Age Structure Research Articles

Patient complaints are not common in emergency medical services: A mixed methods study

IntroductionPatient safety has become a central research theme in emergency medical services (EMS). The population age structure is changing in high-income countries, potentially causing increases in the need for EMS. As the number of EMS missions is growing, the safety of non-conveyance has become the topic of wide discussion. Managing adverse events is part of quality management and safety improvement. This study aimed to examine the incidence, reasons, and process of complaints related to EMS. MethodsA retrospective mixed methods study was conducted on EMS-related complaints that were evaluated by Regional State Administrative Agency during 2013–2019. The data was classified according to conveyance and authority’s decision, and finally analysed thematically. ResultsThe data included 73 complaints, 39 of which were included in the study. There were more complaints related to non-conveyance than conveyance. The authority provided administrative guidance in approximately half of the cases in both groups. One of the most common event types in both groups was related to ethical competence and conduct. ConclusionsThe number of complaints was very low. A considerable portion of the complaints related to paramedics’ behavior and patient treatment. Respecting and actively listening to patients may further decrease these complaints. No administrative caveats to paramedics were observed in our data.

JUVENILE VICTIMS OF CRIMES AGAINST SEXUAL INVIOLABILITY COMMITTED IN THE FAMILY (VICTIMIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONALITY AND THEIR USE IN THE INVESTIGATION)

The article examines the content of the age structure of criminal victimization of minors victims of crimes against sexual integrity in the family . The necessity of identifying the causes and characteristics of juvenile victims of crimes in the categories of cases under consideration is argued in order to solve certain tactical tasks and select special tactical techniques when conducting investigative actions .Based on scientific knowledge in the field of criminology and victimology, the author conducts a comprehensive analysis of the psychological characteristics of victim behavior of juvenile victims, considering victimological characteristics in accordance with their age parameters, in relation to the mechanism of the crime, in the interaction of the dyad “juvenile victim - criminal” .The research uses general scientific methods of dialectical epistemology in combination with private scientific methods: comparative method and method of multifactor analysis, a systematic, integrated and differentiated approach is carried out . The empirical basis of the research is the materials of investigative and judicial practice, as well as the author’s own experience of investigative actions .As a result of the research work, the author comes to the conclusion that the identification and differentiation of the age characteristics of juvenile victims, the typification of victim behavior and victim potential of families of the so-called risk group is of applied importance: it allows making optimal tactical decisions during the investigation of crimes against the sexual integrity of minors committed in the family, and is also used for the development of measures to prevent victimization in children and adolescents .

Methodological approaches to the study of the causes of temporary disability at employees

Introduction. Temporary disability (TD) is one of the main indicators characterizing the state of health of workers. The legislation in force in the Russian Federation on the protection of personal data has significantly limited the possibilities of analyzing the incidence of temporary disability at the enterprise level. The study aims to evaluate the possibility of using the results of the analysis of temporary disability according to enterprise data in the risk management system for the health of workers. Materials and methods. The scientists used data from four enterprises of different types of economic activity with the number of employees from 1,647 to 5,882 people to assess the possibility of analyzing the causes of temporary disability, they also received information about all cases of temporary disability in the form of depersonalized personal data. For statistical data processing, specialists used Microsoft Excel 2013. Results. The company's own accounting data allows to consolidate and analyze personalized data on the causes of temporary disability of employees. The level of temporary disability can be determined considering the gender and age structure of employees, length of service, working conditions, profession and other characteristics of the workers. Limitations. The study is limited by the lack of information on diseases that cause temporary disability. Conclusion. At the present stage, it is necessary to develop new methodological approaches for analyzing the causes of temporary disability at the enterprise level, introducing them into systems of social and hygienic monitoring and risk management for the health of workers.

Population characteristics, seasonal distribution, and suppression potential of introduced Northern Pike in a Great Plains stream

AbstractObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to describe the population dynamics, reproductive characteristics, and movement of Northern Pike Esox lucius in the Niobrara River drainage of Wyoming. This information was used to estimate the necessary level of suppression to meaningfully reduce their abundance and thereby facilitate persistence of native nongame fishes.MethodsIn 2019 and 2020, Northern Pike were sampled to describe population size structure, age structure, growth, and mortality. An additional 42 gravid female Northern Pike were collected across 2020–2023 to determine a length–fecundity relationship. Vulnerability to recruitment overfishing was modeled with a static spawning potential ratio model. Finally, 15 mature fish were implanted with radio transmitters in 2021 and 2022 and tracked for 1 year to determine seasonal dispersal and spawning locations.ResultSampled Niobrara River drainage Northern Pike (n = 213) varied from 127 to 749 mm total length. Estimated ages of fish were between 0 and 8 years, and total annual mortality was estimated at 42% (95% confidence interval = 36–48%) in the presumed absence of fishing mortality. Recruitment was extremely stable, and growth was relatively fast through age 2. Some females matured at age 1, and all females were mature by age 2 and spawned annually. Estimated total fecundity for females between 297 and 914 mm total length varied from 3573 to 154,877 eggs. Most telemetered fish moved little throughout the year, but movements as large as 5.9 river kilometers were observed. Modeling suggests that exploitation of age‐1 and older Northern Pike should exceed 42% and exploitation of age‐2 and older fish should exceed 85% to meaningfully reduce the population's reproductive potential.ConclusionNorthern Pike growth and reproductive potential at older ages may be more limited in small prairie streams than within their native range. Observed annual home range was small, and spawning occurred annually in consistent locations. The necessary intensity of mechanical removal to achieve meaningful suppression in this system will likely require an intensive and ongoing interstate effort.

Regional variation in demographics, reproduction, and body mass growth rates of wild pigs: Implications for population control

AbstractWild pigs are a destructive invasive species throughout many regions of the world and have proven difficult to control or eliminate. Their success as an invasive species is, in part, from their high reproductive potential, which can vary based on available resources, ancestry, and other factors. We opportunistically collected data on demographics (i.e., age and sex), reproduction, and body mass on 2,762 wild pigs throughout various research and operation control activities in Texas, Alabama, Hawai'i, Guam (USA), and Queensland (Australia) during 2016–2024. We evaluated these data for differences among study sites that might lead to a better understanding of wild pig ecology and more effective control of their populations. We found that the age structures of wild pigs varied greatly among sites, with areas with more intense control having younger populations. The timing and frequency of birth pulses also varied by site. Large disparities among populations demonstrated the elasticities of wild pigs in invaded ranges; for example, the Alabama study site had a mostly young population with fast body mass growth rates and 2 discernable birth pulses per year, whereas the Guam study site had an older population with slow body mass growth rates and an indistinguishable birth pulse. We hypothesized that intense population control may increase reproduction rates in younger females through increased body mass growth rates and subsequent reproductive maturity. We recommend that managers identify the seasonal birth pulses of wild pigs in their region, and then intensively focus on removing wild pigs during the 115 days (i.e., gestation period) prior to those birth pulses. This may be counterintuitive to managers that focus on trapping after observing a birth pulse, but it increases the probability of simultaneously removing pregnant females and any associated offspring from previous litters that remained with the pregnant female. We also recommend evaluating regional‐specific intensities of removal that might be required for reducing populations with specific emphasis on whether compensatory reproductive behaviors are generated and how to avoid them.

Impact of severe drought on the age structure of a population of African savannah elephants

Hundreds of elephants died during a severe drought in Gonarezhou National Park (Gonarezhou) in south-east Zimbabwe during 1992. The following year, entire female herds comprising 670 female and juvenile elephants were captured and translocated elsewhere. Sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth functions for shoulder height against age for elephants culled in Gonarezhou a decade earlier allowed each of 667 elephants captured during 1993 to be aged based on shoulder height. The captured elephants provided a representative sample of the age and sex structure of the population one year after the drought. Immediately after the drought, the age structure was determined by deducting one year from each elephant’s age at capture and compared with that of elephant herds culled in Gonarezhou during 1972-1987. Adult females formed a high proportion (45%) of the individuals in female herds immediately after the 1992 drought, implying that there was high mortality of non-adults during the drought. There were relatively few surviving individuals in the 0-4-year age class, suggesting that mortality was greatest amongst the youngest individuals. When non-adults of all ages were considered, there were fewer males than females amongst the drought survivors, suggesting that the males experienced greater mortality than females. Significant mortality of weaned elephant calves during droughts is uncommon; and the high mortality of non-adults in Gonarezhou during 1992 highlights the particular severity of the drought.

Corrosion attack in existing reinforced concrete structures: in-field investigation and analysis of naturally corroded bars

Corrosion of steel bars is a major issue for the management of existing reinforced concrete structures, since affecting many ageing structures and infrastructures and introducing risk for safety and reliability, as well as high maintenance costs. Intervention strategies should be planned and carried out according to the effective state of deterioration and to the expected evolution of performances over time. The critical parameters needed to evaluate these performances are the intensity and pattern of the corrosion attack, referring to both extension and depth of the attack. However, this information is rarely available and hard to predict when dealing with real structures. This paper presents a field investigation on existing corroded structures characterized by different environmental conditions. Corroded bars were removed from structural elements, the corrosion patterns were studied, and then the bars were tested to determine their mechanical properties. The objective of this study is to increase the knowledge of the effects of corrosion in natural environments and to propose a method to relate easy-measurable environmental conditions with the characteristics of the expected corrosion attack, which need to be further validated.

Migration losses and reproduction of the population of small and medium cities of north-west Russia

The article is devoted to the analysis of trends in two components of population change – its reproduction and migration in small and medium-sized cities in the north-west of European Russia (using the example of cities in the Vologda and Novgorod regions). Following the demographic compression of rural settlements and their disappearance, a similar process affect the small and medium-sized cities of the ancient cultural, historical and economic centers of Russia. The causes and consequences of socio-economic deformations of traditional Russian territories identified. It is proposed to reconsider key approaches to the development of the urban settlement network in the region, measures of stabilization of the population and labor resources, improvement of the age structure, and increasing the migration attractiveness of small and medium-sized cities.

The impact of herd age structure on the performance of commercial sow-breeding farms

BackgroundThe herd age structure, i.e., distribution of sows within a farm based on their parity number, and its management are essential to optimizing farm reproductive efficiency. The objective of this study is to define different types of herd age structure using data from 623 Spanish commercial sow farms. Additionally, this study aims to determine which type of herd age structure can enhance reproductive efficiency at the farm level.ResultsFarms are classified into three groups according to the quadratic function fitted to the percentage of sows by parities. This classification unveils three types of herd structures: type 1 (HS1) exhibits a concave-downward trend, with a higher percentage of sows in intermediate parities (mean of 45.5% sows between the 3rd to 5th parity); type 2 (HS2) presents a trend curve that is close to a straight line, with a gradual decrease in the percentage of sows per parity (approximately 2% loss of sows census per parity); and type 3 (HS3) shows an upward concave trend curve, with an increase in the percentage of sows in later parities (19.0% of sows between 7th and ≥ 8th parity). Parametric tests assess productivity differences between the three types of herd structures (p < 0.01). HS1 farms have the best productive outcomes over a year, with 31.2 piglets weaned per sow and year (PWSY) and a farrowing rate of 87%, surpassing HS2 and HS3 farms (30.1 and 28.7 PWSY; 85.3% and 83.4% farrowing rates, respectively). HS1 also have the lowest percentage of sows returning to oestrus (11.8%) and the highest number of weaned piglets per litter (12.8), compared to HS2 (13.2% and 12.4 piglets weaned) and HS3 (15.1%, 11.9 piglets weaned). These differences show a medium effect size (η2 between 0.06 to < 0.14).ConclusionsThis study shows the importance of herd age structure on sow-breeding farms as a factor of reproductive efficiency. The results endorse the proposed classification based on the curvature of the trend parabola obtained with the quadratic function to categorize herd structures into three groups. Additionally, these findings highlight the importance of considering the herd age structure in farm decision-making.

Woody Species Population Structure and Regeneration Status of Hereje Natural Forest, Southwest Ethiopia

Determining the population structure and regeneration status of woody species in Hereje Natural Forest, Ethiopia, is essential for identifying potential management interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of deforestation and forest degradation. Three parallel transect lines (every 100 m) were established along altitudinal gradients, and 45 plots of 20 m x 20 m were used to collect vegetation data. Living woody species diameter breast height (DBH) was measured in each plot for those with height ≥2 m and DBH ≥ 2.5 cm at about 1.3 m from the ground. For this study seedlings and saplings inventory was made using five subplots of 2 m X 2m, four on each corner of the main plots and one in the center, In this study we have used appropriate formulas to analyze basal area, density, regeneration status and important value index. A total of 44 plant species were identified and classified into 41 genera and 28 families. The most relatively dominant species in the Hereje forest were Syzygium guineense (24.47%), Ficus sur (20%), Combretum molle (18.58%), Croton macrostachyus (18.11%), and Terminalia schimperiana (9.29%). According to this study, the density of tree species in the forest decreases as DBH classes increase. The predominance of small DBH classes is due to the excessive cutting of certain size classes by the local communities, indicating extensive changes in the woody plant diversity and age structure. The result of the study also revealed that diameter and height class distribution showed an inverted J-shape indicating the majority of the species had the highest number of individuals at lower DBH. Maytenus gracilipes has the highest number of seedlings in the study area. However, the overall regeneration status of the study forest was in fair condition. Hence, immediate conservation is required for these species with poor regeneration and least IVI should be given conservation priority.

Restructuring the Basic Design of Several Accelerator-Based Concrete Mixes by Integrating Superplasticizers.

The increasing demand for infrastructure, the need to consolidate aging structures, and the effects of climate change imply the replacement or improvement of traditional concrete. This study investigates three accelerators and their mixtures (Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, Al2(SO4)3·18H2O, and Na2S2O3·5H2O) (series I) and their counterparts with superplasticizers (Dynamon SR41) (series II) as additives in standard concrete to improve its functionality. The standard concrete and new concrete mixes were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and tests for water absorption, bulk density, and compressive strength. XRD analysis showed that all concrete mixes had similar structures composed of quartz, portlandite, larnite, calcium silicate, ettringite, albite, and muscovite in varying proportions. Their microstructures, as shown by SEM images, revealed the presence of ettringite, portlandite, and C-S-H gel at high magnification (1-5 kx). The addition of the superplasticizer remodeled the surface of the concrete mix, reducing the pore radius and increasing its compaction. These changes helped to reduce its bulk density while increasing the compressive strength. The results showed that all the concrete mixtures are similar to the standard concrete and can replace it for better functionality, but Na2S2O3·5H2O with superplasticizer concrete mixture had the higher compressive strength, supplying additional benefits.

Laparoscopic access is the modern standard for extended liver resection

Objective. To evaluate the safety and early results of laparoscopic extended liver resection in case of focal liver pathology by retrospective comparison with the relevant parameters of a similar open intervention. Materials and methods. The study involved 162 patients who were divided into two groups: Group 1 – 50 patients who underwent laparoscopic extended liver resection, and Group 2 – 112 patients who underwent open extended liver resection. The groups were compared by age structure, sex, body mass index, type of pathology (benign/malignant), as well as by characteristics of surgical intervention and postoperative period. Statistical analysis included a t–test for independent samples, Pearson's chi–square test, and other appropriate methods with the calculation of the confidence level p (parametric criterion). The difference in indicators was considered statistically significant at p &lt; 0.05. Results. Laparoscopic osshire for liver resection was longer (p = 0.0012), but was associated with a lower level of pain according to the visual analog scale (p = 0.02) and fewer bed days to discharge (p = 0.0007) than a similar open intervention. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of age structure, body mass index, number of liver tumors, blood loss, complication rate, and degree of ischemic liver damage. Conclusions. Laparoscopic extended liver resection is a less invasive method than open liver resection, and patients recover faster after it, although its duration is longer. At the same time, laparoscopic and open intervention had a similar incidence of complications, which indicates acceptable safety and high clinical efficacy of the laparoscopic approach in the treatment of patients with liver disease.

Assessment and role of physical activity as a factor affecting subjective perception of students' satisfaction

The paper aims to provide analysis of Slovak university students’ physical activity during state-ordered distance learning in the academic year 2021/2022 (the COVID-19 pandemic). The data were obtained in form of a questionnaire survey. In the analytical part, the focus is on weekly time that students devoted to regular exercise and quantification of physical activity versus subjective perception of selected physical and psychological satisfaction and health indicators. To meet the paper’s objectives, a two-sample t-test was used to test statistical significance of differences between men and women, and parametric and non-parametric correlation analysis methods. In terms of age structure majority of students falls into young adults’ category, in which physical activity has only a small positive effect on the subjective perception of satisfaction. Majority of students exercised on average up to 50 minutes per week, which is less than weekly physical activity during regular face-to-face lessons of Physical Education.

Multi-omics insights implicate the remodeling of the intestinal structure and microbiome in aging.

Aging can impair the ability of elderly individuals to fight infections and trigger persistent systemic inflammation, a condition known as inflammaging. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of inflammaging remain unknown. We conducted 16S rRNA sequencing of intestinal contents from young and old C57BL/6J mice to elucidate changes in gut microbiota diversity and microbial community composition after aging. Aging-related differential bacterial taxa were then identified, and their abundance trends were validated in human samples. The variances in intestinal barrier function and circulating endotoxin between groups were also assessed. Furthermore, widely targeted metabolomics was conducted to characterize metabolic profiles after aging and to investigate the key metabolic pathways enriched by the differential metabolites. Our findings demonstrated an increase in relative proportion of pathogenic bacteria with age, a trend also revealed in healthy populations of different age groups. Additionally, aging individuals exhibited reduced intestinal barrier function and increased circulating endotoxin levels. Widely targeted metabolomics revealed a significant increase in various secondary bile acid metabolites after aging, positively correlated with the relative abundance of several aging-related bacterial taxa. Furthermore, old group had lower levels of various anti-inflammatory or beneficial metabolites. Enrichment analysis identified the starch and sucrose metabolism pathway as potentially the most significantly impacted signaling pathway during aging. This study aimed to provide insights into the complex interactions involved in organismal inflammaging through microbial multi-omics. These findings lay a solid foundation for future research aimed at identifying novel biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of aging-related diseases or potential therapeutic targets.

Age Structure, Body Size, and Sexual Dimorphism in a High-Altitude Population of Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas, 1771).

This study aimed to describe the morphological characteristics and age structure of a P. ridibundus population sampled from a high altitude. For this purpose, a total of 54 adult frogs (33 males and 21 females) were collected from Şavşat district, Artvin province, Türkiye. The samples were aged based on skeletochronology method. Furthermore, von Bertalanffy growth curve models were constructed using SVL and weight data. To assess sexual size and shape dimorphism, the measurements of 23 different morphological characters were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. The mean SVL and weight were found to be 78.05 mm and 60.87 g for males and 93.95 mm and 109.61 g for females. The mean age was 3.67 years and 4.05 years for males and females, respectively. The maximum age was found to be 6 years for both sexes. Growth curve models revealed a significant relationship between age, SVL, and weight. A clear female-biased sexual size dimorphism was found in all morphological characters. However, SVL-adjusted values indicated that males had larger head and limb structures resulting from evolutional and sexual pressures associated with reproduction and male-male competition. The shape dimorphism was found only in forelimbs, and it was male-biased and was related to clasping in amplexus.

A Hierarchical Bayesian Model for Estimating Age-Specific COVID-19 Infection Fatality Rates in Developing Countries.

The COVID-19 infection fatality rate (IFR) is the proportion of individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 who subsequently die. As COVID-19 disproportionately affects older individuals, age-specific IFR estimates are imperative to facilitate comparisons of the impact of COVID-19 between locations and prioritize distribution of scarce resources. However, there lacks a coherent method to synthesize available data to create estimates of IFR and seroprevalence that vary continuously with age and adequately reflect uncertainties inherent in the underlying data. In this article, we introduce a novel Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate IFR as a continuous function of age that acknowledges heterogeneity in population age structure across locations and accounts for uncertainty in the estimates due to seroprevalence sampling variability and the imperfect serology test assays. Our approach simultaneously models test assay characteristics, serology, and death data, where the serology and death data are often available only for binned age groups. Information is shared across locations through hierarchical modeling to improve estimation of the parameters with limited data. Modeling data from 26 developing country locations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, we found seroprevalence did not change dramatically with age, and the IFR at age 60 was above the high-income country estimate for most locations.

Is a rising cesarean delivery rate explained by late birth trend? A decomposition analysis of health insurance claims data (2013-2022) from South Korea.

To analyze the factors influencing the increase in the cesarean delivery (CD) rate in South Korea and test the hypothesis on advanced maternal age driving the trend. The present study is a population-based retrospective observational study utilizing administrative data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. We analyzed a total 3 416 517 births from 2013 to 2022 covered by the national health insurance. The CD rate and contribution of demographic variables to changes in CD rates were calculated using Das Gupta's decomposition method. The CD rate increased from 37.8% in 2013 to 61.6% in 2022. The decomposition analysis revealed that changes in maternal age structure contributed only 8.7% to the increase in the CD rate. When parity was added to maternal age, the explained proportion increased to 17.8%. When other factors were added to the model, such as multiple births, residential area, and income level, it did not contribute significantly to the increase in the CD rates, accounting for 19.0%, 18.6%, and 18.0%, respectively. According to our analysis, less than one-fifth of the increase in CD rate was explained by the change in maternal age. The rising CD rate in Korea should not be considered an unavoidable consequence of demographic change. Much more diverse factors, including increased risk of medical lawsuits, changes in childbirth culture, and other health system determinants, may be driving the trend.

Depression in children: Impact of the father companionship and peer relationship

AbstractReasons for the increased incidence of depression in Chinese children remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study explored the influence of paternal companionship and peer relationships on depression in children based on OLS method using data reported by 2498 children from China (children Mage 10.7; 52.1% girls). We found that both variables could alleviate depression among children, but the effect of peer relationships was significantly greater than that of paternal companionship. This conclusion remains robust after considering gender, age and family structure. Heterogeneity studies have found that paternal companionship significantly impact boys, while peer relationships significantly impact girls. Mechanism analysis demonstrated that both factors can indirectly alleviate depression in children by regulating anxiety. Our research results emphasize the importance of increasing paternal companionship and peer relationships to alleviate depression in children.

Effect of Water Temperature on the Size–Age Structure of the Population of Black Sea Mollusks Hydrobia acuta and on Invasion with Parthenites Gynaecotyla adunca

Effect of Water Temperature on the Size–Age Structure of the Population of Black Sea Mollusks Hydrobia acuta and on Invasion with Parthenites Gynaecotyla adunca

Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) Webinar Meeting Report.

The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) Webinar was co-hosted by Diabetes Technology Society and Kitalys Institute on August 8, 2024, with the goal of reviewing progress made in the measurement and use of AGEs in clinical practice. Meeting topics included (1) AGEs as predictors of diabetic nephropathy (DKD), (2) hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) and the glycation gap (GG), (3) formation and structure of AGEs, (4) AGEs as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and (5) approaches to limit or prevent AGE formation.