A Multilevel Study of Socio-economic Inequalities in Self-reported Oral and General Health in South-east Norway

This study assesses the association between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using data from a regional Norwegian health survey. A total of 9,068 participants 25+ were included. Survey data were linked to registry data on education and personal income. Self-reported oral health and general health were separately assessed and categorized into ‘good’ and ‘poor’. The exposures were educational level, personal income, and economic security. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were computed to assess the associations between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using multilevel Poisson regression. Participants with low education or income had poorer oral and general health than those with more education or higher income. Comparing the highest education level versus the lowest, adjusted PRs for poor oral and general health were 1.44 (95%CI 1.26-1.65) and 1.53 (95%CI 1.35-1.74). Correspondingly, with the highest income quintile versus the lowest, estimates were 1.64 (95%CI 1.39-1.94) and 2.34 (95%CI 1.97-2.79) for oral and general health. Lack of economic security was also significantly associated with poor self-reported oral and general health. Positive linear trends between levels of education and income were documented for both outcomes (P-linear trends <0.001), including a pattern of socioeconomic gradients, both for oral and general health.

Orderings of component level versus system level at active redundancies for coherent systems with dependent components

This paper investigates the issue of stochastic comparison of multi-active redundancies at the component level versus the system level. Based on the assumption that all components are statistically dependent, in the case of complete matching and nonmatching spares, we present some interesting comparison results in the sense of the hazard rate, reversed hazard rate and likelihood ratio orders, respectively. And we also obtain two comparison results between relative agings of resulting systems at the component level and the system level. Several numerical examples are provided to illustrate the theoretical results.

Real-Time Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Score Level versus Ultra-Widefield Leakage Index-Guided Management of Diabetic Retinopathy: Two-Year Outcomes from the Randomized PRIME Trial

The prospective PRIME trial applied real-time, objective imaging biomarkers to determine individualized retreatment needs with intravitreal aflibercept injections (IAI) among eyes with diabetic retinopathy (DR). 40 eyes with nonproliferative or proliferative DR without diabetic macular edema received monthly IAI until a DR severity scale (DRSS) level improvement of ≥2 steps was achieved. Eyes were randomized 1:1 to DRSS- or PLI- guided management. At the final 2-year visit, DRSS level was stable or improved compared to baseline in all eyes, and mean PLI decreased by 11% (p = 0.73) and 23.6% (p = 0.25) in the DRSS- and PLI-guided arms. In both arms, the percent of pro re nata (PRN) visits requiring IAI was significantly higher in year 2 versus 1 (p < 0.0001). The percent of PRN visits receiving IAI during year 1 was significantly correlated with the percent of PRN visits with IAI during year 2 (p < 0.0001). Through week 104, 77.4% of instances of DRSS level worsening in the DRSS-guided arm were preceded by or occurred alongside an increase of PLI. Overall, consistent IAI re-treatment interval requirements were observed longitudinally among individual patients. Additionally, PLI increases appeared to precede DRSS level worsening, highlighting PLI as a valuable biomarker in the management of DR.

CSR Level Versus Employees’ Attitudes towards the Environment

Are enterprises that achieve a higher level in the CSR continuum model more responsible towards the environment? This is the research problem of this paper. The purpose of the research was to identify whether (and if so, which of the independent variables (X) indicate this) there is a relationship between a higher level of CSR and more responsibility towards the environment? The basis for determining the level of CSR is a proprietary CSR continuum model, built on the basis of the CMMI maturity model and the levels of moral development were according to Kohlberg. STATISTICA 12 was used for data analysis, using the chi-square test of independence and correspondence analysis. The results of the conducted research allow to notice that, in the research sample of 417 business entities, only in the case of two pairs of variables was a significant relationship between the studied variables noticeable. Thus, the obtained results allow for a positive answer to the question posed in the research problem, but only in the case of water management and waste disposal.

Insights on the glass ceiling for immigrant women entrepreneurs in the technology sector

PurposeTechnology sector is the pivotal element for innovation and economic development of any country. Hence, the present article explores past researches looking into challenges faced by immigrant women entrepreneurs in technology sector and their corresponding response strategies.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) technique to collate all the relevant literature looking into the challenges and strategies from immigrant women entrepreneur's perspective and provide a comprehensive picture. Overall, 49 research articles are included in this SLR.FindingsFindings indicate that immigrant status further escalates the human, financial and network disadvantages faced by women who want to start a technology-based venture.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by categorizing the barriers and strategies on a 3 × 2 matrix reflecting the origins of the barrier or strategy (taking place at the individual, firm or institutional level) versus the type of the barrier or strategy (arising from being an immigrant woman and being a woman in the technology sector). After underlining the dearth of studies in the literature about the complex phenomenon of immigrant WEs in the technology sector, the paper points out several neglected themes for future research.

Vibration level induced by the friction of two rough surfaces weakly loaded

This paper presents an experiment to measure the vibration level generated when a light solid slides over a dry and rough surface. The experimental set-up is based on linear constant motion with speed range from 1 to 1000 mm/sec. The aim is to study the evolution of the vibration level as a function of the sliding speed and the friction area. Measurements show that the vibration level is a logarithmic increasing function of the sliding speed with a transient velocity. It is also observed that two regimes exist for the evolution of vibration level versus apparent contact area. On the one hand the vibration level is proportional to the friction area, but on the other hand this level is constant.

Social gradients in health vary between rural and urban Turkana

Background and objectives: Low socioeconomic status (SES) is consistently associated with chronic stress, poor health, and premature death in high income countries (HICs). However, the degree to which SES gradients in health are universal, or even steeper under contemporary, post-industrial conditions, remains poorly understood. Methodology: We quantified material wealth and several health outcomes among a population of traditional pastoralists, the Turkana of northwest Kenya, who are currently transitioning toward a more urban, market-integrated lifestyle. We assessed whether SES associations with health differed in subsistence-level versus urban contexts. We also explored the causes and consequences of SES-health associations by measuring serum cortisol, potential sociobehavioral mediators in early life and adulthood, and adult reproductive success (number of surviving offspring). Results: High SES predicts better self-reported health and more offspring in traditional pastoralist Turkana, but worse cardiometabolic health and fewer offspring in urban Turkana. We do not find robust evidence for either direct biological mediators (i.e., cortisol) or indirect sociobehavioral mediators (e.g., adult diet or health behaviors, early life experiences) of SES-health relationships in either context. Conclusions and implications: While social gradients in health are common in non-human primates, small-scale human societies, and HICs, we find that relationships between wealth and health can vary dramatically within a single population. Our findings emphasize that under different economic and societal circumstances, social status effects on health may manifest in very different ways.