Despite the well-documented negative socioeconomic status (SES) gradient in body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2) among women in developed societies, the presence and strength of the ...gradient is less consistent among men. Far less clear is the SES patterning of BMI among racial/ethnic minorities and immigrants. Using data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey, a cross-sectional representative sample of California adults, the authors examined whether the SES patterning of BMI varied across 4 major US racial/ethnic groups (n = 37,150) by gender and birthplace. The shape and strength of the relation between SES and BMI differed markedly by race/ethnicity; and within racial/ethnic groups, it varied by gender. Irrespective of race/ethnicity, there were negative income and education gradients in BMI among women; however, there was considerable variation among men. The effect of education on BMI differed by birthplace in some groups. A clear education gradient in BMI was found among all US-born participants, a quadratic education pattern in BMI was found among foreign-born Asian men, a flat pattern was found among foreign-born Asian women, and no clear pattern was found in the remaining foreign-born groups. There is substantial heterogeneity in the contemporaneous SES gradient in BMI. US social disparities in BMI require simultaneous consideration of race/ethnicity and SES, but also birthplace.
Abstract
Most countries have implemented restrictions on mobility to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), entailing considerable societal costs but, at least initially, based on ...limited evidence of effectiveness. We asked whether mobility restrictions were associated with changes in the occurrence of COVID-19 in 34 OECD countries plus Singapore and Taiwan. Our data sources were the
Google Global Mobility Data Source,
which reports different types of mobility, and COVID-19 cases retrieved from the dataset curated by
Our World in Data.
Beginning at each country’s 100th case, and incorporating a 14-day lag to account for the delay between exposure and illness, we examined the association between changes in mobility (with January 3 to February 6, 2020 as baseline) and the ratio of the number of newly confirmed cases on a given day to the total number of cases over the past 14 days from the index day (the potentially infective ‘pool’ in that population), per million population, using LOESS regression and logit regression. In two-thirds of examined countries, reductions of up to 40% in commuting mobility (to workplaces, transit stations, retailers, and recreation) were associated with decreased cases, especially early in the pandemic. Once both mobility and incidence had been brought down, further restrictions provided little additional benefit. These findings point to the importance of acting early and decisively in a pandemic.
Tobacco use is common in India and a majority of users are in rural areas. We examine tobacco use and smoking quit rates along gender and socioeconomic dimensions in rural Andhra Pradesh.
Data come ...from a cross-sectional survey. Markers of socioeconomic status (SES) were education, occupation, and income. Regression analyses were undertaken to examine determinants of current smoking, smoking quit rates, tobacco use by type (cigarettes, bidis, and chewing), and quantity consumed (number per day, pack-years).
The weighted prevalence of current smoking and tobacco chewing was higher in men (50.3%, 95% confidence interval, CI, 48.1-52.6 and 5.0%, 95% CI 4.1-5.9, respectively) compared with women (4.8%, 95% CI 3.9-5.7 and 1.0%, 95% CI 0.6-1.4, respectively) and higher among older age groups. The quit rate was higher in women (45.5%, 95% CI 38.7-52.2) compared to men (18.8%, 95% CI 16.7-20.9). Illiterate individuals were more likely to be current smokers of any type compared to those with secondary/higher education (odds ratio, OR, 3.25, 95% CI 2.54-4.16), although cigarette smoking was higher in men of high SES. Smoking quit rates were positively associated with SES (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.76-3.71) for secondary/higher education vs. illiterates. Level of consumption increased with SES and those with secondary/higher education smoked an additional 1.93 (95% CI 1.08-2.77) cigarettes or bidis per day and had an additional 1.87 (95% CI 0.57-3.17) pack-years vs. illiterates.
The social gradients in cigarette smoking and level of consumption contrasted those for indigenous forms of tobacco (bidi smoking and chewing). International prevention and cessation initiatives designed at modifying Western-style cigarette usage will need to be tailored to the social context of rural Andhra Pradesh to effectively influence the use of cigarettes and equally harmful indigenous forms of tobacco.
► Nb retards the kinetics of reversed austenite formation. ► Nb suppresses the occurrence of Cr rich precipitates. ► Nano-scale precipitates contribute to the significant increase in strength.
The ...effect of adding 0.1
wt% Nb to low interstitial (N 0.01
wt%, C 0.01
wt%) 13Cr super martensitic stainless steel (SMSS) on solid phase transformation and microstructures achieved by normalizing and tempering was investigated using dilatometer, electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and its consequence on mechanical properties was examined to clarify the role of Nb in low interstitial martensitic stainless steel. Nb was found to retard kinetics of reversed austenite formation during tempering and to suppress the occurrence of Cr rich precipitates. The measurement of mechanical properties shows that while the strength properties were significantly increased by nano-scale precipitates enriched in Nb in the steel with 0.10
wt% Nb, the ductility and toughness properties were restored by optimum volume fraction of retained austenite. Excellent strength and adequate toughness properties were obtained by tempering the steel with 0.10
wt% Nb and low interstitial (N 0.01
wt%, C 0.01
wt%) steel at 600
°C.
In this study, the dissociation mechanism of self-assembled cyclic peptides (CPs) has been investigated using classical/steered molecular dynamics simulations combined with umbrella sampling ...techniques in a polar and a nonpolar solvent. The stability of cyclic peptide nanotubes (CPNTs) with different surface polarity, {cyclo-(d-Trp-l-Leu)4}8 and {cyclo-(l-Gln-d-Ala-l-Glu-d-Ala)2}8, are explored in detail. It is observed from the results that the CPNTs are less dynamic in the nonpolar solvent than in the polar solvent. The dissociation of CPs from a lower oligomeric form is achieved by gradual breaking of interactions, requiring relatively little force. In higher oligomeric CPNTs, the dissociation takes place by collective breaking of interactions with significantly higher force. During the dissociation process, the tendency for collective breaking of various intermolecular interactions increases from the terminal to the core of the CPNT. The breaking of backbone–backbone hydrogen bonding is the critical point in the dissociation of CPs which is followed by the annihilation of various side chain–side chain interactions. The polarity of the solvent plays a decisive role in the dissociation mechanism of self-assembled CPs. It is evident from the calculated free energy of binding values that the overall stability of CPNT is higher in the nonpolar solvent than in the polar solvent.
BackgroundAlthough the prevalence of prenatal smoking among minority women exceeds the projected 2010 national objective, data on the determinants of prenatal smoking among minorities remain ...sparse.MethodsWe examined associations between self-reported experiences of racial discrimination on prenatal smoking among urban black and Hispanic women aged 18–44 years (n=677). Our main independent variable was created from the Experiences of Discrimination (EOD) scale. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated to examine the relationship between EOD (moderate EOD as the referent group) and smoking for the entire sample and then separately by race/ethnicity adjusted for sociodemographic variables. We also examined the role of ethnic identity (EI) as a buffer to racial discrimination (n=405).ResultsThe prevalence of smoking was 18.1% versus 10% for black and Hispanic women, respectively (p=0.002). There were no significant differences in the level of EOD based on race. In multivariate regressions, compared to those reporting moderate EOD, women reporting high discrimination (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.25 to 5.60) had higher odds of smoking. In stratified analyses, this relationship remained significant only in black women. Results suggest that foreign-born Hispanic women with higher EI were less likely to smoke compared to their low-EI counterparts (3.5 vs 10.1%; p=0.08).ConclusionThese are the first data in pregnant minority women showing an association between discrimination and increased risk of smoking particularly among black women. Ethnic identity and nativity status were also associated with smoking risk. Smoking cessation programmes should consider such factors among childbearing minority women.
BackgroundMaternal and paternal education are associated with improved early child outcomes. However, less is known about how these relative associations compare for preschool children’s growth ...versus development outcomes; and across country contexts.MethodsWe analysed data from 89 663 children aged 36 to 59 months in 39 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We used linear regression models with country fixed effects to estimate the joint associations between maternal and paternal education and children’s growth and development outcomes. Additionally, we examined the variability in these relationships by each country and within subgroups of countries.ResultsIn the pooled sample, maternal and paternal education were independently associated with 0.37 (95% CI 0.33 to 0.41) and 0.20 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.24) higher height-for-age z-scores, and 0.31 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.34) and 0.16 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.18) higher Early Childhood Development Index z-scores, respectively (comparing secondary or higher to no education). Associations were stronger for maternal education than paternal education but comparable between child outcomes. In country-specific regressions, we found the most heterogeneity in the associations between maternal education and children’s growth; and between paternal education and children’s development. Subgroup analyses suggested that these associations may be systematically patterned by country-level adult illiteracy, infant mortality and food insecurity.ConclusionOur findings highlight variability in the statistical significance and magnitude of the associations between caregivers’ education and children’s outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the sources of variation that may promote or constrain the benefits of caregivers’ education for children’s early health and development in LMICs.
While a growing body of literature has investigated the health impact of intimate partner violence (IPV), less has been written on the social determinants of IPV. The authors use multilevel modeling ...methods to analyze data from a sample of 83,627 women in India to examine the socioeconomic and demographic patterning of the state- and neighborhood-level variation in, and the state- and/or neighborhood-level characteristics related to, IPV. This study finds social gradients in IPV in which women who are uneducated, from marginalized castes, and living in poor households have higher likelihood of reporting IPV than those living in advantaged circumstances. The results also show differences in IPV between neighborhoods and between states that are partially explained by state levels of gender inequality. The results suggest that changing cultural norms to promote the status of women and increasing the educational and economic opportunities for all people could decrease the prevalence of IPV.
Objective To determine which factors influence whether Santa Claus will visit children in hospital on Christmas Day.Design Retrospective observational study.Setting Paediatric wards in England, ...Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.Participants 186 members of staff who worked on the paediatric wards (n=186) during Christmas 2015.Main outcome measures Presence or absence of Santa Claus on the paediatric ward during Christmas 2015. This was correlated with rates of absenteeism from primary school, conviction rates in young people (aged 10-17 years), distance from hospital to North Pole (closest city or town to the hospital in kilometres, as the reindeer flies), and contextual socioeconomic deprivation (index of multiple deprivation).Results Santa Claus visited most of the paediatric wards in all four countries: 89% in England, 100% in Northern Ireland, 93% in Scotland, and 92% in Wales. The odds of him not visiting, however, were significantly higher for paediatric wards in areas of higher socioeconomic deprivation in England (odds ratio 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.71) in England, 1.23 (1.00 to 1.54) in the UK). In contrast, there was no correlation with school absenteeism, conviction rates, or distance to the North Pole.Conclusion The results of this study dispel the traditional belief that Santa Claus rewards children based on how nice or naughty they have been in the previous year. Santa Claus is less likely to visit children in hospitals in the most deprived areas. Potential solutions include a review of Santa’s contract or employment of local Santas in poorly represented regions.
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