Economics and Obesity: Costing the Problem or Evaluating Solutions?

There is no doubt that obesity is a major public health problem. However, what is the contribution of economics to solving it? In this report, we make the case that the role of economics is not in measuring the economic burden of obesity, through so‐called cost‐of‐illness studies. Such studies merely confirm that obesity is a serious societal issue; adding a monetary figure to this does not add much. The economic foundations of such estimates can also be questioned, thus lessening their policy relevance. The real value of economics in the arena of obesity care is in evaluating, through formal economic evaluation, the use of our scarce health care resources in different strategies to prevent and treat obesity.     

Extraction and characterization of agar from Australian Pterocladia lucida

Polysaccharides were sequentially extracted from Australian Pterocladia lucida at 50 °C, to give the Warm Water (WW) fraction, and at 95 °C. The 95 °C extract was further separated into gelling (GF) and thaw water (TW) fractions by freezing-thawing. Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, compositional and linkage analyses, and physico-chemical properties indicated that the GF contained an agar with nearly idealized repeating structure and low levels of sulfate and pyruvate substitution. By contrast, the WW and TW contained heterogeneous, highly sulfated galactans with relatively low levels of 3,6-anhydrogalactose and higher levels of pyruvate and glycosyl branching and impurities, such as starch and protein. The properties of the gels formed from the GF and two commercially available agars (Sigma High Gel Strength agar and Sigma Type A agar) were investigated with a texture analyser. The GF from P. lucida had a gel strength intermediate between that of the commercial agars. The gel setting temperature of a 0.8% (w/v) solution formed from the GF was 2 °C below that of comparable solutions of the two commercial agars. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Beyond accountability for reasonableness

This paper is a critique of Norman Daniels' and James Sabin's 'Accountability for Reasonableness' framework for making priority-setting decisions in health care in the face of widespread disagreement about values. Accountability for Reasonableness has been rapidly gaining worldwide acceptance, arguably to the point of becoming the dominant paradigm in the field of health policy. The framework attempts to set ground rules for a procedure that ensures that whatever decisions result will be fair, reasonable, and legitimate to the extent that even those who would be adversely affected will have reason to abide by them. I argue that the framework's four conditions are inadequate to this task. While we certainly require a fair and legitimate procedure for making priority setting decisions in health care despite a lack of consensus on relevant ethical and political issues, we must significantly revise the four conditions, and we cannot avoid facing our substantive disagreements head on if we hope to arrive at decisions that would (and should) be acceptable to everyone. I offer two suggestions. First, there is need for greater public involvement in all stages of deliberation. Second, we should give up on the idea that we can simplify the task of democratic deliberation by disallowing particular kinds or reasons and types of reasoning. Reasons of all kinds should be on the table, but then should be judged on their merits, such as consistency, plausibility and explanatory power, without any regard for their alleged sources of authority.     

硼、锌对平欧杂交榛光合生理、结实和果仁品质的影响

通过对黑龙江省东宁地区的4年生平欧杂交榛（Corylus heterophylla×Corylus avellana）联合施用不同浓度的硼（0.2%、0.3%、0.4%）、锌（0.3%、0.4%、0.5%）肥处理,研究两种微量元素对平欧杂交榛光合生理、结实、果仁和叶片营养状态的影响。研究结果表明：（1）硼、锌对净光合速率影响显著,其交互作用对净光合速率影响极显著。（2）硼对出仁率影响极显著,对果仁重影响显著,对单果重和座果率影响不显著。锌对单果重和果仁重影响极显著,对出仁率影响显著,对座果率影响不显著。硼、锌交互作用对出仁率影响显著,对单果重、果仁重和座果率影响不显著。（3）硼、锌和其交互作用对果仁脂肪酸含量、果仁蛋白质含量影响不显著。硼、锌和其交互作用对4年生平欧杂交榛的生理和结实影响明显,提高了平欧杂交榛叶片的净光合速率,同时对果仁重、出仁率和单果重有不同程度的促进作用。本地区4年生平欧杂交榛硼、锌叶面施肥的浓度分别以0.3%和0.4%为宜。     

Morphological development of normal and phyllody expressing Rosa hybrida cv. Motrea flowers

A large number of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.)flowers and young pods abscise rather than develop into mature pods. Flower andpod drop or abortion accounts for the majority of total reproductive abscissionand influences potential soybean yield. The objectives of this study were todetermine the patterns of flower, pod and seed development under treatmentswiththe growth regulators, 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) propanoic acid (2,4-DP) and6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), applied at the early reproductive stages, and toexamine the association of reproductive abscission with growth characteristicsand agronomic traits, including seed yield and seed weight. Small seeded [cvPungsan (11.1±0.4 g100-seed^–1)] and large seeded [cv Manlee(21.0±0.5 g 100-seed^–1)]genotypes were separately planted in the greenhouse and field, and treated witheither 2,4-DP or BAP. 2,4-DP (a synthetic auxin) and BAP (a syntheticcytokinin)were each applied at three concentrations (i.e. high, intermediate or low):0.12mM, 0.08 mM, 0.04 mM, and 1.5mM, 1 mM, 0.5 mM respectively. High andlow concentrations were employed for greenhouse experiments to examine thenumber of flowers per plant in pots. With the exception of low BAP (0.5mM) treatment in Pungsan, all treatments increased total podnumberwith various numbers of seeds per pod. Low 2,4-DP (0.04 mM) inbothgenotypes or BAP (0.5 mM) in Manlee significantly reduced flowerabortion and delayed abscission of pods in both genotypes, resulting inincreased pod setting rates. Under field conditions using intermediateconcentrations, 1 mM BAP significantly increased 100-seed weightto22.3 g at R1 in Manlee and 11.9 g at R3 in Pungsan.BAP (1 mM) at R3 in Pungsan significantly improved seed yield(40.1g plant^–1). Maturity was not significantlyaffected by either application in Manlee, but was significantly affected by BAPin Pungsan. In Pungsan, 2,4-DP increased pod number, plant height and nodenumber, but decreased 100-seed weight in Pungsan treated at R1, causing nosignificant change of seed yield. This study suggested that exogenousregulatorssignificantly influenced reproductive and growth characteristics, andconsequently seed yield, but increase of pod number was not always beneficialfor seed yield.     

Geopalaeontological setting,chronology and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin continental successions (Late Miocene,Italy)

The Latest Miocene succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin in southern Tuscany (Italy) recorded a faunal turnover documenting the extinction of an older, insular, endemic faunal complex characterised by the extinct ape Oreopithecus bambolii and the setting of a new, continental, European faunal complex including the colobine monkey Mesopithecus. A similar turnover pattern (Late Miocene ape/Latest Miocene Cercopithecidae) is generally observed in Late Miocene continental successions of Eurasia, from Spain to central Europe, Southwest Europe, the near East, and Southwest Asia. Abundant literature reports that the Late Miocene Eurasian hominoid primate distribution closely tracks the climatic/environmental changes occurring during the 12–9 Ma interval, until their extinction in western Europe. In the primate record, the dispersion of Cercopithecidae and the contraction of hominids is interpreted as an event depicting a pattern of “continentalisation” in the Old World. The sedimentary succession of the Baccinello-Cinigiano basin, one of the longest continuous vertebrate-bearing continental successions in the Neogene Italian record, contributes to the debate on this hypothesis. This paper provides an overview of the main characteristics of the sedimentary succession, the chronological constraints (biochronology, radiometric datings, magnetostratigraphy), and the palaeoenvironmental evolution as derived from palaeobiological approaches and from the study of stable carbon and oxygen isotope contents along the entire sedimentary succession. The 2 myr geological history of the Baccinello Cinigiano Basin, which documents the evolutionary history of Oreopithecus and associated faunas, does not have a direct relation with the event of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The evolutionary history of Baccinello-Cinigiano Basin and its palaeontological record have been mainly driven by the regional tectonism and palaeogeographic changes that affected the northern Tyrrhenian regions in Late Miocene (Latest Tortonian–Messinian) times.     

Effective High-Throughput Blood Pooling Strategy before DNA Extraction for Detection of Malaria in Low-Transmission Settings

In the era of (pre) elimination setting, the prevalence of malaria has been decreasing in most of the previously endemic areas. Therefore, effective cost- and time-saving validated pooling strategy is needed for detection of malaria in low transmission settings. In this study, optimal pooling numbers and lowest detection limit were assessed using known density samples prepared systematically, followed by genomic DNA extraction and nested PCR. Pooling strategy that composed of 10 samples in 1 pool, 20 µl in 1 sample, was optimal, and the parasite density as low as 2 p/µl for both falciparum and vivax infection was enough for detection of malaria. This pooling method showed effectiveness for handling of a huge number of samples in low transmission settings (<9% positive rate). The results indicated that pooling of the blood samples before DNA extraction followed by usual nested PCR is useful and effective for detection of malaria in screening of hidden cases in low-transmission settings.     

不同品种授粉对西梅‘法兰西'坐果及果实品质的影响

为选择西梅('法兰西')适宜授粉品种,该研究以'法兰西'西梅品种为母本,'斯泰勒'和'女神'等2个授粉品种为父本进行人工授粉,研究不同品种授粉对'法兰西'西梅坐果率和果实品质的影响,并利用主成分分析对不同授粉品种进行了综合评价.结果表明:不同授粉品种对'法兰西'坐果率具有一定的提高作用,其中'女神'授粉'法兰西'品种的坐果率最高;果实的果仁纵径、果核纵径、单核重、单果重、果实纵径、果实横径、含水量、可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白、维生素C含量,不同授粉品种之间差异较大,果仁横径、单仁重、单核重、果柄、离核、果皮颜色、风味、可溶性固形物、硬度、总酸差异较小.通过主成分分析提取出了5个主成分,其累计方差贡献率达到90.694%,可以解释绝大部的原始信息.主成分分析得出不同授粉品种果实品质评价方法表达式为F=6.088F1+3.964F2+2.406F3+1.666F4+1.294F5.通过该模型计算出不同授粉品种综合得分,并排序.不同授粉品种综合得分为-1.263~1.260之间,综合得分排序为'女神'>'斯泰勒'>自然授粉.综合比较发现在实际生产中,推广'女神'来作授粉树效果较好.该研究结果为西梅('法兰西')授粉树优化配置果实品质提升提供了依据.     

南方主栽梨授粉品种选定

对南方砂梨１２个品种不同的授粉组合进行测交。试验结果显示了不同组合与不同品种正反交具有较大的差异,通过这种差异性初步确定金水２号的授粉品种为二宫白和５－１０９,金水１号的授粉品种为安农１号,二宫白的授粉品种为金水２号。     

Restoration prioritization for industrial area applying multiple potential natural vegetation modeling

Scaling‐up ecological restoration demands the involvement of private sector actors. Experience regarding science‐based habitat restoration programs in the sector should be made available to support further joint projects. In our case, hierarchical restoration prioritization was applied to select best target for habitat reconstruction at a Hungarian industrial area. Multiple potential natural vegetation model, a novel approach, supported restoration prioritization satisfying both ecological (sustainability and nature conservation value) and other needs (feasibility, rapid green surface, amenity, and education value). The target that met all priorities was the open steppe forest that has a mosaic arrangement with open and closed sand steppes. The potential area of this xero‐thermophile oak wood is expected to expand in Hungary with climate change, therefore the selected target has a likelihood of long‐term sustainability, if established. A matrix of sand steppes was created first at the factory area in 2014–2015, and tree and shrub saplings were planted in this matrix. The seeding induced rapid changes in vegetation composition: the second year samples became close to reference sand steppes in the principal component analysis ordination space. Tree and shrub survival was species dependent, reaching a maximum of 52 and 73% for tree and shrub species, respectively. One tree and 2 shrub species did not survive at all. Altogether 53 of 107 target species have established. So far, restored vegetation development confirmed the suitability of the applied hierarchical prioritization framework at factory scale.