AIMS To describe alcohol policy changes in parallel to consumption changes in 2005-2010 in Estonia, where alcohol consumption is among the highest in Europe. METHODS Review of pertinent legislation and literature. RESULTS Alcohol consumption decreased since 2008, while alcohol excise tax, sales time restrictions and ad bans have increased since 2005. An economic downturn started in 2008. ...

The Pacific was well represented at the Summit by over 100 delegates, including nine heads of government. The preceding 18 months of preparation involved a considerable commitment and investment by the region and its partners in sustainable development (Miles 1992). Now, 18 months down the track, it is necessary to ask how this level of international attention and political commitment is affect...

Last year we released version 2.0 of the Feynman integral reduction program Kira. In this contribution first report on changes and new features since then and, secondly, for upcoming releases.

We examine the forecast quality of Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) implied volatility indexes based on the Nasdaq 100 and Standard and Poor’s 100 and 500 stock indexes. We find that the forecast quality of CBOE implied volatilities for the S&P 100 (VXO) and S&P 500 (VIX) has improved since 1995. Implied volatilities for the Nasdaq 100 (VXN) appear to provide even higher quality forecasts ...

We reconstruct the solar irradiance since 1874 employing an evolved version of previously published models and improved sunspot and facular data. A good correlation between reconstructed irradiance and Earth’s global air temperature on time scales longer than the solar cycle is obtained and, in contrast to many earlier models, solar irradiance does not on average lag behind global temperature p...

Zoophycos is one of the most complex and enigmatic trace fossils recorded in marine strata from Cambrian to Quaternary worldwide, which is invaluable for the study of Phanerozoic development of organism-environment interactions. Here we address and demonstrate the macroevolution of Phanerozoic Zoophycos by assembling 448 points in constructing the Phanerozoic Zoophycos database based on 291 pap...

Zoonoses have earned recognition as the source of serious problems for both public and animal health throughout the world. Emerging infectious diseases have been occurring at an unprecedented rate since the 1970s and a large proportion of these diseases are considered zoonotic. To aid in controlling zoonoses, countermeasures have been strengthened against these diseases and are maintained at bo...

Under field conditions, species displacements have occurred in different directions between the same invasive species of leafminers (Diptera: Agromyzidae). Liriomyza sativae (Blanchard) was displaced by L. trifolii (Burgess) in the western United States, with evidence suggesting that lower insecticide susceptibility of L. trifolii is a factor. However, in Japan, the opposite has occurred, as L....