Search

BackgroundTwo circulatory diseases, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have become the leading death causes in China, and their morbidity and mortality are still rising. Revealing the urban/rural-specific, gender-specific and region-specific differences in the order of circulatory diseases ranked by mortality and its changing trend will provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of circulatory diseases.ObjectiveTo analyze the spectrum of mortality from circulatory diseases ranked by mortality, mainly cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, in China from 2004 to 2015, by areas (urban/rural) , sex and region and its changing trend.MethodsInformation about deaths and mortality due to circulatory diseases stemmed from the data of circulatory disease from 2004 to 2015 defined by National Disease Surveillance System Cause-of-Death Surveillance Data Set. The urban/rural-specific, gender-specific and region-specific differences in the mortality from circulatory diseases and their changing trend were analyzed with χ2 test by SPSS 13.0.ResultsDuring 2004 to 2013, the six circulatory diseases leading to deaths ranked by mortality in a descending order were: cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, other circulatory diseases, hypertensive heart disease/kidney disease, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. And the order of these diseases from 2014—2015 was: cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease/kidney disease, other circulatory diseases, rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. From 2006 to 2015, the mortality of cerebrovascular and ischemic heart diseases increased year by year. From 2004 to 2015, the mortality of hypertensive heart disease/kidney disease increased slowly year by year. There was no significant change in the mortality of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease but a double wave change in the mortality of other circulatory diseases with peaks in 2006 and 2013. The urban/rural-specific mortality: the difference was statistically significant for cerebrovascular disease each year, for rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease each year except in 2006 and 2015, for hypertensive heart disease/kidney disease each year except in 2005, for ischemic heart disease each year except in 2015, and for other diseases of the circulatory system each year except in 2004, 2005, 2011 and 2012 (P

Among all the structural formations, fiber-like structure is one of the most common modalities in organisms that undertake essential functions. Alterations in spatial organization of fibrous structures can reflect information of physiological and pathological activities, which is of significance in both researches and clinical applications. Hence, the quantification of subtle changes in fiber-like structures is potentially meaningful in studying structure-function relationships, disease progression, carcinoma staging and engineered tissue remodeling. In this study, we examined a wide range of methodologies that quantify organizational and morphological features of fibrous structures, including orientation, alignment, waviness and thickness. Each method was demonstrated with specific applications. Finally, perspectives of future quantification analysis techniques were explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that residential segregation has negative social and economic impacts. However, psychological and cultural benefits of such clustering have been established by research. We undertake a comprehensive analysis by estimating residential choices of minorities and identifying their willingness to pay for housing attributes and community characteristics. Recognizing that the language spoken at home adds to daily convenience, a sense of belonging, and a feeling of closeness, we widen the scope of the study to include four minority groups, defined by the languages spoken at home. We find that preferences for integrating into white, English-speaking societies are quite heterogeneous. The willingness to pay to live in a community with more own language speakers is inversely associated with the willingness to pay to live in a community with more English-speaking whites. Furthermore, any two minority groups share the same reciprocal attitudes towards each other. To assimilate more into the mainstream, a minority group might choose to reside in a community with fewer people who speak their language, but they would not necessarily be willing to lower the percentage of other minority groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how inequality in housing assets affects general trust in society. The economic stimulus package carried out in 2008 in China to tackle the global financial crisis increased housing prices and amplified inequality among residents with various initial housing assets. We apply a difference-in-differences strategy to compare cities with various initial levels of housing asset inequality. An increase in such inequality is found to be associated with a lower level of trust. It is also found that in the Chinese context, growing fiscal inequality is further deteriorating trust. These results are most likely driven by concerns regarding social and economic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]