Unusual landing of cephalopods along Ratnagiri coast off Maharashtra

Cephalopods are a marine fishery resource of increasing importance along Maharashtra coast and mostly exploited by trawlers. In 2017 cephalopods forms 9.4% of total marine fish landing of Maharashtra. During month of mid-October to mid- November 2017 there was sudden spurt in Indian squid (Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvaucelii) and Pharaoh cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis) catch at Harnai and Rajiwada fish landing centre of Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra

Diversity among clients of female sex workers in India: comparing risk profiles and intervention impact by site of solicitation. implications for the vulnerability of less visible female sex workers.

BACKGROUND: It seems generally accepted that targeted interventions in India have been successful in raising condom use between female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients. Data from clients of FSWs have been under-utilised to analyse the risk environments and vulnerability of both partners. METHODS: The 2009 Integrated Biological and Behavioural Assessment survey sampled clients of FSWs at hotspots in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu (n=5040). The risk profile of clients in terms of sexual networking and condom use are compared across usual pick-up place. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to estimate the average treatment effect on treated (ATT) of intervention messages on clients' consistent condom use with FSW. RESULTS: Clients of the more hidden sex workers who solicit from home or via phone or agents had more extensive sexual networks, reporting casual female partners as well as anal intercourse with male partners and FSW. Clients of brothel-based sex workers, who were the least educated, reported the fewest number/categories of partners, least anal sex, and lowest condom use (41%). Consistent condom use varied widely by state: 65% in Andhra Pradesh, 36% in Maharashtra and 29% in Tamil Nadu. Exposure to intervention messages on sexually transmitted infections was lowest among men frequenting brothels (58%), and highest among men soliciting less visible sex workers (70%). Exposure had significant impact on consistent condom use, including among clients of home-based sex workers (ATT 21%; p=0.001) and among men soliciting other more hidden FSW (ATT 17%; p=0.001). In Tamil Nadu no impact could be demonstrated. CONCLUSION: Commercial sex happens between two partners and both need to be, and can be, reached by intervention messages. Commercial sex is still largely unprotected and as the sex industry gets more diffuse a greater focus on reaching clients of sex workers seems important given their extensive sexual networks

European Society of Endodontology position statement: Management of deep caries and the exposed pulp

This position statement on the management of deep caries and the exposed pulp represents the consensus of an expert committee, convened by the European Society of Endodontology (ESE). Preserving the pulp in a healthy state with sustained vitality, preventing apical periodontitis and developing minimally invasive biologically based therapies are key themes within contemporary clinical endodontics. The aim of this statement was to summarize current best evidence on the diagnosis and classification of deep caries and caries‐induced pulpal disease, as well as indicating appropriate clinical management strategies for avoiding and treating pulp exposure in permanent teeth with deep or extremely deep caries. In presenting these findings, areas of controversy, low‐quality evidence and uncertainties are highlighted, prior to recommendations for each area of interest. A recently published review article provides more detailed information and was the basis for this position statement (Bjørndal et al. 2019, International Endodontic Journal, doi:10.1111/iej.13128). The intention of this position statement is to provide the practitioner with relevant clinical guidance in this rapidly developing area. An update will be provided within 5 years as further evidence emerges

Numerical computation of response time distributions using stochastic reward nets

We consider the numerical computation of response time distributions for closed product form queueing networks using the tagged customer approach. We map this problem on to the computation of the time to absorption distribution of a finite-state continuous time Markov chain. The construction and solution of these Markov chains is carried out using a variation of stochastic Petri nets called stochastic reward nets (SRNs). We examine the effects of changing the service discipline and the service time distribution at a queueing center on the response time distribution. A multiserver queueing network example is also presented. While the tagged customer approach for computing the response time distribution is not new, this paper presents a new approach for computing the response time distributions using SRNs. © 1994 J.C. Baltzer AG, Science Publishers