A time-series analysis

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)1. PremiseDuring the last four decades of the 20th century, the average total fertility rate (TFR) has continuously dropped in Europe, as it generally has in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The aggregate trend covers considerable differences across Europe, with the main differences appearing between northern and southern European countries (Eurostat 2012).During the same period, important changes have also occurred in the labour market arrangements of both men and women, with changes in individuals' and couples' economic conditions. Whereas by the 1980s the fall in fertility was coupled with a rise in female employment, since the late 1980s the fall has been accompanied by a rise in unemployment, particularly among women.Explaining the determinants of such a fall in fertility and the links with changes in the labour market statuses of both men and women has become a major topic over the last years (D'Addio and Mira d'Ercole 2005; Kreyenfeld 2010).The rise in unemployment for women and men in southern and central European countries that occurred during the 1990s has been proposed as an explanation for the more pronounced decrease in the TFR in these countries, as in other countries with low female labour force participation rates (Ahn and Mira 2002; Adsera 2005; Engelhardt and Prskawetz 2004). This evidence highlights the need to further examine the role of unemployment in fertility behaviour.This paper seeks to describe the connections between fertility and unemployment in Italy from a gender-based and geographic perspective. Italian workers have experienced a rising trend of unemployment - with gender and regional differences - since the mid-nineties, resulting in a feeling of uncertainty about the future. We are in agreement with the hypothesis that macro-level economic conditions are likely to be related to fertility (Brewster and Rindfuss 2000): in particular, economic uncertainty can induce a short-term reduction in fertility that is presumably due to the postponement of decisions to have an (additional) child until the economy recovers.We utilised time series of aggregate data on fertility and unemployment during the interval 1995-2012, which includes the period of economic downturn that began at the end of 2007.We began from the hypothesis that the connection between unemployment and fertility differs among the various Italian regions, and we used a regression dynamic model to evaluate whether changes in fertility in different Italian geographic areas are more related to changes in male or female unemployment, as well as the strength of the link. Moreover, we paid particular attention to specific temporal links between the two series in different geographical areas.The structure of the paper is as follows:- Discussion of the literature and previous research on the relationship between fertility and unemployment of both men and women. We utilised aggregate data, but we also referred to studies of individual-level data to understand how the issue has been addressed by different approaches;- Discussion of these relationships in Italy within the European context;- Methodological approach and analysis of aggregate trends of fertility and unemployment in Italy by gender and geographic area; and- Discussion of the results.2. Unemployment and fertility: A complex relationshipA modern discussion on fertility in developed countries began in the 1960s and focused on the importance of socio-economic factors at the community or country level, 4 the incompatibility between work and family, increasing female education, and the roles of women in different contexts related to specific welfare policies (Oppenheimer 1988; McDonald 2006; Pison 2009).The decrease in fertility rates in the 1960s and 1970s in most industrialised economies was correlated with an increase in female employment (Adsera 2004).

Hepatitis C virus related cirrhosis decreased as indication to liver transplantation since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals: A single-center study

AIM: To evaluate waiting list (WL) registration and liver transplantation (LT) rates in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis since the introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). METHODS: All adult patients with cirrhosis listed for LT at Padua University Hospital between 2006-2017 were retrospectively collected using a prospectively-updated database; patients with HCV-related cirrhosis were divided by indication for LT [dec-HCV vs HCV/ hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)] and into two interval times (2006-2013 and 2014-2017) according to the introduction of DAAs. For each patient, indications to LT, severity of liver dysfunction and the outcome in the WL were assessed and compared between the two different time periods. For patients receiving DAA-based regimens, the achievement of viral eradication and the outcome were also evaluated. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred and ninty-four [male (M)/female (F): 925/269] patients were included. Considering the whole cohort, HCV-related cirrhosis was the main etiology at the time of WL registration (490/1194 patients, 41%). HCV-related cirrhosis significantly decreased as indication to WL registration after DAA introduction (from 43.3% in 2006-2013 to 37.2% in 2014-2017, P = 0.05), especially amongst dec-HCV (from 24.2% in 2006-2013 to 15.9% in 2014-2017, P = 0.007). Even HCV remained the most common indication to LT over time (289/666, 43.4%), there was a trend towards a decrease after DAAs introduction (from 46.3% in 2006-2013 to 39% in 2014-2017, P = 0.06). HCV patients (M/F: 43/11, mean age: 57.7 \ub1 8 years) who achieved viral eradication in the WL had better transplant-free survival (log-rank test P = 0.02) and delisting rate (P = 0.002) than untreated HCV patients. CONCLUSION: Introduction of DAAs significantly reduced WL registrations for HCV related cirrhosis, especially in the setting of decompensated cirrhosis

Hemodynamic Evaluation of Nonselective \u3b2-Blockers in Patients with Cirrhosis and Refractory Ascites

BACKGROUND:Nonselective \u3b2-blockers (NSBB) have been associated with increased incidence of paracentesis-induced circulatory dysfunction (PICD) and reduced survival in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. AIM:To prospectively evaluate a hemodynamic response to NSBB in cirrhotics listed for liver transplantation with refractory ascites undergoing large volume paracentesis (LVP). METHODS:Patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites, with an indication to start NSBB in primary prophylaxis for variceal bleeding, were enrolled. During two consecutive LVP, while being, respectively, off and on NSBB, cardiac output (CO), systemic vascular resistances (SVR), peripheral vascular resistances (PVR), and plasma renin activity (PRA) were noninvasively assessed. RESULTS:Seventeen patients were enrolled, and 10 completed the study. Before NSBB introduction, SVR (1896 to 1348\u2009dyn\ub7s\ub7cm-5; p = 0.028) and PVR (47 to 30\u2009mmHg\ub7min\ub7dl\ub7ml-1; p = 0.04) significantly decreased after LVP, while CO showed an increasing trend (3.9 to 4.5\u2009l/m; p = 0.06). After NSBB introduction, LVP was not associated with a significant increase in CO (3.4 to 3.8\u2009l/m; p = 0.13) nor with a significant decrease in SVR (2002 versus 1798\u2009dyn\ub7s\ub7cm-5; p = 0.1). Incidence of PICD was not increased after NSBB introduction. CONCLUSION:The negative inotropic effect of NSBB was counterbalanced by a smaller decrease of vascular resistances after LVP, probably due to splanchnic \u3b22-blockade. This pilot study showed that NSBB introduction may be void of detrimental hemodynamic effects after LVP in cirrhotics with refractory ascites

Hypovitaminosis D in Systemic Sclerosis

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Drop-out rate from the liver transplant waiting list due to HCC progression in HCV-infected patients treated with direct acting antivirals.

BACKGROUND & AIM: concerns about an increased hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence rate following directly acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in cirrhotic patients with a prior complete oncological response have been raised. Data regarding the impact of HCV-treatment with DAAs on waiting list drop-out rates in patients with active HCC and HCV-related cirrhosis awaiting liver transplantation (LT) are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HCV-HCC patients listed for LT between January 2015 and May 2016 at Padua Liver Transplant Centre were considered eligible for the study. After enrollment patients were divided into 2 groups, depending on whether they underwent DAAs treatment while awaiting LT or not. For each patient clinical, serological and virological data were collected. HCC characteristics were radiologically evaluated at baseline and during follow-up (FU). For transplanted patients, pathological assessment of the explants was performed and recurrence-rates were calculated. RESULTS: twenty-three patients treated with DAAs and 23 controls were enrolled. HCC characteristics at time of LT-listing were comparable between the 2 groups. Median FU was 10 and 7 months, respectively, during which 2/23 (8.7%) and 1/23 (4.3%) drop-out events due to HCC-progression were registered (p = 0.9). No significant differences in terms of radiological progression were highlighted (p = 0.16). Nine out of 23 cases (39%) and 14/23 (61%) controls underwent LT, and histopathological analysis showed no differences in terms of median number and total tumor volume of HCC nodules, tumor differentiation or microvascular invasion. During post-LT FU, 1/8 DAAs treated patient (12,5%) and 1/12 control (8,3%) experienced HCC recurrence (p = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: Viral eradication does not seem to be associated with an increased risk of drop-out due to neoplastic progression in HCV-HCC patients awaiting LT

Synergistic effects between a non-ionic and an anionic surfactant on the micellization process and the adsorption at liquid/air surfaces

Predicting the behaviour of solutions with surfactants of significantly different critical micelle concentration (CMC) values remains a challenge. The study of the molecular interactions within micelles and interfaces in surfactant combinations used in everyday products is essential to understand these complex systems. In this work, the equilibrium and dynamic surface tension in the presence of mixed non-ionic (tristyrylphenol ethoxylates) and anionic (sodium benzene sulfonate with alkyl chain lengths of C10–C13) surfactants, commonly encountered as delivery systems in agrochemicals, were studied and their CMC values were determined. For the surfactant mixtures, four molar ratios were examined: nEOT/nNaDDBS = 0.01, 0.1, 1, 4 and two different cases were analysed, the premixed and the add one by one surfactant. The surface tension for single surfactants stabilised quickly, while the mixtures needed a long time to reach equilibrium; up to 15 h for the premixed mixtures and 40 min when surfactants were added one by one. The CMC values for the nEOT/nNaDDBS = 0.01, 0.1 premixed surfactant mixtures were found to be in between the CMC values of the single surfactants, but those for the nEOT/nNaDDBS = 1 and 4 mixtures were lower than the CMCs of both single surfactants. Calculations based on the regular solution theory suggested that there are attractive forces in the mixed micelles and at the interface layers, while the supramolecular assemblies in the bulk (i.e., micelles) and at interfaces (surfactant films) are preferentially enriched in EOT

Análisis multicriterio de la conservación de suelo : aplicación a una cuenca representativa del centro argentino

La erosión de suelos (ES) es reconocida como uno de los problemas más importantes de la agricultura, con impactos económicos y ambientales dentro y fuera del establecimiento agropecuario en el sur de Córdoba, Argentina. El objetivo de este trabajo es cuantificar el costo económico que tendría incrementar la conservación de suelos (CS) para el productor agropecuario en su establecimiento en diferentes escenarios (E): E1) el productor conoce el costo de ES; E2) desconoce el costo ES; y E3) conoce el costo de ES y adhiere a la política CS provincial. La programación por meta y un modelo de 6 atributos, 18 restricciones y 72 variables de decisión es utilizada para un productor del sur de Córdoba, Argentina. Los resultados muestran diferencias en el grado de conflicto entre la rentabilidad y la CS, siendo más importante en el E2, mientras que el productor alcanza el 78% de la CS sacrificando menos del 10% de la rentabilidad en E1 y E3 respectivamente.Soil erosion (SE) is one of the most important problems of agriculture, with economic and environmental impacts: on and off-farm in the south of Córdoba, Argentina. In this paper, the cost on farm of increasing soil conservation (SC) for different scenarios is quantified: in Scenario 1) the farmer knows the cost of SE, in S2) he does not know it, and in S3) he knows it and adheres to the state policy of SC. Goal programming with a model (6 goals, 18 restrictions and 72 decision variables) is used for a farmer located in the south of Cordoba, Argentina. The result shows different level of conflicts between profit and SC goals. That is more important in S2 when the farmer ignores on farm economic impacts. In S1 and S3, the farmer can achieve 78% of SC by reducing less than 10% of profit

Citizen participation in the digital era: modalities and associated sociodemographic factors

El presente estudio analiza diversas modalidades de participación ciudadana y su relación con el uso de internet. Se investiga la frecuencia y horas de uso de internet, así como también se efectúa un análisis factorial exploratorio que arroja cinco categorías de participación ciudadana. Finalmente se analizan las relaciones entre esas categorías, el uso de internet y determinados factores sociodemográficos como sexo y edad. Se utilizó un cuestionario autoadministrado con 579 personas de la ciudad de Buenos Aires y alrededores que permitió un análisis estadístico descriptivo, para luego hacer los cálculos estadísticos correspondientes a la correlación de variables. Se encontró que la participación en internet correlaciona positivamente con la frecuencia y horas de uso de la red, y son los jóvenes y las mujeres quienes reportan más participación.This study analyzes various forms of citizen participation and its relation to use of internet. We explore frequency and hours of Internet use and make an exploratory factor analysis that yields five categories of citizen participation. We analyze relationships between these categories, use of internet and certain sociodemographic factors such as gender and age. A self-administered questionnaire was used with 579 people from the city of Buenos Aires and surroundings that allowed descriptive and correlational statistical analyzes. Participation in internet positively correlated with the frequency and hours of network use, and young people and women report more participation.Fil: Angeli, Luciano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Delfino, Gisela Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; ArgentinaFil: Zubieta, Elena Mercedes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin