The movement pattern of horses around race meetings in New Zealand

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (8) ◽  
pp. 1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Rosanowski ◽  
C. W. Rogers ◽  
C. F. Bolwell ◽  
N. Cogger

In order to describe the implications of racehorse movement on the potential spread and control of infectious disease in New Zealand, the movement of horses due to regular racing activities needed to be quantified. Race meeting, trainer and starter data were collected in 2009 from the governing bodies for the two racing codes in New Zealand; Harness Racing New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. During 2009, 507 Thoroughbred and 506 Standardbred race meetings were held. A random selection of 42 Standardbred and 39 Thoroughbred race meetings were taken from all race meetings held in 2009 and the distances travelled by trainers to these race meetings were determined. The trainers attending selected race meetings represented 50% (1135/2287) of all registered trainers in 2009. There was no seasonal pattern of when race meetings were held between racing codes (P = 0.18) or by race type (P = 0.83). There were significant differences in the distance travelled by trainers to race meetings, by racing code (P < 0.001). Thoroughbred trainers travelled a median of 91 km (IQR 40–203 km), while Standardbred trainers travelled a median of 45 km (IQR 24–113 km) (P < 0.001). Within each racing code, trainers travelled further to attend premier races than other types of race meetings (P < 0.001). These data demonstrate there is higher potential for more widespread disease dissemination from premier race meetings compared with other types of race meetings. Additionally, lack of a seasonal pattern indicates that a widespread outbreak could occur at any time of the year. Widespread disease dissemination would increase the logistic effort required for effective infectious disease control and has the potential to increase the time required to achieve control.

2021 ◽  
pp. 597-622
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kim-Farley

Infectious diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity, disability, and mortality worldwide. Lower respiratory infections are the third leading causes of death worldwide and their control is a constant challenge that faces health workers and public health officials in both industrialized and developing countries. This chapter provides a global and comprehensive view of the principles of infectious disease control through examination of the magnitude of disease burden, the chain of infection (agent, transmission, and host) of infectious diseases, the varied approaches to their prevention and control (measures applied to the host, vectors, infected humans, animals, environment, and agents), and the factors conducive to their eradication as well as emergence and re-emergence.


2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 372-380
Author(s):  
Nobuhiko Okabe ◽  

Infectious diseases are no longer fatal enabling many people to live without anxiety. However, provision to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases (EID/REID) are new global issues and every country has been requested to strengthen core capacity for infectious disease early detection and control. In this issue, background and concept of EID/REID, and Japanese efforts including introduction of Infectious Disease Control Law and surveillance system were described.


Author(s):  
B.R. Watkin

AN Aberystwyth selection of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), known as S170, was sown with certified New Zealand white clover (Trifolium repens) and re' clover (T. pratense) and compared under sheep grazing with other grass/clover pastures at the Grasslands Division Regional Station at Lincoln (Watkin, 1975) .


Author(s):  
A.G. Filipova ◽  
A.V. Vysotskaya

The article presents the results of mathematical experiments with the system «Social potential of childhood in the Russian regions». In the structure of system divided into three subsystems – the «Reproduction of children in the region», «Children’s health» and «Education of children», for each defined its target factor (output parameter). The groups of infrastructure factors (education, health, culture and sport, transport), socio-economic, territorial-settlement, demographic and en-vironmental factors are designated as the factors that control the system (input parameters). The aim of the study is to build a model îf «Social potential of childhood in the Russian regions», as well as to conduct experiments to find the optimal ratio of the values of target and control factors. Three waves of experiments were conducted. The first wave is related to the analysis of the dynam-ics of indicators for 6 years. The second – with the selection of optimal values of control factors at fixed ideal values of target factors. The third wave allowed us to calculate the values of the target factors based on the selected optimal values of the control factors of the previous wave.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105971232199468
Author(s):  
Paolo Pagliuca ◽  
Stefano Nolfi

We introduce a method that permits to co-evolve the body and the control properties of robots. It can be used to adapt the morphological traits of robots with a hand-designed morphological bauplan or to evolve the morphological bauplan as well. Our results indicate that robots with co-adapted body and control traits outperform robots with fixed hand-designed morphologies. Interestingly, the advantage is not due to the selection of better morphologies but rather to the mutual scaffolding process that results from the possibility to co-adapt the morphological traits to the control traits and vice versa. Our results also demonstrate that morphological variations do not necessarily have destructive effects on robots’ skills.


Dramatherapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 026306722110208
Author(s):  
Claire Anne Quigley

The Covid-19 restrictions have limited the access of face-to face therapies for many people and continues to effect how Dramatherapists operate. The following article offers reflections around adapting to an on-line medium, focusing more specifically around the software of ProReal. Limitations and considerations are acknowledged, including technological difficulties, computer efficacy, ambiguity tolerance and the need for careful contracting and reassurance of autonomy and control when using on-line platforms. The article ends with a short selection of vignettes from ProReal sessions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2615
Author(s):  
Junqing Wang ◽  
Wenhui Zhao ◽  
Lu Qiu ◽  
Puyu Yuan

Since application of integrated energy systems (IESs) has formed a markedly increasing trend recently, selecting an appropriate integrated energy system construction scheme becomes essential to the energy supplier. This paper aims to develop a multi-criteria decision-making model for the evaluation and selection of an IES construction scheme equipped with smart energy management and control platform. Firstly, a comprehensive evaluation criteria system including economy, energy, environment, technology and service is established. The evaluation criteria system is divided into quantitative criteria denoted by interval numbers and qualitative criteria. Secondly, single-valued neutrosophic numbers are adopted to denote the qualitative criteria in the evaluation criteria system. Thirdly, in order to accommodate mixed data types consisting of both interval numbers and single-valued neutrosophic numbers, the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method is extended into a three-stage technique by introducing a fusion coefficient μ. Then, a real case in China is evaluated through applying the proposed method. Furthermore, a comprehensive discussion is made to analyze the evaluation result and verify the reliability and stability of the method. In short, this study provides a useful tool for the energy supplier to evaluate and select a preferred IES construction scheme.


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