10,977 research outputs found
Age, SES, and Health: A Population Level Analysis of Health Inequalities over the Life Course
No full textThis paper tests two competing hypotheses on the relationship between age, SES, and health inequality at the cohort/population level. The accumulation hypothesis predicts that levels of SES- based health inequality and consequently overall health inequality within a cohort progressively increase as it ages. The divergence-convergence hypothesis predicts that these inequalities increase only up to early-old age then decrease. Data from a Canadian national health survey are used in this study, and are adjusted for SES-biases in mortality. Bootstrap methods are employed to assess the statistical precision and significance of the results. The Gini coefficient is used to estimate change in the overall level of health inequality with age and the Concentration coefficient estimates the contribution of SES- based health inequalities to this change. Health is measured using the Health Utilities Index and income and education provide the measure of SES. First, the findings show that the Gini coefficient progressively increases from 0.048 (95% CI: 0.045, 0.051) at ages 15-29 to 0.147 (95% CI: 0.131, 0.163) at ages 80+. Second, the data reveal that health inequalities between SES groups (Concentration coefficients for income and education) tend to follow a similar pattern of divergence. Together these findings provide support for the accumulation hypothesis. A notable implication of the study's findings is that the level of health inequality increases when compensating for age-specific socio- economic differences in mortality. These selective effects of mortality should be considered in future research on health inequalities and the life course.Health Inequality, Life Course, SES, Gini/Concentration coefficient
Hyaluronic-Coated Albumin Nanoparticles for the Non-Invasive Delivery of Apatinib in Diabetic Retinopathy
No full textSalma El-Sayed Radwan,1 Amal El-Kamel,1 Eiman I Zaki,2 Susi Burgalassi,3 Erica Zucchetti,3 Riham M El-Moslemany1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; 2Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Pisa, ItalyCorrespondence: Riham M El-Moslemany 1, Khartoum Square, Azarita, Alexandria, EgyptTel +11 201006020405Email [email protected]: Apatinib (Apa) is a novel anti-vascular endothelial growth factor with the potential to treat diabetic retinopathy (DR); a serious condition leading to visual impairment and blindness. DR treatment relies on invasive techniques associated with various complications. Investigating topical routes for Apa delivery to the posterior eye segment is thus promising but also challenging due to ocular barriers. Hence, the study objective was to develop Apa-loaded bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (Apa-BSA-NPs) coated with hyaluronic acid (HA); a natural polymer possessing unique mucoadhesive and viscoelastic features with the capacity to actively target CD44 positive retinal cells, for topical administration in DR.Methods: Apa-BSA-NPs were prepared by desolvation using glutaraldehyde for cross-linking. HA-coated BSA-NPs were also prepared and HA: NPs ratio optimized. Nanoparticles were characterized for colloidal properties, entrapment efficiency (EE%), in vitro drug release and mucoadhesive potential. In vitro cytotoxicity on rabbit corneal epithelial cells (RCE) was assessed using MTT assay, while efficacy was evaluated in vivo in a diabetic rat model by histopathological examination of the retina by light and transmission electron microscopy. Retinal accumulation of fluorescently labeled BSA-NP and HA-BSA-NP was assessed using confocal microscope scanning.Results: Apa-HA-BSA-NPs prepared under optimal conditions showed size, PdI and zeta potential: 222.2± 3.56 nm, 0.221± 0.02 and − 37.3± 1.8 mV, respectively. High EE% (69± 1%), biphasic sustained release profile with an initial burst effect and mucoadhesion was attained. No evidence of cytotoxicity was observed on RCE cells. In vivo histopathological studies on DR rat model revealed alleviated retinal micro- and ultrastructural changes in the topical HA-Apa-BSA-NP treated eyes with normal basement membrane and retinal thickness comparable to normal control and intravitreally injected nanoparticles. Improved retinal accumulation for HA-BSA-NP was also observed by confocal microscopy.Conclusion: Findings present HA-Apa-BSA-NPs as a platform for enhanced topical therapy of DR overcoming the devastating ocular complications of the intravitreal route.Keywords: retinopathy, apatinib, bovine serum albumin, hyaluronic, mucopenetration, active targetin
Socioeconomic Influence on the Health of Older People: Estimates Based on Two Longitudinal Surveys
No full textThere is a strong positive relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and health, but identifying the direction of causation is difficult. This study exploits the longitudinal nature of two Canadian surveys, the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics and the National Population Health Survey, to study the link from SES to health. For people aged 50 and older who are initially in good health we examine whether changes in health status over the next two to four years are related to prior SES, as represented by income and education. Although the two surveys were designed for quite different purposes the evidence they yield with respect to the probability of remaining in good health is strikingly similar. Both suggest that SES does play a role, that the differences across SES groups are quantitatively significant, that the differences increase with age, and that they are much same for men and women.health; socioeconomic status; SLID; NPHS
La République des Lettres: Ses écrivains, ses critiques, ses limites
No full textL’article se propose d’étudier le rôle de la critique littéraire française et étrangère, ses incertitudes et ses dérives à propos de la littérature « beur » (terme désignant les Français issus de l’immigration maghrébine)
The author looks at the position of French and stranger literature criticism, its ambiguity and departure from “beur” creative writing
Between Diana and Isis: Egypt's ‘renaissance’ and the neo-pharaonic style (1920s-1930s)
No full textThe rise of modern art at the turn of the twentieth-century in Egypt reveals the complex dynamic of multiple cross-cultural interactions in tandem with the formulation of the nahda renaissance project. In this paper, it will be argued that the neo-pharaonic production of a generation of Egyptian artists referred to as the “pioneers,” illustrates the result of an intricate synthesis of reinventing historical past while claiming a universal culture through the continuous interplay between mode..
Comparing continuous and dichotomous scoring of the balanced inventory of desirable responding
No full textThe Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR; Paulhus, 1994) is a widely used instrument to measure the 2 components of social desirability: self-deceptive enhancement and impression management. With respect to scoring of the BIDR, Paulhus (1994) authorized 2 methods, namely continuous scoring (all answers on the continuous answer scale are counted) and dichotomous scoring (only extreme answers are counted). In this article, we report 3 studies with student samples, and continuous and dichotomous scoring of BIDR subscales are compared with respect to reliability, convergent validity, sensitivity to instructional variations, and correlations with personality. Across studies, the scores from continuous scoring (continuous scores) showed higher Cronbach's alphas than those from dichotomous scoring (dichotomous scores). Moreover, continuous scores showed higher convergent correlations with other measures of social desirability and more consistent effects with self-presentation instructions (fake-good vs. fake-bad instructions). Finally, continuous self-deceptive enhancement scores showed higher correlations with those traits of the Five-factor model for which substantial correlations were expected (i.e., Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness). Consequently, these findings indicate that continuous scoring may be preferable to dichotomous scoring when assessing socially desirable responding with the BID
Norma Coverdale, B.A.: the treatment of women in selected works of Henry de Montherlant
No full textThe aim of this thesis is to determine how women are treated in selectedworks of Henry de Montherlant. This is explored by examining their relationshipswith other women as well as with men. Inevitably, this leads to an analysis ofthe multifaceted area of love. Part I researches Montherlant's prose work and included in this section is the investigation of the importance of 'l'ordre male' to the author and the influence this exerts over his early prose work in the areas of tauromachy, war and sport, and where the male adherence to this concept leaves women. The 'syncretisme et alternance' which is central to Montherlant's thinking is explored in this section.Part 2 is concerned with Montherlant's theatre in which the psychological development of the main characters is of great importance. It is in this section that a comparative study is made of the influence of Mme. Elisabeth Zehrfuss' written contribution to La Reine morte. Her unpublished notes are set out in full in the Appendix. The thesis also draws on the unpublished correspondence between Henry de Montherlant and Elisabeth Zehrfuss between the years 1934 and 1945. An investigation is made as to whether or not there are any differences between the way women are treated in Montherlant's prose and in his theatre and the conclusion is drawn that there are
Application of the SES framework for model-based analysis of the dynamics of social-ecological systems
No full textSocial-ecological systems (SES) are dynamic systems that continuously change in response to internal or external pressures. A better understanding of the interactions of the social and ecological systems that drive those dynamics is crucial for the development of sustainable management strategies. Dynamic models can serve as tools to explore social-ecological interactions; however, the complexity of the studied systems and the need to integrate knowledge, theories, and approaches from different disciplines pose considerable challenges for their development. We assess the potential of Ostrom’s general SES framework (SESF) to guide a systematic and transparent process of model development in light of these difficulties. We develop a stepwise procedure for applying SESF to identify variables and their relationships relevant for an analysis of the SES. In doing so we demonstrate how the hierarchy of concepts in SESF and the identification of social-ecological processes using the newly introduced process relationships can help to unpack the system in a systematic and transparent way. We test the procedure by applying it to develop a dynamic model of decision making in the management of recreational fisheries. The added value of the common framework lies in the guidance it provides for (1) a structured approach to identifying major variables and the level of detail needed, and (2) a procedure that enhances model transparency by making explicit underlying assumptions and choices made when selecting variables and their interactions as well as the theories or empirical evidence on which they are based. Both aspects are of great relevance when dealing with the complexity of SES and integrating conceptual backgrounds from different disciplines. We discuss the advantages and difficulties of the application of SESF for model development, and contribute to its further refinement.Policy Analysi
Economic incentives and point source emissions : choice of modeling platform
No full textThe purpose of this study is to identify the best modeling platform for the analysis of alternative environmental policy instruments designed to reduce the emission of pollutants from point sources, most notably, central power generating stations and manufacturing facilities. The primary analysis of concern is a cost-effectiveness investigation of the policy; where for the most part, the cost of compliance is a multidimensional variable that includes the private costs incurred by the owners of the facility, measures of the change in the cost of providing the facility's product, and estimates of the change in facility capacity factors. The range of pollutants under consideration include the usual menu of air- and waterborne emissions as well as solid and liquid wastes finding their way to landfills and other such disposal options. The range of policies considered include: (a) tariffs on the emission of pollutants; (b) tariffs and subsidies applied to the inputs or the outputs of the point source activities under consideration; (c) limits on the pollutant emissions themselves; and (d) directives regarding the installation of particular equipment and/or the alteration of process activities. The paper also discusses a nonexhaustive set of issues associated with the modeling of point source emissions and policies for their control.Economic Theory&Research,Access to Markets,Markets and Market Access,Consumption,Environmental Economics&Policies
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