London congestion charge: the impact on air pollution and school attendance by socioeconomic status

Population and Environment - Air pollution negatively affects individuals’ health and human capital accumulation. For example, students’ school performance is hampered by air pollution...     

Nonparametric change point estimation for survival distributions with a partially constant hazard rate

Lifetime Data Analysis - We present a new method for estimating a change point in the hazard function of a survival distribution assuming a constant hazard rate after the change point and a...     

Comparative Human Health Impact Assessment of Engineered Nanomaterials in the Framework of Life Cycle Assessment

For safe innovation, knowledge on potential human health impacts is essential. Ideally, these impacts are considered within a larger life‐cycle‐based context to support sustainable development of new applications and products. A methodological framework that accounts for human health impacts caused by inhalation of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in an indoor air environment has been previously developed. The objectives of this study are as follows: (i) evaluate the feasibility of applying the CF framework for NP exposure in the workplace based on currently available data; and (ii) supplement any resulting knowledge gaps with methods and data from the li fe c ycle a pproach and human r isk a ssessment (LICARA) project to develop a modified case‐specific version of the framework that will enable near‐term inclusion of NP human health impacts in life cycle assessment (LCA) using a case study involving nanoscale titanium dioxide (nanoTiO₂). The intent is to enhance typical LCA with elements of regulatory risk assessment, including its more detailed measure of uncertainty. The proof‐of‐principle demonstration of the framework highlighted the lack of available data for both the workplace emissions and human health effects of ENMs that is needed to calculate generalizable characterization factors using common human health impact assessment practices in LCA. The alternative approach of using intake fractions derived from workplace air concentration measurements and effect factors based on best‐available toxicity data supported the current case‐by‐case approach for assessing the human health life cycle impacts of ENMs. Ultimately, the proposed framework and calculations demonstrate the potential utility of integrating elements of risk assessment with LCA for ENMs once the data are available.     

Do Simulated Gambling Activities Predict Gambling with Real Money During Adolescence? Empirical Findings from a Longitudinal Study

As technology has developed, the international gambling market has changed markedly in recent years. The supply of internet-based gambling opportunities has become ever more significant. At the same time, the introduction of new gambling opportunities always brings a demand for evidence-based scientific evaluation, with regard to the associated risks of addiction. Simulated internet gambling, which is the focus of this study, represents a relatively new product group located at the interface between gambling and computer gaming. Concerns have been raised in scientific literature, especially with regard to the adolescent age group, as to whether participation in simulated internet gambling directly promotes recruitment to the world of monetary gambling, as defined in the gateway hypothesis. The research design was based on a standardized, representative longitudinal survey (over a 1-year period) with a total of 1178 school pupils from Northern Germany (M = 13.6 years; 47.5% male). It must be borne in mind that 12% of the adolescents belonged to the subgroup of “onset gamblers” and first reported experience with monetary gambling at the second stage of surveying. Logistic regression analysis demonstrates that this migration process is fostered by (1) participation from home in simulated gambling on social networks and (2) significant exposure to advertising (relating to both simulated and monetary gambling). Within the subgroup of simulated internet gamblers, variables such as particular patterns of use (including breadth and depth of involvement with simulated internet gambling, certain motives for participation, and microtransactions) do not serve as significant predictors. Despite this, important needs for action for the purposes of prevention and research can be identified.     

Effects of 12 weeks of Nordic Walking and XCO Walking training on the endurance capacity of older adults

Background

Several studies have already examined the positive effects of various forms of endurance training in patient groups and in healthy adults up to 60 years old. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of Nordic Walking (NW) and XCO Walking (XCO) training on endurance capacity in healthy older adults, aged 60 years and older.

Methods

Twenty-three older participants (mean age: 69.9 ± 5.4 years) were randomly assigned to either the NW group or the XCO group. All participants were measured before and after the 12 weeks of endurance training (2 sessions/week) to examine oxygen uptake (VO₂) and energy consumption during an outdoor field test. In addition, heart rates were recorded and lactate samples were collected.

Results

NW mainly demonstrated some significant (p < 0.05) decreases in heart rate, lactate concentration at lower to moderate walking speeds, whereas XCO Walking revealed significant (p < 0.05) decreases in lactate concentration and VO₂ at low to higher walking speeds.

Conclusions

NW as well as XCO training increase the efficiency of the cardio-vascular system in older subjects. Both training approaches are suitable options for endurance training, which may serve to counteract age- and inactivity-related decreases in cardio-vascular functioning as well as aid in maintaining overall performance in older adults.

     

Causes of the financial crisis: Risk misperception,policy mistakes,and banks’ bounded rationality

This article describes important determinants of the current financial crisis. In particular, the text focuses on the bounded rationality of banks which contributes to the credit cycle. The credit cycle is the mechanism that links the present financial crisis with earlier crisis. Shortcomings on the side of monetary policy, rating agencies, and bank regulation are also discussed. We propose measures to strengthen the stabilizing effect of market forces, banks’ risk management, as well as possible changes to regulation and monetary policy.     

Längsschnittdaten und Mehrebenenanalyse

In the present article a few basic multilevel models for longitudinal data are introduced and applied to the Household Income and Labor Dynamics in Australia Survey 10 (HILDA) for demonstrational purposes. The covered models are adaptions of the random-intercept-only model, the random-intercept models and the random- intercept random-slope model with and without level-1 and level-2 predictors to longitudinal data. The modeling of contextual effects is covered. One particularity in longitudinal data is the fact that persons (level-2) may be regarded as the context of the time-varying observations on level-1. To incorporate the macro-level of sociology, it is necessary to expand the model to a third level. A model with three levels is introduced and in addition a simple growth curve model and a multivariate multilevel model are presented.     

Analyses of multiple types of online gambling within one provider: an extended evaluation framework of actual online gambling behaviour

The aim of this article is to extend previous publications of actual online gambling behaviour that neglected involvement across multiple types of gambling and did not provide levels of at-risk involvement. Behavioural data from 27,653 subscribers of an online gambling provider (bwin) in February 2005 were reanalysed across eight products over seven months. Established involvement levels of offline gambling segregated possible online at-risk gamblers. Forty-seven percent of the sample exceeded at least one of the two most conservative thresholds. Each additionally used gambling product increased the risk of transgressing involvement cut-offs by 3.06 to 4.27 times, but type-specific risks decreased strongly after adjusting for involvement in multiple gambling types. Only Poker and Live-action betting remained significant risk factors after adjustment. Taken together, cross-product analyses of gambling patterns lay the groundwork for an extended understanding of individual online gambling behaviour and overcome the methodological artefacts of isolated analyses.