Longevity Index Research Articles (Page 1)

Measuring and promoting healthy aging at an individual level remains challenging as promoting healthy longevity requires real-time, personalized tools to assess risk and guide interventions in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel Healthy Longevity Index (HLI) for use in primary care settings in older adults. Using data from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA; n=4470), we developed a nomogram-based HLI incorporating demographics, lifestyle factors, intrinsic capacity (IC) measures, and chronic conditions to predict 4-, 8-, and 12-year disability- and dementia-free survival (absence of physical disability, dementia, or mortality). The HLI was internally validated in a TLSA subset and externally validated in the Japanese National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA) cohort (n=1090). The 12-year HLI nomogram demonstrated robust performance, with C-statistics of 0.79 (bootstrapped 95% CI 0.78-0.80) in the TLSA training cohort and 0.77 (bootstrapped 95% CI 0.75-0.79) in the TLSA validation cohort. External validation in the NILS-LSA yielded a C-statistic of 0.71 (bootstrapped 95% CI 0.66-0.76). The HLI effectively stratified participants into risk tertiles, with the highest-risk group showing only 27.8% probability of 12-year disability- and dementia-free survival compared to 87.8% in the lowest-risk group. Key predictors included age, sex, education, and, particularly, IC impairments in locomotion, visual acuity, and cognition-all assessable during routine primary care consultations. The HLI provides a practical tool for real-time, personalized assessment of healthy longevity risk in primary care settings. Its design enables providers to deliver person-centered care through targeted interventions and individualized prevention strategies that promote healthy aging across populations, especially in older adults.

The relationship between the geographic environment and human health has been a long-standing focus of scientific inquiry. Sn as an essential trace element for the human body, play vital roles in individual health and may influence longevity. However, the extent to which the statistical characteristics of population longevity are associated with elemental geochemical background values at a regional scale remains an important question. Based on the geochemical survey data of Yunnan Province and Chinese census data, the article utilizes Arcgis spatial analysis and mathematical statistics to explore the relationship between ω(Sn) and regional longevity level. The results of the study show that: (1) There is a close correlation between ω(Sn) and regional longevity levels. Within Yunnan Province, regions with high ω(Sn) have higher levels of longevity index and Ultra-octogenarian Index. (2) Spearman’s correlation coefficient shows that ω(Sn) is significantly positively (P < 0.01) correlated with both the longevity index and the Ultra-octogenarian Index; Linear regression further reveals that ω(Sn) always has a significant positive influence on the longevity index. For the Ultra-octogenarian Index, although the strength of the influence of ω(Sn) is not as significant as that of the longevity index, its influence on the healthy longevity of the population cannot be ignored. At the county scale in Yunnan Province, there is a significant positive correlation between ω(Sn) and longevity index, which may be related to the exposure of Sn in the natural environmental background into the human body and thus affecting the incidence of cancer, but the biogeochemical cycling mechanism of its association with longevity still needs to be further investigated.

The sum of the ages at death of the six immediate ancestors of an individual (father, mother, paternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother) constitutes the total immediate ancestral longevity (TIAL) index. In this study, I have expanded the empirical data on TIAL validity by calculating the TIAL index and adjusted TIAL score (TIAL index/6) of six elite individuals, born between 1819 and 1948, among whom four were women. Among the six individuals studied, three belong to British royalty (Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Charles III), and other three were Anne Freud, Geraldine Chaplin, and George W Bush.The TIAL indices of these six individuals ranged between 395 and 498. While, Geraldine Chaplin has the lowest TIAL index of 395, King Charles III has the highest TIAL index of 498. The adjusted TIAL scores of these six individuals ranged between 65.8 and 83.0 years. Though the merit of TIAL index of Raymond Pearl to calculate the lifespan of an individual deserves recognition, its demerits also deserve equal recognition.

The relationship between geographical environments and human health has been a long-standing focus of scientific inquiry. Magnesium (Mg) and silicon (Si), as essential elements for the human body, play vital roles in individual health and may influence longevity. However, the extent to which the statistical characteristics of population longevity are associated with geochemical background values at a regional scale remains an important question. This study examines Yunnan, China, a region with diverse and complex geographical conditions, and used global autocorrelation analysis, cluster and outlier analysis, and hotspot analysis to comprehensively analyze the Spatial Distribution Characteristics of magnesium oxide (MgO) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) background values. It further investigates the individual and synergistic relationships of these geochemical factors with population longevity at the county scale in Yunnan using the Spearman rank correlation. The results demonstrate that the MgO background value (ω(MgO)) exhibits a significant positive correlation with the Ultra-octogenarian Index and has a positive synergistic effect on regional longevity levels. In contrast, the SiO₂ background value (ω(SiO₂)) shows a significant negative correlation with both the longevity index and the Ultra-octogenarian Index, while the ratio of Si to Mg (ω(Si/Mg)) is also significantly negatively correlated with the Ultra-octogenarian Index. These findings suggest that MgO-enriched natural environments may positively contribute to regional population longevity, while excessively high SiO₂ background values may have a detrimental effect. This study offers a novel perspective on the relationship between regional longevity levels and natural geographical environments, which may inform the selection and sustainable development of longevity-oriented tourism destinations.

Background/Objectives: The incidence of aortic stenosis (AS) is predicted to rise with the aging population, emerging as a growing public health challenge in developed countries, leading to an increased demand for intervention. Our aim is to predict the evolution of proposed cases for SAVR in the geographic referral area of our tertiary hospital until 2041. Methods: We used data from the Portuguese Census for 2001, 2011, and 2021 to analyze the resident population within the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department's referral area. Applying population projection methods (rate of geometric growth), we projected demographic trends over 20 years, from 2021 to 2041. Our analysis focused on AS cases who underwent SAVR in our department between 2001-2011 and 2011-2021. Results: Between 2001 and 2021, there was an increase in the overall population, particularly among the elderly (1.4% growth rate in the population ≥ 65 years old). The aging index increased from 128.4 (110.5-180.6) in 2001 to 189.1 (155.9-222.5) in 2021 (p-value < 0.001). Similarly, the longevity index significantly increased between 2001 [42.6 (40.8-44.80)] and 2021 [49.30 (47.7-51.8)] (p-value < 0.001). The number of SAVRs performed increased, with a mean increase of 8.11 surgeries/year (R2 = 0.6457, p < 0.001). By 2041, our referral center will increase SAVR by at least 51 surgeries/year in a decreasing growth rate scenario, and 67 surgeries/year in a growth rate stagnation scenario. Conclusions: The ongoing trend of population aging will increase the demand for healthcare resources, particularly within the cardiovascular domain. Accurately assessing the volume of SAVR is imperative for reformulating strategies to address the increasing demand effectively.

The purpose of the research was to analyze and substantiate the ways of breeding new generation of sires in Red-and-White breed. The materials of the article reveal theoretical approaches and practical implementation of breeding replacement bulls in breeding farms breeding Red-and-White breed. The criteria for equivalent evaluation of milk productivity traits by genetic value indices in the population of cows (Kd) and sires (B) both having evaluations for the quality of off spring and young ones were determined. Conditional selection differentials were determined and modeling of selection options for cows with different “blood-partness” of Holstein breed was carried out. The difference in the B and Kd values was positive values for milk yield of 460–1355 kg and negative by the mass fraction of fat 0.31–0.05 %. The milk yield coefficient was within the range of 7300–10 469 kg of milk, the milk mass fraction of fat coefficient was 3.95–4.71 %, and the milk mass fraction of protein coefficient was 3.18–3.79 %. The indices of the sires (B) selected for the “father of sires” group based on the same characteristics were: 8414–14 048 kg, 3.93–4.39 %, and 3.15–3.66 %, respectively. These parameters of milk productivity characteristics make it possible to breed a new generation of replacement bulls and successfully continue selection for their improvement. The cow longevity index and its average values for groups of daughters of individual sires were calculated for animal evaluation. A model of custom matings is proposed, and the breeding characteristics of the main and intermediate sires are given based on two variants of their evaluation. The replacement bulls will be the successors of the six previous genealogical complexes of the pedigrees of the sires of the “fathers of sires” group, which belong to the Holstein genealogical lines.

The article is devoted to the problem of assessing human capital under environmental stress, which is relevant for resource-dependent regions of Russia. Using the example of the Kemerovo Region and other industrial territories, the impact of environmental pollution (toxic emissions, wastewater discharge) on key components of human capital: health, education, and demographic dynamics is studied. Using econometric analysis of data from Rosstat, the World Bank, and regional statistics for 2010–2019. Direct correlations have been found between industrial emissions and an increase in morbidity (for example, an increase in sulfur dioxide concentration by 1% increases the risk of asthma by 1,82%), a decrease in the birth rate (–1,37% with an increase in emissions by 1%) and a migration outflow of the population. The study demonstrates the limitations of traditional assessment methods (HDI, HDI) and suggests adjusting the longevity index to take into account environmental and socio-economic factors (unemployment, income inequality). The results show that in the resource regions of the Russian Federation, the HDI is systematically overestimated by 2,32% due to underestimation of environmental damage. The practical significance of the work lies in recommendations on the integration of environmental indicators into regional development strategies, including the introduction of ESG standards for enterprises and investments in green technologies. The article is addressed to economists and environmentalists dealing with issues of sustainable development, and also provides a methodological basis for further research on the relationship between environmental indicators and human capital.

The article describes attitudes towards the choice of labour, financial, and health-preserving trajectories of Russians in preparation for retirement based on the results of the author's sociological study conducted using the method of personal interviews (n = 650). It is shown that in the context of demographic aging in Russia, there is a gradual shift away from understanding aging as a mutual alienation of an elderly person and society, and the elderly - exclusively as objects of care, towards considering the elderly as active participants in public life, in relation to whom the policy of active longevity is implemented. It involves a system of measures to promote employment of the elderly, maintain material well-being, improve health and quality of life, and learning throughout life. However, the index of active longevity in Russia remains low. The assertion is substantiated that the system of measures in line with the concept of active longevity policy has a proactive nature, that is, it is aimed at future generations of elderly people, rather than the current ones, and involves preparation for the period of aging, marked by retirement. Based on the data of the conducted sociological study, it is shown that the labour, financial and health-preserving trajectories of respondents who have not reached retirement age, regarding the preparation for the retirement in some ways are in line with the principles of active longevity, and in some ways, contradict them. At the same time, the main differences are observed between respondents under 46 years of age and pre-retirees. The respondents' orientation towards long-term employment, readiness for lifelong professional training, mastering non-traditional forms of employment (for example, readiness to work on Internet platforms), awareness of responsibility for ensuring their economic well-being in old age and the use of various strategies for this (professional-labour, savings, investment), the attitude towards giving up bad habits and maintaining physical activity (sports, physical education) create the basis for living out their aging by future pensioners in accordance with the principles of active longevity. There are also barriers that hinder the transformation of the aging model in the direction of following the principles of active longevity: the influence of objective factors of economic instability, a low level of financial literacy of the population, the lack of special financial planning skills in preparation for retirement, the lack of a culture of health care.

В связи с внедрением интенсивных технологий производства молока и высоким уровнем кровности по голштинской породе в черно-пестрой и красно-пестрой породах сокращаются сроки производственного использования коров. Нами разработан и апробируется индекс продуктивного долголетия (ИД) с целью племенной характеристики животных красно-пестрой породы. Он рассчитывается по комплексу факторов. Показатели для расчета ИД оптимизированы по классам и представлены в 14 шкалах с учетом наследования и корректировки доступных для анализа данных на коров по живой массе, экстерьеру, типу конституции и др. Приведены факты апробации ИД, его применимости для коров селекционных групп, в том числе дифференцированных по линиям, породности по улучшающей голштинской породе красно-пестрой масти (КПГ). В качестве контрольной группы использованы высокопродуктивные особи симментальской породы с кровностью от 0 до 50%. Установлены повышенная МДЖ (на 0,095%; P&lt;0,01) и превосходство по ИД (на 0,09 ед.) у коров линии М. Чифтейна 095679 по сравнению с теми же показателями животных других линий. Особи красно-пестрой породы с увеличенной кровностью по КПГ (свыше 63%) имели тенденцию к снижению ИД. Предложено осуществлять мониторинг лучших коров по ИД в стадах для племенной характеристики быков-производителей, используемых в популяциях красно-пестрой породы. Due to the Holstein breed’s intensive milk production’s technologies introductiom and a high level of blood supply, there in black-and-white and red-and-white breeds, cows productivity terms using are shortened. We have developed and tested the productive longevity index (ID) for the purpose of red-and-white animals’ breeding characteristics’ study. It is calculated based on a set of factors. The ID indicators calculating by class and presented in 14 scales taking into account cows’ live weight, exterior, constitution type, etc. for inheritance and adjustments’ available data analyses are optimized. The ID facts’ testing, as well as its applicability to cows’ breeding groups including those differentiated by lines, pedigree according to Holstein red-and-white breed (KPG) improving are presented. The high production Simmental breed’s individuals with blood density from 0 till 50% as a control group were used. The increased MDJ (in 0.095%; P&lt;0.01) and ID superiority (in 0.09 units) in the M. Chieftain 095679 line’s cows in compared to the same animals of the other lines’ indicators were found. The individuals of the red-and-white breed with increased KPG blood density (over 63%) to ID decreasing were tended. It is proposed the best ID cows in herds for the bulls breeding characteristics in red-and-white breed’s populations monitoring used.

The aging process, or senescence, is characterized by age-specific decline in physical and physiological function, and increased frailty and genomic changes, including mutation accumulation. However, the mechanisms through which changes in genomic architecture influence human longevity have remained obscure. Copy number variants (CNVs), an abundant class of genomic variants, offer unique opportunities for understanding age-related genomic changes. Here we report the spectrum of CNVs in a cohort of 670 Ashkenazi Jewish centenarians, their progeny, and unrelated controls. The average ages of these groups were 97.4 ± 2.8, 69.2 ± 9.2, and 66.5 ± 7.0 respectively. For the first time, we compared different size classes of CNVs, from 1 kB to 100 MB in size. Using a high-resolution custom Affymetrix array, targeting 44,639 genomic regions, we identified a total of 12,166, 22,188, and 10,285 CNVs in centenarians, their progeny, and control groups, respectively. Interestingly, the offspring group showed the highest number of unique CNVs, followed by control and centenarians. While both gains and losses were found in all three groups, centenarians showed a significantly higher average number of both total gains and losses relative to their controls (p < 0.0327, 0.0182, respectively). Moreover, centenarians showed a lower total length of genomic material lost, suggesting that they may maintain superior genomic integrity over time. We also observe a significance fold increase of CNVs among the offspring, implying greater genomic integrity and a putative mechanism for longevity preservation. Genomic regions that experienced loss or gains appear to be distributed across many sites in the genome and contain genes involved in DNA transcription, cellular transport, developmental pathways, and metabolic functions. Our findings suggest that the exceptional longevity observed in centenarians may be attributed to the prolonged maintenance of functionally important genes. These genes are intrinsic to specific genomic regions as well as to the overall integrity of the genomic architecture. Additionally, a strong association between longer CNVs and differential gene expression observed in this study supports the notion that genomic integrity could positively influence longevity.

The author carried out the mathematical modeling of the longevity index among the famous mathematicians who had most of active life years during the existence of the Soviet Union. Based on a sample of statistical data, the probability distribution and density functions for the longevity of mathematicians who were born or worked in the Soviet Union were created. Modeling was done using polynomial functions through the Excel regression analysis tool. A comparative analysis of the probability distribution functions for the longevity of famous Soviet mathematicians and mathematicians who lived in different countries in the 20th century was performed.

ABSTRACT Since the 1960s, the goal of active longevity has been mentioned repeatedly in Russian policy documents on aging and aging-related research. Analyzing current policy documents revealed divergences in the ways the term was interpreted, which in turn allowed for aging policy to develop in more than one direction. One policy development path considers active longevity to be more or less synonymous with the active aging concept. It focuses on older people’s potential, and measures policy progress according to the Active Longevity Index (ALI). Another takes a more holistic approach, seeing active longevity as a policy goal in itself, alongside healthy aging, employment, social participation, and older people’s contribution to society in ways that suit them. The latter approach accords with previous policy implementations in Russia and with extensive research data collected from various Russian regions since the 1940s. Preliminary observations on active longevity policy implementations show progress in health-care development and multiple opportunities for older people` social participation. However, data on older people’s employment and life expectancy challenge the effectiveness of policy and cast doubt on the reliability of the ALI. A more flexible approach and the application of accumulated data and knowledge may assist in achieving active longevity policy goals.

Deadwood is one of the main structural features of forest ecosystems and plays an important role in the nutrient cycle, in maintaining production and environmental heterogeneity, and acts as an indicator for assessing the biodiversity of forest ecosystems. This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of deadwood according to the influence of forest accessibility indicators in a comparison between natural and recreational forests. The studied area was divided into three accessibility classes based on the slope gradient range, the slope direction towards the nearest road, the road type, and distance from the road. These classes were: Easy-recreational forest (RE-F), Medium-natural forest 1 (NA-F1), and Difficult-natural forest 2 (NA-F2). In each accessibility class, three transects (750 × 50 m) were established, and three deadwood groups (snag, log, and stump) were recorded along the transects and their volume was calculated. The results of the analysis of variance show that accessibility has a significant effect on the presence of deadwood. The number and volume of snags, logs and dead stumps per hectare was higher in NA-F2 than in NA-F1 and RE-F. In each of the investigated classes, logs and stumps had the highest and the lowest number and volume of deadwood per hectare, respectively. The snag longevity index (= log volume/snag volume) decreased with accessibility. NA F2 showed the greatest value, while REF and NA F1 were not significantly different from each other. The results show that decay classes DC2 in NA-F2 and DC3 in NA-F1 and RE-F had the highest percentage of decay frequency. Finally, the forest accessibility indicators have a significant effect on the quantity, quality and distribution of different groups of deadwood in the forest. This is related to the collection of deadwood by local people who remove deadwood with different levels of intensity.

Abstract In this study, we quantify the relationship between socio-economic status and life expectancy and identify combinations of socio-economic variables that are particularly useful for explaining mortality differences between neighbourhoods in England. We achieve this by examining socio-economic variation in mortality experiences across small areas in England known as lower layer super output areas (LSOAs). We then consider 12 socio-economic variables that are known to have a strong association with mortality. We estimate the relationship between those variables and mortality rates using a random forest algorithm. Based on the resulting estimate, we then create a new socio-economic mortality index – the Longevity Index for England (LIFE). The index is constructed in a way that eliminates the impact of care homes that might artificially increase mortality rates in LSOAs with care homes compared to LSOAs that do not contain a care home. Using mortality data for different age groups, we make the index age-dependent and investigate the impact of specific socio-economic characteristics on the age-specific mortality risk. We compare the explanatory power of the LIFE index to the English Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) as predictors of mortality. While we find that the IMD can explain regional mortality differences to some extent, the LIFE index has significantly greater explanatory power for mortality differences between regions. Our empirical results also indicate that income deprivation amongst the elderly and employment deprivation are the most significant socio-economic factors for explaining mortality variation across LSOAs in England.

Significance. One of the main features of the demographic picture of the modern world is the population aging, which is becoming one of the most significant factors of the current and future socio-economic and cultural agenda of the global development. Despite the fact that the population aging is accompanied by increased life expectancy, reaching the age of ninety and over is yet a rare phenomenon. Identification of the factors determining the level of longevity remains an important medical and social objective. An important role here plays the understanding of spatio-temporal features of the longevity, which provide the basis for identifying and analyzing factors that can shed light on the causes of this phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to assess spatio–temporal features of the global longevity. Material and methods. The information base of the study was data of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, as well as scientific publications in periodical information sources. The study used general logical, analytical, statistical and cartographic methods. Results. At the turn of the XX–XXI centuries, there was a rapid increase in the number of long-livers on the planet. If in 1950 the share of people aged 90 and over equaled to 0.05% of the world population, by 2020 it added up to 0.27%, having increased almost six-fold. According to moderate projections of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 0.79% of the world population will survive until ninety and over by 2050, and 2.14% - by 2100. In the 1950-2020 timeframe, all macro-regions of the world show a positive trend in the share of population aged 90+. The increase in the share of long-livers is especially noticeable in Europe, North America and Oceania (Australia). Against this background the indicator the increase in Africa is less pronounced. The phenomenon of longevity is spatially represented rather heterogeneously, and clearly correlates with the country socio-economic status, and, as a consequence, with the population reproduction trends characteristic of this status. Longevity is most pronounced in the countries of the so-called "rich North" ("golden billion"). Of the "top ten" countries in terms of the share of population aged 90+, eight countries represent the European Union. Japan tops the list of the leading countries (1.88%). Russia ranks 37 with the long-liver share adding up to 0.53%. In the 1950-2020 timeframe, the increased longevity index was registered in all macro-regions of the planet. It has highly increased in the North America countries, Europe and Oceania. A relatively low increase in the longevity index was registered in Asia and Africa. At the country level, today, the maximum longevity index is registered in Japan, Uruguay and European countries. The global Top-10 includes 8 European countries, with France, Spain and Italy taking the lead. African countries remain the traditional outsiders. Longevity is determined by a complex set of hereditary factors and environmental conditions. According to experts, out of factors that determine life expectancy, heredity accounts for 15-20%, while other factors account for 75-80% including lifestyle, environment and habits. There is a relationship between the quality of life that includes physical (activity, daily activity, ability to perform activities of daily living), mental, emotional and social well-being of the individual, and life expectancy. The level of economic development can be considered as one of the predictors of longevity. Over the past seventy years, the maximum increase in the share of long-livers has been registered in the "golden billion" countries where the current number of people over 90 has reached 1% of the population, and is projected to increase up to 4-5%.by the end of the century. Genetics, constancy of the internal and external environment factors, quality of life, healthy diet, physical activity, regular work, and sense of purpose of one's own life and value-based attitude to life are important factors that determine the longevity level.

The subject of the study is a cohort of the Russian population aged 90+ (centenarians). The purpose of the work is to conduct a theoretical study of the place of the cohort of centenarians in the demographic structure of the country's population. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that longevity is still a fairly rare phenomenon, attracting the attention of many specialists. The iden- tification of its determining factors remains an important medical, social, and state problem. Today there is no universal answer to the question "what determines the level of longevity?". In light of the search for an answer to it, it is necessary at least to give an accurate picture of longevity in Russia, both on the national scale and in the context of its regions. The scientific novelty consists in identifying the level of longevity in Russia and the spatial pattern of the spread of this phenomenon on the territory of the country. The statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service, as well as analytical publications in periodicals, served as the information base of the study. The research methods include general logical, analytical, statistical, and cartographic methods. To measure the level of longevity, such indicators were used (including calculated) as the absolute number of centenarians (persons aged 90+); the proportion of centenarians (aged 90+) in the total population; the index of longevity or longevity for groups aged 90+. In the course of the study, the authors obtained the following results: indicators of the level of longevity in Russia and in its regions were determined. In order to visualize the obtained regional data, their mapping was carried out. Factors influencing spatial differences in the level of longevity in the country have been identified. The authors conclude about the positive dynamics of the longevity level of the population of Russia in 1990-2021. Among the macro-regions of Russia, the Central Federal District is the leader in terms of the absolute number of cen tenarians, their share in the total population, and the value of the longevity index. The Far Eastern Federal District is an outsider according to these parameters. At the same time, the territories that in Russia are traditionally considered “hotbeds” of longevity – the North Caucasus and Siberia – do not show high values of longevity indicators. Outsider regions in terms of the longevity of the population are mainly “areas of new development”.

This study is devoted to the problem of ensuring a balanced innovative development of the region in the current conditions of digitalization based on the development of the most important resource of the economy human capital. The subject of the study is the quality of human capital on the example of the selected region, as well as organizational and economic relations in terms of human capital management, aimed at achieving a balance in the development of the region. The balanced economic development of the region largely depends on the factors of interest of the economic entities themselves, both moral and material, in achieving an effective result. The main component of economic growth aimed at achieving balanced development is the human resource. Achieving a balanced development in the production, economic and environmental spheres is impossible without achieving a balance in the social aspect, where human capital occupies a key place. Considering a person as the most important factor in achieving a balanced regional development, it is necessary to identify indicators of the balanced development of human capital itself. This study assessed the quality of human capital on the example of the Russian region, the Orenburg region, from the standpoint of balance. The assessment is based on a study of three components: standard of living, education and length of years. Based on the results of the assessment, imbalances in the development of the constituent parts of the human potential of the Orenburg region were revealed: high indicators of income and education indices and a low index of longevity. The low index of longevity is explained by the presence of an imbalance in the level of development of medicine and the unhealthy lifestyle of the population of the region, which is influenced by economic and environmental components, due to the fact that the Orenburg region is an export raw material region. The study analyzed the human development indices of the Orenburg region in comparison with other regions of the Volga Federal District of Russia, established a downward trend in this indicator, which negatively affects economic development indicators and which, of course, was affected by the situation with the Covid-19 pandemic, noted the role of the influence of digital and virtual space on the level of development of human capital in the region under study, the following problems are highlighted: digital inequality, departmental nature of the introduction of information and communication technologies, insufficient development of telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas, which indicates a lack of balance in the development of information literacy of society in a digital economy. Theresults of the study are of theoretical and practical significance for the regional authorities in terms of developing strategic and policy documents in the field of economics, education, healthcare, aimed at improving the welfare of the population, which will create the necessary prerequisites for the formation of high-quality human capital in the region and the effective use of this resource. In the context of digital integration, when a person serves as a leading link, we consider it necessary to develop a mechanism for regulating a balanced system of health and education indicators by the regional authorities, which, in general, will help the region to reach a common trajectory of balanced innovative development.

Prolonging dairy cattle longevity is regarded as one of the options to contribute to a more sustainable milk production. Cattle longevity is a direct result from culling decisions, which is primarily driven by economic considerations. As a consequence, at the herd level, cattle longevity can have effects on the efficiency of dairy production. This study investigates the technical inefficiency of dairy input, and its association with cattle longevity under Dutch commercial dairy production conditions, using a two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. First, the technical inefficiency of capital, labor, land, seed & crop protection expenses, veterinary services, livestock purchase & services, feed purchase, miscellanea, livestock units and total input on total farm revenues was computed using DEA. Secondly, a bootstrap truncated regression analysis was applied to identify the association of cattle longevity with the evaluated input-specific and total input scores for technical inefficiency. Data were compiled from performance and accountancy records of 1,037 commercial Dutch dairy herds over the period of 2007 to 2014. In general, Dutch dairy farms displayed a relatively good overall technical efficiency, represented by an average inefficiency score of 0.09. The economic benefit of extending cattle longevity was evidenced by the negative association of cattle longevity with total input inefficiency. Of the evaluated inputs, the utilization of livestock units and feed was most efficient, with inefficiency scores below 0.26. This contrasts with the poor input efficiency of capital and livestock purchase & services with inefficiency scores around 0.52. Although the strength of the evaluated associations was generally low, the regression results illustrated that, except for labor, the age of culled cows was significantly negatively associated (P < 0.05) with each of the input inefficiencies. This contrasts with the significant associations of input inefficiencies with lifetime milk production, which were mostly positive. Since lifetime milk production is driven by length of cattle lifespan in combination with production level of the cows, the reverse direction of the associations with the two longevity indices illustrates that prolonging cattle longevity can improve efficiency performance of a dairy farm as long as the milk yield per cow remains unchanged.

Introduction : At a global level, demographic changes are notorious, as a result of the increase in aging and longevity indices. Aging is assumed to be transversal to all regions of the world. In Portugal, the projections indicate a doubling of the aging index until the year 2080. In the face of the changes (sociocultural, political and economic), which are quite significant in the current family dynamics, institutionalization is affirmed as the solution that best responds to the needs of the family of elderly person, who sees their independence and/or autonomy limited, not allowing them to stay at home. In this sense, evaluating the elderly person's perception of health, namely physical, mental and social well-being, may enable an effective knowledge of their needs and limitations. Objective: To identify the health perception of residents of a residential structure for the elderly in the municipality of Évora. Methods: Descriptive study with a quantitative approach. The EASYcare survey was used as a data collection tool. This allows the identification of perceived limitations and needs. Intentional sample of 58 people aged ≥ 65 years, living in a nursing home in the municipality of Évora. Results: Mean age 87.8 years, mostly women. The self-perception of health was validated as “reasonable” by 36.2%, 20.7% as “poor” or “very good” and 3.4% as “excellent”. Conclusion: The perception of health of the population studied is evidenced in a diminutive way in the face of physical, cognitive and social changes. Keywords: Aged; Aging; Health; Institutionalization; Self Concept.

Seed persistence in the soil is crucial for population dynamics. Interspecific differences in soil seed mortality could be a mechanism that may stimulate species coexistence in herbaceous plant communities. Therefore, understanding the levels and causes of seed persistence is vital for understanding community composition and population dynamics. In this study, we evaluated the burial depth as a significant predictor of the temporal dynamics of soil seed persistence. We suppose that species differ in this temporal dynamics of soil seed persistence according to burial depth. Furthermore, we expected that burial depth would affect soil seed persistence differently concerning the species-specific type of dormancy, light, and fluctuating temperature requirements for germination. Seeds of 28 herbaceous species of calcareous grasslands were buried in the field into depths of 1, 5, and 10 cm under the soil surface. Seed viability was tested by germination and tetrazolium tests several times for three years. Species-specific seed traits—a type of dormancy, light requirements and alternating temperature requirements for germination, and longevity index—were used for disentangling the links behind species-specific differences in soil seed persistence. Our study showed differences in soil seed persistence according to the burial depth at the interspecific level. Generally, the deeper the buried seeds, the longer they stayed viable, but huge differences were found between individual species. Species-specific seed traits seem to be an essential determinant of seed persistence in the soil. Seeds of dormant species survived less and only dormant seeds stayed viable in the soil. Similarly, seeds of species without light or alternating temperature requirements for germination generally remained viable in the soil in smaller numbers. Moreover, seeds of species that require light for germination stayed viable longer in the deeper soil layers. Our results help understand the ecosystem dynamics caused by seed reproduction and highlight the importance of a detailed long-term investigation of soil seed persistence. That is essential for understanding the fundamental ecological processes and could help restore valuable calcareous grassland habitats.