Search

There is scarce evidence regarding redistribution policies implemented by right‐wing populist parties forming majority governments. We contribute to this literature by measuring the effects of sweeping reforms of the tax and benefit system carried out by the populist party PiS governing Poland since 2015. The reforms included a generous, unconditional, and universal child benefit. Using micro‐simulation‐based decompositions of relative poverty, we separate poverty changes due to the populists' policies (policy effects) from observed poverty changes. We found that populists' reforms from 2015 to 2019 had large poverty‐reducing effects: total poverty was brought down by more than 2 percentage points, while child poverty by about 6.5 points. However, the policy effects account 'only' for about half of overall poverty declines over this period. On the other hand, they are much bigger than those obtained previously by a coalition of mainstream parties (2007–2011) or a coalition of populist ones (2005–2007). Since 2015, the populists' reforms targeted social groups that were neglected or inadequately addressed by anti‐poverty policies by past governments. Our results suggest that, at least in conservative and ethnically homogeneous societies, right‐wing populist majoritarian governments are capable of carrying out large‐scale redistribution projects that lead to sizeable poverty reductions and include non‐chauvinist, universal cash transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, discusses the endocrine and cardiometabolic complications of obesity in children and the possibilities for reversal through short and long-term observation. The article emphasizes that childhood obesity is a complex condition that leads to various health problems and highlights the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to management and reversal. The research studies included in the article explore topics such as metabolic disturbances in overweight children, the link between obesity and vascular damage, the relationship between thyroid hormones and body weight changes in obese adolescents, and the impact of obesity on cardiovascular health in children with chronic conditions. The article concludes that a combined approach involving endocrinological, cardiometabolic, pharmacological strategies, and lifestyle changes is necessary to address childhood obesity effectively. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines the evolution of income affluence (richness) in Poland during 1998-2007. Using household survey data, the paper estimates several statistical indices of income affluence including income share of the top percentiles, population share of individuals receiving incomes higher than the richness line, and measures that take into account both the extent and the intensity of affluence. Results show that over the period under study there was a statistically significant and socio-economically sizable rise in income affluence by between 9 and 50%, depending on the index used. The overall income distribution in the period has shifted in favour of the rich as relative poverty and relative size and income share of the middle class have declined.

Significant motion artifacts limit the performance of conventional full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) for in vivo imaging. We present a theoretical and experimental study of those limitations. A new FF-OCT system suppressing most of artifacts due to sample motions is demonstrated using instantaneous phase shifting with nonpolarizing optics and pulsed illumination. The experimental setup is based on a Linnik-type interferometer illuminated by the superluminescence emission from a Ti:[Al.sub.2][O.sub.3] waveguide crystal. En face tomographic images are calculated as a combination of two phase-opposed interferometric images acquired simultaneously by two CCD cameras placed at both outputs of the interferometer, with a spatial resolution of 0.8 [micro]m x 1.6 [micro]m (axial x transverse) and a detection sensitivity of ~60 dB. [c] 2010 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 170.4500, 170.3880, 180.3170.

To date, few data on how the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions affected children's physical activity in Europe have been published. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of physical activity and screen time from a large sample of European children during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform strategies and provide adequate mitigation measures. An online survey was conducted using convenience sampling from 15 May to 22 June, 2020. Parents were eligible if they resided in one of the survey countries and their children aged 6–18 years. 8395 children were included (median age [IQR], 13 [10–15] years; 47% boys; 57.6% urban residents; 15.5% in self-isolation). Approximately two-thirds followed structured routines (66.4% [95%CI, 65.4–67.4]), and more than half were active during online P.E. (56.6% [95%CI, 55.5–57.6]). 19.0% (95%CI, 18.2–19.9) met the WHO Global physical activity recommendation. Total screen time in excess of 2 h/day was highly prevalent (weekdays: 69.5% [95%CI, 68.5–70.5]; weekend: 63.8% [95%CI, 62.7–64.8]). Playing outdoors more than 2 h/day, following a daily routine and being active in online P.E. increased the odds of healthy levels of physical activity and screen time, particularly in mildly affected countries. In severely affected countries, online P.E. contributed most to meet screen time recommendation, whereas outdoor play was most important for adequate physical activity. Promoting safe and responsible outdoor activities, safeguarding P.E. lessons during distance learning and setting pre-planned, consistent daily routines are important in helping children maintain healthy active lifestyle in pandemic situation. These factors should be prioritised by policymakers, schools and parents. To our knowledge, our data provide the first multi-national estimates on physical activity and total screen time in European children roughly two months after COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic. Only 1 in 5 children met the WHO Global physical activity recommendations. Under pandemic conditions, parents should set pre-planned, consistent daily routines and integrate at least 2-hours outdoor activities into the daily schedule, preferable on each day. Schools should make P.E. lessons a priority. Decision makers should mandate online P.E. be delivered by schools during distance learning. Closing outdoor facilities for PA should be considered only as the last resort during lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper tests whether inequality of opportunity (IO) in Europe has increased between 2004 and 2010. IO is understood as unfair inequality due to circumstances beyond individual control (such as family background, race or sex). We show that over 2004–2010 IO increased significantly in Austria, Greece and Spain, while it decreased in Poland and Portugal. Relative IO (ratio of IO to overall income inequality) has grown in Austria, Belgium, Greece and Norway. In Greece, several social groups with an immigrant background have experienced sizable declines an opportunity for income acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]