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Regional development now encompasses inclusive growth so that welfare spending becomes a potentially important policy for regions with devolved powers. Universal Basic Income (UBI), an unconditional payment to all citizens, has been gaining traction, including internationally. We provide a system-wide analysis of a region-specific UBI for Scotland on the level and distribution of regional activity. Using both micro- and macro-economic models we find that, although UBI has a beneficial effect on equity among households, it may adversely impact the level of economic activity unless there is a social contract in place and/ or there is a substantial stimulus to productivity.

As well as their role in contributing towards emissions reductions targets, it is increasingly relevant for policymakers to understand the contribution that renewable energy technologies make to the economy. Various methods have been used to quantify impacts, such as job counts, surveys and measures based on economic statistics. Economic modelling approaches on the other hand appear to offer an ability to both provide metrics of interest to policymakers and crucially an understanding of the activities which support that contribution. In this paper, we implement a new method for estimating the activity supported by renewable energy activities; applying a ‘hypothetical extraction’ of offshore wind—to identify the contribution that such activities make to U.K. economic activity, job quality and national emissions. By undertaking the partial extraction of offshore wind from an aggregated input–output (IO) table and then subsequently from one in which we have separated out the offshore wind electricity sector, we highlight the value of more disaggregation and technology‐specific detail in economic accounts. The results from our fullest extraction suggest that in 2010, offshore wind in the United Kingdom supported 10 240 jobs, with 9 in 10 of these jobs either medium or high skill, and contributed £780 million to gross domestic product (GDP). In addition, a significant portion of activity supported by offshore wind is attributable to expansions in capacity rather than operational activities.

Internal iliac artery aneurysms (IIAAs), isolated or associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms, are at rupture risk with growth. Treatment is recommended when symptomatic or greater than3 cm. Surgical or endovascular therapy should exclude the arterial origin and outflow branches. If all outflow branches are not completely embolized, an endoleak can develop, pressurizing the sac leading to growth and rupture. Accessing the arteries involvedcan be technically challenging and understanding potential targets is critical. We describe two percutaneous approaches for treatment: percutaneously accessing the sac from an anterior trans-iliopsoas approach and percutaneously accessing the gluteal artery from a posterior approach.

Within the system of national accounts the electricity sector is typically reported as a single entry representing generation, transmission, distribution and trade. The ways in which these components interact with the economy differ greatly, a feature lost within the standard accounting framework. In this paper we propose an Electricity Satellite Account (ELSA) approach to better understand the linkages between the electricity sector and economy, with a particular focus on generation technologies. In developing this framework, we draw parallels with Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSAs). To illustrate the practical steps in constructing ELSAs, we develop an ELSA for Scotland for 2012, and show how the ELSA framework gives an improved understanding of the economic contribution of the electricity sector, which is critical in improving the usefulness of such accounts for climate, energy, and economic policy.

The Scottish electricity network is currently in a transition towards becoming 100% renewable. Offshore wind, due to a large natural resource, is expected to be key in this transition. In addition to the anticipated environmental benefits, increasing the share of offshore wind is expected to bring economic benefits to the region. In this study two multi-sectoral modelling methodologies – Input-Output (IO) and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) – are used to measure the potential economic impacts on Scotland arising from both the construction and operation of the planned increase offshore wind capacity between 2018 and 2025, with comparisons made between models and development stages. With the focus on the benefits to the Scottish economy it is important to focus only on expenditures within Scotland. Found using both IO and (forward-looking and myopic) CGE modelling techniques, is increasing offshore wind capacity raises both employment and Gross Value Added (GVA) with the magnitude and timing of this change critically depend on model type and closure. This is the first – to the author’s knowledge – of a Scottish specific modelling which helps policy makers understand those elements which could affect the possible economic success of current policy towards offshore wind.

We explore, through simulation of a purpose-built Input-Output model of the UK, the economic and emissions impacts of the likely future development of the UK’s offshore wind sector, with a particular emphasis on the importance of local content. We explore six scenarios, including two illustrative simulations of the potential impact of Brexit on local content. We find that future offshore wind development does indeed generate a policy “double dividend” in the form of simultaneous and substantial reductions in cumulative emissions, which in each case exceed a year of the UK’s total emissions, and improvements in economic activity (of nearly £30 billion cumulative increase in value-added when the 60% target for local content is achieved). It is also the case that, as anticipated, the scale of the economic stimulus arising from offshore wind development is directly and strongly related to the extent of local content. Future work could extend the modelling to relax the supply side assumptions of input-output modelling, disaggregate the analysis by regions and households to allow assessment of the impacts on the distribution of both economic activity across regions and income among household quintiles.

This chapter argues that multisensory perceptions are learned, not the result of an automatic feature binding mechanism. For example, suppose you are at a live jazz show. The drummer begins a solo. You see the cymbal jolt and hear the clang. But you are also aware that the jolt and the clang are part of the same event. Psychologists have assumed that multisensory perceptions like this one are the result of an automatic feature binding mechanism. This chapter argues instead that when you experience the jolt and the clang as part of the same event, it is the result of a perceptual learning process. The jolt and the clang are best understood as a single learned perceptual unit, not as automatically bound. This chapter details the perceptual learning process of “unitization,” whereby we come to “chunk” the world into multisensory units, and argues that unitization best explains multisensory perception.

Background In Western Europe, currently only Ireland and Portugal continue to provide universal neonatal bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination programs, despite not being considered as high tuberculosis (TB) incidence countries. Other European countries only vaccinate infants considered at high risk of contracting TB. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of selective BCG vaccination compared with strategies of universal and no vaccination. Methods An economic model was used to simulate a cohort from birth to life expectancy, taking the perspective of the publicly funded healthcare system. BCG protection was modeled to last 15 years. International vaccine efficacy data were combined with Irish epidemiologic and cost data. The model took into account long-term sequelae associated with TB meningitis and severe adverse reactions relating to the BCG vaccine. A fully probabilistic model was used to incorporate uncertainty across all parameters. Results At O139,557 per quality-adjusted life year, selective vaccination was not cost-effective relative to a program of no vaccination. The incremental cost-effectiveness of universal vaccination was O2.55 million per quality-adjusted life year relative to selective vaccination. There was substantial uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of BCG vaccination. The cost-effectiveness of selective vaccination could be substantially improved by reducing the cost of administering the vaccine. Conclusions In the absence of changes to other aspects of TB control, a switch to selective vaccination will result in increased cases of childhood TB. Although not considered cost-effective, selective vaccination may be preferable to no vaccination until other changes to TB control may be implemented to reduce the risk of TB in children.

Today's uncertain economic environment and changing demographics and land use patterns challenge transportation agencies to transform how they do business. Like some of its counterparts throughout the country, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) in Northern California has faced these challenges and is leading organizational change. This paper refines the process developed by John Kotter for successful organizational change in the private sector and applies the process to the public transportation industry. Examples from the development of VTA's Express bus business plan show how Kotter's private-sector organizational development concepts can be put into practice by a transportation agency. The paper also identifies the threats to change and opportunities for improvement based on lessons identified during interviews of external stakeholders and VTA staff. By presenting the approach used and the lessons learned, this paper can serve as a reference for transportation professionals whose strategic goal is to lead and implement change successfully within their agencies.

Highlights ► The safety and immunogenicity of one or two doses of a recombinant A (H1N1) 2009 influenza VLP vaccine was evaluated in a two-stage, Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted during the H1N1 2009 pandemic in Mexico. ► The H1N1 2009 VLP vaccine was safe and well-tolerated with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. ► The VLP vaccine groups demonstrated robust HAI immune responses after a single vaccination, which were statistically higher compared to placebo., Virus-like particles (VLPs) can be rapidly developed from influenza virus genetic sequences in order to supply vaccine after the onset of a pandemic. The safety and immunogenicity of one or two doses of a recombinant A (H1N1) 2009 influenza VLP vaccine was evaluated in a two-stage, Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study conducted in 4563 healthy adults, 18–64 years of age, during the H1N1 2009 pandemic in Mexico. In Part A, 1013 subjects were randomized into four treatment groups (5 μg, 15 μg, or 45 μg hemagglutinin [HA] VLP vaccine or placebo) and vaccinated 21 days apart, with sera collected on Days 1, 14 and 36 for hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) testing. After review of safety and immunogenicity data from Part A, additional subjects were immunized with a single dose of 15 μg VLP vaccine (N = 2537) or placebo (N = 1011) and assessed for safety in Part B. Results showed the H1N1 2009 VLP vaccine was safe and well-tolerated. Systemic solicited events were similar between placebo and VLP vaccinated groups with no vaccine-related serious adverse events. Dose response trends for solicited local adverse events were observed, with higher incidences of local pain, swelling, tenderness, and redness reported in the higher VLP dose groups (15 μg and 45 μg) compared to the placebo and 5 μg VLP groups following both vaccinations. Although the majority of local AEs were mild in severity, a dose trend in events of moderate or greater severity was also noted for these solicited events. The VLP vaccine groups demonstrated robust HAI immune responses after a single vaccination, with high rates of seroprotection (≥40 HAI titer) in 82–92% of all subjects and in 64–85% of subjects who were seronegative at the time of immunization. HAI geometric mean titers (GMTs), geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and seroconversion rates were also all statistically higher in the VLP groups compared to placebo for both post-baseline time points. Based on these data, additional clinical trials are in development to evaluate influenza vaccine candidate antigens manufactured using Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9)/baculovirus-based VLP technology.

SUMMARY Serum thyroid hormone levels were measured in women living in an area of severe dietary iodine deficiency in a remote region of Papua New Guinea. Levels of maternal hormone were found to be related to the motor competence of the women's offspring, who were aged between six years and 11 years 10 months at the time of assessment. Motor competence in the children was measured by two tests of manual dexterity which demanded speed and accuracy in performance. A significant correlation was obtained between the children's motor performance and maternal serum thyroxine levels, but not with maternal serum triiodothyronine levels. The implications of the findings for the pathogenesis of some forms of cerebral palsy are considered. RESUME Les taux seriques dhormones thyroidiennes ont ete apprecies chez des femmes vivant dans une region ou sevissait une deficience alimentaire grave en iode, dans une region eloignee de la Papousie, en Nouvelle Guinee. II a ete note que les taux dhormone maternelle etaient en liaison avec les capacites motrices des enfants âges de six ans a 11 ans, 10 mois au moment de la mesure. La conduite motrice a ete mesuree par deux tests de dexterite manuelle exigeant vitesse et precision. Une correlation significative a ete obtenue entre les performances motrices des enfants et le taux serique maternelle de thyroide, mais non avec le taux serique maternel de triiodothyronine. Les implications de ces donnees sur la pathogenie de certaines formes dinfirmite motrice cerebrale sont envisagees. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Bei Frauen, die in einem schweren Jodmangelgebiet in einer abgelegenen Gegend von Papua, Neu Guinea, leben, wurden die Schilddrusenhormonspiegel im Serum gemessen. Die mutterlichen Hormonspiegel korrelierten mit den motorischen Fahigkeiten ihrer Kinder, die zu dem Zeitpunkt der Untersuchung zwischen sechs Jahre und 11 Jahre und 11 Jahre und 10 Monate alt waren. Die motorischen Fahigkeiten wurden anhand von zwei Tests fur manuelle Geschicklichkeit gepruft, die bei der Durchfuhrung Schnelligkeit und Genauigkeit verlangten. Eine signifikante Korrelation konnte zwischen der motorischen Fahigkeit der Kinder und den mutterlichen Serumthyroxinspiegeln gefunden werden, nicht jedoch mit den mutterlichen Serumtrijodthyroninspiegeln. Es wird uberlegt, inwieweit diese Befunde fur die Pathogenese einiger Formen der Cerebralparese von Bedeutung sind. RESUMEN Se midieron los niveles de hormona tiroidea en el suero de mujeres que vivian en una area con una dieta muy pobre en iodina en una region remota de Papua, Neuva Guinea. Se encontro que los niveles de hormona materna estaban en relacion con la competencia motora de los recien nacidos de estas mujeres, cuya edad era de seis a 11 anos y diez meses en el momento de la valoracion. La competencia motriz fue medida por medio de dos tests de destreza manual que exigian velocidad y finura en la realizacion. Se obtuvo una correlacion significativa entre la realizacion motora de los ninos y los niveles de tiroxina serica materna, pero no con los niveles de triiodotironina serica en la madre. Se consideran las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para la patogenia de algunas formas de paralisis cerebral.

In a recent i-Perception article, Schwenkler (2012) criticizes a 2011 experiment by R. Held and colleagues purporting to answer Molyneux's question. Schwenkler proposes two ways to re-run the original experiment, either by allowing subjects to move around the stimuli, or by simplifying the stimuli to planar objects rather than three-dimensional ones. In Schwenkler (2013), he expands on and defends the former. I argue that this way of re-running the experiment is flawed, since it relies on a questionable assumption that newly sighted subjects will be able to appreciate depth cues. I then argue that the second way of re-running the experiment is successful both in avoiding the flaw of original Held experiment, and in avoiding the problem with the first way of re-running the experiment.

In the case of ventriloquism, seeing the movement of the ventriloquist dummy’s mouth changes your experience of the auditory location of the vocals. Some have argued that cases like ventriloquism provide evidence for the view that at least some of the content of perception is fundamentally multimodal. In the ventriloquism case, this would mean your experience has constitutively audio-visual content (not just a conjunction of an audio content and visual content). In this paper, I argue that cases like ventriloquism do not in fact warrant that conclusion. I then try to make sense of crossmodal cases without appealing to fundamentally multimodal content.

Fertility difficulties, along with their investigation and treatment, are widely believed to cause significant psychological problems. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of a non-directive counselling intervention with couples undertaking their first cycle of in-vitro fertilization treatment. Couples were randomly assigned to either a control group, given information about the treatment programme, or to an experimental group, given the same information plus three sessions of counselling before, during and on conclusion of the first treatment cycle. Psychological assessments were made at three points in the treatment process. Ratings were also obtained from the couples on the stress engendered by different parts of the treatment, the effects on their relationship and satisfaction with counselling. The results showed the patients to be generally well adjusted and anxiety levels dropped over the course of treatment. Counselling compared to information alone did not lead to any enhanced reduction in levels of anxiety or depression. The implications of the findings for service provision are discussed.

Background: Iodine is required for the production of thyroid hormones, which are necessary for normal brain development and cognition. Although several randomized trials examined the effect of iodinesupplementationoncognitiveperformanceinschoolchildren, the results were equivocal. Objective: We aimed to ascertain whether providing iodized oil to iodine-deficient children would affect their cognitive and motor performance. Design: In a double-blind intervention trial, 10–12-y-old children (n 310) in primary schools in rural southeastern Albania were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg I (as oral iodized oil) or placebo. We measured urinary iodine (UI), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and total thyroxine (TT4) concentrations and thyroid gland volume (by ultrasound). The children were given a battery of 7cognitiveandmotortests,whichincludedmeasuresofinformation processing,workingmemory,visualproblemsolving,visualsearch, and fine motor skills. Thyroid ultrasound and the biochemical and psychological tests were repeated after 24 wk. Results:Atbaseline,thechildren’smedianUIconcentrationwas43 g/L; 87% were goitrous, and nearly one-third had low concentrations of circulating TT4. Treatment with iodine markedly improved iodine and thyroid status: at 24 wk, median UI in the treated group was 172 g/L, mean TT4 was 40% higher, and the prevalence of hypothyroxinemia was 1%. In the placebo group after the intervention, these variables did not differ significantly from baseline. Compared with placebo, iodine treatment significantly improved performance on 4 of 7 tests: rapid target marking, symbol search, rapid object naming, and Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices (P 0.0001). Conclusion: Information processing, fine motor skills, and visual problem solving are improved by iodine repletion in moderately iodine-deficient schoolchildren. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83: 108–14.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the principal complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Reductions in systemic GVHD are frequently associated with a corresponding diminishment of the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) response. In this study, we tested the effects of a novel recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor, repifermin (keratinocyte growth factor-2), on the induction of GVHD in a well-defined murine BMT model (B6 → B6D2F1). Administration of repifermin (5 mg/kg/d) to allogeneic BMT recipients resulted in a significant decrease in both systemic GVHD and target organ histopathology. Repifermin treatment also reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α and lipopolysaccharide compared with control mice. In contrast, repifermin did not affect T-cell proliferation, cytokine production, or cytotoxic responses to host antigens. When 2000 host-derived P815 (H-2d) leukemia cells were added to the bone marrow inoculum, repifermin preserved GVL effects and resulted in significantly delayed mortality compared with control-treated allogeneic BMT recipients. Collectively, these data suggest that repifermin administration may represent a novel strategy to separate the toxicity of GVHD from the beneficial GVL effects after allogeneic BMT.

Study objective To assess the relevance of sputum production to pulmonary function, in particular, persistent obstruction in patients with a primary clinical diagnosis of asthma. Design Cross-sectional study of all patients currently followed up in secondary care in a defined locality. Setting National Health Service and private clinics in north-east England. Patients All attenders, aged 18 years or older, with asthma, confirmed by reversibility of peak expiratory flow (PEF) by ≥;15% and to ≥;200 L/min. Interventions Pro forma history. Pulmonary function at attendance. Assessment of best function according to protocol. Measurement of actual FEV 1 , FVC, and PEF at attendance. Measurements and results We studied 772 subjects; 387 (50%) were male; mean age was 55 years; atopic, 51%; current smokers, 11.5%; ex-smokers, 36%; and never smokers, 52.5%. Best pulmonary function was lower in chronic sputum producers (PEF, 83.2 vs 95.8; FVC, 67.9 vs 81.7% predicted). Chronic sputum production and its negative relationship with best function was strongly associated with smoking. There was little relationship between chronic sputum and persistent obstruction in nonsmokers. There were no univariate associations between sputum during attacks, or its color, and pulmonary function, but after allowing for demographic factors, including smoking, green sputum was associated with persistent obstruction. There was little relationship between sputum and actual/best function at attendance. Conclusions Chronic sputum production is associated with persistent obstruction principally in those who have smoked, suggesting that the association reflects smoking rather than asthma. There is no interaction with atopy. After allowance for cigarette smoking, there is an association between green sputum production during exacerbations and persistent obstruction. Green sputum during relapse in asthma may indicate inflammation that is relevant to prognosis.

The “diagnosis” of pseudodisease is always harmful,1 but Moynihan and colleagues might have pursued the potential hazards of the diagnosis of minimal disease opportunistically or by screening. The effectiveness of intervention is almost impossible to assess. Most published studies are disease specific and rarely use the …

Esophageal cancer is considered to be one of the most lethal cancers, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 23% to 50% for patients, even after complete resection with lymph node dissection. There are two common forms of esophageal cancer: squamous cell carcinomas (ESCCs) and adenocarcinomas (EACs). It has been shown that the initial step in the development of EACs is the transformation of normal stratified squamous epithelium in the lower esophagus to metaplastic specialized columnar epithelium (SCE), a pathological condition caused by chronic gastroesophageal reflux of gastric acid and bile known as Barrett's esophagus (BE), and it is possible that this condition also leads to the development of ESCCs as well. Although it has been reported that erbB2 is strongly expressed in SCE, EACs, and ESCCs, the role of erbB2 in the development and progression of esophageal cancer is still unknown. Furthermore, the contribution of bile acids in the etiology of esophageal cancer has not been explored. In this study, to determine whether interaction between erbB2 and bile acids is important in the etiology of esophageal cancers, we utilized BK5.erbB2 mice, in which erbB2 is overexpressed in epithelial cells under the control of the bovine keratin 5 promoter. Eight two-month-old homozygous BK5.erbB2 mice and 8 wild type mice were initiated with N-nitrosomethylbenzylamine (NMBA, 50μg/mouse in 200μL water, twice weekly for 3 consecutive weeks). Mice were then treated with porcine bile extract (10mg/mouse in 200μL water, 3 times weekly for 4 weeks) by gavage. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the last treatment and histopathological analyses in the esophagus, forestomach, squamocolumnar junction within the glandular stomach, and other tissues were performed. In wild type mice, only 20% of mice treated with NMBA/bile extract developed small papillomas in the forestomach and squamocolumnar junction at the stomach. In BK5.erbB2 mice, 50% of mice treated with bile extract alone developed significant hyperplasia, 63% of mice treated with NMBA alone developed papillomas, and 100% of mice treated with NMBA/bile extract developed large SCCs in these areas. BK5.erbB2 mice treated with bile extract also showed significantly elevated levels of cell proliferation as determined by 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine incorporation in esophagus and forestomach compared to wild type mice. These results indicate that bile acids may play an important role in the development of stomach/esophageal tumors where erbB2 is overexpressed and/or activated. In this regard, bile acids may promote the development of these tumors. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate the utility of the BK5.erbB2 mouse as a novel model for human stomach and esophageal cancers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4176.

Background The Darlington and Northallerton Asthma Study is an observational cohort study started in 1983. At that time little was published about long term outcome in asthma and the contribution of change in reversible disease or airway remodelling to any excess deterioration in function. The study design included regular review of overall and fixed function lung. We report the trends over fifteen years. Methods All asthmatics attending secondary care in 1983, 1988 and 1993 were recruited. Pulmonary function was recorded at attendance and potential best function estimated according to protocol. Rate of decline was calculated over each 5-year period and by linear regression analysis in those seen every time. The influence of potential explanatory variables on this decline was explored. Results 1724 satisfactory 5-year measurements were obtained in 912 subjects and in 200 subjects on all occasions. Overall rate of decline (ml/year (95%CI)) calculated from 5-year periods was FEV1 ♂41.0 (34.7–47.3), ♀28.9 (23.2–34.6) and best FVC ♂63.1 (55.1–71.2)ml/year, ♀45.8 (40.0–51.6).The principal association was with age. A dominant cubic factor suggested fluctuations in the rate of change in middle life with less rapid decline in youth and more rapid decline in the elderly. Rapid decline was possibly associated with short duration. Treatment step did not predict rate of deterioration. Conclusions Function declined non-linearly and more rapidly than predicted from normal subjects. It reports for the first time a cubic relationship between age and pulmonary function. This should be taken into account when interpreting other articles reporting change in function over time.

A hypothesis concerning the development of voluntary reaching in the infant is proposed and tested by means of a computer simulation. The theoretical problem of the control of arm movements is analysed and possible control strategies are considered. It isconcluded that a compromise between a memorial and a rule based strategy is most useful. The model of motor development proposed was found to be logically coherent and accurate. As an alternative to a ‘reflex’ base it is suggested that the behavioral basis of motor development is linked to an endogenous rhythm, this has a number of advantages.

Serum levels of thyroxine and triiodothyronine during pregnancy were measured in women from a severely iodine deficient region in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Subsequently the children born to these women were examined when aged 10-12 years and measures made of intellectual ability and motor competence. A significant correlation between these measures in the children and the maternal thyroxine but not maternal triiodothyronine level was observed. It is speculated that maternal thyroxine and not triiodothyronine may be essential for normal neurological maturation of the fetus before the fetal thyroid becomes functional.

The counselling needs of a large sample of patients (843 couples) attending an infertility clinic between 1975 and 1985 were investigated by postal questionnaire. The central issues addressed were the clients' perceived needs in terms of therapeutic support and whether there were psychological and/or medical factors which differentiated couples needing help from those who did not. About one third of the couples felt the need for more psychological support and gidance. These couples could not be differentiated from the remainder of the sample on any medical factors although they did report significantly more distress associated with the failure to have children. The implications of these results for the provision of counselling services and for future research are discussed.

1. The experiments reported were designed to study the causes and consequences of various responses emitted by female Drosophila melanogaster in relation to the behaviour of the courting male. 2. The female responses studied were: flicking, kicking, curling, extruding and fending. These were recorded simultaneously with male behaviours, from single pair courtships, onto a multi-channel time-event recorder. The male behaviours recorded were: orientation, vibration, licking, attempted copulation, locomotor activity, preening and male stationary. 3. Four groups of female were examined for modal response and the associated pattern of male behaviour. The groups were selected in order to elucidate developmental changes in the nature of the rejection response and any changes consequent upon fertilisation. 4. Three methods of analysis were employed. A description of the frequency response for each group of females was followed by an analysis of the temporal pattern of male behaviours associated with the modal response. 5. A finer resolution of the relationship between male and female behaviour was obtained by a transitional analysis of the females' responses with the various male activities. 6. Both fertilised females and aging virgins showed extrusion of the ovipositor as the modal response. 7. Fending and curling occurred rarely and did not lead to any changes in male behaviour. 8. Kicking and flicking were deduced to be responses to different aspects, or intensities of courtship. Kicking was largely contingent upon attempted copulation, whereas flicking resulted from licking and sometimes non-courtship behaviours. Flicking is also correlated with a high level of locomotor activity. 9. Extrusion by aged virgins and fertilised females was associated with the wing vibration display of the male, and in both groups was followed, rather than preceded, by attempted copulation. However, the aged virgins were receptive, whereas the fertilised females were not. Extrusion was interpreted as a means of physically preventing copulation, rather then producing long term inhibition of courtship. 10. It is suggested that the ontogeny of extrusion is associated with development in the female's egg producing system. 11. The temporary reluctance of the 3 day old virgin females, exemplified by their kicking, was discussed in the context of EWING'S (1969) concept of a 'reference oscillator' used by the female to identify the auditory signals produced by a conspecific.

1. 1. The preening, or cleaning behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster is briefly described. 2. 2. The presence of other flies was found to increase the amount of preening. This increase was not restricted to preening particular parts of the body and did not appear to be due to flies becoming dirty. 3. 3. The increase in preening was shown not to be a function of physical contacts between flies. 4. 4. White eye mutants with severely impaired visual acuity show no increase in preening in the group situation. Vision appears to be the sensory modality largely responsible for detecting the presence of other animals.

In support of its ambitious target to reduce CO2 emissions the Scottish Government is aiming to have the equivalent of 100% of Scottish electricity consumption generated from renewable sources by 2020. This is, at least in part, motivated by an expectation of subsequent employment growth in low carbon and renewable energy technologies; however there is no official data source to track employment in these areas. This has led to a variety of definitions, methodologies and alternative estimates being produced. Building on a recent study (Bishop and Brand, 2013) we develop a “hybrid” approach which combines the detail of “bottom-up” surveys with “top-down” trend data to produce estimates on employment in Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services (LCEGS). We demonstrate this methodology to produce estimates for such employment in Scotland between 2004 and 2012. Our approach shows how survey and official sources can combine to produce a more timely measure of employment in LCEGS activities, assisting policymakers in tracking, consistently, developments. Applying our approach, we find that over this period employment in LCEGS in Scotland grew, but that this was more volatile than aggregate employment, and in particular that employment in this sector was particularly badly hit during the great recession.

Motor performance of children born to mothers living in an iodine-deficient region was assessed. The mothers were participants in a controlled trial of intramuscular iodised oil in the prevention of endemic cretinism carried out in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea. Mothers received either iodised oil or placebo saline. Children born to mothers given iodine were significantly faster and more accurate in tests of manual function than children from control mothers. The findings indicate that iodine deficiency may lead to a spectrum of subclinical deficits which place the children at a developmental disadvantage.

Endemic cretinism is a complex syndrome involving a triad of severe sensory, motor and cognitive defects. The condition is related to iodine deficiency1 and it can be prevented by iodine prophylaxis of the mother before or very early in pregnancy 2,3. The frequency of goitre in populations at risk for endemic cretinism is also extremely high. The Pan American Health Organisation 4 defined endemic cretinism in terms of the following clinical manifestations; mental deficiency together with either (a) a predominant neurological syndrome consisting of defects of hearing and speech and with characteristic disorders of stance and gait of varying degrees, or (b) predominant hypothyroidism and stunted growth. Follow-up studies of the controlled trial of iodinated oil2 revealed a relationship between maternal iodine status during pregnancy and the performance of children on a number of motor tasks5 This observation is supported by the results of a comparison of children from a severely iodine deficient village with children from a control village in Central Java6 The children from the iodine deficient village were generally poorer on a number of measures of motor competence. Similar differences have also been found between children from iodine deficient and non-deficient villages in Spain7. In Ecuador a significant difference was found on Stanford-Binet scores between two groups of children one group having been born to mothers given an iodine supplement8 . The children whose mothers received a supplement did better.

Recent evidence suggests that fibronectin (Fn), a high molecular weight glycoprotein, may be used as an indicator protein in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis, using purified goat anti-rat Fn, provided a specific and sensitive means of measuring plasma Fn in rats during the development of various inflammatory disease states. It was shown that normal rat plasma Fn levels of approximately 400 micrograms/ml double within 24 hours after injection of adjuvant. Plasma Fn levels in this model of chronic systemic inflammatory joint disease were tracked for more than 4 months and remained significantly higher than normal. On the other hand, a carrageenan-induced inflammatory response in the pleural cavity of rats resulted in a large local accumulation of leukocytes, but no change in plasma Fn levels. A carrageenan-induced model of acute inflammation resulted in increased paw swelling within 6 hours and enhanced plasma Fn levels within 24 hours; plasma Fn levels returned to normal within 1 week. Quantitation of plasma Fn levels in the rat may provide a useful biochemical parameter for the study of chronic systemic inflammatory diseases.

The nature of manual manipulation of objects is discussed. It is argued that a functional distinction should be made between palmar grips which immobilise an object in the hand, and digital patterns which permit manipulation. Such a distinction is separate from any anatomically defined power and precision configurations. Manipulative hand movements may be grouped into three classes, based on differences between sequenced patterns of movement and synergies, the latter being further subdivided into simple and reciprocal patterns. Within each of the three classes, a number of individual movement patterns are described. These differ mainly in the number of digits involved and the way in which the thumb is employed. The classification is concerned with movements of the digits directed at manipulating an object within the hand. It is not concerned with movements of the hand as a whole, using the wrist or more proximal joints, while holding an immobilised object.

Originally the classification of endemic cretinism into myxoedematous and nervous varieties was by McCarrison as a consequence of his work in the Chitral and Gilgit valleys in the Himalayas1. His description of the clinical features of the myxoedematous type was incomplete merely stating that, ‘it corresponds to the form of the affliction met with in Europe and is described in any textbook of medicine’. His clinical description of nervous cretinism is more precise and is as accurate today as it was 80 years ago. The impairment is described as pertaining more especially to the central nervous system. He states that deaf-mutism is as a rule complete, mentality is much disordered and there is a congenital diplegia with increased knee-jerks and a spastic rigidity more severely affecting the lower limbs with a characteristic gait. A coarse nystagmus and internal strabismus were noted in some cases.

Predictions based on the model advanced by Connolly & Jones (1970) regarding the storage systems involved in cross-modality matching tasks were examined. Adult subjects made intra-modal and cross-modal matches to a range of standard stimuli under three conditions: zero delay between presentation of standard and subject producing his match, interpolation of 10-sec. unfilled interval and interpolation of 10-sec. filled interval. The results confirmed previous findings about the properties of visual and kinaesthetic storage systems and their relation to central processing capacity. The hypothesis that translation takes place before storage in cross-modality matching tasks was also confirmed.

The function and processing of auditory information in the courtship behaviour of Drosophila melanogaster was investigated using combination of mutant genes which cause stepwise reduction in the size of the arista. Reduction of the effective surface area of the arista lowers female sexual receptivity and the courtship success of males. Since female receptivity is known to be dependent upon accurate perception of the characteristics of male wing vibration, the results confirm that the aristae are essential for adequate auditory perception. The female, as elsewhere suggested, may compare the sound perceived to a neural representation of the parameters of the species code, which is genetically determined, and reject or accept the male depending on the outcome of the comparison. Quantitative analysis of male courtship behaviour suggests that the sound which mutant males produce is distorted as a result of imperfect auditory feedback. It is suggested that veridical feedback of the efferent signal, which may be compared to a neural representation in the same way as in the female, could be a necessary condition for production of an accurate species specific wing vibration code.

SUMMARY Respiration rate and heart rate, along with certain behavioural parameters, were monitored in 22 unstimulated human newborns immediately after feeding. At least three complete sleep cycles were recorded from each subject. A significant change in respiration rate was observed in successive epochs of States 1 and 2, and a systematic change in heart rate was observed during State 1. There was a significant over-all decrease in respiration rate as the interval since the last feed increased. The implications of these findings for the study of the neonate are discussed. RESUME La relation des rythmes respiratoire et cardiaque et des etats de sommeil chez le nouveau-ne humain Les rythmes respiratoire et cardiaque ainsi que certains parametres de comport ement ont ete enregistres chez 22 nouveaux-nes non stimules, immediatement apres l'alimentation. Au moins trois cycles complets ont ete enregistres chez chaque sujet. Une modification significative du rythme respiratoire a ete observee durant des periodes successives, au cours du sommeil aux stades 1 et 2; une modification systematique du rythme cardiaque a ete observee durant le sommeil au stade l. Il y a une baisse generale significative du rythme respiratoire au fur et a mesure qu'on s'eloigne de la derniere tetee. L'interet de ces faits dans l'etude du nouveau-ne est discute. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die Beziehung der Atemfrequenz und der Herzfrequenz zu Schlafstadien beim menschlichen Neugeborenen Atemfrequenz und Herzfrequenz wurden zusammen mit bestimmten Verhaltensparametern bei 22 unstimulierten menschlichen Neugeborenen direkt nach dem Futtern registriert. Fur jedes Kind wurden mindestens drei Zyklen festgehalten. Eine signifikante Anderung der Atemfrequenz wurde in den aufeinander folgenden Stadien 1 und 2 des Schlafes beobachtet, und im Stadium 1 des Schlafes fand sich eine systematische Anderung der Herzfrequenz. Wenn die Zeiten nach der letzten Futterung verlangert wurden, fand man insgesamt eine Verringerung der Atemfrequenz. Die Bedeutung dieser Befunde fur die Untersuchung der Neugeborenen wird diskutiert. RESUME N La relacion de la freeuencia respiratoria y cardiaca con los estadios de sueno en el recien nacido Se registraron los ritmos respiratorio y cardiaco junto con los parametros del comportamiento en 22 recien nacidos no estimulados, inmediatemente despues de tomar alimento. En cada sujeto se registraron por lo menos 3 ciclos. Se observo un cambio significativo en la freeuencia respiratoria en periodos sucesivos en los estados de sueno 1 y 2, y un cambio sistematico en la freeuencia cardiaca en el estadio 1 del sueno. Se observo una disminucion significativa global en la freeuencia respiratoria a media que aumentaba el intervalo de tiempo despues del ultimo alimento. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para el estudio del recien nacido.

Background The aim of this study was to compare the cost effectiveness of the current Irish programme of universal BCG vaccination of infants versus a programme which considered selectively vaccinating high risk infants using decision analytical modelling. Methods The efficacy of the BCG vaccine was re-evaluated to inform a decision analytical model constructed to follow a birth cohort of vaccinated and unvaccinated infants over a 15 year time horizon. The number of life years gained (LYG) was the primary outcome measure and this was compared to the net cost of the vaccination strategies. Results In the base case analysis, the incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for the universal strategy and selective strategy vs no vaccination were €204,373/LYG and €143,233/LYG respectively. When comparing the incremental difference in moving from the universal to the selective strategy, the selective strategy costs €1,055,692 less per 4.8 life years lost per birth cohort. One way sensitivity analyses highlighted that a move from the universal to the selective strategy was particularly sensitive to the estimate of vaccine efficacy against deaths, the cost of administering the vaccine and the multiplier used to apportion risk of contracting tuberculosis. Probabilistic analysis suggested that a move from a universal based strategy to a selective based strategy could be deemed cost effective (probability of cost effectiveness is 76.8 %). Conclusion The results of the study support the protective effect of the BCG vaccine in infants and quantified the cost effectiveness of the current BCG vaccination strategy and the decremental difference in moving to a selective strategy. This analysis highlights that the additional protection offered by the universal vaccination strategy is small compared to that of the selective strategy. Consideration should therefore be given to the implementation of a selective vaccination strategy, and diverting resources to improve TB case management and control. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13690-016-0141-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The results from the second phase of a behavioural selection experiment designed to produce active and inactive strains of Drosophila are reported. Data show marked phenotypic differences have been produced as a result of the selection. Relaxing selection after 94 generations did not result in experimental populations drifting back to the control level; thus considerable inbreeding has taken place.