Age Structure Research Articles

Health Care Spending Increases and Value in South Korea

Health care spending in South Korea (hereafter Korea) nearly doubled from 2010 to 2019. However, little is known about the drivers and effectiveness of these spending increases in terms of changes in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). To evaluate the factors contributing to changes in health care spending and DALYs and estimate the value of health care spending from 2010 to 2019 in Korea. This cross-sectional study of the population of Korea used 2010 and 2019 data from the National Health Insurance Service for health care spending, and from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 for DALYs. Changes from 2010 to 2019 were decomposed into changes in several factors, including population size, aging, and per-person measures of spending or DALYs. Data analyses were performed from April 2023 to June 2024. Health care spending was calculated as the total expenditure on medical and long-term care, and health gains were measured as DALYs averted. The value of health care spending was estimated as the ratio of changes in spending per person to changes in DALYs per person. Total health care spending in Korea increased from $55.0 billion in 2010 to $92.0 billion in 2019. Increases in spending per person accounted for 52.9% of the increase, followed by population aging and population size (35.6% and 11.4%). Total DALYs increased from 11.4 million to 12.2 million. Population aging accounted for 269.4% of the increase, followed by population growth (64.0%). However, DALYs per person decreased (-233.4%), reflecting a lower per capita health burden given the country's age structure. Assuming 50% and 80% of these health improvements could be attributed to health care spending, the estimated spending per DALY averted was $20 678 and $12 924, respectively. The estimate was slightly larger when excluding DALYs not directly impacted by medical care ($23 687). Korea's spending per DALY averted is at the lower range of estimates and comparable to that of other high-income countries. This cross-sectional study indicates that increased spending per person, which accounted for half of the total health care spending increase, was associated with improved overall health, evidenced by substantially fewer DALYs. These findings contribute to understanding and evaluating the value of health care spending in Korea.

Biophysical impact of forest age changes on land surface temperature in China.

Forest age structures have been substantially affected by natural disturbances and anthropogenic activities worldwide. Their changes can significantly influence local and nonlocal climate through both the biogeochemical and biophysical processes. However, numerous studies have focused on the biogeochemical effect of forest age changes whereas the biophysical effect has received far less attention. Here we investigated how forest age changes influence land surface temperature (LST) by comparing older forests and adjacent younger forests pixels and unraveled underlying biophysical mechanisms using satellite observations over China during 2003-2012. Our study showed that older forests had a substantial annual cooling benefit than adjacent medium-aged and young forests. Attribution analysis indicated that the cooling effect of latent heat flux counteracted the albedo-induced warming effect, leading to the net cooling effect of older evergreen needle-leaved forest or evergreen broadleaved forest. Furthermore, the cooling effect of sensible heat flux is greater than the albedo-driven warming effect, contributing to the net cooling effect of older deciduous broadleaved forest. Our work is a step forward to underscore the potential of preserving mature forests as a local climate adaptation strategy and provides important parameterization foundation for earth system models without incorporation of forest age modules.

Fire, land use, and the long-term dynamics of a pitch pine woodland in coastal Maine, USA

BackgroundPitch pine is a globally rare tree species that occurs on xeric sites in the largely mesic landscape of eastern North America. Supporting a rich assemblage of rare species, pitch pine communities are undergoing succession to more mesophytic species in the absence of natural and anthropogenic disturbance. We examined the multi-millennial dynamics of pitch pine in relation to fire and land use across a local moisture gradient in southern coastal Maine, USA.ResultsFossil pollen revealed that pitch pine has inhabited the study area for at least 9000 years. A positive correlation of pitch pine pollen with macroscopic charcoal (> 250 μm) demonstrated the historical importance of fire for this species. Euro-American settlement profoundly altered the forest. The sediment record revealed a pulse of fire, settlement-associated weeds, and pitch pine establishment as intensive land use commenced, followed by a recent decline as forests regenerated after pasture abandonment and fire suppression. Tree age structures and current regeneration patterns revealed ongoing succession of pitch pine to more mesophytic species, such as red oak and red maple, except on the most xeric sites, where the species appears to be self-perpetuating.ConclusionsThe results support a conceptual model of varying pitch population dynamics across a xeric to mesic gradient. They also reveal current mesophication and contraction of pitch pine woodland, a pattern found across the species’ range. If maintenance of large areas of pitch pine woodlands in the study area is an important management goal, then active management to reduce competing vegetation should be considered. If other goals, such as carbon sequestration or restoration of pre-colonial conditions, when pitch pine was apparently less abundant are paramount instead, then allowing natural succession to more mesic forest would make sense.

Stillbirth rate trends across 25 European countries between 2010 and 2021: the contribution of maternal age and multiplicity.

Stillbirth rates have stalled or increased in some European countries during the last decade. We investigate to what extent time-trends and between-country differences in stillbirth rates are explained by the changing prevalence of advanced maternal age and teenage pregnancies or multiple births. We analysed data on stillbirths and live births by maternal age and multiplicity from 2010 to 2021 in 25 European countries using Kitagawa decomposition to separate rate differences into compositional and rate components. Rates significantly decreased in six countries, but increased in two. Changes in maternal age structure reduced national stillbirth rates by a maximum of 0.04 per 1000 in the Netherlands and increased rates by up to 0.85 in Cyprus. Changes in the prevalence of multiple births decreased rates by up to 0.19 in the Netherlands and increased rates by up to 0.01 across multiple countries. Maternal age differences explained between 0.11 of the below-European average stillbirth rate in Belgium and 0.13 of the above-average rate in Ireland. Excluding Cyprus, differences in multiple births explained between 0.05 of the below-average rate in Malta and 0.03 of the above-average rate in Ireland. For most countries, the increase in advanced-age pregnancies contributed to rising stillbirth rates over time, while reductions in multiples led to decreases in rates. However, large parts of the trends remain unexplained by those factors. By 2021, neither factor explained the differences between countries, due to increased compositional uniformity and declining stillbirth risk for advanced maternal age.

Gender and ethnic diversity and wage gaps in the Canadian chiropractic workforce

BackgroundAs health systems worldwide continue to face health workforce challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, chiropractors can play an important role in meeting increasing needs for rehabilitation services. However, limited evidence from some countries suggests the chiropractic workforce does not reflect the diversity of the population it serves. This observational study quantifies the chiropractor workforce in Canada in gender and ethnocultural composition and earnings, as tracers of equity and inclusion within this healthcare profession.MethodsWe used 2021 population census data with integrated administrative income tax records to identify and characterize chiropractic practitioners aged 25–54. Following a descriptive analysis, multivariate regression and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods were applied to assess gender and ethnic earnings differences, adjusting for a range of professional and personal factors.ResultsThe chiropractic workforce was underrepresented regarding women (44.5% versus 50.6% of the total population) and visible minorities (20.0% versus 26.5%). Despite similar levels of education, women’s (unadjusted) earnings averaged 77.1 cents for every dollar earned by men in pandemic-affected 2020, narrowing slightly from 76.7 cents in 2019. Regression results showed significant earnings differences by gender and by ethnocultural identity, adjusting for other factors. An unexplainable gender wage gap persisted in the decomposition analysis, with women earning 6% less than men due to factors that could not be explained by differences in age structure or part-time work, pointing to additional contributing but unmeasured structural dynamics.ConclusionSignificant earnings disparities by gender and ethnicity among chiropractors emphasize the need for equity-oriented initiatives in leadership opportunities and compensation structures, to help influence the attractiveness of the profession to new talent.

Effects of population aging on quality of life and disease burden: a population-based study

BackgroundAs population aging intensifies, it becomes increasingly important to elucidate the casual relationship between aging and changes in population health. Therefore, our study proposed to develop a systematic attribution framework to comprehensively evaluate the health impacts of population aging.MethodsWe used health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) to measure quality of life and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) to quantify the burden of disease for the population of Guangzhou. The HALE and DALY projections were generated using both the Bayesian age-period-cohort models and the population prediction models. Changes in HALE and DALY between 2010–2020 and 2020–2030 were decomposed to isolate the effects of population aging. Three scenarios were analyzed to examine the relative relationship between disease burden and population aging. In Scenarios 1 and 2, the disease burden rates in 2030 were assumed to either remain at 2020 levels or follow historical trends. In Scenario 3, it was assumed that the absolute numbers of years of life lost (YLL) and years lived with disability (YLD) in 2030 would remain unchanged from the 2020 levels.ResultsBetween 2010 and 2020, 56.24% [69.73%] of the increase in male [female, values in brackets] HALE was attributable to the mortality effects in the population aged 60 and over, while − 3.74% [− 9.29%] was attributable to the disability effects. The increase in DALY caused by changes in age structure accounted for 72.01% [46.68%] of the total increase in DALY. From 2020 to 2030, 61.43% [69.05%] of the increase in HALE is projected to result from the mortality effects in the population aged 60 and over, while − 3.88% [4.73%] will be attributable to the disability effects. The increase in DALY due to changes in age structure is expected to account for 102.93% [100.99%] of the total increase in DALY. In Scenario 1, YLL are projected to increase by 45.0% [54.7%], and YLD by 31.8% [33.8%], compared to 2020. In Scenario 2, YLL in 2030 is expected to decrease by − 2.9% [− 1.3%], while YLD will increase by 12.7% [14.7%] compared to 2020. In Scenario 3, the expected YLL rates and YLD rates in 2030 would need to be reduced by 15.3% [15.4%] and 15.4% [15.6%], respectively, compared to 2020.ConclusionsThe disability effects among the elderly population hinder improvements in quality of life, while changes in age structure are the primary driver of disease burden accumulation. To mitigate the excess disease burden caused by population aging, it is essential to achieve a reduction of more than 15% in the disease burden by 2030 compared to 2020. Our proposed attribution framework evaluates the health impacts of population aging across two dimensions: quality of life and disease burden. This framework enables comparisons of these effects over time and across different regions.

Demography and homing behavior in the poorly-known Philippine flat-headed frog Barbourula busuangensis (Anura: Bombinatoridae).

The flat-headed frog, Barbourula busuangensis, is a poorly known, riverine species, endemic to the province of Palawan in the Philippines. We applied capture-mark-recapture (CMR) methods to follow individuals at two sites (Malbato and San Rafael) in the island of Busuanga over 10 months in 2022-2023. We used passive internal transponders (PITs) to mark adult and subadults and single-colored visual internal elastomers (VIEs) for cohorts of juveniles. From a total of 196 frogs PIT-tagged in Malbato and 144 in San Rafael, we obtained overall recapture rates of 49% and 60% respectively. We used the POPAN formulation in MARK software to estimate abundance, survival, movement, and age-class demographics. Our best model estimated an average population size of 268 frogs at Malbato and 232 at San Rafael, and constant survival probabilities (mean ≥ 0.97) at both sites. When adding age classes to the model, abundance of adults was always higher than that of subadults producing an age structure dominated by adults at both sites. Growth rates decreased significantly with body size, being higher in juveniles (1.51 mm/month) and subadults (1.56 mm/month) than in adult frogs (0.60 mm/month). At these growth rates frogs may reach adulthood at 2.5 years, with the oldest individuals likely being over 11 years old. CMR data confirmed site fidelity, and translocation experiments revealed that frogs have the ability to home when displaced 10-50 m upstream and downstream from their original capture site. This is the first long-term study of B. busuangensis using robust field and analysis methods. Our data suggest that B. busuangensis is stable at present in Busuanga, with long-lived adults and dispersing subadults. We expect that these data may serve as baseline of current population abundance, age structure and growth rates which are factors that tend to be affected when species are threatened. In this way it may help researchers and conservation practitioners detect potential changes that may occur as this species confronts the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Chronic RNA G-quadruplex Accumulation in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease.

As the world population ages, new molecular targets in aging and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are needed to combat the expected influx of new AD cases. Until now, the role of RNA structure in aging and neurodegeneration has largely remained unexplored. In this study, we examined human hippocampal postmortem tissue for the formation of RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) in aging and AD. We found that rG4 immunostaining strongly increased in the hippocampus with both age and with AD severity. We further found that neurons with accumulation of phospho-tau immunostaining contained rG4s, that rG4 structure can drive tau aggregation, and that rG4 staining density depended on APOE genotype in the human tissue examined. Combined with previous studies showing the dependence of rG4 structure on stress and the extreme power of rG4s at oligomerizing proteins, we propose a model of neurodegeneration in which chronic rG4 formation is linked to proteostasis collapse. These morphological findings suggest that further investigation of RNA structure in neurodegeneration is a critical avenue for future treatments and diagnoses.

Trends and analysis of risk factor differences in the global burden of chronic kidney disease due to type 2 diabetes from 1990 to 2021: A population-based study.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant contributor to the global burden of disease. Among its causes, chronic kidney disease due to type 2 diabetes (CKD-T2D) is the primary subtype. This study aims to provide an updated assessment of the global disease burden of CKD-T2D from 1990 to 2021. It will analyse the trends in the global burden of CKD-T2D and the differences in risk factors, as well as project changes over the next 15 years. The data for this study were derived from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021. Estimates of prevalence, incidence, deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for CKD-T2D, along with their 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), were extracted. The trends in CKD-T2D burden from 1990 to 2021 were analysed from overall and local perspectives. An age-period-cohort model was used to estimate the age, period and cohort effects on the prevalence and incidence of CKD-T2D between 1990 and 2021. A decomposition analysis was conducted to assess the contribution of population size, age structure and epidemiological changes to the burden of CKD-T2D. Population-attributable fractions were determined for each risk factor, and a difference analysis was conducted. Additionally, projections were made regarding changes in the burden of CKD-T2D over the next 15 years. In 2021, the global burden of CKD-T2D remained significant, with a total of 107 559 955 cases. The age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) was 1259.63 per 100 000 people. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) was 23.07 per 100 000 people, and the age-standardized death rate (ASDR) was 5.72 per 100 000 people. The age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) was 131.08 per 100 000. The global burden of CKD-T2D showed variation across different socio-demographic index (SDI) regions. In 2021, the overall burden of CKD-T2D continued to rise, with the age effect increasing with age. Both prevalence and incidence risks showed an upward trend over time. Decomposition analysis indicated that population growth and ageing were the primary contributors to the global burden of DALYs related to CKD-T2D. Metabolic risk factors such as high fasting plasma glucose and high body mass index (BMI) are the most significant attributable risk factors. It is projected that by 2036, the trends in ASPR, ASIR, ASDR and age-standardized DALYs will stabilize. However, ASIR and age-standardized DALYs are expected to continue rising, and the number of cases of prevalence, incidence, mortality and DALYs will persist in their upward trend. CKD-T2D imposes a significant global disease burden, with health disparities and unequal disease outcomes continuing to worsen across countries and regions due to differences in socio-economic development levels. This burden is primarily driven by population growth, ageing and metabolic risks such as obesity, hyperglycaemia and hypertension. Although the rate of increase in disease burden may slow over the next 15 years, the number of cases is expected to rise substantially. Therefore, enhancing prevention, early screening and effective treatment interventions, particularly in high-risk areas, is crucial for reducing the disease burden and narrowing health disparities.

Comparison of sickness absences across industries: A cross-sectional study using the JILPT Data Archive

Assessing the risk of employee health problems according to firm characteristics (e.g., industry) can be used by companies to identify groups of workers with health problems and develop health-related policies. Previous studies have examined differences in the prevalence of diseases across industries; however, studies using sickness absences, which reduce productivity, are scarce. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in sickness absence rates across industries. With permission for secondary use of archived data from the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training (JILPT), we obtained data from private companies with 50 or more regular employees nationwide. Negative binomial regression was conducted using the number of sickness absences attributed to mental health, cancer, lifestyle-related diseases (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease), and intractable diseases as the objective variables. The results were confirmed by an ordinal logistic regression. Firm characteristics other than industry were adjusted for firm size, age structure, medical examinations, labor unions, and flexible work systems. The incidence of sickness absences due to mental health was high in the information and communications, medical care/welfare, and education/learning support industries because of lifestyle-related diseases, and heart disease was high in the transportation/postal industry. Cancer was high in the medical care/welfare industry. While older worker age groups had a lower incidence of mental health issues, a higher incidence of physical illnesses, excluding intractable diseases, was observed. The presence of a labor union was associated with sickness absences due to mental health, cancer, and cerebrovascular disease, and the availability of a flexible work system was associated with sickness absences due to mental health and heart disease. The three industries with a high incidence of mental health leave had a high percentage of professional/technical workers and a common background of heavy workloads. In addition, role ambiguity, particularly in the education and medical industries, could lead to stress. The association between the transportation/postal industry and sickness absences due to lifestyle-related diseases and heart disease was probably influenced by work style and lifestyle, whereas the association between the medical care/welfare industry and sickness absences due to cancer was probably influenced by the high percentage of women in this industry. This study could not be adjusted for several variables examined in other studies, such as sex, and caution should be exercised when interpreting the results, especially regarding absences due to cancer.

Theology as Experienced and Verbalized

Using material from a participatory research project in which I worked with a small group of eleven-year-olds in a parish in the Church of Sweden, I discuss how children’s voices are dependent on various factors, such as church context, group dynamics, and age and power structures. I argue for the importance of awareness of ecclesial context as well as of relations within a group of research participants when aiming for participatory research and how theological agency among children in the Church of Sweden can be seen in interactions, rather than verbalized with theological language.

Honouring Age: The Social Dynamics of Age Structure in 1 Timothy, written by Mona Tokarek LaFosse

Honouring Age: The Social Dynamics of Age Structure in 1 Timothy, written by Mona Tokarek LaFosse

Spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emission intensity from China's livestock sector.

The livestock sector is a major source of non-CO2 greenhouse gas (GHG). As China has the world's largest livestock production, analyzing factors influencing GHG emission intensity of livestock (GEIL) is crucial for guiding its emission reduction policies. Yet, most current studies on livestock GHG focus on emission amount (GEAL) over GEIL, neglecting comprehensive utilization of spatial econometric models. Furthermore, the influencing factors mainly focus on population, economic level, urbanization, and industrial structure, while the exploration of factors such as technological innovation, consumers' age structure, and industrial agglomeration remains insufficient. This study first applied the standard deviation ellipse (SDE) model to describe the spatiotemporal evolution of GEAL and GEIL across 31 Chinese provinces from 2006 to 2022. Then, using extended STIRPAT theory, we analyzed GEIL's influencing factors with exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) and the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model. The results showed that: (1) GEAL was concentrated in resource-rich grassland pastoral and grain-producing areas. Provincial GEAL trends varied, while national GEAL declined rapidly and then fluctuated slightly. Cattle, pigs, and sheep/goats contributed the most to GEAL. (2) GEIL significantly decreased nationwide and provincially, with Tibet having the highest reduction rate but still leading in GEIL. (3) GEAL followed a northeast-southwest distribution, whereas GEIL exhibited an east (slightly north) to west (slightly south) pattern. (4) Spatial analysis revealed significant GEIL clustering, with higher values in western provinces and lower in central and eastern regions. (5) Population scale, urbanization, age structure, proportion of ruminant animal production value, location quotient of livestock, employment income per capita of agricultural personnel, patent-granted intensity, and educational level in rural areas had diverse spatiotemporal impacts on GEIL across provinces. Tailored emission reduction policies and regional collaborative governance are recommended.

Nursing as a Functional System of Society. A Systems Theoretical Perspective on Nursing and the Research Object of Nursing Science.

The transformation of societies' age structures has intensified the need for nursing care, especially in economically developed regions of the world. Thiswill necessitate societal decisions that determine how care needs are met in the long term. This article offers a sociological perspective on nursing care using Luhmann's systems theory. To make the designation of a functional nursing system with independent observation plausible, social changes were traced based on historical events, semantics, and other social structures to develop the primary view of the nursing system. On this basis, a functional definition of the nursing system and its relationship to problems and problem-solving is possible. This proposal is intended to clarify the fundamental questions of nursing science: What is nursing and what is behind it? Through abstraction, this article develops a unified representation of nursing's distinct way of observation to support the determination of a unique research object for nursing science as an academic discipline. In line with Brandenburg's statement that nursing science must follow the interests of others as long as it is not possible to conquer a terrain occupied by the discipline independently, the need to develop a genuine discipline remains. Only then, it is assumed, can nursing science significantly contribute to other functional systems and to societal decisions that will determine how care needs are addressed in the future.

Dynamic changes and future trend predictions of the global burden of anxiety disorders: analysis of 204 countries and regions from 1990 to 2021 and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anxiety disorders is a significant contributor to the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the issue. Previous studies have not examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety disorders over the entire time series, nor have they offered predictions regarding future trends of global anxiety disorders in the aftermath of the pandemic. This study aims to present the Age-Standardized Prevalence Rates (ASPR), Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASIR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with anxiety disorders from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and regions, emphasizing the age structure and the disease burden following the pandemic. Additionally, it examines the relationship between the burden of anxiety disorders and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as trend predictions for the incidence of anxiety disorders from 2022 to2050. We analysed data from the GBD 2021 study, employed the GBD method to integrate epidemiological data on ASPR, ASIR, and DALYs to accurately assess the global burden of anxiety disorders across various regions, genders, and age groups. Additionally, joint point regression analysis was applied to rigorously examine the time trends of anxiety disorders from 1990 to 2021, calculating the annual percentage change (APC), annual average percentage change (AAPC), and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Furthermore, path analysis was utilized to investigate the impact pathways between the COVID-19 pandemic and anxiety disorders. Finally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was employed to predict the prevalence trends of anxiety disorders from 2022 to2050. From 1990 to 2021, the ASPR, ASIR, and DALYs associated with anxiety disorders worldwide exhibited a significant upward trend, particularly evident from 2019 to 2021, during which all three metrics experienced a sharp increase. The most pronounced changes in the burden of anxiety disorders from 2019 to 2021 were observed in high socio-demographic index (SDI) regions, where the ASIR surpassed expected levels in tropical Latin America, high-income North America, and Australia in 2021. Bulgaria recorded the highest increase in anxiety disorders burden during this period, with a change rate of 0.32, while Bhutan experienced the smallest increase, with a total change rate of 0.02. Notably, the global anxiety disorders burden among women is greater than that among men. From 2019 to 2021, women aged 20-24 years were particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a change rate of 0.21. Additionally, the ASIR of COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 had a significant positive correlation with the prevalence of anxiety disorders, standardized path coefficient value of 0.224 (z=2.708, P<0.01). Projections indicate that by 2050, the number of individuals affected by anxiety disorders may reach 87.36 million (95% UI: 59.28-115.44). It is also anticipated that the prevalence of anxiety disorders among the 15-19 age group will exceed that of other age groups by2050. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the future burden of anxiety disorders, necessitating greater attention towards young individuals, particularly women. There is an urgent need for the adoption of targeted prevention and treatment strategies on a global scale, especially in high SDI regions, to effectively address the escalating issue of anxiety disorder burden. Jilin Province 2023 Health Science and Technology Capability Enhancement Plan Project (2023LC024) and Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology project (20230203054SF). Research Project on Teaching Reform of Graduate Education at Beihua University (JG [2024]009), Education and Teaching Reform Project of Beihua University (21xjyb-1241759), Jilin Province Education Science "14th Five Year Plan" Project (GH24295).

Carbon footprint heterogeneity across elderly groups in China

Abstract Assessing the elderly’s environmental impact is crucial as aging deepens. This paper incorporates age heterogeneity and urban-rural heterogeneity within the elderly into the study of aging’s impact on the environment, dividing the elderly population into four subgroups. Utilizing an environmentally extended multi-region input-output(EE-MRIO) model and data from 12,000 households, the carbon footprints of four subgroups was calculated. Findings reveal significant urban-rural and age-related heterogeneities in carbon emissions among those aged 60 and above. Urban elderly have higher per capita carbon footprints than rural elderly, and ‘the younger elderly’ have higher footprints than ‘the oldest old’. This heterogeneity extends to carbon footprint’s distribution: Urban elderly lean towards enjoyable consumption, while rural elderly prioritize survival. ‘The younger elderly’ have a greater carbon footprint from transport. This paper nests Chinese and global EE-MRIO, showing that global economies are more impacted by China’s elderly demand than mainland China itself. Furthermore, urban-rural structure has a greater impact on global carbon emissions compared to age structures.

Great Tit (Parus major) Nestlings Have Longer Telomeres in Old-Growth Forests Than in Young Forests.

Modification and deterioration of old-growth forests by industrial forestry have seriously threatened species diversity worldwide. The loss of natural habitats increases the concentration of circulating glucocorticoids and incurs chronic stress in animals, influencing the immune system, growth, survival, and lifespan of animals inhabiting such areas. In this study, we tested whether great tit (Parus major) nestlings grown in old-growth unmanaged coniferous forests have longer telomeres than great tit nestlings developing in young managed coniferous forests. This study showed that the patches of young managed coniferous forests had lower larval biomass than old-growth forests. Since insect larvae are the preferred food for great tit nestlings, the shortage of food may divert energy resources away from growth, which can show up as physiological stress, often raising the heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio. The H/L ratio revealed a significant difference in stress levels, being the highest in great tit nestlings developing in young-managed pine forests. We also found that the development of great tit nestlings in young managed forests had significantly shorter telomeres than in old-growth forests. Although nestling survival did not differ between the habitats, nestlings growing up in old-growth forests had greater telomere lengths, which can positively affect their lifespan. Our results suggest that the forest habitats affected by industrial forestry may represent ecological traps, as the development of young birds in deteriorated environments can affect the age structure of populations.

Analyzing patterns of accessibility to schools: A gravitational metrics study in València

&lt;p&gt;A gravity-based accessibility metric, the Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) enhanced with gaussian smoothing, is proposed to clarify the distribution of opportunities for compulsory education. Along with the physical locations of the homes and schools, the metric considers the population age structure and capacity to measure the population's accessibility to school services. The application of the 2SFCA within the '15-minute city' model and the analysis of València's urban environment revealed two main findings. First, the distribution of the accessibility scores after a spatial autocorrelation analysis closely reflected the per capita income across the city, irrespective of the type of school and level of compulsory education considered. Second, for most school age children, accessing a charter school is easier than access to a public school for primary and secondary education. The 2SFCA metric appears to adequately capture the uneven spatial distribution of educational opportunities, thus offering new insights into some of the forces the drive school segregation processes and their territorial foundations.&lt;/p&gt;

Analysis of chickenpox morbidity in the Republic of Moldova, years 2002–2023

The aim of the article is to analyze chickenpox morbidity in the Republic of Moldova during 2002-2023. Chickenpox morbidity in the period 2002–2019 was within the range of 169.5 (year 2006) -322.1 (year 2012) per 100 thousand population with a weak upward trend (change index equal to 1.1) and with a little evident cyclicity of 5-8 years. During COVID-19 pandemic, a significant and rapid reduction in chickenpox morbidity to 130.8 cases per 100 thousand people was observed linked to contact limitation and low addressability to health services. The age group most affected by chickenpox in most countries, with the exception of some Asian regions, is pre-school children aged 3-6 years, whose number in the age structure of the sick in the Republic of Moldova is increasing with the intensification of the epidemic process, being in the range of 45.2-49.1%. The calculated number of possible annual cases of herpes zoster in people aged 20+ is 3436-11,206 cases, being an additional source of infection, together with chickenpox patients. In order to reduce morbidity from chickenpox and herpes zoster it is necessary to implement the vaccination.

Molecular dynamics analysis for aggregation phenomenon of aged asphalt and depolymerisation mechanism of regenerants

ABSTRACT The depolymerisation mechanism of various regenerants, when applied to the aged asphalt aggregate structure, was investigated to provide insights for the design and development of regenerants. This study focused on the molecular aggregation of the regenerant-aged asphalt system using molecular dynamics simulation technology. Simulation showcased that the uneven charge distribution in asphaltene molecules and the absence of charge in the central region are prerequisites for the electrostatic attraction of asphaltene molecules, which significantly affects their aggregation, and asphaltene molecules in heavy-aged asphalt are prone to forming stable aggregation structures. Among the four components of aged asphalt, asphaltene molecules exhibited the most significant self-aggregation, followed by saturates, while resin and aromatic molecules showed relatively weaker self-aggregation. Low temperatures encouraged aggregation, whereas high temperatures discouraged it, and ageing elevated the molecular self-aggregation, intensifying with the progression of asphalt ageing. Regenerants improved the depolymerisation of asphaltene aggregates, and fatty acid glycerides presented the most effective depolymerisation, followed by aromatic hydrocarbons and alkanes, while glycerol’s performance was the least effective. To choose regenerant composition materials, those with low electrical potential energy, weak polarity, low polar functional group content or non-polarity should be selected to ensure superior depolymerisation, permeation fusion, and regeneration effects.