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We examined time perspective and self-esteem in adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults. Time perspective was measured with scales that assess relative orientations and relationships among the past, present, and future. Age effects were examined with standard analytic strategies to determine categorical differences between age groups and with new statistical techniques designed to show continuous age patterns. Findings indicated that (1) thinking about the future was greatest for adolescents and young adults and lowest for middle-aged and older adults, and thinking about the present increased across ages; (2) fewer adolescents and middle-aged participants perceived that the time periods were interrelated compared to younger and older adults; and (3) across ages, a greater emphasis towards the past compared to other time periods was associated with lower self-esteem, whereas emphasizing the present and the future jointly was associated with higher self-esteem.

We examined time perspective and self-esteem in adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults. Time perspective was measured with scales that assess relative orientations and relationships among the past, present, and future. Age effects were examined with standard analytic strategies to determine categorical differences between age groups and with new statistical techniques designed to show continuous age patterns. Findings indicated that (1) thinking about the future was greatest for adolescents and young adults and lowest for middle-aged and older adults, and thinking about the present increased across ages; (2) fewer adolescents and middle-aged participants perceived that the time periods were interrelated compared to younger and older adults; and (3) across ages, a greater emphasis towards the past compared to other time periods was associated with lower self-esteem, whereas emphasizing the present and the future jointly was associated with higher self-esteem.

The first Global Symposium on Health Systems Research was held in 2010 under the leadership of the World Health Organization and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research. Since [...]

Repeated information is often perceived as more truthful than new information. This finding is known as the illusory truth effect, and it is typically thought to occur because repetition increases processing fluency. Because fluency and truth are frequently correlated in the real world, people learn to use processing fluency as a marker for truthfulness. Although the illusory truth effect is a robust phenomenon, almost all studies examining it have used three or fewer repetitions. To address this limitation, we conducted two experiments using a larger number of repetitions. In Experiment 1, we showed participants trivia statements up to 9 times and in Experiment 2 statements were shown up to 27 times. Later, participants rated the truthfulness of the previously seen statements and of new statements. In both experiments, we found that perceived truthfulness increased as the number of repetitions increased. However, these truth rating increases were logarithmic in shape. The largest increase in perceived truth came from encountering a statement for the second time, and beyond this were incrementally smaller increases in perceived truth for each additional repetition. These findings add to our theoretical understanding of the illusory truth effect and have applications for advertising, politics, and the propagation of "fake news."

Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination directed towards individuals based on their age, such as perceptions that someone is "too old" for certain activities. Ageism directed at older people is prevalent; over 90% of older people in the United States report that they regularly experience ageism, such as when others assume they are forgetful or need assistance because of their age. Experiencing ageism is associated with poorer health outcomes, reduced cognitive performance, and increased healthcare costs. Reducing ageism requires a multifaceted approach, including strengthening anti-ageism laws and reframing societal narratives about what it means to grow older. Growing older should not be presented as a problem but as a fundamental part of the human journey. Ageism can also be reduced through positive intergenerational interactions and educational initiatives. Reducing ageism can promote healthier aging trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synbiotics are mixtures of prebiotics and probiotics that enhance the activity of probiotic bacteria when co-administered to provide greater benefits to the host. Traditionally, the synbiotics that have been discovered enhance gut probiotic strains and are nutritionally complex molecules that survive digestive breakdown until they reach the later stages of the intestinal tract. Here, we screened and identified sugars or sugar substitutes as synbiotics for the oral probiotic strains Streptococcus salivarius BLIS K12 and BLIS M18. Using a modified deferred antagonism assay, we found that 0.5% (w/v) galactose and 2.5% (w/v) raffinose were the best candidates for use as synbiotics with BLIS K12 and M18, as they trigger enhanced antimicrobial activity against a range of bacteria representing species from the mouth, gut, and skin. Using reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR, we found that this enhanced antimicrobial activity was caused by the upregulation of the lantibiotic genes salA, salB, and sal9 in either K12 or M18. This led to the conclusion that either 2.5% (w/v) raffinose or 0.5% (w/v) galactose, respectively, are suitable synbiotics for use in conjunction with BLIS K12 and M18 to enhance probiotic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, countries have agreed to pursue the progressive realization of universal health coverage (UHC) and there is now a high level of political commitment to providing universal coverage of essential health services while ensuring that individuals are financially protected against high health spending. The aim of this paper is to help policy- makers think through the progressive realization of UHC. First, the pitfalls of applying global normative expenditure targets in estimating the national revenue required for UHC are discussed. Then, several recommendations on estimating national revenue are made by moving beyond the question of how much UHC will cost and focusing instead on the national health-care reforms and policy choices needed to progress towards UHC. In particular, costing exercises are recommended as a tool for comparing different service delivery options and investment in data infrastructure is recommended for improving the information needed to identify the best policies. These recommendations are intended to assist health policy-makers and international and national agencies who are developing country plans for the progressive realization of UHC. A l'echelle mondiale, les pays sont convenus de poursuivre la realisation progressive de la couverture sanitaire universelle, et l'on observe desormais un fort niveau d'engagement politique en faveur de la couverture universelle des services de sante essentiels en veillant a ce que les individus soient financierement a l'abri de toute depense de sante elevee. L'objectif de cet article est d'aider les responsables politiques a effectuer un examen minutieux en vue de la realisation progressive de la couverture sanitaire universelle. Pour commencer, nous examinons les ecueils lies a l'application d'objectifs de depenses normatifs mondiaux au moment d'estimer le revenu national requis pour la couverture sanitaire universelle. Nous formulons ensuite plusieurs recommandations concernant l'estimation du revenu national, en depassant la question du cout de la couverture sanitaire universelle pour nous concentrer sur les reformes nationales en matiere de soins de sante et sur les choix politiques necessaires pour faire progresser la couverture sanitaire universelle. Nous recommandons notamment de proceder a des exercices d'etablissement des couts pour comparer differentes options de prestation de services et d'investir dans des infrastructures de donnees pour ameliorer les informations necessaires a l'identification des meilleures politiques. Ces recommandations visent a aider les responsables des politiques de sante et les organismes internationaux et nationaux qui elaborent des plans nationaux pour la realisation progressive de la couverture sanitaire universelle. A nivel mundial, los paises han acordado procurar la realizacion progresiva de la cobertura sanitaria universal (universal health coverage, UHC) y ahora existe un alto nivel de compromiso politico para proporcionar una cobertura universal de los servicios sanitarios esenciales, al tiempo que se garantiza la proteccion financiera de las personas frente a los elevados gastos sanitarios. El objetivo de este documento es ayudar a los responsables de formular politicas a pensar en la realizacion progresiva de la UHC. Primero, se discuten las trampas en la aplicacion de las metas globales de gastos normativos al estimar los ingresos nacionales requeridos para la UHC. Luego, se hacen varias recomendaciones sobre la estimacion de los ingresos nacionales al ir mas alla de la cuestion de cuanto costara la UHC y enfocarse en cambio en las reformas nacionales de salud y en las opciones de politicas necesarias para progresar hacia la UHC. En particular, se recomiendan ejercicios de calculo de costos como herramienta para comparar diferentes opciones de prestacion de servicios y se recomienda invertir en infraestructura de datos para mejorar la informacion necesaria con el fin de identificar las mejores politicas. Estas recomendaciones tienen por objeto ayudar a los responsables de formular politicas de salud y a los organismos internacionales y nacionales que estan elaborando planes nacionales para la realizacion progresiva de la UHC., Introduction In 2015, United Nations' Member States agreed to pursue the progressive realization of universal health coverage (UHC) as part of their commitment to the sustainable development goals. The World [...]