Waterpipe tobacco smoking legislation and policy enactment: a global analysis

Objective (1) To review how current global tobacco control policies address regulation of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS). (2) To identify features associated with enactment and enforcement of WTS legislation. Data Sources (1) Legislations compiled by Tobacco Control Laws (www.tobaccocontrollaws.org). (2) Weekly news articles by ‘Google Alerts’ (www.google.com/alerts) from July 2013 to August 2014. Study Selection (1) Countries containing legislative reviews, written by legal experts, were included. Countries prohibiting tobacco sales were excluded. (2) News articles discussing aspects of the WHO FCTC were included. News articles related to electronic-waterpipe, crime, smuggling, opinion pieces or brief mentions of WTS were excluded. Data Abstraction (1) Two reviewers independently abstracted the definition of “tobacco product” and/or “smoking”. Four tobacco control domains (smokefree law, misleading descriptors, health warning labels and advertising/promotion/sponsorship) were assigned one of four categories based on the degree to which WTS had specific legislation. (2) Two investigators independently assigned at least one theme and associated subtheme to each news article. Data Synthesis (1) Reviewed legislations of 62 countries showed that most do not address WTS regulation but instead rely on generic tobacco/smoking definitions to cover all tobacco products. Where WTS was specifically addressed, no additional legislative guidance accounted for the unique way it is smoked, except for in one country specifying health warnings on waterpipe apparatuses (2) News articles mainly reported on noncompliance with public smoking bans, especially in India, Pakistan and the UK. Conclusions A regulatory framework evaluated for effectiveness and tailored for the specificities of WTS needs to be developed

Frequency Diversity for Improving Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging

In this work, a novel theoretical framework is presented for using recent advances in frequency diversity arrays (FDAs). Unlike a conventional array, the FDA simultaneously transmits a unique frequency from each element in the array. As a result, special time and space properties of the radiation pattern are exploited to improve cross-range resolution. The idealized FDA radiation pattern is compared with and validated against a full-wave electromagnetic solver, and it is shown that the conventional array is a special case of the FDA. A new signal model, based on the FDA, is used to simulate SAR imagery of ideal point mass targets and the new model is used to derive the impulse response function of the SAR system, which is rarely achievable with other analytic methods. This work also presents an innovative solution for using the convolution back-projection algorithm, the gold standard in SAR image processing, and is a significant advantage of the proposed FDA model. The new FDA model and novel SAR system concept of operation are shown to reduce collection time by 33 percent while achieving a 4.5 dB improvement in cross-range resolution as compared to traditional imaging systems

Confirmed record of Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Family Monodactylidae) from Jubail, Saudi Arabia, Arabian Gulf

Confirmació del registre de Monodactylus argenteus (família Monodactylidae) a Jubail, Aràbia Saudita, golf Pèrsic Es confirma el primer registre de M. argenteus a les costes d'Aràbia Saudita, golf Pèrsic, amb un exemplar de 158 mm SL. S'indiquen les dades morfomètriques i merístiques de l'espècimen.The first record of M. argenteus from the Arabian Gulf coasts of Saudi Arabia is confirmed, based on a sample measuring 158 mm in SL. Morphometric and meristic data are provided for this specimen.Confirmación del registro de Monodactylus argenteus (Familia Monodactylidae) en Jubail, Arabia Saudita, golfo Pérsico Se confirma el primer registro de M. argenteus en las costas de Arabia Saudita, golfo Pérsico con un ejemplar de 158 mm SL. Se indican los datos morfométricos y merísticos del espécimen

Frequency of cryptosporidium infection in children under five years of age having diarrhea in the North West of Pakistan

Cryptosporidium species are minute, coccidian protozoan parasites that have been associated withenterocolitis. It has worldwide distribution and has emerged as an important cause of diarrhea,particularly in children less than 5 years of age and in immunocompromised individuals. Waterbornetransmission is particularly troublesome because Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts are not eliminatedby chlorination or domestic disinfectants. In the present study, single stool specimens from youngchildren (< 5 years) presented with diarrhea were collected in Khyber teaching hospital, Peshawar,Pakistan. Wet mount preparation and modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining were used for identification ofoocysts in stool specimens. Cryptosporidium oocysts were found in 18 (9.0%) out of 200 childrensuffering from diarrhea. Infection was common in children between 1 - 24 months of age and associatedwith abdominal cramps (50%), vomiting (61.1%) and prolonged duration of diarrhea (88.9%). Direct andindirect contact with animals was present in most of C. parvum infected children (83.3%). Most of C.parvum infected children were consumers of well water (77.8%). Cryptosporidium spp. are highlyinfectious causes of diarrheal illness around the world. It is an important cause of diarrhea in children.Clinician and laboratories should be encouraged to include C. parvum diagnostic techniques whiledealing with diarrheal stool samples of young children

Randomised feasibility study of a novel experience-based internet intervention to support self-management in chronic asthma.

ElectronicPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Fecundity of mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis (Baird & Girard) as a function of female size in fish from two lakes in Libya

The re!ationships between length and weight of the female Gambusia affinis and location with the fecundity (eggs and eyed embryos) were analysed. The weight of fish was the most accurate predictor of fecundity: the heavier the female, the larger was their fecundlty. The brood fish from BuDezera produce double the number of eyed embryos per 0.01g weight increase, cornpared to brood fish from Ain Ziana. In genera!, fish frorn BuDezera has fecundity higher than fish of tke same weight grocp from Ain Ziana lake. Fisk length was also positively correlateci with fecundity, but nct as closely as weight. Key woras: Fecundity, Gambusia affinis, Lioya.The re!ationships between length and weight of the female Gambusia affinis and location with the fecundity (eggs and eyed embryos) were analysed. The weight of fish was the most accurate predictor of fecundity: the heavier the female, the larger was their fecundlty. The brood fish from BuDezera produce double the number of eyed embryos per 0.01g weight increase, cornpared to brood fish from Ain Ziana. In genera!, fish frorn BuDezera has fecundity higher than fish of tke same weight grocp from Ain Ziana lake. Fisk length was also positively correlateci with fecundity, but nct as closely as weight. Key woras: Fecundity, Gambusia affinis, Lioya.The re!ationships between length and weight of the female Gambusia affinis and location with the fecundity (eggs and eyed embryos) were analysed. The weight of fish was the most accurate predictor of fecundity: the heavier the female, the larger was their fecundlty. The brood fish from BuDezera produce double the number of eyed embryos per 0.01g weight increase, cornpared to brood fish from Ain Ziana. In genera!, fish frorn BuDezera has fecundity higher than fish of tke same weight grocp from Ain Ziana lake. Fisk length was also positively correlateci with fecundity, but nct as closely as weight. Key woras: Fecundity, Gambusia affinis, Lioya

Confirmation of the presence of Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Chaetodontidae) and Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) (Pomacanthidae) in Iraqi marine waters, Arabian Gulf

Two specimens (116,119 mm TL) of Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) and four specimens (171–190 mm TL) of Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) were collected from Iraqi marine waters of the Arabian Gulf. These findings confirm the presence of H. acuminatus and establish the first record of P. maculosus from Iraqi waters. The samples were captured by hook and line off the coasts of Al–Fao City Peninsula, southern Iraq. Arabian Gulf. morphometric and meristic data are provided and compared with data from other parts of the world.Confirmació de la presència d’Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Chaetodontidae) i primer registre de Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) (Pomacanthidae) en aigües marines de l’Iraq, golf Pèrsic Es van recol·lectar dos espècimens de 116 y 119 mm TL d’Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) i quatre espècimens de 171 a 190 mm TL de Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) en aigües del golf Pèrsic, la qual cosa confirma la presència d’H. acuminatus i constitueix el primer registre de P. maculosus a les aigües marines de l’Iraq. Els exemplars van ser capturats amb fil i ham a les costes de la península d’Al–Fao, al sud de l’Iraq, al golf Pèrsic. S’aporten les dades morfomètriques i merístiques dels exemplars i es comparen amb les registrades en altres llocs del món.Confirmación de la presencia de Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Chaetodontidae) y primer registro de Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) (Pomacanthidae) en aguas marinas de Iraq, golfo Pérsico Se recolectaron dos especímenes de 116 y 119 mm TL de Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) y cuatro especímenes de 171 a 190 mm TL de Pomacanthus maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) en aguas del golfo Pérsico, lo que confirma la presencia de H. acuminatus y constituye el primer registro de P. maculosus en las aguas marinas de Iraq. Los ejemplares fueron capturados con sedal y anzuelo en las costas de la península de Al–Fao, al sur de Iraq, en el golfo Pérsico. Se aportan los datos morfométricos y merísticos de los ejemplares y se comparan con los registrados en otras partes del mundo

Fishery management in the lower Mesopotamian regions: population structure of Hyporhamphus limbatus (Valenciennes, 1847)

Continuing isolation of populations and interbreeding can direct to morphometric dissimilarities among fish populations. The present study was performed with the aim to define the stock structure of Hyporhamphus limbatus on the basis of morphometric and meristic characters. In total, 300 H. limbatus specimens were collected from the three sampling locations of the lower reaches of Mesopotamia and its coastal area. In total, 9 morphometric and 4 meristic traits were examined. Canonical discriminant analysis showed significant differences in each of the morphometric measurements and meristic characters among the fish from different sampling locations. The results of this study can be employed in expressing stock-specific management policies for H. limbatus from areas studied in the south of Iraq

First record of Atractoscion aequiden (Sciaenidae) from the Arabian Sea Coasts of Oman and Acanthopagrus catenula (Sparidae) from the Oman Sea (Gulf of Oman), northwestern Indian Ocean (Teleostei, Sciaenidae, Sparidae)

Primer registro de Atractoscion aequidens (Sciaenidae) en las costas del mar de Arabia de Omán y de Acanthopagrus catenula (Sparidae) en el mar de Omán (golfo de Omán), al noroeste del océano Índico (Teleostei, Sciaenidae, Sparidae) Los primeros registros de Atractoscion aequidens en las costas del mar de Arabia de Omán y de Acanthopagrus catenula en las aguas próximas a la ciudad de Muscat, en el mar de Omán, se efectúan a partir de un espécimen de 671 mm de longitud estándar y diez especímenes de 111 a 257 mm de longitud estándar, respectivamente. Este informe da cuenta del segundo registro de A. aequidens en el norte del océano Índico y del registro más septentrional de A. catenula efectuado en dicho océano. Se especifican los datos morfométricos y merísticos de ambas especies y se comparan con los de los especímenes recolectados en otras partes del mundo. En este trabajo se corrige asimismo la distribución meridionThe first record of Atractoscion aequidens from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman and Acanthopagrus catenula from waters around City of Muscat on the Sea of Oman is reported based on one (671 mm in SL) and ten specimens (111-257 mm SL), respectively. This account represents the second record of A. aequidens in the northern Indian Ocean and the northernmost record of A. catenula in the same ocean. Morphometric and meristic data are provided for the two species and compared with those from specimens collected from other parts of the world. The southern distribution of A. catenula is corrected in this report.Primer registro de Atractoscion aequidens (Sciaenidae) en las costas del mar de Arabia de Omán y de Acanthopagrus catenula (Sparidae) en el mar de Omán (golfo de Omán), al noroeste del océano Índico (Teleostei, Sciaenidae, Sparidae) Los primeros registros de Atractoscion aequidens en las costas del mar de Arabia de Omán y de Acanthopagrus catenula en las aguas próximas a la ciudad de Muscat, en el mar de Omán, se efectúan a partir de un espécimen de 671 mm de longitud estándar y diez especímenes de 111 a 257 mm de longitud estándar, respectivamente. Este informe da cuenta del segundo registro de A. aequidens en el norte del océano Índico y del registro más septentrional de A. catenula efectuado en dicho océano. Se especifican los datos morfométricos y merísticos de ambas especies y se comparan con los de los especímenes recolectados en otras partes del mundo. En este trabajo se corrige asimismo la distribución meridio