Digital archetypes : adaptations of early temple architecture in South and Southeast Asia

This unique book presents a broad multi-disciplinary examination of early temple architecture in Asia, written by two experts in digital reconstruction and the history and theory of Asian architecture. The authors examine the archetypes of Early Brahmanic, Hindu and Buddhist temple architecture from their origins in north western India to their subsequent spread and adaptation eastwards into Southeast Asia. While the epic monuments of Asia are well known, much less is known about the connections between their building traditions, especially the common themes and mutual influences in the early architecture of Java, Cambodia and Champa. While others have made significant historiographic connections between these temple building traditions, this book unravels, for the first time, the specifically compositional and architectural linkages along the trading routes of South and Southeast Asia. Through digital reconstruction and recovery of three dimensional temple forms, the authors have developed a digital dataset of early Indian antecedents, tested new technologies for the acquisition of built heritage and developed new methods for comparative analysis of built form geometry. Overall the book presents a novel approach to the study of heritage and representation within the framework of emerging digital techniques and methods. © Sambit Datta and David Beynon 2014. All rights reserved.

Permian fusuline fauna from the lower part of the lugu formation in the central qiangtang block and its geological implications

A Kubergandian (Kungurian) fusuline fauna from the lower part of the Lugu Formation in the Cuozheqiangma area, central Qiangtang Block is described. This fusuline fauna belongs to the Southern Transitional Zone in palaeobiogeography, and is characterised by the presence of the distinctive bi-temperate genus Monodiexodina and many genera common in lower latitude Tethyan areas such as Parafusulina and Pseudodoliolina. The occurrence of Monodiexodina in the fauna confirms that the seamount-type carbonates of the Lugu Formation did not originate from the Palaeotethys Ocean, but rather from a branch of the Neotethys Ocean after the rifting of the Qiangtang Block from the Tethys Himalaya area in the Artinskian. © 2014 Geological Society of China.

Health systems and social transition in Asia

 This study examines the intersection of political and health policy history in selected countries of the Asian region including Cambodia, Myanmar and North Korea. The main finding is that political and social history sets the parameters for health policy making. The thesis then considers the implications this main finding has for the approach to health policy making in the region.

Evolutionary history and leaf succulence as explanations for medicinal use in aloes and the global popularity of Aloe vera

BACKGROUND: Aloe vera supports a substantial global trade yet its wild origins, and explanations for its popularity over 500 related Aloe species in one of the world's largest succulent groups, have remained uncertain. We developed an explicit phylogenetic framework to explore links between the rich traditions of medicinal use and leaf succulence in aloes. RESULTS: The phylogenetic hypothesis clarifies the origins of Aloe vera to the Arabian Peninsula at the northernmost limits of the range for aloes. The genus Aloe originated in southern Africa ~16 million years ago and underwent two major radiations driven by different speciation processes, giving rise to the extraordinary diversity known today. Large, succulent leaves typical of medicinal aloes arose during the most recent diversification ~10 million years ago and are strongly correlated to the phylogeny and to the likelihood of a species being used for medicine. A significant, albeit weak, phylogenetic signal is evident in the medicinal uses of aloes, suggesting that the properties for which they are valued do not occur randomly across the branches of the phylogenetic tree. CONCLUSIONS: Phylogenetic investigation of plant use and leaf succulence among aloes has yielded new explanations for the extraordinary market dominance of Aloe vera. The industry preference for Aloe vera appears to be due to its proximity to important historic trade routes, and early introduction to trade and cultivation. Well-developed succulent leaf mesophyll tissue, an adaptive feature that likely contributed to the ecological success of the genus Aloe, is the main predictor for medicinal use among Aloe species, whereas evolutionary loss of succulence tends to be associated with losses of medicinal use. Phylogenetic analyses of plant use offer potential to understand patterns in the value of global plant diversity.

An international observational prospective survey assessing the control of atrial fibrillation in Asia-Pacific: results of the record-AFAP registry

A prospective 1-year observational survey was designed to assess the management and control of atrial fibrillation (AF) in eight countries within the Asia-Pacific region. Patients (N = 2,604) with recently diagnosed AF or a history of AF ≤1 year were included. Clinicians chose the treatment strategy (rhythm or rate control) according to their standard practice and medical discretion. The primary endpoint was therapeutic success. At baseline, rhythm- and rate-control strategies were applied to 35.7% and 64.3% of patients, respectively. At 12 months, therapeutic success was 43.2% overall. Being assigned to rhythm-control strategy at baseline was associated with a higher therapeutic success (46.5% vs 41.4%; P = 0.0214) and a lower incidence of clinical outcomes (10.4% vs 17.1% P < 0.0001). Patients assigned to rate-control strategies at baseline had higher cardiovascular morbidities (history of heart failure or valvular heart disease). Cardiovascular outcomes may be less dependent on the choice of treatment strategy than cardiovascular comorbidities.

A multiple case history and systematic review of adoption, diffusion, implementation and impact of provincial daily physical activity policies in Canadian schools

BACKGROUND : Few children meet physical activity (PA) recommendations, and are therefore at increased risk for overweight/obesity and adverse health outcomes. To increase children's opportunities for PA, several Canadian provinces have adopted school-based daily PA (DPA) policies. It is not clear why some jurisdictions have adopted DPA policies, and others have not, nor whether these policies have been implemented and have achieved their intended outcomes. The purpose of this study was to understand the processes underlying adoption and diffusion of Canadian DPA policies, and to review evidence regarding their implementation and impact.

METHODS: We adopted a multiple case history methodology in which we traced the chronological trajectory of DPA policies among Canadian provinces by compiling timelines detailing key historical events that preceded policy adoption. Publicly available documents posted on the internet were reviewed to characterize adopter innovativeness, describe the content of their DPA policies, and explore the context surrounding policy adoption. Diffusion of Innovations theory provided a conceptual framework for the analyses. A systematic literature search identified studies that had investigated adoption, diffusion, implementation or impact of Canadian DPA policies.

RESULTS: Five of Canada's 13 provinces and territories (38.5%) have DPA policies. Although the underlying objectives of the policies are similar, there are clear differences among them and in their various policy trajectories. Adoption and diffusion of DPA policies were structured by the characteristics and capacities of adopters, the nature of their policies, and contextual factors. Limited data suggests implementation of DPA policies was moderate but inconsistent and that Canadian DPA policies have had little to no impact on school-aged children's PA levels or BMI.

CONCLUSIONS: This study detailed the history and current status of Canadian DPA policies, highlighting the conditional nature of policy adoption and diffusion, and describing policy and adopter characteristics and political contexts that shaped policy trajectories. An understanding of the conditions associated with successful policy adoption and diffusion can help identify receptive contexts in which to pioneer novel legislative initiatives to increase PA among children. By reviewing evidence regarding policy implementation and impact, this study can also inform amendments to existing, and development of future PA policies.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia occupies the mainland area east of India and south of China, as well as the archipelago between the mainland and Australia, west of the Pacific Ocean. The region is self-identified by its geographic proximity, although cultural commonalities across the region occur mostly at the level of consensus gentium rather than as an overarching mode of regional distinction. Its peoples derive from a broad East Asian racial grouping, dividing primarily along linguistic lines into four families of languages. These linguistic families thereafter quickly devolve into hundreds of ethnic groups, many of which have been bound together in postcolonial states that, to various degrees, comply or otherwise with precolonial polities. While some states have a strong sense of coherent national identity, others have had to consciously construct such an identity, with varying degrees of success and not a little resistance.