The Lifespan Disparity Dataset: An open repository on inequality and polarization in length of life (1950-2021).

Monitoring health is key for identifying priorities in public health planning and improving healthcare services. Life expectancy has conventionally been regarded as a valuable indicator to compare the health status of different populations. However, this measure is simply the mean of the distribution of the length of life and, as such, neglects individual disparities in health outcomes. In this paper, we use life tables from the UN World Population Prospects to develop the most comprehensive dataset of lifespan inequality and polarization for 258 countries and areas for the period 1950-2021. These extensive series on lifespan distributions provide access to crucial information for researchers, practitioners, and the general public, thus contributing to a better understanding of health differences within and between nations.

Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study were to generate the first life tables for the UK companion cat population overall as well as broken down by sex and breed status, and to quantify associations between mortality and traits such as sex, neuter status, breed status and body weight in relation to mortality. METHODS: Life table construction and modelling included data on 7936 confirmed deaths in cats under primary veterinary care at clinics participating in the VetCompass Programme in 2019. The life tables were built for cats overall, female and male cats, and crossbred and purebred cats. Multivariable generalised linear regression models were generated to explore the risk factors for a shortened lifespan. RESULTS: Life expectancy at age 0 for UK companion cats overall was 11.74 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.61-11.87). The probability of death at each year interval increased with age from year interval 3-4, with the probability value not exceeding 0.05 before year 9. Female cats (12.51 years; 95% CI 12.32-12.69) had a 1.33-year longer life expectancy than male cats (11.18 years; 95% CI 11.01-11.38) at age 0. Among the 12 breeds (including crossbred) analysed, Burmese and Birman had the longest life expectancy at year 0, showing 14.42 years (95% CI 12.91-15.93) and 14.39 years (95% CI 12.87-15.91), respectively. Sphynx had the shortest life expectancy at year 0 among the analysed breeds at 6.68 years (95% CI 4.53-8.83). Being entire, purebred and with a non-ideal body weight were significantly linked to a decreased lifespan. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The life tables presented here for companion cats in the UK overall, by sex, and by crossbred and purebred cats can contribute to a better understanding of the life trajectory of cats, helping with evidence-based decision-making for cat owners and the veterinary profession. We have also provided an updated life expectancy at age 0 for various cat breeds for 2019 and showed evidence of the association between non-ideal weight and a decreased lifespan.

Life expectancy for dogs from the City of Buenos Aires.

The aim of the present study was to develop the first life tables for the dog population of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires by constructing life expectancy tables. Data on canines received for final disposal at the Luis Pasteur Zoonosis Institute of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires from January 2018 to December 2021 were used to prepare the life tables. Of the 11,429 dogs that died in that period, the overall life expectancy at birth was 11.88 years (95% CI = 11.37-12.39). There was no difference in life expectancy at birth by sex or by pure versus cross breeds. According to neuter status, life expectancy at birth in neutered (13.98 years) was significantly higher than in entire (11.46 years) (p-value = 0.00001). Life tables varied according to the breed studied, with the Pekingese having the highest life expectancy at birth 16.42 years (95% CI: 15.87-16.98), and the Pit bull having the lowest life expectancy at birth 10.13 years (95% CI: 9.58-10.68). The current study provides useful information for veterinary professionals and pet owners and is a valuable tool for planning and developing effective health policies.

Biology and life table parameters of Paralobesia viteana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), grown on different grape cultivars.

The grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana (Clemens), is an important pest of cultivated grapes in eastern North America. Damage is caused directly by larval feeding of grape clusters and indirectly by increasing fruit susceptibility to fungal and bacterial pathogens. Despite the impact of grape berry moth on grapes being widely recognized, there is a lack of understanding of the influence that different grape cultivars may have on grape berry moth development, reproduction, and population dynamics. In this study, we constructed age-stage 2-sex life tables for grape berry moth fed on 5 grape cultivars: Concord, Niagara, Riesling, Chambourcin, and Vidal, to examine the effects of diet on insect population development, survival, reproduction, and demographic parameters such as net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and mean generation time. Our findings reveal that grape cultivar significantly influenced the neonate wandering period, larval developmental time, adult and female longevity, pupal weight, adult preoviposition period, oviposition period, mean generation time, age-stage-specific life expectancy, and reproductive value of P. viteana. However, diet type did not affect grape berry moth total fecundity or other demographic parameters. The highest female reproductive value was observed at 30-40 days of age, indicating that control tactics implemented during this time frame would have the greatest impact on reducing population increase. This study provides critical information on the effects of different grape cultivars on grape berry moth development, reproduction, and demography. These insights could lead to the development of management strategies that improve pest control and reduce economic losses in vineyards.

Estimating 1a0 and 4a1 in a Life Table: A Model Approach Based on Newly Collected Data.

The average age of infant deaths, a10, and the average number of years lived-in the age interval-by those dying between ages 1 and 5, a41, are important quantities allowing the construction of any life table including these ages. In many applications, the direct calculation of these parameters is not possible, so they are estimated using the infant mortality rate-or the death rate from 0 to 1-as a predictor. Existing methods are general approximations that do not consider the full variability in the age patterns of mortality below the age of 5. However, at the same level of mortality, under-five deaths can be more or less concentrated during the first weeks and months of life, thus resulting in very different values of a10 and a41. This article proposes an indirect estimation of these parameters by using a recently developed model of under-five mortality and taking advantage of a new, comprehensive database by detailed age-which is used for validation. The model adapts to a variety of inputs (e.g., rates, probabilities, or the proportion of deaths by sex or for both sexes combined), providing more flexibility for the users and increasing the precision of the estimates. This fresh perspective consolidates a new method that outperforms all previous approaches.

Combining temperature-dependent life table data into Insect Life Cycle Model to forecast fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) distribution in maize agro-ecological zones in Africa.

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an invasive agricultural pest, has significantly impacted crop yields across Africa. This study investigated the relationship between temperature and FAW life history traits, employing life cycle modeling at temperatures of 20, 25, 28, 30, and 32°C. The development time for eggs, larvae, and pupae varied from 0-3 days, 10-18 days, and 7-16 days, respectively. The optimal temperature range for immature stage survival and female fecundity was identified as 21-25°C, with the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and gross reproductive rate (GRR) peaking at 25-28°C. Model validation confirmed the accuracy of these findings. The research further projected the Establishment Risk Index (ERI), Activity Index (AI), and Generation Index (GI) for FAW under current and future climates (2050 and 2070) using RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. Results indicate that RCP 2.6 leads to a reduction in high-risk FAW areas, particularly in central Africa. Conversely, RCP 8.5 suggests an increase in areas conducive to FAW activity. These findings highlight the impact of climate policy on pest dynamics and the importance of incorporating climatic factors into pest management strategies. The study predicts a potential decrease in FAW prevalence in West Africa by 2070 under aggressive climate mitigation, providing a basis for future FAW management approaches.

Trends in Life Expectancy in Residential Long-Term Care by Sociodemographic Position in 1999-2018: A Multistate Life Table Study of Finnish Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Residential long-term care (LTC) use has declined in many countries over the past years. This study quantifies how changing rates of entry, exit, and mortality have contributed to trends in life expectancy in LTC (i.e., average time spent in LTC after age 65) across sociodemographic groups. METHODS: We analyzed population-register data of all Finns aged ≥65 during 1999-2018 (n = 2,016,987) with dates of LTC and death and sociodemographic characteristics. We estimated transition rates between home, LTC, and death using Poisson generalized additive models, and calculated multistate life tables across 1999-2003, 2004-2008, 2009-2013, and 2014-2018. RESULTS: Between 1999-2003 and 2004-2008, life expectancy in LTC increased from 0.75 (95% CI: 0.74-0.76) to 0.89 (95% CI: 0.88-0.90) years among men and from 1.61 (95% CI: 1.59-1.62) to 1.83 (95% CI: 1.81-1.85) years among women, mainly due to declining exit rates from LTC. Thereafter, life expectancy in LTC decreased, reaching 0.80 (95% CI: 0.79-0.81) and 1.51 (95% CI: 1.50-1.53) years among men and women, respectively, in 2014-2018. Especially among women and nonmarried men, the decline was largely due to increasing death rates in LTC. Admission rates declined throughout the study period, which offset the increase in life expectancy in LTC attributable to declining mortality in the community. Marital status differences in life expectancy in LTC narrowed over time. DISCUSSION: Recent declines in LTC use were driven by postponed LTC admission closer to death. The results suggest that across sociodemographic strata older adults enter LTC in even worse health and spend a shorter time in care than before.

Age-stage, two-sex life table, and population projection of Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) at different temperatures.

Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a highly destructive pest in Asia, poses a significant threat to maize production by causing substantial yield losses. However, there is a lack of information regarding the impact of temperature variations on its population dynamics and the age-stage and two-sex life table. This study aimed to investigate the impact of 4 temperatures (20 °C, 24 °C, 28 °C, 32 °C) on the development, reproduction, and survival of O. furnacalis under controlled laboratory conditions. Our results revealed that O. furnacalis successfully developed, survived, and laid eggs across the tested temperatures (20-32 °C). The shortest developmental duration for all immature stages was observed at 32 °C. Conversely, increasing temperatures led to decreased longevity. Among the temperatures tested, 28 °C proved to be optimal for O. furnacalis, exhibiting the highest intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and net reproductive rate. Our findings indicate that O. furnacalis thrives within a wide temperature range of 20-32 °C, with 28 °C being the most favorable for reproduction. These insights are crucial for predicting population dynamics under diverse climatic conditions and developing effective control strategies against O. furnacalis. This study enhances our understanding of O. furnacalis' life-history traits and provides valuable information for targeted pest management approaches.

[Regional differences and trends in healthy life expectancy in Germany]. / Regionale Unterschiede und Trends in gesunder Lebenserwartung in Deutschland.

BACKGROUND: Against the background of increasing life expectancy, the question arises in which state of health the additional years of life are spent. The aim of this study is to assess for the first time regional differences in healthy life expectancy for Germany. METHODS: The concept of healthy life expectancy allows for the combination of regional differences in health status and mortality in a single measure. This article uses the concept of partial healthy life expectancy. We use official data on deaths and population numbers to calculate abridged life tables. Data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) are used to determine the age- and sex-specific prevalences of health status. Regional differences are analyzed from 2002 to 2019 by dividing Germany into four regions (North, South, East, West). RESULTS: The regional differences in healthy life expectancy in Germany are greater than differences in life expectancy, and trends in healthy life expectancy partly differ from the corresponding trends in mortality. These differences over time also vary according to age: while healthy life expectancy has tended to stagnate and, in some cases, decline among the population aged between 20 and 64, the number and proportion of years in good health has increased among older adults up to the age of 79. CONCLUSION: There are striking regional differences and trends in the distribution of expected years in good health in Germany. The timely identification of regionally divergent developments could facilitate the implementation of targeted health-promoting measures.

Subnational estimates of life expectancy at birth in India: evidence from NFHS and SRS data.

BACKGROUND: Mortality estimates at the subnational level are of urgent need in India for the formulation of policies and programmes at the district level. This is the first-ever study which used survey data for the estimation of life expectancy at birth ([Formula: see text]) for the 640 districts from NFHS-4 (2015-16) and 707 districts from NFHS-5 (2019-21) for the total, male and female population in India. METHODS: This study calculated annual age-specific mortality rates from NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 for India and all 36 states for the total, male and female population. This paper constructed the abridged life tables and estimated life expectancy at birth [Formula: see text] and further estimated the model parameters for all 36 states. This study linked state-specific parameters to the respective districts for the estimation of life expectancy at birth [Formula: see text]for 640 districts from NFHS-4 and 707 districts from NFHS-5 for the total, male and female population in India. RESULTS: Findings at the state level showed that there were similarities between the estimated and calculated [Formula: see text] in most of the states. The results of this article observed that the highest [Formula: see text] varies in the ranges of 70 to 90 years among the districts of the southern region. [Formula: see text] falls below 70 years among most of the central and eastern region districts. In the northern region districts [Formula: see text] lies in the range of 70 years to 75 years. The estimates of life expectancy at birth [Formula: see text] shows the noticeable variations at the state and district levels for the person, male, and female populations from the NFHS (2015-16) and NFHS (2019-21). In the absence of age-specific mortality data at the district level in India, this study used the indirect estimation method of relating state-specific model parameters with the IMR of their respective districts and estimated [Formula: see text] across the 640 districts from NFHS-4 (2015-16) and 707 districts from NFHS-5 (2019-21). The findings of this study have similarities with the state-level estimations of [Formula: see text] from both data sources of SRS and NFHS and found the highest [Formula: see text] in the southern region and the lowest [Formula: see text] in the eastern and central region districts. CONCLUSIONS: In the lack of [Formula: see text] estimates at the district level in India, this study could be beneficial in providing timely life expectancy estimates from the survey data. The findings clearly shows variations in the district level [Formula: see text]. The districts from the southern region show the highest [Formula: see text] and districts from the central and eastern region has lower [Formula: see text]. Females have higher [Formula: see text] as compared to the male population in most of the districts in India.

[Family reconstitution and online genealogies to analyze the sex-specific differential mortality in the historical context]. / Familienrekonstitution und Online-Genealogien zur Analyse der geschlechtsspezifischen differenziellen Sterblichkeit im historischen Kontext.

BACKGROUND: Family reconstitution and data from online genealogies, such as FamiLinx, are two potential sources for investigating mortality dynamics for the period before official lifetables became available. In this paper, we use two of them, the family reconstitution of Imhof and the FamiLinx dataset based on geni.com, to estimate dynamics in life expectancy and discuss the sex-specific differential mortality in the German Empire. METHOD: Sex-specific lifetables are estimated for the territory of the German Empire from the individual data of the family reconstitution and the online genealogies. On the basis of these lifetables, we estimate the conditional life expectancy and derive the corresponding sex-specific differential mortality. Findings are compared with the official lifetable of the German Empire in 1871-1910. The contribution of each age group to the differential mortality is determined using the stepwise-replacement algorithm. RESULTS: The family reconstitution overestimates conditional life expectancy less than FamiLinx after 1871, when official lifetables are available in the German Empire. However, both sources fail to capture the sex-specific mortality differentials of the official lifetables at the end of the nineteenth century and show a higher life expectancy for males instead of females. The bias in sex-specific mortality rates is particularly pronounced in the age groups 15 to 45. DISCUSSION: Finally, we discuss possible explanations for the biased findings. Notability bias, the patriarchal approach to family trees, and maternal mortality are important mechanisms in the FamiLinx dataset. Censoring due to mobility serves as a potential reason for the bias in the family reconstitution.

Risk of diabetes and expected years in life without diabetes among adults from an urban community in India: findings from a retrospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes prevalence has increased over the past few decades, and the shift of the burden of diabetes from the older population to the younger population has increased the exposure of longer durations in a morbid state. The study aimed at ascertaining the likelihood of progression to diabetes and to estimate the onset of diabetes within the urban community of Mumbai. METHODS: This study utilized an observational retrospective non-diabetic cohort comprising 1629 individuals enrolled in a health security scheme. Ten years of data were extracted from electronic medical records, and the life table approach was employed to assess the probability of advancing to diabetes and estimate the expected number of years lived without a diabetes diagnosis. RESULTS: The study revealed a 42% overall probability of diabetes progression, with age and gender variations. Males (44%) show higher probabilities than females (40%) of developing diabetes. Diabetes likelihood rises with age, peaking in males aged 55-59 and females aged 65-69. Males aged 30-34 exhibit a faster progression (10.6 years to diagnosis) compared to females (12.3 years). CONCLUSION: The study's outcomes have significant implications for the importance of early diabetes detection. Progression patterns suggest that younger cohorts exhibit a comparatively slower rate of progression compared to older cohorts.

Nonlinear life table response experiment analysis: Decomposing nonlinear and nonadditive population growth responses to changes in environmental drivers.

Life table response experiments (LTREs) decompose differences in population growth rate between environments into separate contributions from each underlying demographic rate. However, most LTRE analyses make the unrealistic assumption that the relationships between demographic rates and environmental drivers are linear and independent, which may result in diminished accuracy when these assumptions are violated. We extend regression LTREs to incorporate nonlinear (second-order) terms and compare the accuracy of both approaches for three previously published demographic datasets. We show that the second-order approach equals or outperforms the linear approach for all three case studies, even when all of the underlying vital rate functions are linear. Nonlinear vital rate responses to driver changes contributed most to population growth rate responses, but life history changes also made substantial contributions. Our results suggest that moving from linear to second-order LTRE analyses could improve our understanding of population responses to changing environments.

Life tables in entomology: A discussion on tables' parameters and the importance of raw data.

Life tables are one of the most common tools to describe the biology of insect species and their response to environmental conditions. Although the benefits of life tables are beyond question, we raise some doubts about the completeness of the information reported in life tables. To substantiate these doubts, we consider a case study (Corcyra cephalonica) for which the raw dataset is available. The data suggest that the Gaussian approximation of the development times which is implied by the average and standard error usually reported in life tables does not describe reliably the actual distribution of the data which can be misleading and hide interesting biological aspects. Furthermore, it can be risky when life table data are used to build models to predict the demographic changes of the population. The present study highlights this aspect by comparing the impulse response generated by the raw data and by its Gaussian approximation based on the mean and the standard error. The conclusions of this paper highlight: i) the importance of adding more information to life tables and, ii) the role of raw data to ensure the completeness of this kind of studies. Given the importance of raw data, we also point out the need for further developments of a standard in the community for sharing and analysing data of life tables experiments.

Age- and cause-specific contributions to increase in life expectancy at birth in Korea, 2000-2019: a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Korea's life expectancy at birth has consistently increased in the 21st century. This study compared the age and cause-specific contribution to the increase in life expectancy at birth in Korea before and after 2010. METHODS: The population and death numbers by year, sex, 5-year age group, and cause of death from 2000 to 2019 were acquired. Life expectancy at birth was calculated using an abridged life table by sex and year. The annual age-standardized and age-specific mortality by cause of death was also estimated. Lastly, the age and cause-specific contribution to the increase in life expectancy at birth in the two periods were compared using a stepwise replacement algorithm. RESULTS: Life expectancy at birth in Korea increased consistently from 2010 to 2019, though slightly slower than from 2000 to 2009. The cause-specific mortality and life expectancy decomposition analysis showed a significant decrease in mortality in chronic diseases, such as neoplasms and diseases of the circulatory system, in the middle and old-aged groups. External causes, such as transport injuries and suicide, mortality in younger age groups also increased life expectancy. However, mortality from diseases of the respiratory system increased in the very old age group during 2010-2019. CONCLUSIONS: Life expectancy at birth in Korea continued to increase mainly due to decreased mortality from chronic diseases and external causes during the study period. However, the aging of the population structure increased vulnerability to respiratory diseases. The factors behind the higher death rate from respiratory disease should be studied in the future.

Chemotaxis response and age-stage, two-sex life table of the Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) against different aphid species.

The Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is one of the most beneficial and identifiable predators of numerous soft-bodied and sucking insect pests of several crops. Biological parameters and olfactory response of C. sexmaculata were investigated under laboratory conditions by providing three different aphid species i.e., mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi Kaltenbach), citrus black aphid (Toxoptera citricida Kirkaldy), and peach aphid (Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov) as a food source. The developmental period of immature stages of C. sexmaculata was shorter on D. noxia as compared to other aphid species. The adult longevities were longer on D. noxia and T. citricida while shorter on L. erysimi. Female fecundity was highest on D. noxia while lowest on L. erysimi. Life table parameters i.e., intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (λ), net reproductive rate (Ro), and gross reproductive rate (GRR) were maximum on D. noxia while minimum on L. erysimi. The mean generation time C. sexmaculata was 20.90, 23.69, and 26.2 days on D. noxia, L. erysimi, T. and citricida, respectively. These findings were further confirmed from the olfactory experiment where D. noxia proved to be the most preferred prey. This study provides necessary information for mass-rearing of C. sexmaculata.

Life table parameters and digestive physiology of Aulacophora lewisii Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on three Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) cultivars.

Aulacophora lewisii Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is an important pest of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) in India. Larvae of A. lewisii feed on the roots, while adults consume leaves of L. acutangula. In the current study, effects of three L. acutangula cultivars (Abhiskar, Debsundari, and Jaipur Long) on the life table parameters by age-stage, two-sex approach, and key digestive enzymatic activities (amylolytic, proteolytic, and lipolytic) of the larvae and adults of A. lewisii were determined. Further, nutrients (total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and nitrogen content) and antinutrients (total phenols, flavonols, and tannins) present in the roots and leaves of three cultivars were estimated. The development time (egg to adult emergence) was fastest and slowest on Jaipur Long (31.80 days) and Abhiskar (40.91 days), respectively. Fecundity was highest and lowest on Jaipur Long (279.91 eggs) and Abhiskar (137.18 eggs), respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was lowest on Abhiskar (0.0511 day-1) and highest on Jaipur Long (0.0872 day-1). The net reproductive rate (R0) was lowest on Abhiskar (23.32 offspring female-1). The mean generation time (T) was shortest on Jaipur Long (52.59 days) and longest on Abhiskar (61.58 days). The amylolytic, proteolytic, and lipolytic activities of larvae and adults of A. lewisii were highest and lowest on Jaipur Long and Abhiskar, respectively. The lower level of nutrients and higher level of antinutrients influenced higher larval development time and lower fecundity of A. lewisii on Abhiskar than other cultivars. Our results suggest that Abhiskar cultivar could be promoted for cultivation.

Clostridioides difficile infection across the lifespan: Estimation using life tables.

Using a life tables approach with 2011-2017 claims data, we calculated lifetime risks of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) beginning at age 18 years. The lifetime CDI risk rates were 32% in female patients insured by Medicaid, 10% in commercially insured male patients, and almost 40% in females with end-stage renal disease.

The Burden of Type 2 Diabetes on the Productivity and Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Life Table Modelling Analysis from a South African Perspective.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is rapidly increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). T2D increases the risk of premature death and reduces quality of life and work productivity. This population life table modelling analysis evaluated the impact of T2D in terms of productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs) on the South African working-age population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Life table modelling was employed to simulate the follow-up of individuals aged 20-65 with T2D in South Africa (SA). Two life table models were developed to simulate health outcomes for a SA cohort with and without diabetes. The difference in the number of deaths, years of life lost (YLL), and PALYs lost between the two cohorts represented the burden of diabetes. Scenarios were simulated in which the proportions of gross domestic productivity (GDP), productivity indices, labour force dropout, and mortality risk trends were adjusted to lower and upper uncertainty bounds. Data were sourced from the International Diabetes Federation, Statistics SA, and both publicly available and published sources. We utilised the World Health Organization (WHO) standard annual discount rate of 3% for YLL and PALYs. RESULTS: In 2019, an estimated 9.5% (7.68% men and 11.37% women) or 3.2 million total working-age people had T2D in SA. Simulated follow-up until retirement predicted 669,427 excess mortality, a loss of 6.2 million years of life (9.3%) and 13 million PALYs (30.6%) in SA. On average, this resulted in 3.1 PALYs lost per person. Based on the GDP per full-time employee in 2019, the PALYs loss equated to US$223 billion, or US$69,875 per person. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasises the significant impact of T2D on society and the economy. Relatively modest T2D prevention and treatment management enhancement could lead to substantial economic benefits in SA.

Exploring the hormetic effects of radiation on the life table parameters of Spodoptera frugiperda.

BACKGROUND: Spodoptera frugiperda, a global agricultural pest, can be effectively controlled through the sterile insect technique. However, exposure to low-dose radiation below the sterilization threshold may induce hormetic effects. Here, the biphasic aspects of the fertile progeny population of S. frugiperda were analyzed using an age-stage, two-sex life table after dosing male and female pupae with 10-350 Gy gamma radiation. RESULTS: The parental sterilizing dose for 6-day-old female and male pupae was 200 and 350 Gy, respectively. The total longevity, pre-adult survival rate, net reproduction rate, and intrinsic growth rate of the offspring population increased with decreasing radiation doses from 250 to 10 Gy. Offspring population of parents treated with low doses of 10-100 Gy showed better life table parameters compared to non-irradiated controls. Females and males fecundity irradiated with 10, 50, and 100 Gy and 10 Gy, respectively, exceeded controls, producing 2339.4, 2726.4, 2311, and 2369 eggs, as opposed to 1802.9 eggs produced by the controls. Males irradiated with 10 Gy displayed the highest intrinsic rates of increase and net reproduction rate, at 0.1709 and 682.3, respectively. Projections from the survival rate and fecundity indicated that female and male S. frugiperda populations after 10 Gy irradiation may grow considerably faster than the controls. CONCLUSION: This study explores the hormetic effects of low-dose radiation on S. frugiperda through life table analysis, while providing enhancements for utilizing substerilizing gamma dose in a modified F1 sterility technique. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.