The costs of playing free games on gambling websites

One of the most common ways to entice gamblers to play online is to make them try out games in ‘demo’, ‘practice’ or ‘free play’ mode. At one level, most would argue that playing for points rather than money is little more than innocuous fun. However, is this really the case? Dr. Mark Griffiths and Abby McCormack, of Nottingham Trent University, and Dr Jonathan Parke, of the University of Salford, examine some of the real costs of playing free online games on gambling websites

Electrical characterization Of SiGe thin films

An apparatus for measuring electrical resistivity and Hall coefficient on both thin films and bulk material over a temperature range of 300K to 1300K has been built. A unique alumina fixture, with four molybdenum probes, allows arbitrarily shaped samples, up to 2.5 cm diameter, to be measured using van der Pauw's method. The system is fully automated and is constructed with commercially available components. Measurements of the electrical properties of doped and undoped Si-Ge thin films, grown by liquid phase epitaxy reported here, are to illustrate the capabilities of the apparatus

Controls on Cyclic Formation of Quaternary Early Diagenetic Dolomite

The origin of sedimentary dolomite and the factors that control its formation within the geological record remain speculative. In most models, dolomite formation is linked to evaporative conditions, high water temperature, increasing Mg/Ca ratio, increasing alkalinity, and high amounts of biomass. Here we challenge these archetypal views, by documenting a case example of Quaternary dolomite which formed in Lake Van at constantly low temperature (<4°C) and without direct control of the latter conditions. Dolomite occurs within highstand sediments related to suborbital climate variability (Dansgaard‐Oeschger cycles). We propose that dolomite precipitation is a product of a microbially influenced process, triggered by ecological stress, resulting from reventilation of the water‐sediment interface. Independently from the validity of this hypothesis, our results call for a reevaluation of the paleoenvironmental conditions often invoked for early diagenetic dolomite‐rich intervals within sedimentary sequences and for caution when interpreting time series of subrecent lacustrine carbonates

Issues in the reporting of epidemiological studies: a survey of recent practice.

OBJECTIVES: To review current practice in the analysis and reporting of epidemiological research and to identify limitations. DESIGN: Examination of articles published in January 2001 that investigated associations between risk factors/exposure variables and disease events/measures in individuals. SETTING: Eligible English language journals including all major epidemiological journals, all major general medical journals, and the two leading journals in cardiovascular disease and cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Each article was evaluated with a standard proforma. RESULTS: We found 73 articles in observational epidemiology; most were either cohort or case-control studies. Most studies looked at cancer and cardiovascular disease, even after we excluded specialty journals. Quantitative exposure variables predominated, which were mostly analysed as ordered categories but with little consistency or explanation regarding choice of categories. Sample selection, participant refusal, and data quality received insufficient attention in many articles. Statistical analyses commonly used odds ratios (38 articles) and hazard/rate ratios (23), with some inconsistent use of terminology. Confidence intervals were reported in most studies (68), though use of P values was less common (38). Few articles explained their choice of confounding variables; many performed subgroup analyses claiming an effect modifier, though interaction tests were rare. Several investigated multiple associations between exposure and outcome, increasing the likelihood of false positive claims. There was evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: This survey raises concerns regarding inadequacies in the analysis and reporting of epidemiological publications in mainstream journals

Ecological Effects of Fear: How Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity in Predation Risk Influences Mule Deer Access to Forage in a Sky‐Island System

Forage availability and predation risk interact to affect habitat use of ungulates across many biomes. Within sky‐island habitats of the Mojave Desert, increased availability of diverse forage and cover may provide ungulates with unique opportunities to extend nutrient uptake and/or to mitigate predation risk. We addressed whether habitat use and foraging patterns of female mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) responded to normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), NDVI rate of change (green‐up), or the occurrence of cougars (Puma concolor). Female mule deer used available green‐up primarily in spring, although growing vegetation was available during other seasons. Mule deer and cougar shared similar habitat all year, and our models indicated cougars had a consistent, negative effect on mule deer access to growing vegetation, particularly in summer when cougar occurrence became concentrated at higher elevations. A seemingly late parturition date coincided with diminishing NDVI during the lactation period. Sky‐island populations, rarely studied, provide the opportunity to determine how mule deer respond to growing foliage along steep elevation and vegetation gradients when trapped with their predators and seasonally limited by aridity. Our findings indicate that fear of predation may restrict access to the forage resources found in sky islands

Toll-like receptors and NOD-like receptors in rheumatic diseases

The past 10 years have seen the description of families of receptors that drive proinflammatory cytokine production in infection and tissue injury. Two major classes have been examined in the context of inflammatory joint disease - the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs). TLRs such as TLR2 and TLR4 are being implicated in the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lyme arthritis and osteoarthritis. Nalp3 has been identified as a key NLR for IL-1β production and has been shown to have a particular role in gout. These findings present new therapeutic opportunities, possibly allowing for the replacement of biologics with small molecule inhibitors

Ample consumption period available until use-by dates: a potential, marketing position for store brands

Traditionally store brands in Australia are viewed with suspicion in regard to their quality and are usually purchased because of the "value for money" that they offer. Australian supermarket majors are considering introducing a new suite of store brands in the higher price brackets. The danger of moving upscale however is that these store brands are relinquishing their value for money appeal and will come head to head with the manufactured brands. Store brands will now require some quality dimension to compete. This paper after studying the attitudes and behavioural response of grocery shoppers to use by dates, is proposing that that the promise of "generous" use-by dates as a surrogate for quality, could be considered as a positioning plank to promote store brands as alternatives to manufactured brands. Logit analysis is employed to explain shoppers' perception and response to use-by dates, of products that they regularly buy, and of alternative products which they have never bought before if the use-by dates of their regular items are perceived to be too shor

Evaluation of linear ozone photochemistry parametrizations in a stratosphere-troposphere data assimilation system

This paper evaluates the performance of various linear ozone photochemistry parametrizations using the stratosphere-troposphere data assimilation system of the Met Office. A set of experiments were run for the period 23 September 2003 to 5 November 2003 using the Cariolle (v1.0 and v2.1), LINOZ and Chem2D-OPP (v0.1 and v2.1) parametrizations. All operational meteorological observations were assimilated, together with ozone retrievals from the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS). Experiments were validated against independent data from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and ozonesondes. Additionally, a simple offline method for comparing the parametrizations is introduced. <br><br> It is shown that in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere, outside the polar night, ozone analyses are controlled by the photochemistry parametrizations and not by the assimilated observations. The most important factor in getting good results at these levels is to pay attention to the ozone and temperature climatologies in the parametrizations. There should be no discrepancies between the climatologies and the assimilated observations or the model, but there is also a competing demand that the climatologies be objectively accurate in themselves. Conversely, in the lower stratosphere outside regions of heterogeneous ozone depletion, the ozone analyses are dominated by observational increments and the photochemistry parametrizations have little influence. <br><br> We investigate a number of known problems in LINOZ and Cariolle v1.0 in more detail than previously, and we find discrepancies in Cariolle v2.1 and Chem2D-OPP v2.1, which are demonstrated to have been removed in the latest available versions (v2.8 and v2.6 respectively). In general, however, all the parametrizations work well through much of the stratosphere, helped by the presence of good quality assimilated MIPAS observations

The practices of apartheid as a war crime: a critical analysis

The human suffering caused by the political ideology of apartheid in South Africa during the Apartheid era (1948-1994) prompted worldwide condemnation and a variety of diplomatic and legal responses. Amongst these responses was the attempt to have apartheid recognised both as a crime against humanity in the 1973 Apartheid Convention as well as a war crime in Article 85(4)(c) of Additional Protocol I. This article examines the origins, nature and current status of the practices of apartheid as a war crime and its possible application to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict