9,322 research outputs found
Measurement and explanation of socioeconomic inequality in health with longitudinal data
This paper presents a method for the measurement of changes in health inequality and income-related health inequality over time in a population. For pure health inequality (as measured by the Gini coefficient) and income-related health inequality (as measured by the concentration index), we show how measures derived from longitudinal data can be related to cross section Gini and concentration indices that have been typically reported in the literature to date, along with measures of health mobility inspired by the literature on income mobility. We also show how these measures of mobility can be usefully decomposed into the contributions of different covariates. We apply these methods to investigate the degree of income-related mobility in the GHQ measure of psychological well-being in the first nine waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). This reveals that dynamics increase the absolute value of the concentration index of GHQ on income by 10%.Health inequalities, mobility, Gini and concentration indices, mental health, BHPS
Allowing for heterogeneity in the decomposition of measures of inequality in health
This paper shows how recently developed regression-based methods for the decomposition of health inequality can be extended to incorporate heterogeneity in the responses of health to the explanatory variables. We illustrate our method with an application to the GHQ measure of psychological well-being taken from the British Household Panel Survey. The results suggest that there is an important degree of heterogeneity in the association of health to explanatory variables across birth cohorts and genders which, in turn, accounts for a substantial percentage of the inequality in observed health.Health inequalities, heterogeneity, decomposition analysis, panel data
The importance of individual heterogeneity in the decomposition of measures of socioeconomic inequality in health: An approach based on quantile regression
This paper shows how recently developed regression-based methods for the decomposition of health inequality can be extended to incorporate individual heterogeneity in the responses of health to the explanatory variables. We illustrate our method with an application to the Canadian NPHS of 1994. Our strategy for the estimation of heterogeneous responses is based on the quantile regression model. The results suggest that there is an important degree of heterogeneity in the association of health to explanatory variables which, in turn, accounts for a substantial percentage of inequality in observed health. A particularly interesting finding is that the marginal response of health to income is zero for healthy individuals but positive and significant for unhealthy individuals. The heterogeneity in the income response reduces both overall health inequality and income related health inequality.Health inequalities, unobserved heterogeneity, quantile regression
The Galaxy Population of Low-Redshift Abell Clusters
We present a study of the luminosity and color properties of galaxies
selected from a sample of 57 low-redshift Abell clusters. We utilize the
non-parametric dwarf-to-giant ratio (DGR) and the blue galaxy fraction (fb) to
investigate the clustercentric radial-dependent changes in the cluster galaxy
population. Composite cluster samples are combined by scaling the counting
radius by r200 to minimize radius selection bias. The separation of galaxies
into a red and blue population was achieved by selecting galaxies relative to
the cluster color-magnitude relation. The DGR of the red and blue galaxies is
found to be independent of cluster richness (Bgc), although the DGR is larger
for the blue population at all measured radii. A decrease in the DGR for the
red and red+blue galaxies is detected in the cluster core region, while the
blue galaxy DGR is nearly independent of radius. The fb is found not to
correlate with Bgc; however, a steady decline toward the inner-cluster region
is observed for the giant galaxies. The dwarf galaxy fb is approximately
constant with clustercentric radius except for the inner cluster core region
where fb decreases. The clustercentric radial dependence of the DGR and the
galaxy blue fraction, indicates that it is unlikely that a simple scenario
based on either pure disruption or pure fading/reddening can describe the
evolution of infalling dwarf galaxies; both outcomes are produced by the
cluster environment.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Efficient excitation of cavity resonances of subwavelength metallic gratings
One dimensional rectangular metallic gratings enable enhanced transmission of
light for specific resonance frequencies. Two kinds of modes participating to
enhanced transmission have already been demonstrated : (i) waveguide modes and
(ii) surface plasmon polaritons (SPP). Since the original paper of Hessel and
Oliner \cite{hessel} pointing out the existence of (i), no progress was made in
their understanding. We present here a carefull analysis, and show that the
coupling between the light and such resonances can be tremendously improved
using an {\it evanescent} wave. This leads to enhanced localisation of light in
cavities, yielding, in particular, to a very selective light transmission
through these gratings.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
The Challenge of Discharging Research Ethics Duties in Resource-Constrained Settings
Jerome Singh discusses some ethical issues raised by a new research article by Edward Jónes-Lopez and colleagues that examined the effectiveness of the standard WHO recommended retreatment regimen (Category II) for TB in Uganda
Gynandromorph of the squash bee Eucera (Peponapis) pruinosa (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Eucerini) from an agricultural field in western Pennsylvania, USA
Gynandromorphs are anomalous individuals that are genetically chimeric and express both male and female phenotypes. Here, we describe the first record of a mosaic gynandromorph of the squash bee Eucera (Peponapis) pruinosa (Say) from a single specimen collected from western Pennsylvania, United States of America (USA). We discuss the known developmental mechanisms resulting in gynandromorphism and how parasitism or environmental contaminants may instigate these mechanisms in wild bee individuals
On the dispersion in lithium and potassium among late-type stars in young clusters: IC 2602
We have measured the equivalent width (EW) of the K I 7699 A line in a sample
of G and K-type members of the ~35 Myr old cluster IC 2602 for which a
dispersion in Li EWs had been reported by previous studies. Active cluster
stars with 0.75 < (B-V)o < 1 are characterized by a dispersion in the EW of the
K I 7699 A, while earlier and later-type stars do not show any significant
scatter. Cluster stars at all colors show potassium EW excesses with respect to
field inactive stars; furthermore, a statistically significant relationship is
found between differential potassium EWs and log Lx/Lbol ratios, indicating
that the EWs of the potassium feature are altered by activity. Our results
suggest that the dispersion in Li EWs observed among cluster stars later than
(B-V)o ~ 1 cannot be fully explained by the effects of activity. No final
conclusion can instead be drawn for earlier-type stars.Comment: accepted by A&
The Calan-Hertfordshire Extrasolar Planet Search
The detailed study of the exoplanetary systems HD189733 and HD209458 has
given rise to a wealth of exciting information on the physics of exoplanetary
atmospheres. To further our understanding of the make-up and processes within
these atmospheres we require a larger sample of bright transiting planets. We
have began a project to detect more bright transiting planets in the southern
hemisphere by utilising precision radial-velocity measurements. We have
observed a constrained sample of bright, inactive and metal-rich stars using
the HARPS instrument and here we present the current status of this project,
along with our first discoveries which include a brown dwarf/extreme-Jovian
exoplanet found in the brown dwarf desert region around the star HD191760 and
improved orbits for three other exoplanetary systems HD48265, HD143361 and
HD154672. Finally, we briefly discuss the future of this project and the
current prospects we have for discovering more bright transiting planets.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the conference proceedings "New
Technologies for Probing the Diversity of Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanets"
Shanghai 200
A Buffer Stocks Model for Stabilizing Price of Staple Food with Considering the Expectation of Non Speculative Wholesaler
This paper is a study of price stabilization in the
staple food distribution system. All stakeholders experience
market risks due to some possibility causes of price volatility.
Many models of price stabilization had been developed by
employing several approaches such as floor-ceiling prices,
buffer funds, export or import taxes, and subsidies. In the
previous researches, the models were expanded to increase the
purchasing price for producer and decrease the selling price
for consumer. Therefore, the policy can influence the losses for
non-speculative wholesaler that is reflected by the descending
of selling quantity and ascending of the stocks. The objective of
this model is not only to keep the expectation of both producer
and consumer, but also to protect non-speculative wholesaler
from the undesirable result of the stabilization policy. A
nonlinear programming model was addressed to determine the
instruments of intervention program. Moreover, the result
shows that the wholesaler behavior affects the intervention
costs.
Index Terms Buffer stocks, Price stabilization, Nonlinear
programming, Wholesaler behavior
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