Relative Terms Research Articles

Influence of the Institutional Environment on the Processes of International Labor Migration to the Regions of the Russian Federation

Introduction. The relevance of the research topic is determined by the increasing role of international labor migration in the socio-economic development of Russian regions and the need for effective management of migrant flows. In the conditions of demographic decline and labor shortage, the attraction of foreign migrants becomes an important factor of economic growth. The study of the determinants of international labor migration has often focused on the socio-economic characteristics of destinations. This article examines the impact of the quality of public administration of territories on their ability to attract labor immigrants. Materials and Methods. The empirical basis of the study was the data of Rosstat, as well as information from the Atlas “Islamic Community of the Russian Federation”. The research method was regression analysis of panel data (fixed effects model). Results. Statistical processing of the data showed that the constituent entities of the Russian Federation with a higher quality of state governance attract more international labor migrants. At the same time, most socio-economic factors that are traditionally used to explain the attractiveness of the destination territory were not confirmed, although they are indirectly included in the category of “state capacity”. Regression analysis demonstrated a positive impact of the share of Muslim population in the Russian regions on the number (in relative terms) of foreign labor migrants. The concept of “ethnic networks” has not been empirically tested. Discussion and Conclusion. International labor migrants prefer to come to destination territories with a higher quality of public administration. At the same time, it is important to ensure social integration of immigrants and protection of their rights in order to avoid problems in the host society that are related to socio-cultural differences. The results of the study can contribute to the growth of the efficiency of migration management at the national and sub-national levels, as well as allow forecasting the directions of migration flow.

Absolute and Relative Mobility: Two Frameworks for Connecting Intergenerational Mobility in Absolute and Relative Terms

Researchers concerned about intergenerational inequalities study absolute and relative mobility (e.g., whether people’s adult incomes exceed their parents’ incomes in dollars or ranks ). Absolute and relative mobility are connected, by definition. Yet, they are not equivalent. Indeed, they often diverge. To illuminate why, when, and for whom such divergence occurs—and why, when, and for whom convergence is possible—this article provides two frameworks for connecting absolute and relative mobility. One framework is formal and one is typological. Both frameworks center micro-level socioeconomic experiences across generations. Illustrative analyses employ these frameworks using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data. Results suggest that divergent experiences, like upward absolute mobility despite downward relative mobility, may be more common among more advantaged social groups. Future researchers could use the two frameworks introduced here to further advance our understanding of how intergenerational inequalities evolve differently in absolute and relative terms.

Coulometric titration of sulfanilamide as a standard for diazotization titration and nitrite determination.

Sulfanilamide and nitrite have been standardized to each other by diazotization titration; however, no literature was found on determination methods for either material on an absolute basis. In the present study, coulometric titration with electrogenerated bromine was first used to determine sulfanilamide. Coulometric titration provides absolute assays of the amount of substances, based on Faraday's laws of electrolysis, and also has a high degree of accuracy compared to other instrumental methods. Nitrite was assayed by diazotization titration based on the coulometrically determined sulfanilamide. This idea provides a new methodology for the absolute determination of the purity of basic chemicals whose purity could previously only be assessed in relative terms.

Strain-specific differences in cerebellar anatomy between laboratory and wild rats.

Domestication and subsequent breed selection has significantly changed the phenotype of most domesticated animal species. Not only has their external appearance changed, in many species, the brain, and individual brain regions, often differ in size in domesticated strains compared with their wild ancestors. Although the majority of studies on mammals focus on cortical regions, the cerebellum often differs in relative and absolute size between domestic and wild strains, but more specific data on cell sizes and numbers are often lacking. We quantified cerebellar anatomy in two domesticated strains (Long Evans and Sprague-Dawley) and one wild-type of brown rat (Rattus norvegicus). Using unbiased stereology, we measured the total cerebellum and its layers' volumes, as well as the number and size of Purkinje cells. Long Evans rats had a larger total cerebellum volume, in both absolute and relative terms, than Sprague-Dawley and wild rats, but no other significant differences were detected. Significant differences in the absolute and relative sizes of the molecular, granule cell, and white matter layers were also found, but the differences were inconsistent among strains such as the largest values alternated between the two lab strains. The absolute number of Purkinje cells did not differ among strains, but one population of Sprague-Dawley rats and the wild rats had more Purkinje cells relative to cerebellar volume. Last, Long Evan rats had significantly smaller Purkinje cells than the other strains in both absolute and relative terms. Only one of the two domesticated strains differed from wild rats in cerebellar anatomy. Our results therefore demonstrate that changes in the brains of domesticated animals do not necessarily follow a universal rule; they can vary between different strains. This highlights the importance of including more than one strain in wild-domesticate comparisons in brain anatomy and avoiding the oversimplification of the effects of domestication on the brain.

Кыргыз Республикасында цефалоспорин катарындагы бактерияга каршы препараттардын ассортиментин түзүмдүк талдоо

Введение. Антибактериальные препараты играют важную роль в лече нии инфекционных заболеваний, и антибактериальные препараты це фалоспоринового ряда являются одной из наиболее широко используемых групп антибиотиков. В условиях роста распространён ности инфекционных болезней, а также увеличения не рационального использования антибиотиков, в том числе цефалоспоринов в Кыргыз ской Республике демонстрирует тенденцию к росту. В данной статье проводится структурный анализ рынка антибактериальных препаратов цефалоспоринового ряда, рассматриваются его номенклатурные и групповые особенности. Цель исследования. Проведение структурного анализа зарегистриро ванных антибактериальных препаратов цефалоспоринового ряда. Материалы и методы. Для проведения исследования использованы методы контент-анализа, сравнения, ранжирования. В качестве основ ного материала для анализа использованы данные Государственного реестра лекарственных средств Кыргызской Республики на 2024 год, содержащие сведения о зарегистрированных антибактериальных пре паратах, включая торговые наименования, лекарственные формы, до зировки, производителей, страны производителей. Результаты. Путем выкопировки данных из официальных источников информации - Государственный реестр лекарственных средств Кыр гызской Республики сформирован список антибиотиков, который включает 55 торговых наименований (ТН), 36 международных непа тентованных наименований (МНН) и 22 препарата в разных лекарст венных формах. По данным Государственного реестра ЛС Кыргызской Республики, на 2024г. зарегистрировано 625 антибиотиков (с учетом торговых наименований лекарственных препаратов, форм выпуска, до зировок, фирм-производителей, стран производства). Среди зареги стрированных 20,6% приходится на группу пенициллинов, 27,7% – цефалоспоринов, 14,5% – хинолонов, 5,3% – аминогликозидов, 12,8% – макролидов, 2,8% – тетрациклинов и 16,3% – на другие группы ан тибактериальных препаратов. В структуре ассортимента зарегистри рованных антибактериальных препаратов цефалоспоринового ряда распределение по поколениям в относительных величинах можно пред ставить следующим образом (с учетом МНН): 1-е поколение – 11% (це фазолин); 2-е поколение – 15% (цефуроксим); 3-е поколение –62% (цефтриаксон, цефотаксим, цефтазидим, цефоперазон); 4-е поколение – 12% (цефипим). Заключение. Проведённый контент-анализ ассортимента антибиотиков, зарегистрированных в Кыргызской Республике по Реестру разрешён ных ЛС на 2024 год, позволяет сделать вывод о структурированной и насыщенной картине фармацевтического рынка антибактериальных препаратов. Чрезмерное разнообразие и количество антибиотиков на рынке страны вызывает обеспокоенность по поводу их нерациональ ного использования в медицинской практике. Всё это приводит к росту устойчивости микроорганизмов к антибиотикам. Introduction. Antibacterial drugs play an important role in the treatment of infectious diseases, and cephalosporin-type antibacterial drugs are one of the most widely used groups of antibiotics. In the context of an increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases, as well as an increase in the inefficient use of antibiotics, including cephalosporins, the Kyrgyz Republic is showing an upward trend. This article provides a structural analysis of the cepha losporin-type antibacterial drugs market, examines its nomenclature and group features. The purpose of the study. Conducting a structural analysis of registered an tibacterial drugs of the cephalosporin series. Materials and methods. The methods of content analysis, comparison, and ranking were used to conduct the research. Data from the State Register of Medicines of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2024, containing information on reg istered antibacterial drugs, including trade names, dosage forms, dosages, manufacturers, and countries of origin, were used as the main material for analysis. Results. By copying data from official information sources - the State Reg ister of Medicines of the Kyrgyz Republic - a list of antibiotics has been formed, which includes 55 trade names (TN), 36 international nonpropri etary names (INN) and 22 drugs in various dosage forms. According to the State Register of Medicinal Products of the Kyrgyz Republic, 625 antibiotics have been registered for 2024 (including trade names of medicines, forms of release, dosages, manufacturing companies, and countries of production). Of those registered, 20.6% are penicillins, 27.7% are cephalosporins, 14.5% are quinolones, 5.3% are aminoglycosides, 12.8% are macrolides, 2.8% are tetracyclines, and 16.3% are other groups of antibacterial drugs. In the struc ture of the range of registered antibacterial drugs of the cephalosporin series, the generational distribution in relative terms can be represented as follows (taking into account INN): 1st generation - 11% (cefazolin); 2nd generation – 15% (cefuroxime); 3rd generation -62% (ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, cef tazidime, cefoperazone); 4th generation – 12% (cefipime). Conclusion. The conducted content analysis of the range of antibiotics reg istered in the Kyrgyz Republic according to the Register of Permitted Drugs for 2024 allows us to conclude about a structured and rich picture of the pharmaceutical market of antibacterial drugs. The excessive variety and quantity of antibiotics on the country's market raises concerns about their irrational use in medical practice. All this leads to an increase in the resist ance of microorganisms to antibiotics. Киришүү. Антибактериалдык препараттар жугуштуу ооруларды дары лоодо маанилүү ролду ойнойт жана цефалоспорин тибиндеги антибак териалдык препараттар антибиотиктердин эң кеңири колдонулган топторунун бири болуп саналат. Жугуштуу оорулардын таралышынын, ошондой эле Кыргыз Республикасында антибиотиктерди, анын ичинде цефалоспориндерди рационалдуу эмес колдонуунун көбөйүшүнүн шарттарында өсүү тенденциясы байкалууда. Бул макалада цефалоспо рин сериясындагы антибактериалдык препараттар рыногунун струк туралык анализи жүргүзүлүп, анын номенклатуралык жана топтук өзгөчөлүктөрү каралат. Изилдөөнүн максаты. Катталган цефалоспорин тибиндеги антибакте риалдык препараттарга структуралык анализ жүргүзүү. Материалдар жана ыкмалар. Изилдөө жүргүзүү үчүн контент-талдоо, салыштыруу, рейтингдөө ыкмалары колдонулду. Талдоо үчүн негизги материал катары 2024-жылга Кыргыз Республикасынын дары-дармек каражаттарынын мамлекеттик реестринин маалыматтары пайдала нылды, аларда катталган антибактериалдык препараттар, анын ичинде соода аталыштары, дары формалары, дозалары, өндүрүүчүлөр, өндү рүүчү өлкөлөр жөнүндө маалыматтар камтылган. Натыйжалар. Расмий маалымат булактарынан маалыматтарды казып алуу жолу менен-Кыргыз Республикасынын дары-дармек каражатта рынын мамлекеттик реестри антибиотиктердин тизмеси түзүлгөн, ал 55 соода аталышын (СА), 36 эл аралык патенттелбеген аталышты (ЭПА) жана ар кандай дары-дармек формаларындагы 22 препаратты камтыйт. Кыргыз Республикасынын ДК мамлекеттик реестринин маа лыматтары боюнча 2024-жылга карата 625 антибиотик катталган (да рыпрепараттарынын соода аталыштарын, чыгаруу формаларын, доза ларын, өндүрүүчү фирмаларды, өндүрүш өлкөлөрүн эске алуу менен). Катталгандардын ичинен 20,6% пенициллиндер тобуна, 27,7% лоспо риндерге, 14,5% хинолондорго, 5,3% аминогликозиддерге, 12,8% мак ролиддерге, 2,8% тетрациклиндерге жана 16,3% антибактериалдык препараттардын башка топторуна туура келет. Катталган цефалоспо рин сериясындагы бактерияга каршы препараттардын ассортименти нин структурасында муундар боюнча салыштырмалуу чоңдукта бөлүштүрүүнү төмөнкүчө чагылдырууга болот (ЭПАны эске алуу менен): 1-муун – 11% (цефазолин); 2 – муун-15% (цефуроксим); 3-муун -62% (цефтриаксон, цефотаксим, цефтазидим, цефоперезон); 4-муун 12% (цефипим). Жыйынтыгы. 2024-жылга уруксат берилген ДК реестри боюнча Кыр гыз Республикасында катталган антибиотиктердин ассортиментине жүргүзүлгөн контент-талдоо антибактериалдык препараттардын фар мацевтикалык рыногунун структураланган жана толук сүрөтү жөнүндө тыянак чыгарууга мүмкүндүк берет. Өлкөнүн рыногунда антибиотик тердин ашыкча түрдүүлүгү жана саны алардын медициналык практи када туура эмес колдонулушуна тынчсызданууну жаратууда. Мунун баары микроорганизмдердин антибиотиктерге туруктуулугунун өсүшүнө алып келет.

Consequences of legislation-based reshoring for EU carbon emissions in global value chains

Abstract The increased vulnerability of global value chains (GVCs) to events such as pandemics and wars has put reshoring trends—i.e., returning some previously delocalised activities back to the home country or nearby regions and like-minded countries—in the spotlight. The GVC reconfiguration resulting from potential backshoring, nearshoring or friendshoring processes may have crucial consequences for the fight against climate change that need to be assessed. Using an environmentally extended multiregional input‒output model, combined with the source-shifting technique and international trade data, we evaluate the impact of reshoring five strategic products according to the European Union (EU) industrial policy orientation on the EU carbon footprint. In all the simulated scenarios, there is a net saving in the EU’s carbon footprint, which depends on the sector considered. For example, the highest emission reductions are achieved in the case of iron and steel. In relative terms, reshoring scenarios allows for diversification and a reduction in the transitional climate change risks of the sectors involved. We find synergies between resilience and climate change goals and show how supplier selection through GVCs helps firms to achieve evidence-based mitigation goals.

The Effectiveness of Redistribution in Carbon Inequality: What About the Top 1%?

This study investigates the impact of income redistribution on carbon emissions across 154 countries from 1995 to 2023, with a particular focus on carbon inequality. Using a dynamic panel approach with two-step System GMM estimations, the analysis considers three dependent variables: average per capita emissions, top 1% per capita emissions, and the ratio of top 1% per capita emissions to national average per capita emissions. Results show that income redistribution (measured in both absolute and relative terms) significantly reduces average per capita emissions in the short term. However, redistribution has no mitigating effect on the carbon emissions of the top 1%; in some models, it is even associated with increases in elite emissions and a widening of carbon inequality. These findings suggest that while redistribution may contribute to national emission reductions, it is insufficient to curb the carbon-intensive lifestyles of the wealthiest. The analysis confirms the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis and underscores the need for complementary policy tools to more effectively address the emissions of high-emitting individuals. Overall, this study contributes to the literature by linking income redistribution with emission disparities across income groups and highlights the importance of considering distributional dynamics in climate policy design.

Towards Consumption-Based Carbon Inequality Metrics: Socioeconomic and Demographic Insights from Chinese Households

The choice of carbon inequality metrics can significantly influence demand-side mitigation policies and their equity outcomes. We propose integrated carbon inequality metrics, including juxtaposing carbon inequality with economic inequality, disparity ratios across income and age groups, and structural income–urbanization inequality patterns. We then apply these new metrics and use the household expenditure survey data from China Family Panel Studies as a case study to examine household consumption-based carbon emissions in China. We assess the extent to which household consumption patterns, household expenditure, age, and urbanization contribute to the gap in per-capita household carbon footprints (CF) across income groups. We find that in relative terms, the top 20% income group accounts for 38% of total emissions, whereas the bottom 20% emit about 8% in China. Per-capita CFs vary slightly widely in their inequality than expenditure. The CF disparity ratios of all eight consumption categories across provinces concentrate around 4.5. CF disparity ratios of households with elderly members range from 1 to 3 and decrease with increasing household size. Rural CF-Gini exhibit a slightly wider range (0.15 to 0.52) than urban CF-Gini (0.16 to 0.42). Per capita CF of urban inhabitants was substantially larger than that of the rural ones, with 8.83 tCO2 per capita in urban regions vs. 2.68 tCO2 in rural regions. This study provides a nuanced understanding of within-country disparities to inform equitable demand-side mitigation solutions.

Ultrasound and high frequency equipment efficacy for abdominal obesity reduction in women

The global and Korean obesity rates are increasing, leading to heightened risks of cardiovascular diseases. Abdominal obesity, in particular, is strongly associated with cardiovascular risks and metabolic syndrome. Although surgical options are available, non-invasive body contouring devices offer lower-risk alternatives. However, evidence regarding their effectiveness in managing abdominal obesity in Koreans is limited. This study evaluates the impact of these techniques on reducing abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat volume, emphasizing both absolute and relative changes. This retrospective pilot study analyzed data from 9 women participants aged ≥ 18 years treated at Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital’s Well Aging Center in 2023. Participants underwent ultrasound-based body contouring and radiofrequency-based skin tightening. Pre- and post-treatment measurements included waist circumference and abdominal fat areas assessed via CT scans. Statistical analyses were conducted using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The treatments significantly reduced waist circumference (absolute: -3.82 cm; relative: -4.35%, p < 0.01), maximum waist circumference (absolute: -3.91 cm; relative: -4.14%, p < 0.01), superficial fat area (absolute: -18.90 cm²; relative: -7.19%, p < 0.01), and total fat area (absolute: -20.38 cm²; relative: -5.67%, p < 0.01). These consistent reductions in both absolute and relative terms underscore the robustness of the treatment effects on superficial fat layers. However, visceral fat area did not show statistically significant changes (absolute: -1.48 cm²; relative: -1.46%, p > 0.05). Ultrasound-based body contouring and radiofrequency-based skin tightening are effective non-invasive methods for reducing abdominal circumference and subcutaneous fat volume in Korean women with abdominal obesity, as evidenced by significant absolute and relative improvements. Future research should focus on optimizing treatment protocols, conducting comparative studies with other methods, and evaluating long-term outcomes to establish their clinical utility further.

From Tiny Hands to Steady Hands to Weary Hands: Age-Related Change Rates in Grip Strength Across the Lifespan

This study aimed to quantify the rate of change (kg/year) and percentage change (%) in grip strength across the lifespan (ages 3-85), stratified by gender and hand dominance. This was a cross-sectional observational study. Data were obtained from 3,901 noninstitutionalized U.S. residents aged 3 to 85 who had participated in the NIH Toolbox study. Grip strength was measured with a Jamar dynamometer and both the rate of change (kg/year) and percentage change (%) were calculated for the dominant and nondominant hands by gender. Results showed that grip strength change rates peaked early in life and then steadily declined with age. At age 14, males exhibited their highest annual gain (4.58 kg/year) and females peaked at age 11 (2.87 kg/year). After these peak ages, the change rate turned negative by early adulthood, marking the start of functional decline. By age 60, men were losing 0.35 kg of grip strength per year and women 0.30 kg per year. From ages 66 to 85, annual losses stabilized at approximately 0.35-0.37 kg for men and 0.27-0.28 kg for women. In relative terms, percentage loss accelerated after midlife: by age 50 males had lost 7.37% of their peak strength and females 3.13%. These percentage declines deepened to 22.96% in males and 25.23% in females by age 72 and further to 33.27% in males and 37.62% in females by age 85, illustrating a progressive, age-related decrease in muscle function. Knowing the reference values for the rate of grip strength decline during normal aging was essential for distinguishing healthy aging from early signs of muscle dysfunction. These values served as benchmarks to assess whether an individual’s decline was within the expected range or indicated a higher risk of frailty, sarcopenia or other age-related conditions.

Shock and awe: Economic sanctions and relative military spending

Economic sanctions could cause substantial harm to target states, forcing them to undertake tough guns-versus-butter trade-offs. Although existing research has argued that sanctioned countries reduce their military spending in absolute terms, it is unclear whether they do trade more guns for butter in relative terms. We argue that in the short run, sanctioned states have an incentive to channel proportionally more resources to the military for two primary reasons. First, this allows them to signal their resolve not to back down to sanctioning states and potentially maintain their bargaining leverage. Second, higher relative military spending can strengthen leaders’ hold on power by improving their ability to co-opt and repress political opponents. However, this combined incentive to signal resolve and consolidate power weakens after the initial economic and political shocks. As such, we also expect that the increase in relative military spending will diminish gradually. To test our theory, we propose a new measurement of sanction shocks that carefully accounts for the salience, costs, and duration of different sanction episodes. Using this measure, we apply dynamic panel modeling to examine the military spending of 166 countries from 1962 to 2015. We find strong support for our theoretical expectations. In response to sanction shocks, target states choose to spend proportionally more on the military; this increase peaks in the first few years and dissipates over time. These results hold important implications for research on both economic sanctions and military spending.

Biological sex differences in fatigue in resistance-trained individuals: A scoping review.

Females may experience less neuromuscular fatigue and improved recovery following resistance training than males; however, it is unclear whether this applies to resistance-trained individuals. A systematic scoping review was performed to map the evidence on sex differences in fatigue during and following resistance training in trained participants. PubMed, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus were searched following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The protocol was prospectively registered. Of the 4,020 identified articles, 34 were included. These studies assessed sex differences in fatigue using various measures during single and multiple resistance training sets, performance relative to the baseline at various time points (0-5 min, 1-6 h, 24 h, and 48-96 h after resistance training), and metabolic responses. Substantial heterogeneity in study design and results were observed. Together, most studies found minor-to-no sex differences in neuromuscular fatigue, but some evidence of greater fatigability in males during or immediately following resistance training were found when (1) more complex free-weight exercises were performed with moderate loads, (2) rest periods were shorter, and (3) males were substantially stronger than females in relative terms, among others. Future investigations should explore the impact of training variables and habitual training on fatigue in males and females of comparable relative strength and technical proficiency.

Long-term trends in mortality by living arrangements and the role of socioeconomic factors, Finland 1991-2020.

Recent decades have witnessed major changes in living arrangements, potentially impacting their well-established associations with mortality. However, research considering long-term trends in these differentials is scarce. We used individual-level register data on the total Finnish population aged 30 years and over from 1991 to 2020 to examine trends in the association between living arrangements and all-cause, as well as external and alcohol-related mortality. We calculated age-standardized mortality rates, quantified group differentials in absolute and relative terms, and assessed the contribution of socioeconomic factors with Poisson-models. Analyses were conducted separately for men and women in age groups 30-49, 50-69, and 70+. All-cause mortality was consistently lowest among men and women living with a partner. Highest rates were observed in the growing group of individuals living alone or with persons other than a partner or child, who experienced up to a five-fold excess mortality compared to those living with a partner and children. Mortality declined across all living arrangement groups over time. While absolute rate differences mostly narrowed, relative differences widened across all ages. Adjustments for socioeconomic factors somewhat attenuated mortality differentials, with their contribution increasing modestly by the end of the study period. In conclusion, over the past 30 years, relative mortality differences by living arrangement have increased at all ages for both men and women. These widening differentials pose a growing public health burden, particularly for the growing group of individuals living alone. Our results suggest that factors beyond socioeconomic differentiation are contributing to these trends.

Una estimación de la contribución de la población extranjera en España al crecimiento del PIB per cápita en el período 2022-2024

Rationale Migratory flows to Spain have been particularly strong following the pandemic, contributing to the growth of GDP and employment in the Spanish economy. This article estimates the contribution of the foreign population to GDP per capita growth in Spain between 2022 and 2024 and quantifies the channels through which it was made. Takeaways •GDP per capita in Spain grew at an annual average rate of 2.9% between 2022 and 2024. •Based on a mechanical decomposition, the foreign population made an average direct contribution to GDP per capita growth of between 0.4 percentage points (pp) and 0.7 pp. •This contribution is similar, in relative terms, to that estimated in prior upswings and was mainly shaped by two factors: the headway in the assimilation – in different dimensions – of the immigrants who entered Spain in the early 2000s and the improvements in the education level and the occupational distribution of those who have arrived in recent years.

Is the Existing Measles Vaccination Schedule in the Russian Federation Effective?

Relevance. During the period of long–term measles vaccination in Russia, the age of those who were vaccinated with live measles vaccine changed several times – from 9 to 15-18 months, until scientific research proved the optimal age of 12 months. During the period of measles elimination, when population immunity is formed mainly through immunization, and the artificial active immunity of mothers protects children of the first year of life for a shorter period of time than natural active immunity, the incidence of this infection in children under 1 year of age is of particular importance for managing the epidemic process of measles. The aim of this study is to assess the importance of measles in the epidemic process of children under the age of 1 year during the elimination of infection, the effectiveness of the current measles vaccination regimen.Materials and methods. The measles incidence in children under 1 year of age was analyzed in absolute and relative terms for the period from 2010 to 2024. For more u For a more in-depth analysis, the years of the increase in the incidence of 2012, 2014, 2019, 2023 and 2024 were selected, when the patterns of involvement of this analyzed group in the epidemic process of measles were most pronounced. The Pearson coefficient was used to determine the correlation.Results and discussions. The configuration of the measles incidence curve in children in the first year of life completely coincides with the dynamics of measles incidence in the general population, and a strong positive correlation (r=+0.99) confirmed the dependence of the incidence of the analyzed age group on the overall incidence. Further in-depth analysis showed that children under the age of 1 are not the leading group at high risk of infection, but rather passively participate in the epidemic process, becoming involved in the process with an increasing number of sources of infection. Thus, the proportion of sick children during the years of the rise in morbidity ranged from 7.77% to 15.87%, but even in the year of the maximum increase in the overall incidence, the but at the same time, even in the year of the maximum increase in the overall incidence recorded in 2024, when the total number of cases exceeded 22 thousand people, the analyzed indicator did not exceed 9.69%. Children aged 6-11 months were more likely to get sick, accounting for an average of 75.98%, while the proportion of children with measles in the first five months averaged 24.02%. The structure of measles cases was dominated by unvaccinated individuals. During the years of the rise in the incidence of 2012, 2014, 2019, 2023, 2024, the proportion of the unvaccinated accounted for respectively 77,0%, 75,2%, 84,4%, 88,8%, 89,5%. Among them, children of the first year of life accounted for a small percentage – only 20,6%, 14,9%, 9,4%, 8,7% and 10.7%.Conclusion. The results of the analysis of the incidence of children under one year of age confirmed the validity of vaccination tactics at 12 months and at 6 years of age in our country. The incidence of measles in children under the age of vaccination directly depends on the vaccination against measles in their immediate environment, therefore it is very important to maintain population immunity at a level of at least 95.0%. At the moment, there is no reason to change the scheme, which does not exclude its change in the event of new vaccines or changes in the epidemic situation for measles.

Communicating Program Eligibility: A Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Field Experiment

We conducted a direct mail field experiment with 4,016,461 individuals to test several key hypotheses about why take-up of Supplemental Security Income among individuals age 65 and above is so low. Communicating likely eligibility in a basic letter generated substantial increases in take-up in relative terms. Adding behaviorally informed statements increased the effectiveness of these communications. Yet, the application rate in our study sample during the full 24-month follow-up period remained no greater than 7 percent. Our results reveal a modest trade-off between increasing applications and the conditional likelihood of award, as well as the award amount. (JEL C93, D12, D83, H55, I38, J14)

Absolute Risks and Decision Tools for Communicating the Risks of Visual Impairment From Myopia-Related Diseases.

The risks of developing myopia complications are frequently reported in relative terms, which can be misleading. This study provides absolute risk estimates of visual impairment (VI) from myopia-related diseases. A critical integrative review provided data on frequency of myopic macular degeneration (MMD), primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and associated VI in predominantly White and East Asian populations. The absolute risks of persons over 40 years of age with no myopia, low myopia (-2.00 D), or high myopia (-6.00 D) developing VI from each myopia-related disease were calculated by multiplying the proportion of each refractive group with the disease by the rate of VI. The sum of the risks of VI from MMD, POAG, and RRD provided an estimate of VI risk from any of these three myopia-related diseases in adults over 40 years old. VI from MMD, POAG, or RRD combined is expected in 0.4 in 100, 1.4 in 100, and 6.8 in 100 of White persons with no myopia, low myopia, or high myopia, respectively. The same risks in an East Asian population are 0.5 in 100, 2.4 in 100 and 10.3 in 100 in persons with no myopia, low myopia, or high myopia, respectively. Absolute risks are provided to enable balanced discussions of the future risk that a child may have in developing VI from myopia-related diseases when considering myopia management. These estimates should be put into context using decision tools and balanced statements providing information on the likelihood of both developing VI and not developing VI.

Jump Squat Momentum: An Alternative Method to Prescribe Jump Squat Loads for Elite Rugby Union Players.

Loturco, I, Zabaloy, S, Bishop, C, Mercer, VP, Moura, TBMA, Ramos, MS, Freitas, TT, and Pereira, LA. Jump squat momentum: An alternative method to prescribe jump squat loads for elite rugby union players. J Strength Cond Res 39(7): 780-787, 2025-Rugby union is a team-sport in which collisions and impact forces play a decisive role. In this regard, momentum-based measurements (the product of mass and velocity of a body in a given movement) are frequently used by practitioners. Generally, sprint momentum (SM; the product of sprinting speed and athlete's body mass) is the most commonly considered momentum-based measure by coaches and sport scientists, either to differentiate playing positions or to examine player performance. However, recently, jump squat momentum (JSM) has been suggested as a complementary momentum-based measure because of its strong relationship with SM. In this study, we compared the body mass; half-squat 1 repetition maximum (HS 1RM), in both absolute and relative terms (i.e., relative strength [RS]); sprinting speed and momentum; and JSM of 21 rugby backs and forwards using an independent t test. As expected, forwards are significantly heavier and stronger and exhibit higher SM and JSM than backs ( p ≤ 0.02). By contrast, backs are faster in linear sprints over both 10- and 30-m ( p < 0.001) and exhibit higher values of RS ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, irrespective of the playing position, RS was significantly different between the "low" and "high" RS groups ( p < 0.001). Despite these marked differences, all players achieved their greatest magnitudes of JSM at an average of 40% HS 1RM. Strength and conditioning coaches interested in increasing JSM and its related metrics (e.g., SM) in rugby players could use this specific loading range to prescribe JS loads during their strength-power training sessions.

Migrant repatriations as a transatlantic challenge: Some legal, methodological and democratic considerations

Conducting repatriations of persons illegally staying on a territory is a problem that is common to the EU and the US. Despite this common challenge, legal differences and divergent administrative traditions make comparing the US and the EU experiences rather difficult. In addition, the differences in terminology and statistical methodologies make it impossible to directly compare repatriation rates. Still, comparisons can be made between the jurisdictions. One crucial difference is that the undocumented immigrant population is much bigger in the US than it is in the EU, in both absolute and relative terms. Similarities lie in the democratic imperative in both jurisdictions to repatriate those staying illegally. However, repatriations also tend to be ineffective in both jurisdictions. Internally, this is due to a lack of administrative and judicial capacity and a lack of cooperation between domestic agencies. Externally, both jurisdictions face the barrier of the countries of origin being reluctant to readmit their nationals.

Evaluation of the long-term reproducibility of a realization of the kilogram by the XRCD method

Abstract The definition of the kilogram is presently based on the Planck constant h. It is therefore possible to establish a mass standard by realizing the kilogram using any method that relates h to mass. On the basis of this principle, we realized the kilogram by the x-ray crystal density (XRCD) method using a silicon sphere with a nominal mass of 1 kg. For the realization, the silicon core volume of the sphere excluding the surface layer was measured using a laser interferometer to determine the number of silicon atoms in the core. The mass of the silicon core m core was determined from the number of silicon atoms and the mass of a single silicon atom calculated from h. To evaluate the mass of the surface layer m SL, the surface of the sphere was characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The sphere mass m sphere was determined from m core and m SL, and the standard uncertainty of the kilogram realization was estimated to be 23 μg. To statistically evaluate the long-term reproducibility of this realization, the realization result was compared with previous realization results in 2016 and 2019. The standard deviation of m sphere in the three realizations over five years was estimated to be as small as 2.4 μg, corresponding to 2.4 × 10−9 in relative terms for 1 kg. This is only 10 % of the standard uncertainty of the kilogram realization. The standard deviations of m core and m SL over five years were also estimated to be 3.9 μg and 1.9 μg, respectively. On the basis of these statistical evaluations, the strategy for the kilogram realization by the XRCD method to establish the primary mass standard in the future is discussed.