scholarly journals A New Look at Cohort Trend and Underlying Mechanisms in Cognitive Functioning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
The United States ◽  
Household Wealth ◽  
Summary Score ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Greatest Generation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract Objectives The prevalence of dementia in the United States seems to have declined over the last few decades. We investigate trends and their underlying mechanisms in cognitive functioning (CF) across 7 decades of birth cohorts from the Greatest Generation to Baby Boomers. Methods Data come from 30,191 participants of the 1996–2014 Health and Retirement Study. CF is measured as a summary score on a 35-point cognitive battery of items. We use generalized linear models to examine the trends in CF and explanatory variables across birth cohorts. Then, Karlson–Holm–Breen decomposition method is used to evaluate the contribution of each explanatory variable to the trend of CF. Results CF has been improving from the Greatest Generation to Late Children of Depression and War Babies, but then significantly declines since the Early-Baby Boomers and continues into Mid-Baby Boomers. This pattern is observed universally across genders, race/ethnicities, education groups, occupations, income, and wealth quartiles. The worsening CF among Baby Boomers does not originate from childhood conditions, adult education, or occupation. It can be attributed to lower household wealth, lower likelihood of marriage, higher levels of loneliness, depression and psychiatric problems, and more cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., obesity, physical inactivity, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and heart disease). Discussion The worsening CF among Baby Boomers may potentially reverse past favorable trends in dementia as they reach older ages and cognitive impairment becomes more common if no effective interventions and policy responses are in place.

scholarly journals Incidence of Benign Meningiomas in the United States: Current and Future Trends

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Bhala ◽  
Douglas R Stewart ◽  
Victoria Kennerley ◽  
Valentina I Petkov ◽  
Philip S Rosenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Cancer Registries ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Benign Meningioma ◽  
Case Count ◽  
Future Burden ◽  
Rate Ratios

Abstract Background Benign meningiomas are the most frequently reported central nervous system tumors in the United States (US), with increasing incidence in past decades. However, the future trajectory of this neoplasm remains unclear. Methods We analyzed benign meningioma incidence of cases identified by any means (eg, radiographically with or without microscopic confirmation) in US Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer registries among 35–84-year-olds during 2004–2017 by sex and race/ethnicity using age-period-cohort (APC) models. We employed APC forecasting models to glean insights regarding the etiology, distribution, and anticipated future (2018–2027) public health impact of this neoplasm. Results In all groups, meningioma incidence overall increased through 2010, then stabilized. Temporal declines were statistically significant overall and in most groups. JoinPoint analysis of cohort rate-ratios identified substantial acceleration in White men born after 1963 (from 1.1% to 3.2% per birth year); cohort rate-ratios were stable or increasing in all groups and all birth cohorts. We forecast that meningioma incidence through 2027 will remain stable or decrease among 55–84-year-olds but remain similar to current levels among 35–54-year-olds. Total meningioma burden in 2027 is expected to be approximately 30,470 cases, similar to the expected case count of 27,830 in 2018. Conclusions Between 2004–2017, overall incidence of benign meningioma increased and then stabilized or declined. For 2018–2027, our forecast is incidence will remain generally stable in younger age groups but decrease in older age groups. Nonetheless, the total future burden will remain similar to current levels because the population is aging.

scholarly journals Does Emancipation Matter? Fertility of Chinese International Migrants to the United States and Nonmigrants during China’s One-child Policy Period

2021 ◽  
pp. 019791832199478
Author(s):  
Wanli Nie ◽  
Pau Baizan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
International Migration ◽  
Chinese Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Selection Effects ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Family Policies ◽  
Chinese Migrants ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Impact

This article investigates the impact of international migration to the United States on the level and timing of Chinese migrants’ fertility. We compare Chinese women who did not leave the country (non-migrants) and were subject to restrictive family policies from 1974 to 2015 to those who moved to the United States (migrants) and were, thus, “emancipated” from these policies. We theoretically develop and empirically test the emancipation hypothesis that migrants should have a higher fertility than non-migrants, as well as an earlier timing of childbearing. This emancipation effect is hypothesized to decline across birth cohorts. We use data from the 2000 US census, the 2005 American Community Survey, the 2000 Chinese census, and the 2005 Chinese 1 percent Population Survey and discrete-time event history models to analyze first, second, and third births, and migration as joint processes, to account for selection effects. The results show that Chinese migrants to the United States had substantially higher childbearing probabilities after migration, compared with non-migrants in China, especially for second and third births. Moreover, our analyses indicate that the migration process is selective of migrants with lower fertility. Overall, the results show how international migration from China to the United States can lead to an increase in migrant women’s fertility, accounting for disruption, adaptation, and selection effects. The rapidly increased fertility after migration from China to the United States might have implications on other migration contexts where fertility in the origin country is dropping rapidly while that in the destination country is relatively stable.

scholarly journals Spousal Loss and Cognitive Functioning: Do Pre-Loss Marital Quality and Gender Matter?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 366-366
Author(s):  
Joohong Min ◽  
Jieun Song
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cognitive Change ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Spousal Loss ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Prior research has found that the risk of cognitive decline increases after the death of a spouse. In general, the impact of life transitions is contingent on contextual factors such as socio-demographic characteristics or relationship quality. However, there is limited research on how marital quality before spousal loss and gender influence the association between spousal loss and cognitive change. The current study examines the effects of spousal loss on change in cognitive functioning as well as the moderating effects of pre-loss marital quality and gender. Data from two waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study were analyzed (MIDUS2: 2004-05, MIDUS3: 2013-14). The analytic sample consists of two groups: (1) 179 bereaved adults who were age 54 or older at MIDUS2 (M = 65.2, SD = 9.5) and whose spouses died between MIDUS2 and MIDUS3, and (2) 179 non-bereaved adults, matched with the bereaved group on age and gender, who did not experience spousal loss between the two waves. Cognitive function was assessed via BTACT (Brief Telephone Adult Cognition Test) at both waves. Regression results show that both pre-loss marital quality and gender significantly moderate the association between spousal loss and change in cognitive functioning. Specifically, relative to their counterparts, men and those who reported better marital relationships prior to spousal death had a greater risk of cognitive decline after a spouse’s death. The findings suggest the significance of pre-loss marital quality and gender for cognitive changes in widowhood and have implications for the development of efficient interventions

Life Course Socioeconomic Position, Intergenerational Social Mobility, and Hypertension Incidence in ELSA-Brasil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Aparecido Soares Lopes ◽  
Luana Giatti ◽  
Rosane Harter Griep ◽  
Antonio Alberto da Silva Lopes ◽  
Sheila Maria Alvim Matos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Course ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Socioeconomic Position ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Rate Ratios

Abstract Background Life course epidemiology is a powerful framework to unravel the role of socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in hypertension (HTN). This study investigated whether life course SEP is associated with HTN incidence. Specifically, to test whether cumulative low SEP throughout life and unfavorable intergenerational social mobility increased HTN incidence. METHODS Longitudinal analysis of 8,754 ELSA-Brasil participants without HTN or cardiovascular in visit 1 (2008–2010). The response variable was the incidence of HTN between visits 1 and 2 (2012–2014). The explanatory variables were childhood, youth, and adulthood SEP, cumulative low SEP, and intergenerational social mobility. Associations were estimated by incidence rate ratios (IRRs) obtained by generalized linear models, with Poisson distribution and logarithmic link function, after adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health factors. RESULTS The incidence of HTN was 43.2/1,000 person-years, being higher in males, elderly (70–74 years), self-declared black, and low SEP individuals. After considering sociodemographic factors, low SEP in childhood, youth, and adulthood remained statistically associated with increased HTN incidence. Individuals in the third (IRR: 1.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11–1.44) and fourth top quartiles (IRR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.11–1.49) of cumulative low SEP, vs. first, as well as those with low stable intergenerational trajectory (IRR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.16–1.43), vs. high stable, also had increased HTN incidence rates. Conclusions Socioeconomic disparities at all phases of the life cycle appear to raise HTN incidence rates, being the individuals with greater accumulation of exposure to low SEP and with more unfavorable intergenerational mobility at greatest risk, even in a short follow-up time.

Car Ownership and the Built Environment: A Spatial Modeling Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 036119812110494
Author(s):  
Jerome Laviolette ◽  
Catherine Morency ◽  
Owen D. Waygood ◽  
Konstadinos G. Goulias
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Spatial Dependence ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Model Specification ◽  
Car Ownership ◽  
Grocery Stores ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Environment Variables

Car ownership is linked to higher car use, which leads to important environmental, social and health consequences. As car ownership keeps increasing in most countries, it remains relevant to examine what factors and policies can help contain this growth. This paper uses an advanced spatial econometric modeling framework to investigate spatial dependences in household car ownership rates measured at fine geographical scales using administrative data of registered vehicles and census data of household counts for the Island of Montreal, Canada. The use of a finer level of spatial resolution allows for the use of more explanatory variables than previous aggregate models of car ownership. Theoretical considerations and formal testing suggested the choice of the Spatial Durbin Error Model (SDEM) as an appropriate modeling option. The final model specification includes sociodemographic and built environment variables supported by theory and achieves a Nagelkerke pseudo-R2 of 0.93. Despite the inclusion of those variables the spatial linear models with and without lagged explanatory variables still exhibit residual spatial dependence. This indicates the presence of unobserved autocorrelated factors influencing car ownership rates. Model results indicate that sociodemographic variables explain much of the variance, but that built environment characteristics, including transit level of service and local commercial accessibility (e.g., to grocery stores) are strongly and negatively associated with neighborhood car ownership rates. Comparison of estimates between the SDEM and a non-spatial model indicates that failing to control for spatial dependence leads to an overestimation of the strength of the direct influence of built environment variables.

Menthol Cigarettes, Tobacco Dependence, and Smoking Persistence: The Need to Examine Enhanced Cognitive Functioning as a Neuropsychological Mechanism

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy C Jao ◽  
Marcia M Tan ◽  
Phoenix A Matthews ◽  
Melissa A Simon ◽  
Robert Schnoll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Basic Science ◽  
Tobacco Dependence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Cigarette Use ◽  
Menthol Cigarette ◽  
Menthol Cigarettes

Abstract Introduction Despite the overall decline in the prevalence of cigarette use in the United States, menthol cigarette use among smokers is rising, and evidence shows that it may lead to more detrimental effects on public health than regular cigarette use. One of the mechanisms by which nicotine sustains tobacco use and dependence is due to its cognitive enhancing properties, and basic science literature suggests that menthol may also enhance nicotine’s acute effect on cognition. Aims and Methods The purpose of this review is to suggest that the cognitive enhancing effects of menthol may be a potentially important neuropsychological mechanism that has yet to be examined. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of basic science studies examining neurobiological and cognitive effects of menthol and menthol cigarette smoking. We also review studies examining menthol essential oils among humans that indicate menthol alone has acute cognitive enhancing properties. Finally, we present factors influencing the rising prevalence of menthol cigarette use among smokers and the importance of this gap in the literature to improve public health and smoking cessation treatment. Conclusions Despite the compelling evidence for menthol’s acute cognitive enhancing and reinforcing effects, this mechanism for sustaining tobacco dependence and cigarette use has yet to be examined and validated among humans. On the basis of the basic science evidence for menthol’s neurobiological effects on nicotinic receptors and neurotransmitters, perhaps clarifying menthol’s effect on cognitive performance can help to elucidate the complicated literature examining menthol and tobacco dependence. Implications Menthol cigarette use has continued to be a topic of debate among researchers and policy makers, because of its implications for understanding menthol’s contribution to nicotine dependence and smoking persistence, as well as its continued use as a prevalent flavoring in tobacco and nicotine products in the United States and internationally. As international tobacco regulation policies have begun to target menthol cigarettes, research studies need to examine how flavoring additives, specifically menthol, may acutely influence neurobiological and cognitive functioning as a potential mechanism of sustained smoking behavior to develop more effective treatments.

scholarly journals A global scientific literature of research on water quality indices: trends, biases and future directions

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Tereza Ribeiro Alves ◽  
Fabrício Barreto Teresa ◽  
João Carlos Nabout
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
The United States ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Resource Managers ◽  
Quality Of Water ◽  
Number Of Publications

AIM: Water quality has been the subject of many recent studies, moreover, the physical, chemical and biological parameters of water are used to investigate water quality and can be combined into a single index, the Water Quality Index (WQI), for use by water resource managers and the general public. The aim of this study was to use scientometrics to evaluate how water quality has been addressed in the international scientific literature. METHOD: For the quantitative analysis of the publications on WQI, we used the search database SCOPUS (http://www.scopus.com). The search was performed using the words "QUALIT* WATER* INDEX*" in papers published in all databases (through 2011). RESULTS: We found 554 articles that dealt with the use of WQI the number of publications has increased significantly over the last 20 years. India had the most studies, with 177 articles, followed by China, Brazil and the United States. These four countries together published 57% of studies on WQI. We generated 15 linear models to explain the number of publication by study sit (country). According to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the best model to explain the number of publications by country was the model that combined Sanitation and Public Supply. CONCLUSION: Finally, this paper presents the state of scientific literature on WQI and demonstrates the growing interest of the scientific community in this issue, which is certainly due to the importance of the quantity and quality of water for human supply, economics, health and the conservation of water resources.

scholarly journals Generalized linear models with random effects for the description of data with excess zeros

2011 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 661-675
Author(s):  
N. Mielenz ◽  
K. Thamm ◽  
M. Bulang ◽  
J. Spilke
Keyword(s):  
Random Effects ◽  
Negative Binomial Distribution ◽  
Binomial Distribution ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Response Scale ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Excess Zeros ◽  
Explanatory Factors

Abstract. In this paper count data with excess zeros and repeated observations per subject are evaluated. If the number of values observed for the zero event in the trial substantially exceeds the expected number (derived from the Poisson or from the negative binomial distribution), then there is an excess of zeros. Hurdle and zero-inflated models with random effects are available in order to evaluate this type of data. In this paper both model approaches are presented and are used for the evaluation of the number of visits to the feeder per cow per hour. Finally, for the analysis of the target trait a hurdle model with random effects based on a negative binomial distribution was used. This analysis was derived from a detailed comparison of models and was needed because of a simpler computer implementation. For improved interpretation of the results, the levels of the explanatory factors (for example, the classes of lactation) were not averaged in the link scale, but rather in the response scale. The deciding explanatory variables for the pattern of visiting activities in the 24-hour cycle are the milking and cleaning times at hours 4, 7, 12 and 20. The highly significant differences in the visiting frequencies of cows of the first lactation and those of higher lactations were explained by competition for access to the feeder and thus to the feed.

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