Happiness as a Driver of Risk-Avoiding Behavior

Most governments try to discourage their citizens from taking extreme risks with their health and lives. Yet, for reasons not understood, many people continue to do so. We suggest a new approach to this longstanding question. First, we show that expected-utility theory predicts that 'happier' people will be less attracted to risky behaviors. Second, using BRFSS data on seatbelt use in a sample of 300,000 Americans, we document evidence strongly consistent with that prediction. Our result is demonstrated with various methodological approaches, including Bayesian model-selection and instrumental-variable estimation (based on unhappiness caused by widowhood). Third, using data on road accidents from the Add Health data set, we find strongly corroborative longitudinal evidence. These results suggest that government policy may need to address the underlying happiness of individuals rather than focus on behavioural symptoms.subjective well-being, risky behaviors, effects of well-being, rational carelessness

Happiness as a Driver of Risk-Avoiding Behavior

Understanding the reasons why individuals take risks, particularly unnecessary risks, remains an important question in economics. We provide the first evidence of a powerful connection between happiness and risk-avoidance. Using data on 300,000 Americans, we demonstrate that happier individuals wear seatbelts more frequently. This result is obtained with five different methodological approaches, including Bayesian model-selection and an instrumented analysis based on unhappiness through widowhood. Independent longitudinal data corroborate the finding, showing that happiness is predictive of future motor vehicle accidents. Our results are consistent with a rational-choice explanation: happy people value life and thus act to preserve it.risk preferences, seatbelt usage, vehicle accidents, subjective well-being, happiness

Towards understanding the presence/absence of Human African Trypanosomosis in a focus of Côte d'Ivoire: a spatial analysis of the pathogenic system

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at identifying factors influencing the development of Human African Trypanosomosis (HAT, or sleeping sickness) in the focus of Bonon, located in the mesophile forest of Côte d'Ivoire. A previous study mapping the main daytime activity sites of 96 patients revealed an important disparity between the area south of the town- where all the patients lived- and the area north of the town, apparently free of disease. In order to explain this disparity, we carried out a spatial analysis of the key components of the pathogenic system, i.e. the human host, the tsetse vector and the trypanosomes in their environment using a geographic information system (GIS). RESULTS: This approach at the scale of a HAT focus enabled us to identify spatial patterns which linked to the transmission and the dissemination of this disease. The history of human settlement (with the rural northern area exploited much earlier than the southern one) appears to be a major factor which determines the land use pattern, which itself may account for differences found in vector densities (tsetse were found six times more abundant in the southern rural area than in the northern). Vector density, according to the human and environmental context in which it is found (here an intense mobility between the town of Bonon and the rural areas), may explain the observed spatial differences in HAT prevalence. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates the role of GIS analyses of key components of the pathogenic system in providing a better understanding of transmission and dissemination of HAT. Moreover, following the identification of the most active transmission areas, and of an area unfavourable to HAT transmission, this study more precisely delineates the boundaries of the Bonon focus. As a follow-up, targeted tsetse control activities starting north of Bonon (with few chances of reinvasion due to very low densities) going south, and additional medical surveys in the south will be proposed to the Ivoirian HAT control program to enhance the control of the disease in this focus. This work also shows the evolution of HAT regarding time and environment, and the methodology used may be able to predict possible sleeping sickness development/extinction in areas with similar history and space organization

Development and application of an electronic treatment register: a system for enumerating populations and monitoring treatment during mass drug administration.

We developed an electronic treatment register for the DeWorm3 Project, a cluster-randomised, controlled trial in Benin, India, and Malawi testing the feasibility of interrupting transmission of soil-transmitted helminths through community-wide mass drug administration. The electronic treatment register was designed in xlsform, deployed via the SurveyCTO mobile data collection platform, and implemented on smartphones running the Android operating system. The versatile system enables collection of census and treatment status information, facilitates data aggregation and visualisation, and permits real-time feedback loops during implementation of mass drug administration. Here we describe the system's design and use within the DeWorm3 Project and key features, and by sharing the register here, we hope our readers will further explore its use within their research and disease-control activities

Happy Moves? Assessing the Link between Life Satisfaction and Emigration Intentions

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. It has been shown that higher levels of subjective well-being lead to greater work productivity, better physical health and enhanced social skills. Because of these positive externalities, policymakers across the world should be interested in attracting and retaining happy and life-satisfied migrants. This paper studies the link between life satisfaction and one's intentions to move abroad. Using survey data from 35 European and Central Asian countries, I find a U-shaped association between life satisfaction and emigration intentions: it is the most and the least life-satisfied people who are the most likely to express intentions to emigrate. This result is found in countries with different levels of economic development and institutional quality. The instrumental variable results suggest that higher levels of life satisfaction have a positive effect on the probability of reporting intentions to migrate. The findings of this paper raise concerns about possible 'happiness drain' in migrant-sending countries

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Pengenalan Komputer Disertai Pelatihan Mengetik bagi Anak Remaja Pusat Pengembangan Anak 434 Gloria Genyem Kelurahan Tabri Provinsi Papua

Knowledge in the computer field is needed by everyone nowadays. In Papua Province, there is a Child Development Center (PPA 434) which aims to train and teach children in various fields of knowledge. Despite limited computer and internet facilities, training was provided to children to improve their computer skills. The material provided in this training is knowledge in the field of computer hardware, software and the ability to type using a computer. The training is provided using a distance learning system regularly every week for four meetings. The training results were measured using pre-test and post-test, which showed an increase in literacy skills in the computer field after participating in this training.Pengetahuan di bidang komputer diperlukan oleh setiap orang saat ini. Di Provinsi Papua terdapat Pusat Pengembangan Anak (PPA 434) yang bertujuan untuk melatih dan mengajar anak-anak dalam berbagai bidang ilmu. Meskipun fasilitas komputer dan internet yang terbatas, pelatihan diberikan kepada anak-anak untuk meningkatkan kemampuan di bidang komputer. Materi yang diberikan dalam pelatihan ini adalah pengetahuan di bidang perangkat keras komputer, perangkat lunak dan kemampuan mengetik menggunakan komputer. Tujuan dari pelatihan ini adalah memberikan literasi di bidang komputer seperti pengetahuan perangkat keras dan perangkat lunak serta pelatihan mengetik. Metoda pelatihan diberikan menggunakan sistem belajar jarak jauh secara berkala setiap minggu sebanyak empat kali pertemuan. Peserta pelatihan dan instruktur melakukan pelatihan di tempat masing masing (Papua dan Bandung) menggunakan aplikasi zoom. Hasil pelatihan diukur menggunakan pre-test dan post-test yang memperlihatkan peningkatan kemampuan literasi di bidang komputer setelah mengikuti pelatihan ini. Para peserta pelatihan juga diberikan pengetesan kecepatan mengetik. Pada akhir pelatihan berdasarkan dari hasil pengukuran pre-test dan post-test didapatkan bahwa pengetahuan para peserta pelatihan telah meningkat. Selain itu juga kemampuan mengetik para peserta pelatihan telah meningkat dari 17 kata per menit menjadi 29 kata per menit

Optimizing laser coupling, matter heating, and particle acceleration from solids using multiplexed ultraintense lasers

Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations. Here, we investigate how to optimize their coupling with solid targets. Experimentally, we show that overlapping two intense lasers in a mirror-like configuration onto a solid with a large preplasma can greatly improve the generation of hot electrons at the target front and ion acceleration at the target backside. The underlying mechanisms are analyzed through multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations, revealing that the self-induced magnetic fields driven by the two laser beams at the target front are susceptible to reconnection, which is one possible mechanism to boost electron energization. In addition, the resistive magnetic field generated during the transport of the hot electrons in the target bulk tends to improve their collimation. Our simulations also indicate that such effects can be further enhanced by overlapping more than two laser beams

Epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminths following sustained implementation of routine preventive chemotherapy: Demographics and baseline results of a cluster randomised trial in southern Malawi.

Malawi has successfully leveraged multiple delivery platforms to scale-up and sustain the implementation of preventive chemotherapy (PCT) for the control of morbidity caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Sentinel monitoring demonstrates this strategy has been successful in reducing STH infection in school-age children, although our understanding of the contemporary epidemiological profile of STH across the broader community remains limited. As part of a multi-site trial evaluating the feasibility of interrupting STH transmission across three countries, this study aimed to describe the baseline demographics and the prevalence, intensity and associated risk factors of STH infection in Mangochi district, southern Malawi. Between October-December 2017, a community census was conducted across the catchment area of seven primary healthcare facilities, enumerating 131,074 individuals across 124 villages. A cross-sectional parasitological survey was then conducted between March-May 2018 in the censused area as a baseline for a cluster randomised trial. An age-stratified random sample of 6,102 individuals were assessed for helminthiasis by Kato-Katz and completed a detailed risk-factor questionnaire. The age-cluster weighted prevalence of any STH infection was 7.8% (95% C.I. 7.0%-8.6%) comprised predominantly of hookworm species and of entirely low-intensity infections. The presence and intensity of infection was significantly higher in men and in adults. Infection was negatively associated with risk factors that included increasing levels of relative household wealth, higher education levels of any adult household member, current school attendance, or recent deworming. In this setting of relatively high coverage of sanitation facilities, there was no association between hookworm and reported access to sanitation, handwashing facilities, or water facilities. These results describe a setting that has reduced the prevalence of STH to a very low level, and confirms many previously recognised risk-factors for infection. Expanding the delivery of anthelmintics to groups where STH infection persist could enable Malawi to move past the objective of elimination of morbidity, and towards the elimination of STH. Trial registration: NCT03014167