Disparities in Diabetes Care

Disparities in the distribution of diabetes health have been reported by social class, age, gender, and ethnicity and may arise from an interplay of biological, clinical, and non-clinical factors. As well as being morally wrong, these differences in outcome will have a significant adverse effect on a nation’s health. As a result, there have been international efforts to reduce inequalities, from the strategic organisation of healthcare to providers and patients themselves, with mixed effects. This article outlines the disparities in diabetes care and outcomes in different patient groups, and how the approach of integration of health and social care may help to overcome some of the adverse aspects of societal organisation that underpins disparities.

Nasty as I Wanna Be

This chapter introduces the book’s guiding question: Is thought ever subject to moral regulation? Some examples of the sorts of beliefs, attitudes, and fantasies that many regard as morally impermissible are provided, and the conception of morality that will inform the discussion is specified. The chapter advances a number of reasons for asking whether thoughts can be morally wrong, some theoretical and some practical, and anticipates its later argument that internalized restrictions on thought would have a significant adverse effect on mental freedom. Some bad arguments, both for and against moralism about the mental, are mentioned in order to be set aside, and the chapter ends with brief summaries of the chapters to come.

Prior Notification and Water Rights

International practice, including international instruments and case law, confirms that states generally accept that they have a duty to provide prior notification of planned measures that may have a significant adverse effect upon co-riparians. The principle of “prior notification” is framed differently in various instruments, and it can broadly include the duty to “notify” and “consult” on planned measures. Prior notification helps to prevent and mitigate disputes, as underlined by the ICJ. Notification and consultation create the conditions for cooperation among riparian states and for ensuring the protection of international watercourses. On the contrary, the lack of notification and consultation may aggravate disputes as in the case of the Great Renaissance Dam along the Nile River. The UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (Watercourses Convention) provides a detailed procedural framework on prior notification and consultation. This essay outlines the established characteristics of the prior notification and consultation duty, then argues that the duty should be viewed not only as an inter-state obligation but also as including the obligation to inform and consult local communities.

Forearm Shortening Impact on Pronation and Supination

Background: Shortening has been described to treat severely mangled extremities, replantations and nonunions. Outcomes after this procedure in the forearm are vaguely described. This study addresses how the forearm rotation is affected by: (1) location of the shortening; (2) the amount of the shortening at different locations. Methods: Nine fresh cadaveric forearms were dissected preserving intact proximal and distal radio ulnar joints and interosseous membrane. The widest point of the interosseous space and its location over the ulna were measured, defining the peak interosseous distance (PID) and the peak interosseous distance level (PIDL). Stabilization and fixation of the specimens were performed by using a platform and external fixators. Consecutive ostectomies were performed within one centimeter intervals at the distal, middle and proximal forearm thirds. A repeated measures mixed-effects (RMME) specific model was designed for the statistical analysis. Results: Before intervention, the average full forearm rotation was 157° (101–185), supination 80° (56–90)/pronation 77° (45–95). The average PID was 15.6 mm in supination and 12.5 mm in pronation. The PIDP were 52.2% and 58.3% of the ulna length in supination and pronation, respectively. The rotation lost were: middle third 5.31°/cm in supination and 6.12°/cm in pronation, distal third 1.62°/cm in supination and 2.20°/cm in pronation, the proximal third was not affected by up to 5 cm of shortening. Conclusions: These data suggest that shortening of the middle and distal third of the forearm might have more significant adverse effect on forearm rotation compared with the proximal third.

Effect of water dipping on separation techniques of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) arils

For easy separation of arils, pomegranate fruits were subjected to hot water dipping and normal water dipping treatments. Minimum time of separation as 4.10 min/kg of fruit was observed in case of hot water (80±2°C) dip for 2 min which was at par with hot water (80±2°C) dip for 1 min as 4.7 min/kg. All treatments saved time over the traditional method but only hot water dipping was significant without any significant adverse effect on aril quality in comparison with traditional method except anthocyanin and phenols. Anthocyanin content reduced and phenols content increased in comparison to traditional method.

Characterization and Cementitious Properties of BOF Slag

Different techniques were used to characterise BOF slag. The main mineral phases of steel slag are dicalcium silicate C2S , trecalcium silicate C3S and dicalcium ferrite C2F, and C4AF. Some minor phases as ferrite oxides (FeO,Fe2O3) were also identified. The cementitious test indicated that strength of mortar decreased with the increasing of steel slag replacement, and the sample with finer steel slag tends to gain higher strength. Steel slag exhibited significant adverse effect on the early strength, but benefited at late ages.

Low Temperature Softening Modification of Ramie Fabrics

The rigid nature of ramie hairiness on fabrics cause severe itching feeling, which limited the application of ramie fabrics requiring for direct contact to skin. Current modification methods for ramie fabrics are ineffective, expensive or harmful to the main body of fabric. In our research, a low temperature softening method for ramie fabrics in NaOH, urea, glycerol, and Na2B4O7 treatment bath was developed and proven to be efficient in lowering the stiffness and scratchiness of ramie fabrics without significant adverse effect on the fabric strength. Since it is possible to reuse the chemical agents, this treatment was relatively cheap and environmentally friendly.