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Geopolymer concrete is a new technology that deserves more attention in the rapidly evolving sustainable construction industry. Furthermore, to avoid the depletion of natural resources, by-product waste management technologies are essential. Today, river sand is in short supply. DMS (Dredged Marine Sand), on the other hand, which faces disposal and land acquisition issues, proves to be a viable alternative to river sand. In this paper, a mixture of M-Sand and DMS was used in place of river sand, and non-destructive, Flexural strength of beam by monotonic loading and cyclic loadings were investigated. The findings indicated that DMS has attained flexural characteristics and with regard to cracks, very minor and vertical cracks are observed in all beams as in the case of monotonic loading. Further, they originate from the tension zone

We describe self-reported sources of income and expenditure, and the association between part-time employment and spending on fast food, alcohol, cigarettes, and gambling for a sample of 3434 New Zealand (NZ) secondary school students (mean age 15.0 years). Disposable income was usually received from parents and guardians, but nearly 40% of students also reported receiving money from part-time employment. The proportion of students employed increased as socioeconomic rating increased, and was associated with increased purchasing of fast food and alcohol, and increased spending on cigarettes and gambling. Spending by youth has obvious public health implications, particularly when it is concentrated on products that have a negative health impact.

To comply with workplace legislation, New Zealand schools are required to have policies regarding tobacco smoking. Many schools also have policies to prevent tobacco use by students, including education programmes, cessation support and punishment for students found smoking. This paper investigated the associations between school policies and the prevalence of students' cigarette smoking. Furthermore, we investigated the association between school policy and students' tobacco purchasing behavior, knowledge of health effects from tobacco use and likelihood of influencing others not to smoke. Data were obtained from a self-report survey administered to 2658 New Zealand secondary school students and staff from 63 schools selected using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Components of school policy were not significantly associated with smoking outcomes, health knowledge or health behavior, and weakly related to a punishment emphasis and students advising others to not smoke. Similarly, weak associations were found between not advising others to not smoke and policies with a punishment emphasis as well as smoke-free environments. The results suggest that having a school tobacco policy was unrelated to the prevalence of tobacco use among students, tobacco purchasing behavior and knowledge of the negative health effects of tobacco.

Objective: To describe the content, delivery and evaluation of tobacco-related (smoke-free) education to pre-teen students and to compare this education with current best practice. Method: Postal survey to staff of 136 New Zealand (NZ) schools with primary-aged children. Results: More than 90% of schools offered some form of education about the harmful effects of tobacco use and many relied on external providers for this education. Conclusion: Although most schools offered some form of smoke-free education, there was a lack of rigorous program evaluation, particularly of programs provided by external agencies. Implications: Smoking remains a significant health problem in NZ and improving the quality of smoke-free education for pre-teen students, before most young people initiate smoking, would be a positive step towards better health.

Abstract Background Adolescent participation in leisure activities is developmentally beneficial, but certain activities may increase health compromising behaviours, such as tobacco smoking. A limited range of leisure activities has been studied, with little research on out-of-school settings where parental supervision is a potential protective factor. Tobacco smoking is an important, potentially modifiable health determinant, so understanding associations between adolescent leisure activities, parental monitoring, demographic factors and daily smoking may inform preventive strategies. These associations are reported for a New Zealand adolescent sample. Methods Randomly selected schools (n = 145) participated in the 2006 Youth In-depth Survey, a national, biennial study of Year 10 students (predominantly 14-15 years). School classes were randomly selected and students completed a self-report questionnaire in class time. Adjustment for clustering at the school level was included in all analyses. Since parental monitoring and demographic variables potentially confound relations between adolescent leisure activities and smoking, variables were screened before multivariable modelling. Given prior indications of demographic differences, gender and ethnic specific regression models were built. Results and Discussion Overall, 8.5% of the 3,161 students were daily smokers, including more females (10.5%) than males (6.5%). In gender and ethnic specific multivariate analysis of associations with daily smoking (adjusted for age, school socioeconomic decile rating, leisure activities and ethnicity or gender, respectively), parental monitoring exhibited a consistently protective, dose response effect, although less strongly among Māori. Attending a place of worship and going to the movies were protective for non-Māori, as was watching sports, whereas playing team sport was protective for all, except males. Attending a skate park was a risk factor for females and Māori which demonstrated a strong dose response effect. Conclusions There were significant differences in the risk of daily smoking across leisure activities by gender and ethnicity. This reinforces the need to be alert for, and respond to, gender and ethnic differences in the pattern of risk and protective factors. However, given the consistently protective, dose response effect of parental monitoring, our findings confirm that assisting oversight of adolescent leisure activities may be a key component in public health policy and prevention programmes.

The effectiveness of a community-based intervention programme aimed at reintegrating youths back into school and improving problem behaviors and family functioning is assessed. Results concluded that the proportion of youths truanting persistently decreased to 37% and males and females showed improvements on the Youth Self Report (YSR) delinquency subscale, depression and aggression subscales.

Background: Adolescent participation in leisure activities is developmentally beneficial, but certain activities may increase health compromising behaviours, such as tobacco smoking. A limited range of leisure activities has been studied, with little research on out-of-school settings where parental supervision is a potential protective factor. Tobacco smoking is an important, potentially modifiable health determinant, so understanding associations between adolescent leisure activities, parental monitoring, demographic factors and daily smoking may inform preventive strategies. These associations are reported for a New Zealand adolescent sample. Methods: Randomly selected schools (n = 145) participated in the 2006 Youth In-depth Survey, a national, biennial study of Year 10 students (predominantly 14-15 years). School classes were randomly selected and students completed a self-report questionnaire in class time. Adjustment for clustering at the school level was included in all analyses. Since parental monitoring and demographic variables potentially confound relations between adolescent leisure activities and smoking, variables were screened before multivariable modelling. Given prior indications of demographic differences, gender and ethnic specific regression models were built. Results and Discussion: Overall, 8.5% of the 3,161 students were daily smokers, including more females (10.5%) than males (6.5%). In gender and ethnic specific multivariate analysis of associations with daily smoking (adjusted for age, school socioeconomic decile rating, leisure activities and ethnicity or gender, respectively), parental monitoring exhibited a consistently protective, dose response effect, although less strongly among Maori. Attending a place of worship and going to the movies were protective for non-Maori, as was watching sports, whereas playing team sport was protective for all, except males. Attending a skate park was a risk factor for females and Maori which demonstrated a strong dose response effect. Conclusions: There were significant differences in the risk of daily smoking across leisure activities by gender and ethnicity. This reinforces the need to be alert for, and respond to, gender and ethnic differences in the pattern of risk and protective factors. However, given the consistently protective, dose response effect of parental monitoring, our findings confirm that assisting oversight of adolescent leisure activities may be a key component in public health policy and prevention programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter provides an overview of health care costs in the United States, including trends, sources and uses of funds, employers' role, and factors driving costs. It also reviews what analysts believe are cost drivers especially compared to other countries that have significantly lower health care costs and, often, better health outcomes. Within the US, there are also important differences by geography, further demonstrating that higher US costs do not reflect higher quality and greater patient and physician satisfaction. In fact, the opposite is often the case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter provides an overview of health care costs in the United States, including trends, sources and uses of funds, employers' role, and factors driving costs. It also reviews what analysts believe are cost drivers especially compared to other countries that have significantly lower health care costs and, often, better health outcomes. Within the US, there are also important differences by geography, further demonstrating that higher US costs do not reflect higher quality and greater patient and physician satisfaction. In fact, the opposite is often the case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents cases of large corporations in the United States leading the way in delivering quality health care services. Necessity of large purchasing groups for competition in quality delivery; Case of purchasing health care for Xerox Corp.'s employees; Need for nationwide progress in the managed care industry; Defense of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA); Issue on financing of coverage for the uninsured.

Presents information on the outlook of Pfizer's sildenafil citrate (Viagra), the drug for treating impotence and whether this drug should be included in employer-sponsored health plans. When Viagra should be covered; Why erectile dysfunction or impotence should be considered a national epidemic; Detailed information on the drug Viagra.

This chapter provides an overview of health care costs in the United States, including trends, sources and uses of funds, employers' role, and factors driving costs. It also reviews what analysts believe are cost drivers especially compared to other countries that have significantly lower health care costs and, often, better health outcomes. Within the US, there are also important differences by geography, further demonstrating that higher US costs do not reflect higher quality and greater patient and physician satisfaction. In fact, the opposite is often the case.