The International Alcohol Control Study: Methodology and implementation.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: The International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study is a multi-country collaborative project to assess patterns of alcohol consumption and the impact of alcohol control policy. The aim of this paper is to report the methods and implementation of the IAC. DESIGN AND METHODS: The IAC has been implemented among drinkers 16-65 years in high- and middle-income countries: Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, South Africa, Peru, Mongolia and Vietnam (the latter four samples were sub-national). Two research instruments were used: the IAC survey of drinkers and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol (a protocol for policy analysis). The survey was administered via computer-assisted interview and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol data were collected via document review, administrative or commercial data and key informant interviews. RESULTS: The IAC instruments were readily adapted for cross-country use. The IAC methodology has provided cross-country survey data on key measures of alcohol consumption (quantity, frequency and volume), aspects of policy relevant behaviour and policy implementation: availability, price, purchasing, marketing and drink driving. The median response rate for all countries was 60% (range 16% to 99%). Where data on alcohol available for consumption were available the validity of survey consumption measures were assessed by calculating survey coverage found to be 86% or above. Differential response bias was handled, to the extent it could be, using post-stratification weights. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The IAC study will allow for cross-country analysis of drinking patterns, the relationship between alcohol use and policy relevant behaviour in different countries

Games of Incomplete Information and Myopic Equilibria

A new concept of an equilibrium in games is introduced that solves an open question posed by A. Neyman

A population-based investigation into inequalities amongst Indigenous mothers and newborns by place of residence in the Northern Territory, Australia

BACKGROUND: Comparisons of birth outcomes between Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations show marked inequalities. These comparisons obscure Indigenous disparities. There is much variation in terms of culture, language, residence, and access to services amongst Australian Indigenous peoples. We examined outcomes by region and remoteness for Indigenous subgroups and explored data for communities to inform health service delivery and interventions. METHODS: Our population-based study examined maternal and neonatal outcomes for 7,560 mothers with singleton pregnancies from Australia’s Northern Territory Midwives’ Data Collection (2003–2005) using uni- and multivariate analyses. Groupings were by Indigenous status; region (Top End (TE)/Central Australia (CA)); Remote/ Urban residence; and across two large TE communities. RESULTS: Of the sample, 34.1% were Indigenous women, of whom 65.6% were remote-dwelling versus 6.7% of non- Indigenous women. In comparison to CA Urban mothers: TE Remote (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.47, 95%CI: 1.13, 1.90) and TE Urban mothers (aOR 1.36 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.80) were more likely, but CA Remote mothers (aOR 0.43; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.58) less likely to smoke during pregnancy; CA Remote mothers giving birth at >32 weeks gestation were less likely to have attended ≥ five antenatal visits (aOR 0.55; 95%CI: 0.36, 0.86); TE Remote (aOR 0.71; 95%CI: 0.53, 0.95) and CA Remote women (aOR 0.68; 95%CI: 0.49, 0.95) who experienced labour had lower odds of epidural/ spinal/narcotic pain relief; and TE Remote (aOR 0.47; 95%CI: 0.34, 0.66), TE Urban (aOR 0.67; 95%CI: 0.46, 0.96) and CA Remote mothers (aOR 0.52; 95%CI: 0.35, 0.76) all had lower odds of having a ‘normal’ birth. The aOR for preterm birth for TE Remote newborns was 2.09 (95%CI: 1.20, 3.64) and they weighed 137 g (95%CI: -216 g, -59 g) less than CA Urban babies. There were few significant differences for communities, except for smoking prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: This paper is one of few quantifying inequalities between groups of Australian Indigenous women and newborns at a regional level. Indigenous mothers and newborns do worse on some outcomes if they live remotely, especially if they live in the TE. Smoking prevention and high-quality antenatal care is fundamental to addressing many of the adverse outcomes identified in this paper.Malinda Steenkamp, Alice Rumbold, Lesley Barclay and Sue Kilde

COMBINING ABILITY OF QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF WHEAT CULTIVARS GROWN IN LESOTHO

Wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) industry in Lesotho is at an infancy stage consisting of farmers producing poor quality that fetches low price for their produce. The aim of this study was to evaluate parents, F1 and F2 progeny from a diallel cross for quality characteristics of wheat cultivars grown in Lesotho. The quality characteristics were breakflour yield, flour protein content, mixogram development time, Sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume, and single kernel weight, single kernel diameter and single kernel hardness. There were significant differences among parents, F1 and F2 progeny for all characteristics. SST 124 and Wanda were the best general combiners. In F1 progeny, Wanda x Nata and SST 124 x Nata exhibited good SCA while in F2, SST 124 x Nata showed good SCA. GCA/SCA ratio in F1 progeny showed non-additive gene action in all characteristics except one; while F2 progeny indicated that break flour yield, flour protein content, single kernel characterisation system hardness and mixogram development time were controlled by non-additive gene action. Sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume, single kernel weight and single kernel hardness were controlled by additive gene action. Genetic diversity among promising parents, F1 and F2 progeny can be combined for high quality characteristics through gene pyramiding.L\u2019industrie du bl\ue9 ( Triticum aestivum ) au Lesotho est au niveau pr\ue9liminaire consistant en la production de basse qualit\ue9 et par cons\ue9quent le prix bas du produit. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer les parents, les prog\ue9nies F1 et F2 \ue0 partir des croisements d\u2019all\ue8les pour les caract\ue9ristiques de qualit\ue9 de cultivars de bl\ue9 cultiv\ue9s au Lesotho. Les caract\ue9ristiques de qualit\ue9 \ue9taient le rendement en farine, le contenu de la farine en prot\ue9ine, le temps de d\ue9veloppement du mixogramme, le volume de s\ue9dimentation du sulfate dodecyle du sodium, ainsi que le poids d\u2019un seul grain, le diam\ue8tre d\u2019un seul grain et la duret\ue9 d\u2019un seul grain. Aucune diff\ue9rence significative n\u2019\ue9tait trouv\ue9e parmi les parents, les prog\ue9g\ue9nies F1 et F2 pour toutes les caract\ue9ristiques. Dans la prog\ue9nie F1, Wanda x Nata et SST 124 x Nata ont exhib\ue9 un bon SCA pendant que dans F2, SST 124 x Nata ont montr\ue9 un bon SCA. Le rapport GCA/SCA dans F1 a montr\ue9 une action de g\ue8ne non-additive dans toutes les caract\ue9ristiques sauf une seule; pendant que F2 a indiqu\ue9 que le rendement en farine, le contenu de la farine en prot\ue9ine, la caract\ue9risation du syst\ue8me de duret\ue9 d\u2019 un seul grain et le temps de d\ue9veloppement du mixogramme \ue9taient control\ue9s par une action du g\ue8ne non-additif. Le volume de s\ue9dimentation du sulfate de sodium dodecyle, le poids d\u2019un seul grain et la duret\ue9 d\u2019un seul grain \ue9taient control\ue9s par une action de g\ue8ne additif. La diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique parmi les parents promettants, les prog\ue9nies F1 et F2 peuvent \ueatre combin\ue9es pour des caract\ue9ristiques sup\ue9rieurs \ue0 travers le pyramidage de g\ue8nes

COMBINING ABILITY OF QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF WHEAT CULTIVARS GROWN IN LESOTHO

Wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) industry in Lesotho is at an infancy stage consisting of farmers producing poor quality that fetches low price for their produce. The aim of this study was to evaluate parents, F1 and F2 progeny from a diallel cross for quality characteristics of wheat cultivars grown in Lesotho. The quality characteristics were breakflour yield, flour protein content, mixogram development time, Sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume, and single kernel weight, single kernel diameter and single kernel hardness. There were significant differences among parents, F1 and F2 progeny for all characteristics. SST 124 and Wanda were the best general combiners. In F1 progeny, Wanda x Nata and SST 124 x Nata exhibited good SCA while in F2, SST 124 x Nata showed good SCA. GCA/SCA ratio in F1 progeny showed non-additive gene action in all characteristics except one; while F2 progeny indicated that break flour yield, flour protein content, single kernel characterisation system hardness and mixogram development time were controlled by non-additive gene action. Sodium dodecyl sulphate sedimentation volume, single kernel weight and single kernel hardness were controlled by additive gene action. Genetic diversity among promising parents, F1 and F2 progeny can be combined for high quality characteristics through gene pyramiding.L’industrie du blé ( Triticum aestivum ) au Lesotho est au niveau préliminaire consistant en la production de basse qualité et par conséquent le prix bas du produit. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer les parents, les progénies F1 et F2 à partir des croisements d’allèles pour les caractéristiques de qualité de cultivars de blé cultivés au Lesotho. Les caractéristiques de qualité étaient le rendement en farine, le contenu de la farine en protéine, le temps de développement du mixogramme, le volume de sédimentation du sulfate dodecyle du sodium, ainsi que le poids d’un seul grain, le diamètre d’un seul grain et la dureté d’un seul grain. Aucune différence significative n’était trouvée parmi les parents, les progégénies F1 et F2 pour toutes les caractéristiques. Dans la progénie F1, Wanda x Nata et SST 124 x Nata ont exhibé un bon SCA pendant que dans F2, SST 124 x Nata ont montré un bon SCA. Le rapport GCA/SCA dans F1 a montré une action de gène non-additive dans toutes les caractéristiques sauf une seule; pendant que F2 a indiqué que le rendement en farine, le contenu de la farine en protéine, la caractérisation du système de dureté d’ un seul grain et le temps de développement du mixogramme étaient controlés par une action du gène non-additif. Le volume de sédimentation du sulfate de sodium dodecyle, le poids d’un seul grain et la dureté d’un seul grain étaient controlés par une action de gène additif. La diversité génétique parmi les parents promettants, les progénies F1 et F2 peuvent être combinées pour des caractéristiques supérieurs à travers le pyramidage de gènes