scholarly journals The International Database on Longevity: Data Resource Profile

2020 ◽  
pp. 13-25
Author(s):  
Dmitri A. Jdanov ◽  
Vladimir M. Shkolnikov ◽  
Sigrid Gellers-Barkmann
Keyword(s):  
Human Longevity ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
International Database ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Data Resource ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Statistical Systems ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Very High

AbstractEven in countries with very good statistical systems, routine population statistics that cover individuals of very high ages are often problematic, as the proportion of erroneous cases increases sharply with age. The desire to measure human mortality at extreme ages was the main motivation for the establishment of the International Database on Longevity (IDL). The IDL is a uniquely valuable source of information on extreme human longevity. It provides high-quality age-validated individual-level data on the ages of semi-supercentenarians and supercentenarians. Moreover, the IDL is the only database that provides such data without age-ascertainment bias. It obtains its candidates from records of government agencies to ensure that there is no dependency between the probability of being included and age. Candidates who meet strict criteria for the validity of their age (date of their birth) are then included in the IDL. Nevertheless, the IDL does not include exhaustive sets of validated supercentenarians and semi-supercentenarians for any country, because it is nearly impossible to find documents that would allow for the validation of the ages of all of the individuals on the list. As of August 2017, the IDL has records on 1,304 validated supercentenarians and 18,590 semi-supercentenarians from 15 countries. The first person in the IDL collection who attained age 110 was born in 1852 and died in 1962 in Quebec, while the last person was born in 1906 and attained age 110 in 2016. This chapter introduces the database and explains its purpose and principles. We also describe the data structure and provide an overview of the information available.

scholarly journals Between liberty and control: citizens’ attitudes towards Romanian state surveillance

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-205
Author(s):  
Paul Tap
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Factors ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
State Surveillance ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Original Survey ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors ◽  
And Control ◽  
Source Of Information

Surveillance was extensively analyzed in the literature from multiple standpoints. Some studies looked to the temporal development of surveillance, while others analyzed the traditional theories that influenced many of the contemporary surveillance studies. All these studies define surveillance as an activity that is ubiquitous and performed globally, by multiple private and public institutions, through the involvement of specific technologies. However, little attention was paid to the perceptions of citizens about surveillance. This article addresses this gap in the literature and analyses how state surveillance is perceived by the Romanian citizens according to the socio-demographic factors (i.e., age, education, income, gender and medium of residence). The aim of the study is to explain how socio-demographic factors influence the acceptance of state surveillance. It also controls for the left-right self-placement, and the use of Facebook as source of information. The statistical analysis uses individual level data from an original survey conducted between October-November 2020. The survey was completed by 1,140 respondents, and the article uses correlation and linear regression to analyze the data. The findings illustrate that the acceptance of state surveillance is influenced by the gender, level of education and medium of residence of the individuals. The age and income of the citizens have no effect on the acceptance of state surveillance.

Structural changes in silicon-on-insulator material during post-implantation annealing

1986 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 736-737
Author(s):  
C. O. Jung ◽  
S. J. Krause ◽  
S.R. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Circuits ◽  
Oxide Layer ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Device Fabrication ◽  
Silicon On Insulator ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Radiation Hardened ◽  
Post Implantation ◽  
Very High

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structures have excellent potential for future use in radiation hardened and high speed integrated circuits. For device fabrication in SOI material a high quality superficial Si layer above a buried oxide layer is required. Recently, Celler et al. reported that post-implantation annealing of oxygen implanted SOI at very high temperatures would eliminate virtually all defects and precipiates in the superficial Si layer. In this work we are reporting on the effect of three different post implantation annealing cycles on the structure of oxygen implanted SOI samples which were implanted under the same conditions.

Constructed reed beds: appropriate technology for small communities

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. B. Green ◽  
J. Upton
Keyword(s):  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Reed Beds ◽  
Small Communities ◽  
Operational Information ◽  
Reed Bed ◽  
Small Sites ◽  
Very High

Reed bed treatment is put in the context of a major water company’s need to provide reliable, high quality, effluents from small sewage treatment works whilst seeking to minimise running costs. Design and operational information is given for reed bed applications in Severn Trent Water. Performance details are provided for application to secondary, tertiary and storm overflow treatment. The results give particular confidence in the system’s ability to deliver very high quality effluents when used for tertiary treatment, the company’s biggest application. Reed beds work well against less demanding criteria for secondary treatment at small sites and show great promise for storm overflow treatment.

scholarly journals Review of Associations between Built Environment Characteristics and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection Risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7561
Author(s):  
Jingjing Wang ◽  
Xueying Wu ◽  
Ruoyu Wang ◽  
Dongsheng He ◽  
Dongying Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Transit Accessibility ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Transmission Pathways

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has stimulated intensive research interest in its transmission pathways and infection factors, e.g., socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, climatology, baseline health conditions or pre-existing diseases, and government policies. Meanwhile, some empirical studies suggested that built environment attributes may be associated with the transmission mechanism and infection risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, no review has been conducted to explore the effect of built environment characteristics on the infection risk. This research gap prevents government officials and urban planners from creating effective urban design guidelines to contain SARS-CoV-2 infections and face future pandemic challenges. This review summarizes evidence from 25 empirical studies and provides an overview of the effect of built environment on SARS-CoV-2 infection risk. Virus infection risk was positively associated with the density of commercial facilities, roads, and schools and with public transit accessibility, whereas it was negatively associated with the availability of green spaces. This review recommends several directions for future studies, namely using longitudinal research design and individual-level data, considering multilevel factors and extending to diversified geographic areas.

scholarly journals The Role of Snack Choices, Body Weight Stereotypes and Smoking Behavior in Assessing Risk Factors for Adolescent Overweight and Obesity

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Elena Raptou
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Prevention Interventions ◽  
Frequent Consumption ◽  
Adolescent Overweight ◽  
Relationship Of

This study investigated the relationship of behavioral factors, such as snack choices, obesity stereotypes and smoking with adolescents’ body weight. Individual-level data for 1254 Greek youths were selected via a formal questionnaire. Snack choices seem to be gender specific with girls showing a stronger preference for healthier snacks. Frequent consumption of high-calorie and more filling snacks was found to increase Body Mass Index (BMI) in both genders. Fruit/vegetable snacks were associated with lower body weight in females, whereas cereal/nut snacks had a negative influence in males’ BMI. The majority of participants expressed anti-fat attitudes and more boys than girls assigned positive attributes to lean peers. The endorsement of the thin-ideal was positively associated with the BMI of both adolescent boys and girls. This study also revealed that neglecting potential endogeneity issues can lead to biased estimates of smoking. Gender may be a crucial moderator of smoking–BMI relationships. Male smokers presented a higher obesity risk, whereas female smokers were more likely to be underweight. Nutrition professionals should pay attention to increase the acceptance of healthy snack options. Gender differences in the influence of weight stereotypes and smoking on BMI should be considered in order to enhance the efficacy of obesity prevention interventions.

When Marriage Gets Hard: Intra-Coalition Conflict and Electoral Accountability

2021 ◽  
pp. 001041402110243
Author(s):  
Carolina Plescia ◽  
Sylvia Kritzinger
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Political Representation ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Responsibility Attribution ◽  
Electoral Accountability ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Coalition Governments ◽  
Level Data ◽  
European Election ◽  
Election Studies

Combining individual-level with event-level data across 25 European countries and three sets of European Election Studies, this study examines the effect of conflict between parties in coalition government on electoral accountability and responsibility attribution. We find that conflict increases punishment for poor economic performance precisely because it helps clarify to voters parties’ actions and responsibilities while in office. The results indicate that under conditions of conflict, the punishment is equal for all coalition partners when they share responsibility for poor economic performance. When there is no conflict within a government, the effect of poor economic evaluations on vote choice is rather low, with slightly more punishment targeted to the prime minister’s party. These findings have important implications for our understanding of electoral accountability and political representation in coalition governments.

Missing Data in Research on Youth and Family Programs

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110268
Author(s):  
Jaime Ballard ◽  
Adeya Richmond ◽  
Suzanne van den Hoogenhof ◽  
Lynne Borden ◽  
Daniel Francis Perkins
Keyword(s):  
Missing Data ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Program Participation ◽  
Multilevel Data ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
The Individual

Background Multilevel data can be missing at the individual level or at a nested level, such as family, classroom, or program site. Increased knowledge of higher-level missing data is necessary to develop evaluation design and statistical methods to address it. Methods Participants included 9,514 individuals participating in 47 youth and family programs nationwide who completed multiple self-report measures before and after program participation. Data were marked as missing or not missing at the item, scale, and wave levels for both individuals and program sites. Results Site-level missing data represented a substantial portion of missing data, ranging from 0–46% of missing data at pre-test and 35–71% of missing data at post-test. Youth were the most likely to be missing data, although site-level data did not differ by the age of participants served. In this dataset youth had the most surveys to complete, so their missing data could be due to survey fatigue. Conclusions Much of the missing data for individuals can be explained by the site not administering those questions or scales. These results suggest a need for statistical methods that account for site-level missing data, and for research design methods to reduce the prevalence of site-level missing data or reduce its impact. Researchers can generate buy-in with sites during the community collaboration stage, assessing problematic items for revision or removal and need for ongoing site support, particularly at post-test. We recommend that researchers conducting multilevel data report the amount and mechanism of missing data at each level.

scholarly journals How does area-level deprivation depress an individual’s self-rated health and life satisfaction? Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Oshio ◽  
Hiromi Kimura ◽  
Toshimi Nishizaki ◽  
Takashi Omori
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Internet Survey ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Area-level deprivation is well known to have an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity, or other specific health outcomes. This study examined how area-level deprivation may affect self-rated health (SRH) and life satisfaction (LS), an issue that is largely understudied. Methods We used individual-level data obtained from a nationwide population-based internet survey conducted between 2019 and 2020, as well as municipality-level data obtained from a Japanese government database (N = 12,461 living in 366 municipalities). We developed multilevel regression models to explain an individual’s SRH and LS scores using four alternative measures of municipality-level deprivation, controlling for individual-level deprivation and covariates. We also examined how health behavior and interactions with others mediated the impact of area-level deprivation on SRH and LS. Results Participants in highly deprived municipalities tended to report poorer SRH and lower LS. For example, when living in municipalities falling in the highest tertile of municipality-level deprivation as measured by the z-scoring method, SRH and LS scores worsened by a standard deviation of 0.05 (p < 0.05) when compared with those living in municipalities falling in the lowest tertile of deprivation. In addition, health behavior mediated between 17.6 and 33.1% of the impact of municipality-level deprivation on SRH and LS, depending on model specifications. Conclusion Results showed that area-level deprivation modestly decreased an individual’s general health conditions and subjective well-being, underscoring the need for public health policies to improve area-level socioeconomic conditions.

scholarly journals Variations in reproductive events across life: a pooled analysis of data from 505 147 women across 10 countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 881-893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Age At Menarche ◽  
Age At First Birth ◽  
First Birth ◽  
Natural Menopause ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Reproductive Events ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Reproductive Indices

Abstract STUDY QUESTION How has the timing of women’s reproductive events (including ages at menarche, first birth, and natural menopause, and the number of children) changed across birth years, racial/ethnic groups and educational levels? SUMMARY ANSWER Women who were born in recent generations (1970–84 vs before 1930) or those who with higher education levels had menarche a year earlier, experienced a higher prevalence of nulliparity and had their first child at a later age. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The timing of key reproductive events, such as menarche and menopause, is not only indicative of current health status but is linked to the risk of adverse hormone-related health outcomes in later life. Variations of reproductive indices across different birth years, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic positions have not been described comprehensively. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Individual-level data from 23 observational studies that contributed to the International Collaboration for a Life Course Approach to Reproductive Health and Chronic Disease Events (InterLACE) consortium were included. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Altogether 505 147 women were included. Overall estimates for reproductive indices were obtained using a two-stage process: individual-level data from each study were analysed separately using generalised linear models. These estimates were then combined using random-effects meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Mean ages were 12.9 years at menarche, 25.7 years at first birth, and 50.5 years at natural menopause, with significant between-study heterogeneity (I2 &gt; 99%). A linear trend was observed across birth year for mean age at menarche, with women born from 1970 to 1984 having menarche one year earlier (12.6 years) than women born before 1930 (13.5 years) (P for trend = 0.0014). The prevalence of nulliparity rose progressively from 14% of women born from 1940–49 to 22% of women born 1970–84 (P = 0.003); similarly, the mean age at first birth rose from 24.8 to 27.3 years (P = 0.0016). Women with higher education levels had fewer children, later first birth, and later menopause than women with lower education levels. After adjusting for birth year and education level, substantial variation was present for all reproductive events across racial/ethnic/regional groups (all P values &lt; 0.005). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Variations of study design, data collection methods, and sample selection across studies, as well as retrospectively reported age at menarche, age at first birth may cause some bias. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This global consortium study found robust evidence on variations in reproductive indices for women born in the 20th century that appear to have both biological and social origins. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) InterLACE project is funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council project grant (APP1027196). GDM is supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Principal Research Fellowship (APP1121844).

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