Age effect on retina and optic disc normal values

Purpose: To investigate retinal thickness and optic disc parameters by the Retinal Thickness Analyzer (RTA) glaucoma program in older normal subjects and to determine any age effect. Methods: Subjects over 40 years of age without any prior history of eye diseases were recruited. Only subjects completely normal on clinical ophthalmologic examination and on visual field testing by Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) using the SITA 24-2 program were included. A total of 74 eyes from 74 subjects with even age distribution over the decades were enrolled and underwent topographic measurements of the posterior pole and of the optic disc by RTA. The `glaucoma full' program in software version 4.11B was applied. Results: Mean patient age was 59.9 +/- 10.3 years with a range from 40 to 80 years. The only parameter intraocular pressure (IOP) correlated with was retinal posterior pole asymmetry (r=0.27, p=0.02). IOP itself increased significantly with age (r=0.341, p=0.003). Mean defect and pattern standard deviation of the HFA did not correlate with any of the retinal or optic disc measurements. Increasing age correlated significantly with some of the morphologic measurements of the RTA: decreasing perifoveal minimum thickness (r=-0.258, p=0.026), increased cup-to-disc area ratio (r=0.302, p=0.016) and increased cup area (r=0.338 p=0.007). Conclusions: An age effect exists for some of the retina and optic disc measurements obtained by the RTA. Copyright (C) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

A Simple Approach to Project Extreme Old Age Mortality Rates and Value Mortality-Related Financial Instruments

This article shows how mortality models that involve age effects can be fitted to ages beyond the sample range using projections of age effects as replacements for age effects that might not be in the sample. This ‘projected age effect’ approach allows insurers to use age-effect mortality models to obtain valuations of financial instruments such as annuities that depend on projections of extreme old ag

Seasonal mortality in Denmark: the role of sex and age

-Denmark, Scandinavia, age effect, mortality, seasonal fluctuations, sex differentials

Senescence can play an essential role in modelling and estimation of vector based epidemiological indicators: demographical approach

In the paper basic epidemiological indicators, produced by an aging population of vectors, are calculated. In the study we follow two lines: calculations for demographically structured population and individual life-history approach. We discuss the advantages and limitations of these approaches and compare the results of our calculations with epidemiological indicators obtained for non-aging population of vectors.Gibraltar, age effect, disease control, gerontology

Relative age effect in European professional football. Analysis by position

The relative age effect (RAE) in sport consists in the lower presence of athletes born in the months furthest from the cut off date established by the competitive system, which normally coincides with the last months of the year. The purpose of this study is to assess if there is an RAE in European professional football, where the current cut off age for training in the different categories is based on the calendar year; and its analysis by position on the playing field. The analysis has included all the footballers playing in the league championships in the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France and Spain (N= 2763). The results of our study confirm an RAE in professional football in Italy, France and Spain. When differentiated by playing position there is a different RAE incidence in the five championships analyzed

Physician Labour Supply in Canada: a Cohort Analysis

This paper employs cohort analysis to examine the relative importance of different factors in explaining changes in the number of hours spent in direct patient care by Canadian general/ family practitioners (GP/FPs) over the period 1982 to 2002. Cohorts are defined by year of graduation from medical school. The results for male GP/FPs indicate that: there is little age effect on hours of direct patient care, especially among physicians aged 35 to 55; there is no strong cohort effect on hours of direct patient care; but there is a secular decline in hours of direct patient care over the period. The results for female GP/FPs indicate that: female physicians on average work fewer hours than male physicians; there is a clear age effect on hours of direct patient care; there is no strong cohort effect; there has been little secular change in average hours of direct patient care. The changing behaviour of male GP/FPs accounted for a greater proportion of the overall decline in hours of direct patient care from the 80’s through the mid 90’s than did the growing proportion of female GP/FPs in the physician stock.physician, labour supply, hours, cohorts

Physician Labour Supply in Canada: a Cohort Analysis

This paper employs cohort analysis to examine the relative importance of different factors in explaining changes in the number of hours spent in direct patient care by Canadian general/ family practitioners (GP/FPs) over the period 1982 to 2002. Cohorts are defined by year of graduation from medical school. The results for male GP/FPs indicate that: there is little age effect on hours of direct patient care, especially among physicians aged 35 to 55; there is no strong cohort effect on hours of direct patient care; but there is a secular decline in hours of direct patient care over the period. The results for female GP/FPs indicate that: female physicians on average work fewer hours than male physicians; there is a clear age effect on hours of direct patient care; there is no strong cohort effect; there has been little secular change in average hours of direct patient care. The changing behaviour of male GP/FPs accounted for a greater proportion of the overall decline in hours of direct patient care from the 80’s through the mid 90’s than did the growing proportion of female GP/FPs in the physician stock.physician, labour supply, hours, cohorts

The effect of school starting age on academic performance in Hungary

The study estimates the effect of school starting age on academic performance for Hungarian grade four students using the "Progress in International Reading Literacy Study" (PIRLS) and the "Trends in Mathematics and Science Study" (TIMMS). The study uses the control function approach, exploiting the exogenous variation in school starting age driven by the children's month of birth and the cut-off date regulation for enrolment. The results indicate a positive age effect on Reading, Mathematics and Science performance.Education, student test scores, enrolment age, identification

Relative age effect in netball: a qualitative investigation

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experiences of international netball players born in different parts of the school year. A total of thirteen international netball players aged 24 to 52 were interviewed (six born in the first half of the school year and seven born in the second half). A qualitative analysis of the interview data was performed using a combination of deductive and inductive analyses. The analysis focussed on five broad themes: participation motives, attrition motives, age issues, support and location issues. The two groups of players experienced similar participation motives and support from coaches, family, friends and peers. Age issues were experienced by both groups of players. Location effects and the need to balance netball with other commitments were also experienced by both groups of players. There were two differences between the two groups with all seven of the players born in the second half of the school year experiencing performance and social attrition motives. These were experienced by 3 and 4 of the 6 players born in the first half of the school year respectively. Coaches and national governing bodies need to be aware of the attrition motives experienced by players, especially those who live some distance from main netball centres. An understanding of the performance attrition motives experienced specifically by players born in the second half of the school year could help coaches to nurture talented players

Women and Illegal Activities: Gender Differences and Women's Willingness to Comply Over Time

In recent years the topics of illegal activities such as corruption or tax evasion have attracted a great deal of attention. However, there is still a lack of substantial empirical evidence about the determinants of compliance. The aim of this paper is to investigate empirically whether women are more willing to be compliant than men and whether we observe (among women and in general) differences in attitudes among similar age groups in different time periods (cohort effect) or changing attitudes of the same cohorts over time (age effect) using data from eight Western European countries from the World Values Survey and the European Values Survey that span the period from 1981 to 1999. The results reveal higher willingness to comply among women and an age rather than a cohort effect. Working Paper 06-5