe, B.

1999-02-01

The Standard Model is extended by a SU(2)_L singlet of vector leptoquarks. An additional SU(4) gauge symmetry between right-handed up quarks and right-handed leptons is introduced to render the model renormalizable. The arrangement is made in such a way that no conflict with low energy restrictions is encountered. The SU(2)_L singlet mediates interactions between the right-handed leptons and up type quarks for which only moderate low energy restrictions M_{LQ}/g_{LQ} > few hundred GeV exist. However, it is not a candidate to explain the anomalous HERA data at large Q^2 because theoretical reasons imply that g_{LQ} ≥ g_s which would give a much stronger anomalous HERA effect. We furthermore argue that the inequality g_{LQ} ≥ g_s is a general feature of consistent vector leptoquark models. Although our model is not relevant for HERA, it is interesting per se as a description of leptoquarks of mass ≤ 1 TeV consistent with all low-energy requirements.

Geographic variation in the response of Culex pipiens life history traits to temperature.

PubMed

Ruybal, Jordan E; Kramer, Laura D; Kilpatrick, A Marm

2016-02-29

Climate change is predicted to alter the transmission of many vector-borne pathogens. The quantitative impact of climate change is usually estimated by measuring the temperature-performance relationships for a single population of vectors, and then mapping this relationship across a range of temperatures or locations. However, life history traits of different populations often differ significantly. Specifically, performance across a range of temperatures is likely to vary due to local adaptation to temperature and other factors. This variation can cause spatial variation in pathogen transmission and will influence the impact of climate change on the transmission of vector-borne pathogens. We quantified variation in life history traits for four populations of Culex pipiens (Linnaeus) mosquitoes. The populations were distributed along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients in the eastern United States that spanned ~3 °C in mean summer temperature, which is similar to the magnitude of global warming expected in the next 3-5 decades. We measured larval and adult survival, development rate, and biting rate at six temperatures between 16 and 35 °C, in a common garden experiment. Temperature had strong and consistent non-linear effects on all four life history traits for all four populations. Adult female development time decreased monotonically with increasing temperature, with the largest decrease at cold temperatures. Daily juvenile and adult female survival also decreased with increasing temperature, but the largest decrease occurred at higher temperatures. There was significant among-population variation in the thermal response curves for the four life history traits across the four populations, with larval survival, adult survival, and development rate varying up to 45, 79, and 84 % among populations, respectively. However, variation was not correlated with local temperatures and thus did not support the local thermal adaptation hypothesis. These results suggest that the impact of climate change on vector-borne disease will be more variable than previous predictions, and our data provide an estimate of this uncertainty. In addition, the variation among populations that we observed will shape the response of vectors to changing climates.

Non-coaxial superposition of vector vortex beams.

PubMed

Aadhi, A; Vaity, Pravin; Chithrabhanu, P; Reddy, Salla Gangi; Prabakar, Shashi; Singh, R P

2016-02-10

Vector vortex beams are classified into four types depending upon spatial variation in their polarization vector. We have generated all four of these types of vector vortex beams by using a modified polarization Sagnac interferometer with a vortex lens. Further, we have studied the non-coaxial superposition of two vector vortex beams. It is observed that the superposition of two vector vortex beams with same polarization singularity leads to a beam with another kind of polarization singularity in their interaction region. The results may be of importance in ultrahigh security of the polarization-encrypted data that utilizes vector vortex beams and multiple optical trapping with non-coaxial superposition of vector vortex beams. We verified our experimental results with theory.

Quasi-periodicity of vector solitons in a graphene mode-locked fiber laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yu Feng; Li, Lei; Tang, Ding Yuan; Shen, De Yuan

2013-12-01

We report on the experimental observation of quasi-periodic dynamics of vector solitons in an erbium-doped fiber laser passively mode-locked with atomic layer graphene. Apart from the stable polarization-locked vector soliton emission, it was found that under certain conditions the fiber laser could also emit vector solitons with quasi-periodic pulse energy variation and polarization rotation during the cavity roundtrips. We show that the physical mechanism for the quasi-periodic vector soliton evolution is cavity-induced soliton modulation instability. Quasi-periodic evolution of multiple vector solitons was also observed in the same laser.

Mission Capability Gains from Multi-Mode Propulsion Thrust Profile Variations for a Plane Change Maneuver

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-29

propellant mass [kg] msc = mass of the spacecraft [kg] MMP = multi-mode propulsion   = position in the Geocentric Equatorial Reference...thrust burn time [s] Tsc = thrust of the spacecraft [N] = vector between current and final velocity vector   = velocity vector in the Geocentric ...Equatorial Reference Frame of spacecraft in intended orbit [km/s]   = velocity vector in the Geocentric Equatorial Reference Frame of spacecraft in

Socio-economic inequity in demand for insecticide-treated nets, in-door residual house spraying, larviciding and fogging in Sudan

PubMed Central

Onwujekwe, Obinna; Malik, El-Fatih Mohamed; Mustafa, Sara Hassan; Mnzava, Abraham

2005-01-01

Background In order to optimally prioritize and use public and private budgets for equitable malaria vector control, there is a need to determine the level and determinants of consumer demand for different vector control tools. Objectives To determine the demand from people of different socio-economic groups for indoor residual house-spraying (IRHS), insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), larviciding with chemicals (LWC), and space spraying/fogging (SS) and the disease control implications of the result. Methods Ratings and levels of willingness-to-pay (WTP) for the vector control tools were determined using a random cross-sectional sample of 720 householdes drawn from two states. WTP was elicited using the bidding game. An asset-based socio-economic status (SES) index was used to explore whether WTP was related to SES of the respondents. Results IRHS received the highest proportion of highest preferred rating (41.0%) followed by ITNs (23.1%). However, ITNs had the highest mean WTP followed by IRHS, while LWC had the least. The regression analysis showed that SES was positively and statistically significantly related to WTP across the four vector control tools and that the respondents' rating of IRHS and ITNs significantly explained their levels of WTP for the two tools. Conclusion People were willing to pay for all the vector-control tools, but the demand for the vector control tools was related to the SES of the respondents. Hence, it is vital that there are public policies and financing mechanisms to ensure equitable provision and utilisation of vector control tools, as well as protecting the poor from cost-sharing arrangements. PMID:16356177

WEALTH-BASED INEQUALITY IN CHILD IMMUNIZATION IN INDIA: A DECOMPOSITION APPROACH.

PubMed

Debnath, Avijit; Bhattacharjee, Nairita

2018-05-01

SummaryDespite years of health and medical advancement, children still suffer from infectious diseases that are vaccine preventable. India reacted in 1978 by launching the Expanded Programme on Immunization in an attempt to reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs). Although the nation has made remarkable progress over the years, there is significant variation in immunization coverage across different socioeconomic strata. This study attempted to identify the determinants of wealth-based inequality in child immunization using a new, modified method. The present study was based on 11,001 eligible ever-married women aged 15-49 and their children aged 12-23 months. Data were from the third District Level Household and Facility Survey (DLHS-3) of India, 2007-08. Using an approximation of Erreyger's decomposition technique, the study identified unequal access to antenatal care as the main factor associated with inequality in immunization coverage in India.

Geographic distribution of physicians in Portugal.

PubMed

Isabel, Correia; Paula, Veiga

2010-08-01

The main goals of this paper are to (1) analyse the inequality in geographic distribution of physicians and its evolution, (2) estimate the determinants of physician density, and (3) assess the importance of competitive and agglomerative forces in location decisions. The analysis of the geographic distribution of physicians is based on the ratio of general practitioners (GPs) and specialists to 1,000 inhabitants. The inequality is measured using Gini indices, coefficients of variation, and physician-to-population ratios. The econometric models were estimated by ordinary least squares. The data used refer to 1996 and 2007. The impact of the growing number of physicians, and therefore potential increased competition, on geographic distribution during the period studied was small. Nonetheless, there is evidence of competitive forces acting on the dynamics of doctor localisation. Geographic disparities in physician density are still high, and appear to be due mainly to geographic income inequality.

Influence of Vectors’ Risk-Spreading Strategies and Environmental Stochasticity on the Epidemiology and Evolution of Vector-Borne Diseases: The Example of Chagas’ Disease

PubMed Central

Pelosse, Perrine; Kribs-Zaleta, Christopher M.; Ginoux, Marine; Rabinovich, Jorge E.; Gourbière, Sébastien; Menu, Frédéric

2013-01-01

Insects are known to display strategies that spread the risk of encountering unfavorable conditions, thereby decreasing the extinction probability of genetic lineages in unpredictable environments. To what extent these strategies influence the epidemiology and evolution of vector-borne diseases in stochastic environments is largely unknown. In triatomines, the vectors of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas’ disease, juvenile development time varies between individuals and such variation most likely decreases the extinction risk of vector populations in stochastic environments. We developed a simplified multi-stage vector-borne SI epidemiological model to investigate how vector risk-spreading strategies and environmental stochasticity influence the prevalence and evolution of a parasite. This model is based on available knowledge on triatomine biodemography, but its conceptual outcomes apply, to a certain extent, to other vector-borne diseases. Model comparisons between deterministic and stochastic settings led to the conclusion that environmental stochasticity, vector risk-spreading strategies (in particular an increase in the length and variability of development time) and their interaction have drastic consequences on vector population dynamics, disease prevalence, and the relative short-term evolution of parasite virulence. Our work shows that stochastic environments and associated risk-spreading strategies can increase the prevalence of vector-borne diseases and favor the invasion of more virulent parasite strains on relatively short evolutionary timescales. This study raises new questions and challenges in a context of increasingly unpredictable environmental variations as a result of global climate change and human interventions such as habitat destruction or vector control. PMID:23951018

Exploring the Relationship Between Absolute and Relative Position and Late-Life Depression: Evidence From 10 European Countries

PubMed Central

Ladin, Keren; Daniels, Norman; Kawachi, Ichiro

2010-01-01

Purpose: Socioeconomic inequality has been associated with higher levels of morbidity and mortality. This study explores the role of absolute and relative deprivation in predicting late-life depression on both individual and country levels. Design and Methods: Country- and individual-level inequality indicators were used in multivariate logistic regression and in relative indexes of inequality. Data obtained from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, Wave 1, Release 2) included 22,777 men and women (aged 50–104 years) from 10 European countries. Late-life depression was measured using the EURO-D scale and corresponding clinical cut point. Absolute deprivation was measured using gross domestic product and median household income at the country level and socioeconomic status at the individual level. Relative deprivation was measured by Gini coefficients at the country level and educational attainment at the individual level. Results: Rates of depression ranged from 18.10% in Denmark to 36.84% in Spain reflecting a clear north–south gradient. Measures of absolute and relative deprivation were significant in predicting depression at both country and individual levels. Findings suggest that the adverse impact of societal inequality cannot be overcome by increased individual-level or country-level income. Increases in individual-level income did not mitigate the effect of country-level relative deprivation. Implications: Mental health disparities persist throughout later life whereby persons exposed to higher levels of country-level inequality suffer greater morbidity compared with those in countries with less inequality. Cross-national variation in the relationship between inequality and depression illuminates the need for further research. PMID:19515635

Stagnant neonatal mortality and persistent health inequality in middle-income countries: a case study of the Philippines.

PubMed

Kraft, Aleli D; Nguyen, Kim-Huong; Jimenez-Soto, Eliana; Hodge, Andrew

2013-01-01

The probability of survival through childhood continues to be unequal in middle-income countries. This study uses data from the Philippines to assess trends in the prevalence and distribution of child mortality and to evaluate the country's socioeconomic-related child health inequality. Using data from four Demographic and Health Surveys we estimated levels and trends of neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality from 1990 to 2007. Mortality estimates at national and subnational levels were produced using both direct and indirect methods. Concentration indices were computed to measure child health inequality by wealth status. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the contribution of interventions and socioeconomic factors to wealth-related inequality. Despite substantial reductions in national under-five and infant mortality rates in the early 1990s, the rates of declines have slowed in recent years and neonatal mortality rates remain stubbornly high. Substantial variations across urban-rural, regional, and wealth equity-markers are evident, and suggest that the gaps between the best and worst performing sub-populations will either be maintained or widen in the future. Of the variables tested, recent wealth-related inequalities are found to be strongly associated with social factors (e.g. maternal education), regional location, and access to health services, such as facility-based delivery. The Philippines has achieved substantial progress towards Millennium Development Goal 4, but this success masks substantial inequalities and stagnating neonatal mortality trends. This analysis supports a focus on health interventions of high quality--that is, not just facility-based delivery, but delivery by trained staff at well-functioning facilities and supported by a strong referral system--to re-start the long term decline in neonatal mortality and to reduce persistent within-country inequalities in child health.

Equity of access to specialist chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) services in England (2008–2010): a national survey and cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Collin, Simon M; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Hollingworth, William; May, Margaret T; Crawley, Esther

2012-01-01

Objectives Provision of National Health Service (NHS) specialist chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) services in England has been deemed patchy and inconsistent. Our objective was to explore variation in the provision of NHS specialist CFS/ME services and to investigate whether access is related to measures of deprivation and inequality. Design Survey of all CFS/ME clinical teams in England, plus cross-sectional data from a subset of teams. Setting Secondary care. Outcome measures We used clinic activity data from CFS/ME clinical teams in England to describe provision of specialist CFS/ME services (referral, assessment and diagnosis rates per 1000 adults per year) during 2008–2011 according to Primary Care Trust (PCT) population estimates, and to investigate whether use of services was related to PCT-level measures of deprivation and inequality. We used postcode data from seven services to investigate variation in provision by deprivation. Results Clinic activity data were obtained from 93.9% (46/49) of clinical teams in England which between them received referrals from 84.9% (129/152) of PCTs. 12 PCTs, covering a population of 2.08 million adults, provided no specialist CFS/ME service. There was a six-fold variation in referral and assessment rates between services which could not be explained by PCT-level measures of deprivation and inequality. The median assessment rate in 2010 was 0.25 (IQR 0.17, 0.35) per 1000 adults per year. 91.9% (IQR 76.5%, 100.0%) of adults assessed were diagnosed with CFS/ME. Postcode data from seven clinical teams showed that assessment rates were equal across deprivation quartiles for four teams but were 40–50% lower in the most deprived compared with the most affluent areas for three teams. Conclusions Two million adults in England do not have access to a specialist CFS/ME service. In some areas which do have a specialist service, access is inequitable. This inequity may worsen with the impending fragmentation of NHS commissioning across England. PMID:22899647

Equity of access to specialist chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) services in England (2008-2010): a national survey and cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Collin, Simon M; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Hollingworth, William; May, Margaret T; Crawley, Esther

2012-01-01

Provision of National Health Service (NHS) specialist chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) services in England has been deemed patchy and inconsistent. Our objective was to explore variation in the provision of NHS specialist CFS/ME services and to investigate whether access is related to measures of deprivation and inequality. Survey of all CFS/ME clinical teams in England, plus cross-sectional data from a subset of teams. Secondary care. We used clinic activity data from CFS/ME clinical teams in England to describe provision of specialist CFS/ME services (referral, assessment and diagnosis rates per 1000 adults per year) during 2008-2011 according to Primary Care Trust (PCT) population estimates, and to investigate whether use of services was related to PCT-level measures of deprivation and inequality. We used postcode data from seven services to investigate variation in provision by deprivation. Clinic activity data were obtained from 93.9% (46/49) of clinical teams in England which between them received referrals from 84.9% (129/152) of PCTs. 12 PCTs, covering a population of 2.08 million adults, provided no specialist CFS/ME service. There was a six-fold variation in referral and assessment rates between services which could not be explained by PCT-level measures of deprivation and inequality. The median assessment rate in 2010 was 0.25 (IQR 0.17, 0.35) per 1000 adults per year. 91.9% (IQR 76.5%, 100.0%) of adults assessed were diagnosed with CFS/ME. Postcode data from seven clinical teams showed that assessment rates were equal across deprivation quartiles for four teams but were 40-50% lower in the most deprived compared with the most affluent areas for three teams. Two million adults in England do not have access to a specialist CFS/ME service. In some areas which do have a specialist service, access is inequitable. This inequity may worsen with the impending fragmentation of NHS commissioning across England.

Geography matters: the prevalence of diabetes in the Auckland Region by age, gender and ethnicity.

PubMed

Warin, Briar; Exeter, Daniel J; Zhao, Jinfeng; Kenealy, Timothy; Wells, Susan

2016-06-10

To determine whether the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes in the greater Auckland Region varies by General Electoral District (GED). Using encrypted National Health Identifiers and record linkage of routine health datasets, we identified a regional cohort of people with diagnosed diabetes in 2011 from inpatient records and medication dispensing. The geographical unit of a person's residence (meshblock) was used to determine the GED of residence. We calculated prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals and used binary logistic regression to map geographical variations in diabetes. An estimated 63,014 people had diagnosed diabetes in Auckland in 2011, a prevalence of 8.5% of the adult population ≥30 years of age. We found significant variation in diabetes prevalence by age, gender, ethnicity and GED. There was a more than five-fold difference in the unadjusted prevalence of diabetes by GED, ranging from 3.2% (3.1 to 3.4%) in the North Shore to 17.3% (16.8 to 17.7%) in Mangere. Such variations remained after binary logistic regression adjusting for socio-demographic variables. Compared to New Zealand Europeans, Indian people had the highest odds of having diabetes at 3.85 (3.73 to 3.97), while the odds of people living in the most deprived areas having diabetes was nearly twice that of those living in least deprived areas (OR 1.93, [1.87 to 1.99]). Geographic variations in diabetes remained after adjusting for socio-demographic circumstances: people living in GEDs in south-west Auckland were at least 60% more likely than people living in the North Shore GED to have diabetes. There is significant variation in the prevalence of diabetes by GED in Auckland that persists across strata of age group, gender and ethnicity, and persists after controlling for these same variables. These inequities should prompt action by politicians, policymakers, funders, health providers and communities for interventions aimed at reducing such inequities. Geography and its implications on access to and availability of health resources appears to be a key driver of inequity in diabetes rates, supporting an argument for interventions based on geography, especially a public health rather than an individual risk approach.

Convex Optimization Methods for Graphs and Statistical Modeling

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

of a set obtained by taking nonnegative linear combinations of elements of the set. The cone TC(x) is the set of directions to points in C from the...Proof. The tangent cone at any signed vector x? with respect to the `∞ ball is a rotation of the nonnegative orthant. Thus we only need to compute the...that ξ(B ?) 1−4ξ(B?)µ(A?) < γ in the second inequality. Sec. A.2. Proofs 167 Proof of Proposition 3.4.2 Based on the Perron - Frobenius theorem [82

Similarity Judgments: From Classical to Complex Vector Psychological Spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barque Duran, Albert; Pothos, Emmanuel M.; Yearsley, James M.; Hampton, James A.; Busemeyer, Jerome R.; Trueblood, Jennifer S.

This chapter reviews progress with applications of quantum theory in understanding human similarity judgments. We first motivate and subsequently describe the quantum similarity model (QSM), which was proposed by Pothos, Busemeyer and Trueblood (2013), primarily as a way to cover the empirical findings reported in Tversky (1977). We then show how the QSM encompasses Tversky's (1977) results, specifically in relation to violations of symmetry, violations of the triangle inequality and the diagnosticity effect. We next consider a list of challenges of the QSM and open issues for further research.

Kinematics and constraints associated with swashplate blade pitch control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leyland, Jane A.

1993-01-01

An important class of techniques to reduce helicopter vibration is based on using a Higher Harmonic controller to optimally define the Higher Harmonic blade pitch. These techniques typically require solution of a general optimization problem requiring the determination of a control vector which minimizes a performance index where functions of the control vector are subject to inequality constraints. Six possible constraint functions associated with swashplate blade pitch control were identified and defined. These functions constrain: (1) blade pitch Fourier Coefficients expressed in the Rotating System, (2) blade pitch Fourier Coefficients expressed in the Nonrotating System, (3) stroke of the individual actuators expressed in the Nonrotating System, (4) blade pitch expressed as a function of blade azimuth and actuator stroke, (5) time rate-of-change of the aforementioned parameters, and (6) required actuator power. The aforementioned constraints and the associated kinematics of swashplate blade pitch control by means of the strokes of the individual actuators are documented.

The effects of noise due to random undetected tilts and paleosecular variation on regional paleomagnetic directions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Calderone, G.J.; Butler, R.F.

1991-01-01

Random tilting of a single paleomagnetic vector produces a distribution of vectors which is not rotationally symmetric about the original vector and therefore not Fisherian. Monte Carlo simulations were performed on two types of vector distributions: 1) distributions of vectors formed by perturbing a single original vector with a Fisher distribution of bedding poles (each defining a tilt correction) and 2) standard Fisher distributions. These simulations demonstrate that inclinations of vectors drawn from both distributions are biased toward shallow inclinations. The Fisher mean direction of the distribution of vectors formed by perturbing a single vector with random undetected tilts is biased toward shallow inclinations, but this bias is insignificant for angular dispersions of bedding poles less than 20??. -from Authors

Health transition in Brazil: regional variations and divergence/convergence in mortality.

PubMed

Borges, Gabriel Mendes

2017-08-21

This study analyzes the main characteristics of the health transition in Brazil and its five major regions, using a framework that accounts for regional inequalities in mortality trends. The regional mortality divergence/convergence process is described and discussed by considering the specific contributions of age groups and causes of death in life expectancy variations. Results show that mortality change in Brazil has follow the epidemiologic transition theory to some extent during the period under analysis - for instance, the sharp decline in infant mortality in all regions (first from infectious and parasitic diseases and then from causes associated with the perinatal period) and the increase in the participation of chronic and degenerative diseases as the main cause of death. However, some features of Brazilian transition have not followed the linear and unidirectional pattern proposed by the epidemiologic transition theory, which helps to understand the periods of regional divergence in life expectancy, despite the long-term trends showing reducing regional inequalities. The emergence of HIV/AIDS, the persistence of relatively high levels of other infections and parasitic diseases, the regional differences in the unexpected mortality improvements from cardiovascular diseases, and the rapid and strong variations in mortality from external causes are some of the examples.

Rising prevalence of back pain in Austria: considering regional disparities.

PubMed

Großschädl, Franziska; Stolz, Erwin; Mayerl, Hannes; Rásky, Éva; Freidl, Wolfgang; Stronegger, Willibald J

2016-01-01

Back pain is the most common form of musculoskeletal conditions and leads to high health care costs. Information about geographic variations in highly prevalent diseases/disorders represents important implications for public health planning to face structural challenges. The present study aims to investigate regional trends in the prevalence of back pain and the role of obesity and social inequalities among Austrian adults. A secondary data analysis based on five nationally representative cross-sectional surveys (1973-2007) was carried out (N = 178,818). Back pain was measured as self-reported presence. Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) was adjusted for self-report bias. For the regional analyses, Austria was divided into Western, Central and Eastern Austria. A relative index of inequality (RII) was computed to quantify the extent of social inequality. A continuous rise in back pain prevalence was observed in the three regions and among all investigated subgroups. In 2007 the age-standardised prevalence was similar in Central (36.9 %), Western (35.2 %) and Eastern Austria (34.3 %). The absolute change in back pain prevalence was highest among obese subjects in Central Austria (women: + 29.8 %, men: + 32.5 %). RIIs were unstable during the study period and in 2007 highest in Eastern Austria. Variation and trends in back pain are not attributable to geographic variation in Austria: an assumed East-West gradient in Austria has not been confirmed. Nevertheless our study confirms that back pain dramatically increased in all Austrian regions and investigated subgroups. This worrying trend should be further monitored and public health interventions should be implemented increasingly, especially among obese women and men.

Social deprivation, inequality, and the neighborhood-level incidence of psychotic syndromes in East London.

PubMed

Kirkbride, James B; Jones, Peter B; Ullrich, Simone; Coid, Jeremy W

2014-01-01

Although urban birth, upbringing, and living are associated with increased risk of nonaffective psychotic disorders, few studies have used appropriate multilevel techniques accounting for spatial dependency in risk to investigate social, economic, or physical determinants of psychosis incidence. We adopted Bayesian hierarchical modeling to investigate the sociospatial distribution of psychosis risk in East London for DSM-IV nonaffective and affective psychotic disorders, ascertained over a 2-year period in the East London first-episode psychosis study. We included individual and environmental data on 427 subjects experiencing first-episode psychosis to estimate the incidence of disorder across 56 neighborhoods, having standardized for age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. A Bayesian model that included spatially structured neighborhood-level random effects identified substantial unexplained variation in nonaffective psychosis risk after controlling for individual-level factors. This variation was independently associated with greater levels of neighborhood income inequality (SD increase in inequality: Bayesian relative risks [RR]: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.04-1.49), absolute deprivation (RR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.08-1.51) and population density (RR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.00-1.41). Neighborhood ethnic composition effects were associated with incidence of nonaffective psychosis for people of black Caribbean and black African origin. No variation in the spatial distribution of the affective psychoses was identified, consistent with the possibility of differing etiological origins of affective and nonaffective psychoses. Our data suggest that both absolute and relative measures of neighborhood social composition are associated with the incidence of nonaffective psychosis. We suggest these associations are consistent with a role for social stressors in psychosis risk, particularly when people live in more unequal communities.

Vectorial mask optimization methods for robust optical lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xu; Li, Yanqiu; Guo, Xuejia; Dong, Lisong; Arce, Gonzalo R.

2012-10-01

Continuous shrinkage of critical dimension in an integrated circuit impels the development of resolution enhancement techniques for low k1 lithography. Recently, several pixelated optical proximity correction (OPC) and phase-shifting mask (PSM) approaches were developed under scalar imaging models to account for the process variations. However, the lithography systems with larger-NA (NA>0.6) are predominant for current technology nodes, rendering the scalar models inadequate to describe the vector nature of the electromagnetic field that propagates through the optical lithography system. In addition, OPC and PSM algorithms based on scalar models can compensate for wavefront aberrations, but are incapable of mitigating polarization aberrations in practical lithography systems, which can only be dealt with under the vector model. To this end, we focus on developing robust pixelated gradient-based OPC and PSM optimization algorithms aimed at canceling defocus, dose variation, wavefront and polarization aberrations under a vector model. First, an integrative and analytic vector imaging model is applied to formulate the optimization problem, where the effects of process variations are explicitly incorporated in the optimization framework. A steepest descent algorithm is then used to iteratively optimize the mask patterns. Simulations show that the proposed algorithms can effectively improve the process windows of the optical lithography systems.

The relationship between urban forests and race: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Watkins, Shannon Lea; Gerrish, Ed

2018-01-01

There is ample evidence that urban trees benefit the physical, mental, and social health of urban residents. The environmental justice hypothesis posits that environmental amenities are inequitably low in poor and minority communities, and predicts these communities experience fewer urban environmental benefits. Some previous research has found that urban forest cover is inequitably distributed by race, though other studies have found no relationship or negative inequity. These conflicting results and the single-city nature of the current literature suggest a need for a research synthesis. Using a systematic literature search and meta-analytic techniques, we examined the relationship between urban forest cover and race. First, we estimated the average (unconditional) relationship between urban forest cover and race across studies (studies = 40; effect sizes = 388). We find evidence of significant race-based inequity in urban forest cover. Second, we included characteristics of the original studies and study sites in meta-regressions to illuminate drivers of variation of urban forest cover between studies. Our meta-regressions reveal that the relationship varies across racial groups and by study methodology. Models reveal significant inequity on public land and that environmental and social characteristics of cities help explain variation across studies. As tree planting and other urban forestry programs proliferate, urban forestry professionals are encouraged to consider the equity consequences of urban forestry activities, particularly on public land. PMID:29289843

The relationship between urban forests and race: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Watkins, Shannon Lea; Gerrish, Ed

2018-03-01

There is ample evidence that urban trees benefit the physical, mental, and social health of urban residents. The environmental justice hypothesis posits that environmental amenities are inequitably low in poor and minority communities, and predicts these communities experience fewer urban environmental benefits. Some previous research has found that urban forest cover is inequitably distributed by race, though other studies have found no relationship or negative inequity. These conflicting results and the single-city nature of the current literature suggest a need for a research synthesis. Using a systematic literature search and meta-analytic techniques, we examined the relationship between urban forest cover and race. First, we estimated the average (unconditional) relationship between urban forest cover and race across studies (studies = 40; effect sizes = 388). We find evidence of significant race-based inequity in urban forest cover. Second, we included characteristics of the original studies and study sites in meta-regressions to illuminate drivers of variation of urban forest cover between studies. Our meta-regressions reveal that the relationship varies across racial groups and by study methodology. Models reveal significant inequity on public land and that environmental and social characteristics of cities help explain variation across studies. As tree planting and other urban forestry programs proliferate, urban forestry professionals are encouraged to consider the equity consequences of urban forestry activities, particularly on public land. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Social inequality and death as illustrated in late-medieval death dances.

PubMed Central

Mackenbach, J P

1995-01-01

Late-medieval murals and books of the then-popular "dances of death" usually represented the living according to their social standing. These works of art thus provide an interesting opportunity to study the relationship between social inequality and death as it was perceived by the works' commissioners or executers. The social hierarchy in these dances of death is mostly based on the scheme of the three orders of the feudal society; variations relate to the inclusion of female characters, new occupations, and non-Christian characters. Many dances of death contain severe judgments on highplaced persons and thus seem to be expressions of a desire for greater social equality. However, a more thorough analysis reveals that the equality of all before death that these dances of death proclaimed held nothing for the poor but only threatened the rich. Because of a lack of reliable data, it is not yet completely clear whether during the late Middle Ages all were indeed equally at risk for premature mortality. Available evidence, however, suggests that the clergy and nobility actually had a higher life expectancy than people placed lower in the social hierarchy. Despite modern changes in the perception of, and knowledge about, social inequality and mortality, these dances of death still capture the imagination, and they suggest that the phenomenon of socioeconomic inequalities in mortality could be used more to emphasize contemporary moral messages on social inequality. PMID:7661241

Global effects of income and income inequality on adult height and sexual dimorphism in height.

PubMed

Bogin, Barry; Scheffler, Christiane; Hermanussen, Michael

2017-03-01

Average adult height of a population is considered a biomarker of the quality of the health environment and economic conditions. The causal relationships between height and income inequality are not well understood. We analyze data from 169 countries for national average heights of men and women and national-level economic factors to test two hypotheses: (1) income inequality has a greater association with average adult height than does absolute income; and (2) neither income nor income inequality has an effect on sexual dimorphism in height. Average height data come from the NCD-RisC health risk factor collaboration. Economic indicators are derived from the World Bank data archive and include gross domestic product (GDP), Gross National Income per capita adjusted for personal purchasing power (GNI_PPP), and income equality assessed by the Gini coefficient calculated by the Wagstaff method. Hypothesis 1 is supported. Greater income equality is most predictive of average height for both sexes. GNI_PPP explains a significant, but smaller, amount of the variation. National GDP has no association with height. Hypothesis 2 is rejected. With greater average adult height there is greater sexual dimorphism. Findings support a growing literature on the pernicious effects of inequality on growth in height and, by extension, on health. Gradients in height reflect gradients in social disadvantage. Inequality should be considered a pollutant that disempowers people from the resources needed for their own healthy growth and development and for the health and good growth of their children. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Projection scheme for a reflected stochastic heat equation with additive noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higa, Arturo Kohatsu; Pettersson, Roger

2005-02-01

We consider a projection scheme as a numerical solution of a reflected stochastic heat equation driven by a space-time white noise. Convergence is obtained via a discrete contraction principle and known convergence results for numerical solutions of parabolic variational inequalities.

Comprehensive Schooling: In Need of Definition?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Natalie

2004-01-01

Comprehensive secondary schooling is currently beset by changes and challenges. The creation of specialist schools and emphasis upon league tables and parental choice appears to be undermining comprehensive schooling. Inequalities within the current system are highlighted by increased variation of perceived quality between schools, the existence…

Occupational segregation and earnings inequality: Rural migrants and local workers in urban China.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhuoni; Wu, Xiaogang

2017-01-01

This article examines the central role of occupation as the "reward packages" in creating earnings disparities between rural migrants and local workers in urban China's labor markets. Analyses of data from the population mini-census of China in 2005 show that, rural migrants' earnings disadvantages are largely attributable to occupational segregation (between-occupation variation) by workers' household registration status (hukou) rather than unequal pay within the same occupations, but surprisingly they enjoy a slight earnings advantage in lower-status occupations (within-occupation variation). Even after controlling for education and other characteristics, occupational segregation by hukou status continues to exist. The occupational segregation is the most severe in government agencies/state institutions and the least severe in the private sector, leading to earnings disparities between rural migrants and urban local workers in different work unit sectors. Our findings shed new light on how government discriminatory policies could affect occupational segregation and thereby create inequality among social groups in urban China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic variation in transmission success of the Lyme borreliosis pathogen Borrelia afzelii.

PubMed

Tonetti, Nicolas; Voordouw, Maarten J; Durand, Jonas; Monnier, Séverine; Gern, Lise

2015-04-01

The vector-to-host and host-to-vector transmission steps are the two critical events that define the life cycle of any vector-borne pathogen. We expect negative genetic correlations between these two transmission phenotypes, if parasite genotypes specialized at invading the vector are less effective at infecting the vertebrate host and vice versa. We used the tick-borne bacterium Borrelia afzelii, a causative agent of Lyme borreliosis in Europe, to test whether genetic trade-offs exist between tick-to-host, systemic (host-to-tick), and a third mode of co-feeding (tick-to-tick) transmission. We worked with six strains of B. afzelii that were differentiated according to their ospC gene. We compared the three components of transmission among the B. afzelii strains using laboratory rodents as the vertebrate host and a laboratory colony of Ixodes ricinus as the tick vector. We used next generation matrix models to combine these transmission components into a single estimate of the reproductive number (R0) for each B. afzelii strain. We also tested whether these strain-specific estimates of R0 were correlated with the strain-specific frequencies in the field. We found significant genetic variation in the three transmission components among the B. afzelii strains. This is the first study to document genetic variation in co-feeding transmission for any tick-borne pathogen. We found no evidence of trade-offs as the three pairwise correlations of the transmission rates were all positive. The R0 values from our laboratory study explained 45% of the variation in the frequencies of the B. afzelii ospC strains in the field. Our study suggests that laboratory estimates of pathogen fitness can predict the distribution of pathogen strains in nature. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Gender Based Within-Household Inequality in Childhood Immunization in India: Changes over Time and across Regions

PubMed Central

Singh, Ashish

2012-01-01

Background and Objectives Despite India's substantial economic growth in the past two decades, girls in India are discriminated against in access to preventive healthcare including immunizations. Surprisingly, no study has assessed the contribution of gender based within-household discrimination to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children. This study therefore has two objectives: to estimate the gender based within-household inequality (GWHI) in immunization status of Indian children and to examine the inter-regional and inter-temporal variations in the GWHI. Data and Methods The present study used households with a pair of male-female siblings (aged 1–5 years) from two rounds of National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992–93 and 2005–06). The overall inequality in the immunization status (after controlling for age and birth order) of children was decomposed into within-households and between-households components using Mean log deviation to obtain the GWHI component. The analysis was conducted at the all-India level as well as for six specified geographical regions and at two time points (1992–93 and 2005–06). Household fixed-effects models for immunization status of children were also estimated. Results and Conclusions Findings from household fixed effects analysis indicated that the immunization scores of girls were significantly lower than that of boys. The inequality decompositions revealed that, at the all-India level, the absolute level of GWHI in immunization status decreased from 0.035 in 1992–93 to 0.023 in 2005–06. However, as a percentage of total inequality, it increased marginally (15.5% to 16.5%). In absolute terms, GWHI decreased in all the regions except in the North-East. But, as a percentage of total inequality it increased in the North-Eastern, Western and Southern regions. The main conclusions are the following: GWHI contributes substantially to the overall inequality in immunization status of Indian children; and though the overall inequality in immunization status declined in all the regions, the changes in GWHI were mixed. PMID:22509379

Trends and inequities in use of maternal health care services in Indonesia, 1986–2012

PubMed Central

Nababan, Herfina Y; Hasan, Md; Marthias, Tiara; Dhital, Rolina; Rahman, Aminur; Anwar, Iqbal

2018-01-01

Purpose Overall health status indicators have improved significantly over the past three decades in Indonesia. However, the country’s maternal mortality ratio remains high with a stark inequality by region. Fewer studies have explored access inequity in maternal health care service over time using multiple inequality markers. In this study, we analyzed Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data to explore trends and inequities in use of any antenatal care (ANC), four or more ANC (ANC4+), institutional birth, and cesarean section (c-section) birth in Indonesia during 1986–2012 to inform policy for future strategies ending preventable maternal deaths. Methods Indonesian DHS data from 1991, 1994, 1997, 2002/3, 2007, and 2012 surveys were downloaded, merged, and analyzed. Inequity was measured in terms of variation in use by asset quintile, parental education, urban–rural location, religion, and region. Trends in use inequities were assessed plotting changes in rich:poor ratio, rich:poor difference, and concentration indices over period based on asset quintiles. Sociodemographic determinants for service use were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Findings Between 1986 and 2012, institutional birth rate increased from 22% to 73% and c-section rate from 2% to 16%. Private sector was increasingly contributing in maternal health. There were significant access inequities by asset quintile, parental education, area of residence, and geographical region. The richest women were 5.45 times (95% CI: 4.75–6.25) more likely to give birth in a health facility and 2.83 times (95% CI: 2.23–3.60) more likely to give birth by c-section than their poorest counterparts. Urban women were 3 times more likely to use institutional birth and 1.45 times more likely to give birth by c-section than rural women. Use of all services was higher in Java and Bali than in other regions. Access inequity was narrowing over time for use of ANC and institutional birth but not for c-section birth. Conclusion Ongoing pro-poor health-financing strategies should be strengthened with introduction of innovative ways to monitor access, equity, and quality of care in maternal health. PMID:29343991

Trends and inequities in use of maternal health care services in Indonesia, 1986-2012.

PubMed

Nababan, Herfina Y; Hasan, Md; Marthias, Tiara; Dhital, Rolina; Rahman, Aminur; Anwar, Iqbal

2018-01-01

Overall health status indicators have improved significantly over the past three decades in Indonesia. However, the country's maternal mortality ratio remains high with a stark inequality by region. Fewer studies have explored access inequity in maternal health care service over time using multiple inequality markers. In this study, we analyzed Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data to explore trends and inequities in use of any antenatal care (ANC), four or more ANC (ANC4+), institutional birth, and cesarean section (c-section) birth in Indonesia during 1986-2012 to inform policy for future strategies ending preventable maternal deaths. Indonesian DHS data from 1991, 1994, 1997, 2002/3, 2007, and 2012 surveys were downloaded, merged, and analyzed. Inequity was measured in terms of variation in use by asset quintile, parental education, urban-rural location, religion, and region. Trends in use inequities were assessed plotting changes in rich:poor ratio, rich:poor difference, and concentration indices over period based on asset quintiles. Sociodemographic determinants for service use were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Between 1986 and 2012, institutional birth rate increased from 22% to 73% and c-section rate from 2% to 16%. Private sector was increasingly contributing in maternal health. There were significant access inequities by asset quintile, parental education, area of residence, and geographical region. The richest women were 5.45 times (95% CI: 4.75-6.25) more likely to give birth in a health facility and 2.83 times (95% CI: 2.23-3.60) more likely to give birth by c-section than their poorest counterparts. Urban women were 3 times more likely to use institutional birth and 1.45 times more likely to give birth by c-section than rural women. Use of all services was higher in Java and Bali than in other regions. Access inequity was narrowing over time for use of ANC and institutional birth but not for c-section birth. Ongoing pro-poor health-financing strategies should be strengthened with introduction of innovative ways to monitor access, equity, and quality of care in maternal health.

Inequalities in health: living conditions and infant mortality in Northeastern Brazil

PubMed Central

Carvalho, Renata Alves da Silva; Santos, Victor Santana; de Melo, Cláudia Moura; Gurgel, Ricardo Queiroz; Oliveira, Cristiane Costa da Cunha

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze the variation of infant mortality as per condition of life in the urban setting. METHODS Ecological study performed with data regarding registered deaths of children under the age of one who resided in Aracaju, SE, Northeastern Brazil, from 2001 to 2010. Infant mortality inequalities were assessed based on the spatial distribution of the Living Conditions Index for each neighborhood, classified into four strata. The average mortality rates of 2001-2005 and 2006-2010 were compared using the Student’s t-test. RESULTS Average infant mortality rates decreased from 25.3 during 2001-2005 to 17.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2006-2010. Despite the decrease in the rates in all the strata during that decade, inequality of infant mortality risks increased in neighborhoods with worse living conditions compared with that in areas with better living conditions. CONCLUSIONS Infant mortality rates in Aracaju showed a decline, but with important differences among neighborhoods. The assessment based on a living condition perspective can explain the differences in the risks of infant mortality rates in urban areas, highlighting health inequalities in infant mortality as a multidimensional issue. PMID:25741650

Applications of Sharp Interface Method for Flow Dynamics, Scattering and Control Problems

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-30

Reynolds number, Advances in Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, to appear. 17. K. Ito and K. Kunisch, Optimal Control of Parabolic Variational ...provides more precise and detailed sensitivity of the solution and describes the dynamical change due to the variation in the Reynolds number. The immersed... Inequalities , Journal de Math. Pures et Appl, 93 (2010), no. 4, 329-360. 18. K. Ito and K. Kunisch, Semi-smooth Newton Methods for Time-Optimal Control for a

Vector analysis of chemical variation in the lavas of Parícutin volcano, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miesch, A.T.

1979-01-01

Compositional variations in the lavas of Parícutin volcano, Mexico, have been examined by an extended method of Q-mode factor analysis. Each sample composition is treated as a vector projected from an original eight-dimensional space into a vector system of three dimensions. The compositions represented by the vectors after projection are closely similar to the original compositions except for Na2Oand Fe2O3.The vectors in the three-dimensional system cluster about three different planes that represent three stages of compositional change in the Parícutin lavas. Because chemical data on the compositions of the minerals in the lavas are presently lacking, interpretations of the mineral phases that may have been involved in fractional crystallization are based on CIPW norm calculations. Changes during the first stage are attributed largely to the fractional crystallization of plagioclase and olivine. Changes during the second stage can be explained by the separation of plagioclase and pyroxene. Changes during the final stage may have resulted mostly from the assimilation of a granitic material, as previously proposed by R. E. Wilcox.

An Algorithm for Converting Static Earth Sensor Measurements into Earth Observation Vectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harman, R.; Hashmall, Joseph A.; Sedlak, Joseph

2004-01-01

An algorithm has been developed that converts penetration angles reported by Static Earth Sensors (SESs) into Earth observation vectors. This algorithm allows compensation for variation in the horizon height including that caused by Earth oblateness. It also allows pitch and roll to be computed using any number (greater than 1) of simultaneous sensor penetration angles simplifying processing during periods of Sun and Moon interference. The algorithm computes body frame unit vectors through each SES cluster. It also computes GCI vectors from the spacecraft to the position on the Earth's limb where each cluster detects the Earth's limb. These body frame vectors are used as sensor observation vectors and the GCI vectors are used as reference vectors in an attitude solution. The attitude, with the unobservable yaw discarded, is iteratively refined to provide the Earth observation vector solution.

Predictions of avian Plasmodium expansion under climate change.

PubMed

Loiseau, Claire; Harrigan, Ryan J; Bichet, Coraline; Julliard, Romain; Garnier, Stéphane; Lendvai, Adám Z; Chastel, Olivier; Sorci, Gabriele

2013-01-01

Vector-borne diseases are particularly responsive to changing environmental conditions. Diurnal temperature variation has been identified as a particularly important factor for the development of malaria parasites within vectors. Here, we conducted a survey across France, screening populations of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) for malaria (Plasmodium relictum). We investigated whether variation in remotely-sensed environmental variables accounted for the spatial variation observed in prevalence and parasitemia. While prevalence was highly correlated to diurnal temperature range and other measures of temperature variation, environmental conditions could not predict spatial variation in parasitemia. Based on our empirical data, we mapped malaria distribution under climate change scenarios and predicted that Plasmodium occurrence will spread to regions in northern France, and that prevalence levels are likely to increase in locations where transmission already occurs. Our findings, based on remote sensing tools coupled with empirical data suggest that climatic change will significantly alter transmission of malaria parasites.

Variations in the relation between education and cause-specific mortality in 19 European populations: a test of the "fundamental causes" theory of social inequalities in health.

PubMed

Mackenbach, Johan P; Kulhánová, Ivana; Bopp, Matthias; Deboosere, Patrick; Eikemo, Terje A; Hoffmann, Rasmus; Kulik, Margarete C; Leinsalu, Mall; Martikainen, Pekka; Menvielle, Gwenn; Regidor, Enrique; Wojtyniak, Bogdan; Östergren, Olof; Lundberg, Olle

2015-02-01

Link and Phelan have proposed to explain the persistence of health inequalities from the fact that socioeconomic status is a "fundamental cause" which embodies an array of resources that can be used to avoid disease risks no matter what mechanisms are relevant at any given time. To test this theory we compared the magnitude of inequalities in mortality between more and less preventable causes of death in 19 European populations, and assessed whether inequalities in mortality from preventable causes are larger in countries with larger resource inequalities. We collected and harmonized mortality data by educational level on 19 national and regional populations from 16 European countries in the first decade of the 21st century. We calculated age-adjusted Relative Risks of mortality among men and women aged 30-79 for 24 causes of death, which were classified into four groups: amenable to behavior change, amenable to medical intervention, amenable to injury prevention, and non-preventable. Although an overwhelming majority of Relative Risks indicate higher mortality risks among the lower educated, the strength of the education-mortality relation is highly variable between causes of death and populations. Inequalities in mortality are generally larger for causes amenable to behavior change, medical intervention and injury prevention than for non-preventable causes. The contrast between preventable and non-preventable causes is large for causes amenable to behavior change, but absent for causes amenable to injury prevention among women. The contrast between preventable and non-preventable causes is larger in Central & Eastern Europe, where resource inequalities are substantial, than in the Nordic countries and continental Europe, where resource inequalities are relatively small, but they are absent or small in Southern Europe, where resource inequalities are also large. In conclusion, our results provide some further support for the theory of "fundamental causes". However, the absence of larger inequalities for preventable causes in Southern Europe and for injury mortality among women indicate that further empirical and theoretical analysis is necessary to understand when and why the additional resources that a higher socioeconomic status provides, do and do not protect against prevailing health risks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poverty and inequality - but of what - as social determinants of health in Africa?

PubMed

Worku, Eshetu B; Woldesenbet, Selamawit A

2015-12-01

Many African economies have achieved substantial economic growth over the past recent years, yet several of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) including those concerned with health, remain considerably behind target. This paper examines whether progress towards these goals is being hampered by existing levels of poverty and income inequality. It also considers whether the inequality hypothesis of Wilkinson and Pickett1 applies to population health outcomes in African states. Correlation analysis and scatter plots were used to assess graphically the link between variations in health outcomes, level of poverty and income inequality in different countries. Health status outcomes were measured by using four indicators: infant and under-five (child) mortality rates; maternal mortality ratios; and life expectancy at birth. In each of the 52 African nations, the proportion of the population living below the poverty line is used as an indicator of the level of poverty and Gini coefficient as a measure of income inequality. The study used a comprehensive review of secondary and relevant literature that are pertinent in the subject area. The data datasets obtained online from UNICEF2 and UNDP3 (2009) used to test the research questions. World Health Organization the three broad dimensions to consider when moving towards better population health outcome through Universal Health Coverage and the Social Determinants of Health framework reviewed to establish the poverty and income inequality link in African countries population health outcomes. The study shows that poverty is strongly associated with all health outcome differences in Africa (IMR, cc = 0.63; U5MR, cc = 0.64; MMR, cc = 0.49; life expectancy at birth, cc = -0.67); income inequality with only one of the four indicators (IMR, cc = 0.14; U5MR, cc = 0.07; MMR, cc = 0.22; life expectancy at birth, cc = -0.49), whereas income inequality is associated with one of the four indicators. The study shows that tackling poverty should be the immediate concern in Africaas a means of promoting better health for all. There is a question mark over whether the findings of Wilkinson and Pickett1 on the relationship between income inequality and health apply to Africa. The reasons for this question mark are discussed. More research is needed to investigate whether the inequality results found in this study are replicated in other studies of African health.

Tapping into Parallel Universes: Using Superhero Comic Books in Sociology Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Kelley J.; Lucal, Betsy

1999-01-01

Provides objectives and guidelines for preparing and executing a classroom exercise using superhero comic books. Discusses variations on the exercise for topics such as sociology of gender, social inequality, research methods, and introduction to sociology. Addresses purchasing comic books for the course. (CMK)

Individual tree size inequality enhances aboveground biomass in homegarden agroforestry systems in the dry zone of Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Ali, Arshad; Mattsson, Eskil

2017-01-01

Individual tree size variation, which is generally quantified by variances in tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and height in isolation or conjunction, plays a central role in ecosystem functioning in both controlled and natural environments, including forests. However, none of the studies have been conducted in homegarden agroforestry systems. In this study, aboveground biomass, stand quality, cation exchange capacity (CEC), DBH variation, and species diversity were determined across 45 homegardens in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test for the direct and indirect effects of stand quality and CEC, via tree size inequality and species diversity, on aboveground biomass. The SEM accounted for 26, 8, and 1% of the variation in aboveground biomass, species diversity and DBH variation, respectively. DBH variation had the strongest positive direct effect on aboveground biomass (β=0.49), followed by the non-significant direct effect of species diversity (β=0.17), stand quality (β=0.17) and CEC (β=-0.05). There were non-significant direct effects of CEC and stand quality on DBH variation and species diversity. Stand quality and CEC had also non-significant indirect effects, via DBH variation and species diversity, on aboveground biomass. Our study revealed that aboveground biomass substantially increased with individual tree size variation only, which supports the niche complementarity mechanism. However, aboveground biomass was not considerably increased with species diversity, stand quality and soil fertility, which might be attributable to the adaptation of certain productive species to the local site conditions. Stand structure shaped by few productive species or independent of species diversity is a main determinant for the variation in aboveground biomass in the studied homegardens. Maintaining stand structure through management practices could be an effective approach for enhancing aboveground biomass in these dry zone homegarden agroforestry systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Influence of the Orbital Evolution of Main Belt Asteroids on Their Spin Vectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skoglöv, E.; Erikson, A.

2002-11-01

It was found that certain features in the observed spin vector distribution of main belt asteroids can be explained by the differences in the dynamical spin vector evolution between objects with high and low orbital inclinations. In particular, the deficiency of high-inclination objects whose spin vectors are close to the ecliptic plane can be accounted for. The present spin vector distribution of main belt asteroids is due to several factors connected with their collisional and dynamical evolution. In this paper, the influence of the orbital evolution on the spin axis of asteroids is examined in the case of 25 objects with typical main belt orbital evolution and 125 synthetic objects, during an integration over a time period of 1 Myr. This investigation produced the following general results: • The difference between maximum and minimum obliquity increases in an approximately linear fashion with increasing orbital inclination of the studied objects. • The inclination is the major factor influencing the magnitude of the obliquity variation. This variation is generally larger for asteroids with their initial spin vectors located close to the orbital plane. • In general, the regular obliquity differences are relatively insensitive to differences in the shape, composition, and spin rate of the asteroids. The result is compared with the properties of the observed spin vectors for 73 main belt asteroids and good agreement is found between the above results and the existing spin vector distribution.

Median filtering detection using variation of neighboring line pairs for image forensics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhee, Kang Hyeon

2016-09-01

Attention to tampering by median filtering (MF) has recently increased in digital image forensics. For the MF detection (MFD), this paper presents a feature vector that is extracted from two kinds of variations between the neighboring line pairs: the row and column directions. Of these variations in the proposed method, one is defined by a gradient difference of the intensity values between the neighboring line pairs, and the other is defined by a coefficient difference of the Fourier transform (FT) between the neighboring line pairs. Subsequently, the constructed 19-dimensional feature vector is composed of these two parts. One is the extracted 9-dimensional from the space domain of an image and the other is the 10-dimensional from the frequency domain of an image. The feature vector is trained in a support vector machine classifier for MFD in the altered images. As a result, in the measured performances of the experimental items, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, ROC) by the sensitivity (PTP: the true positive rate) and 1-specificity (PFP: the false-positive rate) are above 0.985 and the classification ratios are also above 0.979. Pe (a minimal average decision error) ranges from 0 to 0.024, and PTP at PFP=0.01 ranges from 0.965 to 0.996. It is confirmed that the grade evaluation of the proposed variation-based MF detection method is rated as "Excellent (A)" by AUC is above 0.9.

Chagas disease vector control and Taylor's law

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Planes, Lucía I.; Gaspe, María S.; Cecere, María C.; Cardinal, Marta V.

2017-01-01

Background Large spatial and temporal fluctuations in the population density of living organisms have profound consequences for biodiversity conservation, food production, pest control and disease control, especially vector-borne disease control. Chagas disease vector control based on insecticide spraying could benefit from improved concepts and methods to deal with spatial variations in vector population density. Methodology/Principal findings We show that Taylor's law (TL) of fluctuation scaling describes accurately the mean and variance over space of relative abundance, by habitat, of four insect vectors of Chagas disease (Triatoma infestans, Triatoma guasayana, Triatoma garciabesi and Triatoma sordida) in 33,908 searches of people's dwellings and associated habitats in 79 field surveys in four districts in the Argentine Chaco region, before and after insecticide spraying. As TL predicts, the logarithm of the sample variance of bug relative abundance closely approximates a linear function of the logarithm of the sample mean of abundance in different habitats. Slopes of TL indicate spatial aggregation or variation in habitat suitability. Predictions of new mathematical models of the effect of vector control measures on TL agree overall with field data before and after community-wide spraying of insecticide. Conclusions/Significance A spatial Taylor's law identifies key habitats with high average infestation and spatially highly variable infestation, providing a new instrument for the control and elimination of the vectors of a major human disease. PMID:29190728

Finite-temperature Gutzwiller approximation from the time-dependent variational principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanatà, Nicola; Deng, Xiaoyu; Kotliar, Gabriel

2015-08-01

We develop an extension of the Gutzwiller approximation to finite temperatures based on the Dirac-Frenkel variational principle. Our method does not rely on any entropy inequality, and is substantially more accurate than the approaches proposed in previous works. We apply our theory to the single-band Hubbard model at different fillings, and show that our results compare quantitatively well with dynamical mean field theory in the metallic phase. We discuss potential applications of our technique within the framework of first-principle calculations.

Thermodynamical properties of liquid lanthanides-A variational approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, H. P.; Thakor, P. B.; Sonvane, Y. A.

2015-06-01

Thermodynamical properties like Entropy (S), Internal energy (E) and Helmholtz free energy (F) of liquid lanthanides using a variation principle based on the Gibbs-Bogoliubuv (GB) inequality with Percus Yevick hard sphere reference system have been reported in the present investigation. To describe electron-ion interaction we have used our newly constructed parameter free model potential along with Sarkar et al. local field correction function. Lastly, we conclude that our newly constructed model potential is capable to explain the thermodynamical properties of liquid lanthanides.

Thermodynamical properties of liquid lanthanides-A variational approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patel, H. P.; Department of Applied Physics, S. V. National Institute of Technology, Surat 395 007, Gujarat; Thakor, P. B., E-mail: pbthakor@rediffmail.com

2015-06-24

Thermodynamical properties like Entropy (S), Internal energy (E) and Helmholtz free energy (F) of liquid lanthanides using a variation principle based on the Gibbs-Bogoliubuv (GB) inequality with Percus Yevick hard sphere reference system have been reported in the present investigation. To describe electron-ion interaction we have used our newly constructed parameter free model potential along with Sarkar et al. local field correction function. Lastly, we conclude that our newly constructed model potential is capable to explain the thermodynamical properties of liquid lanthanides.

Neighbourhood variation and inequity of primary health service use by mothers from London-Middlesex, Ontario.

PubMed

Holtz, Catherine; Gilliland, Jason; Thind, Amardeep; Wilk, Piotr; Campbell, M Karen

2014-01-01

Primary health service use (P-HSU) may be influenced by contextual characteristics and is equitable when driven by need. Contextual effects and inequity of maternal P-HSU were determined. Participant data from a London-Middlesex, Ontario, prenatal cohort were linked by residential address to contextual characteristics. Multilevel logistic regression estimated contextual effects and tested for effect measure modification of need factors. Maternal P-HSU varied between neighbourhoods. The effect of obesity was different for rural mothers living in low- (OR = 0.26) and middle-income households (OR = 0.15) and for urban mothers living in high-income households (OR = 2.82). The effect of having a health condition was greatest in mothers with three or more children (OR = 2.41). Differences in maternal P-HSU exist between neighbourhoods, and enabling factors modified need factors' effects, identifying subgroups of mothers with inequitable P-HSU. RESULTS have the potential to inform Canadian health policy with regard to contextual effects and inequity of P-HSU.

Marriage, Work, and Racial Inequalities in Poverty: Evidence from the U.S.

PubMed

Thiede, Brian; Kim, Hyojung; Slack, Tim

2017-10-01

This paper explores recent racial and ethnic inequalities in poverty, estimating the share of racial poverty differentials that can be explained by variation in family structure and workforce participation. The authors use logistic regression to estimate the association between poverty and race, family structure, and workforce participation. They then decompose between-race differences in poverty risk to quantify how racial disparities in marriage and work explain observed inequalities in the log odds of poverty. They estimate that 47.7-48.9% of black-white differences in poverty risk can be explained by between-group variance in these two factors, while only 4.3-4.5% of the Hispanic-white differential in poverty risk can be explained by these variables. These findings underscore the continued association between racial disparities in poverty and those in labor and marriage markets. However, clear racial differences in the origin of poverty suggest that family- and worked-related policy interventions will not have uniformly effective or evenly distributed impacts on poverty reduction.

On the convergence of difference approximations to scalar conservation laws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Osher, Stanley; Tadmor, Eitan

1988-01-01

A unified treatment is given for time-explicit, two-level, second-order-resolution (SOR), total-variation-diminishing (TVD) approximations to scalar conservation laws. The schemes are assumed only to have conservation form and incremental form. A modified flux and a viscosity coefficient are introduced to obtain results in terms of the latter. The existence of a cell entropy inequality is discussed, and such an equality for all entropies is shown to imply that the scheme is an E scheme on monotone (actually more general) data, hence at most only first-order accurate in general. Convergence for TVD-SOR schemes approximating convex or concave conservation laws is shown by enforcing a single discrete entropy inequality.

Equity in the Medicaid Program: Changes in the Latter 1980s

PubMed Central

Adams, E. Kathleen

1995-01-01

The possibility of health care reform has helped focus attention on equity in the receipt of health care. This is a particular issue for the Medicaid program, as State variations in eligibility and payment policies have historically created inequity. This study examines equity for Medicaid beneficiaries and State taxpayers during the latter 1980s. Findings indicate that federally mandated expansions significantly increased equity in the coverage of the poor, but inequality in real resources per enrollee remained significant. Although equity improved from 1984 through 1991, the increased use of provider-specific tax and voluntary donation (T&D) programs by traditionally high-spending States played an important role in the 1992 figures. PMID:10142581

Effects of Cavity on the Performance of Dual Throat Nozzle During the Thrust-Vectoring Starting Transient Process.

PubMed

Gu, Rui; Xu, Jinglei

2014-01-01

The dual throat nozzle (DTN) technique is capable to achieve higher thrust-vectoring efficiencies than other fluidic techniques, without compromising thrust efficiency significantly during vectoring operation. The excellent performance of the DTN is mainly due to the concaved cavity. In this paper, two DTNs of different scales have been investigated by unsteady numerical simulations to compare the parameter variations and study the effects of cavity during the vector starting process. The results remind us that during the vector starting process, dynamic loads may be generated, which is a potentially challenging problem for the aircraft trim and control.

A gravity model for the spread of a pollinator-borne plant pathogen.

PubMed

Ferrari, Matthew J; Bjørnstad, Ottar N; Partain, Jessica L; Antonovics, Janis

2006-09-01

Many pathogens of plants are transmitted by arthropod vectors whose movement between individual hosts is influenced by foraging behavior. Insect foraging has been shown to depend on both the quality of hosts and the distances between hosts. Given the spatial distribution of host plants and individual variation in quality, vector foraging patterns may therefore produce predictable variation in exposure to pathogens. We develop a "gravity" model to describe the spatial spread of a vector-borne plant pathogen from underlying models of insect foraging in response to host quality using the pollinator-borne smut fungus Microbotryum violaceum as a case study. We fit the model to spatially explicit time series of M. violaceum transmission in replicate experimental plots of the white campion Silene latifolia. The gravity model provides a better fit than a mean field model or a model with only distance-dependent transmission. The results highlight the importance of active vector foraging in generating spatial patterns of disease incidence and for pathogen-mediated selection for floral traits.

Socioeconomic inequalities in cause-specific mortality in 15 European cities.

PubMed

Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Gotsens, Mercè; Palència, Laia; Burström, Bo; Corman, Diana; Costa, Giuseppe; Deboosere, Patrick; Díez, Èlia; Domínguez-Berjón, Felicitas; Dzúrová, Dagmar; Gandarillas, Ana; Hoffmann, Rasmus; Kovács, Katalin; Martikainen, Pekka; Demaria, Moreno; Pikhart, Hynek; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Saez, Marc; Santana, Paula; Schwierz, Cornelia; Tarkiainen, Lasse; Borrell, Carme

2015-05-01

Socioeconomic inequalities are increasingly recognised as an important public health issue, although their role in the leading causes of mortality in urban areas in Europe has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we used data from the INEQ-CITIES study to analyse inequalities in cause-specific mortality in 15 European cities at the beginning of the 21st century. A cross-sectional ecological study was carried out to analyse 9 of the leading specific causes of death in small areas from 15 European cities. Using a hierarchical Bayesian spatial model, we estimated smoothed Standardized Mortality Ratios, relative risks and 95% credible intervals for cause-specific mortality in relation to a socioeconomic deprivation index, separately for men and women. We detected spatial socioeconomic inequalities for most causes of mortality studied, although these inequalities differed markedly between cities, being more pronounced in Northern and Central-Eastern Europe. In the majority of cities, most of these causes of death were positively associated with deprivation among men, with the exception of prostatic cancer. Among women, diabetes, ischaemic heart disease, chronic liver diseases and respiratory diseases were also positively associated with deprivation in most cities. Lung cancer mortality was positively associated with deprivation in Northern European cities and in Kosice, but this association was non-existent or even negative in Southern European cities. Finally, breast cancer risk was inversely associated with deprivation in three Southern European cities. The results confirm the existence of socioeconomic inequalities in many of the main causes of mortality, and reveal variations in their magnitude between different European cities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Socio-economic inequalities in overweight among adults in Turkey: a regional evaluation.

PubMed

Ergin, Isil; Hassoy, Hur; Kunst, Anton

2012-01-01

Patterns of socio-economic inequalities in obesity and overweight have not been documented for Turkey. The present study aimed to describe educational and wealth-related inequalities for overweight in Turkey, taking a regional perspective. Cross-sectional self-reported data of the World Health Survey 2002 for Turkey were used. BMI ≥ 25·00 kg/m2 was considered as overweight. Respondents were classified according to education years and a wealth score derived from the availability of household assets. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the relationship between overweight and socio-economic factors. Analyses were stratified by sex and region (West, Mediterranean, Middle, Black Sea and East). Turkey. Among the respondents 20 years and older, 3790 women and 4057 men had data on self-reported height and weight. Age-adjusted overweight prevalence was 48·4 % for women and 46·1 % for men. For men, education was not systematically related to overweight while overweight was significantly increased among the highest wealth groups. For women, the prevalence of overweight was highest for low-educated and middle-wealth groups. The size of the inequalities in overweight showed only small regional variations. In the East, however, overweight prevalence was more related to higher socio-economic position than in the other regions. Socio-economic inequalities for overweight in Turkey are at a similar level as in most European countries, and especially comparable to Southern Europe. The smaller inequalities in the East correspond to the low level of socio-economic development in this part of the country. Prevention of overweight should focus on lower educational groups throughout the entire country and especially on low-educated women.

Inequalities in neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics: potential evidence-base for neighbourhood health planning

PubMed Central

Odoi, Agricola; Wray, Ron; Emo, Marion; Birch, Stephen; Hutchison, Brian; Eyles, John; Abernathy, Tom

2005-01-01

Background Population health planning aims to improve the health of the entire population and to reduce health inequities among population groups. Socioeconomic factors are increasingly being recognized as major determinants of many aspects of health and causes of health inequities. Knowledge of socioeconomic characteristics of neighbourhoods is necessary to identify their unique health needs and enhance identification of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Careful integration of this knowledge into health planning activities is necessary to ensure that health planning and service provision are tailored to unique neighbourhood population health needs. In this study, we identify unique neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics and classify the neighbourhoods based on these characteristics. Principal components analysis (PCA) of 18 socioeconomic variables was used to identify the principal components explaining most of the variation in socioeconomic characteristics across the neighbourhoods. Cluster analysis was used to classify neighbourhoods based on their socioeconomic characteristics. Results Results of the PCA and cluster analysis were similar but the latter were more objective and easier to interpret. Five neighbourhood types with distinguishing socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were identified. The methodology provides a more complete picture of the neighbourhood socioeconomic characteristics than when a single variable (e.g. income) is used to classify neighbourhoods. Conclusion Cluster analysis is useful for generating neighbourhood population socioeconomic and demographic characteristics that can be useful in guiding neighbourhood health planning and service provision. This study is the first of a series of studies designed to investigate health inequalities at the neighbourhood level with a view to providing evidence-base for health planners, service providers and policy makers to help address health inequity issues at the neighbourhood level. Subsequent studies will investigate inequalities in health outcomes both within and across the neighbourhood types identified in the current study. PMID:16092969

Cross-national comparison of socioeconomic inequalities in obesity in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Arjumand; Brown, Rashida; Nguyen, Quynh C; Loopstra, Rachel; Kawachi, Ichiro

2015-10-31

Prior cross-national studies of socioeconomic inequalities in obesity have only compared summary indices of inequality but not specific, policy-relevant dimensions of inequality: (a) shape of the socioeconomic gradient in obesity, (b) magnitude of differentials in obesity across socioeconomic levels and, (c) level of obesity at any given socioeconomic level. We use unique data on two highly comparable societies - U.S. and Canada - to contrast each of these inequality dimensions. Data came from the 2002/2003 Joint Canada/U.S. Survey of Health. We calculated adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) for obesity (compared to normal weight) by income quintile and education group separately for both nations and, between Canadians and Americans in the same income or education group. In the U.S., every socioeconomic group except the college educated had significant excess prevalence of obesity. By contrast in Canada, only those with less than high school were worse off, suggesting that the shape of the socioeconomic gradient differs in the two countries. U.S. differentials between socioeconomic levels were also larger than in Canada (e.g., PR quintile 1 compared to quintile 5 was 1.82 in the U.S. [95 % CI: 1.52-2.19] but 1.45 in Canada [95 % CI: 1.10-1.91]). At the lower end of the socioeconomic gradient, obesity was more prevalent in the U.S. than in Canada. Our results suggest there is variation between U.S. and Canada in different dimensions of socioeconomic inequalities in obesity. Future research should examine a broader set of nations and test whether specific policies or environmental exposures can explain these differences.

A new multidimensional population health indicator for policy makers: absolute level, inequality and spatial clustering - an empirical application using global sub-national infant mortality data.

PubMed

Sartorius, Benn K D; Sartorius, Kurt

2014-11-01

The need for a multidimensional measure of population health that accounts for its distribution remains a central problem to guide the allocation of limited resources. Absolute proxy measures, like the infant mortality rate (IMR), are limited because they ignore inequality and spatial clustering. We propose a novel, three-part, multidimensional mortality indicator that can be used as the first step to differentiate interventions in a region or country. The three-part indicator (MortalityABC index) combines absolute mortality rate, the Theil Index to calculate mortality inequality and the Getis-Ord G statistic to determine the degree of spatial clustering. The analysis utilises global sub-national IMR data to empirically illustrate the proposed indicator. The three-part indicator is mapped globally to display regional/country variation and further highlight its potential application. Developing countries (e.g. in sub-Saharan Africa) display high levels of absolute mortality as well as variable mortality inequality with evidence of spatial clustering within certain sub-national units ("hotspots"). Although greater inequality is observed outside developed regions, high mortality inequality and spatial clustering are common in both developed and developing countries. Significant positive correlation was observed between the degree of spatial clustering and absolute mortality. The proposed multidimensional indicator should prove useful for spatial allocation of healthcare resources within a country, because it can prompt a wide range of policy options and prioritise high-risk areas. The new indicator demonstrates the inadequacy of IMR as a single measure of population health, and it can also be adapted to lower administrative levels within a country and other population health measures.

A global study on lone mothers: exploring the associations of self-assessed general health with motherhood types and gender inequality in 32 countries.

PubMed

Witvliet, Margot I; Arah, Onyebuchi A; Stronks, Karien; Kunst, Anton E

2014-01-01

In a study of 32 mostly non-affluent countries, we aimed to i) compare lone mother's general health to the health of other women and ii) assess whether the association of health with gender inequality was stronger among lone mothers than among other women. World Health Survey data were analyzed on 57,182 women aged 18 to 50 in 32 countries. The main outcome was self-assessed general poor health. The Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) was used to measure the magnitude of gender inequality within countries. Logistic multilevel regression was used to compare the health of different groups of women, and to study the possible influence of gender inequality. Compared with all other women, lone mothers had the highest odds of poor health odds ratio (OR, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.22), also at 35 years or older with an OR of 1.18 (95% CI, 1.10-1.27). Lone mothers in Ethiopia and Tunisia had the highest odds of reporting poor health (OR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.21-2.26] and OR, 1.57 [95% CI, 0.92-2.68], respectively). The degree of gender inequality was weakly related to cross-national variations in health of women. These associations were about similar for all women. For example, the OR for the GGGI was 1.03 for all women except coupled mothers. As within North America, lone mothers in non-affluent countries tend to have higher rates of poor health. The degree of gender inequality is not related to the relative health of lone mothers, suggesting that other characteristics of nations might be more influential. Copyright © 2014 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal social support and neighborhood income inequality as predictors of low birth weight and preterm birth outcome disparities: analysis of South Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System survey, 2000-2003.

PubMed

Nkansah-Amankra, Stephen; Dhawain, Ashish; Hussey, James Robert; Luchok, Kathryn J

2010-09-01

Effects of income inequality on health and other social systems have been a subject of considerable debate, but only a few studies have used multilevel models to evaluate these relationships. The main objectives of the study were to (1) Evaluate the relationships among neighborhood income inequality, social support and birth outcomes (low birth weight, and preterm delivery) and (2) Assess variations in racial disparities in birth outcomes across neighborhood contexts of income distribution and maternal social support. We evaluated these relationships by using South Carolina Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey for 2000-2003 geocoded to 2000 US Census data for South Carolina. Multilevel analysis was used to simultaneously evaluate the association between income inequality (measured as Gini), maternal social relationships and birth outcomes (low birth weight and preterm delivery). The results showed residence in neighborhoods with medium levels of income inequality was independently associated with low birth weight (OR: 2.00; 95% CI 1.14-3.26), but not preterm birth; low social support was an independent risk for low birth weight or preterm births. The evidence suggests that non-Hispanic black mothers were at increased risks of low birth weight or preterm birth primarily due to greater exposures of neighborhood deprivations associated with low income and reduced social support and modified by unequal income distribution.

Adult learning and social inequalities: Processes of equalisation or cumulative disadvantage?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilpi-Jakonen, Elina; Vono de Vilhena, Daniela; Blossfeld, Hans-Peter

2015-08-01

Adult learning is an increasingly important form of education in globalised and aging societies. While current policy recommendations tend to focus on increasing participation rates, the authors of this article argue that higher participation rates do not necessarily lead to lower social/educational inequalities in participation. The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between social inequalities and adult learning by exploring cross-national patterns of participation in different adult learning activities and the consequences of participation on individual labour market trajectories. The empirical basis of the paper is an analysis of 13 country studies (as well as two cross-national analyses) brought together by the international comparative research project "Education as a lifelong process - comparing educational trajectories in modern societies" ( eduLIFE). Despite wide variations in participation rates across countries, mechanisms of social/educational inequality in engagement in job-related adult learning tend to be relatively similar across countries, in particular with regard to non-formal learning. Effects tend most frequently to be a presence of cumulative advantage, though in some countries a certain degree of equalisation is noticeable with regard to formal adult education. The authors conclude that it is relatively clear that currently almost no country is truly able to reduce social inequalities through adult learning. Their recommendation is that public policy makers should place greater emphasis on making adult learning more accessible (in terms of entry requirements, affordability as well as motivation) to underrepresented groups, in particular those who are educationally disadvantaged.

Global Inequalities in Cervical Cancer Incidence and Mortality are Linked to Deprivation, Low Socioeconomic Status, and Human Development

PubMed Central

Singh, Gopal K.; Azuine, Romuladus E.; Siahpush, Mohammad

2012-01-01

Objectives This study examined global inequalities in cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates as a function of cross-national variations in the Human Development Index (HDI), socioeconomic factors, Gender Inequality Index (GII), and healthcare expenditure. Methods Age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates were calculated for women in 184 countries using the 2008 GLOBOCAN database, and incidence and mortality trends were analyzed using the WHO cancer mortality database. Log-linear regression was used to model annual trends, while OLS and Poisson regression models were used to estimate the impact of socioeconomic and human development factors on incidence and mortality rates. Results Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates varied widely, with many African countries such as Guinea, Zambia, Comoros, Tanzania, and Malawi having at least 10-to-20-fold higher rates than several West Asian, Middle East, and European countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Switzerland. HDI, GII, poverty rate, health expenditure per capita, urbanization, and literacy rate were all significantly related to cervical cancer incidence and mortality, with HDI and poverty rate each explaining >52% of the global variance in mortality. Both incidence and mortality rates increased in relation to lower human development and higher gender inequality levels. A 0.2 unit increase in HDI was associated with a 20% decrease in cervical cancer risk and a 33% decrease in cervical cancer mortality risk. The risk of a cervical cancer diagnosis increased by 24% and of cervical cancer death by 42% for a 0.2 unit increase in GII. Higher health expenditure levels were independently associated with decreased incidence and mortality risks. Conclusions and Public Health Implications Global inequalities in cervical cancer are clearly linked to disparities in human development, social inequality, and living standards. Reductions in cervical cancer rates are achievable by reducing inequalities in socioeconomic conditions, availability of preventive health services, and women’s social status. PMID:27621956

Stagnant Neonatal Mortality and Persistent Health Inequality in Middle-Income Countries: A Case Study of the Philippines

PubMed Central

Kraft, Aleli D.; Nguyen, Kim-Huong; Jimenez-Soto, Eliana; Hodge, Andrew

2013-01-01

Background The probability of survival through childhood continues to be unequal in middle-income countries. This study uses data from the Philippines to assess trends in the prevalence and distribution of child mortality and to evaluate the country’s socioeconomic-related child health inequality. Methodology Using data from four Demographic and Health Surveys we estimated levels and trends of neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality from 1990 to 2007. Mortality estimates at national and subnational levels were produced using both direct and indirect methods. Concentration indices were computed to measure child health inequality by wealth status. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the contribution of interventions and socioeconomic factors to wealth-related inequality. Findings Despite substantial reductions in national under-five and infant mortality rates in the early 1990s, the rates of declines have slowed in recent years and neonatal mortality rates remain stubbornly high. Substantial variations across urban-rural, regional, and wealth equity-markers are evident, and suggest that the gaps between the best and worst performing sub-populations will either be maintained or widen in the future. Of the variables tested, recent wealth-related inequalities are found to be strongly associated with social factors (e.g. maternal education), regional location, and access to health services, such as facility-based delivery. Conclusion The Philippines has achieved substantial progress towards Millennium Development Goal 4, but this success masks substantial inequalities and stagnating neonatal mortality trends. This analysis supports a focus on health interventions of high quality – that is, not just facility-based delivery, but delivery by trained staff at well-functioning facilities and supported by a strong referral system – to re-start the long term decline in neonatal mortality and to reduce persistent within-country inequalities in child health. PMID:23308278

Global Inequalities in Cervical Cancer Incidence and Mortality are Linked to Deprivation, Low Socioeconomic Status, and Human Development.

PubMed

Singh, Gopal K; Azuine, Romuladus E; Siahpush, Mohammad

2012-01-01

This study examined global inequalities in cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates as a function of cross-national variations in the Human Development Index (HDI), socioeconomic factors, Gender Inequality Index (GII), and healthcare expenditure. Age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates were calculated for women in 184 countries using the 2008 GLOBOCAN database, and incidence and mortality trends were analyzed using the WHO cancer mortality database. Log-linear regression was used to model annual trends, while OLS and Poisson regression models were used to estimate the impact of socioeconomic and human development factors on incidence and mortality rates. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates varied widely, with many African countries such as Guinea, Zambia, Comoros, Tanzania, and Malawi having at least 10-to-20-fold higher rates than several West Asian, Middle East, and European countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Switzerland. HDI, GII, poverty rate, health expenditure per capita, urbanization, and literacy rate were all significantly related to cervical cancer incidence and mortality, with HDI and poverty rate each explaining >52% of the global variance in mortality. Both incidence and mortality rates increased in relation to lower human development and higher gender inequality levels. A 0.2 unit increase in HDI was associated with a 20% decrease in cervical cancer risk and a 33% decrease in cervical cancer mortality risk. The risk of a cervical cancer diagnosis increased by 24% and of cervical cancer death by 42% for a 0.2 unit increase in GII. Higher health expenditure levels were independently associated with decreased incidence and mortality risks. Global inequalities in cervical cancer are clearly linked to disparities in human development, social inequality, and living standards. Reductions in cervical cancer rates are achievable by reducing inequalities in socioeconomic conditions, availability of preventive health services, and women's social status.

Racial Variation in the Effect of Incarceration on Neighborhood Attainment

PubMed Central

Massoglia, Michael; Firebaugh, Glenn; Warner, Cody

2013-01-01

Each year, more than 700,000 convicted offenders are released from prison and reenter neighborhoods across the country. Prior studies have found that minority ex-inmates tend to reside in more disadvantaged neighborhoods than do white ex-inmates. However, because these studies do not control for pre-prison neighborhood conditions, we do not know how much (if any) of this racial variation is due to arrest and incarceration, or if these observed findings simply reflect existing racial residential inequality. Using a nationally representative dataset that tracks individuals over time, we find that only whites live in significantly more disadvantaged neighborhoods after prison than prior to prison. Blacks and Hispanics do not, nor do all groups (whites, blacks, and Hispanics) as a whole live in worse neighborhoods after prison. We attribute this racial variation in the effect of incarceration to the high degree of racial neighborhood inequality in the United States: because white offenders generally come from much better neighborhoods, they have much more to lose from a prison spell. In addition to advancing our understanding of the social consequences of the expansion of the prison population, these findings demonstrate the importance of controlling for preprison characteristics when investigating the effects of incarceration on residential outcomes. PMID:24367134

What impact did the creation of Local Health Care Co-operatives have on indicators of practice resources and activity?

PubMed

McLean, Gary; Sutton, Matt

2008-05-16

The creation of Local Health Care Cooperatives (LHCCs) in Scotland in 1999 was typical of attempts to encourage voluntary integration and co-operation between health care providers. One of the three stated objectives of their introduction was to tackle inequalities and improve access to care. We used administrative data on all general practices in 1999 and 2003 to examine whether LHCCs had any measurable impact on six indicators of practice resources and activity. We compare three groups (participant, non-participant, and ineligible practices) through regression analysis of changes over time in group means and within-group inequality (measured using Gini coefficients). In addition, for participants we measure changes in the variation between and within LHCCs. Despite having similar registered populations to participants, non-participants had lower levels of resources at the start of the period and this differential widened over time. The changes over time in the activity indicators were similar across the three groups. There was little evidence that inequality between LHCC practices narrowed more than in the other two groups. Practices within LHCCs appear to be become more homogenous while variation increased between LHCCs. The mixed messages from our examination of resources and activity indicators demonstrates that there are likely to be important lessons to be learned from the brief experiment with LHCCs. Clear objectives that are evaluated using a battery of simple performance indicators may help to ensure demonstrable change in future initiatives to foster integration and co-operation.

The Social Determinants of Infant Mortality and Birth Outcomes in Western Developed Nations: A Cross-Country Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Kim, Daniel; Saada, Adrianna

2013-01-01

Infant mortality (IM) and birth outcomes, key population health indicators, have lifelong implications for individuals, and are unequally distributed globally. Even among western industrialized nations, striking cross-country and within-country patterns are evident. We sought to better understand these variations across and within the United States of America (USA) and Western Europe (WE), by conceptualizing a social determinants of IM/birth outcomes framework, and systematically reviewing the empirical literature on hypothesized social determinants (e.g., social policies, neighbourhood deprivation, individual socioeconomic status (SES)) and intermediary determinants (e.g., health behaviours). To date, the evidence suggests that income inequality and social policies (e.g., maternal leave policies) may help to explain cross-country variations in IM/birth outcomes. Within countries, the evidence also supports neighbourhood SES (USA, WE) and income inequality (USA) as social determinants. By contrast, within-country social cohesion/social capital has been underexplored. At the individual level, mixed associations have been found between individual SES, race/ethnicity, and selected intermediary factors (e.g., psychosocial factors) with IM/birth outcomes. Meanwhile, this review identifies several methodological gaps, including the underuse of prospective designs and the presence of residual confounding in a number of studies. Ultimately, addressing such gaps including through novel approaches to strengthen causal inference and implementing both health and non-health policies may reduce inequities in IM/birth outcomes across the western developed world. PMID:23739649

Sex differences in aggression among children of low and high gender inequality backgrounds: a comparison of gender role and sexual selection theories.

PubMed

Nivette, Amy E; Eisner, Manuel; Malti, Tina; Ribeaud, Denis

2014-01-01

It is well understood in aggression research that males tend to exhibit higher levels of physical aggression than females. Yet there are still a number of gaps in our understanding of variation in sex differences in children's aggression, particularly in contexts outside North America. A key assumption of social role theory is that sex differences vary according to gender polarization, whereas sexual selection theory accords variation to the ecological environment that consequently affects male competition [Archer, J. (2009). Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32, 249-311; Kenrick, D., & Griskevicious, V. (2009). More holes in social roles [Comment]. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32, 283-285]. In the present paper, we explore these contradicting theoretical frameworks by examining data from a longitudinal study of a culturally diverse sample of 863 children at ages 7-13 in Zurich, Switzerland. Making use of the large proportion of children from highly diverse immigrant background we compare the size of the sex difference in aggression between children whose parents were born in countries with low and with high levels of gender inequality. The results show that sex differences in aggression are generally larger among children with parents from high gender inequality backgrounds. However, this effect is small in comparison to the direct effect of a child's biological sex. We discuss implications for future research on sex differences in children's aggression. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inequities in access to inpatient rehabilitation after stroke: an international scoping review.

PubMed

Lynch, Elizabeth A; Cadilhac, Dominique A; Luker, Julie A; Hillier, Susan L

2017-12-01

Background Inequities in accessing inpatient rehabilitation after stroke have been reported in many countries and impact on patient outcomes. Objective To explore variation in international recommendations regarding which patients should receive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke and to describe reported access to rehabilitation. Methods A scoping review was conducted to identify clinical guidelines with recommendations regarding which patients should access inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, and data regarding the proportion of patients accessing stroke rehabilitation. Four bibliographic databases and grey literature were searched. Results Twenty-eight documents were included. Selection criteria for post-acute inpatient rehabilitation were identified for 14 countries or regions and summary data on the proportion of patients receiving inpatient rehabilitation were identified for 14 countries. In Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, it is recommended that all patients with stroke symptoms should access rehabilitation, whereas guidelines from the United States, Canada, and Europe did not consistently recommend rehabilitation for people with severe stroke. Access to inpatient rehabilitation ranged from 13% in Sweden to 57% in Israel. Differences in availability of early supported discharge/home rehabilitation programs and variations in reporting methods may influence the ability to reliably compare access to rehabilitation between regions. Conclusion Recommendations regarding which patients with moderate and severe strokes should access ongoing rehabilitation are inconsistent. Clinical practice guidelines from different countries regarding post-stroke rehabilitation do not always reflect the evidence regarding the likely benefits to people with stroke. Inequity in access to rehabilitation after stroke is an international issue.

Growing inequities in maternal health in South Africa: a comparison of serial national household surveys.

PubMed

Wabiri, Njeri; Chersich, Matthew; Shisana, Olive; Blaauw, Duane; Rees, Helen; Dwane, Ntabozuko

2016-09-01

Rates of maternal mortality and morbidity vary markedly, both between and within countries. Documenting these variations, in a very unequal society like South Africa, provides useful information to direct initiatives to improve services. The study describes inequalities over time in access to maternal health services in South Africa, and identifies differences in maternal health outcomes between population groups and across geographical areas. Data were analysed from serial population-level household surveys that applied multistage-stratified sampling. Access to maternal health services and health outcomes in 2008 (n = 1121) were compared with those in 2012 (n = 1648). Differences between socio-economic quartiles were quantified using the relative (RII) and slope (SII) index of inequality, based on survey weights. High levels of inequalities were noted in most measures of service access in both 2008 and 2012. Inequalities between socio-economic quartiles worsened over time in antenatal clinic attendance, with overall coverage falling from 97.0 to 90.2 %. Nationally, skilled birth attendance remained about 95 %, with persistent high inequalities (SII = 0.11, RII = 1.12 in 2012). In 2012, having a doctor present at childbirth was higher than in 2008 (34.4 % versus 27.8 %), but inequalities worsened. Countrywide, levels of planned pregnancy declined from 44.6 % in 2008 to 34.7 % in 2012. The RII and SII rose over this period and in 2012, only 22.4 % of the poorest quartile had a planned pregnancy. HIV testing increased substantially by 2012, though remains low in groups with a high HIV prevalence, such as women in rural formal areas, and from Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces. Marked deficiencies in service access were noted in the Eastern Cape ad North West provinces. Though some population-level improvements occurred in access to services, inequalities generally worsened. Low levels of planned pregnancy, antenatal clinic access and having a doctor present at childbirth among poor women are of most concern. Policy makers should carefully balance efforts to increase service access nationally, against the need for programs targeting underserved populations.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Lung Cancer Treatment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Forrest, Lynne F.; Adams, Jean; Wareham, Helen; Rubin, Greg; White, Martin

2013-01-01

Background Intervention-generated inequalities are unintended variations in outcome that result from the organisation and delivery of health interventions. Socioeconomic inequalities in treatment may occur for some common cancers. Although the incidence and outcome of lung cancer varies with socioeconomic position (SEP), it is not known whether socioeconomic inequalities in treatment occur and how these might affect mortality. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing research on socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of treatment for lung cancer. Methods and Findings MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched up to September 2012 for cohort studies of participants with a primary diagnosis of lung cancer (ICD10 C33 or C34), where the outcome was receipt of treatment (rates or odds of receiving treatment) and where the outcome was reported by a measure of SEP. Forty-six papers met the inclusion criteria, and 23 of these papers were included in meta-analysis. Socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of lung cancer treatment were observed. Lower SEP was associated with a reduced likelihood of receiving any treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.79 [95% CI 0.73 to 0.86], p<0.001), surgery (OR = 0.68 [CI 0.63 to 0.75], p<0.001) and chemotherapy (OR = 0.82 [95% CI 0.72 to 0.93], p = 0.003), but not radiotherapy (OR = 0.99 [95% CI 0.86 to 1.14], p = 0.89), for lung cancer. The association remained when stage was taken into account for receipt of surgery, and was found in both universal and non-universal health care systems. Conclusions Patients with lung cancer living in more socioeconomically deprived circumstances are less likely to receive any type of treatment, surgery, and chemotherapy. These inequalities cannot be accounted for by socioeconomic differences in stage at presentation or by differences in health care system. Further investigation is required to determine the patient, tumour, clinician, and system factors that may contribute to socioeconomic inequalities in receipt of lung cancer treatment. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:23393428

Pauli graphs, Riemann hypothesis, and Goldbach pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planat, M.; Anselmi, F.; Solé, P.

2012-06-01

We consider the Pauli group Pq generated by unitary quantum generators X (shift) and Z (clock) acting on vectors of the q-dimensional Hilbert space. It has been found that the number of maximal mutually commuting sets within Pq is controlled by the Dedekind psi function ψ(q) and that there exists a specific inequality involving the Euler constant γ ˜ 0.577 that is only satisfied at specific low dimensions q ∈ A = { 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 18, 30}. The set A is closely related to the set A∪{ 1, 24} of integers that are totally Goldbach, i.e., that consist of all primes p < n - 1 with p not dividing n and such that n-p is prime. In the extreme high-dimensional case, at primorial numbers Nr, the Hardy-Littlewood function R(q) is introduced for estimating the number of Goldbach pairs, and a new inequality (Theorem 4) is established for the equivalence to the Riemann hypothesis in terms of R(Nr). We discuss these number-theoretical properties in the context of the qudit commutation structure.

Global oral health inequalities: challenges in the prevention and management of orofacial clefts and potential solutions.

PubMed

Mossey, P A; Shaw, W C; Munger, R G; Murray, J C; Murthy, J; Little, J

2011-05-01

The birth prevalence of orofacial clefts, one of the most common congenital anomalies, is approximately one in 700 live births, but varies with geography, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. There is a variation in infant mortality and access to care both between and within countries, so some clefts remain unrepaired into adulthood. Quality of care also varies, and even among repaired clefts there is residual deformity and morbidity that significantly affects some children. The two major issues in attempts to address these inequalities are (a) etiology/possibilities for prevention and (b) management and quality of care. For prevention, collaborative research efforts are required in developing countries, in line with the WHO approach to implement the recommendations of the 2008 Millennium Development Goals (www.un.org/millenniumgoals). This includes the "common risk factor" approach, which analyzes biological and social determinants of health alongside other chronic health problems such as diabetes and obesity, as outlined in the Marmot Health inequalities review (2008) (www.ucl.ac.uk/gheg/marmotreview). Simultaneously, orofacial cleft research should involve clinical researchers to identify inequalities in access to treatment and identify the best interventions for minimizing mortality and residual deformity. The future research agenda also requires engagement with implementation science to get research findings into practice.

Social inequalities in health expectancy and the contribution of mortality and morbidity: the case of Irish Travellers.

PubMed

Abdalla, Safa; Kelleher, Cecily; Quirke, Brigid; Daly, Leslie

2013-12-01

The health expectancy of Irish Travellers, a disadvantaged indigenous minority group in Ireland has not been previously estimated. This study aimed to examine health expectancy inequalities between Irish Travellers and the general population. We used Sullivan's life table method to construct healthy life expectancy (HLE) and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE). The All-Ireland Traveller Health Study provided Irish Traveller population's mortality and health data. Vital registration, census and comparable national survey health data were used for the general population. We calculated the absolute and relative life expectancy, HLE and DFLE gaps between Irish Travellers and the general population and decomposed the HLE and DFLE gaps into mortality and morbidity contributions. Irish Travellers had consistently lower HLE and DFLE than the general population. The health expectancy gap displayed notable age and gender variations and was wider than the life expectancy gap. Mortality contributed more than morbidity to the health expectancy gap in men but not in women. This study illustrated the true extent of health inequalities experienced by an indigenous minority in Europe, clarifying the importance of reducing the burden of non-fatal disabling conditions for addressing these inequalities. The health expectancy measure used has application for other similar indigenous minorities elsewhere.

H(infinity)/H(2)/Kalman filtering of linear dynamical systems via variational techniques with applications to target tracking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rawicz, Paul Lawrence

In this thesis, the similarities between the structure of the H infinity, H2, and Kalman filters are examined. The filters used in this examination have been derived through duality to the full information controller. In addition, a direct variation of parameters derivation of the Hinfinity filter is presented for both continuous and discrete time (staler case). Direct and controller dual derivations using differential games exist in the literature and also employ variational techniques. Using a variational, rather than a differential games, viewpoint has resulted in a simple relationship between the Riccati equations that arise from the derivation and the results of the Bounded Real Lemma. This same relation has previously been found in the literature and used to relate the Riccati inequality for linear systems to the Hamilton Jacobi inequality for nonlinear systems when implementing the Hinfinity controller. The Hinfinity, H2, and Kalman filters are applied to the two-state target tracking problem. In continuous time, closed form analytic expressions for the trackers and their performance are determined. To evaluate the trackers using a neutral, realistic, criterion, the probability of target escape is developed. That is, the probability that the target position error will be such that the target is outside the radar beam width resulting in a loss of measurement. In discrete time, a numerical example, using the probability of target escape, is presented to illustrate the differences in tracker performance.

Six-Year Nitrogen-Water Interaction Shifts the Frequency Distribution and Size Inequality of the First-Order Roots of Fraxinus mandschurica in a Mixed Mature Pinus koraiensis Forest.

PubMed

Wang, Cunguo; Geng, Zhenzhen; Chen, Zhao; Li, Jiandong; Guo, Wei; Zhao, Tian-Hong; Cao, Ying; Shen, Si; Jin, Daming; Li, Mai-He

2017-01-01

The variation in fine root traits in terms of size inequality at the individual root level can be identified as a strategy for adapting to the drastic changes in soil water and nutrient availabilities. The Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients have been applied to describe the overall degree of size inequality, which, however, are neglected when conventional statistical means are calculated. Here, we used the Gini coefficient, Lorenz asymmetry coefficient and statistical mean in an investigation of Fraxinus mandschurica roots in a mixed mature Pinus koraiensis forest on Changbai Mountain, China. We analyzed 967 individual roots to determine the responses of length, diameter and area of the first-order roots and of branching intensity to 6 years of nitrogen addition (N), rainfall reduction (W) and their combination (NW). We found that first-order roots had a significantly greater average length and area but had smaller Gini coefficients in NW plots compared to in control plots (CK). Furthermore, the relationship between first-order root length and branching intensity was negative in CK, N, and W plots but positive in NW plots. The Lorenz asymmetry coefficient was >1 for the first-order root diameter in NW and W plots as well as for branching intensity in N plots. The bimodal frequency distribution of the first-order root length in NW plots differed clearly from the unimodal one in CK, N, and W plots. These results demonstrate that not only the mean but also the variation and the distribution mode of the first-order roots of F. mandschurica respond to soil nitrogen and water availability. The changes in size inequality of the first-order root traits suggest that Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients can serve as informative parameters in ecological investigations of roots to improve our ability to predict how trees will respond to a changing climate at the individual root level.

Six-Year Nitrogen–Water Interaction Shifts the Frequency Distribution and Size Inequality of the First-Order Roots of Fraxinus mandschurica in a Mixed Mature Pinus koraiensis Forest

PubMed Central

Wang, Cunguo; Geng, Zhenzhen; Chen, Zhao; Li, Jiandong; Guo, Wei; Zhao, Tian-Hong; Cao, Ying; Shen, Si; Jin, Daming; Li, Mai-He

2017-01-01

The variation in fine root traits in terms of size inequality at the individual root level can be identified as a strategy for adapting to the drastic changes in soil water and nutrient availabilities. The Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients have been applied to describe the overall degree of size inequality, which, however, are neglected when conventional statistical means are calculated. Here, we used the Gini coefficient, Lorenz asymmetry coefficient and statistical mean in an investigation of Fraxinus mandschurica roots in a mixed mature Pinus koraiensis forest on Changbai Mountain, China. We analyzed 967 individual roots to determine the responses of length, diameter and area of the first-order roots and of branching intensity to 6 years of nitrogen addition (N), rainfall reduction (W) and their combination (NW). We found that first-order roots had a significantly greater average length and area but had smaller Gini coefficients in NW plots compared to in control plots (CK). Furthermore, the relationship between first-order root length and branching intensity was negative in CK, N, and W plots but positive in NW plots. The Lorenz asymmetry coefficient was >1 for the first-order root diameter in NW and W plots as well as for branching intensity in N plots. The bimodal frequency distribution of the first-order root length in NW plots differed clearly from the unimodal one in CK, N, and W plots. These results demonstrate that not only the mean but also the variation and the distribution mode of the first-order roots of F. mandschurica respond to soil nitrogen and water availability. The changes in size inequality of the first-order root traits suggest that Gini and Lorenz asymmetry coefficients can serve as informative parameters in ecological investigations of roots to improve our ability to predict how trees will respond to a changing climate at the individual root level. PMID:29018474

Rape and its relation to social disorganization, pornography and inequality in the USA.

PubMed

Baron, L; Straus, M A

1989-01-01

A theoretical model seeks to integrate social disorganization and feminist theories of rape, reporting an empirical test of that model using data on rapes per 100,000 population known to the police in the 50 states of the United States. The model includes the following aspects of the social organization of the states: social disorganization (measured by a six item index), sexual inequality (measured by a status of women index to men), pornography (measured by a sex magazine circulation index for eight sexually explicit magazines) and the level of culturally legitimate violence (measured by a 12 item legitimate violence index using indicators like corporal punishment in schools. There were marked differences between states of the USA in the incidence of rape during the 1980-82. Path analysis was used to test the theoretical model, which posits rape as a function of the direct and indirect effects of social disorganization, sexual inequality, pornography, legitimate violence and seven control variables. The results show that all four variables play an important part in explaining differences between states in rape; and that together, the variables in the model explain 83 per cent of the state-to-state variation in rape. Women are in much greater danger of being raped in some American states than in others. Since the FBI began compiling statistics on rape, states like Alaska, Nevada, and California have consistently registered many more rapes per capita than North Dakota, Maine, and Iowa. What factors account for such differences between states? Could the variation in the rape rate be explained by four aspects of the social structure of states: (1) the proliferation of pornography (2) sexual inequality (3) culturally legitimate violence and (4) social disorganization. Each factor represents a theory which will be examined within the context of an integrated theory on rape.

Socioeconomic inequality in salt intake in Britain 10 years after a national salt reduction programme.

PubMed

Ji, Chen; Cappuccio, Francesco P

2014-08-14

The impact of the national salt reduction programme in the UK on social inequalities is unknown. We examined spatial and socioeconomic variations in salt intake in the 2008-2011 British National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) and compared them with those before the programme in 2000-2001. Cross-sectional survey in Great Britain. 1027 Caucasian males and females, aged 19-64 years. Participants' dietary sodium intake measured with a 4-day food diary. Bayesian geo-additive models used to assess spatial and socioeconomic patterns of sodium intake accounting for sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural confounders. Dietary sodium intake varied significantly across socioeconomic groups, even when adjusting for geographical variations. There was higher dietary sodium intake in people with the lowest educational attainment (coefficient: 0.252 (90% credible intervals 0.003, 0.486)) and in low levels of occupation (coefficient: 0.109 (-0.069, 0.288)). Those with no qualification had, on average, a 5.7% (0.1%, 11.1%) higher dietary sodium intake than the reference group. Compared to 2000-2001 the gradient of dietary sodium intake from south to north was attenuated after adjustments for confounders. Estimated dietary sodium consumption from food sources (not accounting for discretionary sources) was reduced by 366 mg of sodium (∼0.9 g of salt) per day during the 10-year period, likely the effect of national salt reduction initiatives. Social inequalities in salt intake have not seen a reduction following the national salt reduction programme and still explain more than 5% of salt intake between more and less affluent groups. Understanding the socioeconomic pattern of salt intake is crucial to reduce inequalities. Efforts are needed to minimise the gap between socioeconomic groups for an equitable delivery of cardiovascular prevention. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Socioeconomic inequality in salt intake in Britain 10 years after a national salt reduction programme

PubMed Central

Ji, Chen; Cappuccio, Francesco P

2014-01-01

Objectives The impact of the national salt reduction programme in the UK on social inequalities is unknown. We examined spatial and socioeconomic variations in salt intake in the 2008–2011 British National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) and compared them with those before the programme in 2000–2001. Setting Cross-sectional survey in Great Britain. Participants 1027 Caucasian males and females, aged 19–64 years. Primary outcome measures Participants’ dietary sodium intake measured with a 4-day food diary. Bayesian geo-additive models used to assess spatial and socioeconomic patterns of sodium intake accounting for sociodemographic, anthropometric and behavioural confounders. Results Dietary sodium intake varied significantly across socioeconomic groups, even when adjusting for geographical variations. There was higher dietary sodium intake in people with the lowest educational attainment (coefficient: 0.252 (90% credible intervals 0.003, 0.486)) and in low levels of occupation (coefficient: 0.109 (−0.069, 0.288)). Those with no qualification had, on average, a 5.7% (0.1%, 11.1%) higher dietary sodium intake than the reference group. Compared to 2000-2001 the gradient of dietary sodium intake from south to north was attenuated after adjustments for confounders. Estimated dietary sodium consumption from food sources (not accounting for discretionary sources) was reduced by 366 mg of sodium (∼0.9 g of salt) per day during the 10-year period, likely the effect of national salt reduction initiatives. Conclusions Social inequalities in salt intake have not seen a reduction following the national salt reduction programme and still explain more than 5% of salt intake between more and less affluent groups. Understanding the socioeconomic pattern of salt intake is crucial to reduce inequalities. Efforts are needed to minimise the gap between socioeconomic groups for an equitable delivery of cardiovascular prevention. PMID:25161292

Understanding the fluid mechanics behind transverse wall shear stress.

PubMed

Mohamied, Yumnah; Sherwin, Spencer J; Weinberg, Peter D

2017-01-04

The patchy distribution of atherosclerosis within arteries is widely attributed to local variation in haemodynamic wall shear stress (WSS). A recently-introduced metric, the transverse wall shear stress (transWSS), which is the average over the cardiac cycle of WSS components perpendicular to the temporal mean WSS vector, correlates particularly well with the pattern of lesions around aortic branch ostia. Here we use numerical methods to investigate the nature of the arterial flows captured by transWSS and the sensitivity of transWSS to inflow waveform and aortic geometry. TransWSS developed chiefly in the acceleration, peak systolic and deceleration phases of the cardiac cycle; the reverse flow phase was too short, and WSS in diastole was too low, for these periods to have a significant influence. Most of the spatial variation in transWSS arose from variation in the angle by which instantaneous WSS vectors deviated from the mean WSS vector rather than from variation in the magnitude of the vectors. The pattern of transWSS was insensitive to inflow waveform; only unphysiologically high Womersley numbers produced substantial changes. However, transWSS was sensitive to changes in geometry. The curvature of the arch and proximal descending aorta were responsible for the principal features, the non-planar nature of the aorta produced asymmetries in the location and position of streaks of high transWSS, and taper determined the persistence of the streaks down the aorta. These results reflect the importance of the fluctuating strength of Dean vortices in generating transWSS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amazonian Triatomine Biodiversity and the Transmission of Chagas Disease in French Guiana: In Medio Stat Sanitas

PubMed Central

Flores-Ferrer, Alheli; Blanchet, Denis; Gourbière, Sébastien

2016-01-01

The effects of biodiversity on the transmission of infectious diseases now stand as a cornerstone of many public health policies. The upper Amazonia and Guyana shield are hot-spots of biodiversity that offer genuine opportunities to explore the relationship between the risk of transmission of Chagas disease and the diversity of its triatomine vectors. Over 730 triatomines were light-trapped in four geomorphological landscapes shaping French-Guiana, and we determined their taxonomic status and infection by Trypanosoma cruzi. We used a model selection approach to unravel the spatial and temporal variations in species abundance, diversity and infection. The vector community in French-Guiana is typically made of one key species (Panstrongylus geniculatus) that is more abundant than three secondary species combined (Rhodnius pictipes, Panstrongylus lignarius and Eratyrus mucronatus), and four other species that complete the assemblage. Although the overall abundance of adult triatomines does not vary across French-Guiana, their diversity increases along a coastal-inland gradient. These variations unravelled a non-monotonic relationship between vector biodiversity and the risk of transmission of Chagas disease, so that intermediate biodiversity levels are associated with the lowest risks. We also observed biannual variations in triatomine abundance, representing the first report of a biannual pattern in the risk of Chagas disease transmission. Those variations were highly and negatively correlated with the average monthly rainfall. We discuss the implications of these patterns for the transmission of T. cruzi by assemblages of triatomine species, and for the dual challenge of controlling Amazonian vector communities that are made of both highly diverse and mostly intrusive species. PMID:26867025

Intron Retention Identifies a Malaria Vector within the Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) Albitaris Complex (Diptera: Culicidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-09

variation in local environments including changes driven by human activity . For example, Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) marajoara Galvao, and Damasceno...Linthicum, 1988) is the principal malaria vector in northeastern Amazonia, replacing An. darling Root, perhaps as a result of changes in human activity (Conn

Seasonal and Geographical Variation of Dengue Vectors in Narathiwat, South Thailand

PubMed Central

Boonklong, Ornanong; Bhumiratana, Adisak

2016-01-01

Using GIS-based land use map for the urban-rural division (the relative ratio of population density adjusted to relatively Aedes-infested land area), we demonstrated significant independent observations of seasonal and geographical variation of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus vectors between Muang Narathiwat district (urban setting) and neighbor districts (rural setting) of Narathiwat, Southern Thailand, based on binomial distribution of Aedes vectors in water-holding containers (water storage containers, discarded receptacles, miscellaneous containers, and natural containers). The distribution of Aedes vectors was influenced seasonally by breeding outdoors rather than indoors in all 4 containers. Accordingly, both urban and rural settings elicited significantly seasonal (wet versus dry) distributions of Ae. aegypti larvae observed in water storage containers (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002) and natural containers (P = 0.016 and P = 0.015), whereas, in rural setting, the significant difference was observed in discarded receptacles (P = 0.028) and miscellaneous containers (P < 0.001). Seasonal distribution of Ae. albopictus larvae in any containers in urban setting was not remarkably noticed, whereas, in rural setting, the significant difference was observed in water storage containers (P = 0.007) and discarded receptacles (P < 0.001). Moreover, the distributions of percentages of container index for Aedes-infested households in dry season were significantly lower than that in other wet seasons, P = 0.034 for urban setting and P = 0.001 for rural setting. Findings suggest that seasonal and geographical variation of Aedes vectors affect the infestation in those containers in human inhabitations and surroundings. PMID:27437001

The Civic Engagement Gap(s): Youth Participation and Inequality from 1976 to 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaby, Sarah

2017-01-01

Civic participation in the United States is highly unequal, resulting in a "civic engagement gap" between socioeconomic, racial, and gender groups. Variation in civic participation and the civic engagement gap remain contested, primarily as a result of inconsistent definitions and measurement issues in previous work. Using consistent…

Social Change and Anomie: A Cross-National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Ruohui; Cao, Liqun

2010-01-01

We apply Durkheim's social transitional theory to explain the variation of anomie in 30 nations in the world. Combining data from two sources--the 1995 "World Values Survey and the United Nations University's World Income Inequality Database" or WIID--we test the hypothesis that rapid sociopolitical change at the structural level disrupts social…

Dogs Don't Need Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolt, Mike

2010-01-01

Many optimization problems can be solved without resorting to calculus. This article develops a new variational method for optimization that relies on inequalities. The method is illustrated by four examples, the last of which provides a completely algebraic solution to the problem of minimizing the time it takes a dog to retrieve a thrown ball,…

Early Parenting and the Reduction of Educational Inequality in Childhood and Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penner, Emily K.

2018-01-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) differences in parenting are often implicated in widening the SES-achievement gap. Using nationally representative data (N = 12,887), the author tested for variation across SES in the types and intensity of parenting behaviors utilized and then examined SES differences in the relationship between parenting and student…

Weak convergence of a projection algorithm for variational inequalities in a Banach space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iiduka, Hideaki; Takahashi, Wataru

2008-03-01

Let C be a nonempty, closed convex subset of a Banach space E. In this paper, motivated by Alber [Ya.I. Alber, Metric and generalized projection operators in Banach spaces: Properties and applications, in: A.G. Kartsatos (Ed.), Theory and Applications of Nonlinear Operators of Accretive and Monotone Type, in: Lecture Notes Pure Appl. Math., vol. 178, Dekker, New York, 1996, pp. 15-50], we introduce the following iterative scheme for finding a solution of the variational inequality problem for an inverse-strongly-monotone operator A in a Banach space: x1=x[set membership, variant]C andxn+1=[Pi]CJ-1(Jxn-[lambda]nAxn) for every , where [Pi]C is the generalized projection from E onto C, J is the duality mapping from E into E* and {[lambda]n} is a sequence of positive real numbers. Then we show a weak convergence theorem (Theorem 3.1). Finally, using this result, we consider the convex minimization problem, the complementarity problem, and the problem of finding a point u[set membership, variant]E satisfying 0=Au.

Measuring Socioeconomic Inequalities With Predicted Absolute Incomes Rather Than Wealth Quintiles: A Comparative Assessment Using Child Stunting Data From National Surveys.

PubMed

Fink, Günther; Victora, Cesar G; Harttgen, Kenneth; Vollmer, Sebastian; Vidaletti, Luís Paulo; Barros, Aluisio J D

2017-04-01

To compare the predictive power of synthetic absolute income measures with that of asset-based wealth quintiles in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) using child stunting as an outcome. We pooled data from 239 nationally representative household surveys from LMICs and computed absolute incomes in US dollars based on households' asset rank as well as data on national consumption and inequality levels. We used multivariable regression models to compare the predictive power of the created income measure with the predictive power of existing asset indicator measures. In cross-country analysis, log absolute income predicted 54.5% of stunting variation observed, compared with 20% of variation explained by wealth quintiles. For within-survey analysis, we also found absolute income gaps to be predictive of the gaps between stunting in the wealthiest and poorest households (P < .001). Our results suggest that absolute income levels can greatly improve the prediction of stunting levels across and within countries over time, compared with models that rely solely on relative wealth quintiles.

The multiscale coarse-graining method. II. Numerical implementation for coarse-grained molecular models

PubMed Central

Noid, W. G.; Liu, Pu; Wang, Yanting; Chu, Jhih-Wei; Ayton, Gary S.; Izvekov, Sergei; Andersen, Hans C.; Voth, Gregory A.

2008-01-01

The multiscale coarse-graining (MS-CG) method [S. Izvekov and G. A. Voth, J. Phys. Chem. B 109, 2469 (2005);J. Chem. Phys. 123, 134105 (2005)] employs a variational principle to determine an interaction potential for a CG model from simulations of an atomically detailed model of the same system. The companion paper proved that, if no restrictions regarding the form of the CG interaction potential are introduced and if the equilibrium distribution of the atomistic model has been adequately sampled, then the MS-CG variational principle determines the exact many-body potential of mean force (PMF) governing the equilibrium distribution of CG sites generated by the atomistic model. In practice, though, CG force fields are not completely flexible, but only include particular types of interactions between CG sites, e.g., nonbonded forces between pairs of sites. If the CG force field depends linearly on the force field parameters, then the vector valued functions that relate the CG forces to these parameters determine a set of basis vectors that span a vector subspace of CG force fields. The companion paper introduced a distance metric for the vector space of CG force fields and proved that the MS-CG variational principle determines the CG force force field that is within that vector subspace and that is closest to the force field determined by the many-body PMF. The present paper applies the MS-CG variational principle for parametrizing molecular CG force fields and derives a linear least squares problem for the parameter set determining the optimal approximation to this many-body PMF. Linear systems of equations for these CG force field parameters are derived and analyzed in terms of equilibrium structural correlation functions. Numerical calculations for a one-site CG model of methanol and a molecular CG model of the EMIM+∕NO3− ionic liquid are provided to illustrate the method. PMID:18601325

Health as freedom: addressing social determinants of global health inequities through the human right to development.

PubMed

Fox, Ashley M; Meier, Benjamin Mason

2009-02-01

In spite of vast global improvements in living standards, health, and well-being, the persistence of absolute poverty and its attendant maladies remains an unsettling fact of life for billions around the world and constitutes the primary cause for the failure of developing states to improve the health of their peoples. While economic development in developing countries is necessary to provide for underlying determinants of health--most prominently, poverty reduction and the building of comprehensive primary health systems--inequalities in power within the international economic order and the spread of neoliberal development policy limit the ability of developing states to develop economically and realize public goods for health. With neoliberal development policies impacting entire societies, the collective right to development, as compared with an individual rights-based approach to development, offers a framework by which to restructure this system to realize social determinants of health. The right to development, working through a vector of rights, can address social determinants of health, obligating states and the international community to support public health systems while reducing inequities in health through poverty-reducing economic growth. At an international level, where the ability of states to develop economically and to realize public goods through public health systems is constrained by international financial institutions, the implementation of the right to development enables a restructuring of international institutions and foreign-aid programs, allowing states to enter development debates with a right to cooperation from other states, not simply a cry for charity.

Vectoring of parallel synthetic jets: A parametric study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berk, Tim; Gomit, Guillaume; Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram

2016-11-01

The vectoring of a pair of parallel synthetic jets can be described using five dimensionless parameters: the aspect ratio of the slots, the Strouhal number, the Reynolds number, the phase difference between the jets and the spacing between the slots. In the present study, the influence of the latter four on the vectoring behaviour of the jets is examined experimentally using particle image velocimetry. Time-averaged velocity maps are used to study the variations in vectoring behaviour for a parametric sweep of each of the four parameters independently. A topological map is constructed for the full four-dimensional parameter space. The vectoring behaviour is described both qualitatively and quantitatively. A vectoring mechanism is proposed, based on measured vortex positions. We acknowledge the financial support from the European Research Council (ERC Grant Agreement No. 277472).

Attitude Control for an Aero-Vehicle Using Vector Thrusting and Variable Speed Control Moment Gyros

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, Jong-Yeob; Lim, K. B.; Moerder, D. D.

2005-01-01

Stabilization of passively unstable thrust-levitated vehicles can require significant control inputs. Although thrust vectoring is a straightforward choice for realizing these inputs, this may lead to difficulties discussed in the paper. This paper examines supplementing thrust vectoring with Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyroscopes (VSCMGs). The paper describes how to allocate VSCMGs and the vectored thrust mechanism for attitude stabilization in frequency domain and also shows trade-off between vectored thrust and VSCMGs. Using an H2 control synthesis methodology in LMI optimization, a feedback control law is designed for a thrust-levitated research vehicle and is simulated with the full nonlinear model. It is demonstrated that VSCMGs can reduce the use of vectored thrust variation for stabilizing the hovering platform in the presence of strong wind gusts.

Discovering and understanding the vector field using simulation in android app

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budi, A.; Muliyati, D.

2018-05-01

An understanding of vector field’s concepts are fundamental parts of the electrodynamics course. In this paper, we use a simple simulation that can be used to show qualitative imaging results as a variation of the vector field. Android application packages the simulation with consideration of the efficiency of use during the lecture. In addition, this simulation also trying to cover the divergences and curl concepts from the same conditions that students have a complete understanding and can distinguish concepts that have been described only mathematically. This simulation is designed to show the relationship between the field magnitude and its potential. This application can show vector field simulations in various conditions that help to improve students’ understanding of vector field concepts and their relation to particle existence around the field vector.

Intra-dance variation among waggle runs and the design of efficient protocols for honey bee dance decoding.

PubMed

Couvillon, Margaret J; Riddell Pearce, Fiona C; Harris-Jones, Elisabeth L; Kuepfer, Amanda M; Mackenzie-Smith, Samantha J; Rozario, Laura A; Schürch, Roger; Ratnieks, Francis L W

2012-05-15

Noise is universal in information transfer. In animal communication, this presents a challenge not only for intended signal receivers, but also to biologists studying the system. In honey bees, a forager communicates to nestmates the location of an important resource via the waggle dance. This vibrational signal is composed of repeating units (waggle runs) that are then averaged by nestmates to derive a single vector. Manual dance decoding is a powerful tool for studying bee foraging ecology, although the process is time-consuming: a forager may repeat the waggle run 1- >100 times within a dance. It is impractical to decode all of these to obtain the vector; however, intra-dance waggle runs vary, so it is important to decode enough to obtain a good average. Here we examine the variation among waggle runs made by foraging bees to devise a method of dance decoding. The first and last waggle runs within a dance are significantly more variable than the middle run. There was no trend in variation for the middle waggle runs. We recommend that any four consecutive waggle runs, not including the first and last runs, may be decoded, and we show that this methodology is suitable by demonstrating the goodness-of-fit between the decoded vectors from our subsamples with the vectors from the entire dances.

Intra-dance variation among waggle runs and the design of efficient protocols for honey bee dance decoding

PubMed Central

Couvillon, Margaret J.; Riddell Pearce, Fiona C.; Harris-Jones, Elisabeth L.; Kuepfer, Amanda M.; Mackenzie-Smith, Samantha J.; Rozario, Laura A.; Schürch, Roger; Ratnieks, Francis L. W.

2012-01-01

Summary Noise is universal in information transfer. In animal communication, this presents a challenge not only for intended signal receivers, but also to biologists studying the system. In honey bees, a forager communicates to nestmates the location of an important resource via the waggle dance. This vibrational signal is composed of repeating units (waggle runs) that are then averaged by nestmates to derive a single vector. Manual dance decoding is a powerful tool for studying bee foraging ecology, although the process is time-consuming: a forager may repeat the waggle run 1- >100 times within a dance. It is impractical to decode all of these to obtain the vector; however, intra-dance waggle runs vary, so it is important to decode enough to obtain a good average. Here we examine the variation among waggle runs made by foraging bees to devise a method of dance decoding. The first and last waggle runs within a dance are significantly more variable than the middle run. There was no trend in variation for the middle waggle runs. We recommend that any four consecutive waggle runs, not including the first and last runs, may be decoded, and we show that this methodology is suitable by demonstrating the goodness-of-fit between the decoded vectors from our subsamples with the vectors from the entire dances. PMID:23213438

Variationally consistent discretization schemes and numerical algorithms for contact problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wohlmuth, Barbara

We consider variationally consistent discretization schemes for mechanical contact problems. Most of the results can also be applied to other variational inequalities, such as those for phase transition problems in porous media, for plasticity or for option pricing applications from finance. The starting point is to weakly incorporate the constraint into the setting and to reformulate the inequality in the displacement in terms of a saddle-point problem. Here, the Lagrange multiplier represents the surface forces, and the constraints are restricted to the boundary of the simulation domain. Having a uniform inf-sup bound, one can then establish optimal low-order a priori convergence rates for the discretization error in the primal and dual variables. In addition to the abstract framework of linear saddle-point theory, complementarity terms have to be taken into account. The resulting inequality system is solved by rewriting it equivalently by means of the non-linear complementarity function as a system of equations. Although it is not differentiable in the classical sense, semi-smooth Newton methods, yielding super-linear convergence rates, can be applied and easily implemented in terms of a primal-dual active set strategy. Quite often the solution of contact problems has a low regularity, and the efficiency of the approach can be improved by using adaptive refinement techniques. Different standard types, such as residual- and equilibrated-based a posteriori error estimators, can be designed based on the interpretation of the dual variable as Neumann boundary condition. For the fully dynamic setting it is of interest to apply energy-preserving time-integration schemes. However, the differential algebraic character of the system can result in high oscillations if standard methods are applied. A possible remedy is to modify the fully discretized system by a local redistribution of the mass. Numerical results in two and three dimensions illustrate the wide range of possible applications and show the performance of the space discretization scheme, non-linear solver, adaptive refinement process and time integration.

Population growth, inequality and poverty.

PubMed

Rodgers, G

1983-01-01

In this discussion of population growth, inequality, and poverty, the type of relationships that can be observed in intercountry comparisons are explored, reviewing the findings of several other authors, presenting some new estimates using an International Labor Office data bank, considering some basic conceptual problems, and examining some of the theoretical and empirical issues that call for investigation at the national level. Intercountry comparisons, despite their limitations, appear to be the easiest starting point for empirical analysis. The approach adopted by most researchers has been to select 1 or more population indicators and a measure of national income inequality and to explain intercountry differences in 1 or both of these variables in terms of each other and of other indicators of economic and social development. Underlying this methodology is the assumption that there are aspects of demographic and economic change that are common to all countries included in the study, so that differences between countries give some guide to the likely evolution over time within any 1 country. This can be accepted at best with reservations, but given the scarcity of data on the evolution of inequality over time, a working hypothesis of this type appears unavoidable. But, as many of the factors likely to cause population growth and inequality operate over extended periods of time, a dynamic model is indicated. A simpler model, which pays particular attention to lags and variations over time, may generate new insights. A summary of the results of a new international cross-section analysis set up on these lines is presented. Results suggest that contrary to expectations, reducing population growth does not seem to generate longterm benefits for the poor in this model, though some short term gains are found. Increasing equality does appear to generate some decline in population growth, as well as persistent gains in incomes among the poor, but the reductions in population growth look small when set against the substantial reduction in inequality assumed. The central problem is that inequality and poverty are complex variables conceptually and empirically. 3 major sets of issues are particularly relevant: the nature of the unit of analysis; the reference period; and the conceptualization and measurement of welfare in relation to inequality and demographic change. In interpreting empirical findings, it is necessary to be aware of the different aspects of inequality and the correspondingly varied links with demographic change. The issues raised by the effects of inequality on population growth are distinct from those of population growth on the generation of inequality, and these are separated. Future research possibly will be most productive if it concentrates on the multiple roles of population growth in the transformation of systems of production.

Income inequality and educational assortative mating: Evidence from the Luxembourg Income Study.

PubMed

Monaghan, David

2015-07-01

Though extensive research has explored the prevalence of educational assortative mating, what causes its variation across countries and over time is not well understood. Using data from the Luxembourg Income Study Database, I investigate the hypothesis that assortative mating by income is influenced by income inequality between educational strata. I find that in countries with greater returns to education, the odds of any sort of union that crosses educational boundaries is substantially reduced. However, I do not find substantial evidence of an effect of changes in returns to education on marital sorting within countries. Educational and labor market parity between males and females appear to be negatively related to marital sorting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social determinants of health inequalities: towards a theoretical perspective using systems science.

PubMed

Jayasinghe, Saroj

2015-08-25

A systems approach offers a novel conceptualization to natural and social systems. In recent years, this has led to perceiving population health outcomes as an emergent property of a dynamic and open, complex adaptive system. The current paper explores these themes further and applies the principles of systems approach and complexity science (i.e. systems science) to conceptualize social determinants of health inequalities. The conceptualization can be done in two steps: viewing health inequalities from a systems approach and extending it to include complexity science. Systems approach views health inequalities as patterns within the larger rubric of other facets of the human condition, such as educational outcomes and economic development. This anlysis requires more sophisticated models such as systems dynamic models. An extension of the approach is to view systems as complex adaptive systems, i.e. systems that are 'open' and adapt to the environment. They consist of dynamic adapting subsystems that exhibit non-linear interactions, while being 'open' to a similarly dynamic environment of interconnected systems. They exhibit emergent properties that cannot be estimated with precision by using the known interactions among its components (such as economic development, political freedom, health system, culture etc.). Different combinations of the same bundle of factors or determinants give rise to similar patterns or outcomes (i.e. property of convergence), and minor variations in the initial condition could give rise to widely divergent outcomes. Novel approaches using computer simulation models (e.g. agent-based models) would shed light on possible mechanisms as to how factors or determinants interact and lead to emergent patterns of health inequalities of populations.

Economic inequality and undernutrition in women: multilevel analysis of individual, household, and community levels in Cambodia.

PubMed

Hong, Rathavuth; Hong, Rathmony

2007-03-01

Many people in developing countries are still struggling to emerge from the realm of extreme poverty, where economic improvements tend to benefit a small, affluent group of the population and cause growing inequality in health and nutrition that affects the most vulnerable groups of the population, including women and children. To examine how household and community economic inequality affects nutritional status in women using information on 6,922 nonpregnant women aged 15 to 49 years included in the 2000 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey. Nutritional status is defined with the use of the body-mass index (BMI). BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2 is defined as undernourishment. The household wealth index was calculated from household ownership of durable assets and household characteristics. Community wealth is an average household wealth index at the community level. Household and community economic inequalities were measured by dividing the wealth index into quintiles. The effects of household and community economic inequality were estimated by multilevel analysis. Independently of community economic status and other risk factors, women in the poorest 20% of households are more likely to be undernourished than women in the richest 20% of households (RR = 1.63; p = .008). The results also show variation among communities in the nutritional status of women. Age, occupation, and access to safe sources of drinking water are significantly associated with women's nutritional status. Improving household income and creating employment opportunities for women, in particular poor women, may be a key to improving the nutritional status of women in Cambodia.

VectorBase: an updated bioinformatics resource for invertebrate vectors and other organisms related with human diseases

PubMed Central

Giraldo-Calderón, Gloria I.; Emrich, Scott J.; MacCallum, Robert M.; Maslen, Gareth; Dialynas, Emmanuel; Topalis, Pantelis; Ho, Nicholas; Gesing, Sandra; Madey, Gregory; Collins, Frank H.; Lawson, Daniel

2015-01-01

VectorBase is a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases supported Bioinformatics Resource Center (BRC) for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens. Now in its 11th year, VectorBase currently hosts the genomes of 35 organisms including a number of non-vectors for comparative analysis. Hosted data range from genome assemblies with annotated gene features, transcript and protein expression data to population genetics including variation and insecticide-resistance phenotypes. Here we describe improvements to our resource and the set of tools available for interrogating and accessing BRC data including the integration of Web Apollo to facilitate community annotation and providing Galaxy to support user-based workflows. VectorBase also actively supports our community through hands-on workshops and online tutorials. All information and data are freely available from our website at https://www.vectorbase.org/. PMID:25510499

Evaluation of the importance of VlsE antigenic variation for the enzootic cycle of borrelia burgdorferi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Efficient acquisition and transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi by the tick vector, and the ability to persistently infect both vector and host, are important elements for the life cycle of the Lyme disease pathogen. Previous work has provided strong evidence implicating the significance of the vls l...

Vector potential methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hafez, M.

1989-01-01

Vector potential and related methods, for the simulation of both inviscid and viscous flows over aerodynamic configurations, are briefly reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of several formulations are discussed and alternate strategies are recommended. Scalar potential, modified potential, alternate formulations of Euler equations, least-squares formulation, variational principles, iterative techniques and related methods, and viscous flow simulation are discussed.

Application of satellite data in variational analysis for global cyclonic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Achtemeier, G. L.

1988-01-01

The goal of the research is a variational data assimilation method that incorporates as dynamical constraints, the primitive equations for a moist, convectively unstable atmosphere and the radiative transfer equation. Variables to be adjusted include the three-dimensional vector wind, height, temperature, and moisture from rawinsonde data, and cloud-wind vectors, moisture, and radiance from satellite data. In order to facilitate thorough analysis of each of the model components, four variational models that divide the problem naturally according to increasing complexity were defined. The research performed during the second year fall into four areas: sensitivity studies involving Model 1; evaluation of Model 2; reformation of Model 1 for greater compatibility with Model 2; development of Model 3 (radiative transfer equation); and making the model more responsive to the observations.

Locomotor variation and bending regimes of capuchin limb bones.

PubMed

Demes, Brigitte; Carlson, Kristian J

2009-08-01

Primates are very versatile in their modes of progression, yet laboratory studies typically capture only a small segment of this variation. In vivo bone strain studies in particular have been commonly constrained to linear locomotion on flat substrates, conveying the potentially biased impression of stereotypic long bone loading patterns. We here present substrate reaction forces (SRF) and limb postures for capuchin monkeys moving on a flat substrate ("terrestrial"), on an elevated pole ("arboreal"), and performing turns. The angle between the SRF vector and longitudinal axes of the forearm or leg is taken as a proxy for the bending moment experienced by these limb segments. In both frontal and sagittal planes, SRF vectors and distal limb segments are not aligned, but form discrepant angles; that is, forces act on lever arms and exert bending moments. The positions of the SRF vectors suggest bending around oblique axes of these limb segments. Overall, the leg is exposed to greater moments than the forearm. Simulated arboreal locomotion and turns introduce variation in the discrepancy angles, thus confirming that expanding the range of locomotor behaviors studied will reveal variation in long bone loading patterns that is likely characteristic of natural locomotor repertoires. "Arboreal" locomotion, even on a linear noncompliant branch, is characterized by greater variability of force directions and discrepancy angles than "terrestrial" locomotion (significant for the forearm only), partially confirming the notion that life in trees is associated with greater variation in long bone loading. Directional changes broaden the range of external bending moments even further.

Mathematical Methods for Optical Physics and Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gbur, Gregory J.

2011-01-01

1. Vector algebra; 2. Vector calculus; 3. Vector calculus in curvilinear coordinate systems; 4. Matrices and linear algebra; 5. Advanced matrix techniques and tensors; 6. Distributions; 7. Infinite series; 8. Fourier series; 9. Complex analysis; 10. Advanced complex analysis; 11. Fourier transforms; 12. Other integral transforms; 13. Discrete transforms; 14. Ordinary differential equations; 15. Partial differential equations; 16. Bessel functions; 17. Legendre functions and spherical harmonics; 18. Orthogonal functions; 19. Green's functions; 20. The calculus of variations; 21. Asymptotic techniques; Appendices; References; Index.

The relationship between urban forests and income: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gerrish, Ed; Watkins, Shannon Lea

2018-02-01

Urban trees provide substantial public health and public environmental benefits. However, scholarly works suggest that urban trees may be unequally distributed among poor and minority urban communities, meaning that these communities are potentially being deprived of public environmental benefits, a form of environmental injustice. The evidence of this problem is not uniform however, and evidence of inequity varies in size and significance across studies. This variation in results suggests the need for a research synthesis and meta-analysis. We employed a systematic literature search to identify original studies which examined the relationship between urban forest cover and income (n=61) and coded each effect size (n=332). We used meta-analytic techniques to estimate the average (unconditional) relationship between urban forest cover and income and to estimate the impact that methodological choices, measurement, publication characteristics, and study site characteristics had on the magnitude of that relationship. We leveraged variation in study methodology to evaluate the extent to which results were sensitive to methodological choices often debated in the geographic and environmental justice literature but not yet evaluated in environmental amenities research. We found evidence of income-based inequity in urban forest cover (unconditional mean effect size = 0.098; s.e. = .017) that was robust across most measurement and methodological strategies in original studies and results did not differ systematically with study site characteristics. Studies that controlled for spatial autocorrelation, a violation of independent errors, found evidence of substantially less urban forest inequity; future research in this area should test and correct for spatial autocorrelation.

Socioeconomic inequalities in health in older women.

PubMed

Rostad, Berit; Deeg, Dorly J H; Schei, Berit

2009-03-01

Socioeconomic status differentials in health are well documented. Less is known about the socioeconomic variation in health in older people, and in older women in particular. The aim of the study was to examine the association between socioeconomic status and health in older women in relation to two indicators of socioeconomic status and three measures of health, and further, to investigate whether socioeconomic differences in health increase or decrease with advancing age. Data from a cross-sectional population based health survey inviting all women ≥70 years were analysed; 6,380 women aged 70-103 years participated. Logistic regression was applied to analyse variation in health by socioeconomic status. Disadvantaged socioeconomic status (i.e. lower educational levels and previous manual or never been in paid work) was significantly associated with poorer health outcomes, whether measured as self-assessed health or depression. Limiting long-standing illness was significantly associated with never been in paid work. The associations were not attenuated by simultaneous adjustments for health behavioural factors, social support, and marital status. Additional adjustments for medical conditions did only alter the significant association between employment status and limiting long-standing illness. The analyses revealed that educational inequalities did not decrease with advancing age, whereas the results for employment varied across age groups. Our findings suggest an enduring relation between socioeconomic status and health in later life. The study adds to the understanding of the consistent associations between poorer health and social disadvantages at older age. We are not aware of any previous study showing the persistence of social inequalities in health upon adjustments for medical conditions.

A profile of physiotherapy supply in Ireland.

PubMed

Eighan, James; Walsh, Brendan; Smith, Samantha; Wren, Maev-Ann; Barron, Steve; Morgenroth, Edgar

2018-04-13

The lack of information on public and private physiotherapy supply in Ireland makes current and future resource allocation decisions difficult. This paper estimates the supply of physiotherapists in Ireland and profiles physiotherapists across acute and non-acute sectors, and across public and private practice. It examines geographic variation in physiotherapist supply, examining the implications of controlling for healthcare need. Physiotherapist headcounts are estimated using Health Service Personnel Census (HSPC) and Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists (ISCP) Register data. Headcounts are converted to whole-time equivalents (WTEs) using the HSPC and a survey of ISCP members to account for full- and part-time working practices. Non-acute supply per 10,000 population in each county is estimated to examine geographic inequalities and the raw population is adjusted in turn for a range of need indicators. An estimated 3172 physiotherapists were practising in Ireland in 2015; 6.8 physiotherapists per 10,000, providing an estimated 2620 WTEs. Females accounted for 74% of supply. Supply was greater in the non-acute sector; 1774 WTEs versus 846 WTEs in the acute sector. Physiotherapists in the acute sector were located mainly in publicly financed institutions (89%) with an even public/private split observed in the non-acute sector. Non-acute physiotherapist supply is unequally distributed across Ireland (Gini coefficient = 0.12; 95% CI 0.08-0.15), and inequalities remain after controlling for variations in healthcare needs across counties. The supply of physiotherapists in Ireland is 30% lower than the EU-28 average. Substantial inequality in the distribution of physiotherapists across counties is observed.

Variations in household microclimate affect outdoor-biting behaviour of malaria vectors

PubMed Central

Ngowo, Halfan S.; Kaindoa, Emmanuel Wilson; Matthiopoulos, Jason; Ferguson, Heather M.; Okumu, Fredros O.

2017-01-01

Background: Mosquito behaviours including the degree to which they bite inside houses or outside is a crucial determinant of human exposure to malaria. Whilst seasonality in mosquito vector abundance is well documented, much less is known about the impact of climate on mosquito behaviour. We investigated how variations in household microclimate affect outdoor-biting by malaria vectors, Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestus. Methods: Mosquitoes were sampled indoors and outdoors weekly using human landing catches at eight households in four villages in south-eastern Tanzania, resulting in 616 trap-nights over 12 months. Daily temperature, relative humidity and rainfall were recorded. Generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) were used to test associations between mosquito abundance and the microclimatic conditions. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to investigate the influence of microclimatic conditions on the tendency of vectors to bite outdoors (proportion of outdoor biting). Results:  An. arabiensis abundance peaked during high rainfall months (February-May), whilst An. funestus density remained stable into the dry season (May-August) . Across the range of observed household temperatures, a rise of 1 ºC marginally increased nightly An. arabiensis abundance (~11%), but more prominently increased An. funestus abundance (~66%). The abundance of An. arabiensis and An. funestus showed strong positive associations with time-lagged rainfall (2-3 and 3-4 weeks before sampling). The degree of outdoor biting in An. arabiensis was significantly associated with the relative temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments, with exophily increasing as temperature inside houses became relatively warmer. The exophily of An. funestus did not vary with temperature differences.   Conclusions: This study demonstrates that malaria vector An. arabiensis shifts the location of its biting from indoors to outdoors in association with relative differences in microclimatic conditions. These environmental impacts could give rise to seasonal variation in mosquito biting behaviour and degree of protection provided by indoor-based vector control strategies. PMID:29552642

Global health inequalities and breast cancer: an impending public health problem for developing countries.

PubMed

Igene, Helen

2008-01-01

The aim of the study was to provide information on the global health inequality pattern produced by the increasing incidence of breast cancer and its relationship with the health expenditure of developing countries with emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the difference between the health expenditure of developed and developing countries, and how this affects breast cancer incidence and mortality. The data collected from the World Health Organization and World Bank were examined, using bivariate analysis, through scatter-plots and Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient. Multivariate analysis was carried out by multiple regression analysis. National income, health expenditure affects breast cancer incidence, particularly between the developed and developing countries. However, these factors do not adequately explain variations in mortality rates. The study reveals the risk posed to developing countries to solving the present and predicted burden of breast cancer, currently characterized by late presentation, inadequate health care systems, and high mortality. Findings from this study contribute to the knowledge of the burden of disease in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa, and how that is related to globalization and health inequalities.

Comparing Classic and Interval Analytical Hierarchy Process Methodologies for Measuring Area-Level Deprivation to Analyze Health Inequalities.

PubMed

Cabrera-Barona, Pablo; Ghorbanzadeh, Omid

2018-01-16

Deprivation indices are useful measures to study health inequalities. Different techniques are commonly applied to construct deprivation indices, including multi-criteria decision methods such as the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is an index in which indicators are weighted by applying the AHP. In this research, a variation of this index is introduced that is calculated using interval AHP methodology. Both indices are compared by applying logistic generalized linear models and multilevel models, considering self-reported health as the dependent variable and deprivation and self-reported quality of life as the independent variables. The obtained results show that the multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is a meaningful measure to assess neighborhood effects on self-reported health and that the alternative deprivation index using the interval AHP methodology more thoroughly represents the local knowledge of experts and stakeholders. These differences could support decision makers in improving health planning and in tackling health inequalities in more deprived areas.

Comparing Classic and Interval Analytical Hierarchy Process Methodologies for Measuring Area-Level Deprivation to Analyze Health Inequalities

PubMed Central

Cabrera-Barona, Pablo

2018-01-01

Deprivation indices are useful measures to study health inequalities. Different techniques are commonly applied to construct deprivation indices, including multi-criteria decision methods such as the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is an index in which indicators are weighted by applying the AHP. In this research, a variation of this index is introduced that is calculated using interval AHP methodology. Both indices are compared by applying logistic generalized linear models and multilevel models, considering self-reported health as the dependent variable and deprivation and self-reported quality of life as the independent variables. The obtained results show that the multi-criteria deprivation index for the city of Quito is a meaningful measure to assess neighborhood effects on self-reported health and that the alternative deprivation index using the interval AHP methodology more thoroughly represents the local knowledge of experts and stakeholders. These differences could support decision makers in improving health planning and in tackling health inequalities in more deprived areas. PMID:29337915

Field of study variation throughout the college pipeline and its effect on the earnings gap: Differences between ethnic and immigrant groups in Israel.

PubMed

Alon, Sigal

2015-07-01

This study demonstrates the analytical leverage gained from considering the entire college pipeline-including the application, admission and graduation stages-in examining the economic position of various groups upon labor market entry. The findings, based on data from three elite universities in Israel, reveal that the process that shapes economic inequality between different ethnic and immigrant groups is not necessarily cumulative. Field of study stratification does not expand systematically from stage to stage and the position of groups on the field of study hierarchy at each stage is not entirely explained by academic preparation. Differential selection and attrition processes, as well as ambition and aspirations, also shape the position of ethnic groups in the earnings hierarchy and generate a non-cumulative pattern. These findings suggest that a cross-sectional assessment of field of study inequality at the graduation stage can generate misleading conclusions about group-based economic inequality among workers with a bachelor's degree. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global exponential stability of BAM neural networks with time-varying delays and diffusion terms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Li; Zhou, Qinghua

2007-11-01

The stability property of bidirectional associate memory (BAM) neural networks with time-varying delays and diffusion terms are considered. By using the method of variation parameter and inequality technique, the delay-independent sufficient conditions to guarantee the uniqueness and global exponential stability of the equilibrium solution of such networks are established.

A Proposal for a Variation on the Axioms of Classical Geometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schellenberg, Bjorn

2010-01-01

A set of axioms for classical absolute geometry is proposed that is accessible to students new to axioms. The metric axioms adopted are the ruler axiom, triangle inequality and the bisector axiom. Angle measure is derived from distance, and all properties needed to establish a consistent system are derived. In particular, the SAS congruence…

How Welfare States Shape the Gender Pay Gap: A Theoretical and Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandel, Hadas; Shalev, Michael

2009-01-01

We assess the impact of the welfare state on cross-national variation in the gender wage gap. Earnings inequality between men and women is conceptualized as resulting from their different locations in the class hierarchy, combined with the severity of wage differentials between and within classes. This decomposition contributes to identifying…

International trends in forest products consumption: is there convergence?

Treesearch

Joseph Buongiorno

2009-01-01

International data from 1961 to 2005 showed that the coefficient of variation of consumption per- capita across countries had tended to decrease over time for all forest products except sawnwood.  This convergence of per-capita consumption was confirmed by the trends in Theil's inequality coefficients: the distribution of forest products consumption across...

An evolution infinity Laplace equation modelling dynamic elasto-plastic torsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messelmi, Farid

2017-12-01

We consider in this paper a parabolic partial differential equation involving the infinity Laplace operator and a Leray-Lions operator with no coercitive assumption. We prove the existence and uniqueness of the corresponding approached problem and we show that at the limit the solution solves the parabolic variational inequality arising in the elasto-plastic torsion problem.

An Examination of Potential Variation in the Benefits of Higher Education for Health and Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauldry, Shawn

2012-01-01

Understanding the implications of the significant expansion in higher education over the latter half of the 20th century remains one of the central questions of research in stratification and inequality. Attaining a college degree is associated with numerous advantages ranging from higher earnings to improved health and wellbeing. As higher…

General dental practitioner's views on dental general anaesthesia services.

PubMed

Threlfall, A G; King, D; Milsom, K M; Blinkhom, A S; Tickle, M

2007-06-01

Policy has recently changed on provision of dental general anaesthetic services in England. The aim of this study was to investigate general dental practitioners' views about dental general anaesthetics, the reduction in its availability and the impact on care of children with toothache. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and clinical case scenarios. General dental practitioners providing NHS services in the North West of England. 93 general dental practitioners were interviewed and 91 answered a clinical case scenario about the care they would provide for a 7-year-old child with multiple decayed teeth presenting with toothache. Scenario responses showed variation; 8% would immediately refer for general anaesthesia, 25% would initially prescribe antibiotics, but the majority would attempt to either restore or extract the tooth causing pain. Interview responses also demonstrated variation in care, however most dentists agree general anaesthesia has a role for nervous children but only refer as a last resort. The responses indicated an increase in inequalities, and that access to services did not match population needs, leaving some children waiting in pain. Most general dental practitioners support moving dental general anaesthesia into hospitals but some believe that it has widened health inequalities and there is also a problem associated with variation in treatment provision. Additional general anaesthetic services in some areas with high levels of tooth decay are needed and evidence based guidelines about caring for children with toothache are required.

Microclimatic temperatures at Danish cattle farms, 2000-2016: quantifying the temporal and spatial variation in the transmission potential of Schmallenberg virus.

PubMed

Haider, Najmul; Cuellar, Ana Carolina; Kjær, Lene Jung; Sørensen, Jens Havskov; Bødker, Rene

2018-03-05

Microclimatic temperatures provide better estimates of vector-borne disease transmission parameters than standard meteorological temperatures, as the microclimate represent the actual temperatures to which the vectors are exposed. The objectives of this study were to quantify farm-level geographic variations and temporal patterns in the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) of Schmallenberg virus transmitted by Culicoides in Denmark through generation of microclimatic temperatures surrounding all Danish cattle farms. We calculated the hourly microclimatic temperatures at potential vector-resting sites within a 500 m radius of 22,004 Danish cattle farms for the months April to November from 2000 to 2016. We then modeled the daily EIP of Schmallenberg virus at each farm, assuming vectors choose resting sites either randomly or based on temperatures (warmest or coolest available) every hour. The results of the model output are presented as 17-year averages. The difference between the warmest and coolest microhabitats at the same farm was on average 3.7 °C (5th and 95th percentiles: 1.0 °C to 7.8 °C). The mean EIP of Schmallenberg virus (5th and 95th percentiles) for all cattle farms during spring, summer, and autumn was: 23 (18-33), 14 (12-18) and 51 (48-55) days, respectively, assuming Culicoides select resting sites randomly. These estimated EIP values were considerably shorter than those estimated using standard meteorological temperatures obtained from a numerical weather prediction model for the same periods: 43 (39-52), 21 (17-24) and 57 (55-58) days, respectively. When assuming that vectors actively select the coolest resting sites at a farm, the EIP was 2.3 (range: 1.1 to 4.1) times longer compared to that of the warmest sites at the same farm. We estimated a wide range of EIP in different microclimatic habitats surrounding Danish cattle farms, stressing the importance of identifying the specific resting sites of vectors when modeling vector-borne disease transmission. We found a large variation in the EIP among different farms, suggesting disease transmission may vary substantially between regions, even within a small country. Our findings could be useful for designing risk-based surveillance, and in the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging vector-borne diseases.

Spatiotemporal Variations in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mortality in China: Multilevel Evidence from 2006 to 2012.

PubMed

Yin, Peng; Feng, Xiaoqi; Astell-Burt, Thomas; Qi, Fei; Liu, Yunning; Liu, Jiangmei; Page, Andrew; Wang, Limin; Liu, Shiwei; Wang, Lijun; Zhou, Maigeng

2016-06-01

Mortality of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is on the decline in China. It is not known if this trend occurs across all areas or whether spatiotemporal variations manifest. We used data from the nationally representative China Mortality Surveillance System to calculate annual COPD mortality counts (2006-2012) stratified by 5-year age groups (aged > 20), gender and time for 161 counties and districts (Disease Surveillance Points, or DSP). These counts were linked to annually adjusted denominator populations. Multilevel negative binomial regression with random intercepts and slopes were used to investigate spatiotemporal variation in COPD mortality adjusting for age, gender and area-level risk factors. COPD mortality rate decreased markedly from 105.1 to 73.7 per 100,000 during 2006 to 2012 and varied over two-fold between DSPs across China. Mortality rates were higher in the west compared with the east (Rate ratio (RR) 2.15, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.73, 2.68) and in rural compared with the urban (RR 1.87, 95% CI 1.55, 2.25). Adjustment for age, gender, urban/rural, region, smoking prevalence, indoor air pollution, mean body mass index and socioeconomic circumstances accounted for 67% of the geographical variation. Urban/rural differences in COPD mortality narrowed over time, but the magnitude of the east-west inequality persisted without change. Immediate action via large-scale interventions to enhance the prevention and management of COPD are needed specifically within China's western region in order to tackle this crucial health inequality and leading preventable cause of death.

Disparity in Dental Coverage Among Older Adult Populations: A Comparative Analysis Across Selected European Countries and the United States

PubMed Central

Manski, Richard; Moeller, John; Chen, Haiyan; Widström, Eeva; Lee, Jinkook; Listl, Stefan

2014-01-01

Background Insurance against the cost risks associated with prevention and treatment of oral diseases can reduce inequalities in dental care use and oral health. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of variation in dental insurance coverage for older adult populations within and between the United States and various European countries. Method The analyses relied on 2006/2007 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and 2004-2006 data from of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in the United States for respondents aged 51 years and older. A series of logistic regression models was estimated to identify disparities in dental coverage. Results The highest extent of significant insurance differences between various population subgroups was found for the United States. In comparison with countries belonging to the Eastern and Southern welfare state regimes, a lower number of significant coverage differences occurred for Scandinavian countries. Countries categorized as having comprehensive public insurance coverage showed a tendency towards less insurance variation within their populations than countries categorized as not having comprehensive public coverage, exceptions being Poland and Switzerland. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that significant variations in dental coverage exist within all elderly populations examined and the extent of inequalities also differs between countries. By and large, the observed variations corroborate the perception that population dental coverage is more equally distributed under public subsidy. This could be relevant information for decision makers who seek to improve policies towards more equitable dental coverage. PMID:25363376

Gender inequalities in excess adiposity and anaemia combine in a large double burden of malnutrition gap detrimental to women in an urban area in North Africa.

PubMed

Traissac, Pierre; El Ati, Jalila; Gartner, Agnès; Ben Gharbia, Houda; Delpeuch, Francis

2016-06-01

The nutrition transition has exacerbated the gender gap in health in the Middle East and North Africa region as the increase in excess adiposity has been much higher among women than men. This is not exclusive of the persistence of anaemia, generally also more prevalent among women. We assessed the magnitude and sociodemographic factors associated with gender inequality vis-à-vis the double burden of excess adiposity and anaemia. Cross-sectional study, stratified two-stage cluster sample. BMI (=weight/height2) ≥25·0 kg/m2 defined overweight and BMI≥30·0 kg/m2 obesity. Anaemia was defined as Hb <120 g/l for women, <130 g/l for men. Gender inequalities vis-à-vis the within-subject coexistence of excess adiposity and anaemia were assessed by women v. men relative prevalence ratios (RPR). Their variation with sociodemographic characteristics used models including gender × covariate interactions. Greater Tunis area in 2009-2010. Adults aged 20-49 years (women, n 1689; men, n 930). Gender inequalities in excess adiposity were high (e.g. overweight: women 64·9 % v. men 48·4 %; RPR=2·1; 95 % CI 1·6, 2·7) and much higher for anaemia (women 38·0 % v. men 7·2 %; RPR=8·2; 95 % CI 5·5, 12·4). They were striking for overweight and anaemia (women 24·1 % v. men 3·4 %; RPR=16·2; 95 % CI 10·3, 25·4). Gender inequalities in overweight adjusted for covariates increased with age but decreased with professional activity and household wealth score; gender inequality in anaemia or overweight and anaemia was more uniformly distributed. Women were much more at risk than men, from both over- and undernutrition perspectives. Both the underlying gender-related and sex-linked biological determinants of this remarkable double burden of malnutrition inequality must be addressed to promote gender equity in health.

Changing patterns of social inequalities in anaemia among women in India: cross-sectional study using nationally representative data

PubMed Central

Balarajan, Yarlini S; Fawzi, Wafaie W; Subramanian, S V

2013-01-01

Objectives To examine the patterns of social inequalities in anaemia over time among women of reproductive age in India. Design Repeated cross-sectional study using nationally representative data from the 1998/1999 and 2005/2006 National Family Health Surveys of India. Multivariate modified Poisson regression models were used to assess trends and social inequalities in anaemia. Setting India. Population 164 600 ever-married women aged 15–49 years (n=79 197 in 1998/1999 and n=85 403 in 2005/2006) from 25 Indian states. Main outcome measure Anaemia status defined by haemoglobin level (<12 g/dl in non-pregnant women, haemoglobin<11 g/dl for pregnant women). Results Over the 7-year period, anaemia prevalence increased significantly from 51.3% (95% CI 50.6% to 52%) to 56.1% (95% CI 55.4% to 56.8%) among Indian women. This corresponded to a 1.11-fold increase in anaemia prevalence (95% CI 1.09 to 1.13) after adjustment for age and parity, and 1.08-fold increase (95% CI 1.06 to 1.10) after further adjustment for wealth, education and caste. There was marked state variation in anaemia prevalence; in only 4 of the 25 states did anaemia prevalence significantly decline. In both periods, anaemia was socially patterned, being positively associated with lower wealth status, lower education and belonging to scheduled tribes and scheduled castes. In this context of overall increasing anaemia prevalence, adjusted relative and absolute socioeconomic inequalities in anaemia by wealth, education and caste have narrowed significantly over time. Conclusions The significant increase in anaemia among India's women during this recent period is a matter of concern, and in contrast to secular improvements in other markers of women's health and nutritional status. While socioeconomic inequalities in anaemia persist, the relative and absolute inequalities in anaemia have decreased over time. Future research should explore the causes for these changing patterns, and inform the policy and programmatic response to address anaemia and its inequalities in this vulnerable population. PMID:23516270

Implication of vector characteristics of Phlebotomus argentipes in the kala-azar elimination programme in the Indian sub-continent.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Rajib; Kumar, Vijay; Mondal, Dinesh; Das, Murari Lal; Das, Pradeep; Dash, Aditya Prasad; Kroeger, Axel

2016-05-01

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar in the Indian sub-continent (ISC), is a major public health concern in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, where it is caused by Leishmania donovani transmitted by the sand fly Phlebotomus argentipes. Various ecological parameters including air temperature, rainfall, wind speed, relative humidity, soil moisture, pH, and organic carbon are known to influence the oviposition of female sand flies, as well as the survival and development of larvae. However, more detailed knowledge on vector behavior, such as biting times, breeding places, and preferred hosts are needed to design optimal evidence-based vector control interventions. In order to facilitate rational decisions regarding VL vector control, a systematic review was conducted to identify the prevailing practice and knowledge gaps in relation to vector bionomics and behavior. Search terms included 'sand fly bionomics', 'habitat', and 'visceral leishmaniasis/kala-azar vector control' using the Boolean operator AND to identify the country of interest, namely: Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Both PubMed and Google search engines were used. Additional unpublished documents in the three countries were also analyzed. Information on the life cycle of VL vectors, their breeding behavior, infection rate with L. donovani, feeding behavior, and seasonal variation are useful for designing vector control operations. Unfortunately, none of the studies on the life cycle of P. argentipes was conducted in field settings of the ISC, so the publications from other locations had to be used for determining the duration of life cycle and development from egg to adult. However, information about breeding places, seasonal variation of vector densities, and 47 out of the selected 51 papers are available from the ISC and can be used for intelligent design of control operations. Vector control services should undertake routine insecticide resistance monitoring and adapt indoor residual spraying rounds to the seasonality of vector densities. Further research is needed on potential animal reservoirs for L. donovani, on the breeding habitat, and life cycle of sand flies in the ISC.

Implication of vector characteristics of Phlebotomus argentipes in the kala-azar elimination programme in the Indian sub-continent

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Rajib; Kumar, Vijay; Mondal, Dinesh; Das, Murari Lal; Das, Pradeep; Dash, Aditya Prasad

2016-01-01

Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar in the Indian sub-continent (ISC), is a major public health concern in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, where it is caused by Leishmania donovani transmitted by the sand fly Phlebotomus argentipes. Various ecological parameters including air temperature, rainfall, wind speed, relative humidity, soil moisture, pH, and organic carbon are known to influence the oviposition of female sand flies, as well as the survival and development of larvae. However, more detailed knowledge on vector behavior, such as biting times, breeding places, and preferred hosts are needed to design optimal evidence-based vector control interventions. Methods In order to facilitate rational decisions regarding VL vector control, a systematic review was conducted to identify the prevailing practice and knowledge gaps in relation to vector bionomics and behavior. Search terms included ‘sand fly bionomics’, ‘habitat’, and ‘visceral leishmaniasis/kala-azar vector control’ using the Boolean operator AND to identify the country of interest, namely: Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. Both PubMed and Google search engines were used. Additional unpublished documents in the three countries were also analyzed. Results Information on the life cycle of VL vectors, their breeding behavior, infection rate with L. donovani, feeding behavior, and seasonal variation are useful for designing vector control operations. Unfortunately, none of the studies on the life cycle of P. argentipes was conducted in field settings of the ISC, so the publications from other locations had to be used for determining the duration of life cycle and development from egg to adult. However, information about breeding places, seasonal variation of vector densities, and 47 out of the selected 51 papers are available from the ISC and can be used for intelligent design of control operations. Conclusion Vector control services should undertake routine insecticide resistance monitoring and adapt indoor residual spraying rounds to the seasonality of vector densities. Further research is needed on potential animal reservoirs for L. donovani, on the breeding habitat, and life cycle of sand flies in the ISC. PMID:27376500

Vector Potential, Electromagnetic Induction and "Physical Meaning"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giuliani, G.

2010-01-01

A forgotten experiment by Andre Blondel (1914) proves, as held on the basis of theoretical arguments in a previous paper, that the time variation of the magnetic flux is not the cause of the induced emf; the physical agent is instead the vector potential through the term [equation omitted] (when the induced circuit is at rest). The "good…

Analysis of superconducting electromagnetic finite elements based on a magnetic vector potential variational principle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuler, James J.; Felippa, Carlos A.

1991-01-01

Electromagnetic finite elements are extended based on a variational principle that uses the electromagnetic four potential as primary variable. The variational principle is extended to include the ability to predict a nonlinear current distribution within a conductor. The extension of this theory is first done on a normal conductor and tested on two different problems. In both problems, the geometry remains the same, but the material properties are different. The geometry is that of a 1-D infinite wire. The first problem is merely a linear control case used to validate the new theory. The second problem is made up of linear conductors with varying conductivities. Both problems perform well and predict current densities that are accurate to within a few ten thousandths of a percent of the exact values. The fourth potential is then removed, leaving only the magnetic vector potential, and the variational principle is further extended to predict magnetic potentials, magnetic fields, the number of charge carriers, and the current densities within a superconductor. The new element produces good results for the mean magnetic field, the vector potential, and the number of superconducting charge carriers despite a relatively high system condition number. The element did not perform well in predicting the current density. Numerical problems inherent to this formulation are explored and possible remedies to produce better current predicting finite elements are presented.

Inequalities in bariatric surgery in Australia: findings from 49,364 obese participants in a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Korda, Rosemary J; Joshy, Grace; Jorm, Louisa R; Butler, James R G; Banks, Emily

2012-12-10

To investigate variation, and quantify socioeconomic inequalities, in the uptake of primary bariatric surgery in an obese population. Prospective population-based cohort study of 49,364 individuals aged 45-74 years with body mass index (BMI)≥30 kg/m2. Data from questionnaires (distributed from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2008) were linked to hospital and death data to 30 June 2010. The sample was drawn from the 45 and Up Study (approximately 10% of New South Wales population aged 45 included, response rate approximately 18%). Rates of bariatric surgery and adjusted rate ratios (RRs) in relation to health and sociodemographic characteristics. Over 111,757 person-years (py) of follow-up, 312 participants had bariatric surgery, a rate of 27.92 per 10,000 py (95% CI, 24.91-31.19). Rates were highest in women, those living in major cities and those with diabetes, and increased significantly with a higher BMI and number of chronic health conditions. Adjusted RRs were 5.27 (95% CI, 3.18-8.73) for those with annual household income≥ $70 000 versus those with household income<$20,000, and 4.01 (95% CI, 2.41-6.67) for those living in areas in the least disadvantaged quintile versus those in the most disadvantaged quintile. Having versus not having private health insurance (age- and sex-adjusted RR, 9.25; 95% CI, 5.70-15.00) partially explained the observed inequalities. Bariatric surgery has been shown to be cost-effective in treating severe obesity and associated illnesses. While bariatric surgery rates in Australia are higher in those with health problems, large socioeconomic inequalities are apparent. Our findings suggest these procedures are largely available to those who can afford private health insurance and associated out-of-pocket costs, with poor access in populations who are most in need. Continuing inequalities in access are likely to exacerbate existing inequalities in obesity and related health problems.

Trends in mortality from 1965 to 2008 across the English north-south divide: comparative observational study.

PubMed

Hacking, John M; Muller, Sara; Buchan, Iain E

2011-02-15

To compare all cause mortality between the north and south of England over four decades. Population wide comparative observational study of mortality. Five northernmost and four southernmost English government office regions. All residents in each year from 1965 to 2008. Death rate ratios of north over south England by age band and sex, and northern excess mortality (percentage of excess deaths in north compared with south, adjusted for age and sex and examined for annual trends, using Poisson regression). During 1965 to 2008 the northern excess mortality remained substantial, at an average of 13.8% (95% confidence interval 13.7% to 13.9%). This geographical inequality was significantly larger for males than for females (14.9%, 14.7% to 15.0% v 12.7%, 12.6% to 12.9%, P<0.001). The inequality decreased significantly but temporarily for both sexes from the early 80s to the late 90s, followed by a steep significant increase from 2000 to 2008. Inequality varied with age, being higher for ages 0-9 years and 40-74 years and lower for ages 10-39 years and over 75 years. Time trends also varied with age. The strongest trend over time by age group was the increase among the 20-34 age group, from no significant northern excess mortality in 1965-95 to 22.2% (18.7% to 26.0%) in 1996-2008. Overall, the north experienced a fifth more premature (<75 years) deaths than the south, which was significant: a pattern that changed only by a slight increase between 1965 and 2008. Inequalities in all cause mortality in the north-south divide were severe and persistent over the four decades from 1965 to 2008. Males were affected more than females, and the variation across age groups was substantial. The increase in this inequality from 2000 to 2008 was notable and occurred despite the public policy emphasis in England over this period on reducing inequalities in health.

Socioeconomic inequalities in suicidal ideation, parasuicides, and completed suicides in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Myoung-Hee; Jung-Choi, Kyunghee; Jun, Hee-Jin; Kawachi, Ichiro

2010-04-01

As a result of unprecedented increase in suicides over the last decade, Korea now ranks at the top of OECD countries in suicide statistics (26.1 deaths per 100,000 population in 2005). Our study sought to document socioeconomic inequalities in self-destructive behaviors including suicidal ideation, parasuicide, and completed suicide. For prevalence of suicidal ideation and parasuicide, we used four waves of data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1995, 1998, 2001, and 2005). For suicide mortality, we abstracted suicide cases from the National Death Registration records, and linked them with population denominators from the national census in 1995, 2000, and 2005. We examined variation in self-destructive behaviors according to level of educational attainment (at the individual level), as well as area-level characteristics including level of deprivation and degree of urbanicity. Age-standardized rates were calculated through direct standardization using the 2005 census population as the standard. Inequalities were measured by the relative index of inequality and the slope index of inequality. The age-standardized prevalence of suicidal ideation decreased across consecutive surveys in both genders (18.0-13.5% for men, 27.5-22.9% for women). Parasuicides similarly decreased over time. By contrast, completed suicides increased over time (20.9-42.8 per 100,000 for men and 8.9-20.9 for women). The most prominent increases in completed suicides were observed among the elderly in both genders. Lower education, rural residence, and area deprivation was each associated with higher suicide rates. Both absolute as well as relative inequalities in suicide by socioeconomic position widened over time. Our findings suggest that the current suicide epidemic in Korea has social origins. In addition to clinical approaches targeted to the prevention of suicides in high risk individuals, social policies are needed to protect disadvantaged populations at risk of self-destructive behaviors. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differentials and income-related inequalities in maternal depression during the first two years after childbirth: birth cohort studies from Brazil and the UK.

PubMed

Matijasevich, Alicia; Golding, Jean; Smith, George Davey; Santos, Iná S; Barros, Aluísio Jd; Victora, Cesar G

2009-06-05

Depression is a prevalent health problem among women during the childbearing years. To obtain a more accurate global picture of maternal postnatal depression, studies that explore maternal depression with comparable measurements are needed. The aims of the study are: (1) to compare the prevalence of maternal depression in the first and second year postpartum between a UK and Brazilian birth cohort study; (2) to explore the extent to which variations in the rates were explained by maternal and infant characteristics, and (3) to investigate income-related inequalities in maternal depression after childbirth in both settings. Population-based birth cohort studies were carried out in Avon, UK in 1991 (ALSPAC) and in the city of Pelotas, Brazil in 2004, where 13 798 and 4109 women were analysed, respectively. Self-completion questionnaires were used in the ALSPAC study while questionnaires completed by interviewers were used in the Pelotas cohort study. Three repeated measures of maternal depression were obtained using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in the first and second year after delivery in each cohort. Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were carried out. The Relative index of Inequality was used for the analysis of income-relate inequalities so that results were comparable between cohorts. At both the second and third time assessments, the likelihood of being depressed was higher among women from the Pelotas cohort study. These differences were not completely explained by differences in maternal and infant characteristics. Income-related inequalities in maternal depression after childbirth were high and of similar magnitude in both cohort studies at the three time assessments. The burden of maternal depression after childbirth varies between and within populations. Strategies to reduce income-related inequalities in maternal depression should be targeted to low-income women in both developed and developing countries.

Natural Variation in Resistance to Virus Infection in Dipteran Insects

PubMed Central

Palmer, William H.; Varghese, Finny S.

2018-01-01

The power and ease of Drosophila genetics and the medical relevance of mosquito-transmitted viruses have made dipterans important model organisms in antiviral immunology. Studies of virus–host interactions at the molecular and population levels have illuminated determinants of resistance to virus infection. Here, we review the sources and nature of variation in antiviral immunity and virus susceptibility in model dipteran insects, specifically the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and vector mosquitoes of the genera Aedes and Culex. We first discuss antiviral immune mechanisms and describe the virus-specificity of these responses. In the following sections, we review genetic and microbiota-dependent variation in antiviral immunity. In the final sections, we explore less well-studied sources of variation, including abiotic factors, sexual dimorphism, infection history, and endogenous viral elements. We borrow from work on other pathogen types and non-dipteran species when it parallels or complements studies in dipterans. Understanding natural variation in virus–host interactions may lead to the identification of novel restriction factors and immune mechanisms and shed light on the molecular determinants of vector competence. PMID:29522475

Efficient Transduction of Human and Rhesus Macaque Primary T Cells by a Modified Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Based Lentiviral Vector.

PubMed

He, Huan; Xue, Jing; Wang, Weiming; Liu, Lihong; Ye, Chaobaihui; Cong, Zhe; Kimata, Jason T; Qin, Chuan; Zhou, Paul

2017-03-01

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-based lentiviral vectors efficiently transduce genes to human, but not rhesus, primary T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The poor transduction of HIV-1 vectors to rhesus cells is mainly due to species-specific restriction factors such as rhesus TRIM5α. Previously, several strategies to modify HIV-1 vectors were developed to overcome rhesus TRIM5α restriction. While the modified HIV-1 vectors efficiently transduce rhesus HSCs, they remain suboptimal for rhesus primary T cells. Recently, HIV-1 variants that encode combinations of LNEIE mutations in capsid (CA) protein and SIVmac239 Vif were found to replicate efficiently in rhesus primary T cells. Thus, the present study tested whether HIV-1 vectors packaged by a packaging construct containing these CA substitutions could efficiently transduce both human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells. To accomplish this, LNEIE mutations were made in the packaging construct CEMΔ8.9, and recombinant HIV-1 vectors packaged by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE were generated. Transduction rates, CA stability, and vector integration in CEMss-CCR5 and CEMss-CCR5-rhTRIM5α/green fluorescent protein cells, as well as transduction rates in human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors, were compared. Finally, the influence of rhesus TRIM5α variations in transduction rates to primary CD4 T cells from a cohort of 37 Chinese rhesus macaques was studied. While it maintains efficient transduction for human T-cell line and primary CD4 T cells, Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α-mediated CA degradation, resulting in significantly higher transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells than Δ8.9 WT-packaged HIV-1 vector. Rhesus TRIM5α variations strongly influence transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells by both Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors. Thus, it is concluded that Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α restriction and efficiently transduces both human and rhesus primary T cells.

Efficient Transduction of Human and Rhesus Macaque Primary T Cells by a Modified Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1–Based Lentiviral Vector

PubMed Central

He, Huan; Xue, Jing; Wang, Weiming; Liu, Lihong; Ye, Chaobaihui; Cong, Zhe; Kimata, Jason T.; Qin, Chuan; Zhou, Paul

2017-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-based lentiviral vectors efficiently transduce genes to human, but not rhesus, primary T cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The poor transduction of HIV-1 vectors to rhesus cells is mainly due to species-specific restriction factors such as rhesus TRIM5α. Previously, several strategies to modify HIV-1 vectors were developed to overcome rhesus TRIM5α restriction. While the modified HIV-1 vectors efficiently transduce rhesus HSCs, they remain suboptimal for rhesus primary T cells. Recently, HIV-1 variants that encode combinations of LNEIE mutations in capsid (CA) protein and SIVmac239 Vif were found to replicate efficiently in rhesus primary T cells. Thus, the present study tested whether HIV-1 vectors packaged by a packaging construct containing these CA substitutions could efficiently transduce both human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells. To accomplish this, LNEIE mutations were made in the packaging construct CEMΔ8.9, and recombinant HIV-1 vectors packaged by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE were generated. Transduction rates, CA stability, and vector integration in CEMss-CCR5 and CEMss-CCR5-rhTRIM5α/green fluorescent protein cells, as well as transduction rates in human and rhesus primary CD4 T cells by Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors, were compared. Finally, the influence of rhesus TRIM5α variations in transduction rates to primary CD4 T cells from a cohort of 37 Chinese rhesus macaques was studied. While it maintains efficient transduction for human T-cell line and primary CD4 T cells, Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α-mediated CA degradation, resulting in significantly higher transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells than Δ8.9 WT-packaged HIV-1 vector. Rhesus TRIM5α variations strongly influence transduction efficiency of rhesus primary CD4 T cells by both Δ8.9 WT or Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vectors. Thus, it is concluded that Δ8.9 LNEIE-packaged HIV-1 vector overcomes rhesus TRIM5α restriction and efficiently transduces both human and rhesus primary T cells. PMID:28042947

Educational inequalities in risky health behaviours in 21 European countries: findings from the European social survey (2014) special module on the social determinants of health.

PubMed

Huijts, Tim; Gkiouleka, Anna; Reibling, Nadine; Thomson, Katie H; Eikemo, Terje A; Bambra, Clare

2017-02-01

It has been suggested that cross-national variation in educational inequalities in health outcomes (e.g. NCDs) is due to cross-national variation in risky health behaviour. In this paper we aim to use highly recent data (2014) to examine educational inequalities in risky health behaviour in 21 European countries from all regions of the continent to map cross-national variation in the extent to which educational level is associated with risky health behaviour. We focus on four dimensions of risky health behaviour: smoking, alcohol use, lack of physical activity and lack of fruit and vegetable consumption. We make use of recent data from the 7th wave of the European Social Survey (2014), which contains a special rotating module on the social determinants of health. We performed logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between educational level and the risky health behaviour indicators. Educational level was measured through a three-category version of the harmonized International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Our findings show substantial and mostly significant inequalities in risky health behaviour between educational groups in most of the 21 European countries examined in this paper. The risk of being a daily smoker is higher as respondents’ level of education is lower (Low education (L): OR = 4.24 (95% CI: 3.83–4.68); Middle education (M): OR = 2.91 (95% CI: 2.65–3.19)). Respondents have a lower risk of consuming alcohol frequently if they have a low level of education (L: OR = 0.59 (95% CI: 0.54–0.64); M: OR = 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65–0.76)), but a higher risk of binge drinking frequently (L: OR = 1.29 (95% CI: 1.16–1.44); M: OR = 1.15 (95% CI: 1.04–1.27)). People are more likely to be physically active at least 3 days in the past week when they have a higher level of education (M: OR = 1.42 (95% CI: 1.34–1.50); H: OR = 1.67 (95% CI: 1.55–1.80)). Finally, people are more likely to consume fruit and vegetables at least daily if they have a higher level of education (fruit: M: OR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03–1.16); H: OR = 1.77 (95% CI: 1.63–1.92); vegetables: M: OR = 1.34 (95% CI: 1.26–1.42); H: OR = 2.35 (95% CI: 2.16–2.55)). However, we also found considerable cross-national variation in the associations between education and risky health behaviour. Our results yield a complex picture: the lowest educational groups are more likely to smoke and less likely to engage in physical activity and to eat fruit and vegetables, but the highest educational groups are at greater risk of frequent alcohol consumption. Additionally, inequalities in risky health behaviour do not appear to be systematically weakest in the South or strongest in the North and West of Europe. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

A Zero-Sum Electromagnetic Evader-Interrogator Differential Game with Uncertainty

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-21

of this paper. 2.2 Relaxed Differential Game The notion of relaxed control, or generalized curve, was introduced into the calculus of variations (in...V + 1 2 ‖σ2‖∞‖φ‖V‖ψ‖V +γ‖σ‖∞‖σ′‖∞‖φ‖V‖ψ‖V + γ2λ‖φ‖V‖ψ‖V. 10 Let = γ‖b‖∞ + 1 2 ‖σ2‖∞ + γ‖σ‖∞‖σ′‖∞ + γ2λ. Then by the above inequality we have |a(φ, ψ...H). 17 With Lemma 3.1 and inequality (3.8), we now can define the concept of motion in the game. Any uniform limit of a subsequence of the nth stage

A k-Vector Approach to Sampling, Interpolation, and Approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mortari, Daniele; Rogers, Jonathan

2013-12-01

The k-vector search technique is a method designed to perform extremely fast range searching of large databases at computational cost independent of the size of the database. k-vector search algorithms have historically found application in satellite star-tracker navigation systems which index very large star catalogues repeatedly in the process of attitude estimation. Recently, the k-vector search algorithm has been applied to numerous other problem areas including non-uniform random variate sampling, interpolation of 1-D or 2-D tables, nonlinear function inversion, and solution of systems of nonlinear equations. This paper presents algorithms in which the k-vector search technique is used to solve each of these problems in a computationally-efficient manner. In instances where these tasks must be performed repeatedly on a static (or nearly-static) data set, the proposed k-vector-based algorithms offer an extremely fast solution technique that outperforms standard methods.

Inequalities in dental caries of 5-year-old children in Scotland, 1993-2003.

PubMed

Levin, Kate A; Davies, Carolyn A; Topping, Gail V A; Assaf, Andrea V; Pitts, Nigel B

2009-06-01

Previous research suggests there are significant differences between socio-economic groups in prevalence and amount of decayed missing and filled primary teeth (d3mft). The aim of this study was to describe the variation in obvious tooth decay experience amongst 5-year olds in Scotland and to look at the association between d3mft and deprivation in Scotland. Data derived from 1993 to 2003 National Dental Inspection Programme were modelled using Bayesian multilevel zero-inflated Negative Binomial models, adjusting for age, sex and the deprivation. Deprivation is positively and significantly associated with having d3mft; the odds of a child in DepCat 7 (most deprived) having d3mft in 1993 were 7.49 (5.03-11.15) that of a child in DepCat 1 (most affluent). Inequalities in the prevalence of d3mft have reduced and in 2003 the odds of a child in DepCat 7 having d3mft were 4.60 (3.47-6.14) that of a child in DepCat 1. However, socio-economic inequalities in the amount of d3mft for those with d3mft have seen no reduction and have in fact increased between 1993 and 2003, with this increase approaching significance. While socio-economic inequalities in prevalence of children with d3mft have decreased in recent years, socio-economic inequalities in the amount of d3mft for those with d3mft persist. This suggests that improvements are only seen for those children with the potential for low d3mft. High d3mft persists among children from more deprived areas. The national target conceals this apparent inconsistency.

Pathways of equality through education: impact of gender (in)equality and maternal education on exclusive breastfeeding among natives and migrants in Belgium.

PubMed

Vanderlinden, Karen; Van de Putte, Bart

2017-04-01

Even though breastfeeding is typically considered the preferred feeding method for infants worldwide, in Belgium, breastfeeding rates remain low across native and migrant groups while the underlying determinants are unclear. Furthermore, research examining contextual effects, especially regarding gender (in)equality and ideology, has not been conducted. We hypothesized that greater gender equality scores in the country of origin will result in higher breastfeeding chances. Because gender equality does not operate only at the contextual level but can be mediated through individual level resources, we hypothesized the following for maternal education: higher maternal education will be an important positive predictor for exclusive breastfeeding chances in Belgium, but its effects will differ over subsequent origin countries. Based on IKAROS data (GeÏntegreerd Kind Activiteiten en Regio Ondersteunings Systeem), we perform multilevel analyses on 27 936 newborns. Feeding method is indicated by exclusive breastfeeding 3 months after childbirth. We measure gender (in)equality using Global Gender Gap scores from the mother's origin country. Maternal education is a metric variable based on International Standard Classification of Education indicators. Results show that 3.6% of the variation in breastfeeding can be explained by differences between the migrant mother's country of origin. However, the effect of gender (in)equality appears to be non-significant. After adding maternal education, the effect for origin countries scoring low on gender equality turns significant. Maternal education on its own shows strong positive association with exclusive breastfeeding and, furthermore, has different effects for different origin countries. Possible explanations are discussed in-depth setting direction for further research regarding the different pathways gender (in)equality and maternal education affect breastfeeding. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimated effects of projected climate change on the basic reproductive number of the Lyme disease vector Ixodes scapularis.

PubMed

Ogden, Nicholas H; Radojevic, Milka; Wu, Xiaotian; Duvvuri, Venkata R; Leighton, Patrick A; Wu, Jianhong

2014-06-01

The extent to which climate change may affect human health by increasing risk from vector-borne diseases has been under considerable debate. We quantified potential effects of future climate change on the basic reproduction number (R0) of the tick vector of Lyme disease, Ixodes scapularis, and explored their importance for Lyme disease risk, and for vector-borne diseases in general. We applied observed temperature data for North America and projected temperatures using regional climate models to drive an I. scapularis population model to hindcast recent, and project future, effects of climate warming on R0. Modeled R0 increases were compared with R0 ranges for pathogens and parasites associated with variations in key ecological and epidemiological factors (obtained by literature review) to assess their epidemiological importance. R0 for I. scapularis in North America increased during the years 1971-2010 in spatio-temporal patterns consistent with observations. Increased temperatures due to projected climate change increased R0 by factors (2-5 times in Canada and 1.5-2 times in the United States), comparable to observed ranges of R0 for pathogens and parasites due to variations in strains, geographic locations, epidemics, host and vector densities, and control efforts. Climate warming may have co-driven the emergence of Lyme disease in northeastern North America, and in the future may drive substantial disease spread into new geographic regions and increase tick-borne disease risk where climate is currently suitable. Our findings highlight the potential for climate change to have profound effects on vectors and vector-borne diseases, and the need to refocus efforts to understand these effects.

Environmental and biological factors influencing Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) vector competence for West Nile Virus.

PubMed

Richards, Stephanie L; Lord, Cynthia C; Pesko, Kendra N; Tabachnick, Walter J

2010-07-01

Interactions between environmental and biological factors affect the vector competence of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus for West Nile virus. Three age cohorts from two Cx. p. quinquefasciatus colonies were fed blood containing a low- or high-virus dose, and each group was held at two different extrinsic incubation temperatures (EIT) for 13 days. The colonies differed in the way that they responded to the effects of the environment on vector competence. The effects of mosquito age on aspects of vector competence were dependent on the EIT and dose, and they changed depending on the colony. Complex interactions must be considered in laboratory studies of vector competence, because the extent of the genetic and environmental variation controlling vector competence in nature is largely unknown. Differences in the environmental (EIT and dose) and biological (mosquito age and colony) effects from previous studies of Cx. p. quinquefasciatus vector competence for St. Louis encephalitis virus are discussed.

Can Horton hear the whos? The importance of scale in mosquito-borne disease.

PubMed

Lord, C C; Alto, B W; Anderson, S L; Connelly, C R; Day, J F; Richards, S L; Smartt, C T; Tabachnick, W J

2014-03-01

The epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens is determined by mechanisms and interactions at different scales of biological organization, from individual-level cellular processes to community interactions between species and with the environment. Most research, however, focuses on one scale or level with little integration between scales or levels within scales. Understanding the interactions between levels and how they influence our perception of vector-borne pathogens is critical. Here two examples of biological scales (pathogen transmission and mosquito mortality) are presented to illustrate some of the issues of scale and to explore how processes on different levels may interact to influence mosquito-borne pathogen transmission cycles. Individual variation in survival, vector competence, and other traits affect population abundance, transmission potential, and community structure. Community structure affects interactions between individuals such as competition and predation, and thus influences the individual-level dynamics and transmission potential. Modeling is a valuable tool to assess interactions between scales and how processes at different levels can affect transmission dynamics. We expand an existing model to illustrate the types of studies needed, showing that individual-level variation in viral dose acquired or needed for infection can influence the number of infectious vectors. It is critical that interactions within and among biological scales and levels of biological organization are understood for greater understanding of pathogen transmission with the ultimate goal of improving control of vector-borne pathogens.

Genetic and phenotypic variation of the malaria vector Anopheles atroparvus in southern Europe.

PubMed

Vicente, José L; Sousa, Carla A; Alten, Bulent; Caglar, Selim S; Falcutá, Elena; Latorre, José M; Toty, Celine; Barré, Hélène; Demirci, Berna; Di Luca, Marco; Toma, Luciano; Alves, Ricardo; Salgueiro, Patrícia; Silva, Teresa L; Bargues, Maria D; Mas-Coma, Santiago; Boccolini, Daniela; Romi, Roberto; Nicolescu, Gabriela; do Rosário, Virgílio E; Ozer, Nurdan; Fontenille, Didier; Pinto, João

2011-01-11

There is a growing concern that global climate change will affect the potential for pathogen transmission by insect species that are vectors of human diseases. One of these species is the former European malaria vector, Anopheles atroparvus. Levels of population differentiation of An. atroparvus from southern Europe were characterized as a first attempt to elucidate patterns of population structure of this former malaria vector. Results are discussed in light of a hypothetical situation of re-establishment of malaria transmission. Genetic and phenotypic variation was analysed in nine mosquito samples collected from five European countries, using eight microsatellite loci and geometric morphometrics on 21 wing landmarks. Levels of genetic diversity were comparable to those reported for tropical malaria vectors. Low levels of genetic (0.004

Trans-generational changes and rural-urban inequality in household fuel use and cookstove ventilation in China: A multi-region study of 0.5 million adults.

PubMed

Chan, Ka Hung; Lam, Kin Bong Hubert; Kurmi, Om P; Guo, Yu; Bennett, Derrick; Bian, Zheng; Sherliker, Paul; Chen, Junshi; Li, Liming; Chen, Zhengming

2017-11-01

Disease burden estimates related to household air pollution (HAP) relied on cross-sectional data on cooking fuel, overlooking other important sources (e.g. heating) and temporal-regional variations of exposure in geographically diverse settings. We aimed to examine the trends and variations of for cooking and heating fuel use and ventilation in 500,000 adults recruited from 10 diverse localities of China. At baseline (2004-08) and two subsequent resurveys (2008-14), participants of China Kadoorie Biobank, aged 30-79, reported their past and current fuel use for cooking and heating and the availability of cookstove ventilation. These were compared across regions, time periods, birth cohorts, and socio-demographic factors. During 1968-2014, the proportion of self-reported solid fuel use for cooking or heating decreased by two-thirds (from 84% to 27%), whereas those having complete kitchen ventilation tripled (from 19% to 66%). By 2014, despite a continuing downward trend, many in rural areas still used solid fuels for cooking (48%) and heating (72%), often without adequate ventilation (51%), in contrast to urban residents (all <5%). The large urban-rural inequalities in solid fuel use persisted across multiple generations and also varied by socioeconomic status, especially in rural areas. Despite marked progress in fuel modernization in the last 50 years, substantial rural-urban inequalities remain in the study population, especially those who were older or of lower socioeconomic status. Uptake of cleaner heating fuel and ventilation has been slow. More proactive and targeted strategies are needed to expedite universal access to clean energy for both cooking and heating. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Regional inequalities in self-rated health in Russia: What is the role of social and economic capital?

PubMed

Lyytikäinen, Laura; Kemppainen, Teemu

2016-07-01

Using the data from the European Social Survey (round 6, 2012), this article studies regional inequalities in self-rated health in Russia and examines the role that socio-demographic factors and economic and social capital play in these differences. Also, the regional variation in the determinants of self-rated health is analysed. The article argues that there are considerable and statistically significant unadjusted differences in self-rated health across Russian Federal Districts. We elaborated these differences by regression adjustments, with the result that some of the differences were explained by our predictors and some were amplified. The odds for good self-rated health were lower in the Volga than in Central Russia due to age and socio-economic composition. In contrast, the regression adjustments amplified the differences of the Northwest and the South in comparison to the Central District. The odds for good self-rated health were considerably lower in the Far Eastern part of the country than in the Central District, independently of the adjustments. While social and economic capital predicted good self-rated health at the individual level, they did not explain regional differences. Interaction analyses revealed regional variation in some of the determinants of self-rated health. Most notably, the effects of age, trade union membership and volunteering depended on the regional context. This article argues that the healthcare reforms that transfer funding responsibilities to regional administration may be dangerous for the already less affluent and less healthy rural regions. Thus, regional governance has a growing importance in preventing increases in health inequalities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Toward exploration of morphological diversity of measurable traits of mammalian skull. 2. Scalar and vector parameters of the forms of group variation].

PubMed

Lisovskiĭ, A A; Pavlinov, I Ia

2008-01-01

Any morphospace is partitioned by the forms of group variation, its structure is described by a set of scalar (range, overlap) and vector (direction) characteristics. They are analyzed quantitatively for the sex and age variations in the sample of 200 skulls of the pine marten described by 14 measurable traits. Standard dispersion and variance components analyses are employed, accompanied with several resampling methods (randomization and bootstrep); effects of changes in the analysis design on results of the above methods are also considered. Maximum likelihood algorithm of variance components analysis is shown to give an adequate estimates of portions of particular forms of group variation within the overall disparity. It is quite stable in respect to changes of the analysis design and therefore could be used in the explorations of the real data with variously unbalanced designs. A new algorithm of estimation of co-directionality of particular forms of group variation within the overall disparity is elaborated, which includes angle measures between eigenvectors of covariation matrices of effects of group variations calculated by dispersion analysis. A null hypothesis of random portion of a given group variation could be tested by means of randomization of the respective grouping variable. A null hypothesis of equality of both portions and directionalities of different forms of group variation could be tested by means of the bootstrep procedure.

Variation for epicuticular waxes and thrips resistance in onion

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) and thrips-vectored Iris Yellow Spot Virus (IYSV) routinely cause significant losses to the bulb and seed crops of onion. Both pests have become more problematic as global temperatures rise. Natural variation exists in onion for amounts and types of epicuticular waxes on...

Ordered rate constitutive theories for thermoviscoelastic solids with memory in Lagrangian description using Gibbs potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surana, K. S.; Reddy, J. N.; Nunez, Daniel

2015-11-01

This paper presents ordered rate constitutive theories of orders m and n, i.e., ( m, n) for finite deformation of homogeneous, isotropic, compressible and incompressible thermoviscoelastic solids with memory in Lagrangian description using entropy inequality in Gibbs potential Ψ as an alternate approach of deriving constitutive theories using entropy inequality in terms of Helmholtz free energy density Φ. Second Piola-Kirchhoff stress σ [0] and Green's strain tensor ɛ [0] are used as conjugate pair. We consider Ψ, heat vector q, entropy density η and rates of upto orders m and n of σ [0] and ɛ [0], i.e., σ [ i]; i = 0, 1, . . . , m and ɛ [ j]; j = 0, 1, . . . , n. We choose Ψ, ɛ [ n], q and η as dependent variables in the constitutive theories with ɛ [ j]; j = 0, 1, . . . , n - 1, σ [ i]; i = 0, 1, . . . , m, temperature gradient g and temperature θ as their argument tensors. Rationale for this choice is explained in the paper. Entropy inequality, decomposition of σ [0] into equilibrium and deviatoric stresses, the conditions resulting from entropy inequality and the theory of generators and invariants are used in the derivations of ordered rate constitutive theories of orders m and n in stress and strain tensors. Constitutive theories for the heat vector q (of up to orders m and n - 1) that are consistent (in terms of the argument tensors) with the constitutive theories for ɛ [ n] (of up to orders m and n) are also derived. Many simplified forms of the rate theories of orders ( m, n) are presented. Material coefficients are derived by considering Taylor series expansions of the coefficients in the linear combinations representing ɛ [ n] and q using the combined generators of the argument tensors about a known configuration {{\\underline{\\varOmega}}} in the combined invariants of the argument tensors and temperature. It is shown that the rate constitutive theories of order one ( m = 1, n = 1) when further simplified result in constitutive theories that resemble currently used theories but are in fact different. The solid continua characterized by these theories have mechanisms of elasticity, dissipation and memory, i.e., relaxation behavior or rheology. Fourier heat conduction law is shown to be an over simplified case of the rate theory of order one ( m = 1, n = 1) for q. The paper establishes when there is equivalence between the constitutive theories derived here using Ψ and those presented in reference Surana et al. (Acta Mech. doi:10.1007/s00707-014-1173-6, 2014) that are derived using Helmholtz free energy density Φ. The fundamental differences between the two constitutive theories in terms of physics and their explicit forms using Φ and Ψ are difficult to distinguish from the ordered theories of orders ( m, n) due to complexity of expressions. However, by choosing lower ordered theories, the difference between the two approaches can be clearly seen.

Influence of Multidimensionality on Convergence of Sampling in Protein Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metsugi, Shoichi

2005-06-01

We study the problem of convergence of sampling in protein simulation originating in the multidimensionality of protein’s conformational space. Since several important physical quantities are given by second moments of dynamical variables, we attempt to obtain the time of simulation necessary for their sufficient convergence. We perform a molecular dynamics simulation of a protein and the subsequent principal component (PC) analysis as a function of simulation time T. As T increases, PC vectors with smaller amplitude of variations are identified and their amplitudes are equilibrated before identifying and equilibrating vectors with larger amplitude of variations. This sequential identification and equilibration mechanism makes protein simulation a useful method although it has an intrinsic multidimensional nature.

A vector autopilot system. [aircraft attitude determination with three-axis magnetometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pietila, R.; Dunn, W. R., Jr.

1976-01-01

Current technology has evolved low cost, highly reliable solid state vector magnetometers with excellent angular resolution. This paper discusses the role of a three-axis magnetometer as a new instrument for aircraft attitude determination. Using flight data acquired by an instrumented aircraft, attitude is calculated using the earth's magnetic field vector and compared to measured attitudes. The magnetic field alone is not adequate to resolve all attitude variations and the need for a second reference angle or vector is discussed. A system combining the functions of heading determination and attitude measurement is presented to show that both functions can be implemented with essentially the same component count required to measure heading alone. It is concluded that with the correlation achieved in calculated and measured attitude there is a potential application of vector magnetometry in attitude measurement systems.

Positivity of the universal pairing in 3 dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calegari, Danny; Freedman, Michael H.; Walker, Kevin

2010-01-01

Associated to a closed, oriented surface S is the complex vector space with basis the set of all compact, oriented 3 -manifolds which it bounds. Gluing along S defines a Hermitian pairing on this space with values in the complex vector space with basis all closed, oriented 3 -manifolds. The main result in this paper is that this pairing is positive, i.e. that the result of pairing a nonzero vector with itself is nonzero. This has bearing on the question of what kinds of topological information can be extracted in principle from unitary (2+1) -dimensional TQFTs. The proof involves the construction of a suitable complexity function c on all closed 3 -manifolds, satisfying a gluing axiom which we call the topological Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, namely that c(AB) le max(c(AA),c(BB)) for all A,B which bound S , with equality if and only if A=B . The complexity function c involves input from many aspects of 3 -manifold topology, and in the process of establishing its key properties we obtain a number of results of independent interest. For example, we show that when two finite-volume hyperbolic 3 -manifolds are glued along an incompressible acylindrical surface, the resulting hyperbolic 3 -manifold has minimal volume only when the gluing can be done along a totally geodesic surface; this generalizes a similar theorem for closed hyperbolic 3 -manifolds due to Agol-Storm-Thurston.

Elastic K-means using posterior probability.

PubMed

Zheng, Aihua; Jiang, Bo; Li, Yan; Zhang, Xuehan; Ding, Chris

2017-01-01

The widely used K-means clustering is a hard clustering algorithm. Here we propose a Elastic K-means clustering model (EKM) using posterior probability with soft capability where each data point can belong to multiple clusters fractionally and show the benefit of proposed Elastic K-means. Furthermore, in many applications, besides vector attributes information, pairwise relations (graph information) are also available. Thus we integrate EKM with Normalized Cut graph clustering into a single clustering formulation. Finally, we provide several useful matrix inequalities which are useful for matrix formulations of learning models. Based on these results, we prove the correctness and the convergence of EKM algorithms. Experimental results on six benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed EKM and its integrated model.

Multipartite nonlocality distillation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsu, Li-Yi; Wu, Keng-Shuo

2010-11-15

The stronger nonlocality than that allowed in quantum theory can provide an advantage in information processing and computation. Since quantum entanglement is distillable, can nonlocality be distilled in the nonsignalling condition? The answer is positive in the bipartite case. In this article the distillability of the multipartite nonlocality is investigated. We propose a distillation protocol solely exploiting xor operations on output bits. The probability-distribution vectors and matrix are introduced to tackle the correlators. It is shown that only the correlators with extreme values can survive the distillation process. As the main result, the amplified nonlocality cannot maximally violate any Bell-typemore » inequality. Accordingly, a distillability criterion in the postquantum region is proposed.« less

Model predictive control of P-time event graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamri, H.; Kara, R.; Amari, S.

2016-12-01

This paper deals with model predictive control of discrete event systems modelled by P-time event graphs. First, the model is obtained by using the dater evolution model written in the standard algebra. Then, for the control law, we used the finite-horizon model predictive control. For the closed-loop control, we used the infinite-horizon model predictive control (IH-MPC). The latter is an approach that calculates static feedback gains which allows the stability of the closed-loop system while respecting the constraints on the control vector. The problem of IH-MPC is formulated as a linear convex programming subject to a linear matrix inequality problem. Finally, the proposed methodology is applied to a transportation system.

Numerical analysis for trajectory controllability of a coupled multi-order fractional delay differential system via the shifted Jacobi method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priya, B. Ganesh; Muthukumar, P.

2018-02-01

This paper deals with the trajectory controllability for a class of multi-order fractional linear systems subject to a constant delay in state vector. The solution for the coupled fractional delay differential equation is established by the Mittag-Leffler function. The necessary and sufficient condition for the trajectory controllability is formulated and proved by the generalized Gronwall's inequality. The approximate trajectory for the proposed system is obtained through the shifted Jacobi operational matrix method. The numerical simulation of the approximate solution shows the theoretical results. Finally, some remarks and comments on the existing results of constrained controllability for the fractional dynamical system are also presented.

Market uptake of orphan drugs--a European analysis.

PubMed

Picavet, E; Annemans, L; Cleemput, I; Cassiman, D; Simoens, S

2012-12-01

Variations in market uptake of an orphan drug have important implications with respect to access to care and inequality of treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify both the sales and volume uptake of orphan drugs in Europe and to assess whether a country's gross domestic product (GDP) and/or health technology assessment (HTA) influences the orphan drugs' market uptake. We analysed the numbers of orphan drugs launched and the sales and volume uptake for 17 orphan drugs in 23 European countries from 2001 until the beginning of 2010 using the IMS Health database. Countries were clustered based on GDP and the availability of a formal HTA-organization. The uptake of orphan drugs varied across European countries. The highest volumes and contributions of orphan drugs in the first year occurred in countries with a high GDP (and implicitly, a higher budget for healthcare), independently of the existence of an HTA-organization. In contrast, in countries with a low GDP, orphan drugs were less available when there was a formal HTA-organization. There, budgetary restrictions can cause the exclusion of less cost-effective orphan drugs. We observed substantial variation in the market uptake of orphan drugs. Such variation may have important implications with respect to access to care and inequality of treatment. The uptake of orphan drugs could be promoted through the clinical added value of orphan drugs (CAVOD) project and various conditional pricing and reimbursement mechanisms. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Peculiar liquid-feeding and pathogen transmission behavior of Aedes togoi and comparison with Anopheles sinensis.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Joon; Kang, Dooho; Lee, Seung Chul; Ha, Young-Ran

2016-02-03

Female mosquitoes transmit various diseases as vectors during liquid-feeding. Identifying the determinants of vector efficiency is a major scientific challenge in establishing strategies against these diseases. Infection rate and transmission efficiency are interconnected with the mosquito-induced liquid-feeding flow as main indexes of vector efficiency. However, the relationship between liquid-feeding characteristics and pathogen remains poorly understood. The liquid-feeding behavior of Aedes togoi and Anopheles sinensis was comparatively investigated in conjunction with vector efficiency via micro-particle image velocimetry. The flow rates and ratio of the ejection volume of Aedes togoi were markedly higher than those of Anophels sinensis. These differences would influence pathogen re-ingestion. Wall shear stresses of these mosquito species were also clearly discriminatory affecting the infective rates of vector-borne diseases. The variations in volume of two pump chambers and diameter of proboscis of these mosquito species were compared to determine the differences in the liquid-feeding process. Liquid-feeding characteristics influence vector efficiency; hence, this study can elucidate the vector efficiency of mosquitoes and the vector-pathogen interactions and contribute to the development of strategies against vector-borne diseases.

Peculiar liquid-feeding and pathogen transmission behavior of Aedes togoi and comparison with Anopheles sinensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang Joon; Kang, Dooho; Lee, Seung Chul; Ha, Young-Ran

2016-02-01

Female mosquitoes transmit various diseases as vectors during liquid-feeding. Identifying the determinants of vector efficiency is a major scientific challenge in establishing strategies against these diseases. Infection rate and transmission efficiency are interconnected with the mosquito-induced liquid-feeding flow as main indexes of vector efficiency. However, the relationship between liquid-feeding characteristics and pathogen remains poorly understood. The liquid-feeding behavior of Aedes togoi and Anopheles sinensis was comparatively investigated in conjunction with vector efficiency via micro-particle image velocimetry. The flow rates and ratio of the ejection volume of Aedes togoi were markedly higher than those of Anophels sinensis. These differences would influence pathogen re-ingestion. Wall shear stresses of these mosquito species were also clearly discriminatory affecting the infective rates of vector-borne diseases. The variations in volume of two pump chambers and diameter of proboscis of these mosquito species were compared to determine the differences in the liquid-feeding process. Liquid-feeding characteristics influence vector efficiency; hence, this study can elucidate the vector efficiency of mosquitoes and the vector-pathogen interactions and contribute to the development of strategies against vector-borne diseases.

Microgeographic Genetic Variation of the Malaria Vector Anopheles darlingi Root (Diptera: Culicidae) from Córdoba and Antioquia, Colombia

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, Lina A.; Gómez, Giovan F.; González, John J.; Castro, Martha I.; Luckhart, Shirley; Conn, Jan E.; Correa, Margarita M.

2010-01-01

Anopheles darlingi is an important vector of Plasmodium spp. in several malaria-endemic regions of Colombia. This study was conducted to test genetic variation of An. darlingi at a microgeographic scale (approximately 100 km) from localities in Córdoba and Antioquia states, in western Colombia, to better understand the potential contribution of population genetics to local malaria control programs. Microsatellite loci: nuclear white and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences were analyzed. The northern white gene lineage was exclusively distributed in Córdoba and Antioquia and shared COI haplotypes were highly represented in mosquitoes from both states. COI analyses showed these An. darlingi are genetically closer to Central American populations than southern South American populations. Overall microsatellites and COI analysis showed low to moderate genetic differentiation among populations in northwestern Colombia. Given the existence of high gene flow between An. darlingi populations of Córdoba and Antioquia, integrated vector control strategies could be developed in this region of Colombia. PMID:20595475

Does social policy moderate the impact of unemployment on health? A multilevel analysis of 23 welfare states.

PubMed

Vahid Shahidi, Faraz; Siddiqi, Arjumand; Muntaner, Carles

2016-12-01

The magnitude of observable health inequalities between the unemployed and their employed counterparts differs considerably across countries. Few attempts have been made to test theoretical explanations for this cross-national variation. Moreover, existing studies suffer from important theoretical and methodological limitations. This study addresses these limitations and investigates whether differences in the generosity of social protection policies and in public attitudes towards those policies explain why unemployment-related health inequalities are steeper in some societies than in others. Multilevel logistic modelling was used to link contextual-level variables on social protection policies and public attitudes in 23 European countries to individual-level data on self-rated health from the 2012 wave of the European Social Survey. The magnitude of inequalities in self-rated health between the unemployed and their employed counterparts varies significantly across countries as a function of cross-national differences in the level of social protection awarded to the unemployed and the level of public support for the welfare state. The results provide empirical support for the claim that governments can play a more active role in mitigating unemployment-related health inequalities by expanding the generosity and scope of social protection policies. Whether such an expansion of social protection will take place in the current climate of fiscal austerity is a political question whose implications merit the attention of population health scholars. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Trends in child immunization across geographical regions in India: focus on urban-rural and gender differentials.

PubMed

Singh, Prashant Kumar

2013-01-01

Although child immunization is regarded as a highly cost-effective lifesaver, about fifty percent of the eligible children aged 12-23 months in India are without essential immunization coverage. Despite several programmatic initiatives, urban-rural and gender difference in child immunization pose an intimidating challenge to India's public health agenda. This study assesses the urban-rural and gender difference in child immunization coverage during 1992-2006 across six major geographical regions in India. Three rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted during 1992-93, 1998-99 and 2005-06 were analyzed. Bivariate analyses, urban-rural and gender inequality ratios, and the multivariate-pooled logistic regression model were applied to examine the trends and patterns of inequalities over time. The analysis of change over one and half decades (1992-2006) shows considerable variations in child immunization coverage across six geographical regions in India. Despite a decline in urban-rural and gender differences over time, children residing in rural areas and girls remained disadvantaged. Moreover, northeast, west and south regions, which had the lowest gender inequality in 1992 observed an increase in gender difference over time. Similarly, urban-rural inequality increased in the west region during 1992-2006. This study suggests periodic evaluation of the health care system is vital to assess the between and within group difference beyond average improvement. It is essential to integrate strong immunization systems with broad health systems and coordinate with other primary health care delivery programs to augment immunization coverage.

Determinants of height and biological inequality in Mediterranean Spain, 1859-1967.

PubMed

Ayuda, María-Isabel; Puche-Gil, Javier

2014-12-01

This article analyses not only the determinants of the height of Spain's male populations between 1859 and 1960 but also the influence that social inequality had upon biological well-being. The height data of 82,039 conscripts constitute the principal source for this analysis. The study area comprises the current Valencian region, located in central Mediterranean Spain. During the period under study, the average height of conscripts increased by 7.5cm, while the coefficient of variation decreased by 0.6 between the 1870s and 1930 indicating that height inequality declined, although it increased by 0.2 among the cohorts born during the period of Francoist regime. Our results show that, in the long run, the height and biological well-being of the populations conscripted in Mediterranean Spain were determined by socioeconomic status and environmental contexts: that there was a close correlation among education, occupation, income, and stature. Literate conscripts were always taller than illiterate ones (by nearly 1cm), and agricultural workers, with fewer economic resources, were significantly shorter (by 3.6cm) than highly qualified non-manual workers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monkeys reject unequal pay.

PubMed

Brosnan, Sarah F; De Waal, Frans B M

2003-09-18

During the evolution of cooperation it may have become critical for individuals to compare their own efforts and pay-offs with those of others. Negative reactions may occur when expectations are violated. One theory proposes that aversion to inequity can explain human cooperation within the bounds of the rational choice model, and may in fact be more inclusive than previous explanations. Although there exists substantial cultural variation in its particulars, this 'sense of fairness' is probably a human universal that has been shown to prevail in a wide variety of circumstances. However, we are not the only cooperative animals, hence inequity aversion may not be uniquely human. Many highly cooperative nonhuman species seem guided by a set of expectations about the outcome of cooperation and the division of resources. Here we demonstrate that a nonhuman primate, the brown capuchin monkey (Cebus apella), responds negatively to unequal reward distribution in exchanges with a human experimenter. Monkeys refused to participate if they witnessed a conspecific obtain a more attractive reward for equal effort, an effect amplified if the partner received such a reward without any effort at all. These reactions support an early evolutionary origin of inequity aversion.

Student Solution Manual for Essential Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, K. F.; Hobson, M. P.

2011-02-01

1. Matrices and vector spaces; 2. Vector calculus; 3. Line, surface and volume integrals; 4. Fourier series; 5. Integral transforms; 6. Higher-order ODEs; 7. Series solutions of ODEs; 8. Eigenfunction methods; 9. Special functions; 10. Partial differential equations; 11. Solution methods for PDEs; 12. Calculus of variations; 13. Integral equations; 14. Complex variables; 15. Applications of complex variables; 16. Probability; 17. Statistics.

Essential Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riley, K. F.; Hobson, M. P.

2011-02-01

1. Matrices and vector spaces; 2. Vector calculus; 3. Line, surface and volume integrals; 4. Fourier series; 5. Integral transforms; 6. Higher-order ODEs; 7. Series solutions of ODEs; 8. Eigenfunction methods; 9. Special functions; 10. Partial differential equations; 11. Solution methods for PDEs; 12. Calculus of variations; 13. Integral equations; 14. Complex variables; 15. Applications of complex variables; 16. Probability; 17. Statistics; Appendices; Index.

Taxonomy and Biology of Phlebotomine Vectors of Human Disease.

DTIC Science & Technology

Five new Lutzomyia species were collected in Colombia in 1986; these previously unknown females of other sand flies were illustrated and described...and Peru, were discovered. Lutzomyia peruensis, a suspected vector of Leishmania in Peru, may represent two or more morphospecies. Results of studies...of oocyte topography of 5 Lutzomyia species and brain cell chromosomes of 12 species showed interspecific variation. Specimens of sand flies from

Dorsolateral Striatal Lesions Impair Navigation Based on Landmark-Goal Vectors but Facilitate Spatial Learning Based on a "Cognitive Map"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kosaki, Yutaka; Poulter, Steven L.; Austen, Joe M.; McGregor, Anthony

2015-01-01

In three experiments, the nature of the interaction between multiple memory systems in rats solving a variation of a spatial task in the water maze was investigated. Throughout training rats were able to find a submerged platform at a fixed distance and direction from an intramaze landmark by learning a landmark-goal vector. Extramaze cues were…

The health of Canada’s children. Part III: Public policy and the social determinants of children’s health

PubMed Central

Raphael, Dennis

2010-01-01

The health of Canada’s children does not compare well with other wealthy industrialized nations. Significant inequalities in health exist among Canadian children, and many of these inequalities are due to variations in Canadian children’s life circumstances – the social determinants of health. The present article describes the social determinants of children’s health and explains how the quality of these social determinants is shaped, in large part, by public policy decisions. The specific public policies that shape the quality of Canadian children’s health are examined, and Canadian approaches in comparison with other wealthy developed nations are described. Policy directions that would improve the quality of the social determinants of children’s health are presented and barriers to their implementation are considered. PMID:21358893

On flows of viscoelastic fluids under threshold-slip boundary conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baranovskii, E. S.

2018-03-01

We investigate a boundary-value problem for the steady isothermal flow of an incompressible viscoelastic fluid of Oldroyd type in a 3D bounded domain with impermeable walls. We use the Fujita threshold-slip boundary condition. This condition states that the fluid can slip along a solid surface when the shear stresses reach a certain critical value; otherwise the slipping velocity is zero. Assuming that the flow domain is not rotationally symmetric, we prove an existence theorem for the corresponding slip problem in the framework of weak solutions. The proof uses methods for solving variational inequalities with pseudo-monotone operators and convex functionals, the method of introduction of auxiliary viscosity, as well as a passage-to-limit procedure based on energy estimates of approximate solutions, Korn’s inequality, and compactness arguments. Also, some properties and estimates of weak solutions are established.

Mapping the determinants of health inequalities in social space: can Bourdieu help us?

PubMed

Gatrell, Anthony C; Popay, Jennie; Thomas, Carol

2004-09-01

Considerable research effort has been devoted to describing and explaining, at a variety of spatial scales, geographical inequalities in health outcomes within the developed world. Following Bourdieu, we argue that structures of the social world may be revealed in different kinds of 'social' space. We outline the relational thinking that underlies these ideas. We then 'map', using correspondence analysis (on which Bourdieu himself drew), the structure of social space according to the differential availability of some forms of capital, across four study areas in north-west England. We use logistic regression analysis to explain variation in psychological morbidity (GHQ-score) and then portray the significant predictors of morbidity using multiple correspondence analysis. The area of residence of the survey respondents is used to associate them with particular locations in these social spaces.

Social and Ethical Implications of Genomics, Race, Ethnicity and Health Inequities

PubMed Central

Knerr, Sarah

2010-01-01

Objectives To review ethical, ethnic/ancestral, and societal issues of genetic and genomic information and technologies in the context of racial and ethnic health disparities. Data sources Research and journal articles, government reports, web sites. Conclusion As knowledge of human genetic variation and its link to diseases continues to grow, some see race and ethnicity well poised to serve as genetic surrogates in predicting disease etiology and treatment response. However, stereotyping and bias, in clinical interactions can be barriers to effective treatment for racial and ethnic minority patients. Implications for nursing practice The nursing profession has a key role in assuring that genomic healthcare does not enhance racial and ethnic health inequities. This will require utilization of new genomic knowledge and caring for each patient as an individual in a culturally and clinically appropriate manner. PMID:19000599

Fold-and-thrust belt curvature in the Fars region, eastern Zagros, achieved by variable thrust slip vectors and fault block rotations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edey, Alex; Allen, Mark B.

2017-04-01

Many fold-and-thrust belts are curved in plan view, but the origins of this curvature are debated. Understanding which mechanism(s) is appropriate is important to constrain the behaviour of the lithosphere during compressional deformation. Here we analyse the active deformation of the Fars Arc region in the eastern part of the Zagros, Iran, including slip vectors of 92 earthquakes, published GPS and palaeomagnetism data, and the distributions of young and/or active folds. The fold-and-thrust belt in the Fars Arc shows pronounced curvature, convex southwards. Folds trends vary from NW-SE in the west to ENE-WSW in the east. The GPS-derived velocity field shows NNE to SSW convergence, towards the foreland on the Arabian Plate, without dispersion. Earthquake slip vectors are highly variable, spanning a range of azimuths from SW to SSE in an Arabian Plate reference frame. The full variation of azimuths occurs within small (10s of km) sub-regions, but this variation is superimposed on a radial pattern, whereby slip vectors tend to be parallel to the regional topographic gradient. Given the lack of variation in the GPS vectors, we conclude that the Fars Arc is not curved as a result of gravitational spreading over the adjacent foreland, but as a result of deformation being restricted at tectonic boundaries at the eastern and western margins of the Arc. Fault blocks and folds within the Fars Arc, each 20-40 km long, rotate about vertical axes to achieve the overall curvature, predominantly clockwise in the west and counter-clockwise in the east. Active folds of different orientations may intersect and produce dome-and-basin interference patterns, without the need for a series of separate deformation phases of different stress orientations. The Fars Arc clearly contrasts with the Himalayas, where both GPS and earthquake slip vectors display radial patterns towards the foreland, and gravitational spreading is a viable mechanism for producing fold-and-thrust belt curvature.

Many Districts Left Behind: An Individual Change Analysis of Inequity in the Kenyan Primary Educational Opportunities (2001-2007)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagaka's, Joshua Gisemba

2010-01-01

The study examined variations in district performance in KCPE national examination in Kenya between 2001 and 2007. The individual change model revealed that district poverty rate was not a significant predictor of either the initial district performance (2001) or the rate of change over the seven-year period. The regional context of North Eastern…

Earning a Living Wage: Metro Differences in Opportunity and Inequality for Adult Males with Low Education Levels. Working Papers on Regional Economic Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster-Bey, John; Rubin, Mark; Temkin, Kenneth

This paper measures the relationship between employment growth and employment opportunities for noncollege-educated males, examining variations across metropolitan areas in the living-wage employment ratio for prime-aged males with at most a high school education (less educated). Living-wage employment is full-time, year-round employment yielding…

Competitive Tradeoff Modeling: Methodology, Computation, and Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

variational inequalities produced the dissertation of Ozge [4], which presented and justified a new method for numerical solution of stochastic...Philosophy (Industrial Engineering) in 1996. • A. Yonca Ozge , Research Assistant. Ms. Ozge received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Industrial...Ph.D. Disserta- tion, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Wisconsin- Madison, 1996. [2] G. Gürkan, A. Y. Ozge , and S. M. Robinson

Primer Vector Optimization: Survey of Theory, new Analysis and Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzman

This paper presents a preliminary study in developing a set of optimization tools for orbit rendezvous, transfer and station keeping. This work is part of a large scale effort undergoing at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and a.i. solutions, Inc. to build generic methods, which will enable missions with tight fuel budgets. Since no single optimization technique can solve efficiently all existing problems, a library of tools where the user could pick the method most suited for the particular mission is envisioned. The first trajectory optimization technique explored is Lawden's primer vector theory [Ref. 1]. Primer vector theory can be considered as a byproduct of applying Calculus of Variations (COV) techniques to the problem of minimizing the fuel usage of impulsive trajectories. For an n-impulse trajectory, it involves the solution of n-1 two-point boundary value problems. In this paper, we look at some of the different formulations of the primer vector (dependent on the frame employed and on the force model). Also, the applicability of primer vector theory is examined in effort to understand when and why the theory can fail. Specifically, since COV is based on "small variations", singularities in the linearized (variational) equations of motion along the arcs must be taken into account. These singularities are a recurring problem in analyzes that employ "small variations" [Refs. 2, 3]. For example, singularities in the (2-body problem) variational equations along elliptic arcs occur when [Ref. 4], 1) the difference between the initial and final times is a multiple of the reference orbit period, 2) the difference between the initial and final true anomalies are given by k, for k= 0, 1, 2, 3,..., note that this cover the 3) the time of flight is a minimum for the given difference in true anomaly. For the N-body problem, the situation is more complex and is still under investigation. Several examples, such as the initialization of an orbit (ascent trajectory) and rotation of the line of apsides, are utilized as test cases. Recommendations, future work, and the possible addition of other optimization techniques are also discussed. References: [1] Lawden D.F., Optimal Trajectories for Space Navigation, Butterworths, London, 1963. [2] Wilson, R.S., Howell, K.C., and, Lo, M, "Optimization of Insertion Cost for Transfer Trajectories to Libration Point Orbits", AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, AAS 99-041, Girdwood, Alaska, August 16-19, 1999. [3] Goodson, T, "Monte-Carlo Maneuver Analysis for the Microwave Anisotropy Probe", AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, AAS 01-331, Quebec City, Canada, July 30 - August 2, 2001. [4] Stern, R.G., "Singularities in the Analytic Solution of the Linearized Variational Equations of Elliptical Motion", Report RE-8, May 1964, Experimental Astronomy Lab., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Comparing Models of Spontaneous Variations, Maneuvers and Indexes to Assess Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation.

PubMed

Chacón, Max; Noh, Sun-Ho; Landerretche, Jean; Jara, José L

2018-01-01

We analyzed the performance of linear and nonlinear models to assess dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) from spontaneous variations in healthy subjects and compared it with the use of two known maneuvers to abruptly change arterial blood pressure (BP): thigh cuffs and sit-to-stand. Cerebral blood flow velocity and BP were measured simultaneously at rest and while the maneuvers were performed in 20 healthy subjects. To analyze the spontaneous variations, we implemented two types of models using support vector machine (SVM): linear and nonlinear finite impulse response models. The classic autoregulation index (ARI) and the more recently proposed model-free ARI (mfARI) were used as measures of dCA. An ANOVA analysis was applied to compare the different methods and the coefficient of variation was calculated to evaluate their variability. There are differences between indexes, but not between models and maneuvers. The mfARI index with the sit-to-stand maneuver shows the least variability. Support vector machine modeling of spontaneous variation with the mfARI index could be used for the assessment of dCA as an alternative to maneuvers to introduce large BP fluctuations.

Land cover variation and West Nile virus prevalence: Patterns, processes, and implications for disease control

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ezenwa, V.O.; Milheim, L.E.; Coffey, M.F.; Godsey, M.S.; King, R.J.; Guptill, S.C.

2007-01-01

Identifying links between environmental variables and infectious disease risk is essential to understanding how human-induced environmental changes will effect the dynamics of human and wildlife diseases. Although land cover change has often been tied to spatial variation in disease occurrence, the underlying factors driving the correlations are often unknown, limiting the applicability of these results for disease prevention and control. In this study, we described associations between land cover composition and West Nile virus (WNV) infection prevalence, and investigated three potential processes accounting for observed patterns: (1) variation in vector density; (2) variation in amplification host abundance; and (3) variation in host community composition. Interestingly, we found that WNV infection rates among Culex mosquitoes declined with increasing wetland cover, but wetland area was not significantly associated with either vector density or amplification host abundance. By contrast, wetland area was strongly correlated with host community composition, and model comparisons suggested that this factor accounted, at least partially, for the observed effect of wetland area on WNV infection risk. Our results suggest that preserving large wetland areas, and by extension, intact wetland bird communities, may represent a valuable ecosystem-based approach for controlling WNV outbreaks. ?? Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

History of domestication and spread of Aedes aegypti--a review.

PubMed

Powell, Jeffrey R; Tabachnick, Walter J

2013-01-01

The adaptation of insect vectors of human diseases to breed in human habitats (domestication) is one of the most important phenomena in medical entomology. Considerable data are available on the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in this regard and here we integrate the available information including genetics, behaviour, morphology, ecology and biogeography of the mosquito, with human history. We emphasise the tremendous amount of variation possessed by Ae. aegypti for virtually all traits considered. Typological thinking needs to be abandoned to reach a realistic and comprehensive understanding of this important vector of yellow fever, dengue and Chikungunya.

History of domestication and spread of Aedes aegypti - A Review

PubMed Central

Powell, Jeffrey R; Tabachnick, Walter J

2013-01-01

The adaptation of insect vectors of human diseases to breed in human habitats (domestication) is one of the most important phenomena in medical entomology. Considerable data are available on the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in this regard and here we integrate the available information including genetics, behaviour, morphology, ecology and biogeography of the mosquito, with human history. We emphasise the tremendous amount of variation possessed by Ae. aegypti for virtually all traits considered. Typological thinking needs to be abandoned to reach a realistic and comprehensive understanding of this important vector of yellow fever, dengue and Chikungunya. PMID:24473798

Looking twice at the gender equity index for public health impact

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background It has been shown that gender equity has a positive impact on the everyday activities of people (decision making, income allocation, application and observance of norms/rules) which affect their health. Gender equity is also a crucial determinant of health inequalities at national level; thus, monitoring is important for surveillance of women’s and men’s health as well as for future health policy initiatives. The Gender Equity Index (GEI) was designed to show inequity solely towards women. Given that the value under scrutiny is equity, in this paper a modified version of the GEI is proposed, the MGEI, which highlights the inequities affecting both sexes. Methods Rather than calculating gender gaps by means of a quotient of proportions, gaps in the MGEI are expressed in absolute terms (differences in proportions). The Spearman’s rank coefficient, calculated from country rankings obtained according to both indexes, was used to evaluate the level of concordance between both classifications. To compare the degree of sensitivity and obtain the inequity by the two methods, the variation coefficient of the GEI and MGEI values was calculated. Results Country rankings according to GEI and MGEI values showed a high correlation (rank coef. = 0.95). The MGEI presented greater dispersion (43.8%) than the GEI (19.27%). Inequity towards men was identified in the education gap (rank coef. = 0.36) when using the MGEI. According to this method, many countries shared the same absolute value for education but with opposite signs, for example Azerbaijan (−0.022) and Belgium (0.022), reflecting inequity towards women and men, respectively. This also occurred in the empowerment gap with the technical and professional job component (Brunei:-0.120 vs. Australia, Canada Iceland and the U.S.A.: 0.120). Conclusion The MGEI identifies and highlights the different areas of inequities between gender groups. It thus overcomes the shortcomings of the GEI related to the aim for which this latter was created, namely measuring gender equity, and is therefore of great use to policy makers who wish to understand and monitor the results of specific equity policies and to determine the length of time for which these policies should be maintained in order to correct long-standing structural discrimination against women. PMID:23855520

Medicaid Long-Term Care: State Variation and the Intergovernmental Lobby.

PubMed

Thompson, Frank J; Cantor, Joel C; Farnham, Jennifer

2016-08-01

Medicaid is vastly more important than Medicare or private insurance in funding long-term care (LTC). However, states vary tremendously in their commitment to Medicaid LTC. This article advances knowledge of the origins, nature, and implications of this variation. After examining the degree of variation in state spending on Medicaid LTC, we show how federal policy has over the past fifty years steadily increased state discretion to shape these services. This decentralization largely reflects the potency of the intergovernmental lobby-governors and other state officials-in influencing federal policy. While fueling state variation, the intergovernmental lobby has also provided valuable political support that has helped Medicaid grow and resist retrenchment. After considering policy options that could mitigate Medicaid LTC inequities rooted in state differences, we assess how the catalytic forces that have fueled growth in Medicaid LTC may be insufficient to protect the program from future erosion. Copyright © 2016 by Duke University Press.

Challenging assumptions of notational transparency: the case of vectors in engineering mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig, Tracy S.

2017-11-01

The notation for vector analysis has a contentious nineteenth century history, with many different notations describing the same or similar concepts competing for use. While the twentieth century has seen a great deal of unification in vector analysis notation, variation still remains. In this paper, the two primary notations used for expressing the components of a vector are discussed in historical and current context. Popular mathematical texts use the two notations as if they are transparent and interchangeable. In this research project, engineering students' proficiency at vector analysis was assessed and the data were analyzed using the Rasch measurement method. Results indicate that the students found items expressed in unit vector notation more difficult than those expressed in parenthesis notation. The expert experience of notation as transparent and unproblematically symbolic of underlying processes independent of notation is shown to contrast with the student experience where the less familiar notation is experienced as harder to work with.

[Diurnal variations in the alpha-particles flux as a possible evidence for changes in the movement velocity vector of an experimental set-up relative to a relic system].

PubMed

Liapidevskiĭ, V K

2001-01-01

The variations in the fine structure of distributions of the results of alpha-radioactivity measurements are explained by changes in the velocity of Earth's movement relative to some selected frame of reference.

Quasivariational Solutions for First Order Quasilinear Equations with Gradient Constraint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, José Francisco; Santos, Lisa

2012-08-01

We prove the existence of solutions for a quasi-variational inequality of evolution with a first order quasilinear operator and a variable convex set which is characterized by a constraint on the absolute value of the gradient that depends on the solution itself. The only required assumption on the nonlinearity of this constraint is its continuity and positivity. The method relies on an appropriate parabolic regularization and suitable a priori estimates. We also obtain the existence of stationary solutions by studying the asymptotic behaviour in time. In the variational case, corresponding to a constraint independent of the solution, we also give uniqueness results.

Gene silencing in Escherichia coli using antisense RNAs expressed from doxycycline-inducible vectors.

PubMed

Nakashima, N; Tamura, T

2013-06-01

Here, we report on the construction of doxycycline (tetracycline analogue)-inducible vectors that express antisense RNAs in Escherichia coli. Using these vectors, the expression of genes of interest can be silenced conditionally. The expression of antisense RNAs from the vectors was more tightly regulated than the previously constructed isopropyl-β-D-galactopyranoside-inducible vectors. Furthermore, expression levels of antisense RNAs were enhanced by combining the doxycycline-inducible promoter with the T7 promoter-T7 RNA polymerase system; the T7 RNA polymerase gene, under control of the doxycycline-inducible promoter, was integrated into the lacZ locus of the genome without leaving any antibiotic marker. These vectors are useful for investigating gene functions or altering cell phenotypes for biotechnological and industrial applications. A gene silencing method using antisense RNAs in Escherichia coli is described, which facilitates the investigation of bacterial gene function. In particular, the method is suitable for comprehensive analyses or phenotypic analyses of genes essential for growth. Here, we describe expansion of vector variations for expressing antisense RNAs, allowing choice of a vector appropriate for the target genes or experimental purpose. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Reconstruction of Vectorial Acoustic Sources in Time-Domain Tomography

PubMed Central

Xia, Rongmin; Li, Xu; He, Bin

2009-01-01

A new theory is proposed for the reconstruction of curl-free vector field, whose divergence serves as acoustic source. The theory is applied to reconstruct vector acoustic sources from the scalar acoustic signals measured on a surface enclosing the source area. It is shown that, under certain conditions, the scalar acoustic measurements can be vectorized according to the known measurement geometry and subsequently be used to reconstruct the original vector field. Theoretically, this method extends the application domain of the existing acoustic reciprocity principle from a scalar field to a vector field, indicating that the stimulating vectorial source and the transmitted acoustic pressure vector (acoustic pressure vectorized according to certain measurement geometry) are interchangeable. Computer simulation studies were conducted to evaluate the proposed theory, and the numerical results suggest that reconstruction of a vector field using the proposed theory is not sensitive to variation in the detecting distance. The present theory may be applied to magnetoacoustic tomography with magnetic induction (MAT-MI) for reconstructing current distribution from acoustic measurements. A simulation on MAT-MI shows that, compared to existing methods, the present method can give an accurate estimation on the source current distribution and a better conductivity reconstruction. PMID:19211344

Wealth and cardiovascular health: a cross-sectional study of wealth-related inequalities in the awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in high-, middle- and low-income countries.

PubMed

Palafox, Benjamin; McKee, Martin; Balabanova, Dina; AlHabib, Khalid F; Avezum, Alvaro Jr; Bahonar, Ahmad; Ismail, Noorhassim; Chifamba, Jephat; Chow, Clara K; Corsi, Daniel J; Dagenais, Gilles R; Diaz, Rafael; Gupta, Rajeev; Iqbal, Romaina; Kaur, Manmeet; Khatib, Rasha; Kruger, Annamarie; Kruger, Iolanthe Marike; Lanas, Fernando; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio; Minfan, Fu; Mohan, Viswanathan; Mony, Prem K; Oguz, Aytekin; Palileo-Villanueva, Lia M; Perel, Pablo; Poirier, Paul; Rangarajan, Sumathy; Rensheng, Lei; Rosengren, Annika; Soman, Biju; Stuckler, David; Subramanian, S V; Teo, Koon; Tsolekile, Lungiswa P; Wielgosz, Andreas; Yaguang, Peng; Yeates, Karen; Yongzhen, Mo; Yusoff, Khalid; Yusuf, Rita; Yusufali, Afzalhussein; Zatońska, Katarzyna; Yusuf, Salim

2016-12-08

Effective policies to control hypertension require an understanding of its distribution in the population and the barriers people face along the pathway from detection through to treatment and control. One key factor is household wealth, which may enable or limit a household's ability to access health care services and adequately control such a chronic condition. This study aims to describe the scale and patterns of wealth-related inequalities in the awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in 21 countries using baseline data from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology study. A cross-section of 163,397 adults aged 35 to 70 years were recruited from 661 urban and rural communities in selected low-, middle- and high-income countries (complete data for this analysis from 151,619 participants). Using blood pressure measurements, self-reported health and household data, concentration indices adjusted for age, sex and urban-rural location, we estimate the magnitude of wealth-related inequalities in the levels of hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in each of the 21 country samples. Overall, the magnitude of wealth-related inequalities in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control was observed to be higher in poorer than in richer countries. In poorer countries, levels of hypertension awareness and treatment tended to be higher among wealthier households; while a similar pro-rich distribution was observed for hypertension control in countries at all levels of economic development. In some countries, hypertension awareness was greater among the poor (Sweden, Argentina, Poland), as was treatment (Sweden, Poland) and control (Sweden). Inequality in hypertension management outcomes decreased as countries became richer, but the considerable variation in patterns of wealth-related inequality - even among countries at similar levels of economic development - underscores the importance of health systems in improving hypertension management for all. These findings show that some, but not all, countries, including those with limited resources, have been able to achieve more equitable management of hypertension; and strategies must be tailored to national contexts to achieve optimal impact at population level.

Trends in mortality from 1965 to 2008 across the English north-south divide: comparative observational study

PubMed Central

Muller, Sara; Buchan, Iain E

2011-01-01

Objective To compare all cause mortality between the north and south of England over four decades. Design Population wide comparative observational study of mortality. Setting Five northernmost and four southernmost English government office regions. Population All residents in each year from 1965 to 2008. Main outcome measures Death rate ratios of north over south England by age band and sex, and northern excess mortality (percentage of excess deaths in north compared with south, adjusted for age and sex and examined for annual trends, using Poisson regression). Results During 1965 to 2008 the northern excess mortality remained substantial, at an average of 13.8% (95% confidence interval 13.7% to 13.9%). This geographical inequality was significantly larger for males than for females (14.9%, 14.7% to 15.0% v 12.7%, 12.6% to 12.9%, P<0.001). The inequality decreased significantly but temporarily for both sexes from the early 80s to the late 90s, followed by a steep significant increase from 2000 to 2008. Inequality varied with age, being higher for ages 0-9 years and 40-74 years and lower for ages 10-39 years and over 75 years. Time trends also varied with age. The strongest trend over time by age group was the increase among the 20-34 age group, from no significant northern excess mortality in 1965-95 to 22.2% (18.7% to 26.0%) in 1996-2008. Overall, the north experienced a fifth more premature (<75 years) deaths than the south, which was significant: a pattern that changed only by a slight increase between 1965 and 2008. Conclusion Inequalities in all cause mortality in the north-south divide were severe and persistent over the four decades from 1965 to 2008. Males were affected more than females, and the variation across age groups was substantial. The increase in this inequality from 2000 to 2008 was notable and occurred despite the public policy emphasis in England over this period on reducing inequalities in health. PMID:21325004

Socioeconomic inequalities of outpatient and inpatient service utilization in China: personal and regional perspectives.

PubMed

Zhu, Dawei; Guo, Na; Wang, Jian; Nicholas, Stephen; Chen, Li

2017-12-04

China's health system has shown remarkable progress in health provision and health outcomes in recent decades, however inequality in health care utilization persists and poses a serious social problem. While government pro-poor health policies addressed affordability as the major obstacle to equality in health care access, this policy direction deserves further examination. Our study examines the issue of health care inequalities in China, analyzing both regional and individual socioeconomic factors associated with the inequality, and provides evidence to improve governmental health policies. The China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) 1991-2011 data were used to analyze the inequality of health care utilization. The random effects logistic regression technique was used to model health care utilization as the dependent variable, and income and regional location as the independent variables, controlling for individuals' age, gender, marital status, education, health insurance, body mass index (BMI), and period variations. The dynamic trend of 1991-2011 regional disparities was estimated using an interaction term between the regional group dummy and the wave dummy. The probability of using outpatient service and inpatient services during the previous 4 weeks was 8.6 and 1.1% respectively. Compared to urban residents, suburban (OR: 0.802, 95% CI: 0.720-0.893), town (OR: 0.722, 95% CI: 0.648-0.804), rich (OR: 0.728, 95% CI: 0.656-0.807) and poor village (OR: 0.778, 95% CI: 0.698-0.868) residents were less likely to use outpatient service; and rich (OR: 0.609, 95% CI: 0.472-0.785) and poor village (OR: 0.752, 95% CI: 0. 576-0.983) residents were less likely to use inpatient health care. But the differences between income groups were not significant, except the differences between top and bottom income group in outpatient service use. Regional location was a more important factor than individual characteristics in determining access to health care. Besides demand-side subsidies, Chinese policy makers should pay enhanced attention to health care resource allocation to address inequity in health care access.

Reducing the Variations in Per Pupil Operating Expense Among New York State School Districts by Enlarging the Tax Base: A Regional Tax Base Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Div. of the Budget, Albany.

Uneven access to taxable real property wealth currently produces wide disparities in per pupil expenditures among New York state school districts. The state's operating aid formula does not compensate for the inequities in low wealth districts having an operating expense level of more than $1,500 per pupil. In the last decade several proposals…

Which In- and Out-of-School Factors Explain Variations in Learning across Different Socio Economic Groups? Findings from South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Michele C.

2011-01-01

Previous studies on the role of the school in influencing attainment in South African schools have concluded that the inequalities which are known to exist in these are still largely due to the legacy of the Apartheid system. More recently, policy focus has been on narrowing the gap between the attainment of different socio-economic groups by…

Research on Nonlinear Dynamical Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-10

Applied Math., to appear. [26] Variational inequalities and flow in porous media, LCDS’Lecture Notes, Brown University #LN 82-1, July 1982. [27] On...approximation schemes for parabolic and hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations, including higher order equations of elasticity based on the...51,58,59,63,64,69]. Finally, stability and bifurcation in parabolic partial differential equations is the focus of [64,65,67,72,73]. In addition to these broad

Modelling inter-supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhaobo; Teng, Chunxian; Zhang, Ding; Sun, Jiayi

2016-05-01

This paper proposes a comprehensive model for studying supply chain versus supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption. We assume that there are supply chains with heterogeneous supply network structures that compete at multiple demand markets. Each supply chain is comprised of internal and external firms. The internal firms are coordinated in production and distribution and share some common but limited resources within the supply chain, whereas the external firms are independent and do not share the internal resources. The supply chain managers strive to develop optimal strategies in terms of production level and resource allocation in maximising their profit while facing competition at the end market. The Cournot-Nash equilibrium of this inter-supply chain competition is formulated as a variational inequality problem. We further study the case when there is demand disruption in the plan-execution phase. In such a case, the managers need to revise their planned strategy in order to maximise their profit with the new demand under disruption and minimise the cost of change. We present a bi-criteria decision-making model for supply chain managers and develop the optimal conditions in equilibrium, which again can be formulated by another variational inequality problem. Numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.

The morphing of geographical features by Fourier transformation.

PubMed

Li, Jingzhong; Liu, Pengcheng; Yu, Wenhao; Cheng, Xiaoqiang

2018-01-01

This paper presents a morphing model of vector geographical data based on Fourier transformation. This model involves three main steps. They are conversion from vector data to Fourier series, generation of intermediate function by combination of the two Fourier series concerning a large scale and a small scale, and reverse conversion from combination function to vector data. By mirror processing, the model can also be used for morphing of linear features. Experimental results show that this method is sensitive to scale variations and it can be used for vector map features' continuous scale transformation. The efficiency of this model is linearly related to the point number of shape boundary and the interceptive value n of Fourier expansion. The effect of morphing by Fourier transformation is plausible and the efficiency of the algorithm is acceptable.

Diffeomorphism invariance and black hole entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chao-Guang; Guo, Han-Ying; Wu, Xiaoning

2003-11-01

The Noether-charge and the Hamiltonian realizations for the diff(M) algebra in diffeomorphism-invariant gravitational theories without a cosmological constant in any dimension are studied in a covariant formalism. We analyze how the Hamiltonian functionals form the diff(M) algebra under the Poisson brackets and show how the Noether charges with respect to the diffeomorphism generated by the vector fields and their variations in n-dimensional general relativity form this algebra. The asymptotic behaviors of vector fields generating diffeomorphism of the manifold with boundaries are discussed. It is shown that the “central extension” for a large class of vector fields is always zero on the Killing horizon. We also check whether choosing the vector fields near the horizon may pick up the Virasoro algebra. The conclusion is unfortunately negative in any dimension.

Temporal Variation in the Abundance and Timing of Daily Activity of Chagas Disease Vector Triatoma gerstaeckeri (Stål, 1859) in a Natural Habitat in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, South Texas.

PubMed

Flores, A; Vitek, C; Feria-Arroyo, T P; Fredensborg, B L

2017-10-01

Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi is a burden to millions of people in South and Central America. A sylvatic life cycle of the parasite exists in the Southern United States, but recent studies indicate an active peri-domestic life cycle of T. cruzi in Texas. The United States-Mexico border region in Texas displays areas of high poverty and sub-standard housing conditions which are important risk factors for a potential spill-over transmission to a domestic life cycle including humans. The objectives of the study were to examine short- and long-term temporal variation in vector activity and to evaluate the effect of different combinations of attractants on the capture of potential triatomine vectors. We collected local triatomine vectors (all of them identified as Triatoma gerstaeckeri) from a natural habitat in South Texas during the course of a year. The exact time of collection was recorded to examine the timing of flight activity of the triatomine vector. We also conducted a comparative study of the efficiency of 2 commonly used attractants (light and CO 2 ) and the combination of those on the capture rate of Tr. gerstaeckeri. Our study indicates a short season of dispersal of Tr. gerstaeckeri (April/May) and it suggests a unimodal distribution of activity peaking between 2 and 3 hr after sunset. Ultra-violet light served as the main attractant of Tr. gerstaeckeri while CO 2 from dry ice did not significantly contribute to the collection of vectors. The pronounced timing of activity in Tr. gerstaeckeri reported in this study contributes to our understanding of the epidemiology of T. cruzi in wildlife and its potential as a Chagas disease vector to humans in the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas.

State-constrained booster trajectory solutions via finite elements and shooting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bless, Robert R.; Hodges, Dewey H.; Seywald, Hans

1993-01-01

This paper presents an extension of a FEM formulation based on variational principles. A general formulation for handling internal boundary conditions and discontinuities in the state equations is presented, and the general formulation is modified for optimal control problems subject to state-variable inequality constraints. Solutions which only touch the state constraint and solutions which have a boundary arc of finite length are considered. Suitable shape and test functions are chosen for a FEM discretization. All element quadrature (equivalent to one-point Gaussian quadrature over each element) may be done in closed form. The final form of the algebraic equations is then derived. A simple state-constrained problem is solved. Then, for a practical application of the use of the FEM formulation, a launch vehicle subject to a dynamic pressure constraint (a first-order state inequality constraint) is solved. The results presented for the launch-vehicle trajectory have some interesting features, including a touch-point solution.

History-Dependent Problems with Applications to Contact Models for Elastic Beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bartosz, Krzysztof; Kalita, Piotr; Migórski, Stanisław

We prove an existence and uniqueness result for a class of subdifferential inclusions which involve a history-dependent operator. Then we specialize this result in the study of a class of history-dependent hemivariational inequalities. Problems of such kind arise in a large number of mathematical models which describe quasistatic processes of contact. To provide an example we consider an elastic beam in contact with a reactive obstacle. The contact is modeled with a new and nonstandard condition which involves both the subdifferential of a nonconvex and nonsmooth function and a Volterra-type integral term. We derive a variational formulation of the problemmore » which is in the form of a history-dependent hemivariational inequality for the displacement field. Then, we use our abstract result to prove its unique weak solvability. Finally, we consider a numerical approximation of the model, solve effectively the approximate problems and provide numerical simulations.« less

Race-ethnic inequality and psychological distress: depressive symptoms from adolescence to young adulthood.

PubMed

Brown, J Scott; Meadows, Sarah O; Elder, Glen H

2007-11-01

Social inequality is well established in the mental health of race-ethnic groups, but little is known about this disparity from adolescence to young adulthood. This study examined differences in trajectories of depressive symptoms across 4 race-ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians) using 3 waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Latent trajectory analyses showed race-ethnic variations among both females and males. Stressors were significantly related to depressive symptoms for all study members, but they accounted for symptom trajectories only among Black males and minority females. Persistent differences in trajectories for Blacks and Whites showed parallel slopes that did not converge over time. Neither background characteristics nor social resources (i.e., social support) altered this gap. However, social support represents a potential equalizer of these race-ethnic differences, owing to the ubiquitous nature of its protective effects. (c) 2007 APA.

The influence of the great inequality on the secular disturbing function of the planetary system.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Musen, P.

1971-01-01

This paper derives the contribution by the great inequality to the secular disturbing function of the principal planets. Andoyer's expansion of the planetary disturbing function and von Zeipel's method of eliminating the periodic terms is employed; thereby, the corrected secular disturbing function for the planetary system is derived. The conclusion is drawn that the canonicity of the equations for the secular variation of the heliocentric elements can be preserved if there be retained, in the secular disturbing function, terms only of the second and fourth order relative to the eccentricity and inclinations. The Krylov-Bogoliubov method is suggested for eliminating periodic terms, if it is desired to include the secular perturbations of the fifth and higher order in the heliocentric elements. The additional part of the secular disturbing function derived in this paper can be included in existing theories of the secular effects of principal planets.

State of inequality in malaria intervention coverage in sub-Saharan African countries.

PubMed

Galactionova, Katya; Smith, Thomas A; de Savigny, Don; Penny, Melissa A

2017-10-18

Scale-up of malaria interventions over the last decade have yielded a significant reduction in malaria transmission and disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa. We estimated economic gradients in the distribution of these efforts and of their impacts within and across endemic countries. Using Demographic and Health Surveys we computed equity metrics to characterize the distribution of malaria interventions in 30 endemic countries proxying economic position with an asset-wealth index. Gradients were summarized in a concentration index, tabulated against level of coverage, and compared among interventions, across countries, and against respective trends over the period 2005-2015. There remain broad differences in coverage of malaria interventions and their distribution by wealth within and across countries. In most, economic gradients are lacking or favor the poorest for vector control; malaria services delivered through the formal healthcare sector are much less equitable. Scale-up of interventions in many countries improved access across the wealth continuum; in some, these efforts consistently prioritized the poorest. Expansions in control programs generally narrowed coverage gaps between economic strata; gradients persist in countries where growth was slower in the poorest quintile or where baseline inequality was large. Despite progress, malaria is consistently concentrated in the poorest, with the degree of inequality in burden far surpassing that expected given gradients in the distribution of interventions. Economic gradients in the distribution of interventions persist over time, limiting progress toward equity in malaria control. We found that, in countries with large baseline inequality in the distribution of interventions, even a small bias in expansion favoring the least poor yielded large gradients in intervention coverage while pro-poor growth failed to close the gap between the poorest and least poor. We demonstrated that dimensions of disadvantage compound for the poor; a lack of economic gradients in the distribution of malaria services does not translate to equity in coverage nor can it be interpreted to imply equity in distribution of risk or disease burden. Our analysis testifies to the progress made by countries in narrowing economic gradients in malaria interventions and highlights the scope for continued monitoring of programs with respect to equity.

CP Symmetry, Lee-Yang zeros and Phase Transitions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aguado, M.; Asorey, M.

2011-05-23

We analyze the analytic properties of {theta}-vacuum in QCD and its connection with spontaneous symmetry breaking of CP symmetry. A loss of analyticity in the {theta}-vacuum energy density can only be due to the accumulation of Lee-Yang zeros at some real values of {theta}. In the case of first order transitions these singularities are always associated to and cusp singularities and never to or cusps, which in the case {theta} = 0 are incompatible with the Vafa-Witten diamagnetic inequality This fact provides a key missing link in the Vafa-Witten proof of parity symmetry conservation in vector-like gauge theories like QCD.more » The argument is very similar to that used in the derivation of Bank-Casher formula for chiral symmetry breaking. However, the and behavior does not exclude the existence of a first phase transition at {theta} = {pi}, where a and cusp singularity is not forbidden by any inequality; in this case the topological charge condensate is proportional to the density of Lee-Yang zeros at {theta} = {pi}. Moreover, Lee-Yang zeros could give rise to a second order phase transition at {theta} = 0, which might be very relevant for the interpretation of the anomalous behavior of the topological susceptibility in the CP{sup 1} sigma model.« less

Impacts, Effectiveness and Regional Inequalities of the GeoMIP G1 to G4 Solar Radiation Management Scenarios

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Xiaoyong; Moore, John; Cui, Xuefeng

We evaluate the regional effectiveness of solar radiation management (SRM) to compensate for simultaneous changes in temperature and precipitation induced by increased greenhouse gas concentrations. We analyze results from multiple earth system models under four Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project(GeoMIP) experiments with a modified form of the Residual Climate Response approach. Under the solar dimming geoengineering experiments G1(4xCO2) and G2(increasing CO2 by 1% per year), global average temperature is successfully restored to pre-industrial level over 50 years simulations. However, these two SRM experiments also produce a robust global precipitation decrease. The stratospheric aerosol GeoMIP geoengineering experiment, G4 has significantly greater regionalmore » inequality and lower effectiveness for compensating temperature change than G1 and G2. G4 also has significantly larger regional inequality for compensating precipitation change than G1and G2. However, there is no significant difference between precipitation change compensation effectiveness of G4 and G2, though there is much larger across model variability in G4 results. G3 has significant greater regional inequality for compensating temperature change than G1 and G2, and has significant lower effectiveness than G1. The effectiveness of four SRMs to compensate for temperature change is much higher than for precipitation. The large cross-model variation in adjustment percentage of compensated SAT and precipitation change by SRM to achieve optimal compensation effectiveness shed a light on the uncertainty accumulation effect in optimizing compensation effectiveness of SRM.« less

Digit ratio (2D:4D) and gender inequalities across nations.

PubMed

Manning, John T; Fink, Bernhard; Trivers, Robert

2014-08-22

Gender inequality varies across nations, where such inequality is defined as the disproportionate representation of one sex over the other in desirable social, economic, and biological roles (typically male over female). Thus in Norway, 40% of parliamentarians are women, in the USA 17%, and in Saudi Arabia 0%. Some of this variation is associated with economic prosperity but there is evidence that this cause and effect can go in either direction. Here we show that within a population the average ratio of index (2D) to ring (4D) finger lengths (2D:4D)-a proxy measure of the relative degree to which offspring is exposed in utero to testosterone versus estrogen-is correlated with measures of gender inequality between nations. We compared male and female 2D:4D ratios to female parliamentary representation, labor force participation, female education level, maternal mortality rates, and juvenile pregnancy rates per nation in a sample of 29 countries. We found those nations who showed higher than expected female fetal exposure to testosterone (low 2D:4D) and lower than expected male exposure to fetal testosterone (high 2D:4D) had higher rates of female parliamentary representation, and higher female labor force participation. In short, the more similar the two sexes were in 2D:4D, the more equal were the two sexes in parliamentary and labor force participation. The other variables were not as strongly correlated. We suggest that higher than expected fetal testosterone in females and lower fetal testosterone in males may lead to high female representation in the national labor force and in parliament.

Trends in Child Immunization across Geographical Regions in India: Focus on Urban-Rural and Gender Differentials

PubMed Central

Singh, Prashant Kumar

2013-01-01

Background Although child immunization is regarded as a highly cost-effective lifesaver, about fifty percent of the eligible children aged 12–23 months in India are without essential immunization coverage. Despite several programmatic initiatives, urban-rural and gender difference in child immunization pose an intimidating challenge to India’s public health agenda. This study assesses the urban-rural and gender difference in child immunization coverage during 1992–2006 across six major geographical regions in India. Data and Methods Three rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) conducted during 1992–93, 1998–99 and 2005–06 were analyzed. Bivariate analyses, urban-rural and gender inequality ratios, and the multivariate-pooled logistic regression model were applied to examine the trends and patterns of inequalities over time. Key Findings The analysis of change over one and half decades (1992–2006) shows considerable variations in child immunization coverage across six geographical regions in India. Despite a decline in urban-rural and gender differences over time, children residing in rural areas and girls remained disadvantaged. Moreover, northeast, west and south regions, which had the lowest gender inequality in 1992 observed an increase in gender difference over time. Similarly, urban-rural inequality increased in the west region during 1992–2006. Conclusion This study suggests periodic evaluation of the health care system is vital to assess the between and within group difference beyond average improvement. It is essential to integrate strong immunization systems with broad health systems and coordinate with other primary health care delivery programs to augment immunization coverage. PMID:24023816

Socio-economic influences on gender inequalities in child health in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Rousham, E K

1996-08-01

To investigate gender inequalities in child growth and nutritional status in relation to socio-economic status in Bangladesh. A 16-month longitudinal study of child growth measuring anthropometric and socio-economic status. A rural area of Jamalpur district, northern Bangladesh. 1366 children from 2 to 6 years of age. Child height and weight were measured monthly. Morbidity, food intake and health-seeking behaviours were assessed fortnightly. Multivariable analyses were performed on the growth and nutritional status of male and female children in relation to socio-economic factors including father's occupation, parental education, birth order and family size. There was no evidence of gender bias in farming and trading/employee households but landless female children had significantly poorer height-for-age (P < 0.001) and weight-for-age (P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. During a period of natural disaster, a statistically significant interaction was observed between father's occupation and sex (P < 0.05) such that the combination of being female and being landless was more detrimental to nutritional status than either variable alone. Over the following 16-months, catch-up-growth was apparent in landless female children who grew significantly more in height-for-age (P < 0.001) and weight-for-age (P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. Gender inequalities in health in Bangladesh varied significantly according to occupational status, such that the effect of sex was dependent upon occupation. These effects were statistically significant during the period of natural disaster but became insignificant as local conditions improved. This demonstrates both temporal and socio-economic variation in gender inequalities in health.

[Gender development inequalities epidemiology in Spain (1990-2000)].

PubMed

Carrasco-Portiño, Mercedes; Ruiz-Cantero, María Teresa; Gil-González, Diana; Díaz, Carlos Alvarez-Dardet; Torrubiano-Domínguez, Jordi

2008-01-01

Gender is an important health determinant for public health policies. This study describes the changes in gender development inequalities in Spain and its autonomous regions from 1990 to 2000. An ecological study using the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Gender Development Index (GDI) was done. IDG both men and women was analysed according to indexes of education, income and life expectancy at birth. Although the GDI has had an increase of 5,05% in the 90 s, 51,5% of the population was located above the global GDI of Spain in 1990, moreover this number decreased to 46,3% in 2000. Gender inequalities have been reduced both at national and regional levels. The regions with the lowest increase were Asturias (3.37%), Cantabria (3.68%) and Baleares Islands (3.71%). The regions with the highest increase were Madrid (6,46%) and Extremadura (6,75%). All the autonomous regions showed a number of GDI lower than the value of HDI. Both sexes achieved similar increase in life expectancy (Men: 5% and Women: 4%). An unequal variation was detected according to the autonomous region (Basque Country; Men: 7% and Women: 3%; Madrid; Men:8% and Women:5%). Women have improved their educational level in comparison to men (Men: 3% and Women: 6%). In the 90 s, men obtained more income than women, but women improved their situation three times more than men. Inequalities in Human Development analysed by gender have been reduced in the 90 s in Spain. However, the improvement of education, income and life expectancy occurred only in some autonomous regions. This situation shows the differences among Spanish autonomous regions.

Elastic K-means using posterior probability

PubMed Central

Zheng, Aihua; Jiang, Bo; Li, Yan; Zhang, Xuehan; Ding, Chris

2017-01-01

The widely used K-means clustering is a hard clustering algorithm. Here we propose a Elastic K-means clustering model (EKM) using posterior probability with soft capability where each data point can belong to multiple clusters fractionally and show the benefit of proposed Elastic K-means. Furthermore, in many applications, besides vector attributes information, pairwise relations (graph information) are also available. Thus we integrate EKM with Normalized Cut graph clustering into a single clustering formulation. Finally, we provide several useful matrix inequalities which are useful for matrix formulations of learning models. Based on these results, we prove the correctness and the convergence of EKM algorithms. Experimental results on six benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed EKM and its integrated model. PMID:29240756

Some basic results on the sets of sequences with geometric calculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Türkmen, Cengiz; Başar, Feyzi

2012-08-01

As an alternative to the classical calculus, Grossman and Katz [Non-Newtonian Calculus, Lee Press, Pigeon Cove, Massachusetts, 1972] introduced the non-Newtonian calculus consisting of the branches of geometric, anageometric and bigeometric calculus. Following Grossman and Katz, we construct the field C(G) of geometric complex numbers and the concept of geometric metric. Also we give the triangle and Minkowski's inequalities in the sense of geometric calculus. Later we respectively define the sets w(G), ℓ∞(G), c(G), c0(G) and ℓp(G) of all, bounded, convergent, null and p-absolutely summable sequences, in the sense of geometric calculus and show that each of the set forms a complete vector space on the field C(G).

Elegant anti-disturbance control for discrete-time stochastic systems with nonlinearity and multiple disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Xinjiang; Sun, Shixiang

2018-03-01

An elegant anti-disturbance control (EADC) strategy for a class of discrete-time stochastic systems with both nonlinearity and multiple disturbances, which include the disturbance with partially known information and a sequence of random vectors, is proposed in this paper. A stochastic disturbance observer is constructed to estimate the disturbance with partially known information, based on which, an EADC scheme is proposed by combining pole placement and linear matrix inequality methods. It is proved that the two different disturbances can be rejected and attenuated, and the corresponding desired performances can be guaranteed for discrete-time stochastic systems with known and unknown nonlinear dynamics, respectively. Simulation examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes compared with some existing results.

Black hole enthalpy and an entropy inequality for the thermodynamic volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvetič, M.; Gibbons, G. W.; Kubizňák, D.; Pope, C. N.

2011-07-01

In a theory where the cosmological constant Λ or the gauge coupling constant g arises as the vacuum expectation value, its variation should be included in the first law of thermodynamics for black holes. This becomes dE=TdS+ΩidJi+ΦαdQα+ΘdΛ, where E is now the enthalpy of the spacetime, and Θ, the thermodynamic conjugate of Λ, is proportional to an effective volume V=-(16πΘ)/(D-2) “inside the event horizon.” Here we calculate Θ and V for a wide variety of D-dimensional charged rotating asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) black hole spacetimes, using the first law or the Smarr relation. We compare our expressions with those obtained by implementing a suggestion of Kastor, Ray, and Traschen, involving Komar integrals and Killing potentials, which we construct from conformal Killing-Yano tensors. We conjecture that the volume V and the horizon area A satisfy the inequality R≡((D-1)V/AD-2)1/(D-1)(AD-2/A)1/(D-2)≥1, where AD-2 is the volume of the unit (D-2) sphere, and we show that this is obeyed for a wide variety of black holes, and saturated for Schwarzschild-AdS. Intriguingly, this inequality is the “inverse” of the isoperimetric inequality for a volume V in Euclidean (D-1) space bounded by a surface of area A, for which R≤1. Our conjectured reverse isoperimetric inequality can be interpreted as the statement that the entropy inside a horizon of a given ”volume” V is maximized for Schwarzschild-AdS. The thermodynamic definition of V requires a cosmological constant (or gauge coupling constant). However, except in seven dimensions, a smooth limit exists where Λ or g goes to zero, providing a definition of V even for asymptotically flat black holes.

Income-related inequality in health insurance coverage: analysis of China Health and Nutrition Survey of 2006 and 2009.

PubMed

Liu, Jinan; Shi, Lizheng; Meng, Qingyue; Khan, M Mahmud

2012-08-14

China introduced the urban resident basic medical insurance (URBMI) in 2007 to cover children and urban unemployed adults, in addition to the new cooperative medical scheme (NCMS) for rural residents in 2003 and the basic health insurance scheme (BHIS) for urban employees in 1998. This study examined whether the overall income-related inequality in health insurance coverage improved during 2006 and 2009 in China. The China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) data of 2006 and 2009 were used to create the concentration curve and the concentration index. GEE logistic regression was used to model the health insurance coverage as dependent variable and household income per capita as independent variable, controlling for individuals' age, gender, marital status, educational attainment, employment status, year 2009 (Y2009), household size, retirement status, and geographic variations. The change in the income-related inequality in 2009 was estimated using the interaction term of income*Y2009. In 2006, 49.7% (4,712/9,476) respondents had health insurance: 13.4% with BHIS and 28.4% with NCMS. In 2009, 90.8% (8,964/9,863) had health insurance: 10.1% with URBMI, 18.3% with BHIS, and 57.6% with NCMS. The BHIS, URBMI, and NCMS programs had different patterns of population coverage over 10 income deciles. The concentration index was 0.15 in 2006 and 0.04 in 2009. The dominance test showed that the concentration curves were significantly different between 2006 and 2009 (p < 0.05). An income increase per capita by 10,000 RMB was associated with 25.5% more likely to have health insurance coverage (odds ratio = 1.255, 95% confidence interval: [1.130-1.393]). In 2009, there was significant improvement in the income-related inequality (p < 0.001). Comparing 2009 to 2006, the income inequality in health insurance coverage was largely corrected in China through rapid expansion of CHNS in rural areas and initiation of URBMI in urban areas.

Impact of spatio-temporal scale of adjustment on variational assimilation of hydrologic and hydrometeorological data in operational distributed hydrologic models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, H.; Seo, D.; McKee, P.; Corby, R.

2009-12-01

One of the large challenges in data assimilation (DA) into distributed hydrologic models is to reduce the large degrees of freedom involved in the inverse problem to avoid overfitting. To assess the sensitivity of the performance of DA to the dimensionality of the inverse problem, we design and carry out real-world experiments in which the control vector in variational DA (VAR) is solved at different scales in space and time, e.g., lumped, semi-distributed, and fully-distributed in space, and hourly, 6 hourly, etc., in time. The size of the control vector is related to the degrees of freedom in the inverse problem. For the assessment, we use the prototype 4-dimenational variational data assimilator (4DVAR) that assimilates streamflow, precipitation and potential evaporation data into the NWS Hydrology Laboratory’s Research Distributed Hydrologic Model (HL-RDHM). In this talk, we present the initial results for a number of basins in Oklahoma and Texas.

Strain Variation along Cimandiri Fault, West Java Based on Continuous and Campaign GPS Observation From 2006-2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safitri, A. A.; Meilano, I.; Gunawan, E.; Abidin, H. Z.; Efendi, J.; Kriswati, E.

2018-03-01

The Cimandiri fault which is running in the direction from Pelabuhan Ratu to Padalarang is the longest fault in West Java with several previous shallow earthquakes in the last 20 years. By using continues and campaign GPS observation from 2006-2016, we obtain the deformation pattern along the fault through the variation of strain tensor. We use the velocity vector of GPS station which is fixed in stable International Terrestrial Reference Frame 2008 to calculate horizontal strain tensor. Least Square Collocation is applied to produce widely dense distributed velocity vector and optimum scale factor for the Least Square Weighting matrix. We find that the strain tensor tend to change from dominantly contraction in the west to dominantly extension to the east of fault. Both the maximum shear strain and dilatation show positive value along the fault and increasing from the west to the east. The findings of strain tensor variation along Cimandiri Fault indicate the post seismic effect of the 2006 Java Earthquake.

Effect of temperature variations and thermal noise on the static and dynamic behavior of straintronics devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barangi, Mahmood; Mazumder, Pinaki

2015-11-01

A theoretical model quantifying the effect of temperature variations on the magnetic properties and static and dynamic behavior of the straintronics magnetic tunneling junction is presented. Four common magnetostrictive materials (Nickel, Cobalt, Terfenol-D, and Galfenol) are analyzed to determine their temperature sensitivity and to provide a comprehensive database for different applications. The variations of magnetic anisotropies are studied in detail for temperature levels up to the Curie temperature. The energy barrier of the free layer and the critical voltage required for flipping the magnetization vector are inspected as important metrics that dominate the energy requirements and noise immunity when the device is incorporated into large systems. To study the dynamic thermal noise, the effect of the Langevin thermal field on the free layer's magnetization vector is incorporated into the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation. The switching energy, flipping delay, write, and hold error probabilities are studied, which are important metrics for nonvolatile memories, an important application of the straintronics magnetic tunneling junctions.

Elder abuse and socioeconomic inequalities: a multilevel study in 7 European countries.

PubMed

Fraga, Sílvia; Lindert, Jutta; Barros, Henrique; Torres-González, Francisco; Ioannidi-Kapolou, Elisabeth; Melchiorre, Maria Gabriella; Stankunas, Mindaugas; Soares, Joaquim F

2014-04-01

To compare the prevalence of elder abuse using a multilevel approach that takes into account the characteristics of participants as well as socioeconomic indicators at city and country level. In 2009, the project on abuse of elderly in Europe (ABUEL) was conducted in seven cities (Stuttgart, Germany; Ancona, Italy; Kaunas, Lithuania, Stockholm, Sweden; Porto, Portugal; Granada, Spain; Athens, Greece) comprising 4467 individuals aged 60-84 years. We used a 3-level hierarchical structure of data: 1) characteristics of participants; 2) mean of tertiary education of each city; and 3) country inequality indicator (Gini coefficient). Multilevel logistic regression was used and proportional changes in Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) were inspected to assert explained variance between models. The prevalence of elder abuse showed large variations across sites. Adding tertiary education to the regression model reduced the country level variance for psychological abuse (ICC=3.4%), with no significant decrease in the explained variance for the other types of abuse. When the Gini coefficient was considered, the highest drop in ICC was observed for financial abuse (from 9.5% to 4.3%). There is a societal and community level dimension that adds information to individual variability in explaining country differences in elder abuse, highlighting underlying socioeconomic inequalities leading to such behavior. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensory Disruption in Modern Living and the Emergence of Sensory Inequities

PubMed Central

Hoover, Kara C.

2018-01-01

Modern lifestyles are disrupting the human senses—primarily sight, sound, and smell. Noise-induced hearing loss has been noted for centuries and increasing over time following the industrial era. From the mid-20th century, the numbers of individuals with myopia (the leading visual impairment) have been increasing globally. Historical evidence for olfactory dysfunction is not known but its etiological links to pollution suggest it increased following industrialization. Clinical interventions for sight and sound loss include preventative and corrective measures but none exist for olfactory dysfunction. Further, olfactory loss is linked to multiple negative health outcomes across physical, mental, and social domains. Due to the global rates of exposure to pollution, olfaction is a global health concern. The environmental injustice inherent in human society (locally and globally) results in inequitable risk for sensory loss by the most vulnerable populations and creates an even deeper gradient in health disparity. Situated within the environmental justice and health disparity literature, this paper introduces the term sensory inequity to describe variation in sensory environments based on socio-economic status (which is often entwined with race and education). A key challenge to risk management is awareness of sensory inequity experienced by vulnerable populations and incorporating that awareness into basic research and policy. PMID:29599658

Analyzing the equity of public primary care provision in Kenya: variation in facility characteristics by local poverty level.

PubMed

Toda, Mitsuru; Opwora, Antony; Waweru, Evelyn; Noor, Abdisalan; Edwards, Tansy; Fegan, Greg; Molyneux, Catherine; Goodman, Catherine

2012-12-13

Equitable access to health care is a key health systems goal, and is a particular concern in low-income countries. In Kenya, public facilities are an important resource for the poor, but little is known on the equity of service provision. This paper assesses whether poorer areas have poorer health services by investigating associations between public facility characteristics and the poverty level of the area in which the facility is located. Data on facility characteristics were collected from a nationally representative sample of public health centers and dispensaries across all 8 provinces in Kenya. A two-stage cluster randomized sampling process was used to select facilities. Univariate associations between facility characteristics and socioeconomic status (SES) of the area in which the facility was located were assessed using chi-squared tests, equity ratios and concentration indices. Indirectly standardized concentration indices were used to assess the influence of SES on facility inputs and service availability while controlling for facility type, province, and remoteness. For most indicators, we found no indication of variation by SES. The clear exceptions were electricity and laboratory services which showed evidence of pro-rich inequalities, with equity ratios of 3.16 and 3.43, concentration indices of 0.09 (p<0.01) and 0.05 (p=0.01), and indirectly standardized concentration ratios of 0.07 (p<0.01) and 0.05 (p=0.01). There were also some indications of pro-rich inequalities for availability of drugs and qualified staff. The lack of evidence of inequality for other indicators does not imply that availability of inputs and services was invariably high; for example, while availability was close to 90% for water supply and family planning services, under half of facilities offered delivery services or outreach. The paper shows how local area poverty data can be combined with national health facility surveys, providing a tool for policy makers to assess the equity of input and service availability. There was little evidence of inequalities for most inputs and services, with the clear exceptions of electricity and laboratory services. However, efforts are required to improve the availability of key inputs and services across public facilities in all areas, regardless of SES.

Ecological determinants of avian malaria infections: An integrative analysis at landscape, mosquito and vertebrate community levels.

PubMed

Ferraguti, Martina; Martínez-de la Puente, Josué; Bensch, Staffan; Roiz, David; Ruiz, Santigo; Viana, Duarte S; Soriguer, Ramón C; Figuerola, Jordi

2018-05-01

Vector and host communities, as well as habitat characteristics, may have important but different impacts on the prevalence, richness and evenness of vector-borne parasites. We investigated the relative importance of (1) the mosquito community composition, (2) the vertebrate community composition and (3) landscape characteristics on the prevalence, richness and evenness of avian Plasmodium. We hypothesized that parasite prevalence will be more affected by vector-related parameters, while host parameters should be also important to explain Plasmodium richness and evenness. We sampled 2,588 wild house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and 340,829 mosquitoes, and we performed vertebrate censuses at 45 localities in the Southwest of Spain. These localities included urban, rural and natural landscapes that were characterized by several habitat variables. Twelve Plasmodium lineages were identified in house sparrows corresponding to three major clades. Variation partitioning showed that landscape characteristics explained the highest fraction of variation in all response variables (21.0%-44.8%). Plasmodium prevalence was in addition explained by vector-related variables (5.4%) and its interaction with landscape (10.2%). Parasite richness and evenness were mostly explained by vertebrate community-related variables. The structuring role of landscape characteristics in vector and host communities was a key factor in determining parasite prevalence, richness and evenness, although the role of each factor differed according to the parasite parameters studied. These results show that the biotic and abiotic contexts are important to explain the transmission dynamics of mosquito-borne pathogens in the wild. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2018 British Ecological Society.

Microgeographic and temporal genetic variation in populations of the bluetongue virus vector Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

PubMed

Tabachnick, W J

1992-05-01

Seven Colorado populations of the bluetongue virus vector Culicoides varipennis (Coquillett) were analyzed for genetic variation at 19-21 isozyme loci. Permanent populations, which overwinter as larvae, showed little temporal genetic change at 19 loci. PGD and MDH showed seasonal changes in gene frequencies, attributable to selection at two permanent populations. Two temporary populations showed low heterozygosity compared with permanent populations. Independent estimates of gene flow, calculated using FST and the private allele method, were Nm* = 2.15 and 6.95, respectively. Colorado C. variipennis permanent populations showed high levels of gene flow which prevented significant genetic differentiation due to genetic drift. Temporary populations showed significant gene frequency differences from nearby permanent populations due to the "founder effect" associated with chance colonization.

Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in small areas of 33 Spanish cities.

PubMed

Marí-Dell'Olmo, Marc; Gotsens, Mercè; Palència, Laia; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Martinez-Beneito, Miguel A; Ballesta, Mónica; Calvo, Montse; Cirera, Lluís; Daponte, Antonio; Domínguez-Berjón, Felicitas; Gandarillas, Ana; Goñi, Natividad Izco; Martos, Carmen; Moreno-Iribas, Conchi; Nolasco, Andreu; Salmerón, Diego; Taracido, Margarita; Borrell, Carme

2016-07-29

In Spain, several ecological studies have analyzed trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from all causes in urban areas over time. However, the results of these studies are quite heterogeneous finding, in general, that inequalities decreased, or remained stable. Therefore, the objectives of this study are: (1) to identify trends in geographical inequalities in all-cause mortality in the census tracts of 33 Spanish cities between the two periods 1996-1998 and 2005-2007; (2) to analyse trends in the relationship between these geographical inequalities and socioeconomic deprivation; and (3) to obtain an overall measure which summarises the relationship found in each one of the cities and to analyse its variation over time. Ecological study of trends with 2 cross-sectional cuts, corresponding to two periods of analysis: 1996-1998 and 2005-2007. Units of analysis were census tracts of the 33 Spanish cities. A deprivation index calculated for each census tracts in all cities was included as a covariate. A Bayesian hierarchical model was used to estimate smoothed Standardized Mortality Ratios (sSMR) by each census tract and period. The geographical distribution of these sSMR was represented using maps of septiles. In addition, two different Bayesian hierarchical models were used to measure the association between all-cause mortality and the deprivation index in each city and period, and by sex: (1) including the association as a fixed effect for each city; (2) including the association as random effects. In both models the data spatial structure can be controlled within each city. The association in each city was measured using relative risks (RR) and their 95 % credible intervals (95 % CI). For most cities and in both sexes, mortality rates decline over time. For women, the mortality and deprivation patterns are similar in the first period, while in the second they are different for most cities. For men, RRs remain stable over time in 29 cities, in 3 diminish and in 1 increase. For women, in 30 cities, a non-significant change over time in RR is observed. However, in 4 cities RR diminishes. In overall terms, inequalities decrease (with a probability of 0.9) in both men (RR = 1.13, 95 % CI = 1.12-1.15 in the 1st period; RR = 1.11, 95 % CI = 1.09-1.13 in the 2nd period) and women (RR = 1.07, 95 % CI = 1.05-1.08 in the 1st period; RR = 1.04, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.06 in the 2nd period). In the future, it is important to conduct further trend studies, allowing to monitoring trends in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality and to identify (among other things) temporal factors that may influence these inequalities.

The national employment guarantee scheme and inequities in household spending on food and non-food determinants of health in rural India.

PubMed

Dilip, T R; Dandona, Rakhi; Dandona, Lalit

2013-10-15

Inequities in a population in spending on food and non-food items can contribute to disparities in health status. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) was launched in rural India in 2006, aimed at providing at least 100 days of manual work to a member in needy households. We used nationally representative data from the consumer expenditure surveys of 2004-05 and 2009-10 and the employment survey of 2009-10 conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation to assess the effect of MGNREGS in reducing inequities in consumption of food and non-food items between poor and non-poor households in the states of India. Variations among the states in implementation of MGNREGS were examined using the employment and unemployment survey data, and compared with official programme data up to 2012-13. Inequity in spending on food and non-food items was assessed using the ratio of monthly per capita consumer expenditure (MPCE) between the most vulnerable (labourer) and least vulnerable categories of households. The survey data suggested 1.42 billion person-days of MGNRGES employment in the 2009-10 financial year, whereas the official programme data reported 2.84 billion person-days. According to the official data, the person-days of MGNRGES employment decreased by 43.3% from 2009-10 to 2012-13 for the 9 large less developed states of India. Survey data revealed that the average number of MGNREGS work days in a year per household varied from 42 days in Rajasthan to less than 10 days in 14 of the 20 major states in India in 2009-10. Rajasthan with the highest implementation of MGNRGES among the 9 less developed states of India had the highest relative decline of 10.4% in the food spending inequity from 2004-05 to 2009-10 between the most vulnerable and less vulnerable households. The changes in inequity for non-food spending did not have any particular pattern across the less developed states. In the most vulnerable category, the households in Rajasthan that got 100 or more days of work in a year under MGNREGS had a 25.9% increase in MPCE. MGNREGS seems to have contributed to the reduction in food consumption inequity in rural Rajasthan in 2009-10, and has the potential of making a similar contribution with higher level of implementation of this programme in other states. Non-food consumption inequities benefited less from MGNRGES until 2009-10. The reported decrease in the MGNRGES employment person-days in the less developed states of India from 2009-10 to 2012-13 is of concern.

Energy Decay and Boundary Control for Distributed Parameter Systems with Viscoelastic Damping

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-24

for the evolution variational 2 inequality for a rigid-visco-plastic (Bingham) fluid [4, 11-13J. Other work involved numerical and theoretical analysis...dimensional parabolic -elliptic interface problem, submitted to Quart. Appl. Math. 16. W. Desch and R. K. Miller, Exponential Stabilization of Volterra ...17 16. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTATION 17, COSATI CODES 18. SUBJECT TERMS (Continue an revemu of necessay and kdeftOi by block number) FIELD IGROUP ISUB-GROUP

Vector curvaton with varying kinetic function

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dimopoulos, Konstantinos; Karciauskas, Mindaugas; Wagstaff, Jacques M.

2010-01-15

A new model realization of the vector curvaton paradigm is presented and analyzed. The model consists of a single massive Abelian vector field, with a Maxwell-type kinetic term. By assuming that the kinetic function and the mass of the vector field are appropriately varying during inflation, it is shown that a scale-invariant spectrum of superhorizon perturbations can be generated. These perturbations can contribute to the curvature perturbation of the Universe. If the vector field remains light at the end of inflation it is found that it can generate substantial statistical anisotropy in the spectrum and bispectrum of the curvature perturbation.more » In this case the non-Gaussianity in the curvature perturbation is predominantly anisotropic, which will be a testable prediction in the near future. If, on the other hand, the vector field is heavy at the end of inflation then it is demonstrated that particle production is approximately isotropic and the vector field alone can give rise to the curvature perturbation, without directly involving any fundamental scalar field. The parameter space for both possibilities is shown to be substantial. Finally, toy models are presented which show that the desired variation of the mass and kinetic function of the vector field can be realistically obtained, without unnatural tunings, in the context of supergravity or superstrings.« less

Nearly extremal apparent horizons in simulations of merging black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lovelace, Geoffrey; Scheel, Mark; Owen, Robert; Giesler, Matthew; Katebi, Reza; Szilagyi, Bela; Chu, Tony; Demos, Nicholas; Hemberger, Daniel; Kidder, Lawrence; Pfeiffer, Harald; Afshari, Nousha; SXS Collaboration

2015-04-01

The spin S of a Kerr black hole is bounded by the surface area A of its apparent horizon: 8 πS <= A . We present recent results (arXiv:1411.7297) for the extremality of apparent horizons for merging, rapidly rotating black holes with equal masses and equal spins aligned with the orbital angular momentum. Measuring the area and (using approximate Killing vectors) the spin on the individual and common apparent horizons, we find that the inequality 8 πS < A is satisfied but is very close to equality on the common apparent horizon at the instant it first appears--even for initial spins as large as S /M2 = 0 . 994 . We compute the smallest value e0 that Booth and Fairhurst's extremality parameter can take for any scaling of the horizon's null normal vectors, concluding that the common horizons are at least moderately close to extremal just after they appear. We construct binary-black-hole initial data with marginally trapped surfaces with 8 πS > A and e0 > 1 , but these surfaces are always surrounded by apparent horizons with 8 πS < A and e0 < 1 .

An LPV Adaptive Observer for Updating a Map Applied to an MAF Sensor in a Diesel Engine.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiyuan; Wang, Changhui

2015-10-23

In this paper, a new method for mass air flow (MAF) sensor error compensation and an online updating error map (or lookup table) due to installation and aging in a diesel engine is developed. Since the MAF sensor error is dependent on the engine operating point, the error model is represented as a two-dimensional (2D) map with two inputs, fuel mass injection quantity and engine speed. Meanwhile, the 2D map representing the MAF sensor error is described as a piecewise bilinear interpolation model, which can be written as a dot product between the regression vector and parameter vector using a membership function. With the combination of the 2D map regression model and the diesel engine air path system, an LPV adaptive observer with low computational load is designed to estimate states and parameters jointly. The convergence of the proposed algorithm is proven under the conditions of persistent excitation and given inequalities. The observer is validated against the simulation data from engine software enDYNA provided by Tesis. The results demonstrate that the operating point-dependent error of the MAF sensor can be approximated acceptably by the 2D map from the proposed method.

Fractal planetary rings: Energy inequalities and random field model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malyarenko, Anatoliy; Ostoja-Starzewski, Martin

2017-12-01

This study is motivated by a recent observation, based on photographs from the Cassini mission, that Saturn’s rings have a fractal structure in radial direction. Accordingly, two questions are considered: (1) What Newtonian mechanics argument in support of such a fractal structure of planetary rings is possible? (2) What kinematics model of such fractal rings can be formulated? Both challenges are based on taking planetary rings’ spatial structure as being statistically stationary in time and statistically isotropic in space, but statistically nonstationary in space. An answer to the first challenge is given through an energy analysis of circular rings having a self-generated, noninteger-dimensional mass distribution [V. E. Tarasov, Int. J. Mod Phys. B 19, 4103 (2005)]. The second issue is approached by taking the random field of angular velocity vector of a rotating particle of the ring as a random section of a special vector bundle. Using the theory of group representations, we prove that such a field is completely determined by a sequence of continuous positive-definite matrix-valued functions defined on the Cartesian square F2 of the radial cross-section F of the rings, where F is a fat fractal.

A substructure coupling procedure applicable to general linear time-invariant dynamic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howsman, T. G.; Craig, R. R., Jr.

1984-01-01

A substructure synthesis procedure applicable to structural systems containing general nonconservative terms is presented. In their final form, the nonself-adjoint substructure equations of motion are cast in state vector form through the use of a variational principle. A reduced-order mode for each substructure is implemented by representing the substructure as a combination of a small number of Ritz vectors. For the method presented, the substructure Ritz vectors are identified as a truncated set of substructure eigenmodes, which are typically complex, along with a set of generalized real attachment modes. The formation of the generalized attachment modes does not require any knowledge of the substructure flexible modes; hence, only the eigenmodes used explicitly as Ritz vectors need to be extracted from the substructure eigenproblem. An example problem is presented to illustrate the method.

The morphing of geographical features by Fourier transformation

PubMed Central

Liu, Pengcheng; Yu, Wenhao; Cheng, Xiaoqiang

2018-01-01

This paper presents a morphing model of vector geographical data based on Fourier transformation. This model involves three main steps. They are conversion from vector data to Fourier series, generation of intermediate function by combination of the two Fourier series concerning a large scale and a small scale, and reverse conversion from combination function to vector data. By mirror processing, the model can also be used for morphing of linear features. Experimental results show that this method is sensitive to scale variations and it can be used for vector map features’ continuous scale transformation. The efficiency of this model is linearly related to the point number of shape boundary and the interceptive value n of Fourier expansion. The effect of morphing by Fourier transformation is plausible and the efficiency of the algorithm is acceptable. PMID:29351344

Introducing the Filtered Park's and Filtered Extended Park's Vector Approach to detect broken rotor bars in induction motors independently from the rotor slots number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyftakis, Konstantinos N.; Marques Cardoso, Antonio J.; Antonino-Daviu, Jose A.

2017-09-01

The Park's Vector Approach (PVA), together with its variations, has been one of the most widespread diagnostic methods for electrical machines and drives. Regarding the broken rotor bars fault diagnosis in induction motors, the common practice is to rely on the width increase of the Park's Vector (PV) ring and then apply some more sophisticated signal processing methods. It is shown in this paper that this method can be unreliable and is strongly dependent on the magnetic poles and rotor slot numbers. To overcome this constraint, the novel Filtered Park's/Extended Park's Vector Approach (FPVA/FEPVA) is introduced. The investigation is carried out with FEM simulations and experimental testing. The results prove to satisfyingly coincide, whereas the proposed advanced FPVA method is desirably reliable.

A variational reconstruction method for undersampled dynamic x-ray tomography based on physical motion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, Martin; Dirks, Hendrik; Frerking, Lena; Hauptmann, Andreas; Helin, Tapio; Siltanen, Samuli

2017-12-01

In this paper we study the reconstruction of moving object densities from undersampled dynamic x-ray tomography in two dimensions. A particular motivation of this study is to use realistic measurement protocols for practical applications, i.e. we do not assume to have a full Radon transform in each time step, but only projections in few angular directions. This restriction enforces a space-time reconstruction, which we perform by incorporating physical motion models and regularization of motion vectors in a variational framework. The methodology of optical flow, which is one of the most common methods to estimate motion between two images, is utilized to formulate a joint variational model for reconstruction and motion estimation. We provide a basic mathematical analysis of the forward model and the variational model for the image reconstruction. Moreover, we discuss the efficient numerical minimization based on alternating minimizations between images and motion vectors. A variety of results are presented for simulated and real measurement data with different sampling strategy. A key observation is that random sampling combined with our model allows reconstructions of similar amount of measurements and quality as a single static reconstruction.

A realistic host-vector transmission model for describing malaria prevalence pattern.

PubMed

Mandal, Sandip; Sinha, Somdatta; Sarkar, Ram Rup

2013-12-01

Malaria continues to be a major public health concern all over the world even after effective control policies have been employed, and considerable understanding of the disease biology have been attained, from both the experimental and modelling perspective. Interactions between different general and local processes, such as dependence on age and immunity of the human host, variations of temperature and rainfall in tropical and sub-tropical areas, and continued presence of asymptomatic infections, regulate the host-vector interactions, and are responsible for the continuing disease prevalence pattern.In this paper, a general mathematical model of malaria transmission is developed considering short and long-term age-dependent immunity of human host and its interaction with pathogen-infected mosquito vector. The model is studied analytically and numerically to understand the role of different parameters related to mosquitoes and humans. To validate the model with a disease prevalence pattern in a particular region, real epidemiological data from the north-eastern part of India was used, and the effect of seasonal variation in mosquito density was modelled based on local climactic data. The model developed based on general features of host-vector interactions, and modified simply incorporating local environmental factors with minimal changes, can successfully explain the disease transmission process in the region. This provides a general approach toward modelling malaria that can be adapted to control future outbreaks of malaria.

No recent adaptive selection on the apyrase of Mediterranean Phlebotomus: implications for using salivary peptides to vaccinate against canine leishmaniasis.

PubMed

Mahamdallie, Shazia S; Ready, Paul D

2012-04-01

Vaccine development is informed by a knowledge of genetic variation among antigen alleles, especially the distribution of positive and balancing selection in populations and species. A combined approach using population genetic and phylogenetic methods to detect selective signatures can therefore be informative for identifying vaccine candidates. Parasitic Leishmania species cause the disease leishmaniasis in humans and mammalian reservoir hosts after inoculation by female phlebotomine sandflies. Like other arthropod vectors of disease agents, sandflies use salivary peptides to counteract host haemostatic and immunomodulatory responses during bloodfeeding, and these peptides are vaccine candidates because they can protect against Leishmania infection. We detected no contemporary adaptive selection on one salivary peptide, apyrase, in 20 populations of Phlebotomus ariasi, a European vector of Leishmania infantum. Maximum likelihood branch models on a gene phylogeny showed apyrase to be a single copy in P. ariasi but an ancient duplication event associated with temporary positive selection was observed in its sister group, which contains most Mediterranean vectors of L. infantum. The absence of contemporary adaptive selection on the apyrase of P. ariasi may result from this sandfly's opportunistic feeding behaviour. Our study illustrates how the molecular population genetics of arthropods can help investigate the potential of salivary peptides for disease control and for understanding geographical variation in vector competence.

A Sequential Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter for Attitude Estimation Using Vector Observations.

PubMed

Qin, Fangjun; Chang, Lubin; Jiang, Sai; Zha, Feng

2018-05-03

In this paper, a sequential multiplicative extended Kalman filter (SMEKF) is proposed for attitude estimation using vector observations. In the proposed SMEKF, each of the vector observations is processed sequentially to update the attitude, which can make the measurement model linearization more accurate for the next vector observation. This is the main difference to Murrell’s variation of the MEKF, which does not update the attitude estimate during the sequential procedure. Meanwhile, the covariance is updated after all the vector observations have been processed, which is used to account for the special characteristics of the reset operation necessary for the attitude update. This is the main difference to the traditional sequential EKF, which updates the state covariance at each step of the sequential procedure. The numerical simulation study demonstrates that the proposed SMEKF has more consistent and accurate performance in a wide range of initial estimate errors compared to the MEKF and its traditional sequential forms.

Earth Observation and Indicators Pertaining to Determinants of Health- An Approach to Support Local Scale Characterization of Environmental Determinants of Vector-Borne Diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotchi, Serge Olivier; Brazeau, Stephanie; Ludwig, Antoinette; Aube, Guy; Berthiaume, Pilippe

2016-08-01

Environmental determinants (EVDs) were identified as key determinant of health (DoH) for the emergence and re-emergence of several vector-borne diseases. Maintaining ongoing acquisition of data related to EVDs at local scale and for large regions constitutes a significant challenge. Earth observation (EO) satellites offer a framework to overcome this challenge. However, EO image analysis methods commonly used to estimate EVDs are time and resource consuming. Moreover, variations of microclimatic conditions combined with high landscape heterogeneity limit the effectiveness of climatic variables derived from EO. In this study, we present what are DoH and EVDs, the impacts of EVDs on vector-borne diseases in the context of global environmental change, the need to characterize EVDs of vector-borne diseases at local scale and its challenges, and finally we propose an approach based on EO images to estimate at local scale indicators pertaining to EVDs of vector-borne diseases.

The Cost of Dengue Vector Control Activities in Malaysia by Different Service Providers.

PubMed

Packierisamy, P Raviwharmman; Ng, Chiu-Wan; Dahlui, Maznah; Venugopalan, B; Halasa, Yara A; Shepard, Donald S

2015-11-01

We examined variations in dengue vector control costs and resource consumption between the District Health Departments (DHDs) and Local Authorities (LAs) to assist informed decision making as to the future roles of these agencies in the delivery of dengue vector control services in Malaysia. Data were collected from the vector control units of DHDs and LAs in 8 selected districts. We captured costs and resource consumption in 2010 for premise inspection for mosquito breeding sites, fogging to destroy adult mosquitoes and larviciding of potential breeding sites. Overall, DHDs spent US$5.62 million or US$679 per case and LAs spent US$2.61 million or US$499 per case. The highest expenditure for both agencies was for fogging, 51.0% and 45.8% of costs for DHDs and LAs, respectively. The DHDs had higher resource costs for human personnel, vehicles, pesticides, and equipment. The findings provide some evidence to rationalize delivery of dengue vector control services in Malaysia. © 2015 APJPH.

A Sequential Multiplicative Extended Kalman Filter for Attitude Estimation Using Vector Observations

PubMed Central

Qin, Fangjun; Jiang, Sai; Zha, Feng

2018-01-01

In this paper, a sequential multiplicative extended Kalman filter (SMEKF) is proposed for attitude estimation using vector observations. In the proposed SMEKF, each of the vector observations is processed sequentially to update the attitude, which can make the measurement model linearization more accurate for the next vector observation. This is the main difference to Murrell’s variation of the MEKF, which does not update the attitude estimate during the sequential procedure. Meanwhile, the covariance is updated after all the vector observations have been processed, which is used to account for the special characteristics of the reset operation necessary for the attitude update. This is the main difference to the traditional sequential EKF, which updates the state covariance at each step of the sequential procedure. The numerical simulation study demonstrates that the proposed SMEKF has more consistent and accurate performance in a wide range of initial estimate errors compared to the MEKF and its traditional sequential forms. PMID:29751538

Identification of temporal variations in mental workload using locally-linear-embedding-based EEG feature reduction and support-vector-machine-based clustering and classification techniques.

PubMed

Yin, Zhong; Zhang, Jianhua

2014-07-01

Identifying the abnormal changes of mental workload (MWL) over time is quite crucial for preventing the accidents due to cognitive overload and inattention of human operators in safety-critical human-machine systems. It is known that various neuroimaging technologies can be used to identify the MWL variations. In order to classify MWL into a few discrete levels using representative MWL indicators and small-sized training samples, a novel EEG-based approach by combining locally linear embedding (LLE), support vector clustering (SVC) and support vector data description (SVDD) techniques is proposed and evaluated by using the experimentally measured data. The MWL indicators from different cortical regions are first elicited by using the LLE technique. Then, the SVC approach is used to find the clusters of these MWL indicators and thereby to detect MWL variations. It is shown that the clusters can be interpreted as the binary class MWL. Furthermore, a trained binary SVDD classifier is shown to be capable of detecting slight variations of those indicators. By combining the two schemes, a SVC-SVDD framework is proposed, where the clear-cut (smaller) cluster is detected by SVC first and then a subsequent SVDD model is utilized to divide the overlapped (larger) cluster into two classes. Finally, three-class MWL levels (low, normal and high) can be identified automatically. The experimental data analysis results are compared with those of several existing methods. It has been demonstrated that the proposed framework can lead to acceptable computational accuracy and has the advantages of both unsupervised and supervised training strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geographic variation in marine invasions among large estuaries: effects of ships and time.

PubMed

Ruiz, Gregory M; Fofonoff, Paul W; Ashton, Gail; Minton, Mark S; Miller, A Whitman

2013-03-01

Coastal regions exhibit strong geographic patterns of nonnative species richness. Most invasions in marine ecosystems are known from bays and estuaries, where ship-mediated transfers (on hulls or in ballasted materials) have been a dominant vector of species introductions. Conspicuous spatial differences in nonnative species richness exist among bays, but the quantitative relationship between invasion magnitude and shipping activity across sites is largely unexplored. Using data on marine invasions (for invertebrates and algae) and commercial shipping across 16 large bays in the United States, we estimated (1) geographic variation in nonnative species richness attributed to ships, controlling for effects of salinity and other vectors, (2) changes through time in geographic variation of these ship-mediated invasions, and (3) effects of commercial ship traffic and ballast water discharge magnitude on nonnative species richness. For all nonnative species together (regardless of vector, salinity, or time period), species richness differed among U.S. coasts, being significantly greater for Pacific Coast bays than Atlantic or Gulf Coast bays. This difference also existed when considering only species attributed to shipping (or ballast water), controlling for time and salinity. Variation in nonnative species richness among Pacific Coast bays was strongly affected by these same criteria. San Francisco Bay, California, had over 200 documented nonnative species, more than twice that reported for other bays, but many species were associated with other (non-shipping) vectors or the extensive low-salinity habitats (unavailable in some bays). When considering only ship- or ballast-mediated introductions in high-salinity waters, the rate of newly detected invasions in San Francisco Bay has converged increasingly through time on that for other Pacific Coast bays, appearing no different since 1982. Considering all 16 bays together, there was no relationship between either (1) number of ship arrivals (from foreign ports) and number of introductions attributed to ships since 1982 or (2) volume of foreign ballast water discharge and number of species attributed to ballast water since 1982. These shipping measures are likely poor proxies for propagule supply, although they are sometimes used as such, highlighting a fundamental gap in data needed to evaluate invasion dynamics and management strategies.

The Khintchine inequalities and martingale expanding sphere of their action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peshkir, G.; Shiryaev, A. N.

1995-10-01

Contents Introduction §1. The strong law of large numbers of Borel and its refinements §2. The Khintchine inequalities §3. Martingale extensions of the Khintchine inequalities. 1. Preliminary consideration §4. Martingale extensions of the Khintchine inequalities. 2. The Burkholder inequalities for p > 1 §5. The maximal Khintchine inequalities §6. The martingale extension of maximal Khintchine inequalities. (The inequalities of Davis for p = 1 and of Burkholder and Davis for p >= 1) §7. Comparison inequalities for martingale transforms §8. On the best constants in the Khintchine inequalities §9. The Khintchine inequalities in (exponential) Orlicz spaces §10. On the best constants in the Burkholder inequalities (p > 1) §11. Some refinements of the Khintchine inequalities (the Whittle inequalities, the Rosenthal inequalities, and their modifications and extensions to the martingale case) Bibliography

Comparison study of vector control of induction motor with and without saturation and iron loss fed by three level inverter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bougherara, Salim; Golea, Amar; Benchouia, M. Toufik

2018-05-01

This paper is addressed to a comparative study of the vector control of a three phase induction motor based on two mathematical models. The first one is the conventional model based on the assumptions that the saturation and the iron losses are neglected; the second model fully accounts for both the fundamental iron loss and main flux saturation with and without compensation. A rotor resistance identifier is developed, so the compensation of its variation is achieved. The induction motor should be fed through a three levels inverter. The simulation results show the performances of the vector control based on the both models.

Regularization by Functions of Bounded Variation and Applications to Image Enhancement

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casas, E.; Kunisch, K.; Pola, C.

1999-09-15

Optimization problems regularized by bounded variation seminorms are analyzed. The optimality system is obtained and finite-dimensional approximations of bounded variation function spaces as well as of the optimization problems are studied. It is demonstrated that the choice of the vector norm in the definition of the bounded variation seminorm is of special importance for approximating subspaces consisting of piecewise constant functions. Algorithms based on a primal-dual framework that exploit the structure of these nondifferentiable optimization problems are proposed. Numerical examples are given for denoising of blocky images with very high noise.

Transportation network policy modeling for congestion and pollution control: A variational inequality approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanujam, Padma

1999-08-01

Public concern over the state of the environment has grown over the past decade. All indications are that this concern will continue to influence policy making into the foreseeable future. Road transport is seen as the major contributor to environmental degradation. Transportation planners around the world face the question: cleaner air and/or faster commutes? While individual vehicles can be made more environmentally friendly, the sheer scale of growth in world-wide vehicle numbers is projected to cause significant environmental degradation in the longer run, and in the absence of newer and stricter polices. It is a challenge for governments to find policies that ensure congestion-free metropolitan areas while guaranteeing both critical environmental quality levels and a sufficient infrastructure access to all groups involved. The objective of the dissertation is to provide a mathematical framework to study transportation policy models for the purpose of controlling congestion and pollution. Towards this objective. a series of transportation policy models are developed to study travel behavior and to quantity the reductions in congestion and automobile emissions. The dissertation begins with a brief historical overview of some of the pioneering works in urban transportation economics and later presents the theoretical foundation for the transportation policy models developed. The dissertation introduces single modal and multimodal transportation network policy models that accomplish road pricing with the imposition of goal targets on link loads. as well as, integrated traffic equilibrium models with marketable mobile emission permits. Furthermore, equilibrium conditions are derived for each model, and both qualitative analysis and computational procedures are studied. Finally, the dissertation concludes with a comparative study of the relationship between regulatory pricing models and marketable emission permit transportation models and a discussion on key factors that influence implementation of the proposed policy models. The framework of variational inequalities has been utilized in our dissertation, because it is ideal for equilibrium systems. With the addition of pricing policy interventions and the integration of marketable mobile emission permits, traffic equilibrium models become extremely complex. Consequently, the computation of the equilibrium is made more difficult. However, it is shown in the dissertation that in addition to pricing interventions and the integration of a marketable emission permit system that it is possible to incorporate multiple modes of transport and even to handle the issue of noncompliance, using the framework of variational inequalities.

[The economic-financial crisis and health in Spain. Evidence and viewpoints. SESPAS report 2014].

PubMed

Cortès-Franch, Imma; González López-Valcárcel, Beatriz

2014-06-01

The objectives of the SESPAS 2014 Report are as follows: a) to analyze the impact of the economic crisis on health and health-related behaviors, on health inequalities, and on the determinants of health in Spain; b) to describe the changes in the Spanish health system following measures to address the crisis and assess its potential impact on health; c) to review the evidence on the health impact of economic crises in other countries, as well as policy responses; and d) to suggest policy interventions alternative to those carried out to date with a population health perspective and scientific evidence in order to help mitigate the impact of the economic downturn on health and health inequalities. The report is organized in five sections: 1) the economic, financial and health crisis: causes, consequences, and contexts; 2) the impact on structural determinants of health and health inequalities; 3) the impact on health and health-related behaviors, and indicators for monitoring; 4) the impact on health systems; and 5) the impact on specific populations: children, seniors, and immigrants. There is some evidence on the relationship between the crisis and the health of the Spanish population, health inequalities, some changes in lifestyle, and variations in access to health services. The crisis has impacted many structural determinants of health, particularly among the most vulnerable population groups. Generally, policy responses on how to manage the crisis have not taken the evidence into account. The crisis may contribute to making public policy vulnerable to corporate action, thus jeopardizing the implementation of healthy policies. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Correlates of socio-economic inequalities in women's television viewing: a study of intrapersonal, social and environmental mediators.

PubMed

Teychenne, Megan; Ball, Kylie; Salmon, Jo

2012-01-20

Socio-economically disadvantaged women are at a greater risk of spending excess time engaged in television viewing, a behavior linked to several adverse health outcomes. However, the factors which explain socio-economic differences in television viewing are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of intrapersonal, social and environmental factors to mediating socio-economic (educational) inequalities in women's television viewing. Cross-sectional data were provided by 1,554 women (aged 18-65) who participated in the 'Socio-economic Status and Activity in Women study' of 2004. Based on an ecological framework, women self-reported their socio-economic position (highest education level), television viewing, as well as a number of potential intrapersonal (enjoyment of television viewing, preference for leisure-time sedentary behavior, depression, stress, weight status), social (social participation, interpersonal trust, social cohesion, social support for physical activity from friends and from family) and physical activity environmental factors (safety, aesthetics, distance to places of interest, and distance to physical activity facilities). Multiple mediating analyses showed that two intrapersonal factors (enjoyment of television viewing and weight status) and two social factors (social cohesion and social support from friends for physical activity) partly explained the educational inequalities in women's television viewing. No physical activity environmental factors mediated educational variations in television viewing. Acknowledging the cross-sectional nature of this study, these findings suggest that health promotion interventions aimed at reducing educational inequalities in television viewing should focus on intrapersonal and social strategies, particularly providing enjoyable alternatives to television viewing, weight-loss/management information, increasing social cohesion in the neighborhood and promoting friend support for activity.

Does Social Context Matter? Income Inequality, Racialized Identity, and Health Among Canada's Aboriginal Peoples Using a Multilevel Approach.

PubMed

Spence, Nicholas D

2016-03-01

Debates surrounding the importance of social context versus individual level processes have a long history in public health. Aboriginal peoples in Canada are very diverse, and the reserve communities in which they reside are complex mixes of various cultural and socioeconomic circumstances. The social forces of these communities are believed to affect health, in addition to individual level determinants, but no large scale work has ever probed their relative effects. One aspect of social context, relative deprivation, as indicated by income inequality, has greatly influenced the social determinants of health landscape. An investigation of relative deprivation in Canada's Aboriginal population has never been conducted. This paper proposes a new model of Aboriginal health, using a multidisciplinary theoretical approach that is multilevel. This study explored the self-rated health of respondents using two levels of determinants, contextual and individual. Data were from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey. There were 18,890 Registered First Nations (subgroup of Aboriginal peoples) on reserve nested within 134 communities. The model was assessed using a hierarchical generalized linear model. There was no significant variation at the contextual level. Subsequently, a sequential logistic regression analysis was run. With the sole exception culture, demographics, lifestyle factors, formal health services, and social support were significant in explaining self-rated health. The non-significant effect of social context, and by extension relative deprivation, as indicated by income inequality, is noteworthy, and the primary role of individual level processes, including the material conditions, social support, and lifestyle behaviors, on health outcomes is illustrated. It is proposed that social structure is best conceptualized as a dynamic determinant of health inequality and more multilevel theoretical models of Aboriginal health should be developed and tested.

Development of an Urban Health Impact Assessment methodology: indicating the health equity impacts of urban policies.

PubMed

Pennington, Andy; Dreaves, Hilary; Scott-Samuel, Alex; Haigh, Fiona; Harrison, Annie; Verma, Arpana; Pope, Daniel

2017-05-01

An overarching recommendation of the global Commission on Social Determinants of Health was to measure and understand health inequalities and assess the impact of action. In a rapidly urbanising world, now is the time for Urban HIA. This article describes the development of robust and easy-to-use HIA tools to identify and address health inequalities from new urban policies. Rapid reviews and consultation with experts identified existing HIA screening tools and methodologies which were then analyzed against predefined selection criteria. A draft Urban HIA Screening Tool (UrHIST) and Urban HIA methodology (UrHIA) were synthesised. The draft tools were tested and refined using a modified Delphi approach that included input from urban and public health experts, practitioners and policy makers. The outputs were two easy-to-use stand-alone urban HIA tools. The reviews and consultations identified an underpinning conceptual framework. The screening tool is used to determine whether a full HIA is required, or for a brief assessment. Urban health indicators are a readily available and efficient means of identifying variations in the health of populations potentially affected by policies. Indicators are, however, currently underutilised in HIA practice. This may limit the identification of health inequalities by HIA and production of recommendations. The new tools utilise health indicator data more fully. UrHIA also incorporates a hierarchy of evidence for use during impact analysis. The new urban HIA tools have the potential to enhance the rigour of HIAs and improve the identification and amelioration of health inequalities generated by urban policies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Coherent energy exchange between components of a vector soliton in fiber lasers.

PubMed

Zhang, H; Tang, D Y; Zhao, L M; Xiang, N

2008-08-18

We report on the experimental evidence of four wave mixing (FWM) between the two polarization components of a vector soliton formed in a passively mode-locked fiber laser. Extra spectral sidebands with out-of-phase intensity variation between the polarization resolved soliton spectra was firstly observed, which was identified to be caused by the energy exchange between the two soliton polarization components. Other features of the FWM spectral sidebands and the soliton internal FWM were also experimentally investigated and numerically confirmed.

Ratios of Vector and Pseudoscalar B Meson Decay Constants in the Light-Cone Quark Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhiman, Nisha; Dahiya, Harleen

2018-05-01

We study the decay constants of pseudoscalar and vector B meson in the framework of light-cone quark model. We apply the variational method to the relativistic Hamiltonian with the Gaussian-type trial wave function to obtain the values of β (scale parameter). Then with the help of known values of constituent quark masses, we obtain the numerical results for the decay constants f_P and f_V, respectively. We compare our numerical results with the existing experimental data.

Few-body quark dynamics for doubly heavy baryons and tetraquarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richard, Jean-Marc; Valcarce, Alfredo; Vijande, Javier

2018-03-01

We discuss the adequate treatment of the three- and four-body dynamics for the quark model picture of double-charm baryons and tetraquarks. We stress that the variational and Born-Oppenheimer approximations give energies very close to the exact ones, while the diquark approximation might be somewhat misleading. The Hall-Post inequalities also provide very useful lower bounds that exclude the possibility of stable tetraquarks for some mass ratios and some color wave functions.

Geographic remoteness, area-level socioeconomic disadvantage and inequalities in colorectal cancer survival in Queensland: a multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To explore the impact of geographical remoteness and area-level socioeconomic disadvantage on colorectal cancer (CRC) survival. Methods Multilevel logistic regression and Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations were used to analyze geographical variations in five-year all-cause and CRC-specific survival across 478 regions in Queensland Australia for 22,727 CRC cases aged 20–84 years diagnosed from 1997–2007. Results Area-level disadvantage and geographic remoteness were independently associated with CRC survival. After full multivariate adjustment (both levels), patients from remote (odds Ratio [OR]: 1.24, 95%CrI: 1.07-1.42) and more disadvantaged quintiles (OR = 1.12, 1.15, 1.20, 1.23 for Quintiles 4, 3, 2 and 1 respectively) had lower CRC-specific survival than major cities and least disadvantaged areas. Similar associations were found for all-cause survival. Area disadvantage accounted for a substantial amount of the all-cause variation between areas. Conclusions We have demonstrated that the area-level inequalities in survival of colorectal cancer patients cannot be explained by the measured individual-level characteristics of the patients or their cancer and remain after adjusting for cancer stage. Further research is urgently needed to clarify the factors that underlie the survival differences, including the importance of geographical differences in clinical management of CRC. PMID:24152961

Different indicators of socioeconomic status and their relative importance as determinants of health in old age.

PubMed

Darin-Mattsson, Alexander; Fors, Stefan; Kåreholt, Ingemar

2017-09-26

Socioeconomic status has been operationalised in a variety of ways, most commonly as education, social class, or income. In this study, we also use occupational complexity and a SES-index as alternative measures of socioeconomic status. Studies show that in analyses of health inequalities in the general population, the choice of indicators influence the magnitude of the observed inequalities. Less is known about the influence of indicator choice in studies of older adults. The aim of this study is twofold: i) to analyse the impact of the choice of socioeconomic status indicator on the observed health inequalities among older adults, ii) to explore whether different indicators of socioeconomic status are independently associated with health in old age. We combined data from two nationally representative Swedish surveys, providing more than 20 years of follow-up. Average marginal effects were estimated to compare the association between the five indicators of SES, and three late-life health outcomes: mobility limitations, limitations in activities of daily living (ADL), and psychological distress. All socioeconomic status indicators were associated with late-life health; there were only minor differences in the effect sizes. Income was most strongly associated to all indicators of late-life health, the associations remained statistically significant when adjusting for the other indicators. In the fully adjusted models, education contributed to the model fits with 0-3% (depending on the outcome), social class with 0-1%, occupational complexity with 1-8%, and income with 3-18%. Our results indicate overlapping properties between socioeconomic status indicators in relation to late-life health. However, income is associated to late-life health independently of all other variables. Moreover, income did not perform substantially worse than the composite SES-index in capturing health variation. Thus, if the primary objective of including an indicator of socioeconomic status is to adjust the model for socioeconomic differences in late-life health rather than to analyse these inequalities per se, income may be the preferable indicator. If, on the other hand, the primary objective of a study is to analyse specific aspects of health inequalities, or the mechanisms that drive health inequalities, then the choice of indicator should be theoretically guided.