The changing pattern of cohabitation: A sequence analysis approach

BACKGROUND During the last decades, nonmarital cohabitation has diffused throughout the industrialised world, although not uniformly. The Second Demographic Transition (SDT) predicts a convergence of cohabitation patterns towards a final stage in which cohabitation and marriage will be almost indistinguishable. OBJECTIVE This paper contributes to the literature on the convergence of cohabitation patterns across countries by testing whether countries are becoming more similar over time, as suggested by the SDT. METHODS We use sequence analysis and cluster analysis techniques to classify different patterns of cohabitation in France, Italy, Norway, Bulgaria, and the United States. Using data mainly stemming from the Gender and Generations Surveys (GGS), we analyse women's patterns of behaviour during the five years following the start of their first cohabitation, over a time span of three decades (1970s-2000s). RESULTS On the basis of sequencing the events of childbirth, marriage, and separation we are able to identify five different clusters corresponding to different ways of going through the cohabitation experience. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that there is a general decreasing trend of cohabitation as a premarital experience and an increasing trend of cohabitation as an alternative to marriage or as a free union. However, within this homogeneous trend, persistent peculiarities at the country level suggest that the selected countries are not simply at different stages of the same trajectory. CONTRIBUTION The classification that emerges from the data-driven approach combines several features of already existing typologies of cohabitation experience. Analysis of the data highlights country peculiarities in the development of the cohabitation experience, rather than the existence of a common path as predicted by the SDT

Structure and pharmacological actions of phyllocaerulein, a caerulein-like nonapeptide: its occurrence in extracts of the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei and related Phyllomedusa species

The present communication gives an account of the isolation, structure and pharmacological properties of the caerulein-like polypeptide occurring in the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei from north-western regions of Argentina. For the new polypeptide, a nonapeptide closely resembling caerulein both from a biological and chemical point of view, the name phyllocaerulein is proposed. This paper also describes the occurrence of phyllocaerulein or related peptides in the skin of other Phyllomedusa species. A complete description of methods used in the isolation of phyllocaerulein as well as in the determination of amino-acid composition and amino-acid sequence of the polypeptide may be found in a preceding paper dealing with the isolation and the amino acid sequence of caerulein (Anastasi, Erspamer & Endean, 1968 ; Anastasi, 1969).Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Structure and pharmacological actions of phyllocaerulein, a caerulein-like nonapeptide: its occurrence in extracts of the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei and related Phyllomedusa species

The present communication gives an account of the isolation, structure and pharmacological properties of the caerulein-like polypeptide occurring in the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei from north-western regions of Argentina. For the new polypeptide, a nonapeptide closely resembling caerulein both from a biological and chemical point of view, the name phyllocaerulein is proposed. This paper also describes the occurrence of phyllocaerulein or related peptides in the skin of other Phyllomedusa species. A complete description of methods used in the isolation of phyllocaerulein as well as in the determination of amino-acid composition and amino-acid sequence of the polypeptide may be found in a preceding paper dealing with the isolation and the amino acid sequence of caerulein (Anastasi, Erspamer & Endean, 1968 ; Anastasi, 1969).Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Structure and pharmacological actions of phyllocaerulein, a caerulein-like nonapeptide: its occurrence in extracts of the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei and related Phyllomedusa species

The present communication gives an account of the isolation, structure and pharmacological properties of the caerulein-like polypeptide occurring in the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei from north-western regions of Argentina. For the new polypeptide, a nonapeptide closely resembling caerulein both from a biological and chemical point of view, the name phyllocaerulein is proposed. This paper also describes the occurrence of phyllocaerulein or related peptides in the skin of other Phyllomedusa species. A complete description of methods used in the isolation of phyllocaerulein as well as in the determination of amino-acid composition and amino-acid sequence of the polypeptide may be found in a preceding paper dealing with the isolation and the amino acid sequence of caerulein (Anastasi, Erspamer & Endean, 1968 ; Anastasi, 1969).Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Chiropractic wellness on the web: the content and quality of information related to wellness and primary prevention on the Internet

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Internet has become a common source of information for patients wishing to learn about health information. Previous studies found information related to back pain poor and often contradictory to current guidelines. Wellness has become a common topic in the field of chiropractic and accrediting agencies have standards on delivery of wellness-based content in college curricula as well as directives for clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of the information on the Internet using the terms "chiropractic wellness," or "wellness chiropractic".</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Five commonly used search engines were selected and the first 10 sites found using the strategy above were evaluated by two raters. Demographic assessments of the sites were made along with whether they were Health on the Net Foundation (HON) certified, contained standard wellness content, mentioned any Healthy People Focus Areas, and other chiropractic topics. Kappa statistics compared inter-rater agreement.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Potential patients appeared to be the audience 87% of the time and a private doctor of chiropractic appeared to be the typical site owner. The sites usually promoted the provider. No sites displayed HON certification logo nor did any appear to meet the HON certification criteria. Twenty-six sites (55%) promoted regular physical activity in some manner and 18 (38%) had information on health risks of tobacco. Four (9%) had mental health or stress-reduction content but none had information supportive of vaccination. Some had information contradictory to common public health measures.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Patients searching the Internet for chiropractic wellness information will often find useless information that will not help them maintain health or become well. Most simply market the chiropractic practice or allow for a patients to provide personal information in exchange for more 'wellness' information. More research should be done on how providers determine site content, pay any attention to the details on their sites, or agree with content as some appear to be prefabricated sites. Website content could be enhanced by sharing of information from reputable sources like US Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health and other authoritative sources. HON certification should also be sought.</p

Rapporto sulla popolazione. Le molte facce della presenza straniera in Italia

Al di là delle emergenze recenti, l’immigrazione straniera è un fenomeno le cui origini risalgono a circa quaranta anni fa: proprio i demografi italiani furono tra i primi a segnalarne l’importanza, analizzandone cause, caratteristiche e conseguenze. Questo Rapporto permette di seguire la pluridecennale evoluzione dell’immigrazione e della presenza straniera in Italia, con attenzione alle specificità dei diversi contesti territoriali. Una ricca e affidabile documentazione statistica consente di illustrare le origini e le caratteristiche degli stranieri, i loro comportamenti demografici, l’inserimento nel mercato del lavoro e le condizioni di integrazione. Tra le questioni affrontate si segnalano quelle, rilevantissime, dei profughi, della cittadinanza e delle seconde generazioni

Vaccination coverage and reasons for non-vaccination in a district of Istanbul

BACKGROUND: In order to control and eliminate the vaccine preventable diseases it is important to know the vaccination coverage and reasons for non-vaccination. The primary objective of this study was to determine the complete vaccination rate; the reasons for non-vaccination and the predictors that influence vaccination of children. The other objective was to determine coverage of measles vaccination of the Measles Immunization Days (MID) 2005 for children aged 9 month to 6 years in a region of Umraniye, Istanbul, Turkey. METHODS: A '30 × 7' cluster sampling design was used as the sampling method. Thirty streets were selected at random from study area. Survey data were collected by a questionnaire which was applied face to face to parents of 221 children. A Chi-square test and logistic regression was used for the statistical analyses. Content analysis method was used to evaluate the open-ended questions. RESULTS: The complete vaccination rate for study population was 84.5% and 3.2% of all children were totally non-vaccinated. The siblings of non-vaccinated children were also non-vaccinated. Reasons for non-vaccination were as follows: being in the village and couldn't reach to health care services; having no knowledge about vaccination; the father of child didn't allow vaccination; intercurrent illness of child during vaccination time; missed opportunities like not to shave off a vial for only one child. In logistic regression analysis, paternal and maternal levels of education and immigration time of both parents to Istanbul were found to influence whether children were completely vaccinated or non-vaccinated. Measles vaccination coverage during MID was 79.3%. CONCLUSION: Efforts to increase vaccination coverage should take reasons for non-vaccination into account

Risk communication and informed consent in the medical tourism industry: A thematic content analysis of canadian broker websites

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medical tourism, thought of as patients seeking non-emergency medical care outside of their home countries, is a growing industry worldwide. Canadians are amongst those engaging in medical tourism, and many are helped in the process of accessing care abroad by medical tourism brokers - agents who specialize in making international medical care arrangements for patients. As a key source of information for these patients, brokers are likely to play an important role in communicating the risks and benefits of undergoing surgery or other procedures abroad to their clientele. This raises important ethical concerns regarding processes such as informed consent and the liability of brokers in the event that complications arise from procedures. The purpose of this article is to examine the language, information, and online marketing of Canadian medical tourism brokers' websites in light of such ethical concerns.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An exhaustive online search using multiple search engines and keywords was performed to compile a comprehensive directory of English-language Canadian medical tourism brokerage websites. These websites were examined using thematic content analysis, which included identifying informational themes, generating frequency counts of these themes, and comparing trends in these counts to the established literature.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Seventeen websites were identified for inclusion in this study. It was found that Canadian medical tourism broker websites varied widely in scope, content, professionalism and depth of information. Three themes emerged from the thematic content analysis: training and accreditation, risk communication, and business dimensions. Third party accreditation bodies of debatable regulatory value were regularly mentioned on the reviewed websites, and discussion of surgical risk was absent on 47% of the websites reviewed, with limited discussion of risk on the remaining ones. Terminology describing brokers' roles was somewhat inconsistent across the websites. Finally, brokers' roles in follow up care, their prices, and the speed of surgery were the most commonly included business dimensions on the reviewed websites.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Canadian medical tourism brokers currently lack a common standard of care and accreditation, and are widely lacking in providing adequate risk communication for potential medical tourists. This has implications for the informed consent and consequent safety of Canadian medical tourists.</p

Secularization, Union Formation Practices, and Marital Stability: Evidence from Italy

Descriptive statistics indicate that civil marriages and marriages preceded by premarital cohabitation are more unstable, i.e., more frequently followed by divorce. However, the literature has shown that selectivity plays an important role in the relationship between premarital cohabitation and union dissolution. We do not have evidence to date regarding the selectivity in the effect of civil marriage. The Italian case appears particularly interesting given the recent diffusion of premarital cohabitation and civil marriage. Using micro-level data from a national-level representative survey conducted in 2003, we develop a multiprocess model that allows unobserved heterogeneity to be correlated across the three decisions (premarital cohabitation, civil marriage, and divorce). Our results show that selectivity is the main factor that explains the higher divorce rates among those who experience premarital cohabitation and a civil marriage. Net of selectivity, the causal effect on union dissolution disappears