Health,Quality of Care and Quality of Life: A Case of Frail Older Adults

This study explores the relationship between health, quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life for the purpose of furthering the understanding of the relationship between quality of life and geriatric case management. Using survey data from a group of frail older adults, this study assesses the relative merit of two mediation hypotheses: one considering health as a mediator for quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life, and the other considering quality of care of geriatric case management as a mediator for health and quality of life. The study findings show that quality of care of geriatric case management, measured by client satisfaction, was not a mediator between health and quality of life (measured by life satisfaction). There was a significant positive association between quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life. Although the significant association between quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life could not be mediated by either self-rated health or self-reported physical activity levels, it was completely mediated by health satisfaction. These findings provided preliminary empirical evidence to support a significant relationship between quality of care of geriatric case management and quality of life.     

Assessment of the impact of changes related to the system transformation on the evolution of the process of mortality in Poland

"The article presents an attempt to make a quantitative evaluation of the impact of the environment on the rate of mortality, focusing on the group of stress-bearing factors that, according to some hypotheses, make up the set of potential, indirect determinants in the process of mortality. According to these opinions, the environment can be a source of different forms of stress. One stressor can be the social and economic status of individuals, being the function of the economic development of the region, another the instability of the social situation in the region. Both types of stress sources seem to be particularly adequate in the evaluation of the impact of this type of factor on the process of mortality in Poland in the period of system transformation."     

Neoclassical growth with endogenous age distribution. Poverty vs low-fertility traps as steady states of demographic transitions

Compared to other factors, the role of the age distribution of the population as a key endogenous determinant of economic growth trajectories has traditionally been overlooked. This is unrealistic, especially when dealing with major epochs of structural change, such as demographic transitions. We set up a model combining a simple representation of the economy, based on the neoclassical growth model of Solow, with a comprehensive representation of population dynamics. The model is used to investigate the structure of balanced growth states of the population and the economy in the presence of demographic transitions. The analysis shows that proper inclusion of age structure enriches the spectrum of the long-run equilibria of the neoclassical model, allowing up to five states of balanced growth, and shows the onset of “poverty” and “low-fertility” traps as different facets of fertility transitions. The role of different timing of fertility, mortality and savings transitions, and of more realistic demography of capital, is also considered.     

The ingestion in wolf spiders II. The expression of degree of hunger and amount of ingestion in relation to spider's hunger

Summary To express the degree of hunger during both of feeding and unfeeding periods of spiders, equations for the amount of ingestion and food disappearance from the gut were presented using three components: capacity of gut, rate of ingestion and rate of food disappearance. The degree of hunger was expressed by the rate of unfilled capacity of gut to the capacity of gut based on these equations. The rates of ingestion and food disappearance were estimated from the results of experiment with a wolf spider,Pardosa laura. The equations obtained well applied to the experimental result. By changing values of these rates, it was revealed that the ratio of rates of ingestion to food disappearance determine the amount of ingestion.     

试析上海市人口老化过程中劳动适龄人口变动的社会经济影响

伴随上海市人口老龄化的逐步发展 ,会引起劳动适龄人口规模和人口年龄结构的变化。从而对社会经济发展构成直接影响。随着人口老龄化过程的推进 ,劳动适龄人口规模趋于缩小 ,其年龄结构趋于老化 ,由此造成劳动力短缺问题、劳动力负担沉重问题、劳动力老化问题。对政府储蓄总量 ,近期会增加 ,远期则会削弱其增长趋势 ,对个人储蓄 ,近期和远期都将增加     

A computer simulation of the epidemiology of the rice dwarf virus

Summary An epidemiological system model was developed to evaluate the role of factors which were responsible for the prevalence of rice dwarf virus (RDV) transmitted by the green rice leafhopper,Nephotettix cincticeps. Simulation tests were conducted by varying values of the following three parameters: the vector density, the coefficient of the efficiency of feeding acquisition of RDV of the vector, and that of efficiency of RDV transmission by the vector. The effect of each parameter was assessed in terms of changes in percentages of infected insects and of infected rice hills. Both the percentages of infected insects and of infected rice hills increased rapidly with increasing vector density within a range of low vector density. The former increased linearly when the acquisitive coefficient was increased. But the percentage of infected rice hills was affected to a lesser extent. The percentage of infected insects and that of infected rice hills increased exponentially with increasing values of the transmission coefficient. The results obtained from the simulation tests were discussed in relation to the ecological factors which caused the recent prevalence of RDV. A part of this research was supported by science research fund from the Ministry of Education.     

Verantwortliches Handeln als soziologischer Grundbegriff

As a critical modification of Parsons voluntaristic theory of action as well as of the theories of rational choice, this contribution suggests Max Weber’s concept of “responsibility” or “responsible action” as an enclosing model of action rationality, integrating both individual freedom of choice as well as over-individual categorical values. This systematical benefit of the concept of “responsibility” is especially due to the idea of a “value discussion”. This dialogical enlargement of rationality includes a modern theory of validity essentially needed to save the rationality of categorical values and to allow the equality of value-rational orientations next to questions of utility. This being said, responsibility can be presented as a basic concept of sociology, containing the key to an integrative social theory based on methodological individualism.     

?Hegemoniale M?nnlichkeiten‘ alsnarrative Distinktionspraxis im Wissenschaftsspiel

The paper focuses theoretically and methodologically on the analysis of narrative constructions of gender from the perspective of sociology of science. It contributes to discussions about extending discourse analytical perspectives by impulses from theories of social practice. Thus it suggests analyzing scientific narratives as routinized ??strategic fictions?? in the context of gendered boundary work. Additionally, it draws on recent discussions on the concept of ??hegemonic masculinity?? as a generative principle and asks theoretically about practices in the course of which multiple, complex and context-specific versions of hegemonic masculinity are drafted as the outcome of discursive struggles and also of the competition among men. The empirical analysis thus reconstructs narrative practices of symbolically distinguishing and situating gendered actors in the social field of science. This is illustrated at the example of the professionalization of modern German engineering in the time period from the 1870ies until the turn of the century. In their writings engineering scholars initially composed the ??scientist of machinery?? as the symbolically neutralized position of objectivity by following a narrative of progress. Later the engineer as the ??man of action?? displaced the former concept by now stressing a narrative of a prehistorical origin of technological man whose competence is a gift of the nature of his sex. Both narratives are interpreted as an, in each case, specific mode of masculinity construction in order to struggle for a dominant position not only with respect to women but also to other social groups of men.     

A Biodemographic Interpretation of Life Span

The life span of individuals and the life expectancy of the populations they comprise have always been topics of interest to scientists and the lay population. In modern times, forecasts of life span and life expectancy have become particularly important public policy issues because of their influence on the future solvency of age‐entitlement programs. The authors present a brief discussion of the origin of the notion of life span, discuss its relevance and importance in light of recent developments in the emerging field of the biodemography of aging, and explore the theoretical and biological forces that influence the duration of life of sexually reproducing species.     

The ingestion in wolf spiders I. Capacity of gut ofLycosa pseudoannulata

Summary An wolf spider,Lycosa pseudoannulata, collected from the field were reared in test tubes supplied with fruit flies as the food, and the number and weight of fruit flies killed per unit time and the weight of residuum of killed flies were recorded. When the cumulative number of flies killed by a spider was plotted against time after the beginning of food supply, the angle of the curve obtained decreased gradually until a constant value. In this time, it seems that the gut of spider had saturated with food and the increase rate of number of flies killed reflects the rate of food disappeared from gut by assimilation and egestion. The amount of ingestion was obtained by subtracting the weight of residuum and the gain of live weight of the spider from the weight of killed flies. After the gut has saturated, the amount of food remained in the gut is considered to be equal to the capacity of gut, which is an essential factor in the study of predation. The amount of food disappearance from gut was also estimated. There was a linear relationship between the log body weight of spiders and the log capacity of gut. The linear relationship was also seen between the log total amount of ingestion and the log total amount of food disappeared from gut.     

The Wellbeing of the Self’s Personality: A Structural Analysis

Leaning on the formal faceted definition of wellbeing (Levy and Guttman (1975) Social Indicators Research, 2, 361–388), a mapping sentence is provided for defining the universe of observations of the wellbeing of the self-expanding on personality aspects. The structure of the interrelationships among the variables of the expanded conceptualization of self’s personality is examined by the use of the SSA technique. The sample consists of 176 adult residents (20 years of age and over) from all parts of the city of Jerusalem, Israel. Results further verify the circular structure (radex) of personal wellbeing. The state of wellbeing-versus- wellbeing in the sense of possession of resources partition the space into two concentric belts, while the life domains of wellbeing play a polarizing role in partitioning the space into wedglike regions emanating from a common origin. Self’s personality domains-versus-self’s social environment domains serve as a rationale for the circular order. The expanded conceptualization of personal wellbeing enhance the earlier conceptualization of the 1975 study and makes possible the development of the theory of the structure of the wellbeing of the self in a systematic cumulative fashion.     

Regional disparities in Malaysia

Visualizing the level of living as a level of satisfaction of the needs of the population assured by a given flow of goods and services in a unit of time, several sets of components which are judged capable of representing the various aspects of the level of living are chosen for eleven states of Malaysia. Indices of levels of living disparities, within the framework developed by Frederick Harbison and associates, which are called ‘pattern of development’ and ‘measure of development’ are established for eleven states of Malaysia based on 16 socio-economic indicators in order to get a clear picture of regional socio-economic disparities in this country.     

Methods For Comparing The Mortality Experience of Heterogeneous Populations

Methods are presented which produce Maximum Likelihood Estimates (MLE) of the degree of heterogeneity in individual mortality risks under a variety of assumptions about the age trajectory of those mortality risks. With these estimates of the degree of population heterogeneity it is possible to adjust comparisons of mortality risks across populations for the effects of population heterogeneity, differential mortality selection, and different age trajectories of the force of mortality. These methods are demonstrated by applying a variety of standard assumptions about the age trajectory of the force of mortality to the analysis of a broad range of cohort mortality data for the U.S. and Swedish populations. The estimates of the degree of heterogeneity, produced under all of the selected force of mortality models, consistently indicated a considerable degree of heterogeneity in mortality risks.     

中国人力资本空间分布差异的度量与分解

教育是人力资本形成的重要途径,本文在研究中国人力资本空间分布差异时,用平均受教育年限这一指标来表示人力资本的状况．并且运用了三种衡量人力资本空间分布差异的统计指数估算了我国人力资本空间分布的差异状况。通过对统计指数的分解．发现组内人力资本分布差异对人力资本空间分布总差异的贡献率远大于组间人力资本分布差异的贡献率;通过建立模型回归分析。发现省际间的教育经费差异对人力资本空间分布总差异的影响并不显著。这些结论对于我国今后人力资本政策的合理调整和科学规划有重要意义。     

职业流动、人力资本对流动人口收入影响及其代际差异

基于2013年我国七个大城市“流动人口管理和服务对策研究”调查数据,使用OLS回归和分位数回归方法,实证分析了职业流动、人力资本对流动人口收入影响及其代际差异。结果显示：一是人力资本对流动人口收入水平有着显著正向影响。但人力资本对两代流动人口的收入影响不同,其中受教育年限、现职业工作年限对新生代流动人口收入的促进更大,在外务工年限对第一代流动人口收入的促进作用更大。二是职业流动与第二代流动人口的收入呈现显著相关性,然而并非线性的影响,而是呈现倒U型非线性模式;但职业流动对第一代流动人口收入影响不显著。文章最后结合研究得出的观点和结论,探讨了本项研究的政策启示。     

论人口素质在和谐社会发展中的作用

人口素质是社会历史发展的产物,它与社会的全面进步相联系,又给社会的全面发展以巨大的推动作用。和谐社会的发展离不开人口素质的提高。充分认识人口素质在和谐社会中的主导作用,将利于和谐社会的全面发展。人口素质的作用,可以概括为五个方面:人口科学文化素质有利于社会整体水平的提高,加速和谐社会的发展;人口政治素质能够调节社会矛盾,促进和谐社会的发展;人口身体素质能够推动经济进步,有助于和谐社会的发展;人口综合素质能够创造良好的人口环境,有利于和谐社会的发展;提高人口素质观的认识,确保和谐社会的发展。     

甘肃老年人才资源开发的分析及对策建议

在当前老龄化社会和甘肃人才资源紧缺的情况下,充分开发利用老年人才资源不失为一种快速、实效的好方法。本文针对甘肃省人才的现状,通过对甘肃老年人才资源开发利用的必要性进行分析,提出了相应的开发思路和对策。     

Demographic Determinants of Infant and Early Child Mortality: A Comparative Analysis

In this paper we examine the relative importance of a number of demographic determinants of infant and early child mortality using information from 39 World Fertility Survey countries. We include sex of the child, age of the mother at the time of the birth, birth order, mother's educational level and a number of indicators of spacing of adjacent births among the correlates of chances of survival for children below the age of five years. Mortality of firstborn children and of those born to teenage mothers is shown to be higher than average; that of later children and those of older mothers was not much higher than average, once other factors are controlled. Effects of poor birth-spacing persist even after other factors have been controlled, and are similar where a sib was born during the two years preceding the birth of the child, regardless of the survival status of that sib; however, mortality was higher when that sib had died, due to increased familial risks of mortality. Rapid subsequent births also raise mortality for their earlier sibs. The findings are generally remarkably consistent in a wide range of countries and associated mortality conditions, although attention is drawn to a few interesting geographically clustered exceptions which deserve further investigation. The study leaves little room for doubt that poor child-spacing is clearly linked to decreased survival chances.     

A mixture model for duration data: Analysis of second births in China

In this paper we introduce a mixture model in which we combine logistic regression and piecewise proportional hazards models for analysis of duration data. The model allows simultaneous estimation of two sets of effects of covariates: one of the probability of an event and the other of the timing of the event. We illustrate the application of the model through an analysis of the effects of women s characteristics and of the acceptance of a one-child certificate on the birth of second children in China. Both factors affect the probability of having a second child, but only the acceptance of a one-child certificate has a significant and strong effect on the second-birth interval.     

基于中国人口实践的制度人口学研究内容探析

制度人口学主要是从制度变革视角探讨人口行为方式．研究制度对人口行为的制约、调整扫引导作用。本文通过对制度人口学已有研究的综述．结合中国人口实践探讨了制度人口学的研究内容。笔者认为。制度人口学的研究内容包含基础理论研究和应用理论研究两个主要方面：从两种生产理论推演出“削度决定人口”的命题。由此得出两种生产理论是制度人口学研究的理论源泉和指导思想：两种生产理论和制度创新理论是制度人口学的基本理论：具体人口制度研究除了人口生育制度之外,笔者还将人口死亡制度、人口流迁制度、人口教育制度、人口就业制度、人口保障制度及人口文化制度等纳入了人口制度研究的范畴。