Why were New Zealand levels of life-expectation so high at the dawn of the twentieth century?

With population ageing becoming an issue of major importance for societies in the developed countries, in both the scientific and policy communities there is widespread interest in the determinants of these structural changes. The focus has been on declines in fertility, arguably the major causal factor, but increasingly analyses are turning to the other major determinant, improving survivorship. This paper relates to this aspect of ageing but not to fertility per se

Developing the mental health workforce capacity in primary care: implementing the role of graduate primary care mental health workers in England

The scale of current demand on primary care services from people seeking help with common mental health problems places enormous pressure on the existing front line workers in general practice. The paucity of training opportunities and competing pressures to deliver improved services across a range of general practice targets remains a major challenge for primary care professionals. The impact of government policy, to improve both access to and choice of treatments, has raised public expectations. The commissioning of the graduate workforce, the graduate worker in primary care mental health(GWPCMH), commenced in 2002, in response to the publication of target numbers detailed in the Priorities and Planning Framework, (DoH, 2002). It signalled a determination to expand the workforce provision and improve the quality of care for service users with common mental health problems. This paper examines the scale of common mental health problems, the policy response and the commissioning process. Particular attention is given to examining the barriers that have been shown to affect implementation, identifying the key influencers and the resources required to train these workers

Differential trends in the compression of mortality: Assessing the antecedents to current gaps in health expectancy in New Zealand

Health Expectancies (HEs) for New Zealand show significant differentials between Maori and non-Maori, but also by gender and period. These differentials correlate with findings from both generation and synthetic life-tables relating to New Zealand’s epidemiologic transition. At the beginning of that transition quartile 1 (Q(1)), and Median (Med) d(x) values were close and centred at young ages; during the transition the gap became very wide; at the transition’s end the gap again narrowed. Cohort and synthetic trends in d(x), l(x), M, Qs and Meds are reviewed and linked to recent HEs. Data point to epidemic polarisation. Cohort analysis allows the evaluation of the role of past experiences on the recent HEs, and thus point to possible strategies for reducing gaps in both d(x), and HEs

Development Of Fuzzy Logic Model For Turning Process Of Steel Alloy And Titanium Alloys

The study is about the application of fuzzy logic in representing the machinability data for the turning process. Machining is a very complex process with respect to the influences of the machining parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. In order to perform a good machining practice the proper selection of the machinability data, which includes the machining parameters and cutting tools is very important. Normally, the selection of the machinability data is done by the skilled machinist. The manufacturer may face trouble without the presence of the skilled machinists. Thus, there is a necessity to represent the knowledge of the skilled machinists into model, so that any normal machinists will be able to perform a good machining practice by retrieving the information which prescribed in the model. Consequently, fuzzy logic was chosen as a tool to describe the strategy and action of the skilled machinist. In this study, two types of fuzzy models for different workpiece material have been developed, and they are alloy steel and titanium alloys fuzzy models. Both fuzzy models serve the purpose of predicting the appropriate cutting speed and feed rate with respect to the corresponding input variables. Generally, the development of fuzzy model involves the design of three main elements, which are inputs membership functions, fuzzy rules (inference mechanism), and output membership functions. So far, there is no any clear procedure that can be used to develop these three elements. Thus, the strategy for generalizing the development of alloy steel fuzzy model has been suggested. This strategy is useful and less effort is required for developing a related new fuzzy models. The design of fuzzy rules is always the difficult part in developing the fuzzy model due to the tedious way of defining fuzzy rules with the conventional method. Therefore, a new method of developing fuzzy rules, namely fuzzy rule mapping has been introduced and implemented. Through fuzzy rule mapping method, the effort and the time required in developing the fuzzy rules has been reduced. This method has been applied in the developing the fuzzy model for alloy steel. All the predicted outputs (cutting speed and feed rate) from the alloy steel (with general strategy and fuzzy rule mapping) and titanium alloys fuzzy models were being compared with the data obtained from “Machining Data Handbook”, by Metcut Research Associate, and a good match have been obtained throughout the comparison. The average percentage errors for alloy steel fuzzy models with the implementation of general strategy and fuzzy rule mapping are about the ranges of 3.1% to 5.6% and 3.0% to 10.7%, respectively. On the other hand, the average percentage error for titanium alloys fuzzy model is about 1.8% to 5.1%. These results have showed that the machinability data information for the turning of alloy steel and titanium alloys can be represented by fuzzy model. Besides that, it has also proved the feasibility of using the suggested strategy and fuzzy rule mapping method

Evaluation of parametrics for the development of vertical solar chimney ventilation in hot and humid climate

In terms of housing passive cooling design, tropical climatic regions present the most difficult problem to solve. A good dwelling design can keep the indoor environment favorable and comfortable during most of the year without the use of any mechanical devices. This can be accomplished by various techniques such as the use of radiant barrier, insulation materials, and natural ventilation. Depending on ambient conditions, natural ventilation may lead to indoor thermal comfort without mechanical cooling. However, in cases where the wind effect is not well captured especially in single side ventilation, then solar–induced ventilation may be a viable alternative. Solar induced ventilation standing involved temperature difference experiments which can be done using both physical modeling and computer simulation (Computational Fluid Dynamics). Solar induced, especially vertical solar chimney ventilation combined air movement and solar radiation simulation. They have different input data which depend on the climatic data of the selected location. This paper evaluates the parametric study strategies in pilot testing, terrace house model and previous research model by simulation and experiment for solar induced ventilation in tropical condition. Comparison of the results of simulations and experiments illustrate a good agreement between numerical and experimental results. These results encourage further research to develop the vertical solar chimney suitable for tropical condition

Strongly-interacting fermions in an optical lattice

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 131-138).Two sets of studies are described in this thesis. The first describes studies conducted with sodium Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) while the second focuses on the pairing of fermionic lithium-6 pairs in an optical lattice within the strongly interacting BEC-BCS regime. Common to both sets of studies is the use of a magnetically tunable Feshbach resonance to manipulate interactions between the atoms. In the first experiment, we destabilize a sodium BEC by switching its interactions from repulsive to attractive and studied the resulting dynamics. A local amplification of low momentum energetic instabilities was observed and the measured rate of amplification agreed well with theoretical predictions. For large condensates, this process depleted the condensate faster than the global inward collapse. Subsequently, I describe the major construction effort that was undertaken to convert our BEC machine to a two-species machine capable of cooling fermionic lithium-6. Upon its completion, we obtained a resonance superfluid of loosely bound 6Li pairs in the BECBCS crossover. When placed in a shallow optical lattice, long range phase coherence of this resonance superfluid was inferred from the presence of sharp interference peaks after ballistic expansion. With this observation we have obtained the first evidence of superfluidity of fermions in an optical lattice. A loss in phase coherence occurred when the lattice depth was increased past a critical value, possibly signaling a transition to an insulating state. Further preliminary explorations of this novel system is described followed by an outline of its potential for studying condensed matter phenomena like high temperature superconductivity.by Jit Kee Chin.Ph.D

Microarray Analyses of Grain Filling in Malaysian Indica Rice Varieties (Oryza Sativa L.) Mr84 And Mr219

Rice is a dominant staple food in Asia, including Malaysia. In this study, microarray analysis has been undertaken to identify the genes that were expressed at different stages of rice grain filling in MR219 and MR84 as it is a vital factor that affects the yield of rice directly. Two microarrays were used in this present study: cDNA microarray developed from 3840 PCR-amplified cDNAs from flag leaves and panicles; and commercial NSF 20 K rice oligonucleotide array. cDNA microarray analysis of panicles at 1, 5, 10 and 15 days after heading (DAH) of MR219 compared to heading revealed that a high proportion of storage proteins (glutelin and prolamin) were differentially expressed at 5, 10 and 15 DAH compared to heading in MR219. To compare the expressed genes in MR219 and MR84 at early grain filling period (5 and 10 DAH), microarray data generated from NSF 20K rice oligonucleotide array was analyzed using limmaGUI. Differentially expressed genes at 5-10 DAH from both MR219 and MR84 exhibited diversified functions, suggesting that rice grain filling is a complex biological process involving many different biochemical pathways. Genes encoding transcripts related to transcriptional regulation and signal transduction were differentially expressed at 5 and 10 DAH. In MR84, transcriptional factor EREBP, ethylene receptor, ERF-like protein and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase 1 were up-regulated at 10 DAH while other transcription factors such as RING finger, zinc finger, GRAS family transcription factor were up-regulated in MR219. The up-regulation of genes related to sugar signaling and sensing may correlate to the assimilate partitioning and transport which occurred during 5-10 DAH in both varieties. Changes in gene expression caused by „varieties‟ and „developmental stage‟ effects involved transcripts related to stress and defense response, signal transduction and assimilate transportation in MR84 only. The expression patterns of 2 out of 3 selected genes examined were consistent when analyzed with microarray and RT-PCR. Southern analyses showed that putative ethylene responsive transcriptional coactivator and putative ABI3 interacting protein 2 may exist in more than one copy in the genome of both MR84 and MR219 whereas putative BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-associated receptor kinase 1 precursor may be a single copy gene in both varieties. Real time RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that putative BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-associated receptor kinase 1 precursor and putative ethylene responsive transcriptional coactivator were differentially expressed at heading, fertilized and 9-12 DAH compared to booting in MR84 and MR219

Unified European Front: The Road towards a European Unitary Patent. EU Centre Singapore Working Paper No. 21, March 2014

For over forty years, European countries have held numerous conferences and signed multiple international agreements aimed at either creating a unitary patent which will be valid in all European countries upon issuance or establishing a specialized European court with jurisdiction over patents. This paper first outlines the need for a unitary patent in the European Union and then chronicles the measures taken to support and milestones toward the creation of a European-wide unitary patent system. The paper then discusses the few problems and pitfalls that have prevented European countries from coming to an agreement on such a patent system. Finally, the paper considers the closely related agreements of ‘Unitary Patent Package’, the challenges facing these agreements and examines if it would finally result in an EU Unitary patent system that benefits one and all

Soil-Landscape Relationships in Kedah - A Study in Soil Genesis and Classification

The genesis, classification and soil-landscape relationships of three major landscapes and fourteen soils in Kedah were studied. The BRIS soils are sandy, structureless, loose, highly leached and have a very low water holding retention and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Soils on the youngest and the oldest ridges are Entisols. Spodosols are found in the middle ridges. Podzolisation is also discussed. The marine coastal plain soils are poorly drained, clayey and have a high CEC (> 20 cmol(+)kg-l soil) due to the presence 2: 1 clay minerals. Soil formation is strongly influenced by the activities of man, parent materials, physiography, climate and sea water. The plough layer and plough sole are formed by the continual addition of organic matter and wet ploughing. Desalination is accomplished by bunding and by flushing the soils with fresh irrigation water. The influence of climate is manifested by deep vertical cracks and gypsum crystals during the dry season. Profile development improves towards the hinterland due to progressively higher physiographic positions, lower ground water table, higher leaching intensity and improved drainage. Three of the soils are Entisols (Fluvaquents) because the organic carbon at 1.25 m is greater than 0.2% although they are more appropriately classified as Inceptisols (Tropaquepts) due changes in the soil colour and the structures. A Vertisol was identified. Soils of the pediplains and the P surfaces are characterised by a lateritic layer. Lateritic soils on P surfaces in eastern Kedah have larger and more angular boulders and gravels. The gravels on the pediplain proper are finer and more rounded due to more cycles of pedimentation. Etchplains and remnants of pediplains (R.O.P.) are absent in the P/P3 surfaces and are uncommon in the pediplains. Lateritic soils in northern Kedah are Ultisols and in southern and eastern Kedah, Oxisols; this being due to differences in the parent materials and climate