Largest Negative Effect Research Articles

Community effects on elderly health: Evidence from CHARLS national baseline

There is increasing interest in neighborhood or area effects on health and individual development. China, due to its vast regional variations in health infrastructure and geography and relative immobility of older residents, provides a rare opportunity to study such effects. Utilizing China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) baseline survey 2011–2012 which covered over 17,000 individuals in 450 randomly selected communities/villages, this paper addresses two questions: whether community/village characteristics matter for individual health and SES (Socio-Economic Status), and why they matter. Our statistical results indicate that community/village characteristics have strong associations with individual health and SES. We find that health infrastructure is important even after controlling for community income level. Using surface water increases the likelihood of worse health compared to tap water and even underground water. Compared to moving away by trucks, non-management of waste, and other management such as dump in local site or nearby water body are associated with worse health and SES outcomes. Toileting system without water has the worst influence on individual health and education achievements. Using hay or coal as cooking fuel has the largest negative effect on health and SES outcomes. Geography also plays a role. Extreme weather conditions cause people to be more depressed, and face severe difficulties in ADL (Activities of Daily Living) or IADL (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) and other negative health conditions. Local landscapes also affect individual health and SES outcomes as mountainous and hilly areas exacerbate individual health status and SES outcomes.

A Retrospective Evaluation Of Team Performance Indicators In Rugby Union

The purpose of this investigation was to demonstrate a method to validate a set of Performance Indicators (PIs). Data from one team (65 matches) was analyzed using 19 PIs categorized into six groups. Frequencies of each PI were recorded at 10- minute time intervals along with match outcomes (win/loss). Odds ratios (OR) derived from logistic regression (>2.0 or <0.5) were used to identify those PIs that contributed to match outcome. Eight PIs were subsequently identified: Ruck Quick had the largest positive effect on match outcome, within the first 20 minutes of the game and also within the 60-70 minute time interval; Territory (Intro 22) had a positive effect on match outcome, its impact was greatest in the first 20 minutes of the match. Two PIs from the Offence group (Gainline + and Gainline +P) had smaller positive effects on match outcome. Ruck Slow had the largest negative effect on winning a match for all time intervals. Other PIs that had negative effects on match outcome included turnover handling, ruck lost and turnover contact. Retrospective match data was used to investigate the efficacy of PIs. This post-hoc confirmation provides a framework for the assessment of PIs in performance analysis.

The Effect of Tobacco and Marijuana Use on Dental Health Status in Nevada Adolescents: A Trend Analysis

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. If current trends persist, tobacco will kill more than 8 million people worldwide by 2030 and 1 billion by the end of the century. The purpose of this study was to determine trends in tobacco/marijuana use in Nevada adolescents and their effect on dental health status. Relative comparative data were compared with nationally reported data. Retrospective data in this cohort study was from an ongoing statewide, school-based, dental health screening initiative that was conducted across 8 years (2002-2010) in public/private middle/high schools in Nevada. A total of 66,941 dental health screenings of adolescents between ages 13-18 were conducted. Self-reported data were collected on tobacco/marijuana use. Descriptive statistics and trends were reported. Means (SE) were computed for caries prevalence and severity. Effect size was reported on dental caries and use of tobacco/marijuana. Overall, percentage prevalence of tobacco use was approximately the same as the national average; however, there were significantly higher rates of marijuana use (12.0% vs. 3.3%). Prevalence and severity of dental caries was significantly higher in those who used tobacco/marijuana than those who did not across all variables and across all 8 years controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, where they lived, and exposure to secondhand smoke. Tobacco use negatively affected dental health status with marijuana having the largest negative effect. The findings from this study identified the need for tobacco/marijuana prevention services targeting adolescents residing in the geographic areas most at risk.

Decline in enjoyment of physical education among culturally and linguistically diverse youth

Enjoyment of physical education (PE) is frequently cited as a legitimate outcome in many PE curricula in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations (Dudley et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to examine how student enjoyment of PE changed during the first two years of secondary schooling in Australia. Participants were 586 students enrolled in six culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) secondary schools (2 x co-educational, 2 x all girls’ and 2 x all boys’). A prospective cohort design was used with data collected using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PE version) (PACES PE). There was a small (MD = –1.8, d = –0.30) but significant (p < .001) decline in overall enjoyment of PE between Grade 7 and Grade 8. The decline in enjoyment of PE was greatest among girls (regardless of school-type) and having to change uniforms had the largest negative effect (d = –0.42) of that decline. Peer relationships had the largest negative effect (d = –0.40) on boys enjoyment of PE. It is recommended that schools examine PE uniform policies and increasing teacher and peer support strategies in PE to maintain enjoyment during middle/high school.

Photocatalytic Suspension for Road Pavements: Investigation on Wearing and Contaminant Effects

AbstractPhotocatalytic technologies offer a unique benefit to road materials due to their potential to support depollution reactions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and their versatility. The aims of this research were to investigate the wear resistance of photocatalytic asphalt slabs under repeated loads and to quantify the effect of contaminants such as dirt (fine particles), salt (sodium chloride) and deicing solution (salt plus water) on photocatalytic effectiveness. Accelerated loading tests (wheel tracking test) and skid resistance (British pendulum test) allowed the characterization of slab behavior over different steps of cycles. A specific laboratory setup was adopted to measure the reduction in concentration of pollutants as nitrogen oxide in accordance with European standards. Results showed a decrease over progressive load cycles in depolluting effectiveness and skid resistance of photocatalytic slabs, and deicing solution had the largest negative effect. The negative impact was largely dependent on t...

Transgenerational effects of three global change drivers on an endemic Mediterranean plant

Plant populations are subjected to changes in their natural environment as a result of the incidence of simultaneous global change drivers. Despite the fact that these changes can largely affect early fitness components, information on the effects of simultaneous drivers of global change on offspring traits and performance is particularly scant. We analyzed the combined effect of three global change drivers of critical importance in Mediterranean ecosystems (habitat fragmentation, reductions in habitat quality and water availability) on germination and seedling performance of the gypsophile shrub Centaurea hyssopifolia. Seedlings from 39 mother plants from eight different environments (resulting from the combination of the three global change drivers) were sown and grown in a common garden. First, germination percentage, seedling size and seedling survival were monitored. Secondly, seedling performance and ecophysiological traits were measured under well and low-watered conditions. Fragmentation showed the largest negative effect on germination and offspring performance. Seedlings of mothers from small fragments germinated more slowly, showed lower survival, died faster, and showed lower photosynthetic rates under well-watered conditions compared to seedlings of mother plants from large populations. Seedlings of different maternal origins did not differ in their response to water stress or in their ability to survive to drought. Ninety-five percent of the seedlings survived until soil water content was as low as 3%. Our study shows that global change can have not only immediate impacts on plant populations but also transgenerational effects, and highlights the importance of studies involving multiple drivers and a more integral understanding of global change.

What Do Unions Do to Pension Performance?

This study argues that the promotion of union goals could have positive, negative, or neutral effects on risk adjusted return performance. Moreover, the union's ability and incentive to use pension assets to promote union goals will vary with the design of the pension. Using panel data on over 36,000 pension plans drawn from IRS Form 5500 filings, we empirically estimate the effects of unions on risk adjusted returns and find that the union effect on performance varies in ways that are consistent with our priors. In particular, unions have the largest negative effect among multi-employer defined contribution plans and the negative effect of unions can be eliminated by a switch to participant direction. Also, we find that unions improve performance for single employer defined contribution plans.

Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation: Applications to stability, sensitivity, and predictability

Conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) is a nonlinear generalization of linear singular vector (LSV) and features the largest nonlinear evolution at prediction time for the initial perturbations in a given constraint. It was proposed initially for predicting the limitation of predictability of weather or climate. Then CNOP has been applied to the studies of the problems related to predictability for weather and climate. In this paper, we focus on reviewing the recent advances of CNOP’s applications, which involves the ones of CNOP in problems of ENSO amplitude asymmetry, block onset, and the sensitivity analysis of ecosystem and ocean’s circulations, etc. Especially, CNOP has been primarily used to construct the initial perturbation fields of ensemble forecasting, and to determine the sensitive area of target observation for precipitations. These works extend CNOP’s applications to investigating the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of atmospheric or oceanic systems, even a coupled system, and studying the problem of the transition between the equilibrium states. These contributions not only attack the particular physical problems, but also show the superiority of CNOP to LSV in revealing the effect of nonlinear physical processes. Consequently, CNOP represents the optimal precursors for a weather or climate event; in predictability studies, CNOP stands for the initial error that has the largest negative effect on prediction; and in sensitivity analysis, CNOP is the most unstable (sensitive) mode. In multi-equilibrium state regime, CNOP is the initial perturbation that induces the transition between equilibriums most probably. Furthermore, CNOP has been used to construct ensemble perturbation fields in ensemble forecast studies and to identify sensitive area of target observation. CNOP theory has become more and more substantial. It is expected that CNOP also serves to improve the predictability of the realistic predictions for weather and climate events plays an increasingly important role in exploring the nonlinear dynamics of atmospheric, oceanic and coupled atmosphere-ocean system.

The health-related quality of life and cost implications of falls in elderly women

Fractures and falls are serious cause of morbidity and cost to society. Our results suggest that the main burden to morbidity, measured as impact on health-related quality of life, is due to fear of falling rather than falls or their sequelae, such as fractures. Fractures and falls are serious cause of morbidity and cost to society. We investigated the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with falls, fractures and fear of falling and falls and fractures cost. Three datasets providing longitudinal data on fear of falling, HRQoL and a common set of baseline risk factors for fracture (smoking status, weight and age) were analysed. Multilevel random effects models were used to estimate the long-term impact on HRQoL associated with falls, fractures and fear of falling. Healthcare resource use primary data were collected to estimate falls and fractures cost. Older, low weight and smoking women reported lower HRQoL. The impact on HRQoL of a fracture was at least twice as large as that associated with falls. The largest negative effect on HRQoL was associated with self-reported fear of falling. The cost of falls was 1088 pounds. Similarly, the cost of falls leading to a fracture was 15,133 pounds, 2,753 pounds, 1,863 pounds, 1,331 pounds and 3,498 pounds for hip, wrist, arm, vertebral and other fractures, respectively. The main burden to morbidity is due to fear of falling. Interventions aimed at reducing fear of falling may produce larger gains in HRQoL.

Meta-analysis of cyanobacterial effects on zooplankton population growth rate: species-specific responses

We analyzed a large data set of laboratory experiments to examine the effects of cyanobacteria containing or lacking intracellular toxic metabolites and of different morphology on zooplankton population growth rates across multiple genera and species of cladocerans, rotifers and cyanobacteria. Twenty-one of the 29 zooplankton species maintained positive growth rates when fed a diet containing cyanobacteria even though cyanobacteria were a poor food source for half of the zooplankton species tested relative to a diet containing only green algae and/or flagellates. Differences among zooplankton species could not be explained by grazer species body lengths, even when experiments were restricted to those that used only filamentous cyanobacteria. Single-celled cyanobacteria were more detrimental to a larger number of zooplankton species compared to filamentous or chroococcoid colonial cyanobacteria. We also found no clear effect of putative cyanobacterial toxins on the growth of seven zooplankton species but we did detect a negative effect for the largest cladoceran species, Daphnia magna. Among the cyanobacterial genera, Microcystis had the largest negative effect on zooplankton population growth and there was no consistent difference between M. aeruginosa strains that produced microcystins and those that did not. Our results highlight the large variation in species-specific responses of zooplankton to cyanobacteria. Although cyanobacterial toxicity and mechanical interference may be important drivers in particular cyanobacteria-zooplankton interactions, we did not find general support for these mechanisms through the use of this meta-analysis.

Effects of human disturbance on movement, foraging and bed selection in red deerCervus elaphus xanthopygus from the Wandashan Mountains, northeastern China

We characterized 716 sites (including 22 beds, 60 foraging and 604 movement sites) used by red deerCervus elaphus xanthopygus Milne-Edwards, 1867 in the Wandashan Mountains, northeastern China in the winter period. We used covariates for vegetation, topography, disturbances by other ungulates, and disturbance by humans to develop movement, forage and bed site resource-selection models. We used an information-theoretic approach to select the top 5 models for movement, forage and bed site occurrences respectively. The three most parsimonious autologistic models were good predictors of movement, forage and bed occurrence of this species. Vegetation covariates were important components of all models. We recorded avoidance responses by the behaviours of species to each disturbance type (ie, villages, forest roads and abandoned roads); bed site occurrences were most sensitive to all human disturbances for their lowest odds encountered. Across all parsimonious models, villages have the largest negative effect on movement, foraging and bed occurrences. Movement and bedding behaviours were also affected by other ungulate disturbances. Altitude had slightly negative effect on movement and foraging behaviours. Ridges, topographic aspect and shrub stands were all correlated with bed-site selection. Although different behaviours may be associated with different microhabitat features, behaviours of red deer responded similarly to the same human disturbance on a broad scale. Based on the observations above, we believe that red deer are avoiding human-altered habitat for movement, bedding and foraging because of disturbances during the critical late winter period. Furthermore, various behavioural resource selection models and corresponding graphs of important habitat disturbances can be used to guide and evaluate future development proposals.

Does Democracy Cure a Resource Curse?

In this paper we utilise a large and reasonably detailed dataset to show that a greater level of democracy in a country's political institutions can alleviate the widely known resource curse.Raw material abundance affects per capita growth negatively, an effect that seems to work through several different channels. Resource-abundant countries have a lower degree of democracy and political rights, and also a lower level of educational attainment. These factors inhibit growth.On the other hand, countries with large extractive industries exhibit high levels of investment.The effects of resource abundance differ for different raw material types, and the largest negative effect on growth appears to come from non-fuel extractive raw materials. Keywords: Economic growth, resource curse, cross-country regression, development, governance, institutions

Effects of Roads on Habitat Quality for Bears in the Southern Appalachians: a Long-Term Study

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that gravel roads, not paved roads, had the largest negative effect on habitat quality for a population of American black bears (Ursus americanus) that lived in a protected area, where vehicle collision was a relatively minimal source of mortality. We also evaluated whether road use by bears differed by sex or age and whether annual variation in hard mast productivity affected the way bears used areas near roads. In addition, we tested previous findings regarding the spatial extent to which roads affected bear behavior negatively. Using summer and fall home ranges for 118 black bears living in the Pisgah Bear Sanctuary in western North Carolina during 1981–2001, we estimated both home-range–scale (2nd-order) and within-home-range–scale (3rd-order) selection for areas within 250, 500, 800, and 1,600 m of paved and gravel roads. All bears avoided areas near gravel roads more than they avoided areas near paved roads during summer and fall for 2nd-order selection and during s...

Does Democracy Cure a Resource Curse?

In this paper we utilise a large and reasonably detailed dataset to show that a greater level of democracy in a country's political institutions can alleviate the widely known resource curse.Raw material abundance affects per capita growth negatively, an effect that seems to work through several different channels. Resource-abundant countries have a lower degree of democracy and political rights, and also a lower level of educational attainment. These factors inhibit growth.On the other hand, countries with large extractive industries exhibit high levels of investment.The effects of resource abundance differ for different raw material types, and the largest negative effect on growth appears to come from non-fuel extractive raw materials. Keywords: Economic growth, resource curse, cross-country regression, development, governance, institutions

Body size and shape and glycemic control among Maya women in rural Yucatán.

Studies on relationships between aspects of physique and glucose physiology generally focus on clinical glucose tolerance or on fasting glucose or insulin assays showing glycemic status at the time of testing. Little work has examined the associations between body variables and glycemic control, or average past glucose levels in regular living conditions. The aim of this research was to investigate connections between body size and shape and glycemic control. The sample consists of 60 nondiabetic Maya women, ages 40-85 years, residing in 16 rural villages around Mérida, Yucatán. Body morphology was assessed through anthropometric and derived measures of size and shape, including indicators of fat distribution and general adiposity. Glycemic control was measured through microvenous samples analyzed for glycated blood proteins HbA(1c) and fructosamine to demonstrate average circulating glucose under customary living conditions during the previous several months and weeks. Four-variable regression models explain 17% of the variance in HbA(1c) and 25% of the variance in fructosamine. Arm circumference has the largest positive effect on HbA(1c), while weight has the greatest positive impact on fructosamine. The predictor with the largest negative effect on both glycated blood proteins is calf circumference. In general, variables reflecting overall adiposity and central adiposity demonstrate positive associations with HbA(1c) and fructosamine, whereas lean body measures exhibit negative associations. Findings support the value of glycated blood proteins and of less common anthropometric measures, such as calf circumference, in population research on morphological relations with glycemia.

Spermine-induced negative inotropic effect in isolated rat heart, is mediated through the release of ATP

Putrescine, spermidine and spermine are natural compounds found in up to millimolar concentrations in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. At physiologic pH, the polyamines are protonated (+2, +3 and +4 charges), their polycationic properties lead to the assumption that they could affect physiological systems by binding to anionic sites of the cellular membrane and/or by modulating ion channels. At the cardiovascular level, their effects are not completely understood. However, these compounds may be able to exert the induction of synthesis and release of cellular mediators. In an attempt to explore this possibility, we used the isolated and perfused rat heart, Langendorff, model in order to evaluate the inotropic effects of these polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine. Dose–response curves (0.1–0.6 mM) for putrescine, spermidine and spermine were constructed; with the finding that spermine had the largest negative effect. The obtained effects were not blocked by nitric oxide synthesis inhibitors ( l-NAME), H 1 and H 2 receptor antagonists (Brompheniramine and Cimetidine) or by Glibenclamide, an antagonist of ATP-sensitive K + channels. We found that spermine-induced and increased ATP concentration in cardiac effluents. Reactive Blue, a P 2y purinoreceptor antagonist and Aminophylline, an unspecific adenosine receptor antagonist, blocked the spermine-induced effects. These results showed that ATP, at least in part, is responsible of the spermine cardiovascular effects. Adenosine was shown to also play an important role on those effects.

Swimming Upstream: Trends in the Gender Wage Differential in the 1980s

Using Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics data for 1979 and 1988, we analyze how a falling gender wage gap occurred despite changes in wage structure unfavorable to low-wage workers. The decrease is traced to gender-specific factors which more than counterbalanced changes in measured and unmeasured prices working against women. Supply shifts net of demand were unfavorable for women generally and hurt high-skilled more than middle- and low-skilled women. By analyzing wages, we find support for the notion of a gender twist in supply and demand having its largest negative effect on high-skilled women.

Simulated biologic intelligence used to predict length of stay and survival of burns.

From July 13, 1988, to May 14, 1995, 1585 patients with burns and no other injuries besides inhalation were treated; 4.5% did not survive. Artificial neural networks were trained on patient presentation data with known outcomes on 90% of the randomized cases. The remaining cases were then used to predict survival and length of stay in cases not trained on. Survival was predicted with more than 98% accuracy and length of stay to within a week with 72% accuracy in these cases. For anatomic area involved by burn, burns involving the feet, scalp, or both had the largest negative effect on the survival prediction. In survivors burns involving the buttocks, transport to this burn center by the military or by helicopter, electrical burns, hot tar burns, and inhalation were associated with increasing the length of stay prediction. Neural networks can be used to accurately predict the clinical outcome of a burn. What factors affect that prediction can be investigated.

Cotton Response to Seasonal Patterns of Flower Removal: I. Yield and Fiber Quality

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield and quality can be affected by altered fruiting patterns related to the abscission of fruiting forms. This field study quantified the effects of flower removal during various stages of reproductive development on subsequent yield development, boll development, and fiber properties. Effects of early‐, mid‐, and late‐season flower loss on cotton reproductive development was determined. Various flower removal treatments were imposed on two cultivars at Clayton, NC, during 1991 and 1992. Early flower removal treatments (3rd week and earlier) delayed boll development, but no significant reduction in yield was found at season's end. Later flower removals (4th week and later) significantly reduced total fiber yields (13–33%) compared with early‐season removals (1st, 2nd, and through 3rd week) and no removal. Boll weight was positively correlated with fiber properties and was related to the amount of competition among developing bolls. The largest bolls resulted from treatments that had the largest negative effect on yield. Micronaire was the only fiber variable affected by flower removal, with increased values associated with later removal. Data indicate that late‐season flower losses (4th week and later) are the most injurious to yield, with significant yield reductions occurring from even the least severe, late‐season removal treatment of 6th week and later flowers. Early loss (3rd week and earlier) of fruit can be tolerated if the season allows sufficient time for compensatory reproductive growth and if further losses due to plant stress or insect damage are controlled.

Multivariate analysis of marital fertility in Japan

Drawing on the data from the 7th Japanese National Fertility Survey held by the Institute of Population Problems JMHW in 1977 multiple classification analysis (MCA) was done for the number of children ever born (NCEB) of currently married women to identify social determinants of marital fertility in contemporary Japan. These are the major findings. 1) Among all of the explanatory variables included in the MCA model spouses age at marriage has the largest explanatory power. The proportion of the total variance of NCEB explained by social variables is relatively small. 2) Although wifes work before marriage did not have any significant relation to NCEB wifes work during the early reproductive years has the largest negative effect on NCEB among social variables. This relationship holds even after controlling for fecundity status. 3) Variables such as wifes education nature of place of residence and husbands occupation have a small but systematic effect on NCEB even after MCA adjustment. Higher education urban place of residence and husbands status as an employee are associated with lower NCEB. 4) Among such variables relevant to the family system as type of marriage spouses number of siblings and birth order and locality type only locality type is significantly associated with NCEB. Married couples who cohabit with their parents at marriage have higher fertility than those who do not. 5) Wifes sex role norms and type of conjugal relationship role have been regarded as an important determinant of fertility. This does not hold true for Japan; a highly segregated role relationship between husband and wife coexists with low fertility. (authors modified) (summary in ENG)