Gini coefficient as a life table function

This paper presents a toolkit for measuring and analyzing inter-individual inequality in length of life by Gini coefficient. Gini coefficient and four other inequality measures are defined on the length-of-life distribution. Properties of these measures and their empirical testing on mortality data suggest a possibility for different judgements about the direction of changes in the degree of inequality by using different measures. A new computational procedure for the estimation of Gini coefficient from life tables is developed and tested on about four hundred real life tables. The estimates of Gini coefficient are precise enough even for abridged life tables with the final age group of 85+. New formulae have been developed for the decomposition of differences between Gini coefficients by age and cause of death. A new method for decomposition of age-components into effects of mortality and composition of population by group is developed. Temporal changes in the effects of elimination of causes of death on Gini coefficient are analyzed. Numerous empirical examples show: Lorenz curves for Sweden, Russia and Bangladesh in 1995, proportional changes in Gini coefficient and four other measures of inequality for the USA in 1950-1995 and for Russia in 1959-2000. Further shown are errors of estimates of Gini coefficient when computed from various types of mortality data of France, Japan, Sweden and the USA in 1900-95, decompositions of the USA-UK difference in life expectancies and Gini coefficients by age and cause of death in 1997. As well, effects of elimination of major causes of death in the UK in 1951-96 on Gini coefficient, age-specific effects of mortality and educational composition of the Russian population on changes in life expectancy and Gini coefficient between 1979 and 1989. Illustrated as well are variations in life expectancy and Gini coefficient across 32 countries in 1996-1999 and associated changes in life expectancy and Gini coefficient in Japan, Russia, Spain, the USA, and the UK in 1950-1999. Variations in Gini coefficient, with time and across countries, are driven by historical compression of mortality, but also by varying health and social patterns.inequality, life expectancy, mortality, variability

Algorithm for decomposition of differences between aggregate demographic measures and its application to life expectancies, healthy life expectancies, parity-progression ratios and total fertility rates

A general algorithm for the decomposition of differences between two values of an aggregate demographic measure in respect to age and other dimensions is proposed. It assumes that the aggregate measure is computed from similar matrices of discrete demographic data for two populations under comparison. The algorithm estimates the effects of replacement for each elementary cell of one matrix by respective cell of another matrix. Application of the algorithm easily leads to the known formula for the age-decomposition of differences between two life expectancies. It also allows to develop new formulae for differences between healthy life expectancies. In the latter case, each age-component is split further into effects of mortality and effects of health. The application of the algorithm enables a numerical decomposition of the differences between total fertility rates and between parity progression ratios by age of the mother and parity. Empirical examples are based on mortality data from the USA, the UK, West Germany, and Poland and on fertility data from Russia.healthy life expectancy, life expectancy, parity progression

Estimates of mortality and population changes in England and Wales over the two World Wars

Almost one million soldiers from England and Wales died during the First and Second World War whilst serving in the British Armed Forces. Although many articles and books have been published that commemorate the military efforts of the British Armed Forces, data on the demographic aspects of British army losses remain fragmentary. Official population statistics on England and Wales have provided continuous series on the civilian population, including mortality and fertility over the two war periods. The combatant population and combatant mortality have not been incorporated in the official statistics, which shows large out-migration at the beginning and large in-migration towards the end of the war periods. In order to estimate the dynamics of the total population and its excess mortality, we introduce in this paper a model of population flows and mortality in times of war operations. The model can be applied to a detailed reconstruction of war losses, using various shapes of the input data. This enables us to arrive at detailed estimates of war-related losses in England and Wales during the two world wars. Our results agree with elements of data provided by prior studies.England, First World War, population estimates, Second World War, Wales

The changing relation between alcohol and life expectancy in Russia in 1965-2017.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: In the 1990s, a strong inverse relationship between life expectancy (LE) in Russia and mortality from alcohol poisoning was observed. This association is remarkable as this cause accounts for less than 2% of deaths each year. It can be explained by treating the alcohol poisoning mortality as the best available measure in Russia of the population prevalence of harmful drinking in any year which in turn associated with mortality from a wide range of causes. This study analyses the evolving relationship of LE with this mortality-based measure of harmful drinking since 1965, and places it in a policy context. DESIGN AND METHODS: We examine three periods: 1965-1984, a period of gradual LE decline; 1984-2003, a period of massive LE fluctuations; and 2003-2017, a period of LE improvement. Pearson's correlation coefficients and a linear relationship between annual changes in LE and alcohol poisoning were estimated for each period. RESULTS: The strongest negative correlation between changes in LE and alcohol poisonings was found in 1984-2003. Over the period 2003-2017 a consistent positive LE trend emerged that was statistically independent of alcohol poisoning. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in the period from the mid-2000s a growth of LE in Russia was to a large extent independent of changes in the population prevalence of harmful drinking. While there has been a reduction in mortality at ages 15-64, at older ages mortality reduction unrelated to alcohol has become an increasingly important driver of overall mortality improvements

Analysis of preparation and conduct of cordinated calls in aeronautics within the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme

In this paper, organizing and conducting coordinated calls and projects between Russia and the European Union (EU) under the 8th EU Framework Programme (FP) for Research and Innovation 'Horizon 2020' are considered as an instrument for international cooperation in aeronautics. Relevance of the work is determined by the novelty of holding Russia-EU coordinated calls and lack of knowledge about them in the Russian organizations. The paper aims at considering Russia's position in the global aviation market, determining prerequisites for holding coordinated calls, comparing Russian and European financing. To do this, Russia-EU interaction at coordinating general projects themes and compliance with the goals set n the Russian strategic documents in aeronautics are detailed. Besides, the procedure for scientific organizations' participation in coordinated calls and projects is given. The main approach to studying preparation and implementation of coordinated calls was a comparative analysis of European and Russian fundamental documents using the experience of international cooperation accumulated in Russia. Advantages and disadvantages of coordinated calls and projects are given in a PEST-analysis broken down by internal and external factors. Role of the National Contract Point (NCP) 'Aeronautics' at the Central Aerohydrodynamics Institute named after Prof. N. E. Zhukovsky is underlined. The analysis results can be useful for organizations wishing to participate in coordinated projects and Russian and European government bodies regulating international scientific cooperation.peer-reviewe

Mortality in Moscow and other megacities of the world: similarities and differences

This paper is devoted to the comparison of mortality by cause of death in Moscow and other megacities of the world since 1990. The selection of megacities was determined by the availability of detailed mortality data in the selected period. The objects of our comparison are data for Berlin, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, St. Petersburg, and Tokyo. Mortality from major groups of causes of death are considered, including cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, external causes, diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems, infections and some others. The analysis uses standardised mortality rates by cause of death. The mortality level in Moscow is significantly lower than in the majority of regions of Russia, but is still substantially higher than in foreign megacities. Due to a big lag at the beginning of the period, the mortality level in Moscow nowadays is higher than in all selected foreign megalopolises in the year 2000. Where Moscow’s mortality level lags most behind others is in mortality from circulatory diseases and external causes. Moscow's successes in reducing mortality in 2000-2014 are very impressive. However, it is difficult to predict how events will unfold in the deteriorating economic situation

Investigation of dilatancy in block-structured geological medium on the base of movable cellular automaton method

The peculiarities of dilatancy processes in block-structured media that experience nonequiaxial compression under shear deformation are investigated using movable cellular automaton (MCA) method. For a characteristic of compression nonequiaxiality (also termed the degree of constraint) a dimensionless parameter – the lateral to normal pressure ratio in the deformation plane – used. The main objective of the work is to trace the sequence in which various dilatancy mechanisms are involved in deformation depending on the level of shear stress and degree of constraint. It is shown that in the block-structured medium an increase in the degree of constraint causes the dominating dilatation mechanism to change from slip of discontinuity surfaces to opening and expansion of pores. The dominating dilatancy mechanism changing because increasing the degree of constraint increases the threshold shear stress at which the slip is activated. Beginning with certain lateral pressures, the slip is impeded giving way to expansion of the pore space; however, the latter fails to provide so considerable volume change as the slip of contact surfaces does, and this decrease critical dilatation characteristics of the medium and, in particular, its dilatation coefficient and volume changing