Job Satisfaction Declines in Late Work Life – A Time-to-Retirement Approach

Job satisfaction has previously been found to increase across the life span. However, few studies have focused on the very last years of working life. We applied a time-to-retirement approach to job satisfaction and investigated change in job satisfaction in the ten years before retirement in the German Socioeconomic Panel (GSOEP, n = 2,619). Job satisfaction showed a small non-linear decline as people approached retirement. An older retirement age was associated with lower job satisfaction before retirement, but not with change before retirement. Because the GSOEP spans from 1984 until 2019, we were able to investigate historical time trends. Overall levels of pre-retirement job satisfaction seem to have decreased since the mid-1980s, but intra-individual declines before retirement seem to have become smaller. Further analyses showed the association between job satisfaction and life satisfaction declined when people were nearing retirement. This may be a sign of disengagement from work and a shift of focus to other areas of life in preparation for retirement. Our results show the usefulness of a time-to-retirement approach and the importance of taking the last work years into account when discussing the satisfaction and motivation of older workers in an aging society.

Leveraging time series analysis of radar coherence and normalized difference vegetation index ratios to characterize pre-failure activity of the Mud Creek landslide, California

Assessing landslide activity at large scales has historically been a challenging problem. Here, we present a different approach on radar coherence and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) analyses – metrics that are typically used to map landslides post-failure – and leverage a time series analysis to characterize the pre-failure activity of the Mud Creek landslide in California. Our method computes the ratio of mean interferometric coherence or NDVI on the unstable slope relative to that of the surrounding hillslope. This approach has the advantage that it eliminates the negative impacts of long temporal baselines that can interfere with the analysis of interferometric synthetic aperture (InSAR) data, as well as interferences from atmospheric and environmental factors. We show that the coherence ratio of the Mud Creek landslide dropped by 50 % when the slide began to accelerate 5 months prior to its catastrophic failure in 2017. Coincidentally, the NDVI ratio began a near-linear decline. A similar behavior is visible during an earlier acceleration of the landslide in 2016. This suggests that radar coherence and NDVI ratios may be useful for assessing landslide activity. Our study demonstrates that data from the ascending track provide the more reliable coherence ratios, despite being poorly suited to measure the slope's precursory deformation. Combined, these insights suggest that this type of analysis may complement traditional InSAR analysis in useful ways and provide an opportunity to assess landslide activity at regional scales.

Effects of Decay on the Mechanical Properties of Nailed Joints in Light Wood Frame Structure

For this study, spruce–pine–fir (Picea–Pinus–Abies [SPF]) specification material, oriented strand board (OSB), and domestic twisted nails that were driven vertically and perpendicular-to-grain were selected. Referring to GB/T 13942.1-2009, nailed joints specimens were exposed both to white rot fungus and brown rot fungus for 1 month to 6 months. The monotonous loading test was applied to the specimens based on ASTM D1761-88. The holding power of the nails and weight loss of both OSB and SPF were investigated. Theoretical maximum load of the nailed joints was calculated according to Eurocode5. Results illustrated that the load, stiffness, and energy consumption of the nailed joints showed significant linear decline with the decay time. A linear decline of the ductility coefficient was not obvious, and there was no obvious difference between white rot fungus and brown rot fungus. Effect of decay on the OSB was much greater than the impact on the SPF. The decay grade of the nailed joints was established according to the linear relationship between weight loss and maximum load. Based on Eurocode5, the study calculated the maximum load of the nailed joints and introduced the correction coefficient γ to better predict the maximum load.

Autopsies and quality of cause of death diagnoses

Objective: The consequences of a low autopsy rate are not considered in determining the cause of death. Method: We have analyzed the Cause of Death Register of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare since it started 1969 to and including 2016 to visualize the decline in the frequency of clinical autopsies over time and evaluated the effect on the quality of the cause of death diagnoses. Results: Over the five decades studied, the frequency of clinical autopsies declined from almost 40% to less than 5%. The rate of decline was not even. Political decisions and changes of healthcare organization in Sweden affected the slope of decline of autopsies superimposed on a linear decline over time reflecting changes in clinical routines. A request of clinical autopsies was highly dependent on the level of care at the time of death, with the lowest number of requests for persons who died in nursing homes. The age at the time of death was a major factor affecting the number of autopsies, resulting in an autopsy rate of less than 1% in the ages where most persons die. Although men were autopsied more often than women, a gender-specific difference was not seen after correction for the age of death. We also found a higher rate of unspecific and irrelevant diagnosis in the cases not autopsied and we know from earlier studies by us and other authors that the cause of death diagnoses were missed in between 30% and 50% of the cases not autopsied. Conclusion: The decline in the clinical autopsy rate reduced the value of the death certificate register. An increase in the number of autopsies performed will improve the understanding of disease and cause of death, as well as to better inform next of kin.

American Psychology Is Becoming More International, But Too Slowly: Comment on Thalmayer et al. (2020)

Commenting on Thalmayer et al. (2020), we provide broader analysis of the national institutional affiliations of authors (2,978), editors (286), and consulting editors (2,652) from seven (vs. six) American Psychological Association (APA) journals that span over 40 (vs. 30) years. Using multilevel models, results showed that percentages of lead authors at American institutions decreased linearly and significantly and over time. Predicted mean percentages of American authors were 86% in 1978 versus 54% in 2018, a decrease of 37%. Percentages of editors and consulting editors at American institutions also decreased significantly; however the effect for consulting editors was also quadratic—the linear decline accelerated over time. Predicted mean percentages of American consulting editors at 10-year intervals (1980–2020) were 94%, 92%, 89%, 80%, and 69%. Our 2020 predicted mean of 69% American consulting editors was notably lower than Thalmayer et al.’s (2020) 2018 mean of 82%. In addition, higher-impact journals had more pronounced quadratic declines in the percentages of American consulting editors over time. American psychology continues to become more international, but not quickly enough. We concur with Thalmayer et al.’s (2020) policy proposals, especially that APA journals and their editors should actively pursue non-American associate and consulting editors.

Beyond the U-Shape: Mapping the Functional Form Between Age and Life Satisfaction for 81 Countries Utilizing a Cluster Procedure

Classifying and explaining the causal and functional relationship between age and life satisfaction, especially in an international context, is still a major open question in demographics and happiness-research. Especially the debate whether to include sociodemographic control variables in these models has received much attention and deserves more discussion. The current contribution takes a cross-country perspective and attempts to sort countries into larger clusters, depending on their specific functional form. Using cross-sectional data from 81 countries with more than 170,000 respondents, the analyses demonstrate that there exist three larger clusters which display distinct functional relations (linear decline, U-shape, decline with a stable old-age period). Sociodemographic controls are not introduced since the total causal effect is to be estimated. Furthermore, the contribution explains cluster membership exploratively using macro indicators. While it becomes clear that countries with a linear decline are usually less developed countries, differences between the other two clusters are much less obvious.

American Psychology Is Becoming More International, But Too Slowly: Comment on Thalmayer et al. (2020)

Commenting on Thalmayer et al. (2020), we provide broader analysis of the national institutional affiliations of authors (2,978), editors (286), and consulting editors (2,652) from seven (vs. six) American Psychological Association (APA) journals that span over 40 (vs. 30) years. Using multilevel models, results showed that percentages of lead authors at American institutions decreased linearly and significantly and over time. Predicted mean percentages of American authors were 86% in 1978 versus 54% in 2018, a decrease of 37%. Percentages of editors and consulting editors at American institutions also decreased significantly; however the effect for consulting editors was also quadratic—the linear decline accelerated over time. Predicted mean percentages of American consulting editors at 10-year intervals (1980–2020) were 94%, 92%, 89%, 80%, and 69%. Our 2020 predicted mean of 69% American consulting editors was notably lower than Thalmayer et al.’s (2020) 2018 mean of 82%. In addition, higher-impact journals had more pronounced quadratic declines in the percentages of American consulting editors over time. American psychology continues to become more international, but not quickly enough. We concur with Thalmayer et al.’s (2020) policy proposals, especially that APA journals and their editors should actively pursue non-American associate and consulting editors.

Analysis of the russian market of mergers and acquisitions

The subject of the research is the Russian market of mergers and acquisitions in the period from 2009 to 2019. The author has examined the economic essence of mergers and acquisitions, analysed the number of transactions of both types on the Russian market. The article analyses foreign participation in the Russian market of mergers and acquisitions reveals a tendency to its linear decline from 2011 to the present. Also were identified three sectors of the Russian economy leaders in the number of target companies (banks, agriculture, transport and infrastructure). A conclusion has been formulated on the negative impact of the current economic situation on the Russian and global market for mergers and acquisitions, suggesting a decrease in the number and amount of mergers and acquisitions in the coming years.

Optimizing Routing Path Selection Method Particle Swarm Optimization

In view of the two shortcomings of the AODV routing protocol, they do not consider the bandwidth, delay and cost in the actual network, and the routing table has only one path from the basic node to the target node. This paper attempts to improve the AODV protocol by using particle swarm optimization. Through simulation experiments, this paper compares four improved particle swarm optimization algorithms, inertia weight, linear decline, shrinkage factor and chaos, and finds that ACPSO can find the optimal path faster and transmit data quickly. So, this paper uses chaotic particle swarm optimization (CACPSO) to improve AODV protocol. Finally, based on NS2 simulation platform, the improved AODV protocol is simulated and experimented. Different network environments are set up to test packet delivery rate, network delay and routing discovery frequency. The experimental results show that in the process of data transmission, the improved protocol has higher routing performance than AODV protocol, and can transmit data faster and more stably.

0232 Impact of Mental Health on 10-Year Trends in Habitual Sleep Duration

Introduction Public health efforts aimed at reducing the decline in habitual sleep duration have not been successful. It is possible that this decline is differentially experienced relative to individuals’ mental health status. This would further support the need to focus on mental health as a strategy for improving sleep in the general population. Methods We examined 10 years of the National Health Interview Survey data (N=305,555). During all years, habitual sleep duration, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and height and weight (used to compute body mass index) were recorded in the same way. In addition, depressed mood in the past 30 days was evaluated (coded as none, mild, moderate, or severe). Weighted regression analyses examined sleep duration as an outcome, year and depressed mood as predictors, and sociodemographics as covariates. A year-by-depressed mood interaction was computed, and analyses were stratified by group. Results There was a significant year-by-depression interaction on linear change in sleep duration over the 10 year period (p=0.0001). Analyses were then stratified by depressed mood. In adjusted analyses, individuals with no depressed mood lost an average of 0.68 minutes of sleep per year (95%CI -0.82,-0.55; p<0.0001). Among those with mild depression, this was 7% higher, at 0.73 minutes (95%CI -1.13,-0.33; p<0.0001). Among those with moderate depressed mood, this was 154% higher, at 1.73 minutes lost per year (95%CI -2.31,-1.16; p<0.0001). Among those with severe depressed mood, this was 351% higher, at 3.07 minutes per year (95%CI -4.22,-1.92; p<0.0001). Conclusion The 10-year linear decline in habitual sleep duration seems to depend on mental health status. Individuals with better mental health lose less sleep over time, relative to those with worse mental health. This highlights the importance of mental health as a possible avenue for improving sleep health in the population. Support Dr. Grandner is supported by R01MD011600